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Pause and Think About This

One of my favorite websites is Stumble Upon.  It searches the internet for sites that it thinks I would enjoy.  This weekend I "stumbled upon" a psychology article about the power of the pause.  The bottom line was that if we pause before we speak, we will improve our clarity of communication by over 50%.  I totally agree!

Can you imagine how many arguments you could avoid if you would just count to three before you spoke?  What does the pause do?  It filters, it clarifies and it prepares you.  The benefits are worth it!

1. It gives the other person time to perhaps finish their own thought.
2. It gives you space to think "What is the other person really thinking?"
3. It may give you enough time to say, "I don't need to respond."

All excellent listeners have mastered the art of the pause.  Pause and think about this.  It may strengthen your marriage.  It may help with your boss.  It may aid you in an interview.  It may protect you from a fall. 

Proverbs 29:20 - "Do you see a man who speaks in haste?  There is more hope for a fool than for him."

Proverbs 18:13 - "He who answers before listening--that is his folly and his shame."

 

   

Judging Judgment Day

We are now on the other side of Harold Camping's second failed judgment day prediction.  The first one was in 1994, the second one May 21.  And now suddenly he is fixing on October 21.  I've been thinking alot about the recent end times hoopla.  Here are some of my thoughts.

1.    Jesus is coming.  One thing Harold Camping has right is that Jesus will return.  I Thessalonians 4:13-18.

2.    Only the Father knows when Jesus is coming.  Look out for anyone who sets a date or even those who say we are close.  People have been saying that since the resurrection of Christ.

3.    I like the fact that this past weekend the world was worked up about it.  At least people were contemplating the truth of Christ's return.  Most of the time we live like it will never happen. 

4.    We need to live a bit more with the second coming on our minds.  We tend not to think about the fact that our eternity is way more special than this short life on earth.  I was reminded in Rwanda, Africa how short life is.  The average male in Rwanda lives to be about 49-51 years old.  I am 49.  Enough said.

5.    False prophets were predicted in the Bible and Harold Camping proves they still exist!  Measure every thought, word, deed, dream, vision and ministry through the lens of the Bible. 

6.    Humility is a wonderful but rare trait.  If Harold would have humbly confessed his sin, repented and changed, I would be one of the first to encourage him but instead he becomes a coward and says, "It was an invisible, spiritual rapture."  What a fool.  We all need to be aware that humility works!

7.    This was serious business, but it's okay to laugh.  I enjoyed the banter.  I enjoyed the TV comics having fun with it.  I do believe we have to stay within boundaries. 

8.    It teaches me that people will follow fools.  Harold Camping is not under any biblical authority.  He has declared the church to be evil.  He does not submit to the elders, wise counsel and Church leaders.  It is always good to be under someone's authority, because people can get goofy and consider their own thoughts, feelings and experiences as authority, rather than the Word of God as authority.

9.    Let's get ready.  Regardless of where you are on the end times - premillennial, postmillennial or amillennial, one thing is for certain: Christ is returning and the Bible calls us to get ready!

Any learnings that you would add to my list?

G-Day

I had a delightful time this weekend with my family at Caitlin's college graduation from Bethel University in St. Paul, Minnesota.  Here are a few highlights.

1.    Seeing my daughter walk across the stage with a degree from a very good institution. 

2.    Observing the wonderful Christian friends she made over the course of four years.

3.    Meeting the parents of her friends and knowing their strong support of the Lord, their family and their friends.

4.    Going to a graduation that was 65 minutes long!  An honorary Ph.D. goes to whoever pulled that off!

5.    Worshipping at Eagle Brook Church.

6.    Literally out-running many severe thunderstorms and two tornado warnings on the way home.

7.    Rejoicing in the Lord for a bright, sincere, loving, organized and precious daughter who is looking for a job (hint hint) in the communications and event planning field. 

G-Day stands for Graduation Day, or Great Day!

Spring Cleaning

I have put off for too long the big spring cleaning of the garage.  My excuses have run out: too busy, too cold, too much stuff.  It's time.  It will be a project, but the end result will be good.

I wonder if we should consider a spiritual spring cleaning.  Here are a few suggestions I have, and maybe you can add a few.

1.    Get rid of unnecessary things.  Like the garage, we tend to accumulate things.  In your life, do you have too much stuff that clutters your life?

2.    Wash away the dirty spots.  Most garages have dirty spots from winter: dried up road salt, oil spills, Life Saver wrappers, one winter glove.  In your life do you have some dirty spots you need to confess and let Jesus cleanse away by His blood?

3.    Rearrange your tools.  In our garage it gets so cold in the winter that I just pile things on top of each other until spring.  I have to put things back in their proper place.  Do you need to rearrange your priorities?  Have you let them pile up?  What about the proper place of God's tools for growth, worship, Bible reading, prayer, loving one another, loving your neighbor, or finding time to be still and quiet?

4.    Prepare for next season.  In my garage it's time to put the snow shovels away, empty the gas from the snowblower, put away the winter boots, etc. but I know what's ahead...another winter.  It's always good to pause and think about our future.  Are we preparing for our future?  Whether it means investing in our children spiritually, to thinking about what's ahead eternally so we can "store up treasures" in heaven!

Do you feel the same way?  Do you have any additions to my spring cleaning list?

Reformed or Deformed?

Recently someone asked me what it means to be a "Reformed" Christian.  I tried to clearly summarize it and emailed the person this answer.  See what you think.

We are Reformed Christians.  That means we received our theology from the Reformation years of the 1500s by men like Martin Luther, John Calvin, etc.  They were "re"forming the Church according to the Bible.  Here are a few key distinctives of Reformed theology.

1. The Bible is our only authority.  We get all of our answers in the truth of scripture.  Not tradition, not the Church, not our feelings.
2. The sovereignty of God.  That means that God is in control of all things.  He rules and governs all that happens.  God is not alarmed at anything, and never says, "Oops."
3. The grace of God is perfectly seen in God's Son, Jesus Christ.  What Jesus did for us on the cross, His death and resurrection were the victory over sin, death and Satan.  Our salvation is 100% by faith in and through Christ.
4. The world view.  A Reformed world view means we live actively in culture to transform it, whatever that may be: studies, sports, nature, politics, etc.  We desire to influence and affect our world for God.
5. The Covenant of God.  God has a story and we are part of that story.  God's story and our place in it is for His glory, generation upon generation.

The key thing is that Reformed means "re"forming ourselves and the world according to the Bible.  That also means things, whether in our culture, in church or in us can "de"form us.  We need to be called back to repentance in Christ and change.

Wrecked

Today's guest blogger is Ryan Matthysse, Director of Worship and Arts at Faith Church.

It’s my first day back home after spending five days in Haiti and I’m a blubbery, sloppy mess.  My “re-entry” into my comfortable American lifestyle has been especially jarring this time. I haven’t returned to my youngest son’s birth country since being there two months before the devastating earthquake in January 2010. Trying to find the words to describe my experience is useless. As my mind tries to recap the last few days in order to fill people in on my travels, I am overcome with emotion. Unspeakable poverty. Unbearable images. I simply wasn’t prepared for the sights, sounds, and smells of Port-au-Prince, Haiti “post-earthquake”.
 
It’s overwhelming to think about progress, sustainable development, or about making any type of lasting impact there. Well over a million people have made these make-shift “tent cities” their home. But God’s presence is felt in such a powerful way within this country. And when it felt the situation was hopeless, I met a pastor in a rural village who spoke of the goodness of God. I saw the benefits of an agri-business through World Relief in which entire communities are learning to live off the land and even make a small income. I visited the orphanage of God’s Littlest Angels where babies are receiving attention, toddlers are having books read to them, and older children are receiving an education. All of them nourished by bread and clean water, while learning about the Bread of Life and Living Water. There is evidence of hope, and it made me want to give my entire life to it.
 
In Haiti, nearly everyone is outside during the day. I think about the thousands of people I must have laid eyes on in my short time there. Each one is uniquely created and cherished by God Himself. He delights in them. Jesus gave His life for each one. The parents have hopes and dreams for their children, just as I do for mine. The fathers are doing their best to provide for their family. Though our two nations seem worlds apart, we have so much in common. We all have been created in the image of God.
 
On the balcony of the house we stayed at, a group of us would pray and worship the Lord while overlooking the tents, slums, and rubble of Port-au-Prince. We sang songs like “God of this City” and “Mighty to Save.” In those moments, God would bring His peace and remind us that the people of Haiti are His people. And He loves them with a passionate love!
 
Most people know me as a sensitive guy, who shows emotion easily when talking about my kids, my bride, or my Detroit Lions. I am not going to apologize over my tears when talking about the conditions of Haiti. I know that God is breaking my calloused heart over what breaks His.
 
But God will never forget the needy; the hope of the afflicted will never perish.
Psalm 9:18

Slowing Down to Fast

Ezra 8:21-23 - "There, by the Ahava Canal, I proclaimed a fast, so that we might humble ourselves before our God and ask him for a safe journey for us and our children, with all our possessions.  I was ashamed to ask the king for soldiers and horsemen to protect us from enemies on the road, because we had told the king, "The gracious hand of our God is on everyone who looks to him, but his great anger is against all who forsake him."  So we fasted and petitioned our God about this, and he answered our prayer."

Scripture often links fasting and prayer.  I have to admit I pray but rarely rast.  I have fasted in the past, but it has not been a common discipline.  Recently the campus pastors of Faith Church decided to fast and pray primarily in conjuction with Easter.      The challenge was actually for a fast beyond 24 hours.  As I write this, I'm 4 hours shy of a 48-hour fast.  I tell you that not because I am so wonderful, but rather because of the profound ways it has spoken to me and the other pastors.  We gathered to pray a few times and also gathered to reflect.  We talked for a half hour and had such similar, yet different, experiences.  I will randomly list them for you to see and maybe reflect upon in your own life.

1. It revealed how totally depraved we are and how self-centered we can be.
2. It also revealed an ugly desire to be self-righteous, like "Wow, I'm somebody."
3. It made parts of our relationship with God and His word more clear.
4. It allowed for stronger focus on the things of God, His will and heart.
5. Anxiousness diminished.
6. There was an aspect of cleansing and purification.
7. There were moments of deep weakness and wanting to give up.
8. There were sometimes moments of self-pity.
9. It was used as an example to some people close to us.
10. There was a sense of connecting with God that was special.
11. There was a war of appetite - the war of hunger for food, but also the war of sin, temptation and filling the void.
12. There were excellent times of prayer.
13. This experience drove us to the Lord.
14. There were moments where food was in hand, but strength and awareness came.
15. There was unusual weakness and unusual strength and humility.
16. There was grumpiness and joy.
17. Fasting in team, with accountability, is much more doable.
18. But most of all, there was less of us and more of God!

It was an interesting, exciting, somewhat difficult discipline for me.  I long to do it more often.  I hope to do it again but realize how undisciplined I am to want to do it.  I do believe it requires us to slow down to fast!

Christian Sports Influence

Being a sports nut and contemporary news follower, I love to read newspapers.  For many years a member of Faith Church and friend, Daryl Van Schouwen, has been writing for the Chicago Sun-Times.  This year he took a new position at the paper.  He’s “the” White Sox beat writer.  I was at a profession of faith party with him on Sunday afternoon and we were discussing his new role.  What thrilled my heart was when he told me about the number of outspoken Christian players on the White Sox team.  It warms my heart to hear about ball players using their God-given abilities to influence young children via their positions.  I think of Albert Pujols of the St. Louis Cardinals, Kyle Korver of the Chicago Bulls, Aaron Rodgers of the Green Bay Packers, and many more.

Then I think of Daryl.  He’s working for one of the country’s biggest newspapers, using his gifts and talents writing for the glory of God.  Sweet!

An Invitation

I would like to invite you to fast and pray with us tomorrow (Wednesday 4/12) for the Easter services at all of the Faith Church campuses – Dyer (including the Well), Cedar Lake, Valparaiso, and Hammond.  We believe that God is on the move and we want to be a part of it.  Here are possible ways to fast:

• Water fast
• Technology fast
• setting apart time for the Lord for prayer

I know many of us (me included) aren’t accustomed to fasting and many of us don’t quite know why to do it.  In John Piper’s book, A Hunger for God, he gives 4 reasons, based from Acts 13:1-4, why a church should set aside special time to fast, pray, and worship:

1)      “This fasting was after Christ’s coming.” Piper’s point: fasting should be part of our life as Christians today!

2)      “The fast in Acts 13 was a corporate fast.” Piper’s point: it is good and right to fast with your friends in community.

3)      The fast in Acts 13, “proved to be an occasion for the Spirit’s special guidance.”  Piper goes on to say, “In reporting it this way, Luke clearly wants us to see a connection between the worship, prayer, and fasting on the one hand and the decisive guidance of the Holy Spirit on the other…”

4)      “The fasting in Acts 13 changed the course of history.”  Piper goes on: “This moment of prayer and fasting resulted in a missions movement that would catapult Christianity from obscurity into being the dominant religion in the Roman Empire….”

As the leader of Faith Church I desire the Spirit’s guidance and I want us to be used to change northwest Indiana and the south side of Chicago.  But, we need the Lord.

I invite you to seek the Lord with us.