Just 20 minutes ago everyone finally left our house...
It was a glorious evening. Our house was full of people, and full of the Spirit. We had lots of first time guests.
India and her two kids came with Jamie. She hasn't been to church in years, and she teared up while we sang, and again when she told me afterwards that she could feel the weight lifting off her shoulders when she walked into our house.
Eddie came with Alan. He is a believer, but he just recently lost his father. We were able to pray for him, and hopefully, offer him some encouragement and brotherhood.
John and Bob came with Martin. John passed out on the couch, sleeping off his beer while we sang and prayed. Bob seemed encouraged to be there, we were blessed to have him. And Martin received a word from God, prayer, and hope.
The house was full of kids playing. We celebrated Faith's 4th birthday upstairs at the Kauffman's, the food was amazing! The kids had cake and then beat the tar out of a pinata. Then we came downstairs to sing songs to Jesus with Paul and Jeff banging the drums. During worship Jamie, India and her kids came in. We prayed, and Janine shared an image God had given her, for herself, and for others, of an open space that represented her heart, surrounded by pillars. The pillars represented things that kept God out of our hearts, the enemies lies that we believe, disobedience and rebellion, confusion, but God wanted to knock the pillars down! Martin responded to the word, and we prayed for Martin and Janine. Then Eddie came in and shared. We prayed for him too...
It is nights like these (surrounded by friends, and welcoming newcomers, to a community where Jesus is the center) that make me so grateful to God for sending us to this City. I wouldn't trade this away for anything.
Showing posts with label Encouragement. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Encouragement. Show all posts
1.05.2011
12.14.2010
Like A Seed and Like Yeast
Isaiah 9:7 speaking prophetically about the Messiah, tells us that 'the rule of God is ever increasing in scope, in fact the increase will never end.' Its not just the government that has no end, the increase will never end...
Jesus likens the government of God to a seed and to yeast. (Matthew 13:31-33)
A small seed that is insignificant when planted, that is unseen during germination, and breaks the ground with a tremulous shoot, but soon enough grows into something significant and fruitful.
A small bit of yeast that is kneaded into the dough, but soon begins to take on a life of its own, spreading throughout the whole, causing it to take on entirely new properties, flavors, and smells...
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Our first moment of faith is the faintest submission to the rule of God, perhaps only in word.
...but the seed is in the ground!
...the yeast is in the dough!
And now comes God's part!
of the increase of His kingdom, there will be no end!
Perhaps we only acknowledged we believe, but had no intention of obeying, or perhaps we only became willing to obey out of desperation; it matters not to God, He will work with any soil, or any dough. The Holy Spirit continues to haunt us, and soon the faintest acknowledgement of the Lordship of Christ has grown to include more of our lives, fostered by fellowship and word, service and worship, the seed is germinating, sprouting, growing, and producing fruit... fruit that contains seed to be planted in other soils...
=====================
"Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end."
12.10.2010
One Small Candle...
"One small candle, may light thousands of others..."
Governor Bradford
"A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out..."
Matthew 12
God can use even the simplest, smallest, and most abused of us as a vessel for His power, glory, and majesty in the lives of multitudes.
Governor Bradford
"A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out..."
Matthew 12
God can use even the simplest, smallest, and most abused of us as a vessel for His power, glory, and majesty in the lives of multitudes.
5.21.2010
Broken Tomato Cages pt IV
I met another Vineyard pastor at a conference a few months back. In sharing some of the excitements and disappointments of planting a new church, I became a little impassioned. I began to talk about the brokenness in the City, and the diversity, and the presence of cultures from every continent, and the desire to live communally, and plant churches all over the city, and my frustration over consumeristic visions of the church, and our hope to engage some of the ignored segments of our society. It was at this point that he made a short, but oh so sweet remark. He told me that what we were doing was 'very important work.'
I began to cry.
I have dear friends who support me. Not only support, but they 'get' me, they believe in me, and they regularly affirm me. But they are my family, they are supposed to tell me I'm the greatest! This, on the other hand, was a stranger affirming me. I have been so used to hearing the opposite of what he told me. I am so used to being force-fed models of success that have no slot for any of the values that I hold dear. I am so used to wrestling with the tension of seeing real fruit, but not being able to point to the hundreds of people who flock to our building every week, and so feeling a sense of failure.
It was amazing to have someone essentially say: I see you! I see your dream! I see what you are trying to accomplish, and it is beautiful! Don't give up, and certainly don't trade it for someone else's vision of success! What you are doing is vital, it is pioneering work. It isn't easy, you may labor long before you see the fruit you hope for, but if the work isn't done, then the fruit will not come!
I felt like someone finally understood why I don't use tomato cages...
I began to cry.
I have dear friends who support me. Not only support, but they 'get' me, they believe in me, and they regularly affirm me. But they are my family, they are supposed to tell me I'm the greatest! This, on the other hand, was a stranger affirming me. I have been so used to hearing the opposite of what he told me. I am so used to being force-fed models of success that have no slot for any of the values that I hold dear. I am so used to wrestling with the tension of seeing real fruit, but not being able to point to the hundreds of people who flock to our building every week, and so feeling a sense of failure.
It was amazing to have someone essentially say: I see you! I see your dream! I see what you are trying to accomplish, and it is beautiful! Don't give up, and certainly don't trade it for someone else's vision of success! What you are doing is vital, it is pioneering work. It isn't easy, you may labor long before you see the fruit you hope for, but if the work isn't done, then the fruit will not come!
I felt like someone finally understood why I don't use tomato cages...
2.18.2010
David was a godly man?
God proclaims His affirmation of David, He calls him "a man after my own heart."
Is this the same David who slept with his friends wife, while his friend was out fighting to protect David's kingdom? Is this the same David who had his friend killed to cover up the fact that his adultery had led to pregnancy?
Murderer, adulterer, man after God's own heart...
Now God is no dupe, He was aware of David's crimes; God even forbids him from building the Temple because of the life of bloodshed and warfare. (1 Chronicles 22:7)
===========================================
I have heard many a sermon on the need for contrition, (one of my favorite Psalms is the 51st which arises directly in response to David's brokenness over his horrible actions) but I believe there is another lesson in this man's life as well.
It is true that David models repentance, and an earnest desire for godliness in the midst of a life marred by sin, but what if we shift the focus of our storytelling from David, to God? What happens to our story? What echoes might we hear then?
===========================================
What is going on in the heart of God?
While God was not blind to the evil in David's heart, He chose to interact with David's good. God saw what was best about David, not what was worst...
This speaks volumes about God's character!
===========================================
I regularly read 1 Corinthians 13 as either a ringing indictment of my failure to love, or as an exhortation to that love. How instead if we read it as a description of God's character?
God is patient, God is kind, God doesn't rejoice with evil, but rather with truth! God doesn't keep a record of wrongs, God perseveres in love and goodness, and His love always wins out over evil and human brokenness!
David's story then becomes, not a revelation of David's heart after God which we must emulate, but rather a canvas on which God's heart is displayed for us which we should wonder at!
===========================================
When God looks at you, He doesn't look at your failures and sins, but at your sincerest efforts! We discount our earnest desire for God because of the presence of sin. God instead discounts the presence of sin because of our earnest desire for Him!
Because of God's goodness it is not the presence of sin that defines us, but rather the presence of righteousness!
===========================================
In short, God is not disappointed when we are a pile of ash with only a negligible spark of holiness within, rather, He is overjoyed at the presence of the spark! He guards it, cherishes it, and works with it. He longs to nurture that smallest glimmer of faith and righteousness and to fuel it, and breathe on it until it flames!
As Scripture says, 'a bruised reed He will not break and a smoldering wick He will not snuff out.'
If you are a bruised reed, barely standing upright, or a smoldering wick, barely lit, God will not cast you aside, but rather work with joy to encourage the life that is present within you!
Is this the same David who slept with his friends wife, while his friend was out fighting to protect David's kingdom? Is this the same David who had his friend killed to cover up the fact that his adultery had led to pregnancy?
Murderer, adulterer, man after God's own heart...
Now God is no dupe, He was aware of David's crimes; God even forbids him from building the Temple because of the life of bloodshed and warfare. (1 Chronicles 22:7)
===========================================
I have heard many a sermon on the need for contrition, (one of my favorite Psalms is the 51st which arises directly in response to David's brokenness over his horrible actions) but I believe there is another lesson in this man's life as well.
It is true that David models repentance, and an earnest desire for godliness in the midst of a life marred by sin, but what if we shift the focus of our storytelling from David, to God? What happens to our story? What echoes might we hear then?
===========================================
What is going on in the heart of God?
While God was not blind to the evil in David's heart, He chose to interact with David's good. God saw what was best about David, not what was worst...
This speaks volumes about God's character!
===========================================
I regularly read 1 Corinthians 13 as either a ringing indictment of my failure to love, or as an exhortation to that love. How instead if we read it as a description of God's character?
God is patient, God is kind, God doesn't rejoice with evil, but rather with truth! God doesn't keep a record of wrongs, God perseveres in love and goodness, and His love always wins out over evil and human brokenness!
David's story then becomes, not a revelation of David's heart after God which we must emulate, but rather a canvas on which God's heart is displayed for us which we should wonder at!
===========================================
When God looks at you, He doesn't look at your failures and sins, but at your sincerest efforts! We discount our earnest desire for God because of the presence of sin. God instead discounts the presence of sin because of our earnest desire for Him!
Because of God's goodness it is not the presence of sin that defines us, but rather the presence of righteousness!
===========================================
In short, God is not disappointed when we are a pile of ash with only a negligible spark of holiness within, rather, He is overjoyed at the presence of the spark! He guards it, cherishes it, and works with it. He longs to nurture that smallest glimmer of faith and righteousness and to fuel it, and breathe on it until it flames!
As Scripture says, 'a bruised reed He will not break and a smoldering wick He will not snuff out.'
If you are a bruised reed, barely standing upright, or a smoldering wick, barely lit, God will not cast you aside, but rather work with joy to encourage the life that is present within you!
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