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Archive for the category “sermonizing”

04 Jul 2022

Storms, How do you react to them?

I have a friend who loves storms. He walks out his front porch and watches them roll in.

I have a friend who does not life storms. He hears of bad weather coming and heads to the Basement.

I know a weather person from our area. He loves chasing storms but also has a healthy respect towards them.

I am not sure where you fall on the above spectrum. I would like to say I run towards them but probably tend to run away from them more often. On occasion I am like my weather friend and walk towards them with a health respect.

A tougher question to ponder. How does or did your parents deal or handle storms? Growing up in Michigan, living along the big lake (for you non-Michigan people, that is Lake Michigan), we rarely were threatened by bad weather. In fact, most people sat out on their porches and watched the storms roll in over the Lake. It was peaceful more than dangerous.

I have another friend who grew up in Kansas, she often approached the storms the same manner. If I was in tornado alley, well let’s be honest. I would not be living there.

Regardless of your upbringing or location, we all have storms roll in from time to time. We can predict the weather but often are still unprepared or caught off guard. That is the nature of storms. They happen.


What about storms in life?  Do you handle them in a similar manner? Did you learn your ability to handle storms of life from those around you? Maybe your parents or grandparents? I assume we all learned some things to do and not to do but ultimately, we experience storms in life too.

Relationship Storms, Financial Storms, Emotional Storms, and so on. Storms happen.

Reading from Psalms 107:29 the writer says, “He made the storm be still, and the waves of the sea were hushed,” Wow, that is power but honestly what does a writing from the Old Testament mean to me? Maybe, nothing but maybe it provides some hope. God can control the storms and waves. 
If that is not personal enough, I would fast forward to a few guys (some actually fishermen) sleeping in a boat on the way to the other side. I assume it was a long ride but that doesn’t seem to matter. It is night, things are dark, and a storm comes out of nowhere. There were no weather people on the news during this story. Bummer, I know.

This story takes place in the New Testament, Matthew 8:26 “And He said to them, “Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?” Then he rose got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and they were calm.  WOW. Jesus is the He in reference. He got up and calmed the winds and the sea.

We will have life happen to us. That is a promise, but what comes after life happening to us makes a huge difference. The Storms in life come, they will come and we can choose to run at them, run away from them, or ask our weatherperson friend to give some instructions.  Jesus will guide us through the storms of life. We need to get to know Him.  The men in the boat, the ones he called little faith. They had been following him around, doing life with him for a long time and had moments of doubt. It is human to doubt. As we get to know Jesus more personally, we will begin to trust him more and more. He will help prepare us for the storms in life. It is our choice and ours alone. Choose wisely.

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24 Jun 2022

The Keys

When you read that simple two-word title what comes to mind?

I think of the following:

  1. Car keys… then quickly… do I know where they are?
  2. House keys…. Yeah, with the car keys, but do I know where they are?
  3. Lesson keys… Keys to lesson or maybe the answer key. I wish I had some of those.
  4. Piano keys… Nope, If I was on piano… not good but I know where my car keys are.
  5. Hiring keys… yes, this is a stretch but if you knew the right key to a lead to a good paying job, or that ever daunting raise.
  6. Coaches’ keys… seem like every athlete now, has a key card on their person. It tells the play or set up.

I am sure you might come up with some of the same but maybe even better ones. I will be thinking about keys more often now, following this blog post.

In my devotion time today, titled “the Keys of the Kingdom”, and referenced Matthew 16:19. “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”’

I bolded the word keys for effects I guess.
It reminds me of a story, names are changed to protect the innocent. A friend, will call Jon, called his wife frantically. He lost his keys, the keys to the car and needed to get to an important meeting. As he was franticly searching, his wife began to tell (suggest) he retrace his steps…. Desperately, he complied this time to her advice. The first stop… the Car and it hit him, like a ton of bricks, square in the face. Looking into the vehicle, he found his keys… IN THE VEHICLE Amazing I know!

Upon further examination, after hanging up the phone with his wife, he realized just how safe his car keys where…… swinging from the ignition…… Yeah… open the door, Jon! One would think that was a great idea. Can you relate with me… or think… Great idea, I never thought of that. Of course not, we would never do that lol. Please read again in your sarcastic voice.

Lifting the door handle of the driver side… locked

Lifting the door handle on the driver’s side back door… locked

To save time… every door, locked. Every window up and not moving… Those keys were super safe in the car locked ready to be used to get Jon to his meeting…. 

If you are like me, well it was my story, and have misplaced your keys, maybe lost them, or just don’t have them can be super frustrating. I would say it could push a person to consider breaking things, like the car window, and get super frustrated.

Think about the verse above, I will give you the keys of the kingdom of Heaven. Wow, what an awesome gift. It is something that has eternal impact, personal joys, and the ability to know where to go, what do to. But how often do we as people simply, lose the keys, lock the keys away until a better time, or worse yet never grab the keys given? Often, is my reality.

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30 Apr 2022

Making a Change or other’s making it for you

Make a change. It takes change

I have a few miles under my belt, as a 52-Year-old Youth Minister, some might say a few marathons but that would be rude, true but is it necessary to state the obvious on this one?
I jokingly mention miles, and marathons. I was a runner but never a marathoner. Throughout my life of running coaches would also challenge or comment (most of the time I didn’t want to hear what they had to say) on to be a better runner you need to make changes, to be a faster runner you need to make changes… etc. etc. etc. Yeah, yeah as a young guy, I didn’t want to hear it. I knew what I knew, and it was enough, but it didn’t get me to the change and had a expense to it, that expense was no state meet in track. 
I have a few days under my belt, as a 52-Year-old Youth Minister, some might say a few years (decades) but that would be rude, true but is it necessary to state the obvious on this one? 

Sound familiar? If not, please go to paragraph one and read again.  I could say easily I knew what I knew, and it was enough, but it didn’t get me to the change I needed.

As I completed a daily devotion from the Experiencing God: day to day Journal, the topic flooded my mind. It spoke on Suffering for Others, and how ministry is costly, as is life. Life has some expenses; I am not speaking of ministry as in paid pastoral ministry I am speaking of life ministry.  One of the verses was Romans 5:8, “But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us.” WOW! God proving his love, His Son died.  Did I die to myself to accomplish the running goals? NO! Did I die to myself in the younger years of change? NO! As I get older, I am beginning to see the value of change. It isn’t easy! Suffering for others isn’t easy either. I assume giving your Son for people not worthy of that isn’t easy either. 

The devotion goes on to speak of going through expenses (like rejection, understanding,  doubters, and even being opposed). The expenses are huge and costly but so is seeing friends, loved ones perish for eternity. The expense are huge and costly but so is seeing your church or group or community slowly move from Jesus risking to comfort keeping. I am guilty of it all the time. My comfort zone might seem missing but trust me. I have one, God continually pushes into it regularly. So what?

I would simply say SO this… are you willing to risk the comfort of today for the unknown future of tomorrow, a future that might bring more to Jesus, more success to you, your community, church company? It comes down to a choice to make change or be subject to others change. The cost is high but so is eternity.

I hope you join me in the journey of change facing and change making one day, one mile at a time.

Posted in life happens, sermonizing, Teaching Youth, think about it, time for action, youth ministry leadership and tagged , , ,
03 May 2019

The victory comes before the event

I am a big fan of the underdog in sports, and in life. I don’t know if it is as much about the little guy beating the giant as much as the preparation done prior to the challenge or event.

1 John 4:4 tells us, “But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who, lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world.”

Think about this verse a few minutes…
1. When you belong to God… having accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you are no longer controlled by the world. The world can and will influence you, but it doesn’t control you.

  1. When you have victory over the world… having victory over the world is all about how you view and function in the world. We are to be in the world not of it. Simply put, we are to be in it, but it isn’t in us.
  2. When you see the details… you discover two different letters used in this verse… S is capitalized when it refers to a person and that person is the Holy Spirit. It also implies the s (spirit) of the world is less than that of God. This is a key point to remember… God wins.
  3. Preparation is vital… we must prepare for the victory or game etc.. When we practice to the focus of the win, we will be better equipped for the win. It is all about preparation and focus.

This is something our world misses…

We can be caught up in the touchdown celebration but totally overlook the plays that prepared for the touchdown.
We can celebrate the winning field goal without seeing the hours and hours of practice with the snap, hold and kick.
We can watch out friends get a promotion, find a great house or other things along this line but we often forget about the hard work put into earning, developing and earning the promotion, saving up for the house or vehicle etc.

We can see the parent with a great relationship with their children and overlook the hours and hours of time spent conversing, working on homework and doing life with them.

We can see the perfect couple who seems to have it all, the best communication, date nights etc… but we neglect to see the commit they have made to make it a priority or to see the time they invest in growing the relationship.

I could go on and on for pages of we can see but we don’t see. God has won the victory over death and the world through Jesus and we are no longer slaves to the world but servants to the One True God. So, what?

I would encourage you to take regular time out of you day, week, month :
to reflect on the victory God has done,
to put in the work to gain and earn things.

Dave Ramsay talks about living different now in a way that you can truly live land give different later. He speaks from a financial mindset but I would also encourage us to take the same attitude towards life… live now so you can enjoy living fully in Christ later… Devote yourself to the apostle teaching, spend time with God and continue to influence the world on His behalf.

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22 Feb 2019

Chosen? Royal? Holy?

In my devotion time today, reading from Experiencing God day to day, I landed on the title Royal Priests.

1 Peter 2:9 “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation. His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of the darkness into His marvelous light.”

I bolded three key words. I had them underlined from a previous year of devotional time. I want to give or suggest some ideas alongside of each word.
1. Chosen.  We live in a  world that everyone wants to be picked… and not picked last. I remember standing in the line during recess hoping to be in the top five picked.. sometimes it happened but not often.
God has chosen you to be His child.. reread that… You are picked first…. Celebrate and remember that. The creator of the world picked you to be his child.

2. Royal. This is a word more designated and reserved for kings, queens, princes and princess of England or other countries. If you are like me, you are not in line for the throne of England or any country unless, like me, you are the king of your garage, room or vehicle. Yeah, sad but hey I am king of my vehicle most of the time.  God calls you into royalty… in fact a royal priest. I know it seems and sounds intimidating but should it? I know God is equipping each of us to be his instrument to a world that doesn’t know Him. I know but I am not smart or biblical awesome but when you opened the bible, listened to a sermon or podcast, attended FCA or a bible study or small group… you are equipped more than others who didn’t attend or do those things… Welcome to the priesthood friend.

3. Holy. Holy is something we do not see or recognize very often in our world or life. I believe it is partly due to living in a world of sinful nature but also due to our inability to seek it out and recognize it due to our limited desire to see it. It brings accountability and a standard of life that we often choose not to live up to or achieve. So, this is more of a challenge than anything… live holy, pursue holiness and seek out those who are doing so and learn from them.

I know we are all called into relationship with Jesus and that calling and acceptance will change our lives as we continue to pursue Jesus. The people in successful marriages often are due to their pursuing each other as a couple. They are no longer single and adjust their lives accordingly. They learn and grow in their relationship with their spouse. See, it is a work in progress that a single person does to become a successfully married person. A parent doesn’t know everything about raising kids, that too is a work in progress. We read books, watch Youtube videos, attend classes and occasionally make a guess

In closing, I want to remind you.. You are CHOSEN. You are a ROYAL priesthood. You are a HOLY nation.

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01 Feb 2019

Looking out for others

Ezekiel 22:30 says “SO I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it; but i found no one.”

Obviously, at first glance this is a tough read and can be taken out of context. God was looking for someone to do a tasks (well two: build the wall and stand in gap) but none could be found. I was reading this as a part of my devotional time and my mind went into a new direction….

God is looking for someone… a person or peoples to stand in the gap… In the gap for what? I feel He is looking for individuals and groups of people willing to stand in the gap for the following people groups:

  • homeless
  • widows
  • those in prison
  • those with disabilities or special needs
  • those who are hurting, physically, mentally, emotionally
  • those who are lost, trying to find identity in the world with no success
  • those who struggle with suicidal thoughts
  • those who just don’t feel like they fit into a social or friend group
  • those disconnected with and to the church
  • those simply lost in their selves.

I know it is an exhaustive list. I know it seems like a big task, or seems like it doesn’t connect to or concern me so why bother? I know we can make excuses but why?

Excuses come in a variety of means… but often are developed to keep fear in check or our lives comfortable and safe.

My prayer and challenge is to seek God and do our best to friend someone.. it will both help us and the person being friended.
My prayer is for our needs to be met while meeting other people’s needs in the process.

Take a risk for someone.. you never know.. someday you might need them to take a risk for you.

 

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07 May 2018

Smack in the face time

Smack in the face time

While preparing for my weekly Junior High Sunday School the main scripture is Hebrews 5:11-14…. Have you read it? If you have you are twitching right now but in case, you haven’t I will share it with you first:

Hebrews 5:11-14 “There is much more we would like to say about this, but it is difficult to explain, especially since you are spiritually dull and don’t seem to listen. You have been believers so long now that you ought to be teaching others. Instead, you need someone to teach you again the basic things about God’s word. You are like babies who need milk and cannot eat solid food. For someone who lives on milk is still an infant and doesn’t know how to do what is right. Solid food is for those who mature, who through training have the skill to recognize the difference between right and wrong.”

Talk about smack in the face… WOW… ok so some of the readers might say… I am not a church person or even a church goer this doesn’t apply to me but does it?

How many applications can we apply this too…?

  1. .. you are working and doing the same job… when you don’t learn it you screw it up and things go bad when you should be doing it right due to your length of training and time at the company you should be able to do it right and train others to do it correctly and efficiently.
  2. Teaching … yes in the school system… we are smart enough to be degreed and learned how to teach, engage and grow students as they learn the lessons each week… but what type of message and training do we give when we don’t follow the school procedures… for example with cell phone use. If the school says no use of cells in class and you let them do it… how does that work? It is ok to follow the rules but break them in my class but when the student doesn’t turn in a paper on time or pay attention you come down on them and discipline them for it… is this the same or not?
  3. Home… how many times do we get to train up our kids or spouses but instead we blow it off due to time and expense? We just do it ourselves. it is easier or faster or whatever, but what are they learning and how are we connecting with them?

We aren’t helping them grow and still have to do it.  Another example is doing dishes. if we continue to rescue them and then complain they don’t do it… isn’t this counterproductive.?

Mind you, I am not point fingers at anyone or any certain people group but using these as examples how the verses written long ago in a Christian setting can be applied to the world regardless of spiritual affiliation or faith at all.

Why would the writer be so direct with the audience about this subject teaching others to grow and learn? Because it is important. We as a group of people cannot afford or neglect our responsibilities simply because we need to grow and share

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01 May 2018

Market what is worth marketing

I have learned from the corporate world, your image and marketing is vital in being known and your reputation based on that image (brand) carries as much weight if not more than the actual brand.

For example,  the big three (Chevy, Ford and Dodge) had been invincible in the automotive industry for ever but a couple Foreign companies, Toyota and Honda began to make their mark. But the big impact was when the foreign market invaded the USA with quality product just the time the US companies had a major issue with their vehicles. The decline wasn’t due to one or the other but both. Their brand was damaged in a major way, while a new brand was introduced to be more reliable at the time. It wasn’t a big deal but has come to change the USA.. Nascar now has Toyota in the series and they win regularly.

There are two forms of branding that occurs in a brand..

  1. the individual who wears or shares the brand
  2. the brand itself and product it represents

The company or product rests heavily on the two above mentioned forms. Simply put if your individual makes a poor choice (for example Tiger Woods) in his or her personal life it will impact your brand (product). This happens in the world through governments, it happens in the business world and in the church too.

We have to be realistic and remember people are people who make mistakes and product is product that (like the automotive mentioned above) breakdown. But the balance between the two is so very important to both successes.

On one hand we need to be intentional about who we support and how we support them. We can’t simply buy into a product because someone uses it.. Even if it is Jordan (mental note. I am wearing them as I type) when we don’t like or use the product as it is intended. We simply can’t use a product without realizing what it is intended to market.

(Now I am all for freedom of speech but to be honest I will not be boycotting companies because someone on Facebook or a celebrity tells me to without doing the homework. If we fall to everyone’s opinion we will be switching and boycotting everything including church but I will and encourage you to use to use wisdom in who and what you support or do not support.)

Our brand will say a lot about who or what we are. It is a style for some. Remember when Shaun White was known for his long red hair… yeah he cut it or when McDonalds was more than a golden Arch or Nike was more than just a swoosh. I also could share some that do not carry as much joy… but will not here.

Our buying into other companies brands reflects on who we are. I wear Nike but does that mean I am good, bad, rich or poor? I call myself a christian does that mean I am good, bad, rude or forgiving? I work for a church (Youth Pastor) does that mean I am sheltered, ignorant or something else? We homeschool so does that mean we are afraid of the world, our kids are freaks and can’t deal with real life? Does it imply we have moved so often for work the online public school format fit our lives better? It is hard from the outside to know…. think about it!

Unfortunately, we are a byproduct of those around us, our heritage (even if we don’t know our biological history) and our environment. I am fooling myself to think I am not being influenced and influencing others at the same time by my dress attire, my attitude and what I wear, eat or even read.

We live in a world that is all about image and using that image to influence (often in a negative way) others to be aware or more tolerant of our personal cause or bias. It is happening today, and it happened in the past. We can assume it will continue into the future too. So, how do we manage and deal with it?

I think this is easier said than done…. so here goes

  1. Use discernment who and what you buy into. For example.. just don’t buy it because everyone else is.
  2. Use discernment in who or what you allow to influence you. For example a trusted wiser mature friend
  3. Be sure to be ground into some truth that is larger than you or your moment. For example the Bible.
  4. You might even take time before deciding on it. I met someone recently who waits 6 to 9 months before making a big decision to ensure it isn’t impulsive or dumb.

We have been gifted with the ability to think, reason and choose… so we should put those gifts to work in doing so.

We should pursue a brand that is worth supporting and attracting people too. Choose wisely.

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13 Nov 2017

New Strengths.. Soar not Settle

New Strength

I was doing, well honestly catching up since I am meeting to discuss them with a couple friends tomorrow, my devotion times and it was simply titled New Strength.

The title wasn’t the eye catcher but the scripture was…

Isaiah 40:31 “ But those who wait on the Lord, Shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.

If you are or have been inside a church building or waked through a Christian Store you have experienced this in word or picture… A beautiful bald eagle soring in the wind… looking majestic and awesome.

I assume you might even have experienced it more than once, only to glimpse at it with a been there done that attitude. It is okay to admit it. I have more than I would like to but it is true, I have become desensitized to the beauty and impact of the mighty bald eagle soaring image.

I am not sure this one will hit every audience but I grew up in Michigan and moved to Indiana (eventually toward the Indiana and Ohio border by the Ohio river). I have been privileged enough to see a real bald eagle soaring over the water or setting on an ice chunk in the lake. Simply breathe taking! It is a site I will always cherish and remember. In fact, I could drive you to the very place I sat to observe this amazing bird of prey.

My point is simply we settle way to often for the image of static bird in a photo or picture when God has a soaring image of power, grace, breathless motion and awe. We have a choice in life…

  1. Settle for the normal everyday existence or
  2. Strive for the greatness to come, for an experience and life that is remember able and awe-inspiring.

It is simple as that… we get the ability to choose and I encourage you (me too) to not settle for the everyday static but strive to soar with the Eagles.

God has so much more to offer and provide for us but we tend to get caught up in the “everyone is doing it” mentality.

SOAR MY FRIENDS! Be one who breaks out into the greatness of life and soar.

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08 Nov 2017

New Years Resolutions

How do you launch your New Years resolutions? How do you plan to succeed in accomplishing them? Well, I think you might be surprised to read this information but most start them planning and practice to late to win.

I have a chiropractor friend, who I will refer to as Dr. James (since it is his name) that teaches his clients to begin the resolution or any new habit a month in advance to accomplish it. The idea is simply starting to create the habit, routine and disciplines.

We shared some time thinking and digesting this idea recently at youth group. I would like to share some highlights from this experience.

  1. Identify five major stresses in your life.
  2. Identify which you can change (control) and those you cannot control.
  3. Change those you can, give to God to those you cannot.

Philippians 4:6-7 reminds us to not work about things but pray.

  1. Who do you represent?
  2. Your clothes? Mine say DYM, YW, Nike, DHSM, Michigan etc.
  3. Your friendships?
  4. Your future?

We can discover a lot about our attention or life.
Leviticus 19:4 reminds us not to trust in idols but God.

  1. Review time… please refer back to the previous 1,2&3 and check for similarities? Is God trying to reveal something through them?
  2. Repair relationships.
  3. Who do you have conflict with?
  4. How can you forgive them? Or make the relationship better?

Ephesians 4:31-32 reminds us to get rid of all bitterness etc.. forgive one another as Christ forgives you.

  1. Make time for Jesus. Seems simple but it has to be a priority in our day.

1 Timothy 4:13-14 reminds us to devote ourselves to reading bible, praising God and teaching others.

  1. Spend time praying
  2. Make a top five list of things, habits etc you want to continue doing… for example devotion time, exercise daily.
  3. Make a top five list of things, habits etc you want to stop doing… for example cheating on tests, lying, talking bad about yourself..

1 Thessalonians 5:17 reminds us to never stop praying.

  1. What is the best time of day, week for you to pray?
  2. What can you do to make that happen?
  3. Who can support you in this commitment?

 

I know it is a huge list and seems to be overwhelming but I would totally encourage you to take the next month to get a routine and healthy habits to accomplish some growth.
I enjoy watching sports and often think it would be cool to play in the NFL or whatever… but I am not willing to do the work to accomplish that… Often we think of people who are spiritual champions and want to be like them… but we aren’t willing to do the time to be like Jesus.
Friends it will take work to make it a priority and we are all able to make them… after all we do everyday…

Happy New Habits day to you.

 

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