Pastor's Blog

“The Shout Down”

Date: 01-31-15

Text: — Nehemiah 2:19-20 — ¹⁹But when Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite official and Geshem the Arab heard about it, they mocked and ridiculed us. “What is this you are doing?” they asked. “Are you rebelling against the king?” ²⁰ I answered them by saying, “The God of heaven will give us success. We his servants will start rebuilding, but as for you, you have no share in Jerusalem or any claim or historic right to it.” [NIV84]

The Big Idea: Join me in eliminating the “Shout Down” method.

My Thoughts:

In today’s culture, it seems to be very vogue among sophisticated pundits to ‘win’ an argument with someone they disagree by the “Shout Down” method. If I can’t get my point across to you or if you don’t buy my line of reasoning (if present), then I will just shout louder. This will win you over, right!?

Beyond the accusation of being sophisticated, I have found that shouting down an opponent is neither wise nor godly. And Nehemiah shows us how to respond to an ‘opponent’ in the above verses. He calmly, but most confidently, answers this slanderous accusation by merely stating the facts. Oh, he appeals to a higher authority than even the king (and remember he does have the king’s authority). To Nehemiah, this project is by divine appointment. The Lord made a way for His people to be protected through the king’s hand. Nehemiah is confident of this, and feels not need to shout down his opponent.

Lifestyle worshipers, join me in eliminating the “Shout Down” method. Let us be wise as serpents, harmless as doves, and godly as our Lord Jesus, Who never felt the compulsion to shout anyone down. Rather, let us speak the Truth in Love so we can be heard; and live it so it can be believed. Your thoughts.

Scriptures to Renew Your Thoughts

And the Lord’s servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.

— 2 Timothy 2:24-26 (NIV84)

Here is my servant, whom I support,my chosen one, in whom I delight. I’ve placed my Spirit upon him;and he’ll deliver his justice throughout the world. He won’t shout, or raise his voice,or make it heard in the street.

— Isaiah 42:1-2 (ISV)

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.

— 1 Corinthians 13:1 (ESV)

Lord Jesus Christ, I put You on as my Belt of Truth and my Socks of Gentleness. May Your Love overwhelm me to speak the Truth in a gentle and kind manner so it will be clearly heard by all who will listen. In Your Name, Amen.

Pastor Mike

“Catching the Wave”

Date: 01-30-15

Text: — Nehemiah 2:13-15 — ¹⁷Then I said to them, “You see the trouble we are in: Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned with fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace.” ¹⁸ I also told them about the gracious hand of my God upon me and what the king had said to me. They replied, “Let us start rebuilding.” So they began this good work. [NIV84]

The Big Idea: Sometimes casting a vision is as simple as catching a wave.

My Thoughts:

Sometimes casting a vision is as simple as catching a wave of opportunity. I’m not much of an expert on body surfing, but I have done it a few times, and even fewer successfully. What I quickly learned, however, is timing is pretty important. Timing my approach to get to the right place on the crest of the wave was the key. I’m sure the principle is the same as board surfing. Never mastered it, but I understand it.

Nehemiah caught a wave of opportunity after his inspection of the wall. Apparently, he said a lot more than he recorded here, but one thing is for certain about what he did say: He clearly identified the problem and offered a compelling solution. He shared the burden of his heart at a time when the Lord had opened the door of opportunity. He did not hesitate; he did not stutter. He ‘cast a vision’ of hope and promise—all based in a confidence that came from a life of prayer.

Lifestyle worshipers, for some of us, it is hard to know when the time is right, but I am convinced when we are in ‘constant’ prayer, an opportunity will open for us and the Lord will make a way for us to cast the vision of our burden! Being vigilant in prayer and alert to the circumstances takes a clear mind—a mind that is not worried or concerned of the ‘what ifs’, inadequacies and weaknesses of our ‘selves’, but a mind that is focused on the Holy One’s strengths. For in our weakness His strength is made perfect and complete.

Join me in catching a wave of opportunity being alert to its timing through prayer. Your thoughts.

Scriptures to Renew Your Thoughts

The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray.

— 1 Peter 4:7 (NIV84)

Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving;

— Colossians 4:2 (NASB95)

And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.

— Ephesians 6:18 (NIV84)

Heavenly Father, keep me ever vigilant and alert to the opportunities You afford me to act on the vision You have burned in my soul. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Pastor Mike

“Troubleshooting”

Date: 01-28-15

Text: — Nehemiah 2:13-15 — ¹³By night I went out through the Valley Gate toward the Jackal Well and the Dung Gate, examining the walls of Jerusalem, which had been broken down, and its gates, which had been destroyed by fire. ¹⁴ Then I moved on toward the Fountain Gate and the King’s Pool, but there was not enough room for my mount to get through; ¹⁵ so I went up the valley by night, examining the wall. Finally, I turned back and reentered through the Valley Gate. [NIV84]

The Big Idea: Systematic inspection offers a better perspective of the damage.

My Thoughts:

Being one who loves doing things systematically, I really enjoy watching a professional troubleshoot a problem. Be it an automotive issue or an electrical problem, the way the pro goes about it is simply fascinating. Recently, I was at my sister’s house. She noted a rather large water bill and asked if I could help her hunt down the like. Well, through a series of trial and error, I determined it had something to do with the hot water line. However, it wasn’t until my nephew, a trained electrician, came over, we were able to verify it and determine its approximate location. My nephew took his electrician training and used it to troubleshoot the water leak. It was fascinating to watch him start at the source and eliminate many possibilities that I didn’t even consider. What a pleasure to see someone who knows what they are doing do it!

Nehemiah was a professional. He took his cupbearer training and applied it to the rebuilding of the wall by first troubleshooting the problem. In the above passage, he is seen systematically inspecting the wall, making the circuit where possible and getting a better perspective of the damage….

Lifestyle worshipers, in our “An Awareness Walk,” (aka “A Nehemiah Walk”), it is wise to take a systematic approach as any troubleshooter would. Take the skills you have acquired in another field and apply them to your current situation. Get perspective, too, and properly assess the damaged of the situation you are concerned about.

I know for some this systematic approach may seem awkward and almost Spirit-Squeezing, but I’m sure He will enlighten you through the process and give you insight into the matter before you. Your thoughts.

Scriptures to Renew Your Thoughts

And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.

— Philippians 1:9-11 (NIV84)

For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.

— 2 Timothy 1:7 (NIV84)

For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him?”But we have the mind of Christ.

— 2 Corinthians 2:16 (NIV84)

Heavenly Father, I yield to the Holy Spirit’s conviction and insight into my situation. May He grant me insight and perspective. Forgive me for acting hastily and in an uniformed manner. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Pastor Mike

“How Bad Is It, Doc?”

Date: 01-27-15

Text: — Nehemiah 2:11-12 — ¹¹I went to Jerusalem, and after staying there three days ¹² I set out during the night with a few men. I had not told anyone what my God had put in my heart to do for Jerusalem. There were no mounts with me except the one I was riding on. [NIV84]

The Big Idea: When we examine our situation in more detail, the solutions then can be more laser focused.

My Thoughts:

You enter the doctor’s office, and ask, “How bad is it, Doc?” She looks at you and says, “You probably have a sprained wrist. Just take two tylenol, ice it for a few days, and wrap it with an ace bandage; you should be fine in a few weeks.” Mind you, you just sat done on the table. No other examination was done. The doctor merely looked at you! How would you feel? Cheated? Put out? Or worse…?

Nehemiah would agree with your feelings. A closer examination of the damaged area would yield a more accurate assessment of the situation. After arriving in Jerusalem, he set out by night to examine the damage. He did this in order to have an accurate assessment of the situation.

Lifestyle worshipers, have you done “An Awareness Walk,” aka “A Nehemiah Walk” lately? Have you taken the time to assess your broken relationships? Damaged image? Your personal decisions? Or other issues the Holy Spirit has been poking you on? It is only then that you can see how bad it really is….

I know it can be unnerving, even a life wrecking experience, but I also know when we examine our situation in more detail, the solutions then can be more laser focused. Your thoughts.

Scriptures to Renew Your Thoughts

Stop judging by mere appearances, and make a right judgment.

— John 7:24 (NIV84)

Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test? And I trust that you will discover that we have not failed the test.

— 2 Corinthians 13:5-6 (NIV84)

He who answers before listening—that is his folly and his shame.

— Proverbs 18:13 (NIV84)

Heavenly Father, I yield to the Holy Spirit’s conviction and insight into my situation. I know You are working out all things for the Good Forgive me for acting hastily and in an uniformed manner. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Pastor Mike

“Even in the Daily Grind”

Date: 01-25-15

Text: — Nehemiah 2:1-4 — ¹In the month of Nisan in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when wine was brought for him, I took the wine and gave it to the king. I had not been sad in his presence before; ²so the king asked me, “Why does your face look so sad when you are not ill? This can be nothing but sadness of heart.”I was very much afraid, ³ but I said to the king, “May the king live forever! Why should my face not look sad when the city where my fathers are buried lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?” ⁴ The king said to me, “What is it you want?” [NIV84]

The Big Idea: We may not see how He will make a way, but this does not limit Him..

My Thoughts:

My wife, Kathy, and I had a different plan. We flew to Phoenix to go to a conference and see my sister. Much like any day we make plans Then something comes up. In our case, it was my mother-in-law’s passing. Oh, we knew she was weak. But she was recovering from a fall; or so we thought. After we had landed in Phoenix and were driving to my sister’s, we got a text from Kathy’s brother: “Mom, went home to be with Jesus.” Needless to say, we were overwhelmed with emotions. Joy of knowing this truth; sorrow that we will miss her….

Then there was the rest of life that was planned, and I personally was not prepared to attend a memorial service let alone participate in one. I had packed very, very light—including merely two pairs of somewhat casual pants…. But the Lord made a way! After trying on several different sweaters and sport coats, we found something presentable to wear. I wrote some notes on an app on my iPhone and I was ready…. But as we approached the cemetery where the graveside service was to be, my iPhone went dead. “Okay, Lord, bring to my mind all You want me to say.” Oh, did I forget to mention I was leading the service?

Lifestyle worshipers, in the daily grind through the routine of our lives have you experienced what I just did: The Lord made a way. Just like He did with Nehemiah before the king. We may not see how He will do it, but this does not limit Him.

In truth, I was pretty much at peace on all levels. After the graveside service, one of my nieces came up to me and asked, “How do you remember what to say?” I replied, “A lot of prayer, I had Psalm 27 memorized, and the Lord brought to my mind all He wanted me to say.” I know a similar “way” can be found for you. Your thoughts.

Scriptures to Renew Your Thoughts

Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?

— Matthew 6:2627 (NIV84)

But the Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen and protect you from the evil one.

— 2 Thessalonians 3:3 (NIV84)

[The Sadducees] arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail. But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail and brought them out.

— Acts 5:18-19 (NIV84)

Heavenly Father, I praise You for Your faithfulness, especially seen in situations where I cannot see “the way”. I bless Your Name for not letting me be put to shame. You are merciful and kind. May I walk in the Peace of the Lord Jesus Christ, knowing You will make a way. In His Name, Amen.

Pastor Mike

“Pride Prevention”

Date: 01-13-15

Text: — Psalm 34:4-5 — ⁴I sought the LORD and He answered me; He delivered me from all my fears. ⁵Those who look to Him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame. [NIV]

The Big Idea: Don’t let pride prevent you from seeking the LORD’s face.

My Thoughts:

A lot of times it is simply pride that keeps us from asking others for help. I know I even disguised my pride by saying, “I don’t want to bother anyone or be an imposition.” Sometimes I suggest to myself that I can get it done faster without asking for help, but I soon discover the truth of the old proverb, “Many hands make light work.”

But the larger truth is, if I am hesitant to ask for ‘help’ from people, I am definitely hesitant to approach the LORD for ‘help’. But when I let down my pride, as the Psalmist David did, the Lord will answer and deliver me. Suddenly, my face is radiant and the shame is removed.

Lifestyle worshipers, don’t let pride prevent you from seeking the LORD’s face—or help from your brothers & sisters. Your thoughts.

Scriptures to Renew Your Thoughts

You who fear the LORD, praise Him! All you descendants of Jacob, honor Him! Revere Him, all you descendants of Israel! For He has not despised or disdained the suffering of the afflicted one; He has not hidden His face from him but has listened to his cry for help. From You comes the theme of my praise in the great assembly; before those who fear You will I fulfill my vows. The poor will eat and be satisfied; they who seek the LORD will praise Him— may your hearts live forever!

— Psalm 22:23-26 (NIV84)

Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

— Matthew 18:4 (NASB95)

Heavenly Father, I humble seek Your face. Deliver me from my fears of abandonment and loneliness. Restore the joy of Your Salvation in my soul so that I may rejoice with my brothers & sisters. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Pastor Mike

“Confession: Positive & Negative”

Date: 01-10-15

Text: — Nehemiah 1:5-7 — ⁵Then I said: “O LORD, God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and obey his commands, ⁶ let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer your servant is praying before you day and night for your servants, the people of Israel. I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my father’s house, have committed against you. ⁷ We have acted very wickedly toward you. We have not obeyed the commands, decrees and laws you gave your servant Moses. [NIV84]

The Big Idea: Both “Positive & Negative Confession” need to be included in your prayers.

My Thoughts:

Many of my prayers contain either all praise or all self-loathing. The former I call “Positive Confession”: We confess who the LORD is and what He has done. Nehemiah calls Him “Awesome” and praises Him for keeping His covenant of Love (v. 5). The ‘self-loathing’ prayer can be beneficial when accompanied by a humble heart that realizes we are unworthy to come into the presence of a Holy God. This is what I call “Negative Confession,” but in a positive way….

Lifestyle worshipers, both aspects need to be included in our prayers. The “Positive Confession” of Who God is, what He has done, Who Christ is in us and Who we are in Him, are all critical aspects of this positive confession. No less important is what Nehemiah includes in his prayer (see vv. 6b-7), the “Negative Confession.” The LORD already knows we are unworthy. He knows the sins we have committed or omitted. He just wants us to admit it (the literal translation of ‘confess’).

With both these aspects included in our prayers, they make us available to humbly receive the LORD s grace. It transforms an “entitlement” attitude of “You owe me” into a humble attitude of deep, profound gratitude. Your thoughts.

Scriptures to Renew Your Thoughts

Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.

— Matthew 7:11-12 (NIV)

He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy.

— Proverbs 28:13 (NIV)

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

— 1 John 1:9 (NIV)

Heavenly Father, I praise You. You are a forgiving God, slow to anger and abounding in grace and mercy to those who humbly seek Your face. I confess I have not lived up to Your Holy standards. I ask You by the Lord Jesus’ Christ shed blood to forgive me and cleanse me from all unrighteousness. I humbly receive Your Grace and mercy in my time of need. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Pastor Mike

“Persistent Prayer”

Date: 01-09-15

Text: — Nehemiah 1:4 — When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven. [NIV84]

The Big Idea: It is in the very darkness of our grief that we must continue to persistently offer prayers to the God.

My Thoughts:

Usually the first “thing” that goes in a grief cycle is prayer. As CS Lewis once put it: “Where is God? … But go to Him when your need is desperate, when all other help is vain and what do you find? A door slammed in your face, and a sound of bolting and double bolting on the inside. After that, silence” (A Grief Observed, p. 9). So why pray? As our emotions scream to us, “ It’s not fair,” and “if God really loved me, this wouldn’t be happening,” we hear the subtle gurgling of our soul’s draining of hope….

But Lewis groped through his darkness to realize that, “I need Christ, not something that resembles Him” (Ibid, p. 51). He observes that he does not need his own idea of God, but God as He is; not some icon or image he’s conjured up, but the real Christ, the real God. Only this reality will see him through this profound grief….

Lifestyle worshipers, it is in the very darkness of our grief that we must continue to persistently offer prayers to the God, Who is real in the person of Jesus. In these heart-cries, He is stripping away our Sunday School, childish images of God & Jesus that have been marred by adult disillusions, and replacing them with a truer picture of the Jesus who was well acquainted with soul sorrows and gut retching grief. At the very least, you can prayer to the God of Hope for those you know who are still groping in their darkness, hearing only the echo of the double-bolted door. Persistent prayer got Nehemiah through his grief. And it can see you through yours. Your thoughts.

Scriptures to Renew Your Thoughts

Keep asking, and it will be given to you. Keep searching, and you will find. Keep knocking, and the door will be opened for you.

— Matthew 7:7 (ISV)

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus, the Messiah! He is our merciful Father and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our suffering, so that we may be able to comfort others in all their suffering, as we ourselves are being comforted by God. For as the Messiah’s sufferings overflow into us, so also our comfort overflows through the Messiah.

— 2 Corinthians 1:3-5 (ISV)

Epaphras, who is one of you and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends greetings. He is always wrestling in prayer for you, that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured.

— Colossians 4:12 (NIV)

Lord Jesus Christ, You are my Hope of Glory. Shine in the darkness of my grief so that I may intercede for others in their darkness. Infuse in me a passion for those who have yet to find their voice in their grief. In Your Name, Amen.

Pastor Mike

“Give Yourself Time”

Date: 01-08-15

Text: — Nehemiah 1:4 — ⁴When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven. [NIV84]

The Big Idea: So let us be gracious one to another and allow “some days” to mourn.

My Thoughts:

When something sad happens, do you give yourself time to grieve? Depending on the sense of loss, the grief may be deep or shallow: The greater the loss the greater the sense of grief. Our culture doesn’t seem to afford us a time to grieve. We need to get right back to work…. So we stuff our feelings of loss and move on, but the weight of the loss doesn’t dissipate. In fact, it seems to get heavier with the passage of time.

However, if we do what Nehemiah did, who gave himself time to grieve, it may lessen the weight of the grief, and even give us perspective. Losing a loved one, especially a child, is a grief that seems to never leave us, but in time we can gain perspective and see how the Lord is going to use this tragedy for His glory….

Lifestyle worshipers, we dare not minimize the loss—ours or someone else’s, but likewise, we dare not minimize the time it takes to grieve over it. So let us be gracious one to another and allow “some days” to mourn (v. 4 above). Oh, and be gracious to yourself, eh? Your thoughts.

Scriptures to Renew Your Thoughts

Jesus wept. — John 11:35 (NIV)

Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. — 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14 (NIV)

and [Herod] had John beheaded in the prison. … John’s disciples came and took his body and buried it. Then they went and told Jesus. When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place …. — Matthew 14:10, 12-13a (NIV)

Heavenly Father, as I give myself time to grieve, open my eyes to the larger perspective. Though I may never fully understand what glory you are getting out of this, I trust that You are Good all the time no matter what. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Pastor Mike

“Stop What You’re Doing”

Date: 01-06-15

Text: — Nehemiah 1:4 — When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven. [NIV84]

The Big Idea: Remove the distractions of the daily grind and pray.

My Thoughts:

Too many of us have very busy schedules, to be sure. We have a lot to do. But we need to take a page out of Nehemiah’s life-book: Stop what we are doing, sit down and pray!

We often excuse ourselves by saying, “Well, they were not as busy as we are today. They didn’t have as much to do.” Oh? Nehemiah was a cupbearer. He was to be at the beck and call of the king. He was possibly over the production of the wine and other drinks the king imbibed. (I do know that the prophet Daniel was super busy administering over 120 regions and their governors; and he stopped & prayed three times a day!) So this excuse doesn’t wash with the Word….

As Lifestyle worshipers we should be more than eager to pray. And sometimes we literally have to stop what we are doing and pray. Remove the distractions of the daily grind and pray. In doing this stopping, we are trusting the Lord, to Whom we pray, to take care of ‘things’ in those few moments we have a conversation with Him. He sure did for Nehemiah. And He will no less attend to your requests and intercession as well.

Now I know that some of you are still saying, “But I can’t stop. If I do, my ‘project’ will fall too far behind.” I know you are thinking this because I do—too frequently, and I know it is a very sad excuse the Lord has been trying to rip from my quiver of excuses for years. Perhaps today is the day, eh? Your thoughts?

Scriptures to Renew Your Thoughts

He said to them, “When you pray, say: “ ‘Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come.

— Luke 11:2 (NIV)

We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all God’s people.

— Colossians 1:3-4 (NIV)

Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before.

— Daniel 6:10 (NIV84)

Heavenly Father, forgive me for feeling that my busyness is more important than seeking Your Face. I have sinned against You by this attitude. I ask the Lord Jesus Christ to bear the consequences of my actions. I ask Him to remove the pain and shame I have caused Your Name. Be that part of my Life that has been disobedient to You. I release myself into Your hands to live in the freedom of the Spirit. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Pastor Mike