Long-Lasting Pain

This blog is written to be a comfort and offer perspective from the Lord for those of you who are in the middle of a long-lasting struggle. Whether it be health-related, relationally related, or something else, hear the words of Psalm 13 for you, a Psalm of David:

How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever? 
How long will you hide your face from me?
How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and day after day have sorrow in my heart?
How long will my enemy triumph over me?
Look on me and answer, Lord my God. Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death, and my enemy will say, “I have overcome him,” and my foes will rejoice when I fall. 
But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing the Lord’s praise, for he has been good to me. 

David first expresses how hard it has been to endure the length of his present difficulty, asking how much longer this difficulty will continue. The Lord invites you to express the same despair. In doing so, you acknowledge the space you are currently in. 

Next, David cries out to the Lord in prayer to give an answer and to bring light to his eyes. The Lord invites you to express the same prayer. In doing so, you bring your honest, fervent request before the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

Lastly, David declares his devout trust in God’s unfailing love, his joy over salvation, and his praise toward the Lord for how good He has been to him. The Lord invites you to declare the same determinations. In doing so, you declare the foundational position you operate from, which remains rooted regardless of circumstances.  

God never promises the trials we endure will be short-lived. He does, however, promise to be with us through everything we face, consistently supplying us with what we need to carry on. 

Are you in the middle of a trial right now? I invite you to pray this psalm as a personal prayer from your heart to God’s by expressing to him:

1. The condition you are currently in

2. The questions you have about your situation

3. Your desire to be free from the strain

4. Your commitment to trust in Him, rejoice in salvation, and praise him for his goodness to you

The Lord is not far off from you. He is near to you in the midst of your struggle. Continue to rely on him and cling to him. Don’t give up. Keep trusting him day after day. Relief will eventually come — know that his comfort is present in the middle of your long-lasting pain.

The Blessing of Reliance

“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” (Isaiah 41:10, ESV)

“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.” Psalm 23:1 ESV

“Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act. He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday.” (Psalm 37 5-6, ESV)

Over and over in Scripture, we read that God calls us to rely on Him, rest in Him, and find our strength in Him. It’s how we were designed to live and operate in life. However, how often do we find ourselves slipping out from reliance on Him and into striving by our own strength to get by? If you’re anything like me, it’s something you find yourself wrestling with on a pretty regular basis. So it raises the question, when we find ourselves in these moments, how are we to realign ourselves to rely on God rather than our own personal strength and striving? 

From my experience it can be summed up in one word: thankfulness.

When we enter into thankfulness, not only do we enter into praise, but we also orient ourselves in a posture of noticing His hand in our lives. We begin to open our eyes to see His provision and intentionality, and thus reawaken our awareness of just how much we rely on His presence. 

How beautiful is this! That by the simple act of being grateful, we see how much we’ve been relying on Him this whole time, and from there can enter into the peace of the knowledge He will continue to be the pillar we can rest on. We’ve never been alone, and we can be assured we never will be.

So my friends, I encourage you, take a breath and pause for a moment. Think of something to be thankful for,  a way God has been loving you that you may have overlooked, and give Him the gift of thanksgiving. In doing so, you draw back to the original design God laid out for you: to be a child, loved and provided for by their heavenly Father.

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7, ESV)

Moral Failures

Too often a Christian leader is exposed as having serious sin issues. Often these are well known speakers, authors, or pastors. I’ve seen this happen so often over the years. Some were famous television evangelists or Christian personalities. Some were significant influences upon hundreds of thousands or even millions of people. But I’ve also known some, and even have had friends, that were just regular pastors who were not famous or well known. Unfortunately, failure amongst leaders is common. But how are we to respond? What about all the sermons they taught? What about the books they wrote that had a positive influence upon us or others? 

Jesus said, “The teachers of religious law and the Pharisees are the official interpreters of the law of Moses. So practice and obey whatever they tell you, but don't follow their example. For they don't practice what they teach” (Mat 23:2-3, NLT). 

Moral failure among leaders is not a new problem. Jesus has a clear and direct answer to this issue. When the Word of God is being correctly taught, it is God we are obeying. When the Bible is being explained and applied, it is God’s Word that is instructing us. The person speaking is merely the instrument that God is using at the time. If we are using a pen to write something and the pen breaks, we don’t throw out what we are writing—we either fix or discard the pen. 

In the remainder of Matthew 23, Jesus continues to speak harsh judgment against the corrupt religious leaders of His day. What we learn is that it is God’s responsibility to deal with the moral issues in a leader that is sinning. Our responsibility is to be concerned about how we are learning and applying God’s word to OUR lives. And not get overly burdened about the failures of others. If you are only able to receive instruction from morally perfect teachers, then you will have ZERO teachers in this life. 

This does not mean that we exempt leaders from being accountable for their behavior. But we accept that it is not our responsibility to stand in judgment of them or to throw out Christianity because some leaders have abused it. “The proper response to abuse is not disuse, but rather proper use” (Sam Storms). When the Bible or Christianity is manipulated by people to gain riches, power, or fame, we don’t blame the Bible or cast off our faith in Jesus. We go back to the basics, and make sure we are living according to God’s word and not disqualifying ourselves in the process. “Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself” (Gal 6:1, NLT).

It's Safe to Ask

Why do we read the Bible? If God is loving, how can he send people to hell? What does God have against gay people? Are demons real? Does God rig the election? Are miracles the same as magic? How can Jesus be God? Is there such a thing as ethical cannibalism? 

If you ever have questions about what it means to follow Jesus, trust me. You’re in good company. Every Friday night, I host a discussion with the young adults where we wrestle with complicated questions like the ones I’ve listed above. (Yes, we discussed cannibalism. No, it’s not ethical.) The most important rule at our meetings is this: No topic is off-limits. 

James 1:5 states very clearly, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask.” God invites questions. He loves it when we want to know more; when we trust him enough to ask. I know many people who think God is bothered or threatened by tough questions. Some of us were told things like, “Don’t ask, just have faith!” by well-meaning pastors and parents. Maybe they were bothered or threatened by the questions, but God is not. He can handle your questions. In fact, it wouldn’t be discipleship without them (John 16:13 & 24).    

My favorite example of this is in Luke 1:26-35. Mary, whose faith is a template for all of Jesus’ followers, is told that she’s going to have a baby, even though she’s a virgin. She responds with the more-than-reasonable question, “But how?!” I would wonder the same thing if I were her. Mary is not told, “Don’t ask, just have faith!” Instead, the angel gives her an answer, saying, “Well, the Holy Spirit is going to overshadow you.” Whatever that means, I guess that answer was good enough for Mary. What’s good enough for me is to know that when I have reasonable questions about God’s bizarre plan to save the world (i.e., by being temporarily dead over a holiday weekend!?), it’s safe for me to ask. 

As we all prepare questions for the upcoming “Got Questions?” sermon series, keep in mind that no topic is off-limits. Since God welcomes tough questions, we do too! Bring them all. Whether you get the answer you expect, an answer that’s hard to swallow, or you end up with more questions, it’s always safe to ask.  

“Yes, if you call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding,  
Then you will...find the knowledge of God.  
For the Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding”  
(Proverbs 2:3-6)

Remain

I had a grapevine growing behind my house on a fence. It grew so fast; new shoots would appear seemingly each day. The vine would grab onto anything to keep spreading out. It would grab hold of the siding and climb up the side of the house. I would cut back branches and throw them in a pile. Within one day, they would wither and lay lifeless. The branches could not live without being connected to the vine. 

Jesus said in John 17:1-3, “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.” 

Jesus is the true vine, the One we must be rooted in. We can do nothing apart from Him. This is the first and most important truth. By remaining in Him, we bear fruit. 

It’s sobering to think about being cut off from Jesus. However, the only reason God would cut someone off is because they choose not to remain in Jesus. “If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned” (John 17:5-6). A vinedresser would cut off dead branches because they carry diseases and decay which would affect other branches. Dead wood is worse than branches that aren’t bearing fruit, and must be removed. 

However, those branches that aren’t bearing fruit can be pruned for purposes of becoming fruitful. This process in our lives is difficult but necessary. “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance” (James 1:2-3).

By remaining IN Jesus, through prayer, reading the scriptures, and fellowship with His body, we WILL produce fruit in our lives. We will flourish in our faith and become more like the One in whom we remain—Jesus.

Praying with Shameless Audacity

What will your prayer life look like in 2024 beyond the wonderful start we had with 21 days of prayer and fasting? A consistent prayer life is key to our personal spiritual growth, connection with God, and the impact we have as Christians.

May we be challenged in our approach to prayer by a passage from Luke 11. Here, Jesus’ disciples ask him to teach them to pray. Lean in, because Jesus is about to reveal an important key to prayer as he shares this scenario: A man suddenly has a guest arrive whom he desperately needs to feed, but has no food. So the man goes to his neighbor, asking for three loaves of bread. The problem is that it’s midnight and the neighbor has already settled into bed for the night. His kids are asleep and his house is locked up. What an inconvenient time to ask a favor of a neighbor! That is where the shameless audacity comes into play. Jesus shares:

“I tell you, even though he [the neighbor] will not get up and give you bread because of friendship, yet because of your shameless audacity he will surely get up and give you as much as you need.” (Luke 11:8)

Wow! Can you imagine this display of boldness being a part of your normal prayer life? Jesus is teaching his followers to “interrupt” him at any time and boldly ask for what they need. No matter the time of day or night, come to him with courageous persistence.

Jesus shares with his disciples another key about prayer in the same conversation. He teaches them to pray by saying, “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” That is an important part of this mix. As we bring our needs with shameless audacity, we yield them to God’s will. There are so many things we do not see or understand that God does see and understand, so we trust that his answer to our prayers will be righteous. When we pray this way, we proclaim that we desire things that are in alignment with his kingdom. We even command things into being that are in alignment with his kingdom by using the power and authority Jesus gave his followers.

I am asking the Lord to teach me how to pray with shameless audacity this year. I invite you all to join me in that prayer. Let’s keep growing together

Rooted

In 2019, Micah and I hit the hiking trail for father-son time and some cool pictures. We got both in the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. One of our favorite spots was Chapel Rock—a place where you find a tree that seems to laugh in the face of wind and erosion.

This white pine sits atop a rock formation that is freestanding from the rest of the shoreline. The tree has these roots that shoot out across the free air and find their home in the soil on the mainland. It’s nuts! Just take a look for yourself...

Apparently, there used to be a rock archway supporting these roots. It collapsed in the 1940s, leaving this 250-year-old tree to survive on the strength of its roots or fall into Lake Superior.

It’s a modern-day picture of what the Apostle Paul wrote about in the letter to the church in Ephesus...

“I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord's holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.” (Ephesians 3:16-19)

Paul’s prayer for his church family is that they would be rooted and established. POWERFUL. We are currently two messages into the “Rooted” sermon series to start the year. Let’s use these messages to inspire root development work in our lives. Let’s keep building powerful roots—like the tree on Chapel Rock!

There are forces in this world that would see you blown into the lake, forces that would erode the ground beneath you. But you have the power to stand firm in Jesus. I pray we would be people who “grasp… the love of Christ” and are “filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.” Imagine what it would look like to see a community of believers “Rooted” to that degree. That’s a picture worth taking!

Adapted from blog posted July 26, 2020.

Only God Fulfills

2023 was a wild year, and as it’s now come to a close I must say I am excited for what God’s going to do in 2024! While the beginning of the next calendar year isn’t inherently a special time, we find ourselves in a season traditionally associated with setting goals committing to changing our day-to-day lives for the better, and I think that’s a wonderful thing! Goals like eating healthier and spending less time on social media are fantastic, but while we’re focusing on these, we ought to also focus on how we’re nourishing our spirits.

You see, ever since the beginning in the garden of Eden, us humans have tried to find ways to fulfill ourselves by way of our own strength. Adam & Eve with the apple, King David with Bathsheba, and us with our own vices (food, fitness, wealth? We’ve got options). The thing is none of these have ever truly fulfilled us. Perhaps there’s a temporary distraction, but at the end of the day we’re back where we started: ourselves, hungry for fulfillment once again.

So how do we approach the fulfillment of our spirits in a way that actually fills us? Jesus himself gives us the perfect model in Matthew 4, verses 1-4:

“Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” But he answered, “It is written,
“‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

Intimacy with God is the answer: making time to just be with Him, reading His word, welcoming Him to be part of your day to day life. Jesus knew that even supernatural miracle bread wouldn’t fulfill Him, so why should we expect our goals and strengths to? The only thing that can truly satisfy is God.

So, as we run towards our new goals and dreams for 2024, let’s not deceive ourselves with the lie that we can complete ourselves by our own strength. Rather, let’s lean into the truth that real fulfillment can only come from intimacy with God, that He should be our #1 priority.

Holy, Unblemished, and Unblameable!

This Sunday we begin a new series called “Rooted.” We will look at eight phrases found in Colossians 2:6-10. This is part of Apostle Paul's exhortation to the Christians living in the Roman city of Colossae. It may seem difficult to imagine what it was like to live as a Christ follower 2000 years ago in the Roman world. So many things have changed from that ancient time: our computers, cell phones, internet, cars, planes, and countless other things would have seemed completely magical to the Colossians. Yet the things that are truly important have changed very little. Our tools and toys may have been transformed, but the condition of the human soul remains the same. Paul integrates who Jesus is and what He accomplished with who we as Christ followers are and what we are called to accomplish. When we look at the issues addressed in this letter, we can soon see that the struggles the first century Christians faced are surprisingly similar to those we face today.

Colossians 1:21-22 (NIV): “Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation.” Or, as the Young’s Literal Translation writes, “And you—once being alienated, and enemies in the mind, in the evil works, yet now did he reconcile, in the body of his flesh through the death, to present you holy, and unblemished, and unblameable before himself.” Our reconciliation with God was accomplished by what Jesus did in His physical body. The entire transformation of our lives, and the history of humanity, hinges upon what Jesus did while walking this earth in a body not unlike yours and mine.

A door turns on a hinge which is two pieces of metal, separately but in conjunction with one another, wrapped around a pin—the hinge pin. If the pin falls out, the door falls to the floor. Likewise, Jesus’ body is the pin that joins together, or reconciles, humanity with God. To draw this analogy out a bit, it was when Jesus was nailed to the cross, the eternal divine One driven by nails to a piece of wood, pinned to the cross, that our reconciliation with God occurred. This makes the human body the instrument of God’s redemption of humanity. And it makes those who accept Jesus as Lord “holy, unblemished, and unblameable!” Wow! What an amazing blessing accomplished through Jesus’ body. Now you and I are called to be like Christ. In and through our bodies, we are to represent Jesus to the world around us. As we allow Christ to transform our body, soul, and mind, we can become instruments of reconciliation for those around us.

Hearing God for the New Year

In John 10:27, Jesus says, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.” As followers of Jesus, we need to be equipped to hear the voice of God when He speaks to us, as well as to understand the written Word of God, so that we can grow in our relationship with Jesus as the Word of God.

There are three Greek words used to refer to God’s Word in the New Testament. One is logos, as used in John 1:1: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” Logos is a very general term that means the idea, thought, reasoning, motive, or meaning of something. It can refer to a specific saying or, as it is used in this verse, something as grand as Christ Himself.

Graphe is the second Greek word, as used in 2 Timothy 3:16: “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.” This term is the most specific, as it refers to the written word. The written word of God, the Bible, is our only authoritative source of revelation. All other forms of hearing from God and being led by the Holy Spirit must be submitted to the objective standard of the Bible, rightly understood and properly applied.

Rhema is the third Greek word, as used in Matthew 4:4: “But he answered, ‘It is written, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.''’ It refers to something spoken, an utterance. So someone would read a graphe, but hear a rhema, in order to understand the logos. Keep in mind that these words are sometimes used interchangeably. Understanding how the Bible uses these three Greek words helps us grasp various ways God actively communicates with us.

As Christ-followers, we deeply value all the ways God communicates to us, and we strive to hear, understand, and obey God’s word in every sense that it is conveyed. We are encouraging all New Day participants to read the Bible daily. On our website (https://newdaycommunity.org/bible) you can find a link to a very easy to use Bible reading plan that has a variety of ways to access it, such as a smartphone app, website, printed versions, and other options. Or you can find a vast variety of plans using the YouVersion Bible app. Regardless of the specific reading plan you use, it is vital to daily spend time interacting with the Word of God. I encourage you to pick a plan and stick with it. Let’s all make the next year one in which we grow deeper in our understanding of God’s Word.

Glory!

What do you picture when you see the word glory? Do you see sparkling gold beams of light reflecting off an expanse of water? The moon radiating in the night sky? The sun as its rays burst through the clouds? Does the brilliance blind you?

Luke records the encounter that the shepherds had with angels the night Jesus was born: “And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified” (Luke 2:8-9). The brilliance of the Lord shone! It radiated so much that the shepherds couldn’t deny it, and they fell down in fear.

“But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger’” (Luke 2:10-12).

Did you see that? This birth, the birth of Jesus, is cause for great joy! No matter what kind of situation you’re in, this good news is the reason why we can have joy—even in the midst of difficult situations. The world can feel like a dark and hopeless place, but with God there is always hope. It’s why we sing and praise God even during hard times. God is faithful and good all the time. He doesn’t change even when our circumstances do.

“Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests’” (Luke 2:13-14).

Glory not only describes a radiant brilliance, but ascribes adoration and honor. ”Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice” (1 Chronicles‬ 16‬:‭10‬). The angels did it on that most holy night and they continue to do so now! Let’s join with the heavenly hosts and give glory to God. Give thanks and praise to Him today and every day. Then, when your friends and family ask you the reason for your joy, give God all the glory!

God Loves the Lowly

The truth that God loves to reveal himself to the lowly, work through the lowly, and honor the lowly continues to impact me. It wonderfully surprises me every time I come across it in Scripture. I would have expected this reality to feel less stunning over time, as I became accustomed to this way of God. Yet here I am, astounded again, and motivated to be more like God in this way.

God loves the lowly. This dynamic is seen in the Christmas story with how Jesus starts out his time on earth. Jesus does not come as a fully developed man, he is a baby—the most lowly, vulnerable, and dependent anyone can be. You see, God does not shy away from lowliness. Instead, he honors Jesus while he is in that humble state through the magi’s visit.

“On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. They opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.” (Matthew 2:11)

Again God honors the lowly by sharing the best news in history up to that point with shepherds—one of the most lowly professions one could have. It is to them that God sends his angels to proclaim the Messiah has been born! What joyous news—the long awaited redeemer has arrived.

“And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.’” (Luke 2:8-11)

This pattern with God continues with Jesus’ first recorded miracle. It was the servants at the wedding in Cana who first learned that Jesus had changed the contents of their jars from water to wine.

“And the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew.” (John 2:9)

As they served this miracle wine to the wedding guests, what must they have been feeling? I'm sure awe and honor were among their emotions. Let’s allow wonder for God’s countercultural way of doing things to change us. Try telling your good news to the lowliest person you know. Share a miracle that God did in your life with someone whose age, profession, or economic status is less desirable by the world’s standard. Together we can be impacted by, and in turn impact, the world around us with the truth that God loves the lowly.

He Came!

He Came! He comes! And he’s coming back again!

The season of Advent is here. If you’re like me, you may not be very familiar with that word, Advent. You might have a vague notion that it is connected to Christmas—that people eat chocolate out of cardboard calendars or light candles or something like that. But what does it really mean?

Advent comes from the Latin word Adventus which means “arrival, appearance, ripening, or invasion”. In our context, it refers to the incarnation of Christ. Our creator God came to earth and became a human. John captured this in his gospel when he wrote this about Jesus:

“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14).

So Advent is a time to remember that Jesus came. We remember his birth, his life, and ultimately his death on the cross for the forgiveness of our sins. We remember that three days after he died, he rose again.

Advent is also a time for Christians to kindle their faith and hope in the return of Jesus. He’s coming again—the second “arrival.” The apostle Paul talks about this in 1 Thessalonians chapter 4. He ends the passage by reminding us that at this return of Christ “we will be with the Lord forever.” And he asks us to “encourage one another with these words.”

We remember the first arrival of Jesus at his birth. We look forward to his second arrival when he returns for us. But did you know there is another arrival sandwiched between? A university professor named Pfatteicher writes, "Since the time of Bernard of Clairvaux (died 1153), Christians have spoken of the three comings of Christ: in the flesh in Bethlehem, in our hearts daily, and in glory at the end of time."

It is this third arrival I encourage you to embrace today, this Advent season, and every day of your life. Jesus came! Jesus will come back again! Very true. But equally true is this—today is the day that he wants to show up in your life. I encourage you not to put your head in the sand and wait for his return. Look up, look around, come toward him, and find his “appearance” in your life today.

“Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
– Jesus

Run to the Throne of Grace

I don’t know about you, but when life gets hard, stressful, or even just busy, I’ve found I have a tendency to get consumed with whatever it is in front of me that I need to tackle. The deadline for a big work project coming up? I’m gonna constantly think about it. Gotta have a hard conversation with someone important to me? You know I’m gonna go over what I’m planning to say 100 times and STILL feel like I don’t know what I’ll say. The thing is, when I start to focus on things in this way and get consumed by stress, I tend to push other priorities in my life out of the way: things like going to bed on time, eating healthy food, or spending time with community.

However, I’ve found there’s a priority that we as Christians can at times unknowingly push away when the going gets tough, and frankly it’s the one priority that should never be pushed away: intimacy and time with God.

Somehow we get it into our heads that closeness with God is something that’s more like an elective activity rather than an essential one, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Relationship with our Creator isn’t one of the items on our priority list. It’s more like the air you’re breathing while you write the list. We are designed for relationship with Him to be the foundation on which we approach our lives, not just an activity we do when we have time.

The tricky thing is that as we start to prioritize and focus on things without Him, we can fall prey to the deception that He starts to distance Himself from us, and that in order to get back into closeness with Him again, we need to make it up to Him and somehow earn it.

My friends, do not listen to this lie. Our God is not full of bitterness or resentment for us when we stray from Him, but rather is full of radical grace and outstanding mercy. He is EAGER to welcome you back and brush off any loneliness or shame you may have. All you need to do is turn around and welcome Him back into His rightful place in your life.

Hebrews 12 exhorts this truth beautifully: “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 12:15-16, ESV).

I pray you and God are able to have an intimacy like never before this holiday season: that He will be your constant foundation, no matter what heights or depths face you.

Sailing with the Holy Spirit

“The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” (John 3:8)

I am learning how to sail and I love it! I have a sunfish, which is a small sailboat meant for 1-2 people with only one sail. The very first thing you learn is that you must know the direction the wind is blowing. And just as important, you can never sail directly into the wind. If you do that, you will get “stuck in irons” — which means you won’t go anywhere except possibly backwards. While keeping this in mind, you must also control the sail and the rudder.

With limited knowledge and those instructions, I set out sailing on my own after one lesson. Trying to navigate the sail and the rudder while keeping the boat from going directly into the wind is challenging when you first start out.

On my third solo sail, I kept trying to pull the sail in while the wind was at my back. I couldn’t figure out what I was doing wrong. Fortunately, a nearby sailor informed me to let the sail out at a 90-degree angle from the boat. This propels you forward in what they call “running.” When I did this, It felt as though I wasn’t moving. The same sailor let me know to look back at the rudder to see that I was actually moving quite fast. When you sail with the wind at your back, it actually requires little work from you. Additionally, I learned that this is actually the fastest you can go.

Oh, how similar is our relationship with the Holy Spirit! We cannot control the wind any more than we can control our God. If we fight against Him, we will go nowhere or possibly go backwards. But working with the Holy Spirit, allowing Him to guide us, we can move in our spiritual life. And running with Him at our back, we can fly! What does running look like? Resting in Him. Allowing Him time to speak to our hearts, to guide and direct us. We actually grow more quickly when we work from a place of rest.

Thank You!

When you read this, the New Day team and I will be in Japan, celebrating the 30th anniversary of planting the church pastored by the Sagers. Whenever I travel to a foreign country, there are a few words I prioritize learning. Thank you is #1. In Japanese it is ありがとう Arigatō. In Russian it is Спасибо, Spasibo. Spanish is easy—Gracias. Saying “Thank you” is like magic. It changes the atmosphere and opens hearts.

As we celebrate Thanksgiving Day in the USA this week, we need to realize that gratitude is integral to being a Christ-follower. One of the verses that speaks to this is 1 Thess. 5:18: “In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (NKJV). I prefer it in another translation, though: “Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus” (NLT).

God doesn’t command us to be thankful “for” everything but rather “in” everything. This is a monumental difference. I am deeply grateful to be in Japan. I am thankful for modern transportation that enables me to travel around the world in one day. But I really do not like the experience of being in a tin can at 45,000 feet for 14 hours. Nevertheless, even on the airplane I can give thanks.

There are many circumstances in life that it would not be appropriate to give thanks for, but it is always appropriate in them to give thanks. I am never thankful for sickness or suffering in my life or the lives of others. But I can give thanks that I know my Father in heaven cares infinitely more than I do. And I can give thanks that there will be a day when “He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever" (Rev. 21:4, NLT).

In any area or circumstance you are tempted to complain, translate it to thankfulness. Every complaint is an opportunity to step into supernatural gratitude. Find something in everything to give thanks, even if it is that eventually “This too shall pass.” Allow the knowledge of the goodness of God and His incredible generosity to change your spirit, your attitude, your emotions, your thoughts, from the negativity of a bad circumstance into the positivity of being a thankful son or daughter accepting a gift from your heavenly Father.

This pivot in perspective has the power to transform every minute of your life, the lives of those around you, and even our society. It is integral as ambassadors of Christ to communicate gratitude in every circumstance. Let’s begin today and never stop!

The Love of the Father

This Sunday, the preaching team kicks off a new series called The Lord is One, beginning with sharing about God as our father. The word “father”, without a doubt, means a very different thing to each person, depending on what their natural father was like. As a parent myself, I constantly recognize my own limitations. But the beauty of God the Father is that he has no limitations. I’d like to share a hymn with you that I adore, and I hope it speaks to you about how unlimited and unconditional the love of our heavenly Father is:

The love of God is greater far
Than tongue or pen can ever tell,
It goes beyond the highest star,
And reaches to the lowest hell;
The guilty pair, bowed down with care,
God gave His Son to win;
His erring child He reconciled,
And pardoned from his sin.

Oh love of God, how rich and pure!
How measureless and strong!
It shall forevermore endure,
The saints’ and angels’ song.

When mortal time shall pass away,
And earthly thrones and kingdoms fall;
When men who here refuse to pray,
On rocks and hills and mountains call;
God’s love, so sure, shall still endure,
All measureless and strong;
Redeeming grace to Adam’s race—
The saints’ and angels’ song.

Could we with ink the ocean fill,
And were the skies of parchment made,
Were every stalk on earth a quill
And every man a scribe by trade;
To write the love of God above
Would drain the ocean dry;
Nor could the scroll contain the whole,
Though stretched from sky to sky.

—Frederick M. Lehman

Let’s open our hearts to receive this week’s message and ask God to remove any blinders we still may have that limit our view of our heavenly father.

The Love of God | Reawaken Hymns | Official Music Video

Change is Hard

God had somewhere new to take his people. It would be an amazing place, full of abundance and freedom. It would be so different from their current place, full of slavery and hardship.

God’s people cried out to God for help. He responded to their cries for deliverance from their slave masters. In God’s compassion and perfect timing He rescued them through His servant, Moses.

The Lord said to Moses, “I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land… So now, go. I am sending you…” (Exodus 3:7-10)

On the journey to their new land, they were faced with some big changes. Most of God’s people struggled with these changes. They forgot they could trust God when they faced new things. Those people ended up missing out on living in the glorious new land God had for them.

Let us all acknowledge for a moment how difficult change can be. But whatever difficulty change presents, it should never matter more than getting to the marvelous new place God has prepared. After all, a big aspect of our Christian walk is about change. We experience new birth upon salvation, we are given a new heart and spirit, and we walk out a new life in Jesus.

In fact, the Bible repeatedly teaches us that God likes to do new things and take us to new places. All the while, His character remains consistent. Another huge change for the Israelite people was their time in exile. Here God talks about how He will bring them back home:

I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way… (Isaiah 43:19)

How is it going as you navigate the changes that are part of the new place God is taking you? Likely you are not crying out to God to deliver you from slavery, but you probably have been crying out to Him about something. We can take a lesson from the Isrealites—despite the reality that change is hard, it’s not worth causing us to miss out on the glorious destination. I can’t wait to see where God will take you and take our church collectively. The best is yet to come!

Faith Renovation

People often renovate their homes. We have a myriad of television shows dedicated to the subject! The most amazing transformations occur in homes that begin in the roughest shape. The truth be told, every home needs renovations, even when well-maintained. Isn’t it true that our faith works in much the same way?

Our personal sense of the Christian faith can easily fall into disrepair through brokenness or neglect. Sometimes doubts drip in our minds like a leaky faucet. Even a well-maintained faith needs ongoing renovations. With the right perspective and some good tools, our faith can be transformed into (and maintained as) something solid, enduring, and beautiful.

Thomas served as one of Jesus’ twelve disciples. He ran into a major renovation moment in John chapter 20. All the other disciples saw Jesus after his resurrection, but Thomas wasn’t there when it happened. He waited a week in need of renovation until Jesus appeared again. Think about the incredible patience and compassion of Jesus in the scene that unfolds next. When he returned, he offered Thomas his nail-scarred hands and spear-pierced side. Then Thomas exclaimed: “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28)

Just like Thomas, we can find Jesus in the place of doubt, disillusionment, and disbelief and join him on the other side with a faith-filled response: “My Lord and my God!” A perspective focused on Jesus makes for a healthy, successful faith renovation. He comes close, full of compassion, and offers help as he calls us, saying: “Come, follow me.”

Faithful renovations bring questions, doubts, feelings, and personal experiences humbly to the Lord and to orthodox interpretations of the Bible. In so doing, one draws closer to God and more into alignment with the truth. Problems arise not when we ask questions, but when we look in the wrong place for answers.

Many faithful renovations go astray by building on unworthy standards of truth. Our moral intuition, feelings, and cultural atmosphere do not provide a firm foundation to build upon. These shifting standards creep into faith renovations under the guise of a noble pursuit of truth, but they actually elevate themselves (and ourselves) above God, looking down to judge the actions and character of our Creator.

Faith renovations based on our moral intuition, feelings, or cultural influences become something other than Christianity. That’s the sneaky deception at work. Christ sits at the center of Christianity, not ourselves. To put our own experience at the center of the search for truth leaves Christ behind in exchange for a religion of our own making.

I want to encourage you to seek Jesus: the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6). He suffered and died for you. He loves you so much. He’s waiting for you in the places where your heart feels troubled and doubts his goodness. Find him there. Reach for his nail-scarred hand. Cozy up to his spear-pierced side.

The Marks of the True Christian, Romans 12

In Romans 12, Paul has wrapped up much of the theological explaining & contextualizing he’s been giving to the church in Rome for the past 11 chapters, and moves on to tell them what it means to be a Christian in everyday life. How does he do this? A list, laying out the values & traits that Christians ought to abide by. And while a list may seem dull, as I was reading through it this week I have to say it became anything but.

You see, Paul isn’t just simply listing traits here, he’s showing us a whole approach to life that is counter to the approach of the world. Yes he lists specifics, but in the whole of these things we see the mindset he is charging us to live with: a mindset less concerned with vain human grievances as it is with overcoming the conflict of sin & division in our everyday lives. A “Kingdom” mindset, if you will.

I’m going to leave you with a portion of these verses, Romans 12:9-21, where personally I feel Paul really goes to town. This is a portion titled “The Marks of the True Christian” (what a title!), and is where he begins his list. As you read through this, take your time with each verse, sit with them & pause when you must. This is not simply a list, this is a holy charge to live a life set apart from the numbing & divisive flow of the world.

I pray you will encounter God in these verses & see a glimpse of the incredible life He’s called you to.

The Marks of the True Christian, Romans 12:

“9 Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. 10 Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. 11 Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. 12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. 13 Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.

14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. 16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. 17 Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. 18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. 19 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” 20 To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”