Changing Lives for Good

National Signing Day - One my favorite times of the year

National signing day.

The day when high school students can sign their Letters of Intent to play a scholarship sport at a university. The day their dreams take a step closer to coming true. It's an inspiring day for them and for that reason it's one of my favorite times of the year. There's usually some drama unfolding as highly ranked athletes let this be a time for the spotlight to focus on them as they unveil their college of choice.

On the other side of the equation are all the loyal fans of their particular university pinning the hopes of the future on the decisions of 17 and 18 year old kids. These fans either erupt either in disdain or joy. And there are always those who are estatic over the recruiting class and those who are disappointed as well.

As a Razorback, I'm guilty. I want to know when the star DE has faxed in his LOI. Will the star DL flip to my school as the rumors suggest. And at the end of the day what will we have coming to the Hill to help the Razorbacks in their quest for a SEC and National Championship? 

The reality of the situation is that every class is going to have grade casualties. Some guys that show up highly rated will flame out  while some lower ranked prospects will become stars and move on to the NFL. Some recruits won't work out and will transfer to seemingly greener grass. Others will transfer in to the seemingly greener grass. And then there's the stark reality that the majority of every class needs to redshirt and any real help they'll offer is two to three years down the road. But none of that stops the fans from overreacting and ESPN over promoting. And then there's the rankings and evaluations of every class.

This year Arkansas had a good defensive class and more drama than usual late in the process. A couple of guys from this class will see the field this year. (Thankfully fewer than the past few years when we've played double digits of freshman because the talent gap was that great.) A couple still need to make their grades and I hope they put the work in to make sure they play with Hogs on their helmet this coming year.

It's a guilty pleasure and one that honestly has no bearing on eternity... but it's fun. Kind of like sports and entertainment all together. I'll enjoy it but I can't take it too seriously. But all the more I have to say

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

PIG

SOOOOOOOOOOOIEE!!

Ah.. now that felt good.

Things that make me go Hmmmmmmmmm - State of the Union Edition

First of all let me lead by saying that I pray for our President, our Congress, our Supreme Court, and our nation as a whole. I want the best for our country and realize that "best" is often hotly debated.

Let me also say that these are questions that I have as a citizen of these United States and should be taken as such.

Things that made me go hmmm tonight in President Obama's speech. They are honest questions that came to mind during the speech and I invite your responses.

1. How do you not want to punish banks but then also want to charge them a fee for what was offered? Even when some of them weren't allowed to pay back funds for a period of time? And won't these banks simply pass along the fees to its customers?
2. How do you propose a spending freeze beginning in 2011 while encouraging a jobs (read stimulus) bill and health care bill that will become part of what won't be frozen to be passed before the freeze?
3. How do you encourage banks to lend money to small businesses "some of which are making money" while at the same time telling banks to avoid risky loans?
4. Is the Executive Branch calling out the Judicial Branch in the midst of the Legislative Branch appropriate given our system of checks and balances? And is calling for new legislation to override what they just ruled not an abuse of those checks and balances?
5. How can you want to work in a bipartisan manner when you basically say to your opposition party that if they oppose your party's plan then they aren't leading. Especially when the very people you're addressing haven't been allowed to speak into the legislation you're berating them for?
6. How can you tell banks to practice responsible lending when you're telling them that borrower's won't have to practice responsible borrowing? Student's won't have to repay their student loans after 20 or 10 years and won't be required to pay more than a certain percentage of their income?
7. How can you talk about reforming earmarks when you passed a spending bill rife with them and when you're doling out special favors to states whose senator's vote you need and to labor unions whose support you need?
8. When do you accept responsibility for the job you stepped in to and not play the victim for what you inherited? Seriously, we understand what the previous administration left but we don't want to live on the excuses of the past... let's instead focus on what is going to strengthen our future.
9. When you speak of immigration and point out that you want to help those who are here and doing the right things, does that include only those who got here the right and legal way or does it just mean those who are here and doing things the right way now?
10. How can you understand and so eloquently articulate the strength of America being her people, their generosity, resolve, and overall character and at the same time say the solution to our most pressing problems reside in government instead of the very people who give the country her strength?
11. How can you blame banks for making loans they were required by law to issue per the Community Reinvestment Act and its revisions over time?
12. How does the country respond throughout this year and especially in the coming elections?

Helping Haiti

The Church at Sendera Ranch is partnering with Thirst No More to help change lives for good in Haiti. After the 7.0 earthquake decimated the country just before 4 pm our time on January 12 the country is in desperate need for help. The Church at Sendera Ranch will accept donations on Sunday which will be sent directly to Thirst No More or you can give directly through their site.

One of my friends and mentors, Craig Miller, is the President and Founder of Thirst No More and is on his way to Haiti this evening.

Craig was interviewed by a TV station in Austin and you can see the interview here:

In an earlier conversation the following supplies were said to be needed:
IV fluids and tubing
Angio tubes (needles to put in arm to receive IV)
Injectible pain meds and antibiotics
wound supplies and bandage supplies
iodine
oral antibiotics
Antibiotics: Keflex, Rocephin IM and oral. Children's oral keflex 

If any of these items are donated we will get them to Haiti as quickly as possible.

And please pray for Haiti... that the light of Christ would shine in the darkness and hope would arise from the rubble. Pray for Craig and the team he is going to meet.

Thirst No More was also featured here and here.

A faith proclaimed in all the world

First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed in all the world.
Romans 1:8 (ESV)

I can not count the number of times I have read through Romans in my Christian life. It is one of my favorite books in the Bible and I turn to it often to be reminded of the greatness of the Gospel, the graciousness of God, and how that should work its way in my day to day life. So imagine my surprise this morning when I could not escape this one verse, "First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed in all the world."(Romans 1:8 ESV)

Yeah, yeah God that's cool and all but let me get on to the good stuff.

"Because your faith is proclaimed in all the world"

Yeah I read that yesterday. It just so happens to be at the top of the page.

"I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being proclaimed in all the world"

What God? ... I get it. God was using their faith to impact the world. Now let me move ahead. I'm thinking of a sermon series here and need to get going.

"Because your faith is proclaimed in all the world."

OUCH. ... ouch. I get it. And God I ask you to work this into my life.

What followed was some sweet time of prayer and soul searching. All too often I get so busy with the things of God that I forget God's primary concern isn't the "success" of the church He's called me to pastor... His primary concern is His work on me. And this morning this one verse cut me to the core.

Rome was the center of life at the time Paul's letter to the Romans was penned. The phrase "all roads lead to Rome" wasn't just a nice saying, it was the literal truth. And here, in the center of a city that worshiped the Caesar and proliferated evil and excess were a group of Christians whose faith was proclaimed in all the world.

They didn't lead lives of veiled spirituality. Their faith was so central to their being that it naturally carried influence. Influence because their faith defined them as a church and as individuals. Influence because the people who encountered this church didn't only meet nice people, likable people, socially concerned people, or even spiritual people. Those who encountered the church in Rome encountered God.

I want that life. I want people to know God because of the way I live my life. All too often I feel I'm making an apology with my life rather than a statement. The reason for who I am is Jesus Christ and Him alone but its almost as if I want people to discover that without me having to say it. Sure I want to be a nice guy, a likable guy, a socially concerned guy, and even a spiritual guy, but if that's all people get from their encounter with me then I'm leaving the most important aspect of who I am hidden from sight. I want people whom I encounter to know the glories of Jesus Christ, the grace of Jesus Christ, and the gift of Jesus Christ. But how will they hear unless I proclaim Him to them? (Romans 10:14)

I'm not talking about standing on the street corner and preaching through a megaphone. I'm talking about people seeing Jesus and not me. I'm talking about my faith being proclaimed in all the world because of whose I am and not who I am. I'm talking about Matthew 5:16, "Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven."

These Romans Christians lived in a city that stood against nearly everything they stood for. They were surrounded by evil and temptation and idolatry and sin every day. But those who knew them, knew of their faithfulness to God and not their capitulation to culture. And because of their commitment to Jesus Christ their faith is proclaimed in all the world. 

You and I may not live at the center of society as the Romans did, but we have a world around us as well. It's the sphere of influence we inhabit. Our neighborhoods, our work relationships, our travels, our friends and families, our kids, and the area where we encounter people on a regular basis. Is your faith proclaimed in these areas? Not just by you, but by those who inhabit your world? 

Might you and I live the type of faithful lives that elicit others to say that our faith is proclaimed in all the office, all the neighborhood, or even all the world.

Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day He visits us.
1 Peter 2:12 (NIV)

Book Review: For These Tough Times by Max Lucado

For These Tough Times: Reaching toward Heaven for Hope and Healing
Max Lucado

“Where was God when ________ happened?”

It’s a question I hear a lot as a pastor.

Where was God on September 11? Where was God when Hurricane Katrina hit? Often the questions are more personal: Where was God when I lost my job? When I was diagnosed with cancer? When my spouse left me? When my loved one died?

From pink slips to cemetery plots, the heart of the questions is the same: Where was God when my world fell apart? Is He in control? Does He even care about me? 

In his book For These Tough Times, bestselling author Max Lucado answers these questions with his trademark warmth, compassion, and biblical insight. (Note: this is an adaptation of material from a few of Lucado’s previous books, so much of the text will be familiar to Lucado readers.)

It's a short book (only 79 pages), but Lucado’s gentle words bring a biblical perspective and comfort to those going through tough times. Like a father soothing a frightened child, Lucado acknowledges the reality of pain, points to the promises of Scripture, and reminds us that God is in control, He loves us, and that His plan will ultimately prevail. 

For These Tough Times contains eight self-contained chapters that offer a good balance of theology and tenderness in bite-sized nuggets that will appeal to those reeling from heartbreak. I recommend it as part of any pastor’s library or as a gift to pass on to anyone going through tragedy or loss.

I believe the book is retitled as For The Tough Times and the can be found on the publisher's website here

My wife ROCKS

There are times in life when God uses your spouse to slap you in the face (figuratively of course) and this morning was one of those times.

I returned from a good but abbreviated Pastoral Assist Team meeting to find myself confronted with a to do list that is simply not doable in a week but has to be done this week (you know the drill right??). I got busy working, stress mounted upon stress as I discovered still other things which needed to be added to my to do list.

Then my wife, Jennifer, let me know that she'd just posted a blog. She didn't ask me to read it (knowing my frantic week all too well), but I wanted to read it. She is honestly one of the people I enjoy reading. I anticipate the day when God gives her the inspiration and opportunity to write what is sure to be a great book but until that time I'll enjoy the morsels of her talent in her blog Whispers of Grace.

Her post today, A Broken Resolution... and a Faithful God, slapped me in the face and I can't encourage you enough to read it ... now ... go ahead, I'll wait.

...

...

...

I had run quickly into the urgent before focusing on the important. Her post was a gentle reminder for me to stop... busy myself with God ... and then busy myself for God. Thank you God for using my helpmeet to help me focus once again on You!

Here I Raise Mine Ebenezer

I love the line "Here I raise mine Ebenezer" in the great hymn Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing. Every time I sing it there's a profound feeling of God's faithfulness that wells up within me. And yes, I realize that you're probably wondering why raising an Ebenezer would inspire me. It's a fair question because the only Ebenezer many of us are familiar with is from Dickens classic A Christmas Carol that is about to be played by Jim Carrey in the soon to be released A Christmas Carol by Disney. Ebenezer Scrooge, with all his "Bah Humbug," just doesn't seem to fit a song of praise. So what gives? Well consider this:

Then Samuel took a stone and set it between Mizpah and Shen, and named it Ebenezer, saying, "Thus far the Lord has helped us." (1 Samuel 7:12 NASB)

See, whenever God did something great in the life of the Israelites they would erect a stone to serve as a reminder of what God had done. This stone which Samuel erected was called Ebenezer or The Lord our Help and served as a testimony to the Israelites that God had helped them that far and that He would continue to help them. Here's what Weirsbe comments on this verse:

The setting up of stones to commemorate significant events has been a part of the Hebrew culture since Jacob set up a memorial at Bethel (Gen. 28:20-22; 35:14). Joshua set up twelve stones in the midst of the Jordan (Josh. 4:9) and twelve more on the western bank at Gilgal to mark the place where the waters opened and Israel crossed into the Promised Land (vv. 4:1-8, 19-21). A great heap of stones in the Achor Valley reminded the Jews of Achan's disobedience (vv. 7:24-26), and another heap marked the burial place of the king of Ai (8:29). Another heap stood at a cave at Makkedah to mark where five kings had been defeated and slain (10:25-27). Before his death, Joshua set up a "witness stone" to remind the Israelites of their vow to serve the Lord alone and obey Him (24:26-28).

"Ebenezer" means "stone of help" because the monument was a reminder to the Jews that God had helped them that far and would continue to help them if they would trust Him and keep His covenant. The founder of the China Inland Mission, J. Hudson Taylor, had a plaque displayed in each of his residences that read "Ebenezer—Jehovah Jireh," Together, these Hebrew words say, "The Lord has helped us to this point, and He will see to it from now on." What an encouragement to our faith! Bible Exposition Commentary by Warren Weirsbe

We all need Ebenezers in our life. Those rocks we can cling to when our worlds seem to be folding in against us. Those reminders of God's faithfulness in the past and the assurance that who He was then He still is today. Those bedrock truths or passages of Scripture that He has impressed upon us which encourage, inspire, comfort, and even challenge us.

Tonight, God took me back to an Ebenezer in my life. The section of Scripture from which He called me to ministry came alive for me again this evening and a promise within it reassured me deeply. I needed it! This week has been fabulous on many fronts. I've had great conversations with people in our church, celebrated the arrival of a little 9 lb 1 oz bundle of joy with a couple I led to Christ, been encouraged and challenged by our children's curriculum, and been inspired by the excitement of one of our newest members. Nearly everything I love about being a pastor I've experienced this week. And yet it has also been a very hard week. And though Satan would like to distract me with the challenges of the week, the Ebenezers around me won't allow me to mire myself in the muck. They remind me of the awesome, faithful, loving, gracious, forgiving, and holy God who has proven Himself in my life over and over and over again. So...

Come Thou Fount of ev'ry blessing
Tune my heart to sing Thy grace
Streams of mercy never ceasing
Call for songs of loudest praise
Teach me some melodious sonnet
Sung by flaming tongues above
Praise the mount I'm fixed upon it
Mount of God's redeeming love

Here I raise my Ebenezer
Hither to Thy help I'm come
And I hope by Thy good pleasure
Safely to arrive at home
Jesus sought me when a stranger
Wand'ring from the fold of God
He to rescue me from danger
Interposed His precious blood

O to grace how great a debtor
Daily I'm constrained to be
Let Thy goodness like a fetter
Bind my wand'ring heart to Thee
Prone to wander Lord I feel it
Prone to leave the God I love
Here's my heart O take and seal it
Seal it for Thy courts above

What are the Ebenezers in your life? Remember God's work in your past and know that He hasn't changed or gone anywhere. He is the same God today that He was then. Lean into what you know of Him and find His help there. I praise God for all my Ebenezers for we truly serve the GREAT God!

A Life-Changing Wedding

Tonight I officiated an amazing wedding. Yes the wedding was great and the ceremony nice and meaningful but it was something that wasn't planned that made the evening. But to understand the significance I have to take you back to Father's Day this year.

Every week after service at The Church at Sendera Ranch our men (18+) get together for what we call our men's huddle. The huddle is 2 minutes related to the message where we give out a small item to help the men remember the message and to act on it that week. On Father's Day, after a message about being Real Men of Jesus, we gave each man one poker chip. I said to them that it represents their life... they only have one and they have to go all in. Will they go all in for Jesus or all in for themselves... whose glory were they going to live for, whose desire were they going to pursue, and whose kingdom were they going to build. I'm well aware that many of the men in our church are considering following Jesus but they aren't quite there yet so I told them that the day might come when they (flinging my chip to the floor at the front) might need to come forward and go all in for Jesus.

In my last premarital coaching session with the couple that married this evening I asked where they each were in their standing with Jesus (something we talked extensively about in our first session). The guy said he was close, wasn't quite sure, and didn't know what was holding him back. But then he told me that he was carrying that poker chip around and really thinking about it. Fast forward to this evening.

The couple that married tonight were blending a family and wanted to include the kids in a unity sand ceremony as opposed to the unity candle. Each person in the family gets a vial of sand and they join the sand together in a container to demonstrate their new unity as one. As we started the ceremony I had the groom lead and pour a little sand into the jar... but he didn't do it right away... he was fiddling in his pocket for something. In a few seconds that felt like more he pulled out his poker chip and put it into the container as he poured in a little sand. ... I almost lost it and his bride almost did as well. She had wanted him to lead and trust Christ and here he was, on his wedding day, going all in for Jesus.

What an awesome evening and a truly life changing wedding. God is doing so much in this couple's life right now that it's exciting for everyone around them. It's a night I won't soon forget. And I can't wait to tell the story at their baptism in August.

A celebration point

It's been a whirlwind day full of amazing blessings and important reminders and in this hectic-I'll-blog-when-when-I-get-a-chance world I had to stop down for a few minutes and reflect on what's been a great day.

Sundays are very hectic for me and for any other pastor on the earth and this while this week wasn't less hectic, it was extremely special. We dedicated children to the Lord this morning in both of our services. It's the very first time we've done that as a church and it caused me to stop and notice what God has done in our church to this point. Nine families dedicated 14 children to the Lord this morning. We had less people in our church last year than stood with me to offer themselves and their children to God this morning, and while that's awesome in itself it was who was standing there that blows me away. These were parents who are new to following Christ in most accounts. Sure there are a few who've walked with God for a little while but many this morning are new to following Christ and God has used The Church at Sendera Ranch to help them discover His love for them. It's amazingly awesome. And it's cause for celebration!

After service I came home to three presents on the table. They weren't massive but they were meaningful. Each of my kiddos gave me a used book and each is now a treasure. They're treasures not because of what books they are but who gave them to me. I am blessed to be a daddy and I have the most wonderful wife and the greatest kids in the world. Not a day goes by that I'm not humbled by God entrusting them to me. I only pray that I'm a good husband and a good father who points my kids to Jesus Christ. My wife and kids are a reason to celebrate!

Next was a visit to a couple in our church who were celebrating the dedication of their children earlier that morning. Such a blessing to hear their story and to get to visit with them. I'm so glad they've jumped in to The Church at Sendera Ranch. This young couple is representative of the many I've gotten the privilege of knowing and leading in a pursuit of Jesus Christ... yet another reason to celebrate.

Back at home it was time for a short nap and a few phone calls to guests at church. I left a few messages but was excited that one person had marked that they were trusting Christ today and another rededicated their life to Jesus today. Celebration time for sure.

And then this evening we went to see UP. I wasn't expecting a lot and was very pleasantly surprised. Watching the couple grow old together and experience life's joys and pains made me realize the immense blessing my wife is and how I long to grow old with her. She is definitely a cause to celebrate before God.

And as I sat down tonight and began this blog I couldn't help but think of the awesome men's huddle we had this morning in both services. There are some awesome men in our church. Reason to celebrate. I thought of the 3 guys coming to my house in the morning. Reason to celebrate. I thought of where we are as a church. Reason to celebrate! And I could only thank God for all He's done, is doing, and is yet to do... definitely reason to celebrate!

And it doesn't take long to find reason to celebrate for the week ahead either... we're baptizing this coming Sunday. And as I said this morning, the Bible says that the angels in heaven rejoice over one sinner who repents. Why should we let heaven have all the fun? Baptism Celebration is coming and we have a lot of reasons to celebrate!!

What Easter means to me

After a completely awesome day at The Church at Sendera Ranch I wanted to put down a few things that Easter means to me. To me Easter means...

It's washed away... all my sin... all my shame
HOPE - paid for, demonstrated, delivered, guaranteed, eternal
Heel bruised on Friday... Head crushed on Sunday (see Gen 3:15)
Sacrifice accepted once for all
Sin has lost its power... death has lost its sting
Proof of His power and deity
Everything changes
New life
Freedom -  the shackles are gone
Jesus is risen... He is Savior and Lord of all

And that's just a few... what would you add?