Charis Dia Pistis

When Chickens Become Part of the Gospel...

2012-01-15T16:41:00.000-08:00

We had a special offering at Gateway Fellowship the last two weeks to raise money for...

chickens...

Our pastor, Trent Brown (follow that link to watch a video from his last trip and read more details about the work in the DR) after a recent trip to the Dominican Republic over Christmas, came back with a lot of ideas on how we can begin to help support some of the villages and batays in and around Boca Chica and San Pedro. We will begin a strategic partnership with some missionaries on the ground in this area.

The first project we decided to take on will be to provide a village with chickens.

Trent was told that for about $250 we can provide a village with a chicken coupe and enough chickens to not only help with food but will also give some of the people in the village an opportunity to build a small business. They can take the eggs to neighboring villages and market places and sale them or possibly barter them for something else.

I want you to just think for a moment how quickly you can spend $250. Some people will spend that in one weekend of entertainment and recreation (and pretty easily).

After two weekends our small church has brought in almost enough money to provide two villages with chickens. This is just the beginning for Gateway Fellowship and our response to this new opportunity that has been placed before us. A small team of us will be going back in July and continue some of the good work that has been started and begin dreaming about future doors that may be opened. From then on, we plan on taking groups down each year.

Obviously, this is about more than chickens...

The Gospel calls us to take Good News to the nations. Our hope and prayer is that Christ would use chickens to bring people out of darkness into his marvelous light. If you would like to help, shoot me a message...we'll name a chicken after you!!!

For the praise of His glory,
ZS

Jesus > Superman

2011-08-07T13:36:00.001-07:00

"Daddy, tell me the truth...are you really Superman."

I wish you would help me settle a debate in my own mind...and here it is:

Am I a bad parent because I've convinced my boys that I am indeed Superman?

Or...

Am I a great parent because they believe (at least a little bit) that I might actually be "The Man of Steel"?

There is a huge back story to this that may or may not include me wearing blue tights and telling my boys that the reason for the tights is because, after I tuck them in at night, I go out and make the world a safe place to be in...I'm Superman!

Jacob was convinced immediately...Eli needed a little more circumstantial evidence.

After me carrying this story on for a couple of evenings consecutively, things reached a high point when Eli began crying as I lay him down in his bed.

Me: "What's wrong buddy."
Eli: "I just want to go fight crime with you tonight!"

As I began feeling the weight of this, it came down like this...These boys watch me very closely...they trust me, they believe not only my words but my actions.

Again, the weight...what if my words and my actions are not harmonious?

The Gospel is this, even though I'm not always Superman, (I mess up and confess to my boys when I do...they think perhaps I got too close to a little bit of kryptonite) Christ loves me, has justified me and is sanctifying me.

I don't have to be Superman to point my boys to Christ, if fact, the periodic stumbles just remind all of us that...

Jesus > Superman

Blessings!
ZS aka (at least to the SnowBoys) Superman

Goodbye Facebook...I'm breaking up with you...

2011-08-05T09:06:00.000-07:00

This kind of feels like I'm holding an online press conference (via a blog) to announce my retirement from Facebook...or is it going to be more like a messy break up.

I've been a faithful "Facebooker" for about 4 years now. I remember the 160 character days, I remember exchanging the little buttons and pinning them on your wall, I remember taking the quizzes to see how much you know about The Office, and of course the Farmville craze of '09.

Facebook became a great way to waste valuable time...

Since I started my career as a professional educator one year ago, I have sat in many district meetings as well as other workshops and trainings. In that time, there have been very few of these meetings, that the facilitator did not, as some point in their talk, mention the liability that FB can be. They would talk about friends or co-workers of theirs that lost their jobs because of something on FB. Typically, it was because they entered into a relationship that they should never have entered into, but it could also be because of a misunderstanding of a relationship because someone was "friends" with another person on FB.

To me, it's just an unnecessary risk...

I have been very careful with my FB, never accepting "friend request" from students and being very cautious as to what I post on my wall. However, there are things posted by others that I have no control over. A "friend" of mine could very easily post that they think something is "retarded" (which is a term that, more and more, makes me very angry) or that they think something is "gay" (which is another term that bothers me more and more). These are just a couple of real life examples. And, if you are familiar with the term "guilty by associations" then you can understand my concerns. These things can be posted on my wall and any number of people can see it before I have an opportunity to delete the comment (since you cannot do this from your mobile devise...or maybe I just do not know how to do this from my mobile devise).

Do you know that Human Resource people will gain access to your FB (whether you accept a friend request from them or not)? They will check up on you before they schedule an interview with you. They will see how you spend your leisure time. They will check to see if your lifestyle is going to be a liability to their organization. This is just the times we are living in.

I plan on being in public education for the remainder of my working life. I plan on pursuing a master's degree in education and maybe down the road going into administration. There are certain things I simply do not want myself tied to.

So...

Goodbye Facebook and seriously, it's not you...it's me...

Sincerely,
Zach and Susan Snow

Reflections on Chapter 1 from Radical by David Platt

2010-09-04T11:17:00.000-07:00

I am honored to have as a guest blogger my dear friend and member of our Connect Group family, Mr. Bruce Wayne Morgan...or as I affectionately call him, Batman!

See His thoughts below and we would love to hear your thoughts. You can post your comments here on the blog or as a comment on the Facebook post.

Here ya go:

A lesson I’m learning over and over again is that when one of my extremities gets kicked, it’s because I had it in the wrong place.

“Someone Worth Losing Everything for,” Chapter 1 of David Platt’s book Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream, is a painful but well-deserved kick to the head.

Mr. Platt described differences between the churches we know here in the United States and the underground house churches he visited in Asia. In particular, he contrasted the way people in each church live out their faith. The differences were as stark as that between “I pray that I don’t run out of gas before I get to work. I need the money,” and “I pray that I don’t get killed before I get to the next village. They need my help.”

Further, he relates the promises Jesus made to those who would follow him. They would be poor, homeless, separated from friends and family, always hard at work. But they would have treasure in heaven! Jesus was telling them that they must put him above all else, the needs of others ahead of themselves. Without hesitation. Without planning. Without doing it our way.

Our culture surrounds us with reasons to talk up selflessness while we chase after our own wants. We no longer have “wants” when we can rationalize everything we have as necessary. All things have become “needs.” The second car, the big comfy house, high-speed internet service. Blessed are those suffering in an unfriendly economy, for they will re-evaluate their needs. Historically, though, this trend reverses itself elastically once the economy improves.

We rationalize wants into needs with ease. I’m sure the people who built the $23 million church building didn’t feel like they were spending $23 million. The cost wasn’t dollars but time. I don’t imagine the executive pastor wrote a check for the entire amount, backed by the accumulated gifts of the congregation. The church leaders most likely signed for a loan that would turn $23 million cash into $40 million in time-leveraged debt. Stretching out the pain over 20 years makes it a trivial matter. We get what we want right now. After a few months, the payments will be a routine matter. It suddenly becomes a monthly bill.

“If we build this beautiful new building, we’ll draw more people who will give more money. Therefore, we can make the payments on this beautiful new building to draw more people. It’s an investment!”

Can you imagine anyone saying, “The victims of this latest natural disaster desperately need relief. The most effective way we can help is to send as much money as we can for supplies. Let’s get the largest loan we can and send it all to them, then spend the next several years paying off the loan.”

That just doesn’t make sense. We will admire a new building for years, but we will have forgotten the sufferers by the time the first mortgage payment comes due.

That knife cuts at least two ways, though. It is just as wrong to be boastful of a small congregation. “We don’t spend money on a church building. We channel almost all of our funds to those in need. We are doing a better job than the megachurches are.” Too bad that’s just another tale of the prodigal son becoming his own big brother. Inevitably, when we get close in to examine the mote in our brother’s eye, we beat him over the head with the log in our own. Do we ask if we are doing the best we can? Have we made the best decisions on how to use our resources? Have we even considered what our resources are? Or are we doing just enough to feel satisfied?

The point is not what we are, but what we do. Jesus was known for His actions. He walked to where He was needed, tending to those on His way. He met needs while He rested. He suffered the ultimate punishment to meet our deepest need. He has done for us because of who He is. We are insignificant, except in light of who He is. His being is all that matters. We are meant to do. To love, to meet needs, to provide comfort, to glorify Christ Jesus in everything we do, say, feel, and think. Not to build irresistible storefronts, to invent persecutions, to entice people to perch with us on our pedestal, to reason the Gospel into a comfortable fit. We are a people called by His name, not our own.

“22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24 Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.” Galatians 5:22-24

"23 Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit." Matthew 12:33

Just before we parted company, Zach made a particular point, one which brought questions to my mind for which I have no answers. “What does the face of our congregation look like to the community? What are we known by?” As I reflected on that, I realized that I know what the effect of that appearance should be, but I am missing some very important details. What do we do to present those fruits in the most evident and effective way to the community? Put another way, what are the pressing needs of our Royse City neighbors? How do we discover what those needs are? Once known, what do we do to meet them, gently and faithfully?

We are centered in our own worlds. We know what we need (or think we need!) but not everyone’s circumstances are identical to our own. We know they all need to know the love of Jesus. What we do is how we introduce them to Him.

Great thoughts Bruce. I look forward to hearing from the rest of you.

Blessings!

Reflections on James 1:21-25

2010-08-14T11:37:00.000-07:00

Thomas Bilney, a sixteenth century English reformer, spoke of his encounter and ongoing experience of God’s Word. He described one of the early turning points like this:

I chanced upon this sentence of St. Paul (O most sweet and comfortable sentence to my soul!) in 1 Timothy 1: “It is a true saying, and worthy of all men to be embraced, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am the chief and principal.” This one sentence, through God's instruction and inward working, which I did not then perceive, did so exhilarate my heart, being before wounded with the guilt of my sins, and being almost in despair, that . . . immediately I . . . felt a marvelous comfort and quietness, in so much that “my bruised bones leaped for joy.” After this, the Scriptures began to be more pleasant to me than the honey or the honeycomb.

In order to see fully what is revealed in verses James 1:21-25 we must back up and look at verse 18. “In the exercise of His will He brought us forth by the Word of Truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits among His creatures.”

The words “brought us forth” (greek – apokyeo) is in reference to being created or produced or born.

The “first fruit among all His creatures”, the first and the best. This is the description of the “first fruit”.

1 Peter 1:23 - for you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring word of God.

Now, jump to verse 21.

Vs. 21 – putting aside all filthiness and all that REMAINS of wickedness.

It’s okay if you’re not okay…just don’t stay there.

Vs. 21 – “…in humility or meekness receive the word implanted…”

We need to take very seriously the command to "in meekness receive (greek – dexasthe which means to welcome) the word implanted". What is meekness? Meekness can be defined as submissive humbleness. Both are key characteristics of being like Jesus. The word also makes me think of being “teachable”. Do you have a teachable spirit?

This is why it is so important to keep this in context because verse 21 is not possible without what we saw in verse 18. We were dead. We had no place for the word of God in us. We did not desire it or love it. Jesus said of the leaders who were trying to kill him: “You seek to kill me because my word finds no place in you” (John 8:37). The word of truth was not implanted in them.

Pay attention to what is happening here though, these leader of whom Jesus spoke “knew” the Word of God…but , the Word of God “found no place in them”. It was not implanted in them.

Before we are born again, our hearts are so full of so many things that they have no room for the Word of God. It’s like when your kids do not want dinner because they snuck into the pantry and they were eating candy while you were making dinner…true story! When the real meal is ready, they have no place for it nor any desire for it.

Vs. 21 – “…is able to save your soul”

Do not underestimate the Words ability to save your soul. Please understand that the Word of God is not just a book that sits on your shelf of that you carried with you today. The Word of God literally has super natural power. The Scriptures are the inspired breath of God whispered into the hearts of men who cannot save themselves. The implanted Word is able to save your soul.

“So the word of God is “implanted” in us, and “is at work” in us, and “abides” in us, and (James 1:21 says) “saves” us. We cannot easily overstate how profoundly powerful and important the word of God is for our lives. If the word of God does not rank with your most cherished possessions, you need to do a reality check on your life. Nothing apart from God himself is more important and powerful than his word.” - John Piper

Vs. 22 – “becoming doers of the Word and not just hearers…”

This is quite simply allowing the words of God to affect your daily activities…everything you do in life can be held up to the light of the Scriptures.

Vs. 23-24 – Forgiven…but don’t forget…

For me personally, it is best for me to leave forgetting the way I use to be to God. I need His forgiveness and for Him to remember my sin no more. However, I think it's good for me to remember the way I was...It makes me more grateful for His grace and mercy and it makes me want to press harder for continued sanctification.

Vs. 25 – The Law of Liberty - this brings me so much hope because the natural results of the law is not liberty but condemnation. But, thanks be to God, that through Jesus Christ, I am not condemned.

At what point will the Word of God become the breath of God to you.

The implanted Word of God is the Gospel to which you have been called and saved. The external Word of God is what you have to live well in this life. But they are so united that they really cannot be separated. Our soul needs both. If you make the decision that you do not need the external Word of God, it is like you making a decision to stop breathing, which leads to death. Separation from the external Word will cause you to stagnate. The implanted Word is powerful, producing life and breathing and demands the life giving external Word. If the Word is implanted in you, you will not be able to hold your breath forever.

Breathe!

The Place of Personal Discipline

2010-08-07T07:35:00.000-07:00

I was reminded this morning of a time when God grabbed me by my ankles and shook me loose of everything that I held onto so tightly.

About 5 years ago I was serving at a church working with students. In the summer of 2005 I took a small group of young men through a little book that turned out to have huge implications on all of our lives. Jerry Bridges' "The Pursuit Of Holiness" is a book that God used to begin in me a process that pushed me to the Scriptures and made me more aware of my own depravity and need for the mercy and grace of Jesus. The beginning of a season of change and re-working (so to speak) in my life.

As I sat on the couch at my brother's house this morning, with my belly full of pancakes, I picked this book up off of his end table and turned to chapter 10, "The Place of Personal Discipline".

1 Timothy 4:7 - Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness...

This is so timely for where I am in life right now. God has really been working me over in the area of personal discipline...or discipleship. Specifically with regards to the Scriptures. I feel like the key to our churches moving in power and seeing the Gospel advance, both in our local context and globally, is that the Church make the Word of God a priority once again.

What we must understand, however, is that this is a process and not an instant, go to bed one night with no discipline or love for God's Word then wake up the next day more aware of your own sin and need for it...it simply doesn't happen like that. We have to discipline ourselves to seek God, then allow Him to change our hearts. That He would give us over to the things that are life giving instead of that which robs us of intimacy with Holiness. Jay Adams put it this way, "You have sought and tried to obtain instant godliness. There is no such thing...We want somebody to give us three easy steps to godliness, and we'll take them next Friday and be godly. The trouble is, godliness doesn't come that way."

While I still have you, let me share this and I'll be done...for now. Webster's new Collegiate Dictionary list as one definition of discipline this, "training that corrects, molds, or perfects the mental faculties or moral character."

In order to pursue holiness in our own lives we must be willing to correct, mold and train our moral character.

Tough stuff...I know.

A worthy pursuit.

Let's go!

ZS

Soles4Souls.org

2010-08-06T06:57:00.000-07:00

Occasionally you will encounter something that needs to be shouted about, last night I witnessed one of those things.

We have some very good friends, Scott and Christiana Finch, who have a couple of girls, Lily and London, who are very important to my boys. Seriously, they love each other. They've spent most of their lives together and a lot of the time they are kind of like brothers and sister. Lily is about to turn 5 years old and had her birthday party last night. Instead of gifts Lily encouraged everyone to bring a pair of new or gently used shoes. Yeah, you heard me, INSTEAD OF GIFTS! The shoes that were given will be sent to a great organization called Soles4Souls. You can find out more about them here. To date, they have given out more than 10 million pairs of shoes.

I'm thankful for friends like this because parenting is so hard. It's very difficult to teach your children how to put other people first...it's very difficult to teach adults to put other people first. I'm thankful that we were given an opportunity to teach last night. As we enjoyed all the "normal" birthday party stuff (splash park, swings and gluten free cupcakes) Jacob asked me, "Daddy, when is Lily going to open up her presents?" I had another opportunity to talk to him about how important it is to put other people first.

We have been given so much and it's always refreshing to see people trying to teach their children that we are not to terminate the grace and mercy of Christ on ourselves.

Jacob gave a pair of Spider-Man sandals and Eli gave a pair of Buster Brown velcroes. All told I think Lily collected 49 pair of shoes. Thats 49 children in various parts of the world that will very soon have, possibly, their first pair of shoes.

Lily's doing her part...what will you do to change the world?

ZS

Incapable of good...or anything else for that matter

2010-05-04T04:21:00.000-07:00

I have been in a constant state of mental meditation on John 15 the past three or four days. More specifically verse five, "I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing." (ESV)

On the surface I love this picture of Christ being the center point of life. The point at which everthing else in creation flows.

But then, things get very serious very quickly. The word ABIDE is the one that Jesus uses here (at least that is the English word used to convey what Jesus was saying). The Greek word here is menos, which just simply means to tarry, stay, not depart from, continually, TO LIVE IN...that is a little bit weightier, right?

Where is our passion for the word's of God? The thing that I have been begging Christ for more than anything else lately is an unquenchable desire for more of Him...and for the source of that to be from His Scriptures. This is how I am praying for you also.

And then, this..."...apart from me you can do NOTHING."

I am completely incapable of doing anything at all apart from God allowing me or giving me the ability to do so. I want my words to be words that bring hope and peace and not words that bring hurt and pain. I must abide in Him...

Please Father, may the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing unto you, oh Lord, my rock and my redeemer. (Psalm 19:14)

ZS

The Difference Between Hope and Desire

2009-12-16T21:21:00.000-08:00

Occasionally I will post to my blog things that I read in other places that say what I want to say...usually better than I ever could.

This is one of those occasions.

This is from a blog of a church planter in New York who some of our people here at Gateway were able to go up there and help them before they launched. His name is JR Vassar and I've heard only great things about him.

This is his response to finding out that a dear friend has been diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor. Those of you who know me well, know my love for Matt Chandler, who is the pastor of The Village Church here in the Dallas area. Matt has been one of my teachers for the past couple of years. I appreciate his uncompromising approach to the Scriptures. The fact that he has labored tirelessly to help people understand the Gospel on a deeper level.

Here's the post:

"December 16, 2009 - Thinking of my friend Matt Chandler and the difference between Hope and Desire

I write this today because I need to. I need to tell myself these things. I just read the pathology report from the Village Church on Matt Chandler (http://ow.ly/MM81). I have known Matt for many years and love and respect him deeply. I am praying for him and for his sweet wife Lauren, and their kiddos, and the Village. And, I am praying with this in mind: there is a difference between desire and hope.

I am praying with great desire. My desire is that God would heal Matt, hand him to Lauren and the kids to be her husband and their daddy, restore him to the pulpit, empower him to preach his heart out for the magnification of Jesus, and one day let him play with his grandkids. I think God wants me to desire those things and ask Him for them, knocking until my knuckles bleed, making it clear to God how I desire Him to respond. And, those desires are good. But those desires are different than our hope.

Sometimes desires are not fulfilled. But, our hope is. Hope does not disappoint us (Romans 5:5). Our hope is certain and sure. Our hope is that none who trust in Him will ever ultimately be put to shame. Our hope is that in Jesus we are forgiven, given his Spirit, adopted as sons and daughters of God, and will one day be revealed as such (Romans 8:14-16; 1John 3:2-3). Our hope is that Jesus has defeated our greatest enemies of Satan, Sin, and Death and through Him we will triumph (Romans 8:37). Our hope is that God is sovereignly moving heaven and earth to secure the good of his elect and bring about their glory and joy (Romans 8:28). Our hope is that we who are in Christ are the eternal objects of God's love and that nothing, absolutely nothing, can change that status or rob us of its privileges (Romans 8:38-39). Our hope is that these momentary and light afflictions are preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison (2Cor 4:16-17); that the things we suffer are not worth comparing to the glory that God will reveal to us (Romans 8:18). Our hope is that God will not leave us nor forsake us so that even as we experience ten thousand shadows of death come over us, we shall not fear because He is with us (Psalm 23). Our hope is that He who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us into his presence (2Cor 4:14). Our hope is that if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united to him in a resurrection like His (Romans 6:5). And, our hope is that Christ, who is our great treasure, will be exalted as such whether by life or by death (Philippians 1:20). This is Matt's hope. He knows this hope; he lives this hope; he preaches this hope. Lauren knows and lives this hope as well, and Matt is blessed to have her at his side.

I just needed to tell myself that today. I need to remember that as I voice desires to be fulfilled and as I plead with the "God who is able," for Matt's strength and healing and restoration, I must not confuse my desire and my hope. I am holding tightly to hope and finding my comfort in the God of Hope. Praying we all will. Apostles Church will be praying for the Chandlers."

Thank you for taking the time to read and consider what Mr. Vassar writes. Again, I hope this clarifies the Gospel a little more for you.

Please continue to ask God for healing for Matt, but ultimately we know that God will do that which seems good to Him and brings glory to His Holy name.

Trusting God...
ZS

:::Wisdom:::

2009-09-24T19:45:00.000-07:00

I just had a passing thought tonight as I was speaking with Jesus...and here it is...

When we pray for wisdom, what is it that we are expecting God to do?
No seriously, think about it...

James 1:5 says that if anyone lacks wisdom, he should ask God who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.

Now, this is where I get caught up in my mind...I ask God for wisdom and He gives it to me generously without finding fault in me. HE gives it...without finding fault in ME!

So, I began to ask God specifically to give me clarity in this verse...and this is what He taught me...if I am asking God for wisdom then I need to be ready for something supernatural to happen.

Why is this true:
1.) because I, left to my own devises, am an idiot
2.) if God is active in it, it is automatically supernatural
3.) if He is looking at me as though I have no fault then He is seeing me through the redemptive power of His Son's blood which has rescued me from being the wretched man who has no hope outside of the cross of Christ. There is nothing more supernatural than the Gospel.

All of that to say, if you are truly seeking Godly wisdom, then ask Him for it...but you must be ready for Him to do something supernatural...which, let's just be honest, makes us all a little uncomfortable...

Asking Christ to make me uncomfortable as He stirs my affections for what is close to His heart tonight.

That's all I got...
ZS

Increase Our Faith ::: Luke 17:1-10

2009-09-14T13:37:00.000-07:00

There were a couple of different times in the Gospel where the Apostles asked Christ to increase their faith. I was reading in Luke yesterday morning before our celebration service started. In Luke 17:5, the Apostles asked Jesus to increase their faith...why would the Apostles ask for more faith? Well you need the whole context. Right before they ask for more faith Jesus drops this on them:

"If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him. 4If he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times comes back to you and says, 'I repent,' forgive him."

You get it now?

Seriously, how difficult is it to forgive? And not only to forgive but to continue to forgive over and over and over and over again?

Please Jesus, I'm going to need more faith!

Christ response, faith the size of a tiny mustard see will allow you to say to the mulberry tree, get up and get in the sea.

I love the conclusion of this section in Luke 17:10, "...we are unworthy slaves; we have done only that which we ought to have done."

It's time we all understand that we do not need or deserve praise for doing what we are commanded to do...just simply do it.
We praise our King because He is gracious and worthy - why would He even allow us to serve him?

Precious Christ, increase our faith...
~Amen

ZS

:::Meditation on Psalm 85:::

2009-09-09T10:02:00.000-07:00

I read this Psalm yesterday and it became a point of meditation for me.

Psalm 85
Prayer for God's Mercy upon the Nation.
For the choir director. A Psalm of the sons of Korah.
1O LORD, You showed favor to Your land;
You restored the captivity of Jacob.
2You forgave the iniquity of Your people;
You covered all their sin. Selah.
3You withdrew all Your fury;
You turned away from Your burning anger.
4Restore us, O God of our salvation,
And cause Your indignation toward us to cease.
5Will You be angry with us forever?
Will You prolong Your anger to all generations?
6Will You not Yourself revive us again,
That Your people may rejoice in You?
7Show us Your lovingkindness, O LORD,
And grant us Your salvation.
8I will hear what God the LORD will say;
For He will speak peace to His people, to His godly ones;
But let them not turn back to folly.
9Surely His salvation is near to those who fear Him,
That glory may dwell in our land.
10Lovingkindness and truth have met together;
Righteousness and peace have kissed each other.
11Truth springs from the earth,
And righteousness looks down from heaven.
12Indeed, the LORD will give what is good,
And our land will yield its produce.
13Righteousness will go before Him
And will make His footsteps into a way.

A couple of things that really jump out at me in this text:
1.) The declaration of what God has done. "you showed favor...you restored...you forgave...you covered all sin...you withdrew you fury...you turned away from your burning anger"
2.) I love verse 9, salvation is near to those who fear Him and it is through those who fear Him that shows His glory throughout the land.
3.) I'm not sure I have ever read more beautiful poetry than that which is found in verse 10. Only by the grace of God.
4.) I am praying for my family, our community of faith and for myself personally that we would see the footsteps of our Gracious God as our WAY.

For The Praise of Your Glory!
ZS

Profile of The Obsessed by Francis Chan

2009-08-20T09:07:00.000-07:00

I loved these so I wanted to share with you...

Obsessed - To have the mind excessively preoccupied with a single emotion or topic.

*People who are obsessed with Jesus give freely and openly, without censure. Obsessed people love those who hate them and who can never love them back.
*People who are obsessed with Jesus aren't consumed with their personal safety and comfort above all else. Obsessed people are more about God's kingdom coming to this earth than their own lives being shielded from pain or distress.
*People who are obsessed with Jesus live lives that connect them with the poor in some way or another. Obsessed people believe that Jesus talked about money and the poor so often because it was really important to Him.
*Obsessed people are more concerned with obeying God than doing what is expected or fulfilling the status quo. A person who is obsessed with Jesus will do things that don't always make sense in terms of success or wealth on this earth. As Martin Luther put it, "There are two days on my calendar: this day and that day".
*A person who is obsessed with Jesus knows that the sin of pride is always a battle. Obsessed people know that you can never be "humble enough," and so they seek to make themselves less known and Christ more known.
*People who are obsessed with Jesus do not consider service a burden. Obsessed people take joy in loving God by loving His people.
*People who are obsessed with Jesus are known as givers, not takers. Obsessed people genuinely think that others matter as much as they do, and they are particularly aware of those who are poor around the world.
*A person who is obsessed think about heaven frequently. Obsessed people orient their lives around eternity; they are not fixed only on what is here in front of them.
*A person who is obsessed is characterized by committed, settled, passionate love for God, above and before every other thing and every other being. (I love this one)
*People who are obsessed are raw with God; they do not attempt to mask the ugliness of their sin or their failure. Obsessed people don't put it on for God; He is their safe place, where they can be at peace.
*People who are obsessed with God have an intimate relationship with Him. They are nourished by God's Word throughout the day because they know that forty minutes on Sunday is not enough to sustain them for a whole week, especially when they will encounter so many distractions and alternative messages.
*A person who is obsessed with Jesus is more concerned with his or her character than comfort. Obsessed people know that true joy doesn't depend on circumstances or environment; it is a gift that must be chosen and cultivated, a gift that ultimately comes from God.
*A person who is obsessed with Jesus knows that the best thing he can do is be faithful to his Savior in every aspect of his life, continually saying "Thank You!" to God. An obsessed person knows there can never be intimacy if he is always trying to pay God back or work hard enough to be worthy. He revels in his role as child and friend of God.

Holy Father, allow me to be completely obsessed with Jesus and may the Gospel always be on my lips.
Amen!

Blessings!
ZS

Loved By The God of All Creation

2009-08-17T20:12:00.000-07:00

Below is from an email that my friend Ray sent me. Ray is 60 and has been diagnosed with malignant melanoma lymphoma. I do not really need to add anything else to it:

"Some times I wonder, what do people do without the Lord in their heart and life. What do people think, when their mortality knocks on their door and all they have before them is darkness. I am amazed at the comfort that my wife, Eileen, and I are receiving in our spirit by the Holy Spirit. My natural mind is wondering, Why aren't you going crazy? Don't you know how scary this is? But inside of me I know that I am good either way. How strange is that? How strange is it that I know that the Lord of creation loves me even to the point of knowing my name, and all my stumbling, and yet He comforts me in such personal ways that I don't wonder I know I am loved. Amazing."

Ray, I am praying with you and Eileen for a miracle. Love ya brother.

Blessings!
ZS

:::A Desperate Kind of Love:::

2009-07-28T16:42:00.000-07:00

As most of you know we have been doing a book study on "Crazy Love" by Francis Chan in our Tuesday night Connect Group. Tonight we are going to attempt to work through chapter six. He begins chapter six with this from A.W. Tozer's "The Pursuit of God". I love this and want to share it with you. My prayer is that it stirs your affections for Christ.

"O God, I have tasted Thy goodness, and it has both satisfied me and made me thirsty for more. I am painfully conscious of my need for further grace. I am ashamed of my lack of desire. O God, the Triune God, I want to want Thee; I long to be filled with longing; I thirst to be made more thirsty still. Show me Thy glory, I pray Thee, so that I may know Thee indeed. Begin in mercy a new work of love within me. Say to my soul, 'Rise up my love, my fair one, and come away.' Then give me grace to rise and follow Thee up from this misty lowland where I have wandered so long." - A.W. Tozer

Blessings!
ZS

Scarred for Life...and Eternity...

2009-07-06T19:57:00.000-07:00

What kind of person would take the Holy Spirit of God into a tattoo parlor? I can hear the questions...

To which I would rebut, what if the Holy Spirit of God takes you into a tattoo parlor?

Today I took a message that has been carved on my heart for 13 years and tattooed it on my arm. A simple message that has profound and eternal impact.

By Grace Through Faith

As I sat in the chair (at Fine Lines in Garland)and Casey (the artist) was getting things prepped I was just chatting with Trent Brown. Casey asked me what we were out doing today...this is it, just getting tattooed. I introduce Trent as my pastor and told him that we started a church in Royse City about 3 1/2 years ago.

Casey told me how he really enjoys studying different world religions and said he guesses that he connects to Christianity the most because "as an American it's what we know the most."
I guess Casey, like the vast majority of Americans, has some head knowledge of Jesus but doesn't exactly know what to do with Him.

Over the course of the half hour or so that I sat there...I explained to him why the Gospel was important enough for me to etch in ink on my right forearm. We talked about Christ's teachings a little, we talked about the early church in Acts and we even talked about what seems to be another reformation of the church in the 21st century. We spent a great deal of time talking about how important authentic community was. Casey continuously repeated these words, "Good for you guys, man...I'm glad to hear that". He also told me how beautiful he thought Christianity was when he's actually seen it in someone. I'm assuming the problem being that he just simply hasn't seen it very often.

Even as I write this, I can still feel a little bit of a burn from the needle...but, at the same time, I can't wait to take Casey some more business and talk to him about a Savior who would go into a tattoo parlor with a sinner SAVED BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH...

For The Praise of Your Glory,
ZS

Stories of Faith ::: Bobby Minor

2009-06-24T18:21:00.000-07:00

This post is from my buddy Bobby Minor. Thanks for your story Bobby. I know this will be real talk for a lot of people.
I know this one is longer but please read it all...such a powerful story of Grace and Mercy.

"I am 42-years old and have live my entire life in Fort Worth. My life started out pretty much in Leave it to Beaver fashion. Me, my mom and dad, sister and brother lived in a two-story house on a tree-lined street near TCU in South Fort Worth. Life was good. That is until I was six-years old and found out one day when I came home from school that my dad no longer lived with us but one of his buddies from work did. He would become my mother's second husband. I also found out later that even at this time my mother was already selling drugs and had been arrested in a big drug sting that was written about in the FW Star-Telegram. We would soon be lose the house to foreclosure and would be forced to move to a place we could afford, right in the middle of the hood. Here's a summary of the next six years or so...mom arrested again for selling drugs, being evicted and having everything we own thrown out on the curb and coming home and seeing everything after it had been picked through, having our utilities cut off numerous times, going without food, our house was like a commune with hitchhikers being invited to stay at our house as long as they would like. I remember a time watching cartoons in the living room with a group of my mom's friends and while they are getting high someone passed the joint to me. I just passed it to the person sitting next to me and when they realized what they had done they all just started laughing. I was 11 years old at the time. Another that stands out around this time is not having any gas or water for two months and running a water hose from our next door neighbors backyard to our backyard where we would bathe in our swimsuits. There's a lot more but for the sake of time I'll save it for later. Here are bullets that can summarize my life up to now:
Ultimately my mother would marry and divorce four times before passing away at the age of 48 (14 years ago) after years of drug and alcohol abuse...
I came home from school in the 6th grade to be greeted by my mother's third husband (still a family friend to this day) who told me that she had moved out of state with the man that would later become her fourth husband...
I started running the streets, selling drugs, hustling and having sex frequently by the age of 13....
Had a felony arrest on my record by the age of 19...
Would be arrested twice more over the next couple of years...
Committed many felonies that I never got caught doing....
Always had some sort of hustle going on...
Got married at the age of 24 and had my first son later that year...
Still continued selling and using drugs, keeping it from my wife. All she knew was that I always had a lot of extra money...
Committed adultery numerous time throughout our 12 year (10 years together, 2 separated) marriage...
Up to this point in my life I had always made it about me. On the surface I seemed like a nice guy but I can look back and see all of the lives I destroyed along the way...
The ironic thing is that while I lived a lifestyle that was a complete 180* from that of a Christ-follower if you would have asked me if I thought I was going to heaven I would have said yes and actually believed it. I wasn't that bad of a person, besides, I never robbed a bank or killed anyone...
I pretty much lived my life for today and if anything good was happening in my life I didn't think it would last and it didn't, usually through self-sabotage...
I figured if I didn't let myself get close to anybody I couldn't get hurt (like I was hurt by my mother)...
While I was separated from my wife I ran into a childhood friend that had been a partner in crime on many occasions that wanted to share with me his newfound joy and peace...
I avoided him at all costs because I thought I had it all figured out and didn't need what he had "found"...
He tried to minister to me for two full years without giving up...
Finally, on September 11th, 2001 something happened that would change all of our lives....
As I saw mothers, children, wives, crying wondering if they would ever see their loved one again it made me think of all the people that also thought "they had it all figured out" that got up that Tuesday like it was any other day and got dressed for work, only never to return...
It made me think that maybe I didn't know everything that I thought I did, that I didn't have it all figured out, that it wasn't all about me...
I called my friend and asked him what time church started that Sunday and on September 16th 2001 I walked through the doors of Waves of Faith for the first time...
I was blown away by everything, the presence of God, the people, the music, everything...
I didn't change right way though, for several months I had one foot in and one foot out...
I would go to the club on Saturday night and be in church on Sunday morning (with a stamp on my hand)...
Got tired of playing the church game and on April 15th 2002 I pulled my car over in downtown Fort Worth and made a commitment to put God in the drivers seat and stop playing games...
Got baptized in July of 2002..."

More to come...stay tuned...
Blessings!
ZS

Stories of Faith ::: Scott Finch

2009-06-24T12:44:00.000-07:00

Thanks for your heart Scott...your story is always a great reminder to me of the need for us all the work out our own salvation with fear and trembling.

"I once stumbled into the basement of a church that had been set apart for their college ministry, and an amazing teacher told me about a time when Jesus healed 10 lepers, and one of the 10 came back and thanked him for healing him. I had wrestled with salvation and what that meant for a long time, but this was the first time I realized salvation was an amazing gift, and demands a life time of thanking God for healing and restoration in our lives. From that point on, I knew I had to stop questioning how God could forgive such a sinner, and get on with doing good in his name. I pray daily that he would give me an opportunity to make a difference, in my neighbor's life, or in the lives of people in need. Jesus is amazing, how will you respond?"

More to come...stay tuned...

Blessings!
ZS

Stories of Faith ::: Erik Blakeslee

2009-06-23T16:21:00.000-07:00

Another incredible story of faith...because of His Grace:

"Here ya go, man:

On July 7th, 1991, I quit drinking. The days prior I experienced numerous close calls with death. It is by the Grace of God that I am alive today! I've been blessed with an incredible family, great friends, an awesome job, an education, and a personal relationship with Jesus.

Before being saved days were shrouded in darkness without interlude. My life was in shambles. I'd flunked out of college, divorced, burned the proverbial bridges with family, and neared skid row. One step further surely would have brought insanity or death! ... Read More

However, God intervened. He picked me up, placed me in the care of people that truly wanted to help, and forgave me. From the jaws of death I emerged, victorious, by nothing other than the power of His divine intervention. Today he has placed a calling on my heart which I strive to perform. It's a great challenge. But, as they say in AA, "But for the Grace of God, there I go!"

More to come...stay tuned...
Blessings!
ZS

Stories of Faith ::: Susan Snow

2009-06-23T16:02:00.000-07:00

Here's the first story I received:

"I was a "regular kid", but wondered what this "Jesus", "saved", "Heaven" was about. I was scared that I was going to miss it. I think it was the summer before 4th grade.....my best friend and I were attending VBS. I kept hearing stories from the Bible and they all were about Jesus, Heaven, and being saved. I remember wondering how I could make sure that I had all of those things. While finishing a craft from the VBS in my friend's garage the Friday evening of that week, I asked, "How can I know for sure that I am going to Heaven?" She simply answered, "It's easy. All you have to do is tell Jesus that you believe he died on the cross to save you." That evening in her bed. I remember telling Jesus, "Jesus, that stuff Amanda was talking about.....I want that."

He answered my cry, and has continued to lead me with wisdom and lavish blessing, upon blessing......I don't know why. Every desire of my heart thus far, He has given! (His timing of course!!)

Through years of growing pains, I've grown to understand grace and understand how small I am in comparison to Him. He's brought me to a place of perfect peace in Him. And even though I'm understand that I'm am a "worm" He has given me the gift of walking in freedom, for that is why Christ has set me free....and I am free indeed.....

Christ has given me a new heart that longs for people to know Him so they may be free as well. He's challenged me to truly rely on Him for my every need, not just claim to. He's challenged me to be a giver to meet needs. He's challenged me to look my fears in the eye and overcome them through His strength alone. He's shown me what He can do when I obey and let Him have control.

I'm amazed......"

Stay tuned, more to come.
ZS

Stories of Faith

2009-06-23T08:33:00.000-07:00

Hey friends,
The past few days I have been posting this status on Facebook: " to all my FB peeps I want to try something...any of you that would like to, I want as many stories as possible this week of how Christ has impacted your life...it doesn't have to been a long (there is no word count) but it may be (don't hinder inspiration)...if you will type out your story about Jesus and message it to me I will post it to my blog, with your permission of course (www.zachsnow.blogspot.com)"
I have started getting some in so I will be posting them over the next few days.
To anyone who is RSS'ing the blog and not on facebook feel free to just email me your story (gatewayzach@gmail.com). I would love to hear it and also love to share it.
My hope is that this will be faith building for many. There is so much power in stories of Grace and Mercy.
Stay Tuned...

ZS

Father's Day Reflection

2009-06-21T15:38:00.000-07:00

I love being a dad! I've said this before but seriously, there is nothing about being a dad that I do not love. The list includes but is not limited to wrestling in the living room floor, taking batting practice in the back yard, quiet moments of snuggle time (which are few and far between), watching TV with them in my lap, waking up during the middle of the night because they need me to "lay down with them for a few minutes", changing diapers (which we are almost finished with), making lunches which usually consist of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, taking drives, going to the day care on Saturday morning to set up the church, camping out (even if it just consist of setting up the inflatable mattress in the living room), taking bike rides and pulling them in the stroller behind me and of course learning new things about Jesus from them.

My children have taught me more about Jesus than any of my professors in Bible college. I continue to be overwhelmed by grace.

Thank you Jesus for my boys and giving me the opportunity and the incredible weight of nurturing their faith while they learn more about you. Allow me to simply be a tree that they may climb in order to get a better glimpse of you.
For the Praise of Your Glory,
Amen

ZS

Worldly Grief vs. Godly Sorrow

2009-04-28T11:39:00.000-07:00

I love laundry days! Laundry day makes me slow down. I will often spend the day sitting in the living room floor folding clothes (which I'm quite good at by the way...I can fold a t-shirt in such a way that it will not have wrinkles in it when you take it out of the dresser to wear). I also use laundry day as an opportunity to catch up on podcast.

I've spent the day today doing laundry and listening to a three part series Matt Chandler did on repentance. In the second part he spent a great deal of time talking about the difference between worldly grief and Godly sorrow.
Worldly grief simply put, says that "I'm sorry for what I've done because now I look bad. What will the people at church say? Will I lose my job because of this decision? Will my wife leave me?"

Godly sorrow is David in Psalm 51 after he's been outed by the prophet Nathan in his sin with Bathsheba. David says in verse four, "Again you, and you only, I have sinned". David understood in this moment that it did not matter what the people in his court thought about him, it didn't matter what the people in his army thought about him, it didn't matter what the prophet thought about him. He understood that it was not against those people that he committed this sin but against God.
I think it is so vitally important that we begin to see ourselves in the way God sees us...rather than being so concerned with what others think of us.

Worldly grief typically comes out of panic. We've been exposed and now we are really really really sorry for what we've done...however, we weren't really really really sorry while we were doing it. Godly sorrow allows us to not be so concerned with what others think of feel about us. Where are we with God?
Godly sorrow will also help us answer this question..."is God okay with me the way I am?" Are you asking the question, "does God love me?" The answer is yes! No doubt! Or are you asking the question, "is God happy about the way I am choosing to live my life?" Let me ask you this question, is your life making God more famous?

Repentance is such an ugly word in today's culture. I know it's not popular and there will be people that see this either from their google reader or because it post as a note on Facebook that will not like this entry because it talks about repentance. Repentance is life giving! It's the running away from what you want for you life and chase hard after the heart of God and what he wants for you. Even if it doesn't "feel right" or "make you happy".

I will close with this...also an unpopular thought. God's will for your life is not your happiness, but His glory. God may call you to do something that makes you miserable (read the book of Hosea). But what if that makes Him more known?

ZS

:::Meditation on Psalm 26:::

2009-04-17T19:44:00.000-07:00

We will be doing this Scripture reading Sunday morning at Gateway. I've just been kinda meditating on it today.

Psalm 26
1Vindicate me, O LORD, for I have walked in my integrity,
And I have trusted in the LORD without wavering.
2Examine me, O LORD, and try me;
Test my mind and my heart.
3For Your lovingkindness is before my eyes,
And I have walked in Your truth.
4I do not sit with deceitful men,
Nor will I go with pretenders.
5I hate the assembly of evildoers,
And I will not sit with the wicked.
6I shall wash my hands in innocence,
And I will go about Your altar, O LORD,
7That I may proclaim with the voice of thanksgiving
And declare all Your wonders.
8O LORD, I love the habitation of Your house
And the place where Your glory dwells.
9Do not take my soul away along with sinners,
Nor my life with men of bloodshed,
10In whose hands is a wicked scheme,
And whose right hand is full of bribes.
11But as for me, I shall walk in my integrity;
Redeem me, and be gracious to me.
12My foot stands on a level place;
In the congregations I shall bless the LORD.

There is one thing that I hear my pastor say all the time and it's this truth, "Integrity is costly and it can be lost in a moment".

I love how David runs down the list of wicked things that he sees all around him every day. His response to that is to remain faithful and simply desire to be in "the place where Your glory dwells".

Holy Father, give me a heart that chases hard after you and you alone. Your name is more important than my own desires or fleeting pleasures. I pray as David did, that I shall walk in my integrity.
So that you may become more famous and that I might be forgotten.
For the praise of your glory!
Amen!

ZS

It Didn't End At The Cross...

2009-04-12T20:13:00.000-07:00

It's 10:14 on Easter Sunday night and I've literally got nothing left to offer.

The weekend was a blur, but man, what a great ride! We were able to connect with over 500 people at our Egg Smash community event on Saturday. Then had a great crowd of over 120+ come together this morning to celebrate the empty tomb.

As a part of our worship gathering this morning I did a reading from The Voice that I would just like to share with you as I put this day to rest. I hope you enjoy and if you are reading this in the Royse City area come back next week as we continue to dive into this thought that, "It Didn't End At The Cross".

The Voice

We were a band of fishermen who were lost and lonely. But just when we thought things couldn’t become stranger, Jesus showed up. He told us to fish on the other side of the boat. We did, and we were suddenly overwhelmed with fish. The nets were bulging. What He showed us here, is that not only would our old ways of living leave us as empty as our nets, but our old habits were not going to work for us anymore. He had impacted our lives in a way that changed us forever. We couldn’t go back. And He knew we didn’t know how to go forward.

After spending time with Jesus, I realize there are no coincidences. He revealed to me a world where God is intimately involved, the main actor in the drama of history. It was no accident that we caught the fish. It was no accident the nets didn’t break. These fish, all 153, were a sign from God representing the community of believers, men and women transformed by faith. Some of us sat down and didn’t say a word as we pondered all of this. Others busied themselves in work, their hands moving quickly to stack the catch in baskets and untangle the nets. Each in his own way thought, wondered, and prayed. I have to admit, the prospect of it all still makes me smile. That’s how I always begin and end my stories of Jesus. I remind my little children that through faith He gives us the authority to become the sons of God. Brother Paul said it’s all grace. He’s right. We are what we are because of His wonderful work in us. The challenge we face every day is to become what we are—His loving, devoted children. To do that, we have to strip away every vestige of our old lives. Like worn out clothes, we find our former lives aren’t able to contain the beauty of this new creation. Before we can put on the new life and take up our new calling, we have to set aside every ugly and broken aspect of our lives. Repentance, Jesus told us, is not just about what you put off. It’s about what you put on. In the human spirit, there is no vacuum. Something will always occupy you and fill your life. It is either life from above or death from below. If the resurrection of Jesus taught us anything, it’s that He is the resurrection and the life. I’m not talking about life after death. What I mean is that through Jesus we can have abundant life, a full and meaningful life, here and now.