$161,684 Tithe Check!

Standing at the back of the worship center our Finance Ministry Assistant (Linda) came up to me and one of the members I was speaking to. She was beaming but at the same time cautiously inquisitive. She asked this member in front of me - "did you mean to make out your tithe check for $161,684 dollars?"  His response was a simple 'yes, I did' and he explained he had received some royalty on something...  She responded; "praise God! I was almost afraid the decimal point was moved to the right too far...!"  Elated and joyful my heart leapt and then - I woke up from my dream.

Waking up, my heart was pounding and really regretted waking up. I checked to see what time it was (5:38AM), reminded myself I was at the Holiday Inn Express in Albuquerque. I went in to brush my teeth and started wondering about the dream. I came up with a few of interpretations:

1. The dream was prophetical in nature. I rationalized briefly that because the amount was so specific, the dream was in color, the responses of everyone in the dream would have been expected. That business background rationale quickly faded.
2. The dream was culinary in nature. I quickly remembered the 'Cookie Doughn't You Want Some?' from Cold Stone before I went to bed. That then seemed probable cause to me. I kept brushing...
3. The dream was financial in nature. While I know the news is filled with 'sequestration' (which honestly sounds more like a 3-legged horse running in the Kentucky Derby), I know the economic reality in our nation is anything but 'good'. I also know that the Lord is in control of the financial situation in each and every church...
4. (Finally) The dream was doctrinal in nature. One of the previous night's messages by Dr. Greg Frizzell was about powerful prayers resulting in powerful miracles (James 5:15 stuff!)

Oh yeah, #4, that was it! As the Holy Spirit began to unwind that message in my heart while I finished brushing my teeth, I was deeply inspired but also convicted. While I know it's always a good thing to pray for Aunt Susie's infected, in-grown toe nail so she doesn't die and go to heaven and walk the golden paved streets with an eternal limp, the clear realization that deep-seated cleansing prayer on my own part and prayer for the lost in our community is really at the heart of God.

Prayers that transform the heart of mankind come from clean, confident and desperate hearts before God. I was reminded last night that this type of prayer requires my time, attention and devotion in solitude. I will still look for prophetical, culinary, and financial answers to my own whacked out dreams... but when the Lord is speaking Transformationally - I need to put my tooth brush away and pray... With God all things are possible - even handling my morning breath before I hit the bathroom...

In Christ!

A Winning Culture

This morning I listened to an interview with Coach Mike Krezyzewski (Coach K) in which he stated; "It's not about having a winning team but about having a winning culture."  As those words bounced around in my heart and mind, my thoughts turned from basketball (sports in general...) to life.  A great deal of people live and work in a losing culture, which helps produce a culture of blame, suspicion and selfishness. 

There will always be losses and even seasons where our hopes and dreams fail to mirror expectations. While loss is an inevitable human reality, I believe that creating and maintaining a culture of winning is more important than winning itself. When we seek to create and maintain a winning culture - winning becomes an inevitable reality. So how do you create a 'winning culture'?

Spirited cheerleaders, great band, happy fans and pep rallies - while fun and inspiring at times, do little to inspire at the middle of the second half when you are trailing by 6.  A hated opponent can really fire you up for retaliation but that will only inspire us a few times up and down the court. A good butt-chewing from our coach can help correct bad execution or habits but at the core of a winning culture is a transformed life. 

A winning culture (be it a team sport, family, church, business, organization...) is filled with enough people committed to personal and team transformation that creates and maintains a culture of winning. The winning culture is created when there is a collective commitment to:

• An objective operational standard that serves as the foundation
• Authenticity
• Time spent together (eating, celebrating, reviewing, living...)
• Honoring others above themselves

I challenge you today to make the personal and cultural changes necessary to creating and maintaining a winning culture...

In Christ!

"And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching, to fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayers."  (A2:42)

Bah! Humbug...

   Each year for the past four years we have made it a point to watch 'Scrooge'; the 1970's version with Albert Finney. Charles Dickens' story put to theatre and film is a classic for any generation.  There's something about choosing life that resonates with almost everyone. There's something about that old miserly character Ebenezer Scrooge that just draws us back in time to a place in our own journey that few of us want to even admit.  Early in the story, Scrooge's use of the word humbug becomes a self expression of his own character.
   One of the story's most revealing humbug scenes that calls attention to our reticent tendencies is the engagement breakup scene. Scrooge goes back in time to a critical place where he forfeited the joy and intimacy of a marriage relationship from the idol of 'gain'. Most telling are the cries from Scrooge himself to the younger version of himself, begging "say something you fool, say something..." Not everyone suffers from this humbug of greed but there are other humbugs other than greed. You know yours, I know my own. When humbug is chosen, it's that thing that will draw us away from the people we love and cherish. The results of which are crushing on the spirit of Christmas in each of us, regardless of the month on the wall calendar.
   It's that active withholding of affection, love, praise, spiritual leadership, intimacy... that just causes us to descend into our personal Scrooge-like character. Certainly, it manifests itself in varied ways but mostly in our relationships... The person that humbug ultimately robs is ourself. There is no gain - only humbug!
   That powerful scene ends with Scrooge saying "spirit remove me from this place, I can bear it no more!'  It's that sentiment and insight that begins the process of our own repentance and healing. We each have a threshold of pain that is too much to bear.  It is that conscious choice that cries out to the Spirit of the Living God... 'dear God, remove me from this place!'  
   I want to encourage you to give yourself and your family and friends the greatest Christmas present ever - a heart full of love, appreciation, praise, affirmation, prayer, love, compassion, joy, patience, kindness, gentleness, self-control... Rid yourself of the chains of humbug, press into life like never before and choose to live again...

In Christ!

Perhaps

   "perhaps" - what an interesting word. Dissecting the word gives a little insight here. 'per' - rendered 'by or through' and 'haps' - 'chance or happenstance'. I found myself last Tuesday night and Wednesday morning a little bummed to the realization that nothing in our nation really changed; that is unfortunate! I allowed myself to even vote early this year, pray for the election and 'hope' for a good outcome. It took me a while to peel back the feelings I was having.
   I realize that certainly, not everyone felt the same way, but for me anyway, it was a mixture of things. I felt disgust that we will more than likely be looking at another 4 years of legislative gridlock. I felt disdain that we can't rid ourselves of the corruption that exists throughout the various levels of our government very easily. I felt glum that we've gone from a society based on self-responsibility to a culture of 'entitlements'. I felt overwhelmed that my children, grandchildren and their children will have to pay for the sins of the fathers. Then today happened.
   I was reading in Jeremiah 26:3 and the Lord starts with the word "perhaps". To be honest with you that intrigues me a little. You see Jeremiah prophesied during the decay, collapse and deportation of Israel. Israel was THE 'world power' during the 10th century BC but began its moral and cultural decay soon after the death of David's son Solomon. It took Israel 300 years to get to the point of being completely dismantled at the hands of the Babylonians. National and political collapses are nothing new and should come as no surprise to any of us - until it actually occurs - to us! Seeing that life and circumstances are flying by at warp-10, I doubt seriously it will take us 300 years to shrink into irrelevance unless Scotty runs short on dilythium crystals... So I think we may actually be in that short period of 'perhaps'!
   Interestingly enough, Jeremiah was told to go to church (Temple) to prophesy, not to the houses of government or the halls of justice... but to the people.  If "they" would "listen and return" - God "might relent" from what he was planning to do.  I am in no position to tell you what the Lord has planned for us as a nation - but it can't be good. Let's face it - our nation doesn't receive a 'get-out-of-hell-free card' for 40-million abortions performed, approving same-sex marriages, corruption to the highest levels of government, oppressing the poor, placing in servitude the entire lower and middle class of working families through $16T of debt, and legalizing recreational use of hallucinogens (Washington and Colorado states with marijuana)...
   In these moments of 'perhaps' let's take a little personal inventory together:

1. Where's your hope? (Government? Family? God? idols / gods?...)
2. What's your plan? (Random? Micro-management? Trust?)
3. Why the anxiety?  (Misplaced priorities? Bad stewardship? Broken homes?)

Personally, I wish we could enact a law that would require all politicians to wear powdered wigs, knickers and black square-toe shoes... but since we can't get that one passed - I will settle in on the providential mercy of God and the repentance of His people back to Him and 'perhaps the Lord...'

• In His wrath will remember mercy...
• In His judgment will extend grace...
• In His anger will give us more time...

In Christ?!

Pastor Paul

The Devil's Claw

  'The Devil's Claw' - the name alone strikes intrigue. Actually the 'Devil's Claw' is classified as a 'noxious weed' and native to the Americas. It's technical name is 'Ibicella Lutea'. It often grows along the road sides and can be more commonly found around watering tanks for animals. It's a devilish looking weed when the flowers and green leafs have fallen and it is broken off. The horn-shaped tentacles look menacing as they protrude from the seed pod which opens up when stepped on. The seeds often find their way into the ground or onto the hooves and heads of sheep; very often causing serious injury and eventually death by starvation. During the blooming season they have either purple or yellow flowers and appear harmless enough but it's odious scent does not attract the average person. The 'Devil's Claw' is not exclusive to weeds however...

  The Devil's Claw is also known by other names:

• "hurt"... as in 'ouch'
• "rejection"... as in 'really!?'
• "neglect"... as in 'only if...'

These attach to the hearts and minds of humanity. They irritate, dig in beneath the skin, eventually infect, and even spread seeds where others get hurt. Eventually, if left untreated, people starve themselves within relationship, or cause serious infection, pain, starvation and eventually the death of the relationships we would under normal conditions hold most dear. 

  Painstaking care is required in their removal. It seems to me that it's easier to identify the nature and even the source of these 'Claws' but much more difficult in removing them once af-fected or in-fected. This is where I believe the Shepherd is most needed. We need Him to sit with us and help us deal with each seed from the claw. He's a tender Physician really; never pushing the seed in deeper or twisting it around, only helping remove their ef-fects, covering over and healing us from these painful events and words. Our Shepherd also uses others to help us with this process. Our spouse, family or friends in our church often play that critical role in making us better. 

  This weekend one such person who has helped me and many others will be here in LA speaking to our church and community. Dr. Doug Weiss has been very instrumental in helping me identify some of these 'seeds' and provide me a path forward in my own life-journey. I hope you'll join us this weekend as we work toward authentic intimacy in our relationships. 

  In the meantime, if you discover a weed that has a purple or yellow flower on it which doesn't smell particularly too good, it may very well be a  'Devil's Claw'. Avoiding them, your life and the lives of your family and friends will be better for it. Also, if those seeds have found a way into your life or relationships, determine to no longer go it alone or avoiding the necessary remedy... there's help and hope available...

In Christ!

Brown Paper Bags

You never know what is going to show up at church! This happened to me a number of years ago back in Oklahoma; inside that brown paper bag were some very private videos...

Coal Count, Oklahoma is largely a 'Democratic' voting county; though in the 2008 election voted 'Republican'. The church I led there was largely reflective of the county in terms of political preferences. In the mid '90's you will recall that President Clinton was entangled in a moral and political mess over Monica Lewinsky by lying to Congress. During that time it was a very difficult subject to talk about publicly and even personally because of the political tensions. As I do now, I tried to center any political commentary around morals and ethics; so the subject was difficult to avoid... until one Sunday.

Roy and Peggy were in their 80's at the time and were very gentle and caring souls. They were faithful to the church and their Sunday School classes. 'Ole Roy', as I called him was always faithful to the Chuck Wagon (local diner) where we discussed cows, hay, rain and chances of rain and occasionally politics. In comparison to the geezers at the table, I was but a young pup... so I didn't say much. I never new until one Sunday where 'Ole Roy' stood politically.

The service had ended and Roy and Peggy had hung back from leaving in order to talk with me. Sister Peggy looked both ways and then whispered lightly and handed me a brown paper bag. She asked me to keep it secret and not open it till I got home. When I got home I opened the bag and there were a couple of VHS tapes on the Clinton administration and the Lewinsky scandal. You'd thought the way they were acting the brown bag had porn or crack in it... but I understood their intentions!

Regardless where you stand politically, I think we can all find agreement when it comes to moral issues. I find the 'brown paper bag' interesting. The issue is much deeper than political preferences. Think of your heart as a 'brown paper bag' for a moment. What are you hiding?  What are you trying to hide from the Holy Spirit? What role is shame currently playing in your faith and life? Critical to our spiritual and relational health is living life without having to have a 'brown paper bag'.

I have to laugh sometimes when I see a brown paper bag show up at church. I think of Ole Roy and Peggy, but I also think of how I need to live out a transparent life...

In Christ!

Metal Shavings

   It was in the fall of 1979. I had purchased a 1975 Chevy Blazer (4WD) with a 350, 4-barrel carb engine. Now at 17 you have this desire to trick the thing out with a potent 5M watt stereo system and some cool lights placed on the bumper for when you go mudding. It's at that point the story begins.
   I broke out my father's drill and 3/4" drill bit and went to work on the bumper to install the lights. I worked at it for over an hour getting the holes drilled. Feeling like a man's man with power tools in my hand, laying on the ground with the drill above me, grime, muck, dirt, ball cap tilted a little sideways, no safety glasses on, while flexing my then 145lb. frame... unaware that as I was drilling, tiny pieces of metal shavings were collecting on my face and into my eyes.
   I clearly realize now that I broke 4 of the 5 LANL safety initiatives, the most egregious being that I am admitting to it... but we all need a little grace to go around. Right? Right?!
   About three hours later I began to experience an odd burning in my eyes. I looked into the mirror through the watery image in front of me wondering what had happened. Praise God for moms, because when I asked her she told me to get to the eye doctor immediately. In one of those rare moments when you actually do what your parents suggest, I got into the car with her and went. The doctor examined my eyes and found metal shavings in both. His assistant cleaned them out, mom paid for the doctor visit and off we went back home. Lesson learned... kind of...
  Today, I'm very glad the ophthamologist I went to had good eyesight himself. Because see if the physician himself had metal shavings in his own eye the size of a steel girder, how could he ever take the metal shavings out of my own? Isn't that the point of what Jesus was saying about having a critical eye? As we go through life, I do believe it's vital to keep an eye on our own stuff before we attempt to even think of performing acute examinations on everyone else's stuff. (And yes, that's me in the picture above whose hair is as orange as the paint job... don't start hating on me because there's less of it and a differing color now...)
  I'm very thankful for the doctor who kept his eyesight in order. I'm thankful for my mother's direction and her payment to the doctor on my behalf. I'm thankful for the Great Physician whose holiness is beyond compare. I'm thankful for His Son's payment for my misdeeds. I'm thankful He is helping me get the steel girder out of my own eye. I'm thankful for the in[sight] He's provided me for living out my life...  In Christ!