...About Rubbish

What does it really even mean to "incarnate" the Gospel in our community? How does the Good News that Jesus Christ came, lived, died, and rose again affect the way we live? Does it? Does it affect the way we view the world? The way we regard others? I've heard it said that "he who wants just enough of Christ to save himself is not likely to have even that much." Perhaps if we were more acutely aware of what actually took place when God came and "made His home among us" (John 1:14, NLT), we would be...I don't know...different. More urgent, pehaps? Jesus said some amazing things about the gospel. He likened it to "a treasure that a man discovered hidden in a field. In his excitement, he hid it again and sold everything he owned to get enough money to buy that field. Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a merchant on the lookout for choice pearls. When he disovered a pearl of great value, he sold everything he owned and bought it" (Mat 13:44-46). This pearl of great value! Is it not worth everything? Is it not the only thing worth anything?

Paul got it. That's what he meant when he declared that all he had "accomplished" was "rubbish" in light of the surpassing greatness of knowing Jesus Christ. Rubbish is a word that we don't use much in America. It's only used the one time in all of Scripture because it's that grotesque a word. It means detestable and worthless - like that of an animal's excrement. Gross, eh? But Paul understood that his "resume" was that meaningless compared to this "pearl of great value" which was worth giving up everything for. In the deepest part of his heart, he realized that being in Christ IS everything! It's the only thing!! That moving deeper into the gospel was real Life.

So here we are. Christ's ambassadors on Long Island. Hand picked to be the ones through which He pleads with people and implores them to come back to Him! (2 Cor. 5:20). I don't need to look far to discover why to share it. I don't need to convince myself that I should. The deeper I swim, the more I feel compelled to share. I must! I need only look as far as the my own story: my own marvelous discovery of this treasure that is worth giving everything for...because it IS everything. The more deeply we come to realize how good this news really is, the more desperate we will be for others to have it, too!

Lord, help us better understand the value of this treasure!

...About Restoring the Streets

Under a warm roof with a meal on the table, it's all too easy to look away from the things we don't want to see and hope we'll forget they even exist. It's high time we begin to think differently. Would we chuck what the world says is "important" and choose to live for things that matter to God? To love and serve others in a way that demands an explanation? There's a passage in Isaiah 58 that's been chasing me for weeks:

"Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover him, and not to hide yourself from your own flesh? THEN shall your light break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up speedily; your righteousness shall go before you; the glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard. THEN you shall call, and the LORD will answer; you shall cry, and he will say, 'Here I am.' If you take away the yoke from your midst, the pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness, if you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, THEN shall your light rise in the darkness and your gloom be as the noonday. And the LORD will guide you continually and satisfy your desire in scorched places and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail. And your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt; you shall raise up the foundations of many generations; you shall be called the repairer of the breach, the restorer of streets to dwell in."

We want to be "repairers of the breach" and "restorers of the streets"? We pray for that so desperately. Well, God can do it! He can warm the cold and light up the darkness in this place in bringing people to Life with the power of the Gospel! Do you believe we can see this island change in our lifetimes? I believe it! If we would just be obedient. I've been feeling more and more that we can't simply "incorporate" the call on our lives to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and care for the fatherless & widowed into what we do when the call is so intense - for THIS is true religion (James 1:27). That message is smothered all over Scripture. Jesus said it and lived it day after day. We want to serve Christ and be like Him? He told us how: "whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me". This heart can't just be part of our lives. To "pour ourselves out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted" needs to be our heartbeat. I can't get away from this passage. A holy God saying 'you want me to answer? You want to shine brightly in dark places? DO THIS.'

Let's put it all on the line to bring Light to the world around us. Live a life that demands an explanation.

...About Jumping into Niagra Falls

So, I had to go to Rochester for a couple of days last week for work. You might think I'm crazy, but I was bored one night and discovered that Niagra Falls was only 65 miles away so I grabbed some Tim Horton's coffee, jumped in my rental car, and off I went. I hadn't been there since I was a kid and it was overwhelming to see again. It was dark by that time (like 8pm) which made it all the more intimidating. The power of the water and the force with which it moved was awesome and terrifying.

I ended up walking over this pedestrian bridge that goes over the "river" portion leading up to the falls. The raging waters beneath were flowing with such force that several full length tree trunks were being carried by the water like twigs. Clearly the force of the current ripped those trees out from the ground - roots and all. So, as I was standing on this bridge... alone... at night... I thought, "what would happen if I became careless, slipped, and fell over this ledge and into that water?" It would consume me and I'd have no chance of survival under the power of it. But, even in the midst of experiencing that fear, I remained astounded at the power of the water. I still wanted to get a closer look at it, but I approached the edge of the bridge with such respect. One thing was for sure - I wanted my relationship with the edge of that bridge to be right at all times. I wanted to know where the edge was. I wouldn't disrespect the edge in any way. I was always aware of it. If I hadn't recognized the power and force of that water, I would have been prone to just falling in.

As I was driving back to the hotel, I couldn't help but think of what I had just experienced and how it reminded me of what it means to fear the Lord. The fear I experienced on that bridge wasn't the terror that comes when you think something is trying to harm you - it was a recognition of the power of the current that flowed underneath me. I mean, it's not a perfect analogy, but to recognize that power while appreciating it and wanting to have a right relationship with it at all times was an awesome revelation. That's why I respected the edge. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Ps. 111:10) - to recognize His awesome power is where it all begins. It brings fear and respect, but also brings understanding of His power - not the power to harm (though He can and His wrath is nothing to mess around with), but also the power of His love, goodness, compassion, and on and on. Understanding that character warrants such gratitude and love in return, doesn't it? Greater still, we can approach this Power with boldness because of who He says we are...who He's made us: HIS. What great reason to worship!

...About Truth in Love

The Apostle Paul’s love for the Bride of Christ compelled him to cover her with God’s truth. He understood the only real way to express love for the church was to preserve truth. Truth without love is harsh and empty, nothing: “If I have the gift of prophecy [truth telling] and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing” (1 Corinthians 13:2). Truth and love are inseparable. Paul warns his young protégé, Timothy, to be on guard for false teachers who were trying to remove truth from the church. Paul instructed Timothy to take charge of the situation and to command the false teachers to quit teaching. He then insightfully adds that the basis of the command, the motive behind it, is love, “The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith” (1 Timothy 1:5). Paul kills two birds with one stone of instruction. Don’t condone falsehood, but don’t abandon love in the process.

Peter underscored this dynamic principle in 1 Peter 1:22 – “Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart.” We purify ourselves and our churches with truth. God cleanses us with His truth so that we can love one another properly, with sincere, deep love from a transformed heart. If we separate truth from love, we distort what Christ has given us. We receive His truth and it roots us, establishes us and enables us to love as He loved.

The New Living Translation renders Ephesians 3:19 as, “May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.” We cannot conceive the expanse of Christ’s love for us. It’s too great! Yet, isn’t it just like God to allow us to experience and to be empowered by something we can’t fully understand? Christ’s love fills us with God’s incredible power, enabling us to know and speak His truth.

We have the power to respond to others, to life and to conflict as Christ did because we are given the full measure of God in our lives. However, we see many different responses in how church members relate to truth and to one another as conflict escalates. Some prefer to avoid conflict at all costs, literally. Others seem to relish conflict. Not only do they enter a fray, they are not beyond starting it. They have a strong opinion about the situation, and will speak it regardless of the damage that ensues. All too rarely, there are the precious peacemakers who understand the biblical principle of speaking the truth in love.

The Message paraphrases Paul’s instruction in 1 Timothy 1:5 that we examined earlier: “The whole point of what we’re urging is simply love – love uncontaminated by self-interest and counterfeit faith, a life open to God. Those who fail to keep to this point soon wander off into cul-de-sacs of gossip. They set themselves up as experts on religious issues, but haven’t the remotest idea of what they’re holding forth with such imposing eloquence.”

“Cul-de-sacs”of gossip. That’s the street we wander down when we veer either direction from full truth or complete love. Judgment without truth makes one an imposter. Truth without love is empty. Love without truth is vain. All are dead-end streets. One must know the truth, possess Christ’s love, then speak the truth in love.

[by David & Diane Noble]

...About Chatter

Do you know how many words the average person speaks in a day? If you're reading this, I am going to assume you are "above average". =) So the average person utters about 34,000 words per day. Isn't that something? 34,000 words! So as I considered that, I couldn't help but ask myself a few questions: How many of those words are spent talking about me and communicating my needs? Get me this. I think this about that. I like that. Oooh, I don't like that. I'm tired. I'm hungry. Blah...Blah...Blah. On the flip side, how many of those words are invested in meeting the needs of others? How many of those words are used to encourage a friend? To compliment my wife? To comfort someone who is hurting? How many of those words are used to share with someone the good news that will meet the greatest need they will ever have? Can I not spare the words? 34,000 not enough to get that done?

"But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!" (Rom 10:14-15).

More and more, I am feeling a churning and a discomfort inside of me. At first, I thought it was the chicken & rice I had in the City last night, but it's not that (ok, it's partly that). It's a realization and a burden summed up in 5 words: WE NEED TO SAY IT. We have to TELL people. "How will they hear unless someone tells them?" Yes, our lives will display the gospel, but we need to SAY IT. To share with people plainly, boldly, and lovingly that they too can have their sins forgiven! That they can have a relationship with God and eternal life and live today in the fullness of who they were created to be! That God might plead for them to come back to Him through us.

For me, 34,000 words is more than a number. It is 34,000 responsibilities. I want to take captive every one of those words and make sure each one is being used to speak truth. Always truth. To pour my words into loving people. Would you join me?

...About Ease

So I helped out at a Harvest Crusade a couple of weeks ago and it proved to be the pinacle of something God has been poking and prodding at me about for a while now. From unknowing conversations, to messages I hear, to the places I land in the Word, everything seems to take me to the same place.

A couple of weeks ago, a close friend of mine told me of how a high schooler approached him at Roosevelt Field Mall to invite him to the Harvest Crusade and to share the gospel with him. As they chatted, the young guy told of how he and his team ("SWAT" - Students with a Testimony) had been casually sharing with people in the mall that day and watched as 34 people made professions of faith. Then, later that night, we sat in the arena at Jones Beach and watched as hundreds more gave their lives to Christ and entered the Kingdom. As it was happening, my friend turned to me and said, "granted a lot of prayer went into all this, but is it really that simple?" That question had already been resonating in my heart and mind for a long time.

I BELIEVE IT IS THAT SIMPLE.

It is that simple because the Gospel is that powerful! We are not (and thank God it's not on us). I think "the church" needs to return to the simple proclamation of the message of the Gospel - the uncompromised, life giving Gospel that changes lives. To share it boldly, plainly, passionately, and lovingly...and to do it everywhere. I am beginning to feel like we (the church) are overstrategizing at times. Complicating the simple. We stress the program, the packaging, and the response as we minimize the power of the simple message to change lives. God is the one who ripens people to the Gospel. We are prone to exalt the quality of the messenger (us, how it's packaged, etc.) above the power of the message itself to penetrate hearts! God is powerful enough. The gospel is strong enough to save. We don't need to put a bow on it. He doesn't need our help in that way. He just needs us to share it plainly and share it everywhere.

I'm all for strategy, tact, creativity and all the rest of it. I really am. Networking and strategizing to get the name of our churches out there is good. But, our call is to get the life saving message of Jesus Christ out there. Greg Laurie came to NY, shared, and left. Those kids at Roosevelt Field, came, shared, and left. We (the church) are in a unique position to share the gospel with people, engage individuals, and then offer them a spiritual home and a family - a safe place where questions can be answered and people can be equipped to GO and share with others.

People are ripe to the gospel! The Harvest crusade proved that to me. Take Long Island. Of 2.7 million people here, some 3% profess passion for Christ, which means over 2.6 MILLION PEOPLE are drowning. If even another 1% of the LI population comes to know the Lord (which would mean if only 1 out of every 100 people I share with receives Christ while 99 others reject the message), there would be another 26,000 people in the Kingdom from LI! Our churches would be bursting at the seams. And yet, so many of us who are working for the Kingdom on LI are struggling to plant a church or launch another campus? The harvest really is plentiful. There is wheat here! That's what we saw at Jones Beach. That's what those kids saw at Roosevelt Field.

So the question is, would we boldly and lovingly GO and be the fragrance of Christ? To share the message plainly and boldly. That means that many, MANY will find us to be the aroma of death. It will be a foul odor to those who are dying as it exposes their end. They will not want it. But, many, MANY others will find it to be the aroma of life...as God ripens people's hearts to the Gospel (2 Cor 2:14-17). More and more I am realizing that the response is God's department, not ours. God is the one who ripens people to the Gospel. No one says "Jesus is Lord" but by the Spirit (1 Cor 12:3, Mat 16:16-17). Amazingly, He chooses to do all of this THROUGH US. Of 2.6 million, I believe there are MANY who are ripe to the Gospel today...and God pleads with them through us! But are we willing to be the aroma of death to some so that we can be the aroma of life to others?

Would we lovingly be the fragrance of Christ to every corner of this island? At a minimum, those kids at the mall encountered 34 people who are spiritually fertile. Greg Laurie's simple, uncompromised communication of the gospel surfaced hundreds of people who are spiritually receptive. God has ripened many hearts. But Greg Laurie and those kids aren't from here. This is our home. God can do the same thing through us and our churches every day if we would just go back to the uncompromised, simple, plain proclamation of the Gospel.

We could have a Harvest crusade everyday (figuratively). I believe we could see people come to know Christ every day. Why not? If we would just boldly, plainly and passionately spread this good news everywhere with authenticity and vigor, God would plead with people through us! (2 Cor 5:20) "I love you! Be reconciled to Me!" GOD WILL GRIP HEARTS! We don't even have to search far! We've got a huge harvest and hardly any workers. I believe there is wheat everywhere. We just refuse to reap it.

The One who led thousands to be saved in one shot in Acts is the same today as He was then. I believe He can do that right where you live even now. Maybe the means will be different, but the response just the same. The Gospel is flourishing in Africa, Asia...pretty much everywhere in the world, but for North America. I hope to see great revival on Long Island. I believe God is up to something here. He's shaping me to return to the simple message of the Gospel and to proclaim it as I go...and watch what happens. Let's stand together to share the good news with people now. Not later. Now.

...About the Contrast

Note: this video is intended for mature audiences.

"She is full of contrast, more alive and closer to death than anyone I've known..."

"...We often ask God to show up. We pray prayers of rescue. Perhaps God would ask us to be that rescue, to be His body, to move for things that matter. He is not invisible when we come alive. I might be simple but more and more, I believe God works in love, speaks in love, is revealed in our love. I have seen that this week and honestly, it has been simple: Take a broken girl, treat her like a famous princess, give her the best seats in the house...Tell her something true when all she's known are lies. Tell her God loves her. Tell her about forgiveness, the possibility of freedom, tell her she was made to dance in white dresses. All these things are true.We are only asked to love, to offer hope to the many hopeless. We don't get to choose all the endings, but we are asked to play the rescuers. We won't solve all mysteries and our hearts will certainly break in such a vulnerable life, but it is the best way. We were made to be lovers bold in broken places, pouring ourselves out again and again until we're called home." (taken from "The Story" written by Jamie Tworkowski, creator of TWLOHA).

More and more, I am beginning to FEEL a simple reality in the pit of my stomach: things aren't right. Broken hearts beat all around us. They're everywhere. Wounded lives shattered by abuse, deceit, and betrayal. Children dying every day from a handful of diseased water. Unthinkable sex crimes against women and young children - seemingly without hope. All the while we sit locked in "Lexus cages" of our own making with fingers in our ears, feeling as though "we've arrived". And yet, our complaints carry on of that "one other thing" we think we need or that "one other bill" we want paid. It's quite a contrast.

I guess I shouldn't be surprised because I've read about this before. "You can be certain that in the last days there will be some very hard times. People will love only themselves and money. They will be proud, stuck-up, rude, and disobedient to their parents. They will also be ungrateful, godless, heartless, and hateful. Their words will be cruel, and they will have no self-control or pity. These people will hate everything that is good. They will be sneaky, reckless, and puffed up with pride. Instead of loving God, they will love pleasure. Even though they will make a show of being religious, their religion won't be real." [2 Tim 3:1-5 (CEV)]. "Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you." [James 1:27 (CEV)]

It's hard to call "irrelevant" a text that is so on point. It shows me one thing: God knows what it means to really live. God sees the contrast...and it saddens Him. I've been racking my brain trying to figure something out - what's the remedy? "Perhaps God would ask us to be that rescue, to be His body, to move for things that matter. He is not invisible when we come alive."

BE THE REMEDY.