That Very Hour

Have you ever opened your Bible, began reading and when you finish, you think to yourself, “What in the world did that mean?” The Bible is full of wisdom and insight but sometimes we have to dig a little deeper into the cultural and historical background of a story to really grasp the full meaning of what was written.

Most recently I read Matthew 15:21-28, the story of the gentile who shows her faith. In this story a mother approaches Jesus because her daughter is severely demon possessed because she believes that Jesus is the only way her daughter will receive healing and deliverance. The preceding interaction that takes place between her and Jesus can seem very confusing if taken at face value. You will read that at first Jesus ignores the woman and then goes on to refer to her as a dog which seems very unloving and unlike Jesus to do.

As we dive deeper into this story, we realize that Jesus is using the metaphor of a cute little household doggy and a child to illustrate a very important point. Through this illustration, Jesus is teaching His disciples and readers a life changing point. Additionally, He is leading the woman to step out in boldness and faith, a faith that Jesus later says leads Him to heal her daughter.

The comments and remarks exchanged between Jesus and the lady are actually drawing up some interesting information. We learn from their conversation that although many believed Jesus was sent to be the savior only to the Jews, He has actually come to be savior to all. See, this woman understood what everyone else missed. She knew that it’s not up to everyone else to determine who gets saved and who doesn’t or who is qualified or able to receive and experience God’s grace and who isn’t. She knew that she was a sinner and was outside of God’s chosen people, His covenant people. But she also knew that if she could just experience an ounce of His grace, everything would be okay for her daughter.

We are all unworthy and undeserving of God’s grace, but the great thing is that He has chosen to freely give it to all who choose to accept it. The point of the message is this: That the smallest amount of God’s grace is enough for the most undeserving. Even those of us who are furthest from God, those who think of themselves as the worst people, or who have run so far from God it seems there is no way He could love us. His grace is for everyone, and even the smallest amount of God’s grace is enough for the most undeserving.

This woman understood this. She knew if she could just have an ounce it would be more than enough for all she needed. Verse 28 goes on to say that in that very hour her daughter was healed because of her faith. Now real quick, an example I used in last week’s sermon was this: Comfort zones are like cooking a live frog. If you put the frog in a pot of hot water it will jump right out. But if you put the frog in a pot of cold water and slowly heat the pot, he’ll be too comfortable to realize he’s dieing. Now don’t go trying this at home, I’d rather you just get the point of the story which is this; being uncomfortable is what saves us. Being uncomfortable is what saved this woman’s daughter. Because she was willing to be uncomfortable while approaching Jesus in a place she wasn’t wanted and looked down upon her daughter was saved. It’s when we become comfortable that often we begin to slowly die inside. It’s uncomfortable to wake up early and spend time with God. But without it we slowly die inside.

It was because of this woman’s boldness she stepped out in faith to boldly approach Jesus with her need. She knew she was undeserving, a sinner, and outside of God’s chosen people. But she knew something many of us need to know and even respond to. That God’s grace is for everyone and the smallest amount of God’s grace is enough for the most undeserving.

Maybe right now, in this very hour, you need to boldly approach Jesus with your struggles and difficulties, your deepest needs, and in this very hour God wants to do something mighty in your life. Remember, the smallest amount of God’s grace is enough for the most undeserving. It’s enough for whatever you are going through. If God is placing something in your life on your heart right now, I encourage you, boldly approach Jesus and ask Him for His grace and He will freely give it.

Leadership Challenge of the week: Find someone in your workplace, school, home, or community who you know needs God’s grace and pray this week for them. Maybe someone needs grace from you. How can you be an example of Christ and share God’s grace with them?

Who's On Your List?

Living out in the Antelope Valley is an experience like no other. Having grown up in the Northwest with luscious green trees and clear flowing streams has made this transition a bit of a shock in getting used to my new scenery. My typical drive to work consists of passing numerous Joshua trees which are basically glorified cactuses and desert flats spanning for miles. Another part of the experience for anyone who moves to a new location is getting to know the people in the local community and falling in love with their culture and heritage.

           

            Most recently in my time with the Lord, I’ve been challenged in a new way. I’ve really been pushed by God to look at how I view myself and others. To be a little more specific, how I view my relationship with the Father and how I view others in relationship to Him. Before you click away because of that confusing comment, allow me to briefly explain myself as I believe you will find a real connection to what I’m about to say.

            I was reading Luke 14:15-24, the parable of the great supper, and in this parable we learn how the host Jesus, instructs His servants to go out to those who are maimed, lame, and blind. Now although we have a lot of people in our communities who have these challenges, I believe that Jesus is talking more specifically about the spiritually maimed, lame, and blind, those who are far away from Him. Maybe it’s those who don’t go to church, those who at our work use profanity or make rude comments. Jesus instructs his servant to go out to those who are far away and invite them to the feast.

            Now as I read this, I felt a conviction inside myself. Think about it, Jesus is willing to love those who most of us don’t feel like loving. He is willing to reach out to those who are furthest from God. I began thinking about all the people in my community who don’t know the Lord and all those who if they were just invited to the banquet would love to come! I also began thinking about the religious leaders who gave the excuses and I wondered am I one of them? Do I think that I will be sitting at the great banquet and all the people that bother me and the ones I don’t love will not? Do I neglect to invite and share God’s love with those who are far from God?

            If we are children of God we should love those who don’t know God and those who are far from Him. If not, then I’d have to ask, are you a child of God? The children of God have a passion after His own heart. So why don’t we have heart for the lost? God’s greatest passion is to find the lost sheep, the lost coin, the prodigal son, those who are furthest from Him; those are who He has the greatest compassion for!

            So as I read this parable I asked myself, Sean, do you believe there are people here in the Antelope Valley who I should be sharing God’s love and grace with but instead I turn them away because I think they are not worthy? Wow, this hurt. I really had to stop and examine my heart. I think there are times when I am no better than those religious leaders. But as a son and child of God, my heart must be after His heart, after the same things He is passionate about.

            This past Sunday I challenged our young adults group with the question, who’s on your list? Who’s the one person that the Holy Spirit might put on your heart to go out and share His grace and compassion with? Who’s the one person that might simply need to be invited to the feast? Maybe it’ll take some convincing, but once they come and experience the Father’s love; their lives will be forever transformed.

            So I pose the question to my readers. Who’s on your list? Who is the person that God might be putting on your heart, the one that might be considered so far from God, the one who doesn’t deserve to be at the banquet, who’s that one that you are willing to reach out and love? Who’s on your list?

Leadership Lesson of the week: As leaders we are to disciple and empower others to be more fully who God has created them to be. Take time this week to pour into one other person and encourage them to reach out to another as well.

A Simple Remedy To Life's Curveballs

Our lives are filled each day with new challenges, defining moments, and memorable experiences, some more positive than others, but all very real. In the last year my wife and I have worked through many transitions, one of which being the relocation of our lives and careers. During our time of seeking where we would move our life to, we met with several people we considered to be mentors or large influencers in our lives. One in particular, Dr. Jared Roth, gave us a bit of advice that stood in my mind as a defining moment in how we processed our decisions. He told us that at my current age of twenty-five, much of what I learn over the next five to ten years will greatly influence both my leadership style and personal character. Most of these attributes will be learned from the people closest to me including my boss or supervisor, spouse, peers, mentors and coaches in my life. With this in mind I consider it very important to position myself in relationships with key individuals who I want to shape my leadership and character after.

Now as many of us know, this is not always easy. Often we work at organizations with leaders we don’t necessarily look up to, and some of our preferred means of influence are held at a distance whether by physical location, busyness of life, or inaccessibility. So how do we prepare and position ourselves best for these defining moments in our lives, the times when big decisions must be made?

This last Sunday my college friend T.D. Davis (short for Touch Down Davis or Total Domination) guest spoke at our young adults groups here at the Highlands Church in Palmdale. While touching down on some words that are often thrown around loosely, he brought new perspective by redefining them. One word he took the time to redefine was mentor. He brought to light not only the unrealistic expectations and standards many of us have of mentors but he also shed new light on them through the use of Biblical references. There is one thing in particular about what he said that hung on to me, something I just couldn’t shake.

While talking about mentors, T.D. explained how on baseball teams they have what is called the bullpen. Many of us know already what a bullpen is, but as a quick recap it is the area for players that are located just outside of the main playing field. Not to be confused with the dugout where the rest of the team is, the bullpen is and area were the relief pitchers are located. Often they are warming up for the game, just waiting to be called in as reserves. They are the ones that give relief to the main players, primarily the pitcher, and help out when things get hard.

While expanding upon this analogy, T.D. challenged me and the church with the question, “Who’s in your bullpen?” Who do we have in our lives as mentors and coaches, the relief players to help us when things get difficult or when we need advice? Who do we turn to for advice, who do we seek counsel from during our life defining moments? He urged us to begin to think about who we can consider asking to be a part of our bullpen and who we can ask to be available to meet with occasionally for advice. We need to set ourselves up with a strong bullpen now so that when difficult times come we will be ready to turn to them for relief and help. When life throws you a curve ball, a simple remedy for help is to turn to your bullpen for advice.

Leadership Challenge for the week: Formulate a list of key individuals you can ask to be a part of your ‘bullpen’ and begin to build on those relationships.

           

A Faithful God

This season of transitioning into ministry here at the Highlands has been an exciting and adventurous time. God has begun a great work that is going to continue to ignite and spread like a wild fire! Lives are being changed, prayers are being answered, and miracles are happening. It's funny though, because there are still times where I find myself trying to do things on my own. Even though God is all around and doing mighty works and bringing together things I could never have done, I still find myself attempting tasks on my own. Does this ever happen to you? I would think I would have learned better than this by now right!?

Well recently, on two separate occasions, there have been tasks that I could use some help on. I was short on man power. I took just a minute during the normal tasks I have each day to pause and ask God for reinforcements, for help to finish the tasks before me. Not but one week went by before I had 3 people willing and available to help further the work God set before me. It might not sound like a huge deal, but it's little moments like these, in the small parts of each of our days, that if we take the time to pause and simply ask God for help, he will provide us the necessary means to accomplish His work.

I encourage you today, take a moment and just ask God to help you with whatever troubles you have today. Watch and see what He will do!

URGENT: Free Stuff

So often when talking about tithing, offering, or giving money to the Lord and the first thing we usually think about is giving 10% to the church. Although in the back of our minds we hope God will return to us ten fold. Right!? I mean, it pops in my head quite frequently, especially come Sunday after payday. But, as I’m sure you can already guess from my sarcasm, this isn’t where I’m taking this entry. Instead, what I want to do is consider Matthew 25:14-30 and the parable of the talents and how Jesus challenges us in a way we might not normally consider.

Now right away in this parable Jesus says in verse 14, “For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them.” (NKJV). So what are we talking about here: The kingdom of God. Who is the master: God. Who are the servants: You and me. To whom does all the wealth belong: God. So right away Jesus is saying that God is giving us His stuff. James 1:17 is consistent with this as well as Psalm 24:1 and John 3:27. So the logical assumption that Jesus makes about our stuff is that He created it, He made it, and that He made and created us.

So we need to be aware. Aware of how we approach our stuff, our goods, everything we own, we must approach it with awareness of whose it is and who gave it to us. Now, lets pause here for a moment and look at a catalytic scripture in Matthew 22:15. Here the religious leaders come to Jesus and try to trap Him. They ask if they should pay taxes to Caesar. Now they’ve got Him! Right!? If He says yes, then people will feel betrayed because they hated paying taxes, but if He says no, then they would turn Him into the Roman authorities for tax evasion. So Jesus takes the coin, asks who’s face is on it and when they say Caesar’s, He tells them give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.  But that’s it. They just walk away saying, wow, this Man is good, and He’s sharp! But what I think Jesus wanted them to do was ask another question. This would have been the question: What belongs to God? And Jesus would have said, whose imprint is on you? God’s! Therefore, everything you have belongs to God.

Every ability, every talent, gift, we have comes from God. We can hone in on our gifts, but we can’t create them. They originate from God, through Him and then to us. That’s what God wants you to know. So Jesus is saying to us, what are we doing with our talents and abilities?

To help answer this question, the national average shows that the average family household income is $50,000 a year. To put that into perspective, if you make $34,000 or more per year, you are wealthier than 96% of the rest of the world. If you make $45,000 or more a year, you are in the top 1% of wage earners! So we are the rich and wealthy ones the Bible is talking about. Yet, the average American only gives 1.5% away on average. If you’re a Christian, then it goes to 2.5%! So God makes a whopping 1% difference in our lives! (Sarcasm) Another crazy fact is that although only 8% of Christians tithed last year, 44% claim they tithe. So as a whole, Christians in America are missing the point somewhere along the way.

I’ve heard that some don’t tithe because they heard that God loves a cheerful giver and when they give they are not cheerful, therefore they don’t give. Well good for them, they are upholding one passage of scripture to violate another.  It’s apparent from this parable that it’s about awareness of whose money, talents, gifts, abilities, everything we have, it is in the first place. Matthew 25:15 says, “And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey.” The word talent here has a dual meaning. First it can mean money, gold, or economic insinuation. It can also mean talent, gift, skill, or ability. Both are included. So we can’t just say we gave our talents and abilities to the service of God and not our money. We need to be aware of this. Everything belongs to God and it is all a gift to us. 

I used to pray that God would provide. That He would provide for my family, my church and the people who come to learn about God. Then it dawned on me. He does provide. Last year alone, our church gave away about $300,000 to missions, outreaches, grace resources, families that couldn’t pay their bills and many other ministry opportunities. As a pastor, I talk with many people who have great ideas and passions for ministry and outreaches to reach the lost. Of course, many of them require some amount of money. I would like to list all the outreach ideas our church members have, but that’s not the point of this message or parable. Jesus is saying, what are we doing with what He has given us? Are we honoring Him with it? Are we doing our best to use our gifts, talents and finances to honor God?

I could say you should tithe 10% with the hopes of receiving 10 fold back. If that were the case and the sole purpose for giving, as a church we wouldn’t even take tithe. We would just give out 100 dollar bills to each person after service with the hope of receiving 10 fold back. It’s not about that. God already tells us He will provide for all we need. But if we truly honored God and learned from this parable, we would recognize that all we have is His to begin with. When we understand this we wont have such a hard time giving it back and honoring Him in all areas of our lives. Just think, in my church alone, if everyone tithed or gave at least 10% we would receive 70% more money than we do now. Monies that could go to reaching the lost, serve others, and bring glory to God. We are not given these riches to become rich, but to give to others and glorify God.

So I encourage you, if you aren’t giving to God now, begin. If you are giving a little but don’t know how to give more because the economy is tight. Listen, I love you, God loves you, but you must understand there comes a point when we have to step out in faith and trust Him with all we have. Honor God with all your gifts, talents, monies, and abilities, everything you have! There is nothing more fun than seeing the gifts God has given you being used to bring Glory to His name and lead others to Christ.

Leadership Challenge for the week: How can you help at least one person in discovering or putting their gifts, talents, or abilities to work?

The Result Of Loving God

"The more you learn to love God, the more you learn to know and to cherish yourself. Self-knowledge and self-love are the fruit of knowing and loving God. You can see better now what is intended by the great commandment to 'love the Lord your God will all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind, and to love your neighbor as yourself.' Laying our hearts totally open to God leads to a love of ourselves that enables us to give whole-hearted love to our fellow human beings. In the seclusion of our hearts we learn to know the hidden presence of God; and with that spiritual knowledge we can lead a loving life." -Letters to Marc about Jesus from Henri Nouwen's The Only Necessary Thing.

Certainty In Times Of Uncertainty

During the difficult times in my life I find I am on my knees before God crying out to Him more than ever. It’s during those times that I often call out on the various names of God to help remind me while praying that He is our provider, comforter, strength, etc. But there is one name for God that we can’t find anywhere in the Old Testament. One name for God that if we understand it and how it applies to us, it will change the way we look at our life and even the current situation you might be struggling through.

Throughout the Old Testament, 4 major characteristics of God emerge. First, He is Sovereign. God is above and over all things. Psalm 24:1 says, “The earth is the Lord’s and all its fullness, The world and those who dwell therein.” God is not limited by anything and has absolute rule and authority over all. Second, He is holy. This means that God does what is right every time and does it with the right intention. Psalm 24:3 says, “Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord? Or who may stand in His holy place?” He is a holy God who never slips up and always does what is right. Hard to fathom isn’t it? It’s like trying to fathom the fact that God has no beginning! Additionally, He is omniscient, meaning He knows everything; He has perfect and complete knowledge of anything that has or will ever happen. Isaiah 40:13 says, “Who has directed the Spirit of the Lord, Or as His counselor has taught Him?” God knows all about all and is not limited by anything. He knows every sickness we will ever have, who your future spouse will be, even the names of your kids before you ever hope to have them. Finally, God is immutable, meaning He is never going to change, He is always the same.

Doesn’t this bother some of you though? Isn’t it frustrating that God knows everything you do? If God knows all and has the power to create all, then I can only be lead to believe that God, if He wanted, could rescue us out of all the difficult things we are going through. He could heal us from any disease, restore any marriage or relationship, provide food for the hungry, and even stop the natural disasters from killing so many people. So why doesn’t He? Why are we in some of the extremely difficult situations that we are?

Well Jesus, during the most difficult and trying time of His life cries out to God, His Father, as we can observe from Mark 14:32-36. He is about to be crucified, and while in the garden of Gethsemane He prays and becomes deeply troubled and distressed. This was the hardest part of His life, His sorrow became so great that He fell to the ground. When Jesus called out to God, He called Him, “Abba Father.” This name, Abba Father, is a name that we all have to know, it’s so important in knowing who God is. It’s a name that no other faith system in the world includes and a name that would have been highly offensive to the Old Testament Hebrew. The name Abba Father is only used three times throughout the entire New Testament and all three times it was used by Jesus.

The name ‘Abba Father’ literally means daddy. We can call upon God by every other name known throughout the Old Testament, but Jesus sheds light in Mark 14 about a way we are to view God, that until we see Him in this way, we will never know fully who He is. I know that for some of my readers, the analogy/metaphor of a daddy isn’t great, as some of you have had absent or difficult times with your father. But with the ideal, the perfect model of a father, we can understand God and how He deals with the situations we are in. After Jesus calls God daddy, He says in verse 36, “...all things are possible for You. Take this cup away from Me; nevertheless, not what I will, but what You will” (Mk.14:36). Jesus is basically saying, I know you got me daddy, I know you’re there, but would you take this from me? But if not, I’ll submit. Now the Father had a compelling reason for not taking away the cross- salvation. Jesus had to go through the cross to get to us so that we can now receive everlasting life. Any other way would have not been possible.

This leads me to believe that it is possible for you to be in the most difficult time of your life and for you to be directly in the center of the will of God. If you notice what happens next though, Luke 22 shows us that angels came and strengthened Him. So we can learn that whatever God calls us to endure, He assumes the responsibility to give us the strength to endure it. We may never know the reason why we go through some of the things we do, I can’t tell you why certain things happen either. Just because we can’t see a reason doesn’t mean one doesn’t exist. Based on what we know about God, the things we are certain about, we can trust Him in uncertain times, because He is your daddy. He’s got you.

Leadership Lesson Of The Week: "Define yourself radically as one beloved by God. This is the true self. Every other identity is illusion." -Brennen Manning, Ruthless Trust