3.31.2007

Student comments on the five three challenge.

Frances said...
I am doing the amazing, stress relieving 5-3 Challenge. Thanx so much for the deep talk last week about the cruxifiction and having a personal relationship with God. The 5-3 Challenge seems to take more than 10 minutes for me. More like 20 or even a 1/2 hour! It just depends on how much time God wants to spend with me that day which is gr8! Thanks again!


james said...
this 53 thing is awsome its really a good way to read the bible every day!!!!!!!!
&
hey branden nice job on the 53 thing,this week i had a fight with my mom after the fight i did my 53 thing and it really helped me to calm down!!!!!! your doing a great job the 53 thing is awsome!!!


Abbie said...
WOW!! That really helps me look at my life and realize how much i ignore god like you said at godsquad you wouldent tell your best friend or wife that you dont have time for them but we tell god that all the time
Thanks,


Karis said...
I am really liking th 53 challenge Brandon! It is helping me work through the day with out as much stress!

3.29.2007

Full heart and an empty pocket... (Luke 21:1-4)

The first few verse in Luke 21 talk about a widow who was bringing an offering to the temple. While many people gave more money than she did... she gave all that she had... two small copper coins.

it was a pathetic amount to offer to God... but Jesus saw it differently.

He said, "Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all the others"

What?!! how could he say that?

Where as they were weathly and gave only their extra... she gave everthing that she had...

I wonder what we learn from that.

Two things come to my mind...

1. I hear students tell me that they do not have any money all the time... and some of them are telling the truth... but did you know that over a billion people in the world live on less than a dollar a day? In other words less than $400 a year... or they live on less than my a playstation or xbox... so when I say I do not have any money... maybe I do not really know what that means... Even a dollar given in faith is enough if it is done with the right heart....

2. To whom much is given ... much is required... if I am wealthy, giving all I have to Jesus is harder... but still possible. What would it mean for you?

The Five Three Challange... Final Week.

Here it is... the Final Week of the Five Three Challange...


Remember...

Five minutes talking to God


Five minutes reading Luke from chapter 20 - 24


Five times a week.

I am hearing so many awesome things about how God is using this in your life!

3.28.2007

Authority... from where? (Luke 20:2)

One day the religious leaders questioned Jesus. "Tell us by what authority you are doing these things," they said. "Who gave you this authority?

We ask the same question today all the time...

If a parent, or teacher, or adult tell a student to do something, the student will often wonder why they should listen. Why does the adult have authority...

Oftern Adults will wonder why their boss was given authority...

But in this way Jesus was different than any other leader in history... He had real authority. No one gave him his authority it was his from the very beginning. As God, it was his right to rule the universe and to do whatever he felt was best.

Jesus had authority because he created all of this... and the creation serves the one who created it.

What is interesting is that in the story here, the religious leaders were questioning the authority of the only person they had ever met who truly deserved to have it.

I think we do the same thing today... When we learn about a truth about God that we do not like... one that keeps us from doing something we want to do... we often ignore it thinking... I don't have to do that if I don't want to...

In other words... God doesnt have the right to tell me how to live... but the thing is that he has more right to tell me how to live than I do... he created me.

3.27.2007

Temple Tantrum.... Luke 19:45-48

I love the stories where Jesus drives the merchants from the temple. It goes complete against our passive idea of Jesus, the really nice never angery guy. He got mad, when it was right to do so.

Jesus is not a one dimensional figure... he is complex and defy's simple catagoreis.

I think it is really cool to think about Jesus as a truly passionate man who was not afraid to upset people when the situation was right.

I wonder if we ever allow ourselves to picture him angry... passionate... mad... upset... sad... nervous... worried... etc. The Bible seems to indicate these were all emotions he experienced.

3.26.2007

Zacchaeus: Jesus came to seek and save the lost... (luke 19:1-10)

You probably know this story... it is about wee little Zacchaeus... as traitor who finds Jesus.

Quick note: Tax collectors were seen as traitors to Jewish people in Jesus time. The Jewish people were unwillingingly under the rule of Rome and Caesar and wanted to rule themselves. A tax collector was a Jewish person who worked for the Roman oppressors collecting money from Jewish hard working citizens. They were sellouts... and the Jewish people despised them for going over to the other side...

In the case of Wee Zacch, we find him desperately wanting to see Jesus... it seems like he was aware of how sinful and bad that he was... isn't interesting that this story comes quickly after another story about a tax collector praying in the temple.

What is so interesting is the change that happens in Zacch's heart... After meeting with Jesus he says, "Now I give half my possessions to the poor and if have cheated anyone, I will give them back 4 times as much."

His time with Jesus change him from the inside out. Jesus life can change ours too. He can take our selfishness and turn it into forgiveness and the freedom to be a different kind of people...

Luke is really clear: Jesus came to seek and save what was lost... Including you and I when we sin and turn away from God

3.25.2007

Sinners and Saints remixed.... Luke 18:9-14

I love this story in Luke 18...

Jesus is talking to some people who were a little smug about how they thought God viewed them...

So he tells them a story of a Pharisee (basically a pastor today) and a Tax Collector (Meaning a horrible sinner at the time). The Pastor thought he was great so he spent time basically telling God how great that he (the pastor) was...

on the other hand... the sinner would not even look toward heaven because he was so aware of his sinfulness.

God preferred an honest sinner over a religious person who was too proud to realize his sinfulness...

This is so freeing to know that God does not want me to pretend to be something I am now, but rather to come to him honestly,
saying, " God have mercy on me, a sinner!"

Appearances

If you are honest in small things,
You'll be honest in big things;
If you 're a crook in small things,
you'll be a crook in big things,
If you 're not honest in small jobs,
who will put you in charge of the store?
No worker can serve two bosses;
He'll either hate the first and love the second
Or adore the first and despise the second.
You can't serve both God and the Bank.

Do you serve two bosses? I find it very difficult to not do this. Especially in the small things of my life. I often times find the boss of TV ruling my life. I find I place a certain TV show above anything else. For me it is the TV show "24" , Nothing interfers with that. Do I do the same with my walk with Christ? If I am honest in the small things and big things I would say NO. I want to to serve Christ first...I need to reset my priorities, but I can't do it on my own.

Are your bosses the TV, or IMing, or the latest fashions, or friends or anything else?

3.24.2007

Forgiveness and Faith... (Luke 17)

Very often in the Bible passages seem to be randomly assembled... but this is rarely the case. For example in Luke 17:3-4 is says:

"If a brother or sister sins against you, rebuke them; and if they repent, forgive them. 4 Even if they sin against you seven times in a day and seven times come back to you saying 'I repent,' you must forgive them."

Then verse five follows with this:

17:5 The apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith!"

At first glance they seem unrelated... but are they? Could it be that the reason the apostles are asking for more faith is because of Jesus command to forgive their brothers and sisters...even if they have to do it seven times a day...

It takes a lot of faith to truly forgive... I have friends who have been abused or raped or betrayed... and for them the idea of forgiving the person who did this to them seems nearly impossible...

Yet by faith they place their trust in God... that his grace is enough to help them forgive even these massive sins against them...

I think that the apostles totally got this... that is why they respond to Jesus command to forgive by asking for more faith.

God give me enough faith in you to be able to let go of my anger and forgive as well...

3.23.2007

The Rich man and Lazarus... (Luke 16:19-31)

I am loving reading Luke right now. It has so many stories that I love, but often forget about. Jesus life is so full on interesting teachings, miracles, and stories, that they all sorta run together sometimes. It is good to go through them again....

in Luke 16 the story of Larazus on the Rich man is so intersting to me...

The unnamed rich man had everything in life...
He was rich... he had the stuff... he had good food... a nice house... and more...

By the entrance to the gate that surrounded the rich mans house and kept out unwanted visitors, sat a poor beggar with nothing, named Lazarus.

Lazarus had nothing... he wished that he could eat even scraps that fell from the rich man's table... but often went hungry instead...


After they both died there was a shocking reversal that happened...

Even thought the rich man had everything in life, it was Lazarus who was rewarded in Heaven... while the rich man suffered in Hades...

Hades was so horrible, that the rich man begged for Lazarus to go and warn his family...

But he is told that, 'If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.' "

Isn't it interesting that a man named Lazarus does rise from the dead in John 11.... and that Jesus rose from the dead...

But people still do not listen?


What we have now, is no garauntee of God's favor on our lives. If we are rich now, it is so we can bless those who are not...

How we live today has the potential to impact eternity!

The little boy and his seeds... (Bonus story from Mark 4:1-20)

The once was a boy who had a secret. He collected seeds. He would find them everywhere and he thought they were great. He liked big ones and small ones. He had an incredible system for categorizing them and storing them. He even designed special vacuum sealed bags that would keep his collection from harm and the elements. Now it came to be that the village that the boy lived in suffered a severe food shortage, and even though there was plenty of space in his garden … the boy could not bring himself to part with his precious seeds. He loved his collection. Around him he watched as his neighbors grew gaunt and pale. Children lost the color in their cheeks. Even the true hunger rumblings in his own belly could not bring him to allow his seeds to leave their shelves and find their destiny in the soil. A tragedy, both personally and for his village, the young boy died of starvation... all the while having seed enough for a great harvest.

If the seed is the truth from the word of God... does knowing it really do anything... or do I have to plant it deep in my heart and let it grow up in my life through faith?

Truth is awesome... but it needs to be planted in good soil to meet its destiny!

The Torrid Tale of a Shrewd Rascal... or... How to make friends and influence people...

Luke 16 is one of my favorite Bible stories because it is so unexpected...
Scripture is full of color, where we often want to see black and white... simple categories... where in actuality the images of the Biblical world are create complex moral questions.

In the story of the Shrewd Manager... it seems like the Bible is condoning illegal activity. A manager who is going to be fired from his job, makes bargain deals with all of his companies clients in order to get one of them to hire him.

In the story he is praised for his shrewd behavior...

...most Christians today would find his behavior to be unacceptable... which is precisely why the story is interesting...

To unlock it, we have to remember that everything that we have is actually God's not ours. He loans us our blessings so that we would use them to bring him glory... if you can sing... act... paint... draw... dance... play sports... talk... get good grades... fix stuff... any and all of those are abilities God has gifted to you so that you can use them to bring him glory by helping more people to know about him!

So we are actually that manager in the story... we are managing the gifts that God has given to us...

How are you doing with your management?

3.21.2007

Andy's Extened story from GS last night (an Amplified story from Luke 18:35 - 43)

Jesus & Bartimaeus
Based on Luke 18:35-43 and Mark 10:46-52

It was early April in the city of Jericho. Well actually the people in the story I’m going to tell you didn’t divide their months the same way we do but it was around April on our calendars today. It wasn’t a real hot day – like most others that time of year, it was around 80 degrees but you could certainly break a sweat sitting outside all day in the sun. It was a dry and dusty place. Maybe you’ve seen pictures of places like that. The city of Jericho was just a few miles away from the one that got destroyed by the Israelites a few hundred years earlier.

It was just before the Jewish Passover. Many Jewish people were traveling to Jerusalem to take part in the Passover festivities that took place there. Jerusalem was the center of Jewish religious life. The temple was there.

Jericho is only 15 miles or so from Jerusalem but Jerusalem is almost a 3,300 feet higher in elevation. In other words, the large group of people had a real up hill hike ahead of them.

This year the people weren’t only headed to Jerusalem because of the Passover. A bunch of people were following a guy named Jesus of Nazareth as he headed up to Jerusalem. For the past couple years, Jesus had been traveling around several parts of Israel causing quite a stir. He taught some pretty wild stuff – he had a very different take on what God considers to be truly religious – and supposedly he had to the power to heal people. There were places that Jesus had gone where entire towns would completely stop what they were doing and come to hear him and to be healed.

As Jesus and the large crowd with him came to the city gate, there were a bunch of people sitting on the side of the road begging. This was commonplace back then and it still is in many places today. The people had all kinds of different stories as to how they got there. Some of them were born with disabilities, others had gotten diseases, some were widows. Each one had their own hard luck story.

The world that they lived in was not the politically correct, handicap accessible world that we live in. Many didn’t even look at the poor and disabled with pity – they actually thought that they must have committed some sin that God was judging them for. So it was commonplace to walk by them without even thinking about them. They were just a nuisance. Their begging was annoying and the fact that they were there in the first place was their own fault.

That day, as the large crowd was coming out of Jericho, one of the people sitting by the roadside was a blind man people called Bartimaeus. His name meant “Son of Timaeus”. Talk about being marginalized by society – not only was he blind but when people referred to him, it was always in reference to his father.

Some of the beggars had cups with money in them and they shook them as the crowd walked by. Bartimaeus had spread out his cloak, his outer layer of clothing, on the ground some people could toss money or gifts on to it. It was like laying an open instrument case in front of you on the sidewalk.

As the crowd was passing by, Bartimaeus could hear them well but the world around him was completely black. Even with the sun shining outside, he was enveloped by total darkness. That’s all he’d ever known.

When a person can’t see, they listen even more intently and hear things a person with vision would never bother to hear. Listening, he realized this was no small crowd passing through. It wasn’t that they were talking loudly or causing a commotion but as he listened he could hear a great number of shoes coming down on the gravel. Yes the unmistakable sound of shoes shuffling against the ground.

He struggled to get anyone’s attention so finally he reached out his hand and when he felt it brush someone’s robe, he grabbed the robe and pulled on it. “What’s going on? Why are so many people on the road? It sounds like someone important is passing through.” The person, caught by surprise pushed aside the blind man’s hand and said, “It’s Jesus of Nazareth”.

Immediately Bartimaeus began to shout, “Jesus, have mercy on me! Jesus, have mercy on me!” Of course he couldn’t see to tell when Jesus himself was actually passing by. So he just continued to yell.

Many of the people passing by reprimanded him and told him to be quiet. Some of Jesus closest followers seemed to be the most irritated. They told him to shut up but he just yelled louder and louder, “Jesus, have mercy on me!”

The yelling caught Jesus attention and he stopped. Turning to one of his disciples, Jesus said, “Bring the blind man to me.” His disciples thought is was an odd request, but they did it anyway.

They walked toward the blind man and called to him, “Cheer up! On your feet! Jesus wants to see you.” As you can imagine, Bartimaeus didn’t waste any time. He immediately got up and pushed aside his cloak that was laying on the ground. It didn’t matter now. He was being called by Jesus.

Could this really be happening? This time he wasn’t just hearing a story about what Jesus had done for someone else. Jesus was calling him. His heart pounded inside his chest. It’s like the way you feel when you know something incredible might happen. You long for it to happen but you’re still afraid. Would Jesus really have mercy him? Would he be healed? Or would this be the biggest disappointment he’d ever had?

As he came to Jesus, Jesus asked him a simple question, so simple that some of the people there wondered to themselves if Jesus was a little slow. “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked. The question seemed more than unnecessary.

Bartimaeus didn’t have to stop and think about out. He didn’t meditate for a while and then say, “Well you know what I could really use…” No. Without a second thought he responded, “Rabbi, I want to see.”

And in the next moment the blind man’s life was changed forever. “Go,” Jesus said, “Your faith has healed you.” Immediately the lights went on. Sight illumined his eyes. His whole face and posture changed. For the first time he not only heard the world and imagined what it might be like, he saw it. And the first person he saw was Jesus.

He fell back down to his knees and began praising God. The attitude of the crowd changed too. They began to realize what they had just witnessed and they too began to praise God. That hot dusty road was for those moments transformed into the throne room of God.

After the initial joy of the situation wore off, Jesus said, “We must go on to Jerusalem.” With little thought, Bartimaeus joined the crowd following Jesus on the road. He didn’t think about what he was leaving behind. He just knew that from now on, he wanted to follow Jesus.

3.20.2007

leaving the 99

I think we don't really understand God a lot of times. In luke 15 there are three stories of someone losing something, and then rejoicing when it is found.

We think that God must be so mad at us when we sin, that we run away from him. We fear his punishment.

Yet God does not desire to punish us, but to rescue us. I love the story of the shepherd leaving the 99 sheep to go after the one who is lost.

I am so thankful that God also comes after me when I lose my way.

What would it look like to be like God in this way? What would it be like to be a person who leaves the 99 who are ok in order to go after the 1 that has lost its way?

I think a lot of times we sorta have the attitude that if someone leaves our church or group that they should either be judged or forgotten. What would it mean to really go after them?

3.19.2007

The Cost of Being a Christian... (Luke 14:25-33)

While grace and forgiveness were a gift from God, there is a high cost to truly following Jesus: namely everything. It is not that jesus really wants more stuff for himself... or wants to take all my fun away... rather... in order to truly follow Jesus it requires a new focus that keeps us from following anything else at the same time.

In other words... I can still play soccer... but I cannot allow it to get in the way of following Jesus...

I can still have friends... but I cannot allow them to get in the way of following Jesus...

I can still do school, but I cannot allow it to get in the way of following Jesus...

I can still love my family, but I cannot allow them. to get in the way of following Jesus...


Yet another way of looking at it is that Jesus ruins me so that I can no longer live for myself. If I am really his follower...my values will so radically change that I will no longer be able to live as I did before...

What do you think about the cost? is it worth it?

3.18.2007

Banquest Ettitquette... or... Jesus's rules for having a good party! (Luke 14)

Jesus is all about the Party in Luke 14. My favorite two lessons on partying are as follows.

#1 You may or may not be "all that"
Jesus points out in 14:7-11 that a party goer needs to be careful when assessing their significance at said party. They should not seat themselves too close to the cool spots, lest the party host ask them to move so someone else can sit closer to them. The moral... it is better to sit in a humble place and let others brag about you... than it is to brag about yourself only to have others point out your misplaced confidence in your own social standing.... or as Jesus puts it:

"For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted."

#2 Those who are not "all that" may actually be more "that" than those who seem to be "all that" Did you follow that?
In this lesson found in 14:12-14 Jesus teaches about the importance of a good guest list. Where as some invite people to the party in order to move up the social latter... Jesus recommends an alternative. PS... if you listen to Jesus you may get some payback from the Big Guy himself... Jesus suggests that we invite those who have nothing to offer us... the sick... the poor... the uncool... the kid that everyone makes fun of to our party... Why? While this may be social suicide... this makes God happy... and since we will get no temporary social reward... God himself... sees our willingness to love those who have nothing to offer us and is very pleased.

What about you... have you any good party tips?

3.17.2007

Freedom... to break the rules....


I love that Jesus sets people free. In Luke 13:10, he is teaching in the synagogue on the sabbath (the seventh day of the week) when he noticed a woman who had been crippled for 18 years. Jesus told her that she was set free from her sickness... but the leaders of the Synagogue were angry with Jesus. According to their tradition, it was wrong to do any work, even if it helped people, on the sabbath.

Even though they wanted to force Jesus to live and love their way, he refused... He helped people even when the rules apposed such help.

It is really crazy to think of how many people were appalled and dissappointed with who Jesus was.

They seemed to think that even the good things people do have to be done according to their method.

Sometimes I think we do the same thing today... we make rules about what we think is proper... then forget that we made the rule instead of Jesus....

3.16.2007

Top Five Highligts of Luke 12


As was reading Luke 12, I was struck by how many really awesome things it containted... so I made a list of my top five.

#1 (12:4-5) "Do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more"
~We serve God... who could possibly be greater than him?

#2 (12:15) "Watch out! Be on your gaurd against all kinds of greed... life is not about possessions....


#3 (12:25) "who of you by worrying can add a single hour to you life!"
~With a good who gives us what we need and ask for... why worry?

#4 (12:34) "where your treasure is, there you hearts will be also..."

#5 (12:48b) From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.


THose are my fav's... what are yours?

More Zach Hunter


A New Zack Interview

3.15.2007

Pharisee is a funny word... or clean the inside too... (Luke 11:39)

Pharisees were religous experts in their day. They knew the Torah, what we call the Old Testament, very well. They were deeply religous and had very strict rules for how they and others should behave... but they had the wrong idea about God.

They thought that God was all about appearances... about looking good and clean...

Jesus said, "Now then, you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness..."

They did not realize that God looks on the inside, at our heart.

Jesus went on to say, " You foolish people! Did not the one who made the outside make the inside also (Luke 11:40)?"

God does not look at the outside of our cup only... he does not only look at what we do... at our behavior... he looks at our motives and intentions... even our thoughts and knows what we really desire....

He wants us to truly love and follow him... from the inside out...

Masks

Have you ever worn two masks or seen your friends wear two masks. I have worn two masks and I have seen others do the same. In Luke 12, Jesus talks about those people who wear a mask at church and then another one at school or work. He says, stand up for him among the people you meet and he will stand up for you.

When I read this I feel bad about the times that I have wanted to "fit in" with some of my friends. By doing that I am not being authentic and I am not being honest with who I am. I need to remember that Jesus is walking with me in every place I am, even when I am angry or trying to cover up a mistake or being with friends that don't believe in the same things that I do.

Do you do the same thing?

3.14.2007

A Very Famous Prayer...


Jesus told his Disciples that, (Luke 11:2-4)
"When you pray, say:
" 'Father,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come.

3 Give us each day our daily bread.

4 Forgive us our sins,
for we also forgive everyone who sins against us.
And lead us not into temptation.' "


There are lots of cool things about this prayer, but I want to mention a few...

~Hallowed is an old word meaning something like praised worship or set apart as special...

~God's Kingdom... is a really hard to nail down idea... but I think it means something really cool here. I think God's kingdom coming is refering to God's desire to restore all things to his plan.

In the Garden of Eden humankind rebelled against God's plan and they have been rebelling every day since.


This is what we do when we sin...

God's original desire, or plan, for how things were to be, was messed up by us.

Our rebellion created all of the suffering and pain and death that is in the world, but God wants to restore the beauty and life of his original plan.

His "Kingdom" exists anywhere where God's desire for how things are to be is how things actually are...

In Heaven, things are the way God wants them... and Jesus prayer is that Earth would also be restored to the way that God wants it to be....


That might all be really confusing... but the simple truth is this: Whenever we do something beautiful or true or lovely... whenever we are selfless instead of selfish... whenever we help others, or whenever we obey God...

Then we make Earth more like God wanted it to be... and his "kingdom" comes a little bit more.

Are you making earth more like God wants it to be? or are you/we making earth less like God would like it to be....

This is hard to understand... what do you think about it?

The Life Five - 3 - Challenge Week Three (Luke 11-15)

This week the Five-three challange is focused in luke 11- 15.

Remember it stands for:

1. Five minutes reading a chapter from Luke

2. Five minutes talking with God

3. Five times a week...

You can totally do it! Don't get discouraged if you miss a few days, just make your best effort to keep trying! It can be hard to make new habits in life, but spending time with God is one of the most rewarding habits you can have!

3.13.2007

GS this week

Hey friends, here is the stuff I promised at GS tonight about Zach Hunter.

Also Here is the link to the video I showed at GS about Zach: Zach's Videos

And several other cool related links:
Loose Change to Loosen Chains
the amazing change
the Amazing Change Myspace
Zach's Book

Tonight at Gs we talked about Luke 10 - 15... here is my description of the talk:
Lost... and the cost of being found... . As the second Christian short term mission trip returned (the 72 in Luke 10), they were amazed at what God had done through them. Even Jesus was amazed... enough so that he warned them that knowing and being known by God was way more significant that doing things for God...even impressive things. This concept sets up an exploration of faith that covers the next several chapters of Luke. What does it mean to be lost... to not know the Father... what does it mean to be found... what does it cost to really know God? Who is willing to pay the price?
It is mostly taken form Luke 10 and 15.


Also here are some good questions form this weeks reading if you are interested (the verses listed should help think about them):
1. Why is Sabbath such a big deal to everyone in Luke 6? Have you learned anything new about it this year during Jubilee?

2. How can Jesus possible mean that the poor and hungry are blessed? (Luke 6:20-23) How can he really mean that people who have plenty are the unfortunate ones. (Luke 6:24-26)

3. How in the world can God really mean that we are to love our enemies? Is it possible? Who would be the hardest person for you to love? How do you think that God keeps loving us, even when we reject him and sin alot. (Luke 6:27 - 36)

4. Why do you think that Jesus is so passionate about not judging other people? What do you think he means when he says to remove the plank from your eye first? (Luke 6:37-42

5. How do you think Jesus felt (emotionally) when faced with all of the hurt and needs around him? (Luke 7:13) How does he feel today about our needs? Does it effect life to know that God really cares?

6. Why did the woman “waste” the perfume on Jesus feet? (Luke 7:36-47) Why was Jesus so happy about it?

7. Jesus told a story about different kinds of soil, but he was really talking about peoples hearts toward him. What kind of
soil is your heart? (Path, rocks, thorns, or good soil Luke 8:1-15)

8. If Jesus can calm a storm, cast out a demon, raise a dead girl, and even heal a woman on “accident”, what do you need to trust him to do in your life? (Luke 8)

9. Jesus said, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field (Luke 10:2) What does that mean? What is Jesus prayer asking for? How does it apply to you?

10. Why should we rejoice because our names are written in the book of life? What book is that, and what is the big deal about being written in it? (Luke 10:18-21)

When good is not good enough.

the car in the picture was my first car. I used to drive it everywhere, and I would use it to hall around all kinds of stuff. I would amaze people with how much stuff that I could fit in my not so big car.

In the picture I have put 4 or so 16 ft boards that are way longer than the car itself was....

Even though I could get lots of things in the car... there were limits. Even I had to make multiple trips when I was trying to move all of my stuff to college.

Often my life is a lot like that little car. I may be able to cram all kinds of stuff in, but there are limits... there is only so much I can do.

In Luke 10:38-42 Jesus has a discussion with two sisters, both of whom were doing good things. Jesus tells Martha, one of the sisters, that what her sister Mary has chosen was the better choice.

This does not mean Martha made a bad choice...

it simply means that there is more than good and bad....

there are better and best choices, and often we have to make tough choices between many good things.


Mary had chosen to not be involved in many good activities in order to make space in her life to listen to Jesus... it is hard to imagine a better choice than that... no matter what it costs.

3.12.2007

Nine things that are cool about Luke 9

Sunday and Monday I went to michigan to attend a few seminars on where youth ministry must go. They were really thought provoking... What do you think? Do you have any ideas about what should be next in youth minsitry?

Here are nine cool things about Luke 9 to consider...

#1 Jesus gave the disciples power and authority to do ministry... then he sent them out to do it. I wonder is empowering and sending are always linked?

#2 When Jesus sent them (9:3) he tells them not to take any supplies... I wonder if this was to keep them from trusting in their preparation?

#3 When the apostles return from the ministry trip... Jesus immediately leads them to with drawal to spend some time by themselves... I wonder if we need the same... after we have done something big... we need time to reflect and recharge alone and undistracted?

#4 Jesus is able to feed thousands of people with so little food. In my life, I often feel like I do not have what it takes to do ministry for Jesus... yet if he can multiply food... maybe he can use me? Maybe he can use you?

#5 Peter finally realizes who Jesus is... 9:20 "But what about you?" Jesus asked. "Who do you say I am?" Peter answered, "God's Messiah." How cool is it that God allows us to see who he is. I think Jesus still asks us this questions today; "What about you ____________, who do you say that I am?" Well... who do you think he is...

#6 Jesus knew he was going to die... he was not shocked when it happened... it happenned because it needed to for us to be brought back to God...

#7 Transfiguration is a cool word. (9:28) try saying it... I do not know what it was all about, but I think it is sweet when God tells Peter and the others that, "This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him." I really want to listen!!!

#8 Talk is cheap... (9:37) Many people promise to follow Jesus but never really do... Do I follow him? Do you?

#9 it costs a lot to follow Jesus... "Follow me," is Jesus way of calling us away from everything we value and trust in. He is calling us to a place where we do not know and cannot lead unless we keep just following him.


What did you think was cool in Luke 9?

3.11.2007

Dirty Faith... what type of soil is your soul?


Jesus told his disciples many special things that he did not reveal to everyone. He told them, "The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to others I speak in parables..."

A parable is a story that contains a deep truth, but presents it in such a unexpected way that the reader of the story is caught off gaurd and caused to reflect deeply.

Jesus in Luke 8 teaches a Parable about soil and seeds....

somes seeds feel among a hard path... but was trampled on and did not grow...

Some seed fell on the rocks, and grew up quickly, but died because it had no roots,

some seed fell among the thorny underbrush... so it grew up, but was choked out by the weeds...

and finally some seed fell on the good soil where it grew up and produced a huge and healthy crop...

What do you think this all means? What type of soil are you? Even the disciples didnt understand it so Jesus has to explain it.

Check out his explanation in Luke 8:11-15...


What type of soil are you?

3.10.2007

More about twelve year olds...

God does speak to 12 year olds... check out this video about a 12 year old girl who is an incredible artist already...

3.09.2007

Beautiful things...


Luke 7 has an awesome story that is often overlooked...

Starting in verse 36 we find Jesus again having dinner at someones house. His dinner is interupted by a prostitute who has had her life changed by her interaction with Jesus.

She interupts the meal, to pour perfume on his feet; washing them with her tears and wiping them with her hair.

When the host of the party saw this, he was disgusted that Jesus would let such a woman touch him...

Jesus responce is brilliant... (read it!) the short form of it is this, "[Whoever has been forgiven much, loves much]; but whoever has been forgiven little loves little (Luke 7:47)."

How about you? How much do you realize God has done for you? I think for a lot of us that grew up in the church, we forget how much God has done and we take it for granted...

The sinful woman prostitute's love for Jesus was so great that she took her most valuable perfume and lost her pride and did a beautiful thing to tell Jesus how very much she loved and appreciated him...

What beautiful thing can I do to show Jesus how very much I love and appreciate what he was done for me? How about you?

3.08.2007

Love Your Enemies


"Love your enemies, do good those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you... turn the other cheek..." Luke 6:27-29

Because of our sin we were enemies of God. In his goodness, he loved us even though we are all flawed. If Jesus who is perfect forgave and loved his enemies... how much more should we who are flawed ourselves be willing to forgive. Jesus love for his enemies (for us when we were his enemies) changed them... his love for the world that rejected him demonstrates how loving our God is... It also shows that love can defeat sin... selfishness... evil... LOVE WINS!

If we are really going follow Jesus, we have to let his love change our heart about "enemies." If Jesus loves them.... so should we. His forgiveness has made us who we are... maybe our forgiveness will turn someone else's life around.

3.07.2007

Five3Challenge Week 2

So this week we are continuing the five three Challenge, focusing on reading 1 chapter of luke 6 - 10 5 times this week.

Remember it is 5 minutes reading... 5 minutes talking to God... five times a week.

I know you can do it, even though you are busy.


Luke 6:19 "... and the people all tried to touch him because power was coming from him and healing them all."

Isn't it incredible to imagine Jesus. People rushed in on him, because his power practically leaked out. Just like the woman who was healed from 12 years of bleeding, everyone who was sick was trying to touch jesus to get the same healing...

What is striking to me, is that today rather than mobbing Jesus to find healing, I think we are bored with him... we do not come to church or our devotions with any expectation that God is going to show up... that he is going to change us...

... the bible is clear that his life will change ours...

Come to God in real faith today... expect that he desires to speak to you!

3.06.2007

What's in a Name?

As I was reading the long list of names in Luke 3, I was wondering about the many life stories of the men listed. Some of the people listed we can read about but some we can not. Some of the men have done great things and others had not. What would my story be? Would I be known for my faith or my actions? I like to think that I have a great story but I know there are times that I fall and don't do the right thing. The reassuring thing about that is that I am forgiven and that I am a part of a family that has a father that loves me even when I make mistakes or do the wrong thing. I am so glad that at the end of my list of names it will say Daughter of God.

"What words these are!!!" (Luke 4-5)

As you read through Luke 4 and 5 Jesus is constantly doing these really cool things...

-He resists satans temptations...
-He manages to escape a mob trying to throw him over a cliff...
-he casts our demons... lots of demons...
-he heals lots of sick people...
-he causes Peter and Co. to catch two boatfuls of fish...
-he heals a man with leprosy... an incurable disease at the time...
-he forgives a mans sins... and then heals him so he can walk again...
-he asks sinful people to be his disciples....
-he hangs out with more sinful people...

In response to these things, peope are amazed... Luke records it this way:

All the people were amazed at his teaching and said to each other, "What words these are! With authority and power he gives orders to evil spirits and they come out!"

I wonder if we are amazed by Jesus any more... or have we become to familiar with him and his word.... like an innoculation... instead of being infected with Love for Jesus... sometimes I am worried that I have been forever made immune to his greatness....

How about you? are you amazed or immune?

3.05.2007

Jesus was a Reject.... (Luke 4)


This the the honest truth: Jesus is the biggest reject in history. Nearly everyone has rejected him at times... In Luke 4 we see Jesus being rejected in Nazareth, the region he grew up in.

Jesus says this, "Truly I tell you, prophets are not accepted in their hometowns."

This is a stunning statement the requires further consideration...

I wonder today if the church is Jesus "hometown" and it is in the church that we do not accept him. Mayve, we do not allow him to truly speak into our lives as christians or into our practice as a community...

Maybe it is to scary to let God be in control for real... or maybe we just like to be in control ourselves... or maybe we are just lazy?

I know this is a struggle for me... I often reject Jesus just by not giving him time to speak into my life...

How about you? If you are a Christian, can you really say you make an effort to accept Jesus voice in your life daily?

Must have been wierd

The video clip at Godsquad last week made me really think about how crazy it must have been for Jesus to watch difficult things happen to the people around him. I mean he was God! He could have zapped the Roman soldiers dead but he understood the bigger reason he was on earth - his ultimate purpose was beyond that. Yet that must have been really hard!

3.04.2007

In the Wilderness.

"Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit... was LED by the Spirit into the wilderness where for 40 days he was tempted by the devil..."

--Have you ever thought how odd it is that the Holy Spirit led Jesus into temptation... Not that the Spirit was the one tempting him, but it seems like it was intentional that Jesus be tempted.

The first humans (in Genesis three) had been tempted and had failed to resist the temptation... now Jesus, as a Human, was also being tempted... but he resisted and did not give in...

In resisting temptation, Jesus demonstrates that humans do not have to give in. We can live a different kind of life. There are many stories in the Bible were good people are tempted. Many times, even good people give into the temptation... but not always. Sometimes God allows us to be tested as a way of deeping our faith...

Sometimes our tests and temptation test the depth of our love for Christ....

Sometimes though our temptations serve as a notice to the devil and the world... a notice that there are some crazy humans on this planet that love God and are trying to resist sin and selfishness... In other words... God believes in us and knows that when we resist temptation we are a testimony to the world, and even to the devil himself that God is worthy of our obedience and love.

How cool is it that the God of the universe loves you and believes in you...


How cool is it that when we resist temptation God uses us as an example, even to the spiritual world....

You can do it... you can resist the temptation and even the devil himself, because of what Christ has done.



PS... the pictures in of the wilderness and the jordan river were taken by my father in law mike on a recent trip to Israel.

3.03.2007

Trinity and the God who drips...

Luke 2:21 When all the people were being baptized [by John the Baptist, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened 22 and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased."

Many people view this as a very important passage. It is one of the places in scripture where all three persons of the trinity are all see together. Jesus (fully God) was still dripping wet from being baptized, the holy spirit (fully God) landed on him, and the Father (Also fully God) was declaring his pleasure with his son.

I am not sure how to explain the trinity... It is a mystery of God. What is more clear is that the Bible clearly speaks of each person of the trinity as God.

What is really significant is that in this passage we see a picture of the relational nature of God. At the very nature of God is relationship... and eternal relationship of Father Son and Holy spirit. If God himself is a relational being.

We are also created for relationship. Often we think that faith is personal and private, but faith is meant to be expressed in a community with other believers. We need each other...

3.02.2007

John the Baptist... Would he be welcome in our church?

It might be difficult to understand John the Baptist when he arrives in Luke chapter 3. He is a prophet similar to those in the Old Testament (like Isaiah, Jeremiah, Jonah, etc.).

Prophets were used by God to proclaim judgement upon people living in sin, and hope to people living faithfully under opression.

John says, ""You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Produce fruit in keeping with repentance."

This is obviously a call to turn from the peoples sinful ways or else face God's judgement. What is really interesting to me is the emotion of the message. Would John the Baptist be allowed to speak at Elmbrook? at Godsquad? Or would he be seen as too negative... too condemning. We will never really know because he is dead, but this we do know. His message was true and was from God.

Our sins are very serious to God. We need to turn from them (that is what repentance means) and turn to a new life of following Jesus. Jesus has promised to help us overcome our sins, if we bring them to him.

What areas of sin are the hardest for you to turn away from?
Have you asked anyone else for help in facing them?

3.01.2007

Jesus grew...


"And the child (Jesus) grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom and the grace of God was upon him."
~Luke 2:40

Jesus was a child... He was totally dependant upon his parents for life... for food... for clean diapers... for protection... It is sorta wierd to me that the God of the universe has experienced the helplessness that humans live with every day, especially when we are young. Infinite God, has personally been touched by weakness.

That is exciting because it helps me believe that he really does understand my weakness... He really does understand my limitations. God personally has experienced them and therefore has compassion on us when we call on him.

Later in Luke chapter two, there is a story about Jesus as a twelve year old boy. How awesome is it that God himself was a teenager... he understands what it is like to have parent who do not understand... what it is like to grow more mature... to change physically, emotionally... he was incomplete and unfinished... and had to continue to develop...

"And as Jesus grew up, he increased in wisdom and in favor with God and people." ~Luke 2:52

If the God of the universe has to grow up, then it is ok if I am not fully grown up yet... I think that God is ok with me growing slowly and not being fully mature yet, as long as I am doing my best.

What do you think about Jesus being incomplete...?

The picture is my niece... she is one year old... and very cute.