A few weeks ago I posted a status on facebook that indicated I was excited to begin a new chapter in my life. A few of you have asked for clarification and I have, until now, been very slow to reply. I am sorry for that. (One thing I didn’t realize was that my “new chapter” affords me MUCH less facebook and blog-writing time!)
So, anyhow, my “new chapter” is a new job. After 3 years of working at the Chamber of Commerce I have entered full time ministry – sort of. It’s pretty weird, but that is what I’m telling people. I have entered the full time ministry, by way of taking a position as office manager for a roofing company. I will now explain:
Sara’s (my wife) parents (Tony & Rebecca Archer) are full time missionaries. They spend more time in other countries than they do in America. I consider them Lawton Vineyard Missions Pastors when they ARE home. Most of the work they’ve done (thus far) has been in Peru and Mexico. They do a number of things and work with a lot of different people. One “main” thing they do is children’s ministry stuff. A big focus of their work is on children’s ministry. They create material, teach teachers, lead workshops, publish books – all kinds of stuff. Another function they serve is – get this – to be a blessing to people. Sounds simple, right? It’s really incredible though. They constantly ask God to show them ways they can serve other people, or be a blessing in WHATEVER way God would have them to. And I can tell you without a doubt God is honoring that. The gospel of Jesus Christ is being heard by people because of their (& others) efforts.
You can find out more – and I encourage you to do so – at arrowinternationalministry.com or their facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Arrow-International-Ministry-Inc/86495186122
The organization they work under is called Arrow International Ministry (AIM, or just Arrow).
OK. Back to it.
Rebecca’s father, Sara’s grandfather, Arnold, is the CEO of Arrow. In addition to that role, Arnold is also the owner of a roofing company, Craftsman Home Improvements.
As Tony & Rebecca’s pastor, I was invited to go with them to Peru at the beginning of April. I got to meet some of the folks they work with, and see some of the things God is doing in, with, and through them. I was there for 3 days; they were there for the whole month plus a little. After coming home, Sara and I met with Arnold to give him an update, report, share, whatever you call it. I expressed how amazing it was to be there. God is really doing some incredible stuff in Peru. King Jesus is on the move! I probably indicated that I would love to go again.
Then it happened! My world changed. Arnold asked me to work for him.
He explained what I sort of had an inkling of already. What he said, more or less, is that the roofing company exists to ensure that Arrow is funded. There’s more to it than that but, break it down as far as you can and the bottom line will look that way. The top two priorities, as Arnold sees them are: 1- to ensure that Arrow has what it needs to continue serving and blessing people, and 2- to ensure that his roofing guys get their paychecks. If those two objectives are met, he’s happy.
Arnold asked what it would take to get me to work for him. So I told him what I made at the Chamber and said that Sara and I also have health coverage through that. Then, without so much as batting his eye, he said that would be no problem. He said more than that actually but, suffice it to say that I understood that my pay would not decrease if I were to come work for him.
Soooo…. After prayer and fasting, I accepted his offer, turned in my notice at the Chamber and, on April 26th, I began my “new chapter.”
I am now serving in a full-time ministry position via a roofing company. It is SO fun. I am really loving this new job. The job itself is wonderful. And I am really happy to be able to take a part in what happens with Arrow, and through that, participate in new ways in the Kingdom of God! I may be going to Mexico and Peru on more trips, and possibly even bringing my family with me sometimes, which is REALLY exciting for me. I am (very slowly) learning Spanish. And I can honestly say that I’ve seen with my own eyes, and experienced first-hand how incredible God is. Our God is an awesome God! It is so exciting to be in the service of the King of Kings!
There is probably more I could say, but I’ll end it here. I hope this is a good explanation for my cryptic “new chapter” message a few weeks ago!
No I won’t. One more thing:
I don’t know why, but I just want to encourage anyone who reads this. “Christian” or not. “Follower of Jesus” or not. The encouragement is this. God loves you. There is absolutely nothing you can do about that fact. You are so very precious to him. From the moment you drew your first breath until the moment you stop, God loves you. When there is pain, sorrow, hate, darkness, coldness, joy, happiness, peace, whatever – God loves you. Even if you don’t love him. Even if you hate him. Even if – to you – he doesn’t exist. Today – right now – God loves you.
It’s been on my heart and in my mind lately, that there have been plenty of times when my life, the living out of my Christian life, has probably turned people off from ever wanting to know Jesus. There could be no greater regret for me. None. So I want to live the rest of my life in such a way that I express the love of Jesus to everyone in a way that actually makes people want to know Him. Jesus is worth getting to know. He IS the ONLY source of fulfillment in an otherwise empty existence.
(((Ok – so, a little proof-reading before putting this up has me convinced that this was a very strange ending. Oh well. )))
That is all.
Friday, May 14, 2010
Thursday, April 8, 2010
He'll take care of the rest!
I really wish I could have gone to some of these concerts!
"Do your best, pray that it's blessed, and He'll take care of the rest!" - Keith Green
"Do your best, pray that it's blessed, and He'll take care of the rest!" - Keith Green
Monday, March 22, 2010
Living in the Kingdom
John 8:29 And he who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to him.” 30 As he was saying these things, many believed in him.
31 So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” 33 They answered him, “We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, ‘You will become free’?”
34 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin. 35 The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. 36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.
I have been in John 7 & 8 for the last week or so. There is a whole bunch of solid stuff here.
Something really caught my attention the other day here in this particular passage. Verses 32 & 36 are great, quotable verses, aren't they? We love them! And they ARE true and wonderful. But to understand 32 & 36 more fully, or maybe even just in a different way, it is good to go back to verse 29 and read through it all.
What caught my attention and made me pause is verse 31. I'm sure I've read this whole passage many many times before and missed verse 31. Jesus - after "gaining" more disciples - turns his attention to them and the ensuing conversation turns a bunch of those disciples (maybe all of them) away from him.
The point of contention here, I think, is their IDENTITY.
This might be a timely topic considering the much-discussed health care bill that just passed. Maybe not. I'm just thinking out loud here (actually, not out loud, but whatever).
See, Jesus is talking to the people who believe in Him when He says, "If you abide in my word, you're my disciples." He's talking to his followers. And they don't like what he says because they 1. didn't pay attention to the 'abide in my word' part and 2. cared more about their identity as children of Abraham than their identity as followers of Jesus.
As I said, I've been reading / re-reading this particular portion of John since before the health care bill passed and this caught my eye. I thought to myself, "I want to abide in Jesus' word and know His truth more than anything else. My identity as ________ (ANYTHING) is nothing at all if I'm not found abiding in Jesus and His word!"
Now, today, this seems even more important. So, what I'm about to say may come across wrong, but I'm going to risk it anyhow.
I don't want my identity as an American living in a good democracy to be more important to me than abiding in Jesus.
PLEEEEAAASE don't get me wrong on these few things: 1. I am opposed to the U.S. (or any other) government running too much of my life. 2. I do NOT think that debating / speaking out for(or)against any issue is necessary wrong or un-Christian. 3. I love living in America and would reeeeeally prefer our government to remain a "good" democracy!
Having said those things though, I really want my life to reflect the beliefs I hold most important - namely that I am a child LIVING in a KINGDOM. The Kingdom of God. That's it. That's most important.
The Kingdom of God is not a democracy, it's a monarchy. There is only one King and He reigns over the ENTIRE world and all the governments in it. Right now - today - Jesus is my KING and Obama is my president. In the future, Jesus will be my King and I will have another president. In the past, Jesus has been my King and other men have been my president. Are you catching the common factor in this?
JESUS IS MY KING!!!
I want to abide in Jesus. I want to be a disciple of Jesus who abides in His word and knows the truth that sets me free from my sin. I want to care more about my identity as a child of God more than any other identities I may have.
I am probably leaving this post too early. I probably have more to say, but I think I ought to be done for now.
That is all.
31 So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” 33 They answered him, “We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, ‘You will become free’?”
34 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin. 35 The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. 36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.
I have been in John 7 & 8 for the last week or so. There is a whole bunch of solid stuff here.
Something really caught my attention the other day here in this particular passage. Verses 32 & 36 are great, quotable verses, aren't they? We love them! And they ARE true and wonderful. But to understand 32 & 36 more fully, or maybe even just in a different way, it is good to go back to verse 29 and read through it all.
What caught my attention and made me pause is verse 31. I'm sure I've read this whole passage many many times before and missed verse 31. Jesus - after "gaining" more disciples - turns his attention to them and the ensuing conversation turns a bunch of those disciples (maybe all of them) away from him.
The point of contention here, I think, is their IDENTITY.
This might be a timely topic considering the much-discussed health care bill that just passed. Maybe not. I'm just thinking out loud here (actually, not out loud, but whatever).
See, Jesus is talking to the people who believe in Him when He says, "If you abide in my word, you're my disciples." He's talking to his followers. And they don't like what he says because they 1. didn't pay attention to the 'abide in my word' part and 2. cared more about their identity as children of Abraham than their identity as followers of Jesus.
As I said, I've been reading / re-reading this particular portion of John since before the health care bill passed and this caught my eye. I thought to myself, "I want to abide in Jesus' word and know His truth more than anything else. My identity as ________ (ANYTHING) is nothing at all if I'm not found abiding in Jesus and His word!"
Now, today, this seems even more important. So, what I'm about to say may come across wrong, but I'm going to risk it anyhow.
I don't want my identity as an American living in a good democracy to be more important to me than abiding in Jesus.
PLEEEEAAASE don't get me wrong on these few things: 1. I am opposed to the U.S. (or any other) government running too much of my life. 2. I do NOT think that debating / speaking out for(or)against any issue is necessary wrong or un-Christian. 3. I love living in America and would reeeeeally prefer our government to remain a "good" democracy!
Having said those things though, I really want my life to reflect the beliefs I hold most important - namely that I am a child LIVING in a KINGDOM. The Kingdom of God. That's it. That's most important.
The Kingdom of God is not a democracy, it's a monarchy. There is only one King and He reigns over the ENTIRE world and all the governments in it. Right now - today - Jesus is my KING and Obama is my president. In the future, Jesus will be my King and I will have another president. In the past, Jesus has been my King and other men have been my president. Are you catching the common factor in this?
JESUS IS MY KING!!!
I want to abide in Jesus. I want to be a disciple of Jesus who abides in His word and knows the truth that sets me free from my sin. I want to care more about my identity as a child of God more than any other identities I may have.
I am probably leaving this post too early. I probably have more to say, but I think I ought to be done for now.
That is all.
Thursday, March 18, 2010
I love me some me!!!
I love me some me! This is a quote from a pro-football player.
This is a also a really easy target for most of us. We think it's ridiculous when this guy says and does the things he says and does - because he is absolutely all about self-glorification.
But really, isn't he just like an "over-the-top" version of me? Isn't he just a sinner - in the spotlight, granted - being a selfish sinner? Isn't he just being honest about what we all act like at times? Well, maybe not all of us - but definitely me!
Del Tackett has a blog with a good post related to this. See below.
Truth Observed
Anyhow. ...I might be way off on this one.
That is all.
This is a also a really easy target for most of us. We think it's ridiculous when this guy says and does the things he says and does - because he is absolutely all about self-glorification.
But really, isn't he just like an "over-the-top" version of me? Isn't he just a sinner - in the spotlight, granted - being a selfish sinner? Isn't he just being honest about what we all act like at times? Well, maybe not all of us - but definitely me!
Del Tackett has a blog with a good post related to this. See below.
Truth Observed
Anyhow. ...I might be way off on this one.
That is all.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Will Ferrell Sings 'Free Bird' on Conan
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/01/23/will-ferrell-free-bird-vi_n_433975.html
Will Ferrell, Ben Harper, Beck, ZZ Top, Conan - - makes for a fun "Free Bird."
Will Ferrell, Ben Harper, Beck, ZZ Top, Conan - - makes for a fun "Free Bird."
Monday, March 15, 2010
Did you catch that?
One thing that I've come to appreciate more and more lately is a deeper understanding of the Bible as "being alive." The Living Word of God! What strikes me is the way the same passage can be read over and over and over again - and still speak new things!
Not that it's a new concept to me, just that it's been on my mind a lot lately.
(2 off-point rabbit trails here):
Eugene Peterson talks about "Turning Eyes into Ears" in Working the Angles. That's part of it too. I've really been praying lately as I read that God would SPEAK, or maybe, more accurately, that I would LISTEN. That the time I spend reading is not simply reading- but listening. For many great men and women of God, this is a well-known, well-practiced thing.
Another thing is - other "books" (because the bible is a written "book") - even really great, time-tested, world renowned books - don't have this quality (if that's the right word). Maybe you can read and re-read War & Peace, or Les Miserables and see something different in it many times. But it still pales in comparison to the Bible.
OK. No more rabbit trails. Here's what made me want to write this morning:
I am reading John (the gospel of). I've been reading it for a while now. I'll read through each chapter a couple of times as I make my way through it - even re-reading sections and portions several times before moving on to the next chapter. Then, when I get to the end of the book, I go back to the beginning and do it again.
This morning, after reading John 6 last night, I read it again. The first two sections of John 6 are the recording of two different miracles that Jesus performed. (Three different signs, actually; two well known signs, and one that is overlooked all the time.) First, Jesus takes a boy's five loaves and two fish and uses it to feed over 5,000 people. And the next section tells about the disciples being 3 or 4 miles out on the water in a storm when Jesus comes walking ON the water. (The third, less well-known miracle is that once Jesus is on the boat, it says they were immediately to the land where they were going John 6:21 Then they were glad to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going.)
OK - so that's the setting, or background for what caught my attention this morning.
The next section tells of the people WHO HAD EATEN the bread and fish (keep that in mind) - crossing the sea to find Jesus. And once they do, they strike up a conversation. And what do they ask Jesus? -John 6:30 So they said to him, “Then what sign do you do, that we may see and believe you? What work do you perform?
And as if that question isn't a hard enough slap in the face, they continue... 31 Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’”
These people who - - - 1 day prior !!!! - - - ate the food that Jesus fed them, have the nerve to ask him for a sign to prove himself. Not only that, but they talk about their fathers EATING a MIRACULOUS food!!!! NOT only that either!!! - - they then quote scripture to JESUS!!!
I read all of this today and thought to myself, "Wow! ...those people"
Then I thought about how, if I'm honest, I would have been one of those people. I think this because I AM one of those people.
How many times have I seen - beyond any doubt - Jesus work a miracle? How many times in my own life have I tasted the goodness of Jesus' miracles? And how many times do I still ask him for some sort of sign before I'll trust him to be who he says he is?
This got kind of long, and I didn't mean for it to. I was just convicted by something "new" that God spoke to me this morning while reading a passage that I've read many times before.
Isn't that amazing? God is good!
That is all.
Not that it's a new concept to me, just that it's been on my mind a lot lately.
(2 off-point rabbit trails here):
Eugene Peterson talks about "Turning Eyes into Ears" in Working the Angles. That's part of it too. I've really been praying lately as I read that God would SPEAK, or maybe, more accurately, that I would LISTEN. That the time I spend reading is not simply reading- but listening. For many great men and women of God, this is a well-known, well-practiced thing.
Another thing is - other "books" (because the bible is a written "book") - even really great, time-tested, world renowned books - don't have this quality (if that's the right word). Maybe you can read and re-read War & Peace, or Les Miserables and see something different in it many times. But it still pales in comparison to the Bible.
OK. No more rabbit trails. Here's what made me want to write this morning:
I am reading John (the gospel of). I've been reading it for a while now. I'll read through each chapter a couple of times as I make my way through it - even re-reading sections and portions several times before moving on to the next chapter. Then, when I get to the end of the book, I go back to the beginning and do it again.
This morning, after reading John 6 last night, I read it again. The first two sections of John 6 are the recording of two different miracles that Jesus performed. (Three different signs, actually; two well known signs, and one that is overlooked all the time.) First, Jesus takes a boy's five loaves and two fish and uses it to feed over 5,000 people. And the next section tells about the disciples being 3 or 4 miles out on the water in a storm when Jesus comes walking ON the water. (The third, less well-known miracle is that once Jesus is on the boat, it says they were immediately to the land where they were going John 6:21 Then they were glad to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going.)
OK - so that's the setting, or background for what caught my attention this morning.
The next section tells of the people WHO HAD EATEN the bread and fish (keep that in mind) - crossing the sea to find Jesus. And once they do, they strike up a conversation. And what do they ask Jesus? -John 6:30 So they said to him, “Then what sign do you do, that we may see and believe you? What work do you perform?
And as if that question isn't a hard enough slap in the face, they continue... 31 Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’”
These people who - - - 1 day prior !!!! - - - ate the food that Jesus fed them, have the nerve to ask him for a sign to prove himself. Not only that, but they talk about their fathers EATING a MIRACULOUS food!!!! NOT only that either!!! - - they then quote scripture to JESUS!!!
I read all of this today and thought to myself, "Wow! ...those people"
Then I thought about how, if I'm honest, I would have been one of those people. I think this because I AM one of those people.
How many times have I seen - beyond any doubt - Jesus work a miracle? How many times in my own life have I tasted the goodness of Jesus' miracles? And how many times do I still ask him for some sort of sign before I'll trust him to be who he says he is?
This got kind of long, and I didn't mean for it to. I was just convicted by something "new" that God spoke to me this morning while reading a passage that I've read many times before.
Isn't that amazing? God is good!
That is all.
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