In just over a month The Ordinary Way: A Unique Way to Live will be released. For your reading pleasure I share a bit with you here.
Ordinary.
That word is much underrated. Words such as great, awesome, first class, and excellent receive more attention. Few will exit the highway to grab a bite if the billboard sign reads “Ordinary BBQ” or “Home of The Ordinary Burger”—even if the sign itself is extraordinary. Why? Because ordinary carries synonym baggage. The word is grouped together, quite unfairly, with boring, bland, common, and unimpressive.
I officially call for a revolution. “The Ordinary Revolution,” perhaps? On second thought, that doesn’t sound very impressive. If you can find a better tagline, please let me know. In the meantime, that will have to suffice.
Eugene Peterson, in The Message, artfully articulates one of the apostle Paul’s central encouragements to those who set out to follow Jesus.
So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Romans 12:1 MSG
In the NIV, that verse reads that we are to offer (our) bodies as a living sacrifice. As one who understands the powerful imagery of “living sacrifices,” I, even still, struggle to apply those words. How does one actually do that? Through the ordinary. Certainly, extraordinary events hold value and excellent experiences prove worthy; the stuff of life is mostly ordinary—it is the meat that sustains rather than the gourmet feast and chocolate mousse that add flavor.
Follow this link to pre-order your copy of The Ordinary Way: A Unique Way To Live.
#ordinarylives
You may wonder about the meaning of Ash Wednesday.
Ash Wednesday occurs 46 days before Easter. Subtracting Sundays, 40 is the number of days between Ash Wednesday and Easter. Forty, a commonly found number in Scripture, here represents the forty days of fasting that Jesus practiced in the wilderness. He prepared Himself for His purpose.
On Easter, followers of Christ celebrate a great victory, the great victory of Christ - His victory over sin. Jesus gave His life for the sins of the world. He rose from the grave. We celebrate.
Ash Wednesday serves as a reminder.
Mark, in his gospel, records Jesus' great invitation - "Repent, and believe the good news!"
Ash Wednesday reminds us to repent. God calls us to confess our sins which He is faithful to forgive. We confess and acknowledge the grace of God in forgiving us.
#ordinarylives
Follow this link to pre-order your copy of The Ordinary Way: A Unique Way To Live scheduled for release April 7.
While Spring, at least for Alaskans, will not soon arrive, perhaps February is a good month during which you can finally do that deep cleaning of your kitchen, reduce the amount of clutter in your cabinets, or part with those clothes about which you have said, "I'll wear that someday" for at least the past five years.
The name for this month comes from the Latin Februaris. During Februaris, the ancient Romans would engage in a time of purification. On that day (the 15th), Roman priests would sacrifice animals and use their blood in ceremonial rituals that were believed to purify people and fields thus increasing fertility and crop production.
Christians do not practice those ancient traditions. We do, however, recognize the value of purification. "Cleanliness is next to godliness" while not a quotation from Scripture, points toward truth.
King David prayed for it . . .
Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Psalm 51:10 (NIV)
Jesus upheld its importance . . .
Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.
Matthew 5:8 (NIV)
The Apostle Paul called Christians to it . . .
Therefore, since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.
2 Corinthians 7:1 (NIV)
Devote some time this month to cleansing. Focus on your life. What needs to go? A read through some of Paul's words will help.
Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a person is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient. Therefore do not be partners with them.
For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light. This is why it is said:
“Wake up, sleeper,
rise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you.”
Ephesians 4:29-5:14 (NIV)
If you get to the clutter and clothes, that's great. But those stacks and clothes can wait until you've done some self-cleaning.
let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.
Hebrews 10:22 (NIV)
#ordinarylives
Follow this link to pre-order your copy of The Ordinary Way: A Unique Way To Live scheduled for release April 7.
February 14th is not a good day for wait-until-the-last-minute (perhaps second) husbands. Restaurants are full, boxes of candy are gone from store shelves, and wives know a gift bought in haste when they see one.
To help husbands (and wives) enjoy Valentine's Day, Rabbit Creek Church (where I am pastor) is holding our bi-annual "Behind Closed Doors" Marriage Conference this Friday and Saturday. We will enjoy laughter, stories, games, food, and time together on Friday evening. On Saturday we will enjoy much of the same and, added to that, couples will interact with each other and other couples as we learn helpful information and skills that will serve as great tools to strengthen our marriages.
Four of our pastors and their spouses will be teaching breakout sessions on subjects such as dating your spouse, sex, and juggling life with small children. (Read that last sentence carefully. Rabbit Creek endorses juggling life, not small children.)
Our pastoral team and our spouses designed "Behind Closed Doors" to help all couples enjoy marriage. God created marriage and we believe in taking care of what He creates.
If you will be in our area, we invite you to join us for "Behind Closed Doors." Follow this link for registration information: Behind Closed Doors Registration. If Alaska is not your home, I encourage you to find a marriage conference near you. And please feel free to contact me for resource suggestions.
#ordinarylives
Follow this link to pre-order your copy of The Ordinary Way: A Unique Way To Live scheduled for release April 7.
Thirty-four days ago we welcomed the arrival of 2020. As one who sang along with Prince's "1999" in 1982 and wondered what the arrival of Y2K would bring, writing "2020" seems a bit odd. Nevertheless, we have begun our journey into this next decade What will you do, Lord-willing, with this year? Next year? Five years? Ten?
Times such as the start of a new decade offer prime opportunities to set goals for the future. As you set goals, it helps to rely on intentional methods. Rolls of dice and hurls of darts prove faulty in determining one's strategic planning. The Holy Spirit, after all, indwells Christians; so we need not rely on the casting of lots. So how should Christians make plans for the future?
Christians TRUST.
1) Turn to God in prayer.
2) Refuse to worry.
3) Understand that many events will be out of your control.
4) Stay the course of faithfulness.
5) Talk with trustworthy brothers and sisters in faith.
I encourage you to read the following passages of Scripture as you set goals guided by the components of TRUST.
Turn - Matthew 5:5-15; 6:33
Refuse - Matthew 6:25-34
Understand - John 16:33; James 1:2-4; 1 Peter 4:12
Stay - Philippians 4:4-13; James 1:12
Talk - Psalm 1; Proverbs 12:5, 15; 15:31-33; 19:20
#ordinarylives
Follow this link to pre-order your copy of The Ordinary Way: A Unique Way To Live scheduled for release April 7.
Just about twenty years ago a woman (who was forty years my senior) from the church I was pastoring at the time strongly encouraged me to purchase a cellphone. At the time I checked email about twice a week, owned a VCR, and still enjoyed slides; and I don't mean playground equipment. You remember them; don't you? Those photos you (or your parents) inserted into a carousel.
Well, anyway, back to the phone story. She wanted her pastor to be within reach in addition to landlines and home phones. So I bought a phone (or maybe the church did). I've been connected ever since.
I still write most things with my Pentel P205 and I like my paper At-A-Glance Planner; yet an Apple tablet and an iPhone are just within reach.
I enjoy the old ways and the new ways; at least the "new" ways I understand. In light of new ways (to me), I am starting a new thing. Tomorrow I will post my first vlog. With the help of a man over twenty years my junior, in addition to preaching, teaching, and blogging, I will have another vehicle through which I can communicate the importance of faith, God's Word, family, and living the Ordinary. Thanks, Jonathan!
I invite you to connect with me every Wednesday to view my vlog. You can find the link at rabbitcreekchurch.org
Here's to New Things!
#ordinarylives
Yesterday people from every race celebrated Martin Luther King Jr. Day as Americans have done since the bill establishing the holiday was signed into law in 1983 by President Ronald Reagan. The day celebrates the life of a man who forever changed our nation for the good.
Reflecting on King's influence, I thought about his influencers, that is, those who influenced him. As the "Jr." indicates, he bore the name of another - specifically, the name of his father. King Jr. was the child of Alberta King and Martin Luther King, Sr.
While reading Jr's "An Autobiography of Religious Development" (1950), I found the following words of great interest . . .
"It is quite easy for me to think of a God of love mainly because I grew up in a family where love was central and where lovely relationships were ever present."
As well as . . .
". . . the influence of my father also had a great deal to do with my going in the ministry. This is not to say that he ever spoke to me in terms of being a minister, but that my admiration for him was the great moving factor. He set forth a noble example that I didn't mine [sic] following."
MLK Jr. recognized the value of his formative years as those that were filled with love, support, and a noble example.
Just as it is quite difficult to imagine our nation today without the influence the son shared with us, one struggles to imagine MLK Jr. rising to those nation-changing mounts (speeches, marches, sermons, etc.) without the influence of Sr. and Alberta on him as a boy, teenager, and young man.
The King story reminds us to pay attention to our influence on the next generation - our own children and the sons and daughters of others. Through love, support, and noble example, we can shape tomorrow.
Thank you, MLK Jr., for your conviction and courage.
Thank you, MLK Sr. and Alberta, for your influence.
#ordinarylives
On January 19th, my friend Dane and I will teach a class called "Gifted for Ministry." During that time, we will explore the ways in which each man and woman present is uniquely gifted by their Creator to serve God and others.
We offer the class with a desire to debunk a far-too-commonly-held belief that only a few are qualified and, therefore, suitable for ministry (serving God and others). A companion belief, equally false, is the thought that some gifts are more valuable to God than others; and, therefore, some people are more of an asset to the Kingdom. This belief leads to self-doubt on one side and pride on the other. Jealousy connects self-doubt and pride.
Think with me about a few of the accounts of brothers in Scripture.
- Cain and Abel
- Jacob and Esau
- Joseph and his brothers
- Jesus and His brothers
In each of those stories, jealousy raises its ugly head.
- Cain despised Abel.
- Esau relied on the wisdom of his appetite while Jacob deceived.
- Joseph's brothers were bitter toward "daddy's favorite."
- Jesus' brothers thought their actually perfect Brother was out of His mind.
If you are a Christian, Christ is calling you to serve. We, as brothers and sisters, need to encourage one another and support each others' efforts. No room for self-doubt. No room for pride. No room for jealousy.
4 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. 5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6 There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.
1 Corinthians 12:4-6 (NIV)
#ordinarylives
Around two thousand years ago, a group of astrologers (aka Magi) journeyed to a humble home in the town known as the house of bread (Bethlehem). There the Magi, perhaps three (we don’t really know), presented the young Hebrew boy who would, as a man, refer to himself as the Bread of life, with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.
The Twelve Days of Christmas which began on December 26th and culminated on January 6th end with the celebration of Epiphany, a word meaning “to reveal.” In the giving of those three gifts, the Magi revealed (perhaps not even clear to them) the role, identity and destiny of the young Child.
1 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem
2 and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.”
Matthew 2:1-2 (NIV)
10When they saw the star, they were overjoyed.
11 On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, and of incense and of myrrh. Matthew 2:10-11 (NIV)
Gold
The precious metal, today worth approximately $1560 per ounce, was a sign of Jesus’ royal status. Surely a fitting gift for the One later known to humankind as the King of kings.
Frankincense
By giving frankincense, they acknowledged Jesus as Deity. While others, save Joseph and Mary, viewed the Hebrew boy as just that, the visitors, through the power of the Holy Spirit, saw Him as one worthy of worship. As my four favorite words of “O Holy Night” declare, “Fall on your knees!”
Myrrh
Myrrh was a resin commonly used to prepare a body for burial. As we learn in the gospel, Jesus was born to die.
Later in time, the Recipient of the Magi’s gifts became the gift-giver. It is the greatest of all gifts.
26 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.”
27 Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. 28 This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. Matthew 26:26-28 (NIV)
#ordinarylives
