Last

“Live everyday as if it were your last.”

Ever heard someone say that before? Sure you have. You've probably said it to someone else at one time or another. But lemme ask you this: Do you actually do it, live everyday like it was your last?

After all, if it were truly your last day on Earth, would you have gone to work today? Or, would you have spent the day cherishing your kids? Prizing each last moment soaking in all the beauties and small wonders of this world. Catching one more sunrise. Listening to the wind rustle through the leaves. Watching a bird soar in the sky and letting your mind go with it.

If today was your last day, would you, given the choice, have paid the utility bill or spent the money on one last round of golf (for old times sake)? Would you have worked late finishing up that business proposal or proposed a candlelight dinner with your wife instead?

“Live everyday as if it were your last.” Honestly, how would you “live it”?

Ok, now let me pose this question to you: How would you treat someone – a total stranger, a friend, a former colleague – if you knew today was their last day? (Bet you didn't see that one coming.) What if, just by chance, you knew today was “it” for them in this world. What would you say? How would you treat them?

What if it that person was the Taco Bell employee who just messed up your order (again)? Or the guy who just totally cut you off in traffic? Or the person at work who just seems to delight in your suffering?

How would you treat them knowing today was their last day?

After all, it happens. You no doubt know of someone, maybe a person you just saw a week earlier, who you later found out were now gone. And when you hear the news of their passing, well, it kind of takes your breath away, doesn’t it? I know how I felt when I learned that someone I knew had passed on too soon. It stops you in your tracks and puts your whole world on hold.

I believe that’s the exact impact Jesus was after when he said in John 15: 12-17, “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. This is my command: Love each other.”

Love each other. Like it was your last day, not to live, but to love. To appreciate. To serve. To encourage. And treat each other like it was their last day. To show a little more compassion. Offer some understanding. Demonstrate to someone that God really cares about them more than they could ever imagine.

Because truth of the matter is, someday will be your last day. And theirs as well. But that’s not what really matters here. What matters is how we treat each other the rest of the days we’ve been blessed with.

So we can always live as a true blessing to someone else.

Cookout

Let’s kick summer off right. Let’s talk about a cookout.

But, nay, not just an ordinary cookout. A true feast. A banquet. With giant smoked turkey legs and everything. And here’s the good news, you’re part of it right now, even as we speak. So grab a Chinette plate, your plastic fork and enjoy.

To set the scene, let’s take a look at Luke 14: 15-24, the Parable of the Great Banquet.

When one of those at the table with him heard this, he said to Jesus, “Blessed is the man who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God.” Jesus replied: “A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests. At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’ “

“But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said, ‘I have just bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please excuse me.’ “Another said, ‘I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I’m on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.’ “Still another said, ‘I just got married, so I can’t come.’

“The servant came back and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and ordered his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.’

“ ‘Sir,’ the servant said, ‘what you ordered has been done, but there is still room.’ “

“Then the master told his servant, ‘Go out to the roads and country lanes and make them come in, so that my house will be full. I tell you, not one of those men who were invited will get a taste of my banquet.’ “

Ah, now that’s a cookout, isn’t it? Invite everyone and anyone, no matter who they are, except those who told the master (in not-so-many words) “Sorry...I’m kind of busy.”

Which is precisely what I’m getting at. Because you are taking part in that very feast right now. You haven’t told God you’re “too busy” or have better things to do. Instead you act like the servant who goes out and finds people to serve. You lead an outreach at church. You care for an ailing family member. You pay for a stranger’s lunch. You....are taking part in this feast. And I don’t want that very key point to pass you by.

Because for a lot of us, we serve with a sense of duty. Because our hearts lead us to unquestionably “go for it”. Or it’s just something you do and don’t think twice about it. But I don’t want you to miss the big point and realize what your acts of grace, kindness, love and charity really are – a place at a Great Banquet being thrown by God Himself.

Sadly, I’ve missed out on that point many times when doing an outreach and don’t ever want that for you. Not anymore. So if this “60” plants a seed in just one person’s brain and they realize that serving is being part of the best cookout ever, then it's done its job.

Tomorrow, instead of trying to make the Hispanic Outreach perfect, I’m going to focus more on Who makes it perfect. Instead of paying for someone else’s order at a fast food joint thinking about my minor sacrifice requiring me to skip the fries, I’m going to just be grateful they get to share the fruits of the feast.

So this summer, enjoy your own “cookouts”. Whether you invite friends for burgers and dogs or serve a stranger so they may know about God’s bounty.

But never – never – miss that one simple fact. That we all get to enjoy a place at the table of God’s feast.

Small

Sometimes we just get so wrapped up in the world and all its problems (and ours) that, I don’t care if you go to church every single day and are in ten small groups, we get wrapped up the “bigness” of it all and consumed by how seemingly small we are. And we're left with that nagging feeling we're unable to really do anything about it. Any of it.

But, know this, it doesn’t phase Jesus. Not one bit. In fact, I think he enjoys showing His people who is in control. There are many examples of this throughout the Bible, but one of the best is in John 6: 1-14. I know you know this passage, probably by heart, but read through it again. I want to point out a couple things.

“Some time after this, Jesus crossed to the far shore of the Sea of Galilee (that is, the Sea of Tiberias), and a great crowd of people followed him because they saw the miraculous signs he had performed on the sick. Then Jesus went up on a mountainside and sat down with his disciples. The Jewish Passover Feast was near.

When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do.

Philip answered him, “Eight months’ wages would not buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!”

Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?”

Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” There was plenty of grass in that place, and the men sat down, about five thousand of them. Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish.

When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.” So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten.

After the people saw the miraculous sign that Jesus did, they began to say, “Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world.”

Jesus sets up the this scene just to prove a point to his disciples. In pure Jesus fashion, there is a problem, a big problem, and Jesus approaches it by asking a simple, casual question, “Gosh, how are we going to feed all these people?” His disciples response? Well, they kind of freak out. Note Phillip’s reply, “...eight month’s wages isn’t enough for each person to have a single bite!” Like I said, they freak out a little. Hey, don't we all.

So that’s the set up. Jesus is again against the impossible. I can almost hear one of the disciples muttering, “We...are in trouble.” while another looks around for the quickest escape route. And it’s at this point Jesus does His thing. With what? Read through the passage again. With a (small) boy. With five small loaves of bread. And two small fish.

Overwhelming circumstances? Jesus comes through using three small, ordinary items to do, not just the impossible, but the unfathomable. And He could have left it at that. Fed the people. Preached a little and headed on to the next town. And it would still have been amazing. But – and this is key – Jesus being the Great Teacher told his disciples to fill up baskets with what was left over after everyone had had their fill. In the end, they loaded up twelve baskets of abundance. Twelve. Why twelve? Perhaps Jesus wanted his disciples to each carry a basket to the next stop to hammer home the point and leave no doubt – that He takes on our impossible and leaves His abundance.

So this week, come up with some areas in your life where you feel you feel you're too small or life is too big for you to handle right now. And then pray, honestly and openly, that Jesus demonstrates how He can work in your life to conquer the impossible. To show you He is in control. So you can experience His abundance in your life. And carry it with you always.

Day Two

Let’s go back. Before marshmallow eggs. Before the Easter Bunny. Before little girls wore festive bonnets.

Let’s go back to the day after Jesus was crucified. And the day before his resurrection. That, Day Two, is a day that’s rarely spoken of but the one I’m most intrigued by.

Here’s why: Imagine yourself as a follower of Christ in that time. Maybe you’ve been around him. Maybe you’ve heard him speak. Maybe you were a leper, a widow or a begger for whom he had performed a miracle. What if you were one of the masses that saw him do miraculous things. You heard him, in person, say radical, yet Godly, things. You saw Him preach and something inside of you just believed in Him.

“This is the guy...this is truly The Messiah.”

And yet today, on Day Two, He’s lying there in a tomb. Left to rot and fade away.

Now, let me ask you, where is your faith today (“today” being Day Two)?

Is it lost? Is it teetering? Are you having second thoughts about Him? Don’t forget, he’s risen others from the dead, yet He himself is dead. How does your mind process this?

What would you honestly be feeling? It’s hard, I know. And after the shock and horror of Jesus being beaten, mocked and crucified, Day Two creeps in and the realization hits you – Jesus is dead. And you’re left to either still believe in Him or let doubt take over.

Now here comes the heavy part, for a lot of us it’s Day Two everyday. We struggle to believe things will get better. We know Jesus can cure, can enable, and make us whole again. We’ve read about it, maybe even seen it for ourselves. But where is He today? Is He really still alive? Where is He when we struggle with our jobs? With our marriages? To simply make it through the week?

We struggle just to hang on, to cling to something lined with truth and hope and pray that Jesus is still alive. That He still works miracles. That He still heals. And most importantly, that He can work in our lives like He worked in others.

For you, I want to tell you one thing – Day Three is coming for you. Know that. Own it. Don’t let doubt and cynicism creep in. Don’t let your past dictate your future. Because, please believe this, your Day Three is coming. Your own resurrection. Your own miracle. Your own “walking out into the light when everyone else had you pegged for dead”.

Because Jesus did rise on Day Three. He fulfilled the prophesies and His own promises to His followers. He showed the stark contrast between life in Him and trying to live in the world. He showed once and for all that nothing – not even death – can stop Him or derail His plans.

And yes, He does have plans for you.

So this weekend between your observation of Good Friday and the celebration of Easter, I want to encourage each of you to spend some time on Saturday thinking what it would have been like for you personally over 2000 years ago. On Friday, they took your Messiah away, tortured and beat him until he bled out. And today, Day Two, you have no knowledge of what’s to come. Are you still believing in Jesus? Or having your doubts?

Do that and let me assure you, when you hear the Good News on Day Three, it will mean more to you than it ever has before. Be more “real” and deepen your faith. So you can experience your own Day Three. And know Jesus is alive and walking with you every day from here on out.

Fear

Fear. It sucks. And it sucks the life right out of you.

And right now, a lot of folks are living with a ton of it. Losing their jobs. Losing their homes. Losing their faith. Losing the life they once enjoyed.

Or, ok, let’s get a little more personal. Fear of failure. Fear of starting a new relationship. Fear a current relationship is on the rocks. Fear of being 50 years old and having no earthly idea what you’re supposed to do with your life. Fear of existing and never really living.

Me? I was living with fear solid for over two years. Day in. Day out. It was like trying to lose my own shadow, constantly right there with me driving everything I did and didn’t do. I'd started my own business and was living off unemployment and savings for the first year and was scraping up as many clients as possible to make it through Year Two. And it was tough, and it still is. But there comes a point...and I want you to know this 100%...there comes a point where it either breaks you or you break it.

And for me, this past Christmas morning was when it broke. Not me, “it”.

I had driven from Cincinnati into Evansville to play my recurring (and critically acclaimed) role of Santa Claus for my nieces and nephew. So after my 5:45 am showtime, I was driving back to my grandpa’s house when I was pulled over for speeding. The officer’s first question - no kidding - was,“Have you been drinking tonight?” I’d driven in from Cincinnati. I’d played the role of the Jolly Elf. But drinking at 6:30 on Christmas morning? No sir, I don’t believe so.

And here comes the fear part: After he took my license and was running it through the system, well, that was it. I just started shaking my head and gritting my teeth. I’d had enough. Now, it wasn’t just about getting nailed by a small-town speed trap. It was simply I’d had enough of living in fear. Period. And in a gut-level prayer I pretty much said as much. I was done. Had enough. Whatever happened, it was God’s show. But let it come, let’s get this over with and move on.

In Luke 8:40-56, we find that Jesus is being called by Jairus to heal his twelve-year-old daughter. Along the way, a sick woman touches his cloak and He pauses to ask, “Who touched me?”. He then begins talking with the woman. While Jesus is still talking to the now-healed woman, friends of Jairus come to tell him his daughter, his twelve-year-old daughter, is now dead.

Ok, let’s stop there. Time is running out for the girl, she’s gravely ill and Jesus, more than being slowed by a mob, is being held up by this woman who wants to be healed. There’s a girl dying nearby, in fact, she’s the reason Jesus came here in the first place and she’s going to die if he doesn’t get to her soon. But, instead, he’s chatting with this woman. How would you react? With fear or confidence?

That’s when Jairus’s friends tell him his daughter is dead. It’s no use. There’s no hope. In fact they say, “Don’t bother the teacher anymore.”

But here’s the spin. Jesus tells Jairus, “Don’t be afraid, the girl will be healed.” When they arrive at his house, the Bible says all the people were wailing in grief. But Jesus? He gets annoyed. Annoyed with the people crying and sobbing and carrying on and orders them to stop it (seriously, read it) and then tells the little girl to get up....which to everyone’s amazement, she does. Jesus even gives her something to eat just to show people how alive she really is.

And that’s what I want for you if you’re living with constant fear or even fear about certain aspects of your life. Life will tell you, “Don’t bother the teacher anymore”. That’s it’s no use. There’s no hope.

But Jesus, he’s no worried. He shows up and more than revives you, He feeds you as well. We just have to give it to Him, trust Him and believe in His word. Even after all seems lost and in the grave that He will revive you. Your spirit. Your hope. Your life.

Because He can. And He does. And all the while reminds us, "Don't be afraid".

Walker

Last weekend, I was back in my hometown and spent Sunday morning with my dad and step mom at church. The service opened with the 5-6 year old kids singing, “The B-I-B-L-E (Yes, That’s The Book For Me!)” on stage. And, in typical little kid fashion, most of them sang out of sequence, forgot the words, were clapping off beat or simply looking at the "Jumbotron" while their teachers tried to coax them through the song.

And as it happens with 5-6 year olds singing out of sequence, forgetting the words and clapping off beat, everyone in the audience was smiling. Parents were waving at their little performer and grandparents’ eyes welled up with tears. And, ok sure, I’m a sucker for little kids singing and clapping so I dug it, too. When they ending their arousing rendition of “B-I-B-L-E” the kids walked off the platform. Most of them waved to their parents and I, along with the rest of the congregation, gave them their due applause.

But then, I saw “her”. And as I write this, I still get chills.

See, as all the other kids were happily bounding off the stage, one little girl was hobbling towards the edge of the platform where her teacher brought out her walker, her child-sized walker. Dressed in her “Sunday best”, I hadn’t seen her leg braces before because they were hidden by the kids standing in front of her. But now there she was, teetering back and forth just to go a few feet to get to her walker. And my heart just went out to her (still does). And even though all the other kids had run off the stage and were no doubt half way to enjoying milk and donuts in their classroom, her teacher was there – right beside her – step by every slow, arduous step.

And for that, for her, I found myself clapping even louder.

Now for a lot of us, we’re like that those other kids. We’re a little off sequence, don’t get the words right half the time and find ourselves just kind of staring around looking for some kind – any kind – of guidance.

But then (and here comes the heavy part) there are the times when we’re the little girl with the leg braces. We’re having trouble “walking” on our own. It’s painful. It’s exhausting. Grueling. And it’s unfair because everyone else is out there running and jumping and here we are just trying to make it one more step. And then another. And maybe another. And we can’t even look at how far we have to walk or we wouldn’t even try.

But here’s the thing, you don’t have to. Not in Christ.

In the book of Luke (24: 13-35) we find the account of Jesus and the Road to Emmaus. Go ahead, crack open your own B-I-B-L-E and read it for yourself. The account is about two of Jesus’s followers who are walking to Emmaus after his Crucifixion and they are completely devastated, broken-hearted and numb. A “stranger” begins walking with them as they travel. Along their seven-mile route, the two disciples of Christ speak with this stranger about Jesus, who He was, what He did and about their pain of the loss of their Teacher.

Upon arriving to the small town, they ask their new acquaintance to stay for dinner and shortly afterward, the stranger leaves. It’s then and only then that they recognized that it was in fact Jesus walking with them the whole time. They didn’t see Him. They didn’t recognize it as Him until He left. But it was Him, walking with them, step by every slow, arduous step on their journey.

Because like any good Teacher, He’s walking with you in the hard times, running with you in the good, but always....always...right there stride for stride. Not just for a few steps or even a couple miles, but throughout your entire journey.

So here’s the challenge: Welcome Jesus into more of your own walk this week and see what happens. Just welcome Him. And see if your steps aren’t a little easier, a little lighter, and your journey isn’t a little better. Each step along the way.

Shoes

So after Outreach last weekend my friend Fran and I were talking about some LA La Viña stuff and “So how’s your life?” stuff in the VCC Atrium when a guy that volunteers their started talking to us. The first thing I noticed about him was that he was wearing one slipper and one worn sneaker. As he talked to us and asked how Outreach went, my curiosity got the best of me and I bluntly asked, “Dude, what’s the deal with the slipper?”

He told us he’d had a fire in his apartment and the sneakers he was wearing were all he had. But someone had found one orphan slipper so he had “one good shoe...one not so good”. And it didn’t really bother him, this whole mismatching of the shoes. In fact he seemed more grateful for the nice slipper than worried about the worn shoe. I say worn, but I should say “shot”, a flip flop would have been more foot protection.

When he told me what size shoe he wore, I told him to hang out a minute. Because, wouldn’t you know it? He wore the same size shoe I do and I had a pair of hiking boots in my truck. When I gave them to him, he didn’t really seem to know how to respond. He was happy, sure, but wasn’t sure how to express it. And I knew exactly why.

Because, see, for a lot of us we just get used to dealing with stuff on our own. And just kind of think, “Hey, that’s how it is” and we soldier on, getting through the weeks and the days just “dealing”. For some, it’s carrying the scars of an unpleasant past, for others it’s trying to make it to the next paycheck and for others, well, you know your struggles, you know what I’m trying to get at. And so it goes, we just get through life and “deal”.

Except we don’t. We coexist with it until it numbs our senses and dulls our spirit.

And we need someone to ask us, “Dude, what’s the deal with the slipper?” That’s the first part.

The second part is accepting the gift. And, believe me, not everyone does this. I know I haven’t very well in the past but am getting better (i.e. the super cool Oakley sunglasses my neices and nephew got me for Christmas). My friend wasn’t quite sure how to respond to a simple gift of hiking boots and that’s ok, at least he accepted them. Not just when I handed them to him, but when I saw him wearing them later that day. His life had improved simply because he no longer needed to “deal” with worn out, mismatched shoes anymore, he was moving on in his life and leaving his burden in the trash.

And that’s what I want to talk to you about today. We all “deal” with stuff, just take it on ourselves, try to make the best of it and hope for the best. And that’s not the way God works. God wants a full-on relationship with you, not one where you think something is too small for Him to care about or He’s too busy or has better things to address.

He cares about you. Not just in the emergency, big times. But in the small ones. The minute ones. And especially the ones that drain your spirit, dull your joy and siphon your faith. Now, be sure He will allow struggles and hardships to make you better and draw you closer to him, but even then He wants you to give it to Him. All of it. Good. Bad. Benign. He wants it all from you, so He can give you His all. And real life.

In Matthew 11: 28-30 Jesus says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Gentle. Humble. Giving. And wanting to take your burden. Lighten your day. You, at rest.

Sound like something you want in your life?

So here is my challenge for you this week, I want you to think about how you react when people offer you gifts. A Coke. A present. A free dinner. Love and acceptance. Not just how to react to them, but how you react internally. And see if you need to work on your “acceptance skills” a little (I’m getting better at it). Then, I want you to spend some time with God thinking of your own worn out shoes that your dealing with and the “old worn out shoes” you no longer need. And then give them to Him. You don’t need them anymore. They’re worn out and wearing you out. Seriously.

Because just like Saturday, He’ll find a way to get you shoes that are a perfect fit and imporve your walk with Him. With a perfect love that never fails. And a perfect God that wants to take your burdens and make you perfect in His image. Every step along the way.

Have a great week!

One Shot

A gut check. That's what I received for taking a 15-minute break. God's "velvet boot" kicking me gently, but ever so effectively, in the kiester to help me gain a truer perspective. Funny how He does that with me. Often.

See, it's been a long, l-o-n-g week. Long hours. Short deadlines. Pressure. And other projects backing up. So today – correction – tonight, I'm running out of gas. Worn down. Spirit fading and desire slowly sliding into a slight state of "numb". So I decided to watch the news for a break. I'm allowed that, right?

So there I am, watching the news, martyring myself and the week when the news does a feature of ProMujer.org. Pro Mujer gives micro loans to poor, yet enterprising, women in Latin America who literally have nothing. Women who were seen as second-class are given small loans to start their own businesses so they (and their children) can survive. The woman the news highlighted lives in Bolivia and through her loan, started her own bakery.

(Warning: here's where the "velvet boot" comes in, kids.) She works, get this, 20 hours a day (no, that's not a typo). 20. Because she's committed to making sure her business doesn't fail. In fact, she now has a few employees (including her husband!) and she hopes to get a car to expand her business soon. And during the interview, she never stopped working - or smiling. Because someone gave her a $17 loan, she can make her own way and in her words, "have dignity".

(BTW – It was at that moment I began to feel small and sheepish.)

So here's the deal. I am tired. Run down and a bit mentally spent for the day. But I can't go to bed without telling you about these couragous, wonderful women. Go check out the web site (ProMujer.org) and I promise you you'll be inspired by their stories. And their perseverence. They dig deep. They only asked for one chance to prove themselves - one chance - and are making good on their promise.

And I can't stress this enough, that's all God wants from you. For you to take a chance on Him.

Just to give Him one shot...one chance to prove Himself to you. For my friend Todd who's 15-year-old son has undergone 41 operations in his short lifetime... and no "expert" thought he'd live to see 15...there's God showing what He can do with His one shot. For a lady who even a short while ago was afraid to pray for people out loud who is now a beloved Outreach leader and tears down cultural walls and hardened barriers with a hug, God's shown her the awesome power what His love can do.

Mark 10:27 says, "Looking at them, Jesus said, 'With people it is impossible, but not with God; for all things are possible with God.' ". I want you to print out, copy, jot down that verse for this week and keep it handy. Just keep it in the forefront. Not to memorize it or as some weird "Bible verse chant", but know what it means. To you. From God. "...for all things are possible with God." "With" as in, "you and Him working together."

I know many of you are tired and need the refreshing waters of Christ. Need to know God's promises of protection and deliverence...provision...

rest...peace...favor, all that and more. And He will provide. But He needs you to take a chance on Him (and that's not always easy, I know. Trust is not my strong suit.)

Because here's the deal, God doesn't quit. God doesn't break. God doesn't blink. And God works His will 24/7 and relishes the time you spend with Him. And working His miracles in your life. All because you trust and take a chance on Him.

Which, ironically, isn't chance at all.

Saturday

I was asked to give the devotional before our Saturday church-wide Outreach. Since I received a lot of positive feedback on it, I'm going to use it as the base for this week's "60". I hope you enjoy it.

Today is the best day of the week for a lot of people. Not because it's the start of the weekend or the end of another work week. No, it's because of you. Because you care. Because you know their stories, you know their pains, you know what they're going through.

Because on Saturday morning when our homeless friends see the vans pulling up, the tables being unloaded and the coolers being set up, they know what's coming. And for our Hispanic friends at The Willows, when they see us toting grocery bags and diapers, they know what's coming. We see them standing at the corner waiting for us. We see kids looking out their windows waiting for us to show up.

That's what makes it the best day of the week.

You. Caring. Listening. And coming back.

Matthew 25 says, "I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me."

I like how our teaching pastor Joe Boyd put it, "Throw a party for people who can never repay you". Now, I'm not sure if ham sandwiches and some hot cocoa, or a bag of dry beans and rice constitutes a party, but we'll take it. And we'll love everything we've got to serve them with.

And I'd like to say that after the historic election this week, I want to remind you we're not called to spread a message of political hope. No, we're called to witness to the promise that is Jesus Christ. And we're not called to be political mavericks, but servants in the name of Christ.

Because on Tuesday night when one of our friends in Washington Park is tempted to hit the bottle or hit the pipe, we want him to hit his knees and say, "God, I want you, not this". And we'll be right there with him. And on Wednesday morning when there is little work and even less money for a single working mom with three kids and she wants to give up, we want her to give it all to God and see what happens when He works in her life.

After all, you were once lost and someone went through hell and earth to find you. You were blind and someone showed you who you really are in Christ. And that's all we're doing today. Finding and showing. All through Christ.

So I want you to remember that today is the best day of the week for someone you're serving. So you can smile a little brighter. Listen and little deeper. And love a with a little more abandon.

Now, what do you say we go out and serve someone?

99

What were you doing at 9 am on Tuesday? Headed for work? Drinking your first cup of coffee? Heading for work while drinking your first cup of coffee? Can't remember? Me either.

But Keith Thomas sure knows.

Because he was sitting in a courtroom awaiting a ruling of whether he could stay here in the US, or be deported back to England. For those of you who don't know Keith, he's one of the most warm, caring and well-educated people I know. He's lived across the world, has a wonderful family and is a passionate follower of Christ. Problem is, in 1971 (at 17 years old) he was convicted of the importation of cannabis into England from Morocco via a cruise liner he was working on. That's of course before he became a Christian. Now, fast forward almost 40 years and that conviction (which has long been expunged in Britain) now has his US residency in peril.

So back to Tuesday, Keith found out he'll get a one-on-one meeting with an immigration judge sometime in January. So now, after over a year in limbo, he and his family have to wait another 99 days or so to see if he can stay or has to leave.

Thursday, I had lunch with a friend who just found out his mom has cancer. They're not sure what kind yet, but they know it is cancer. He told me he feels like he's getting ripped off because he just recently reconnected with him mom. After many years of separation, they got past their differences and hurts and recently his wife and kids have gotten to know her too. Vacations together. Holidays together. A long overdue phone call just to say, "Hi, Mom...it's me."

And my friend told me that he doesn't care if it's a waiting room, an examination room or a surgery room, he's going to enjoy every minute he gets to spend with her. And if her cancer is incurable, he's taking her to Hawaii. No matter the cost or how much time he has to take off work, they're going - as a family.

So those two accounts within a span of two days leads me to this, how will you treat your next 99 days? Keith will be relishing his friendships and his pastoral job for the next 99 days. My friend will be spending some serious quality time with his mom over the next 99. So what about you?
99 days or so to see if he can stay or has to leave. And although Keith could give up, get frustrated or bury his head under the pillow, he's not. I know Keith and know he'll use the next 99 days as if they were his last in the States. He'll counsel, console, preach, advise, teach and worship a little harder. He'll enjoy the small moments with his wife and kids a bit more. He'll live a little deeper and enjoy life in the states a bit more as his judgement in January draws closer.

In the parable of the prodigal son, Jesus tells the story of a man who has two sons. The younger demands his share of his inheritance while his father is still living, and goes off to a distant country where he "waste[s] his substance with riotous living", and eventually has to take work as a swine herder (clearly a low point, as swine are not kosher in Judaism). There he comes to his senses, and decides to return home and throw himself on his father's mercy, thinking that even if his father does disown him, that being one of his servants is still far better than feeding pigs. But when he returns home, his father greets him with open arms, and hardly gives him a chance to express his repentance; he kills a fatted calf to celebrate his return.

For a lot of us, that's how we treat our life, we squander the time and then scramble to find a quick solve later on. Then we end up thinking, "Man, if I was 25 again", "If I was his age, I'd be able to...", "If I made the kind of money I made back then", "If I didn't have this extra 20 pounds", "If I had more hair", you get the idea.

We "if" away our own existence and end up frittering away the days. One right after another ...plunk...plunk...plunk...until we look back having logged in the time, but have little to show for it. But that's not what God wants for you. No, never. For you to drive home saying, "Well, I put in another day...two more to go 'til the weekend". Or you to look at your past as your only unclaimed chance at a life. A real life. To really "live". Or to look at yourself and not see all you're capable of in Christ. To hone the gifts and talents He gave you. Changing your life through Him. Helping others out of their own cesspools. To live, really live. Each day. Every day. In Him.

That...is what I want for you.

So here's my challenge, you ready? Let's you and I see what we can accomplish in the next 99 days. If Keith can live out loud while he awaits his hearing in front of the judge, if my friend can spend the next three months cherishing each moment around his mom, then certainly I can pick up a torch a bear down on a couple things in my life. And I hope you will too. Write down two things you want to overcome, to get rid of, to begin or finish out in the next 99 days and let's see how God guides and moves you.

For inspiration, I'm sending you a link of what God can do, how lives can be transformed and a community (and a world moved) in the span of just 99 days.



You inspired now? Good. Now, write down your two things and get to gettin'. Because tomorrow morning, you'll only have 98 left.

Mountains

I was at a meeting last night where a guy named Bob talked about where he came from and where he is today. Bob grew up deep in coal-mining country in West Virginia. He was kicked out of high school, never finished, and his parents assumed he'd get a layman's job in an area mine. But through a stroke of fate, Bob got an office job for the mining company and for awhile thought he had it good. Really good.

Until...

He met a guy who showed him he wasn't living "the good life", he was living an "ok life". Change of perspective. Reality check. Putting on a different pair of glasses.

So Bob did some thinking, put in for two weeks vacation and spent the entire two weeks - day and night - learning how to be his own boss and run his own successful company by learning from someone who was already successful. Someone who was where he wanted to be. Doing it right and loving what he did.

Now Bob, at 75 years old, is wealthy. Really wealthy. But his passion isn't the money, it's helping others change their perspective, get a "reality check" and see things from his point of view to make sure everyone he talks to knows, "there's always a way...I don't care who you are".

A few weeks ago, the church I go to had a party where 800 special needs adults were invited to enjoy a night that had eluded them their entire lives – their high school prom. Over 800 people who had been passed over, made fun of, and put in a corner all their lives were being celebrated, doted upon and cheered. It all started with the loving heart of one of my favorite VCC staffers, Harmony Hensley, who had an unwavering vision to bring together, not just the 800 special needs adults, but 1,000 volunteers as well. And food. And games. And free dresses. And tuxes. And limo service. And a red carpet. And photographers. And a disco ball...gotta have a disco ball.

Because Harmony, like Bob's mentor, wanted to change peoples' perspectives. About themselves. Throw a reality check party. Have people put on a different pair of glasses and see things from another angle. And to say The Prom was a success is a vast understatement. Just hearing the buzz about it the next day was enough to know The Prom is going to huge next year. And the year after. And the year after.

Because just like Bob, Harmony knew there's a way...there's always a way.

In the Book of Matthew, Jesus says, "Because of the littleness of your faith; for truly I say to you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you."

Faith of a mustard seed. Because the mustard seed always finds a way. It grows beyond its shell. It moves up towards the daylight at all costs. And it flourishes, which moves mountains. Like getting past a lack of education. A lack of experience. It moves the mountain of putting on a prom for 800 guests and 1,000 volunteers for less than $5000. It grows friendships between people that, for no reason aside from God, make any sense.

I know you have your own mountains. That weight you really want to lose. That dead end job that sucks your soul dry. Rebuilding your 401(k) plan. Trying to find a "Plan B" for any hope of retiring. Building your own business while struggling to pay the bills every month. Trust me, I get it. And I know a Sunday School verse of "have faith like a mustard see and everything will be ok" isn't going to cut it.

That's why I won't say it. What I will say is study the mustard seed a bit. It doesn't grow in the spring, no, but in the bleakness of winter. And it doesn't grow alone, it overtakes entire fields in the gray days of the year until, seemingly overnight, the whole area is a screaming, molten yellow color making a striking contrast against the nearby dormant trees and vegatation.

Is this winter for you? If so, don't remain dormant and gray. "Have faith" says Jesus. Then pry, push and grunt your guts out on way to the surface. Lock arms with others who will help you get beyond your shell. To lose the weight. To get beyond the dead-end job. The dead-end faith. The dead-end relationships. The dead-end aspects of your life.

Because Bob and Harmony have done it, and with God's help, you can do it too. But first you need to change your perspective on yourself and, more importantly, Who's child you are. Get a God-induced reality check. And see things from a Jesus-focused pair of glasses. Then you pry, push and grunt your way to the top.

And that's when you can finally look down and see you didn't just move that mountain, you're now standing on top of it.

Healed

Had some really great emails (and a few phone calls) about last week's "Getting Out Of The Boat" message. Really inspiring to hear how folks are getting out of their comfort zones a bit and taking a chance to grow in Christ.

Ironically, last night one of my favorite speakers, T.D. Jakes was talking a little along the same lines (although his message was way, way better than you're likely to see from this blog). T.D. was talking about the story in Luke 17 about the lepers who were ousted from the safety of the city and how it was their faith (i.e. them getting out of the boat) that restored them.

So let's talk about lepers a bit. Lepers historically are not approachable people, and at the time were, by law, not allowed to approach others. I'm also pretty sure they weren't encouraged to talk to other non-lepers either. So more than likely all they can do is sit outside the city. Probably leaning up against the city wall just looking for a hint of mercy or pity from others. Nothing to live for. Nothing to hope for. After awhile I'm pretty sure they just waited to die. Get it over with. End this misery...this cursed life.

But then...

Then they see Jesus approach. More than likely they probably first heard Jesus approach. They see swarms of people running and gathering to Him and probably hear others shouting, "Jesus! Jesus!" If you try to see the story unfold, you can imagine these guys slumped over, lifeless, in their tattered clothes and it starts sinking in that Jesus is close by. You can almost see their heads raise slowly and then their eyes light up with the same thought, "He can heal us...he can save us!" To be sure they looked at him as shipwrecked sailors look at an approaching ship or rescue plane. They were screaming, waving their hands and shouting their lungs out, "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!"

The Bible says, "When he saw them he said to them, 'Go and show yourselves to the priests.' And as they went, they were made clean." One even came back to thank Jesus and devote himself to his new Savior.

They got out of their boat. Took action. Cried out to Jesus. Had faith. And were restored.

My hope today is that if there's an area in your life that needs restored, whether it's a matter of the heart or a concern you've been carrying around for too long, that you too will act on faith, just as those lepers did, and just cry out to Jesus with all your heart. You'll probably be amazed what happens.

Have a great weekend!

Getting out of the Boat

So we all know the story of Jesus walking on the water. Peter sees Him and says, "Lord, if it's you, tell me to come to you on the water." He gets out of the boat, takes few steps on the water, gets distracted by the storm, looses his footing, Jesus rescues him and they get back in the boat together as the storm subsides.

Most people take this experience and pin Peter as a "goat", because he took his eyes off Jesus and therefore failed. I'd like to say, "Let's not be so hard on the guy." After all, he was walking on water, not exactly a natural thing to do. He was seeing Jesus walking on the water, which would really trip me out. And, here's what I think is so key, he got out of the boat. He saw Jesus, took action and got...out...of...the...boat.

For so many of us, we get into a Christian Comfort Zone and. seldom. do we truly get out of the boat. We take a small chance, it doesn't kill us, there's some good that happens and we kind of "stay put". And then we stay in a hold pattern. I don't think that's what God wants us to do. To be sure, he doesn't want to put us in a place of peril, but a place where we take some action on faith and let Him do the rest. Our own "walk on water" experience. To simply help us grow in Him.

For example, my friend Mark befriended "the new guy" at work. Others in his department were too busy to worry about him, but Mark got out of the boat and befriended the guy. Turns out this guy's wife had just died from a heart malfunction – and she died carrying their yet-to-be-born child. Can you imagine how empty and lost this guy must be feeling? So Mark's "getting out of the boat", befriending and mentoring "the new guy" has given him some new hope and promise. By the way, the guy's name is "Christian", please pray for him.

Another friend of mine is getting out of the boat by trying out as a contestant on "Deal or No Deal". No joke. But here's the twist, she's going into the tryouts locked and loaded with tons of information about "H2O Nigeria" and all the good it's doing right now. Seven wells dug so far with more to follow. Lives saved. Futures transformed. After decades of false promises by the government, God shows up and in 4 months shows them His love and mercy. And Amy, my friend, doesn't care if she gets on TV or wins a million dollars. She just wants to spread the word about the work that God is doing in Jos, Nigeria any way she can. She's truly out of the boat.

So I guess what I'm asking you to do is to pray for God to show you ways to get out of the boat. To take a deep breath, say "God, I really, really need you to show up" and let Him do just that. Doesn't have to be big or grand, it could be as simple as buying a stranger a cup of coffee or saying "Hello" to a neighbor you've never met. But let God lead you. After all, I can't think of anything cooler than walking on water with Jesus. Even if it's only for a moment.

Have a great weekend!