Daily Reflections on 2 Cor. 4:1-6 (It Bothers Me)

Starting a new church is hard! It's tough to compete against churches with large budgets, good facilities, lots of staff, programs, established reputations, plenty of resources and oodles of options. Here we sit with no facilities, an ultra lean budget, a volunteer staff, no programs, no reputation, extremely limited resources and options, well, not much. It's a real temptation to use any and all gimmicks to just get people's attention and try to lure people in. It'd be easy to become a carnival, where I fill the role as a barker. "Ladies and Gentlemen, step right up and experience the greatest show on earth. You'll see.... You'll experience...."

Unfortunately, many churches have already succumbed to that mentality. I've witnessed youth ministries and children's ministries resort to this to attract kids and teens and parents and make sure their constituents all have a good time.

I confess it bothers me when I see churches/ministries giving away TVs, ipods, bikes, Xboxes, PS3's, Wii's, just to get kids to come to an event. It bothers me when I see churches put on a show each Lord's Day to entertain their audience. It bothers me when I hear preachers and teachers say, "Come to Jesus and all your troubles will be over." It bothers me when I hear preachers and teachers say, "Jesus wants you to be rich, just trust God for that house or boat or car or plane." It bothers me when I hear preachers and teachers offer excuses for sinful behavior, i.e. "You're made that way.", "It's a demon in you.", "You're really not that bad.", etc.

Paul's approach? Simply present the message of God's grace and His Good News. What I've found in starting a new church that's focused on extending ourselves to the disenfranchised, disconnected, dechurched and never churched is that the message of the Gospel transforms lives. The Word of God truly makes a difference in people's lives when read, studied, and applied. Programs don't change lives, God does. Buildings don't change lives, the Bible does. Money doesn't change lives, Jesus does. Shows don't change lives, genuine caring and ministry by God's people do.

God, help me and our leaders not to resort to gimmickry or worldly marketing methods in our new church. Help me/us to lift up Jesus. Help me/us to hold out the Word of Life. Help me/us to genuinely share grace and mercy and caring to people I/we encounter. Lord, I don't want to have a "compete" mentality. Let your light shine through me. Help me simply point people to you. I want to assist those who've been blinded to your Good News and glory.

Daily Reflections on Lam. 3:25-29 (Alone)

Oh the exuberance of youth! As a teen I began a real journey of faith in Christ. After 4 years of Bible College, I was ready to take on the world and reform the Church. I had all the answers in my mind. (The only problem was that I didn't even know all the questions.) I was ambitious, impetuous, adventurous, idealistic, oh and one more thing, naive (that sounds better than stupid).

I know for most of my youthful years many people considered me downright arrogant. I probably was. I thought of myself as confident, assured and determined. After all, a leader with a spiritual vision has to be, right? My attitude was, "Okay, Lord, I know what to do, just turn me loose. I'm raring to go." And God let me go, on my own. You'd think after a couple train wrecks I'd have learned. But some of us are either just plain stubborn or slow learners. Truth is, I may have been both.

All of us learn through the school of hard knocks. We learn through the trials and hardships and struggles of life. We call this "life experience." The more we experience in terms of difficulties and challenges and victories, the wiser we become. As we get battered around in life, we are forced to listen to others, to rely on others, to ask for help. It's during those times we are often forced into isolation, to sit alone in silent ponder.

These are times I've experienced my greatest spiritual growth. These are the times I find myself crying out to God from my knees or face down on the floor or at least my bed. If we don't have these times, we'd probably never learn to rely on God or listen for His voice, His direction, His guidance, His timing. I can't say that these have been the most pleasurable experiences of my life, but they have been some of the deepest, most intimate growth I've had. For in these times I've seen the power of God and the grace of God.

Going through a lonely time? A difficult time? Relish it. Make the most of it. Use the time wisely. Remember it was in those times that God spoke to the heroes of the Bible, like Moses, Elijah, David, Samuel, Gideon, Noah, Abraham, Peter, Paul and others. It was after those encounters that they experienced some of their greatest ministry. You're not alone. You're actually in good company. Ps. 46 says in those moments to be still, relax, cease your striving and know that He is God.

God, waiting on you is hard. Having to endure loneliness and failure and rejection is hard. Thanks for the lessons I've learned in the past. Thanks for demonstrating your power, your presence and your wisdom. Thanks for providing the strength you promised in Isa. 40. I'm still learning to wait on you, especially waiting quietly. Forgive my arrogance.

Daily Reflections on 2 Cor. 4:16-18 (Problems)

Light? Momentary? Are you kidding me Paul? Some of the stressors in my life seem anything but light and momentary. Sometimes it feels like I'm carrying the weight of the world. My chest hurts. My breathing is rapid and shallow. I can't sleep. I get indigestion every time I try to eat. My back and neck ache. I wouldn't call some of the stuff I have to endure light or momentary. It's more like heavy, unbearable, incapacitating, with no end in sight.

To be honest, I can't count the situations that I've encountered in life that appeared to have no solution. Impending doom or disaster was looming at my doorstep. Medical bills to car repairs to leaky roofs to personnel issues to health issues to relationship issues to church issues to employment issues to you fill in the blank, I've had to face some overwhelming odds that I couldn't figure out or had the resources to handle.

Whenever I face such situations, I have a tendency to grit my teeth, gather my determination and jump into it with the idea that I'm going down swinging (which usually happens, I go down and then I'm depressed). The older I get, I'm learning to do exactly what Paul says here, to look beyond the crisis or hardship and fix my eyes on the one who has the ability and power and wisdom to deal with it. I'm learning to look for my strength not in my ingenuity or savvy or abilities or even my determination, but to rely on God for the kind of strength I need to endure.

I've found that when I'm dealing with issues on my own, I'm tense, terse, and temperamental. My internal restlessness is experienced by everyone in my presence or close proximity. However, when I am able to put my trust in God completely, the best way I know how, then I experience an inner peace. I'm then able to endure without panic, the situation I face. My spirit remains alive in me and my intimacy with God seems to grow.

God, it's so easy to focus on all my problems instead of you. I know that if I'm seeking to do your will many of my problems wouldn't exist. I realize I get myself into many a mess. That's why I'm looking to you. Lord, help me not to be overcome by my struggles or emotions or even depression. Allow me to see life from your perspective so that I don't lose heart. I'm looking past my problems today, Lord. I'm keeping my eyes focused on you.

Daily Reflections on Phil. 4:8-9 (An Undisciplined Life)

You are what you eat. That’s what I’ve been told by those who know. I really don’t want to think about it. It’s hard to picture myself as a burrito or pizza or big juicy hamburger. There are plenty of things that I shove in my face that are no doubt unhealthy for me. I eat it anyway. And that’s probably why my scale says, “One at a time please,” when I step on it and my doctor hands me blood pressure and cholesterol drugs.

I live such an undisciplined life. I used to exercise or play sports virtually every day. Now I watch sports in a prone position and the only exercise I get is my regular walks to the fridge. I’ve built up quite a bicep on my right arm from opening and closing the fridge door. My thumb is sleek, toned, agile and well conditioned from punching buttons on the remote.

I’d like to say that I’m disciplined in other areas of my life. However, one quick glance at my office with stacks of papers, folders and stuff strewn from one end to the other would tell a different story.

In athletics I learned that the hardest thing to get into shape and keep conditioned was my mind. It wandered a lot. It got distracted and lost focus. It got tired and wanted to take a break. Concentration, keeping my head in the game 100% of the time was a huge challenge.

Actually, that’s the problem for me in most areas of life. Things, people, events, crises, circumstances, change ups, fastbreaks, other talent, rare opportunities, special moments, you name it, all sorts of things grab my attention and cause me to redirect my focus or let down, or become confused. The area of my mind that gets totally lost in the shuffle of life is my spiritual focus. Everything else seems to consume my thoughts and energy.

Paul’s closing exhortation in Philippians is about focus. He says to zero in on the things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, praiseworthy. Then put into practice what you’ve seen, heard or experienced in these regards.

God, I realize that most my turmoil, frustration, stress and failure come from focusing on the wrong things. I get so distracted so easily. I’m trying each day to change my thinking to your way of thinking. The more I do, the more I experience your peace in my life and a greater peace with others.

Daily Reflections on 2 Cor. 4:5-11 (Dispelling Darkness)

This past winter we suffered the ice storm of the century. Trees snapped in half under the weight of the ice. Power was out across the city for several days. Many streets were impassable due to falling branches and trees. As I stood on my porch at night and looked across our community. I'd never heard it so quiet. Only the sound of another branch cracking and falling broke the silence. A verse from the early chapters of Genesis came to mind, "the earth was formless and void and darkness covered the face of the earth."

To say it was dark would be an understatement. Not even a single street light. Occasionally you could see a beam of a flashlight piercing the darkness. It was dark and bone chilling cold! We lit candles to find out way around the house and huddled around the fireplace for warmth. The few places that by some miracle had power had people swarming it like June bugs to a porch lamp. When the power finally came back on, there were cheers of celebration.

We're all drawn to light. The darker our experience, the greater the appeal of light. The Bible describes God as light. Jesus said He was the light of the world. I love Paul's description of his conversion experience. God's light shined so brightly into his life that he literally went blind for a short period of time. Yet in this passage it wasn't his eyes he refers to, it's his heart. God's light shined into his heart, dispelling the darkness and revealing the glory of God.

Paul became a lantern, aglow with the light of God. When God shines into our hearts, we become reflectors of His marvelous light. It's obvious it's God's light and not our own and that's what makes the message so powerful. God's plan, to make a difference in the lives of people through those of us who have been empowered by the light of God. The good news is that God's light continues to shine even when I have a power shortage, i.e. crisis, stress pressure, calamity, hardship, etc.

God, thanks for shining your light into my darkened heart. I need you. I long for your light in my life. Shine through me so that others can see your glory and find their way.

Daily Reflections on Titus 3:3-7 (Pounding Erasers)

I did it because it was fun! Sometimes at recess and sometimes after school. As a third grader I had a blast with some of my classmates cleaning the erasers and chalk boards. We'd pound those puppies together trying to create the biggest dust cloud. Biggest dust cloud wins. Then it was a race to get your board the cleanest, the fastest. Every inch had to be sparkling green again with no streaking and no puddles of water on the floor. Our teacher must have thought we were nuts. No one asked us. We weren't being punished. We just thought it was cool.

I love to compete and I love to race. But in my hurry, I often had to go back and wipe the board clean again, because as it dried it would leave ugly yellow streaks and smudges on the green board. I'd look over at one of my meticulous friends who carefully and thoroughly was wiping every inch of the board with their damp sponge. I was totally amazed at the pristine nature of their board as it dried. I always had to go back and do mine over.

Although chalkboards have given way to dry erase boards and now smart boards and video projection, the image of the old dust flying from those erasers and seeing those green boards dry to a pristine purity depicts to me the cleansing power of God's grace through Jesus Christ. Without entering into a philosophical or theological discussion of "tabula rosa" or "TULIP," that image describes what God does in my life initially when I first come to faith in Christ and daily as I surrender my life to Him.

A lot of stuff gets written on my board. Sometimes I try to erase it and start over, but the dusty smudges are always there. The more I write or someone else writes, draws, scribbles or diagrams, the more cluttered and confusing my life becomes. When God washes me, I'm pristine again. Nothing that's gone on in the past is evident on my life board. I have what's known as a "clean slate." What I do with my life board from here on out is fresh and new. My past no longer clouds my future.

God, it's miserable when I cloud the issue with my own attempts at starting over. I'm frustrated by the smudges of my past. Wipe my board clean. Make me pristine. Allow me to articulate with clarity your glory, to artfully sketch your majesty. Better yet, you take the chalk. You write on my life. You draw your design. I trust you. I want to be a benefit to others. Communicate through me the splendor of your good news.

Daily Reflections on Ex. 32:1-20 (American Idols)

It happens all the time. We create our own idols to worship or celebrate. More often than not, the idols we create have something to do with meeting a pleasure need. Granted, life is tough and we need some relief from all the stressors and pressures and demands and deadlines.

What concerns me is that there is a tendency to create those idols even in the church. A few years ago a church I was serving moved from its meeting place of forty years to a new location just a half mile down the street. On our final Sunday in the old place we held a special service commemorating the good times and all the things God had done in and through our body at that location. We put some special momentoes in an ark, so to speak, that one of our men had specially crafted for the occasion. Our elders led the march down the street (with a police escort) to our new facility.

But some of our people couldn't let go of the old church home. In fact, 100 people were so tied to the old building that they wouldn't make the move to our new home. The irony was that most of them, instead of staying with their church family, went to other churches and a few decided not to go anywhere.

It's not the first time I've seen it. I've witnessed various forms of idol worship in churches I've served or attended. From stained glass windows, to pews, to positions of stage furniture (especially pianos, pulpits, and communion tables), to decorations, to the building itself. Sometimes the idols are persons or traditions or styles of worship (traditional, contemporary, alternative or hip hop) or the version of the Bible. The sad thing is that most people who create and worship the idol that they've created, don't even recognize it as an idol.

The Israelites created their own idol when Moses was alone on the mountain with God. The idol creators of today are really no different. The reason idols become idols or are created, appear to be because there is no real or intimate relationship with God, Himself. We create idols to satisfy our own need. We want something or someone that's tangible, someone or something we can see or touch. I'm not saying these people don't love God. I'm saying that the lack of depth in their relationship with Him demonstrates that He isn't really alive in their daily life. There's something missing.

I'm not anti tradition or ritual or church buildings. I'm anti putting any thing or person above God, Himself as the central figure of worship. The interesting thing for me in this passage of scripture is that when the Israelites created and worshiped their own idol, both God and Moses referred to them to the other as, "the people YOU brought out of Egypt." Neither wanted to claim them. Both of them burned with anger toward them. It's also interesting to me that the first command God gave Moses to write down after this incident was, "You shall have no other gods before me," and the second was don't make any graven image (idol).

God, thanks for not making me drink my melted down, burned up, ground up to a powder idol. I want you to be my central and only figure of worship. I bow down to you and no one or nothing else. I long for the same encounter and intimacy Moses had with you, to experience your presence and hear your voice, to converse freely with you.