Response to tragedy...

12.21.12

John 11:35

"Jesus wept."

I was meeting with a friend a few weeks ago and he brought up a point that would change the way I will minister to people for the rest of my life.  He told me that he had just finished reading a book with a quote that had a significant influence on him and now me as well.  Now I can not remember the exact quote so I won’t try to quote it word for word, but I will give you the main thought behind the quote.

He mentioned that the author wrote about this idea: we have a tendency to try and fix people when they are hurting or in a dark place.  We want to get them from a place of dark to a place of light.  We want to “fix” the situation.  Instead we need to have a paradigm shift.   What we need to do is learn to walk with them in the dark place, in the pain and hurt.  We need to come along side people as they hurt, as they grieve, as they mourn.  We need to learn pray with people.  We need to focus less on just fixing them and help them get through the dark place, the hurt and the pain.    

In John 11 we see Jesus coming to meet Martha and Mary as their brother Lazarus has died.  He is walking into a tragic situation, not only is Martha and Mary’s brother Lazarus dead, but he is also a friend of Jesus’.  Now we see in this passage that Jesus mentions to the ladies that Lazarus will rise again.  Now that did bring some comfort to Martha and Mary but they were still hurting in that moment.  Jesus knew the outcome of this situation but he still recognized the pain in the hearts of the women.  

In John 11:33 it tells us that Jesus saw Mary and some others weeping and that he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled.  As we follow along we see a very short verse that holds a lot of power.  It says “Jesus wept.”  Jesus knew that there was hope for Lazarus.  He knew that the grave was not the end for Lazarus, but yet he still wept with Martha, Mary and the others who grieved.

It seemed in that moment, in the midst of tragedy, heartache and emotional suffering Jesus knew that Martha and Mary needed someone to walk alongside them in their dark place.  They needed someone to walk alongside them in their hurt.  There was a fix but in that moment they also needed mercy and compassion in their hurt.  They needed light in their dark.     

Last week we experienced a tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary that every single person in the country was effected by in some shape or form.  You either have a small child or know someone who does.  You may be a parent, an aunt or uncle, big brother or sister etc.  Everyone can emotionally attach themselves to this tragedy in some way.  In other words everyone is hurting from this tragedy in some shape or form.  

As I have watched reactions to Sandy Hook on the news and in social media I have seen a lot of people trying to “fix” this situation.  Some are making the fix a political fix, some are trying to say we need to fix it by pushing past this tragedy.  The question I am posing to myself is, do we need to fix people's hurt in this exact moment or do we need to walk with folks in their grief and hurt right now and stop trying to "fix" this situation politically?  In this exact moment do we need to have the all the "right" answers?  

What I know is that there are a lot of people out there who right now need someone to walk with them in their dark place.  In their hurt and suffering.  They need someone to pray with them as they grieve.  Healing will come and Jesus is the ultimate victory over pain and suffering, nothing will ever change that fact, but right now I know this, instead of arguing politically about what we "think" will prevent another tragedy let's walk with those who are hurting more than we'll ever know.  Let's love each other the way that Christ has called us to love each other, with grace, mercy and understanding.  Let's bring the light of Christ into the dark of hurt and watch how that in fact fixes.  Let's let grace and mercy be sufficient.  

I'll close with this thought: Last Sunday in church our Senior Pastor encouraged us to love people in a way that shows Christ's love because we'll never know the positive effect that can have on someone.  That thought also applies to those who are hurting and grieving after a tragedy like Sandy Hook.  That thought can have a huge impact in the life of someone who is thinking about hurting themselves or others because of pain they are feeling.  I do believe that we can have a bigger impact on people by just walking with them in their hurt.  

Remember this, Jesus wept with Mary, Martha and others because he hurt with them.  He walked with them in their pain. He wept even though Jesus knew there was hope in the kingdom, hope in God's love, He still walked with Martha and Mary in their grief and pain.  Jesus came along side of them and wept in that moment.  He met them in their pain and brought light into their dark place.  

Thought question:  Is there someone in your life that doesn't need you to try and "fix" them, but just needs you to walk with them in their hurt?  Is there someone you can pray with and for right now that may completely change their life?  Make yourself available to those who are hurting.  

Easy?

9.11.12

1 Thessalonians 1:6

"You became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you welcomed the message in the midst of severe suffering with the joy given by the Holy Spirit."

Easy is a word that can be used to describe a lot of things.  If you breeze through something quickly you would consider it pretty easy.  As adults, first grade math is a lot easier now than it was when we were five years old.

Some people think life as a whole should be easy, but the question I pose is, did Jesus ever come to us and promise us that life would be "easy"?  Sometimes we get caught up in the idea that following Christ is going to make life get easier.  That if we follow Jesus then all of our concerns and hardships suddenly just disappear, but I don't think that is what he taught at all.

In fact I think it is the exact opposite.  Throughout scripture we are pointed back to the idea that when we follow Jesus we are drafted into a spiritual battle that is going to be spiritually, emotionally and yes even physically taxing.  There are going to be times when it seems like everything is against us.

So why would want to be part of that fight........

The simple reason is that there is hope.  We fight for a God that loves us so much that He gave His one and only Son so that we may have an eternity with our Heavenly Father.   We find hope in the belief that there is more to us then this life we know right now.  We find hope that we have an all powerful God that is for us.  That is on our side.  We find continued hope that our God lives with us and in us through His Holy Spirit.

Paul wrote the letter of 1 Thessalonians to a church of Thessalonians who were being continually persecuted for following Christ.  In fact Paul was forced to leave Thessalonica because he was opposed so severely.  But in this letter he encourages the Thessalonians to stay strong in their faith and in their imitating Christ.  In fact he encourages them to continue to persevere with JOY.  WITH JOY, through the Holy Spirit.  Not on their own, but with the power of the God that they love and that loves them.

My encouragement to everyone is that when you follow Jesus your life doesn't magically get easier, but you can find encouragement that your God walks with you and lives in you.  That you can find joy in the fact when life beats you down, your God stands with you.  

Thought question:  Is your life too easy right now?  is there something that God wants you to be doing, that might complicate your life?  Are you willing to make life harder in order to further the work of the kingdom,?

Jesus' power...

7.04.12

Hebrews 3:6

"But Christ is faithful as the Son over God's house.  And we are His house, if indeed we hold firmly to our confidence and the hope in which we glory."

I would usually start my blog off with an anecdote from my life, but lately my life has been very interesting so I have decided to use my blog as an opportunity for folks to hear updates on my dad and to know how to pray for him and my family.  This one may be long, but please read and be encouraged by Jesus as I have been encouraged by Him tonight.

Today is the fourth of July.  I am not big on fireworks and huge noisy crowds, so I am spending the night in the hospital with my dad.  I did not expect God to answer prayers so quickly, but then again God has a way of blowing my expectations out of the water.  Tonight is no exception to that thought.  

 One of the things that I have been praying about over the last several weeks is that God would open a door for good conversation with my dad.  Tonight God showed up and I don't think I could be more thankful for his sovereignty in every situation of my life.

I have to start this story with something that happened about two or three months ago.  I was driving in my car and I felt a very strong conviction to go buy my dad a Bible.  It came out of nowhere, so I know it was from God.  This was one of those convictions that you can't ignore.  I waited about a week but was encouraged by a friend to listen to God and go buy the Bible.  I went that morning and bought the Bible for my dad and brought it to him at work that afternoon.  I also brought a few slices of pizza because we Abbamontes bond best over a couple of slices of pizza.

When I arrived at my dad's work we sat, ate and I gave him the Bible which I had wrapped very poorly.   He opened it and I believe that he was very thankful for not only the gift but the what the gift was.  As we sat and talked he told me about how he prayed every morning.  I can not tell you the feeling of joy I felt leaving him that day hearing that phrase.  My dad always impressed me, but that day I was almost was blown away by the man that I get to call my father.  He has always been a huge encouragement to me; that day it solidified with me even more how amazing of a man that God has made him.

About a week ago I ran over to my dad's work and grabbed his Bible off his desk and brought it to him in the hospital.  His co-workers asked as he was doing, but one man ran after me as I walked to my car and asked very specifically how he could be praying for my dad.  His name is Sean.  As Sean and I talked, my mom called and told me that my dad had asked for me to pray very specifically as he was going in for his next round of testing.  I put my mom on speaker and with Sean standing there the three of us prayed together.   

 Flash forward to tonight.  As we settled in to watch TV, let me re-phrase that, as I settled in to watch TV and dad settled in to play spider solitaire (he loves playing that game) I saw the Bible sitting on his counter.  I took it out of the box and told my dad that we should do some reading tonight.  Let me just tell you I've never done anything like that before.  I usually just assume that he is reading it and that's good enough.

He handed the Bible to me and said pick out a good chapter.  I prayed quickly that God would find something for us to read together.  God placed the book of Hebrews on my heart and I turned to chapter 3.  As I read the chapter to my dad we sat and talked about faith.  Once again God immediately answer a prayer.  

My father assured me that he was still praying every morning when he wakes up.  He also assured me that he knew that God was with him through everything going on.  I told him how I've been thinking a lot about the power of the Holy Spirit and I encouraged him that Jesus left the Holy Spirit as a gift for us so that we can always remember that God is always with us and at work in our lives.  

Tonight my heavenly Father reminded me of his presence in not only my life, but his power and majesty in my families' lives.  I am so encouraged by my father and his relationship with Jesus.  I know that God is watching over him throughout all of this.  I also reminded my father tonight that he is the strongest man I know and that if there is anyone who can beat this it's him.

My dad has always been someone that I go to for advice and council.  I have had lots of conversations with my dad over the years, but I think I can honestly say tonight was one of the best conversations I have ever had with him.  I don't know if I could ever thank God enough for the talk that I got to have with my dad this evening.  

We got some tough news last night as we were told by the doctors that cancer was found in dad's bone marrow.  I will ask that you continue to pray for my dad and my family.  Please pray that my dad continues to feel God's presence and work of the Holy Spirit in him during this time.  Again I am very thankful for all the texts, calls and prayers.  You will never know how much they mean to my dad, me and the rest of my family.

 

God provides....

6.27.12

Luke 12:28 NLT

"And if God cares so wonderfully for flowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you."

It always amazes me the way that God shows up.  I don't know if it should, but it always does.  I mean God continually promises us that He will show up.  He says that He will never leave us and never forsake us.  In fact, in Acts, Jesus says that the Father gives us the gift of the Holy Spirit to show that He will ALWAYS be with us.  I am so thankful that God still amazes me when I recognize Him at work.

A lot of you know that the last two weeks have been kind of tough for my family.  My dad was admitted to the hospital two weeks ago.  After lots of tests and days of waiting his prognosis came back.  The tests revealed a lesion on his brain stem and after a brain biopsy and nearly a week of waiting the doctor identified it as lymphoma.

As we waited in the hospital for a diagnosis I noticed a trend happening.  I slept in the room with him overnight two or three times the first week.  As I did, several of the nurses and folks taking care of my dad kept stopping and asking me if I worked at Atlee Community Church.  When I responded "yes", they're next response was usually, "I have been there", "I go there" or "I know someone who goes there".  Now if this had happened once I would say it was a great coincidence and moved on, but it happened three or four times.   On top of that I got a text from a very close friend who told me that her husband not only worked in the hospital that my dad was in, but he works on his floor.  

As I have prayed for my father, A LOT, over the last two weeks I have been comforted by a very powerful thought.  God has truly laid it on my heart that people who care about me, my church family, are caring for me, my family and a person that is truly the best man that I know.  In other words God is continually reminding me that He has not left my dad or my family and he has not of forsaken my dad and my family.  Words can not explain the joy that I felt after I realized what God was doing through the folks at the hospital.  

I could not be more thankful for my church family right now.  As a pastor and someone who is used to caring for people, praying for people and being there for people it has meant the absolute world to me that my father, my family and myself have hundreds of people praying intently for us.  God has truly shown up again and again these last two weeks.  I am so thankful that He cares for me, my family and my dad.  I am so thankful for the opportunity to pray with and for my dad and my family on a regular basis during this time.  

I thought this would be the best way to update everyone about what is going on.  My father is going to start treatments this week.  He is truly the strongest man I have ever known and I know he is going to fight this with every ounce of his being.   You will never know how appreciative I am for the cards, texts, phone calls, e-mails and Facebook messages.  Each and everyone just reminds me more and more how God is hearing and honoring prayer.  I would ask that you continue to pray for my father for strength.  Please pray for my mom and family as well.  Finally I ask that you pray that God's presence be so evident to all involved in this time.  I am confident that God is going to use this situation.

Thank you church family for being a constant reminder of God's provision.  

 

But I'm too....

5.14.12

Romans 3:23 NIV

"for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."

Have you every felt like there was something God was calling you to do, but YOU were just getting in the way of yourself and what He wants you to do?  I'm not talking about a busy schedule or procrastination.  I'm talking about the times that you know that you have been gifted a certain way but you convince yourself that you're not good enough to serve God.  I'm talking about the times when you tell yourself that you know everyone has "stuff" but your "stuff" is dirtier, so your better off not trying.

Have you ever caught yourself saying something like "I'm so glad that they don't know about when I did...."?  I believe that we let our sin keep us from truly serving God the way that He needs us to serve.  We get wrapped up in the idea that we're too dirty or we're not good enough for God.  Well the reality is that our sin does separate us from God, but the Romans 3:23 doesn't end with that thought.  In verse 24 the thought goes on with this phrase..."and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus." The thought goes on to tell us that we are forgiven because of what Jesus did for us.

There is something to be said that Paul writes and let us know that we're all sinner, but that we're all also cleansed of that sin by Christ's love.  That no sinner is different than any other sinner, because while we all sinned Christ still died.  Paul is writing this to say that your "stuff" is no different than someone else's stuff and the only one that is telling you that you are "too dirty" to serve Jesus is you.  Christ redeemed you and your testimony of how Jesus loves you could be the story that has an eternal impact on someone else's testimony.

I think that one of the biggest tricks the devil plays on us is to convince us that our sin is too big and too powerful in our lives to be worthy of doing God's work.  Satan wants us to stay rooted in our guilt and shame because it will keep us from being God's tools in advancing the work of Jesus' kingdom.  You can have confidence that when you follow Christ that NO sin can cover grace.  You have been justified from the sin and penalty of sin.  Now it's time for you to realize that God can use you as a tool to further HIs kingdom.

If you are following Christ and you are letting your sin and shame keep you from serving him than it's time for you to know that the grace that Jesus offers, far out weighs the weight that we put on our own shoulders.  Jesus loves you and it's time that you start to see yourself as Jesus sees you, a redeemed child and a powerful tool in the fight for the growth of His kingdom.  It's time to serve God with the confidence that comes from the power of the cross.  It's time break away from the guilt of our past.

This doesn't mean we continue to sin and not care, it means that when we do slip and fall that we can remember that there is grace.  Get in the fight to reach folks far from Christ.  Let God use the gifts and talents, that He has equipped you with, to be a warrior for the kingdom.

Thought question:  What sins in your past/present are you gripping too tightly too?  How is this preventing you from being used by God to further His kingdom?

Boating with the Father...

4.19.12

Mark 5:40 NLT

"The he asked them, 'Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?"

If you read chapter 5 of the book of Mark in the New Testament than you'll find that Jesus is asking the question above after he has just calmed a storm. Now what we may not take the time to realize is that the storm that he calmed was not just a little rain shower. He and his disciples were out in the middle of a lake and the wind and the waves were so bad that the disciples were afraid that the boat was going to be sunk and they would all drown.

While this huge storm was overtaking the boat the story says that Jesus slept in the bottom of the boat. The disciples run up to Jesus freaking out that they're going to die and they don't know what to do. I would have loved to have been there to see Jesus' face when they woke him up. (I don't wake well when I've been asleep so I would have liked to have seen how Jesus handled that)

Jesus gets up and calms the storm with one simple sentence "SILENCE, BE STILL!!!!" After that he turns to his disciples and asks the question in verse 40 of chapter 5. He is basically asking them do you guys not get who you are with right now? That a simple storm is not going to keep me from fulfilling my Father's plan. He is reminding them that no storm is more powerful than the power of God.

The disciples needed to be reminded that when they decided to follow Jesus that they are walking with someone who says that nothing and no one is going to stand against them. I believe when he said to the wind and waves "SILENCE, BE STILL!!" he was saying that to the disciples at the same time. He wanted their hearts to find comfort and peace in the fact that they were on the boat with their protector and their shield.

In the book of Psalms in the 46th chapter, tenth verse it says "Be still and know that I am God..." How often do we fear what is going to happen us? How often do we try to figure out the future before we even realize that when we decided to follow Jesus that we decided to get on the boat with our protector and our shield. How often do we let the wind and the waves of what is happening around us distract us from the fact that Jesus is with us? How often do the winds and waves keep us from being still and know he is GOD???

Jesus wants us to realize that he is for us and with us. He wants us to have faith that he is for us and not against us. He doesn't want the winds and waves of life to distract us from him. He wants to draw us closer and closer to him.

This doesn't mean that if you follow Jesus that your life is going to be perfect and never experience winds and waves again, but it does mean that when the winds and waves of our lives hit the decks of our boats we shouldn't be distracted because Jesus is along for the ride. We follow a God that is not just for us, but that is with us. He calms storms because he is our shield and our protector.

Thought question: What distracts you from the fact that Jesus has your back? When is the last time you felt Jesus saying to you "Silence, be still and know that I am God"?

It hurts so good....

4.16.12

Jeremiah 4:19 NLT

"My heart, my heart-- I writhe in pain! My heart pounds within me! I cannot be still."

When I get away and spend time with God I always like to dive into scripture as well as pray. When I am reading I usually choose a book to focus on and read through. Over the last couple of weeks I have been digging into the book of Jeremiah. It always amazes me what I can learn about a person in the scriptures in just the first few chapters of a book.

When God calls Jeremiah to be a prophet, his first response is to say "No way, I'm too young". God's response is to tell him to relax and remember that I'm going with you. After Jeremiah comes to his senses and agrees God explains to him that the people of Israel and Judah have turned their backs on Him. He describes in detail how they have given up and began to worship fake idols and false gods. God equates their lack of faith, to adultery towards Him. He wants so desperately for Jeremiah to reach the people with the power of salvation in the one true God.

As God describes to Jeremiah all that is happening, he can't help but respond back. In chapter four of the book of Jeremiah we read that Jeremiah is responding to God and his first sentiment, through tears, is that he is writhing in pain knowing that the people of God have turned their backs on the Lord. He says he is WRITHING in pain knowing this fact. So much so that he can't even sit still it is hurting him so bad.

God instilled, in Jeremiah, a heart that yearns for his countrymen to come back to God, to stop turning their backs on the one true God that offers salvation. His heart isn't just aware of the fact that God's people are rejecting Him, the scripture says he is in tremendous pain knowing it. He wants desperately for them to know the salvation that only God offers. With love in his heart he wants the people of Israel and Judah to know the truth.

I believe that the book of Jeremiah is a good charge for those of us who are walking in a relationship with Jesus Christ. This book paints a picture of how God wants us to yearn for those around us to know about and walk in a relationship with Jesus. We should not be able to sit still knowing that there are people in our everyday life far from the Lord.

I want to encourage you all to think about who you can be praying for and inviting to church. Who is it in your life that is far from the Lord? Who is it that your heart is writhing for? When you think about where you work, your neighborhood or maybe even in your own family, who is it that God has called you to tell about Him?

We don't have to win the argument about who Jesus Christ is and what He's done. He did the work, He's proven who He is, but we should have a heart to share it with people. This can be done by the way pray with each other, care for each other and love those who matter to God, which is every single person that has ever lived. Our burden should be the same burden that God has, and that is for those who are far from Him to come closer and closer to a Father whose arms are always open ready to love His children.

Do we spend more time asking God what He can do for us or more time asking what we can do for Him?

Thought question: What weighs the heaviest on your heart? Do you ever pray that God would help you realize who you need to reach with love?

Just one text...

4.05.12

Hebrews 10:24

"And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds,"

I have never been one to text. I'll be quite honest I used to avoid texting at all costs. I would much rather call someone or go see them. I am finding more and more though that it is almost impossible to avoid texting in today's day and age. With the growth of the "smart phone" in the world, texting has become common place. It has replaced the hand written love note between students on the bus on the way home from school. We all remember that note, "Do you like me? Check Yes, No or Maybe. Now it's "Do you like me? Text 1-for Yes 2- for No or 3- for you'll know by my Facebook status later".

All that said I am beginning to embrace texting. That isn't to say I still don't prefer a nice phone call or the occasional unannounced drop by visit, but I am have begun to text more and more. I've come to realize that a well placed text in the middle of the day can be exactly what they need. It doesn't have to say much, but it can be the difference between someone having a horrible day and an amazing day. Sometimes it is exactly the kind of encouragement that someone needs. Just a one line "Hey thinking about you" or "Praying for you" can absolutely change someone's perspective on their day. For someone it may be as simple as "Hey I would love to have you come to church with me this Sunday" or "Hey when are we doing lunch?"

Everyone wants to know that they are being thought of and everyone wants to be told they are thought of and cared for. I believe it is our job, as we walk with Christ, that we spur one another on toward love and good deeds. What I am being reminded of is that God can use something as simple as a text message to bring joy into someone's day. It could be one simple message that can be what spurs them on that particular day. My encouragement to everyone today is to be the one today to spur someone else on toward love and good deeds. Be the light in a dark day. Be bold enough to send that little text message that might spur someone on. You never know you may be exactly what God will use to help them press on. I believe that is what it means to consider "how" to spur one another on. Due whatever it takes to encourage someone, and realize that it may be as simple as a short text message.

Technology is replacing a lot of what "used to be", but that doesn't mean that God can't still use these things for HIS advantage.

Thought question: Is there someone that you know that could use a great encouragement today? Is there someone out there waiting for YOUR text that invites them to something? How can you spur someone on today with something as simple as a text message?

Tangled...

2.09.12

Exodus 3:13-14

"Moses said to, 'Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, The God of your fathers has sent me to you, and they ask me, What is his name? Then what shall I tell them ?' God said to Moses, 'I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: I AM has sent me to you."

This is such a cool story of real humanity being met by the power of a very powerful God. This is when God is telling Moses that he is going to free the Israelites. God is going to send Moses into Egypt to face Pharaoh and demand that he let the Israelite slaves go free. God is calling Moses to something so powerful and so amazing and Moses is response is "But what if...."

Moses is wrestling with so much. He is faced with having to lead people out of bondage and slavery as well as facing someone that once viewed him as a brother and now will see him as an enemy to the entire nation of Egypt. He is also struggling with his own inadequacies to lead. There is a lot going on in Moses' head. He is wants to please God and serve Him but his fear keeps him from diving head first into his calling.

I can only imagine that Moses felt, for lack of a better word, tangled. Everything in his mind and in his life was just tangled together. His heart was overrun with everything in one moment and I can only imagine it was hard to make sense of it all, but then.....

God looks at him and gives him an answer to the questions that consumed his thoughts. God untangles everything going on inside him with one thought. "I AM WHO I AM". God brings peace to a tangled emotional state by reminding Moses that God is who He claims to be. He reminds Moses that when the God of creation, the God of the universe is on your side that tangled becomes untangled very quickly. The details aren't what matter when I AM has your back.

Sometimes we can feel very "tangled" because of all of the circumstances of our lives. All the emotions and feelings that come along with family, work and life can make our hearts feel like we are tangled with no end in sight, but the hope that comes from the Lord is that He is a God of the details. He takes care of things in ways that we never see coming. Our hope is that the same God that told Moses to go into Egypt with confidence is the same God that we follow and serve today.

Imagine how God is going to use you when you let Him untangle the details, when you let Him untangle all the things that weigh on your heart.

Thought questions:

What is weighing you down and making you feel tangled? What are you struggling to trust God to untangle in your own life?