Notes From Chris

What happens after you mess up?

noreply@blogger.com (Chris) — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 00:24:00 +0000

No one is perfect. Most people agree with that statement. We all mess up.

I remember when I was a kid and Mom took me to the grocery store with her. She did this out of necessity, because she had no one to watch me when she wanted to buy groceries. At the register they had displays of various things, one of which was a strip of gumballs individually wrapped. I really wanted one of the gumballs, so I just took the one on the end of the string. When we made it back to the house, Mom discovered the gum in my mouth and she knew I had taken it from the store. She marched me back to the store, she bought the string of gumballs and I had to apologize to the manager. That was tough for a six year old.

I messed up, Mom was not happy but this incident did not change her feelings for me.

Imagine a scene where two people mess up, but their mistake was not a minor issue like stealing a gumball. They disobeyed God and it caused a ruptured relationship with God. This was not the end of the story, this mistake caused every person who ever lived to have a broken relationship with God. Our natural reaction after someone makes a huge mistake never have anything to do with that person. What happened in this story? You can read it in Genesis 3.

After these two (Adam and Eve) messed up, God changed the order of things. People would be distant from God, women would have pain in childbirth and men would work hard all the days of their life just to survive. We learn that God must punish disobedience. He cannot just look the other way.

We learn something else when we read verse 21: “The LORD God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife, and clothed them.”

After the largest offense ever made against God, with the highest consequences, God cared for the Adam and Eve. He provided for them what they needed at that time, clothes.

It breaks my heart that people do not understand how good God is to everyone of us. If you get just a glimpse of how good God is, it will change your life.

The Kingdom of Heaven

noreply@blogger.com (Chris) — Mon, 22 Nov 2010 02:14:00 +0000

In Matthew 13 Jesus teaches in parables. A parable is a story that teaches a truth indirectly. The parables are a contrast with Jesus' direct teaching style shown in Matthew 5-7. One of the parables in this chapter, found in verses 24-30, is about a farmer that sows good seed with an enemy that comes in the night and sows weeds in the field. Matthew 13:24-30 reads:

Jesus presented another parable to them, saying, "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went away. But when the wheat sprouted and bore grain, then the tares became evident also. The slaves of the landowner came and said to him, 'Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?' And he said to them, 'An enemy has done this!' The slaves said to him, 'Do you want us, then, to go and gather them up?' But he said, 'No; for while you are gathering up the tares, you may uproot the wheat with them. Allow both to grow together until the harvest; and in the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers, "First gather up the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them up; but gather the wheat into my barn."'"

The parable teaches about the existence of good and evil. This is not news to anyone. The intent of creation was that everything would be good. Genesis 1 gives an account of creation, in which God concludes in verse 31 "God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good." In Genesis 3 we see the story of the fall of man, the disobedience of man created an entrance of evil into creation. The parable describes this as an enemy that sows weeds in the field.

The field in the parable would not be like those we see today. There would be areas thick with wheat and other areas with more bare spaces. The weeds would be scattered around the field in the same way. Today we see some areas where good predominates. There are other areas where the evil has won, leaving no room for any good. However, in all places there is a mixture of good and evil. We may not understand the plan, but this is clearly the plan of God to allow the good and evil to coexist for the current time.

It is too easy to focus on the evil in the world and feel that we are defeated. This is a great error. This parable teaches us there is always a mixture of good and evil. It is the job of the believer to bring the Holy Spirit to bear in the world to increase the effect of good. Paul tells us in Romans 12:21 – "Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."

The parable goes on to teach us the end will bring a separation of the good and evil. It is only when the world passes away when there will be two places, one with all of the evil and another with all of the good. Until that time, we are to keep on working, with the help of the Holy Spirit, to be a positive influence in the world.

Jesus Tempted

noreply@blogger.com (Chris) — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 03:26:00 +0000

Last week during church, we were going through Matthew 4, which starts with the story of the temptation of Jesus. A question was asked about the connection with this story and the statement made by James that God cannot be tempted. Here are the verses:

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. – Matthew 4:1

Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am being tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. – James 1:13

Do we have a contradiction here? James tells us that God cannot be tempted and Matthew describes the story of Jesus being tempted. The Bible clearly teaches that Jesus is both man and God. Jesus is not a man that has a special connection with God, but he is God. So when James tells us that God cannot be tempted, then why was Jesus tempted?

If we look at the Greek behind these verses there is help. In Matthew 4:1 the work tempted is used once and in James 1:13 the we find the word tempted four times. In each case, the Greek word is the same word with grammatical variations. The key phrase is: "God cannot be tempted", which is two words in the Greek, God and 'not-tempted'. The form of 'not-tempted' is the negated form, typically done in Greek by adding the letter 'a' in front of a word. The definition of this 'not-tempted' word in Greek is 'not able to be tempted'.

James is telling us that you can try to tempt God, but you will not be successful. God is not affected by any temptation. In Matthew, the devil tries to tempt Jesus, but the result is known ahead of time. Jesus is God, so no one is able to tempt him.

It appears the contradiction is not valid. What to you think?

I know the plans I have for you

noreply@blogger.com (Chris) — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 03:05:00 +0000

Jeremiah 29:11 states: 'For I know the plans that I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.'

Many believers claim this verse as a promise in their life. The promise is for a good life, a life with hope. It is important to have hope, a belief that life will be better tomorrow. Hope allows us to work through difficulties in life today, knowing the difficulties will result in a better life.

I recently went hiking in Rocky Mountain National Park with my son. We selected a trail with a 2500' rise to a peak that was above 12,000'. The start of a hike is always exciting and we started out a little too fast. As we passed the 11,000' elevation, the hiking became tough and it was slow. One factor that helped us get to the top was the hope of seeing the top of a mountain. We persevered and our reward was a great time of exploration of a new world. It is vital to have hope, it is what keeps us going.

The application of this verse to a specific life can be problematic. A person may think it is Gods purpose to make a better life happen in their life and God will fulfill this better life very soon. When a person faces persistent problems, the thought could come to mind that God is not fulfilling His promise. What is the problem?

Context is the problem. When we take a verse from a large book, it is easy to misunderstand the meaning of the verse. Jeremiah prophesied through the time that Judah, the southern kingdom of Israel, was conquered. Assyria destroyed the northern kingdom of Israel 135 years earlier. The writing of the 29^th chapter of Jeremiah was to the people taken into captivity in Babylon. Their life was hopeless because the temple in Jerusalem was the center of their life with God. With their removal from the location of the temple, they believed their contact with God was gone.

Jeremiah writes to the exiles, instructing them to build a life in Babylon. They were to work for the success of the place where they were living. God promised to bring them back to Jerusalem at the end of seventy years. This is when God makes the promise in Jeremiah 29:11. This promise could not have made sense to the readers of the letter. Their picture of a good life was to be in Jerusalem. God was telling them to live their life where they were. The fulfillment of Gods promise would not be in their lifetime. The return from exile would be when their children were old.

We must take into account the context of the verses from the Bible that we claim in our lives. It is clear this verse does not mean that God is promising to provide a better life immediately. If we forget to look at the context of a passage, it may lead to disillusionment. If we work to discover the context, we can learn the richness of God's promises, regardless of the facts we face in life at the moment.

Psalm 100

noreply@blogger.com (Chris) — Fri, 14 May 2010 03:06:00 +0000

1–Shout joyfully to the LORD, all the earth;

There is one God and He is powerful beyond measure, He knows all things, He is the source of all knowledge, He is the eternal One, never with a beginning, never to have an end. God is the creator of all, everything we see, feel, touch, hear and taste and all things we cannot perceive. Beyond this, God loves each person. He knows all details about us and He loves us. This is amazing. All people should respond with a joyful shout at this news, at these facts.

2–Serve the LORD with gladness; Come before Him with joyful singing.

As our creator, God built each of us in a unique way. We have strengths and weaknesses. We have talents and areas where we are void of any ability. God built us for action, not for inactivity. God does not call us to do service in areas where our gifts are absent. When we serve God in our areas of strength, we serve with ease, our service is vital and good, and we serve with gladness. Each of us should sing our personal joyful song to God.

3–Know that the LORD Himself is God; It is He who made use, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.

It is vital that we know our position in life. This is not to say there should be a structure among people built to keep certain people 'in their place'. We should know who God is and who we are. We should strive to understand our position with God. Life will go better for us if we know that God has abilities beyond our comprehension and that we are finite. We should know that God made us and that we are His people. We are helpless sheep that need a shepherd. Sing joyfully to God because He is our supremely competent caretaker.

4–Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him, bless His name.

Knowing these things, we will deeply appreciate what God has done for us and praise will flow out of our gratitude. We will bless God and praise His name. He alone is worthy of our praise.

5–For the LORD is good; His lovingkindness is everlasting and His faithfulness to all generations.

Just as a mother tenderly cares for her newborn child, God carries me all the days of my life. He is there every moment, providing protection and care. The only time that God is not apparent in my life is when I drive Him away. God will never leave me, He will always care for me. Just as God has taken care of countless people in the past, He will take care of me every day that I live.

I will praise God.

Psalm 23

noreply@blogger.com (Chris) — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 01:27:00 +0000

1–The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want.

God is my Lord. He may not be your Lord, but I have decided that He is the Lord of my life.

Not only is God my Lord, but He is my shepherd. Sheep are helpless animals that will wander into harm if not protected from themselves. I am more like a sheep than I would like to admit. There are many decisions that I need to make and many actions that I need to take that are beyond my ability to make the right choice. If I am left on my own, I will make the wrong choice more often than not. God will shepherd me as I live my life, helping and guiding me as I live. I will never been in need of anything that is a necessity of life and I will receive many things that are simply gravy.

2–He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters.

Since I am like a sheep, I many times do not know what is best for me. Just like the baby that is tired but fights sleep by crying, I have trouble knowing what is best for me, even if it is right in front of me. My Shepherd will make me lie down in the wonderful green grass of life. He knows that I do not like stormy waters, so He leads me by quiet pools. I am thankful that God knows what is best, even if I cannot recognize it and that He makes/leads me into the best for me.

3–He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake.

I remember years ago when I played football. In the first practices of the year, in the heat of the summer, I would get very tired and thirsty. Although I do not get to that point physically very often these days, I do get exhausted with the daily grind of life. God, my Shepherd, restores all aspects of my life. I am restored physically, mentally and spiritually.

Not only am I restored, God will lead me in His righteous ways. Why does He do this? One reason is that I benefit by walking in God's ways, His ways are protected ways. This is a good reason, but not the best. When I walk in God's ways, which is only accomplished through His work in my life, God is glorified. There is nothing better than bringing glory to God.

4–Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

Everyone will experience the darks shadows of the valley. Sometimes the shadows are not so dark, but other times the darkness is so profound that you cannot see your hand if you place it in front of your face. What is the solution when you find yourself in the valley? Certainly being out of the valley is a solution, but the best solution that God is with you as you travel through the valley. There is nothing like knowing the One who restores your soul is right there with you.

Why is God's presence so important to those who make Him their shepherd? God has every tool at His disposal, as the shepherd has his rod and staff, to correct our ways and protect us from every danger. I take comfort knowing that God is present in my life and capable to guide and protect me.

5–You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You have anointed my head with oil; My cup overflows.

One of my favorite activities is coming home at the end of the day to a meal that has been prepared for me by my lovely wife. It helps that she is a great cook. Walking in the house that has all the smells generated during the preparation of the meal is like settling in a warm bed on a cold winter night. God prepares wonderful meals for me and He does it right in front of those who would cause me harm. God heals my diseases. God provides for me lavishly from His abundance.

6–Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life, And I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

The life with God is not simply to know that He will take care of you in eternity. God desires to surround you with goodness, love, kindness and provision right now. I need to remember that God is taking care of me, especially when I have a bad day and complain, whine and moan about my life. It is the best to know that God will take care of me every day of my life and He will welcome me into His kingdom after my life is over.

Have you made God your shepherd? There is only one way to do this, it is through God's son, Jesus.

Being Called by Name

noreply@blogger.com (Chris) — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 04:25:00 +0000

The young girl dresses up like a princess and wants her daddy to notice. She wants to hear him tell her she is beautiful. The little boy is playing in the park with his mom nearby. As he jumps off the play set, he wants to hear his mom tell him how brave he is as he makes the big jump to the ground.

As we get older, the little boy or girl in us really does not go away. We want to have someone notice our work. We do not want to be anonymous; we want someone to know our name.

In the tenth chapter of John, Jesus called himself the good shepherd. There is a relationship between the sheep and the shepherd. The shepherd knows his sheep and the sheep know the shepherd. We are told in the shepherd knows the sheep by name.

Think for a minute what this means. Jesus is the Word that was with God in the beginning. Through Him all things were made. Jesus is the Word that was God. Jesus healed the sick, gave sight to the blind, gave hearing to the deaf and he controlled the weather. Jesus, who is almighty God, knows us by our name. That is awesome.

Have you allowed Jesus to call you by name? Is Jesus your shepherd? Or do you try to be your own shepherd. You should place your trust and your life in the care of the Good Shepherd.

"Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers." – John 10:1-5

The Word Became Flesh

noreply@blogger.com (Chris) — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 02:43:00 +0000

On December 27th I was blessed with the addition of my first grandchild to the family. Jacob Wesley is great baby. Jacob has about two things on his agenda these days. He likes to sleep and when he is not sleeping, he likes to eat. That is about all he does. The other day I spent about an hour holding Jacob. It is a great way to spend time. As we spent time together, I thought about the helplessness of a baby. Jacob can do nothing for himself.

During that time, my thoughts drifted to Mary holding her new boy, Jesus. This happened because I had recently read these verses.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. – John 1:14
Him nothing came into being that has come into being. – John 1:1-3

Mary’s baby Jesus had created all things. Yet he was as helpless as Jacob is right now. Why would the all-powerful God submit to becoming a helpless baby? What a risk that God took, becoming as helpless as anyone can become.

This is an extravagant display of love for us. God did spare anything to reach out to us, to establish a relationship with us. What will you do with this great, risky, expression of love for you?

Separated from God?

noreply@blogger.com (Chris) — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 19:50:00 +0000

For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. – Romans 8:38,39 (NASB)

Paul gives us an exhaustive list of things that cannot separate us from the Love of God. Nothing in or after this life can separate us from the love of God. No supernatural powers, the past, present or future can separate us from God. Nothing in creation can separate us from God.

Why does God seem so distant in many situations? What cause does Paul miss in his list?

You can separate yourself from God. God will not force Himself on us. If we desire our space, then God will keep His distance. What an amazing ability that God has given us, the ability to keep our distance from the Almighty.

If you really knew God, you would run toward Him. There would never be a thought of keeping God at a safe distance. Do you really know God? Are you keeping God at a distance? I implore you to run to God and enjoy His embrace and His salvation.

God’s Provision

noreply@blogger.com (Chris) — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 13:22:00 +0000

A week ago, I was helping my Son pack his stuff in the back of my truck before he headed off to Nashville. The truck is a 1995 Dodge Ram with 150k miles. When I gave Luke a hug to say goodbye, I told him that God would take care of him. Luke is heading into life as a graduate of college. As he drove away with Janet at his side, I asked God to get them safely to Nashville.

The trip for Luke and Janet was a little longer than normal, driving through Springfield to catch up with a friend. They arrived in Nashville shortly before midnight.

On Monday morning, Luke called to report the truck had died. He was a few miles from his apartment, heading out for the day. A broken down truck 600 miles from home with my plans to fly to Nashville the next weekend to drive it back to KC. This did not look good.

Luke worked on the problem. He had a friend that used a repair shop in the area, so he arraigned for a tow to the shop. The shop determined the problem was a failed fuel pump. It would take a factory part and a lot of work, because the fuel pump is in the fuel tank. I wondered if the truck would be done in time for the weekend.

Luke picked up the repaired truck on Friday afternoon. There was a new charge on the card, but Luke was driving away and the plans for the weekend were still a go.

As I thought about my prayer last Sunday, I thanked God for answering. He made that fuel pump last through a late night trip. He let it fail in a place where there was time and resources to fix the problem. This is just one more of a thousand stories where God takes care of His children. It is good to be God’s kid.

A Companion During Tragedy

noreply@blogger.com (Chris) — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 03:06:00 +0000

On April 19, 1995, Timothy McVeigh parked a Ryder truck with about 5,000 pounds of fertilizer and diesel fuel in front of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City. At 9:02am, the explosion occurred, resulting in the death of 168 people.

I have been at the Oklahoma City National Memorial twice. Each time it was a deeply moving experience. Many places in the world are non-descript and forgettable. This place has deep meaning because of the loss of life that occurred on that April day.

Across the street from the memorial is a statue of Jesus with His head in his hands. Jesus is obviously weeping and He cannot stand to look in the direction of the Murrah building site. This brings up some great questions.

Could God had stopped this tragedy? I believe that He could have. God is all-powerful and all knowing. He knew about McVeigh’s plans and He could have stopped McVeigh from carrying out this deed. This is a tough answer, because it means that ultimately this tragedy is God’s fault. He could have stopped it.

I like this answer much better than those who would try to make excuses for God, in some way trying to protect God’s reputation. I would much rather have the tension of all bad things being God’s fault and have God being in control and able to act in every circumstance. If God could not have stopped this tragedy, then what else is He powerless to prevent? We do not need to protect God’s reputation.

Another point is appropriate during this Holy Week. Jesus became a man, lived life just like we do. He suffered unjustly during the events we remember during Holy Week. Jesus suffered in every way that we will ever suffer. Jesus is the only one who can stand with you when you experience loss or injustice and know how you feel.

When we see a national tragedy like the bombing in Oklahoma City, or we face the death of a loved one, we know that Jesus can be there with us. Tragedy will come in our lives. The promise of having the company of Jesus during these times will not make the hurt disappear, but it is a great comfort to know that Jesus has experienced more than we will ever experience. His comfort during these times is huge.

Will Jesus be with you when you face the tragedy that will come in your life? You must invite Him into your life to experience the comfort of having His presence during the coming days. Will you turn from doing life your way and invite Jesus to be Lord of Your life?

The Works of God

noreply@blogger.com (Chris) — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 04:00:00 +0000

The people asked Jesus, what must we do to be doing the works of God?

What do you suppose Jesus said? Would it be attend church, give to the poor, tell someone about Jesus, or could it be…? The list is endless.

When parents bring their first child home, the list of things to do is endless. The carefree days before the arrival of the infant are gone. There will be many hours of joy, toil and maybe worry. Diapers will be changed, bike riding lessons will be given, help will be given with class lessons, coaching positions will be filled, graduations will be witnessed. The list of tasks for a parent seems endless.

How big must be the works of God? How much work will be enough in the eyes of God? These questions overwhelm, like a flood coming down the canyon.

What is Jesus’ response to this question? The work of God is that you believe in him whom he has sent. Whom did God send? Jesus is the one God sent. You do not have a long list of tasks to accomplish for God. All you have to do is believe in Jesus.

That is amazing.

God With Us

noreply@blogger.com (Chris) — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 04:39:00 +0000

Watch for this—a virgin will get pregnant and bear a son; They will name him Immanuel (Hebrew for "God is with us"). – Matthew 1:23 (The Message)

When I have an opportunity to hang out with someone, my excitement level is dependant on the person. On Monday, I spent the whole day with my wife, two sons and daughter-in-law. That was the best. I was spending time with my family.

If I could spend time with a famous person, I may be exited. At the other extreme, I would not care to spend time with someone I do not know.

What is so special about Matthew quote of Isaiah, saying ‘God is with us’? Is God someone that you hardly know, so you do not really care if He is with you? It really depends on who God is.

God is the one who spoke and the universe came into existence. At each stage of creation, God proclaimed the verdict that creation is good.

God is the most powerful, He knows all things and He is everywhere.

God pursued the Israelites for over 1000 years, seeking relationship with them as they rejected Him.

He sent His Son Jesus to pay our penalty and make a way for us to be reconciled with God.

God is in control of all events, great and small.

This is just part of the story. Is it a big deal that God wants to be with us? In my life it is a great deal. How about yours?

The Mountains in Life

noreply@blogger.com (Chris) — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 03:04:00 +0000

Truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be taken up and cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is going to happen, it will be granted him – Mark 11:23 (NASB)

This was the verse for this morning. I have read this verse many times, but this morning I wondered why I have not shown belief in this statement by action.

When I complete three papers of over the next few weeks, I will be done with my work for my Masters of Divinity degree. Why did I spend four years working half time, attending class half time and studying half time? It was because I believe the most important thing a person can do is get right with God. This is a personal decision. No one can make it for you. However, we need the instruction and support of others before and after we make this decision.

The reason for the fancy degree is that I will spend the rest of my life working on building groups of people that will be a church. These churches will not just a place to spend an hour a week, but a place to spend life with others. A church will be a place where people can learn to hear from God and work with others to further His kingdom.

Right now, this church is Briarcliff Chapel. We meet on Sunday mornings in a coffee shop. Starting this church is not like looking at a mountain to hike, it feels more like a mountain range to cross. I really need God’s promise to move mountains, if I will only have faith.

Will I really step out in faith and expect God to move the mountain range in front of me? Or will I continue on in a vain attempt to move these mountains on my own?

What is the mountain in your way? Do you know that God has promised to handle your mountain if you will trust him? Will you trust Him?

How Big is Your God?

noreply@blogger.com (Chris) — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 04:19:00 +0000

O LORD, do not rebuke me in your anger or discipline me in your wrath.
For your arrows have pierced me, and your hand has come down upon me.
Because of your wrath there is no health in my body; my bones have no soundness because of my sin. – Psalm 38:1-3 (NIV)

The Psalms can be a great source of comfort. But sometimes the Psalms confuse us with their in-your-face nature. Raw human emotion and overt displays of feelings of the writers can make the American mind uncomfortable. The writer has problems in his life. He characterized his life by rebuking, disciplining piercing and loss of health. Where does he lay the blame for his condition? He blames God for his condition. He understands God to be in control of all things, even the bad things he receives.

Many people believe God to be good. He brings good things into our lives. To protect the good God, they believe that bad things come from some other source. This kind of thought comes from an attempt to make God ‘nice’ or to excuse God for bad things that happen. How can a good god allow bad things to happen?

With this thinking, we run into problems when we read something like Psalm 38. The writer clearly blames his bad condition on God. This is the natural conclusion if God is all-powerful. All things come from God, not just good things. You can play semantics and say that God simply allows bad in the world, but the fact remains that an all-powerful God allowing bad to happen is the same as bad coming from God himself.

I would rather deal with the problem of bad things coming from an all-powerful God, than with a good God that cannot act in any way that He wants in any circumstance. I find comfort in the fact that God is in control and nothing in my life is outside of His ability to control.

Special Days

noreply@blogger.com (Chris) — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 02:37:00 +0000

If you live seventy years, you will have lived over 25,000 days. Many of those days are routine, boring or normal. Very few days are memorable for the specific date. An example is September 11, 2001. The rest of the days just fade together. But there are a few days that are memorable, even if we cannot remember the date.

We remember days because of special activities or the people we were with on the day. I remember very few days at work, but I do remember taking trips with the kids to Chicago, Colorado, San Francisco and even Omaha. Some of these trips are memorable because of the good times, others because of the struggles. On our trip to Colorado it was a surprise for the boys, they did not know it until we were halfway across Kansas. Other special days come from what appear to be normal days.

We have a wood burning fireplace in our house and we will burn over five truckloads of wood each winter. A common activity is to go to the farm to cut wood. Last year, about this time, I went to the farm with my Dad. These trips were typical for our family, a time of being outside and working hard. Times like this with Dad had been different since he had cancer surgery six years ago. He did not have the lung capacity to work as he had, so it was more common for me to run the saw and for Dad to go along for the trip. This was becoming the new normal. Usually Dad would work harder than anyone. Regardless of his ability, he enjoyed being at the farm.

This day was different. We selected a spot and Dad ran the saw the whole day. I loaded the wood in the truck. It was just like years past. When we were done that day, Dad said ‘I had fun’. Some would not call hard, physical work fun. This is not the case in our family.

At the time, I knew it was different, but I took it as a sign of Dad being better. A few weeks later, we would get the news that Dad had a new cancer. Six months later, Dad died at home. Some days the National Football League teams wear uniforms from the past in a throwback game. That day I had a throwback day with Dad at the farm. It is a day I will always remember.

He Cares for You

noreply@blogger.com (Chris) — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 02:34:00 +0000

It is very comforting when you find out that someone cares for you. Most of us have had a number of people who care for us. Mothers, fathers, spouses, brothers, sisters and friends are many of the people who could care for you. Some of these we expect to care for us, such as our mother and father. It is tough when a parent fails to care for us, which has happened to many times.

It really matters who the person is that cares for us. If a stranger cares for you, it is not the same as a parent or sibling. The status of a person affects the value you place on their care in your life.

Peter tells us to “cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you” (I Peter 5:7). Here we learn that God cares for us. For someone who does not know God, this is not a big deal.

God is the one who created the universe with His spoken word. He is the God who consistently cared for the Israelites when they consistently rebelled against Him. God sent His son Jesus, who is fully God, to live among us. God takes care of those who love Him and those who could care less.

When you think about who God is, the fact that He cares for you is the most important news that you could hear.

Grace

noreply@blogger.com (Chris) — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 15:22:00 +0000

Grace is unmerited favor. It is receiving something that you did not earn. You cannot work to receive something and receive it by grace at the same time. My paycheck comes because I work. The biweekly payroll deposit does not happen because of grace.

Grace is particularly good when we receive something that we need. Most of us have received things we did not earn, but things we did not want. When Lori and I were newly married, we received three hand-me-down mowers. These were not new, but mowers that supposedly had some life in them. I remember one time while trying to mow the yard, I did not finish. It was not because of laziness, but because two of the three mowers had broken down and I just was not up to trying the third. We received these mowers through good intentions, but they were not what we needed.

The ultimate need for all people is to become right with God. The problem with this common need is that we cannot earn our way back to a right relationship with God. The only way is for us to receive grace. Jesus met the requirements of God and He freely shares His work with us, if we will receive it. Being right with God only comes through unmerited favor. Have you accepted this gift?

Yesterday we were talking with a man who has problem with receiving grace. He expects that we must do something to be right with God. He does not want to accept the fact that nothing we can do can fix our problem. We must have help. Why is this? Some people want to be able to say they did it. We see this in a child who will not accept help; they say ‘I do it myself!’ Some people think they are not worthy to accept this gift. They must clean up their life to be acceptable. The problem is there is no amount of cleaning you can do to make yourself acceptable. As some church signs say ‘Come as you are’.

Some have accepted this gift. Do you live by this gift? Maybe God would like you to change something in your life. You do not because you just do not want to, or you do not have the power, or you just do not try hard enough. God does not disown His child, just because they are disobedient or will not try. Grace extends to us when we are far from God and it continues with us through our life with Him. We start our relationship with God through grace and we must live our life with Him through grace.

What a great and awesome God who loves such a weak and ineffective man as myself!

Are You Lost?

noreply@blogger.com (Chris) — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 18:14:00 +0000

Daniel Boone once said, “I have never been lost, but I will admit to being confused for several weeks.”

There have been very few times when I have been lost. It could be that I do not place a high value on always knowing where I am. I may just know where I am, so am not usually lost. There are two times when I was lost that stick out in my memory.

We were on a family vacation in Chicago. Our time in Chicago was over and the objective was Milwaukee. Most of the time, I have a good sense of direction. I usually just know which way is north. This day, I was turned around trying to find the entrance to the freeway. When I made what I thought was the correct turn, we started to head south. Just in case you do not know your geography, Milwaukee is north of Chicago. I was lost and deep down I knew was lost. I understood my problem when I noticed the highway sign saying we were heading south.

Another time I traveled to Boston and stayed in a city northwest of the city. After I had checked into the hotel, I drove around looking for a place to eat. Of course, the restaurant next to the hotel is never good enough, so I set out. I drove for around an hour, not seeing much but dark countryside. I did not know where I was going, so I did not consider myself lost. I found out that I was lost when I saw the sign welcoming me to Massachusetts. I had been in another state and did not know it!

The fact may be that you are lost, but do you know that you are lost? The problem with not knowing you are lost, you do not know about your problem. If you do not know about your problem, you will not work on finding a solution. If you do not know you are lost, when someone recognizes that you are lost and offers help, you will reject their help. After all, you are not lost.

I turn from geography to theology. If you are doing life on your own, apart from God, the bible says you are lost. You are without God. You are doing things on your own with no help. Since God created all things, including you, He knows how you should live. If you ignore the guidance of God in life, you are certain to lose your way.

There is a solution. This solution does not come from man, but it comes from God. When we live life as we want to, apart from God, we have placed ourselves in the place of God in our life. The bible calls this sin. This sin separates us from God and we are lost. Our sin not only separates us from God, but it causes God’s justice to condemn us. We have a penalty to pay to God for our sin and there is no way for us to make adequate payment.

We find the solution only in the person of Jesus. Jesus lived a perfect life. He paid the penalty for our sin. Jesus offers us the gift of the payment of our penalty, allowing us to be set right with God. The only thing we can do is to accept this gift. Have you done this? If not, why not right now?

And God Said

noreply@blogger.com (Chris) — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 03:58:00 +0000

Have you ever seen a bumper sticker that goes like “God said it, I believe it, that settles it”? This statement seems to be from a non-thinking follower of God that blindly does what they think God says. This type of person worries me because they could follow anyone they think is speaking for God.

It could be the person driving the car has a profound faith and trust in God. They have lived a long life relying on God’s provision and they have never been disappointed with the way God handles things.

A few weeks ago I read Genesis 1 again. One the surface, this seems like an account of the beginning of the world. The problem with this conclusion is Genesis 1 says nothing about the scientific or historical details of creation. It does say a ton about the nature of God.

Eight times there is the statement “God said…and there was”. I have made a number of things in my life, but never has something come into existence because I said so. It was always been with much work and effort. These simple statements about God in Genesis 1 are enough reason for the follower of God to worship Him and Him alone for the rest of their life.

The People of God

noreply@blogger.com (Chris) — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 22:43:00 +0000

We have been in Colorado for five weeks. In that time we have lived in four homes. Two of the home we occupied when the owners were on travel. Our current accommodations are in a second house that has been dedicated for people who come to Loveland doing missions work.

In every case, the people we have met, either prior to moving in or after they returned from their trip, have shown a love and deep concern for others. Not just people they know, but friends they have not met yet. A place has been carved out for us to stay, meals have been prepared for us and food is available for our use. Their home is open for our use with no concern for the security of their belongings.

What is the common element found in these people? They have become children of God and they are serious about following Him. If you asked them, I am sure they would not claim to be doing anything special. They are just doing what they can. If you ask me, I will say I have seen the actions of Jesus in these normal people.

I want to be just like the people I have met in the last five weeks.

The Call of God

noreply@blogger.com (Chris) — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 14:18:00 +0000

I am currently serving as a summer missionary on a church planting (church starting) internship. One of the purposes of the internship is to determine if Colorado should be our home after school. The major part of this decision is the determination of the call of God in our lives.

The topic of the call of God in a person’s life is a major issue. This is particularly true for seminary students. When I was nearing the end of engineering school, I was looking for a career. Actually, it was just a job, but the placement folks at the school called it a career to make it sound fancier. When graduation comes near for a seminary student, they do not look for a job; they try to determine God’s call for their life.

The call of God for a church planter is a bigger deal, if that is possible. Many will say a person starting a church will not stick with it if they do not have a clear call of God in their life to the specific place and people. This sounds good in the church planting book or in the seminar on starting churches. There is a problem for a person like myself who believes that God rarely speaks in unusual ways. This is not to say that God leaves us to fend for ourselves. God is with us every minute of our lives. We have the Bible and other believers to help us through our lives. It is it not enough to read God speaking to us through scripture to “Go and make disciples”? This is a call of God in my life. It is lacking in specifics, but it is very clear.

Paul tells us in Romans the “gifts and call of God are irrevocable”. This statement tells us of the unchanging nature of God. When He says something, there will be no changing of His mind, no oops after a misstatement. So there is a call and it will not change. But what about the specifics? Is it Colorado, Haiti, Boise or Gladstone? Is it to rich, young, educated, working class or recent immigrants? Do I need to have a specific answer from God before going? Is enough to know that God is big enough to handle any situation that I find myself? Maybe the key is just being obedient to the general call and pick a spot and know that nothing is outside of God’s control.

Update from Colorado

noreply@blogger.com (Chris) — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 04:07:00 +0000

We have finished two weeks in Colorado, working as church planting interns. We have had much variety in these two weeks. We spent two days in orientation meetings, one afternoon taking a church planter assessment and a day celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary. Lori found a job as the weekend pool sitter in Cherry Ridge Village, actually the job found Lori. We have spent time observing the people in Loveland and Fort Collins, talked with a few people and wondered about the best way to talk with them about God.

Chris has worked his engineering job in coffee shops, churches and homes. Anywhere there is an internet connection.

There have been preparations for the missions team that will come the week of June 23rd. We have written and printed flyers. Plans are taking form for service projects, painting of two homes in the park and planting of six trees. We have purchased reusable shopping bags and flower seeds for the week of the nature clubs. There is more work to come, but we have completed the bulk of the preparations.

We have stayed in two homes, getting to know two great families. We will be moving to a third home tomorrow.

This time is a middle ground between the academic work of Seminary and the day-to-day work of the church. It will be good when school is behind us and we are permanently settled, but it is never a good idea to wish away time.

Review

noreply@blogger.com (Chris) — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 03:26:00 +0000

Three years ago I had finished my first class toward a Masters of Divinity degree. I now have three classes remaining; only one of those classes will be in a classroom. The purpose of going to Seminary was to prepare for work in the area of starting churches. On the eve of starting an internship in Colorado, I thought I would write a brief summary of events of the last few years.

The general geographic direction of future work in planting churches has always been toward the west. After my first year, Lori and I took a trip to Boise and Flagstaff. The trip was our first long trip on the motorcycle and we visited with Southern Baptist associational leaders in both cities. The purpose was to explore potential relocation to one of these areas. The results of the trip was a definite no to Flagstaff and significant tension in Lori about Boise being so far away from potential grandchildren (and our kids of course!).

Last summer we changed the geographic focus to Colorado. During a week in August we visited with a church planter, two associational leaders and a state leader about potential work in church planting. After the trip Lori and I decided to apply for an internship in the Longs Peak Association, which is north of Denver along the Front Range.

The major event in my life the last six months was the news that Dad had three months to live in December. Dad had a new cancer in his left lung. He had a significant portion of his right lung removed six years ago. Dad when to numerous doctors and decided on radiation and chemotherapy, which started on March 3rd. This treatment continued for three weeks, then Dad’s condition deteriorated. This led to three weeks in the hospital in April. Dad was brought home on May 3rd and he died on May 7th.

There are many things to write about Dad’s death, but these will have to wait until another time.

This was followed by preparations to be in the Loveland, Colorado area for ten weeks of church planting internship. Right now, Lori and I are in western Kansas, planning on arriving in Loveland tomorrow. What will the summer bring? Only God knows. There will definitely be more written on this topic in the coming days.

George Wesley Lancaster

noreply@blogger.com (Chris) — Thu, 08 May 2008 03:30:00 +0000

George Wesley Lancaster, age 84, died at his home on May 7, 2008, losing a battle against lung cancer.

He was born on December 4, 1923, on the family farm north of Seney, Iowa to the late M. J. and Rosabelle Lancaster. He served in the Navy in World War II, leaving the service in June of 1946 at a rank of Yeoman Second Class. Mr. Lancaster earned a BS in Animal Science from Iowa State in 1950. At Iowa State he was a member of Farmhouse Fraternity and he participated in livestock judging teams. On April 9, 1950, he was married to Lucille May Pageler near Merrill, Iowa.

Mr. Lancaster worked as a farm hand at Edg-Clif Farms, as a tenant farmer near Blockton, Iowa, and he worked the Lancaster family farm near Seney until 1959. He started a career with Consumer Cooperative Association, later named Farmland Industries. He retired in 1988 as a management consultant working in the Kansas City, Missouri headquarters. A member of Gashland Presbyterian Church, faithfully teaching a Sunday school class for 10 years. Mr. Lancaster served in the Service Core of Retired Professional Executives (SCORE). His favorite activities included fishing, gardening, attending Elderhostels around the country and spending time with his grandchildren.

He is survived by his wife, Lucille, daughter Betsy Reese of Independence, Missouri; sons David and wife Mary Lou of Hillsboro, Kansas; Mark and wife Mary; Tom; and Chris and wife Lori, all of Kansas City; nine grandchildren, brothers William and wife Leona of Aurora, Missouri; Robert and wife Lois of LeMars, Iowa; sister Bonnie and husband Dean Shaw of Clarkfield, Minnesota; brother-in-law Ralph Anderson of Aurora, Illinois. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by brothers Edwin and Edgar; sister Evelyn Anderson and son-in-law Michael Reese.