Voices...

Tuesday morning - ready to go and move and get the ministry week going. Staff meeting today, pastor's meeting tomorrow, small group Thursday - and sermon preparation in the middle of all that. As I think about those things that lie ahead (which are ALOT), there are voices that speak out to me:

• Voice of pressure - You need to do more. You aren't doing enough. You need to press your leaders, your congregation, and yourself to DO more than you're doing.
• Voice of doubt - You can't do it. You should do something that you are better at (whatever THAT might be). You haven't done it for 5 years now, what makes you think the next five will be different?
  
• Voice of criticism - You're still at THIS point?! What kind of leader ARE you, anyway? Other leaders would be SO much further along.
  
• Voice of derision - Nobody wants to follow you. That's why people leave. There are SO many better leaders out there.
  

Voices - telling me to get mad, get jealous, even quit and do something different. And yet...those voices aren't the loudest voices today (although they CAN get loud at times). Here is the VOICE that spoke to me this morning, out of Psalm 56...

3When I am afraid, I put my trust in You. 4In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can flesh (man) do to me? 9Then my enemies will turn back in the day when I call. This I know, that God is for me.

There are many voices that would mock me, judge me, wound me, discourage me, and try to tear me apart as a leader. But today - I choose to listen to the Voice of the GOD WHO IS FOR ME! The words of the song Voice of Truth continue to bless me -

But the giant's calling out my name and he laughs at me.
Reminding me of all the times I've tried before and failed.
The giant keeps on telling me time and time again
"Boy you'll never win, you'll never win."

But the Voice of Truth tells me a different story!
The Voice of Truth says "Do not be afraid!"
And the Voice of Truth says "This is for My glory"
Out of all the voices calling out to me,
I WILL CHOOSE to listen and believe the Voice of Truth!

But the stone was just the right size to put the giant on the ground!
And the waves they don't seem so high from on top of them looking down!
I will soar with the wings of eagles when I stop and listen to the sound of Jesus
Singing over me...

The Voice of Truth tells me a different story!
The Voice of Truth says "Do not be afraid!"
And the Voice of Truth says "This is for My glory"
Out of all the voices calling out to me,
I WILL CHOOSE to listen and believe the Voice of Truth!

Thanking God today for the Voice that speaks the loudest in my heart, and tuning into It more and more...

Early thoughts...

OK - I admit, it's early (actually, not really - it's 6:55am, but early enough for everyone to still be in bed) - and it's quiet (except for the sound of cars driving by and the clock on the wall at times ticking annoyingly loud) - but it's how I like it. As a matter of fact, I find that many of my blog thoughts are written when I am either really agitated or really calm - this happens to be the later...

As I look out to the southeastern sky this morning, it is pink and blue, like a newborn baby's bedroom colors - peaceful, calm, relaxing. And I have no idea what this day holds - which is exciting in some ways, but scary in others. I guess if I didn't have the Lord in my life, every day might be more scary than the last - I don't know.

But I am in the process of bringing my Sunday message together - it's been in my brain, but I haven't had the easiest time putting it down on paper...of course, as Elvis once sang, It's now or never... So my focus today will be bringing my thoughts into a coherent message about the peace that we can have through Jesus Christ - the peace that comes from the piece of hope we have (you really should listen to last week's message "A Glimmer of Hope" at http://www.thejourneynh.com/content/category/2/13/25/ to hear what I mean...and my kids are waking up).

But this whole idea of peace is fascinating to me - we don't live with enough peace in our lives. Oh, peace can come for a moment - like the "freeze-frame" moments where all seems right with the world, but generally speaking, we're all worried; we're all anxious - about kids, medical reports, high prices, being accepted by those we love, decisions we must make, our jobs, etc. - and life, if we are honest, is surprisingly absent of peace. Yet Jesus came to be the Prince of Peace. So I think I have a very large part of this peace process figured out, and it begins with hope that I spoke on last week. I am excited to flesh it out - frankly, I am excited to live it out....

So pink an blue are turning into gray and white - the day is dawning. Much love and peace to those who read. I am probably praying for you at some point...

"What a wonderful world...?"

I see trees of green, red roses too
I see them bloom for me and you
And I think to myself, what a wonderful world

I see skies of blue and clouds of white
The bright blessed day, the dark sacred night
And I think to myself, what a wonderful world

The colours of the rainbow, so pretty in the sky
Are also on the faces of people going by
I see friends shakin' hands, sayin' "How do you do?"
They're really saying "I love you"

I hear babies cryin', I watch them grow
They'll learn much more than I'll ever know
And I think to myself, what a wonderful world
Yes, I think to myself, what a wonderful world

Sunday's thought was all about "making God's dream come true for this world." Two days removed from that message, and we see the challenges we face:

• A shooter guns kills 33 people at an American university and then himself on Monday...
• The world's weather continues to revolt as a Nor'Easter claims two innocent lives of people in our state.
• War and insurgents continue to cause bloodshed and destruction.
• Spiritual leadership in crisis...
• Growing hostility everywhere we turn...
• Trying to protect our children from the evil that would destroy them.
  

As we learned on Sunday, the world is crying out for God's dream to come true as everything and everyone continues to revolt. That's why pursuing God's dream is so important. Little by little, it brings goodness, peace, and joy wherever it takes hold. We as believers in God's dream actually have the chance to overturn and defeat wickedness wherever we go.

Some might argue and say that making God's dream happen is WAY TOO BIG, and it won't happen until Jesus returns. Two responses:

1. Yes, these are BIG problems. But BIG problems can need to be solved in the small ways before they are solved in the BIG ways. And every BIG problem begins as a little problem that no one resolved. And as we resolve problems locally, watch a small solution turn into a BIG solution, from affecting my neighborhood to impacting my city to carrying into our region and soon enough into our WORLD!
   
2. Matthew 6:33 tells us to seek God's kingdom. The word seek carries more meaning than simply "look for it to come." The idea is to pursue aggresively being kingdom citizens and bringing the kingdom wherever you go. The kingdom affects employment, economics, politics, medicine, law, sexuality, racial equality - it reaches into every area and teaches us to live at a higher level. But it is something we can pursue NOW. Furthermore, Matthew 6:34 takes the immediacy of the kingdom seriously by telling us to not worry about tomorrow - the kingdom - God's dream - isn't a "tomorrow" topic - it's a today "topic," and potentially a "today" reality as we pursue it.
   

More than ever before, seek God's kingdom - God's dream - for this world above all else. And KNOW that it gives the Father's great happiness to GIVE us the kingdom - His dream - as we pursue it...

Any thoughts?

A good read...

I just finished reading Tempting Faith: An Inside Story of Political Seduction by David Kuo. I had picked this book up based on an article I had read about two months ago, and finally decided to read it. As someone who is intrigued by politics, I found this book fascinating. Here's the scoop:

David Kuo was a special assistant to the President from 2001 to 2003, deputy director of the White House office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives. Kuo's desire was to work with the President on delivering the $8 billion per year promise to faith-based organizations that were helping their communities. As the book points out, this promise was never delivered, nor was it ever taken seriously so much as being a campaign booster and as a way to attain votes in 2000 and 2004. Kuo's revelations of these things isn't so much disturbing to me on a political level as on a personal level. Here's why:

• Politically we need to remember that all men are human, even really good men - or well-intentioned men, like our President. If I take President Bush at his word (and I do), he is a brother in Christ. But he is human and prone to failures and temptations. The higher the leadership, the greater the magnification of these things.
• Personally I am bothered by these things because I have too often been all about "my side" winning and trusting that "my political party" will get things done. As a lifelong Republican, I have to admit (as Kuo did) that Republicans have controlled the White House for 19 of the past 28 years, as well as controlled Congress from 1994-2006 - and are we better off? That is not a Republican slam so much as a personal slam on my looking to politicians when I should be looking elsewhere (starting with the mirror) for the world to improve.
• Spiritually is where I get really distressed - why did the Religious Right/the church become so consumed with politics? When was that ever part of the Great Commission? I agree with Bill Hybels, "The future of the world rests in the hands of local congregations...It's the church or it's lights out. Without churches so filled with the power of God that they can't help but spill goodness and peace and love and joy into the world, depravity will win the day; evil will flood the world. But it doesn't have to be that way. Strong, growing communities of faith can turn the tide of history" (Courageous Leadership, p. 21-22). While the church has made great strides through individuals to better society, its best and most effective work is done when it remembers that God has ordained the church and not the government to do His work.
  
• But spiritually I am alarmed and distressed by church leaders who get too involved in politics - men I have great respect for, but who have erred on the side of over-involvement and who have apparently been duped by politicians to simply becoming vote-getters. I hope that Kuo's book, even though it is from his own point of view, sheds light and perspective so as to avoid politics that is over-promised and under-delivered. If nothing else, I hope that it causes these religious leaders who feel called into the political spectrum to more closely monitor what is being promised versuswhat is being delivered.

One of the other fascinating viewpoints of this book is the historical viewpoint. These include:

• Seeing the formations of a President, before as governor of Texas and then in the early stages of his administration as he began to fit into the role.
  
• Discovering how the White House is the greatest home-field advantage on the earth.
• Viewing different political figures through the lens of a White House aid - figures such as the Clinton family, the Bush family, and other key political figures.
  
• Watching how a new administration begins to unfold through delegations and prioritizing.
• Learning an insider's viewpoint of the events of 9/11.
• Witnessing the mixing of politics and religion.
• Seeing the differences in religious leaders such as Jerry Falwell, James Dobson, and Billy Graham.
  

As Kuo wrapped up his book, I think the suggestion he gives at the end is phenomenal. He recommends that the religious right fast from politics for two years. He doesn't advocate not voting, but rather turning off the talk radio, the TV ads, the campaign rallies - and getting involved in the local church as the agent of church (that last point is probably my viewpoint). But he recommends that we do this so as not to be used for political gain, and that in turn, we take a look at politics from Jesus' standpoint - that we vote from a biblically-guided perspective, and not allow the sway of political jargon be our guiding force. I think this is an excellent and refreshing idea.

All in all, this was a great book - a grounding book. It is said that this book which was released in the fall of 2006 was a major reason for the political victories of the Democrats. Maybe, maybe not. But it is a much-needed book for Christians to read so that the church will remember the Great Commission is our objective, not the advancement of a political party.
-Pastor