Another Play

I went to an elementary school basketball game the other night. As the game began I realized, very quickly, that the students on our team had been taught a couple of specific plays. When the coach would yell out the play names the team members would take their positions on the court and would run that exact play.

Throughout the game the coach continued to yell out one of the two plays, and each time the team members would run that specific play. 

You see, our team had been trained very well on these plays. The issue was that our team would run the play - by the book - without deviating from it - even if the opposing team's defense had adapted - even if the opposing team had stolen the ball on the other end of the court. 

As the game progressed I realized that our team had not learned the fundamentals of basketball; passing, dribbling, guarding, and shooting. What they had learned was plays - how to set them up and  how to execute them. Yet, because they lacked the basics, these plays were worthless. 

As the game concluded it occurred to me that many churches are operating under the same premise.

We have learned several "plays" - several programs - as The Church and we run these programs week after week while seeing very little outcome. We lack the conversions, life transformation, and spiritual growth and we wonder why. Then, in response, we learn new "plays" - new programs - for The Church and we begin to implement them. 

We run these programs in our churches week after week and all the while our opposition - the evil one - has adapted to the "plays" and stolen "the ball" at the other end. 

Maybe it's time we returned to the fundamentals; Scripture, true prayer, Christian fellowship, and spiritual discipleship. Only through these "basic fundamentals" will we begin to turn the tide in our culture and see growth in The Church. 

Let us not learn more "plays" and more programs. Let us learn Jesus. 

Walking On Water

I was reading from Mark 6 and from Matthew 14 this morning - the account of Jesus walking on the water in the midst of a storm and inviting Peter to walk on the water with Him while the rest of the disciples looked on from the boat. 

Mark 6:45-50; Immediately Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. After leaving them, he went up on a mountainside to pray. Later that night, the boat was in the middle of the lake, and he was alone on land. He saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them. Shortly before dawn he went out to them, walking on the lake. He was about to pass by them, but when they saw him walking on the lake, they thought he was a ghost. They cried out, because they all saw him and were terrified. Immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

Matthew 14:28-33; "Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” "Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?” And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

Notice here that Jesus was about to pass by. He was walking on the water, in the midst of a storm, in the middle of the night, and He was about to pass by. Even after they saw Him, even after they called out in fear - in complete terror - He was about to pass by. It wasn't until Peter called out to Him - when He asked Jesus for a personal invitation - that Jesus stops and calls Peter out. 

As I read this passage it occurred to me, Jesus passes by every day. Every day each of us have the opportunity to encounter Him. Everyday He passed right by each of us - sometimes multiple times. 

Jesus is about to pass by and it is not enough to see Him in fear and terror. Jesus is about to pass by and His desire is for us to call out to Him and ask for the otherwise impossible. Jesus is about to pass by and His desire is for us to ask Him for a personal invitation. 

Then Jesus stops and invites us out. 

I've heard others share accounts of Jesus moving in their lives - doing the miraculous - the otherwise impossible - in their lives. And sometimes I feel like I'm sitting in the boat while others are being moved - walking on the water with Jesus. But I don't want to sit in the boat and watch Jesus move. I want to get out of the boat and be the one that Jesus moves. 

Will you call out to Jesus - asking for a personal invitation? Will you get out of the boat and walk with - be moved by - Jesus? 

Sinspiration

Last night we hosted a "Singspiration" at the church. It was a wonderful - spirit-filled time of worship and praise through various modern songs. 

A few days before the event I created a graphic and shared it on Facebook hoping to promote the event. I was compelled to take it down when a friend pointed out that I was promoting a "SINspiration". 

Today I was reflecting on a truth I heard a few days ago; "Satan is not creative, he does not create anything. Instead he perverts God's created beauty". 

If allowed, Satan will pervert everything beautiful that God has created - including the very worship of God. 

Let us focus our heads, our hearts, and our hands to God and let us refuse to allow God's beauty to be perverted. 

The Answer

Have you ever been wrecked by the very words that come out of your mouth?

Today - as I was preparing for the message tomorrow morning - I spoke words that cut me to the heart and wrecked me at the moment I spoke them. In the midst of preaching (to myself I proclaimed, "How can we claim that Jesus is the answer for our world when we don't depend on him as the answer for our churches - our homes - our relationships?"

As I proceeded to fall to the ground and to pray through this very phrase, I was more and more convicted by the Holy Spirit.

As believers we make the claim that Hesus is the answer for our world - that He and He alone is the source of hope, healing, and joy that the world needs so desperately. And yet, we often find ourselves in the midst of difficult situations - worried, fearful, or searching for answers within our own control - and we leave Jesus out. 

Relationships are broken, souls are lost, illness plagues us daily, and we struggle with our emotions and yet we fail to go to Jesus and trust in His power and provisions. 

Let us renew our faith in and faithfulness to Jesus as our Savior and Lord. 

Let us depend on Jesu as the answer and as our answer. 

Blood and Witness

Satan - evil and death - is eternally defeated through the blood of The Lamb - Jesus Christ - and through the word of our testimony about Jesus Christ.

Our Savior - Jesus Christ - has already done His part, now He is calling you to do yours. 

Let us triumph over Satan - over evil and death - daily through the word of our testimony. 

Your words of witness make a difference - an eternal one.