LOVED

2009 is quickly disappearing. The world is celebrating in its usual manner. I wonder how much of the celebration is merely noise and activity to help ignore the emptiness? As I finish this year I am grateful for God's amazing love for me. A love I am still trying to grasp. A love that is totally independent of my achievments or lack thereof. A love that embraces me and celebrates over me. Just me! A love that will not let me go as one song writer penned. A love that the Father wants to overwhelm me with each day during this coming year. A love that should liberate me to enjoy the journey, embrace obedience, and show that love to others. As this year closes and I move into another part of the journey, I desire to truly know God's love for me, and then to show that same love to others. I know the opportunities for both will be multiple. I know I can easily be distracted by the stuff of this world. I know my own insecurities and doubts will at times hinder me from knowing that love and showing that love. May the Holy Spirit guide me into all truth regarding God's boundless love for me and how I can express that to others.

Christmas

We've been traveling with Luke during the last few months at Amarillo First Naz. It's been a good journey. We have just scratched the surface of this window into the life of Jesus and the ways of God. A powerful promise begins this Gospel, "nothing is impossible with God (1:37)." Spoken to Mary upon the announcement of the Incarnation, it declared the nature of God-He is Almighty. The same promise is again spoken by Jesus in Luke 18 & the rich young ruler. The same promise, the same Almighty God, but one person got it and one missed it. Mary was willing to be the Lord's servant, the young ruler refused the offer. Mary seemed to have a vision of something beyond herself, the young ruler couldn't get past himself. One would be labeled powerless by our culture, the other one blessed and successful. The Almighty God didn't need the power and wealth of the young ruler. Almighty God was looking for a willing heart. Someone through whom He could display His redemptive power. The impossible is discovered when we make ourselves available to God, for His purposes and glory. Christmas reminds us of Almighty God and the Divine invasion into this broken world. Nothing is impossible with God. Believe & rejoice!

Thankful

It's hard to believe another year has nearly passed. At this time of thanksgiving and then quickly stepping into Advent, Christ's people should lift a shout of praise and thanksgiving to the true and living God as revealed in Jesus Christ. In a day of confusion and darkness, may we shout with the apostle, "Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift (2 Cor.9:15). I don't seem to stray far from that passage these days. My attitude must be one of thanksgiving. The reality around wants to drag out the negative and complaining spirit, but in these times Christ still lives. It's never about who is president or what the stock market is doing. The political scene in Christ's time wasn't anything special. Corruption and immorality were pervasive in both the religious and political world. In the midst of the cloud of uncertainty and sinfulness, Christ's people must be cultivating an attitude of praise and thanksgiving. The Lord commands it, but He also provides ample reason for. Make a list of God's blessings you enjoy each day. Begin with the quiet confidence that it is well with your soul.

WONDER / Luke 7:36-50

Ravi Zacharias in his excellent book, Recapture The Wonder, states that many things are hard to maintain throughout life, one of these being wonder. As Christ followers it is easy to 'take for granted' amazing grace. It is too easy to get stuck in the ruts and routines, and lose the passion and intensity, the joy and exaltation, the wonder and awe of what God has done and is doing for us in Christ.

In Luke 7, this unnamed woman, who spoke no words, is overwhelmed when she comes into contact with Jesus. She knew who Jesus was/is. Simon didn't. His logic, pride, religious prejudice, separated him from the One who could set his heart free. Her tears flowed from the depth of a heart set free from sin and death. Her extravagance found its motivation in the new life that was alive within her. She didn't care what anyone thought, this One who knew who she was had embraced her with mercy, compassion and grace. What He took, she wanted to get rid of anyway. What He gave she had only dreamed about, cried for, long and sought for. He was the fulfillment of it all. It was wonderful.

The widow's might

I can continue to wrestle with the priority of prayer. The call to prayer in Scripture is clear. Prayer was a priority for Christ, but he didn't live in our fast paced world of noise, clutter and busyness. Poor excuses I know and I don't want to live in the world Christ did. Wesley went to bed early, got up early and prayed. He found power in the Gospel message we often don't see today, or should I say, I don't see today. Thousands came to faith in Christ through Wesley's influence. The reports of the power of God moving on hearts during his open air meetings, and church meetings makes me know we are missing someONE. At one point I thought maybe I was beginning to get a handle on it, but the last few years it seems to be out of my reach again. Oh yes I pray. Faithfully pray and yes more than at meals-in fact sometimes I miss the meal prayer. It's the intercessory, deep, extended, let God move on me type of praying that I know I need and the church needs. Sometimes I get there, or at least close, but all too often I get finished and sense God hasn't even started. In Luke 18 Jesus calls us to pray and not quit. Then he tells of the widow's might. She didn't quit pounding on the judge's door. She prevailed until the answer came. God is not deaf, He is not unwilling as the judge, He is not hard hearted, but He wants us to pray about His will being done. Too often we pray about our stuff. Let's begin to cry out to God to join him in what He is doing and see a great harvest. Wherever you are in the prayer journey don't quit. I am convinced with Wesley, "God does nothing except in answer to prayer." Rally behind your pastor in prayer. Start a prayer band in your home with some friends. Let's become destitute and desperate like the widow-for His sake. A little book that helped me years ago is Dick Eastman's, The Hour That Changes The World.

Presence

I recently read the blog of another individual calling the church to a revival of personal holiness (Lee Grady/Fire In My Bones). It almost seems a paradox, that we would have to call the church to personal holiness-this should be the norm, this should be our daily pursuit and desire, and practice. We have embraced a cheap grace and a sinning religion. The church in America knows nothing of paying a price for anything, and scoffs at paying a price for personal holiness. I was in a meeting of pastors in a city where I was holding a revival, and a pastor asked a solemn question of the group. "When was the last time any of us gutted it out and battled our way through a temptation." Too many simply give in and attempt to go on. The going on is most difficult when the wheels have come off the wagon. Let's not minimize the effect of sinning-it brings death one way or another. I'm re-reading Tozer's classic, The Pursuit of God. In it he states that God meant us to see Him and live with Him and draw our life from His smile. But we have fled from that presence as Adam fled and hid in the garden. It is the realization of that awesome Presence that should make us mindful that holiness is not an option, and that His Presence, His manifest Presence is the key to that holiness. His holiness consuming us becomes the path to our personal holiness. O God take me to the cross, Your holiness is my desire.

Leadership

Tomorrow I have the privilege of facilitating a class at Amarillo College on leadership. As one author states, 'leadership is an art.' When I first read the title of that book, I was startled, because I am not very artistic. One thing I have learned about leadership, it is a challenge. To be a leader, one must be a learner. I don't know that I am a leader, but I do know I want to be a learner. Pastoring is a task that requires one to become a leader, and carries some interesting tensions. To be a servant leader, a shepherd leader is the Biblical model. The church growth movement and the rise of the mega-church in America has thrown the 'ceo leader' model into the mix. In a culture that exalts Donald Trump, and a church culture that exalts the one with the largest attendance, the leadership model of Jesus is often overlooked. In preparing for the class, and compiling a list of leadership definitions, the following by Leith Anderson in his book, Leadership That Works, got my attention.

"The truth is, very few leaders are heros. Most leaders work quietly, and their effectiveness comes as a result of a long series of wise decisions and good behavior. Most leaders are known in a very limited sphere."