Seasons of Life

3 Ways the Comparison Game Cripples

2014-01-27T08:11:00.002-08:00

"I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints,… (Eph. 1:16-18 ESV)

In Christ, we all have a ministry. Some work for a "public" or vocational ministry, others less formally minister "privately" to coworkers, colleagues, friends, etc. There are three things we typically tend to compare ourselves to in ministry -

Insiders - Ministries, other peoples' ministry efforts, organizations, or businesses
Outsiders - People in "secular" careers, the unsaved, or those not following God's call ("but I'm doing God's work!")
Ideal vs. real - Our internal vision of how things should be vs how they actually are.

      Generally it's when things aren't going well. It commonly manifests as either shame, self-doubt, or anxiety. Shame says "Woe is me, I should be further along, like so-and-so." Doubt says: "If I were all I should be for God, I'd be making a bigger difference doing x, like them." Anxiety (fear) says "what if program x flops?". In all of these cases, we're putting the course before the heart. Why? Because, it's not about you.
      Can I rub some salt in? Really, it's not… about… you. Contrasting where we are to where we think we should be, where others are, or where we'd like to be factors out where God has placed us and what He desires of and for us. God didn't make you them… He made you you. Does that clear anything up?

      Repeat that to yourself while I do the same, so we both remember it, mmkay? Guilty.

Matters of the Heart
      At the heart of this struggle is this: by grace, God has me right where He wants me. If I'm disappointed with where I am, I have a vertical issue: an idolatry issue with God. What I'm in effect saying is this -

"God should respect my plans and efforts above His."

     Essentially, we've taken a man-centric view rather than a God-centric view of things. But, take heart - "no temptation has seized you, but that which is common to man." Easy enough mistake to make. I ain't mad at ya...

Sovereignty?
     My dissatisfaction with where He has me, even if I've been disobedient along the way, is ultimately dissatisfaction with His sovereignty. He can do whatever He wants and He's not out to make you or I rich, famous, or even successful in and of ourselves. If He has me stalled out (which I've felt like many times in "full time ministry"), He's aware of it. There is not a circumstance that has come about in history that hasn't passed through his fingers. Nothing surprises God.

Side Note:
      Satan's very first ploy was to get Eve to believe she was missing out on something. Trouble is... If you're longing to be doing something else, there's a good chance the only thing you're missing out on is what you're supposed to be doing right now. Read on, and we'll uncover what it is we're really missing...

Did God Allow It or Cause It?
   I've been wrapped around that axle before, too. So, let me ask you... What difference does it make? Are you going to prosecute a case against the God who told the oceans how far they could go and no further? In my darker, heavier moments, I've tried it. Losing battle. Turn back.

     Scripture contains enough references to God causing disaster and affliction (e.g. Daniel 9:14, Psalm 119.75) and God allowing the same (just search "God permitted") that the doctrine of sovereignty ought to put to rest our anxieties over what isn't, what could have been, and what calamities or shortcomings are yet to come down the pipe at us.

      This isn't to say that our desires and dreams don't matter to God. Louie Gigilio recently tweeted: "What you do matters to God and man, but you matter because of what God has done. First things first."

What's Really Missing?
      Paul gets it. His unceasing prayers (above) for the church at Ephesus are that they would know God, not see their ends to their desires met. Rather, that through a deeper heart knowledge of and intimacy with the Father their desires would become His desires. How about you?

     If a dissatisfaction is a holy dissatisfaction, it is the kind that points us toward knowing God, not questioning Him or our circumstance. I would argue that sanctification is about God purifying us from matters of the heart that obscure us from truly knowing Him. Agreed?

Benediction
     I pray today, that you would come do a deeper intimacy with God so that your anxieties, fears, disappointments, and shame over what is not would be eclipsed and replaced with joy over who He is and what He has done. Don't be robbed of present joy by what went wrong in the past, is missing in the present, or looms in the future.

“We weren’t meant to be somebody–we were meant to know Somebody”

- John Piper

in Christ,

AP

Dealing with Angry People

2014-01-20T07:48:00.003-08:00

Orphans in Your Heart
     I have a friend on fire for adopting orphans. He once shared his frustration about many orphan relief efforts like building orphanages, wells, and feeding orphans. "Give the kid a place to live and you've still got an orphan." You've met a felt need for the child, but haven't gone to the root issue.

     Knowing I'm not in any position to adopt (in this current season) makes my heart immediately bleed for the organization that is building the orphanages, digging the wells, or feeding the children. But, deep down, I know I've merely given them a fish, instead of planting them lakeside with a fishing pole and proper instruction.

"A hot-tempered person must pay the penalty;
    rescue them, and you will have to do it again. (Prov. 19:19)"

     Some people are just bound to be angry all the time. Don't hate them. Anger itself is not a sin, it's what we do with it that gets us into cahoots with God. We've all been discipled by our family of origin what "appropriate" expressions of anger are. Some internalize, others explode, still others manipulate, calculate, or plot revenge. Many fail to learn how to "dump" their anger - they hang onto it like an orphan without an adoption plan. We live in a culture that disciples us deeply in personal revenge rather than trusting in God's vengeance. Just go watch an action movie.

Know Thy Enemy
     Anger is a debt-debtor relationship that happens when someone or something fails to meet our expectations. It says "you owe me". Holding onto a ledger full of debt is a toxic condition that turns Prov 19:19 into a prophecy. An outburst of anger is biologically accompanied by the release of the hormone cortisol. God designed our bodies to handle cortisol in short bursts, to protect us in fight or flight situations. Long term, it's toxic. It's terrible for their health: "fretting" or holding on to "you owe me"s can keep cortisol levels high leading to stroke, heart attack, low bone density... overall, bad stuff. No wonder God tells us not to fret.

     If you have their permission ("can I help you solve this problem?"), you may be able to offer them some help. This can't be removing the problem or solving it for them - you've merely built an orphanage, not answered their deeper need. It must be in helping them understand the debt at the bottom of their heart. "What does <person/circumstance> owe you?" Understanding that we don't war against flesh and blood is vital to clearing the emotional confusion surrounding an outburst (or inburst) of anger.

    The deepest need of the person struggling with anger is Christ at the center of their life. A proper understanding of the sovereignty of God equips them with a new Father who is never surprised by their "igniting circumstance". They need to repeatedly answer through fervent, desperate prayer during many lucid moments: "How does God use affliction to transform us (Psalm 119:75)?"

     Practical surrender to a sovereign God includes acknowledging He is in the good and the bad, trials are necessary (James 1:3), and it is okay to be angry, but not to sin against others or God.

Power of Prayer?

     Prayer is crucial. While the temple in Israel was rife with the stench of death as thousands of animals were sacrificed daily, the priests would go out with censers filled with incense (representing prayer) that brought a sweet smelling aroma into the outer courts. So, what? Prayer may not change their circumstances, but it brings a sweetness amidst the carnage of unmet expectations. If you can teach them to pray with that understanding, you're leading them to the answering of their deepest needs.

     The gospel isn't about "try harder" and "do more" it's about the impossibility of pleasing God with our own efforts and His unfailing love despite that fact. It's about what He's already done. As today's verse explains, behavior modification doesn't fix the angry person. Get them out of a bind and they'll just be angry again about the next thing that goes wrong. Only a new heart can do that.

   Sometimes, a discipleship relationship with another godly man or woman is the critical link needed to help them sort through things on a regular basis. We meet with men, women, and couples often to provide an outside eye and biblical perspective on living the gospel and handling these kinds of issues. Maybe, they just need to grab coffee with a guy like me who's battled anger frequently, lost often, but found lasting victory in Christ. Give them my card or connect us via a three way email. Aarron at Seasons of Life Ministries dot org.

Pray hard and without ceasing. Love deeply. Forgive thoroughly and often.

Much agape,

AP

Noah, Found Drunk... Punishes Wrong Guy!

2014-01-13T07:47:00.002-08:00

     "When he [Noah] drank some of its wine, he became drunk and lay uncovered inside his tent. Ham, the father of Canaan, saw his father naked and told his two brothers outside. But Shem and Japheth took a garment and laid it across their shoulders; then they walked in backward and covered their father’s naked body. Their faces were turned the other way so that they would not see their father naked. When Noah awoke from his wine and found out what his youngest son had done to him,“Cursed be Canaan! He also said,may Japheth live in the tents of Shem, and may Canaan be the slave of Japheth. (Gen. 9:22-27)"

     A friend asked last week why Noah would curse Canaan and not Ham. As I read through the passage with him, I couldn't tell. But, on a second reading in a quieter time, a couple of things became apparent to me, so I wrote down my observations and did some research. While some of my conclusions were confirmed, I stumbled on a few additional points for your reading pleasure.

     Noah's blackout is the first mention of drunkenness of a Holy man in scripture. Moses doesn't record it as sin in his account. So, why was Ham in trouble?

The Crime
     Noah wasn't just an important person. He was the only man chosen by God to have his family saved from the flood and by extension, the only man chosen before Abraham from whom the Messiah would come. He is a patriarch. While his sons could not have known God's plan through their father, they did know that their father's family was the only one who would repopulate the devastated planet. Noah was God's man, their father, and to be respected and revered as such.

     Ephesians 5:12 warns us against tabloid journalism, slander, gossip: "don't even mention this stuff..." So, we find Noah in an undignified state and Ham given an opportunity to honor or dishonor his father, the Patriarch. Rather than keep it quiet, he tweets it to the only other two men on the planet. This is not the "exposure" Paul talked about in Eph 5:11-13. This is the first case of tabloid journalism. "GUYS - DAD WAS PASSED OUT, NAKED!!!"

     Observe: Shem and Japheth took such care in restoring their father' dignity that they didn't even want to accidentally see their father naked. Thus, they approached him walking backward, treating their father and his privacy with great care.

Curse or Prophecy?
     Following this episode, Noah blurts out a curse than many might presume to be residual alcohol, but it is not. Noah appears to bless two of his sons and curse one of his grandsons. It appears that he punishes the guilty son by cursing his youngest son. But, that is actually not the case.

     As we read further in the genealogy, we note that from Shem comes Jacob's line - the Shemites (Semites) and from Japheth come the gentiles. That the gentiles would one day live in the tents of Shem is a picture of what is also reported in Ephesians 2:14-16 that through the cross, both Jews and gentiles would have access to God through the cross. This is a prophetic utterance. The curse on Canaan was not placed on him by Noah, but by God. Noah was merely prophesying what we now know about the Canaanites - that they would become a wicked, God-hating, idolatrous people.

The Punishment Fit the Crime...
     So, is Ham off the hook? No. Though Noah did not actually curse Canaan, Ham was still punished by his words. History would prove that Ham would have been long dead before the wickedness of his progeny would come to fruition. Therefore, Ham's punishment was much like his crime: he would now know what he did not want to know and would otherwise never have known.

     For Ham to die before seeing the wickedness of his offspring would have been God's hand of mercy. But, because of his rebellion against God vis-a-vis his slander against Noah, He was made to know what the tabloids would only hundreds of years later report.

Honor your father and mother... that it may... go well with you...

in Christ,

AP

Why Me? The Most Important Question...

2014-01-06T07:56:00.002-08:00

"Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself. (John 6:15)"

     I've often wondered as I've read the Gospel accounts of Jesus why He would do a miracle and then tell someone not to make a big deal of it. I mean, he heals a guy of leprosy and tells him - "Just show the priests and offer sacrifices and keep the rest on the down-low. (Matt 8:8, Mark 1:44, Luke 5:14)" What's with that?

Okay, so Jesus had a reason. I get it.

Why Are You Here, Lord?
   But, he does this awesome, public miracle where he feeds over 5,000 people and comes up with leftovers and then "withdraws" to a mountain. We all know that Christ's miracles were never done for the sake of spectacle, rather to authenticate the power of God in Christ and for His glory. So, in front of a crowd of thousands - AUTHENTICATED! Your Kingdom come, we're with you, Lord - now BE OUR KING!

   So, why doesn't Christ just come out and say it? "I'm the Christ! Repent and come to God!" Instead: Withdrew again to a mountain? Come on!!!

The Core Issue
The trouble in this scenario is identical to 1 Samuel 8. It is the familiar cry of the depraved soul that says "I want to be like everyone else!" Or, in Israel's case - "Give us a KING!" The Lord's reply is similar to the prophet Samuel's. God told Samuel that the nation hadn't rejected Samuel, rather God himself. And, so in tragic irony, despite the fact that they wanted to make Christ their king, the people were still rejecting God as their king.

Huh?
   Though they were asking God in a body to be their king, they didn't really want to make God their king. In classic Jesus form, Christ knew the motives of their hearts: it wasn't God they wanted. It was freedom from oppression. But, not as Christ would have it. They wanted freedom from the oppression of man, not the freedom from the oppression of sin, self, and spiritual depravity. The kingdom of God is a spiritual kingdom, not like the kingdoms of men...

So, Lemme Askya:
   Lemme ask you this day: do you want Christ, right now, or do you want merely His blessings? Paul Washer once said even the devil himself would like to be back in heaven as long as God wasn't there and he didn't have to bow his knee to Christ. So, what do you want? An earthly king to provide for you and go out and fight your wars like the rest of the nations, or do you want a Holy, sovereign, and worthy King that you can worship and serve for eternity? Do you want Christ because you don't want hell or because you want Christ?

     The Bible asks the same question over and over from Genesis to Revelation: "will you trust Me?" So asks the Lord of you right now: "Why Me? Do you want Me for Me or for my blessings?" Let us resolve to answer that question daily.

Jesus is usually sought after for something else, not for his own sake. - Augustine

in it with you,

AP

Voices of Christmas Passed...

2013-12-30T08:01:00.000-08:00

Even An Atheist Can Articulate the Gospel
The mid 1800s were approaching and a church organ in the south of France had recently been restored. The parish priest asked a friend to compose a poem to celebrate the event. That friend was a professed atheist named Placidde Cappeau. His poem was entitled "Midnight, Christians". It was soon set to music by Adolphe Adam and would later be translated into what we now know as "O Holy Night".

It's been my number one favorite for many years now, although recent arrangements of "Angels We Have Heard on High" and "Go, Tell It On The Mountain" by the acapella group Pentatonix now threaten its reign. Cappeau's original text clearly marks Christmas as a celebration that God sent Christ to the world to eradicate the stain of sin. Wiki it and you may be astounded that an atheist could comprehend the facts of the gospel. Or, you may just be saddened that he, like many, would understand the facts, yet not respond as even he commands his listener:

"Fall on your knees,

O hear the angel voices."

How Will You Surrender?
     One day, we will all see the Christ, the risen Lord and returning King. The Bible teaches us that every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of the Father. It doesn't say "every believer will bow". It says "every knee". In other words: whether we hear the gospel message and believe on it unto salvation or reject it as Cappeau did, we will acknowledge Christ as king.

     From that point, we will either know Him as Savior King or Supreme Judge. The question is, will you surrender to the truth of the former while there is still time or surrender to the latter after time runs out?

     As we approach the "New Year", I want to encourage us all to remember - Christ is returning. Some say as early as this week. Others say years or generations off. Regardless, the gospel call is this: fall on your knees in surrender to the Lord as redeemer, savior, brother-slave, and coming King today. Celebrate His incarnation, life, death, and resurrection not only at midnight on a day that's not even His real birthday, but everyday.

What Is Surrender?
     I've long believed the Bible to be a collection of inspired and inerrant (in their original manuscripts) books that all ask the same question from the perspective of God: "Will you trust me?" That's what this kind of surrender is all about: full time dependence on and trust in Christ. Not just uttering niceties one day or a few weeks out of the year...

     We all have a tendency to be event oriented rather than process oriented. Salvation is both an event and a process - depending on how you understand "sanctification". We err when we spend so disproportionately our money, time, and effort on one event when the eternal Lord is Lord of our process. Christmas shouldn't be relegated to just one day or even a season - ransom from sin and death should be an everyday joy. I pray that now that "Christmas" is past (or approaching in another couple of months, depending on what sources you believe) that we (myself included) may begin to celebrate our Savior more fully regardless of the day of year.

Merry Christmas today, tomorrow, and everyday.

On our knees before the Savior,

AP

My bad - here's my favorite arrangement. North Point Community Church's ten year old recording has held my #1 spot for a decade now. Thanks, to everyone who made it possible and Jeff Scott for the "money note" at the end.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xC4lOHFCnq8

Would You Leave Paradise? - Favorite Christmas Song #2

2013-12-23T07:57:00.003-08:00

"But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship. Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.” (Gal. 4:4-6)

Got Plans?
     Pregnancy and adoption - these are not emotionally neutral topics in our culture. Most of the time, it's not attached to the word "unplanned". But, even planned pregnancy is a game changer for the family involved. There's preparation, baby gear, decisions to be made, sleepless nights, doctor visits, ultrasounds, and then, the baby actually arrives!

     Adoption - this never falls in the "unplanned" category, does it? But, it's a big deal to all parties involved. Someone "loses", others "gain". The stories are typically tearjerkers, but the life of the donor mom, the child, and the adoptive family is never the same. Having met my own biological sister for the first time when I was 30 years old, I know what it's like to "lose" a family member to adoption, to have family secrets, shame, wonder, and a life changing reunion.

Your Past and Future
     God says that because of Adam, we're stuck under the law. Law says "do this/don't do that" and you're on good terms with God. But, these laws were impossible to keep. The written code said "don't commit adultery", but Christ would explain that even thinking lustfully breaks that law. How could anyone keep up? Worse, how could a good God expect anyone and everyone to jump over a bar that high?

     In Genesis, Adam discovered permanent separation from God was possible with merely one sin against a God who is both holy and eternal. To fix that problem, he'd need an eternal sacrifice - an eternity of second chances. Ever feel like him? If he (consequently we) were ever to be acquitted, he'd need a perfect, eternal, blood sacrifice - because without the shedding of blood, there's no forgiveness of sins. (See Heb. 9:22)

     A baby changes everything.

Leaving Paradise... For What?
     Can you imagine you're on some island beach sipping a fruity drink and you get a call from me that says "I need you to come to Alaska so I can bash your thumbs to smithereens with a hammer. Can you help me out?" Would you hope on the next plane? Me, either. Yet, Jesus left more than a tropical shore and came to earth to be brutally beaten and murdered on a cross. Why? Because, His birth, death, and resurrection make our "adoption to sonship" possible.

I'm from New England. There are two kinds of music I can't stand: "Country and Western". But, as a father of four, with a sister who was given up for adoption before I was even born, and as a man adopted into the family of God by the shed blood covenant of Christ, Faith Hill got me on this one. So, here's my number 2 favorite Christmas song: "A Baby Changes Everything".

May the Christ child, his life, death, and resurrection change everything for you. For good.

in Christ,

AP

The One Thing That Could Save Your Christmas

2013-12-16T08:12:00.001-08:00

What'd You Expect?
     I promised a post about my top 4 Christmas songs. We should be on #3 right now... What gives? I'm getting there. You were expecting one thing and you got another.
     So, how's that going for you?

     How we react to unmet expectations tells everything about our theology.

"To man belong the plans of the heart,

but from the Lord comes the reply of the tongue. (Prov. 16:1)"

The Gap
     The gap between what we expect and what we get is either counted blessing (when we get what or more than we wanted) or bother (when we don't). Our response to this gap exposes what we believe about God and what He, the world, or life owes us. Shift gears with me for some background.

A Mark, Two Joes, and Questions for Mary
     Mark Lowry was 20 years old when a car accident left him with 11 broken bones. I don't think he was expecting that when he got in the car. You? Six years later, in his mid 20s, he wrote the lyrics to my number 3 favorite Christmas song.

     In Genesis, God called Joseph to become Prime Minister of Egypt, but not without decades of trial, testing, and waaaaaiting... In the Gospels, He called another "Joe" to marry the only pregnant virgin in history. Mary was visited by an angel who told her she'd become pregnant outside wedlock, but remain a virgin... and the angel didn't even have the decency to walk her home and explain the "miracle" to her dad. REALLY?!

Months of physical therapy to recover from an accident...
     Years in prison over a false accusation waiting for God knows what...
          Years raising a family in Egypt waiting for Herod to die...
               The eyes of everyone on her knowing she was pregnant outside of marriage waiting for prophecy fulfilled...

     They all experienced the gap.

     What do you do in the gap between the miraculous and the mundane?

Hitting the Mark?
     Mark Lowry was asked to write a song. He started with a list of questions he'd like to ask Mary, the mother of Jesus. We all tend to judge the gap. I don't know if Mark did after his car wreck. I don't know what Joseph was thinking in prison. Scripture doesn't tell us what Joseph was thinking in Egypt. Mary broke out in an song of amazing faith. Holidays tend to magnify the impact of unmet expectations... that either make us bite our tongues or unleash on people who ultimately might not deserve it. What if we could take a lesson from Mark?

     He asked a ton of questions that put the downside of the situation out of the spotlight (for the most part). What if we could do the same? What if this Christmas we could all suspend judgment of the gap - I didn't get what I wanted, they didn't act the way I wanted, they didn't say what I've hoped they'd say, they still haven't trusted in Jesus... etc... What if we could, as Mary did, trust in the God who is sovereign over the gap and simply say - "May it be as you have said"?

     Take a look at the questions Mark Lowry penned when he wrote "Mary Did You Know?" and do your own homework... "Aarron, did you know, that that thing you wanted to happen this year at Christmas is really just a blip on the map and will serve to bring someone you love to Christ in a way you never imagined or hoped?" Can you trust that God's ways are higher than our ways and His plans always work out better than our fallen, imperfect expectations? Will you trust Him in the gap, the uncomfortable gap, the pregnant lady riding a donkey forty miles over the mountains gap, the cousin-in-law-twice-removed who always makes awkward and insulting remarks at your dinner table gap?

     Can you forgive? Can you articulate your expectations of what you'd like in the future rather than dwelling on the gap of what "should have" happened this time? Can you trust that even though you don't see a miracle in the middle of the mundane that God is still at work?

     Enjoy one of my favorite renditions of "Mary Did You Know"? And, make a list... and check it... twice...

Best Christmas Songs, Ever?

2013-12-09T07:26:00.000-08:00

My "Final Four" - #4 The Little Drummer Boy
Trivia Fun
     Nothing you can't find in a quick Wikipedia search, but noteworthy enough for holiday chit-chat around the egg nog bowl. Written in 1941, first recorded in 1955 by who? The Trapp Family Singers. Yep, that quaint little family who brought you "Doe, a Deer, a Female Deer", made Julie Andrews a household name, and currently has Carrie Underwood looking... out of place. Based on a Czech tune and originally published as "Carol of the Drum".

Theological Significance:
     Though Jesus isn't the main character, I'm still okay with playing and singing it because Christmas is the season when Holy God became incarnate: the earthly merger of the magnificent with the mundane. The story juxtaposes wise men from far off with the Wisest of all, who would now come nearer than any earthly man would have ever known. Great men, great gifts, cow dung, and a precious and Holy King in an animal's feed trough - magnificent, meet mundane. Perfect, meet profane. Yet, God ordained it all.

Enter, Scandalous Child
     The religious people of Jesus' time had become so emphatic about the law, they were drifting from true relationship with the Law Giver. They'd begun to call worthless many of the things that God truly valued. Women and children in this time were "to be seen and not heard".

     Yet, the scandalous Christ would later scold (in three different gospel accounts... OUCH!) His own disciples: "Let the little children come to me!" Mt. 19:14, Mark 10:14, Luke 18:16 So, what an insulting scandal that a little boy, bearing no tangible gift would be given audience with the King of Kings? Isn't it already scandal enough that His birth to a virgin mother was proclaimed first to lowly shepherds (not exactly the top of the socio-economic ladder of the day) and his birthplace a barn?

     Hallelujah, yes! Bring on the scandal.

     And, so the scandal of the gospel is proclaimed in this song - that a little child, in the face of the wise who offered great, majestic gifts, would bring but a humble song, yet would garner the smile (favor) of the child born to live, suffer insult, and die to erase the scandalous sin of the rich, the poor, the wise, the foolish and all in between! Wow. Majesty amidst the mundane.

Scripture Snack:

Where is the wise person? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. (1 Cor. 1:20-21)

Here's My Favorite Version - What's Yours?

I've been through a few favorites on this song - first time I heard Candi Shelton (then, Candi Pearson, on North Point Community Church's first Christmas CD) do her acoustic version, my jaw dropped. "Who does that to that song?!" If you look around the iTunes store, Grooveshark, or even Pandora, you might get yourself a listen.

When I heard these next two versions, I thought the exact same thing. "Who'd have thunk THAT?!" The following videos are my #2 and #1 favorite versions of this song for obvious reasons. Alicia Keys at Rockafeller Center in '09 and my new favorite - Pentatonix.

Drop us a comment below with your favorite version, will ya? Merry Christmas, and may Christ be at the center for you this season and all year long.

Follow Up on "Seeker Friendly" post

2013-11-26T09:43:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, we started off the week with a look at the error we often make in preaching, proclaiming, sharing the gospel: reliance on personal skill and/or clever methodology. Today, I imagine it's no coincidence that my inbox would contain this post from Oswald Chambers:

(direct link: http://utmost.org/classic/the-concentration-of-spiritual-energy-classic/)

"But may it never be that I would boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. (Gal. 6:14)"

If you want to know the power of God (that is, the resurrection life of Jesus) in your human flesh, you must dwell on the tragedy of God. Break away from your personal concern over your own spiritual condition, and with a completely open spirit consider the tragedy of God. Instantly the power of God will be in you. “Look to Me. . .” (Isaiah 45:22). Pay attention to the external Source and the internal power will be there. We lose power because we don’t focus on the right thing. The effect of the Cross is salvation, sanctification, healing, etc., but we are not to preach any of these. We are to preach “Jesus Christ and Him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:2). The proclaiming of Jesus will do its own work. Concentrate on God’s focal point in your preaching, and even if your listeners seem to pay it no attention, they will never be the same again. If I share my own words, they are of no more importance than your words are to me. But if we share the truth of God with one another, we will encounter it again and again. We have to focus on the great point of spiritual power— the Cross. If we stay in contact with that center of power, its energy is released in our lives. In holiness movements and spiritual experience meetings, the focus tends to be put not on the Cross of Christ but on the effects of the Cross.

The feebleness of the church is being criticized today, and the criticism is justified. One reason for the feebleness is that there has not been this focus on the true center of spiritual power. We have not dwelt enough on the tragedy of Calvary or on the meaning of redemption.

How to Make the Gospel Seeker Friendly

2013-11-25T08:00:00.000-08:00

Watch Your Own Film Lately?
     There are some great communicators out there in the world. Last month, I had opportunity to communicate truth through a 90 minute one man show. While I don't think it put me in a class among those men, it did renew my appreciation for such men.

     The amount of time poured into the craft of communication cannot be understated, if one is to do it with excellence. Today, I'm watching video of my performance with a critical eye and a yellow pad of paper. World class communicators make it a habit to "watch the film" like elite athletes who seek to achieve peak performance.

Two Extremes and an Extremely Dangerous Center
     There is great value in learning from mistakes and honing one's craft. But, there is a tension in our culture between sharpening one's communication skills on one end, foolishly "winging it" on the other end, and yet an even more dangerous spot in the middle where we become worshipers of our gift of communication instead of relying on the Giver of all gifts (often referred to as "the liability of ability"). This happens when we cross the line of developing our skills and believing our own press...

     But, there is a reason why Paul makes it a point to explain that he didn't use flowery language, etc., isn't there? There is a reason why so many were astonished at Peter and John, though they weren't "educated men" (Acts 3 & Acts 4), isn't there? Was it because they dumbed down the gospel? Was it because they had graduated from the Tony Robbins school of Communication on the Cutting Edge of Relevant Leadership?

Who Does the Attracting?
     In His letter to Titus, Paul gets to the bullet points of preaching and teaching and makes it clear how to make the gospel as appealing as possible. Paul never advocates for being intentionally foolish and simply blurting out nonsense. But, Jesus hints that it's not our words that draw people to God, rather the God of the word who does so. (See John 6:43) Further, here are a few points Paul also does not make:

Make the music in your worship service as appealing as all other contemporary artists so that converts to Christianity will not be repelled by it.
Manipulate crowds of people by emotional altar calls designed to answer temporal needs (freedom from addiction, restored marriages, financial prosperity) rather than clearly addressing their greatest need: a Savior and Lord, who delivers them from depravity and eternal damnation.
Stay away from words like "sin" and "judgment" that are unappealing or even offensive to a culture steeped in the gospel of self esteem.

The gospel is about grace, not performance. But, the overflow of a life surrendered to Gospel is... wait for it... godliness... God initiated, God directed, God glorifying and God pleasing performance. (Not to be confused with man made behavior modification or putting on airs of "fake it till you make it".)

The common thread here is this: don't rely on your slick communication, some grandiose new, "relevant" presentation of the truth, or softening, denial, or watering down of the truth to make the teaching of the gospel more appealing to the lost. Instead, abide in Christ and God's agape love so tightly that the natural overflow of your life is godliness - this is the outward manifestation of a changed, exchanged life which God Himself uses to attract others to the Savior. Performance is the result of grace, not the other way around. And, it is this performance that God uses to attract the lost and dying.

Meditate today on these:

"Teach slaves to be subject to their masters in everything, to try to please them, not to talk back to them, and not to steal from them, but to show that they can be fully trusted, so that in every way they will make the teaching about God our Savior attractive. (Titus 2:9-10)"

"For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. For indeed Jews ask for signs and Greeks search for wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness, but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. (1 Cor. 1:21-25)"

"No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them... (John 6:43a)"

in Christ,

AP

That Day Update

2013-11-22T11:54:00.003-08:00

Aarron Pina plays Dan Matthewson and 12 other
characters in the recent "That Day" production.

Seeing the Results
      I love immediate feedback, don't you? Do something, see the results. Measure the results, adjust for next time. Isn't it great?
But, how do you feel when you can't see the immediate payoff of your efforts? Me, too.

     "That Day" is a one man show based on Tim Stevenson's "The Bema: a Story About the Judgment Seat of Christ", in which I get to play "Dan Matthewson" (also a pretty results oriented guy, btw), and over a dozen different characters who tell the story of a Dan's story. It's a wild, amazing jaw dropper as he gets to see the payoff of his efforts: eternal rewards at the judgment seat of Christ according to 2 Cor. 5:10.

     Our latest presentation of this 2 hour look behind the curtains of heaven was live at Woodstock First Baptist Church's "Warehouse". Seating was set for about 80 people, but we wound up with an audience of over 100! It was received with rave reviews - there was laughter (more than we expected - hooray!), tears, and as we expected, a little elbowing between people as they witnessed the truths of the bible played out in a highly entertaining, thought provoking, and challenging parable.

Dan Matthewson shares his regrets as he sees what
could have been his eternal rewards.

Delayed Gratification, but On Target Feedback
Ironically, we're still waiting from some feedback from our cameraman who filmed the show, but we did get some still photos, which you see here in this post. As the video becomes available, we'll post anything of high enough quality on our YouTube channel, to pass on a bit of the event's flavor. However, our online feedback forms gave us a clear picture of the theological impact of the story:

Most people, though they know the day is coming, have never really considered very seriously or frequently a) what the bema seat judgment will be like and b) how our abiding in Christ today impacts the eternal rewards we receive then.
Everyone was encouraged by the fact that Christ longs to reward us for the things we do here in His power, for His kingdom, in His timing, and for His reasons.
But, my favorite common feedback point is this: "I'm now far more mindful of how I treat the people around me and in seeking opportunities to follow God's lead."

Bam! Bullseye on that last one. That's what we were hoping to hear. Glory to God.

Huge Thanks

Kevin Swan nails an opening rendition of U2's
"Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For"

     Husband and wife team Ryan and Crystal Casey got together with ex-boy band member Kevin Swan to add great musical punctuation to the performance. We're thrilled with how the night went and are grateful to Echo Ministries for inviting us to put the production on.

     Special thanks, also, to Jacob Burton for his invaluable assistance as Aarron's production assistant throughout the rehearsal process, and to Jeff Johnson and Sunny Williams for giving us use of rehearsal space at Brown's Bridge Community Church and North Point Community Church.

     For information on how to bring a production of "That Day" to a church, retreat, or organization near you, sent email to aarron@seasonsoflifeministries.org or visit us at www.thatday.info!

in Christ,

AP

Apology and Special Update

2013-11-22T11:03:00.002-08:00

My Mea Culpa
     This year, I've had great opportunity to talk with men, reason through the scriptures, and pray about the difference between fault and responsibility. In hindsight, I've failed to communicate in many areas the great things happening at Seasons of Life. Please forgive me. It's both my fault and my responsibility.

The Tension
     When you talk to people regularly about personal issues, sensitive matters, and their walk with Christ, you experience a tension between sharing what God is up to with the ministry (BIG NEWS! I can't tell you about it, though...) and maintaining full confidentiality, therefore cultivating trust. Many of the men I'm locking arms with this season are experiencing breakthroughs in their faith, marriages, and careers. But, I must respect their privacy as I report from the field.

Maintaining Confidentiality

    Some are experiencing new seasons - a season away from their children because of divorce, a season of their children being away from them while at school, a season of focus on a marriage after taking it for granted, reconciliation and rebuilding of trust after a fight, a loss, a betrayal, overcoming an addiction... etc. Today, I even got to have a great conversation with a guy about walking with God through the challenges of toxic relationships, maintaining godly standards, and boundaries in the home. God was honored and we both walked away sharper!

     These are the vagueries that are "okay" to share publicly because they don't break confidentiality. But, I want you to know - I get to hear some raw stuff from time to time... And, by God's grace, I get to point these men back to scripture and watch them recalibrate when they see where they were out of alignment. Other times, it's just about the basic blocking and tackling of the Christian life. Falling deeper in love with the Word of God and knowing more intimately the God of the Word. Life transformation is happening.

    I also get to share some raw stuff about my own failures from time to time... And, I get to cheer them on when God brings a job their way after 18 months of unemployment... a godly relationship after years of "sorting through counterfeits"... Six weeks of deep and devoted regular quiet time... And, through it all, we've been able to trace God's Providential hand at the helm and His grace sustaining it all.

The Way Forward
     As Cristine and I step into our 7th year of public ministry, we're seeing her schedule pick up again, potential dates for "That Day" performances on the horizon, and the continued vision of men, women, couples, and families abiding in Christ, surrendered to their Savior, and serving His kingdom daily. We continue to thank God for the work, the people He entrusts to our care, and the calling He's placed on our lives. One thing is for sure: no matter what the years ahead have in store, He will continue to test our trust in Him just as much (or more) than those we urge to do the same.

     For those of you who are praying for us and those who support this ministry financially, we want to thank you for all you do for the community you serve: the body of Christ and the Kingdom of God. Your prayers matter. You resources make it a reality.

For You:
     We encourage you to engage with God's work through us via our Facebook page, Twitter, and weekly on our blog. It is my prayer that after a year "deep in the trenches" with a select few, I am able to devote more time in 2014 to reconnecting with many of you I haven't been able to make such time for.

     If you find yourself in the "it's been too long" category, email, text, or private message me... Or, go really old school and pick up the phone. I'll do my best to have my 2014 calendar ready!

in Christ,

Aarron Pina
Executive Director, Seasons of Life Ministries, That Day, Speak Life, The Uprising

ONETHINGathon Update

2013-11-22T08:49:00.004-08:00

The Vision
     For six years now, Cristine and I have been following God's lead in "realigning lives with the Way, the Truth, and the Life of Jesus Christ." We have a passion for building relationships with people and with God and for seeing believers in Christ transformed by the power of God and walking in obedience to Him.

   Most of that work has been through one on one discipleship. Some of it has involved bringing food and other material needs to working poor families across five metro-Atlanta towns, some of that work has involved public speaking and performing our one man show "That Day", and often it involves doing the administrative and fundraising work that comes with the territory of full time vocational ministry.

Enter, ONETHINGathon!
     I'm writing this Friday, 11.22.2013. Tomorrow is the first time I'll actually step out of running Seasons of Life Ministries and step into running for Seasons of Life Ministries. About 200 other men, women, and children will descend on Fowler Park on Carolene Way to walk, run, or roll for four local charities, including Seasons of Life. It's called the ONETHINGathon. And, I'll be running 5 miles... in the rain. Praise GOD!

For us, ONETHINGathon represents three things:

An chance for many to come together to raise awareness & support for this ministry.
An opportunity for people around us to rally people who aren't around us around the vision, mission, and future of this ministry, without necessarily burdening our existing supporters with additional giving requests. Teamwork will make the dreamwork.
A chance to watch God raise the funds needed to bring the ministry current on this year's bills and get ahead of schedule on other expenses well into the 2nd quarter of next year without another dime spent on fundraising! WOW!

Channel WHO?!
Even more exciting, WSBTV Channel 2 has decided to do a story on 5 local events going on around Thanksgiving and the Christmas Season and the ONETHINGathon is one! The story will run around Christmas. So, keep your eyes on our Facebook page, Twitter feed, or here for details on when it runs!

Volunteers Needed:

In person: We have plenty of volunteers already on the schedule, but will need more to help with the picnic, setup, and clean up. If you'd like to help in those areas, sign up at www.onethingathon.com to...DAY!
Online: The most important thing about tomorrow is that people make the connection between the vision and mission of these 4 ministries and the financial need addressed tomorrow. The best way we've found to do that to share a five minute video with anyone and everyone you can that explains what the event is all about. It costs nothing to share the video, but a few seconds and a few clicks. So, I invite you to do this: share the video, invite people catch the vision, and if God leads you or them - support Seasons of Life or any of the other ministries online.
In your shoes, NOTE: If you want to walk, run or roll with us, you'll have to register as a walk on in person tomorrow as online registration is closed as of noon today.

Eat and Greet... And, GREAT!
There will be a picnic from 12 to 1PM at the pavilion at Fowler park - rain or shine, since it's covered and mild (in the 60s by midday). Representatives from ONETH1NG for Men, ONETH1NG for Youth, PIER Foundation, and Seasons of Life Ministries will be in attendance. At 1PM, there will be a raffle that will include $50 gift certificates to Dick’s, Best Buy, dinner certificates to Cabernet, a flat screen TV and a Dale Murphy signed uniform.

We invite you to join us for any or all of the above, and wish you and your family a fantastic, safe, and grace filled Thanksgiving!

Pray for the Cheerleader and Fisherman

2013-11-18T08:10:00.001-08:00

..."Put out into deep water,

and let down the nets for a catch." (Luke 5.4b)

Sportman vs. Professional
If you fish for sport, you know your gear, the boat, the weather, and how to find the good spots and how to find a good spot when all the good spots are taken. If you fish for a living, you not only know where the good spots are, you also get there before anyone else does - it's your livelihood, isn't it?

Sound Advice:
What Jesus told Peter to do made no sense. It sounded "foolish". A carpenter turned rabbi telling a fisherman what to do? Are you kidding? If anyone else had commanded him to do it, Peter would have rebuked them on four logical, well reasoned grounds. After all, he's a trained professional.

Availability: We're not going to catch anything, because we've been out all night and have already caught nothing (which Peter reminds Jesus, anyway).
Exhaustion: We're not going to catch any fish because we're exhausted - these aren't butterfly nets we're cleaning. They're made from strong, heavy rope, made heavier by the weight of the water within them, and we've already labored all night to place them, pull them in, and clean them.
Timing: We're not going to catch anything when the daytime sun is high because the fish are all hiding in darker places.
Location: We're not going to catch anything in the deep waters because fish are caught where the water is just deep enough and not too deep.

     Any logical, wise person would hear the counsel of this seasoned professional and intelligently decide not to ask him something so foolish. Yet, the Lord asks Peter to do something utterly counter-intuitive. Scarcity of fish, exhaustion, wrong timing, bad location.

     Have you ever sensed the voice of God calling you to the wrong place, at the wrong time, when you're discouraged and spent, and there's no logical hope for accomplishing what He's asking you to do?

Who am I?
     I'm adventurous, with a moderate to high tolerance for risk. Right? I'm strong in my faith - after all, I've been called to "full time vocational ministry" for the past 6 years, right? I mean, I'm a trained professional, right?! I cheer on fisherman for a living! Uh, oh... You can see where we're headed here, can't you?

     Yet, over the past month, I've heard God call me to cast my nets into the deep. When I look at my assets: high risk tolerance and previously held beliefs about the strength and depth of my faith, I'd normally say "sure, Lord. You say so, I'm in." If it were someone else asking me what to do, I'd pull out my pom-poms and cheer them across the finish line: "You can do all things through Christ who strengthens you!!! Go, team, go!!!" But, this is different.

So, What's the Problem?
     But, this time... This time, I've heard God calling me to do something, trust Him with something so big, so dangerous, so counter-intuitive, that if He doesn't swoop in with a miracle, dozens of people are going to be impacted negatively, including my family. This is deep water - not someone else's life, calling, boat, or nets... Not only does my boat look too small, but my pom-poms feel like they're 100 lbs a piece. When I realized the fisherman I'm to cheer on is me, God exposed the shallowness of my own faith when I, a mere man, began to weep and tell the sovereign of the universe: "I'm going to trust you in this, but you'd better come through!" Can you imagine such arrogance?

     Yet, Peter wrestled with the soundness and depth of his own faith so much that when the Lord did what Peter expected could only fail, he was brought to his knees by his own lack of faith. "Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man! (Luke 5:8)"

Prayer:
     So, today, I ask your prayers - that I will trust God in the area He's asking me to. That I will not rely on my own senses, wisdom, will, or nets, but on Him who calls me to the deep. That I will not be overwhelmed by the fear of men who would later say "why would you have done something so... foolish?" Today, I encourage you as always by allowing God's faithfulness in my past afflictions and faults to overflow to you as a testament to what He might do in your current circumstance. But, this time, I'm doing it before the fact... With sweaty palms on heavy pom-poms.

Be encouraged: fisherman's boat nearly sank with the catch... And, he later walked on water.

in Christ,

AP

The Number 1 Lie About Doing "MORE" for God

2013-11-11T07:56:00.000-08:00

Painful Lies
On October 26th, we staged our fourth local performance of a one man show called "That Day", about a man who receives his rewards at the judgment seat of Christ as promised in 2 Cor. 5.10. As I listened to feedback from those who witnessed the performance and read through comment cards, I was struck by the number of times I heard people say "I realized tonight that I could be doing more for God."

It was painful lie to hear.

As "Dan Matthewson", Aarron describes his experience
at the judgement seat of Christ in "That Day".

     They weren't lying - they sincerely want to do more for God. It was only painful to hear because most people have been brainwashed into thinking one of their greatest problems is that they're not doing enough (at least in American culture).
     The lie is: "You're not doing enough." The truth is, God is not the God of "enough". God's will for us is that we do His will for us. It's not about doing all of the tasks on our list - it's about doing only the things that God has ordained for us to do. The truth is often that we're doing too much - that we've heaped extra things on our plate out of guilt or fear (guilty, and guilty as charged), things that are good, but not the things assigned to us in a particular season.

What Do You Call an Underachiever?
     Most people would refer to that person as "lazy". And, they're probably right. But, someone who consistently does less than what is required is in violation of God's order and commands, specifically whem it comes to the first command given in the garden - "take dominion", but also references such as Col. 3.23. Ultimately, God calls underachieving sin.

What Do You Call an Overachiever?

     The painful truth is, God doesn't discriminate when it comes to eternal rewards - "I desire obedience, not sacrifice". When someone does more than what's called for, it's often labeled "overachiever" or "zealous". But, can we be honest? All time is spent doing something. If we're spending it doing something God hasn't called us to do, we're using time He set aside for us to do something else He ordained for us to do. What does God call an overachiever? Same thing he calls all who do iniquity: wicked, sinner.

In Their Defense
     I understood what the commenters were saying - most of the people at "That Day" had a massive epiphany while watching the show: that God is watching us, recording our every deed, word, and private thought. Even better than that, He's not doing so to shame us, punish us, or squash us for being lowly worms. He's promised us rewards. So, their desire to do more of the things God was calling them to do naturally increased. Good for them and glory to God.

"Right" vs. More

God wants us to "do the right thing"... all the time.
This is abiding... Not sprinting on a never
ending treadmill.

Ultimately, God desires us to walk in obedience, "by the Spirit", in His ways, not to the left nor to the right, obeying all of His commands and statues, because they bring life. He wants us to "do the right thing"... all the time. This is abiding. This is total surrender, total obedience. Not sprinting on a never ending treadmill.

But, in a Genesis 3 world, we're assured both that we'll never do this perfectly and we're not given license to stray from the path for "good reason". There is no "good reason" for disobedience. It's still disobedience. The litmus test for all of our actions is: "is this what God is calling me to do right now." The pivotal matter is not that we do more, rather that we do more of the right things - not merely good things, but the things God has specifically ordained for us to do at this time.

May God teach us to use our time to do all He designed us to do, nothing more and othing less.

in Christ,

AP

Volunteers Needed: The "Why" and "What"?

2013-11-06T08:28:00.001-08:00

Every day, you're faced with the decision to read, archive, or delete dozens to hundreds of emails. Today, I want to ask you to stick with this one for about four minutes. I've even got a special section for you if you're out of town. Would you do that?

The Backdrop:
For six years now, Seasons of Life Ministries has answered God's call to lock arms with Christ followers as they pursue deeper intimacy in Christ, primarily through one on one discipleship. If you're unfamiliar with this ministry, the video below can give you some insight into what we do and why.

For info, go to www.onethingathon.com.

     My wife, Cristine, and I have been meeting with men, women, and couples to lift up the word of God as our sole source of wisdom, help, and counsel for these past 6 years and beyond. Many of them have chosen to support the ministry financially - they have "skin in the game". Others just can't. Some of them are deeply tied to a small group, seeking professional couseling as their insurance allows, but deeply need more or different than these avenues can provide.
     As a result, we've essentially given away thousands of hours of bible based counseling, and delivered tens of thousands in donated food to working poor families, provided Gospel hope, healing, encouragement, and even rebuke to meet their needs as God leads.

Where You Come In
     To continue the work we know God has called us to do, I'm asking you to commit to participating in an upcoming fundraiser. It's called the "One Thing-a-thon" and it's a walkathon that will benefit four local ministries including Seasons of Life.

Three Ways To Join Us

The event will require a good number of volunteers and if you'd like to just help out with the picnic, follow this link to find out about it and you'll have all the information you need. But, the greatest need we have is donors, walkers, and leaders. Read below for a brief idea of how this works. For a more detailed "how to", you can follow a link to this article on all the nuts and bolts of being a high octane volunteer.

Donate: If you're already a donor/supporter of Seasons of Life, you may just want to share this video with your friends or coworkers and invite them to sponsor me either per mile or make a flat donation on behalf of Seasons of Life. Or, you might just volunteer at Fowler Park for the picnic that day. At www.onethingathon.com you'll find the "Purpose and Goals" video explaining the event and its potential impact, as well as all the tools you need to volunteer, sign up, and even give online. This is a great way to help even if you live out of town or state!
Walk: If you're already a regular supporter of SOLM or just feeling frisky, I'd like to invite you to strap on your shoes and hit the road as a walker/runner/stroller on our behalf, OR...
Lead: Some of you, however, are both gifted at leadership and have a heart for discipleship/Seasons of Life. I'd invite you to consider being a team leader, leading a team of other runners/walkers, and recruiting them to help support this ministry.

We've been advised this event could raise $30,000 for Seasons of Life - that's about half our operating need for 2014. A day like that would literally "buy" me an average of ten hours a month to meet with more men, develop and deliver content for our blog and other social media, and prepare to deliver "That Day" presentations to several churches and organizations throughout 2014 and beyond.

Would you commit to looking over this material and letting me know how I can count on you this month?

In Christ,

AP

Volunteers Needed: The Nuts and Bolts of "How"? (Updated!)

2013-11-06T08:25:00.000-08:00

You Like "Easy", Don't You?
     For those of you who see the "One Thing a Thon" as the ideal opportunity for serving the Seasons of Life community (or any of the other three ministries involved), keeping it simple is key. (Updated:) Below are 6 simple "how to" steps. You don't need to be a professional fundraiser or even highly athletic to make a huge impact, even if you won't be in town the day of the event (see note below)!

     Wise counsel has led us to believe this event could bring in $30,000 or more. Because of this, walkers and "team captains" are the area of greatest need for November 23rd. Hitting that number would bring us current on several professional expenses and deep into next year without having to spend another minute on fundraising. In other words, if this event is "successful", we could spend nearly 100% of our time next year working in the ministry rather than on the ministry. Volunteers and individual donations are needed, but the number above demands a lot of feet at Fowler Park and hands sharing this video.

     As a walker, even if you were to commit to walking a few miles and signed up 10 donors at $10 a mile, you would bring a few hundred dollars to the cause. If you're a great organizer/networker/motivator (team captain) and all you did was share this specific post with three people you really believe in, you could captain a team "Team Jones", for example, that brings in three or four times more than you could on your own.

How To:
     Well, you've seen the "Purpose and Goals" video at www.onethingathon.com or on our YouTube page. Right? Here are 6 steps to help you move forward...

Make a decision "how, how much, and how far?": If you won't be in town the day of the event, see the note below "What If I'm Not Available That Day?". Then, decide if you're going to walk, run, push a stroller, etc. and how far you you'll go and how much you hope to raise. (Pray fervently about all of these.)
I'm planning to walk/run 5 miles, Kirby Wisler is roller-blading 5 miles for his cause, etc. From there, you're on the honor system to complete what you say you're going to do, so if your friends donate $5 per mile, make sure you go as far as you said you would to honor their donation. Fair enough? Excellent.
Make it official: Register at "Event Registration" under your own name if you're walking/running, etc. or enter your team name in "Name" at whatever level works for you (Gold, Silver, or Bronze, or Basic).
Make a list: jot down the names of the people you'd like to recruit as walkers to help the cause.
Make the introduction: share the video with them via email, text, Facebook, or other preferred media (really "old school" people might just invite a few friends over to watch the video at their home, right?).

"I'm supporting Seasons of Life Ministries in a walk-a-thon on November 23rd and I'd love to give you some brief info on it so you can decide how you can best help. Could you take a few minutes to watch this video that explains the event and the causes involved?"

(Here's the link again for you to copy and paste: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FjtPLjumhkw or send them to www.onethingathon.com).
Make a request: Once they've seen the video, ask them if they see themselves as fellow walkers or if they'd just support you in your support of us and our mission.

The important fields on the "donate" page...

Make the connection: If they want to donate, simply send them to
http://www.onethingathon.com/donate/
and they can make an online donation. Remind them to enter your name (or your "team") name in the appropriate field and remember to tell them to choose "Seasons of Life Ministries" in the "*Give my donation to" menu. (See illustration.) They will then be taken to One Thing Ministries' secure, online giving page.

What If I'm Not Available That Day?
     Rest assured, barring any catastrophes, I will be there, rain or shine, even if you can't.
     Simply invite them to donate on my behalf. You may be surprised how many people are still willing to support when they know provision has already been made for your absence. Remember - it's not about the event, walking, or even running. The event is just a rally point for people to gather around in support of our mission and the cause of those we minister to.

What About Corporate Sponsors?
     We are anticipating several hundred people at Fowler Park on the 23rd, so there is ample opportunity for corporate sponsorship including banners and other collateral. If you'd like information on that, please contact me directly via email, Facebook message, or phone.

     On behalf of all those who we minister and all those who are praying for this ministry, its impact, and our family - thank you.

in Christ,

Aarron Pina

Awareness, Opportunity, and What You Need to Know

2013-10-31T14:53:00.002-07:00

What We've Been Up To:

Over the past several years, Seasons of Life has provided discipleship to men, women, and couples regardless of their financial status. In many cases, we have essentially "given away" tens of thousands of dollars in bible based counseling to people who both needed it and couldn't afford it.

     Thanks to the incredible training we've received over the years from organizations and individuals from North Point Community Church to BTCP to Elijah House to Free Chapel's "School of Discipleship" to Jesus Spoken Here, we've been able to lock arms with men and women who truly desire deeper intimacy with Christ and walk with them through the various trials and seasons God has laid out for them.

Today, I'm asking for your help to meet two needs - one with a November 5th deadline and the other on November 23rd.

The "Now" Need
     Our current need for all October ministry expenses is a bit over $4,000. Not so bad, considering that's needed by November 5th, and we have a little more than $1,000 in matching funds available to get there. Every little bit, big chunk, and ridiculously huge bit counts. To help meet this need in the next 6-7 days, simply click here or go to our support page at www.seasonsoflifeministries.org/support and designate your gift using the drop down menu or follow directions there for check giving and our mailing address. Yes, all donations are tax deductible as permitted by IRS section 501(c)3.

      Next year, we anticipate "giving away" hundreds more hours of biblical counseling to dozens of men, women, and couples, caring for the needs of the working poor in our sphere of influence, and exhorting/encouraging believers forward into a more mature faith. The support of those who give sacrificially to this ministry are absolutely essential to making that happen. A large scale fundraising opportunity has come up that could make next year's efforts possible in just one day. Here's where you come in:

Awareness and Opportunity...
The "Later" Need: "One Thing-a-thon"

This event will happen on November 23rd. Now, this is a really cool opportunity for those who may not have a whole lot of giving capacity at this time: One Th1ng, a local ministry that spurs men on in their walk with God is sponsoring a picnic and walkathon called "One Thing-a-Thon" on November 23rd to raise support and awareness for four local ministries, including Seasons of Life Ministries! Watch the video below as Kirby Wisler explains 3 ways you can help out...

What To Do:
Today, I'm inviting you to consider supporting Seasons of Life Ministries and all we've been called to do by:

Join us as a runner: invite people around you to sponsor you by the mile or for the walk
Be a "recruiter": share this video with people close to you invite them to sponsor me as I walk/run 10 miles that morning.
Sponsor me (I'll be walk/running 10 miles) as a corporate sponsor or individual donor for $1, $10, or even $100 a mile or give a flat donation for the day.

As always, thank you, for your readership, prayers, and support!

in Christ,

AP

That Day is Coming... So is Commentary! Plus, Wisdom Hunted

2013-10-28T07:51:00.000-07:00

Good morning -
     Last week's performance of "That Day" was a tremendous success. So many people showed up, we needed more tables and chairs! Our heart's desire was that it wasn't in the quantity of people who showed up, but that the people God wanted to see it were there. Mission accomplished. He is sovereign.

     The audience was wowed. As the performer, so was I. God has inspired so many poignant changes to the script over the past three years (especially the past three weeks), that I'm amazed all the right lines came out of my mouth that night. There was laughter, tears, a little uncomfortable laughter, elbows to the people next to us, and a whole lot of wonder inspired by the main character's journey through his look at eternal rewards at the judgment seat of Christ.

     The worship team - Ryan and Crystal Casey and former boy-band member Kevin Swan, gave their best and created inspiring punctuation for story. We are grateful for their service to the kingdom.

   For more details on "That Day", go to www.thatday.info.

     In the coming days and weeks, we'll have photos (possibly videos), testimonials, and commentary regarding the show, as well as detailed information on how you can bring this story front and center for your church or organization.

     This morning, as we regroup from a very busy month, I leave you with some uplifting thoughts from Boyd Bailey - author and President of "Wisdom Hunters".

http://www.wisdomhunters.com/2013/10/humble-and-gentle/?preview=true

in Christ,

AP

P.S. For now, keep us in prayer for the upcoming One Thing, Pier Foundation, Seasons of Life fundraising event in November: "The One Thing-a-Thon". To participate, volunteer, donate, or just attend, go to "http://www.onethingathon.com/".

Intimacy with God in Four Simple Stages

2013-10-14T07:24:00.003-07:00

The Train Wreck:
Everytime I pick up Chuck Swindoll's "Intimacy with the Almighty", it's a spiritual train wreck... but a wreck that needs to happen. This book first exposed me to Paul's mission statement in the Amplified version. This is a translation I very rarely pick up, but it seems to tease out Paul's greatest desire as also captured in other epistles:

[For my determined purpose is] that I may know Him [that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly], and that I may in that same way come to know the power outflowing from His resurrection [which it exerts over believers], and that I may so share His sufferings as to be continually transformed [in spirit into His likeness even] to His death, [in the hope]

That if possible I may attain to the [spiritual and moral] resurrection [that lifts me] out from among the dead [even while in the body]. (Phil 3:10-11 AMP)

If you're so inspired to do, read that again. Paul desires God - the whole package: good and bad. The bliss and that sanctifying affliction that leads to it.

Sounds like quite an awesome quest on a grander than "Fellowship of the Ring" scale, yes?

So, how do we get there?

Psalm 1 reads:

"Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked
or stand in the way of the sinner or
sit in the seat of mocker.
but his delight is in the law of the Lord,
and he meditates on his law day and night."

4 Minutes, 4 Stages

Here's a great key to that intimacy - meditating on the law of the Lord day and night. "Quiet time" or "time with the Lord" is often one of the places where languishing faith gets stuck in the mud. Many having never "learned" to have a quiet time simply find themselves wandering. Other times, I've found the tyranny of the urgent crowding out my time with God at precisely the time I should be leaning into it.

So, here's a touch of structure a mentor once shared with me. I challenge you to try it first with a four minute block of time and see how fast it begins to grow to over an hour. Divide the time up into four stages and commit to using it in these four ways:

1. Read in Psalms or Proverbs

2. Praise and thank God

3. Listen silently

4. Present one BIG request before Him

Don't aim for great length, rather consistency. If you find one of the stages getting longer (which you will), do everything you can to keep the others the same length as that longest one. You will find the time expanding rapidly. It's okay, this is the work of the Spirit drawing you to the Father.

I have discovered my appetite for the word to be growing deeper and desire to be in His presence greater in just two times through this structure. I hope you will share this with someone who is in a dry season or stuck in second gear in their faith. But, most of all, I pray that He will catch you heart on fire for Him as Paul describes in Philippians.

in it with you,

AP

Will You Pray for Aarron and "That Day"?

2013-10-07T07:50:00.001-07:00

Who's Afraid of Judgment Day?
     Go ahead, say it... "Judgment Day". How does that pairing of words make you feel in your gut? The way that day is talked about in our culture, even in Christian culture, it doesn't sound very exciting. Sounds terrifying. Ever notice that?

     But, 2 Corinthians, Chapter 5 tells us that day is when we get to cash in our eternal IRA and see what Jesus has saved for us in our heavenly investment portfolio. How cool is THAT?!

     So, in three weeks, I've been asked to perform this wild story, "That Day", based on the Tim Stevenson book "The Bema: a Story about the Judgment Seat of Christ" at a big church over in Woodstock. Just drive down 92 - you can't miss it. It's a one man show where I play a guy named Dan Matthewson and about 11 other people in his life - from his boss, to his cleaner, to the Lord Jesus Christ - and what happens when he comes before the judgment seat of Christ.

     Rather than our usual Monday Morning post for encouragement, I'm encouraging you to dig into scriptures like 2 Cor. 5:10 and 1 Cor 3:10-16 and meditate on this:

If heavenly rewards are what is at stake - how will what you do today impact what you receive in eternal rewards? Now, how should it cause you to live?

     These are questions most of us can't answer with great accuracy. But, on Saturday night, October 26th at 7PM you'll have a chance to watch what it could be like for at least one guy who's a lot like most guys you know.


    In the meantime, take a look at this 90 second video and pray like crazy for me over the next three weeks that God will guard me and guide me in my very rigorous rehearsal schedule leading up to "That Day".

     I hope you will be there - it's a free show, so we've made it a little easier for you. But, my prayers - our prayers - are that you would get a look at this story and it would change the way you live every single day until That Day.

     For more information on "That Day" and a behind the scenes look, go to www.thatday.info.

in Christ,

AP

Leadership in the Home - at ONE TH1NG for Men

2013-10-01T14:37:00.002-07:00

A Message from Ron Dunn
About Leadership in the Home

     If over 50% of the automobiles produced by a car manufacturer failed, the company would close down.

      If over 50% of airplanes crashed before completing their flights, people would not fly anymore.

      When the goal is 100%, but the success is less than half, a crisis exists.

      In business...on Wall Street... analysts and critcis would expose the weaknesses and call for changes while downgrading stock.

      Men, the percentages on failed and troubled marriages is staggering, yet in our society more is being done to accept the fact than to fix it.

      We have a marriage crisis and need to call help… "broken arrow"… on the ground we stand and the thinking... and lack of thinking that has now become the majority norm in our society.

      Broken Arrow requires examining manhood and marriage theologically... rather than being influenced sociologically.

      What does our God say about these two entities that He designed and created...?

      What our culture says and likes isn't working.

      Last week we had lively discussions around a biblical definition of a great husband: a man who loves, lives with, knows, honors & prays with his wife under God’s rule.

      What is true for me in this area is true for you... I need insights and encouragement to help me establish, lead and live winning, healthy marriage dynamics.

      This week we will unpack 3 marriage cues from Jesus that will bring deeper understanding and applications to the definition of a great husband.

Hope to see you early!

- Ron

Ron Dunn leads ONE TH1NG for men at The Cabernet Steakhouse on Windward Parkway and GA 400 on Friday Mornings from 7AM to 7:59AM. It's a come as you are when you can environment for men called to "spur men on in their walk with God".

We're Going to Walk Wisely - Will You Join Us?

2013-09-30T07:55:00.003-07:00

Save the Date!

   The "ONE TH1NG a THON" means greater impact for Seasons of Life!
Saturday, November 23rd, hundreds of men, women, and children will strap on their shoes, gird up their strollers, and get ready for the first annual "ONE TH1NG a THON" at Fowler Park in Cumming, GA.

     They'll be walking to support men's discipleship through ONE TH1NG, father/son ministry through ONE TH1NG for Youth, adults with disabilities through the PIER foundation and Seasons of Life Ministries. Every one of these ministries has an impact on men, women, and children in your community. Seasons of Life strives to help believers in Christ build mature faith and impact those around them for Christ, thrive through challenging seasons like divorce, loss, and addiction, and come out abiding in Christ like a champ.

The Need and Your Role
     Every one of these ministries needs funding to survive and add to their impact.
The One Thing a Thon will give hundreds of people to make their mark on these ministries in three different ways. This week, we'll have updated links for an online site that will allow you to participate in any of the following ways:

Donate: we'll have a secure, online giving system that will allow you, your business, your family, or even your small group to donate online. Sponsor a runner for a specified overall donation, or a per-mile amount.
Run: you can add to the impact by signing up as a runner, and inviting others to sponsor you through online giving
Lead: you'll be able to sign up as a team captain for your own team, for example "My Seasons of Life Walkers", and sign up other runners who sign up donors.

Aarron Pina has personally committed to walk 10 miles between 7AM and noon for his walk and invites you to sponsor him, join him, or bring others along to do the same. (Nothing like keeping your body healthy while helping others in their spirit, right?) If you'd like to help in any of these three ways, email him at aarron at seasonsoflifeministries dot org, or inbox us at our Facebook page and he'll get you a link as soon as it's live this week!

Thanks, for your support!!!

in Christ,

AP

Bored by Geneologies in the Bible? 3 Tips for Finiding Life in the Scripture

2013-09-26T06:42:00.001-07:00

     How often do we commit to read the Bible from cover to cover only to get bogged down and disinterested around Leviticus? Dennis Mock helped me get over that a few years ago as we unpacked Leviticus as a book all about one word: "holiness". Today, with a greater appreciation for the rigors of ritual commanded and described in that book, I'm far more grateful for that book's presence in the canon of scripture.

     Then, we get to Numbers and the counting of tribes, more rules, and geneologies that used to make me scratch my head and wonder like high school math class "are we ever going to use this stuff? I mean, what's the use?"

     Nice to hear from an Irish pastor who has some tips for us all that truly make the scripture come to life.

http://mikeneglia.blogspot.com/2013/09/3-ways-to-read-genealogies-in-bible.html

Recapturing Manhood

2013-09-24T13:02:00.003-07:00

What's True Manhood All About?
Last week, a friend of mine kicked off a discussion for a group of men at ONE TH1NG, part of a series there on "biblical manhood". That morning, only a few exits in either direction on GA 400 and at the same hour, a couple thousand men stepped into a new season of "Seven" at North Point Community Church and Brown's Bridge Community Church. I half expected ONE TH1NG to be ghost town. Instead, the room was packed with 67 guys, riveted on the topic of manhood. In groups of 4 to 5, they processed out loud: "What does God have to say about manhood and is manhood as badly shipwrecked as it can be?"

Who's the Man?
     Cut to the chase, most men today operate out of poor definitions of manhood given by poor definers, generally speaking, such as: bad fathers, absentee dads, sitcom fathers, country music, rap music, you get the point... It's hard, following popular examples, headlines, or even our own churches, to see where all the true men have gone.

Every one of us can spot "something" wrong when we see a bad example. We just can't always put our finger on it, let alone model it full time. I'm with you. Ask 10 people what their definition of a man is, and we'll likely get a hobbling Frankenstein monster formed from some of the worst scraps of "all of the above". God's word isn't silent on the matter. But, we've got to look at how bad the damage is before we talk about the cure.

Ron Dunn contends there are three "hoods" we can either move through or stay stuck in:

"Malehood" - doesn't take any effort: you're either born with male genitalia or not.
Boyhood - a season of life when a male is dependent and irresponsible. Often characterized by ungodly strategies such as lying, demanding, blaming, retreating, or relinquishing.
Manhood - taking responsibility under God's rule.

It's Really That Bad
Bottom line, while men are born into malehood and boyhood, many walk into adulthood ruled by their malehood, or refuse to relinquish their boyhood, leaving millions of women either scratching their heads or taking over men's roles because they're fed up with the resulting void of leadership:

40% of children born last year were born out of wedlock. Fatherless children are at a dramatically greater risk of drug and alcohol abuse, mental illness, suicide, poor educational performance, teen pregnancy and criminality.
Young men who grow up in homes without fathers are twice as likely to end up in jail
63% of youth suicides are from fatherless homes
71% of all high school dropouts come from fatherless homes
and on... and on...

Fatherhood matters. It requires manhood, not malehood or boyhood. Watch, as we turn the tables:

Children with Fathers who are involved are 40% less likely to repeat a grade in school.
Children with Fathers who are involved are 70% less likely to drop out of school.
Children with Fathers who are involved are more likely to get A’s in school.
Children with Fathers who are involved are more likely to enjoy school and engage in extracurricular activities.

Fatherhood is only one example of manhood gone wrong... Listen to Albert Mohler from last week and you'll hear how the "he-cession" is being followed by a "she-covery" and how manhood gone awry is impacting the culture at large. Or, maybe you already get the point.

Feeling Adequate or Above?
Maybe you're doing just fine. Maybe you're living the dream, abiding like a champ... Until you compare yourself with your heroes. Today I got my weekly e-update from friends at Centurion Advisory Group. Great info on what's going on with the Dow, Bernanke, etc. Today, they note the recent release of the purely Satanic game "Grand Theft Auto, V" produced sales of over $1B. Then went on to point out a few matters regarding manhood:

At age 20, Bill Gates founded Microsoft. At age 21, Thomas Edison created his first invention, and Steve Jobs co-founded Apple. At age 22, Samuel Colt patented the six-shooter, and at age 24, Johannes Kepler defended the Copernican theory, and described the structure of the solar system. At age 25, Orson Welles directed and starred in Citizen Kane, Charles Lindbergh became the first person to fly the Atlantic solo, and Alexander the Great became King of Persia.

At age 26, Albert Einstein published five major research papers in a German physics journal, Ben Franklin published the first edition of Poor Richard's Almanac, and Napoleon Bonaparte conquered Italy.

I've wondered if we haven't emasculated a generation of young men, urging them toward a safe, risk free life, instead of encouraging them to use all their passion, energy, and idealism to solve the problems of the world. Too many, it seems, are content to live out their dreams of changing the world vicariously, through a video game, rather than charging the hill to make the world a better place.

As adult males, we must begin to recapture our purpose: responsibility under God's rule for His glory. In Genesis 3, when the Fall took place, God didn't go after Eve for her sin - he asked Adam, as He's still asking us today, where he had, as the man responsible, failed God, himself and Eve. God commanded all the men to meet with Him three times a year (see Deut. 16:16), promising to care for their families and fields while they were away. God clearly takes manhood seriously. And, He hasn't left us in the dark on it.

Mel Gibson, as Lt. Col. Harold Moore calling
in "broken arrow" on desperate men.

All is Not Lost: Calling Down Fire From Above

If you saw "We Were Soldiers", you know the story of Lt. Col. Harold Moore, whose troops were vastly outnumbered and entirely surrounded in La Drang Valley during Vietnam. Mel Gibson, who played Moore, calls in "'Broken arrow'... I repeat 'broken arrow'". This means the situation is so desperate that if friendly fire is not called in on your location (possibly killing and wounding some of your own men), you and your men are lost.

Manhood is in trouble. But, biblical manhood holds true, lasting solutions. God's refining fire could wound or kill us in some figurative or literal way. But, it is the only option outside of total massacre. I have no excuses. Reasons, but no excuses. I've failed as a man repeatedly and like you, I don't need anyone else to prattle on about how short I've fallen of the mark. I want solutions. And God, who is rich in mercy, has given me breath, heartbeat, and another day to get up and walk as He designed us all to. Will you join Him as He calls us to walk in those shoes?

If you're a man in the Alpharetta/John's Creek/Cumming/Roswell/Dawsonville area - join us at a table, no prep required, as we dive in again on what it means to be a man, God's way, at ONE TH1NG this Friday morning at the Cabernet Steakhouse on Windward at GA 400 7AM to 7:59AM for part 3 of Broken Arrow.

in Christ,

AP