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Where are you headed?

February 28, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Proverbs 29:18, “if people can’t see what God is doing, they stumble over themselves. But when they attend to what God reveals, they are most blessed.” It was nearly 17 years ago (1994) when Microsoft branded the felt need for life purpose and direction with the term, “Where do you want to go today?”.

That question still looms for most, and it is not just today, it is the question we ponder for the long haul. Stephen Covey’s advice to start with the end in mind (The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People) makes sense as we consider the end game.  I recently read that over the next 5 years the world’s population will grow by about the same number as those currently living in the U.S., 300 million. However the demand for water will increase 6 fold. Wow!

With changes like that and a desire to be the best church for the community how does one plan and plot for the future? How about by taking a major step to trust God. That would include living for a change with God’s purpose for us in mind which is detailed well in Jeremiah 29:11-13 and Matthew 28:19-20. The best part of those truths is at the end of the Gospel of Matthew where Jesus reminds us that he is with us ALWAYS!. If God be for us who can be against us?

It’s a great time to reload and rethink the future. For whom or what will we give our life for? There is no nobler purpose than that of living as a disciple of Jesus Christ. Be encouraged and Carpe Diem!

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A Biblical Worldview

February 18, 2011 By Leave a Comment

1 Peter 1:13, Therefore with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at His coming.

Quidquid latine dictum sit, altum viditur . We live in a day of inundation when it comes to information. Our children our bombarded with all kind of information, biblical, political, statistical, etc. The challenge is to cull the useless and inaccurate and integrate and retain the useful. Then, the real difference makers are able to process that information into behaviors that work towards a noble and focused life purpose. That is some challenge even for those of us who are approaching the long in the tooth stage!

God has given us a wonderful gift in the ability to develop our critical thinking. Not to be confused with condemnation or ridicule, our critical thinking is the ability to integrate reason, history, and empirical evidence to form foundations of truth and moral values that shape our worldview. Our Christian witness is both a training ground and a launching pad for those we serve well by keeping the mission before us of making disicples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. That mighty purpose allows our fellow travelers in Christ to go one better than just developing a worldview through critical thinking; they move forward on a trajectory set by a biblical worldview that will grow and be stretched for the remainder of their time here on earth as they prepare for eternity. Thanks be to God and bless you all in your witness for Jesus!

One more thing, the translation of the Latin Phrase, “Anything in Latin sounds profound.” J

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The Viral Gospel

February 9, 2011 By Leave a Comment

We have together watched in amazement the cascading events unfolding in the Middle East over the past few weeks. People are no longer willing to accept the status quo when the status quo is in the words of our own President, “not sustainable.”

The images and video footage of the airport in Cairo are a reminder of how quickly things can change and how slippery perceived entitlement is. What we are seeing is viral.

I was just thinking that there were scores of people in that airport in Cairo who had confirmed reservations for a seemingly sure departure, but whose world was turned upside down.

In an instant Platinum, Gold, and Silver Medallion status was no status at all. Why? Because what they had grown accustomed to as a given was no longer certain in this time of uprising, and they were suddenly thrown into a standby world.

How valuable is the unchanging nature of our Father in heaven who loves us dearly?

Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of first fruits of all he created. James 1:16-18 (NIV) Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.

As we examine the change and uncertainty of the world around us we need not fear. God is our unchanging advocate and protector and we are afforded the certainty of salvation through faith in Christ Jesus our Messiah.

No one with a living faith in Christ Jesus as a disciple is living with uncertainty. In Christ there is no standby status, not knowing for sure if they will make their destination. When we are totally dependent on Him we can stand firm and be confident in the knowledge we have a confirmed reservation that is guaranteed not by humans, but by God Himself.

The real dilemma I think that we should be concerned about is where is the viral witness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ?

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