Two kinds of People.

Tim Keller tweeted the following. It struck me on two levels.

He said, "All have sinned, there are only 2 kinds of people in the world.
not bad people & good people,
but the proud & the humble

I know what he meant. He meant that Jesus died for sinners. And if you are humble, you will admit you're a sinner and trust in what Jesus accomplished on the cross for you and for me.

And I think that Tim is right, and not just for a one time decision to humble oneself to trust Christ.
On an ongoing basis, humility is essential to live the life Christ has called us to.

No husband can love his wife the way Christ loves the church without humility.

For Pride kills relationships. Pride is what caused the fall. And pride is what will cause us to fall.

As long as it is about me, it is contrary to the economy of the Kingdom of Heaven.
I truly believe that humility is essential to finding the peace of God and receiving the love of God.

Praying for a humble and fruitful 2013.

Joe

Sanctified and Sent.

In John 17, Jesus prays this over His disciples and all who would come to believe in the future, 17 "Sanctify them in the truth ; Your word is truth. 18 "As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world.' So first of all we are to be sancntified, or set apart and holy unto God. We are to be weird, alien, and different as compared to the culture and world around us. We should think, talk, and act differently than others. Do we?

What makes us different? God's truth or God's Word. God's Word is the lens through which we are to see everything. When we hear a song, watch a movie, read a book, engage in a conversation, or see a commercial, God's Word is to be the filter that helps us separate out truth from lies.

But that is not all Jesus prayed. If it were just about our sanctification, then we could go off and all be monks. Yet, that is only part of the prayer. Jesus also has sent us into the world. He has told us to go into the streets, into the schools, into our neighborhoods, into our governments, into our businesses, and into our social worlds and be His salt and light. We are to be right in the middle of the world's conversation representing truth.

Two final questions....Am I spending time in God's Word regularly and allowing His truth to change me and dictate how I live my life in every aspect? Am I actively involved in the world around me and bringing Christ into the middle of conversations in my neighborhood, work place and family? Let's make 2013 a year where we are truly sanctified and sent!

in Christ,

Brian

Hope You Had a Big Christmas!!!

Did you have a Big Christmas?

We had great food, but it wasn't quite enough. We had lots of great presents, but it wasn't quite enough. We had a great time of fellowship with friends and family, but it wasn't quite enough. We enjoyed watching one of our favorite movies, but it wasn't quite enough. Our team won the game, going away, but it wasn't quite enough.

Then we spent just ten minutes intensely focused on the good news that Jesus came to be the Savior of the world and our Savior and at last...... it was more than enough.

I want to share the following link to a video by Matt Papa. It helped us focus on the Good News. http://t.co/ZAGTf3PA

Be sure you have a big Christmas, a world changing Christmas.

This quote by C.S. Lewis inspires me to live large for the kingdom, not small for myself.

“It would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.”

Hope you had a Big Christmas and an even greater year to come.

Joy to the World, the Lord is come!!!
Joe

Does anyone know what Christmas is all about?

Merry Christmas to you today! Let's let Linus remind us just like He reminded Charlie Brown what Christmas is all about:

Charlie Brown: Isn't there anyone who knows what Christmas is all about?
Linus Van Pelt: Sure, Charlie Brown, I can tell you what Christmas is all about.
[moves toward the center of the stage]
Linus Van Pelt: Lights, please.
[a spotlight shines on Linus]
Linus Van Pelt: "And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, 'Fear not: for behold, I bring unto you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the City of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.' And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God, and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.'"
[Linus picks up his blanket and walks back towards Charlie Brown]
Linus Van Pelt: That's what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown.

May we continue to be more and more in awe of the simplicity of the story of Christmas. May the baby in the manger never lose its wonder and may we be like Mary today and treasure the mystery of Christmas in our hearts! God bless you!

in Christ,

Brian

To Be With Him.

When Jesus began His ministry, one of the first things He did was to choose 12 men or disciples that would journey with Him. In Mark 3:14 it says, ' He appointed twelve--designating them apostles--that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach.' This verse has often challenged me because it reminds me that first and foremost Jesus has invited me to be with Him. Only after I really understand that my value is in being chosen to be with God can I then accept my ministry and be sent out to preach and be His ambassador.

So many times I get mixed up and think that Jesus only wants to be with me if I prove my worth to Him by going out and doing lots of great stuff. But that's not the idea. Jesus breathed worth into these men first and then He sent them out. That's how grace works. Grace gives when we don't deserve it and it produces people who work and flourish for the kingdom out of hearts bursting with gratitude.

So I challenge you in this season of lots of doing and activity to just 'be' with Jesus. Stop today and pause. Carve out time tonight by your tree when everyone else has gone to bed and sit there and take in the fact that before you ever did one single 'good' thing, the God of the Universe wanted to be with you. One of my favorite names for Jesus is Emmanuel, 'God with us.'

May you rest in Him today,

Brian

Christmas Connection.

Todd Agnew will be leading worship this weekend and we can always count on him to bring a new song with great, meaningful lyrics. This time our "new" song is actually the old hymn "Hallelujah, What a Savior" that has been given new Christmas lyrics as well as an additional chorus. The lyrics are as follows:

Shining star in Heav'n so bright
Lowly tend their flocks by night
Could this be, our faith now sight?
Hallelujah, what a Savior

Gift of gifts in manger laid
Hope of men, no more delayed
God the Just, His love displayed
Hallelujah, what a Savior

Hallelujah! Praise to the One
Whose blood has pardoned me

​Oh, what a Savior! Redeemer and King
Your love has rescued me

Eternal Word made flesh was He
The promise prophets longed to see
Jesus Christ our mystery
Hallelujah, what a Savior

Now the church, His praises bring
Blood-bought bride and matchless King
Heav'n and earth now join to sing
Hallelujah!, what a Savior
Hallelujah! What a Savior


The new chorus that was added is a great declaration of praise and reminds us that this little Baby Jesus that the world so anticipated, was born as a miracle but didn't stop there. He continued on to the cross where His blood pardoned us. We can sing of his miraculous birth and His selfless sacrifice all in one song.

Baby Jesus is the same Jesus that grew to be a man who performed miracles and gave His life for us.

Christmas connection,
Hailey

Lord, may I love you So much it becomes impossible for me to not love everyone else. Rick Warren Tweet.

1 John 4:20-21
Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. 21 And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.

This is a true and very challenging word.

God's love when full in our lives gives us the strength to prefer others before ourselves.

It is from that humble state we can truly love as we are loved.

May God's love overflow in your life and mine and so bring Him glory,

Joe

I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day.

Below are some of the words from the song, 'I heard the bells on Christmas Day.' I like this song because it captures the idea that a war between good and evil rages on across our globe. Every December 25th Christmas shows up. It shows up in a world of violence, darkness, oppression and tragedy. When tragedies strike like what happened on Friday, our sense of vengence and justice rises up in us. We ask, 'why God?' and 'why don't you bring it all to an end and bring judgment?'

I am reminded of 2 Peter 3:9 that says, '9 The Lord isn't really being slow about his promise to return, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to perish, so he is giving more time for everyone to repent.' God is truly 'rich in love and slow to anger.' We are in the days of grace where God, for the time being, allows people to accept Him or reject Him. These are days where He is still calling out in the streets across the globe, 'If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink.'

Today is still a day where perhaps your neighbor, or co-worker, or family member can still find salvation in a Savior named Jesus. This same Savior will one day return on a White Horse as a conqueror and a Judge where every person who ever lived will give an account for their life (all their thoughts, words and deeds) and justice will be fully realized. Only those who have turned to Christ for salvation will be judged as 'not guilty' because of Christ's blood shed for them.

So, These are times where people around us are looking for hope and healing. Maybe you can pray with someone....maybe you can invite someone to a Christmas Eve service....Let's allow the light of Jesus to shine brightly through our lives!

in Christ,

Brian

I heard the bells on Christmas day
Their old familiar carols play
And mild and sweet their songs repeat
Of peace on earth good will to men

And in despair I bowed my head
There is no peace on earth I said
For hate is strong and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good will to men

But the bells are ringing
Like a choir singing
Does anybody hear them?
Peace on earth, good will to men

Then rang the bells more loud and deep
God is not dead, nor doth He sleep
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail
With peace on earth, good will to men

A prayer by Max Lucado (as he pondered this weeks tragic event in Newtown)

Dear Jesus,

It's a good thing you were born at night.
This world sure seems dark.
I have a good eye for silver linings. But they seem dimmer lately.
These killings, Lord. These children, Lord. Innocence violated. Raw evil demonstrated.
The whole world seems on edge. Trigger-happy. Ticked off.
We hear threats of chemical weapons and nuclear bombs.
Are we one button-push away from annihilation?

Your world seems a bit darker this Christmas.
But you were born in the dark, right?
You came at night.
The shepherds were nightshift workers.
The Wise Men followed a star. Your first cries were heard in the shadows.
To see your face, Mary and Joseph needed a candle flame. It was dark.
Dark with Herod's jealousy. Dark with Roman oppression. Dark with poverty. Dark with violence.
Herod went on a rampage, killing babies.
Joseph took you and your mom into Egypt. You were an immigrant before you were a Nazarene.

Oh, Lord Jesus, you entered the dark world of your day. Won't you enter ours?
We are weary of bloodshed. We, like the wise men, are looking for a star.
We, like the shepherds, are kneeling at a manger.
This Christmas, we ask you, heal us, help us, be born anew in us.

Hopefully,
Your Children

(I read this as I followed Max on twitter. It helped me. I hope it helped you.)

May God bring all His comfort and joy,

Joe

Big Truth in a Small Package.

Hurried....unfortunately that has described me lately. Not Hurried...that is always the case for my kids. I am so thankful for kids. Especially this time of year when I could blaze my way right through Christmas they help me to remember to stop and take in the wonder of the season. Earlier this week I was driving home with my son Joshua in the back seat. He was excited because he was playing with Daddy's tablet. He usually goes between playing a game called 'diversion' to an app that does sound effects to singing out on 'baby' with Justin Bieber.

This particular evening, as we were pulling into our neighborhood, he was playing the song '10,000 Reasons' by Matt Redman which is one of the praise songs we've been singing at StoneBridge. He started off kind of singing faintly along in the background. As we neared our home, his volume was getting steadily louder. He was singing the words, ' You're rich in love, and You're slow to anger Your name is great, and Your heart is kind For all Your goodness I will keep on singing Ten thousand reasons for my heart to find.'

I was about to turn onto my street at this point but I decided to not be in a hurry that night, and I took the extra long way home so I could take in some more of my son belting out praise to his God. By the time we were about home he was on the last chorus and he was not holding back. He was unashamedly getting his praise on at the top of his lungs. The lyrics from this song come from Psalm 145. The Psalm starts off by saying, ' ...I will praise you, my God and King, and bless your name forever and ever. 2 I will bless you every day, and I will praise you forever. 3 Great is the LORD! He is most worthy of praise! His greatness is beyond discovery! 4 Let each generation tell its children of your mighty acts.'

It is awesome when you get to watch the next generation grabbing hold of God for themselves in their own way. In that moment in my car, listening to truths about my God through the little voice of my 6 year old, I was able to sit back and grab a little bit of the wonder of Christmas again. These little ones are so great at rescuing us from the tyranny of the urgent and taking us to what really matters. May you be open to what God wants to show you today....the delivery may possibly come through a small package.

in Christ,

Brian

Isn't it Ironic?

There were so many snippets from studies and conversations had this week that I would love to share with y'all (a word not in my autocorrect dictionary) but I could only pick one to write about tonight.
The Indie group has started studying Crazy Love by Francis Chan so get ready to hear many excerpts from the book and subsequent topics. Something that Chan mentioned this week really stuck out to me.

"The irony is that while God doesn't need us but still wants us, we desperately need God but don't really want Him most of the time." -Francis Chan, Crazy Love

Ouch.
This topic can hit a little close but it's too important to pass up on account of stepping on toes. We are coming up on a time of year full of love, joy , charity and giving. People flock to churches and family gatherings. Once a year we become so outwardly focus that, this year in particular, I'm becoming more aware of how inwardly focused we can be the other 11 months.
Did I mention stepping on toes? 'Cause it may just happen.

Christmas is our best reminder of the Son of God sent down to the world to save us. It's one of the times that we really want Him, as Chan may equate it. I know I've written about celebrating Christ' birth year-round before but the Chan quote from this week really brought it back to me. There are a couple times of the year that we all really focus on Him...but maybe we forget or become lax between those checkpoints. Whereas God constantly desires us and works to reach us!

Let's not forget the miracle of Christ after this season.
Hailey

Got a case of the iWants....

This is the time of year that many of us get a case of the "IWants"
In fact we make a list and give them to our family members.
It's actually encouraged!!!

Then with lists in hand, we go shopping for others and find things we want.
It's worse than the flu and it doesn't seem to ever go away.
The IWants is insatiable.

So why do we have the IWants?
I believe we all have that sense that something in our lives is missing.
There is a longing. We want to be satisfied.

This was on my twitter feed today.
" The want never stops so let me want You.
#todaysprayer"

We are created with the IWants.
And their purpose is so we would seek
and find a relationship with our Heavenly Father.

We will have wants.
Dream Big.
Desire God.
May He fulfill our every longing.

Joe

Psalm 42
For the director of music. A maskil of the Sons of Korah.

1 As the deer pants for streams of water,
so my soul pants for you, my God.
2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
When can I go and meet with God?

Conduits of His Grace.

On Saturday night I watched a documentary called 'Father of Lights' that through film captures God at work in people's lives around the world. It shows prominent gang leaders being transformed on the spot by God's grace. It shows a powerful witch doctor being taken captive by fear in the presence of God as an Indian pastor shows up at his house to share Christ with him. It shows a family who is wrecked by God's powerful love that goes and literally sells all their possessions and moves with their young kids to China by faith to share His love with the least of these - special needs orphans.

It shows a man going along the streets and just walking up to people to pray for them and to share the love of Jesus with them. It shows Muslims and Hindu priests being changed and transformed by the presence of God and His amazing love. What's awesome is that if you are a child of God then you are a walking billboard of God's transforming power. In you and me lives God's very Spirit and we are conduits of life changing love to the people all around us. All we have to do is step out in faith today and open our mouths and share about Jesus and His awesome love and forgiveness....and then watch God do the rest.

Take a moment and read in 1 Corinthians 5 today about the ministry that God has given us in Christ:

'14 Whatever we do, it is because Christ's love controls us. Since we believe that Christ died for everyone, we also believe that we have all died to the old life we used to live. 15 He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live to please themselves.........'

'18 All this newness of life is from God, who brought us back to himself through what Christ did. And God has given us the task of reconciling people to him. 19 For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people's sins against them. This is the wonderful message he has given us to tell others.'

May God speak loudly through your life and words today to a world that desperately needs His touch!

in Christ,

Brian

Mary's Song can be our song.

Mary responds to the angel by saying, “I am the Lord’s servant, “May your word to me be fulfilled.”

Elizabeth says about Mary her relative in Luke 1:45,
"Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!"

Mary believes.
Mary worships.

Bob Kauflin writes, Simply rehearsing our problems isn't worshiping God.
Recalling God's character in the midst of them is.

And that is what Mary does.
She sings a song of worship that magnifies the Lord.
This is part of her song referred to as "The Magnificat."

Mary’s Song
Luke 1: 46- 53
46 And Mary said:
“My soul glorifies the Lord
47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
48 for he has been mindful
of the humble state of his servant.
From now on all generations will call me blessed,

So when the world is turned upside down, remember who God is in the middle of it all.

@matt_papa: when you truly encounter God's love, the worst trial doesn't shake you and the biggest break doesn't make you.

For Nothing is impossible with God.

Joe

Real.

Hailey shared this verse out of Romans 10 last week but I wanted to expand upon it a little bit more. It says in verse 9-10, 'Don't just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other.' What really hit me today about these verses is the words 'pretend', 'really', and 'genuine'.

The mission of StoneBridge is to lead people in a real, healthy and growing relationship with Jesus Christ. Real....so much of our lives consists of acting and putting on the fake smile and constructing an image of ourselves that we think seems appropriate. As scary as it might seem we have to begin with the real person....the real state of affairs....the real questions....the real doubts....the real issues.

This idea has really hit home as I have been participating in a table group. Last night one of the couples in our group, who has participated about a year now, shared that they have truly made real friends with the members of our group and that was something they had never really done before in a church. They have gotten to be a part of real discussions full of real laughter, real tears, and real off-the-wallness at times.

I have also come to have a 'genuine affection' for each of these couples as well. I feel a freedom and an acceptance with them where I am safe to bring the real me to the table. There is an honor we hold for each other as we encourage and pray for each other. Even though the person that we all bring is maybe not what we want it to be, it is healing and encouraging to lay aside our facades. Daily, so many in the church, work tirelessly to preserve the facade while the real person inside slowly dies. That is truly a miserable way to live. So, I encourage you to take a step into 'real' community today and to leave the 'pretend' gatherings behind.

in Christ,
Brian

Suzy Homemaker.

So, I have been feeling extraordinarily and uncharacteristically crafty this week. Crafty in the domestic sort of way, not the sneaky way. Credit where credit is due; pinterest has provided endless resources. One thing I have noticed is how much fun I have when I'm making something and I'm not even really building something new, just augmenting or repurposing something.
It reminded me of something Francis Chan briefly mentioned about a worship leader at a college he frequently speaks at. When he asked her how she seemed to exude a more and more free, uninhibited, and transparent demeanor every week she answered that instead of asking God to duplicate a previous worship moment, even a great one, she instead asked God, the Creator, to create a new worship moment.
You see, we tend to compare things, objects and moments, to past ones. God doesn't even need to do that because every thing, every moment He creates is special and different than the last.

I got really distracted by crafting about halfway through writing is blog because I just got excited. If our Creator feels the same excitement that I had but magnified...well...

He is crafty indeed.
The Creator.

Oh so crafty,
Hailey

Mary or Martha Christmas.

Luke 10:39-40
She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said.
40 But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made.

So I need to decide what kind of Christmas it's going to be this year.
Macy's or Mercy.
Worry or worship.
Presents or Presence.
Fractured or Focused.
(Ok enough alliteration)

Disappointment or Contentment.

Christmas season begins when we come and worship.

So this year, what will it be.......
Mary Joe or Martha Joe


Matthew 2:10-11
When 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, frankincense and myrrh

Finding The Silver Lining.

Well, it's been a wild week for my son, Joshua. Let's see: diagnosed with HSP (condition that affects the capillaries resulting in bruises, aching joints, nausea, etc (that typically lasts about 2-6 weeks)), 4 doctor visits, wearing a cast from a chipped wrist bone, woke up with a swolen eye lid that turned into a black eye after dropping a thermos on himself, swollen feet making it hard to walk, etc.

One of the other complications that this past week has brought about is that he has been out of school now for over a week which makes it tricky as Whitney and I both work. So, I have been tempted to complain and get frustrated about walking through this and figuring out what to do with Joshua every day. Yet, I decided to stop and see the silver lining in it all and to look for ways that I could give thanks during this season.

I realized that my son and I have gotten more quality time together (hanging out with me at work, going to the doctor together, etc) than just about any other time in his life. I feel like I know my son a lot better now than I did before all of this. Another cool thing is seeing others pray for Joshua, his classmates writing him get-well cards, and others asking about how he's doing. I think it's been a neat encouragement to Whitney and I and to Josh through it all.

I was reminded of 1 Thessalonians 5:18 that says, 'give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.' The truth is God is always at work. It says in John 5:17, 'Jesus said to them, "My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I, too, am working." The real question is....will we miss God because our head is buried in our complaints? or will we see and experience God because our head is raised in gratefulness and thanks to Him?

in Christ,

Brian

Children and Celebrating Christmas.

Tonight we watched the children's musical at church. It was a wonderful performance by all.

It reminded me how much children make Christmas special. As empty nester's we are so looking forward to our first Christmas ever with a grandchild. And although she is coming up on 10 months old and is too young to understand Christmas quite yet, we will enjoy her as one of God's greatest gifts. And Christmas will be much more because of a child.

Rick Muchow writes that "childlike humility is absolutely essential to worship."

Matthew 18:3
And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

Today be filled with childlike awe and wonder at the gift of the Christ Child.

And remember, a baby changes everything.

Joe