“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” | Matthew 5:11-12

I asked myself three questions after reading this:

Are people really insulting, persecuting, or saying false things about me?
Not really. Sure, I face some occasional persecution for my politics, my standards, or my religion but I don’t really know what it’s like to feel the heat for following Jesus. Knowing that I will rarely (at least, for now) face trials like many of my brothers and sisters in Christ elsewhere in the world, my response should be fervent prayer for those who suffer and service out of gratitude for the life I get to live.

Do I rejoice when insults/persecution happen?
Once again, not really. I seem to hate it when anything troubling happens and can’t wait til it’s over most of the time. There is treasure hidden in times of trouble but I have to look for it. I’ve been lazy about this. Instead of complaining or sharing a testimony of my trials for the Kingdom, I should see it as a sign of progress when someone/something hurls insults my way. It means someone can actually see Jesus through all the hot air I’m blowing.

Do I have anything in common with the prophets?
This one’s just a plain NO! When I think of the prophets the only one with which I find any similarity is Jonah. Why? Because he was stubborn, selfish, and small-minded about God’s love. That often defines me: unwilling to love with the magnitude God loves (or even proportionally). I also tend to tap my foot impatiently when the Lord speaks into someone else’s life instead of mine. What’s up with that!

Hmm, this is one of my more self-deprecating posts. Sometimes, I just need to say it straight like that. No sugar-coating. I suck and think about myself and the center of the universe I occupy WAY too much. This must change. It is changing. The Word of God is changing me.

… I will reveal Jesus to my neighbors and they will believe.

… my wife and I will grow in our love and hold even tighter to each other.

… our kids will experience God and His love even at their tender ages because of their parent’s example.

… My employer will be blessed by my hard work and innovation.

… I will die to my own desires when said desires are selfish, short-sighted, small, and stupid (very often).

… my waistline will shrink - not by accident, but by working out. I mean it.

… we, as a family, will give more than we’ve ever given before.

… REAL Church will turn many hearts to Jesus and bring hope to the city. I’m helping.

… I will do much better at Fantasy Football (not saying much).

… I will learn to love people in more tangible ways. Why? Because they’re worth it!

… I will look back in December with no regrets.

… and finally, I will be surprised by God everyday because I have crazy faith! (Look out!)

“If I acted crazy, I did it for God; if I acted overly serious, I did it for you. Christ’s love has moved me to such extremes. His love has the first and last word in everything we do.” | 2 Corinthians 5:13-14

(thx iChilly)

• How about you?
• What does 2009 hold for your life?
• Is God making plans?

Turn my eyes away from worthless things, preserve my life according to your word.

I may want to spend more time preserving my life instead of trying to improve it. Why? Because improvements are like features on a cheap laptop. The manufacturer may load that thing with features on top of features - webcam, fancy sound/video card, long-life battery, custom color or design - but if it’s running Vista and only has 512 MB of RAM those features are a sorry bunch.

Features without the ability to operate properly are worthless.

This is exactly what we become if we put all our efforts into improving the features of our life. A good job is a waste on someone who is not willing to work or is selfishly motivated. A nice physique is a waste on someone who lacks purity. A wealth of skills or ability will go to waste on someone too insecure to use them. None of these features have any value unless we can operate without sin. Sin has to stop. Repentance must begin.

• Have you been working on features?
• How can you preserve your life?

Love you all! Taking a little break (as should you!) Enjoy the eggnog and happy fun times.

Samuel has been sick for the last three days. Monday, he threw up everywhere. Tuesday, it seemed to subside - no throw ups - he seemed more like his fun little self. Today, throwing up and exhausted again. He’s falling asleep pretty much everywhere and his tummy hurts. *sigh* And I think I just heard a sigh from heaven, too.

God does not enjoy this. It’s true - He loves us too much, He would rather be the sick one and this is exactly what He became for us. In Christ, we are healed from our sickness (all sickness and all sin). He is always redeeming what doesn’t deserve redemption. That’s His work - not looking away from us in our sin and sickness or sweeping it under the rug (which would be the opposite of redemption). He looks right at us and, as I’ve heard it said, “He doesn’t blush.” His mind is made up that He will make us well again.

We become more like God when we do the things to prevent sickness (more rest, wear a coat, eat well, exercise, repentance, keep praying…) and join Him in finding the sick and helping them become well.

• Are you sick with sin?
  
• Do you trust God to make you well again?
  
• How do you stay well?
• Can the sick around you become well or do they just receive pity?

“Our greatest fear as individuals and as a church should not be of failure but of succeeding at things in life that dont matter.”

Tim Kizziar (via TJ Reid)

• What kind of successes don’t matter? Personally? And in work/ministry? 
• What does matter?

No! Not the stop-sign. The horse-drawn carriage! :-)

This is what Ruth saw when she headed out on Saturday afternoon. I LOVE living in Hamtramck! Everyday is something new and my pastor wasn’t kidding when he called this city the “center of the universe”.

If you want to start something you have approach the starting line. God help us for the people who in their “maturity” don’t need to begin at the beginning! Think of one who enters a movie after the protagonist has already entered the rising action and is nearing the climax. The climax is then experienced as one who would experience life out of focus. It’s the exposition that brings the striking clarity and meaning. We must begin at the beginning! Why don’t we want the exposition, the rising action? The small, true beginning. The intense struggle before the victory. The people who become involved along the way. We want the victory but then have no idea why it matters or where to go next. Certainly not to a beginning. God wake us from lying to ourselves and humbly walk with you beginning to end.

Andrew Jump

In the constantly-connected subculture we call America it is easier than ever to engage in the lives of others at any moment of the day. Twitter lets me respond to the thoughts of someone else across the globe in almost real-time as though we were conversing face to face - if I’m following them. Facebook unpacks the pertinent details of my life for all who would connect with me by some degree in a way small talk seems inefficient at performing. I can transfer a large amount of money to someone I’ve never met without currency or a bank account number with PayPal. Instead of phoning my wife, I’ll probably just send her a text message.

In the spirit of household-appliance-reductionism-sociology, our Microwave Society has become the TiVo Society. We are interacting more than ever and with more than ever but rarely meet face-to-face. I no longer must tune in to your life, I’ll just tag it for later and drop you a reply. And you can do the same. In fact, I’d probably prefer you do just that. Don’t call me. Don’t come to my house. Because if you do I’ll have to respond to you and engage in fullness rather than fragment. It’s true, I know what you think about life because I follow you or we’re friends and I can piece it all together on my time. But knowing what you think or find worthy of a tweet does not truly clue me in to how you really live or who you are. It’s not enough.

I still need you. Not just your status as of 20 seconds ago…

So, please, let’s have coffee. Let’s talk. I’ll probably help you move someday. Let’s be friends. Real ones.

If you’ve seen me over the last few days you’ll notice this really awkward, cheesy, and kind of creepy smile on my face at the most random times. I am really happy. This weekend, Ruth and I joined the most amazing team! We are honored to serve at REAL Church and know we are here to be a part of what God is doing in Detroit. Yes, ministry is stressful and stretching and all those other adjectives, but we are here to serve Jesus and those He is seeking. There is NOTHING else we would rather do! So yeah, I’m happy!