When Jesus said, "Come, follow me!" he was serious.
Too often, we hear this as an invitation to study and learn the historical life of Jesus in order to replicate how He lived. But I get the feeling that Jesus had more in mind. I think He actually wants us to follow Him now- to look ahead, get a sense of where He's going, and set our feet on the same path.
As I prepare for this journey to Bosnia, I can't help but feel that as a church, we are doing just this. From the first days of our partnership with Bosnia, we have sensed God at work. God has been orchestrating and arranging things in a divine way before we even become aware of it. I have had a strong feeling all along the way that He is always one step ahead of us.
And so this trip has at its source real inspiration from God. I have been mindful of this as I undertake the mammoth amount of tasks that go into a costly international expedition. Whenever I have been tempted to think the trip is too much work, or too much money, I remind myself of where God has been in this journey. Always a step ahead. We haven't been praying and asking God to bless our efforts- to join us where we are at. No, we have been asking God to give us the courage to follow Him!
He is leading us to Bosnia. Why? I am not exactly sure. And I'll bet that the first disciples of Jesus had similar feelings. They knew he was calling, they could see where he was leading, but they had no idea what was about to happen to them. It was a risk to follow into such unknowns, but their faith was rewarded as they walked with the King of Kings.
I hope that you, at least in some small way, can feel connected to our trip. It really isn't about us- God is going to use it for far more. We'll find out together exactly what that is!
May you find that on your journey, Jesus is always one step ahead of you. And may you have the courage and the strength to follow Him.
Peace-
Nick
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
One Step Ahead
(For the next few weeks, I will be in Bosnia. Our team is going to post regular updates on our church blog- http://headlight2.blogspot.com/- but I will also post them here. I will also be posting a few of my own thoughts on occasion, or pictures, so be sure to check back!)
Wednesday, June 02, 2010
You Can't Have It!
For those of you connected to EHA, you know that we've had a few randomly scheduled worship nights at the church lately. For those of you who've attended, you know how powerful they have been!
Last week, one person came up to the "open mic" and shared something that has stuck with me. She came up and made a declaration that more of us should be making. It went something like this:
"I just want to say to the Devil, "You can't have my marriage. You can't have my child. You can't have my church. We must be on the verge of something good here at this church, and Satan is mad. He's thinking, 'okay, one worship night is a fluke, but they won't come again.' And here we are and he must be mad. We are on the verge of something. And to think, I almost stayed home and watched American Idol. How stupid do I feel!"
I love the fact that this was shared from the heart, and that she had the boldness to declare her marriage, her family, and her church off-limits to the enemy. What would happen if Christ-followers took up the offensive against Satan like this more often? It's sad that we can get caught up in being on the offensive against political or cultural ideals and miss the true source of evil.
So, where do you want to say, "Satan, you can't have it!" Because greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world.
Are we on the verge of something as a church? I don't know. But if God is putting this kind of Spirit in our people, I know that good things will come from that!
On a journey with you-
Nick
Last week, one person came up to the "open mic" and shared something that has stuck with me. She came up and made a declaration that more of us should be making. It went something like this:
"I just want to say to the Devil, "You can't have my marriage. You can't have my child. You can't have my church. We must be on the verge of something good here at this church, and Satan is mad. He's thinking, 'okay, one worship night is a fluke, but they won't come again.' And here we are and he must be mad. We are on the verge of something. And to think, I almost stayed home and watched American Idol. How stupid do I feel!"
I love the fact that this was shared from the heart, and that she had the boldness to declare her marriage, her family, and her church off-limits to the enemy. What would happen if Christ-followers took up the offensive against Satan like this more often? It's sad that we can get caught up in being on the offensive against political or cultural ideals and miss the true source of evil.
So, where do you want to say, "Satan, you can't have it!" Because greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world.
Are we on the verge of something as a church? I don't know. But if God is putting this kind of Spirit in our people, I know that good things will come from that!
On a journey with you-
Nick
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Think Differently
I’ve been pondering a thought lately. Sometimes using a new or different translation of the Bible can make words really jump off the page at you. The other day, I was reading Ephesians 5 in the New Living Translation and I came across this phrase, “Try and find out what pleases the Lord.” In the midst of some wise words on how to avoid being an evil fool (and who wants to be an evil fool, right?) Paul tells his readers that the key is to do this- try and find out what pleases the Lord. The 2nd edition of the NLT gets even better- “carefully determine what please the Lord.”
What I find compelling, or ironic, about this phrase is that I don’t have to “try” at all to find out what please me. I am quite aware of that. From the moment I get up to the moment I go to bed again, I am completely aware of what I find pleasing. I am aware of when I get what I want and find pleasure in life. I am equally adept at knowing exactly what makes me unhappy, or what does NOT please me.
But Paul is telling me to spend time trying to figure out what pleases God. Not that I think it’s a mystery- I mean, after all, the Bible is filled with plenty of good ideas on the topic. But what this passage says to me is that living in a way that pleases God will not come easily. It will take work. Effort. I’ll have to harness the power of my brain (little though it may be) and actually puzzle out what actions will bring joy to God.
It’s a different way to live, if you think about. We are all geared to think about what pleases ourselves. And if we’re honest, if I’m honest, most if not all the trouble in my life can be linked back to these self-driven pursuits.
So, I’m trying to take these words to heart. Give them a try on your journey and see what happens.
Peace-
Nick
What I find compelling, or ironic, about this phrase is that I don’t have to “try” at all to find out what please me. I am quite aware of that. From the moment I get up to the moment I go to bed again, I am completely aware of what I find pleasing. I am aware of when I get what I want and find pleasure in life. I am equally adept at knowing exactly what makes me unhappy, or what does NOT please me.
But Paul is telling me to spend time trying to figure out what pleases God. Not that I think it’s a mystery- I mean, after all, the Bible is filled with plenty of good ideas on the topic. But what this passage says to me is that living in a way that pleases God will not come easily. It will take work. Effort. I’ll have to harness the power of my brain (little though it may be) and actually puzzle out what actions will bring joy to God.
It’s a different way to live, if you think about. We are all geared to think about what pleases ourselves. And if we’re honest, if I’m honest, most if not all the trouble in my life can be linked back to these self-driven pursuits.
So, I’m trying to take these words to heart. Give them a try on your journey and see what happens.
Peace-
Nick
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Approval Ratings
We live in a world that is obsessed with approval.
I saw this morning that President Obama's approval numbers are slipping. No doubt his staff is scrambling to do some serious image adjustment in the weeks to come. If you watched the Master's golf tournament last weekend, you know how concerned Tiger Woods was about the reaction of the crowds and whether or not he would get their approval. If only he had been so concerned about keeping his wife's approval! Around the country, high school seniors are waiting for word of approval from their college or university of choice. They are asking the question- am I good enough for you?
In this culture of approval, we can easily transfer this question to God. We wonder- God, do you approve of me? There's a passage in the New Testament where God voices his unqualified approval of Jesus Christ. In Matthew 3, Jesus is baptized by John, and as they are coming up out of the water, God says, "This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy!" What an amazing declaration of God's affirmation towards his son.
What is interesting to note about this scene is how much Jesus had NOT done at this point in his life. As far as we know, Jesus had never preached a single message, never healed a single person, and he didn't have a single follower. It was just Him- a carpenter from Nazareth with nothing on his resume. AND YET, this is the very time when God expresses His approval of Jesus. God approved of Jesus not because of what He had done, but because of who he was. Simply put, God loved and approved of Jesus because he was God's son.
This has tremendous meaning for you and I. You see, the Bible says that when we follow Jesus, we become sons and daughters of God. It also says that Jesus calls us his brothers and sisters. We are so connected to Jesus that what can be said of God's heart towards him can also be said of us! Apart from anything we have (or haven't) ever done, before we accomplish anything of real significance or value, God looks at His children- at us- and says, "This is my son. This is my daughter. I love them dearly, and they bring me great joy."
Have you ever thought of that? You bring God great joy. Not because of how much you can do for Him, but simply because you belong to Him. And when we grasp this truth, it can change the way we live. No longer do we run into the world at a feverish pitch trying to get God to like us and approve of us. He already does. So we can move out intentionally into our world as people who are approved by God Himself. When we know that approval, we truly have something to offer the world around us.
Affirmation always precedes mission.
May you know God's approval on your journey today-
Nick
I saw this morning that President Obama's approval numbers are slipping. No doubt his staff is scrambling to do some serious image adjustment in the weeks to come. If you watched the Master's golf tournament last weekend, you know how concerned Tiger Woods was about the reaction of the crowds and whether or not he would get their approval. If only he had been so concerned about keeping his wife's approval! Around the country, high school seniors are waiting for word of approval from their college or university of choice. They are asking the question- am I good enough for you?
In this culture of approval, we can easily transfer this question to God. We wonder- God, do you approve of me? There's a passage in the New Testament where God voices his unqualified approval of Jesus Christ. In Matthew 3, Jesus is baptized by John, and as they are coming up out of the water, God says, "This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy!" What an amazing declaration of God's affirmation towards his son.
What is interesting to note about this scene is how much Jesus had NOT done at this point in his life. As far as we know, Jesus had never preached a single message, never healed a single person, and he didn't have a single follower. It was just Him- a carpenter from Nazareth with nothing on his resume. AND YET, this is the very time when God expresses His approval of Jesus. God approved of Jesus not because of what He had done, but because of who he was. Simply put, God loved and approved of Jesus because he was God's son.
This has tremendous meaning for you and I. You see, the Bible says that when we follow Jesus, we become sons and daughters of God. It also says that Jesus calls us his brothers and sisters. We are so connected to Jesus that what can be said of God's heart towards him can also be said of us! Apart from anything we have (or haven't) ever done, before we accomplish anything of real significance or value, God looks at His children- at us- and says, "This is my son. This is my daughter. I love them dearly, and they bring me great joy."
Have you ever thought of that? You bring God great joy. Not because of how much you can do for Him, but simply because you belong to Him. And when we grasp this truth, it can change the way we live. No longer do we run into the world at a feverish pitch trying to get God to like us and approve of us. He already does. So we can move out intentionally into our world as people who are approved by God Himself. When we know that approval, we truly have something to offer the world around us.
Affirmation always precedes mission.
May you know God's approval on your journey today-
Nick
Monday, April 05, 2010
The Rest of the Story
This weekend at our Easter Service, I shared the story of when I totaled a Montana State Highway Patrol Truck. If you'd like to hear how that happened, you can go and listen to the sermon on our website. It's a pretty good story!
But I had several people ask about how the story ended. So, here goes...
When our car came to a stop, I sat in the silence wondering what to do next. I didn't have to wonder long as I heard people shouting in our direction, "Don't move! Don't move!" I guess our car looked pretty bad and they were concerned about serious injury. One of the ambulances approaching the scene had stopped right near our car and the EMT's jumped out and began peppering me with questions about my name, age, etc. I made the mistake of complaining that my neck felt tight, and I was immediately put in a neck brace and escorted to the waiting ambulance for my first and only ride in one.
My sister had been sleeping in the back seat of the car, but the personnel on hand assumed that she had been thrown into that position. They ended up cutting off the entire roof of our car with jaws of life so that they could carefully lift her out and not further any damage she may have sustained. We were both taken to the hospital where we had multiple x-rays and tests run, which all came back negative. We were fine. We were sore, banged up and bruised, but okay.
Before I left the hospital (we were put up in a local hotel for the night until our parents could come and pick us up), I was informed that the state patrol was charging me with reckless driving. They didn't seem to care that another car had cut in front of me at 45 MPH- which was clearly the cause of the accident in my mind- or that the entire freeway in that section was nothing but black ice. They were more concerned with my speed (72 MPH) and the fact that I had totaled their precious truck. Did I mention that a post from the fence, which the truck went through, had gone up through the floorboard and ruined all the radio equipment? Yeah, they were not happy. About $25,000 in damages on that vehicle. I don't think my parents insurance company was very happy either.
My parents came and picked us up the next morning. They were grateful to have their children alive, and never once did my Dad make me feel guilty about wrecking his car. They were wonderful models of love and care that morning. We drove over together to look at the car- the mangled mess made me feel incredibly blessed to be walking upright that day.
So, minus a nice, reliable car and a few days of recuperation, the only lasting effects of the crash were a lot of memories and one great sermon illustration. Ten days later my sister and I were both in Florida playing for our college basketball teams. Life went on, but every time I reflect on that night, I am grateful for God's provision and care. He protected us, and all of the people standing around the first accident that night. I do not know why sometimes people die and other times they live, but I do know that on that night, God spared us. And for that, I will be eternally grateful.
And so, in the words of Paul Harvey, now you know the rest of the story.
Peace-
Nick
But I had several people ask about how the story ended. So, here goes...
When our car came to a stop, I sat in the silence wondering what to do next. I didn't have to wonder long as I heard people shouting in our direction, "Don't move! Don't move!" I guess our car looked pretty bad and they were concerned about serious injury. One of the ambulances approaching the scene had stopped right near our car and the EMT's jumped out and began peppering me with questions about my name, age, etc. I made the mistake of complaining that my neck felt tight, and I was immediately put in a neck brace and escorted to the waiting ambulance for my first and only ride in one.
My sister had been sleeping in the back seat of the car, but the personnel on hand assumed that she had been thrown into that position. They ended up cutting off the entire roof of our car with jaws of life so that they could carefully lift her out and not further any damage she may have sustained. We were both taken to the hospital where we had multiple x-rays and tests run, which all came back negative. We were fine. We were sore, banged up and bruised, but okay.
Before I left the hospital (we were put up in a local hotel for the night until our parents could come and pick us up), I was informed that the state patrol was charging me with reckless driving. They didn't seem to care that another car had cut in front of me at 45 MPH- which was clearly the cause of the accident in my mind- or that the entire freeway in that section was nothing but black ice. They were more concerned with my speed (72 MPH) and the fact that I had totaled their precious truck. Did I mention that a post from the fence, which the truck went through, had gone up through the floorboard and ruined all the radio equipment? Yeah, they were not happy. About $25,000 in damages on that vehicle. I don't think my parents insurance company was very happy either.
My parents came and picked us up the next morning. They were grateful to have their children alive, and never once did my Dad make me feel guilty about wrecking his car. They were wonderful models of love and care that morning. We drove over together to look at the car- the mangled mess made me feel incredibly blessed to be walking upright that day.
So, minus a nice, reliable car and a few days of recuperation, the only lasting effects of the crash were a lot of memories and one great sermon illustration. Ten days later my sister and I were both in Florida playing for our college basketball teams. Life went on, but every time I reflect on that night, I am grateful for God's provision and care. He protected us, and all of the people standing around the first accident that night. I do not know why sometimes people die and other times they live, but I do know that on that night, God spared us. And for that, I will be eternally grateful.
And so, in the words of Paul Harvey, now you know the rest of the story.
Peace-
Nick
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