Is anyone paying attention?

God has a plan for us. It's clearly outlined in the bible. Each book of the bible includes applicable story lines of how people made God-honoring choices about their relationships and what happened when they choose to indulge themselves, other people or other things. It's possible to have great relationships, set Kingdom-building goals and follow God where ever he leads when we understand and reap the benefits of a flourishing relationship with him. The next generation inherits God-centered behaviors, confirms a belief in Godly character and applies Godly living to their life choices no matter what the circumstance they may face. Trust, confidence, commitment, and assurance are all natural by-products.

To anyone paying attention, it's obvious that human relationships are bearing the brunt of the new moral code's repercussions. *If virtue becomes irrelevant and traditional morality is considered extreme, the next generation pays the price for the relational world without boundaries. Relationships are designed by God to help us define who we truly are and how we relate to others. Learning about how to have good faith relationships requires training, practice and follow through if we are to become God-honoring in them. Faithfulness is not easy in a society that continually encourages behaviors that are focused on self-fulfillment.

Relationships will lead to the painful death of the self-focused pursuits. Relationships require us to care about someone other than ourselves and can help release us from the self-inflicted prison of self-gratification. An unhealthy preoccupation with self has always been and continues to be a constant threat to humanity's flourishing. We were created in God's image. We were created for relationships. We have a heart, mind and soul. This is the arena of relationships. I believe Jesus' command shook-up the first-century crowd and continues to impact us as we hear it today. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind and soul. This is the greatest command. We are invited to imagine life beyond our limitations and to search the richness of a relationship with a God who created us. Who knows what He has in store for us?

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
 neither are your ways my ways,”
declares the Lord.
“As the heavens are higher than the earth,
 so are my ways higher than your ways
 and my thoughts than your thoughts."  - Isaiah 55:8-9 NIV

*(David Kinnaman & Gabe Lyons. Good Faith: Being a Christian When Society Thinks You're Irrelevant and Extreme. Baker Books,2016. Page 120)

What's trending now?

Interior design: black wrought iron, rounded furniture, old-world ornamentation, Mexican Midcentury Modernism and Scandinavian flat weaves. (WSJ)

Technology: FBI opens Shooter's IPhone-Drops Demand on Apple, Infosys Engineer was Among the Brussels' Victims (WSJ)

Parenting: Financial Instability is Major Factor in Success or Failure of Children-Violence and Teen Pregnancy Next on the List (Pew)

Smaller Share of Women over 65 Living Alone: the Trend is Older Adults Living with Family Members (Pew)

2016 Election: Most Americans Say Government Doesn't Do Enough to Help Middle Class (Pew)

Presidential Race: Evangelicals Least Likely to Pay Attention to the 2016 Campaign (Barna)

Christianity: Five Ways Christianity is Increasingly Viewed as Extremist (Barna)

There is an endless supply of information out there. You may find research on almost any topic. The trick is to find reputable sources. Numbers are numbers but how we interpret the numbers is the game. The trends I found above are from the Wall Street Journal, Pew Research and Barna Research. Researchers investigate topics, gather data, analyze the data and report trends. Trends help researchers discover change.

Discovering trends can help us understand reality. The story we make up in our head or the hunch we are willing to invest in rarely match reality. In order to make the best decisions possible, we believe it's important to know the trends generally in the American church and specifically to Wheatland Salem Church when we are preparing for an all-church generosity series.

Trending is the title of our April series. We will be learning from experts like the ones I used above and leaders like Ed Stetzer who is a researcher, prolific writer and national speaker. He is one voice among many that continues to educate, prepare and help leaders make decisions about anything that has to do with church. Mr. Stetzer writes for Christianity Today but also has his own website, blog, and social media outlets.  Check him out. It's illuminating what his research reveals.

Here's why I believe it's important to know all this information.

Jesus issued two important directives to his followers. The heart of Jesus’ message and the church’s calling is summarized in the Great Commandment and the Great Commission. From the GC2 we derive the Core Values of Wheatland Salem Church: relationships, personal transformation, mission, worship, future generations. This series will also serve as our “generosity series.” We believe “money follows mission.” By discovering how we are actually doing with Jesus' GC2 initiatives and telling stories of what we value at Wheatland, we believe can inspire generosity. We hope to educate the congregation on the types of givers, challenge people to consider prioritizing their giving and inform the congregations on the trends research reveals from American churches, United Methodist Churches and our own Wheatland Salem campuses.

Every time I think of you, I thank my God. And whenever I mention you in my prayers, it makes me happy. This is because you have taken part with me in spreading the good news from the first day you heard about it. God is the one who began this good work in you, and I am certain that he won’t stop before it is complete on the day that Christ Jesus returns. Philippians 1:4-6 CEV

Courageous Followers Wanted

On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. Luke 24:1 NIV

My heart aches for the people of Brussels, Belgium. I pray for the people who desperately searched hospitals and social media outlets hoping for any signs of life from beloved family and friends only to find out their person was included in casualty reports from the airport or subway. CNN reported witnesses to the carnage Tuesday in Brussels endured scenes of panic, smoke and horrific injuries. Travelers, commuters, European Union officials and baggage handlers alike were caught up in the deadly terrorist attacks. All of them going through their normal routines of everyday life.

Not long afterward, family, friends, colleagues, and strangers created a memorial to honor the lives of the victims. They brought small tokens of remembrance to identify with the loss. Belgians displayed a banner of solidarity that read "I am Brussels" in French and Flemish on the steps of the old stock exchange building in Brussels following bomb attacks. People from around the world will venture to the crime scenes searching for internal answers to deeply personal questions.

So I pray.

I pray for courageous followers of Jesus to move toward the carnage and make their way to the battlefield once again. I pray for God to blanket Brussels with forgiveness, love and mercy this Easter weekend. I pray the whole world is a witness to the glory of His resurrection. I pray for Europe and the world to have the tenacity to hope and believe God in the midst of their intense feelings of loss, grief and pain. I pray the great veil of darkness that shrouds Europe to be ripped to shreds and for a time of unprecedented revelation of God's magnificent beauty to be restored once again. I pray for people to accept what God has already done and prepare themselves for what He can do in their personal lives today. I pray for a holy confidence to rise along with the sun on Easter morning and a blessed assurance of faith in Christ to blaze in the hearts and minds of anyone who dares to believe God could do something miraculous in the dark embrace of fear, pain, suffering and death.  

I believe we can be the Easter People Christ called us to be and like those two men in dazzling clothes ask, “Why do you look for the living among the dead?  He is not here; he has risen!" Happy Easter! (Luke 24:5b-6a NIV)

Is your heart prepared?

“Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!”

“Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” Luke 19:38 NIV

Passover boiled up strong religious and political expectations among the people yearning for a Messiah. Thousands of pilgrims lined the streets crowding the close confines of the walled cobblestone streets of Jerusalem. There was always occasional violence even in the midst of security detail from the Temple police, Herod Archelaus' palace or from the Roman Antonia Fortress. Tempers ran high in a large city filled to capacity with outsiders. Jewish historian, Josephus, chronicled a brutal episode of Jerusalem's history by documenting the clash between Herod Archelaus' armed guard and a mob of unruly pilgrims. 3,000 pilgrims died in the conflict. You may read more about this history in Wars.*

Jesus' appearance in Jerusalem had serious religious and political overtones which set many on edge. It must have been like expectantly listening and waiting for the match to strike in a drought season. A holy fire was about to be set. The implications of which no one could invent or imagine. I've always sympathized with the Roman soldier whose sole responsibility was to watch and report any indication of trouble from the tower of the Antonia Fortress, which was securely fashioned to the eastern end of the Great Wall on the Temple Mount. I imagine his adrenaline rush or his heart pounding as he saw the boisterous crowd emerge over the East hill. They shouted loudly. They waved Jericho palm branches in the air. A central figure rode on a donkey. There are churches that commemorate that entry into Jerusalem to this very day.

Holy week is saturated in violence from beginning to end but we rarely talk about it. Jesus warned the disciples about his gruesome death three times in Luke's gospel. They did not understand. As Jesus ended his journey to Jerusalem, he narrated parables about hating an appointed king and killing a vineyard owner's son much to the crowd's delight and the authorities' horror. Jesus wept as he approached Jerusalem and predicted the destruction of the Temple. "They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God's coming to you." Luke 19:44b NIV

The Journey Lenten Devotional will not have commentary for the Holy Week. I designed it that way. I hope you read the scripture for yourself and allowed the Holy Spirit to captivate your imagination and heart. I pray God opens your mind to his truth and Jesus becomes more to you than an historical figure. The Messiah changed the world and has great plans to continue changing the world until he arrives again for his final victory. May you deepen your resolve to become more committed to God's mission and values no matter what the cost.

Prepare our hearts, O God, to accept your Word. Silence in us any voice but your own, that, hearing, we may also obey your will; though Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. **

*Josephus, Wars, 2.10-13

**The HarperCollins Book of Prayers: A Treasury of Prayers through the Ages. Edison, N.J.: Castle Books, 1997.

Sometimes, I just don't get it.

Piglet sidled up to Pooh from behind. Pooh? he whispered.
Yes, Piglet?
Nothing, said Piglet, taking Pooh’s hand. I just wanted to be sure of you. ~ A.A. Milne

I don't understand everything. Sometimes I just don't get it. It often takes me years to accept the meaning or purpose of an experience or event. The story I make up in my head is usually clouded by my own irrational judgment, lack of wisdom or blinding ignorance.  

My irrational judgment is often ruled by chief emotions like shame or guilt. As a leader, I don't want to m­­ake mistakes. So everything I do becomes a performance indicator-a measurement of my leadership abilities or disabilities. Being a woman leader can often be a heavy weight to carry. If I make a mistake as a woman leader, somehow I feel like I am letting down women all over the world. Remember, I said, irrational judgment.

A true scholar somewhere once said, "Wisdom comes with experience." Frankly, I don't want some experiences. As a matter of fact, I will often tell others to keep the receipt from their experiences because wisdom can be expensive. It just makes me feel better to make up a story that I have a money-back guarantee. If I am not totally satisfied, I can return my experience and receive a full refund. A receipt for my wisdom can be the only thing I walk away with but at least I have a date and time of purchase.

I take risks. I expand my horizons. But, by the very nature of exploration, I venture into unchartered territory. I may attempt something for the first time, make mistakes and then beat myself up for not knowing better. Blinding ignorance reveals my vulnerability. I can land flat on my face which is a dangerous place to be. My vision is limited to the boundaries of my colossal failure. I can't take in the big picture. Pushing up from a major defeat takes courage, strength and fortitude. These qualities all sound like wonderful attributes for an investment company or academic institution. And maybe that's the point. That's life-an investment and a university.

As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the road begging. A noisy crowd was going by. He asked what was happening. Someone told him Jesus of Nazareth was passing by. The blind man immediately called out, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me." Although the disciples tried to hush him up, the blind man shouted out louder. Jesus stopped. Jesus asked that the blind man be brought to him. Jesus asked him, "What do you want me to do for you?" Lord, I want to see. Lord, give me your eyes to see.

Jesus said to him, "Receive your sight; your faith has healed you." Luke 18:42 NIV

The Border

Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. Luke 17:11 NIV

Identifying what village, town or city where Jesus did something noteworthy enough to be recorded in scripture has become kind of a game for me. Identifying the location where Jesus travelled can be like a game of Concentration or Word Search. Sometimes scripture very clearly states where Jesus publicly pops up and other times I scour the scripture for his location. The passage from Luke 17 takes place along the border. The phrase 'along the border' captured my attention.

Bill and I have travelled to Israel-Palestine many times. One trip we were given permission to enter the Temple Mount. There are only certain people that can experience both the option to pray at the Western 'Wailing' Wall and walk the sacred ground of the Temple Mount in the Old City of Jerusalem. Some people say that piece of real estate is the most volatile in the world and with good reason. There is a wooden covered bridge that connects the entrance to the Temple Mount with the two-thousand year old city street below. Security checkpoints greet anyone attempting to enter these areas.

About halfway up the walking bridge I stopped to watch about a dozen Orthodox Jewish men covered in the black and white prayer shawls dance and celebrate during a Bar Mitzvah. A twelve year old boy read aloud his Torah passage in the center of the swirling chaos of black and white stripes. There was hundreds of other praying Orthodox men covered in black and white prayer shawls packed into that sacred space. I felt their exuberance as I observed like a voyeur from within the covered bridge. I knew I had experienced something very special. I witnessed firsthand something a boy's own mother would only hear about in bits and pieces as her son recalled his story to interested listeners.

 A thought entered my mind as I turned away from the raucous scene to walk a little further toward the threshold of the Temple Mount. My belief in Jesus and my citizenship as an American allowed me the privilege to travel between these two holy places. Jews claim the Western Wall as the most sacred holy place and Muslims claim the Temple mount as their third most holy site. Jews and Muslims are forbidden to enter the other's sacred space. But, I was allowed to travel to both places. I travelled along the border. 

Imagine all the intricate borders Jesus travels. Jesus is Son of Man and Son of God. Jesus navigates the borders of divinity and humanity as God Incarnate. He is most holy yet a friend of sinners. Jesus is sinless and pure the Passover Lamb whose blood takes away the sins of the world. Jesus lived among the poor yet resides as a King in a Kingdom where borders belong only to the human heart. I pray you continue to identify the border regions Jesus travelled. Perhaps the most important border is the one we have yet to cross. Jesus died yet he overcame death so that we might live.   

The coming of the kingdom of God is not something that can be observed, nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’ because the kingdom of God is in your midst. Luke 17:21-22 NIV

You almost persuade me to become a Christian.

Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You almost persuade me to become a Christian.” Acts 26:28 NKJV

The Almost Christian is one of the most impactful sermons I've ever analyzed. John Wesley delivered deep soulful prose to listening ears at St. Mary's, Oxford, before the University, on July 25, 1741. Mr. Wesley delivered his message with deliberate, elegant and convicting style similar to that of Jesus before the Pharisees. This message still disturbs me. Mr. Wesley's elegant poetry challenged me to explore my own motivation for being a follower of Christ.

Evidently, there were many 18th century Christians who practiced a solid outward religion. One may even define it as living a life of good solid morality. For example, self-professed religious people practiced regular prayer times with family, actively participated in church and abstained from behaviors unbecoming to a Christian. But, for Wesley, there needed to be one more thing in order to distinguish someone from being almost a Christian to being a Christian altogether and that was, sincerity of heart.

Wesley unabashedly drilled deeply into the bedrock of belief. He asserted, 'Good men avoid sin from the love of virtue; Wicked men avoid sin from a fear of punishment.'* This statement alone is like electricity to my bones. For years, the pulpits of well meaning churches preached the message of 'Turn or Burn.' Wesley investigated the motivation behind our desire to avoid eternal damnation and hellfire. In one poetic sentence that continues to convict me, I am challenged to contemplate whether I am good or if am I wicked. Do I preach, pastor and lead from a heart full of the love of Christ or from the fear of punishment? Which of these is God-honoring?

Sunday we continue the exploration of Luke's Travel Narrative. Jesus went through towns and villages teaching as he made his way to Jerusalem. Someone from the religious crowd inquired of Jesus if only a few will be saved. Jesus responds deliberately. Make every effort to enter through the narrow door. Salvation is exclusive. It requires a crucial conversation. So, a religious person may ask if the saved will be few. Jesus responds with the question: will the saved be you?

May we all thus experience what it is to be, not almost only; but altogether Christians; being justified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Jesus; knowing we have peace with God through Jesus Christ; rejoicing in hope of the glory of God; and having the love of God shed abroad in our hearts, by the Holy Ghost given unto us! The Almost Christian, John Wesley 

*Read the entire transcript here.

Are you ready for the journey?

For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” Luke 19:10 NIV

You are invited to accompany Jesus as he makes his way toward Jerusalem this Lenten Season. Luke’s gospel includes a section called the Travel Narrative. However, there is neither map nor itinerary. Join the entourage as Jesus meanders throughout the towns and villages of Galilee region, turns up in Jericho and eventually arrives in Jerusalem. Scripture notes geographic locations but they may or may not be the focus of Jesus’ message.

Some scholars suggest Jesus' journey to Jerusalem might be an internal one. As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem. (Luke 9:51 NIV) What does 'resolutely' mean? Allow your imagination to help you be drawn into these passages more as a pilgrim journeying along the way that goes beyond Jerusalem and includes the ever-expanding borders of the Kingdom of God. Travel with Jesus as he experiences unique cultural challenges and colorful social situations. Be with Jesus as he triumphs over political tests and boldly threatens the longstanding relational authority between the Temple and humanity.

There is something uneasy about Jesus’ call. Jesus doesn’t explain fully what ‘follow me’ means or even how following him will work. His call demands imitation and it demands you start today. The journey can be a combination of terror and joy for pilgrims. Jesus’ story follows an arch that can both resonate with and confound the hearts of those who participate with it. The story contains complexities of life, death and resurrection. There is power but also weakness. There is leadership and surrender. Could six weeks really transform your life? Come and see.

Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. 46 He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, 47 and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. Luke 24:45-48 NIV

Are you loving your enemy?

"Here you are sitting in my house. I am having a hard time believing you are here because everything I've ever been told about you is whirling around in my head. I was told you and your country are evil. You and your country are responsible for the violence, turmoil and destruction of my country. I was taught to hate you and America. Now you are sitting in my house drinking tea." (Mohammed, Syrian refugee currently living in Jordan)

Six of us sat together in silence for a few moments and stared at the steam rise from the hot tea in our glasses. I felt unusually calm. No racing heartbeat. No rapid searching for words of reassurance or encouragement. I listened as the Arabic tones modulated from high to low like an ancient melody being sung. The three Syrians chatted softly with each other as we three Americans sat in peaceful silence. They were refugees. We were there to listen to their story and offer them some basic items like blankets, tea, sugar, lentils, rice and diapers for their children.

There is a great temptation to remain cleverly disguised as a Christ follower while merely loving the people who love us in return. The action that sets a follower of Jesus apart is the love of their enemy. Jesus leaves no room for debate. He clearly sets out the strategy of how and why to love our enemy. Matthew's gospel incorporates Jesus' details in chapters 5-7.  

Enemy-love is not self-evident. We have to be carefully trained. Every culture throughout time has its own methods of identifying, resisting and destroying enemies. We can generalize about the process but eliminating the enemy is universal. Enemy-love confronts our human nature. It challenges us to seek other ways of being with each other. When it comes to enemy-love, Jesus confronts more than our human nature. He confronts our sin nature. It is the purple elephant in the middle of every relationship and situation.

Enemy-love begins with examining our own heart for motivations that are to be God-honoring and for purposes greater than our own. Enemy-love crushes stereotypes, erases past hurts and employs all of us to do the work of eradicating what was believed to be irreparable damage. We get a glimmer of what Jesus was able to accomplish every time we fight the good fight we are called to fight. Enemy-love is the reward in itself. It is for those who may feel the awkwardness of learning something new or the terror of confronting evil in whatever form it presents itself.

Eugene Peterson's translation, The Message, describes it like this:

I’m telling you to love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer, for then you are working out of your true selves, your God-created selves. This is what God does. Matthew 5:44 

Are you using your 'Super Powers'?

“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ Matthew 25:40 NIV

Jesus has some very clear directives when it comes to loving people. Jesus actually says there is no greater love than to lay down one's life for their friends in chapter fifteen of John's gospel. It's tempting to think, “I love my friends but I am not ready to die for them. That sounds like the kind of thing a super hero might do, but not me." Fair enough. But consider this: Can you lay down your life or can you set your life aside, for a few minutes? This might be all it takes to make a difference in someone else's life. You may not be called to die but Followers of Jesus understand the call to intercede. We are all called to do something. None of us are exempt.

To intercede means to intervene. 

For most of us in the church, we’ve heard about Intercessory Prayer. It can bring up strange ideas for some people. It's easy to think it takes a holy roller or spiritual super hero to get involved with such a super-charged issue. We can redeem the exercise of Intercessory prayer by simply defining it in a way that makes sense to an everyday believer. For example, Intercessory Prayer invites you to focus on a child living anywhere in the world. Place yourself in the position of blessing them. Focus on their daily needs, spouse, favor, career path, friends and life in general. Pray for their protection from evil. Do this exercise daily for a week or commit to it for longer. Write down anything that comes to your mind as you pray and keep a record of answered prayers.

Intercession does not require power. It simply requires a refusal to turn your back on need.

It's pretty simple. When it's your turn to act--ACT! Jesus said, "I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you." (Luke 10:19 NIV) With God's help, do something in whatever way you possibly can. Don’t overestimate what you can achieve but don’t hide behind tired excuses either. Responding to a need can be challenging and awkward at first. It can even make you feel shaky inside. Emotions and adrenalin are gifts from God but we cannot allow our emotions to run our lives in such a way that keeps us hidden in a prison of fear. For the sake of the everyday hero that lives inside you, it is best if you assume that God will not intercede without you. There is no one about to come down out of the sky, cape fluttering, and relieve you of what you are called to do. It is your responsibility to do what must be done.

Now the God of peace, who brought back from the dead that great shepherd of the sheep, our Lord Jesus, by the blood of the everlasting agreement, equip you thoroughly for the doing of his will! May he effect in you everything that pleases him through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Hebrews 13:21 Phillips            

Are you ready?

“Wholeness and purpose do not happen in a vacuum— to be fully healed is to be reintegrated into community."  Aric Clark

Don was the first District Superintendent I worked with when I began the United Methodist ordination process in 1994 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He was a seasoned, well-formed Christ follower and avid basketball fan. March madness was a holy time for him. He was unabashedly enthusiastic about Jesus and basketball. As a retired pastor, Don was appointed to become the temporary senior pastor of the parish I served as Director of Christian Education and Youth. He mentored me into the candidacy process and I learned more from him about parish ministry than I could ever include in this blog.

"I'm leaving for Germany!" He said one morning with his usual buoyancy. I figured he and his wife were finally taking their dream vacation on a Viking Cruise. But, as I listened, he shared a great story of courage and reconciliation. Don grew up in West Texas, became a pilot and served our country during World War II. He and a bunch of his friends all flew air raids over Germany. He recalled the exhilaration and terror he felt as his squadron ran bombing raids in the midst of serious dogfights. His countenance fell as he named several of his West Texas buddies that didn't make it home.

Don and several of his pilot-friends planned to travel to Germany to walk the land where their bombs landed decades earlier. His somber mood intensified as he spoke about the seriousness of his decision. It was different seeing the world from the pilot's seat. He could remain physically, spiritually and emotionally detached from what happened during the war or he could do the hard work of connecting with his past actions. He chose to do the hard work.

Our relationship with Jesus doesn’t change our outer circumstances. We still have our past. Our story includes wounds and scars. Jesus cannot miraculously erase parts of our story. But, he can change us. He calls us into a new creative way of being, seeing, acting, speaking, thinking. The resurrected Jesus still had wounds. They didn't go away but the wounds took on new meaning. When we take responsibility to stand and rise into the resurrection life, we can discover we have somehow miraculously transformed. Sometimes incredulously words fail us and we are engulfed by an overwhelming sense of greater purpose. Healing can take place.

Healing doesn’t necessarily make life easy or mean we no longer have to deal with the circumstances of life. Healing can redefine our circumstances. Maybe the circumstances and situations become more manageable as we engage them from a place of grace and forgiveness. We are no longer imprisoned but set free. What better news could there possibly be?

Then Jesus said to him, "Get up! Pick up your mat and walk." At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked. John 5:8-9 NIV  

What leaves you breathless, vulnerable and longing for more?

“But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Matthew 16:15NIV

It's very early in the morning and I am in my home office. The wind is howling outdoors whipping up the 3 inches of light snow we received yesterday. The temp is somewhere below zero. So it feels like way below zero if you're outside.                                                                           

Bill and I talk and debrief about our trip to Jordan constantly. We chitchat about moments shared or lost depending on how conversations developed or didn't. Brilliant images of people and places flash in my mind as we unpack the suitcases of our souls. It can feel like I am watching old-fashioned reel to reel movies edited together to make a romantic adventure movie. This practice helps keep the experience close to me. It constantly places me within a web of complex memories I desperately hold onto for fear of them draining into the Sea of Forgetfulness.

Everything in the Middle East is intense for me. The weather, language, food and music are intermingled resembling an original exclusive script written by ancient authors that defy the limitations of time and space. The desert is the great keeper of secrets. Espionage, agreements, love, war, blood and money drift atop the sand or rock revealed to those who are willing to witness. The heart of the Middle Eastern people can be discovered in their incessant commitment to their code. My experiences always leave a God-sized stamp on the passport of my heart. 

Maybe there is a place like this for you. It's the place where the environment is rich beyond measure perhaps not in quantitative elements but more in the elegant qualities of soul. This is a place where people share a commitment to honesty and others are bold about exposing their inadequacies and struggles. This is a place where life and death are close. The intense passion can leave you breathless, vulnerable and longing for more.

For those who follow the Way, the Truth and the Life, nothing less will do. But, strangely, I think we settle for engaging an emotive placebo that dangerously tempts us to believe how we feel is somehow connected to what we believe about God.  Maybe that's what we call spirituality or Christianity. I don't believe for one second Jesus came to bring us a lackluster life.  Jesus said, "A thief comes only to rob, kill, and destroy. I came so that everyone would have life, and have it in its fullest." John 10:10CEV

Are you living the life you want?

Does what you believe about Jesus intensify your passion, leave you breathless, vulnerable and longing for more?

Do the demons that addict, enslave and oppress scare you or bring you alive as you reach for your sword and put on your armor?

They say confession is good for the soul. Maybe life is meant to be more than an old-fashioned, reel to reel film. Maybe life is meant be more real than you ever possibly dreamed or imagined.

What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? Romans 8:31 NIV

Are you awake?

Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you. Ephesians 5:14 NIV

Have you ever wondered if people who say, "I will pray for you," really do pray for you? I have to admit, secretly I've wondered. Sometimes people say those words with conviction and I know they will spend time standing in the gap for me because they've experienced first-hand the awesome results of answered prayer. I think others may misuse that phrase because they think it's the right thing or even the polite thing to say. I've even wondered if people say they pray and do pray as an excuse not to do something more. Like prayer can be their shield against truly getting involved.

We begin a new series this Sunday called Activate. It's really about being sure your faith is active not passive. The series is based on a book, Never Pray Again: Lift your Head, Unfold your Hands, and Get to Work. I do not ascribe to the politics of the book but I endorse the active Christ-like behaviors the authors suggest as a remedy for flat, dispassionate, exhausted Christianity.  

The authors are deeply committed to become the type of witnesses Jesus would be proud of and endorse a type of Christianity that makes an impact for the Kingdom of God. I found an interesting blog while I was reading through the gozillion emails I missed over the Christmas weekend. The title captured my attention, The Vicar of Baghdad Witnesses Christ Amid Danger. You may read it here.

Awaken is the title for the first Sunday message of 2016. Imagine what an active faith in Christ can do and what stories you can tell as you cross the ultimate finish line. I pray the devil gets nervous just knowing you're awake. There is much to do and I believe God is looking for people to carry through with His directives. I've included a snipet from the book:

            “The domesticated sheep are those who have been changed over time to become passive, but we are invited by Jesus himself to do greater things than he did. We have been lulled into a specifically Christian form of passivism, bending our knees and folding our hands and waiting for someone else to do what needs to be done. The slumber of Church has not only kept us from being of use to others, it has kept us from being truly awake to God.”

Howard Thurman said, “Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”

Mercy and Mystery

Since I have investigated all the reports in close detail, starting from the story’s beginning, I decided to write it all out for you, most honorable Theophilus, so you can know beyond the shadow of a doubt the reliability of what you were taught. Luke 1:2-4 The Message

What's your birth narrative?

Where were you born? What is the story of your parents and ancestors? What was going on in the world the day you took your first breath and your tiny fists railed against the reality of newfound freedom from your mother's womb? Who visited you and what gifts did they bring? Did the men smoke cigars in the waiting room or the women boil sheets? Were you born in a taxi cab on the way to the hospital? Is your birth story somewhat obscure and details missing?

Babies are born all around the world every day. The birth process is basically the same for everyone. Some are born in hospitals or palaces. Other babies are born in garbage dumps, refugee camps or behind the corner supermarket. The process of becoming is evidence God still has faith in us whether in wealth or poverty. Birth stories are evidence of the miraculous.  Even the worst sci-fi movie cannot diminish the truth of what is required for a human baby to come into our world.

What this child is to become is a different matter altogether.

Birth and journey narratives are deeply personal. No two are alike. Luke's gospel included a careful investigation so we have an accurate account of the story of Jesus.  Simeon's prophetic pronouncement would be fulfilled as many would fall and rise in his name. The birth and journey narrative of Jesus Christ continues be laundered with personal narratives. Every ethnic group, in any language can write an introduction that includes a spiritual birth narrative where grace and truth defy narratives of darkness and save souls from eternal separation from God. Personal epic journey narratives often include episodes of temptation, tests and trials. Parables and teaching moments are revealed in retrospect as plotlines are infused toward the ever-expanding grander vision.  Individuals can belong to something greater than a defined people group or geographic location. As their story unfolds, people will find deep significance to their own story as it mingles with a narrative about a kingdom that has no end.

Christmas Eve is often when we hear a strange and drastic story. The stage is set. We anticipate hearing the story of a child born in a Bethlehem stable to unwed parents.  He is to become the human rescuer. He is the Lion of Judah wrapped in swaddling cloth.  Mercy and mystery come together delivered in hopeful expectation that we might somehow be changed by the invasion of light into our dark world.

He came into his own world, but his own nation did not welcome him. Yet some people accepted him and put their faith in him. So he gave them the right to be the children of God.They were not God’s children by nature or because of any human desires. God himself was the one who made them his children. John 1:11-13 CEV

What are your expectations this Christmas?

God writes the Gospel not in the Bible alone, but also on trees, and in the flowers and clouds and stars. Martin Luther

The night sky has always been a fascination for me. Last summer, my husband Bill, my brother, niece and I gazed into the sequined velvet blanket of the night sky from our cottage in Northern Wisconsin. The stars seemed so close I wanted to reach out to touch them. Stars are far-far away. But, I can easily get swept away in my romantic inclinations. I wonder how long it takes for what I consider the shining of the star to travel to me. What message might a star try to share with me from so far away?

Stars are not the only contributors in the nightly galactic performance. Astronomers direct us to search for the constellations, planets and moons. I continued to scan the expanse hopeful I might get a glimpse of a shooting star and make a wish. I detected a glimmer out of the corner of my eye. I called out to my other observers, "There! There's one!" But, the glimmer continued in a straight line at a consistent tempo. "It's a satellite," my brother announced. "Maybe a communication satellite?" I hopefully inquired.

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven,
    and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

I am pretty sure the shepherds were aware of the stars, constellations and nightly galactic presentations. But, never in a million years, do I think they expected to encounter an angel and an angel chorus. The message the angel delivered was a communication of cosmic proportion. The Messiah had come. The message was delivered during the hour of darkness. Those working on the dark plain were the recipients of news that would have permanent impact. The angel identified the news as good. "The news will cause great joy for all people," the angel said. Will cause? What did that mean? The good news wasn't limited to the birth of the Messiah? There was so much more.

God took what was broken, worn out and no longer of use and meticulously reclaimed it. God continued his painstaking work toward something good. Good defined by God. Good like Good Friday when the cosmos turned dark once again. God wasn't finished. On the first day of the week just before dawn, the women went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away and the tomb empty. Two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. The frightened women bowed down with their faces to the ground. The men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead?  He is not here; he has risen!" (Luke 24:1-8 my paraphrase)

Consider for a moment how long it took for the message of good news to reach you. How long did it take for you to accept the news as good? God's reclamation project continues. There is much to do. God already did his part. The expectation is now with us. God expects us to share this good news. Tell the story! Deliver the message! He is coming! Don't be too surprised if you run into an angel. Listen to their message.

The Reality of Unanswered Prayer

For the Mighty One has done great things for me—holy is his name. Luke 1:49NIV

There is a protective cynicism that runs deep in the hearts of those who live in the reality of unanswered prayers.

Do we really believe God knows the greatest desires of our hearts and is able to answer them?

Do we trust God with the most burdensome areas of our lives or the most tender corners of our hearts?

At such moments of reckoning in our lives, Jesus’ words seem much more a commandment than a comfort: “Do not let your hearts be troubled” (John 14:1). I find this can even be a command to protect myself against anxiety, depression and spiritual attacks of loneliness. We have to stop the negative ‘chatterbox’ inside our head that continually berates us or tries to convince us we are not enough, we don’t deserve to be blessed or we are unworthy. God says, “You are my son--my daughter!” God says, "You are worthy."

Six months after the staggering promise and fulfillment made to Zechariah, this same messenger appeared before a teenage girl named Mary. “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus” (1:30,31). Mary was troubled. And similarly, she responded with a question. But unlike Zechariah, who had diligently practiced his religion, prayed for such a miracle for years and quite possibly given up hope, Mary's hopes were yet to be realized. Mary was full of hope. She was engaged, a teenager filled with dreams of a wedding, marriage and children. This teenage girl responded with faith greater than the priest, with wisdom as sharp as her youth.

“How will this be?” she asked. Mary had belief and questions.

The metaphor of the reclaimed trees can help us here: what was broken, worn out and no longer of use needs to be removed.

We live well when we give the Mighty One room to move sovereignly over our lives. The metaphor of the reclaimed trees can help us here: what was broken, worn out and no longer of use needed to be removed. The protective cynicism that covers us like the fig leaves from the Garden of Eden needs to be removed. God invites us to exchange fig leaves for garments of praise and righteousness. We must make the decision to move beyond our broken heart, worn out knees of prayer and stop the chatter in our minds about things that are no longer of use. Sometimes this process can be painful but cathartic. Cathartic can be defined as liberating, therapeutic, beneficial, healing, energizing, or invigorating.

The answers we seek may be found through loss and silence. We must surrender our expectations to the Mighty One who sees, hears, knows and is always present. Mary seemed to be both aware and ready for the world to be a place where God is ready and able to break through. Elizabeth recognized that Mary was blessed among women. Elizabeth's pregnancy was a confirmation the Mighty One does answer prayer. Elizabeth longed for something and the Mighty One blessed her with a miracle. Mary was in the enviable position. She had her whole life in front of her and had yet to experience the loss or mourning Elizabeth experienced. Sometimes loss and mourning take place to help us discover the unfathomable depths God is willing to go for the human soul. Tears and silence may shape our truest song.

Mary said: With all my heart I praise the Lord, and I am glad because of God my Savior. He cares for me, his humble servant. From now on, all people will say God has blessed me. God All-Powerful has done great things for me, and his name is holy. He always shows mercy to everyone who worships him. Luke 1:46-50 (Contemporary English Version, CEV)

What in the world was that all about?

Have you ever awakened from a dream and wondered to yourself, "What in the world was that all about?"

Sometimes the content of a dream can be starting and unsettling. Dreams and discovering their meaning can produce a combination of wonder and fear. Super smart people spend a lot of time interpreting dreams. They believe dreams are a way we sort out complex information. We may process our emotions, fears or experiences in symbolic ways. Traumatic events or complicated feelings can be hidden or compartmentalized deep within the labyrinth of our mind. A dream can be a less threatening way to symbolically deal with a terrifying situation. We need to go to someone we can trust who can help us discern the meaning of our dream. With the help of a trusted friend or professional, we can discover new ways to express ideas, solve relationship issues, even overcome our fears.

I think this may be what Mary experienced as the angel Gabriel stopped by for a visit. If we can be disturbed by a dream, imagine what Mary felt as she tried to comprehend what happened to her. Gabriel's visit was not a dream. Scripture described Mary's disposition as 'greatly troubled' and she wondered what Gabriel meant by saying, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you." I think she may have even felt a combination of wonder and fear. Imagine if something as wonderful and fearful like this happened to you.

Who would you tell first?

Mary didn't go to her husband to be. She didn't go to a religious professional. She didn't even go to her mom and dad. Mary went to Elizabeth and in a hurry. She went to someone she trusted. Zechariah and Elizabeth could relate to her experience. Mary was full of questions and belief.

Why did she go there?

I wonder if Mary needed to confirm Gabriel's visit wasn't just a dream. She may have needed to verify that an angel visit was at least possible. Maybe Mary was wondering if what Gabriel said could really be true. She hurried to the one person who was most aware of the miraculous work of God. If what Gabriel said was true, then her acceptance meant her world would utterly change. Mary rushed to Elizabeth and was not disappointed.

2,000 years ago a teen-aged girl somehow believed God in the midst of her questions. There may have been no room for the baby if had Mary been full of speculation, reason or doubt. Elizabeth and Mary's experience may not have made much rational sense. But, sometimes our interpretation of complex events requires a little faith and uncommon sense. Deep transformation is possible if we surrender and believe. What we may end with is a song that goes something like this: “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me-- holy is his name." Luke 1:46b-49 NIV

Reclaim Wonder

Reclaim      

1.    retrieve or recover (something previously lost, given, or paid); obtain the return of

2.    bring (waste land or land formerly under water) under cultivation

3.    to bring back to a preferable manner of living, sound principles, ideas, etc.

4.    to rescue from an undesirable state

Maybe you've noticed the interiors of businesses, churches and homes are decorated with reclaimed wood. Wood once functioned as the primary building material because it was strong, relatively inexpensive and abundant. Today many of these woods that were once plentiful are only available in large quantities through reclamation. Barns serve as one of the most common sources for reclaimed wood. Barns constructed up through the early part of the 19th century were typically built using whatever trees were growing on or near the property. They often contain a mix of oak, chestnut, poplar, hickory and pine timber. Beam sizes were limited to what could be moved by man and horse. The wood was either hand hewn using an axe or squared with an adze. Early American settlers recognized American oak from their previous experience working with European oak. Red, white, black, scarlet, willow, post and pin oak varieties were cut and transformed into barns.

Reclaimed wood is often expensive. Work crews will take their time to gently deconstruct a barn. The wood used over 100 years ago is very dense and heavy. Square nails were used and are sometimes hidden deeply within the wood. Imagine milling the wood and coming across a nail! Repurposing items that were previously used for something else has become a lucrative industry. You may have noticed our attempts to bring this creative style of wood decoration into Wheatland.  

The Christmas tree project this year has been one attempt to reclaim something that was worn out, broken and no longer of use. We will take what has been broken and create something new. It is my sincere hope you enjoy what we create. But, realize the new creation will also serve a purpose. God creates for his purpose and to bring glory to his name. Trees play a significant part in the biblical narrative. A tree produced fruit that Eve reached for and Adam ate. The book of Leviticus identified anyone who would hang from a tree was cursed. Our Messiah would eventually fulfill the law and prophecy as he was crucified on a cross commonly called a tree.

Reclaim Wonder is our Advent series title. It is an overt attempt to reclaim the thrill of wonder within you and stir up an irresistible urge to share the good news of what God is doing in our lives. Wonder will kindle your spiritual flame and help you catch fire for God. Wonder allows for a convergence of what is good, right and beautiful to broaden our vision and deepen our understanding to that which is holy and true. Our imagination saturated in holiness inspires us to hope, aspire, plan and express ourselves. We may even create something new or think in a new exciting way.

We begin Advent with words from Simeon a man filled with the Holy Spirit and hope. Simeon lived in anticipation that he would see God's salvation for Israel. God had bigger plans. Simeon would not only see God's mighty act of salvation for Israel but Simeon became a witness of God's salvation for the Gentile world as well. Christmas is ultimately about salvation. God values human life to the point of becoming human in order to reclaim all of humanity. God takes what was worn out, broken and no longer of use and reclaims it for his kingdom. This is good news of great joy for all people.

“Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you may now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all nations: a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel.” Luke 2:29-32 NIV

It Matters To You

"There comes a time when the world gets quiet and the only thing left is your own heart. So you'd better learn the sound of it. Otherwise you'll never understand what it's saying.” Sarah Dessen, Just Listen.

John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, had a number of fears. One fear Wesley shared openly was a fear that one day Methodists would become the outer form of religion without the substance. Wesley was concerned that we would settle for good moral people who have good head knowledge. But, what we wouldn't have is a life-giving, continually transforming personal experience with God. Why would any of us settle for less? Sadly, I think many people have yet to experience the transformation Wesley was convinced we needed to become spiritually vital.

It may be helpful to begin asking one another questions in our committee meetings, class meetings and small groups such as:

                How have you experienced God recently in your life?

                How have you experienced God’s forgiveness or grace or compassion in your life lately?

                How have you experienced God’s comfort or hope or support in your own life?

                Or, how have you experienced God’s challenge or direction or will?

The question is not about how you came to faith years ago and it’s not about the history of Wheatland Salem Church. A robust faith is about your real life now and God’s part in it, today--right where you live. We cannot regulate our belief or our faith based on emotions or hardships or pain. In order for us to grow, we must allow our hearts to be affected by the things that affect God's heart. The world begins to change when we cry out to God. We need to cry out for leadership, direction, provision and for a heart that burns for people that are far from God. We do the things God blesses.

This weekend is commonly known as Faith Promise weekend. We pray and seek God's direction about future blessings he will supply in order that we supply the needs for mission partners on the front lines of Christianity all over the world. God may be prompting you to support our mission partners as a committed giver this year. Either way, you can make your commitment this weekend in worship. We sent out a Faith Promise Commitment card a few weeks ago that can be returned during worship this weekend. Seek what God is asking you to do. Fill out your card and bring it with you to worship.  

What you do this weekend matters. It matters to the people who have yet to hear about Jesus Christ. It matters to those who serve as local missionaries as they work to serve God at the margins of society. What you do this weekend matters to those who believe strongly the Kingdom of God is at hand and will do all they can to make sure Kingdom goals are met. But, more importantly, what you do this weekend has the capacity to impact your own spiritual life. It matters to you. Your transformation is the reward of doing the thing God blesses and being part of the miraculous work of the Kingdom of God.

Here’s another way to put it: You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We’re going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don’t think I’m going to hide you under a bucket, do you? Matthew 5:14-15 The Message

We need to do something!

You don’t need a lot of equipment. You are the equipment, and all you need to keep that going is three meals a day. Matthew 10:10 The Message

We need to do something!

A woman recently challenged me to do something about a specific social concern she was passionate about. I listened to her rant and rave about the situation. She was far more educated about it than I originally thought. The startling thing was when she suggested I wasn't as committed a Christian because I did not share her passion nor her enthusiasm about her specific concern. It was as if, "I didn't care." Her cajoling continued as her judgment of the condition of my character had become her primary target. If you know me well, you must know the harder she pushed the more stubborn I became. I disconnected.

My disconnect also meant that I had an out when it came to caring about a social issue. It's easy to invent an internal blanket statement like "those people are just over the top" or "they all are like that." I can hastily make a snap judgment and lose interest in the concerns of this world I am pretty sure God cares deeply about. For example, I think God cares about how we respect one another's viewpoints-even if they are radically different than our own. To respect another person is to value them first as a child of God and secondly as someone who has the capacity to do great things for God. They could even change the world.

I needed to repent.

So, I needed to repent. I disrespected her, the issue and God. I sometimes confuse the messenger with the message. I believe God was trying to get my attention and I was dodging the issue. I found it completely justifiable to ignore the issue because of the delivery system. I couldn't just say "I'm sorry" to God and make an empty promise that I wouldn't let that happen again. If I was to truly repent, I needed to change my attitude and my behavior. I took a deep breath, swallowed my pride and went back to the woman. I apologized for clicking off but also shared with her that her tone was not only accusatory but actually put me into a defense mode. I disconnected to protect myself. She stared at me for a few seconds and went right on with her rant. Has something like this ever happened to you?

Kevin Harney of Organic Outreach fame suggests: "As our hearts grow healthy, we can engage our minds and think deeply about ways that a church can take the good news of Jesus to the world. We think strategically and make shifts in how we do our ministry. We remove roadblocks to evangelism as we infuse the value of outreach into every level of the church." I really like Kevin's word choice healthy. I think he means outreach can be infused into everyone's heart as our hearts become more like the heart of Jesus. Once our hearts become more in-tune with his, we can engage our minds to develop strategies to include others in what God wants to accomplish. I think we can even become more effective at meeting Kingdom goals and fulfilling our mission here on earth.

Practice. Practice. Practice.

All of this takes a lot of practice. I think it requires a team of trusted Christian friends and an occasional "repentance opportunity" to keep us focused on effectively responding to God's leadership in our churches and in our personal lives. Don't miss the moment the next time God reaches into your soul to capture your attention. It will most likely be an issue or behavior that needs your energy and attention. Beware of the messenger as they deliver the message. One great indicator that God wants your attention can be the last opportunity you had to either engage or disengage with another child of God. It could be your spouse, parent, child or friend. Keep your eyes open even our enemies can carry messages for us. Outreach doesn't have to take place in a far away land or during an emotional worship experience. Sharing the good news about what Jesus Christ has done in your heart can happen in our own homes with the people we love the most.

Go to the lost, confused people right here in the neighborhood. Tell them that the kingdom is here. Matthew 10:5 The Message