The Unfading Faith of Arnold, A Witness of Victory in Life and Death.

As a younger pastor I have vivid memories of one of my first ministries. My wife and I were appointed to a little church in Northern Michigan. For Shanais, my wife, having lived in the Upper Peninsula for a majority of her life, it was like going home. For me it was this new adventure, with new places to discover. One of the very first church members that we met was Arnold. He was an elder in the church but in recent years he was suffering from an advanced form of cancer that was slowly causing him to waste away.

I recall visiting Arnold in his home, a humble structure with walls painted the color of amaranthine, which coincidentally I looked up later and discovered the name is an ancient Greek word named after a fictional flower which means ‘unfading’. I sat there in a brown fabric armchair as Arnold, with sunken, hollowed eyes, though still alight and sparkling azure shared with me his confident faith in Jesus. Despite the pain of mouth sores, a side effect of his chemotherapy, he spoke of his conversion as a teenage boy, of how he loved his children and how he would soon see Jesus in Heaven.

Arnold wasn’t a theologian, and he wasn’t well education but the roots of his faith ran much deeper than a four year degree. Often he would surprise me with his overpowering desire for others to know this seemingly unplumbed relationship that he had with his Savior. He would share with me the words he felt the Holy Spirit was saying to him about the church and those who had strayed from their faith. Despite his own terminal situation, often times he seemed more concerned about his children’s faith journey than he did with his constant pain.

Towards the end, and one of my last visits with Arnold, when he was still conscious and verbal, he could only whisper between gasps of breath. I once heard him say, “It is well with my soul.” He was quoting the song by the same name written by Horatio Spafford, one of his favorite songs. There were long moments of uncomfortable silence as I just sat there with him. A seminary school degree and ordination never truly prepares you for these closing moments in one’s life. These are sacred spaces where the veil between this world and the next are very thin, and Heaven anticipated Arnold’s admittance. There is something to be said of the ministry of silence and in the ‘being present’ as if to bear witness to the ending of that mortal coil.

At another moment Arnold whispered, “Lord, I’m ready!” And, in those brief few months of knowing him, I can say that I shed a few tears knowing his time was close. Those tears mixed both with sorrow in the spaces he would soon leave behind and in joy that his suffering, which was bone deep and horrible, would be finally over with. Cancer, like all of life’s afflictions, is a ghastly blight to behold let alone endure. Some find victory over it and survive their ordeal, while others find victory through the ultimate healing and survive in the eternal celebration.

My phone rang early one morning and I receive the news that Arnold’s suffering had ended. In moments like these, some use phrases about losing the battles, or someone quietly slipped away, and I’ve even heard the expression ‘they gave up the ghost’. None of those expressions rang true in the passing of Arnold. He had not lost his battle. Cancer was just the conduit by which he had entered his eternal reward. He walked with Jesus before and during the cancer and now his victory over death was fully realized.

Thinking back to the color of amaranthine which coated the walls of Arnold’s home, the joy and love he had for his Savior truly was unfading and those visits with him in his final days left a mark on my soul which I will carry for the rest of my life.

Life has meaning, beloved. There is victory in it, given to us by our Creator who made a way for us to experience His Kingdom. Life transcends the seen and the mystery of the unseen known beyond that veil that separates this life and the next.
Jesus desires for relationship with us.
How is your faith journey?

May 15, 2024 0

A Confession of Brokenness

The Precious Moments wall plaque was broken. More precisely, my Mother’s Precious Moments wall plaque was broken. My Mother collected their figurines and took great care of them. At the time of the “incident” I was thirteen years old. We had moved the previous year to our new home in Wichita Kansas. It was an 1980’s home and I lived in the basement with its red gum wood-panel and easement windows that cast dim light during the brightest of summer days. I loved the darkness of it. Especially at night when the lights were extinguished. I found it cozy and perfect for a growing, albeit sometimes odorous teenage boy.

The incident occurred, as most would with a teenager in the home. I was naturally kicking my soccer ball around the well furnished basement. A thin wood-paneled wall separated my room from the basement living room and I used every square foot of those spaces to dribble and Pele my way to the foot of the stairs. On this occasion I happened to flip the ball off of my back heel only for it to sail further than I had anticipated. I had meant to header the ball, but I missed and it accidentally bounced off of the Precious Moments plaque, which in turn, was dislodged from its hanging place of pride and crashed to the ground broken into three large pieces.

I panicked. These porcelain collector pieces were my Mom’s treasured keepsakes and I had just carelessly broken one of them with a soccer ball. So I did what any wise teenager would do in that situation. I gingerly picked up the three broken pieces. I was careful to check for smaller fragments left on the carpet. Having found none I cautiously carried the pieces to the desk in my room, grabbed some superglue I had in my drawer, ever-so delicately glued the three pieces back together.

I was meticulous about my reconstruction of this precious keepsake. When it had dried I hung it back up on its place of honor and, from a distance, you could not see the cracks that would convict me of my crime. It hung there, undisturbed and undiscovered for three years. No one was the wiser. No one suspected anything. I had seemingly gotten away with my non-premeditated malfeasance…that is until three years later we were packing up to move to another city in another state. That’s when my little accident and coverup was discovered. With boxes and bubble wrap in hand my Mother glimpsed the figurine plaque and finally saw that it had been broken.

I would like to say that I confessed to my crime and that I had grown wiser in those three years, but I would be lying if I said that. I was still a reckless, messy, often odorous teenager who was still trying to figure life out. I did what any teenager my age would have done if they had been in my shoes – I pleaded ignorance. “I don’t know how that happened,” I lied. Dismayed, my Mother still lovingly wrapped the now cracked and superglued figurine plaque into its box. I felt horrible and ashamed at what I had done. Not only had I broken a treasured keepsake of my Mother’s, I had also lied about how it had gotten broken by pleading the fifth – ignorance.

I have thought a lot about that incident over the years. How I might have done things differently. It might seem like such a small, trivial thing and yet I carried that guilt around with me. Inside I knew that’s not who I wanted to be. I desired to be better than that deceptive little teenager from Wichita. As a parent I now know the disappointment and sadness when something breaks in our house and no one seems to know how it happened. A part of me wants to laugh at the similarities and absurdities from my childhood, while the other, the more adult part of me, wants to demand ownership and teach personal integrity to my children.

This personal story continually reminds me about our destructive tendencies as humans. We are often hell bent on tearing down more than we build up. And when we do destroy something we often attempt to hide our transgressions. We cover it up and sometimes we try to prop up that which we broke and pretend that it had always been broken.

I’m thankful that God didn’t do that with us. We had broken His trust and had disobeyed. We – all of humanity, were culpable of this broken relationship with Him – the Creator of the Universe. We covered up our shame. We tried to pretend nothing had happened, and yet God knew. He knew about our brokenness. Instead of throwing us away and starting over, He went about restoring us through His son Jesus. He mended the broken hearted, salvaged the sin-sick souls and forged a new creation bound by the blood of Jesus – the toughest thing in the entire universe.

Are you broken?
Have you been attempting to cover it up by doing all you can to glue those shattered pieces back together? For a time it might actually work. But it won’t last. Those cracks will still be visible. God wants to heal and restore you completely. He desires to fix your shattered pieces. It won’t always be easy, but eventually, should you accept His help, you can be restored completely.

Are you in the process of Restoration?
To those who have already experienced this restoration, how did God restore you? Where are you on that pathway of restoration? How have you grown? What can you share with others to help them find the healing and restoration as well?

Something more to ponder today.
God seeks to bring you restoration too. Seek Him out and surround yourself with others who are also on this journey!

May 14, 2024 0

A Life Lesson From Driver’s Ed. (A Pondering On This Faith Journey)

(The Preamble)
I had almost forgotten I still had a blog.
This road seems quite dusty and untraveled as of late. Far too many of life’s challenges have taken its place and shuffled my priorities past what I can even recognize as “normal” anymore. Still, there is this itch that I cannot shake. No, I don’t need some sort of itch cream, it’s a mental itch rooting around in my brain, struggling to grasp just one spark of life so that the rest of those creative neurons will fire once more. It’s the itch to put to proverbial pen and paper what’s been brimming inside my brain threatening to spill over. It’s the itch that will not subside until I have committed to it once more. So…here I am. Scratching.

Can I tell you a story?
ok. here goes.

My 15-year-old twins, on their birthday, were adamant about getting their driver’s permits. So, off we went and, sure enough, they took the test and passed. Then, both of them, with smiles from ear to ear took a photo of their proud achievement. I realized at that moment that I had driven them to that location begrudgingly because they are my babies and I still can’t believe they are old enough to drive. Still, with my heart solidly lodged in my throat, I allowed them to drive me home. They don’t know this, but I still see them as the babies they once were: all diapered up, running around in opposite directions and causing all sorts of chaos and mayhem in our little home. That’s the twins I still see when I look at them, but they’re growing up and, perhaps a small part of me (or maybe a large part of me) doesn’t want them to age. In fact, I wished I could reverse time and keep things the way they were.

I am in this chapter of my life where I am once again sitting in the co-pilot seat and sometimes, if Shanais (their Mom) is in the car with us, I am relegated to the backseat where I become the most epic backseat driver that has ever lived. These co-pilot trips are nerve-wracking. Far too many times than I can count I have slammed on my imaginary brake pedal as my son or daughter has taken a curve too fast or has decided to brake too late as the cars in front are at a standstill. I have experienced heart palpitations and, sometimes it has even skipped a beat, as my trust in these rookie drivers has waned and I secretly think to myself “This state really needs to revamp its driver’s training tests” as I white-knuckle the handle just above the passenger door.

I need to confess something: I have trust issues.
I sometimes have doubts that my babies should be driving, and I’m embarrassed to say that I am often surprised when they surpass my road-test “I am worthy” expectations. Sure, they still make mistakes while behind the wheel, but ever-so-slowly they are improving and becoming the driving experts that I know they can become.

The last time I was riding shotgun as one of my “babies” drove, I had an epiphany right there in the passenger seat, white-knuckling the door handle. This must be how our Heavenly Father feels when we still have so much to learn while on this road of life. It sounds kinda cheesy, but I think it’s sort of true. He knows what we are capable of, and yet there are many times that I’m sure he has white-knuckled that passenger door handle as He’s journeyed along with me (and perhaps you). I know that I have trust issues, but I doubt God does. He knows you and me. He knows that we get nervous, or fear failure, or dread having “that meeting” at work, or__________(insert your fear here).

Psalm 139 says that before we were even born God knew us. Perhaps He still longs for that baby stage too, but He journeys with us wherever we go, even when we make mistakes and belatedly hit the brakes with regret.

I am reminded, through these co-pilot scenes in the car with my kids that despite my best efforts, I have to trust that God holds these precious babies in His hands and I can’t always protect them from all of life’s lessons, no matter how hard I try.

I am also reminded of how many times I have failed in this life, and despite my failings, God still loves me and desires for me to get back up, buckle up, adjust the rearview mirror, learn from my mistakes, and mature in my faith as I journey along with Him. It was never a high-speed race to the finish line, but rather a marathon in which we often get banged up and bruised along the way.

So how’s your driver’s education going?
Are you still making mistakes?
Have you thrown your hands up in defeat recently?
Do you fear failure?
Are you defeated right at this very moment?
God is near.
He knows you.
He loves you, and you have never been alone…He might have held onto that door handle a bit harder at some points in your journey, but He’s right there with you.

This is just me, pondering on…for what it’s worth.

Blessings my friends!

June 7, 2023 3

The Problem with Rebirth is YOU (and Me)…-And The Journey There-

The night had grown dark as the shadows fell upon the buildings of Jerusalem like thick blankets, cool and sleepy. Creeping along the side roads and alleyways, Nicodemus made his way to the house where he knew Jesus was staying. He did not want to be seen, after all, as a Pharisee and a member of the Jewish ruling council, he had a reputation to uphold…and yet he felt compelled to seek out this Rabbi.

Perhaps Nicodemus witnessed Jesus, red faced and angry as he cleansed the Temple when others had turned it into an ancient Walmart; Or perhaps he had witnessed or even heard through second-hand knowledge of Jesus’ miracles. Regardless of the ‘why’, Nicodemus had to seek Him out.

Nicodemus stands sheepishly at the door momentarily seconding guessing himself before finally knocking. He hears someone stir from within, and the voices that had been loud and jovial only a moment ago, quiet down as if to wonder who could be at the door at such a late hour. Wide eyes peer out as the door cracks open, for a moment there is silent, shell-shocked surprise as the homeowner recognizes Nicodemus standing there. Why would a Pharisee come here, and why so late?

As if in reply to the silent question, Nicodemus asks politely, “Is the teacher Jesus here?

I can almost envision a flurry of questioning and worried looks from within. Questions like, ‘Is this Pharisee here to harm the Master?’, and ‘What could he want?’, or even, ‘What can we say to make him leave?’ Finally the owner leads Nicodemus to the roof, where the cool breeze of the evening makes this space the most desirable place in the house.

Jesus is seated there, perhaps looking out upon the city, pondering…or perhaps He knew Nicodemus would come and so he was simply waiting.

Nicodemus, nodding gratefully to the owner seats himself beside Jesus. In a way of greeting, Nicodemus, a teacher of the law and Rabbi in his own right calls to Jesus, ‘Rabbi’ in a manner of respect.
“Rabbi, we know that you are a teach who has come from God…”
-(John 3: 2)

Such a public declaration in the daylight would most certainly have tarnished his reputation or worse, and yet here in the privacy of the dark Nicodemus pours out his heart and speaks plainly to Jesus. “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.”

Imagine the scene, as Nicodemus declares that which is nearing blasphemy to the ears of his fellow Pharisees, and yet here in this quiet evening space, he speaks to what He knows in his heart is true. He has arrived at “God must be with this man – Jesus”…and Jesus is about to take him to the very feet of God himself. For a moment there is a pause in the conversation as Jesus collects himself and then looks at Nicodemus with the wisp of a smile, and he says, “This is the truth that I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born again.”

For a moment this puzzles Nicodemus.
What could that even mean? How can one be physically born again? It is not possible! A Rabbi who is used to telling stories to teach a point is completely lost when Jesus uses a very similar method. Nicodemus finally speaks and asks his question, “How can someone be born when they are old? Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!”

Then Jesus looks at Nicodemus as if he can see into his very soul…and perhaps he could. Perhaps in all of his many years as a Rabbi and religious law enforcer, Nicodemus has never seen or heard of such wonders from one man. Perhaps somewhere in his heart and soul, the words of Jesus are being heard in a much different frequency. It is the frequency of truth, life and the source of all love. Perhaps in this very moment the creation has caught a glimpse of the Creator and there is a skipping of a heart beat and an inward ‘leaning in’ as if in response to a hunger that has been reignited once more that was only known in his younger, more eager days.

Jesus speaks to Nicodemus, and this time Nicodemus physically leans in, as if to catch this moment and words with his hands, mind and heart. Jesus speaks of the heavenly things and Nicodemus barely grasps the earthly ones, and yet from this night on, he will never be the same. Soon, the truth of Jesus’ words will reverberate in his mind as he witnesses Jesus’ crucifixion and death. The truth has set Nicodemus free this night. Where there was once doubt, certainty begins to grow. Where there was once earthly wisdom, heavenly wisdom is now craved. Nicodemus may have come under the cover of night, but will soon perhaps declare in the daylight his new found hope.

I wonder where we are in all of this.
Do we have all of the head knowledge the earth can give us and yet we come up short when it comes to grasping this faith that Jesus offers to us? How do we comprehend so new life? Is there room in our understanding of faith to find rebirth?

Perhaps some of us are still figuring things out.
Maybe others have begun that late night stealthy walk towards Jesus, hoping no one will see us as we explore. Still, perhaps others have met Jesus and have put their trust in Him.

Wherever you are on this journey, please know that Jesus is waiting patiently for you…but don’t wait too long. Don’t hesitate. Don’t procrastinate…because one day it will be too late. Grace truly does have an expiration date.

So where are you on your journey today?

Something more to ponder today.

May 22, 2020 0

The Death of a Fallow Prayer Life…

“But whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.” John 4:14

I was cleaning our kitchen yesterday.
With four children this is almost an everyday occurrence. If not, dishes tend to pile up and creates a chaotic leaning tower of Pisa sort of mess. Anyway, I digress…As I was washing off dishes and putting them into our dishwasher, I looked up at the windowsill and noticed our non-thriving plants. They were all dead. We might make excuses about these dead plants. Perhaps we might say that they are simply dormant in the winter. Or maybe they just needed to be pruned back for the season. A few more excuses come to mind, but in reality these plants are simply dead. They were once promising green, thriving plants in pots and sun lamps. Many on the cusp of producing some sort of fruit or vegetable. Yet, due to our travel schedule and our lack of green thumbs, they have shriveled up and were husks of their former living selves.

I am reminded that this is a living parable (pun intended)…for myself. I feel as if the Lord teaches us through the world around us – like my plant pots holding dead things in them. Caskets containing death instead of nourished soil of growth. I am drawn to this life lesson. It is something simplistic and yet stark in its reminder to me. For I am sometimes this casket containing death, when I should be a vessel containing life.

In my prayer life…
My un-uttered words.

Image result for dried cracked lips male

my parched lips and forgotten promises to God.
My prayer life can look like husks of its former self.
Dried up.
Dehydrated out of lack of spiritual water and nourishment.
Neglected and empty.

How many times have I forgotten to go back to the Living Water?

How many times have I gotten so busy in the concerns, fears, transitions and schedules of life that I have simply left my conversations to God to go fallow life I harvested fields? And before I know it, the once rich, dark vibrant soil is now cracked and as dry as bones in a desert. From this neglect enters apathy, harsh words spoken out of frustration and shallow roots.

Have you stood on this fallow ground?
Is this you? I know that I have found my shamed identity here.
what are the conversations that you have neglected with God? He desires to nourish your life again.
He longs to shine on the soul-soil and help you grow once more.

For me?
I am convicted here.
I find myself licking my parched, cracked lips in longing for that Living Water once more. I feel the guilt and shame of leaving Him out of my life…and I must seek Him out again. I must return to His living water and replenish my mind, body, soul.

Prayer:
Dear Lord, create in me a clean heart once more.
Renew in my a right spirit again.
Re-hydrate my broken, crumble soil.
I long to find rest and rejuvenation in you anew.
Re-ignite your passion and compassion in me.
Take away the casket of death and flood my heart with life and love.
Here I am, spark in me the joy of your salvation once again.
Lord, bring your Living Waters once more.

Something more to ponder today.
Be Blessed and thrive not just survive!

January 20, 2020 3

Living In Boxes

“Listen to the mustn’ts, child. Listen to the don’ts. Listen to the shouldn’ts, the impossibles, the won’ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me… Anything can happen, child. Anything can be.”
― Shel Silverstein

I fear we have often times fixated on the impossible and the improbable in our lives so much so that we have been conditioned to dream limited dreams.
We pay more attention to our limits while ignoring the unlimited creativity God has given to us. It is far easier to remain in the “what is known” which is a place of comfort and familiarity, as opposed to taking risks into the “what is unknown”, where our mettle will be truly tested and often times doubts reside.

But…

Isn’t that where God calls us to?

Image result for leading down the mountain

We cannot always live on the mountain…
for when we stand within the shadows of the valleys – our true persistence, endurance, fortitude and self-realization is put to the test. Rubber – meets road. Theories are naked and vulnerable. Dreams, and half-baked ideas are born, kicking and screaming and we are met with the ‘doing’, the verbs of our adjectives, the dirt under half-bitten-out-of-stress finger nails, the tension of the borderland of what is known and the mystery of the untested, yet-to-be-unleashed, uncertainty of tomorrow “unknown”.

It is in the throws of conflict, labor, action after dream, tumult after tranquility that we find exhilaration in actual living.

Boxes are ripped open…
These four square walls of ruts and routines,
well worn trails of tradition, shoes worn thin in
the same hallways day after day…Is
turned upside down.
toss on its head.
Head-over-tea kettle.

And we breathe deeply fresh, unknown air.
God takes us onto these paths.
Breaks our traditions.
All the while constantly walking alongside us,
whispering His love, and encouragement.

Without the tension – faith is fat and lazy.
without the trials – persistence and endurance is sloth on the couch
eating potato chips.
without the fear of walking – the infant will never grow and develop
into its full potential as an adult.

God leads us out of our boxes…
for a purpose.
So we don’t don the robes of comfortable Pharisees;
content in passing judgement
but never truly risking anything.

God leads us out of our boxes…
so we can truly live.
so we learn to actually walk on our own.
so that we actually think for ourselves
so that this faith…
is our very own.

Are you in a box?
Perhaps it’s time to be served our eviction notices…
so that God, in all of His excellent glory
might lead us into Greater things.

November 1, 2019 1

The Death Of The Sacred

I have a confession to make.
Well, it’s really not much of a confession, more of a revealing of my nature.
Here goes, I love technology.
I love how it makes things convenient for me. My schedules are synced to my computer and my phone, I can create presentations from most of my mobile devices (of which I have multiple devices), and I can take striking photos and create beautiful banners that look like art…all because of technology.

The Dangers
Despite the fact that I love technology, I have become more and more aware that I can become too dependent upon it for everything. My car even tells me where to go these days, so rarely do I acknowledge or recognize the direction in which I am going – my mobile GPS does it all…well, except drive (but I can’t wait until it can!…Okay, I digress).

Despite all of these technological advances in our age, I truly feel like we run the risk of losing the ancient and the sacred. What do I mean by this?
Our attention spans have grown shorter since the introduction of cellular devices. You don’t believe me? Can you go an entire hour without looking at your phone, either to check for new status updates on social media or to see if that special someone has texted you? It is becoming increasingly difficult even for me to divorce myself from the tech all around me and I fear I am losing the sacred even in my own life.

How about you?

Can you put your phone down?
Can you close your laptop, tablet, other devices without feeling the ‘itch” to check it again?

What do I mean by ‘Sacred’?
If you were to study the spiritual disciplines, these things that I consider ‘sacred’ would be:
Meditation
Prayer
Fasting

Image result for Holy — Solitude and Practicing Presence

Study
Simplicity
Solitude
Submission
Service
Confession
Worship
Guidance
Celebration (In God’s Presence)
(Source: Renovare )

It is very difficult to do any of these sacred things when our attention spans have grown short and shorter. For some of you reading this right now, you might even get hung up on the word ‘sacred’, because some of you perhaps have an issue with the practice of anything liturgical or what some might consider “high Church”…needless to say we can become so distracted that the sacred has died in our age, or is in its death throws as we speak.

Perhaps the next question should be:
“How do we revive the sacred in our lives“?
Here are my suggestions to help you with this process, but as a caveat to this, each person is different, and if you find that something works better than something else, do what helps you to revive the sacred in your life.

1) Make a list
Make a list of all the distractions in your life.
This will help you recognize the things that prevent you from entering into those sacred moments. Remember, that the elements are not the desired goal, but rather the fellowship with our Father in Heaven should be our desire. It is in the moments of the sacred that we encounter the Divine.

2) De-clutter a space.
After you have acknowledge and listed the things that distract, find a specific space to de-clutter and prepare. No space is holy, it is our attitudes and focus that allows us to tune into the presence of God. So, if a closet is the space you choose, the so be it. God’s presence isn’t fixed in specific locations, because the Holy Spirit resides in His people. The space we de-clutter is for us, that we might focus and prepared to receive and listen.

3) Sit in Silence (Try not to fall asleep)
I saw this partly in jest, because I have, at times, placed myself in silence and have struggled with slumber. Other times, your body is telling you to get more sleep, and perhaps we need to listen to that. A time of silence can help us enter into the sacred, although I openly acknowledge (as an extrovert) that this practice is much hard for me. Perhaps you will find it easier…if you do, please enlighten me by commenting below.

4) Converse with God.
You don’t need special words, or a litany of things to bring Him…have an honest conversation. After all, He knows you better than you know yourself – He made you, so He understands your intricacies and nuances. He is aware of your situations and the things you struggle with. Be honest, because you can’t fool God – He already knows. What this conversation does is opens our lives before Him as we acknowledge elements of it verbally.

5) Begin with one of the above mentioned disciplines…study, read and apply:
The last one will take patience.
This isn’t an instant gratification, fast food type of habit.
You must acclimate yourself.
This will take discipline and acknowledgment that it will not occur over night, but rather gradually as you apply yourself to this task.

The sacred is not dead…yet.
Don’t let it perish because of our distractions – at least in this generation.
Perhaps we have to eliminate the distractions in order for us to return to the sacred. Perhaps it is within our own busy minds that this war needs to be waged. Where ever the distractions lay, confront them and carve out those intentional moments in which we might encounter the Divine.

Something more to ponder today.

April 11, 2019 0

10 Ministry Tools for the Non-Musically Inclined Pastor.

YouNot all of us pastors have the luxury of having a full worship band, pianist and an ear for music. Let’s face it, some of us reading this article right now can’t carry a tune in a bucket…and that’s okay. We don’t all have to have the gift of music. Scripture even points out the various gifts that we are all given and appointed with (Eph 4:11, 1 Peter 4:10-11), and just as the focus on speaking in tongues can become an issue, so too then use of music. Don’t get me wrong, music in worship can be most beneficial to the body of Christ, but it should be viewed as a conduit to deeper worship, not the desired end result.

Today, let us focus on this element of worship with the non-musical pastors in mind. If you fit this mold, then take note. My wife is very, very talented in other areas of ministry, but she will openly admit that music is not one of those talents.

There are many, many pastors in small churches or corps that do not have a musical bone in their bodies, and that’s okay. I want to help you find some tools to use within worship that will assist you and your congregation within and even around the conduit of music on Sunday.

1) YouTube Videos/YouTube Video Downloaders.

If you are not musical at all, you might utilize a plethora of Christian worship music on YouTube. There are even Youtube downloaders that you can use to have the videos accessible in places of worship where WiFi and the internet are sketchy or nonexistent. Using a video on YouTube could include modern top 40 Christian songs, a movie clip, or numerous other topics other than just music.

Don’t neglect the power of videos and or worship songs in your Sunday services. Feel free to be creative and intentional in the planning of your service theme too. Caution: This will take time, so don’t just throw everything together on Saturday night and expect amazing results…intentional planning takes time and hours. We are all busy people, but not taking the time to find the appropriate videos and/or music, is noticeable in our services (I’ve been guilty of this too).

2) iSing Worship (app)
This is a great app that does cost a little bit, but is a tremendous tool if you have a portable device like an iPad or iPhone. The app is free, but the songs will you about $3 a piece, which is only a dollar more than what you would pay for songs you currently buy on Google Music store or the apple iTunes Store. When you buy these songs, you then have the ability to include all of the elements of the song (i.e lead vocals, guitar, drums etc.). So, for instance, if you wanted to lead the song you could turn the vocals down and sing with the music like it was Christian Karaoke hour. Or iSing worship could become your worship band in a box by simply hitting play. Be sure, however that you plan the songs you are going to sing ahead of time and have the words either printed or displayed on the screen for the congregation to sing along.

Just some of the songs I have purchased and used in my services.The nice thing about iSing Worship is that once you select the songs you want to present on Sunday, it comes up on the display in front of you with the Lyrics as you lead the song.I highly recommend this app if you are willing to invest a little bit of money for the songs. It adds an element of intentionality into your worship, even if you’re not musically inclined.

A397659B-EE24-49B0-B9AB-76C05557E1B1 — **3) Recruit & Delegate**
One of the challenges for many pastors, regardless if they are musically inclined or not is the use of other people in worship services. Do not be afraid to ask other people to help out, or lead elements of the service. In fact, a shared worship experience with other people leads to a better all around worship service. If you’re at all like me, perhaps you are a control freak and you want to ensure everything goes according to plan, perhaps we have to come to the conclusion that we must trust the Holy Spirit as well as other people.

2AEEA65E-713E-4DC9-8156-81B6B52CD1D6 — **3) Recruit & Delegate**
One of the challenges for many pastors, regardless if they are musically inclined or not is the use of other people in worship services. Do not be afraid to ask other people to help out, or lead elements of the service. In fact, a shared worship experience with other people leads to a better all around worship service. If you’re at all like me, perhaps you are a control freak and you want to ensure everything goes according to plan, perhaps we have to come to the conclusion that we must trust the Holy Spirit as well as other people.

November 3, 2018 2

Faith Lessons From The Ocean – Lesson #1 “The Trench Of Fear”

“When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.” -Psalm 56:3

They say that you should never underestimate the power of the ocean.
It can be a dangerous place, and many a person has been lost beneath its currents and waves.

With that thought in mind, for the next few installments of Pastorsponderings.org, I want to explore what I want to call ‘Faith Lessons From The Ocean’, and how it might apply to our daily living:

Lesson #1 ‘The Trench of Fear’
I recall, on numerous occasions being a hapless victim of its tides.
I have never drowned, mind you, but I have faced some scary moments while within the ocean’s grasp. One such day occurred when I was a child. I remember it vividly. I was wading out into the surf, feeling the salty sting on my eyes and lips. I had not gone out very far when all of a sudden I found myself in deeper waters where I could not reach the bottom. The normal ocean floor shelf was further out, but I had stepped into a sand pit that was much deeper than the surrounding area. I momentarily panicked, I recall that my head went under the ebbing waves, and I choked on some of its spray.

For a brief moment, dread filled me and I was frozen in fear. This probably only lasted a few seconds, but it felt like an eternity had gone. I was a helpless victim and no matter how hard I tried, I was caught in the rip current of this small ocean trench.

When I came to my senses and pushed my panic down, I remembered the pull and push of the ebb and flow of the ocean waves and so on the next in coming wave, I stretched out my arms and paddled like I have never paddled before. I rode the wave out of my trench of fear…and I was finally free!

Our faith journey can be a lot like that trench of fear.
We will be cruising right along, enjoying life and riding the waves of success, then suddenly we find ourselves below the waves…and panic sets in.
In a sudden crisis, we might quickly forget God’s promises to us.
We might forget that He promised to never leave us or forsake us. (Hebrews 13:5)
We might forget that God always keeps His promises to us.

So we might be traveling in life, and all of a suddenly we come up against an obstacle that we feel has no bottom and we are drowning beneath its weight. Have you been there? Have you felt the powerful pull from the riptide? Have you lost your firm footing and have been forced to tread water? Perhaps you are at the point of sheer panic, because we do not know what will happen next when another large wave of life spills over you.
-Breathe.
You aren’t alone.
Don’t Panic.
This trench may seem to be your doom, but you will survive…you were made for more than this, and God is with you…trust Him!

Fear can be debilitating.
It can hold us captive and in chains.
Fear will lie to you, and reveal to you all of your weaknesses and insecurities. It will make you think that you can’t go on and that you are all alone in your struggles.
Fear is also tool of the Father of lies…and he loves it when we are held paralyzed in its awful grasp.

Fear is a Liar Music Video

Have you been to this place?
It’s a cold, desolate wasteland where hopelessness lives and is neighbor to unfulfilled dreams.

Don’t live there.
Don’t waste your time.
The trench of fear holds many souls captive…don’t let it hold you!

Where are the trenches located in your life?
What causes you dread and holds you captive?
Perhaps it is time to cry out to the Father.
He hears us, and He will not let your foot slip, even if you find yourself treading water from time to time amidst waves that seem determined to do you in. You will survive, and He will provide you the path by which you can thrive.

“When my anxieties multiply, your comforting calms me down.” -Psalm 94:19

October 26, 2018 0

“Lost and Found”

“…I will be found by you, declares the Lord…” Jeremiah 29:14

Have you ever misplaced your keys…your wallet…you cell phone?
I once lost my cell phone, and I began to tear the house a part, only to discover it was still in my pocket. (No joke, you just can’t make this stuff up!)

When we lose something there is this sense of dread, we become frantic, we tear couch cushions off of sofas, pull every drawer open…all the while double backing and retracing our previous steps in order to find that missing item. Finally when we relocate that missing thing (usually vital item – like the car keys), we exhale with a sense of relief.
Have you been there? I am sure you can relate to this!

It reminds me of the parable of the lost coin (Luke 15:8-10).
A woman loses this valuable coin and turns her entire house upside down in order to find it, and when she does she calls all of her neighbors to come and celebrate with her.
And then Jesus drops the mic with the next sentence: “In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” (v.10)

The angels (and God himself) celebrates with what was lost is now found again…

Here are some observations about this topic:

-Don’t ever think that you’re insignificant to God and that He doesn’t care about you.
-God searches for you when you have lost your way!
-You are precious to Him (more than you can imagine).

“…I will be found by you, declares the Lord…” Jeremiah 29:14
Context:
God’s people had become corrupt, lost, broken and exiled because of their unfaithfulness. Despite all of that God was still searching for them; still hoping that they would return to Him. All hope was NOT lost!

God said to that generation, and I believe He still says this to our generation today:
“I will be found by you.”

If you’re feeling lost today, please know that the maker of the Universe is searching for you. He knows you, loves you, desires for you to know Him. It’s not to late, never too late to return to Him.

Let me ask you two final questions:
What are you searching for in life?
Is there peace and joy in your heart?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7uwXIJR8brU

God wants to be found by you…
May we never stop running after Him.
May we seek after God…
May we never stop learning all that we can about this amazing God of ours.

Something more to ponder today.

September 10, 2018 1

Category: God