Sunday, July 10, 2011
Monday, June 27, 2011
Empowered
If you could have any super power what would it be?
Why?
Philip
Acts 8:39
39 When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away. The eunuch never saw him again but went on his way rejoicing.
I’ve always wanted to fly. Had dreams about it. Why can’t we fly?
Example, fly like a bird. We don’t have a birds traits or build or equipment, but might try to fly because we saw one do it and got inspired. Just being inspired does not empower. That’s not who we are.
The person that you think you are, the identity you assume, will determine what you do and how you treat others. God wants you to know who you really are. The problem is we already think we know.
When I was in Jr. High, my identity was wrapped up in being Kevin’s little brother. Since my brother was popular, and a lot of the girls liked him, I assumed the identity that took on his persona. I was relaxed around people, felt confident around girls, and if there ever was doubt, I just told people who I was. It was great. It opened all kinds of doors for me. It even determined how others looked at me and the kind of person I was, even if I really never opened my mouth around them. That was the identity I took on. It empowered me to do things that I may not otherwise have thought I could do. It was a built in ability. The identity created friends. It gave me an instant inroad to talk to girls that were older than me and that I knew were out of my league. I didn’t care, I didn’t have to worry about that. I knew I was Kevin’s little brother, and they needed to know that too.
Ephesians 1:4-6
4 Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. 5 God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.
Galatians 1:15
15 But even before I was born, God chose me and called me by his marvelous grace. Then it pleased him 16 to reveal his Son to me[e] so that I would proclaim the Good News about Jesus to the Gentiles.
I’m gonna ask you a question: Who are you? How does that define what you do, what you say, and how you act around people? We naturally live, act, operate out of an overflow of who we think we are.
I will ask you again, who are you? Do you know?
You see, we let people and circumstances define our identity. Loser. Ugly. Flirt. Dumb Jock. Insignificant. Invisible. Proud. Scared. Insecure. Rich. Poor. Intelligence that creates crazy expectations. How we see ourselves skews how we look at the world, how we see God. What we do or do not do.
Acts 1:8
8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.
Why?
Philip
Acts 8:39
39 When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away. The eunuch never saw him again but went on his way rejoicing.
I’ve always wanted to fly. Had dreams about it. Why can’t we fly?
Example, fly like a bird. We don’t have a birds traits or build or equipment, but might try to fly because we saw one do it and got inspired. Just being inspired does not empower. That’s not who we are.
The person that you think you are, the identity you assume, will determine what you do and how you treat others. God wants you to know who you really are. The problem is we already think we know.
When I was in Jr. High, my identity was wrapped up in being Kevin’s little brother. Since my brother was popular, and a lot of the girls liked him, I assumed the identity that took on his persona. I was relaxed around people, felt confident around girls, and if there ever was doubt, I just told people who I was. It was great. It opened all kinds of doors for me. It even determined how others looked at me and the kind of person I was, even if I really never opened my mouth around them. That was the identity I took on. It empowered me to do things that I may not otherwise have thought I could do. It was a built in ability. The identity created friends. It gave me an instant inroad to talk to girls that were older than me and that I knew were out of my league. I didn’t care, I didn’t have to worry about that. I knew I was Kevin’s little brother, and they needed to know that too.
Ephesians 1:4-6
4 Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. 5 God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.
Galatians 1:15
15 But even before I was born, God chose me and called me by his marvelous grace. Then it pleased him 16 to reveal his Son to me[e] so that I would proclaim the Good News about Jesus to the Gentiles.
I’m gonna ask you a question: Who are you? How does that define what you do, what you say, and how you act around people? We naturally live, act, operate out of an overflow of who we think we are.
I will ask you again, who are you? Do you know?
You see, we let people and circumstances define our identity. Loser. Ugly. Flirt. Dumb Jock. Insignificant. Invisible. Proud. Scared. Insecure. Rich. Poor. Intelligence that creates crazy expectations. How we see ourselves skews how we look at the world, how we see God. What we do or do not do.
Acts 1:8
8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.
Set Free
Tangled – great movie, but it has a great story for us today. Do you remember the story of Rapunzel? Let me tell you how they portrayed it in the movie.
She was taken when she was a baby for her magical hair and kept in a tower for 18 years. She was the child of the king and queen, but did not know it and the woman that captured her and kept her prisoner under the pretense that it was just too dangerous out in the world. She finally sets out and explores the world and finds out that who she really is.
Many of us have been told that we are someone we are not. The problem is when we believe a lie. Trapped in a tower of lies and told we can’t leave because it will just be too painful.
Galatians 5:7
7 You were running the race so well. Who has held you back from following the truth? 8 It certainly isn’t God, for he is the one who called you to freedom. 9 This false teaching is like a little yeast that spreads through the whole batch of dough! 10 I am trusting the Lord to keep you from believing false teachings. God will judge that person, whoever he is, who has been confusing you.
The problem is that it is more painful not knowing who we really are, and some of us hope and wish that the lies we believe weren’t true. We even fantasize about fitting in, being accepted and loved for who we really are on the inside. Do you know who you really are? Odds are you don’t. Some of you have been lied to for a long time. Today it’s time for you to learn the truth and be set free.
John 8:31-36
31 Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. 32 And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
33 “But we are descendants of Abraham,” they said. “We have never been slaves to anyone. What do you mean, ‘You will be set free’?”
34 Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave of sin. 35 A slave is not a permanent member of the family, but a son is part of the family forever. 36 So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free.
Jesus says the Truth will set you free. Now, there are two parts here that I want to explain to you.
1. Slaves to sin.
You see, sin separates us from God. It keeps us from being and knowing who He created us to be. So, when He says knowing the truth will set us free, He is talking about knowing Him. Knowing Jesus, really knowing Jesus, is to be in relationship with him and knowing Him as Lord and Savior, so that He can save us from our sins and set us free. Notice how he talks about a slave not being part of the family but a son is? To receive Jesus into your life is to receive the gift of adoption, thus bringing you into His family.
Ephesians 1:4-8
4 Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. 5 God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. 6 So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son. 7 He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins. 8 He has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding.
2. Slaves to lies.
You were not created to be a slave! God CHOSE you to be part of his family before the world even began! Remember in the story that Rapunzel was really a princess, royalty, but she didn’t know it because she was lied to all her life? Some of you believe lies – that no one, not even God loves you, that you aren’t accepted, that you are stupid, unwanted, ugly, that you are just too bad or that you have gone too far and that you can’t do anything right. Some of you struggle with the same sin over and over and you think that God just doesn’t want to mess with you anymore because you are a lost cause. Those are all lies. You need to know the truth about who you really are. You are the son, the daughter of the king. You have been chosen and adopted. Today it’s time to know truth, because the truth will set you free.
She was taken when she was a baby for her magical hair and kept in a tower for 18 years. She was the child of the king and queen, but did not know it and the woman that captured her and kept her prisoner under the pretense that it was just too dangerous out in the world. She finally sets out and explores the world and finds out that who she really is.
Many of us have been told that we are someone we are not. The problem is when we believe a lie. Trapped in a tower of lies and told we can’t leave because it will just be too painful.
Galatians 5:7
7 You were running the race so well. Who has held you back from following the truth? 8 It certainly isn’t God, for he is the one who called you to freedom. 9 This false teaching is like a little yeast that spreads through the whole batch of dough! 10 I am trusting the Lord to keep you from believing false teachings. God will judge that person, whoever he is, who has been confusing you.
The problem is that it is more painful not knowing who we really are, and some of us hope and wish that the lies we believe weren’t true. We even fantasize about fitting in, being accepted and loved for who we really are on the inside. Do you know who you really are? Odds are you don’t. Some of you have been lied to for a long time. Today it’s time for you to learn the truth and be set free.
John 8:31-36
31 Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. 32 And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
33 “But we are descendants of Abraham,” they said. “We have never been slaves to anyone. What do you mean, ‘You will be set free’?”
34 Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave of sin. 35 A slave is not a permanent member of the family, but a son is part of the family forever. 36 So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free.
Jesus says the Truth will set you free. Now, there are two parts here that I want to explain to you.
1. Slaves to sin.
You see, sin separates us from God. It keeps us from being and knowing who He created us to be. So, when He says knowing the truth will set us free, He is talking about knowing Him. Knowing Jesus, really knowing Jesus, is to be in relationship with him and knowing Him as Lord and Savior, so that He can save us from our sins and set us free. Notice how he talks about a slave not being part of the family but a son is? To receive Jesus into your life is to receive the gift of adoption, thus bringing you into His family.
Ephesians 1:4-8
4 Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. 5 God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. 6 So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son. 7 He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins. 8 He has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding.
2. Slaves to lies.
You were not created to be a slave! God CHOSE you to be part of his family before the world even began! Remember in the story that Rapunzel was really a princess, royalty, but she didn’t know it because she was lied to all her life? Some of you believe lies – that no one, not even God loves you, that you aren’t accepted, that you are stupid, unwanted, ugly, that you are just too bad or that you have gone too far and that you can’t do anything right. Some of you struggle with the same sin over and over and you think that God just doesn’t want to mess with you anymore because you are a lost cause. Those are all lies. You need to know the truth about who you really are. You are the son, the daughter of the king. You have been chosen and adopted. Today it’s time to know truth, because the truth will set you free.
Love
He loves us. Yep, we've all heard the song, probably sung it a few hundred times. When I think about this song and the original singer/songwriter, I think of my good friend Chris Kuykendall that first told me about him and directed me to his music on iTunes. Chris passed away from a car accident a year ago May 11 and I still think of him constantly. Everyone who knew Chris misses him. We sang this song at Chris' funeral.
Here is the story behind the song, and the guy that originally wrote it; John Mark McMillan.
Here is the story behind the song, and the guy that originally wrote it; John Mark McMillan.
Friday, January 21, 2011
can't stop
So I don't find it very fair that my brain tends to go really deep when it's late and I'm in bed and I'm trying to go to sleep. Nevertheless, that's where I find myself tonight. I should be dead tired and falling asleep quite easily.
Last night right after my wife went upstairs to go to bed, I was downstairs in the kitchen cleaning out the humidifier. She told me that she was feeling a bit under the weather and with running the heat I thought it would help a little to run the humidifier. So, as I was in the kitchen, a little 4 yr old (my oldest daughter) came peeking around the corner. She had already been in bed for a couple of hours so I asked her what she was doing up. "I need a drink of water." I told her ok but it was gonna be just a minute while I was finishing up what I was doing. That was fine by her so she sat down on the floor just at the entry of the kitchen. As I was finishing up, I heard a strange noise from her and looked over. She looked at me with a playful look on her face and I thought she was just making cute little noises with her mouth. I turned away to finish up and just a few seconds later she spewed. All over the floor. Well I overreacted like I usually do and said something like, "Oh wow! Oh man, wow! There it is!" to which my wife called down asking what happened. When I didn't answer she quickly came downstairs just in time to see her first born unload for a second time on the tile floor.
Throughout the night my oldest child threw up multiple times, keeping all three of us up most of the evening and early morning. We were scheduled to go out of town today and visit grandparents and great grandparents, but now that was out of the question. I have a strict "do not travel with vomiting children" policy. So we stayed at home and did nothing - it was great. Except that most of mine and my wife's attention was spent watching a close eye on my 4 yr old to make sure we heard not gurgling sounds and feeding her very bland and safe food.
We made it through the day and most took naps, well all took naps but I took the shortest at about 30 minutes. I don't really feel like I accomplished anything today, but I did spend some QT with the fam.
Last night right after my wife went upstairs to go to bed, I was downstairs in the kitchen cleaning out the humidifier. She told me that she was feeling a bit under the weather and with running the heat I thought it would help a little to run the humidifier. So, as I was in the kitchen, a little 4 yr old (my oldest daughter) came peeking around the corner. She had already been in bed for a couple of hours so I asked her what she was doing up. "I need a drink of water." I told her ok but it was gonna be just a minute while I was finishing up what I was doing. That was fine by her so she sat down on the floor just at the entry of the kitchen. As I was finishing up, I heard a strange noise from her and looked over. She looked at me with a playful look on her face and I thought she was just making cute little noises with her mouth. I turned away to finish up and just a few seconds later she spewed. All over the floor. Well I overreacted like I usually do and said something like, "Oh wow! Oh man, wow! There it is!" to which my wife called down asking what happened. When I didn't answer she quickly came downstairs just in time to see her first born unload for a second time on the tile floor.
Throughout the night my oldest child threw up multiple times, keeping all three of us up most of the evening and early morning. We were scheduled to go out of town today and visit grandparents and great grandparents, but now that was out of the question. I have a strict "do not travel with vomiting children" policy. So we stayed at home and did nothing - it was great. Except that most of mine and my wife's attention was spent watching a close eye on my 4 yr old to make sure we heard not gurgling sounds and feeding her very bland and safe food.
We made it through the day and most took naps, well all took naps but I took the shortest at about 30 minutes. I don't really feel like I accomplished anything today, but I did spend some QT with the fam.
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Safe Place to Fail
I find myself using these four words more often these days. But the question remains, do you have a safe place to fail?
Let me explain. I fancy myself in the business of training people. I say to them that I want to provide for them a safe place to fail. Hopefully this takes a little of the pressure to be perfect off of them and my expectations. Is anyone perfect? No. Am I? Not always. Ha! That's a joke. Anyway, I actually stole this saying from Brady Boyd years ago when he was leading a small group for men early on Thursday mornings at Gateway Church. He was talking about hearing God and lifting each other up. He explained that many times we don't speak into other people's lives because we are afraid we will get it wrong, so we just don't say anything. He went on to say that that small group was, say it with me now, a safe place to fail. He urged us to all have a little grace with each other and really try to hear God and use what we felt we heard from God to speak into each others lives and encourage each other.
Now I use that phrase when talking to people about ministry. I recently said it to my intern about my expectations of him. I told him that I expect him to screw up. Not screw up like you just killed a kid, but screw up like you said something the wrong way to a parent or a volunteer. I want to provide an atmosphere for him where he gets his hands dirty and learns how to make decisions and gets some experience. I don't give all the control, just enough to make him sweat for it. When he does mess up a little, it's a safe place for me to come alongside him and talk about it and analyze what went wrong. I don't dismiss it, I discuss it. It's not necessarily confrontation and it's not awkward. It's working through it. Then I set higher expectations because of his newly added experience.
A safe place to fail. I love it. My boss does it for me and it creates a lot more freedom to be me and make decisions. I get to celebrate the successes and learn from the failures. Create some safe places for the people in your life.
Let me explain. I fancy myself in the business of training people. I say to them that I want to provide for them a safe place to fail. Hopefully this takes a little of the pressure to be perfect off of them and my expectations. Is anyone perfect? No. Am I? Not always. Ha! That's a joke. Anyway, I actually stole this saying from Brady Boyd years ago when he was leading a small group for men early on Thursday mornings at Gateway Church. He was talking about hearing God and lifting each other up. He explained that many times we don't speak into other people's lives because we are afraid we will get it wrong, so we just don't say anything. He went on to say that that small group was, say it with me now, a safe place to fail. He urged us to all have a little grace with each other and really try to hear God and use what we felt we heard from God to speak into each others lives and encourage each other.
Now I use that phrase when talking to people about ministry. I recently said it to my intern about my expectations of him. I told him that I expect him to screw up. Not screw up like you just killed a kid, but screw up like you said something the wrong way to a parent or a volunteer. I want to provide an atmosphere for him where he gets his hands dirty and learns how to make decisions and gets some experience. I don't give all the control, just enough to make him sweat for it. When he does mess up a little, it's a safe place for me to come alongside him and talk about it and analyze what went wrong. I don't dismiss it, I discuss it. It's not necessarily confrontation and it's not awkward. It's working through it. Then I set higher expectations because of his newly added experience.
A safe place to fail. I love it. My boss does it for me and it creates a lot more freedom to be me and make decisions. I get to celebrate the successes and learn from the failures. Create some safe places for the people in your life.
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Advice...
If you have graduated High School and you are living at home, save your money. Now I know that isn't a revolutionary thought at all, but I still see many single twenty somethings who have a really hard time with this. It's so tempting to go out with your friends or buy that new pair of jeans on pay day or take that road trip where you will take lots of pictures of memories to put on Facebook! I know, I know, trust me I was the worst. You're not under a huge financial strain, you aren't married and you don't have kids. You may feel that you are too young to buy a house and you aren't sure what you're gonna do for the rest of your life. Who does? That does not mean you should still live paycheck to paycheck and spend it faster than its coming in! Let me give you a couple of ideas:
Since you aren't paying rent, find out what it would cost you to get your own place and then set that amount of money aside every month. After all, you don't have to spend it since your parents are being so gracious. This will help you to save (even though it might be a little tighter than you are used to) and it will help you to start budgeting now for later on when you need to pay rent. Who knows, you may even be able to save enough for a down payment on a house when you get married, that would be an awesome wedding present.
Also, say NO to free money. What do I mean by that? Credit cards. Just because it allows you a little peek into adult hood and the card may come with a cool picture on it, does not mean it is free money! In fact, it is more expensive than money! Do yourself a favor and pay cash for everything. If you don't have the cash, don't buy it. That's called living within your means. If you don't have enough means, get another job. Don't have enough time for another job? Figure out priorities and either take time away from something else or live within some other means. It all comes down to "what do you REALLY need" at this time in your life? By the way, it may seem like a really simple thought, but you cannot make time, no one can. You can only take time away from something else, we are all allotted the same 24 hours a day. Hopefully you will get to the point where you live BELOW your means.
Since you aren't paying rent, find out what it would cost you to get your own place and then set that amount of money aside every month. After all, you don't have to spend it since your parents are being so gracious. This will help you to save (even though it might be a little tighter than you are used to) and it will help you to start budgeting now for later on when you need to pay rent. Who knows, you may even be able to save enough for a down payment on a house when you get married, that would be an awesome wedding present.
Also, say NO to free money. What do I mean by that? Credit cards. Just because it allows you a little peek into adult hood and the card may come with a cool picture on it, does not mean it is free money! In fact, it is more expensive than money! Do yourself a favor and pay cash for everything. If you don't have the cash, don't buy it. That's called living within your means. If you don't have enough means, get another job. Don't have enough time for another job? Figure out priorities and either take time away from something else or live within some other means. It all comes down to "what do you REALLY need" at this time in your life? By the way, it may seem like a really simple thought, but you cannot make time, no one can. You can only take time away from something else, we are all allotted the same 24 hours a day. Hopefully you will get to the point where you live BELOW your means.
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