Pastor's Blog

“Was Samson a Prodigal?”

Date: 05-31-15

My Thoughts:

Although brought up in a strong believing home, even dedicated to the Lord at birth, Samson’s name cannot be said without Delilah’s immediately following. So I ask a simple question: Can Samson be considered a prodigal? He lived a rather wild lifestyle, but he didn’t demand of his parents the inheritance. He did demand a dowery for a non-believing wife (see Judges 14:1-7). But the text tells us that this was from the LORD. Further it appears that he did have a problem with women (see Judges 16:1). So when it comes to being under Delilah’s spell, it shouldn’t surprise us that he did trifle with his calling.

But was he a prodigal in the sense of rebelling against his parents’ authority and living a riotous life?

However we want to classify Samson, one thing is clear: He let down his guard with women and ultimately ended up fulfilling his calling severely scarred (i.e., blinded); oh, and dead.

Lifestyle worshiper, what other lessons can we harvest from Samson’s journey? Your thoughts?

Main Text: — Judges 16:15-17 — ¹⁵Then [Delilah] said to him, “How can you say, ‘I love you,’ when you won’t confide in me? This is the third time you have made a fool of me and haven’t told me the secret of your great strength.” ¹⁶ With such nagging she prodded him day after day until he was tired to death. ¹⁷ So he told her everything. “No razor has ever been used on my head,” he said, “because I have been a Nazirite set apart to God since birth. If my head were shaved, my strength would leave me, and I would become as weak as any other man.” [NIV84]

Additional Scriptures to Renew Your Thoughts

He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm. — Proverbs 13:20 (NIV84)

Do not lust in your heart after her beauty or let her captivate you with her eyes, for the prostitute reduces you to a loaf of bread, and the adulteress preys upon your very life. —Proverbs 6:25-26 (NIV84)

For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do—living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry. They think it strange that you do not plunge with them into the same flood of dissipation, and they heap abuse on you. — 1 Peter 4:3-4 (NIV84)

Heavenly Father, I choose to humble myself and learn from others’ mistakes and miscues. Set my feet firmly on the rock, the Lord Jesus Christ. Lord Jesus Christ, empower me to live the Life that is pleasing to You. In Your Name, Amen.

Pastor Mike

“The Entitled Prodigal”

Date: 05-27-15

My Thoughts:

Although the word, “prodigal,” has become synonymous with “wayward, rebellious runaway,” it actually means “wasteful, extravagant reckless wild living.” I think this fits well with our entitlement culture. It seems to me that prodigals feel an extreme sense of “you owe me for my existence.” Perhaps I am reading too much into today’s main text (Luke 15:11-12), but it appears to me that the younger son is saying, “Father, you owe me. So give me what’s mine (even if it’s ahead of time)!”

Ironically, I have also found that if I chase after a “prodigal,” I only entitle them all the more. I have inadvertently empowered and enabled them in their reckless temper tantrum. And the more I do rescue them, the deeper their sense of entitlement is driven…. Truly a lose-lose scenario.

This is why I admire the father in this story. He did not prevent his son from learning a very difficult lesson—the hard way. Nor did he chase after him. But as I observe the collection of stories in Luke 15, there is a common element of searching, though not as commonly taught. The shepherd diligently searches for the lost sheep—and finds it; the woman fervently searches for the lost coin—and finds it; and the father earnestly searches the horizon for his lost son—and ‘finds’ him! Though the father did not actively run after his son in search of him so as to entitle him again, no, he does eagerly run to his son, once the son has release this sense of entitlement (as evidenced in his returning). Truly, the son came to his senses….

Lifestyle worshiper, have you found that it displeases the Lord when we chase after “prodigals” well before they have come to their senses? I have. And I have done them a grave disservice. Yes, it is painful to remain ‘at home’ and diligently search the horizon, but it is far wiser—for the sake of the “prodigal,” don’t you think? Your thoughts?

Main Text: — Luke 15:11-12 — ¹¹Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. ¹² The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them. [NIV84]

Additional Scriptures to Renew Your Thoughts

A hot-tempered man must pay the penalty; if you rescue him, you will have to do it again. — Proverbs 19:19 (NIV84)

What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self? —Luke 9:25 (NIV84)

Everything [the teachers of the law and Pharisees] do is done for men to see: They make their phylacteries wide and the tassels on their garments long; they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues; they love to be greeted in the marketplaces and to have men call them ‘Rabbi. — Matthew 23:5-7 (NIV84)

Heavenly Father, I find it fascinating that You sent Your Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to seek after the lost sheep of the House of Israel; You sent Him to the lost Samaritan woman at a well; and you sent Him to the lost crowds who were like sheep without a Shepard, but in wisdom He did go after the ‘prodigals’…. And yet He was available if they came to Him. Grant me the wisdom, insight, and courage to do the same. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Pastor Mike

“Forgiveness is Giving Up”

Date: 05-21-15

My Thoughts:

As our Lord Jesus hung on the cross He taught us true forgiveness. He taught us that forgiveness is giving up. His was a choice not a violation, extortion or resignation. He willfully chose to forgive.

And in this forgiveness He gave up three rights. The first right He gave up was the right not to hurt. He possibly gave this right up the moment He decided to be incarnated, but truly the hurt, anguish and pain of carrying all the sins and its punishment on the cross cannot compare to all the sorrows He experienced up to that point. Isaiah identifies this giving up for us rather vividly (see below). Yes, the offense hurt you deeply. And only by a gush of grace will you be able to do what only Jesus can do: Forgive them in spite of the hurt. Yes, even after He said, “Father, forgive them,” He was still on the cross; still in agony; He was still hurting….

The second right our Master gave up was the right to make it right or to fix “it”. The relationship between Him and his creation was broken, and without the cross, it was irreparable. By hanging on that cross, He became that bridge of reconciliation for us. Yes, He did many healings and even a resurrection or two, but all these would get sick and die again. It is only after the cross in His resurrection are things made new—are fixed. St. Paul identifies this giving up in Colossians (see below). Yes, once the offense has taken place, the relationship, the item, the circumstance may remain broken beyond repair, but we can move on in the hope the resurrection power offers: One day this relationship, item or circumstance will be restored, but right now He has given us grace enough for the moment to dealing with the new relationship following a break….

The third right our Lord gave up was the right to get back. He could have warned them, “Just wait until I’m resurrected. Then you’ll know I am who I claimed to be; then you’ll bow before me!” Rather than immaturely taunting or threatening His adversaries—those who deeply wounded Him, He spoke words of forgiveness instead: “Father, forgive them…” (Luke 23:34). Our brother, St. Peter, identifies this giving up in his first letter to us (see below). Yes, our knee-jerk response it to flinch in retaliation or burp a word of disgust. Yet once again, relying on the gush of grace the Lord Jesus’ Life provides for us, we can return blessing for insult and promise of hope for threat of harm. We entrust ourselves, as our Master did, to the One who can truly bring justice (1 Peter 2:23 below).

One final “give up” I’d like to mention, but request your thoughts on how this fits into forgiveness, and that is when we are told at the end of Jesus’ earthly life, He says: “ It is finished. With that, He bowed His head and gave up His spirit” (John 19:30 emphasis added). The Greek word for “give up” is to “to hand over, to give.” Lifestyle worshiper, how do you see this act of Jesus’ Love, of giving up His own life, fitting into His grand act of forgiveness?

Main Text: — Ephesians 4:32 —Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. [NIV84]

Additional Scriptures to Renew Your Thoughts

He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. — Isaiah 53:3-5 (NIV84)

… and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through His blood, shed on the cross. Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now He has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in His sight, without blemish and free from accusation —Colossians 1:20-22 (NIV84)

When they hurled their insults at Him, He did not retaliate; when He suffered, He made no threats. Instead, He entrusted Himself to Him who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by His wounds you have been healed. — 1 Peter 2:23-24 (NIV84)

Lord Jesus Christ, empower me to forgive those who have hurt me, frustrated me, or disappointed me. I ask You to overwhelm me with a gush of Your grace to forgive them as You have forgiven me. In Your Name, Amen.

Pastor Mike

“Life Vs. Fake”

Date: 05-17-15

Today’s fake flowers are pretty real looking aren’t they? Some are made with silk; others with a variety a materials. But they are truly life-like, yet upon closer inspection, it is clear they are fake: No fragrance; no life.

When our Awana Club started back up after Christmas, I had noticed something rather disturbing on our “A Place for Your Things” Table. I saw a little baby just lying there amid all the coats and bags and books!!! Aghast, I moved quickly to ‘rescue’ the baby. Getting closer, I noticed the baby still look real, but its skin was rather odd—rubbery like. Duh, it was a very life-like baby. (The operative word is “like” —not truly alive.) Later, I spoke with the father of the daughter, whose baby it was, and he noted how he, too, would forget it was merely a doll….

Lifestyle worshiper, is there Life in your worship? In your walk with Jesus? Or is it merely “life-like”? Upon closer examination what will we find?

Main Text: — Galatians 2:20-21 — ²⁰I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. ²¹ I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!” [NIV84]

Additional Scriptures to Renew Your Thoughts

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”— John 14:6 (NIV84)

When the Messiah, who is your life, is revealed, then you, too, will be revealed with him in glory. —Colossians 3:4 (ISV)

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. — John 10:10 (NASB95)

“For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of His will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please Him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to His glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. For He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son He loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins” (Col. 1:9-14). Amen.

Pastor Mike

“Perfect Families?”

Date: 05-12-15

My Thoughts:

I like us to take a few moments and describe the perfect family. Maybe the Cleavers or Huxtables will come to mind? What descriptions or characteristics would you give them?

Now take a few moments and describe a healthy family. How do these qualities or characteristics differ from the perfect family? Or is there no difference to you?

Which would you rather be a perfect family or a healthy family? Explain…

Main Text: — Proverbs 17:1 —Better a dry crust with peace and quiet than a house full of feasting, with strife. [NIV84]

Additional Scriptures to Renew Your Thoughts

Better a meal of vegetables where there is love than a fattened calf with hatred.— Proverbs 15:17 (NIV84)

However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband. —Ephesians 5:33 (NIV84)

Better to live on a corner of the roof than share a house with a quarrelsome wife — Proverbs 21:9 (NIV84)

“For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.” (Eph. 3:14-19) In the Precious Name of the Spotless Lamb, Amen.

Pastor Mike

“Beyond the One Day”

Date: 05-10-15

The Big Idea: Start a habit that goes beyond this one day.

My Thoughts: As a child growing up, I remember getting the typical response to my question, “Why do we have a special day called ‘Mother’s Day’? Why not have a ‘Kids’ Day’, too?” My mother so wisely responded, “Every day is kids day…!”

And in many homes, even Mother’s Day is “Kids’ Day.” So today, I was wondering if we could start a habit that goes beyond this one day. This habit I’m suggesting is to help out single mothers as often as we can. Now many may not accept our charitable kindness, thinking we are saying, by offering our help, that they are weak and inadequate, but nothing could be farther from the truth. Instead, our help is offering them a reprieve from their daily — literal — grind, giving them some breathing space, kind of like a time out in a game so they can ‘catch their breath.’

What do you think? Would our help be considered imposing; or received with warm gratitude? Perhaps we could find out starting today? Your thoughts?

Main Text: — Luke 7:11-13 — ¹¹ Soon afterward, Jesus went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd went along with him. ¹² As he approached the town gate, a dead person was being carried out—the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the town was with her. ¹³ When the Lord saw her, his heart went out to her and he said, “Don’t cry.” ¹⁴ Then he went up and touched the coffin, and those carrying it stood still. He said, “Young man, I say to you, get up!” ¹⁵ The dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus gave him back to his mother. [NIV84]

Additional Scriptures to Renew Your Thoughts

“Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne?…”— Isaiah 49:15a (NIV84)

Treat younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity. —1 Timothy 5:1b-2 (NIV84)

Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord, and his mother, who has been a mother to me, too. — Romans 16:13 (NIV84)

Lord Jesus, Christ, enlarge my heart with Your Compassion as I honor my mother and those who have been like a mother to me. Grant me an opportunity to bless a single mom today. In Your Name, Amen.

Pastor Mike

“Compassion for Single Moms”

Date: 05-07-15

The Big Idea:

My Thoughts:

Although the Bible doesn’t use our modern phrase of ‘single mom,’ there is nonetheless some strong evidence that the Lord has great companion for single moms. Several times in the gospels we see the Lord Jesus observing or attending to the needs of these ‘widows’ with children.

One particular incident is noted in our main text below. Jesus was passing by a funeral procession of an only son of a widow. The Scripture tells us that, “His heart went out to her…” (v. 13). Then He did something rather extraordinary: He gave life back to her son and gave her son back to her! …

Does your heart go out to single moms? Do you have compassion on them? I know mine does. I so much want to relieve their plight, but alas, silver or gold have I none…. But what I do have I give. How about you? What can you do to demonstrate your compassion for single moms? Your thoughts?

Additional Scriptures to Renew Your Thoughts

Sing to God, sing praise to His name, extol Him who rides on the clouds—His name is the LORD—and rejoice before Him. A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in His holy dwelling— Psalm 68:4-5 (NIV84)

The LORD watches over the alien and sustains the fatherless and the widow, but He frustrates the ways of the wicked. —Psalm 146:9 (NIV84)

Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. — James 1:27 (NIV84)

Lord Jesus, Christ, let me see with Your eyes and feel with Your heart. Fill my hands with good things so that may relieve those who have less, especially single moms. In Your Name, Amen.

Pastor Mike

“The Wait is Over”

Date: 05-01-15

The Big Idea: Isaiah enjoins us to eagerly wait on the LORD with great expectations and anticipations: He will renew our strength. It is not a matter of “if”, but “when”!

My Thoughts: How long have you waited before the LORD to renew your strength? Or have you been impatient, got up from your knees and tried an energy drink or some new formula touted to be the elixir that will boost your mental clarity and your physical energy…?

Fellow lifestyle worshipers, I have found this to be an interesting conundrum: We want to receiving the LORD s renewal of our strength—particularly those of us who are passed our mid-life crises, but we are too impatient to wait for it. Right? Have we been distilled by our culture to think that this energy is found in a pill or a drink? I know I sometimes wonder if I am merely one of those frogs in the boiling pot …

Isaiah enjoins us to eagerly wait on the LORD with great expectations and anticipations: He will renew our strength. It is not a matter of “if”, but “when”!

It’s like waiting for a meal at a restaurant. We have not been accustomed to this particular restaurant being tardy in delivering its delectable delicacies. But for some reason on this one particular night, they are exceptionally late. You know they have never failed in the quality of this gastronomical delight, but you grow impatient with the wait. So you get up from the table and leave the restaurant. Brothers and sisters, you know deep in your soul that the LORD has never disappointed you. Yes, He may be late as you and I count late, ah, but He has never ever disappointed. Will you join me today and eagerly wait on the LORD to renew our strength. Let us encourage each other to stay at the table a little longer.

Main Text: — Isaiah 40:31 — Yet those who wait for the LORD Will gain new strength; They will mount up with wings like eagles, They will run and not get tired, They will walk and not become weary. [NASB95]

Additional Scriptures to Renew Your Thoughts

But those who keep waiting for the LORD will renew their strength.Then they’ll soar on wings like eagles; they’ll run and not grow weary; they’ll walk and not grow tired. — Isaiah 40:31 (ISV)

Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD. —Psalm 27:14 (NIV84)

I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry. — Psalm 40:1 (NIV84)

Heavenly Father, I patiently wait on You to refresh my strength . O, my soul, fret not on the delay. Your Loving Heavenly Father will not disappoint you. He will—-in His time— flood overwhelm you with a sense of His Joy gushing from the Holy Spirit, Amen.

Pastor Mike

“The Source of Our Strength”

Date: 04-29-15

The Big Idea: A sense of light airiness comes upon me, sometimes even in some rather dire situations, and an inner strength appears, so that somehow, in my spirit, I know He is working all things out for the Good.

My Thoughts: In five places found in most common English translations of the Bible, strength and joy are connected. None is as direct as our main text noted below. In Nehemiah’s declaration, he basically equates the LORD’s joy with our strength. Thus, when we are infused with the LORD’s joy, then we are strengthened to live His Life more fully….

The intriguing aspect of Joy is we cannot conjure it up or manufacture it. Nope! It is clearly the LORD’s joy and the Fruit of the Spirit…. So no matter how hard I try to be joy-filled, I cannot in and of myself….

I have found that when the Spirit fills me with joy and thanksgiving, a delight floods my being. A sense of light airiness comes upon me, sometimes even in some rather dire situations, and an inner strength appears, so that somehow, in my spirit, I know He is working all things out for the Good.

Other times, however, I need to wait on Him for this manifestation of Joy. Sadly, however, I have found as with myself, many do not wait on the LORD for a renewal of joy—of strength. Instead they attempt to go around gleefully acting as if they are filled with His joy, when in fact they are not. It is, at best, manufactured glee. Ah, but if we wait on the LORD, He will renew our strength AND—remember—the Joy of the LORD is our strength!

Fellow lifestyle worshipers, have you discovered this connection of joy and strength as well? Have you learned that at times we need to wait on Him to renew our Joy (strength)? What are your thoughts on joy and strength being connect like this?

Main Text: — Nehemiah 8:10 — Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is sacred to our LORD. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” [NIV84]

Additional Scriptures to Renew Your Thoughts

But those who keep waiting for the LORD will renew their strength. Then they’ll soar on wings like eagles; they’ll run and not grow weary; they’ll walk and not grow tired. — Isaiah 40:31 (ISV)

The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to Him in song. —Psalm 28:7 (NIV84)

Sing for joy to God our strength; shout aloud to the God of Jacob! Begin the music, strike the tambourine, play the melodious harp and lyre. — Psalm 81:1-2 (NIV84)

Heavenly Father, I wait on You to refresh my strength as You flood my very being with the Joy of the Holy Spirit, in Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Pastor Mike

“Can We Give Joy Away?”

Date: 04-28-15

The Big Idea: This joy is growing in ways I truly cannot capture in words because of its uniqueness to my experience.

My Thoughts: For many, possessing (let alone expressing) joy in a world so familiar with loss, and sorrow and grief is more than a formidable challenge. There are those, however, who can express the joy they possess in a sincere and infectious manner that lightens the load of many fellow travelers….

But in light of what Jesus says (noted below in John 16), can we give our joy away? He says that no one will be able to take it from us, but does this leave open the option of giving our joy away, much like letting go of an untied balloon?

The reason I ask this is because I have known many throughout my life and in my ministry who are somewhat, shall we say, joyless—this often includes me. On my journey with Jesus I am of late coming to experience the joy He promises and this joy is growing in ways I truly cannot capture in words because of its uniqueness to my experience.

But as I look back on my journey, I have seen myself giving joy away, releasing balloon after balloon of joy only to see it fizzle and quite frankly ppffffftt (or however the onomatopoeia is spelled for this).

So my answer to my question is a mumbled, “yes.” I can give my joy away, but if Joy is a fruit of the Spirit, am I truly giving it away, or merely stifling it?

So, lifestyle worshipers, what are your thoughts on ‘giving joy away’?

Main Text: — John 16:22-24 — ²² So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy. ²³ In that day you will no longer ask me anything. Very truly I tell you, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. ²⁴ Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete. [NIV]

Additional Scriptures to Renew Your Thoughts

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness. — Galatians 5:22 (NIV)

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. —John 10:10 (NIV)

Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, so that through my being with you again your joy in Christ Jesus will overflow on account of me. — Philippians 1:25-26 (NIV84)

Heavenly Father, I confess I have a deep desire to experience the substantial Joy of the Holy Spirit. Create in me a pure heart so that I may be a vessel of Your Joy, in Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Pastor Mike