When It All Falls Apart.

As I was reading through my Twitter acount yesterday morning there seemed to be a common theme among alot of the leaders I respect:

@JohnCMaxwell: Success represents the 1% of your work which results from the 99% that is called failure. -Soichiro Honda

@DailyKeller: "Jesus delivered his people not through great triumph, but through crushing defeat."

@DaveRamsey: “Success is stumbling from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm.”― Winston Churchill

The question is not how will you respond if you fail, but rather, how will you respond when you fail? Maybe you're there right now. Maybe you're looking at your house, your family, your work situation, or your personal life and it falls dismally short of where you thought it would be or where you wanted it to be. Maybe your efforts to hold it all together are no longer working and it's falling apart. Maybe a dream you always held onto just died.

How do you get up today? How do you not lose enthusiasm? How do you now throw in the towel and give up? I love the words from Lamentations 3. These words are all the more powerful when you realize their context. They are written by Jeremiah after the destruction of Jerusalem. If there was ever a time to want to throw in the towel and give up hope, this was it for Jeremiah. Yet, check out his words:

"17 I gave up on life altogether. I've forgotten what the good life is like. 18 I said to myself, "This is it. I'm finished. God is a lost cause." It's a Good Thing to Hope for Help from God 19 I'll never forget the trouble, the utter lostness, the taste of ashes, the poison I've swallowed. 20 I remember it all - oh, how well I remember - the feeling of hitting the bottom. 21 But there's one other thing I remember, and remembering, I keep a grip on hope: 22 God's loyal love couldn't have run out, his merciful love couldn't have dried up. 23 They're created new every morning. How great your faithfulness! 24 I'm sticking with God (I say it over and over). He's all I've got left. 25 God proves to be good to the man who passionately waits, to the woman who diligently seeks. 26 It's a good thing to quietly hope, quietly hope for help from God."

So when failure and brokenness come, let's not fear, but once again cling to the God who is bigger than our failures and difficulties we face. Truly, His resources and power are inexhaustible and available to us today!

in Christ,

Brian

Simplify, Share, Invite.

I was watching a video about inviting people to church with you. I know, the initial thought is probably, “How do I even bring it up?” or “They’ll think I’m some Bible thumper and just reject it”. Well, this video showed a group of little boys walking around their neighborhood inviting the people in every house to church and tying a balloon to the mailbox if they said yes. Then the video shows one man outside who asks, in a skeptical tone, what they are doing. The boys explain as a narrator says, “In the eyes of a child it’s simple to invite someone to church. You’re just telling them about something you love” while footage of these boys talking about their church in large excited motions plays. You could see that they really were just telling someone about something they love.

When I eat somewhere delicious or go to a fun place I’m sure I tell plenty of people about it and invite them to experience it as well. But when it comes to church we tend to become more reserved.

As adults we tend to overcomplicate things. Maybe if we just simplify, we will see a change in ourselves. We could lose that anxiety and experience the joy of sharing something great with someone.

Simple,

Hailey

Public Worship or Private Worship.

Which pleases God the most? I think we all know the answer. If I am kind and loving to my wife when I am in public, but at home I am preoccupied and disconnected, how strong is the relationship? Likewise, if we worship with great fervor on Sunday morning, but lack any private worship during the week, how authentic is our devotion?

So as we "love the Lord with all our heart, all of our soul and with all of our mind and with all of our strength," let's not skip Monday through Saturday.

-Joe

Matthew 6:5 - 6
The Message (MSG)

“And when you come before God, don’t turn that into a theatrical production either. All these people making a regular show out of their prayers, hoping for stardom! Do you think God sits in a box seat?

“Here’s what I want you to do: Find a quiet, secluded place so you won’t be tempted to role-play before God. Just be there as simply and honestly as you can manage. The focus will shift from you to God, and you will begin to sense his grace.

The Life Together.

I love this picture of the beginning of the church in Acts 2:

'42 They committed themselves to the teaching of the apostles, the life together, the common meal, and the prayers. 43 Everyone around was in awe - all those wonders and signs done through the apostles! 44 And all the believers lived in a wonderful harmony, holding everything in common. 45 They sold whatever they owned and pooled their resources so that each person's need was met. 46 They followed a daily discipline of worship in the Temple followed by meals at home, every meal a celebration, exuberant and joyful, 47 as they praised God. People in general liked what they saw. Every day their number grew as God added those who were saved. '

I had the privilege of visiting one of our StoneBridge Table Groups (Home Groups) on Sunday night. It was beautiful to see this small microcosm of StoneBridge coming together in a home on a Sunday evening. I got to sit back and watch them have a time of worship together, share with one another, express doubts and questions, dig into God's Word together and wrestle with it, and constantly encourage and listen to each other.

I was talking to one of the members about what made this time so special and she replied that 'they were like family.' Indeed, you don't really know the joy of Christianity until it goes from a religious activity to a family where you belong. It reaffirmed for me the power of community. It is in these little house gatherings where people really flesh out their Christianity, open up with others they trust, and begin to understand and experience the love of God. So if you haven't taken a step to get connected with other Christians like this, then I encourage you to take that step. Learn more about a Table Group at http://www.gostonebridge.com/tablegroups/

In Christ,

Brian

If You Have Been Redeemed, Say So

Our faith in Jesus is personal, but it's not private. As we care about people enough to show them Christ's love, we also need to care enough to tell them of God's love. As Pastor Steve says, "the gospel is not intuitive, the Story needs to be told."

If our goal is to make disciples of Jesus, following Christ' example, we need to speak into their lives. So ask the Lord to bring into your life those who might hear Gospel. To those who receive the Gospel, continue to teach them, so that they might mature in the faith.

So if you have been redeemed, say so.

I am redeemed,

Joe

Psalms 107:2a
Let the redeemed of the Lord say so,

Obedience Test.

On Wednesday I had a situation happen where I was tested in my willingness to follow a Christ-like conviction. I picked up my kids from a half-day of school in order to take them to lunch. As they jumped in the car, I was met with two incredibly disappointed faces. Apparently they had made their own lunch plans with their friends and I was royally messing that up. So I called their friends' Mom and we arranged for our two families to have lunch together. As I'm driving to Chik-Fil-A, I panic and realize that I'm on my way to a lunch where it's me, this mom and our kids.....Not good.

One of the convictions that has been handed down to me by wise mentors is 'to never be alone with a person of the opposite sex.' So as I'm driving I panic and frantically try to figure out how I can get out of this awkward situation. I had no choice but to call this Mom and explain to her my conviction. Thankfully, she understood. I ended up dropping my kids off and then going over to Kroger across the street where I ate lunch by myself. As awkward and lonely as my little lunch was, I was reminded of the daily cost of following Christ and avoiding the temptation to compromise.

John Bevere comments that 'in God’s eyes, partial or selective obedience is the same as rebellion to His authority. It is the evidence of a lack of the fear of God.' There will be times in our life when we have to follow God and it's awkward, hard, lonely, and scary. There will be many times when there is a tremendous cost to follow Jesus and the people all around us won't understand. I am reminded of the words of Jesus in Matthew 19:29, "29 And everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or property, for my sake, will receive a hundred times as much in return and will have eternal life."

So when our obedience is tested today, let's trust Jesus. He is faithful.

in Christ,

Brian

Sanctuary.

I’m writing this on a gloomy day. It is raining.

This week a friend of mine had the sad duty of saying goodbye to her father. I affectionately refer to her as superwoman because of her strength and perseverance in all circumstances that come her way and her steadfast faith in God all the while.

Browsing through my itunes library I rediscovered this song Steve Dupree showed me a while ago by the trio Red Horse. It is a song perfect for anyone going through going through trials and sadness, battles and despair. A song that says despite all the things I go through, we have a safe place in the love of God.

It is called Sanctuary. Here are the lyrics.



Yeah though I walk through the valley of the shadow thou art with me
though my heart's been torn on fields of battle thou art with me
though my trust is gone and my faith not near
in love's sanctuary thou art with me

Through desolation's fire and fear's dark thunder thou art with me
through the sea of desires that drag me under thou art with me
though I've been traded in like a souvenir
on love's sanctuary thou art with me

Through the doubter's gloom and the cynic's sneer thou art with me
in the crowded rooms of a mind unclear thou art with me
though I'll walk for a while down a trail of tears
in love's sanctuary thou art with me



Hailey

Grace Greater Than.

There are times when we get discouraged because we have not made more progress in our Christian walk. We seem to struggle with the same temptations. Once again our problem is that we have our eyes on our struggles and not on our Savior.

I am paraphrasing something I read recently; the basic thought was this:
“Jesus’ grace to change you is stronger than sin's power to destroy you.”

Isn't it great to know that it is through the mercy of God that we will be changed?

Philippians 1:6 NIV
6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

We are His workmanship.

Joe (or should I say clay)

Self Control or Spirit Control?

I have been studying the fruit of the Spirit from Galatians 5:22. And while doing so, I stumbled upon a message by Bruce Miller. Bruce is the teaching pastor of Christ Fellowship in McKinney Texas, where our son Andrew is the Worship Pastor.

He was teaching on self-control, the final fruit of the Spirit. And he asked a very interesting question. "Is it really self-control or is it Spirit controlled?"

If I'm totally fixated on the willpower that I can muster up against my sin nature, I'm already defeated. Because my focus is on my sin and my effort.

But if my focus is on Christ' finished work and allowing the Holy Spirit to produce the character of Christ in my life, then self control occurs supernaturally by God's grace in my life.

In the same way we plant a fruit tree, but God causes it to grow, so we also reveal the fruit of the Spirit that He alone can produce in our lives.

So lets stop trying to force out a fruit and let's submit to God's Spirit and worship Him with our bodies.

Joe

Roman 12:1
A Living Sacrifice

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.

Speak.

Ecclesiastes 3:7 says there is 'a time to be silent and a time to speak,'

I am an introvert by nature. I know, it's kind of weird that I'm an introvert and a minister at a church around people all the time. My natural inclination is to fade into the corner and blend in and be quiet.

I have had to learn over the years that there are times when God wants me to overcome my fear and to speak. If it's something that I feel God wants me to say, it normally comes as a strong, recurring thought and my heart begins to race. There is a fear that wants to stop me from speaking up or sharing and it's only by faith and trust in God that I step out and obey.

A famous quote that has often challenged me says, "The Only Thing Necessary for the Triumph of Evil is that Good Men Do Nothing." Indeed, the very first man, Adam, proved this quote true. In case you've never realized it, Adam was physically present, beside Eve, on that fateful day when she was deceived and ate the fruit. Adam was silent. If there was ever a time to step up and speak, that was his moment.

So if you're an introvert like me or struggling with speaking up, I challenge you to take that step of faith. We need Dads to open their mouths and speak truth into their children and wives. We need Christian employees to speak up during planning times and times of determining the direction of businesses. We need women to speak up and lovingly help steer conversations away from gossip and divisiveness. We are all called to 'speak the truth in love' in the circles of influence God has placed us.

in Christ,

Brian

Bible Basics.

Last week I attended a 3 day Bible Basics class taught by our very own Becky Canterbury and it was incredible. It was three intense days of nothing but the Old Testament. On Wednesday we spent so much time talking about Moses that I couldn’t get him off my mind, I also couldn’t get various songs from The Prince of Egypt out of my head. So naturally I was determined to watch the movie. But I don’t own the movie and had not yet discovered that it was available of Netflix. I admit I was a little sad until it dawned on me.

You could just read the book of Exodus. You know, where the movie is taken from.

Oh yeah. I guess I could.

I was somewhat disappointed in myself because my first inclination to receive the story of Moses was to watch a cartoon movie about it. The movie is good and gets a lot of things right but shouldn’t my first reaction be to go to the very book itself?

Well, the Bible is full of incredible stories. I am renewed in my excitement to read them again and I can tell you exactly where I'll be going to get them. Not a movie.



Getting back to the Bible basics,

Hailey

Ten Big Daily Reminders from Matt Reagan.

(I found this blog on desiringgod.org . Re posting while on vacation. Enjoy.

I wake up lost every morning. At least that’s what it feels like. Perhaps something similar is true of you.

Somehow during the night I’ve forgotten the big realities about God and the universe and myself and the gospel. I desperately need to steady myself with biblical truth rather than stumbling forward to live from unbelief.

I tend to forget the big realities during the day as well. I regularly catch myself living on the idiotic assumption that I will constantly remember the things that really matter — and that I will act in line with them. I assume that the realm of the seen and touched will not overwhelm the realm of the unseen and hoped for.

But in reality, whether it’s night or day, I don’t stay awake to what’s truly important for very long. I am like that college kid who sits in church on Sunday morning trying to keep his eyes open after an irresponsibly late Saturday night. My eyelids droop by default, and my mind wanders from the glories of the Bible to superfluous, naturalistic daydreams (that may or may not end with an embarrassing full-body twitch that snaps me awake again).

So I’ve learned over time to put structures in place that remind me of those unseen things, especially during my bleary-eyed, half-conscious mornings.

One effort is this list of ten truths. I hung it up next to our dining room rocking chair (my preferred spot for study and contemplation). It’s developed over the years as a list of the daily reminders I need most. Many of them overlap substantially, but a double reminder only reinforces the original purpose.

I’ve added a short commentary for each in hopes that something here might help you in your pursuit of remembering the biggest truths that we can be prone to assume and forget.

1) God exists. (Exodus 3:14; John 8:58)

It seems so simple, so basic, but I tend to wake up a naturalist, and a narcissistic one at that. I assume that all there is in the world is what is in front of my face. My bed, my wife, my kids, and most importantly myself. The simple yet ultimate existence of God immediately clears my lens, makes me small, and infuses meaning into every step. God exists — and that changes everything.

2) God loves you. (Romans 5:8; John 16:27; Jeremiah 32:40–41)

Another massive biblical reality, this immediately counters my hesitation to embrace God’s ultimate authority, reminding me that he has set his affections on this little speck of a person. He is far from indifferent toward me.

3) Jesus died for you, and the Father has now bound himself to give you only good things. (Romans 8:28; Romans 8:32)

This draws me quickly to the central reality of all history: the cross. It is an objective truth set in time and space, so it immediately draws my gaze away from my own capacity to garner acceptance from God through my efforts. Furthermore, the outworkings of the cross make clear that even the harshest trials will come to me as blessing, for my ultimate good, no matter how bad I feel at the time.

4) God sees you as perfect. (Hebrews 10:14; 2 Corinthians 5:21)

My self-absorption, anxiety, and self-pity know no bounds. They must be beaten into submission by the beauty of imputed righteousness. The question, “How am I doing?” is met head-on with the answer, “Perfect.” In that regard, every day is a good day.

5) That is because of Jesus’s perfection, not yours. You deserve hell. (Romans 3:10; 1 Timothy 1:15)

There are two main purposes here: first, to counterpunch when my flesh looks for a way to subtly claim credit for the perfection that is mine only in Jesus; second, to maintain a sense of trembling gratitude for my salvation. While I enjoy the glory of the gospel, there should always be an awestruck voice in the back of my mind that is whispering, “I shouldn’t be here.”

6) You will die. (James 4:14, Hebrews 9:27)

Nothing brings clarity to me like this simple and straightforward reminder. How quickly I assume my earthly immortality, and how often I need to think of myself as a terminal cancer patient.

7) You will live forever in the new heavens and new earth. (Romans 8:18, Hebrews 10:34)

I don’t want to be a clear-headed fearer of death, like some atheistic poet. I want to glory in the guarantee of indescribable bliss that is just around the corner. And I want to live like it’s real — because it is.

8) For now, you are an exile on the earth. (Hebrews 11:13–16)

This keeps me from feeling at home when I’m not at home (especially in my own home). It prepares me for not fitting in, for weird looks when I speak with conviction about Jesus, and for holding loosely to every bit of earthly life.

9) Nothing on earth is truly worth putting your hope in. (Jeremiah 2:13; Galatians 6:14)

This is a practical specification of #8. It is right for me to remember that I will inevitably be disappointed by every earthly pursuit or relationship or emotional experience. It runs me back to my true Home and the true Bridegroom.

10) You have no right to be unhappy. (Philippians 4:4; 1 Peter 1:8–9)

This is a summarizing application of all the previous reminders, but it merits its own slot. How quick I am to become “blah” when there is a treasure trove of happy reality at my disposal! I must beat this into my discontent little brain. I can be plenty unhappy, but I have no right to be.

These reminders flee from my mind like stray socks in an armful of laundry. Every time I pick one up, another falls. By the time I read #10, #1 is beckoning again. What a grace that #4 is still true!

Matt Reagan is an elder at Bethlehem Baptist Church, Minneapolis, and Campus Outreach director at the University of Minnesota.


More from Matt Reagan:

March Madness, Athletic Achievement, and Christians in Competitive Sports

Overcoming the Denial of Death

A Really Good Habit.

According to a research poll done by LifeWay Christian Bookstores, the number one predictor of a person's spiritual health is whether or not they read the Bible on a daily basis. The research also indicated that only 16% of church-goers read their Bible daily.

Reading my Bible daily was something I was taught to do when I first became a Christian at age 13 at Camp Kanakuk in Missouri. They gave me a notebook called 'The Victor's Crown' where it had a Bible reading plan and a place to journal and write out prayer requests. God used my camp counselor and that little tool to help develop the most important habit in my life, reading my Bible.

Are there days when I get too busy or forget to read? You bet. I'm human and mess up like everyone else. But I will say that reading the Bible has become so important to me that I feel it when I miss it. In fact my wife usually picks up on it pretty quickly and says something like, 'Did you have your quiet time today?'

One thing that has absolutely helped me is having a plan. If I don't have a plan, then even those things that I 'say' are most important to me, like my relationship with God, get crowded out by the 'tyranny of the urgent.' Here are some essentials to my plan: morning time, quiet place, outside, cup of coffee (very important), journal, and a Bible (sometimes my phone or my 'phible'). I have become a huge fan of the 'youversion' Bible app. I use the 'One Year Bible' reading plan where I read a passage from the Old Testament, New Testament, Psalms and Proverbs each day.

So I challenge you to give daily Bible reading a try. Try it for 30 days and see if it doesn't start to make a differerence in your life. I think you'll come to find the words of 2 Timothy 3:16 to be true that say, '16 Every part of Scripture is God-breathed and useful one way or another - showing us truth, exposing our rebellion, correcting our mistakes, training us to live God's way.'

in Christ,

Brian

Are You Really Resting?

(I am on vacation with family so the following is a repost. Gonna take a nap)

I sometimes struggle with really resting. On a vacation I keep thinking, "did I get all my work done?" Hope everything runs smooth while I'm gone. Did I forget anything?

On my day off, I sometimes schedule a lot of "appointments," car, house, doctor, dentist, etc. Not exactly a day of rest.

But perhaps my greatest struggle with resting is an issue of my heart. Even though I know better, I often act as though it all depends on me. Every relationship, every task, every problem.

Now I believe work is a great thing.
But, "the best work is done out of rest." (Louie Giglio)
So if I want to do my work effectively, from a place of strength, then I must learn when and how to rest.

Here is what the psalmist says about rest.

Truly my soul finds rest in God;
my salvation comes from him.
Yes, my soul, find rest in God;
my hope comes from him.
Truly he is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.
My salvation and my honor depend on God;
he is my mighty rock, my refuge.
Trust in him at all times, you people;
pour out your hearts to him,
for God is our refuge. Psalms 62:1, 5-8

"To truly rest affirms to God our confidence in His purposes without our needing to figure anything out for Him." (Louie Giglio)

So as I fully trust God and His purposes, I will find rest.

The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want......

Joe

Drift-Proofing Your Life.

So I came upon this interesting tid bit from the animal world yesterday. Check out this little fact about sea otters:

"Sea otters will often float in groups (called rafts) whilst they eat, rest and sleep. A raft of otters can be anything from two otters to hundreds! And, whilst they are rafting, it is well known that they will all hold hands to stay together in their group."

What an amazing picture of the Christian life! How wise is our Creator God who built into the sea otter this behavior. Can you imagine a sea otter nodding off to dream land all by himself just sleeping in the sea? Eight hours later he wakes up to himself and the mighty ocean with nothing but water as far as the eye can see. You better believe he is quickly going to become an appetizer for a great white shark.

I love the very simple and true declaration that God makes when he looks at man. He declares in Genesis 2:18, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him." This obviously is a verse that relates to marriage but I believe goes beyond that relationship. I think it is true in general that 'it is not good for man to be alone.' A person alone, all by themself, never does well in the end.

There is no doubt that we all need companions and helpers in life. There are times we need help lifting a heavy box. There are times we need help lifting a heavy burden. There are times when we just lose motivation and we need someone encouraging us forward. There are times when we don't know what decision to make and we need help and guidance.

Just like a lone sea otter sleeping in the sea, if we do life alone, we will drift into waters that are not good for us. It is so important that we find a group or a 'raft' to belong too. We need those other people around us to lock arms with for our own health and spiritual protection. So like it says in Hebrews 10:25, "25 ...let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage and warn each other, especially now that the day of his coming back again is drawing near.'

in Christ,

Brian

Roles vs. People.

I went to a beautiful wedding this last Saturday. The bride looked gorgeous, the groom could dance and a great time was had by all. Perhaps the best part was knowing that these two, so devoted in their walk with Christ, were coming together to build their relationship on that firm foundation.

The pastor spoke in the ceremony about the well-known portion of Ephesians chapter 5

Ephesians 5:22
Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord.

Ephesians 5:25
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her,



Instead of focusing on the roles specifically the pastor mentioned that sometimes we get too tied up in that thought process, thinking of our roles and how we perform them. But we are not called to love a role, you love a person. So we are called to love that person despite how well they perform their role.



Are you so focused on the ability of someone to perform their role that you are distracted from loving the person?



Hailey

Old Man Strong.

During my recent mission trip with 12 high school students who are all young, sharp, talented, skillful in ministry, and did I mention young. I would kid with them by flexing a bit and saying "watch out, I'm old man strong." They would laugh, and ooh and ahh, as they humored the "old man."
I used the phrase repeatedly throughout the trip. I sorta became attached to the sound of my little saying. Though I was just kidding at first, I began to think, what is old man strong?

Old man strong is knowing when to use muscle and when to use leverage. As a young man I used to try to impress my wife by opening the pickle jar as a feat of strength. Now, I run hot water over it and immediately grab the jar opener tool out of the drawer. Am I using my strength, yes but with much greater leverage. Old man strong.

A couple of weeks ago, I was struggling to find a place for our mission team to spend the night on the way home. Instead of cold calling church after church in a town where I knew very few people, I just put out a request for help on Facebook. In less than an hour I had three places to stay. Old man strong.

As a choral musician, I've had to help move many a piano. Mostly uprights and some grands. I used to get some guys and we would muscle those uprights around. Until a piano mover showed me a certain kind of piano dolley technique that he used to load and move heavy upright pianos, all by himself. It still takes some strength, but is really quite simple and a whole lot easier. Old man strong.

But the greatest old man strong, is understanding where real strength comes from.

Here is the psalm of "Old Man Strong."

Prayer of an Old Man for Deliverance.

Psalms 71:5-8
For You are my hope;
O Lord God, You are my confidence from my youth.
By You I have been sustained from my birth;
You are He who took me from my mother’s womb;
My praise is continually of You.
I have become a marvel to many,
For You are my strong refuge.
My mouth is filled with Your praise
And with Your glory all day long.

O God, You have taught me from my youth,
And I still declare Your wondrous deeds.
And even when I am old and gray, O God, do not forsake me,
Until I declare Your strength to this generation,
Your power to all who are to come.

Feeling strong,

Joe

Heart Connection.

One of the things my daugher is really into right now is a game on the computer called 'Animal Jam'. If you so much as reference the slightest hint of this game in her vicinity, she will talk your ear off (about 118 miles an hour). In the past, I have kind of checked out when she starts playing 'Animal Jam' or talking about it. But I decided to start taking an interest recently. So on Sunday we were at the computer and she spent a good 15 minutes showing me each of her animals (the outfits they wore, the way they played, slept, danced and sat down). I must admit it was a bit overwhelming, but I purposed to hang in there.

That same night as I was tucking her in bed, she started asking me about which animals were my favorite on 'Animal Jam.' Then she had me create my own animal, and I had to pick out its outfit, color, special abilities, etc. It was a wild conversation but one thing that started to hit me was that her heart was drawing closer to mine as we spent this time together. I started to realize that if I wanted to have true influence on her heart and not just behavioral conformity, I needed to connect with her on a heart level.

I was reminded about Paul's words about reaching people for Christ from 1 Corinthians 9, '19 Even though I am free of the demands and expectations of everyone, I have voluntarily become a servant to any and all in order to reach a wide range of people: 20 religious, nonreligious, 21 meticulous moralists, loose-living immoralists, 22 the defeated, the demoralized - whoever. I didn't take on their way of life. I kept my bearings in Christ - but I entered their world and tried to experience things from their point of view. I've become just about every sort of servant there is in my attempts to lead those I meet into a God-saved life.'

So, I am trying to learn to love people by entering into their world and actually listening to their stories, their experiences and their opinions. Then, and only then, do I truly begin to have a platform of influence for the sake of the gospel in their life.

in Christ,

Brian

"I Love to Laugh.......Long and Loud and Clear"

Part of friendship is sharing a good laugh. Tonight, "Evidence," our high school mission and music team, was telling stories from the week of ministry. Some of the stories were emotional and deeply touching. However, near the end, the team began to tell stories on each other. The story telling became quite animated, and soon there were peals of laughter that grew into hysteria. We laughed, and then laughed at the sound of our own laughter. You know the kind of laugh where you can't breathe. It was a full workout. If a good laugh extends your life, we all got an extra month tacked on tonight.

This group of individuals had bonded across the week as they served, ministered, sang, shared meals and slept on the floor. They had bonded as close friends, with much transparency and much trust. And so now they laughed, and laughed some more, because close friends don't have to hide, or wear masks. Close friends can let go and truly be themselves. How freeing and fun that is. A belly laugh is good for the body and the soul.
So after a full week of ministry with these amazing young men and women,
"I feel good......nana nana nana na"
(James Brown)

Joe

Eccl. 3:4b A Time to laugh

Evidence.

Our high school choir, Evidence, led worship this past Sunday and they did a great job. It wasn’t just a group of teenagers singing for us, it was a group of young adults really leading us in worship. Those young adults have a passion for singing praises and sharing His message with the people around them and this week they are getting to do just that! Evidence is hanging out in Atlanta, Georgia for the week using songs to minister to people and running a Vacation Bible School for children. They have stepped out in faith to a degree that many adults would struggle with, by going to an unfamiliar place and sharing the gospel with strangers, many of whom are twice their age.

So while they are away for a week we pray for their courage and the ways that God will move in them and through them.

1 Timothy 4:12

Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.

Hailey

What Kind of Tree Are You?

This sounds like a question you might hear at a psychiatrist's office, doesn't it? Actually it is a metaphor that Jesus used in Matthew 12:33-34, when Jesus said “Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit.”

We have all heard you can't judge a book by its cover. But Jesus said you could judge a tree by its fruit. So I have to ask myself the question: What type of spiritual fruit is being produced in my life?

According to Galatians 5: "22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law."

Tim Keller teaches a Bible study on the fruit of the Spirit. He explains the difference between good fruit, bad fruit and counterfeit fruit. Here is a quick synopsis of his study:

Love

Joyfully serving another for their good, not to get something in return.
Opposite: Fear leading to self-protection resulting in the harm of others.
Counterfeit: Affection shown to others for selfish reasons. Attraction to others for how they make you feel. Helping others to feel good about yourself.

Joy

Delighting in the beauty of God and the salvation he gives us in Christ even in difficult times of loss, disappointment, and pain.
Opposite: Despair and a lack of or fear of hope.
Counterfeit: Excitement and happiness that exists only when things are good leading to mood swings. Happiness not in God but in what he brings.

Peace

Confident assurance that God is for us, that he is wise, and that he is in control rather than trust in ourselves.
Opposite: Worry and anxiety.
Counterfeit: Apathy that does not grieve over the difficulty.

Patience

Suffering joyfully and not becoming angry at God when his timing doesn’t match our own.
Opposite: Bitterness and resentment toward God that manifests itself in agitation or outright expressions of anger with others.
Counterfeit: Self-righteous cynicism that pretends concern is unspiritual.

Kindness

Sincere vulnerability that involves empathy, compassion, and help.
Opposite: The inability to rejoice in the good happening to others.
Counterfeit: Helping others in an attempt to control other people marked by promotion of self and pride.

Goodness

Honesty, openness, and consistency in all contexts of life.
Opposite: Hypocrisy, phoniness, and insincerity.
Counterfeit: Being honest in an insensitive way without love. Insincerity that pretends to be sincere.

Faithfulness

Loyalty, reliability, and courage based on convictions and not on practical benefit leading to loving confrontation when it is right.
Opposite: Opportunistic living that swings from committed to absent.
Counterfeit: Being ‘loving’ without any concern for truth. Being loyal out of self-righteous pride leading to an unwillingness to address wrongs.

Gentleness

Not thinking of yourself highly so that you are sensitive to the needs of others.
Opposite: Thinking you are superior leading to self-absorption and self-promotion that crushes others.
Counterfeit: Insecurity that is self-absorbed so that words of self-deprecation are said so that others affirm us.

Self-control

Staying focused on the important things rather than what is urgent.
Opposite: Impulsive living in the moment.
Counterfeit: Using willpower to stay disciplined resulting in pride over your accomplishment.

So as we mature in Christ, as we are pruned by the vinedresser, through God's spirit we will produce more fruit, real fruit and it will be good.

Joe

What we're really looking for....

I love this quote from Albert Greene, a Christian educator:

‘To be holy means to be set apart for God, to be His friend, to be absorbed in our fellowship with Him. Actions that we think of as holy are not stepping-stones to make us holy; they are the fruit of an intimate relationship with Him in which we learn to rely on His presence in and with us, and in consequence of which we practice what pleases Him. Because we are sinners, we tend to think of pleasure, possessions, and power as the things worth seeking in life. But these are the things the non-Christian world seeks. Holiness in the sense of a communion with God in our ordinary daily activities is what we are really meant to strive for. This identifies true beauty.’

That encourages me today. Here we are, near the beginning of our week, many of us facing the 'ordinary daily activities.' But it's in experiencing God in the everyday and ordinary, where we find real and lasting joy. It's not in winning the lottery. It's not in climbing a mountain, sky diving or kayaking a river (although those things sound like fun). It's not found in the arms of another human being. Our souls were destined and designed for intimacy with God. When we practice His presence moment by moment, that's the sweet spot and the best stuff we'll ever find.

Listen to the words of Psalm 63:1-8 from the Message

'1 God - you're my God! I can't get enough of you! I've worked up such hunger and thirst for God, traveling across dry and weary deserts. 2 So here I am in the place of worship, eyes open, drinking in your strength and glory. 3 In your generous love I am really living at last! My lips brim praises like fountains. 4 I bless you every time I take a breath; My arms wave like banners of praise to you. 5 I eat my fill of prime rib and gravy; I smack my lips. It's time to shout praises! 6 If I'm sleepless at midnight, I spend the hours in grateful reflection. 7 Because you've always stood up for me, I'm free to run and play. 8 I hold on to you for dear life, and you hold me steady as a post.'

May You know Him deeply today!

Brian

Love Is the Greatest of All the Fruits of the Spirit.

Rick Warren wrote, "People become beautiful when you love them, and you become more beautiful when you love others."

This week we are teaching the Fruits of the Spirit for our vacation Bible school to the Boys and Girls Clubs at the Salvation Army in Atlanta Georgia.

Do you know what the first Fruit of the Spirit is? It is Love.
I have heard it said that the other fruits are just a description or expansion of the first, that if you have the fruit of love, you will be full of joy. Love will take away your anxious thoughts and will give you perfect peace. Love in action will make you patient with others as an expression of that love. Love expresses itself in kindness. Love brings out all that is good. Love brings us into a faithful trust. Love compels us to put the needs of others ahead of our needs, producing self-control.

That's how you treat people whom you love.

Galatians 5:22-23
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self- control; against such things there is no law.

But the greatest of these is Love.

Joe

Desire.

One of my favorite quotes from CS Lewis is:

“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.” – CS Lewis

'Our desires are far too weak....'

Jesus speaks to desire often in the Bible. In John 7:37 it says, '37 On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink.' This story is set on the last day of the Feast of Tabernacles (or tents) where the Israelites celebrated and remembered God's provision for them during their wandering in the wilderness under Moses' leadership. During that time God fed them through manna and quail and he gave them water to drink from the rock.

As many religious people were going through the motions and customs to celebrate this feast, God Himself, in the flesh, was among them. That day many people would have considered Jesus' declaration a distraction and a disturbance. They were content to continue on in their predictable religious life rather than risk a new relationship with Jesus, the Messiah.

How about you and me? Am I simply content with my normal motions of religious devotions or is there a part of me that wants to respond to the voice of Jesus, crying out to me today? Is there any thirst left in me to take Him at His Word? Is there any faith left in me to break out of the normal rut and follow Him? May we have ears to hear that voice crying out to us today! May we have a heart and will to follow.

in Christ,

Brian

Revved Up and Ready to Go.

It’s that time again. Tables of crafts set up in the gym, thundering footsteps, and the voices of children echoing through the halls.

Summer music camp is back and I am always surprised by how much I enjoy participating in the rehearsals and watching the kids learn songs and dance moves.

This year’s production teaches the children about forgiving people, getting a “custom built heart” from Jesus and becoming excited to be a light that can reach out and help people. Everything they do, from the scenes to the songs and even their dance moves, is a learning experience for them. They look sharp, sound great and there are definitely some laughs to be had with a couple characters.

If you get the chance, come by Friday night at 7pm to see all the hard work they have put into making this a great show.



Psalm 100

1 Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth! 2 Serve the LORD with gladness! Come into his presence with singing!



Rev it up!

Hailey

Strength in the body of Christ.

I just got back from a mission trip. I am at the same time exhilarated and exhausted. And while I planned a day of rest, I had one task that needed to be taken care of before my mind would let me take a break. For quite a while I have been planning a mission trip for the last week in July, with our high school music team Evidence, to serve the homeless in Atlanta. Some parts of the trip came together very easily. Some took a little while longer, and a few aspects of the trip seemed to be stuck. One of those was overnight accommodations on the trip to and from Atlanta. Several leads were pursued. But contact people just weren't calling back and the window was getting smaller and smaller. I wasn't at panic mode, but I was getting a little anxious. As I was "recovering," I thought, "why not cast a wider net." So I posted on Facebook how our mission team needed a place to sleep and shower on the way to Atlanta in Baton Rouge, LA and in Mobile, AL on the way back.
Just posting the need brought an immediate feeling of relief. Just sharing my need relieved my stress. Before anyone said a thing, I felt better. But then, dear friends almost immediately started sending church names with contact persons with direct cell phone numbers. One person went ahead and called, made the reservation at the church, and had the youth pastor call me. Within a few hours we had multiple invites in both cities. It was miraculous and wonderful. I was elated.

So if the burden is too heavy, if you are weary, share your need. Ask the body for help. Don't let pride or insecurity keep you from seeing Christ work for you through His body.

Joe

1 Corinthians 12:26-27
And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.
Now you are Christ’s body, and individually members of it

Ask.

What are you asking God for today? Jesus directly told us to be 'askers'. Check out His words to us in John 14, '12 I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. 13 And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. 14 You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.'

On Friday we wrapped up our last day in the village of El Pino, Honduras. Whitney had really built a special relationship with a little girl named Marjorie (see picture above). As the VBS time concluded Whitney asked Marjorie to meet her over at the church. We waited and waited but saw no sign of her. We desperately wanted to see her again to be able to share some gifts with her and encourage her again. So I stopped and prayed and asked God to bring her to us.

Sure enough a few minutes later, the Pastor's Son, Christian, went into the village, found Marjorie and brought her to us. God answered our prayers and desire to want to bless this litte girl. We even had the opportunity to go to her home. She lived along the river among the poorest of the poor in her village. Her Mom looked mal-nourished and we had a chance to bless her and love on her.

This whole experience challenged me. I realized that God had put a desire in our hearts to want to bless someone. We cried out to Him in prayer and He answered that prayer. We then were able to put love into action and God was glorified.

What am I asking God for today? Jesus tells us if we are trusting in Him today and cry out to Him about things that line up with His heart, He will answer those prayers and God will be glorified. So may the love of Jesus flood our hearts today and give us godly desires that turn into prayers that turn into actions and changed lives all around us!

in Christ,

Brian

What's in a Name?

As I spent the week with my ten orphan boys in Lusaka, Zambia; each day they opened up more and more. Their smiles became bigger. Then the last couple of days, they began to be silly and really have fun. All but one boy. I couldn't figure out why. I heard from several of my fellow ambassadors that the problem might be his name. I reacted to this with some incredulity. " What's wrong with his name,"I asked? I was told that his name, "Tuwanda", was similar to the name "Legion" in the bible which means "many." And that this name could have been given to him to allow "many" spirits to possess the boy.
I was counseled to change the boys name. I asked,"change his name, how can I do that?" I was assured that it was a common occurrence in Zambia. I was also told that his family would welcome the change. So, I went to Tuwanda, and asked him, "How would you feel about me changing your name?" He broke into a big smile and said he would be very pleased to have a new name. I told him I thought he should be called John, because this was the disciple Jesus loved. He became quite joy filled. His name change made a huge difference in how he saw himself.''

So do you need to let God change your name? It happened in the bible fairly frequently.
Abram became Abraham, Jacob became Israel, Simon became Peter, Saul became Paul. God touched their lives and changed their names.

Let God name you. Let Him define you. He made you. He is best equipped to give you a name meaning something good, pure, strong, beautiful, and faithful. May each of us allow God who is uniquely qualified, to bless us with our "given" or "christian" name. It might be the thing that will help us to fully receive his grace.

Joseph, (earthly father)

No se trata de mi - It's not about me.

We are wrapping up a great week here in Honduras. Our construction team was kind of like the team under Nehemiah as they came together and built the wall. Instead of the wall around Jerusalem it was the four cinder-block walls of a church in a small neighborhood in Honduras. Inside of those walls many people will get to hear about Jesus, worship God together, and pray for one another in a community that desperately needs the hope of the gospel.

The VBS team was amazing to watch as well. They helped bring smiles to the faces of many kids through building little boats, tops and bracelets. In a community where children are forgotten, abused and wander aimlessly, we had a chance to let them be kids this week. They got to color, sing songs, play games, laugh together, and experience the love of God through a caring hug or quality time spent together. Our team was also able to clean off an old slab of concrete that was piled up with trash, needles, and junk and transform it into a soccer field for the community. People donated money to get two soccer goals built and put out on the field.

I was especially challenged by the Christians here in Honduras. They live in such poor conditions compared to me and yet their generosity and compassion for others was extravagant. Yesterday at the work-site the ladies came together and prepared lunch, cake and pine-apple juice for our whole team to simply thank us for coming. These people barely have enough to feed themselves. Our partner church prepared a meal for our whole team and conducted a whole appreciation service on our behalf. This same church regularly puts together sacks of food and goes and feeds the extreme poor who live along the river. They truly live selfless lives that seek to glorify God in all they do. I am reminded of 1 Corinthians 10:31 that says, ' So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.'

in Christ,

Brian

Friend of God.

“How are you today?”, “I’m good, you?”

“How’s work?”, “It’s going well.”

Do those sound familiar? They are to me. I use them even when I’m having a really crummy day or I’ve got a lot going on at work and it’s starting to stress me out. Depending on who I’m talking to those questions may not be really questions seeking a genuine answer. Sometimes it just seems like so much effort to fully answer the question honestly and what if they didn’t really want to hear my answer anyway and they were just being polite and making small talk?

Ugh.

The Jesus Calling entry for today was about that. About how we aren’t always real with people and we have these “performance pressures”, keeping up appearances. It talked about how God wants us to relax in His presence. He wants us to trust him so completely that we are completely at peace with being ourselves around Him.

If God asks you, “How are you?” and you just answer with “Fine.” instead of being truthful about that hurtful word someone said to you that has really stuck in your mind I think He may give you a look. That look a father gives their child when they know their kid just fibbed. Yeah. That one.



John 15:13-15 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.



We have been called friends of God. He shares with us and we should share with Him through our honesty with Him.



Your friend,

Hailey

Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread.

I asked my 10 Zambian boys, how many meals they eat a day, during my one on one "Blessing time" the last couple of days.
None of them eat 3 meals a day. Most of them eat 2 times and a few only once.
When I asked them what they ate, they all said, "shima."
Shima is something like grits. It is the staple of the Zambian diet. I asked what else they ate, almost all said, just shima.
Although, sometimes, they might only have tea for a meal.

Three things come to mind. Those of you who know me well are aware I'm a bit of a "foodie." I hope in the good sense, but let's just say I have an "appreciation" of and for the taste, texture, quality and presentation of a meal. While I won't say that I will never be a "foodie" again, I can say my perspective on a meal is forever changed knowing my boys eat "shima" for every meal. I have tasted shima and while I liked it okay, I would not enjoy it as the only food I would ever eat.

Second, when we pray, "give us this day our daily bread," it expresses a dependence on God, recognizing that every good thing in our lives is given by Him. While we might live in affluence, we can still pray in a way that is humble, dependent and grateful.
May God's Holy Spirit counsel and teach us to ask God for our daily bread and to give Him thanks for it from a grateful heart.

Third, I like food best when it is shared. So I would encourage you to share a meal with a friend or loved one. And perhaps share some food by sponsoring an orphan from Zambia, Honduras, Haiti, or by supporting the StoneBridge Food Pantry. I believe all the food we eat will taste even better if we do.

God is great,
God is good,
Let us thank him,
for our food. Amen

Joe

Acts 2:46-47
Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

It's not What you know but rather Who you know.

Greetings from La Ceiba, Honduras. I arrived yesterday afternoon to join our team from StoneBridge on a week long mission trip. I had to get to the Houston airport, fly to San Pedro Sula (Honduras), get on another flight to La Ceiba, and then get from the airport to the worksite. The key component to this series of hoops I had to jump through was finding a guy by the name of Alex. Alex is a friend and he happens to be from Honduras and is fluent in English and Spanish. As I got off the plane in Honduras, went through customs, and got my baggage I started to get a little nervous. I knew that if I could find Alex, I would be OK and that I wouldn't have to worry about any of the details. Sure enough as I entered into the main atrium I caught Alex in my line of sight waving his hand at me.

A huge sense of relief came over me when Alex joined me. He explained to me that he had our airplane tickets, showed me where we could eat, translated all of my questions into Spanish, and helped me navigate through the airport. With Alex all I had to do was make sure I just stuck with him and followed his lead. It kind of reminded me about the Christian life. The Christian life is real simple....Follow Jesus. Jesus said to a worried group of disciples in John 14:6, 'I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father but through Me.' We can worry about all the details and stress about how we're going to get through today, tomorrow and the next week or we can just simply follow Jesus' lead. He is fully aware of the details of our situation. He knows what we need and He love us. Let's look for Him today and follow wherever He leads us!

in Christ,

Brian

Camp Life.

By the time you're reading this I will have spent most of the day at Camp Life. (Zambia is seven hours ahead of the Houston time zone.)
Camp Life, in Lusaka, Zambia is designed to "bring healing, hope, and joy to the orphaned and vulnerable children of Zambia." Well over a 1000 children with more than 100 Americans and 200 Zambian partners will worship, dance, sing, play, and study God's word together. They will receive food, clothes and at the end of the week, they will be showered with gifts. Each child will receive at least 30 minutes one on one counseling time. During this "blessing time" they will hopefully share their hopes, dreams, hurts and fears. They will be prayed for out loud and blessed with the laying of hands.

You see all of these children have experienced John 10:10a
"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; "

My prayer and hope is that this week they will experience John 10:10b

"I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."

C.S. Lewis wrote, "He who has God and everything else,
has no more than he who has God only."

May all of us experience the fullness of life that only Jesus can give.

Joe

These two verses teach us how to be rich and fully alive.

Colossians 2:2
My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ,

Ephesians 2:4
But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy,
made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions —it is by grace you have been saved.

Worthy.

The Fourth of July is always a great day to reflect upon the freedom we have in our country and the incredible cost it has required and continues to require to maintain it. All the normal things I get to do every day by virtue of my free will are truly wonderful privileges. The freedom I have to drive where I want, visit where I want, worship where I want, do what I want, and share what I want is a priceless thing.

In a sense we are all like Private James Ryan from the movie 'Saving Private Ryan.' As you probably know, the movie is about a World War II Captain, Captain Miller, and his men who are trying to locate and bring home a young private who is the last surviving son of his mother's. The story follows these men through the bloody invasion of Normandy, through battle after battle and hardship after hardship. They eventually get Private Ryan home but Captian Miller loses his own life in the process. In his dying words, Captain Miller looks up at Ryan and challenges him with the words, 'earn this.' That scene challenges me to not waste this life of freedom that has been purchased by courageous men and women. I should not treat my life as cheap because it is not.

Steve mentioned the following Scripture verse a couple of weeks ago from Philippians that says, 'Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.' - Philippians 1:27 This verse relates to Captain Miller's challenge to Private Ryan. Private Ryan was rescued and saved as a free gift. He didn't have to prove his worthiness in order to be rescued. Captain Miller was calling him to live a life worthy of his rescue. In the same way, we are to live lives worthy of our rescue. Jesus came for you and me. He fought his way through criticism, loneliness, sleepless nights, persecution, name-calling, mockery, torture, unimaginable physical pain, and humiliation to come and rescue us.

Through the giving of His own life He purchased for us 100% full forgiveness of our sins. All of our sins, past, present and future are totally forgiven. Wow that's incredible. He also completed our adoption and says to us 'welcome, child of God' to your new family. He has prepared a place for us to be with Him forever. He gives us joy (the same joy He had), peace (not like the world gives), love, purpose and abundant (overflowing) life. This is what King Jesus Christ has purchased for us. Does my life reflect this reality? Does my worship indicate that I get this? I have been given such an amazing gift! How can I hold it in? I must tell the world about my Savior and what He has done for me! It's just too amazing and too incredible. Let's live worthy lives of the gospel today!

in Christ,

Brian

Oceans.

We are introducing a new song this Sunday inspired by the event described in the Bible of Jesus walking on water. As He approached His disciples' boat, they cried out in fear thinking that it was a ghost that approached them. Jesus assured them that it was in fact Him, and to take courage.

Matt. 14:28-29

"Lord, if it's you," Peter replied, "tell me to come to you on the water." "Come," he said. Then Peter got out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus.

The song starts out saying:

"You call me out upon the waters, the great unknown where feet may fail.

And there I find You in the mystery, in oceans deep my faith will stand."

But Peter took his eyes off Christ and began to sink. When he began to pay more attention to the world around him, the wind and the waves, his faith was shaken. And so the song continues:

"So I will call upon Your name and keep my eyes above the waves

When oceans rise my soul will rest in Your embrace…

Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders,

Let me walk upon the waters wherever You would call me

Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander

And my faith will be made stronger in the presence of my Savior."

When we let our focus switch from Christ to the world around us, we become overwhelmed by the turmoil we see and we start to sink. That’s why we have to keep our focus on Him to remain steady and constant because He is steady and constant.

Here’s a link to the song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dy9nwe9_xzw

Where feet may fail,

Hailey

Heading to Africa.

So Thursday night I begin my sojourn back to Lusaka, Zambia in South Africa. It's been almost a year to the day that I joined a hundred volunteers at Camp Life, as we shared the gospel with 1000 orphans. My ten boys were from Chainda, a poverty stricken community in Lusaka. Each of the boys shared their dreams, hopes, fears and challenges with me. Each of them prayed to receive Christ. I came back with ten boys in my heart. I came back to StoneBridge with a great responsibility. These orphan boys needed someone to sponsor them, StoneBridge families stepped up without hesitation and committed to support these 10 boys. Love grew and lives were changed. Ten families sponsored these boys and they were orphans no longer. They now had food, clothing, christian education and access to medical care. They were no longer an outcast or a burden to their extended family. Now, they were the blessing. Now "they" were chosen.

And now I get to go back and see them. I can't describe how I feel. Because I am not returning to Africa with just my love for these ten boys. I return to Africa with all the love of the ten families that paid the price to change their lives. My heart swells with the love of the body of Christ.

Love grew, exponentially and lives were changed. And my life, like the ten boys, will never be the same.

Joe

Ephesians 4:15-16
Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

Ephesians 3:17-19
so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge —that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Tending.

I always thought that when you start something new, you should progressively get better and better at it. Well, unfortunately that has not quite been the case so far with my gardening hobby. I am in my third year now and I must admit that I had my best results my first year. Not only was I a rookie but that was also the same year we had a really bad drought all summer.

So, what was the difference? As I reflected on it, I realized the difference was that I tended the garden with daily diligence that first year. Every morning I was out there watering each and every plant, pruning, cutting off dead branches, fighting off pests, picking fruit and pulling weeds. This summer I decided to set up an automatic soaker hose system and I've pretty much left it alone. After being gone for about a 10 day trip I came back and found the garden quite the disaster.

There were weeds, vines and briars that had mingled with the plants. There were places where the soaker hose wasn't watering very well. There were all kinds of bugs just feasting on my tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers. There were squash plants that had been choked out because other plants had not been properly pruned. It was a mess.

You know our relationships are like that garden as well. If we don't daily tend our relationships, they end up in big messes. The first step is to allow God to tend to our hearts. The Bible says in John 15 that God is the gardener, Jesus is the vine and we are the branches. We need to daily allow ourselves to be washed, pruned, and shaped by God's Spirit working with God's Word in our lives.

As a husband, my next relationship to tend is my marriage. Husband comes from the word, husbandman or farmer. I must daily tend to my wife's heart and connect with her world and care for her and nurture her. Next I must tend to my children, like plants, and help shape them, protect them, train them, and guide them. The daily attention dedicated to tending these relationships helps protect against pests, maintains good health, and will result in a spiritual harvest.

in Christ,

Brian

That "Love" Thing.

I know this couple. The husband can be quite...."difficult." Approximately one year ago, his wife determined that whenever he was in one of his difficult moods, she would make a concerted effort to say "I love you" and to treat him with tenderness. Those of us who know this couple have seen a tremendous difference in the attitude of this husband since that time. He seems much more content, there is a gentleness that wasn't there in years past, they act like newlyweds, hold hands, and he opens doors for her, etc... It challenges those of us who know this couple in our own marriage relationships today.

I was sharing this story with the creative arts team one saturday not too long ago. The next day one of the team members" came to me and said, "Hey, I tried that "I love you approach" with my spouse. Three times during the day we had these encounters. By the early evening my spouse's attitude had dramatically changed and suggested that we go out "on a date." That love thing really works!"

Love is a verb.
Learning to love.

Joe

1 Corinthians 13:4a, 7
Love is patient, love is kind
bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Proverbs 15:1
1 A gentle answer turns away wrath,
But a harsh word stirs up anger.

Praising God.

Last night we wrapped up Destiny Sports camp here at the church. I had the privilege of serving as one of the Assistant Disc Golf Coaches. It was an amazing week as we had over 600 kids here Tuesday-Thursday and dozens and dozens of kids prayed to receive Jesus as Savior. It was a beautiful sight to see the campus filled with hundreds of volunteers (youth and adult) and serving these kids. We even had a little baptism service last night on the stage where 12 kids got baptized.

One of our core values at StoneBridge is investing in the next generation. It just filled my tank so much this week getting to spend time with 17 1st-6th graders in my disc golf group. We laughed together, had a few tear-filled moments, and had some really special conversations. They were so excited as I took a picture of several of them giving me their best disc-golf throw.

Jesus said, '"Let the children alone, don't prevent them from coming to me. God's kingdom is made up of people like these." (Matthew 19:14) This week we got to see a lot of little kids genuinely come to Jesus. As they were shown love, cared for, hugged, guided, helped and valued, they discovered a Savior who still welcomes them into His lap. Many of these kids have come from broken homes but this week they found a heavenly Father who truly cares for them and will always be faithful.

Praise God for His wonderful works! The newspapers may paint a dismal picture, but God is still on His throne, He is still changing lives through the reality of the Gospel, and hope marches on through the darkest of nights!

in Christ,

Brian

Performance or Relationship?

Last week Jane and I drove to North Carolina for a family vacation. We were both born and raised in the "Tar Heel State." We intended to visit family and many dear friends from high school and college days. One of the things I wanted to do was to visit my voice teacher from college. He was in poor health and I wanted to express my gratitude to him for all that he taught me. Just before we were getting ready to leave I learned via Facebook that he had passed away. I was deeply saddened. We planned to be in North Carolina on Wednesday; however, the funeral was scheduled for Tuesday. So we changed our plans, drove hard and arrived just eight minutes before the memorial service was scheduled to begin.

Many former voice students were there, as well as many of my professors from the school of music.
One of those professors was my choral music mentor, Dr. Richard Cox. Dr. Cox was someone I held in very high regard. He has international credentials, received his Doctorate from the Paris Conservatory of Musicis, is fluent in several foreign languages and is an author. When I saw him, I still had thoughts of my exit exams prior to getting my Master's degree. He was head of my committee. Though I "passed" I felt that there was weakness in some of my responses. I still felt a little disappointed in myself when I saw him. After a very moving and beautiful service, I made a bee line for Dr. Cox.

I introduced myself again and when he spoke, he changed my perspective very quickly. He said, "Joe, please don't call me Dr. Cox, I have asked you on several occasions to call me Richard. Today is a difficult day and we all need the comfort of dear friends from across the years." He then began to weep and we embraced. I was deeply touched by this tender moment and by how he made himself vulnerable.

In my self conscious state, I had been concerned with performance and measuring up, while he was focussed on life, love and friendship. He is still my mentor, still sharing his wisdom, and in that moment I experienced an emotional healing. God used Richard to heal a wound that I had carried for years.

So is it about performance or relationship? Jesus spoke to that when Mary sat at Jesus' feet and completely forgot about kitchen duty. When her sister Martha, complained to Jesus, here is how he answered her.

“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” Luke 10:41-43

I, like Martha, was worried about many things, but my Prof.......Richard had chosen the better thing, to focus on love.

Joe

I Will Not Be Quiet.

I love this little story at the end of Mark 10:

46 Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus (that is, the Son of Timaeus), was sitting by the roadside begging. 47 When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" 48 Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!"

49 Jesus stopped and said, "Call him." So they called to the blind man, "Cheer up! On your feet! He's calling you." 50 Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus. 51 "What do you want me to do for you?" Jesus asked him. The blind man said, "Rabbi, I want to see." 52 "Go," said Jesus, "your faith has healed you." Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.

Here's a thought. What if Bartimaeus would have stopped after the first 'Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!'. I'm sure it was tempting because the crowd around him 'rebuked him and told him to be quiet.' They basically tried to discourage him, to not bother Jesus and that it was no use. What if he would have listened to them? He would have remained blind.

But......he didn't listen. It says that 'he shouted all the more.' Through his passion and persistence and refusal to be quiet, he got the attention of Jesus. His voice was heard, his eyes were opened and his life was forever changed.

I think about how many times in my life I listen to the 'nay-sayers' and give up too easily. So often I lack the perseverance of Bartimaeus. So many times I allow the voice of the crowd to influence me more than that still small voice of God's Spirit beckoning me to step out in faith. What is God putting on your heart today? Are you and I willing to let the discouraging and critical words of the crowd bounce right off of us? Will we be resilient in our pursuit of Jesus and 'shout all the more' as we chase after Him today?

in Christ,

Brian

Not for a Moment (Devotion by Baylee Rubich).

(Thankful for an amazing worship gathering Sunday morning at StoneBridge. As promised here is the devotion written by Baylee on the song she shared "Not For a Moment."

Life is overwhelming. Whether we’re having work problems, family issues, coping with a loss, or struggling with school, a lot of times it can seem unbearable and very stressful. During these periods it feels like God has abandoned us because it’s hard to imagine that the God of the universe, the one who cares so much for us is letting this happen.

“You were reaching through the storm,

walking on the water, even when I could not see.

In the middle of it all,

When I thought you were a thousand miles away,

Not for a moment did you forsake me”

​It’s second nature to say “Don’t worry, God has a plan. Just put all your trust in him.” to someone who is hurting, but can be very difficult to believe it for ourselves. It’s much easier to say this when our family is healthy and our jobs are secure, but when tragedy strikes it’s so hard to trust that God is in control. God has told us throughout the Bible that He is always there. Whether we can see/feel/hear Him, He’s still right next to us.

Deuteronomy 31:6 
Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you."

​“Not For A Moment” by Meredith Andrews says it perfectly:

“You were singing in the dark,

whispering your promise,

even when I could not hear.”

​No matter what stress we are under, Christ understands because He endured all the same things when He was here. He knows what it’s like to have the world against you and everything around you is caving in. But, God is faithful. He knows what you can handle and won’t ever push you past your limit. Even when we are tempted, God gives us a way out: Him. When we are at the end of our rope we need to let go and let God take control.

1 Corinthians 10:13 
No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it

The One Thing.

Do you ever feel unmotivated? Do you ever struggle to get out of bed in the morning? Usually when I feel this way it's because there is no compelling force or vision inside my soul that is energizing movement. When I haven't set my mind on something captivating, it wanders all over the place and, as a result, I meander ineffectively through my day.

Here are a couple of passionate guys from the Bible, Paul and David, that were lazer-focused in their motivation and mindset:

'13 No, dear brothers and sisters, I am still not all I should be, but I am focusing all my energies on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, 14 I strain to reach the end of the race and receive the prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us up to heaven.' - Paul

'4 One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple.' - David

Both of them had 'one thing' that dominated their minds, thus energizing them in all they did. They both clearly wanted more and more of God's presence. It wasn't enough to just reflect on the past but they craved a fresh encounter, today! Right before this statement, Paul talks about how the greatest ambition in life is to 'know Jesus' and the power of His resurrection and His suffering.

So seek God today. Read His Word. Cry out to Him in prayer. Hear the gospel today through podcasts, tweets, and books. Come together with other believers and share what the Lord is doing and encourage one another. Look for Him expectantly in creation, in conversations. Jesus said if we seek we will find. If we ask we will receive. If we knock the door will be opened to us. So let's grab a hold of this one dominating thought and allow it to drive out all the other inferior thoughts. Let's allow God's vision and motivation to bring clarity and energy and motivation to our wandering path today.

in Christ,

Brian

Count Your Blessings.

Well, I am back from Zambia and it almost feels a bit more odd being here than it did being in Lusaka. It’s strange to realize that I won’t get to see my ten sweet boys every day. We are so blessed over here, so fortunate. As I’m getting used to being back home I’m seeing all these difference between our culture and that of the orphans I was with just a few days ago.

I came home to a small clean apartment that I share with no one but my little furry kitties.

I sent one of my boys home to a 2 room house that he shares with 12 family members.

I am not looking forward to all the laundry I have to do now that most of my clothes are dirty.

My boys wore the same clothes all week.

I have food that went bad in the fridge because I never got around to using it.

My boys often skip meals because there just isn't any food.



And so I am reminded of the chorus of a certain hymn.



Count your blessings, name them one by one

Count your blessings, see what God hath done

Count your blessings, name them one by one

count your many blessings, see what God hath done.



Blessed

Hailey

If You Dance With The Devil...

You're gonna get burned.

Matt Papa writes, "Jesus commands us to love Him chiefly, not because He is arrogant or needy, but because He doesn't want us to love things which will betray us."

When we rush to meet our needs outside of God's provision, we sin. Unfortunately we usually see only the temporary pleasures and fail to see the long term consequences.

God's love for us is one of provision and protection. He wants us to enjoy life and its pleasures, but in a way that builds up rather than tearing down.

Jane and I are on vacation. It's been a good year, but both of us "needed" a break. We've enjoyed all the pleasures of life in the way God designed. It has reenergized both of us.
When we enjoy all the pleasures of life in the way the evil one desires, we are left "wasted."

I think of the prodigal son who had a rip roaring time, but ended up alone and sharing food in a pigs trough. Like the prodigal, we have a Father who is seeking to give us a ring and a robe, welcoming us back with the fullness of His love.

Let's learn to love things that are good, right and pure and the One from whom all good things come.

Philippians 4:8
Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.

James 1:17
Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.

On the road,
Joe

Lesson from a Furry Friend.

Last Friday was a living nightmare for me. My wife and kids have been in Georgia this past week with family while I have been working and staying at the house. One of my responsibilities while I've been home has been to take care of some of our animals including the cat, fish and the hamster. On Thursday night I went upstairs to check on Cupcake, the hamster, gave her some treats, let her run around in her little hamster ball, and then I put her up for the night.

Friday afternoon I went upstairs, looked at the hamster cage, and horror swept over me. I had left one of the hamster cage doors open....Yikes! Sure enough, little Cupcake was off on an adventure somewhere in our home. Panic struck as I envisioned sharing with my 9 year old daughter (who absolutely loves her little hamster) that Daddy lost Cupcake. To add insult to injury, the next day was my daughter's birthday and I had sent her a package with a 'dancing hamster' birthday card. How awful! She gets the birthday card celebrating her little furry friend only to then get a call from her Dad, on her birthday, informing her that he has lost her pet.

So the search began. With flashlight in hand, I covered every square inch of our house on the ultimate game of hide-and-go seek. Let's be honest, the hamster has the advantage here. There are millions of obscure places this little furry friend can hide and simply go to sleep and not make a peep. All of my hours of searching on Friday were fruitless. I was devastated. I even had our animal-rescuer friend come over and look as well....nothing. Saturday morning rolls around and I start to feel hopeless. Right about then my wife calls and tells me not to give up and keep looking. Her words gave me some fresh inspiration.

So I go ... toy by toy ...stuffed animal by stuffed animal ... all the way through my daughter's close. Nothing. I finally work my way to Joshua's closet, piece by piece, all the way to the very back. I look down and see a glimmer of hope. On the floor was a small pile of shredded paper and a neat little pile of food. I could sense that I was on the trail now. Right next to this little make-shift hamster outpost was a really huge canvas container packed full of stuffed animals. So I began taking each animal out one by one, and finally, at the very bottom of the stack was a furry little animal that was scurrying around....CUPCAKE! I have never been so happy to see a rodent in my entire life. I could have kissed this little thing.

This little episode in my life made me think about Jesus' mission that He declares in Luke 19:10. He looks at the crowds, right after Zacheus the tax-collecter becomes a follower, and declares, 'for the Son of Man came to seek and save that which was lost.' As His people, we are to have the same mission and heart for the lost. I obsessed and made it a top priority to seek and save this little hamster. How much more are we to obsess and make it a top priority to seek out the salvation of our lost friends, family and neighbors. How much more should we be praying for them, asking God to save them, inviting them to church, and looking for ways to love them and point them towards their heavenly Father.

God, may you bring someone closer towards home through us today!

in Christ,

Brian

Father's Day.

As I think of Father's Day three things quickly come to mind.

Love God, love my wife and how God has taught me how to love sacrificially through my children.

First, if I want to really learn to be a father, I have to spend time with my heavenly Father in the secret place.

Blaise Pascal writes, "All the troubles of life come upon us because we refuse to sit quietly for a while each day in our rooms."

Actually, I believe that there are some troubles that are just part of life. But to face them without my heavenly Father is unthinkable. The really great problems of life: sin and death, our heavenly Father has solved. But, I'm also trusting Him for the provision that is daily, as well as for eternity.

Second, to love my wife. I'm reminded of my own Dad when I think of this. A vivid memory from my early teen years is when all four of us boys were sitting at the table with Mom and Dad. Mom had experienced a stressful day. Perhaps the four of us boys were part of that stress. As we finished dinner, Dad described a scenario where a gunman might enter our home. He said if faced with a decision between Mom and the four boys, we'd all be gone. He said, "She was with me in the beginning and she'll be with me at the end." And she was. And I never forgot the lesson that day of loving my wife before my children.

However, loving my children has been and is a great joy. And God has used them to take me out of a self-centered existence, to which I am prone and into an others-centered life.

I so remember the first time I held each of our newborn children and how keenly aware I was of their dependence upon me for protection and provision. And it changed me. I became less concerned with how well I shot a basketball and more concerned about how I would provide a life and home for them.

As I close I have one more thought. And that is expressing our Father's love by being a father to the fatherless. I pray for all the Dads out there that they will share their lives beyond just their own physical children, and love those who have no father. For that is the heart of our Heavenly Father.

Psalms 68:5-6a
A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows,
is God in his holy dwelling.
God sets the lonely in families,
he leads out the prisoners with singing

Love,
Papa Joe

Grace.

On Wednesday, I ran home during lunch to grab a bite to eat and take care of a couple of things. As I'm wrapping up and about to head back to work, there is a knock at my door. So I open it and, uh oh, it's a door-to-door salesman. I have to admit my first instinct is to run or try and make myself disappear.

Anyway, the salesman is a young college student who is selling educational books for a summer job. He gives me the sales pitch and I pull out the 'my wife's not home and I would need to talk to her first' card (amazing how you can lean on the wife or the kids as a convenient excuse to get you out of nearly anything).

As we're wrapping up, I learn that his parents are missionaries in the Philippines but are back in the States right now as his dad had been suffering from cancer and some other medical challenges. Through our conversation, I started to see him not as an annoying door-to-door salesman but as a human being with needs, struggles, dreams, and hopes.

I asked him if I could pray for him and his dad and so I prayed for him there on the porch. I said 'Amen' and opened my eyes and tears were streaming down his face. He commented about how God works in weird ways. We exchanged good-byes and we both went on with our day.

This morning I opened my front door and a piece of notebook paper fell off of my door onto the ground. As I reached down to pick up the paper, it just had the word 'Grace' written on it. I opened up the notebook paper and inside was a $50 dollar bill with the following words written...'Pastor Brian, God shows up in weird ways. He puts us through things to grow us. Sometimes He uses people to bless us. Thank you for letting God bless me through you. Your heart shines through. Keep pointing to the Dad who loves us so much. - God bless, Josiah Fogle.'

What's cool about this story for me is that God used both of us. I felt like I didn't do much that afternoon other than listen, show some kindness and say a quick prayer for a young man. Yet, God in His mercy used those little actions to work in his life. Then God uses Josiah in a huge way to illustrate grace to me through his note and generosity right when I needed to hear that message. I am reminded that every day we have the opportunity to be a conduit of God's grace to one another. It reminded me that the salesman, check out ladies, garbage collectors, and bankers are all just human beings like me.

in Christ,

Brian

Restoring Relationships: Talk to God.

(Every day through the app you version, I read several devotionals. My favorite is the daily devotion by Rick Warren. Here's a sample. If you would like more devotionals by Rick Warren, go to you version and sign-up for a daily devotional that will be sent directly to your email)


The first biblical step toward restoring a relationship is to talk to God before talking to the person.

If you'll pray about the conflict first, instead of gossiping to a friend, you'll often discover that either God changes your heart or he changes the other person without your help.

All your relationships would go smoother if you would just pray more about them. As David did with his Psalms, use prayer to ventilate vertically. Tell God your frustrations. Cry out to him. He's never surprised or upset by your anger, hurt, insecurity, or any other emotions. So tell him exactly how you feel.

Most conflict is rooted in unmet needs and many of these needs can only be met by God. When you expect anyone - a friend, spouse, another pastor, or family member - to meet a need that only God can fulfill, you are setting yourself up for disappointment and bitterness. No one can meet all of your needs except God.

The apostle James noted that many of our conflicts are caused by prayerlessness: "What causes fights and quarrels among you? You want something but don't get it. You do not have, because you do not ask God." (James 4:1-2 NIV)

Instead of looking to God, we look to others to make us happy and then get angry when they fail us. God says, "Why don't you come to me first?"
James 4:1-2

James 4:1-2 MSG
1-2 Where do you think all these appalling wars and quarrels come from? Do you think they just happen? Think again. They come about because you want your own way, and fight for it deep inside yourselves. You lust for what you don't have and are willing to kill to get it. You want what isn't yours and will risk violence to get your hands on it.

Blessings

Joe

"Lord I Need You."

On Sunday we sang a great new song called "Lord I Need You." The chorus is taken from an old hymn. I love the new verses that Matt Maher and company came up with. Today, I want to talk just about the second verse.

It says,"Where sin runs deep Your grace is more."

A wonderful quote from Romans 5:20 relates to this:

"The Law came in so that the transgression would increase; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more,"

Grace, the unmerited favor of God.

Then we sing,"Where grace is found is where You are"

In God's grace, we experience His loving acceptance so that we can know Him and enjoy His presence.

Finally we sing, "And where You are, Lord, I am free, Holiness is Christ in me"

There is great freedom in knowing that our sins are forgiven, and the merits of Christ reside in our hearts.

Romans 3:22
Even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe;

Wow. We admit our need for God and He gives us His grace, His righteousness, and his freedom.

Lord, I Need You,

Joe


Here are all the lyrics and a YouTube link to "Lord I Need You"

http://youtu.be/N-KM_zpwfr4
Lord, I come, I confess
Bowing here I find my rest
Without You I fall apart
You're the One that guides my heart

Lord, I need You, oh, I need You
Every hour I need You
My one defense, my righteousness
Oh God, how I need You

Where sin runs deep Your grace is more
Where grace is found is where You are
And where You are, Lord, I am free
Holiness is Christ in me

Lord, I need You, oh, I need You
Every hour I need You
My one defense, my righteousness
Oh God, how I need You

Teach my song to rise to You
When temptation comes my way
And when I cannot stand I'll fall on You
Jesus, You're my hope and stay

Lord, I need You, oh, I need You
Every hour I need You
My one defense, my righteousness
Oh God, how I need You

You're my one defense, my righteousness
Oh God, how I need You
My one defense, my righteousness
Oh God, how I need You

Jesus On Display.

I was reading a book by a Small Groups Pastor, Brad House, on the topic of community. I love the following quote he makes:

‘Basically, the witness of community is more powerful than an individual witness. Loving your neighbors is much easier if you never have to deal with them. Living in light of the gospel is much harder in community where people sin against you. Your neighbors know this and that is why talk is cheap. Experiencing a people who confess their sins against one another, repent, and forgive is foreign to the world. Communities that live in this way, transformed by the gospel, will not only have a good reputation among their neighbors, but also they will point them to hope in Jesus. This is a community that has joined the mission of God.’

In light of Steve's current message series on conflict resolution, I thought this quote was rather appropriate. One of the universal connection points for us as mankind is that we have messed up in our relationships with others more times than we can count. We have let down friends, verbally exploded on our spouse, broke a promise to our child, failed a co-worker, and offended our neighbor.

God is a relational and trinitarian God, existing as the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Genesis says that He created us male and female in His image. We reflect God to the world through relationships with one another. When sin entered the world, it scarred our relationships and all of sin pretty much boils down to brokeness in our relationship with God (first 4 commandments) and brokenness in our relationship with one another (last 6 commandments).

The most convincing proof of the gospel (God reconciling the world to Himself through the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ), is transformed relationships. So as we learn to forgive as Jesus forgave us and love as Jesus loves us we are powerfully putting God on display in our driveways, cubicles, classrooms and kitchens. So conflict resolution is truly the heart of the gospel and central to our mission as Christians. Let's live it out today and let the world see Jesus!

in Christ,

Brian

Good News Monday!

Awesome worship at StoneBridge yesterday!!! Great to have the young men and women from Cornerstone along with the Pine Cove Camp Counselors here for Base Camp. Awesome to stop singing on the microphone and hear the voices of StoneBridgers fill the room. The best moment of the day!!!!

Louie Giglio writes, "A worshiping church never gets over the gospel."

May we at StoneBridge never lose our love and wonder of the gospel. This one verse alone from 2 Cor. 5:19 is enough for me to celebrate the gospel. Paul writes, "God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, not counting men’s trespasses against them."

There it is!!!!! God loves me and through Christ I am accepted by Him and adopted into His family. That is a Good News Monday.

Here are a few additional verses to get you through at least Thursday.

Have a Good News Week!!!!

Joe

(Tuesday)
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Rom. 5:8)

(Wednesday)
Christ died for our sins, according to the Scriptures … he was buried. . . . The third day he rose again from the dead, according to the Scriptures . . . and he appeared (1 Cor. 15:3-6).

Thursday
God made him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in him (2 Cor. 5:21)

Today.

'This is the day that the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it.' - Psalm 118:24. What a great reminder this well-known passage gives us. Truly this is a verse that should be stated and claimed each and every morning we wake up.

The present is a 'present' from God. Too often we allow the past and the future to rob us of the beauty of the present moment. The past seems to rob us in a couple of different ways. Often we try and re-create or worship the 'good old days' and it leaves us ungrateful and bitter about today. Sometimes we relive regrets and painful scenes from our past and we agonize in guilt and sorrow about 'what might have been.'

But let's remember that the past has passed. God has forgiven us in Christ, and it is done. The good old days were not as good as we have immortalized them in our mind and God has greater things for us today.

The future most often robs us in the form of worry. Our imaginations run wild with 'what if' scenarios about world events, our livelihood, possible failures, etc. Yet Jesus strictly warned us to focus our thoughts on today for 'today has enough worries of its own.' So much of what we worry about in the future never comes to fruition at all. There are people, provisions, and character-building moments that God wants to take us through each day that will prepare us for the future He has for us.

So, today is a new day. It is a gift from God to you and me. Let's receive it. Let's embrace it. Let's live in this moment today!

in Christ,

Brian