A brand new you

Wow, its been a while hasn't it. That's okay. I am human, as are you.

We forget. We stumble. We fall down. But we are not defined by our falling as much as our getting up.

My lack of blog writer in the past, even though, I made a commitment to it, has reminded me of sin, guilt, pain, and all other short comings we might face in life.

The older we get the more times we fail. And as through Hillsong wirters say "A Thousand times I fail still your mercy remains. The art of losing myself in bringing you fame."

But why do we try to measure up? Why do we try and be something or someone we are not. This gets even more scary when you throw theologians with their Phds and Mdivs in the mix. Some will say the goal of the Christian life is to be more like Jesus. Is it? Kind of.

You see when our whole objective is centered on who we are becoming and not all we are we are missing most of the picture.

Don't get me wrong. It is a very good thing to become more like Jesus. In fact, that is what the world needs. We need people to embody the real Jesus. Not the white-skin, Republican Jesus that we like to portray. But the one who said hard words that we must wrestle with daily.

Last night at our youth group, I tricked the kids into learning. Bahahahahaha. During our normal lesson time we engaged in dialogue back in forth where they had to ask and answer simple questions that proved not to be so simply.

We started by talking about Jesus, which got us to the cross, which got us to sin, which got us to what the heck is sin, which got us to the perfection of Jesus Himself.

Is Jesus perfect? There was a student in our group conceived without a shadow of a doubt that Jesus was not perfect. Bare in mind this was the same student that proclaimed boldly that "Jesus came to die for our sins."

How could He if he wasn't perfect? Its like you are taking a test and its pass fail. You either have to get a 100% or you fail. Would you trust yourself when you know you didn't have a perfect score or would you greatfully trade with the student that you know was perfect?

This seems silly. But this is what happened for us on the cross. Jesus was perfect. He had to be. If he wasn't there is no point in life. He was tempted in all the ways we have been tempted yet he never sinned. If he wasn't perfect he wouldn't have "died for our sins."

Sin- wrong doings before God's holy law.

The key to Jesus' success? He was God. Yes he was human too. 100% each somehow. Don't pretend that we understand it. God knew we couldn't muster enough faith, enough goodness to be perfect. So he had to become a human and die in our place.

This, well, this is the Gospel.

So what about becoming more like Jesus? I think its a great idea. But I do not think it should be our focus.

You see because the more I know God, the thing that is most changed isn't my outside behavior but my heart. The closer I get to God the more I realized how jacked up I can be some times. The closer I get to the light the more I see my dirt. And I hate it. And I don't want it. And I wish God would come down and make me a better person but He hasn't.

But here is what I have learned: It isn't about me becoming a better person. It's about me trusting in God that He was a good enough person for me. It's about me having a more grace filled heart. You see, when I remember how much God has forgiven me and still continues to forgive I am free to forgive others around me.

But if I think I am becoming a better person that is when I start to look down on those around me. And really is that who we desire to be?

We are a new creation in Christ. If you believe in Jesus that is who you are. You are a brand new you. You didn't earn it. You wouldn't. You didn't desire it until God made it possible.

Today, my prayer for you as it is for myself is not that we try and become better people but that we become people that depend on God for everything. That we remember how much we have been shown grace and therefore we can show grace, and love, and mercy, and kindness to others.

I think that is what the world needs.

Wisdom from Mother Theresa

There is an awesome writing entitled, "Do it anyway" by Mother Teresa that I want to share with you today. Her words are similar and more than likely a slight variation of Dr. Kent M. Keith's words in his "The Paradoxical Commandments."

She wrote:

People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered. Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish ulterior motives. Be kind anyway.

If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies. Succeed anyways.

If you are honest and sincere people may deceive you. Be honest and sincere anyway.

What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight. Create anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous. Be happy anyway.

The good you do today, will often be forgotten. Do good anyway.

Give the best you have, and it will never be enough. Give your best anyway.

In the final analysis, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway.


Wow! What powerful and inspirational words from this wonderful woman of God.

A challenge we must accept is how we treat others. We can come up with thousands of reasons why we should not treat others with love and honor and respect but there is one more powerful reason why we should love them. And to illustrate this point I will steal from a man even more wise than Mother Theresa.

In Matthew's Gospel, we read of Jesus telling  a parable entitled, "The parable of the Unforgiving servant."

Jesus tells this parable in response to the words of Peter. Peter thought he was wise by telling Jesus that he thinks its wise to forgive 7 times. In the First Century the most forgiving people would forgive up to the max of 3 times. So when Peter proclaimed, "7" he declared over double he was willing to forgive.

Jesus says 77 times or 7 times 70 depending on the translation of Scripture. Jesus describes what he means in the parable.

He said, "Suppose there is a servant who owes the king 10,000 talents (it was a form of currency). Just think a lot of money. A sum that was unpayable by a servant. The debt was too large. The servant begged the king to not charge him and throw him and his family in prision. And the crazy thing is: The king listened! He set him free.

After this occurred: The same servant, who was just forgiven a large amount of money, found someone who owed him money. He demanded that this man who owed him a lot less money pay up. When he couldn't the first servant throw this second servant in jail.

When the king found out about this he was not very happy. The king couldn't understand how the servant could be so unforgiving after he was forgiven of so much.


Jesus makes a connection between how we have been forgiven by God to how this servant was forgiven by the king. Yet many people in the First Century and now in the 21st Century do not like to forgive.

Jesus is reminding us that we have been forgiven much and therefore we should forgive much. Once we understand how much God has forgiven us we can begin to show that forgiveness and unconditional love to others.

This isn't a plead to be a doormat. This isn't a plead to let people walk over you. But it is a plead to be free. To be free from the opinion of what others say about you. To be free to show them the love of Jesus.

Remember what Mother Theresa said, "People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered. Forgive them anyway."

Because "In the final analysis, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway."

May you and I learn to love. May you and I learn to forgive. Even when people choose not to change how they treat you because in the end it isn't between you and them, it is between you and God.

Would Jesus hit a home run?

The Pirates won. Raise the Jolly Roger.

How cool has this been as a Pittsburgh Pirates fan. I rooted for the Pirates since my birth. My mother and my grandfather both watched and listened to many games and taught me to do the same. I was 2 days short of one year old on October 14, 1992.

If you are a pirates fan I do not need to tell you the significance of that date. In an age before instant replay, Sid Bream rounded third, the throw came in, the slide, he was out but called safe. 1992. That was the end of the playoffs and the end of winning for the baseball team from Pittsburgh (at least for a generation).

I grew up knowing that the Pirates were losers. In 2009, there was a funny but true saying floating around the state of PA, Pittsburgh is the City of Champions and the Pirates.

Despite giving us false hope in both 2011 and 2012, Clint Hurdle and the Pittsburgh Pirates not only had a winning record in 2013 but won the wildcard game at Pnc Park .After Johnny Cueto drops the ball after being rattled by a "black out" Russel Martin hits a homerun off of him. The Pirates lost in 5 games to the Cardinals but the future seemed bright.

A slow start in 2014 did not stop the Pirates from making the playoffs but once again as the host to the Wild Card Game. This time they had to face Madison Baumgardner and the SF Giants who seem to win the World Series every even year (2010,2012,2014). The Pirates got crushed.

The promise going into 2015 is WE WILL WIN THE DIVISION!  Some, maybe a little over zealous proclaimed, "Heck, the pirates are wining the whole thing"

They once again had a slow start but have started to play some better ball as of late and as of June 2nd, 2015 they are three games above .500 and just six games back of those stupid Cardinals.

So, why a blog on Baseball? Why not? Baseball is awesome right? It is. Trust me.

I am writing this blog after the Pirates squeak by those same Giants that won the World Series (and beat us on Oct 1 by the score of 0-8) last night. And Last night we were the victor by the score 4-3.

 This was a great game despite starting 10:15 on the east coast. The Giants score 2 runs in the first inning against an early candidate for "Cy Young" Gerit Cole (of course those runs were unearned because of an error). He clearly didn't have his "A game" but still managed to pitch 7 innings giving up just 2 runs (0 Earned Runs) thanks to miracle 6th inning where he escaped the bases loaded with no outs.

The Pirates just scored 4 runs. You see, they could have/ should have scored more if it wasn't for two amazing defense plays by Giants outfielders. the First came with the Pirates trailing 0-2 with bases loaded with just one out in the top of the fourth. Andrew McCutchen rockets a ball that appears will split the center and left fielder easily scoring three runs. But a diving catch causes Cutch to get a Sac Fly and score Gerit Cole from Third.

Again, later in the game the same situation was set up. After El Coffee draws the walk Cutch is up with the bases loaded and only one out. He hits the ball. Once again it appears that this ball with split the center and right fielder but this time the right fielder makes an above average play on the ball and once again Gerit Cole scores from Third on the Sac Fly.

Two times at bat, two times he doesn't get a hit but helps the team tie it up right before Walker hits a two run double to take the lead for good.

Watching the game, you could tell McCutchen was upset. He has Homerun and RBI power. And if two above average plays were not made he would have had 6 Runs Batted in instead of 2.

Early in the game, Gerit Cole who pitched a brilliant game despite not having his best stuff had one of the worst bunts I have seen since AJ Burnett hurt himself bunting in BP back in 2013. His goal was to get a SAC bunt by bunting the ball toward the third basemen to get Chris Stewart from Second to Third with just one out. But instead the ball feel straight down and the catcher was able to pick it up and throw down to third and get Stewart out by a foot. Not even close.

Reflecting on this game I started to think about Jesus. I like to think Jesus would like to play baseball after all it was his idea. Somewhere in the mystery of the Trinity He implanted the concept of baseball into the hearts of individuals and there the game was made.

I started to think of what would have happened if Jesus was batting instead of McCutchen in those situations. Could he have hit the home run? After all, God is all powerful. He is mighty. So, of course Jesus could have hit a home run but would he had.

You see, I think this comes down to what we believe about Jesus. The First Century Jews were waiting for a Messiah who would have metaphorically hit home runs. He would come and been their political king and set them free from the bondage of the Roman Empire. But Jesus knew something that sports teach us.

Sometimes in order to win, you must lose first.  What appears as defeat individually in the game of baseball can be a win as a team. McCutchen had a Sacrifice Fly (well actually two of them yesterday). In order for someone else to score.

The game of baseball teaches us that in life sometimes we must sacrifice ourselves in order to benefit others. Of course, this is counter to the American Dream which teaches us that we must go to college so that we can get a nice job, nice family, nice paycheck, nice house, etc etc etc. The problem isn't in the money but it is chasing after something that does not endure and only benefits oneself.

We ask ourselves, "What am I called to do?" Where your passions and a need meet there is your calling. There is your destiny. And if there is sacrifice involved you might be in the right business.

I look at the life of Jesus and my heart melts. I think of all the ways I am selfish with my time and money and I ask him to show me ways in which I can use the resources he has blessed me with to bless others. It is a process and it hurts.

Jesus die a cross. I don't know if you knew that or not but his sacrifice didn't begin on Good Friday. It began by Him choosing to become a finite human, It continued as he choose to belong to a  family of poor people, It Continued as he associated with those who were called, "tax collectors and sinners." It continued as he didn't get married or raise a family but instead chose to invest in 12 unlikely religious men that changed the world. It continued as he obey his Heavenly Father by investing in women; some of other nationalities.

And of course the cross. Where he was naked and died. People mocked him as he was naked. They yelled, "You have saved others why don't you save yourself?" I wonder if that thought cross Jesus' mind. I could just escape. I know I can. I am God! I could hit a home run! What a miracle it would be for me to just break through these nails that hold me here. It would be easy. And with the bases loaded Jesus gave himself up. He died. God died. He made a sacrifice for us. We were abandoned on third base with no way of getting home but He hit the sacrifice fly to score us.


I know, like all analogies it can only go so far.   But I return to my original question: Would Jesus hit a home run? No. He would hit the sacrifice fly every time. For you. For me. For us.

May we hit more sacrifice flies. May we give of ourselves in the same way that Jesus gave himself up for the ransom of many. We don't do this to earn God's love. You see when Jesus died he declared that it was finished. That means we are accepted now by God.

We have scored. But Now it's our time to bat. Will you go to bat for others? Will you try to hit the home run or just give yourself up so that they may score?

And when you pray...

"And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him."- Matthew 6:7-8

After these words Matthew records what we now know as the "Lord's Prayer." You know, "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts (or trespasses) as we also have forgive our debtors (or those who trespass against us). And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil (Most churches add "For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, forever and ever, Amen).


So Jesus tells us not to pray long prayers and then he gives us a long prayer to recite? Not exactly.

Jesus wasn't opposed (at least not here) to long prayers. He does not want people to think that if they pray long enough that God has to do what they say.

There is so much that we can learn form the words of Christ in the "Lord's Prayer" but I want to focus on one aspect that without it our prayers are simply empty.

Dependence.

There are three places that my mind travels when I hear that word.

The first is a person you can claim on tax day. For example, parents can claim their children when they file their taxes and they get some money from the government (everyone loves free money). But at a certain age being a dependent of your parents is kinda frown upon. Who doesn't want their Independence? Their freedom?! 

The second is more closely related to an addiction. For example, think of alcohol. If someone has an alcohol dependence he or she needs it so desperately that physiological changes might occur in an individual. Lack of Sleep, headaches, irritation, etc. The scary part of drug dependence is that our body needs more and more to reach the "high" or "low" which creates a  tolerance which in turn creates more of a dependence. And the addict continues down this cycle until he or she can find healing from the addiction. 

The third is kinda creepy but also a serious condition. There is a mental health issue known as "Dependent personality disorder." According to the American Psychological Association
Dependent personality disorder is characterized by a long-standing need for the person to be taken care of and a fear of being abandoned or separated from important individuals in his or her life. These individuals would be seen as "clingy" and obsessively seeking attention and approval from whoever will give it. 


So clearly dependence is generally seen as a negative aspect in our 21 century America. But what about Dependence upon God, our Father? I have noticed that most people would say this is also abnormal. They would say they are too religious or too into God. But no one would say that of an earthly child being dependent upon their earthly Father. 

 But, I want to have dependent personality disorder with God. I want to cling to his presence, I want to cling to the cross, I want to cling to his promises for my life, and I want to cling to his written word, the Bible. I want to be known as a person that finds his identity wrapped around the approval of another. My approval and yours can be too was settled when Jesus went to the cross. He said, This how much I love you. And Im crazy enough to believe him. 

But, I want to be addicted. In fact, I think I am. Addicted to what? To God. When I encounter God I want more of Him. I believe it was Kari Job who wrote, "The more I seek him, the more I find Him, the more I find him, the more I seek him." And I don't think Kesha was too far off when she writes, "Your love is my drug." Of course, she doesn't relate this to God but His love is our drug. It's addicting. And when we encounter more of His love we grow a tolerance and we need more. It's this idea of receiving the love from God and giving it to others that should be motive for living. 

But, I want to be a child. I want to stay in my Father's house forever.I want to seek him for my needs. That he may provide my "daily bread."  I don't want my independence from God because if I'm left to my own I will go down the wrong road because I am confident that my sin and rebellion would kick in. 

This is why I am glad that God already knows my needs before I pray them. He knows me completely. And he knows you too. He knows that we will struggle giving Him control and relying on Him and He still loves us. 

So if God knows what we need before we pray it why do we need to pray? This is an incredibly loaded question so I will just provide a simple answer. We need to know that we can rely on God. We need to know that we can be dependent on Him. That's what prayer is, "Showing our dependence upon God." 

Asking not for our will to be done but for His. Asking not for our kingdom to come, but for His. 

Are there certain words I must say in order for God to hear me? No. Nothing wrong with written prayers, nothing wrong with reciting a prayer from Scripture, there is nothing wrong with creating your own words, and there is nothing wrong with wordless prayers.

It is just about showing your dependence upon God.
Will you join me today in showing our dependence of God? 

He is the Father, He is the Son, He is the Holy Spirit and He is all we need. 

The Power of Words

I really want to be a good communicator. I think it’s important. I teach students during Awana (A Wednesday Night event for students 6^th and under) teach our youth group Sunday School on Sunday Mornings, I teach our youth group during Sunday Evenings, I preach about once every four months, and I coach wrestling. Those are the direct ways I communicate to others but I also communicate indirectly. In fact, my com101 professor Rich Noble, taught us that most of our communication is non-verbal (how we act: like smiling, the tone of your voice, and stuff like that). I also communicate in how I live my life. And you do too!

You communicate directly (through your words) and indirectly (through your actions) every moment of every day, even when you are a sleep (Psychoanalysis anyone? Haha). 

All of this “communicating” talk comes from a study I am doing with a few local pastors. We took an assessment that evaluated our motivation. You know like why I do what I do? This study isn’t to help us solve our deep psychological issues but certainty can be a starting point in figuring out why certain people are motivated to do certain things. The test gives you certain results and correlates them with colors. You are a complex person and so am I; therefore we have a blend of motivations but this test told us which motivational strategy we would most likely employ. The colors are red, blue, and green. 

“Red people” tend to be more vision oriented. We do things and communicate to the end that people are moving in a certain direction. They want to see people understand a concept and they see that as a “win.”  “Blue people” tend to be more people oriented. They are motivated by wanting people to be in harmony and see growth on a personal level. “Green people” tend to be more detailed-oriented. These are your accountants and treasurers. They are motivated not by people or the vision but my making sure all the ducks are in a row and that all the possibilities have been considered before moving on. There is also the “hub.” These are people that scored similar scores in red, blue, and green. They tend to be motivated by all three factors and hearing input from all angles and P.O.V.

Which color am I? What do you think? Which color are you? What do you think? Of course, all this talk about colors and motivation must led us somewhere and to someone. We need to know individuals motivational behaviors in a deeper way for a variety of reasons. 1) They can help us see the blind spots we are missing. Isn’t that true? A person that is motivated by vision and direction could easily overlook the practical needs that a detailed oriented person could see.  2) They help us see the full picture of God. All people were created in the image in likeness of God. That’s the coolest thing ever, i.mo. When we hang out with people that aren’t like us we get to see more of what God is like through these individuals. 3) We can communicate well to them! Saint Paul told the Church in Corinth that “he has become all things for all people, so that some might be saved.” He is telling us that the Gospel doesn’t change but how he needed to present it to certain individuals needed to in order for them to hear it.

The wonderful thing about God is he already knows how to communicate. In fact, he is the best communicator ever. I mean He did create it, after all.  So, I am interested in how God communicates to us. This list is not all the ways that God can speak to us. I believe he can use any way that he pleases. Who am I to limit what God can do? I have just notice a few that have to do with the word “Word.”

1) We can speak God’s word

Saint James, the half-brother of our Lord Jesus, wrote a letter in the Scriptures. He talks about how good and evil can both come from your tongue. He says it shouldn’t be but it does. We have the power to speak life into other people. How empowering is it to receive an encouraging word from another person when you are having a crappy day? We can also speak revelation. We can see things and have experienced things that others haven’t. We have the ability to speak truth into a situation trusting that God will use it to strengthen that individual. It is important to remember which “color” you are talking to when you speak these words of truth.  For it is our job to communicate well to the other based on how they can receive it best.

2) We can read God’s word

Many times in my life I don’t have the words to say. But I know that God has written (not literally but through chosen individuals) in the collection of books we call the Bible. Need an encouragement for a time of despair? There’s a verse for that. Need the words to praise God? There’s a verse for that. Need a challenge in times of pride? There’s a verse for that. 

The wonderful thing about God’s written word is you don’t need a Master’s in Biblical studies to read it. Studying about the Bible and reading commentaries are incredibly helpful to understand the background of the historical situation but we can trust that God can also speak to us through his Spirit into his written Word.

3) We can remember God’s word

One thing (among many) that I have appreciated about the Alliance (the demo I am serving) is this idea of remembering. What I grew up calling “Sacraments” they call “Ordinances.” This is referring to Holy Baptism and Holy Communion.  The idea of an ordinance is to perform a certain act out of obedience to the One who has commanded it and out of remembrance of Him.  So, they remember Jesus’ death and resurrection through Baptism (dying of one’s sins as they are washed away) and through the elements of bread and wine (replaced by grape juice) remind us that Jesus body and blood was broken and shed for us.

 God’s word is Jesus. In fact that is what Saint John calls him to begin his Gospel. What the Greeks called “logos” The way, the understanding of the universe, the way things work: John calls Jesus that. And is translated into our Bibles as “Word.” He shocks the Greek world when he says, “the Word (I.E. this Jesus who has always been and always will be, the way we understand the universe) became flesh and dwelt among us.

God speaks to us through Jesus. Through his birth, life, death, and resurrection. Jesus spoke parables (stories about people who embraced this “heavenly mindset.”) His life, his sacrifice, his example, his power over demons and death itself, is a testimony of God speaking to us.

4) We can experience God’s word

 The God who spoke many years ago through creating the earth, who spoke to us through Jesus, who speaks to us through the Scriptures, speaks to us today. His Spirit is alive and draws us to Himself. The Father who desires more than anything an intimate relationship with His children chooses to do so in the present age through the Spirit of Jesus that lives in and among God’s chosen people.

We can hear him speak to us. Through dreams. Through visions. Through the whispers of his voice.  This is where many Christians tend to check out because it is unsafe and uncontrollable but where we should want to sign-up! It takes faith to listen and trust that the God who knows you best will speak to you.

I have encountered God speak to me through all of these ways. Sometimes it is more evident than other times but as I learn to hear from Him I realize it’s a process. There are certain ways in different seasons of my life that I have heard God speak in different ways.  Currently, I am seeing certain words jump off the pages of Scripture as I follow the church calendar through the Bible readings.

The Spirit and the Word always work together.  May we not have a limited view of the “Word of God.” For the Word is Jesus himself. The Father, who sent his Son, sends his Spirit to reveal all truth in and through us and for us, who believe in the One and Only Triune God. This is awesome. And to this regard, I proclaim, “HECK YEA!” Come Lord Jesus, Come. 

Fill up

Well, two days into the New Year and I already got to experience my word in a profound way/ 

For those of you who do not understand read my previous blog, "2015: A year of being stuck." 

This morning on my way to the office my car got stuck, literally, on Main Street Ridgway, PA. I shifted into neutral, jumped out of my car, and started pushing my car up the street. (Luckily I live in the sticks and there wasn't too much traffic). As I needed to turn my car three guys came and help me push it right next to a parking spot on South Broad. 

What the heck?!? Frustration overwhelmed me. This was not the first car problems I have had in my life but I knew that God could be teaching me something through this tough time. He is good like that. 

Grateful that my boss is graceful when I told him I was going to be late for our 11am staff meeting even though I planned on getting there before 9am. 

As a man, I tried to figure out what happened, as I decided to call (and btw had to renew my Triple A card). How could my car just stop randomally. Was it my engine? My alternator? Flat tire?

Wait, I was out of gas. Really? How does that happen?

The gauge for my gas tank was not working. In fact, it usually doesn't and so I log my information in a notebook. I like to keep track of my miles, miles per gallon, when I get my oil changed (I actually have in my notebook all the way back through 2011). But being busy with Christmas and New Year I neglected to check on my miles. 

I usually get good miles per gallon but didn't this time. (I was mostly driving in town). So i waited and waited and waited until finally a guy pulled up surprised that I was stupid enough to run out of gas but nonetheless graciously gave me two gallons. He instructed that I go to the gas station and fill all the way up.

So the moral of the story? Don't be stupid like JEFF

Well, its deeper meaning. 

Many of us do this with our spiritual life. Think about it. We run on empty all week. And we breakdown. Luckily Sunday is around the corner. We expect our pastor to fill us up. 

What if I noticed I was running out of gas? I would have went to the gas station and filled up. 

This is true in our walk with God. He can go to Him at any moment to be filled with his Spirit. But many times we are too busy and as a result are drained and are of no use in the world. 

The irony here is many of us get stuck but we don't get stuck in the goodness of God. We get stuck because we are drained from over working ourselves. Instead of resting as a reaction to being tired it makes more sense to rest in order to work. 

As you read this, my prayer for you is you get stuck. You get stuck in the presence of God. I pray that you remember him and that you ask him to fill you up with more of Himself. May you not breakdown but be victorious in all you do.