by Tim | May 12, 2011 | God, My World, The Church World |
I’ve been reflecting over the current sermon series I am preaching in our churches right now on discipleship. I think it is the most challenging series for our congregations that I’ve preached. I can “feel” it. What do I mean by this? Well, everyone knows that people go to church to be inspired–they have usually had a rough week and are looking for some glimmer of hope or encouragement. Yet, the call to discipleship really is a call to die. It is a message that asks more of us to the call of Christ. Not necessarily the most inspiring message. But through my study and through our messages, I’ve been seeing more and more that to be a disciple of Jesus really isn’t hard,. Jesus says things like, “Take my yoke upon you, for my burden is easy, and my yoke is light.” He also says, “I have come to give you life, and life abundantly.” How can we juxtapose these things alongside the “hard road” of discipleship? For me, the answer is Matthew 6:24-34. Looking out my window, I see some trees that are now just finally starting to grow their leaves for spring. It is a natural phenomenon. God has provided the means for these types of things to happen, and they happen every year as they should. Being a disciple of Jesus isn’t hard either. With the Holy Spirit inside of us, God has provided the means for us to grow too. Jesus encourages us to look outside our windows during spring in this passage in Matthew 6, “Observe how the lilies of the field grow;...
by Tim | May 10, 2011 | God |
I am always amazed when I realize just how much I am affected by life’s circumstances. How are things going at my church? If I perceive they’re going well, I’m feeling happy. If I perceive they’re going poorly, I feel discouraged. How are things going with my family? If I perceive we’re doing well, I feel happy. If I perceive we are struggling, I feel discouraged. How are things going with my finances? If I perceive we’re making it, I feel happy. If I perceive we are in need, I feel discouraged. How are people perceiving me? If it seems they like me, I feel happy. If it seems they don’t get me, I feel discouraged. And on and on it goes. The problem is, I don’t think you or I see things as they really are. If one little thing goes right in life or goes wrong in life, what a dramatic effect it has on us! Our perception on how things are going is so easily influenced. This is why it is so important to have a relationship with Jesus. I’ve been reading the book of Colossians lately, and what strikes me from that book is the truth that everything in life ought to be about Him. A life that is centered around Jesus is a life built on the “rock,” according to Jesus’ own teaching. Consider the analogy Jesus makes and contrast it to how I started this blog post: How are things going at my church, with my family, with my finances, with my relationships…? If my life is built on the “rock,” it doesn’t...
by Tim | May 6, 2011 | My World, The Church World |
No, this isn’t a post debating Calvinism and Arminianism. It’s more practical than that. When Billy Graham was interviewed about what he’d do differently if he had to do it all over again, he said he would spend a whole lot more time praying and studying. And he’d spend a lot less time speaking, etc. Lots of people say, “I can’t believe I get paid to do what I do. I don’t consider it work.” I woke up this morning struggling with this concept as it relates to being a pastor. I try my best during “office hours” to do office sorts of things (emails, letters, phone calls, website updates, worship guides, service planning, meeting with people, etc.). I also use part of it for study. Part of me feels guilty using that time for prayer, skimming a book, or reading the Bible. Who else in their jobs outside the church could do that? It just doesn’t seem fair. Yet many people would say, “Yeah, but you’re a pastor. It’s your job to pray/study/read the Bible, etc.” I understand what they are saying. After all, what more important thing can a pastor do then spend time with God? Even Billy Graham wished he did that more. And I do believe that a pastor’s calling is going to look different than someone who works a “secular” job. But part of me wants to disagree. Here are some reasons why: 1. The Bible makes it clear that Jesus got up early in the morning to find solitude with God and pray. If it were anyone’s job to pray/study, surely it was...
