Hitting the Wall

God’s love for us is so large…

His grace for us seems inconceivable…

The blessings He has planned for us are incredible!

Until that wonderful day when I surrendered my heart to Jesus, I was unfazed by the vocabulary of evangelical Christians. Simple terms, like ‘grace’ or ‘blessing’, had no greater meaning for me than their dictionary definitions. Certainly, the term ‘mountaintop experience’ was an empty expression I was quick to scoff at or ridicule. How ironic that the moment I accepted Christ as my Savior, God would bless me with one of those mountaintop experiences.

Try to contemplate being lifted so high as to see beyond your imagination! Imagine standing at the pinnacle and seeing the world connected in ways you can barely comprehend. Imagine being at such a height that there were no limits or boundaries. Imagine being at such a dizzying height, but secure, and at peace, and in God’s presence. Until it happened to me, I could not have imagined anything close to that experience.

And yet, it seems that many Christians who are raised up in the faith have not received such an experience. Perhaps it is only those of us who, like Doubting Thomas, require some special intervention. I imagine myself as having been to the mountaintop, but I did not get to stay there. In the here-and-now, I’m right back with all believers: delivered out of bondage by Christ, and now moving ever toward a deeper relationship with God. Though I may be off the mountaintop, I can clearly see the incomprehensible mountain of God’s love, blessings, and grace.

Now, go with this picture of a mountain of grace, and love, and blessings for a moment. It’s easy to move forward toward a more meaningful relationship with God, as long as we keep the mountain in sight.

Satan, however, doesn’t want us to be moving toward God. So, he throws up barriers in front of us to try and stop us or turn us away from God. We may be moving toward God in one moment, and suddenly… BAM… we hit a wall! “Ouch… that hurt!” That’s our natural reaction. Now, since we are right up against it, we cannot see anything but the wall. All we see are the impenetrable stones that have stopped us. We can’t see God’s mountain of grace anymore because there’s a wall in the way; it’s not a very high wall, but it blocks our view. After a while, if we just focus on the wall, Satan will convince us that we are supposed to go no further. Once we give in to that, we might then be convinced that we should even go back to where we first started… it’s an easy and wide path back to where we were.

We all hit walls. Satan is pretty equal opportunity when it comes to stopping us from moving toward God. What walls have you hit? Are you up against a wall right now? One of the most formidable walls that Satan erects is one that just seems temporary. Then Satan comes along and tries to convince you that you are not worthy, since you have lost sight of God.

This is exactly why we need fellowship; why we need to travel through life together as believers in Christ. When a wall of despair is thrown up in front of me, my brothers and sisters in Christ help me over. When I crash into a wall of hopelessness, they lead me around. And when I’m inches away from a wall of sin, they support me with their prayers, they strengthen me with their encouragement, and they carry me right through the barrier as if it wasn’t even there… on their faith. In fellowship, in love, and in Christ, we can all reach the mountaintop… together.

I’ll see you during the climb this week.

Your brother in Christ,

Dave Hoag

Good News Ministry

The other day, I was with some friends, studying the Bible. We had recently completed reading through the Gospel of John, and were starting to delve into the Gospel of Mark. Immediately, right from the first chapter, we were struck by the simplicity and the urgency of Jesus’ ministry.

14After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. 15"The time has come," he said. "The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!"

16As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 17"Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men." 18At once they left their nets and followed him. 19When he had gone a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat, preparing their nets. 20Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.

Mark 1:14-20)

In verse 14, Jesus started his ministry. He didn’t need special training, or a doctorate of divinity from the Sanhedrin Seminary. Equipped ONLY with the good news of God, he went into the world. When he called people to follow him, they too, needed no special training, no degrees, no rituals or prayers to recite, and no release forms to sign. The invitation from Jesus was a simple call: “Come, follow me.” Immediately, at once, and without delay they dropped what they were doing, left family, friends, and community… and followed Jesus.

21They went to Capernaum, and when the Sabbath came, Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach. 22The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law.

(Mark 1:21-22)

Teaching in the synagogue was nothing new. There were plenty of teachers willing to give their interpretation of the law. The people were amazed at Jesus’ teaching because he taught from the authority of God’s word; not interpretation, not the laws of the synagogue, and certainly not the laws and traditions imposed by people who were looking to bolster their own importance or position.

29As soon as they left the synagogue, they went with James and John to the home of Simon and Andrew. 30Simon's mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they told Jesus about her. 31So he went to her, took her hand, and helped her up. The fever left her and she began to wait on them.

32That evening after sunset the people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon-possessed. 33The whole town gathered at the door, 34and Jesus healed many who had various diseases. He also drove out many demons...

(Mark 1:29-34)

Ever have a fever? A fever pretty much incapacitates you, and you usually don’t know (or care) about what is happening around you. Jesus simply took the hand of Simon’s mother-in-law and helped her up. Immediately, the fever left her and she began to wait on them. Now, you can think: “how chauvinistic,” but you would be wrong. Over and over again, Jesus tried to impress the importance of us becoming servants. Jesus had just healed her, so it is natural to assume that she would want to wait on him, but the Bible clearly shows that she waited on all of them… in receiving the healing power of Christ, she naturally wanted to serve… everyone!

If you live in this world, you are likely to be sick or demon possessed at one time or another. None of us are perfect, and all of us are under constant attack. A cruel word or deed can wound your heart more seriously than a wound you can see. Which of us has not been attacked by the demons of jealousy, pride, addiction, or fear? Which of our friends or family have never sustained such attacks? Mark says that the whole town gathered at the door. Jesus brought the good news, but he never forced it on anyone. As word spread, it took less than a day for the entire town to come to Jesus. I wonder if WE could be bold enough to tell people that they can hear Jesus preach the good news into their hearts. What would it be like to have the whole of OUR town gather at the door to our church?

Notice that Jesus taught in the synagogue, but he healed in the home. Don’t be shy inviting him into YOUR home! Pray that people want to gather at YOUR door… because they know that a new life in Christ awaits them on the other side of the threshold. See you on Sunday… in OUR church home.

Your brother in Christ, Dave Hoag

Olympic Spirit

I love watching the Olympics… from the amazing opening ceremonies, to the thrilling competitions, to the emotional medal ceremonies, all the way through to the closing ceremony with its hope and challenge for the future.

Yet it seems that so many commentators (and many of my friends) have a hard time focusing on anything but the negative aspects of the Olympic Games. Who in the world doesn’t know that the beautiful little girl who sang during the opening was actually lip-syncing for a girl with better pipes… but who was deemed not cute enough? The amazing fireworks… it turns out they were digitally enhanced. So many controversies: the actual age of gymnasts, scoring irregularities, people displaced to make room for a sterile Olympic environment, doping accusations, and so much more. As always, people persist in looking for the splinter in their neighbor’s eye, while ignoring the log in their own eye.

I started off on this Olympic theme because of a comment by my good friend, Monica. She mentioned how Olympic athletes train for competition; specifically how swimmer Michael Phelps eats somewhere in the neighborhood of 12,000 calories per day! That’s 4-6 times what most of us take in on a daily basis. Of course, he burns all of those calories training 5 hours every day, and unless you’ve been hiding under a rock, you’ve seen what that training can accomplish: 8 Olympic Gold Medals (in just these games). Monica drew the analogy that if we exercise and grow our faith more, we need to be nourished more… spiritually! She graciously suggested that this blog is one opportunity, but there are so many more ways that we can train, and grow, and be strengthened, and… be nourished by the power of God’s Holy Spirit.

Think of all the ways that you might enhance your spiritual training beyond Sunday worship; you could (deep breath):

• Add your voice to the choir;
• Join a prayer group;
• Participate in Bible Study;
• Volunteer your talents;
• Serve on a committee or counsel;
• Pray for someone;
• Give joyfully;
• Turn away from sinful habits;
• Share the Good News with a hurting world;
• Be open to new spiritual growth opportunities.

(I bet you can think of many other ways).

For me, I will continue to train. I will continue to run the race. For me, there is no Olympic medal stand, but for every spiritual victory I will delight in the glory of God. I won’t wrap myself in a flag of some nation… but I will be covered in the love, and forgiveness, and salvation of Jesus Christ.

I’ll see you on the practice field! Your brother in Christ,

Dave

Lessons from a Birthday Boy

Today, my little grandson turned “one”. My wife and daughters could not let the momentous occasion pass without a celebration, so family and friends gathered at our house to celebrate Jeffrey’s very first birthday. I must admit, I had a lot more fun than I thought I would. My wife, Patti, and my daughters, Jennifer (Jeffrey’s mom) and Wendy, did a fantastic job of creating a fun party atmosphere, providing food and drink, and surprising everybody with games that were fun and creative, and where Jeffrey was a part of the game. Everyone participated, and everyone had a great time… especially little Mr. Birthday Boy!

Having a baby in the house is an even bigger upheaval than the earthquake I wrote about last week. LOL! It has also been a very great blessing for me and Patti to be a part of his “growing up”. Surprisingly, babies have a lot to teach us. I know that many people do not have an agent of chaos (a baby) in their home, so… this week my prayer is that I can share with you what my grandson has taught me.

I pray that you let babies teach you…

How to laugh with joy and abandon,
How to delight in each new discovery,
How to love with no restrictions or limits,
How to grow and learn every single day,

And most of all, that you let babies teach you…
How YOU, like tiny babies… are a blessing and a gift from God!

May blessings and love fill your home and surround your family… in Jesus’ name.

Your brother in Christ,

Dave Hoag

Upheaval

This past Tuesday, July 29, 2008 at 11:42 am, a magnitude 5.4 earthquake occurred on a fault 8 miles below the surface of Chino Hills, California. The epicenter is only 5 miles north of where I live, so the cities of Placentia (where I live), Brea, and Yorba Linda (where the church is) were pretty much at ground zero. The experts say that the Chino Hills earthquake was caused by thrust and sinistral strike-slip faulting. The experts aside, what it felt like was a big hand slamming into the side of the house!

Everything in our house that was on a north or south facing wall, and wasn’t bolted down, went flying. Shelves and cupboards emptied themselves, drawers opened, pictures tilted or fell, and bookcases went down. I don’t know if your bookcases are anything like ours, but our bookcases are pretty full of stuff… er, were pretty full of stuff. When they topple over, they pretty much avalanche down to the floor. Bookcases with doors on them did little to keep the contents from spilling across the room. What a mess! We are still going through it all.

The earth was in upheaval for a few seconds, but our lives have been in upheaval for days. People look at the photographs of the state our house is in and say: “How terrible.” I look at the situation and say: “Look how God has blessed us!”

When the earthquake occurred, my wife Patti was in Fullerton and I was in Irvine. We experienced the quake as a moderate “jolt” or “bump.” My daughter Jennifer, and our grandson Jeffrey (who is not quite a year old) were in the car… running errands. None of us were at home. None of us were injured by flying encyclopedias, toppling bookcases, or breaking glass. Look how God has blessed us!

Sure, cleanup is a chore, but that has proven to be a blessing, too. As we sift through the wreckage on the floor, we comment: “Why had I been holding on to this thing?” Many useless things that were weighing us down, now broken by upheaval, are now more easily cast into the trash. Useful things, once lost at the back of a shelf or cabinet, are rediscovered. On the very top on one pile in my office, I found a $300 airline voucher I thought was lost forever. Look how God has blessed us!

Look at the great heroes of the Bible: often, they were closest to God during the times of greatest upheaval. When God rocks your world, are you looking to Him? Do you curse your misfortune, or do you see the opportunities God is shaking loose for you? “Here I am, Lord! Shake me loose from sin and apathy. Anchor me to the rock of your salvation. Cause an upheaval in my soul that delights in your Holy Spirit. Let me reflect your power, your peace, and your love to a lost and broken world… in Jesus’ name.”

Your brother in Christ, Dave