Don’t remember what God forgets

In the Bible, King David wrote:

Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity.
I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the LORD"-- and you forgave the guilt of my sin. Psalm 32:5

To acknowledge and confess means to agree with God. It is a way of saying that His perspective on the world, on morality, and even on our own lives, is the proper framework. More than that, it is to admit that our desire to do things independently of Him is destructive. And when we agree with God on that, God forgives!

Even more radical than that, when God forgives, God forgets. It is not that He literally has no recollection, but He no longer acts as if it has any bearing on our relationship with Him.

One of my favorite authors, Jill Briscoe, describes a situation where she was worried about something she had done. As she prayed, she said, “Lord, you remember that awful thing I did…”

She sensed God reply this way: “No I don’t remember, Jill. If you want to remember what I forgot that’s your privilege. But I would suggest that you learn to forget what I have forgotten.”

Celebrate forgiveness! Release guilt! Embrace life! Don’t remember what God forgets.


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Hit the Pause Button

In your anger do not sin… Psalm 4:4

I recently read a very relatable story. Author Kem Meyer tells of a friend who arrived at his church just before the service began. He sat down behind a family he didn’t recognize. As he waited for the service to begin, he noticed that their teenage son was playing on his Gameboy.

As the service started this guy was irritated that the boy continued to play his game. The longer the service went on, the more agitated he became. It was on mute, but still distracting. Finally, he started to lean forward to ask the boy to put the game away, when something caused him to stop. It was just a split second.

As he leaned forward again, he tapped the boy on the shoulder and said, “Hey, you know what? I’ve got a guide with all the moves to beat that game, if you want it.”

It was as if he had this In-your-anger-do-not-sin moment. God always gives us that moment.

As it turns out, that teenage boy in front him was autistic. And because of their son’s inability to sit still, his family hadn’t been able to attend church for years. They had been asked to leave public places numerous times because of the boy’s erratic behavior.

God always gives us that moment – that split-second between anger and sin. It’s easy to blow right through it – so easy to run that stop sign.

But if we can learn to recognize it, and respond well to it, it would make a huge difference in your relationships.

God always gives us that moment.

Listen to the entire message here

Real Rest

How do you sleep at night? In the Bible, David reveals his secret:

I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the LORD sustains me.
Psalm 3:5

David wrote this at a troubling time in his life. And like us, it would have been easy for anxiety to rob his sleep. How easily we obsess over our concerns, playing out all the “what ifs” of life. But real rest only happens as we recognize God’s sustaining power, and as we release control to Him.

I’ve learned this the hard way. I have trouble relaxing when my teenage kids are driving. If I’m in the passenger seat, my jaws clench. I try to steer by leaning one direction or another. I hit the imaginary brakes on the floor in front of me.

This past week we were driving home from a family trip. It was close to midnight, and I was getting drowsy. Since my wife was already sawing logs in the back seat, I ask my son if he wanted to drive. He conceded. But guess what? As soon as we swapped places, I was suddenly wide awake!

After several directional comments and coaching from the passenger seat, my son said something very important. He said, “I took the steering wheel, so that you could sleep.”

God says that to us all the time.

What a relief to know, that when it comes to our lives, there is someone far more capable, with a much higher vantage point, behind the wheel.

I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the LORD sustains me.
Psalm 3:5

Hear the entire message here

Check out this video about people making a difference at Green Valley Church

Doing what you're designed to do. from Green Valley Church on Vimeo.

Finding your Balance with Love

God’s definition of love in 1 Cor. 13 seems so beyond me that I sometimes don’t know where to begin. Part of the reason is because, as I study it, I am trying to balance two opposing realities.

1) Love’s description is so ideal. It portrays a quality of love that has never been fully achieved, except once. Only God truly loves like this. (Go ahead, look it up if you don’t believe me).

2) On the other hand, I am convinced that God really wants us to at least try to practice this kind of love.

So how do we balance the two? I was driving the other day. Actually my teenage daughter was driving and I was in the passenger seat. So you know what that means, right? We were both driving. I was doing the parent-thing by watching the road for both of us.

As we pulled up to a red light, a bicyclist pulled up next to us. It was clear what he was trying to do. He was trying to slow down for the light, yet keep enough forward motion to avoid unlatching his foot from the pedal. In other words, he was trying to balance.

At the worst time possible, just as the light turned green, he lost his balance and fell down directly in front of us. Fortunately my daughter observed the whole episode and didn’t budge. Nevertheless, I shouted, “Brake!” because that’s how parents “drive” from the passenger seat. The bicyclist dusted himself off, and we proceeded carefully. Nonetheless, my poor daughter had to endure Driving Lecture #187 – the one about how you can’t trust those bicyclists; they just fall down right in front of you without warning.

But I understand what the embarrassed bicyclist was trying to do. He was just trying to balance. But it’s hard to balance without momentum.

I am discovering the same is true with God’s love. It is only as we build momentum, only as we pick up speed, that we find the ability to balance perfect love with actual love. As we begin to love as God does, even in limited ways, God will be working in us, making our love more like His.

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Praise God for what He is about to do

I believe that all of life should be lived the way we say grace at the dinner table: giving thanks ahead of time for what we are about to receive.

In John 11:41 we find an amazing prayer. Jesus prays, "Father, I thank you that you have heard me." A closer look reveals that this prayer came right before God did one of the most spectacular miracles in the Bible. God brought Jesus' friend, Lazarus, back from the dead.


Now, mark this. When Jesus prayed this prayer, Lazarus was still in the grave. The thanksgiving came before the miracle. It seems backwards. You would think the thanksgiving would come after the resurrection. And no doubt there were plenty of shouts of thankfulness after Lazarus was brought back to life. But Jesus did a very odd thing: Jesus thanked God before it happened.

Jesus reveals a great approach to life. Pre-gratitude. Become someone who thanks God for what He’s going to do before it happens. Not that we tell God what to do, but we thank Him for whatever He will do, knowing it is for our good and His glory.

I’ve made it a habit to approach each day like I approach each meal. I give thanks ahead of time. In the process, I have found that I am much more aware of what God is doing. Sometimes they are simple things, like dolphins dancing in the waves, or a special conversation with one of my kids. I realize these are some of the very things I was thanking God for earlier. Even during difficult situations I am more inclined to look for God in the midst of it. And to know there is a hidden blessing I’m suppose to discover. If you want to experience a thriving faith each day, become a forward-thanker.

PRAISE as a remedy for worry

Worry can be an extremely heavy burden. Like an overloaded backpack, it can weigh us down. I know this. I also know I am supposed to release my worries to the Lord. But I have a problem; I usually take them back shortly after I release them.

Before a recent flight, I had to pass through one of those security check points. Stripped of all the metal I could think of, I laid my backpack on the conveyor belt for screening. Apparently something looked suspicious, because they pulled my backpack aside. A security officer asked to go through my backpack. As he did, he gave me very specific instructions: “You may watch me as I go through your bag, BUT you cannot touch anything!”

It turns out they were concerned about my harmonica. Maybe they were afraid I’d actually play it, and drive the pilots crazy! After identifying the harmless instrument, I was free to go. But I had learned an important spiritual lesson. Once I give the backpack of worry to God, He says the same thing to me: “Don’t touch it! Go ahead and watch what I'm about to do, but don’t touch it!”

The Bible says, Do not fret … but rather delight yourself in the Lord (Psalm 37:1-4). When you release worry to God (and I advise it) don’t take it back. He's a professional when it comes to your baggage. Leave it with Him.

30 Days of Praise

I want to tell you about something I'm very excited about. In 2010 I am helping lead a movement called 30 Days of Praise. It is a movement of people who are beginning the new decade committing to do two things during the month of January: 1) To begin each day by praising God for who He is, and 2) To end each day by praising God for what He has done. I think this has huge potential for spiritual impact in those who participate. And I'd love to invite you to join me.

If you're interested, go to http://30daysofpraise.blogspot.com/ and sign up (all you do is enter your name and email).

You will find some resources there to support your commitment. For example, there's a daily devotional you can download if it is helpful. And you'll be able to listen to the podcasts of the messages I am preaching during the month of January through Psalms 145- 150 as they become available. Also, and, I'm super excited about this, our worship pastor, David Toney, is putting the final touches on a worship album with original songs he has written from Psalms 145 -150. These songs will soon be available as free downloads.

Mostly, I'm just hoping that lots of people make a commitment to praise God more in 2010. And that praise for each of us will become more than a few songs on Sunday, but a way of living life fully before a holy and loving God.

God's best to you in 2010,
Doug

PS If you're going to participate, let me know, but more importantly, invite someone else to join you.

Jesus is with you... really!

We grossly underestimate how much God longs for us to know and experience His presence daily. The reason I say this is because recently I decided to look at the final verse of each book in the New Testament. An overwhelming number of them are reminders that Jesus (or the grace of Jesus) is with you!

So, if you ever feel all alone, or doubt that God is intimately involved in your life, you might want to keep this list handy:

Matthew And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
Mark Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them …
1 Corinthians The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you.
2 Corinthians May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
Galatians The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit…
Philippians The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit…
Colossians Grace be with you.
1 Thessalonians …our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
2 Thessalonians …our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.
1 Timothy Grace be with you.
2 Timothy The Lord be with your spirit.
Titus Grace be with you all.
Philemon ... the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.
Hebrews Grace be with you all.
Revelation The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God's people. Amen.

Could God have made it more obvious!?!

A spirit of reconciliation

How often do we let unresolved conflict with another person keep us from doing things, going places, or being ourselves? Instead of dealing with things quickly, we let them simmer. Or talk to everyone else except the individual involves?

In Matthew 18, Jesus enumerates 4 steps to dealing with strained relationships.

1) If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over.….. MATT 18:15
2) … if he will not listen, take one or two others along… MATT 18:16
3) … if he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church … MATT 18:17a
4) … if he refuses to listen to them, treat him as you would (an unbeliever).… MATT 18:17b

But have you noticed how people can walk through these steps while, at the same time, violate the spirit behind the process? Many people see the above steps as permission to blast someone or be self-vindicating. For me, it is important to realize that there are several timeless principles behind the process.


· Approach with humility

The family language of brothers and sisters assumes a note of personal care. Remember to approach each other as peers who are journeying side by side.

· Keep it limited

Limit the exposure. Reduce the fallout. Avoid unnecessary rumors, the misunderstandings, and slander from multiplying. When we gossip to others instead of deal with the individual, it is always destructive.

· Aim reconciliation

Remember that the win in all this is a restored relationship. Our attitudes should not be that of a policeman out to arrest a criminal, but rather a physician seeking to heal a wound.

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Check out Video of our Recent Baptism

The Easy Life. Really?

Jesus offers to make our spiritual journey easy and light. Sounds pretty unrealistic, huh? To be honest, I’m usually skeptical whenever someone tells me that the Christian life is easy. I usually write that off as novice arrogance. How could the Christian life be light and easy? That sounds more like an oldies radio station than the spiritual journey I know. But that is, in fact, what Jesus said:

“Take my yoke upon you and learn from me… For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." Matt 11:29-30

A yoke was a farming implement used to work the ground. Jesus uses it as a symbol for the demands and burdens of the true spiritual journey. It helps me to picture a modern backpack. Still how can He say it is easy or light? It turns out that the word “easy” does not imply that life will be smooth and trouble-free. The word “easy” is best translated well-fitted, or well-suited. That’s why The Message paraphrases this verse as “I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you.” And the phrase “light burden” isn't meant to imply the believers somehow float through life lighter than air. The light burden is contrasted with the unrealistic burdens of religious leaders who loaded down their followers without any regard for their purpose or the journey they were meant to take.

Here are a few takeaways for me.

· Jesus’ yoke is easy and light because it is perfectly fitted for us. Unlike an ill-fitted backpack, it doesn’t chaff or rub. It is uniquely designed for our frame.

· Jesus’ yoke is easy and light because it is just what we need for our journey. He equips us with all we need.

· Jesus’ yoke is easy and light because it is transforming. As we wear it, we discover it not only fits it, but over time we are shaped by it as well. As we wear it, we become more like the One who gave it to us. We become more like Christ.

Jesus is willing

I love this simple request of Jesus:

A man with leprosy came and knelt before Jesus and said, "Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean." Matt 8:2

Having heard of Jesus’ wonder working power, the man basically said, “Jesus, I know you can heal me, but will you?”

Now, in some ways, this is the most honest prayer we will ever pray. Isn't that all we can ever say in our suffering? When we come to Jesus with our problems, our illnesses, our concerns, “Lord, I know you can, I just don’t know if it is your will.”

But at a deeper level this request was tainted with the man’s own experience and cultural baggage. It grew out of a world that forced him to feel estranged from God and isolated from community. He must have worried that Jesus wouldn't have the time, or interest, to enter his world. In other words, he didn’t question Jesus’ ability, but his willingness. He knew Jesus was able, he just didn’t know if he was available.

Sometimes it is easier to believe in God's power than in his mercy.

It was then that Jesus did something absolutely startling. Those who were close enough to see would have been horrified. He touched the man. He probably hadn’t been touched in years. And Jesus said, “I am willing.”

Never doubt that Jesus is willing. Jesus is ready to touch your life today.

The Only Question on Life’s Final Exam

It seems to me that there are a lot of endeavors that people pour their energy into, work on, and get consumed by, that won’t really matter a whole lot from Heaven’s hindsight. It is as if we are cramming for the wrong question on life’s final exam. For example, none of these questions will be on it:

· How hard did you work?
· How much money did you make?
· What was your GPA?
· How many people did you impress?
· How high did you climb up the corporate ladder?
· How many friends did you have on Facebook?

But there is one question. One question that matters supremely. And Jesus poses that question in Matt 16:15.

“What about you?" Jesus asked. "Who do you say I am?” (Matt 16:15)

Now, if you’ve ever been to Sunday School, probably somewhere rattling around your brain is Peter’s concise and profound answer, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” (Matt 16:16). And because of that, many people feel like they are well prepared to nail that question, if it is ever posed at heaven’s gate.

But here’s a different twist on it. What if the final exam is an essay question?

Here’s what I mean. Some people treat Jesus’ query as if it were a fill-in-the-blank question. As if an intellectual endorsement of Jesus’ true identity is all that is required. But what if what Jesus really longs for is a growing, daily experience of learning who He is? And discovering all He wants to be to you every day?

Now, gratefully, I am convinced that the person who embraces Jesus, even on his deathbed, with just a glimpse of who Jesus is as Savior and Lord, will be welcomed into Heaven. But how much better to spend a lifetime getting to know Him? How much better to resist pursuing answers to question that don’t matter, and to daily seek to answer life’s most important question, “Who do you say that I am … today?”

How does God work through me?

The Bible clearly says that God works through His people, but how? How exactly does He do that? Do I just “Let go, and let God”? Or do I sweat it out hoping the Lord is somehow going to bless my efforts?

I had a catamaran for a few years during college. I worked hard on that boat, painting it, varnishing the wooden mast, getting it ready to sail. Here is something that all sailors know. They know that they don’t make the sailboat move through the water. Unless the wind blows, they are not going anywhere. They clearly understand that all they do is harness the wind.

But they also know that the harder the wind blows, the harder they work, trimming the sails, holding firm the rudder. Get this: it is not their energy that moves the sailboat, nevertheless their labor is required.

To be honest, something in me wishes being used by God was meant to be easy. There’s a part of me that hopes having God work through me would be effortless. Then I remember what Paul said:

To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me. -- Col 1.29

Notice how Paul understood the blend between his labor and God’s. Paul said, “I labor” but it is with “God’s energy.” He also added, “I struggle” but it is “God who powerfully works.” And the terms Paul chooses to describe his own efforts referred to the kind of work that left a person weary, beat, and even to the point of exhaustion.

In other words, Paul did not teach a “light-switch” theology that believes we just flip some switch and let God shine through us. Paul didn’t teach we should be passive and let God takes over. No, he poured all his energy into the lives of others, knowing that through his endeavors God was at work.

When the wind of the Spirit blows in your life, get on board and give it all you’ve got. God will work through you.