cup a joe

I'm preaching on Luke 14 tomorrow. This chapter has been haunting me for the past several weeks. What does it mean to be a follower of Christ? When Jesus says hate my father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sister, even my own life, what exactly is he saying? When he says I need to give up everything does he really mean everything? More on this after I preach.

I've called a members meeting tomorrow to discuss our building. The economy is killing us and things have to change. We need to get our expenses in order soon or else bad things will happen (church by candle light anyone? A cappella or unplugged worship anyone? Anyone?). I wonder if this what is meant by counting the cost? I would be lying if I said I wasn't a little frightened about what might happen tomorrow. It could go well and good things could come out of it, or it could go bad - real bad. If you get a chance, please pray for us tomorrow.

I have so many friends right now struggling with huge decisions. It's really odd. Most of them would not notice that they are dealing with the same thing, but from a distance....from the place where I stand it all seems very similar.

What do we do when we think we are not hearing from God? That seems to be the million dollar question right now. What if I want to follow God, but I'm not sure that I am? We all seem to be looking for concrete answers - solid, unquestionable words. But I'm not sure that God works that way. Think about it. When Jesus told Peter to get out of the boat and come to Him, He didn't really tell him how to do it, He just said come. Consider this: there is the storm going on all around the disciples and they are freaking out, so they look into the distance and they think they see Jesus. They are not overly positive about it(they really think they are seeing a ghost or something.) Jesus calls out to Peter and says come here. Remember, there is this big storm going on. Wind, waves, lots of noise. I wonder what Peter thought when he heard this. Is that really Jesus, or is that my imagination? What did he say? Was that the wind?

It really doesn't matter what Peter thought, because we know what he did. He got out of the boat. Now, here is the part for us. Peter got out, so we too need to get out. No matter where we are there are always storms going on around us. Problems, stress, disagreements, injustice...you name it, they are always there. Those storms make it difficult for us to see and hear Jesus. But you know what, He is out there and he is calling us. All we need to do is respond. To get out of the boat and trust Him...trust that he knows what He is doing and that He will always be there next to us. Even when we mess up, even when we take our eyes off of Him, He is there to grab our hand and pull us out.

So this is to all my friends out there trying to figure out what to do. Trust that Jesus is speaking to you. Follow the passions that He has placed in your heart. Go where He leads you and know that He will always be there, even when friends and family are not.

Thomas Merton once wrote a prayer that has always affected me. I think there is a lot of truth in it and at times I have found a lot of peace in it:

My Lord God,
I have no idea where I am going.
I do not see the road ahead of me.
I cannot know for certain where it will end.
Nor do I really know myself,
And the fact that I think I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so.
But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you.
And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing.
I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire.
And I know that if I do this, you will lead me by the right road though I may know nothing about it.
Therefore I will trust you always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death.
I will not fear, for you are ever with me,
And you will never leave me to face my perils alone.

Worship is going on right now. I'm in the sound booth...some thoughts....



It was never about the temple....if it was Jesus would have spent more time there. He would have brought reform instead of tearing it down.

It was never about the tabernacle....if it was Jesus would have taught us how to reconstruct it.

It was never about the service....if it was Jesus would have given us a liturgy.

It was never about the songs....if it was Jesus would have given us a book of Psalms.


It was about LOVE....that is what Jesus gave us. And that is what we are supposed to do. It is not about the ceremony, it is not about what we do, how we act, if we dance, clap, raise our hands or even sing...all that is more about us and less about God...instead, it's about how we relate...to God and to each other. Isn't that what Jesus did. Isn't that true worship? True worship is not what we do in the church, it is what we do outside of the church.



Just some thoughts...