My Big Struggle...Bit of a Rant

As I read God's Word, I'm never surprised at the new things I learn from a passage I've read over and over before. Yesterday's was no exception...

2 Corinthians 10:2-6 says EXACTLY what I struggle with regarding the church today. Not just FBC Poky, but with a majority of churches across this country.
The idea of Paul having to feel like he's defending his ministry is absolutely funny and sad all at the same time. But it's also a reality where we, as 'pastor folk', live regularly. It's not that people don't understand what we do...it's not that they don't like what we do (often)...it's not even that they don't like us - what they're doing is looking at it all wrong. They are looking at life through the lens of this world and not God's lens.

As a believer, we're not supposed to be living life according to what our culture or world tells us. And yet we do.
As a believer, we're not supposed to be fighting our battles the way the world does.
And yet we do.
As a believer, we're not supposed to be thinking like the world, following the latest whims.
And yet we do.

We've forgotten that what Jesus calls us to is so much more than this world can offer. His thoughts and His ways are much HIGHER than ours (Isaiah 55:9). In other words - we cannot stay where we are in our thinking and in our actions and go with God.

That's my big struggle. We SAY we love God, follow God, serve God - and yet we allow this world to impact our thought life, actions and lifestyle SO MUCH that we aren't any different!

We're not to think like this world thinks, live like this world lives, act like this world acts - we are to be so different that it should make people think we've lost our minds! And what an honor that would be!
I told our church last week that I take it as a compliment when people call me radical or 'out there' in my expectations of God-things. Why shouldn't I?

I want our church to understand that NO MATTER WHAT life hands us, NO MATTER WHAT people say or do, NO MATTER WHAT crisis looms in our life -- OUR GOD is BIGGER and GREATER than any of life's junk! And I pray for the day when excuses prevent us from experiencing God on every level. Allow God to BE God. Trust God for WHO He is, not what you read or hear in the media.

Devour His Word, get to know Him and you won't want or need anything else in life!

Has It Been a Month?

WOW! I didn't realize it's been a month since I last posted anything. How time flies when you're having fun?!

Just wanted to post a thought or two about our service this past Sunday and what God has been up to since then.

• Preached on obedience and how costly it is when we do it the RIGHT way, not our way. But also talked about how GREAT it is when we do it the RIGHT way and not our way. That part almost always gets overlooked in churches lately. There is GREAT JOY and AWESOME FELLOWSHIP with God when we walk in obedience with Him! Don't miss it.
  
• MANY folks stated that God was speaking directly to where they were that day and what they needed to be challenged in. Funny how He uses pastor-folk to communicate without us ever knowing the details!
• We had an opportunity in the community for some simple acts of service. We were hoping to announce it this week and next and get it covered...NO NEED TO! Following the second service, the need to provide a meal for an event in our city that is going to raise food for our food bank was MORE THAN 100% covered! In fact, we had the food covered, the hot chocolate covered AND plates, bowls, utensils...people just kept wanting to GIVE more!
• Some said it was a simple act of being obedient - God putting something in front of them and hearing Him say, "Get involved and serve." WHO KNEW?!
• We also have had some discussion from many people in the body who feel the need to open up FBC as a temporary, overflow shelter when it gets bitter cold here. It's nice to hear many other folks talking about it AND willing to do something about it! GO GOD!

Don't know what the future holds for FBC Pocatello. But we know that God has a plan and His plan is always perfect.

Pray for this church and your church, wherever you may be, to be THE change agent in the community this year. Don't allow what 'has always been done' to be the chant for doing ministry. That goes completely against what God calls us to. Instead, let's look at the things that people would say "That's a crazy idea!" and then go for it. God calls us to the 'impossible-in-man's-eyes' kind of ministry. Are you willing to risk it for Him? Are you ready to be obedient to the crazy, radical things of God?

I'm looking forward to what HE does in me, through me and around me. Hope you'll join the journey wherever you are!!!!