EddieLyons.com

Amazed and Thankful

2009-12-31T10:34:00.003-06:00

This week in staff meeting we were thanking God for the good offerings in the month of December. We had exceeded our projections for income and had held the line in spending. And yet it was apparent that we would end the year in the red. The Finance Committee and Deacons were aware of this situation. Still, in staff meeting on Tuesday, December 29, I led in prayer to ask God to miraculously provide some unexpected offerings that would put us in the black.

The next day I ran into people who had brought in some offerings and most of the time I never even know the details. On Wednesday the 30th I was interrupted and was shown something that took my breath away. It was an offering for $100,000.

God does not always do what we ask. In those times we trust His goodness and remain grateful. But when God steps in like this it is amazing. I am glad to report we will end the year in the black with all reserve funds intact.

Conversations around the office have been amazing. Things like, “Why are we surprised when God answers our prayers?” I think the feeling of being surprised is the same feeling that comes when we are amazed and grateful altogether. God is good and we are overflowing with thanksgiving at the close of 2009.

One Vision.Two Services.One High Street

2009-03-07T17:01:00.004-06:00

I don't think we all know just yet what God is going to do with our plan to expand our services at High Street. I do know that when I invited someone to come to church today they asked me what time the service started. I answered, 10:30. They expressed some disappointment when they answered that they worked on Sunday. After loosing their job, they work whatever hours they can get at their new job. They said that they would not be able to go to church and make it to work on time. And then it dawned on me, we are going to have an early service in just a few weeks. I told her that on April 19 we would be adding an 8:30 service. They mentioned that an early service might allow them to come.

We will need to go back to some of our friends who have not been able to accept an invitation because of the the time of our service. With both an 8:30 and 11:00 service there will be a greater chance that something could work for them.

A NEW SERVICE - NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR INVITATIONS. We have a message we need to make it easy to hear. This new schedule will do that.

One Vision.Two Services.One High Street

2009-03-06T18:28:00.007-06:00

I am glad to announce the latest breaking news regarding our plan to expand our Worship Services.

After some very good and gracious feedback regarding our plan we have made some changes.

Some were glad for the additional time options for their families.

Others were concerned about being able to stay in their Sunday School classes. I was so blessed to receive emails and letters where people expressed how much how much they loved their Sunday School class. They talked about how blessed they were by their teachers and the people in the class. They talked about how much these relationships meant to them. It became very clear that with the new options to choose between the "Blended Classsic" and the "Blended Contemporary" people were disappointed when the option of their choice meant they could no longer be a part of their current Sunday School class. In response to this feedback we are glad to announce the following revised schedule that will begin the Sunday after Easter, April 19.

8:30 - Worship Service: Blended Classic
9:45 - Sunday School
11:00 - Worship Service: Blended Contemporary

The vision is to provide meaningful worship opportunities for everyone. Our goal is to have two well done, energetic services. There are many details yet to work out. I am looking forward to these changes.

The Family John Experiment

2009-01-22T23:20:00.005-06:00

Tonight we began the John Experiment as a family. All the kids were home and so after dinner we sat around the table and read through the first chapter of John. There are a couple of truths that drive this experiment for me:

1. The Word of God is alive.
2. The Holy Spirit is at work.

With that in mind we began and I shot up one of those prayers kind of like, "Lord please show up here tonight". A couple of the kids shared the reading of the 54 verses. I then asked the question, "What stuck out to you tonight?" Each kid shared the verse that stuck out to them and why. Here are a couple of their responses.

* John in one chapter summarizes the most important truths needed to understand salvation.
* The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world was a favorite theme.

We ended our discussion commenting on how John predicted that Jesus would baptize with the Holy Spirit. I asked if anyone could share an instance when they felt the Holy Spirit speaking to them. One kid described how they left their group of friends watching a DVD movie because they just did not feel like it was something they should watch. A simple nudging was what they felt and so they left. Another one followed with a comment about having watched something with so much profanity and vulgar words that they walked away feeling "grieved" by it. They determined that the Holy Spirit within them had been grieved. We all shared how that caring for James sometimes pushes all of us to our servant limits. And yet somehow we concluded that caring for him fell within the serving of the "least of these" that Jesus describes in Matthew 25.

My prayer had been answered. The Holy Spirit's presence was evident. The level of sharing penetrated deep within our souls and we shared a special moment not often found. I am even more convinced now.

1. The Word of God is alive.
2. The Holy Spirit is at work.

If you have not given the John Experiment a try in your family yet, try it. There is something about reading the Bible out loud together.

"My Story"

2008-12-25T15:38:00.006-06:00

This year we added a new tradition to our Christmas morning. After breakfast we all took the time to write out "My Story". With stories in hand we gathered before we exchanged gifts to each read our story. I will never forget that moment. Nothing in this world matters to me more than the salvation of my children and their walk with the Lord. It was my greatest gift to be able to hear their stories written by them read to all of us. The conversations continued as we asked questions and celebrated our individual and personal journeys and walk with the Lord.

Now the gifts of toys and and clothes and bath gels and on and on were great too. I really loved the simple dollar store basketball game I gave to James. Literally, I had to intercept it from James while he was opening other things to get the hang of it. Christmas is fun.

Special thanks to the photography of tiffanylyonsphotography.blogspot.com

Christmas Eve

2008-12-25T00:11:00.005-06:00

I love our Christmas Eve service at church. There is something very nice about starting the Christmas Day with extended Church Family. There is a real sense of community as people come together for a moment of worship with each other. Meeting with people who you love is what makes Christmas special.

After the service we spent a few minutes for some Christmas pictures. Somehow Christmas marks the passage of time for a family. The kids are growing up and every year that change a little bit. There is real love and peace around the table as we laugh and tell stories. I am so grateful for God's Word. It gives us instructions on how to keep the peace at home. It makes loving each other a joy. Peace on earth is great, but peace at home is especially sweet.

"Plastic Baby Jesus"

2008-12-22T19:16:00.006-06:00

We had some guests over at the house until late evening Friday night. When we went to the door to thank them for their visit we saw a "plastic baby Jesus" on the porch in front of the door. It was one of those lighted plastic Jesus figures in a manger that belongs with a nativity set. Well, what do you do with a stolen "plastic baby Jesus"? It was the perfect prank, someone stole it from a neighbor and implicated the pastor by putting it on his porch. The next day Cindy and I drove around the neighborhood looking for nativity sets missing baby Jesus. There were quite a few of these plastic nativity sets. All of them had their Jesus and then finally we found it, the Nativity set with the missing baby. I went up and rang the door bell excited to tell our neighbor we had their missing baby. An elderly lady came out to talk to me on that cold winter Saturday. I told her that I had a baby and maybe it was hers. She said, no, her baby Jesus was in the corner of her porch waiting for Christmas Day. She said “you can’t put out the baby until Christmas day. The baby isn’t born yet.” Well we still had a missing baby. So what do you do with a "plastic baby Jesus" that is stolen? You can’t keep it. You dare not throw it away. You would return it but don’t know where it belongs. Keep it and hope that the thief brings you Mary and Joseph the next year?

So what do you do? You work it into an illustration for Sunday's Christmas sermon. The illustration actually worked well with the message theme. After the service a very repentant prankster came up to confess that she (and her accomplice who was not with her) had done the prank. Well the story has a happy ending. I got a good illustration for a sermon. The pranksters made everything right by coming to get "plastic baby Jesus"and returning it to the waiting Joseph and Mary on somebody's yard.

The point is that for all of us Christmas is about some great things like trees and decorations, Stanta Claus and cooking and giving gifts and shopping and getting the most for your money and bargains and time off from school and work. But the truth is, if we forget that it really is about the Baby born to mankind who was God Himself we miss it completely. I want to wish you all a very MERRY CHRISTMAS.

Praying for President-elect Obama

2008-11-07T14:52:00.007-06:00

This week we had the opportunity to cast our vote. Watching the democratic process is truly an amazing part of our country’s DNA.

One of the important passages for any American young person is the first time they join the ranks of the adult world and cast their vote as a responsible citizen. My son Robert voted for the first time this year. I picked him up from school and took him to the polling place, his former elementary school. As we walked into the school he remarked that it was very familiar and yet so different. He commented that it looked smaller than when he was younger. On that day he was not a student but a citizen casting a vote that would determine the next leaders of our nation. I told him what line to get in and checked to make sure he had his voter identification card and his driver’s license. Then I told him that he was on his own. His vote was his to cast as he saw fit. There was a sacred sense in it all.

Our sophisticated system of vote counting did not leave us wondering who would win for very long. That same night, we watched as the winner was declared and the looser graciously conceded. This seamless process of the transition of power is what makes this such an amazing country.

As I watched President-elect Obama and his family take the stage there was this great sense of history. It was in a profound way a triumph of our value that “all men are created equal”. One of the ugliest parts of our nation’s history is the story of racism. There is no way I can as a white man I can ever fully understand the wounds inflicted on those who were the victims of this kind of prejudice. Watching the tears of those who do understand moved me. President-elect Obama summed up this amazing passage when he told of the black woman over 100 years old who had cast her vote for him. She has lived through times when not all people were treated with the equality and respect that all human beings deserve. There were times when a black man could not sit anywhere he wanted on a bus, use any bathroom or be served in any restaurant he might choose. She marveled that she had lived to see the day that she could vote for a black man to be the President of the United States. I pray that the election of President Obama will serve to heal wounds in this nation that have for too long marked us.

It is now my responsibility as a Christ follower and an American citizen to pray for our new President. We are commanded to pray for those in authority. Our leaders succeed better with our prayers. There is this attitude of honor and respectful support that is both cultivated and expressed when we pray for our leaders. One of the great mysteries of being both a Christian and a citizen is this idea that we choose, but that God sovereignly directs that choosing. It is God who puts a man up. It is my privilege to be part of President-elect Obama’s prayer team.

My prayer has been specifically that as the mantle of leadership falls on him that he would in that very lonely place realize that he needs Divine wisdom and guidance. While the President is constantly surrounded with people he is also very much alone. I pray that he will early on look to God for direction and be strengthened supernaturally as he leads. I also pray that God will bless his precious family as they transition into the unique setting of the White House. May God bless President-elect Obama and his family. And may God bless America.

Bruce Wilkinson

2008-11-04T17:15:00.000-06:00

LUNCH WITH BRUCE WILKINSON

Last week God set up an unexpected lunch with Bruce Wilkinson. He is the author of the best selling book, THE PRAYER OF JABEZ. This book sold 9 million copies and is estimated to have been read by 30 million people.

I first heard of Bruce Wilkinson while a student attending High Street. He was a guest speaker on Sunday and preached the sermon THE THREE CHAIRS. I can still remember the point of that message many years later. I also remember going through the Bible program, WALK THROUGH THE BIBLE. So you can see that for me it was quite an unexpected gift to be able to spend some 3 hours over lunch with this man.

It all started when he was the guest speaker at the radio stations Pastors Appreciation Lunch at Bass Pro Shop. His message was both thought provoking and compelling and focused on the need for the church to return to and emphasis on small groups and away from the once a week service focus. During his talk he stopped and said that he felt like God wanted him to come back to Springfield to talk further with pastors if there was any interest. He pulled out his calendar and said, I have one date left this month, October 23. If there are any pastors interested let me know. Many pastors indicated that they wanted him to return. When he sat down I felt led to offer to pay for his room if he came back. I took out a business card and quietly approached his table just before we were dismissed. I handed it to him and said that if he would come back, High Street would pay for his room. He whispered to me, "High Street. I remember being there with David Cavin."

We exchanged a few emails mostly with his assistant to arrange accommodations when he decided he was in fact coming. On the 23rd about 90 pastors got together at the Holiday Inn North for what was a 10-11 hour day with him. It was a very interesting and thought provoking day. At the end of the day he graciously handed out copies of his books. The group crowded around him waiting for his to sign a book. I only decided to approach him because Cindy was talking and the room had pretty much emptied. When I asked for the signature his assistant mentioned that High Street had taken care of their rooms. He thanked me, continued to sign and then looked at me and said, "I think we are suppose to talk. Can you talk tomorrow. I feel like we are suppose to spend time together." And so that is how it happened. We met at 11 and for 3 hours it was like having a special time with a mentor. He asked penetrating questions about myself, my family and ministry. At one point he asked if he could go to the church. We did go and he looked around and he prayed for me and the church standing in front of the auditorium. it was a special time.

I left the experience having received some personal instruction and some powerful encouragement. It was a great day. He is a man of faith. He asked God for some very difficult things and is not afraid to move in faith and try to do the impossible. He told me that he felt like God was going to bless High Street and said we would be one of those TURNAROUND CHURCHES. His faith was catching. It was a great and unexpected gift.

Great Missionary Stories

2008-10-09T22:31:00.002-05:00

This is mission conference week. One of my favorite weeks of the year. We have missionaries from; India, Costa Rica, Mexico, Sweden, France, and Wales. Today we took them fishing on the lake near the Branson Landing. Some of our group caught some small fish. Others (like me) caught nothing. We did however have a great time getting to know our missionaries.

Richie from Wales told me how he was 24 years old when he really heard the gospel and got saved. It took 24 years and he lived in the United States. He described how he felt like life was going no where, with no purpose and was not sure what was wrong. He and his wife went to church and they were so impressed with the hospitality of the other young couples. They soon became regular attenders and even got involved by going on visitation. One night he was visiting with his pastor, Dennis Jennings (now Pastor of Cherry St. Baptist in Springfield) and listened to him share the gospel with the person they were visiting. They left and Richie told Dennis that he did not have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and was saved that night.

Paul Dedeyan from France described how as a Frenchman in the US Air Force he ended up in Texas. His friends asked him if was interested in going on a blind date. Being from France, he was not familiar with that term. He thought that meant going out with a blind girl. He said that he agreed and was told he would have to go meet her parents first. When he went to her house and met her parents she came out and he was thinking that she got around so well for a blind girl. She really wasn't blind. She later became his wife.

Sam Thomas from India told us tonight that he and his evangelistic team went to a new area to hold an open air meeting. They got all set up and since rainy season begins in June and it was only April they did not worry about rain. Just before their meeting as everyone was assembled, without a cloud in the sky it rained and did so for an hour and a half. By the time the rain quit every one had gone. Disappointed they went home that night. The next day they learned that they were in the area where there were some militant religious groups that had planned an attack on them during the meeting. The rain stopped not only their meeting but also this attack. God's protection is real and so necessary.

We exchanged funny stories about cross cultural moments and had a great time at the Schaffitzels for Tony's amazing ribs and Gaye's spectacular home made rolls. It was a good time. I look forward to more stories as the conference continues.

Cindy and I sat and watched the news today. The stock market has dropped and money has evaporated like the wind. Cindy mentioned how glad she was that we choose to give to missions even sacrificing investment opportunities to do so. She pointed out that money in the stock market had gone away but our investment in missions is something that endures throughout eternity.

The "Non-Athlete Athlete"

2008-10-08T22:38:00.000-05:00

My son Robert recently put together, what is now one of my favorite videos. He is actually a much better athlete than he gives himself credit for. Hope you enjoy it. I actually make a cameo appearance towards the end. The truth is I was reading his script. I truly LOVE going to his games. Go Hornets!

iTrain30

2008-09-30T22:27:00.000-05:00

Reading for Day 30
September 30

Col. 4:16-18
Psalm 25:1-15
Prov. 6:6-11

Psalm 25:4 Show me the right path, O Lord; point out the road for me to follow.

I think this is a great summary prayer. My desire truly is for God to show me the right path. This would be true for me personally including, shat I think, who I am and what I do. This would be true as I live out the different roles of my life; husband, father, son, brother, friend, pastor. To see a prayer like this in scripture assures me that God does show the right path and the right road to those who are seeking.

I pray that this 30 days of devotion will not end here. The reason for this exercise was to establish the personal discipline of a daily quiet time. Thank you for coming along this journey with me.

iTrain30

2008-09-29T21:21:00.000-05:00

Reading for Day 29
September 29

Col. 4:7-15
Psalm 24:1-10
Prov. 6:1-5

Paul closes out the book of Colossians by mentioning 9 fellow workers by name. Paul is not shy about the love he has for these people. He sends Tychicus to find out about them. He describes Tychicus as a beloved brother, a faithful minister and a fellow servant. He then goes on to mention Onesimus and describes him as a faithful and beloved brother. He goes on to talk about the others and how there is this interconnected concern that is expressed not only in letters but through constant prayers for each other. Paul values people and relationships.

This passage reminds me that the people God has put around me are important and I should not take this blessing for granted. The greatest fellowship we have is with those who join us in serving the Lord. God is so good to surround me with great people. I truly love them and thank God for the great fellowship we enjoy.

God often brings people to my mind for prayer. Emails are a great way for me to pray for special requests. Our prayers for each other really do make a difference.

Well we have almost made to the end of our iTrain exercise. I have very much enjoyed this. I hope this has helped to establish your more firmly in your discipline of daily personal devotion. It has helped me stay on track personally. Your comments have been great to read. I don’t know that I have ever been a part of a personal devotion group like this before. I loved it. Thanks for coming along on this journey. I will miss this when we are done.

Reading for Day 30
September 30

Col. 4:16-18
Psalm 25:1-15
Prov. 6:6-11

iTrain30

2008-09-28T21:32:00.000-05:00

Reading for Day 28
September 28

Col. 4:1-6
Psalm 23:1-6
Prov. 5:22-23

There is something amazing about Psalm 23. The idea of having God shepherd us is very securing. His promise is to provide all we need, green pastures and calm waters. He renews strength and leads us down right paths. The darkest valleys of life may scare us but He promises to walk with us. He will tap us with his staff to correct and guide us. There is great comfort from the rod’s constant nudging because it means my Shepherd is still with me. I can deal with the conflict of enemies and find peace in the middle of it all to sit down to a banquet. He blesses me to the point that my cup runs over. And surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Now that brings me a great sense of security when I face the uncertainty of the future. How great is it to have a God who is this involved in my life. A God who cares enough to do all this for me. This Psalm is surely one that deserves to be memorized. That way it can go with me everywhere.

Reading for Day 29
September 29

Col. 4:7-15
Psalm 24:1-10
Prov. 6:1-5

iTrain30

2008-09-27T22:23:00.001-05:00

Reading for Day 27

September 27

Col. 3:18-25
Psalm 22:19-31
Prov. 5:15-21

Reading through Colossians 3 we discover a new life and a new focus.

When we come to Christ some radical things take place. All of a sudden we are not helpless to navigate life with our power alone. In fact, the entrance of this new power is described as putting off the old man and his ways and putting on the new man.

This new man thinks differently and is like the one who created us. This is no simple revision of who we are. The difference is described like this, we died and are now hidden in Christ. This is new life.

We are also given a new focus. Ordinary things we do and say are to be done in the name of Jesus. These ordinary things if done with this new focus can be done not only for the people around us but for the Lord Christ. So when I love my wife and parent my kids I do it for them but I should also know that doing a good job in these areas also pleases the Lord. He wants me to be a great husband and father. When I do the ordinary jobs that go with my weekly tasks I do them for the Lord. The mundane, ordinary and sometimes tedious and routine things can take on greater meaning when I remember that I do them for the Lord. So how do I serve the Lord? I serve the Lord in everything I do. God wants me to get it right and to be the best I can be and when I do this, I am serving the Lord.

God leads me to be all I can be everywhere I am. This is something to think about.

Reading for Day 28
September 28

Col. 4:1-6
Psalm 23:1-6
Prov. 5:22-23

iTrain30

2008-09-26T23:42:00.000-05:00

Reading for Day 26
September 26

Col. 3:1-17
Psalm 22:1-18
Prov. 5:7-14

Written hundreds of years before Christ Psalm 22 weaves together amazing details that later appear as part of the story of Jesus.

“My God, My God why have you forsaken me.” These words of Jesus on the cross are in fact a quote from this passage. There are details that fulfill the prophecies in this passage. He was despised, mocked, his heart melted, bones were out of joint. One of the amazing attention getters of the Bible are the details of the life of Christ clearly recorded hundreds of years before they were acted out in His life. The plan had been clearly laid. The fulfillment of the details proves that there was a divine plan. Jesus was who he said he was.

Within this Psalm are so many common human experiences. There is the question that goes up to God, “Why have you forsaken me.” The silence of God is something we all have experienced in our lives. When we get to those times, Jesus understands. Jesus understood what it was like to be despised and mocked. He understands physical pain and hurt. He is an intercessor who can understand us.

The amazing thing about Jesus is that while He was God He chose to endure these tough experiences in order to save mankind. This is why we love Jesus. He paid for us. He understands us. We can look to Him as our Savior. That is why I love Him so much.

Reading for Day 27
September 27

Col. 3:18-25
Psalm 22:19-31
Prov. 5:15-21

iTrain30

2008-09-25T23:46:00.000-05:00

Reading for Day 25
September 25

Col. 2:16-23
Psalm 21:1-13
Prov. 5:1-6

NOT RULE KEEPING BUT LOVING THE ONE WHO RULES

Colossians speaks to the tendency within us to shift our focus from the living Christ to rules and regulations. We are very prone to develop and impose rules and from there we judge who is spiritual and who is not. We also grow to believe that our source of spiritual strength and growth comes from our ability to keep the rules. The truth is that we grow when we are nourished by Christ.

“For we are joined together in his body by his strong sinews, and we grow only as we get our nourishment and strength from God.”

Getting our nourishment from Christ is about a living relationship.

One area that illustrates this truth for me has been this idea of daily Bible reading and devotion. I can so easily move from an attitude where I am seeking God and wanting to know Him better into a kind of “get the reading done so I can feel good about myself”. Now the discipline of personal devotion is a great thing, but it can loose its power when we shift the focus from seeking God to fulfilling our duty. I guess it all comes down to the heart issue of why we are doing what we do. Now this is not to say that we can violate the clearly established boundaries of righteousness if we don’t feel like doing what is right. We just need to remember that we grow not from rule keeping but from learning to love the one who rules.

Reading for Day 26
September 26

Col. 3:1-17
Psalm 22:1-18
Prov. 5:7-14

iTrain30

2008-09-24T23:13:00.000-05:00

Reading for Day 24
September 24

Col. 2:6-15
Psalm 20:1-9
Prov. 4:20-27

I love bleach. Cleaning the kitchen I love to take out the cleanser with bleach and sprinkle it out over the dirty, stained sink. And then like magic before my eyes, the ugly stains fade away and the sink is beautifully clean again.

So what is the solution for the dirty stains in our lives that come as a result of sin? Colossians puts it so well.

Colossians 2:13-14 And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.

And the place of cleansing is clearly stated. All of the ugliness of our sin was nailed to the cross and we are forgiven.

God paid so much for us. Sin is that ugly and He loves us that much.

Reading for Day 25
September 25

Col. 2:16-23
Psalm 21:1-13
Prov. 5:1-6

iTrain30

2008-09-23T23:37:00.001-05:00

Reading for Day 23
September 23

Col. 1:24 - Col. 2:5
Psalm 19:1-14
Prov. 4:14-19

Psalm 19 is so fascinating. It starts with the general revelation of God through the creation, verses 1-7. It then goes to the special revelation of God through the Bible, verses 8-11. Lastly it goes on to talk about the personal revelation that comes to us through the work of the Holy Spirit, verses 12-14.

So to apply this Psalm, I will look up into the blue sky and take notice of the beautiful green trees whose leaves are starting to turn color. The more I read about the intricate design of creation the more I marvel at the handiwork of God.

Then I will take time to read the Bible. I want to have my soul converted, to become wise, to rejoice deep within and to have my eyes enlightened. It is truly more valuable than gold.

Lastly, I will meditate on what I read and allow the Holy Spirit to do the work of personal application within me. I know that it takes God’s work to help hidden things get rooted out and dealt with.

Lastly, I come to one of my most prayed prayers. A prayer in times of weakness, of temptation, or to start the day off right.

14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
Be acceptable in Your sight,
O LORD, my strength and my Redeemer.

God reaches out to me in the big picture of creation. He speaks very clearly through His Word. He also speaks so personally to me as I meditate on scripture in His presence. Thank God for these truths.

Reading for Day 24
September 24

Col. 2:6-15
Psalm 20:1-9
Prov. 4:20-27

iTrain30

2008-09-22T11:21:00.001-05:00

Reading for Day 22
September 22

Col. 1:15-23
Psalm 18:37-50
Prov. 4:11-13

Col. 1:3-6 We give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of your love for all the saints; because of the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, of which you heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel, which has come to you, as it has also in all the world, and is bringing forth fruit, as it is also among you since the day you heard and knew the grace of God in truth;

Last night in our small group we did as we usually do, divide the men and women for a time of prayer. We shared what our weeks had been like and then naturally went into what concerns we needed others to pray with us about. Sometimes the requests are very specific. Other times they are general conerns; family, finances, health or relationships. There are even those very personal needs that are represented by something like “an unspoken prayer need”. The great thing is that while people share according to their level of comfort, everyone declares they need the prayers of others. There is a unity, a compassion, a concern, a bearing of each others burdens that feels a lot live loving each other.

Paul in the first few verses of Colossians kind of declares the starting point of their fellowship.

We all begin by thanking our Lord Jesus Christ who is the reason we are even together. No one has touched us so deeply, given so much, changed our lives so profoundly and given us hope like Jesus Christ. Our relationship with Christ is the starting point. Someone who loves me, loves you. Someone I love, you love and so that makes us love each other.

I look up to Jesus and across the table at you and can’t help but want to pray for you.

When I hear of your faith – I am inspired. Some of the greatest expressions of faith I hear come from people who are still in the middle of some trial or difficulty. They may still be confused and struggling to understand what God and is doing and why He is allowing something, but they are still holding on in faith. When they begin to share what they are learning I gain new perspectives and in some way, learn right along with them. When they give thanks for what troubles them, I see a peace that passes understanding demonstrated before my eyes. We pray for things to change and the trouble to pass, but we are not discouraged because their faith in God and trust in Him somehow gets showcased more profoundly in the middle of it all.

And then the hope of heaven shows up in our prayers as well. It hurts to see people loose a love one to death. Our hearts hurt and we grieve right with them. But we also experience a fresh and powerful grace because of the hope of heaven.

What Paul writes about many years ago still shows us in my small group. We must be on a good path.

Reading for Day 23
September 23

Col. 1:24 - Col. 2:5
Psalm 19:1-14
Prov. 4:14-19

iTrain30

2008-09-22T10:25:00.001-05:00

Reading for Days 21, 22, 23

September 21

Col. 1:1-14
Psalm 18:16-36
Prov. 4:7-10

September 22

Col. 1:15-23
Psalm 18:37-50
Prov. 4:11-13

September 23

Col. 1:24 - Col. 2:5
Psalm 19:1-14
Prov. 4:14-19

I apologize for dropping the ball yesterday. It was a day that began early and continued until I dropped into bed. It was only after an early morning meeting today that I realized forgetting to post yesterday. The readings for today and tomorrow are posted above. I will have more to say later today.

iTrain30

2008-09-20T22:54:00.001-05:00

Reading for Day 20
September 20

Eph. 6:10-20
Psalm 18:1-15
Prov. 4:1-6

One of the great things about fall is the high school football games. A couple of Fridays ago was Robert's first home game. The girls and James and I were excited to watch the game.

The one thing about playing football is that you can't play the game and not expect to get hit. Even the way the players are dressed makes it clear that everyone has to be ready to be tackled. You can't get on the field without the pads and the helmet. It is just part of the plan. It is amazing to watch the football players take hit after hit and get up and keep playing. They can do this because they have the mindset to get ready for the hit. They have gone through the conditioning and they are wearing the right equipment.

Paul writes in Ephesians 6 that we are all on the team and we need to get ready for the game. Only this is more than a game, it is a war. And so he leads out with "Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil." He prepares our mindset by telling us in advance that we are going to have to get ready for the hits from the devil. He tells us to be strong, get conditioned and be ready for the struggle. Lastly, he tells us to put on the uniform, the armor of God.

Sometimes, I forget that life is not a picnic but rather a battleground. We can make it if we can be "strong in the Lord" and in the "power of His might". We are not left alone to fend for ourselves. Christ lends us His power and strength. We can survive and win the challenges because of who stands with us.

Reading for Day 21
September 21

Col. 1:1-14
Psalm 18:16-36
Prov. 4:7-10

iTrain30

2008-09-19T22:59:00.000-05:00

Reading for Day 19
September 19

Eph. 6:1-9
Psalm 17:1-15
Prov. 3:33-35

Where do we go when we are stuck in the lonely spot of being unjustly criticized and condemned? We may be moved by our emotions in the wrong directions of unhealthy talk or even vengeance. David as he models so often in the Psalm goes to God. God knows the truth. There is nothing hidden from Him. One of the greatest things David shows us is honesty and transparency in the presence of God. In verse one David talks about being honest with himself in the presence of God.

“Give ear to my prayer which is not from deceitful lips.”

Sorting through the expressed falsehoods and accusations that go with this kind of experience is tough and yet vital. David continues with

“You have tested my thoughts and examined my heart in the night. You have scrutinized me and found nothing amiss, for I am determined not to sin in what I say.”

What criticisms are true, where did I go wrong, what do I need to correct and what are untruths. To honestly evaluate things is tough. It is also an effort to not allow the lies to stick inside of us. Where do we go for justice? Who can be our advocate? Who knows the truth? David processes these things in the only place of real justice, God’s presence. And there he gains strength as he requests to be guarded like the apple of God's eye. Now it seems a bit presumptuous to ask to be the apple of God’s eye. And yet that is a wonderful truth that we need to claim. We are precious to God. We do matter to Him. We are the apple of His eye. And this can be very strengthening when we are being attacked. Our enemies see no value in us. David boldly asks to be guarded as the apple of God’s eye. David finds refuge from the chaos of all of this in the shadow of God’s wings. When the rest of the world misjudges us we can be at peace in the shadow of God’s wings. When you think of it, God’s opinion of the situation and us matters more than any other. To sense His favor and vindication can give us grace to respond supernaturally. The most vital relationship we have is our relationship to God.

Reading for Day 20
September 20

Eph. 6:10-20
Psalm 18:1-15
Prov. 4:1-6

iTrain30

2008-09-18T23:14:00.001-05:00

Reading for Day 18
September 18

Eph. 5:22-33
Psalm 16:1-11
Prov. 3:27-32

As I read Ephesians today I am struck by the active role God plays in the church and in our lives subsequently. This passage gives us amazing insight into the heart of God regarding the church. I don't read that Christ scolds the church, tolerates the church, is disappointed by the church. What I do read is that Christ loved the Church. He gave Himself for her so that He could sanctify and cleanse her. Christ is actively working to remove any spot or wrinkle so that we can be presented holy and without blemish. So God is working in us. He takes great interest in His Church. He works to purify and cleanse the church - admittedly a big and ongoing job. But because of His love for the Church, He is willing to do this. I also read that the Lord nourishes and cherishes the church. He considers us part of His body and flesh and bones. What a commitment to the church. Sometimes we can grow the believe that church is all about what we are doing and we pray for God to bless it. Really, it is more about what God is doing.

So Christ loves the Church.
Christ is not turned away by the spots and wrinkles. These blemishes do not cause Him to turn away. They actually move Him to action. He is very committed to making us presentable.
Christ nourishes - or gives us what we need to grow.
We are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones.

We are in a dynamic and hope-filled relationship with Christ. He loves His Church. We can expect God to be at work our of His great love and that is great news.

Reading for Day 19
September 19

Eph. 6:1-9
Psalm 17:1-15
Prov. 3:33-35

iTrain30

2008-09-17T22:52:00.000-05:00

Reading for Day 17
September 17

Eph. 5:1-21
Psalm 15:1-5
Prov. 3:21-26

This past week in our small groups we studied about the Bible. One of the things that proves that God inspired the writing of scripture is the "internal consistency" of the Bible. As we have been reading small portions from the New Testament, the Psalms and Proverbs we have had a chance to see how consistent the message of the Bible really is.

In Psalms we hear about dwelling in the God's holy hill. In Ephesians we are instructed to be filled with the Holy Spirit. God wants a relationship with us. Proverbs echo's the call to right living that is found in both Psalms and Ephesians. Sometimes we overlook the fact that these same themes are repeated with great consistency through the Bible. The reason for this, God Himself wrote the Bible. He used different men at different times in different circumstances and still the major themes are consistent. We always meet a God committed to righteousness. A God who reaches out to mankind with compassion. This is great stuff. We can have confidence when we read.

Reading for Day 18
September 18

Eph. 5:22-33
Psalm 16:1-11
Prov. 3:27-32

iTrain30

2008-09-16T22:58:00.001-05:00

Reading for Day 16
September 16

Eph. 4:17-32
Psalm 14:1-7
Prov. 3:19-20

There is something great about buying and wearing a new shirt. Old shirts get stained, torn, nubby, faded and just not so good. I like the look and feel of a new shirt. I love this passage in Ephesians. To think that it is possible to PUT OFF THE OLD MAN and to PUT ON THE NEW MAN is just amazing. This passage is one of the most practical, convicting and hope-filled sections of scripture. We don't have to be dominated by the old nature. The lusts of our flesh that lead us wrong decisions. There are several simple and yet life changing commands.

Stop the lying and speak the truth.
Be angry and do not sin. Anger does not have to dominate us.
Don't let the sun go down on your wrath. Cindy and I agreed when we got married that we would never go to sleep mad at each other. By God's grace, we have been blessed by this simple decision. No grudge holding or silent treatment that lasts for days. Simple accounting, everything goes back to zero everyday. Grace pours out and covers it all. I know this is God's work and rejoice in His gift.
No stealing, but hard work. Not getting what we did not earn but the goal of earning enough to give. What a change in focus. Transformed from takers to givers.
No corrupt communication. This is kind of a blanket statement that overcomes any legalistic list of words not to say. The goal is to let words be about building up not bringing down.
Get rid of bitterness, wrath, anger, clamour, mean spirited words and malice.
Be all about kindness and forgiving. We are not perfect and from time to time sparks will fly. While our old man wants to fight, and hold on to hurt and anger, God leads us to a great door of freedom and renewed fellowship. A simple word with big effects - forgive. Just like Christ has forgiven us. None of this is easy, but what a git to have the hope of living above the fray.

One of the most stirring verses is 30, "do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God". God wants great things for us. When we live lessor lives than what He wants to give us, we loose and He is grieved for us. God has a profound sadness for us when we don't take advantage of the NEW MAN.

I remember that there came a time in my life when one of the greatest motivations was to please my parents. To look in their eyes and see they were disappointed in me hurt. And so today, I confess where I have gone wrong and ask God to give me His supernatural strength to put on this NEW MAN.

And so it serves us well to ask the Holy Spirit each day if there is something that grieved Him and make it right and ask for His help.

Reading for Day 17

September 17

Eph. 5:1-21
Psalm 15:1-5
Prov. 3:21-26

iTrain30

2008-09-15T20:38:00.000-05:00

Reading for Day 15
September 15

Eph. 4:1-16
Psalm 13:1-6
Prov. 3:16-18

I really appreciate what Gary Brown had to say about his friend. I would like to remind you of his comment.

I asked a good friend of mine after Christmas once if he got "everything his heart desired for Christmas," and with a gentle smile he responded, "I already have it." We have the greatest treasure, already, through Christ and His word (forgiveness and eternal life)! No need to search for fulfillment in things (stuff), etc.--Thank you Lord!

What a great expression of Proverbs 3:13-18.

"Happy is the man who finds wisdom, And the man who gains understanding;
For her proceeds are better than the profits of silver, And her gain than fine gold.
She is more precious than rubies, And all the things you may desire cannot compare with her.
Length of days is in her right hand, In her left hand riches and honor.
Her ways are ways of pleasantness, And all her paths are peace.
She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her, And happy are all who retain her."

His words give testimony to the truth of these verses. Wisdom is where it is at; happiness, our desires satisfied, length of days, riches and honor, pleasantness and peace. This pursuit of God with a willingness to learn and change and to be transformed by Him is what we are doing through this iTrain30 exercise. I want to thank those of you who are with me on this journey. I am encouraged by your comments and inspired by your insight.

As I think about my children and the people I love it dawned on me that pretty much that this passage is what I hope for them. In brief, I pray that they will go after Wisdom.

Reading for Day 16
September 16

Eph. 4:17-32
Psalm 14:1-7
Prov. 3:19-20

iTrain30

2008-09-14T23:36:00.001-05:00

Reading for Day 14

September 14

Eph. 3:14-20
Psalm 12:1-8
Prov. 3:13-15

Ephesians 3:20-21 is one my most often recited verses. I often pray this verse back to God as I dream for our Church. I dream of the building filled all the way to the balcony. If I was going to dream big, I would ask for God to use us to reach people with the gospel and then see the chain of evangelism reach within their families and friends. I have seen God do this recently in a family who is in our church. My big dream is that this story would be repeated hundreds of times. If I dream big about my family, I pray that my children would walk close to the Lord and serve Him great passion and carry the message into the next generation. And so I will go to bed with this verse on my mind and will probably recite it before I get out of bed tomorrow morning. He is a God who is that powerful.

Ephesians 3:20-21

Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

"Lord come and manifest your presence among us. Do your work through us. Let us be your church. Let us raise up a godly generation to keep the message of your great love and wonderful salvation going."

Reading for Day 15

September 15

Eph. 4:1-16
Psalm 13:1-6
Prov. 3:16-18

iTrain30

2008-09-13T23:36:00.001-05:00

Reading for Day 13

September 13

Eph. 3:1-13
Psalm 11:1-7
Prov. 3:11-12

Do you ever feel like up is down and down is up in our world? The morality that our culture once acknowledged seems to be getting challenged at every turn. It very much feels like foundational truths are collapsing. When we talk about the Biblical truths that guides our lives we seem out of touch and old fashioned. It is easy to feel intimidated because many times we are in the minority. Psalm 11 reassures us that the Lord still rules from heaven, from His holy Temple. He is still in charge and His ways are right.

The tragedy is that the further our culture gets from the truth that God has established, the more pain, suffering and desperation will be experienced in our world. This is a great opening for us to be the light in the darkness. Our challenge is to be this light with grace and love.

Reading for Day 14

September 14

Eph. 3:14-20
Psalm 12:1-8
Prov. 3:13-15

iTrain30

2008-09-12T11:13:00.003-05:00

Reading for Day 12

September 12

Eph. 2:11-22
Psalm 10:16-18
Prov. 3:9-10

Hearing from the Lord is a funny thing. Sometimes you read and it comes so easily. The words on the page of your Bible seem to go bold and italics all at the same time. The word captures your thoughts, heart and spirit in a flash. Other times you read and while the power of the word is not diminished, there is not a great moment of inspiration. You may have had one of those times since starting our iTrain exercise. Today, I kind of had one of those moments. My greatest moment of inspiration really came with yesterday's reading and it is still has me. So I will start there.

Ephesians 2 starts with one of the greatest descriptions of human beings. We are either dead or alive. Jesus made us ALIVE. We were dead in trespasses and sins, trapped in the sinful thoughts and actions and having a spirit of disobedience. And then we met the grace of God. God who is rich in mercy and motivated by His great love saved us. FOR BY GRACE YOU HAVE BEEN SAVED. And because of love and mercy and grace we sit together with Christ Jesus. Jesus now shows us the "exceeding riches of His grace". We are overwhelmed by His kindness. Now that is something to celebrate.

I pray that we will be aware of His kindness today.

Reading for day 13
September 13

Eph. 3:1-13
Psalm 11:1-7
Prov. 3:11-12

iTrain30

2008-09-11T09:56:00.001-05:00

Reading for Day 11
September 11

Eph. 2:1-10
Psalm 10:1-15
Prov. 3:7-8

It is September 11. This is a day that we are reminded that we live in a world of evil. Psalm 10 talks about the burden of evil that every generation since the fall has had to deal with. We are no exception. This Psalm begins with "Why do You stand afar off, O Lord? Why do You hide in times of trouble?" When evil prevails we struggle. And then in verse 14 the writer takes a turn in his thoughts. He remembers that in fact God has seen and is active against evil. "But You have seen, for You, observe trouble and grief, To repay it by Your hand." God is not aloof and uninterested. He does see and observes trouble and grief and He cares.

Watching the coverage of the memorial ceremonies today, the camera picked up a mother hugging her son who would have been in his early teens. This boy lost a loved one when he was very young. Today as he remembered, the tears would not stop flowing as he held on to his mother and wiped the tears that would not stop. God saw that also. I am not certain, but assume that this boy most likely lost his father. This Psalm goes on to declare that God is a helper of the fatherless. Today God is watching and today, God is the helper we need. I thank God that He has limited the onslaught of evil since September 11, 2001. There have not been other September 11 days for our nation. This is evidence of the goodness of God to hold back evil. I pray for our President, the Vice-President, Cabinet, our military and other leaders of our nation. They carry bigger burdens for us than we often call to mind. Thank God for his blessing America.

Reading for Day 12

September 12

Eph. 2:11-22
Psalm 10:16-18
Prov. 3:9-10

iTrain30

2008-09-10T09:04:00.001-05:00

Reading for Day 10

September 10

Eph. 1:15-23
Psalm 9:13-20
Prov. 3:1-6

Sometimes our prayers for people can be shallow. We often use the phrase, “and bless” so and so. Our prayers for each other can be taken up with important, but kind of temporal requests for money, health, relationship problems and the like. It is so interesting to read exactly how Paul prayed for these saints in Ephesus. These are not the run of the mill prayer topics. They run deep – here are some of them.

Paul gives thanks and then asks for the following:

• That they would have the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him.
• That they eyes of their understanding would be enlightened.
• That they would know what is the hope of His calling.
• That they would know what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance as saints.
• That they would know the exceeding greatness of His power toward those who believe. This is the power that raised Jesus at the resurrection and then elevated Him to the right hand of the Father above all principality and power and might and dominion and above every name in this age and in the ages to come.
• This power is in Christ and the focus of Christ is the Church. We are the Church and we are His body.

Now today I am going to pray this prayer for you and our Church. How about if you we all pray for our spouses, children this way. Pick out a few people in church and pray this prayer for them. Then lets all pray for our Church. This is the key to our Church being all God would want us to be.

Dear God, I thank you for my wife and children, my church family. Now God I pray that the eyes of their understanding would be enlightened. What a great thing this kind of supernatural enlightening would be for my kids and for all of us. I pray that we would all be more aware of the hope of Your calling. Your calling is not a burden, but it is the source of our great hope. God help us all to know and remember that we have been adopted into Your family and ours are riches of glory – an inheritance that is amazing. God help us to have a greater awareness of Your power in our lives and in our Church. Amen.

Reading for Day 11

September 11

Eph. 2:1-10
Psalm 10:1-15
Prov. 3:7-8

iTrain30

2008-09-09T08:45:00.000-05:00

Reading for Day 9

September 9

Eph. 1:1-14
Psalm 9:1-12
Prov. 2:16-22

Have you ever had fickle friends? You know they get a plan going and invite you to go along. Your anticipation and excitement builds and then at the last minute they tell you that there is not room for you. Sorry. Sometimes people you love and grow to trust stop loving you. They change their mind about you and it hurts. It also leaves us with a new insecurity. People who have been abandoned, betrayed or just forgotten often have a hard time trusting.

Ephesians 1 is a beautiful passage where we see this love of God directed toward us as something that is not going to change. The spiritual blessings God directs toward us through Jesus Christ are not temporary or changeable. We have been CHOSEN BEFORE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD, we have "according to the good pleasure of His will" been adopted. I love the “good pleasure of His will” because that means that God wants us. It is not just a sense of duty but there is this divine enthusiasm to adopt us. We are also ACCEPTED in the Beloved. Acceptance is something we all long for. And so if God’s accepts me what more can there be. It may hurt when people don’t accept us, but somehow since God has accepted me I can survive. The rich language goes on and on in this passage.

What I take away from this is a great sense of security in my relationship with God. He did not choose me on a whim that will pass. I am part of His eternal plan of the ages. This relationship I have with God is firmly established. I can trust and rest and rejoice in this. This is great stuff.

Reading for Day 10

September 10

Eph. 1:15-23
Psalm 9:13-20
Prov. 3:1-6

iTrain30 – I want to thank those of you who take time to offer a comment or just say that you are reading. This has been a great experience for me personally. There is something very amazing about having personal time with the Lord, knowing that others are there with me. The accountability and encouragement is great.

If you have gotten sidetracked, I encourage you to jump back on board. If you are just beginning, welcome.

iTrain30

2008-09-08T23:11:00.002-05:00

Reading for Day 8

September 8

Phil. 4:10-23
Psalm 8:1-9
Prov. 2:6-15

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” There are a lot of reasons to need to remember this verse. There are times I have to do things I have never done before. There are times when I have to do things I don’t like. There are times I have to do things that are hard. There are times when I have to do things and I am tired. To think that Christ is at my side to give me strength makes a big difference.

This comes the same day that Psalm 8 reminds us of how great God is. And to think that God is mindful of man is amazing. And then in Philippians this God sends Christ and He gives us strength in all things.

A great God who is mindful of us and personally involved in giving strength for whatever comes our way. Life in relationship with God is the best.

Reading for Day 9

September 9

Eph. 1:1-14
Psalm 9:1-12
Prov. 2:16-22

Today I went up to Kansas City to speak at a Pastor's Fellowship Meeting. Joey Candillo was the host pastor. He shared his testimony of how he was in prison and walked into hear a chaplain. He described how a great guilt came over him and he began to cry. The chaplain shared the gospel and asked if anyone wanted to be forgiven. He went forward and prayed for forgiveness and he described how he got up from his knees and felt as if a weight of bricks had been lifted. He said everything changed. He smiled so much the prison authorities asked him what kind of drug he was on. After getting out of prison he went to Eastside Baptist and asked Pastor Otis Nixdorf if he could attend church there. From there he went to BBC. After college he started a church in the inner city of KC. There was a Baptist Church near them that had dwindled down to 15 members. They approached Joey about merging churches and the rest is history. We met in that church today. It is a historic turn of the century building. Amazing how God works. He is mindful of us and gives strength to those who are in Christ.

iTrain30

2008-09-07T20:08:00.001-05:00

Day 7
September 7

Phil. 4:1-9
Psalm 7:1-17
Prov. 2:1-5

Before we go to our iTrain discussion, I just want to thank God for the great day we had this Friend Day at High Street. I loved walking around church and being introduced to the friends who had been invited. Some people made decisions to accept Jesus Christ. There is nothing sweeter than that. We also enjoyed a wonderful time during the “Cardboard Testimony Parade”. It is amazing how profound summary statements of how God has made a difference in our lives scribbled on simple cardboard can be. I was truly blessed to be able to celebrate God’s goodness with others. No doubt the witness presented will continue to impact people in the coming days and weeks.

Philippians 4:1-9 is one of the riches passages.

It is clear that Paul loves the people he is writing. He begins to give some important instructions.In rapid fire fashion he reminds us of the following:

• Move toward unity.
• Help each others move toward unity.
• We are all fellow workers and our names are in the Book of Life
• Rejoice always. This is important – rejoice.
• Be gentle – The Lord is at hand. God is watching every conversation and encouter and He is looking for gentleness.
• Don’t worry. Pray with thanksgiving – this is the way to let peace guard your heart.
• Be careful what you think about.

These few statements put into practice could revolutionize our lives. I need to give them all more attention.

Reading for Day 8

September 8

Phil. 4:10-23
Psalm 8:1-9
Prov. 2:6-15

iTrain30

2008-09-06T10:28:00.002-05:00

Reading for Day 6
September 6

Phil. 3:12-21
Psalm 6:1-10
Prov. 1:29-33

When I was in Bible College, I would see some of my hero Pastors and assume that they had made it. They had it all together, the struggles were passed. Like a 5 Star General reaches this highest rank they had made it to spiritual maturity and would be able to coast on into eternity. One of my greatest disappointments is that life never gets us to a place where all is well and we are perfect. I find Philippians 3:12-21 to be one of the most encouraging passages in scripture. First because Paul is so real. He admits that he, the great Apostle, had not reached perfection. Secondly, his struggles, failures and disappointments do not send him into a tailspin of discouragement or depression. Thirdly, he remains hopeful and forwardly focused. He kept his focus straight ahead. He would stay in the struggle and held on to hope. God was still working, the plan was still ongoing. He would lean into the struggle "press hard" with confidence knowing that God was helping him. God had a plan and it would be worked out in his life. Lastly, he stays future focused. Unlike those who were earthly minded he lived as a citizen of heaven. He looked forward to the future transformations that Jesus Christ would accomplish. Paul was a real person and a great man of faith. Nothing kept him down.

A positive attitude that flows from these scriptural truths is very powerful. I need to be more like that. So where I see sin and failure in myself, I will confess my sin and keep pressing forward toward the plan of God in my life. If I keep moving forward I cannot be defeated. What a great truth to meditate on today.

Reading for Day 7
September 7

Phil. 4:1-9
Psalm 7:1-17
Prov. 2:1-5

FRIEND DAY IS TOMORROW. I am so encouraged by the buzz that I am hearing. People have invited friends and there is a sense of great expectation that I have not seen before. We need to make our final phone calls and visits. Please set aside a moment and pray for our service tomorrow. If you can, sit with your spouse, kids or a friend and ask God to bless our service tomorrow. The Gospel will go out in several ways. The cardboard testimony parade is very powerful. Aaron Cavin has been doing a great job this week. He will present the gospel in his message. We are moving in obedience to be witnesses and surely God is pleased with High Street.

iTrain30

2008-09-05T08:50:00.000-05:00

Reading for Day 5
September 5

Phil. 3:1-11
Psalm 5:1-12
Prov. 1:24-28

My brother was talking to one of his teachers one day about the simple gift of salvation that comes through faith alone in Jesus Christ. His teacher had been for many years devoted to her religion (a Christian religion). She had built the rituals and routines of her church into her life in a way that included a lot of dedication and sacrifice. She was intrigued with her student’s simple understanding of salvation in Jesus and the confidence and assurance of salvation that included heaven and an eternity with God. After all her efforts she did not have assurance and confidence. After a thoughtful pause she said something like; if I accept what you have to say, everything I have done up to know will have been wasted and I can’t do that.

The Apostle Paul in Philippians 3 came to the exact same place of understanding as this teacher and his response was “But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ.” He was willing to take the loss and move forward.

One of the biggest challenges for each of us is to be able to understand where the truth ends and our rituals begin. Change has never been easy for us in the church. It was not easy for Paul either. We are challenged to stay focused on Christ and allow other things fall away when necessary.

I am challenged to make sure that I am not holding on to something that prevents me from moving forward in Christ. Total surrender is the goal.

Reading for Day 6
September 6

Phil. 3:12-21
Psalm 6:1-10
Prov. 1:29-33

iTrain30

2008-09-04T07:21:00.000-05:00

Reading for
Day 4 September 4

Phil. 2:12-30
Psalm 4:1-8
Prov. 1:20-23

Small things jump out at me today. In Psalm I read the last verse that says, “I will both lie down in peace, and sleep; For You alone, O Lord, Make me dwell in safety.” This week I had occasion to tell the stories of living through coupe tats, with soldiers firing and tanks in the streets of Manila. The questions of safety and “would we be ok tonight as we sleep?” were very real. There is a very real peace that comes with understanding that God alone keeps us safe. And He is a God I know and a God who knows and cares for me. What a relief to actively lean on God and admit the obvious – “God is in control and I am not”.

I also read in Proverbs how I need to turn at wisdom’s rebuke. I need to remember that I don’t know everything and that my perspective is naturally faulty. The next verse is a great promise, “I will pour out my spirit on you, I will make my words known to you.” Listening to God is the best skill we can develop and a most important discipline. Listening is not something we do easily. Active listening is hard work.

Lastly, when Philippians talks about how it is God who works in me to “will” and “do” His good pleasure. I open myself up to hear from God today and to allow Him to put help me desire the right things and then do them.

My goal is to listen today.

Reading for
Day 5 September 5

Phil. 3:1-11
Psalm 5:1-12
Prov. 1:24-28

Thanks for your Prayers

2008-09-03T09:40:00.001-05:00

I received a text from my sister this morning telling me that her father in law passed away. I want to thank all of you who have prayed for Ray Lontoc in the last few weeks and days. Thank God the Hooge's obeyed God's call to take the gospel to the Philippines. Because of this Ray Lontoc was not defeated by death, but delivered to new and eternal life through death. He loved God and it must have been a great moment for him to step into His presence.

iTrain30

2008-09-03T08:07:00.001-05:00

Reading for
September 3 – Day 3

Phil. 2:1-11
Psalm 3:1-8
Prov. 1:10-19

Some of the of the toughest things to deal with in life are “friendly fire”, the betrayal by a friend or family member. Psalm three was written as David fled after the rebellion led by his own son Absalom. Few things hurt and confuse us to the core of our being than this kind of thing. It can rock us spiritually, emotionally and even impact us physically. This kind of turmoil can easily consume our thoughts, make it hard to sleep and basically rob us of peace. We can come to think that only when everything goes back to “normal” or when our betrayers change their heart toward us, when our critics change their opinion about us can we be ok again.

David would carry the hurt of having his own son betray him to his grave. Because of the personal element of this rebellion there was no way out that seemed good. There was no happy ending to this story and things never went back to “normal”. David walks down this path of great turmoil and finds strength in his relationship with God. His attention turns away from his betrayers and also from his self and he focuses on God. God is faithful and loyal and trustworthy even when people are not. It was in the shadow of his faithful God that he rests. He even says, “I lay down and slept; I awoke, for the Lord sustained me.” David finds his peace in God.

Seldom are we conflict or problem free. We can have a “peace that passes understanding” when we walk with God. That peace gives strength and clarity to deal with the challenges. I love walking with a God who is faithful and trustworthy. Romans boldly declares that nothing can separate us from the love of God.

Reading for
Day 4 September 4

Phil. 2:12-30
Psalm 4:1-8
Prov. 1:20-23

A special thanks to all of you who take the time to add a comment. The shared thoughts and comments add so much to a personal devotion time. Please keep them coming.

iTrain30

2008-09-02T08:02:00.002-05:00

September 2 - Day 2

Phil. 1:12-30
Psalm 2
Prov. 1:7-9

"For me to live is Christ and to die is gain." That is such a powerful statement and unique perspective on life. Paul was uncertain what would happen to him. There was that looming possibility that his life and ministry would come to an end. They say that hope is the most powerful fuel on earth. How do you have hope when death threatens to end everything. Paul did.

As I read today, I thought of my sister's father in law who is gravely ill with cancer. His name is Ray Lontoc. The Lontoc family was one of the first ones who came to faith after the war under the ministry of Frank Hooge. I have known him pretty much my whole life. He is a godly man who loves God, has faithfully served in the church and loves the Bible. It was reported to me that when he was diagnosed and the doctor was discussing treatment options his response was, "Doctor, if I have an appointment with God, I don't want to be late." What a confidence and hope even in the toughest of times.

I need to sieze hope today and remember why I am living - "for Christ". Paul had a clear understanding that life on earth was not all there was. He did not live life on earth in a short sighted temporary way. Everything he did was for "Christ".

If you are reading this please take a moment and pray for Ray Lontoc and his family. These are very difficult days for them. Paul in this chapter commented "for I know that through your prayers and the help given by the Holy Spirit of Jesus Christ, what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance." Praying for each other does matter. Maybe there is someone God will lead you to pray for as your read this. That is a very important assignment.

Reading for September 3

September 3

Phil. 2:1-11

Psalm 3:1-8

Prov. 1:10-19

Thanks for all of the comments. Please keep them coming.

iTrain30

2008-09-01T10:04:00.003-05:00

Day 1
September 1

Phil. 1:1-11
Psalm 1
Prov. 1:1-6

Psalm 1 is one of my favorite Psalms of all. It is one of my greatest motivators to discover God through His Word. The contrast between the tree and the chaff blown by the wind is pretty stark. The tree that is planted by the river, brings forth fruit and its leaf does not wither. Like that tree, those who refuse to be carried by the current of influence that comes from the ungodly, sinners and scornful will prosper.

We live in a fog of information and communications. These voices are powerful influences. It is important for us to carefully sift through these messages that can very subtly pull us in wrong directions. I love this information age and the ability to communicate with so much ease. This Psalm reminds me to stay aware and and to keep the constant flow of God's truth going. This is done through the activities of church and this kind of personal Bible study. I often have to identify wrong thinking and distractions. Life is a battle not a picnic. Thank God for the way He alerts us to this battle. I praise Him for His patience, forgiveness and mercy toward us.

I also love to think that God actively watches over me and helps me in my effort. “The Lord knows the way of the righteous.” I don't always think of myself as "the righteous". I don't always get everything right. This Psalm identifies the righteous as those working to pay attention to God's Word.

Here is the reading for day 2 of iTrain30.

September 2

Phil. 1:12-30
Psalm 2
Prov. 1:7-9

Thanks to those who have left comments about your reading. It is encouraging to read them.

iTrain30

2008-08-31T23:30:00.001-05:00

DAY 1 - SEPTEMBER 1

Welcome to iTrain30. A thirty day church wide effort to establish the discipline of a “quiet time”. I suggest that you begin with prayer. Thank God for 5 things. In your prayer tell God that you want to spend time with Him in prayer and in reading scripture. Read the passage and meditate on what you have just read. Respond in prayer to your reading. Admit areas of your life you need to correct and ask for help to change. Focus on that throughout the day. The psalms are great to personalize and turn into a prayer. Proverbs provide some thought provoking statements to ponder. While it is good to have questions, be sure you focus more on what you did understand than your questions. Share something in the comments. End your time with prayer for others and yourself. Let’s begin.

September 1

Phil. 1:1-11
Psalm 1
Prov. 1:1-6

iTrain30

2008-08-31T09:12:00.004-05:00

iStreet Series

Over the last 4 weeks we have taken the time to understand and clarify what we do and why we do we do at Church. One of the challenges is for us to NOT JUST GO TO CHURCH, BUT TO BE THE CHURCH.

We have looked at iWorship, how Worship is an essential part of being the Church. We assemble weekly to honor God and offer Him worship.

Secondly we have looked at iConnect, the importance of meeting together in small group settings like our Sunday School and Small Groups.

Thirdly we explored iServe, the importance of serving others.

Today, our topic is iTrain. While we offer many Bible Studies and life training classes the heart of iTrain is something very personal. iTrain is about developing a personal walk with God. For many of us the centerpiece to that personal walk with God is what we call a "daily quiet time".

I want to invite you to join with me and others for the next 30 days in an effort we will call iTrain30. I am asking you to commit to this by sending me a comment. I will post a section of scripture on my blog for all of us to read. Read the passage and write down a thought that comes to you from the reading. Post that thought for others to read. It will help keep us all accountable and on track. One way to begin a new discipline is to do something for 30 days. Come and join me for the next 30 days.

Tornado misses HSBC

2008-06-24T22:33:00.000-05:00

Last week in the middle of what looked like a picture perfect day, dark clouds from the North began to advance toward Springfield. While the sky was blue we heard the tornado sirens. I received a call from a panicked 16 year old sdaughter watching James at home. Mom was busy doing some things at church and could not be found. I was thinking that this was probably much to do about nothing, but the sirens were real and tearful call from my daughter did send me home. Within minutes of arriving home, the wind picked up and the hail started. What I did not realize at the time was that a tornado had formed over the strip mall called Furniture Row very close to the church. It took off the roof of part of that building and headed in the direction of the church. While we do have a list of things damaged by the weather, we can't help but be grateful to God for protecting us from the kind of damage our neighbors experienced. They had to close part of the complex and a tent sale has been up all week to clear out merchandise affected. Thank God we worshiped in our facility without interruption.

Gracious Giving

2008-06-08T16:55:00.001-05:00

This morning at church I talked about outreach opportunities this summer.

I mentioned how inspired I was by my brother's efforts in the Philippines. This camp season he exceeded his goal of sharing the gospel to 50,000 young people. Thousands responded to accept Christ and many of them baptized. I have asked Troy to go to our young people and see how many of them have a friend who is unchurched and does not appear to have a relationship with Jesus Christ. My question was, if we could give these young people a week at camp would they come. So far we have 13 on the list. My appeal was simple, we need camp fee of $175 for 13 kids. We could see lives changed now and for eternity. After the service four people approached me and said they would help. One handed me a folded check and simply said, "This should help get things started." I thanked him for the check but did not look at it. I thought maybe there would be money for one camper. I was shocked when I finally looked to see the amount of $2000. God moved and in one service He touched hearts to provide for 14 campers. God is up to something and I can't wait to see it.

Can you believe...I beat the HULK!

2008-04-10T21:04:00.000-05:00

Well there is this competition in JV under the able leadership of Corey O'Grady. The goal, as usual, is to find ways to capture the attention of our jv kids and so the superheros competition. I was surprised to be included in this prestigious group much less to actually win a round. I was expecting that the inclusion would be the reward in itself.

Somehow, I beat out the Hulk in the first round. The competition continues next week. I figured that since the competition is pretty tough; batman, superman, power rangers, TMNT, spider man (I am intentionally omitting the Powderpuff Girls because I never thought they were valid superheros) this is my one chance to celebrate a win. Anyway, SPECIAL THANKS TO ANY JV STUDENTS WHO ARE READING AND VOTED FOR ME. I will be watching to see how this all shakes out.

Learning from each other.

2008-04-07T20:33:00.003-05:00

I love my Truth Project group that meets on Sunday night. There is nothing like time to make the relationships in a small group richer. As the group gets more comfortable with each other, interaction seems more natural and easy. One of the great things is being able to learn from each other.

During our discussion someone brought up John the Baptist. Here is what he said. He discussed how at the end of John's life he was sitting in prison. John must have been in some kind of a faithless fog. It all started out so wonderfully. He was the Holy Spirit filled introducer of the Christ. He had heard the voice from heaven after baptizing Jesus say, "this is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased". But John was not included in the twelve. His calling as a prophet kept him separate from Jesus and his disciples for some reason. John knew that he had to decrease while Jesus increased. But to disappear, to be forgotten, to end up in jail and ultimately beheaded at the whim of a dancing girl and her mother. Where was God in that cell? Where was the power of Jesus for him? And so John sends someone to ask "the question". Are you the one who was to come or should we look for someone else. It is almost like the painful circumstances of his life had squeezed out his faith. It seems that he had forgotten the powerful effect of his ministry that was a result of the power of God and the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit. It seems like he no longer could remember with confidence that he, himself, had heard the voice of God identify His Son. Circumstances have power to squeeze us in a way that diminishes our faith.

Jesus responds this way,

“Go back and report to John what you hear and see:The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor. Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me.”

John already knew about the miracles of Jesus. It seems that Jesus simply reminds him.

John is a lot like us. Our faith gets squeezed out of us when life gets hard. That is why we need to hold on to each other. Hebrews tells us to not forsake the assembling of ourselves together. We need to sit in church and be reminded of what we already know is true but sometimes find hard to hold on to. We need sit around living rooms in our small groups and borrow each other’s faith from time to time. God shows up in a very subtle but real way when we get together. I love my Truth Project group.

Easter Service

2008-03-28T20:37:00.006-05:00

This post is coming late because over the weekend my computer began complaining that the limited memory may shut everything down. Thanks to some great tech support in the office I am back into the computing world. Special thanks to Tom and Ben.

Sunday was a celebration of Easter. It was the culmination of several weeks of preparation and many volunteer hours. We moved as a team committed to serve God through the Church. There is something very wonderful about being a part of a team of people whose joint efforts can make things happen, that no one could have done alone. Special thanks to those who fabricated brackets, designed and installed the track system, hung the valence and scrim, positioned the lights and projectors, prepared to sing, play an instrument, design poster, bulletins, response cards and sing in the choir. It was a great see all of our efforts come together. We did it because our Savior is worth whatever effort we can give. No job is insignificant. In the middle of our preparation, someone told me that they wanted to serve. They continued to describe how that for them any job done for the Lord was greatly significant.They would even consider hidden jobs like cleaning important because it is done for the One we love.

After trying the center projector we have decided to buy it. When it arrives, we will be able to incorporate several effects that a large middle projection can provide.

As I looked through the response cards, it was great to read the comments and rejoice with those who accepted Christ or renewed their commitment to walk with Him. When I called through the comment cards many expressed their intentions to come and worship with us again. It was a great Easter.

Changes for Easter and beyond...

2008-03-20T16:56:00.000-05:00

We live in a day where we have some amazing attention getting technology. Much of what we see has one goal in mind, to capture our attention in order to deliver a message.

Easter is the one Sunday in the year that many people who have grown weary of church come back to give it one more chance. It is our goal to get their attention in order to deliver a life changing message from God's word. That message has not changed since it was first delivered. The environments in which people receive it has changed with every generation.

We have been working to be able to capture the attention of those who come Easter not only for that Sunday, but to get them back. We have reset out screens, added a scrim and will project one of the largest images they would see anywhere in town. We know that while we can work to get people's attention it is still the prayers of God's people, the power of the Word of God and the work of the Holy Spirit in individual hearts that will make a difference.

I am looking forward to Easter. We know God has chosen His church and His people to be witness to His story of redemption. Join me in prayer for this Easter Sunday.

Easter is Coming

2008-03-18T00:01:00.000-05:00

Easter, this Sunday

Easter is just a few day away. You may have noticed some changes to the platform Sunday. These are part of the preparations for our Easter program. Our theme is "WHY DO WE NEED EASTER". The answer to that question is because we need REDEMPTION. Please invite your friends. Even people who would consider attending church on Easter are more likely to go where they have been invited. Offer to meet them in the lobby and sit with them. Let us all pray for them. The redemption of men and women was God's idea and continues to be His work. He has also made it clear that He wants to use you and me and His church in the process.

Easter is a day for us to rejoice. Bring your heart of worship, your relatives and friends and lets make Easter a celebration.

It Happened...My Truth Project Group Got Canceled

2008-03-17T14:59:00.001-05:00

Last night the Truth Project group I host did not meet. Some had to miss because of other obligations. Others needed to tend to family members that did not feel well (we were one of those in that category, nursing Coco who was post-wisdom teeth removal and not well at all). When I did the math more would miss than be present and so we canceled. At first, I felt very defeated. The power of the small group concept is meeting, pure and simple. If you don't meet, it is not good. And then something dawned on me.

Even though we did not meet as a group, there had been a lot of communication and life sharing conversations on the phone. We did not meet, but we had stayed connected. Accountability often sounds like a scary supervisory word. What I experienced was more like phone calls among friends.

Becoming friends is something that happens in small groups. When people increase friendships in church, they feel more connected and the church gets stronger. The following quote comes from Rick Warren's writings.

"Lyle Schaller has done extensive research that shows the more friendships a person has in a congregation, the less likely he is to become inactive or leave. In contrast, I once read about a survey of four hundred church drop-outs who were asked why they left their churches. Over 75% of the respondents said, "I didn't feel anyone cared whether I was there or not."

It is a myth that you must know everyone in the church in order to feel like a part of a church. The average church member knows 67 people in the congregation, whether the church has 200 or 2,000 attending. A member does not have to know everyone in the church in order to feel like it's "my church" but he does have to know some people!

While some relationships will spontaneously develop by chance, the friendship factor in assimilation is too crucial to leave to chance. You can't just hope members will make friends in the church. You must encourage it, plan for it, structure for it, and facilitate it."

So, our group did not meet. But the fact that we have the group and are getting to know each other, some of whom are new to High Street, is doing something very good.

Truth Project Groups

2008-03-14T11:14:00.005-05:00

The Truth Project has captured the attention of High Street in a very exciting way. Over the last few weeks on an average we have had well over 500 people meeting in 45 small groups. There have been more than 618 adults attend one or more meetings. This is well over the 300 something that had been attending our regular Sunday evening services. Clearly God is at work here. I want to point out some important observations:

We have gone from the Sunday Evening routine to a Sunday evening with purpose.
The Truth Project teaching is well done, thought provoking and many of us are becoming better equipped for ministry.
One thing that must not be overlooked is that we have tried a new group dynamic and that is the small groups in homes. For those who prefer to meet in small groups at the church, we have 5 groups meeting there. There are 45 facilitators serving.
This paradigm is giving opportunity for more people to be involved in ministry. Each group has been active to take care of their people. We take attendance instantly because as a group leader, I can visualize my living room and I know who was there and who was not. It is easy for me and other leaders to make calls to care for those who are absent.
This plan has allowed us to get to know people who are new to High Street. We are doing a better job of getting to know them and them us. This assimilation of those who are new is very important to growth.

Now this new plan is not perfect. There are things that are less convenient for some. We have had to find creative ways to care for the children in the groups. It is not automatic but the exercise has been good for us. I am getting used to the noise coming from the basement and the needed parent trips to check on the kids. There is something good about being with other families and getting to know other people's children.

While discussing this with someone over email he sent me an article that pointed our some very important observations.

The early church included this house to house format.

Acts 2:46, "So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved."

While church buildings are very suited for corporate worship and teaching, they are not designed to encourage fellowship.

"Nowhere in the New Testament do we find the terms church (ekklesia), temple, or house of God used to refer to a building.

The church building is far less warm, personal, and friendly than someone’s home – the organic meeting place of early Christians. The church building is not designed for intimacy nor fellowship. In most church buildings, the seating consists of wooden pews bolted to the floor. The pews (another man-made tradition) or chairs are arranged in rows, all facing the pulpit (yet another man-made tradition).

This arrangement makes it nearly impossible for one worshipper to look into the face of another. Instead, it creates a sit-and-soak form of worship that turns functioning Christians into “pew potatoes.” Quote copied from Kit Pharo, Sunday Morning Inspirations

There is much more to for us to learn about this. God is doing something good and we must not ignore this.^{If you are in a Truth Project group and have some stories or comments, I would love to hear from you.}

MyBopsBlog

2008-03-07T21:29:00.001-06:00

I have started a new blog to share some of the great sayings and experiences we have with our son James. For those of you who don't know James, he is our fifth child and he has Down Syndrome. His challenges as well as his unique perspectives on life provide a constant flow of things to report. Hope you enjoy these. The address is mybopsblog.blogspot.com.

Easter Plans

2008-02-28T21:33:00.003-06:00

Yesterday we met with the man from the company who supplies and installs our screens and projectors. We are working to reposition our current projectors to make way for a large scrim that will hang across the stage. One of our challenges was to come up with a quality projector for the center. We had wanted to rent one to try it out and better determine what exactly we needed. No one wanted to rent to us for a reasonable price ( except for something over $2000 for a one time event). While talking to guy from the av company I asked again if he had one he could lend us. Much to my surprise he offered to call one of his suppliers and request a demo projector for us to try out. That was an answer to prayer. There are still a lot of things to do before Easter; reposition our current projectors, install new valance and tracking, scrim and position projectors. Hopefully things will come together and we will project one of the largest screens ever at High Street. Our prayer is that our invitations bring people in and then we will unleash the gospel as creatively as we can.

Hot Topics

2008-02-28T19:59:00.004-06:00

In a planning meeting today we were discussing sermon series for the rest of the year. We are currently discussing doing a HOT TOPIC series in the month of June. I am writing to my blogging buddies - (thank you to those of you who welcomed me into your community) - to see if any of you have any suggestions for this 4 week series. More than talking among ourselves, it would be better to ask some of your friends who are outside of the church. It would be great to very specifically target subjects of interest that come from unchurched friends. Any feedback will be very much appreciated.

My Entry into the Bloggesphere

2008-02-26T19:29:00.004-06:00

My good friend Mark Hillenburg came up with 100 reasons why it would be good for me to have a blog, so here we go.

My reluctance to enter this sphere has kind of been this idea that everyone is talking, but is anyone listening. I do not want to add unnecessary noise to the world. On the flip side, we are made for relationships and communication is that glue that makes relationships rich and meaningful. It is with the hope that good communication will enhance the quality of relationships.

One of my fears about blogging is that it will give me a whole new list of people I owe answers to.

For better or worse, and I am expecting the better, here we go.