Daily Gear

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2010-12-22T17:23:00.000-08:00

Untitled by dreid@ccconline.cc at Garmin Connect - Details

Some reflection on scripture

2010-06-17T12:57:00.000-07:00

For a change of pace, here is simply a passage from John that I find wonderful:

John 1:1-14 (NRSV)

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being 4 in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. 6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. 8 He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. 9 The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. 11 He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. 12 But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God. 14 And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father's only son, full of grace and truth.

Noise

2010-06-16T13:07:00.000-07:00

The sound of saws and machinery is loud outside my window. My brain is buzzing like the freshly hatched gnats of a summer night. Focus and Concentration picked up their bags and left the building a while ago.

Today isn't anything new though. My fight for calmness and clarity as I maneuver through the day is always tough. If it isn't the sound of machinery today, its the gnawing guilt of an argument I shouldn't have had, or the frustration at an expense that came out of nowhere. Every day is full of noise. Every day is full of things pulling, tugging, pushing, and shoving my focus from my goals and purposes.

Years ago, I saw an engraving done by the artist Martin Schongauer in 1480 called The Temptation of St. Anthony. It's a bit disturbing to see the numerous devils crawling across the Saint.

The power of the engraving, though, isn't in the demon's efforts; instead, it is on the face of St. Anthony. His face is absolutely calm. There is a war surrounding and involving him and his face shows nothing but peace.

Paul tells Timothy that God has given us a spirit of power, love and a sound mind. The word "sound" is an emphasis on the wholeness and peacefulness of a heart focused on and filled with Christ. There are no promises that the distractions, delays, battles, and frustrations won't be there. In fact, quite the opposite is true -- we are promised difficulty after difficulty. But what we are given is not ease of life circumstances; we are given peace, soundness, and focus in the midst. These are not
randomly acquired attributes; they are the natural result of a life lived in the midst of Christ-- engaged and focused on Him.

So, today, to have focus in my life, I focus on Him-- and I find the noise is nothing more than gnats, the problem's of life nothing more than a faint sound against the backdrop of His loud presence.

One minute prayers

2010-06-15T16:03:00.000-07:00

I try to avoid a sense of absolute rush in my daily schedule. I don't usually succeed. The faster the day goes, the more often I rely on pure emotion to drive me through to the end. I've learned a few re-orienting actions that can allow my decisions to be guided by thought rather than emotion. Near the end of the day, this is critical -- especially before I go home to greet my family. It's sad, but I often come home on edge and my boys feel my stress when they shouldn't at all.

The greatest re-orienting action is a one-minute prayer every half hour or so. Not much time. Not much effort. But pausing to stop, reflect on God's goals for the day and me, and to thank him for the small hints in life (all in sixty seconds) is an amazing refresher. Skip the rockstar energy drink (those things will kill you anyway). Just engage with Christ and then go on. You'll see your responses change and when that happens, your life changes. I go home calmer and purposeful, not dragging and angry. Sixty seconds. That's it. It took you longer to read this.

The Gift of Discipline

2010-06-14T17:17:00.000-07:00

I had met with a group of parents recently and was talking on the need of discipline for children today. Parents, myself included, want to encourage creativity and freedom and we should do so. These abilities are natural to the human heart and will bloom when allowed the proper nourishment. However, another need that children of any age have, that enables those gifts to prosper, is the need for self-control and discipline. Freedom and creativity come natural but self-discipline is a gift only parents can give. Self-control isn't natural-- my five year old is a great example of that. Often the thing I tell him not to do is the thing he does. So, as a parent, if I want him to grow full and healthy, full of freedom and creativity, I must give him the gift of discipline-- a gift only delivered when done consistently. This is also a gift our heavenly father wants to give us. Just like my children resist this, we do the same. But it's still needed. Without discipline, we are unable to grow to our potential. Our talents will be drained and spent in needless areas. Crave discipline in your heart, crave spiritual disciplines so that you can grow to be who He means you to be.

Vacation

2010-06-03T12:20:00.000-07:00

The June 2010 issue of Capital Culture comes out this Sunday. The main article is written by Jody Vaughn, our high school pastor. As a sneak peak to the magazine, here's part I of the article:

I was relaxing next to the pool under the shade. We had just drenched our three kids in sunscreen (or as my kids call it, “Sun Scream”). My son, Logan, was taking a nap, and decided I was the most comfortable bed he could find. I looked across the pool at my two other kids. Asher was splashing around and spitting water at Missy. Jada, who had just learned to swim without her floaties, and was doing her best impression of Michael Phelps with my father-in-law coaching her along the way. It was a gorgeous day outside-- the sun was out, light breeze and in the low 80’s. It doesn’t get much prettier than that. As I looked around I thought to myself, THIS IS THE LIFE! A week of vacation with the family. No one else. Time away with my wife and kids; no emails, no phone calls, no meetings, no deadlines and no pressure. THIS IS WHERE ITS AT! And the week proved to be just that. We had a blast. One of the best vacations we have ever had as a family. It was simple. We didn’t do a whole lot other than swimming, sleeping, and hanging out in our rooms. But our family came back rejuvenated, excited about life, and a whole lot closer.

I wish I could spend every day on vacation, but I’m sure my kids do like having food on the table and enjoying sleeping in a house, so at some point I had to come back to the real world.

Growing up, my family was of meager means, and we didn’t get to go on a lot of trips, or go to a lot of theme parks, and we definitely didn’t spend extended time on any tropical resorts. We didn’t take a lot of time together on vacations. So, I never grasped the importance of what that time could mean. My wife’s family, on the other hand, took vacations yearly, and spent time on a consistent basis getting away together, and having several days devoted to just spending large amounts of carefree timelessness. And so that mentality has made it’s way into our family. And, this year, for the first time I grasped the importance of having that alone time. We came back from our vacation energized, excited about life and felt more connected than ever as a family. I loved that week, and will always cherish it.

One of my favorite things to do on vacation is reading. And one of the things I found I love to do is read the word and spend time praying. I think it is the lack of schedule and the lack of busy-ness that allows me to really connect with Jesus. It seems my times on vacation are relaxed. I’m not pressured to hurry up and get on my day. Jesus and I have some great times on vacation. And I wonder why I don’t spend enough time like this when I’m home, almost a vacation with God. Not a week-long get away just to pray. But taking those elements of a vacation: aloneness, lack of distractions, carefree timelessness, focus and rest.

continued tomorrow

Friday: The Life You've Always Wanted

2010-05-21T11:40:00.000-07:00

So we're at the end of our six week focus, The Life You've Always Wanted. Where are you in the daily training of spiritual disciplines? Have you moved closer to that eternal blueprint that God has for you? What are the disciplines you struggle with the most? Which don't seem to be difficult at all for you? Give us some feedback!

Friday: Celebration

2010-05-02T10:48:00.001-07:00

Friday: Celebration

My small group is a week behind in the series "The Life You've Always Wanted." So we are now just getting to the discussion on "Celebration & Slowing Down." The one thing that came out of our time together was an analysis of the need to slow down simply for the purpose of allowing yourself opportunities to be refreshed. We all rush from thing to thing and we fail to recognize the power of slowing down. Slowing down isn't just to make you appreciate the world around you more (although it does that well). The purpose is to provide opportunity for God to do something in your life. So many who rush from thing to thing are searching for fulfillment and direct engagement with God. It's the very act of rushing that keep shim out. I feel that our lives (my life in particular) are like an old Looney Tunes cartoon where Bugs Bunny is trying to get Daffy's attention, but Daffy is running back and forth trying to solve a problem that Bugs has already handled. Bugs just stands there with his hand up saying the occasional, "Daffy . . . But, Um, hey." Daffy simply rushes by. If he would stop, then the problem at hand would be solved. But he doesn't. God is waiting to fill you up, to bless your life, but you're rushing around so fast that he doesn't have a momen tot insert his life into yours. STOP! Slow down! Let him be involved. Give him a minute so he doesn't have to bare in or cause something to get your attention!.

The Life You've Always Wanted, Day 8: A Dee-Dah Day

2010-04-19T15:18:00.000-07:00

First, if you haven't watched the video for this week's small group focus time, you're going to love it. Jody and Missy Vaughn, our high school pastors, are funny funny funny!

This week we focus on something we all know but rarely do we practice. The act of daily celebration gets overlooked We live in a world of productivity and success. True outrageous moments of loving life in celebration don't make our calendars nor our task lists. But they should. We are living life and living it once! We should celebrate the amazing things God has done.

So, stop right now and celebrate! Get out of your seat (maybe a quick dance) but just relax and celebrate something God has done for you. Tell someone about it.

The Life You've Always Wanted, Day 5

2010-04-15T17:58:00.000-07:00

We kick off the six-week study of "The Life You've Always Wanted" this month within our small groups.

Let me ask you to just pause and dream for a moment. What is the Life you've always wanted? What's the family life you've always wanted? The career life? The physical life? The spiritual life? The emotional life? Paint a picture in your mind of what that life would look like.

The Life You've Always Wanted, Day 4

2010-04-14T17:56:00.000-07:00

We kick off the six-week study of "The Life You've Always Wanted" this month within our small groups.

This week, we're going to take a look at the challenges of week one and a few of the topics.

Proceeding along, we recognize that the life of Christianity isn't one of trying but of training. Training focuses on becoming better in incremental steps. We are in a life of transformation. We will ultimately be completely different from what we are now. We have the ability through our daily steps to choose what that will look like. If we just "try" when obstacles come, we will have a life littered with failure. If we train before the obstacles arrive, then we will be ready to face them.

Are you just "trying" or "training" in your Christian walk?

The Life You've Always Wanted, Day 3

2010-04-13T17:56:00.000-07:00

We kick off the six-week study of "The Life You've Always Wanted" this month within our small groups.

This week, we're going to take a look at the challenges of week one and a few of the topics.

In week one, we look at the subject of frustration and defeat in regards to our Christian life. If we're honest, we will all acknowledge that we have faced major battles with defeat and often times feel as if we simply can't succeed at this Christian-thing. What are your biggest areas of frustration in regards ot your walk with Christ?

The Life You've Always Wanted, Day 2

2010-04-12T17:52:00.000-07:00

The back cover to The Life You’ve Always Wanted by John Ortberg:

The heart of Christianity is transformation--a relationship with God that impacts not just our "spiritual lives," but every aspect of living. John Ortberg calls readers back to the dynamic heartbeat of Christianity--God's power to bring change and growth--and reveals both the how and why of transformation . . . It's a road map toward true transformation that starts not with the individual but with the object of the journey--Jesus Christ.

As with a marathon runner, the secret to winning the race lies not in trying harder, but in training consistently--training with the spiritual disciplines. The disciplines are neither taskmasters nor an end in themselves. Rather they are exercises that build strength and endurance for the road of growth. The fruit of the Spirit--joy, peace, kindness, etc.--are the signposts along the way.

Days after Easter

2010-04-08T08:01:00.000-07:00

Sunday morning was a full house at Capital. Easter brings people to church. I've heard the jokes . . . "make sure to get there for your yearly church meeting." Ignoring the jokes that highlight people's lack of attendance, it is still remarkable to me that Christ's sacrifice and the power of his resurrection is still a significant enough event that people show up to honor it; so much so that we have to have overflow rooms. Behavior in people might need to change, but the significance of the event of Easter weekend is without compare.

So, in reflection, when it's all of the 364 days that aren't Easter, are you still living in the sense of the significance of his death and resurrection?

Manipulating my laziness (for God).

2010-04-05T15:41:00.000-07:00

Getting a few minutes aside to read the Word can seem a bit difficult with all we have coming at us today. We are inundated by media all around. But, if I'm honest, I find time to read the stuff I want to: Facebook posts, Twitter, my RSS reader, funny stories someone's linked me too. I have time to read. The problem is that my environment and routine aren't managed for me to read.

Let's continue with honesty-- we all tend towards laziness. If that's a bit harsh, then just acknowledge that we all take the path of least resistance. A first step to integrating the things I want in my life is to manipulate this tendency. I like to sit on my butt at the end of the day and surf the web.

So, to get in additional time in the Word, I've added "http://www.youversion.com/" to my initial loaded sites when Firefox launches. It keeps track of where I was reading and it's laid out simply and nice. So, I begin each mind-numbing surf session with the Word of God in front of me. And you know what? When it's right there, I read it. In fact, I've caught myself reading page after page after page. It's a simple tip but it works.

Oh, they also have an iPhone version and, yes, a version for the iPad (which is simply beautiful). Do what you have to do, but whatever you do, spend some time reading His Word today!

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Jason Batt

Wednesday: The Sword

2010-03-31T15:02:00.000-07:00

I love swords. I have several decorating my house that have been given to me over the years. There's something tangibly powerful about a sword. They are used as weapons and would be difficult to be mistaken for anything else. They have one purpose . . . battle. They are meant to be used in conflict in order to defend and to attack; they are used to alter the course of conflict.

We are given one offensive weapon in the listing of Ephesians 6. It is the Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God. We are told that the Word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, able to divide between soul and spirit. In other words, the truth of Christ, as expressed in His Word, is sharp and cutting.

Many engage the Word of God and seem upset when it is difficult to grasp and causes frustration in their life. The Word of God is meant to do that -- it is meant to change us.

In the latter part of the Book of John, Jesus describes the role of the Father as a gardener . . . pruning. The fact is that elements in our lives are the things to be pruned. But it's not as easy as simply cutting off a dead leaf; it's a battle . . . The Word of God is to change us. It is to alter us. It is to wage conflict inside of us and to alter the course of conflict. The Word of God is sharp and meant to change the course of our battles, first starting with the battle we fight against our old nature!

Tuesday: Discipleship as the Route to Success

2010-03-30T14:49:00.000-07:00

In two weeks we launch our Small Group Focus for Spring 2010: The Life You've Always Wanted. This focus looks at the route of discipleship as the way to achieve the life you've wanted. Discipline is a part of our life that we don't engage in as much as we should be.

The challenge to change our thinking to align with Christ's is a critical to our success. This change doesn't occur overnight. In fact, no change does. Change occurs in increments . . . slow ticks of change that we hardly recognize but the effect is enormous in retrospect. Discipline, the practices of engaging spiritual in daily moments, is the key to success. Discipline is using the spiritual practices to enact daily incremental change. We train for the transformation of our lives beginning with our minds.

To get involved in this focus, please contact us at 916.856.5683 x663 or via e-mail at terab@ccconline.cc or jasonb@ccconline.cc.

Monday: The Helmet

2010-03-29T07:00:00.000-07:00

Be mindful of your mind! Ps. Samuel emphasized this point on Sunday and it is so true. We are so focused on so many aspects of our life: our home, our car, our clothes, our looks, our money. We need to make sure we guard our mind.

This doesn't mean that we live in a dark room ignorant of the world. It does mean that we wash our mind daily with the Word of God. It does mean that we grasp the life of salvation and recognize that we are transformed . . . that we aren't just simply people with a new title (Christian) . . . we think different.

That's the key point . . . do you think different? I'm not talking about political or ideological differences. I'm talking about our basic processing of life . . . our thinking (not just the conclusions we come to) should be different. We have the mind of Christ now that we are heirs through salvation. We should think like he thinks with his perspective.

We must guard against taking our own thoughts and simply assuming they are Christ-created . . . We must allow our time with Him to change the way we think and thus they way we talk and act. That's why Paul referenced fighting, gossip, malice, anger, jealousy and other issues of the heart and mind. If we allow these into our lives, then we have not been transformed in our thinking . . . we still have the same patterns of thought that everyone else on this planet does!

Put on the helmet of salvation. Think different!

Friday: Shield

2010-03-26T10:16:00.000-07:00

Of the pieces of the Armor of God, the Shield of Faith has always seemed critical to me. Every piece is important (none more than the other) but the Shield is the one I don't just put on and wear; I have to pick it up. I must choose to grab it and hold it.

As a family, we watched the movie "How to Tame Your Dragon" this last week. In the movie, the young boy, training to fight dragons, is given some critical advice by his trainer: "A shield is the most important thing you can hold. If you have to choose between a weapon and a shield, grab the shield. It will save your life."

The Shield of Faith will save us. But we have to choose to hold it. That's what faith is. It's a confidence and realization that He is our defense and our aid and that he is in control. It isn't simply mere belief in fantasy; it's assurance that what He says He will do, He will do; and what He says He is, He is. It is trust and confidence based on our experience. That belief propels us into the battle, into the future, knowing we will be protected. But we must choose to pick it up and hold it in front of us.

So, have you picked up your shield? Or are you standing out alone waiting for the dragon to pick you off?

Daily Gear apologies: Just as a note, we apologize for the gap in posts this last week. Due to technical issues with rolling out the iPhone app and a few other technical urgencies, we missed several posts. Again, we try to limit when this occurs and will continue to work on our frequency of posting in the future.

Peace and Protection

2010-03-19T21:29:00.000-07:00

Stop! Look down at your feet. What's on them?

Next. Look at your calendar. What are you doing today?

If you're smart, your shoes should reflect your schedule. Going running? Throw on your favorite Nike's. Going hiking? Throw on your comfortable hiking boots.

Shoes determine how successful you'll be in your day.

So, this Sunday, come hear Pastor Rick explain how we are to fit our feet for our spiritual activities.

One Day to Prevent Homelessness

2010-03-18T21:27:00.000-07:00

Today, the Sacramento News & Review published an eight-page insert highlighting this Sunday's "One Day to Prevent Homelessness." KCRA has been featuring the challenge nearly every night. Every day, we get new reports of churches and organizations coming together to focus on the amazing opportunity this Sunday. Will join us?

Visit Onedaytopreventhomelessness.org to get involved!

Wednesday: Armor throughout the years

2010-03-17T21:23:00.000-07:00

As we move further into dissecting Ephesians 6, the importance of armor becomes apparent. Armor has developed and changed throughout the years but it has always been a constant . . . the soldier entering the battlefield is a fool if he doesn't wear armor. We are compelled to view our life in the same light. We are in a war at all times (a spiritual battle against spiritual forces) and we must remember to have all of our armor on at all times.

Daily Gear: Reread Ephesians 6. Check yourself this week before you leave each day . . . are you fully geared with the armor of God?

Truth and righteousness

2010-03-16T14:18:00.001-07:00

To view Pastor Rick before the press conference with Mayor Kevin Johnson on "One Day to Prevent Homelessness," visit here:

"Pastor Rick before the Press Conference"

Location:Cesar Chavez Park

Friday: The Armor Project continues

2010-03-12T17:30:00.000-08:00

I've tried to avoid it but I have to give in. It's impossible for me to have amonth long review of the Armor of God and not make an allusion to Iron Man. I'll admit it (okay, it's actually publicly known so it's not much of an admission), I'm a comic book fan. Next month sees the release of Iron Man II.

The basic point of Iron Man is a normal man suits up into the most high-tech piece of armor in the world and is able to face enemies that would trample a normal man.

Simply put, the Armor of God does the same thing for us. Without the pieces of the Armor mentioned in Ephesians 6, we would destroyed. We need these pieces to engage the enemies that we fight against. But when we do suit up in the Armor of God, we entire a new dimension of power . . . we are able to wage war on the spiritual level and walk in his victory.

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Jason Batt

Thursday: to stand . . .

2010-03-11T17:16:00.000-08:00

As we move further into a month long study of the Armor, I want to jump ahead to the purpose. At the end of the Armor overview given by Paul in Ephesians 6, he notes that after we have suited up and have done everything, we are to stand.

We have the ability, when we are fully suited in the Armor of God, to stand against what ever onslaught we face. So many of us want quick victory. So often we want a life without difficulty or battle. But Christ doesn't promise that. In fact, he notes that the entire life of Christ will be one of facing conflict and opposition.

What he does promise us is that we will stand. We will endure. We will not be overwhelmed. We will make it through. And then, we will be conquerors through him.

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Jason Batt