Laborers for the Harvest!

The reading for today (Matthew 8-12) covered a lot of STUFF! From numerous healings, to casting out evil spirits, to Jesus's instructions to his disciples, and rebuking the religious..it is hard to pick out one thing to write on...yet, the verses that leaped out at me today were Matthew 9:36-38. "And seeing the multitudes, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and downcast like sheep without a shepherd. Then Jesus said to His disciples, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Therefore, beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest."

There are thousands of people within driving distance of The Church at Northshore. And while I realize we are not the only church in town, I do see multitudes of people who are distressed and downcast like sheep without a shepherd. As the Lord instructed me, I shall also instruct you....pray to the Lord of the Harvest to send out workers into His harvest. And as you pray, realize He may just be calling you.

HERE IS THE POINT: You don't need a position in a church to do His work. You just need to know how to love people. We need what Jesus had.....COMPASSION!

Day One through the New Testament (Matthew 1-7)

Another journey through the New Testament began for me today.

Did you know the first three minutes of the Gospel of Matthew is the ancestry of Jesus traced all the way back to Abraham? I caught my mind wondering from the list of ancestors and even had to fight sleep. I woke up to hear that there were fourteen generations from Abraham to David, fourteen generations from David to the exile from Babylon, then fourteen generations from the exile to the birth of Christ. It sounds like God had a plan. Does He have a plan for me? Does God have a plan for you? Is He that detailed?

I listened on and marveled at how God orchestrated the birth of Christ. He knew what He was doing. He even thwarted the evil plan of King Herod to kill baby Jesus. God is at work "behind the scenes" to accomplish His will.

Things started to get exciting with the preaching of John the Baptist, the baptism and temptation of Jesus. I laughed a little at how they tried to make Satan's voice sound evil.
I sometimes wonder if Satan really talks that way or maybe just talks like one of us. You know how he loves to desquise himself.

Which brings us to Matthew 5-7....the great Sermon on the Mount (one of my favorite passages of Scripture). You could preach on this section for a year...in fact I did. Yet, the verse that always gets me is "unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees you will in no way enter the Kingdom of Heaven".

Some tough words from Jesus. It got my attention. The scribes and Pharisees were the religious leaders of that day and time. They knew the Old Testament backwards and forwards. They faithfully went to synagogue They gave at the altar. They worshipped.

They did a lot of religious things.....but they did not know God.

After listening to the Sermon on the Mount...I am convinced of one thing....

Here is the point......we need saving from ourselves.

The Journey Begins January 2, 2008!

Can you do it? Yes you can!

Join me as we journey through the entire New Testament in forty days! The Church at Northshore has been furnished with free AUDIO New Testaments for "faith comes by hearing, and hearing the Word of God".

I pray this will help you start the new year off right!

HERE IS MY POINT:

65% of Bible believing Christians have never read the entire New Testament!

The Bible tells us to "be doers of the Word and not hearers only".....how will we know what to do if we never hear it???

As we listen to God's Word, let's also ask Him what He wants us to do!

Are You Waiting on the World to Change?

Does God Blog? And Does He Leave Gaps?

Wow! I cannot believe that it has been since October '06 that I last posted a blog....way too busy doing other things! What is more important? Spending time writing a blog..or getting out in the world and trying to change it? Or, is it possible to change the world with writing? Besides, "the pen is mightier than the sword"....at least it is supposed to be.

Then again, have you noticed that God took some time off from writing his blogs? There is a pretty significant gap between His communication from the Old Testament to the New Testament. Interesting thought.....God wrote a blog!

Anyway, sorry for the gap.

I appreciate the person who wrote a comment on my last blog. He/She wrote "---It is easier to tear down than it is to build up.---I need to remember this in my own parenting style. It is so true."

Hey...someone actually read my blog.....and wants to change their own parenting style.
Makes me want to write some more....so here goes...........................just give me a few days.

Bob the Builder vs. Conan the Destroyer

I forgot how big Halloween is until I had another two-year old. It has been a long time since we have done the "trick or treat" thing (not that we ever really did...we always went to a church function), so this Halloween found us at the Crossgates Baptist Church for their big festival.

I don't like negative costumes so we decided to dress Caleb up as Bob the Builder! He loves bulldozers, excavators, tractors, etc...if it has wheels he likes it...and he likes Bob the Builder. So, Melissa went down to the local Toys R Us and bought a genuine Bob the Builder outfit....hat, tool belt and all. He looked too cute.

But do you know what amazed us?

We saw all kinds of costumes ranging from characters out of the Bible to wierd occultic looking stuff....(this festival was open to the public) and even characters like Conan the Destroyer.....but I did not see another Bob the Builder....but people sure recognized him.

One lady shouted across the parking lot..."Look, there is Bob the Builder." In fact, it happened several times. But, I never heard anyone say..."Hey, there is Conan the Destroyer."

Why is Bob the Builder so popular? It might because Bob is such a positive kind of guy. His theme song sure is catchy...."Bob the Builder...can you fix it? Bob the Builder....yes he can!"

Here is my point:

It is easier to tear down than it is to build up.

When my son, Josh, was small he loved to watch me build a tall tower of the old wood ABC blocks. It would take me several minutes to carefully place the blocks so high ....then in one quick swoop...he would knock them down. Destroying things is so much easier than building them up.

Great churches take time to build, however, they can be destroyed in very little time.

Jesus knew how Satan would be out to destroy us and that is why he promised Peter. "Upon you (and people like you) I will build my church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it."

May we all rest in that promise as we build for His glory.

A "Walk-About" Worship

Two-years old and boredom do not mix. I know it is hard to believe a two-year old can get bored given their unending curiosity but it is possible. Keep them cooped up too long in a house and never let them out to the big beautiful world....you will be asking for trouble.

Soooo...in the tradition of the great Australian philosopher, Mick "Crocodile" Dundee, I take my two-year old Caleb on a "walk about" several days a week.

What is a "walk about"?
Well, Caleb walks out of the house, into the drive way, towards the street, and he chooses to go right or left. He makes the choice...not me. I let him go wherever he wants as long as he does not endanger himself or someone's property.

Most of the time he chooses to go left towards the east end of Audubon Point. We examine mailboxes, stop to pet any dogs that come our way, climb in and out of ditches, and his personal favorite...dodge water sprinklers. Ultimately, we end up at the beautiful Audubon Point Boat Ramp that overlooks Pelahatchie Bay. Caleb loves this place and more than once has chased the geese, thrown rocks into the bay, and waded in the water.

He is used to the place. Before the walk abouts we made trips in a stroller. Even then, he took in everything with his eyes, responding to every sound.

There is a natural awe in a two-year old. It doesn't take much to see his eyes widen and his mouth take that Ooooo look. I have seen it when he discovers an ant bed, a leaf falls into the water, a grasshopper leaps away from his little hands, or a jet fly overhead. He is in constant awe at the world around him and time is no object to him. He would stay as long as I was willing to stay with him.

What happens to that two-year old awe?

I guess we grow up.

Maybe that is why Jesus said, "Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it."

I am learning that our walk abouts are more about our relationship than the journey. I think it is the time that Caleb senses that he has my full attention (at least when I leave my cell phone behind).

Here is my point...........

I pray my worship becomes more "childish". I do not mean childish in the sense that I argue over what kind of music I selfishly want to listen or that I am noticed more than everyone else around me. No.

Childish in the sense that I realize how awesome God is and that he created me and placed me in this world for a purpose.

For what purpose?
Scripture answers it best in Micah 6:8:

He has shown you, O man, what is good;
And what does the Lord require of you
But to do justly,
To love mercy,
And to walk humbly with your God?

My definition of worship is "going on a walk about through life with God........... and enjoying it."

Thanks! Church at Northshore

Melissa and I, along with the children, thank you all so much for the vote of confidence. We look forward to the days ahead as God continues to move at Northshore. He has been so faithful in the past, is faithful today, and will be faithful tomorrow.

Special thanks to Colin Harbinson who has been so gracious and Christlike in helping me in the transition. We are blessed to have his unique gifts at Northshore. Many others have made us feel so welcome and we truly appreciate the love and respect shown to us. We desire to return the same to you many times over.

Where do we begin? We begin by praying and seeking the Lord's guidance. By the way, I am not just suggesting this. Prayer must be our focus in the days ahead. Pray without ceasing. Each time you cross the bridge that connects Northshore to the Reservoir area pray for God to use us to build a bridge between the unchurched culture of our community to Himself.

Pray we stay focused and do all that we do with passion and purpose.

Again, thanks for the vote of confidence. May God's Spirit continue to guide us in the days ahead.