God's will and free will

God’s will vs free will.  I hear so many people speak of God’s will and God’s plan.  You would think we are Calvinists.  Sometimes I wonder if we are hoping that God will shine a light from heaven and show us exactly what to do and in so doing, save us from taking responsibility for our lives.  Do you have free will?  Yes you do.  Maybe the joy and glory of this life, is not expecting God to show you or give you the exactly right thing, but in your choosing to honor him by making choices.

When we look to circumstances for God’s will, it can get real confusing really fast.  There was an old farmer who kept a horse for tilling his fields.  One day the horse escaped into the hills and when all the farmer's neighbors sympathized with the old man over his bad luck, the farmer replied, Bad luck? Good luck? Who knows? A week later the horse returned with a herd of wild horses from the hills and this time the neighbors congratulated the farmer on his good luck. His reply was, Good luck? Bad luck? Who knows? Then, when the farmer's son was attempting to tame one of the wild horses, he fell off its back and broke his leg. Everyone thought this very bad luck. Not the farmer, whose only reaction was, Bad luck? Good luck? Who knows? Some weeks later the army marched into the village and conscripted every able-bodied youth they found there. When they saw the farmer's son with his broken leg they let him off. Now was that good luck? Bad luck? Who knows?

The point of the story is that our relationship with God cannot be rooted in circumstances.  If we believe in free will we have to stop trying to make life sound like God is pulling all of the strings.  You have choices and our Father wants you to prayerfully use them.  If you feel a sense of direction, then celebrate that and step out in faith.  If you don’t feel anything special, then you still must live your life and follow God the best that you can, trusting in the fact that he has given you the gift of freewill and rejoices in the positive life choices that we make.

It’s a beautiful day in God’s world, be sure to see the good.

Why Woods Chapel?

Someone asked, "Why Woods Chapel?"  I love the question.  Here is my first shot at an answer, but what would you add?

I invite you to attend Woods Chapel because-

1. Woods Chapel focuses on the essentials, the core of the Christian faith.  On peripheral issues, we invite our members to think and let think.
2. Woods Chapel people are most generally positive, constructively focused on our mission of connecting people to Jesus Christ. 
3. Woods Chapel people are deeply committed to missions.  We are learning to live outside of ourselves. 
4. Woods Chapel is grace based.  The story of salvation does not begin with sin, but begins with "God so loved the world…….”

 It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

a pastor's week

A pastor's week seems to go like this.  Sunday, Monday, Sunday, Wednesday, Thursday, Sunday, Saturday and then Sunday again.  It seems like Sunday comes three times a week.

Why is this?  I think it is because so much of what a pastor does, revolves around the 25 minutes that he or she talks to the people during the sermon.  I have to tell you, the pressure to come up with something inspirational is very heavy.  Sometimes, you don't feel inspired.  Sometimes, you want to listen to someone else.  And, yet, here it is again, another Sunday.

As a pastor, you have to prepare your very best and then just pray.  Pray that God will use these words.  Pray that you have "got it right."  Pray that the people will be touched in someway.  And it's all good.  God is good.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

Your bottom line

Christians can be funny.  Funny like hard to understand.  It is so easy for us to get off track and focus on everything but what we should be focusing on.

If you had the choice of one of the following, and you could only choose one, which would you choose.

a.  the Bible
b.  American returning to her Christian roots
c. a national referendum on some social issue to your preference.
d.  keeping the same pastor
e.  getting rid of your pastor
f.  keeping every thing the same at your church.
g.  bringing back the good old days.
h.  Jesus Christ
i.  knowing when the end of time would happen
j.  being recognized as a spiritual giant in your church
k.  keeping your worst sins a secret

Obviously Christians should choose Jesus.  If you missed him on the list, he was option h.  If you missed him, don't feel bad, Christians often miss Jesus when we are surrounded by all of that other stuff.  But we shouldn't.  The name of the faith is after all, Christ-ianity.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

worship styles

Occaisionally we get comments about worship styles for various services that we hold at the church.  Someone might suggest from time to time that a particular services is well attended due to the time that it is scheduled rather than the style of worship offered at that time.  I think the hope of the person making the comment is that the service time in question could possibly be changed to their preferred style of worship.

Last week we took a brief survey to see if people like the kind of worship offered at partiuclar times.  Here are the results.

 Here are the results – from those who expressed a preference………..

8am traditional service – 87% prefer traditional

905 contemporary service – 96% prefer contemporary
1010 contemporary service – 85% prefer contemporary
1115 traditional service – 88% prefer traditional

I think the results speak for themselves.  I am sorry that for some of you the style of worship that you prefer is not offered at the time that you may prefer.  If you find yourself in that group, I hope that it is a minor inconvenience to you.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

don't skip church

I know it is tempting but please do not skip church today to go to the parade.

This comes around once per year and this year it falls on Sunday.  Please don't skip church to go to the parade. 

Oh.  What parade you say?  You do not know?  Today is the day that all of the bands line up downtown and March 4th.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

children learn

Children learn what they are taught.  You can teach a child to fear and you can teach a child to love.  Some teaching is done intentionally, a good deal of teaching is done subliminally.  The children just watch you, and learn from your clues as to how to act.

Grandma is dying.  How will a child respond?  Exactly as you teach them.  If you are a total basket case, then you can expect them to be inconsolable.  If you tell them that it's ok, and that Grandma is going to be with Jesus, they will accept that and go back to playing.  What you show them, they will emulate.  If the worst of your insecurities are on display, then you can expect  your children will mirror them.  If the healthy part of you is on display, then you can expect that your children will take comfort in your leadership.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

investing in people

Most humans struggle with money.  Making money, having money, saving money.  They are worried about their investments. 

We forget something.  When a millionaire dies, how much of his fortune does he or she leave?
All of it.

What a different world this would be if we spent as much time investing in people as we did money.  How many people are out there that could be touched and blessed by 20 minutes of our time.  I promise you, there is someone out there that could use a bit of face time with you.  The best thing that we do in this life is to reach out and care about others.  Do what Jesus did.  Invest in people.  I hear the retirement plan is out of this world.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

L.I.V.E.

Soren Kierkegaard once told the story of an immense vestibule with two doors. Over one door the sign reads: Heaven. Over the other door the sign reads: Lecture on Heaven.
Guess which one Kierkegaard said the people were flocking through?

Do we settle for talk about God and talk about Jesus and talk about living?  Or are we without reservation, throwing ourselves at everyday that God gives us.  Craning our necks to see the good.  Celebrating the song of the bird.  Live.  L.I.V.E.  That is the invitation of true spirituality.  It's not a talk, it's a way of life.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

Leap Year

Ha ha.  I forgot it was leap year.  I wrote a post for March 1 and thought that was today.  That is why nothing came out on the blog this morning.  I forgot that we had a February 29th this year. 

The older I get, the harder it is for me to remember things.  People's names, how to make some repair.  The capital of various states.

I apologize to those who have birthdays today.  Happy Birthday.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, that should not be taken for granted, be sure to see the good.

thinking about the same things all the time

Do you find yourself thinking about the same things all of the time?  I guess I do.  My brain seems to be stuck on gratitude, joy, perseverance, restoration, forgiveness and the like.  Now that I get them down on paper they look like pretty good things to think about.  I want to work hard to have good relationships and restore the ones that need help, and I do need help.

What do you like to think about?  Do you have trouble controlling your thoughts?  Every moment that we think about something negative, we cannot be thinking about something positive.  We can only think about one thing at a time.  Let's work on, let's practice thinking on the good things.  Worrying less.  Trusting more.  One moment at a time.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

make it personal

Yesterday a friend shared a verse from the bible that he carries in his heart. One day while in study he decided to put a twist on this verse and make it more personal. The changes were simple but very effective. Using (my for your), (I for you) and so on as noted in italic it becomes very personal. Reading it this way may just may change the way you see today and your relationship with your Savior...it did for me.

Colossians 3

2Set my mind on things above, not on earthly things. 3 For I died, and my life is now hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is my life, appears, then I also will appear with him in glory.

5 Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to my earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. 6 Because of these, the wrath of God is coming.[b] 7 I used to walk in these ways, in the life I once lived. 8 But now I must also rid myself of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from my lips. 9 Do not lie to others, since I have taken off my old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. 11 Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in me.

12 Therefore, as one of God’s chosen holy and dearly loved, I clothe myself with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with others and forgive others if I have a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave me.

Peace,
Lion's Den Man

enjoy the show part 2

David Letterman had the musician Warren Zevon on his show soon after Zevon found out he had cancer. Letterman asked him, "From your perspective, do you know something about life that maybe I don't know? Warren Zevon answered, "I know how much you're supposed to enjoy every sandwich."

It is the simple things the things in our daily lives that we tend to take for granted.

Do you let life go by each day without taking possession of it and doing with it the things that are of most importance? Each day is a gift. There is no guarantee of tomorrow. We hear those words we know and understand them but what do we do with that knowledge.  Do we plan for tomorrow and leave today off the planner? I throw these things out only because I am guilty of often looking past today and not enjoying people, time, and the simple things in my life.

So, the goal today....live in the moment, be apart of what is going on here and now, enjoy what is in front of me. Put "now" first and the plans second. Life will fall into place if I don't get in the way.

Peace,
Lion's Den Man

Just Enjoy the Show

You may not be a fan of baseball. You may not be a fan of Brad Pitt. But, I think it is hard to not be a fan of a good message. Moneyball is a movie that has been nominated for best picture. My son and I watched this movie together as a rental. We paused it so many times to discuss what was going on that it took nearly an hour longer to watch the entire film. It was a great way to kill an afternoon. It was the first time we really connected on a topic. It made the day really slow and really enjoyable. I think I will remember that day for a long time.

There are a lot of good quotes in the movie. I like the one that Brad Pitt makes, " I made one decision in my life based on money. And I swore I would never do it again."....solid thinking...great message. But, without a doubt, the final scene is a great message and a great reminder for all to hear.

I hope this link works. You may have to cut and paste it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fkKCNXbtmcY&feature=related

Remember "Slow it Down.....Enjoy the Show"


Peace,
Lion's Den Man

sometimes

Sometimes when you don't know what else to do, you have to do what you can, and go on.  You have to play your hand and then do what you have to do.

I would like to fix everything.  I would like to understand it all. But, sometimes, you do what you can do and just wait and see what happens.

We can't control everything.  Sometimes in life you just have to live and let live and see what comes.
And...............

It's still a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

prayer

Last night at the Ash Wednesday service we did something different. Instead of having four pastors doing the ashes, we had three.  So one pastor always had time to pray at the communion rail.  I had about three turns to pray.

I prayed for every person in our church that has ever been mad at me or at any thing that we did.  I prayed for my children.  I prayed for my marriage.  I prayed for our staff.  It was awesome. 

I hope you got a chance to pray last night. 

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

I'm sorry

Yesterday I did something wrong.  I hurt someone's feelings.  I just wasn't thinking.  A "no" came out of my mouth that left someone feeling left out.  It was wrong.

Here is the good news.  I realized this by their reaction and I apologized.  I apologized again later in a more personal way.  I sent an email to those in the meeting, apologizing again.

We are all going to do things from time to time that are wrong.  Sometimes we may feel like we don't want to say we are sorry, but we just have to do it.  We just have to swallow our pride and say we are sorry.  Healing begins there.  The only thing that helps us turn a corner after being wrong, is to apologize.  If you need to do it, you know it.  Go for it.  You will be glad that you did.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

out of my control

There are some things in life that we can't do anything about.  No matter how hard we try, no matter how much we worry, we are powerless.

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things that I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.  Amen

God also grant us the ability to not worry when we cannot control the outcome.  I know that when I do worry, I get consumed by the bad news.  Then I am not good for anyone.  Anyone can see the good when things are going well.  God grant us the ability to see the good, even when we get bad news, and there is not a thing we can do about it.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

just another day

Who sang it?  di di di di di di, it's just another day. Di di di di di di, it's just another day........so sad..........so sad......

I have had many days that seemed like just another day.  But today, February 20th, for someone is not just another day.  Today they will get bad news.  Today they will face the music.  Today the judge will pronounce a sentence. 

For some, today is just another day.  For someone else, today is a day that they will remember for the rest of their lives.  May we always be mindful of those who are having the remarkably painful moments.  Maybe somehow we can help them to see......

That it is still a beautiful day in God's world.

Whitney Houston

Yesterday I listened to the gospel choir of Whitney Houston's home church practicing for her funeral.  They were singing a song that our gospel choir sings, "Grateful, grateful, grateful, grateful........."

So we have this woman who rose to stardom from a little church in New Jersey.  I can imagine the great excitement and pride that the church folks felt when she made it big time.  How painful it must be for them today to have to say goodbye.  The troubled marriage, the admitted drug use, the very short life.

I wonder sometimes what stardom does to people.  The pressure that it puts upon them.  Be careful what you wish for.

Anyway, we are left with what we are always left with, the chance to say thank you to our Father for her life.  For her kind nature and for the beautiful songs that made us feel alive.  Someone said that all music is God's music.  I don't know about that, but Whitney's voice made everyone feel happy and alive.  That is a gift from God.

We are also left with the opportunity to be grateful.  Grateful, grateful, grateful.  For her life, and for ours.  Today is God's gift to you.  What you do with it is your gift back to him.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

making promises

I am asked by people on occasion to pray for them so that they will get a promotion or a new job.  They have some thing in their sights that is going to make them more money.

Sometimes they say that if they get this thing, they will give more to God's work.  I wonder if the same promise was made when they were seeking their current job?

I find it a bit odd that so many want to bargain with God for a more favorable station in life, so that they can give to God's work.  Can't we give to God's work now?  Of course we can.

I can tell you sadly, that most of the stories that I hear about people promising to do more for God, are quickly forgotten when the promotion or windfall finally comes through.

May we all learn the value of being good stewards whether we have been given one talent, two talents or five.  No one lives for ever and you can't take your stuff with you.  The best investments ever made in this life are investments in the work of our Father and his people.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

not for sale

I recently spoke with a member who shared a story about someone telling them that they could, "buy you out in a heartbeat." 

People are funny about money.  For some, money makes power which leads to arrogance.  The member had a pretty good come back, I thought.  He said to the person, "you probably could buy me, except that I am not for sale."

I like that thought and I hope that you feel this way about your life.  I am not for sale.  I am not available to the highest bidder.  I am not here to fall for a little bit of gold.  I have something to do here on this earth and it is not defined by making a little bit of money.

At the end of the movie Fargo, Florence McDermot [the sheriff] has the last bad guy in her car and she is counting the number of people that he has killed.  She says, "And for what? For a little bit of money. There's more to life than a little money, you know. Don'tcha know that? And here ya are, and it's a beautiful day. Well. I just don't understand it."

As long as we are focused on what we have or don't have, we will never find peace.  We need to remember that life is about more than money and stuff and how much a person has.  The best riches in the world are held by those who have a loving heart and a selfless outlook on life.

And its a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

self esteem

Most people I know struggle with self-esteem.  Often those that act like don't, are putting on a show to cover up their lack of self-esteem.  Sometimes I meet healthy people who have their feet on the ground and know who they are, and don't have the self-esteem struggles.

But, for me and all of you out there that sometimes struggle with self-worth, I read something interesting the other day.  The next time someone is nipping at your heels or some thought, insult or comment takes you down, remember who you really are and think of this:

"The only kind of dignity which is genuine is that which is not diminished by the disrespect of others.  You don't diminish the majesty of Niagara Falls by spitting in it."  Anthony DeMello

Remember who you are in Christ and how much you are loved by God.  The insult just got much smaller.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

education

There are two educations.  The first one teaches you how to make a living.  The second one teaches you how to live.

It is a great success to help someone learn to make a living.  Whether via college, trade school, or the school of hard knocks, when someone finds a way to make an honest living, it is good.  It makes a parent proud.

I hope that I have been as good at teaching my children how to live as we have been at helping them get a degree and find a job.  There are some pretty important differences.  The first education helps a person earn money.  The second helps them find joy and satisfaction.  The first helps you keep a good credit rating.  The second makes you a person of character.

What would we teach in the class of how to live?  How about these topics-

Faith, Work, Love, Apologizing, Grace, Forgiveness, Bearing pain, Letting your parents go, Seeing the good, Living below your means, Saving for the future, Delaying  gratification, Planning, Service, Setting an example, Being real, Knowledge, Wisdom, Leadership, Accountability, Humility, Vision.

I better get to work.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

in the ditch

You know that my wife travels every week.  She also refuses to drive in snow.  So yesterday, I am joining her on a short trip.  We finally get a snow.  2 inches, no big deal, except my wife will not drive in the snow.  So I am driving her up to KCI.  Now let me give you a little life advice about driving in the snow-

Respect the weather.  Drive slower, increase your following distance.  Take your time.  Don't be in a hurry.  - ignore this advice to your peril.

So we are driving to KCI.  The farther we go, the worse it gets.  There are no plows out to be seen anywhere.  We did not see a single plow along the way to KCI. 

As we crossed I-35 past Worlds of Fun and entered the northern section of 435, we began to see cars off the road.  I always laugh.  It will be them, but not me.  I am too careful.  We see a car exactly like my wife's car in the ditch.  I laugh and tell her it is an omen. 

We are cruising along at about 40 mph when we come behind this Volvo that is putting along.  Dangerously slow.  I pull out into the fast lane to pass the Volvo.  The fast lane is snow packed.  I just get past the Volvo and our car catches an edge.  The back end begins to skid out to the left.  I turn into the skid.  For a moment I think that I am going to pull it back together, but no.  My wife's car begins to spin out of control in the middle of 435, right up where Derek Thomas was injured.

The guy in the Volvo has to be laughing by now.  We end up on the right shoulder, half way down in the ditch. My dear wife is freaking out.  [This picture is not us, but we were stuck almost exactly like this.]

I get out of the car and tell her to get in the driver's seat.  She rolls down the window so she can hear me.  I have her straighten up the wheels and I clear out the snow from behind them.  Then I go to the front and I start to rock the car.  She accelerates.  Back and forth we go.  It takes about five minutes, but we get the car up the side of the ditch and now on the shoulder of the road, facing the wrong direction.  Success.  Sort of.

I hop back in to drive.  We wait until no one is coming, then I drive backwards across 435, turn down, stop, and turn around.  Whew!!!

We get to the airport on time. I don't know if I feel dumb for driving unsafely, or smart for getting us out of the ditch.  That's all I have to say.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

everything is alright

Everything is alright.  When my father died, I thought the world had come to an end. It didn't.  When I lost my friend, I thought the world had come to and end.  It didn't.  When my child was in trouble I was at my wits end, as if the world had come to an end.  It didn't.

Sometimes, we have to let ourselves grieve.  But then sometimes, we have to get a hold of ourselves.  Trusting God is about trusting God in spite of the circumstances.  Trusting God does not mean that we trust God so that we can get the circumstances to change more to our liking.  Trusting God means that we lean on him and let him be our strength.

When we focus on him and not our problems, we are reminded of a very big truth.  Everything is alright.  This is our Father's world.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

There is no place like home.

It's nice to go, and it's nice to come home.  Home is where people love you.  Home is where you are accepted.  Home is where familiar, comfortable things are.   Home is where the cats and dogs can't wait for you to sit down so that you can scratch their backs.

Home is where you know that everything is ok.  Home is where you live life.  Home is ......... home.  There is no place like home.

I hope your home is like this.  And I hope you feel this way about your church home.  A church is a place to belong.  A place to be comfortable, and challenged.  A place to live and a place to launch from.  A church home is such a blessing.  I thank our Father for my home and my church  home.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

where in the world is Jeff?

Usually when Jeff goes on a trip, he doesn't tell anyone.  Some skip church if they think Jeff is gone, and a few have made comments that make Jeff feel that he doesn't deserve to go on that particular trip.

Well, this trip is different.  I am going to tel.  I have not been skiing since 2003.  I have thought about going for years, but finally this past week I made it. 

[This is a guy trip]  I loaded up my 2005 Honda Civic and took off with a friend.  We drove straight thru to Georgetown, Colorado in 9hrs and 15 minutes.  We stopped only to get gas.  We made sandwiches in the car along the way.  We stayed at the cheapest motel we could find, the Super 8.  We ate cereal for breakfast and pizza the rest of the time.  We skied two days, Thursday and Friday and are driving home today.

It was a wonderful, joyful, relaxing time.  I forgot how much fun snow skiing is.  And Oh, the beauty of the trees.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

what you see in the daylight

Two nights ago night we arrived in the pitch black.  This is what we saw. 

when we woke up yesterday morning, this is what we saw.

So I am wondering about what we see and don't see in this life.  I fear that too many of us run around in the dark, thinking that we see perfectly well.  Is it possible that our Father can open our eyes to see things and people in new ways.  How would he look at some of the things that we look at?

A few years ago, Amy Grant shared a line, "I want my Father's eyes."

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

driving into a town in the night

So you drove all day and into the night.  You arrive at your hotel/motel and go to bed.  It is dark and it is late.  In the morning you wake up and walk outside and see the area that you drove in to in the night.  You see the trees, the buildings, the mountains for the first time.  You drove in, in the dark and you did not know how beautiful it was until you saw it in the light of day.

And so, we are born in this world and we don't see most of what is there.  We start our life and we live for years without seeing what is really there.  Then one day we wake up and our Father opens our eyes.  Then we see his handiwork- the trees, the stars, the hills.  Creation speaks to us and it is awesome.

Why do we wait so long to see what is all around us?  Why do we not open our eyes and behold the glory of God?  To see as God intended is truly a great gift.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.