It's Not Us and Them

One that thing that always bugs me about some “Christians” is the whole us versus them mentality that some people get.  That because they go to a building every Sunday and hear about God that they are somehow so much better than those that don’t go to a building of their own.  Then those same building-goers act like the non-building-goers the rest of the week. 

Why is it that some people find themselves better than others in the world?  The same world that they are told in the Bible by God to go out and reach!  Isn’t it more important to live your life for God each and every day in every way that you possibly can than it is to attend a service one day a week for 1-2 hours?  Does cursing all week long and not caring about others get erased just because you went to church on Sunday?

It’s way past time for Christians to stop being hypocrites.  If we attend church on Sunday and then live our lives like God doesn’t matter, then we are totally missing the point.  God wants to be involved in everything that each of us does all week long.  He wants us to go out and show the world that our life with Him is the best thing that the world has to offer.  It’s when we’re genuine with every aspect of our lives that the world will take notice.  That is when the world will change.  

It’s not us and them people….and it’s all about Him, each and every day.

You Aren't Needed, but You Are Wanted

One thing about parenting that is always extremely difficult is explaining to children the difference between a want and a need.  Kids (and let’s be honest, most adults) always want things.  We want to sleep in, we want to play with our friends, we want to watch our favorite shows, and we want all kinds of stuff.  Yet most of the time those wants aren’t in line with the things that we need.  We need food, exercise, and love to mention a few.

Recently I was listening to a sermon online.  The pastor was discussing the fact that God doesn’t need us to fish in order for us to have food.  He doesn’t need us to go out and reach everyone in the world for Him.  Knowing that God is all powerful, you’ve realized those things, right? 

So why then does He want us to do these things in order to advance His kingdom?  I honestly think that He wants us to have a part in all of it all.  God uses all of us who believe in Him to advance the Kingdom.  It goes along with the saying that “anything worth having is worth working for.”  I truly believe that is the case when it comes to our faith.  God could have everyone be a Christian if He wanted.  But, He instead allows us to truly appreciate the gift that we’re given by allowing us to be actively involved in the process.  We’re able to reach others for Him.  We’re able to appreciate what a great life we have as Christians because we’ve seen what it’s like to not have God in our lives. 

You see, we’re all wanted by God.  He wants us to join Him in His work.  He wants to walk hand in hand with us every day in our lives.  And He wants us all to know that this is where we belong without any doubt.

Permission Slip

Recently my family made a Sunday visit at the Elevation Church Norwalk extension.  The church was started two years ago, mostly by people who had been attending Norwalk Alliance Church.  Because of that, we’ve wanted to go for a visit for a while now, and finally found the time to do so.

The week we went was week #2 of the series called “This is your permission slip”.  The premise is that the Bible is more than just a book of rules but instead it is a way to free you to live the life that God has for you .  The sermon series really hit me because oftentimes that is exactly how the outside world sees the Bible.  It’s all about the “Thou Shall Canot’s” instead of the “Thou Shall’s”.

What an idea, and something that I think we as Christians often get wrong.  We go around telling non-Christians all the things they are doing wrong instead of showing them how their lives could be as a part of God’s kingdom!

So, instead of stealing from Pastor Steven Furtick I’m going to point you to the sermon series and let you hear/watch his sermons:

http://elevationchurch.org/sermons/this-is-your-permission-slip

It's So Hard To Say Goodbye

So this past weekend I, along with many others, helped a friend and his family move.  Although the work was hard, it really wasn’t the hardest part of the day for me.  It was the reality that although our friendship will not end, it also will never be the same again.

I’ve been friends with Wayne pretty much ever since I came to Norwalk.  His return to Norwalk Alliance Church was, I think, the week before we first went to the church.  We hit it off as friends right from the start, although honestly most people do with Wayne.  We grew closer and closer throughout the years of playing softball, basketball, and even football together.  We went from people who were at the same event to casual friends, to close friends.  We’d often go a month without really talking and then when we did it was like it was just yesterday.  We could talk to each other about anything from family stuff, to raising kids, to spiritual battles.  Wayne is like a brother to me, a brother whom I will always be close to, even if he is far away.

As Wayne and the family were deciding what to do, he took the time to discuss the idea with me.  I have to be honest (and I told him this) that I wanted to be selfish.  I didn’t want him and his family to leave because I didn’t want him to move that far away.  But, I also realized that God set this whole move up perfectly for Wayne and the family.  How it all unfolded over the last couple years was all God’s plan, and as we looked back on it together I kept seeing how God moved in the various struggles that the family had.  Through the various jobs Wayne had in and outside of ministry God’s plan was being revealed. 

If this move by the Mushett family isn’t a sign of God working in people’s lives I really don’t know what is.  God had a plan all along and not even Wayne knew what it was.  The family struggled with his job situation, but it was just God preparing them for what was to come.  God’s plan was always for Wayne to become to pastor at this new location.  But Wayne and the family had to take about ten other steps over the last three to four years before God placed them there.  They had to be prepared to do the work that God had intended them to do in Montana. 

Although it’s extremely hard for me to say goodbye to Wayne and his family (evidenced by the fact that I was there for over an hour longer Friday night than I needed to be before I finally said goodbye and walked out the door for the last time) I do know that it is for the best.  I know for certain that God has great things in store for their family and that church.  The church is extremely blessed to get one of the most caring people and best friends I have ever had in my life.  He will be missed, but sometimes you have to let go and let God.

Just Keep Swimming

Does anyone remember the movie “Finding Nemo”?  There is a character named Dory, who has one of the best lines of the movie, and it can really relate to our lives.  I can write it all down, but why when you can see it for yourself here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4WVoC_CJbow

Sorry for sticking that song in your head.  Lol. 

But, maybe I’m not, as the point that Dory makes there is great, and it’s exactly the message that God has for us.  When life has you down you have to just keep swimming.  Think about it for a minute.  Life isn’t easy, and God never said it was going to be.  However, He did say that we should just keep going.  There will be roadblocks, but He’ll get us through it.  Faith in God is the light in the dark tunnel of life.  He will not only show you the way, but He IS the way, the truth, and the life. 

Sometimes we need to be reminded of these simple things….even if it’s in a kids' movie!

On The Wall

Did you know that people often get awards for doing things?  Kids get awards for getting straight A’s or perfect attendance.  People who work can win the employee of the month awards.  And of course you can win awards like actors and athletes do that are given to them at huge award shows.

Yet, these awards don’t show you exactly who the person is as a whole.  These awards are just a symbol of an accomplishment that the person has reached.  The awards get hung on the wall or put on a shelf and are often forgotten about after a while, just collecting dust.

You see, the actual symbol for what you are as a whole isn’t something that you can put on a wall or shelf, but instead it is the compilation of the sum of your parts.  It’s the life that you lead each and every day.  It’s the light that you shine in the world for God.  It’s not the person you try to be on Sunday at church, but instead it's who you are each and every moment of every day that you are on this planet.

All too often we get that wrong as Christians.  We try to show off like the awards we’ve won by putting it all out there for the world to see.  All too often that quick show is forgotten, only collecting dust.  God doesn’t want your life with Him to collect dust.  He wants you to show up and live for Him each and every day.  He wants you to do not just one thing for His Kingdom but instead to work harder and harder every day to be the light in the world that He expects you to be.

My question today is this:  Are you hanging your accomplishments for His kingdom up on the wall and just happy that you earned that one, or are you striving to earn more and more every day?

Back In Time: What Are You Chasing?

Again this week I decided to go back in time a bit and re-post an older Momentum for everyone to read again.  I think the lesson here is solid and so I wanted to share it again.  This was originally posted on 4/24/09.  Don't worry, I've got new stuff in the works for the next few weeks.

We make fun of animals that chase their tales. We enjoy infants who chase after their older siblings. We chase after the next promotion or pay raise at work. The question is, are you chasing the most important thing of all: Jesus!

Of the things that we follow in life, I know that I personally am more than willing to check in on my favorite sports teams and see how the game is going or what the score was if I missed it. I read the paper to make sure I'm following what is going on locally inpolitics, sales at the local stores, and local sports teams. Yet, I'm not quite as good at keeping up with the one thing that is most important, I'm not the best at daily reading the Bible. 

A lot of people don't think that it's important, and I was one of those people for a long time. Yet, here I sit thinking that I need to do something in the word every day. Yes, I read a few devotions every day, and I try (and I mean try, as I hate reading more than you'll ever understand) reading a book focusing on him. Yet, I realize more and more every day that I don't know the Bible the way I should. How can I keep the enemy from getting a foot hold in my life without having the proper weapons to fight him off? The answer is, I cannot. 

So, overall, what am I saying here? I'm saying that although I'm an Elder at the church I'm not perfect and don't do everything I should do every day. I will say this, the first step to taking care of that is figuring that out. I'm striving to get better and chase HIM on a daily basis. Yes, doing a devotion is a good start, and doing my book reading is good as well...but if I'm not fully involved in the word then I'm just taking the easy way out. So, are you chasing Him, or being like I was and not fulling preparing for today's battles? Let's work together in strengthening God's army by making ourselves better prepared warriors: Let's chase Him every day.