No One Has Gone This Way Before...

We stand at a point in History never before engaged or tested. Even the most seasoned lives have no idea what lies ahead. No one has gone this way before. We stand at the cusp of entering into a new year. As I survey the calendar, looking at the dates ahead, I see the uncharted waters of '10, I see tremendous potential. I also expect challenge. There is a journey ahead. A 365 day trek into unknown territory. How will YOU prepare? What can YOU do to expect the unexpected?

In Joshua, 3:4 it says ⁴ Then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before. But keep a distance of about a thousand yards between you and the ark; do not go near it."

The people did not know which way to go, since they had not gone that way before, but they were told to expect directions.

They were about to go where no Israelite had gone before. Crossing the Jordan river on the cusp of a Journey into uncharted territory. They had no map, no battle plan, just orders to GO and God would provide the directions.

YOU have no choice but to GO, 2010 is coming ready or not. No one has been this way before, But YOU can go knowing God will provide the directions if YOU trust Him. Will you trust Him? Will you go, totally abandoned to the plans that God has for you? Live 2010 to the fullest, God leading your way!

Confidence in 2010...

There was a man who wanted to go bungie jumping off the worlds tallest bridge in France. He had this crazy idea to jump and then release himself into the river below. He convinced one of his friends to go. SO they get to the top of the bridge. The friend said How do i know the rope won’t snap, or its not too long. How do i know that when i jump, its tied right and when i hit the recoil it won’t break. All some pretty good questions. If I were crazy enough to go which I’m not, I’d ask the same thing. So the man said i’ll go first. HE jumped and proved the line would hold. After the friend saw that everything was good, he Jumped.

God wants you to know the line He’s holding won’t snap. As you get ready to hit 2010, it would be a pretty good idea to build a solid relationship with God. If you already are, take it up a notch. When you do, you will know His faithfulness and Integrity. It leads to CONFIDENCE, even though you don't know what's ahead in '10, that allows us to live out PHIL 1:6 that says "being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

Faith Building allows you to know it, so you can own it, then go for it!

Religion = Revision...

I remember the first day I bought my car. A 98' Honda Civic. I can remember the feeling, the excitement, the freedom. I didn't have insurance so I wouldn't be able to drive it until everything went through. There is a feeling you get from something that's new. It's on your mind, fresh, like a crisp apple. I finally got the insurance and it was adrenaline rush city. I finally had my own car, 18 years old and on my way. No more pata mobiles (pata = foot) for me. But somewhere along the way, (I'm not sure where) the adrenaline wore off, the fresh apple became mushy, and the excitement was gone. It became routine. Get in the car and go. It's convenient, but more of the same.

When we read about the story of the magi in Mathew 2, we see that Herod called together the top of the pop, the cream of the crop when it came to religious figures. He needed the best of the chief priests and teachers of religion. He wanted to know where Jesus, The Messiah, The light of the world, the Hope of all nations, The Lamb of God would be born. So being the experts they were, didn't need google to find it. They opened the scrolls right up to Micah to where it says the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem.

So I'm reading and looking and searching.... for something I don't find. What I don't find is the chief priests, the ones who never missed church, went to sunday school, memorized the bible, who knew all the great stories of the bible. I don't see them get excited about what they just read. They just read that the MESSIAH WAS BORN IN BETHLEHEM. HELLO! The Magi couldn't wait to get to the Messiah and worship him, but these religious leaders could care less. They might as well have rolled up their scrolls and went back to bed.

These very priests and leaders who represented God, had life in their hands by knowing the word of God, had religion but lacked intimate relationship with God. They knew of Him, but they didn't really know Him.

It leads me to make the statement that religion requires revision. It's not enough to go to church every sunday, take notes and listen to another sermon and do nothing. Religion is common, it's routine, it's the mushy apple. Intimate Relationship is the crispy apple. It's where action replaces complacency. THATS WHERE IT'S AT!

Here and Now...

I sit here on the net writing this blog. Music is playing in the background, my daughter reads her wonder pets book, making up the words as she goes. My wife watching her lifetime movie. This moment could have never happened 100 years ago, because there was no internet, no tv, no music as we know it.

From one generation to the next, humanity as we know it goes through a metamorphosis, through transformation. Morphing into a different culture, different interests and molding to the ever growing technological age. What was updated and cutting edge just 20 years ago, is now probably outdated and old news.

But today, Right Here and Right Now, you are living during an era never imagined 100 years ago. What worked then probably doesn't work today. But, one thing that stays the same is that Jesus never changes. The bible will always be timeless and relevant to your life.

As a matter of fact, Jesus is more compelling than ever. More inviting, more true, more mysterious than ever. I invite you on a journey to go deeper into looking at the truth. Test it, probe it, Don't swallow it uncritically. Wrestle with it. I've probably got as many questions as I do answers. Just because I'm trying to articulate a Christian worldview doesn't mean that I've got it nailed.

But what I do know is that God has spoken. The journey then is taking a fresh look, Here and Now, at what it means to live the kind of life He teaches.

Check this out...

I read a great blog about Christmas, what it is. What we've made it. What it should be.

CHECK IT OUT! ---CLICK HERE---

Anticipation...

This Thursday is the big day. Sandra and I are going to find out what we're having. She is almost 18 weeks now. We wait with anticipation of what we're going to have next. A friend guaranteed me it was going to be either a boy, or a girl. I don't know how he could narrow it down with such accuracy and specificity :) It's exciting! We are anticipating finding out. Wondering what it's going to be like with 2 little halbeisens running around. What gift God is preparing for us. My daughter has changed my life. I will never be the same, I anticipate the expansion of our family and can't wait to find out Thursday.

Anticipation is a great emotion. It allows you to look forward to something. Something great. You want it. You can't wait for it. Thats the story of the 3 kings. They saw something so great. So out of the ordinary and miraculous. Something so amazing and awe inspiring. So spectacular they left their homes and comforts to go on a two year journey. TWO YEARS!! That's like leaving today and not getting there until 2012! They were SO INSPIRED by what they saw.

This Christmas, the birth and life of Jesus should inspire you. The Glory of the risen Messiah. There should be anticipation in serving a God who is Great, who has plans for you. What is your Anticipation for what 2010 holds. It's the birth of a new year. Its an unopened chapter of your life that you get to write. What are you anticipating for 2010? What will you write on the blank pages of your life? What do you read when you look back at your life, 2009?

God will work it out...

While the Messiah is perfect and awesome, his entrance into the world was not so elegant. Joseph was going to divorce Mary because through his eyes, from the information he had, she was pregnant and he knew he wasn't the father.

Then there's Mary. She could be stoned to death or publicly disgraced for being pregnant out of wedlock.

From the beginning we see problems, it looks a little messy, maybe even impossible. How was it going to work out? How was God going to take care of this one?

God chose Mary. He wanted her to carry the Messiah in her womb. He didn't ask her to figure out all the details. He just chose her as a vessel to work through.

God has chosen you. He wants to work out his plan through you. It might not look like He is right there with you, the situation might look messy and even impossible. But Thats the type of conditions God loves to work through. When it looks like there is no way, God loves to make a way. He is never early or late, but always on time.

What happened next... God gives Joseph a dream. He tells him not to worry, the baby in Mary is the Messiah. Take Mary as your wife and name the baby Jesus, because He's gonna take away the sins of the world.

God's got the details figured out. He knew all along. He's got the details figured out in your life too. If you trust Him He will never let you down. He's always faithful even though the situation looks bad. He wants to work through you, but don't worry about how its gonna work.

God Will Work it Out. He's God, He can handle it.

THE REAL SANTA CLAUS...

Well, Christmas is right around the corner, so i want to say a little something about Santa Claus. It's not a secret, i'm not a big fan of Santa Claus, because i think he’s taken away the true meaning of Christmas. One of the first big fights my wife and I had were of the decision whether or not to make our children believe there was a Santa Cluas. I told her, I'm not gonna buy all the presents and give Santa Claus the credit. Daddy bought 'em, that's right! (had to throw that in) Its always rubbed me the wrong way, its just a personal thing. I just think so many people are wrapped up in Santa and that has nothing to do with Christmas. ITs like celebrating someone else on YOUR birthday.

But I did some research on Santa Claus and I gotta say, God's working on my heart.

Nicholas was a bishop in Myra. He received a huge inheritance and gave a lot of money to the poor. He was actually a pretty amazing man. He lived during a horrible time in human history. During a great time of persecution for Christians. The executioners had to take turns because they got so tired of killing one Christian after another. And because He was a christian He was branded with a hot iron and they took pliers to his skin because he wouldn't deny the name of Jesus.
After the persecution died down, there was a lot of heresy, pastors saying things about Jesus that weren't true. One pastor wrote a song about how Jesus wasn't God. He stood up to sing it at one of the meetings and Nicholas walked up to him and punched him in the mouth. HO! HO! HO!

He spent the rest of his life founding orphanages and helping kids.

I hope we remember who he really was the next time we see santa. That we remember the true meaning of Christmas.

Unbelievable...

When Jesus faced the religious leaders of His day, He always dealt with their heart condition. Outwardly they wore the right clothes, put on the show, made sure people knew who they were and what they did. They were the religious leaders, the very people who were the examples of what it meant to live for God.

But The inside scoop was they were Hypocrites. They honored God with their words, but their hearts were from from Him. They said they loved God and that they represented God, but didn't have a clue what it meant to represent God.

The very people who were supposed to be sold out for God didn't even recognize Him when He showed up in the flesh. Jesus.

They saw the miracles: The deaf could hear, the blind could see, the dead lived again! They saw the amazing power of Jesus. The life giving love that poured out of Him first hand. But thats not what was unbelievable.

After experiencing Jesus first hand. Not being able to deny the miracles or the power of God. They planned to take his life, Crucify Him.

Thats what is unbelievable.

Light of the world

A camping trip event I will never forget! About 5 out of our group went for a hike early in the afternoon. They only planned to be gone a few hours. As the sun began to set I started to think something possibly went wrong when they weren't back yet. We were in the canyons of the Rio Grande, in Mexico and now it was pitch dark and nothing. A friend and I decided to hike up a little hill so we could see the mountain they hiked.

We got up there and shined our flashlights at the top to see if there was any sign of the missing group. We waited and nothing. So we tried again and nothing.... And then all of a sudden a flash of light came from the very top. and again and again. An SOS. A cry for help.

We couldn't leave them up there, it was cold, who knows what had happened. What if one of them got hurt. He had to save them. They were stranded. Alone, no gear to survive the night. We made that hike up the mountain, in the dark, in the cold. We flashed the light a couple times to let them know we were coming.

When we remember the birth of Jesus this Christmas, what we should see is The Light of the world. We might be having a tough time in this difficult economy. The holidays might bring up depressing thoughts and memories. The measure of our culture might be making you feel like YOU just don't measure up, telling you Your not worth it, its too tough, give up. Your stranded. You feel like there's no hope.
But then you look up. You see Jesus, The light of the world. The hope of humanity. And you see the light shining. And it shines so bright that You know He's coming. He's coming for YOU, because your worth it. He loves you that much. And as long as you see the light, you know that you can hang on. Your gonna make it. No matter how tough, or cold, or hard it gets.

Jesus said in John 8:12 "Whoever follows Me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life" and in 14:6 "I Am the life".

Jesus didn't say that He is the life, The Light of the world, that He alone is the only way to Heaven because He was arrogant. He said it to let you know there is no one else coming for you. There is no other god that loves you and gave everything to be with you.

Cup of water or a million dollars?

If you were walking through the mall and were presented with the option to pick between a cup of water and a million dollars. What would you choose? You'd be an ignoramous not to choose the million bucks. A cup of water? Come on!

Now picture this. Your in the desert. 200 degree plus temperatures. No shade in sight and you've been traveling. Your camel broke down, so you had to walk the past 50 miles. You know that if you don't get some water, even a little bit of cool refreshing water quick, just a drink, your gonna die. Then as your walking, you come across a clear box, Because the desert is obviously full of them if you didn't know ;) And you have the ability to choose one of the items inside. A cup of water or a million dollars. What do you choose?

We would probably be suprised as to how many people choose the million over water. Death over life. It happens everyday when people reject the free gift of God. With Christmas right around the corner we remember and celebrate the birth of Jesus. The light of the world. The refreshing hope and life in a dying world.

Rooted?

Years back I helped my father plant 3 fig trees. They were the exact same size and planted at the same time. I thought they would grow the same, since they started out the same. When I look at them today, the middle one is flourishing beautifully. Lush green leaves, plenty of figs and great tasting at that. Everything you could want in a fig tree and then some!

The one on the right is good but just not as good. It gives fruit it looks nice, but its just not as great as the middle one which suprised me because they were exactly the same when planted. Its good, but not great.

Then there's the one on the left. It's a sorry excuse for a tree. It's dead, it just doesn't know it. Its barely hanging on to life by a root. IT reminds me of the charlie brown christmas tree. We should of dug it up a long time ago, but my mom hopes that one day it will live up to the potential of the two other trees.

In life we can find ourselves like one of these trees. But too often, people are like the tree on the left. They have all the ingredients for life. The potential is there! and yet they're barely hanging on. They aren't deep rooted in life.

In John 15:5 Jesus said "I am the vine, you are the branches. If any man remain in me and I in him he will bear much fruit. Apart from me you can do nothing."

Fruit is the natural outflow of our lives when we have an intimate relationship with Jesus. If we want the fruit, we have to be Deep rooted in Christ.

Th Thief...

Billions of dollars in advertising are spent trying to convince you to use up your talents and money on yourself here and now instead of investing long term in others for others. Were told life is lived in the moment. Today is really all that matters, so don’t think about the consequences of your decisions or how they’ll affect you tomorrow when you wake up.

I think of wasted talent like Eminem and TuPac. I grew up listening to their music. The lyrics are morally dead, but they had great talents that sold out to the fashionable culture.

What if they never sold out. What if you never sell out, But instead use your talent for God passions, using the abilities God has gifted you uniquely with. You have tremendous potential. Don’t let what comes out of mainstream culture dictate what you do with your life. You might not even have much, but you don’t need everything the world is trying to sell you. Paul says in Ephesians 4 vs 28 doing something useful with your own hands. You gotta work with what you got.

Its nothing new, go back thousands of years to Moses. One man who led a nation out of slavery. Judging by his cultures standard he thought there’s no way i can lead a nation. He said God Im nobody, they won’t believe me, I got a speech empetimint, i can’t even talk right. He’s giving excuses and telling God how much he can’t. THEN

God tells Moses in Exodus 4:2 “Whats that in your hand”? He says “a staff.” Throw it on the ground. IT became a snake. God said Use it to let them know I sent you. Use what you got in your hand.

What do you have in your hand? What has God given you to work with? WHAT ARE your talents, dreams, God Passions. Are you giving God excuses, or running to the immoral culture because you think you have to have what they got in order to have purpose and live life? Have you bought into the mainstream culture of living life so you can relax and waist away life as the ultimate goal? It took guts for Moses to step up to the plate and out of his comfort zone. But because he did, God used Him to deliver a nation. Jesus said "The thief comes to kill, steal, and destroy, But I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."

SNOW IN San Antonio!

San Antonio and Snow doesn't happen. ITs like a heat wave in the arctic. At least until today. All week people have been saying it's gonna snow friday. I thought, yeah right! But sure enough, driving down IH 10, big ole snow flurries in the middle of the Sunny cold day. I couldn't believe it at first. The last time we had snow of any significance was in '85. The first year I moved to San Antonio with my parents. There was so much snow we made snowmen and had snowball fights. It was like home since we had just moved from Boston, MA.

Seeing the huge snowflakes reminded me of a story I read in a book called "Wild Goose Chase" by Mark Batterson. It's About Wilson Bentley, who grew up on a farm in Jericho, Vermont. As a young boy, Bentley developed a fascination with snowflakes. Most people go indoors during snowstorms - not Wilson. He would run outside when the flakes started falling, catch them on black velvet, look at them under a microscope, and take photographs of them before they melted. He said, "Under the microscope, I found that snowflakes were miracles of beauty; and it seemed a shame that this beauty should not be seen and appreciated by others. Every crystal was a masterpiece of design and no one design was ever repeated. When a snowflake melted, that design was forever lost. Just that much beauty was gone, without leaving any record behind."

The first known photographer of snowflakes, Bentley pursued his passion for more than fifty years. He collected 5,381 photographs. And then he died a fitting death—a death that symbolized and epitomized his life. Wilson "Snowflake" Bentley contracted pneumonia while walking six miles through a severe snowstorm and died on December 23, 1931. Batterson adds, "And that is how I figured out how I want to die. No, I don't want to die from pneumonia. But I do want to die doing what I love. I am determined to pursue God-ordained passions until the day I die. Life is too precious, too beautiful to settle for anything less.

Which Way?

Have you ever been lost? You don't even recognize your surroundings, none of the streets look familiar. You made a wrong turn somewhere and your trying to get back. I am famous for my shortcuts. Just ask my wife. But I always make it. Obviously, or I wouldn't be here blogging. SOmetimes it works out sometimes not. Ok maybe most times. I don't know what it is, when I get to a point whether its a traffic jam I want to turn off, make a decision to take another route, find a quicker way, a better way.

Choice is a beautiful thing. We get to choose which way we go in life. Good or bad. Life confronts us with situations where we must decide everyday. Sometimes our choices are great, sometimes not so great. Great or not, You choose.

Paul said "All things are permissible, but not all things are profitable". When we are faced with decisions that affect the trajectory of our lives, we have the ability to do whatever we want. But the question we should always ask is, Is It Profitable?

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In it to win it? or Wing it?

I remember teaching middle school and High school. Some of the best years of my working life! 2 1/2 years! I learned so much from the students and being in a position to pour into them. One of the biggest things about teaching is it takes preperation. You gotta know what you know because those kids will spot and point out with questions when you don't know what you say. It took dedication, preperation, perspiration, and a whole bucket load of reading. I had to know it to give it! bottom line. There were a few times i winged it. What a waste. I didn't bring 100% A game and i didnt prepare to the max to be able to pour all i had into their learning minds. I challenged myself to Be in it to win it, NOT wing it!

ACTS 3 shows us the power of two men in it to win it. Peter and Luke... A man crippled from birth never knew when he woke up that day his life would be forever changed. A beggar, looking for money got more than he could have dreamed that day. Walking by this beggar, Peter turns and says silver and gold I don't have, but what i have i give you, In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk!

Peter and Luke were in it to win it, not wing it. They had no doubt that this man would be healed. He didn't hesitate. He was able to give this man what He himself had.

You can't give what you don't have. You can't pour out if you yourself are empty. You can't win it if you don't show up ready. So many opportunities are lost, dreams lost, destinies forgotten, because winging it became the standard. the passion was lost and the desire to go all out was only an intention. Peter was in it, all in. He had it to give, do you? Are you in it to win it? or Wing it?

Gone Fishing

Post #1 for the books.

There's nothing like the tug on the line, the adrenaline when you feel the pull of the fish. I've talked to some people who say I can't fish because I don't have the patience.

I beg to differ, it doesn't require patience, but persistence. Even if you don't catch a fish today there's always tomorrow, the next cove, the next pier. It takes persistence to keep at it, keep going, to try new spots and new lures, see what works and what don't.

Why is it that Jesus chose followers that were fisherman? Why did Jesus say I will make you fishers of men? Is there something about fishing that we can learn from when we look at it from Jesus perspective.

Fishing takes creativity. You have to know what to use where and how and most of all you have to follow the fish. Whether its mosquito infested waters or hot and humid you have to be persistent in following the fish. Going to where they hang out and being able to put something in the water that looks so good they can't resist.

When we model Jesus Right, He Is Irresistable. We are supposed to be fishing, chasing the fish, being creative to catch the fish. But most of all being persistent. Jesus said in Mark 1:17 "Come, follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." He didn't say you will catch the fish. He said BE FISHERS of MEN. IVE BEEN fishing and caught nothing, but i go back, and still nothing, but i try again, different methods, different lures, what works what don't. Ive been a lead pastor now for 7 months. If i could give myself some advice it is Be PERSISTENT. GET OUT THERE, be obedient, if what your trying doesn't work today there's tomorrow, keep at it, don't give up, don't worry if your not catching That God's job. But the question is am I following Jesus? am I learning how to be a master fisherman by following Him? PERSISTENCE