Imperfect is Perfect for God // A Christmas Thought

The Holidays are here meaning 2016 will soon be in the archives. But before this year is over there are still many memories yet to be made, because well…that’s what the holidays are for.  With Christmas, tradition, and memories in mind I hope you will take time to appreciate God in the imperfections.

I know that perhaps sounds strange. Because we often think of God in terms of perfect, without blemish, pristine.  But if the story of Christmas, that is the story of Jesus’ birth, teaches us anything it is that God shows up most often and most beautifully, in the imperfect.

So I invite you this Christmas season to look for God’s hand in the imperfect. See Him in that Christmas tree with the bald spot you missed when you picked it out, that casserole that doesn’t turn out right, the family photo with the one person whose eyes are closed, the house that is messy, the car that leaks oil, the kid in the choir that has to pee, the string of lights that doesn’t twinkle like it should… well you get the idea. God is in the imperfect.

I was reminded of this the other day at a For King and Country Christmas Concert at the Sun Dome. It was a marvelous show, complete with lights and smoke and lasers.  At one point in the show, the band played one of their hits, Let My Life Be The Proof.   It was a crowd favorite, evidenced by the 7,000 worshippers with hands raised, eyes closed, singing at the top of their lungs.  It was a great worship moment.

I was taking it all in when I noticed a young gentleman to my right in a wheel chair.  His hands were raised, his eyes were closed, his head down and he was singing with everything that was in him the lyrics of the chorus:

So let my life be the proof,
The proof of your love
Let my love look like You and what You're made of
How You lived, how You died
Love is sacrifice
So let my life be the proof,
The proof of Your love

-For King and Country

As he sang those words with such conviction, I was deeply moved. Here was a man bound to a wheel chair who was praying that his life (with all of its obvious imperfections) would be proof of God’s love.  And you know what? He doesn’t know it but in that moment last Tuesday night God did use his life and his imperfections to prove His love. Because he proved it to me through my brother. 

My prayer for you this Christmas is that you would see God in the imperfections. That you might see God’s hand at work in your own imperfections and in those of the loved ones around you.  When you sit at the table of friends and family with the assortment of imperfections each one brings, God is there. 

Christmas teaches us this.

The First Christmas was wrought with imperfections. An inconveniently timed birth. No room. A feeding trough. Smelly animals. Sinful shepherds. Poverty.  And yet, tight smack in the middle of that imperfection…God!  It turns out that imperfection is the perfect setting for you and me to experience God’s presence.

So this Christmas, my prayer is that you experience glorious moments of imperfection!

God’s Nightly Art Show

My wife Kristy and I were at the beach the other evening. It was one of those picturesque evenings, we so easily can take for granted in Florida. As we sat watching the blue sky turn pink we were in awe of the palette in the sky. It was a majestic swirl of pink, orange, purple, blue, and green. Truly amazing. And God does it night after night! I thought maybe there should be a chalk board sign at the entrance of the beach announcing, “Art Work Displayed Nightly - Free and Open to the Public.”

We admired God’s piece (see pic) like patrons at an art gallery, and talked about how creative our God is. He creates beauty effortlessly. His medium includes stars, planets, clouds and winds interpreted through our eyes (that He also created)! And with those he paints. He paints whatever he feels. And as we stop to observe and reflect we feel it too. We sense his beauty, his artistry, his care and his power.  Which is why, if you’ve been on the beach at sunset it is quite common for beachgoers to spontaneously applaud as the final speck of the sun dips into the sea. It’s a sort of “clap offering” to God for another masterful job. I just love it when that happens because people are ‘feeling’ God, and appreciating His artistry. In a way they are returning to the Creator His recurring words in Genesis 1, “This is good.”

While God is honored by it, He doesn’t create for applause. He creates because he is a creator. It’s just what he does because that’s who He is.  God never stops creating. He doesn’t wait until people are there to observe or admire the work of his hands. Or to write about it in blogs J  He just creates. All over the world, every day, our God is weaving together masterpieces in the heavens.  I suspect that some of the most beautiful sunsets have probably occurred in places where no one was there to applaud. In those occasions I just imagine the Holy Trinity, doing as they’ve done from the beginning. Celebrating, communicating, and allowing their joy to spill out on evening skies. The essence of the Christian life is being invited by Jesus, into the joy that has been shared eternally by the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

I offer two points I hope you will take away from this.

 1. Applaud a July Sunset or Two. This summer stop and applaud a few sunsets.  Make a point to go out to the beach at sunset with the purpose of worshiping. With your feet in the sand and the evening breeze blowing, read this:

Psalm 19:1-6

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. 2 Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge. 3 They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them. 4 Yet their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world. In the heavens God has pitched a tent for the sun. 5  It is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, like a champion rejoicing to run his course. 6 It rises at one end of the heavens and makes its circuit to the other; nothing is deprived of its warmth.

And when the sun dips into the Gulf of Mexico transposing the evening sky, just marvel  and clap. Be sure to clap.

2. God is Painting You … a Picture. God is a creator and he makes beauty out of unlikely mediums.  No matter what this summer season finds you going through, know that God has his hands in the paint of your life.  And he will, if you let him, create beauty out of all of the good, bad, mundane of your life. Our God is love and our God creates. Those two together make for a pretty cool picture!

Have a blessed and enjoyable July!

You are Loved,

Pastor Terry

Honey, We Finally Graduated Elementary School!

Today we graduated elementary school. We had been there for 14 years, in 3 states and 5 different primary schools. Here's to you Atlantic Shores, Landstown, Clear Creek, Dennis, and Brooker Creek! My wife and I have posted hundreds of art pieces to our fridge, stuck mascot stickers on our cars, signed and returned permission slips, walked marathons to and from the bus stops, and volunteered at field days and class parties. We’ve attended countless talent nights, concerts, parent-teacher conferences, and fund raising events. Today we have moved the tassel.

Today JT, our youngest, graduated from 5^th grade. This means the era that began with our first daughter in 2002, has now come to a close. The elementary years are complete. We, along with him, have graduated.  

Thank you to all the outstanding principles, teachers, assistants, coaches, and administrators who invested in our kids at their most vulnerable ages. We may not remember all of your names, but we will never forget the impact you made! 

Thank you elementary school, it was even better than when we did it ourselves!

Skip the Dip

First, thank you Baysiders for your faithful financial support of our mission to see more people become more like Jesus! As of this writing, giving has been over budget 11 out of the past 12 weeks! If you’re new to Bayside, curious why this a is bid deal, or just want to be reminded of the inspiration behind this move of God, go to the website (baysidechurch.net) and watch the “The Blessed Life” series. Without question, that series continues to be used by God to inspire and bless our church family. Let’s pray this upward giving trend continues through the summer and we skip the dip. That would be a miracle!

And here’s why. Summer is a unique season in the life of the church. While there is a lot of ministry going on with camps, trips, outreaches, special worship services and fellowships, it tends to be a time when worship attendance and giving take a dip.  That dip is compounded in Florida because our part-year members head back north for the summer. Let’s pray and commit ourselves to continue strong through the summer in our giving and our attendance in worship. So let’s skip the dip! 

Speaking of worship, I’d like to offer a few ways you can invest over the summer months in yourself so that you don’t experience a summer spiritual dip.

Find a Spot

A few weeks ago, in a message on worship I mentioned that one of the most important things we can do for our spiritual lives is to identify a spot where we meet regularly with God. Do you have a spot?  If not, this summer, identify that place that will be the place where you will worship, pray, and read the Word of God.  I’ve had many ‘spots’ over the years. But the spot that is my ‘spot’ for the past 3 months or so has been a picnic table at John Chestnut park. This park is right on my way to work in the morning, so I exit out of the southbound traffic and find this little table by the lake. And there I read the Scripture, talk to Jesus, and just ‘be’ in the presence of God.  Your spot may not be at a park; it may not even be outside at all. It may be in a recliner, or at kitchen table, or kneeling bench. It’s your spot so it can be anywhere you (and God) want it to be.

Pick a Book and Hit “Repeat”

Pick a book of the Bible and hit “repeat.” For me, my book this summer will be Proverbs. Short books in the New Testament work well for this too. Instead of trying to read through several books of the Bible, just pick one and read it through several times through the summer.  Pick a book like Proverbs, or Colossians, or one of the Gospels and seek to read it through a couple of times over the next several weeks. I think you will find this to be an incredibly enriching process. Think of the books of the Bible like 66 friends. Picking one book to read over and over is like spending extended quality time with one friend, instead of a few minutes with a bunch of friends. You will get to know and understand the book, the author, and ultimately God on a more intimate basis.

Learn from a Godly Person.

Pick a godly person, living or dead and listen to their biography on audio book (or read it.) While you’re sitting on the porch, deck or beach towel, take a biography with you. Reading the life journeys of people of faith can be an incredibly inspiring and challenging exercise.

If we apply these three simple things over the summer, we just may find come September that our spiritual life has skipped the dip. Instead of a lull, we may find it has actually heated up over the summer.

Praying that you will experience sacred moments of relaxation and refreshing this summer. And don’t forget the sunscreen!

Christmas Forget List

If we aren’t careful, Christmas can become all about remembering. Excessively so. List makers have already started prioritizing the ‘to dos.’

Here’s just a partial list of lists.

• Remember everyone on the gift list
• Remember all the correct times and dates of the Christmas parties
• Remember uncle Joe's birthday that is the week before Christmas
• Remember to watch It’s a Wonderful Life, White Christmas, Christmas Vacation, Charlie Brown Christmas, A Christmas Story, and Miracle on 34th Street. (And remember not to fall asleep or it doesn’t count).
• Remember to bring a dish to share at the Church dinner
• Remember to put cookies out for Santa and hang the stocking.

The pressure at Christmastime to remember is real.  So at this Advent season, I’m going to suggest we forget something.

Forget trying to make it perfect. Aim for meaningful.

Christmas started out so simple.  Now when you hear simple, don’t think simple in the sense of tastefully perfect. No Jesus’ birth was simply…chaotic! We can’t forget this.

Now I not advocating for chaos. However, what I’m about to share with you may be the best news you’re going to hear this Christmas. Fact: the birth of Jesus was total chaos.

Our Chaos times Three

Kristy and I have had three children (well, Kristy had them, I just chauffeured and cheered). And in each case when it was time for delivery, it ushered in an intense period of chaos.

First child when the time of delivery was near we were at JC Penney’s on a Friday night browsing through menswear. “Terry it’s time to go,” Kristy said.  Naively I responded, “But I want to try this shirt on.” “No,” she said “it’s time to go!” Chaos. Running, Wheel Chairs. Hazard lights. Speeding. Squealing tires.

Second child. Middle of January. There’s a snow storm outside and the whole family has the flu,. I’m laying comatose on the coach. Kristy comes down stairs with the verdict, “Terry it’s time to go.” “But I’m sick and it’s snowing,” I whimpered. “You want to deliver this baby?, she retorted.  Out the door. 4x4. Balled up Klenex. Sliding. Mucinex. Freezing. Chaos.

Third child. Its 11 O’clock at night. Kristy and I are both just falling asleep. “It’s time to go.” When? “Right now!” Call the emergency baby sitter. Grab the bag. Out the door. Hazard lights. Speeding. Chaos.

Jesus’ birth was chaotic too. Let’s briefly recount the story. A pregnant Mary forced to take an involuntary journey. Unfamiliar surroundings. In an inn. Exposed to the elements with limited shelter. In a hectic overstuffed town. Exhausted from travel.  Mary says, “It’s time!” Joseph asks, “Right now?”  In a feeding trough. With the animals. God is born. A miracle set in chaos.

So my friend don’t fret when your Christmas doesn’t feel perfect. In those moments of Christmas chaos, remember you’re closer to how it was the night of Jesus’ birth.

Forget perfection and just remember Jesus. The whole thing is about him. If we forget Jesus we’ve forgotten everything. Even if we remember everything else! Christmas is not about how well the ham or turkey turns out. It’s not about getting this gift or giving that gizmo. It’s not even about having every chair at the table filled. Christmas is about God loving us perfectly by sending us His Son.

The coming of Jesus was the ultimate expression of God’s love for us because it’s one thing to be told something it’s quite a bit better to see it in action. In Scripture, the Old Testament prophets and writers told us that God loved us. That He had a special affection for you and me. And the righteous believed it without ever having seen God. But even they wondered. They must have wondered and doubted. Does God really loved us? Christmas (and Good Friday) is God’s answer; an answer that we could see.

The infant in the manger grew into the man who lived a perfect life and laid it down freely for you and me. All the while teaching us also how to love one another.

Praying a Merry Christmas for each of You!

-Terry

Tigers and Gators

Its college football season and I’m a big fan! Being a Louisiana native, I’ve always rooted for the Purple and Gold; The Louisiana State University Tigers.  My family and friends all know how passionate I am about the Tigers. For those of you that have worshiped on a Sunday at Bayside after a Tiger loss, all I can say is I’m sorry. I’ve heard of kids that warn their parents about my sermons when (on rare occasions) LSU loses.

 

This very public knowledge of my deep affection for LSU was the reason many became concerned when a few months ago, orange and blue started showing up at my house. University of Florida colors started cropping up, and even more alarming to some were the pictures on social media that clearly showed me donning UF gear. You must know that this was of grave concern to my mother, who bleeds purple and gold. If these pictures were true she was sure I was sick and in immediate need of a mental health professional. Or perhaps her son (that was practically brought home from the hospital as a baby in a LSU onesie) was the victim of some hoax, a joke, and cruel prank.  No son of hers would be caught wearing any other colors, than that of the Bayou Bengals, right? Even some of my friends seemed puzzled.

So folks are looking for answers. Or as Ricky Ricardo would say on the “I Love Lucy Show,” I’ve got some splainin’ to do.  As several of you know my oldest daughter is a college freshman at the University of Florida.  And this has had a strange effect on me, in terms of team allegiance.  Now I will always be a Tigers fan, and I still am the most passionate about LSU football. But I began to notice about 6 months ago a strange warming to the Gators. As I saw the desire in her to go to UF, and then to eventually get accepted there, to now living in Gainesville a fondness rapidly began to grow. Now it was a process. It took me a few months to get the nerve to buy an orange and blue shirt. It took me a few more months before I could actually wear it. But now it’s good. And certainly after we started paying tuition payments it got really easy! Chomp!

Jesus once said that “where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Our heart follows our treasure, and our treasure follows our heart. This is true when it comes to giving financially to the church. If we love the Kingdom of God, if our heart is to advance the Kingdom’s cause, if our heart is to see more people become more like Jesus, then our deposits will follow our heart. We will tithe and make giving to the church a priority. The connection between treasure and heart is also the reason why those that invest deeply in the church love the church so deeply.

This principle is illustrated in my new affection for UF. A person I treasure dearly is there (my daughter) so my heart follows. My support follows my heart. So now I have two college teams. I’m still passionate about the Tigers, but now I publicly support the Gators as well. What you might want to know is, what about when they play each other. Mom will be happy about this… Geaux Tigers!

“Lord, you have designed us so that our affections follow our treasures. And you have blessed us with an ability to invest in things that matter to us. So please help us to invest wisely, in people, in your Kingdom and in our church family. Ultimately, it’s your church that we want to cheer on and empower to win. Amen” 

College Move In Day

Last week we moved our oldest daughter into her college dorm room. Ok, yes we cried. But before the good-byes the day consisted of going toe to toe with 5000 other highly emotional and over-protective parents for dibs on command strips, extension cords, and reading lamps for our babies!  Grappling for supplies was part of the task, the other work was getting all the stuff up to the 4^th floor of her dormitory.

At one point during the move in, I found myself waiting in line for the elevator; a line that stretched from Gainesville to Wesley Chapel. It has reminded me of a time when the same daughter was just a toddler and then too, I waited in the same type of massive line, twice for her.  It was back when the Toy Story 2 Movie was coming out on…ahhh… VHS! The autumn of 2000, Toys R Us was allowing parents to pre-order the video to ensure that our little darlings would have the videotape by Christmas.  The holiday was just weeks away and the line was long! In terms of popularity, Toy Story 2 was the year 2000’s version of Frozen. I remember waiting for what seemed like three semesters in the line. By securing my copy of this Disney animated classic, it was certain that my kid would be able to fully celebrate the birth of Jesus. (Marketing works!) I paid the money and started to leave the store when I realized they had under charged me. Against the temptation to run, I went back to the customer service counter and let them know I was undercharged about $10. They thanked me for my honesty, and then kindly sent me to the rear of the line to do it all over again! And I did it. I know, I was so naive.

As I stood in line for the dorm elevator my selfless service done 15 years ago was made right.   You see, as I was waiting in the dorm line it was discovered that Kasey’s room was actually on the other side of the building and accessed by a different elevator! When we went to the other elevators there was not a soul in line. We went right on, and in two uneventful trips we had everything moved in. The Lord is faithful! 

James, the little brother of Jesus says, “Humble yourself in the sight of the Lord and he will lift you up.” Of course, I’m just kidding about this being some kind of repayment for faithfulness. But it is true that when we humble ourselves, God takes notice. And we are promised that the Lord will lift up the humble. It may not be today, but in due time the Lord will lift you up. As the old preachers use to say, “God may not be on your time. But he is always right on time!”

“Lord, help us to humble ourselves in your sight. Restrain us from the temptation to exalt ourselves or to lift ourselves up.  We know that you are faithful. And may we find hope and strength today in the fact that your timing is always perfect. We pray this in the name of, and mindful of the one who humbled himself and was raised up right on time by the power of God. Amen”

You are Loved,

Pastor Terry

A (Another) Baseball Refection

So since baseball is still in full swing, and since yes I’m still coaching and it’s July! And since I’m sentimental about my oldest daughter going off to college. I thought I’d offer one more analogy from American’s favorite pastime.  A lot of life lessons can be learned from baseball. Baseball teaches important morals such as, “don’t ever give up”, “sometime we have to rely on our teammates”, and learning that “failure doesn’t have to define you”. And even life itself can be likened to rounding the bases on a baseball diamond.

First Base. 

The early years of our lives are a lot like the path from home plate to first base. It’s when we are the closest to home. In those early years we are taught and instructed and have base coaches in the form of parents and loved once close by to provide direction.  Early in life we rely on their instruction and help to get us started with the values and beliefs to prepare us for the rest of life.

Second Base. 

The young adult time of life is a lot like the trip from first to second base. We are a lot on our own, and it’s often a time when we take risks. But if we aren’t careful, we can get picked off. And many do. And when we are on second base we are the farthest from home. One Hundred and twenty feet and 6 inches from home plate. It’s a long way, and we are on our own.  This is the college years, or life in our 20s.  The values of home seem so far from there.

Third Base. 

But if we are wise and with a little help, we move toward third base. This is midlife, we are feeling more confident. Home gets closer. We have learned a lot and we have hopefully found our purpose and a sense of hope. We dream of making this life count, and the desire to make it count grows in us. We want our lives to show up on the scoreboard. So we seek to mentor, teach, invest in others so that what we’ve learned can help others on the path.

Home. 

TS Eliot once wrote, “We shall not cease from exploration, and the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time.” That’s the path from third to home. This is a journey to a familiar place. We find that we are getting closer to the place where we began. A place where the values that got us started now bring us home. Those final years of life are preparing us for home. Where God is. Where Jesus is. From where our faithful love ones are standing to cheer us on (Hebrews 12:1).

“Jesus you told us that you are life’s Beginning and End. You are the Alpha and the Omega. You’re the same yesterday, today, and forever. Assure us today with the truth that, from home....down every path... and back home again, You are there. Amen.”

Wrestle (Pronounced: fes ul')

When my son was barely old enough to speak, he would grab my hand pull me toward the living room floor with the word "fes -ul." In his toddler language this was a close as he could get to properly saying the word, "wrestle."  I would often oblige, crawling off the couch and onto my knees. As soon as I made myself shorter than him, he would climb all over me trying to pin me.  Surprise rear attacks were his specialty. The problem with his surprise rear attacks though, was the "attack" was usually preceded by some growl or loud grunt. Thus, negating the surprise. Anyway,  these periodic wrestling bouts continued as he got older and stronger.  With the passing months I would have to up my game to ensure victory for both of us. Little boys love to wrestle with their dads. Here's what I think about these bouts between father and son.

1. My son didn't really want to win.  Or to say it the other way, he really wanted me to win. Now, I'm not saying he wasn't trying to win. I'm not saying anything here about his competitiveness or will to win at all. He is very competitive! But deep down he wanted his dad to be stronger than him. Every little boy does. There is something incredibly reassuring about knowing that someone in this world, that loves you, is stronger than you are. There is something comforting in knowing that the biggest and closest male in your life is seemingly (at least to a little guy) invincible. He really wanted me to win. So I obliged :)

2. Regularly wrestling with Dad provided benchmarks of his own growth and strength.  Honestly, the older he gets the more it hurts. Because he is getting stronger, and because time is no respecter of persons I know eventually one day (when I'm 90) he'll beat me. But in the meantime each bout encourages him, by showing that he's getting bigger and stronger.  He is maturing and this good. He is becoming more like his dad.

God and Me
Something in us knows that we are not the strongest force in our lives. We know, deep down, someone's stronger. And we fight against him. But, if we are honest, the little boy in all of us, really wants to know that our Father is stronger than we are. And our willingness to fight him only illustrates our desire to be more like him and to be reassured that He and his Strength are still there. We want to know that there is One that is for us, and far stronger than us. And that gives me courage. I like knowing my Dad's got my back...always.

As we grow physically and emotionally our struggles with Dad get more intense. The intellectual, spiritual bouts we have with God over things we don't understand or simply don't like, get more intense. But we should know God is strong enough. He is good. He is strong. He is not intimidated by our 'fighting back', rather he is encouraged by it because it shows that we are maturing. And like any loving Father, that ultimate goal for all of his children is for them to grow up strong.

“Father, thank you for wrestling with us. Thank you for your strength. The very strength (your strength) that we fight against is the strength that, down deep, gives us courage and hope. Thank you that you are for us and far stronger than us. You proved this though the power of your Son, and our Lord, Jesus. Amen.”

Jesus at Pinch a Penny

The Saturday before Easter, in an effort to burn off some pre-Easter jitters, I decided to clean out my pool filter from its winter muck. I'm no Bob Vila, so somehow I clumsily knocked the filter into the chlorinator piercing one of the hoses. A spear of water instantly began stabbing my face!  Trying to see through the chlorinated water drops tumbling in and in front of my eyes, I blindly reached over to inspect (stick my finger in?) the leak. When I did the whole valve broke into what seemed like a thousand pieces.

 
So I turned the water off, collected the fragments and drove to Pinch - a – Penny (pool supply store).  Let me say parenthetically, that the East Lake Pinch a Penny has the most incredible customer service in the entire galaxy. They are just a great people. Always incredibly helpful, and most endearing they never make customers feel like idiots. Despite my high admiration of them, on that day I was sure that when I walked in the door with my two hands full of hoses, plastic chips, springs, valves, and Teflon they were going shake their heads and send me to "new pool sales".


But here is what actually happened. I walked in the store still damp from the over-spray, holding the pieces, and feeling like a dog that had an accident. I didn't have a clue where to start with putting this back together. An employee met me at the door, took a glance at my pieces and said, "Yes, I know exactly what you need. No problem. Follow me and we will get your chlorinator (that’s where I learned the word) fixed right up."  And in 15 minutes he did exactly that. He took me to a work bench and starting distinguishing the pieces that could salvaged from the ones that had to be replaced or were missing completely. He put it back together and described what would be required when I got home to get the chlorinator back in working order. I stood there (still soaked now with a little shiver) but amazed. And for $9 and about 45 minutes of work the chlorinator was put back together.

That’s why I say, I saw Jesus at Pinch a Penny. My problem seemed big and overwhelming to me. But routine, even simple to a person who has seen these kinds of things before. I also noticed how quickly my anxiety and frustration subsided when someone identified my problem and confidently promised to help.

That sounds like Jesus. Jesus looks at our broken pieces, some we are responsible for some were are not, and he says to us, "I know exactly what you need. I've seen this 1,000s of times before and I can salvage (save) it."  I hope you will be reminded today, as I am to never fear bringing handfuls of broken pieces to Him. Because Jesus knows this stuff, and he is a master restorer.

"Father, thank you for Jesus who has a work bench where lives are lovingly and masterfully restored. We are amazed that through Him and his Cross, love and hope now flow effortlessly through our lives. Living Water. In Me. Miracle. Amen."

Christ, Our Pinch Hitter

As I sit writing this, its just a few days before the opening day of my son's little league season.   This is great time of excitement as the new season begins and the hopes of a winning season and tournament championships are still very much alive for every team.

In a former life I played in a church softball league.  We were not very good, so our championship hopes usually were over by the fifth game of the season (at the latest). We had a lot of fun though. One of the funny things that happened was one time when one of the best hitters on our team smacked the ball really well. I mean he crushed it. In fact, to our duffer-league disbelief  he hit it so hard it cleared the fence.  Duffers don't hit many home runs! And certainly not our team!  So we were all going into hysterics over this out of the park home run.  The funny part  is everyone knew the ball was out of the park except the batter. He ran as fast as he could all the way around the bases with people yelling to him. They were yelling to slow down, but he misinterpreted the noise as a prod to run harder. It wasn't until he crossed home plate that he realized there was no need to run so hard. “Wait...It was over the fence?” he asked with winded speech. While the work was done to enjoy the trip, he ran like it all depended on his "lightening" speed. His, once-in-a-duffer's-life moment, lasted all of half a minute.

Right now, we are in the middle of the season of Lent. It is period of time Christ -followers traditionally slow down to reflect on what Jesus purchased for us on the cross. It's a time, before opening day (Easter) to slow down. Walk slowly.  So maybe today, maybe right now, God is telling you to slow down. Consider and enjoy what He has done for you through the cross and resurrection.

If I could relate it to baseball, here's the miracle victory he has given to us.

In this high stakes game of life we were in the ninth inning of a losing battle with sin and death. We faced an 0-2 count with two outs in the bottom of the ninth. All of creation stood on tip toes as out of the dugout came God's appointed pinch hitter (God always bats last). We stepped aside and He pinch hit for us. And on that dark Friday the game would be decided. Satan unleashes his fury.  Creation, as spectators in the stands, held its breath....then let out a roaring cheer when the Champion saw the pitch, timed the pitch, swung and crushed it.  And out of the park it went! Then instead of running the bases himself, he looked at you and me declaring, "This was for you. This is your victory. Enjoy the trip around the bases." Jesus' defeat of death through resurrection was the sealing of victory to all who believe.

If you've put your faith in Christ, you’re salvation has been purchased. You've got a free trip around the bases. Why then do we make life so difficult? Why do we rush around? Why do live and struggle with God's amazing gift of salvation like it all depends on our effort. It doesn't.

Nothing you do could ever make God love you any more than he already does. Don’t wait till you get to heaven to breathe in his joy and delight for you. The hardest work has already been done by Jesus. So breathe, soak in the jog around the bases. Enjoy the victory that is yours through Christ.

Lent 2015

August We will Pray Hopefully

"I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth" (1 Corinthians 3:6-7 ESV). 

With these words The Lord reminds us that there is a role we must play to grow God's kingdom, and there is a significant part that only God can do. Humans plant and water. God makes it grow. We are praying for God to do great things in this coming harvest season. So I am calling our church to prayer.

God has been stirring this in me for a few months.  As I have shared this prompting with other pastors and elders they have confirmed they have felt the same nudging. It’s time to focus and unite our prayers. So for the month of August let’s pray together for Bayside.  The Back-to-School season will present some incredible opportunities to strengthen our church family and to reach people with the gospel. But we need God’s Spirit to lead, guide and make us fruitful. We will work hard at the "planting and watering" but we need God to give the increase. We desire God to show up mightily in our Sunday worship gatherings, in our relationships and in our mission efforts. We want the Spirit to empower us to be effective at our mission to see more people (the lost saved) become more like Jesus (the saved grow).

I've been spending some time this summer thinking and reading about prayer…and of course praying.  I am discovering that one of the many benefits of prayer is it gives optimism and squelches cynicism. As followers of Christ we are to give the hope of Jesus to the world. The challenge is we live in a very cynical world. You've undoubtedly noticed this. There is cynicism about our government, about schools, about our employers, about co-workers, even about church. We who are called to be hope to the world, can unwittingly find that we have caught (and spreading) the cynicism bug ourselves.

Here’s what I'm learning about cynicism. The expectation of perfection breeds cynicism. In other words, believing we must have perfect health, the perfect job, perfect relationships, perfect appearance, perfect children, the perfect church, etc. is a breeding ground for cynicism. We expect perfect. Crazy right? Because we know that perfect is not normal, imperfect is. When we accept that people and things are not perfect but are ‘broken-goods-being-restored,’ then we can be real, authentic and accepting.  Then we can be forgiving and honest.

I am praying our church will continue to be a life giving seedbed of optimism and hope. The Spirit of Christ, accessed through prayer, provides the lens to see the world clearly and hopefully.

In the book, “A Praying Life” Paul Miller offers these six cures for cynicism.

1. Be warm but wary.  

Jesus was ‘eyes wide open’ when it came to the brokenness in our world. He didn’t pretend as if evil didn’t exist. Yet he was hospitable and embracing of others. His posture was optimistic.

2. Learn to Hope Again.  

Miller writes, “The cynic is fixed and immovable, the cynic believes we are swept along by forces greater than we are.”  Jesus on the other hand, is all about hope. Jesus knows that through prayer all things are possible. There is good reason to hope.

3. Cultivate a Childlike Spirit. 

Kids are not cynical. They are hopeful. Playful. They believe anything is possible. It is significant that Jesus told us to have that kind of faith. That is, childlike faith.

4. Cultivate a Thankful Heart. 

Prayer restores a thankful heart. The first sign that we are drifting from God is thanklessness. The sign that we are drawing closer to God is an increase in our gratitude. The closer we are to God the more grateful we are regardless the circumstances.

5. Cultivate Repentance. 

The repentant person recognizes that the cynicism out there, in the world, is also in my own heart. Through repentant prayer I acknowledge my own brokenness and arrogance. Through repentance I change. I can be authentic and hopeful.

6. Develop an Eye for Jesus. 

This is the most effective way to defeat cynicism and celebrate hope. Develop an eye for Jesus. Through prayer and constant communication with Christ, we are made aware of the activity of Jesus all around us. When we look closely, with spiritual sight, we see Jesus at work.

So I invite you to participate in this prayer journey. Pray for Bayside.  Pray for one another. Pray every day. Each day we will have different prayer focus. Let’s join together in prayer and as we do I believe God will do immeasurably more than we could ever ask or imagine! Let’s pray hopefully!

To Participate

1. Pick up a Prayer Calendar for August (available at church). 

2. Visit Bayside Facebook page and/or Twitter feed for Daily Updates. Each day at 8:00am, starting August 3, a prayer focus for that day will be posted.

3. Pray with a childlike spirit.

4. See God show off.

5. Share your God - Stories. There will be a link at www.baysidechurch.net to share your stories of how and where you see God at work.

They Warned us not To, but We Did

Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. Psalm 90:12

I’m glad it’s over. I don't like the month of May. My apologies to all the May birthdays and anniversaries. But I haven’t liked it for a while now. Ok, to come clean it's not really the month. It’s me.

Those that know me best know that I'm kind of sentimental. And from four decades of existence I can testify that sentimental and May don't mix. May in the USA is the time of year for endings. Graduations, year-end parties, conclusions. And we 'feeling' types, love beginnings but not too jovial about endings. Like this year, my daughter will stop being an 11th grader (I’m in denial that this begins her last year of High School). My other daughter ends her middle-school days this month. And my son, well we’ve got him for a while! In May kids graduate and many families prepare for summer moves. There are a lot of good-byes in May.

May is the time of year we realize we did it. We were warned to be careful not to, but we did it.  We blinked.

Young parents are warned by empty nesters and grandparents, “don’t blink because before you know it your kids will be grown.” So few of us really take it serious, and even if we do there frankly isn’t much we can do to stop it. We all blink. Each May we reopen our eyes to discover time has flown. They are grown.  That’s why I don’t like May.

To further torture my sentimental personality (or perhaps a clear confirmation of it), I downloaded an app for my iPhone recently called Legacy. To set it up you enter you children’s ages and it counts down (in weeks, days, hours, minutes, seconds) how much time you have left with each child until they turn 18. (The weeks remaining as of today is 47 for Kasey, 151 for Kelly, 412 for JT).  It’s a constant reminder that the time for investing in my children is limited and relatively small. With my app, I can know just how long the blink is.

The truth is our time for investing in anything that matters is limited-whether it spiritual, relational or even financial. When it comes to making a difference, investing over time makes the greatest impact. So maybe I shouldn’t hate the month of May. Maybe I should be thankful for it. Because it’s a yearly reminder that time matters. Love matters. And love… over time changes both of us.

“Lord, thank you for the gift and the opportunities of time. Help us to invest it well…in people and in purposes that matter. For the glory of your Son’s great name. Amen.”

More People more Like Jesus? Of course!

More People more Like Jesus? Of course!

Here's just some of why...

No life ever lived on this planet has been so influential in the affairs of men as that of Christ.

Through (Jesus) millions of people have had their inner conflicts resolved.

Through (Jesus), hundreds of millions have been lifted from illiteracy and ignorance and have been placed upon the road of growing intellectual freedom and control over the physical environment.

Jesus…. has done more to allay the physical ills of disease and famine than any other impulse, and (Jesus) has emancipated millions from chattel slavery and millions of others from thralldom to vice.

(Jesus) has protected tens of millions from exploitation.

(Jesus) has been the most fruitful source of movements to lessen the horrors of war and to put the relations of men and nations on the basis of justice and peace.

This is the influence of Jesus through his followers .... 

- taken from Kenneth Latourette's seven-volume history of the expansion of Christianity.