Thursday, December 11, 2008

Doing What God Tells You To Do

0 comments Posted by bryan at 12:40 PM

I was reading in Exodus last week and I got to thinking about Moses and his journey with God.  It's ridiculous how Moses saw God (through the burning bush) and talked to God audibly, but when it came down to God telling him to do something (go to Egypt and save the people) he came up w/ all these excuses about how he wasn't equipped for the task. He made excuses about his ability to speak and had a hard time trusting that God was going to be with him through it all. Anyways, it got me thinking. 


Most of us come up with excuses all the time.  God lays something on our hearts that seems pretty awesome, but we start listing our iniquities and short comings in an effort to excuse ourselves from responding and acting.  And these things can range from little 'in the moment' kind of things to big 'this is a big deal' kind of thing.  I'm guilty of this.  God will put it on my heart to do something, but then I just let it slip.  Sometimes I use my short comings as an excuse and other times it's probably just laziness and selfishness.

So how do you know if God's telling you to do something?  I think it varies from person to person.  I know that with me, sometimes God just puts these ideas in my head or gives me these gut reactions to things.  I think for everyone, our conscience plays a huge part in what God wants us to do.  If you have this idea that is pure and right that has potential to help someone and has no gain for you, then it's probable that God wants you to do it.  There are some people out there who supposedly get these "God Ideas" but when it comes down to it, their real motivation is for personal gain.  That is not what God wants out of us.  God didn't send Moses back to Egypt for Moses' sake.  He sent Moses to Egypt because He heard the cry of His people and wanted to save them.  It wasn't about Moses, it was about a people in need of rescue.

It was somewhat encouraging to know that even Moses, who had a visual and tangible experience with God, struggled to do what God was telling him to do.  But it's not an excuse to not do the things God wants us to do.  We need to listen to what God wants us to do, and trust that He will be right there with us. So whatever God puts on your heart to do, do it courageously because God wants you to give it your all and do it with faith knowing that if He has charged you with the task, He'll be right there to see you through it too.

 

Labels: , , , , , , , ,

Thursday, November 20, 2008

What Does Jesus Want From Me?

1 comments Posted by bryan at 3:44 PM

If you care... I wrote the following post while on a plane on my way back from Dallas, TX where I attended the Lead Now conference which focused on leaders of next generation ministries.  A lot of it is just personal convictions and thoughts that were going through my head as I traveled back home.  Enjoy.



So... Do we know what we really want? Who do we aim to please?  I often fall into a slump and pursue the approval of people and not that of God.  I’m hesitant to say things that God has laid upon my heart and also hesitant to do the things God has put on my heart to do.  In Ephesians 6 you can make the conclusion that “if we pursue the approval of men, we will not get the approval of God.”  I’m tired of living in a Christian realm where everyone needs to coexist happily and never be offended.  If we do and say the things that God wants us to say and do, then we will upset people and offend people.  Jesus knows how this goes.  He said things that caused people to leave him and walk away and then he turns to the disciples, the twelve guys that followed him everywhere and asks “Do you want to go with them?”  HA!  Jesus knew that the approval of men was not his priority.  If Jesus led a local church today, how many would commit to go to his church?  I hope many, but realistically I think few.  Jesus significantly raises the bar for people who follow him.  People aren’t willing to make the sacrifices that Jesus tells us to make.  But nonetheless, we’ve americanized Christianity to meet the consumer.  Let’s limit the sacrifice and be careful about what we say and do so that more people will come.

The early church, the first ones that guys like Peter and Paul planted understood what was going on in the beginning.  People joined the church knowing that there were groups seeking out these “church members” so that they could execute them.  They were willing to sacrifice their lives at any moment for the Lord they loved and followed.  What do we sacrifice to be a part of His church today?  A couple of extra hours of sleep on Sunday mornings?  Our golf outings?  What’s even more sad is that the people who do sacrifice their Sunday mornings for church, for more than half of them, that’s the only sacrifice they make.  They are not engaging themselves in community with other believers throughout the week.  They are not studying the word of God  Monday thru Saturday.  They don’t communicate with God in prayer the other 6 days of the week.

What for?!  Is Jesus going to spew us out like he does the church mentioned in Revelation?  Is he going to look at us face to face and say “Get away from me. I never knew you.”?

I want to give Jesus my all.  My heart, my dreams, my pains, and shames.  I want to be filled with courage to live the way that He has called me to, no matter what that means.  If it is something that the Holy Spirit has laid upon my heart to do or say, then I will do and say it.  I don’t care about what people think of me anymore.  I want the approval of Jesus and no one else.

 

Labels: , , , , , , , , ,

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Life & Death: The Loss of a Friend

0 comments Posted by bryan at 3:51 PM

Last weekend was a hard one for me, as it was for a lot of people who lost what I lost. Last weekend I drove down to Knoxville, TN for the funeral of one greatest of guys I have ever known. His name is Jim.


On September 11 of this year, Jim went in for a stress test and passed out while enduring the test. Doctors monitoring him were unable to revive him.  He was a big, 66 year old guy.  While his death was shocking, his life was extraordinary.  And I say that from the two last years of his life, which were the only years I knew Jim.

Here is some history about Jim and some stories to let you see who Jim is.

Jim had married his wife Lucinda, who is equally a great woman whom I love very much, after they met/dated in college at Tennessee Tech.  Jim and Lucinda had a daughter of their own and also adopted a son.  Jim and his family led the lifestyle of a military family.  In the military you are often told "If you want to move up (in rank), you must move around (the country)."  So they moved all over the place and Jim moved up to the rank of Colonel.  The opportunity came to Jim to move one more time and in return, attain the rank of General. If you know anything about rank in the military, you know that this is a huge deal.  After talking it over with the family, Jim turned down the opportunity so that his children could experience some stability and finish high school at the current school.

When I moved out to the Quad Cities to lead the jr. high & high school student ministries at Bettendorf Christian Church, it didn't take long for me to meet Jim and Lucinda.  At this point in their lives, Jim was working as a civilian at the Rock Island Arsenal for the army. When I arrived, Jim and Lucinda were already active in the student ministry on-goings. Jim taught the high school class on Sunday mornings and they both were active in the weekly youth group program.  My first reaction, not vocal of course, was "what's this old dude doing hanging out with teenagers?"  I would soon find out.

When they first arrived at BCC, before I had graduated and moved out here, they randomly showed up to the high school class on Sunday morning. It wasn't random for them, but it was for everyone else.  Evidently they just came into the class and sat in the back and as class was getting ready to start, the guy teaching it saw them and told them "The class for the 'Young at Heart' is down the hall."  Which translates as "the class for the old geezers is not in here."  Jim responded by saying something along the lines of "Oh we know. We're in here on purpose."

Once I met Jim, we clicked instantly.  We got along great.  Our friendship means so much to me.  The time that he took to spend with me, to pray with me, to encourage me, and to mentor me will never be forgotten. 

That was the start of the Jim Jobe era at BCC.  A movement that many people and churches experience over his lifetime.

Jim's adopted purpose in life was to mentor young people and make sure he did what he could to show them Jesus. Jim would love on you like no other. He was constantly emailing, calling, texting, writing on Facebook walls, doing anything he could to encourage and be there for those who needed it.  You couldn't escape his hugs, nor did you want to because they were the best.  I can't wait till my next Jim Jobe hug.  It was obvious how much he mentored young guys throughout his life at his funeral.  Most people I talked to had stories of how Jim just came along side of them and was there for them through everything.

Jim went where a lot of people are afraid to go.  He was self sacrificing and would do anything for anyone who needed it.  Including driving 1,000 miles to be at someone's side who needed it. Or picking up a kid in the middle of the night because they couldn't stay under their own roof.  The stories are endless.  And Jim did it all because he loved Jesus with everything he had.

I talked to the minister who conducted the Jim's funeral.  He was an older minister (like late 50's or early 60's) at a large baptist church outside of Knoxville, TN who said he has done tons of funerals.  Currently he conducts around 20-30 funerals a year. He expressed how difficult it was to do funerals of people who didn't know Jesus and funerals of people whom he didn't know if they knew Jesus or not.  But it was a joy to be a part of Jim's because everyone who knew Jim knew how important his 'PR' (personal relationship) with Christ was.

Jim showed us how it was done.  Most people don't do in a lifetime what Jim Jobe did in a year.

It is without a doubt, that I know that Jim is in heaven.  He is walking on streets of gold.  He has seen the people that loved and followed Jesus across time. He has worshiped Jesus in the throne room.  And he has seen the face of God. 

Here's to you Jim!  I can't wait to see you again!  Love you man!


 

Labels: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Thursday, August 21, 2008

A Heart for the City

4 comments Posted by bryan at 1:51 PM

I'm taking some time reading through the book of Nehemiah.  It's a story I've heard and studied previously, but none the less I am still blown away.  I'm two chapters in right now.  For those who don't know, the book of Nehemiah is written by Nehemiah and it reads like it is his own personal journal or diary.  


When the book starts Nehemiah has a pretty responsible position in the Persian government and his heart aches for his city Jerusalem.  Jerusalem had been destroyed about 140 years earlier. When he hears how the walls of Jerusalem are in ruins and that the people who are there are really struggling he breaks down and weeps for the city.

How many of us that love Jesus have that kind of passion about our city.  Do we weep over our cities?  I've heard a lot of 'Christians' talk about our world with the "it's on it's way to hell in a hand basket" kind of approach, but they don't care and they don't do anything about it besides complain.  Nehemiah broke down and wept for his city, then he responded by praying and fasting and asking God to give him the means and put him in a position to do something about it.

So how much do you care for your city?  My heart breaks for the students that are in the Quad Cities area where I am an youth minister.  I pray that God uses me here and that I would be faithful to trust God and do what he tells me.  

Mark Driscoll is a pastor at Mars Hill Church in Seattle, which is one of the least church cities in the country.  He grew up there not following Jesus, was introduced to Jesus and fell in love with him.  In his 20's he started a church because he loved Jesus and he loved his city.  And now their church is making a difference in Seattle because they are missionaries to the city that they love and live in.

Sometimes, I can lack compassion and initiative.  Not to the point of not caring at all or being totally lazy, but enough to limit myself when something needs to be done.  My prayer is that God would let compassion and love for my city overflow from me and that I would have the initiative to respond to God by serving the city and making a difference.  I truly love the city and I want the people in the city to know Jesus.

Maybe we should all take some time and weep over our cities and then respond by letting God radically work through us to touch the lives of the people in our cities.

 

Labels: , , , , , , , , , ,

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

so...

6 comments Posted by bryan at 4:37 PM

So... I have now entered the blogging world.  I have been pondering whether or not to for awhile now and finally figured 'why not?'  My intent in doing this, is to help my thought process, get feedback from others, and ultimately to hopefully engage in conversations that will heighten my understanding of God, church, and spirituality.  While most of my posts will probably be on the spiritual side, I may throw out some on sports as well.


But hey!  I don't even know if anyone is going to read this thing.  And if that's the case, I guess it will just help me to think things out through putting them into words.

Being a jr. high & high school minister, I teach at least once a week.  And I can see a lot of my posts on this blog stemming from the topics I will be teaching on.  Blogging on those topics will most definitely help me work through my thoughts as I prepare to teach.  I will probably also write some on books I'm reading, experiences I have, as well as the occasional sport write up.

So if there is anyone out there that wants to read... PLEADE DO!  I'd really appreciate receiving comments on my posts to.  So, by all means, subscribe to my blog and come along with me as I take this journey.

 

Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)