Life can be full of different emotion.  One day its your birthday and one news can seem to change everything about being happy.  I will not let my feeling dictate my belief.  I will not let any news change the good news.  Lord may you be my joy and my strength. I believe it and I embrace it. 

 

Our family had a wonderful time in Las Vegas.  Its always good to be back at your home town.  However, the drive back was long.  Really long... It took us 12 hours to get back home.  What a drive... When we got home we got greeted with a baby rattle snake at our front door.  It must have been less than 12 inches.  But I did read that baby snakes are actually more dangerous than adult snakes because they dont know how to control their venom.  Well, we were not about to find out.  As we apporached the door his tail rattled and was ready to attach.  It was very frightening experience especially with my kids around.  I am reminded what CS Lewis said "The lions roar because they know what we have done to their Lord."  Sin not only seperated us from God but also to man and even to the creatures in the world.  Oh I long for true restoration...

Its Monday and i am already thinking about my Sunday sermon.  Eph. 3 talks about dealing with discouragements.  I can imagine church of Ephesus finding out that their beloved pastor is in prison.  How do you deal with that kind of discouragement.  

Yesterday was father's day and though most people celebrate this wonderful day there are many who find father's day discouraging. I am sure King David had his share as well.

The Bible tells the story of David, who would one day ascend to the throne as king of Israel But he was just a little shepherd boy caring for his sheep in the wilderness when God sent a prophet named Samuel to his home with a stunning message: God had hand-chosen him to be the future king of Israel.

Sadly, David's dad, Jesse, wasn't too proud of his red-haired, fair-skinned boy. David liked to pull out his guitar (or whatever stringed instrument they played in those days) and sing songs about and to God. He was a musician and a poet.

But for whatever reason, David's dad was more proud of his other seven sons than he was of David, his youngest. When Samuel arrived in town Jesse brought out the magnificent seven for the prophet to examine. As Samuel eyed each one, the Lord whispered "no" in his ear. But the prophet knew something was up, because God had clearly shown him that this future king would come from Jesse's house

So Samuel asked Jesse if he had any other sons. Somewhat embarrassed, Jesse acknowledged young David, saying, "There remains yet the youngest, and there he is, keeping the sheep."

This phrase "the youngest" doesn't just mean David was less in years then the others. It also meant that he was least in his father's estimation. In fact, Jesse wouldn't have even included him if Samuel hadn't specifically asked. Receiving the surprise summons, young David came bounding in from the field with youthful enthusiasm. And David's Father in heaven said, "That's my boy!"

 

 

What an amazing service we had last Sunday.  I was reflecting on the message I preached and kept thinking about figs and fig leaves.  When Adam and Eve sinned they covered themselves with fig leaves.  I find it interesting that figs generally represents blessing in the bible.  What an ironic for Adam and Eve to cover themselves with just the leaves.  Disobedience... settling with just the leaves...

I am praying and studying and excited about our new series.  "The Beginning"  I remember when we first planted our church.  I had no idea what I was doing :-)  Nervous and fearful... and yet hopeful.  Starting a new thing is a strange thing...  The beginning was very simple.  Paul leading worship by himself with three people in the congregation.  I guess that's what this series is for me.  Falling in love with simplicity.  Our church has become complex (complexity is a good thing) but sometimes being simple reminds us the simplicity of God's Love.  So would you take on a journey with me to go back to the beginning. 

We all have certainly understood and dealt with very deep conflicting powerful sometimes-warring dynamic imposes of feeling that rolls through our hearts.  

We feel helpless.

We don’t know why we feel this way and cannot seem to grasp any answer to this wounded spirit.

HAVE YOU FELT THE WOUNDED SPIRIT?

In Proverbs 18:14 it says, “Man’s spirit sustains him in sickness, but a crushed spirit who can bear?”

Now what does the word "spirit" means?

In Hebrew the word spirit literally means the word “wind” and whenever the word “wind” is used in the Old Testament it has to do with force, power, energy.  

 

When it is referring to human inner being human spirit/wind is what we refer today as emotional energy.  

A passion for life that makes us want to life.

So what’s a crush spirit?

Crush spirit is to look at life and have no desire for it and to have little or no joy in it.  To have no passion to deal with life and of course, there ­­­are different degrees of crush spirit from restlessness to discouragement; to despond to 

losing all desires to live.

Now what is this proverb saying?

There is nothing more important than maintaining your inner being.  

Many American's spend too much money and time worrying about our body and appearance but what the Bible teaches us here is that nothing is more important than taking care of your spirit.

When it says.

Proverbs 18:14: “man’s spirit sustains him in sickness, but a crushed spirit who can bear?”

Here is what it is saying, a broken body can be sustain with difficulty with strong spirit 

But crush or broken spirit can never be sustained or carried by the strongest body of all.

This is what this proverb is saying; we human beings are obsessed with the idea that happiness is determined by external circumstances.

Dietary, physical fitness and even plastic surgery are all Billion-dollar industry. 

WHY?

 

Because an average Americans believe that our happiness is determined by rather our body is healthy, the way we looks and feel, 

rather we have money rather people are treating us right,.  The things that’s going on outside, that’s what makes us happy.

But bible says no, it has nothing to do with our circumstances.  Happiness is how you deal with circumstances from inside.

 

But the Bible teaches us taking care of your spirit must be priority. 

 

How do we do that? (to be continued...)

 

 

Is yoga appropriate for the Christian?John MacArthur, anti-emerging pastor of Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California, says no. Doug Pagitt, emerging pastor of Solomon’s Porch in Minneapolis, Minnesota, says yes. Both pastors participated in a brief CNN discussion on Prime News with Mike Galanos.

I think MacArthur nails it. Here’s the heart of the discussion:

 

MacArthur: In the big picture, why would Christians want to borrow an expression from a false religion, from pantheism (god is everything, you’re god, everything is god), when we believe there’s only one true God (the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ). Why would we need to import that? If you want to exercise, exercise. But why borrow a term that has been part of a false religion for centuries?

. . .

Pagitt: Well, for people who perform yoga, what they’re normally trying to do is to find a whole and complete and healed life. So when people participate in yoga, most of them aren’t on some kind of a yoga agenda. What they’re trying to do is use whatever practices they can find that would help them have a whole and complete life. And for a Christian, that’s certainly what we’re after. The Jesus agenda is a whole life, is a complete life, is a healed life. So when people use it to relieve stress, to be healthy in their relationships, to feel good in their body, that’s a really good thing.

In fact, there’s a great little verse in the New Testament where it says, “Whatever is good, whatever is right, whatever is noble, whatever is praiseworthy, think upon such things.” And for so many of us, yoga has been one of those ‘whatevers’ that’s such a positive thing in our life.

. . .

MacArthur: Well, let me just respond to what I’ve been hearing. That doesn’t sound anything like Christianity. If you want a whole life, if you want your life to be what it should be, you don’t put yourself in some weird physical position, empty your mind, center on yourself and try to relieve your stress. You go to the word of God, to the gospel of Jesus Christ, you embrace in faith the sacrifice of Christ in his death and resurrection as your savior and redeemer. God comes, regenerates you, transforms your life, makes you a new creation, and you’re saved and you’re on your way to heaven, and you can live a life of peace and joy. That’s the promise of the gospel. There is no contribution made to that by any physical position or any kind of meditation.

The idea of Christianity is to fill your mind with biblical truth and focus on the God who is above you. That’s Christian worship. The idea of yoga is to fill your mind with nothing except to focus on yourself and try to find the god that is inside of you. From a Christian viewpoint, that’s a false religion. Exercise is a different issue.

Amen. Thank you, Dr. MacArthur, for your commitment to the Scripture, to the gospel, and to biblical Christianity.

It has been a while since I have posted here at this site. I would say that in light of all the traveling and working and serving I find that I am not resting. 

In fact, I am certain, that like many of you, that my week only increased in speed as God tested my understanding and commitment to resting in God. I am praying for each of you to learn like I am learning to rest more in the nature of God and rest less in my own strength.  I find even in resting I am doing... 

Are you resting?

 

In four hours 20 of us will be heading down to San Diego for two nights of worship, drama, message, and prayer.  I cannot contain my excitement for the city.  Please keep all of us in prayer.

 

I think there is power in story.  Jesus told stories.  Stories that changed lives and the way we look at God.  Our new series is called "The Footsteps of Jesus" as we look at the life and the stories Jesus told.  I am exited to uncover and discover the wonderful stores of Jesus for our church.