The Problem With Me

The big problem with me is that I think I can say or do enough to change someone else's life. That isn't my place. My place is to live in such complete dependance on Christ that His power transforms me. That transformation is then a testimony to His work. As this transformation occurs I will say and do things that will be used to change other's lives, but it is still His power that transforms and changes others.

It's all Him. His power. His Love. His transformative work. 

Not me. I have no power. I have no love. I have no way to transform myself...without Him.

The Cost of War

Now before you get your knickers in a twist, I am not posting this as a commentary about not ever going to war. I'm not here as some pacifist trying to say that we need to give peace a chance. Although I wouldn't be opposed to the whole world just getting along and all of us living in peace. I've been curious recently about how much the war has cost America since 2001 and found this site. I'm sure someone could find something wrong with it but it's my blog and I found it interesting.

http://costofwar.com/en/

I have also read that there has been some economic damage done to our economy besides just the actual cost of war. This has made me understand that we aren't talking about where we can place the fault for our deficits. This has been a series of unfortunate events that has led us to our economic woes.

"We're nominating a President, not a Pastor."

I have done a pretty good job staying out of the fray, until recently.  You see, as a pastor I really don't have a dog in the hunt.  To be more specific, I am independent.  But here over the last several years I have become truly independent.  Not someone who says it for attention, but one who actually means they are independent.

(Is "dog in the hunt" an actual saying?)

Anyway, I digress.  Over the past several years I have defended Bush, defended Obama, even in some regards defended Clinton.  Generally I believe some people who have gotten into conversations with me think when I speak of these Presidents that I am for them.  And believe it or not, I am.  All three of these men say they believe in the God of the Universe, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.  They have all claimed that Jesus is their Messiah.  I want that to be true.  They have all done things and said things that are contrary to what it means to be a Christ follower.  Haven't we all.  I want all men to know Christ and follow Him.  So if I want all men to know Christ, I want all Presidents to know Christ.  If I want all Presidents to know Christ then I want them to show that in their lives.

Some people have said to me in the past, "We're nominating a President, not a Pastor."  I get where these people are coming from, but I guess what I really want is a President who knows Jesus, follows Jesus, and in every aspect of His life is being affected by Jesus.  Knowing Jesus would naturally spill over into his Presidency.  If Jesus is the life changer, shouldn't this be what all Christians want?

Alas, most believe, including the Presidents themselves, that being Christian and being President are two separate compartments.  Don't get me wrong, I'm not suggesting that Presidents should set out a decree that all people have to believe in Jesus.  That's ridiculous.  But I do believe that Presidents who claim Christ should make Christ the central focus of their life and that should reflect in the decisions they make.

So as we go further into this election year just know that I want all involved to know Christ, the real Christ.  "Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord."  (Philippians 3:8a)  I want all to know the Truth.  I want all to be speaking Truth.  Because Christ is the Truth.

There is Nothing More Important than the Worship of God

I shared this yesterday morning during our service.  "There is nothing more important than the worship of God."  It's hard to make it meaningful enough using just my voice or this place where I type simply words.  How do I go about really helping people understand that they were made for worship of God?  Too much stuff is in the way.  Too many voices in our heads.  Too many other things to worship.

I guess I can start with this one place, in this one moment, if you are reading this right now just take a moment and tell God how Awesome you know He is.

If you don't believe God is Awesome, or don't believe in God at all, and you find yourself here on this blog wondering why you are looking at this, please take sometime to think about your eyeball and how that super mega computer in your head was built.

God You Heal Me

I am a sinner.

God you know this.

God you heal me.

I am weak and damaged.

God you know this.

God you heal me.

In my deepest distress.

God you know this.

God you heal me.

In my deepest pain.

God you know this.

God you heal me.

I lack faith.

God you know this.

God you heal me.

I lack belief.

God you know this.

God you heal me.

Courage is far from me.

God you know this.

God you heal me.

Anger is my companion.

God you know this.

God you heal me.

The Son has saved me.

God you know this.

God you heal me.

The Spirit is mighty.

God you know this.

God you heal me.

You God are my Healer.

God you know this.

God you heal me.

Mental Illness?

Aren't we all mentally ill? Don't hear me wrong, I'm not suggesting that there isn't a thing such as mental illness, but because of the fall don't we all have a problem with our heads and hearts. I wonder if the people who are actually diagnosed with a mental illness are the only ones who are actually not mentally ill. In other words, I wonder if all of us should be more vulnerable and speak up about the things that give us anxiety, fear, anger, and all of the other horrible things all of us think about. Maybe the only way to truly deal with the things that go on in our minds is to talk to someone, or better yet, talk to God about them. But unfortunately we will usually not do this. Then we will be stuck in the vicious cycle of thinking things that will cause us more anxiety, fear, anger, etc. Sometimes this leads to action from our anxiety, fear, anger, etc., and that just isn't good at all.

Solution: Talk to God. Talk to someone who loves God. Become vulnerable. Repent. Believe that God will help you. When He does, remember how he helped and continue to grow!

Things I've Been Thinking as a Pastor

(Please don't read this if you have a tendency to take things personally. These thoughts are not directed at any one individual. They are also just thoughts, and they are possibly wrong. But they are my thoughts none the less.)

1. People will always tell you they are coming, and then most won't. (Sorry to those of you who feel like that hits too close to home.)

2. It is hard to start a movement.

3. It is great when it dawns on people that they really can be a part of a church!

4. Most of the time I see the problem but don't know how to fix it, I generally just want to slap it around.

5. Satan's forces are at work.

6. The Holy Spirit is STRONG!

7. I don't rely on the Holy Spirit the way that I should.

8. I need to step up and become a catalyst.

9. Sometimes when things don't work out I look at how they have worked out for other pastors, and there's a moment, a brief moment, when I want to give up.

10. I'm gonna have to force myself to push that publish post button down there.