Renewal

Very likely, by the time you read this, it will be a new year; 2012. So, let me start off by conforming to centuries of tradition and wish you a happy, prosperous, and healthy New Year.

Every year, people make New Year’s resolutions… to stop smoking, get more education, lose weight… as many, and as varied resolutions as there are people (times a WHOLE bunch). Often, the resolutions are the reiteration of resolutions from past years that usually didn’t last more than a couple of weeks. Perhaps we need to look at resolutions differently.

Let’s change our vocabulary. Change ‘resolution’ to ‘renewal’.

Resolutions depend on our resolve… which is notoriously weak, completely dependent on our will, and often weakened by stressful circumstances. How many times have we resolved to start a new habit (or stop an old one), only to completely abandon the resolution’s good intentions at the slightest bump in the road?

Renewal is a different story altogether. Think about all the successful renewals in your life. You might renew a magazine subscription, auto insurance, a commitment to charitable giving, or health insurance. In each case, you renew a commitment and someone else renews their commitment to you… on an on-going, continuous, and mutually beneficial basis.

As I was thinking and writing about this, I received a Jews for Jesus newsletter that completed my musings in a far better way than I had originally planned. I have renewed my support of the Jews for Jesus ministry year after year and they bless me through their newsletter with their ministry news, their zeal, their evangelical fire, and their incredible faith in God and Jesus Christ as our sovereign Lord. In Remember to Renew, the cover article of the Jews for Jesus January 2012 newsletter, Executive Director David Brickner seemed to finish my thoughts about renewal (quite wonderfully, in fact). He also makes a profound comment about struggles and disappointments that I found to be just what I needed.

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Renewal is not only a matter of the mind, but also of the heart. We remember the past because it builds our faith to recall what God has done. We need that faith in order to be transformed and renewed. Renewal is not to occur only once a year with a New Year’s resolution or two. It is a daily response to God as He calls us to present ourselves as living sacrifices as in Romans 12.

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”  – Romans 12: 1-2

The problem with living sacrifices is that they tend to wriggle off the altar! We need to bind ourselves to that altar with cords of love and trust in the One who sacrificed Himself for us. We need God’s renewal in our lives to stir up fresh dedication, new commitment, and the kind of faith that enables us to see a future that is brighter than our past. I want that renewal. I want to remain on that altar for Jesus. That is my commitment before the Lord…

Maybe this past year has held struggles and disappointments. Perhaps there are physical problems for which there is no relief in sight. Do not lose heart, but remember that even though we are perishing outwardly, inside we are being renewed day by day. And our light momentary affliction is working a far heavier weight of glory that will last forever and ever (see Corinthians 4:16-17).

As we enter 2012, I invite you, dear friends, to remember and renew your relationship with the Lord Jesus.

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To David Brickner’s words, I say: “AMEN!” And if you don’t yet have a relationship with Jesus, I invite you to accept the gift of salvation, joy, and peace that Jesus freely offers to every person. That’s EVERY person. That includes you… even if you don’t believe. See me on our campus on Sunday, or contact me if you need to know more.

And, once again: Happy New Year!  It’s my prayer that 2012 be the year you begin a lifelong renewal in the Lord!

Your brother in Christ,

Dave

FYI: Jews for Jesus exists to make the Messiahship of Jesus an unavoidable issue to Jewish people worldwide.

You can find out more about their ministry online at: jewsforjesus.org

Alive in Your Loss – Untitled Hymn

Christmas is near.

Of course, search engines have little respect for time, place, or situations… focusing, as they do, merely on the keywords you have supplied them. Loss (read: death) is no respecter of time, place, or situation. And sometimes, a shared holiday tradition will hit us with a sharp reminder of a loss… be it recent, or something you thought was dealt with long ago.

As Christians, we should never trivialize loss. It’s very real. It hurts, and I am sorry for the loss that has brought you here today.

Chris Rice sings a moving song called:

Untitled Hymn (Come to Jesus)

It will touch your heart, and might give you some peace. I’ve attached a beautiful video (with lyrics) of the song that Chris Rice first released in 2003.

The song’s lyrics invite us to go to Jesus in a variety of ways. I find that I have come to Jesus singing… I have fallen on Jesus… I have cried to Jesus… I have danced to Jesus…  and at the end of MY days, I pray that I will fly to Jesus… and live!

How have you come to Jesus? Be mindful that each way YOU come to Jesus is reflected out to a lost and hurting world. The world is seeking answers, reassurance, and salvation… that can only happen when they come to Jesus… and live!

Your brother in Christ,

Dave

2011 Christmas Card

Christmas Eve is fast upon us!

This year, we have 4 Christmas Eve worship services scheduled (3:30, 5:00, 8:00, and 9:30 pm). Christmas Day falls on a Sunday this year, so we will have just one worship service (with Communion) at 10:00 am on Sunday.  If you are in our neighborhood, consider yourself invited. You don’t need to be a member, you don’t need to bring anything, you don’t need anything at all… just come and join us as we give thanks to God for the greatest Christmas gift of all!

I’ve started handing out my Christmas cards to everybody that I can connect with. This year I’m allowing for more time for this, as I’m hobbled a bit by a torn tendon in my left ankle. I usually hand out 500 cards each Christmas, so please be patient with me as I offer you a card… for the fifth or sixth time. I don’t keep a list. As a matter of fact, I will extend my Christmas message to everyone I see during this season… at the market, pumping gas, at work, at the post office… everywhere. This blog allows me to connect with a few other people, too. If you are one of them, here is this year’s Christmas card from me:

Front:

Sweet Christmastime…

Inside:

O Come, O Come…
Sweet Christmastime to Me

By David Alan Hoag – December 1, 2011
(sung to O Come, O Come Emmanuel)

O come, o come… sweet Christmastime to me
I want to see my grandkids trim the tree
I want to walk through bright streets of light
And like a child renew my lost delight.
O come…
O come…
Sweet Christmastime to me
And change my heart to what it ought to be.

O come, o come… sweet Christ child unto Earth
Again renew the promise of your birth
You come to us in meekness, not might
That we might move from darkness to light.
O come…
O come…
Sweet Christ child unto Earth
In me renew the promise of your birth.

According to that most accurate of sources, the Internet, the words to the favorite O Come, O Come Emmanuel carol were originally written in Latin in the 12th Century. The author of the words and composer to the music of O Come, O Come Emmanuel is unknown. It is, however believed that the melody was of French origin and added to the text a hundred years later. The Latin was translated into English by John Mason Neale in 1851. It seems a rather long gestation period for any song, but I suppose they wanted to get it just right! And now, in 2011, I add 2 verses of my own. Enjoy.

Blessings to you and your family, as you celebrate God’s love at Christmas time.

My prayer is that the peace, love, and joy that come from the salvation through Jesus Christ… be yours at Christmas, and all through the year.

Your brother in Christ,

Dave Hoag

Where’s the Line to See Jesus?

Becky Kelly has recorded a beautiful song that every Christian should hear and reflect upon. Listen to her perform, watch the video, and then read Becky’s story about the song.

About the song (from Becky’s site):

While at the mall a couple of years ago, my then four year old nephew, Spencer, saw kids lined up to see Santa Claus. Having been taught as a toddler that Christmas is the holiday that Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus, he asked his mom, "where's the line to see Jesus?"

My sister mentioned this to my dad, who immediately became inspired and jotted words down to a song in just a few minutes. After putting music to the words, and doing a quick recording at home, he received a great response from friends. He sent the song off to Nashville without much response, except for a Christian song writer who suggested adding a bridge at the end of the first chorus. My dad then asked if I wanted to record the song to see what we could do with it. I listened to the song, made a few changes to the words to make it flow better, and we headed to Shock City Studios.

It was at the studio where Chris, owner and producer, rewrote the 2nd verse and part of the chorus... with goose bumps and emotions high, we were all hopeful and felt like we had something special. The demo was recorded in just under 2 hours and sent off again to Nashville... still no response.

Then 2 weeks before Christmas last year, my cousins Greg and Robbie decided to do a video to see what we could accomplish on YouTube. The first day we had 3000 hits and it soared from there. We received e-mails, phone calls, Facebook messages from people all over asking for the music, CD's, iTunes, anything... we had nothing'. After a couple of meetings with Chris following the amazing response, we got serious. We headed back into the studio this past spring... this time with guitars, drums, bass, pianos, choirs... the real deal.... and here we are today.

Getting iTunes set up, a website put together, and loving that thousands upon thousands of Christians have come together... remembering the true meaning of Christmas. Out of the mouths of babes come profound truths that many adults cannot understand. Hopefully Spencer's observation will cause people all over to reflect on the love of Jesus, and that one day we will all stand in line to see Him. We are most thankful to our Heavenly Father to have this chance to share our music with you. Merry Christmas everyone!

Jesus IS the reason we celebrate Christmas. Blessings to you this Christmas.

Your brother in Christ,

Dave

P.S.: Want to support Christian songwriting and Christian artists? Then buy a couple of copies of Becky Kelly’s CD to give as gifts… and maybe one to enjoy for yourself. Her official site is at:

http://wheresthelinetoseejesus.com/

One final credit: Where's the Line to See Jesus?
Song and Lyrics by Steve Haupt & Chris Loesch.

Back

Was AFK; now back.

ROFL! I c ur noob face. I’ll xlate…

Most of you reading this (unless my demographic statistics are way off), are going to need some help. Here’s what I said:

"I was Away From my Keyboard (not on the computer; doing other things); but I’m back now (from whatever drew me away).

Rolling On the Floor Laughing! (This is hilarious!) I see your ignorant (as in ‘one who does not yet know’) face. I will translate…"

“Back...” That’s online gaming shorthand for “I have returned from whatever drew me away.” And I’m back writing the blog… at least for now.

In any MMORG (Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game) you are usually connected with many other people, all interacting, chatting, and working with (or against) one another… all within digital worlds of great complexity, danger, and stunning beauty (Like World of Warcraft, RuneScape, Eve, and other MMORPGs). I’ll get back to this theme in a bit.

Though I was AFK for a while, nobody seemed to take much notice. There were no comments on the blog wondering why I wasn’t posting, and while that’s pretty normal for the blogosphere, that nobody in our fellowship at Messiah mentioned anything was a bit surprising… and TBH (To Be Honest)… a little disappointing. To be sure… that the blog now posts on Facebook probably accounts for the almost total lack of comments within the blog. It’s easier to click ‘Like’ than it is to post a continuation of the topic on the blog.

And with over a billion people on Facebook… well, it just makes sense to repost a blog out to a social media stream. Not that I reach anywhere near 1 billion readers. Hahahaha… I’d be happy knowing I had any impact at all. It’s hard to see an impact with automated blog statistics hovering near zero all the time.

Now let’s run some numbers:

NationMaster website reports that the Lutheran population amounts to 104 million people throughout the world; this number includes not only Lutheran Church members, but also people who claim to be Lutheran. If only Lutheran Church members are considered, this number scales down to about 70 million (data provided by the Lutheran World Foundation). Europe is the continent which has the highest number of Lutherans: 66 million; in Germany alone there are about 40 million Lutherans.

Again, according to statistics provided by the NationMaster website, there are about 18 million Lutherans in the US. Even though there are no government surveys on religion, a number of studies suggest that there are 9 million Lutheran-church members in the US and 9 million Americans that claim to be Lutheran but are not members of the Lutheran Church.

Wikipedia states that: “As of December 31, 2009, the ELCA (that’s us) had 4,543,037 baptized members, with 2,527,941 of them counted as active participants in their congregations.”

Therefore, on a post that generates a lot of attention, say 13 hits (100% of this blog’s membership), I manage to reach 0.000005% of Lutherans in the US. LOL! Considered by ANY mathematical standard, that’s a whopping 0%. Woot!!!

Now, let’s get back to online gaming. There are currently upwards of 250 million people playing online games. Last year, online gaming was a $16 billion market…expected to top $30 billion in the next 4 years.

I have written about integrity, honesty, commitment, and faith on several gaming forums (think conversational threads). The language on threads is a whole lot more irreverent and raw than what you will find on our church blogs, but participation is off the chart! People are hurting and searching for meaning in their lives. They may not present themselves at our church’s doorstep, but they are out there! Perhaps you aren’t called to enter the unknown country of online gaming, but you could listen at work… at the coffee shop… at school… or just standing in a holiday checkout line. You don’t have to do much more than listen, and then offer a simple invitation for them to come experience the peace, the music, the prayer, the acceptance, and the love of our fellowship in Christ at Messiah (if you are not a member of Messiah, substitute the name of your church).

YBIC,

Dave

Alive in Our Giftedness

My friend and awesome guitarist, Jeff Askew, shared this with me on Sunday. Watching Jon Gomm play this piece is like watching somebody juggle 7 balls... it seems impossible, yet the performer makes it look so effortless! I'm thankful that some people embrace their God-given talents to bless the rest of us with miraculous moments like this!!!

Follow the God-given dreams of your soul. Often, those that say: “It can’t be done,” are really just saying: “I’ve never done it that way.”

God has made you so amazing, in fact, that the Psalmist puts it this way in the Bible:

“I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.”   - Psalm 139:13-15

Stop seeing the world in terms of limitations. Instead, go out and live up to God’s expectations!

Your brother in Christ,

Dave

A Thanksgiving Spirit

Happy Thanksgiving! Let's try, for one day, to be thankful rather than argumentative. For one day, can we be thankful for our blessings rather than demand that our wants be fulfilled? For one day, can we be thankful for all the people in our lives? For one day, can we love God and love one another? If we can do it for one day, perhaps we would be encouraged to do it for another, and then another, and then… where might thankful hearts take us?

Your brother in Christ,

Dave

Where’s God?

Ever wonder where God is? Does it seem like God never shows up in your life? Do you feel lost or abandoned? Have you given up on finding purpose… for yourself, or even for anything? Well then, I challenge you:

Take 40 minutes to watch the following video with Louie Giglio!

Watch the first 5 minutes, and you will want to see it through to the end. See it through to the end, and you will want to share it. Share it, and you will change a life. Change enough lives, and the world will see… how great is our God!



This is amazing stuff… rocket science, perhaps, but shared in such a way that everyone can grasp the wonder. I urge you… watch this video, as it is wonderful news!

Your brother in Christ,

Dave

Cussing

My niece had another interesting post on Facebook:

“Cussing in a Mormon house = NO-NO.”

In my opinion, cussing should be a NO-NO is every house. Why be coarse and profane when you can say the same thing in a much more intelligent manner? Nobody remembers the sludge flowing from the cesspool, but everyone notices the silver thimble floating atop all that sewage!

That was essentially what I posted in response, but then I got to thinking about it. Obviously, she was visiting a Mormon household, and cussed, swore, or otherwise uttered some profanity… and was then told such behavior was unacceptable in their household. While most Christians don’t agree with Mormon doctrine and teaching, you have to admire their integrity in standing up for the values they believe in.

Why do so many Christians allow profanity, cursing, and vulgarities to come out of their mouths? Why do they allow it in their homes? Why do they tolerate it from their children? Why? The Bible tells us not to swear oaths and not to take the Lord’s name in vain… yet, the world around us does just that. If we are honest with ourselves, so do most ALL of us!

Oh, we tell ourselves that it doesn’t mean anything, but deep down, we know… that’s a lie. We claim a freedom of speech, or expression… again, another lie. When we use profanity against another person, it paints them as vile, profane, and less than human. The sad thing is that those same words reflect back on us in exactly the same way. Jesus teaches us to edify and encourage one another… exactly the opposite of what much of the world believes.

I’ve heard from so many people: “It doesn’t mean anything. It’s just the way I am.” Well, it does mean a lot, and you DON’T have to be like that… you can change! I can’t make you change. Changing yourself is difficult; for many impossible. But in Jesus, there is power to do all things.

“But,” you protest, “I don’t cuss, swear, or take the Lord’s name in vain. Well, I try not to, either, but that doesn’t mean that I’m completely without sin. Cussing may actually be the least of your problems. Come on Sunday to experience a fellowship alive in the Spirit of Christ. Come see how life changing a walk with Jesus can be… one step at a time.

Your brother in Christ,

Dave

Sweetened by the Spirit

That’s my good friend Carmen Pease wielding the Super Soaker. She is bright, energetic, fun, and a wonderful performer. Couple those traits with the fact that she is on our church staff and you have someone who is a natural for plays, skits, and Vacation Bible School. Like so many people in our fellowship at Messiah, she is alive in God’s Holy Spirit! The other day, I was on the phone with Carmen, and she asked me how things were going. My response is usually: “great!” But on this particular day, it was: “I’m having a challenging day.” Carmen immediately sent me the following in an email. Perhaps it will touch you, like it did me.

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Oh, by the way, thought I would share this with you. I don’t know your situation, but you said that your day has been challenging. I’m sorry.
From Barbara Johnson’s book, Pain is inevitable but misery is optional, So, Stick a Geranium in Your Hat and Be Happy!

“Nothing touches me that has not passed through the hands of my heavenly Father, NOTHING. Whatever occurs, God has sovereignly surveyed and approved. We may not know why (we may never know why), but we do know our pain is no accident to Him who guides our lives. He is in no way surprised by it all. Before it ever touches us, it passes through Him.

Not long ago, Bill and I were driving through Palm Springs, the famous desert resort community. We came upon a roadside stand, and the sign said, “DESERT SWEETENED GRAPEFRUIT.” I thought, that’s the way it is with all of us when we go through a desert experience. That’s the time God uses to sweeten us as we learn to give our problem completely to Him.”

I hope your week is sweeter when it’s done.

Carm

Carmen Pease
Messiah Lutheran Church
Equipping and Connecting Ministry

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And that’s my prayer for you for the week, too… that your week is sweeter when it’s done.
Your brother in Christ,

Dave

In Memoriam

My brother Mike died in April. Lucky me… I got to be the one to tell my parents the devastating news. In their eighties, and beset by a whole host of medical problems, Mike’s death hit them especially hard.

Mike’s wife and children held a memorial with his cremated remains in Indiana (where Mike’s wife lives with her family); only my youngest sister was able to attend. Pastor Bob immediately offered to host a memorial service for my brother at Messiah, but since the rest of my family is Roman Catholic, they declared THAT “out of the question!” Oh, they spoke of having a memorial for Mike, but nothing happened.

Well, stuff happened, just not memorial planning. Mom had a heart attack and has been in and out of the hospital for the past several months, Dad has great difficulty taking care of himself, and now they have recently been moved out of their house, and into assisted living (that’s another story).

It’s now June. My youngest sister has decided that the memorial for my brother must happen soon. I give her the one day in June that I have an unbreakable commitment I made back in February. Care to guess which day she schedules the memorial service? That, too, is yet another story!

My wife suggested that I write something about Mike that she could then read at the memorial service. I wrote the following poem. I’m not sure why the Spirit moved me to write in Iambic Pentameter, but there it is. Truth be told, I doubt she’ll read it in a Catholic church. She said she might hand out copies at the door. LOL! I think the Catholics would only allow that if it were printed on a Holy Card. There’s no Holy Card, but here’s the poem:

Michael Hoag

For my brother, in Memoriam: June 1, 1952 – April 10, 2011
by David Alan Hoag – June 13, 2011

How do we each recall my brother’s name?
Where, indeed, did he fit into your life?
For all of us, the answer’s not the same.
Do you recall his laughter, or the strife?

Some only saw the upset and the rain
With others, he would laugh the whole day long
Some only heard his music’s sweet refrain
As generously he shared his gift of song.

He definitely heard a different beat.
He oft burned bright; so too, he oft burned wild.
But… the one thing he brought to all he’d meet
Was the pure… innocent… heart of a child.

He admitted his sins; laughed at them, too.
Struggled against them with all of his might.
“How can God love me? How can that be true?”
It didn’t always seem so black and white.

Mike often thought that hell might be his home,
Believing all his sins to be too grave.
The pious cite his sin; ignore their own,
And tell him he was too far gone to save.

In Matthew 12, verse 31 it’s said:
“All sins will be forgiven, but for one…”
“Deny the Holy Spirit, and you’re dead.”
Thus spoke to us God’s one and only Son.

Mike may have sinned (so at least he was taught)…
Oft he would struggle, he oft lost his way;
But, denying God’s Spirit… he did not!
Know without doubt, Mike walks with God today.

As I used to tell my brother, don’t deny the pull of God’s Spirit in your life. No matter what you think you have done, or even what you may have done, God’s Spirit can cleanse you, sanctify you, and make you right and acceptable to God.

That’s great news! It’s wonderful to be secure in the promise that the Holy Spirit will carry us… unblemished… to heaven, to walk with God for eternity. But even better news is that if we accept Christ as our Lord and Savior today, we can walk in God’s Holy Spirit here on Earth; right now! That joy is… unbelievable!

How marvelous it is to be loved beyond all measure! I know who made me; I know who loves me; I know who saved me; I know who strengthens me; I know who wants an eternal relationship with me; and I know who is coming for me! I’ll see at worship, as we celebrate that knowing!!!

Your brother in Christ,

Dave

Judgment Day? Not Quite Yet.

My friend George Velarde wrote on Facebook:

“Kirk Cameron is on TBN talking about the day of "Judgment" Christianity is becoming a giant joke; the hypocrisy is ridiculous! Not one person has not violated the 10 commandments.”

And then after a few people commented, he added:

“I remember the people I've worked with that have told me I'm going to hell or flat out "enjoy hell". My deal is that heaven is supposed to be for everybody and god is love but people forget all that when they are judging their fellow man.”

George… Christ warns us about false prophets. He also criticized the church leaders of his day, calling them hypocrites. Christ tells us how to live our lives: “Love God, and love one another.” To a whole lot of self-proclaimed Christians, Christ will someday say: “I don’t know you.”

I know how you feel, my brother, I was exactly where you are a few years ago: religion was a fraud! Until I met Jesus, nothing could change my mind. I never met Jesus growing up in the Roman Catholic Church (not saying you can’t, just that I never did). I never met Jesus where there was intolerance, hatred, bigotry, or condemnation. I never met Jesus where there were rules, regulations, doctrines, traditions, or edicts of man. The world loves to lump every church, congregation, sect, or group of crazies that even acknowledges Jesus Christ all together under the same label… as all being Christians. Sadly, many who populate Christian churches don’t really know Christ at all. For many, it’s a tradition they grew up with, it makes them feel good on Sunday, but it’s more of an obligation than a joyful yearning to worship.

To be honest, nothing I can say, all my logic and passion, and even two thousand years of evidence will change your opinion. And honestly, your opinion doesn’t matter… it’s your heart that matters. I can’t change your heart, either, but Jesus can… you just need to meet Him. That’s actually what Jesus commanded his disciples to do… go out and introduce Jesus to a hurting and broken world. Far too often, that introduction to Jesus gets lost in machinations of the church, the egos of church leaders, or the implication that you somehow don’t measure up to church standards.

I invite you to come with me and meet Jesus. You are absolutely right when you say that ALL have sinned. Come meet the Jesus I know… the Jesus that has paid for ALL of our sins. Come meet the Jesus that stands at the door to your heart, George, and knocks. Can you hear Him? He won’t break down that door against your will; as a matter of fact, the latch is on your side. It’s your choice. Will you let Him into YOUR heart? Jesus brings life… that you may have life more abundantly; that in a relationship with Him you might enjoy peace, and hope, and love.

So again, I invite you to come meet Jesus… in the fellowship and acceptance of other believers whose study, prayer, and worship are centered on Jesus. It is through a continuing walk with Jesus that we grow closer to God. To you, George, and to anybody else who hears the faint knocking at their heart, I say: “Come, let us reason together.”

Your brother in Christ,

Dave

Before You Go To Sleep

Yesterday...


My friend, Dr. Paul Francis Lanier, Senior Pastor of Hope Community Church, Winston-Salem, NC wrote:

Before you go to sleep, Pray in the Spirit. Don’t carry fears of flesh into your sleep, where they will move deeper into your spirit and create your mindset for the next morning. Release Any and All Things from your Heart into His Hands. He Adores You . . . Rest in that.+

Loss

On Facebook, my friend Michele Magsaysay Ehrenberg wrote:

“...going to the cemetery today to bury my mom... :( Lord, please hold me!”

Oh, Michele… my heart and my prayers reach out to you. I just lost my younger brother on April 10th, so I can relate to your loss. As brothers and sisters in Christ, we know that Jesus saves us… and through Him we have eternal life. In John 11:1-44, Jesus reassures us about the life we have in Him as he raises Lazarus from the grave. It seems, though, that most of us are like Martha, and we don’t fully grasp what Jesus is saying to us either, when (in verses 25-26):

“Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?””

But as human beings, and very much like Mary and Martha, we also feel the pain and the grief of separation when a loved one dies. Jesus knows this about us, too. And sharing our life with us, sharing our joys and our sorrows, he shares our grief, as well. Jesus was so moved by the grief of Mary and Martha over the death of their brother Lazarus, that in verse 35,

“Jesus wept.”

It’s natural for us to weep over a loss. To those of us who continue living, the death of a loved one is a great sorrow… if only for the immediate earthly separation that occurs. Knowing that Jesus is there to bear the brunt of your grief (if you let Him) is a source of great comfort and strength during a trying time. We know that by believing in Him, Jesus will raise us like Lazarus from the dead, too. More than that, in verse 40, Jesus also promises us an everlasting relationship with God (heaven, if you will), when he says:

“Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?”

It was tough for Mary and Martha to bury their beloved brother, Lazarus. It’s just as tough for us to bury anyone we love dearly. It was hard for Mary and Martha, standing at the grave, to see Jesus as the resurrection and the life. Is it any easier for us, as we stand at a graveside?

Who is important in your life? Who do you want to live, and NOT die? Who will come to Jesus after experiencing YOUR belief in Jesus? We are human, and therefore not perfect, so we weep at our losses, we get angry that God didn’t save our loved one, we accuse God; Mary and Martha sure did! You and I probably will, too. As we follow Christ, we still struggle with all those things, but in constantly turning toward Jesus, we believe, we love, and we rejoice… in the life we live in Jesus!

Your brother in Christ,

Dave

Rules and Guilt

One of my nieces is fun to follow on Facebook (to be honest, a lot of people are). She has grown up with technology, and is quite well digitally connected; hardly a thought escapes her that is not immediately posted. If you are thinking that you just don’t get the whole posting-every-thought-on-Facebook thing, you are probably older than 30. Hahahaha! This seems to be the eternal burden of each new generation: that they are not understood by the older generations.

Now, my niece is in college, a whole lot of fun, and (like most of my relatives) a practicing Roman Catholic. At Lent, this means giving up stuff, and fasting. Most Catholics believe that fasting during Lent means no meat on Fridays… even though the US Bishops rescinded that rule for American Catholics.

Her recent Facebook post made me laugh:

“Man do I hate Fridays during Lent! This ‘no meat’ rule sucks!”

After my chuckle, I posted the following short reply:

Ask yourself... did God institute the no meat rule, or is it an arbitrary construct of religion? Jesus came to free us from religion, so we could have a real relationship with God. Jesus gave us simple commands: "Love God and love your neighbor as yourself." Religion, churches, and self-proclaimed holy leaders give us Lenten rules, food restrictions, and guilt. Lent and Easter are a time to rejoice... your debt has been paid! Jesus paid the ultimate price to free us from the bondage of guilt, and sin, and death. You can choose to be controlled by centuries of man-made church law, restrictions, and guilt... or you can simply follow Jesus, and be free... and eat what you want on Friday.

Now, I don’t have any problem with anybody who is led by the Holy Spirit to fast… but eating fish on Friday instead of eating meat has never really struck me as much of a fast. Besides, trumpeting to everyone that you can’t eat meat on Friday, or bemoaning such a sacrifice, flies in the face of what Jesus had to say about fasting:

“When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”
Matthew 6:16-18

I’m not necessarily picking on Catholics here. If you belong to any church, whether it’s Catholic, Lutheran, Baptist, or whatever… you live by some arbitrary constructs of religion. You have doctrines, traditions, and rituals that are mostly man-made. I’m not saying that they are all bad, I just pose the question:

Do doctrines, traditions, and rituals keep you from being the light in the world? Do they help, or impede an effective walk with Christ?

On Wednesday nights during Lent, we discuss these types of questions. Come join us in some rousing discussions as we prepare to celebrate Easter.

Your brother in Christ,

Dave

The Right Prescription

Crammed right up against the 91/57 freeway interchange is an area of tenement apartments known as Cypress Street. The rumbling noise of passing freeway vehicle traffic is a constant roar that makes concentration a challenge. Gang pressures and activities are a fact of life for those living here, as is poverty, crime, unemployment, and truancy. Messiah sponsors a ministry into the Cypress Street area that is aimed at involving our high school youth directly with the children of the area. The idea is to bring play, music, and a regular study of God’s Good News to the children of this neighborhood.

Mike and Meg Nguyen are a high-energy couple. Both are quick to laugh, and their smiles seem ever-present… especially when they are engaging the high school youth, or the kids of Cypress Street. Both are doctors that work 80 hours a week. Mike’s a surgeon, and Meg works with infectious diseases. They’ve been married for 4 ½ years, and have only been a part of our fellowship here at Messiah for about 2 years; almost as long as they’ve been helping with the Cypress Street ministry. In fact, Trevor invited them to participate in Cypress Street before they formally became partners in ministry with us here at Messiah.

They let me ride along on a Tuesday evening to experience their involvement in the Cypress Street ministry first-hand.

As we pulled up, the look-out’s shout of “They’re here!” became an overwhelming refrain as children seemed to appear from everywhere. For the next half hour, Mike, Meg, Trevor, and all the high-school youth were in constant motion… at play with the kids of the neighborhood. Some of the play seemed somewhat organized, but mostly, I watched what I could only later describe as a sort of random chaotic joy; with Mike and Meg at the center of most of it. The nightly format was simple enough: designed to engage the kids in play and music, to give them a safe respite from the pressures of their lives, and designed to bring the Word of God into their lives in a meaningful and personal way.

Although Mike admits to it “being Meg’s ministry more than mine”, it belies the passion and enthusiasm he pours out on the kids. Noting the chilly night, Mike mentioned that “Sometimes I don’t feel like going out, but then I do, and I always feel better; glad I came!” When asked why he’s involved in the Cypress Street ministry, he emphasized: “I’m involved with the kids! It’s easy to see how hugs and attention make a difference in kids’ lives. The best moments are seeing the long-term potential to change the course of the lives of children that… seem predestined only for a life of gangs, violence, poverty, and hopelessness.”

Meanwhile, Meg has been a magnet for girls since we got out of the vehicles. She speaks Spanish, and fluidly moves from English to Spanish when the situation calls for it. Meg is at home with these young girls, and they respond to her love and her passion for them like flowers respond to sunlight. Meg confides that “It’s a ministry that fits my passion!” Though there are there are hundreds of moments with the kids that touch her heart, Meg insists that “The best moments are when the kids ‘get it’; when they understand a lesson, when they see… more.” Meg likes that she gets a lot out of prepping the lessons, and she delights in being “someone the girls can talk to… simply by being a friend.”

What I saw… were kids who hunger for acceptance, connection, and love.
What I saw… were Mike and Meg (and the Cypress Street team) bringing a genuine love.
What I saw… was the kids accepting them because their love is genuine.
What I saw… were kids opening up and making real connections with them because they come back week after week, month after month, year after year!

I saw… Mike and Meg bring an infectious level of enthusiasm and excitement to the kids.
I saw… energy and excitement from the kids during the play time.
I saw… joy from the kids during the singing.
I saw… focus from the kids during the Bible study and prayer time.
I saw… a young couple that mentors our youth by example.
I saw… a pair of doctors who are the right prescription for a hurting world.

Week after week, Cypress Street sees Christ… in the hearts of Mike and Meg!

Your brother in Christ,

Dave

P.S.: The RISE newsletter is coming on Easter. Don’t miss it!



Daring to be Passionate

Recently, I sat down with Frank and Oralle D’Orsi to ask them a few questions about their involvement in Messiah’s Sunday school program. I’ve known Frank and Oralle (say: or-ah-lee) for most of the 16 years that they’ve been a part of our fellowship here at Messiah, so I thought I’d be done with them in 5 or 10 minutes. To be honest, they always seemed like background people to me; always serving, but more in the background than out in front. An hour later, I had developed a new respect for their commitment, their dedication, and their passion.

Oralle is such a great Sunday school teacher; I was surprised to learn that she was nervous and scared when she first joined the program 4 years ago. That surprised me, since Oralle has taught special education and then pre-school since 1972. Oralle emphasized that the call to Children’s Ministry came: “When the Holy Spirit placed it on my heart first.” So when the Director of Children’s Ministry asked her to be an aide, she agreed. That immediately turned into team-teaching.

Frank, who is a teacher/trainer in his own right, started in the Sunday school program “just to help Oralle.” According to Frank, working with children was “definitely a move outside my comfort zone.” Today, however, he’s very comfortable working with the kids. Time and exposure have led to an easy familiarity with the kids in their class. When asked what he likes best about the team teaching, Frank immediately broke into a big grin and said: “I love the opportunity to learn from Oralle… and I enjoy how well we compliment each other in the classroom.”

Later, I posed the same question to Oralle. She, too, smiled as she immediately replied: “I love to see Frank around the kids; how he interacts with them, bonds with them, and how he mentors and encourages them.” Oralle also added that she and Frank really enjoy… “The connection they make with the kids and the look on their faces when they ‘get it’.” After reflecting a bit, she went on to say: “The kids help me. I pray that I’m helping them. I want them to be excited about coming to Sunday school every week. Along with the lessons, they are learning to put forth the effort, and to be respectful… all in a fun environment.”

Today, Oralle and Frank team teach every week for Messiah’s Sunday school program. Although they have no kids of their own, or perhaps because of it, they pour their intensity into the kids in their Sunday school classes. Both of them agree: “It’s important for the kids to see your passion for God!”

Somewhere in the middle of interviewing Frank and Oralle, I realized something that I hadn’t ever taken in before. Here was a couple extremely comfortable in their passion and joy for one another! They really do compliment each other. Oralle nestles into Frank as they sit together, not out of any need, but because they fit together so perfectly. Their passion and joy are so infectious; I wondered aloud just how long had they been married? They were excited that this August would mark 25 years of marriage for them. And with that, they asked me if they could share another of their great passions and involvements at Messiah.

It turns out that they have been involved with the Marriage Retreats at Messiah since 2003, and they’ve been on the planning committee for the marriage retreats since 2005. They both share a real passion for planning the retreats, and find it a great honor and privilege to work on, and be part of, the marriage retreats with Pastor Ron.

It was impossible to stem the tide of passion and enthusiasm that this new topic had released in this special couple! They wanted me to know that the marriage retreats are for all couples… whether you’ve been married 4 months, or 40 years. Their overwhelming passion for this topic swept me away to a marriage retreat that was not just a ‘marriage retreat’, but was about meeting new people, knowing your spouse better, learning new things, having fun, and sharing in meaningful sessions and breakouts. They painted a picture of a secluded retreat environment that was comfortable, and that gave couples the time and the opportunity to share, to open up to each other, and to ultimately grow closer. The retreat format is fun, not forced, and on the final day most of the couples renew their vows. Wow! Are you ready to sign up, yet?!?

If you want more out of fellowship at Messiah, get involved, seek your calling, and like Frank and Oralle… take a step on faith by daring to be passionate!

Your brother in Christ,

Dave

P.S.: This entry will appear in a newsletter called RISE; look for it on Easter.

You Are More

How do you think of Satan? If you think of him at all you probably conjure up an image of a powerful and frightening demon. Indeed, the Bible paints a picture of just that sort of bad dude.

“Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”
1 Peter 5:8

When a lion is on the hunt, it roars to scare its prey, but it moves in to devour its prey only after silently stalking it. Every day you and I are being stalked by the one who is the enemy of God. He will whisper lies to us. He uses shame, regret, anger, envy, greed, and unforgiveness as some of his weapons. He will try to convince us that we are unacceptable to God… that we are too broken for God to love… that we are nothing.

But nothing could be farther from the truth! I love the fact that God inspires musicians and singers to proclaim the Good News of our salvation and redemption in ways that touch our hearts and cause Satan to flee. He has no power over us when Christ is with us!

I was so uplifted by the music and lyrics of this Tenth Avenue North song that I decided to share it with you. Enjoy the video. I’ve included the lyrics because I like to sing along.

You Are More

by Tenth Avenue North

There's a girl in the corner
With tear stains on her eyes
From the places she's wandered
And the shame she can't hide

She says, "How did I get here?
I'm not who I once was.
And I'm crippled by the fear
That I've fallen too far to love"

But don't you know who you are,
What's been done for you?
Yeah don't you know who you are?

You are more than the choices that you've made,
You are more than the sum of your past mistakes,
You are more than the problems you create,
You've been remade.

Well she tries to believe it
That she's been given new life
But she can't shake the feeling
That it's not true tonight

She knows all the answers
And she's rehearsed all the lines
And so she'll try to do better
But then she's too weak to try

But don't you know who you are?

You are more than the choices that you've made,
You are more than the sum of your past mistakes,
You are more than the problems you create,
You've been remade.

You are more than the choices that you've made,
You are more than the sum of your past mistakes,
You are more than the problems you create,
You've been remade.

'Cause this is not about what you've done,
But what's been done for you.
This is not about where you've been,
But where your brokenness brings you to

This is not about what you feel,
But what He felt to forgive you,
And what He felt to make you loved.

You are more than the choices that you've made,
You are more than the sum of your past mistakes,
You are more than the problems you create,
You've been remade.

You are more than the choices that you've made,
You are more than the sum of your past mistakes,
You are more than the problems you create,
You've been remade.

You've been remade
You've been remade.
You've been remade.
You've been remade.

Don’t forget… you are more. In Christ, you are remade to be sooooo much more!

Your brother in Christ,

Dave

Word Made Flesh

I find it interesting and exhilarating when I notice the Holy Spirit at work in my life. Today, I got a re-post of a blog entry from a couple of people on Facebook. With the deluge of Facebook traffic at this time of year, I might not have even noticed, except… both of the posts seemed to credit the piece to different authors. In fact, people were just attributing the piece to those friends who passed it along to them. The copyright cop (or perhaps the Holy Spirit) in me forced me to track down the source, the blog, and the author. In doing so I discovered a Spirit filled, intelligent, and thought provoking blog called Sarcastic Lutheran. Along the way, I read the piece, and found it awesome!

The author, Nadia Bolz-Weber, is the mission developer for House for All Sinners and Saints in Denver, Colorado. They are an urban liturgical community with a progressive yet deeply rooted theological imagination. Her bio states simply: “I’m Nadia.” Her interests include: “coffee, Martin Luther, Nick Drake, tattoos, emerging church, Christian Mystics, My kids.”

With Nadia’s kind permission, here is her blog entry for January 3, 2011:

Word made Flesh - And the Indignity of Having a Human Body

So, just to get it out of the way, I didn’t get what I wanted for Christmas. No, not an ipad or World Peace. Anyone who knows me well knows that what I really wanted for Christmas was a brand new back since mine is wrecked. The disk between my L5 and S1 vertebrae is severely degenerated which means at the age of 41 can’t stand for more than 20 minutes without being in pain. I mention this because in our Gospel reading for today we hear that In the beginning was the Word and The Word was with God and the Word was God And the Word became flesh and lived among us. In short: God decided to have …of all things…a human body.

We Christians have along history of finding this idea disturbing. There was an early Christian heresy called Docetism and I’m not totally convinced that I myself would not have been a docetist given the opportunity. You see, they were so certain that spirit and flesh could not exist as One that they convinced themselves that Jesus didn’t really have a human body…it just seemed that he had a body. Docetists claimed that Jesus only appeared to be a physical being. And I get the impulse behind docetism because really, no self-respecting God would become a human when being human means being irretrievably fragile. What can it mean that God slipped into the vulnerability of skin and was made flesh? Seems a lousy idea in a way, given the very sloppy and broken reality of our physical lives as humans. Our bodies bruise and decay and sag insistently toward the earth so why in the world would God not spare God’s self the indignity of having things like sweat glands and the hiccups?

And besides, having a body is an emotionally complicated thing for us, so why wouldn’t we want a “spirituality” which transcends our broken physical reality. But when we are tempted to think that spirituality equals transcending the physical world of things and bodies we might remember that in Jesus we see that a physical life is a spiritual life…

John’s gospel bears witness to a sensual God. Jesus washed human feet, smelled perfume, and tasted abundant wine. He used spit and dirt to heal a blind man, his gut churned when he looked upon the hungry crowds. Salty tears ran down his face. He smelled the stink of death on Lazarus his friend. Jesus’ very own flesh tore when he was beaten and crucified and when he rose from the dead he told Thomas to touch his wounded side, which was not perfected, but bore the scars of having lived. Then, as one of his final acts on Earth he ate grilled fish on a beach. These experiences of the body are not things to be Spiritually transcended …they are perhaps the very things in which we find Christ.

The Psalmist reminds us that God knit us together in our mother’s womb and that we are fearfully and wonderfully made. Of course I see at least 2 barriers to really really believing this. Firstly there is the fact that as a middle aged woman my body seems to be deteriorating right before my eyes. How wonderfully and fearfully made is a body which ages, or grows fat, or develops cancer or no longer produces insulin? The other barrier to believing our bodies are fearfully and wonderfully made is that we are literally bombarded by messages otherwise from every billboard we see or commercial we hear. Convincing you that a) your body is bad and b) your body can be “perfect” if you buy a certain product…and let there be no mistake, this is a billion dollar industry.

Yet I wonder if maybe in the incarnation God has done nothing less than baptized all human flesh. Baptized it, not made it into our version of perfect. Perfection as we picture it and as it relates to human bodies is impossible. And perhaps the striving for an impossible perfection is a profound distraction from the way in which we are children born of God. Because as we know, the perfect is the enemy of the good.

And even God, when finished creating the physical world including the human form called it good. not perfect mind you, but good. so as we on this 2nd day of the year make our resolutions about losing weight or gaining muscle or lowering cholesterol which are all perfectly fine, let us remember that we are born of God and made Children of God and have no business calling what God pronounced good anything but good. Because if the Word became flesh and lived among us ~ then despite our botoxic quest for the illusion of perfection, God's creation is good.

So this week I invite you to take notice every time you see or hear a message about body improvement. Every pill, or exercise machine, or special gym membership, or tanning bed… every liposuction clinic and celebrity endorsed diet plan. All of it. Notice the obsession our culture has with stretching and tanning and increasing and decreasing our flesh into submission to some sort of bizarre ideal. Then in contrast, notice every time this week that you see or hear this: And the Word became flesh and lived among us, in this we have seen God’s glory, full of grace and truth…you have received the power to be Children of God. Through the fullness of God’s Word made flesh you have received grace upon grace.

That is a different message entirely. In other words, our youth-obsessed body-improvement culture in which we find ourselves tells us that we can avoid any appearance of our own mortality through the right combination of elective surgery and Pilates and in the end this is nothing but a simple fear of death itself. But what God tells us in the birth, life, death and resurrection of Christ is that we need not fear our mortality in the first place because it simply is not the final word. Death has no sting when it cannot separate us from the love of God in Christ. So we need not fear it. nor deny it.

So Jesus came and in his almost disturbingly physical existence showed us what God looks like, not in some ethereal alternate spiritual plane but right here in the midst of our physical, embodied earthy reality. Jesus said here’s what being born of God looks like… it looks like not worrying about what we're to eat or drink; like loving the bodies of other people who, like us, will die; like touching human flesh as if it's holy instead of worrying that it's unclean, like breaking bread and drinking wine with all the wrong people.

This Christianity stuff is not a religion of disembodied spirituality at all. This is a religion of Word made flesh, of God revealed in the vulnerability of newborn flesh in a cradle and in heartbreak of broken flesh on a cross. So if God saw fit to wear our native garb should we not bless and care for our own flesh? Should we not have concern for any violation or starvation or trafficking of any human bodies as that which God took on to be with us?

As we enter the New Year full of optimism and resolution let us remember that there is a reality beyond our individual self-improvement. The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us, and we were given grace upon grace to become children of God and perhaps in doing so we are now flesh become Word. Word for a hurt and broken and beautiful world. You as Christ’s body are no longer about the fear or the denial of death but about life and life abundant. You as Christ’s body are becoming flesh made Word, being made into God’s loving intention for the world God created. In the name of Jesus, amen.

If you want more of Nadia, you will find her blog at:

http://sarcasticlutheran.typepad.com/

I love the thought of “You as Christ’s body are becoming flesh made Word, being made into God’s loving intention for the world God created.” What a great thought for the new year!

Your brother in Christ,

Dave