What Does Your Heart Say?

Doctors today have incredibly precise technology that allows them to diagnose certain ailments almost perfectly. They can use various scopes and machines to look inside of us and tell us what's going on. But because of human - and machine - error, they can always be wrong. Man, and his machines, are not infallible...

... such is not the case with God. When God looks into our heart, it tells him exactly what's going on inside of us. Even if outwardly we say or do one thing, our heart will show the genuineness of what was said or done. We can fool the people around us, but our heart never lies.

Join us at Mosaic this Sunday as we continue in our INFLUENCE series, with a message on "Leading Ourselves" - before I can effectively influence and lead others, I have to be able to lead myself!

Can't wait til Sunday... see you there!!

I love Him, I love Him not...

"If you love Me, show it by doing what I've told you" (John 14:15, The Message)

Spiritual schizophrenia.

Ever heard of it? No? Well, you probably have it... I do. It's when you say you love God one minute, and the next minute your actions betray whether you really do. Like, have you ever been on a serious spiritual high... maybe you just shared the gospel with a friend or you just served the homeless or came from a good service at church... just to find yourself giving in to anger or temptation or jealousy or whatever, only a short while later? Sure you have... we all have... but, if we're honest, it happens because we're not really convinced that God's worth loving with all our heart.

See, if we were convinced... really convinced that following God wholeheartedly is the best way to live (and the only way to truly enjoy life), we would "turn [our] eyes away from worthless things (Ps. 199:37); we would not allow our "hearts to plot evil, and [our] feet [to] race to do wrong" (Prov. 16:18); we would set a guard over [our] mouth... and keep a "watch over the door of [our] lips" (Ps. 141:3).

But what's so tricky about some of this is that these things often come sandwiched in-between times of intense spiritual passion! And, usually, it's because we've been caught off guard... and we're caught off guard because we simply haven't made up in our minds that we're going to obey God... no matter what.

Sometimes I wish I was more like Daniel, who "was determined not to defile himself," by going against the commandment of God? God loves it when our hearts are fully His (see this passage)! How much better off do you think we'd be if our hearts fully belonged to God? If we were fully engaged in pursuing a life of obedience to Him?

Wouldn't it be awesome if the flower of our life that we present to God never lost any of its pedals?

The Words We Speak

I'm reading through the Bible in 6 months, reading a portion from the Old and New Testaments each day. So far, I'm more than halfway through Genesis and around ch. 13 of Matthew. So, just a thought from one of the passages I read this week:

It's very easy, when things don't go our way or someone offends us, to ride off our emotions and say things that simply are not beneficial. I've definitely been guilty of that, more times than I'd like to admit. Jesus said, once when speaking to the Pharisees, "And I tell you this, you must give an account on judgment day for every idle word you speak. The words you say will either ACQUIT you or CONDEMN you" (Matt. 12:36-37).

Being in disagreement with something or someone doesn't give us the right to act in a way that's contrary to the character of God. "So, you're saying we're to keep our mouths closed?" Not necessarily (though it might be a good idea), but we are to weigh the heaviness of what we're getting ready to say. The apostle Paul said, "Live wisely among those who are not believers, and make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be gracious and attractive so that you will have the right response for everyone" (Col. 4:5-6). He also writes, "Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them" (Ecclesiases 4:29).

We have to be careful with what we say... and how we say it.

"... no one can tame the tongue. It is restless and evil, full of deadly poison. Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it curses those who have been made in the image of God" (James 3:8-9)

On Greatness...

"In most of the world today, we equate being first with being the greatest. First place, first string, first chair, first class - all expressions of what is thought to be the greatest and best. Jesus taught us that greatness is not a matter of winning a competition; greatness is a matter of humbly living the life God gave you to live. And God is much more concerned with who you're helping in the race than who you're ahead of. He's not asking, "Will you get to the finish line before anyone else?" He's asking, "Who are you going to help cross the finish line with you?"

-- Tom Holladay, The Relationship Principles of Jesus

Long-Distance Relationships

I was never good at long-distance relationships. They just didn’t work for me. I like to know that I’m loved, AND I LIKE TO SEE AND EXPERIENCE IT… from close up. Well, it’s no different with God (and that shouldn’t surprise us… we’ve been created in His image). One of the first things that new Christ followers need to learn is that pursuing God is the key to success in life. It seems so generic… so basic, doesn’t it? But our pursuit of God… developing an intimate relationship with Him… shows how much we depend on Him. And the truth is, we need Him more than the air we breathe.

Sometimes, when things are going wacky in our lives, it might be nothing more than God’s way of getting our attention and saying to us, “Hey, don’t forget about Me.” Not because He’s capricious… but sometimes it seems He has “removed Himself from our situation,” and it reminds us of how much we need Him. At times, we respond correctly: “Lord, You’re right. I’m sorry I have been neglecting our relationship. Please forgive me… show me how to get through this tough time.” But, if we’re honest, there are other times where we just keep going our own way… and, for all intents and purposes, we try to play God. We try to control the outcome of our circumstances or relationships… we allow our feelings to determine our actions… all the while failing to see that distance from God always equals disaster in our lives.

God desires intimacy with us… through His Word, through prayer, through worship. And we won’t experience true joy or peace without that intimacy. We’ve been created for oneness with Him… and when we don’t pursue Him, our lives begin to unravel. Like an unraveling string on our garments, we pull on it (trying to fix it ourselves) and cause more damage. Cut the string… fix the seam! That’s what we have to do – repent and immediately begin to close the gap between us and God…

And you know what? He readily welcomes us back…

…because He’s not into long-distance relationships. ;-)

Do We Take Repentance Too Lightly?

Wayne Cordeiro wrote an excellent post on "repentance" and why it's too important to take lightly.

Check it out HERE.

Stop Auditing

"Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says" (James 1:22).

I've thought about auditing a class or two at the University of Maryland, solely for the purpose of meeting students and building relationships with them. Of course, auditing the class doesn't commit me... I get the benefit of receiving the information the professor gives, but not being held accountable to learn it. I won't have to take the exams, write the papers... I don't even have to show up, if I don't want to. I'm an auditor... and, for that situation, it's all good.

Unfortunately, many of us do that in the Christian life. In fact, James says don't just listen to the word... in other words, don't just be an auditor. But that's what many of us do... we get information, but we never process it - we don't think about it, no one holds us accountable, and we don't put it into practice. No, James says... if this is us, we're deceiving ourselves - we must DO THE WORD. Not only listen to (audit) it, but practice (do) it. Auditing is fine for college classes... not for the Christian life. And, make no mistake - there ARE exams... and, auditing or not, we must take them.

Exams for the Christ-follower comes in the form of tests and trials... and our response is our grade... pass or fail. When God knows we need to grow in an area, he sends us a test or troublesome situation... but when we've only been "auditing the class", we haven't really learned what God has intended us to learn... we haven't practiced or applied the word to our lives... and we don't pass the test. And God sends the test over and over... you think we'd finally say, "Man, let me study this time! Let me really learn the material! Let me start putting into practice what I'm learning, so that I can pass the test (grow)!"

But often, we don't learn... and we get frustrated...
We get angry...
We grow impatient...
We're stressed out...

Here's something we might want to do:

Stop auditing.

Confession: I'm Not a Super-Pastor!

Don't even get it twisted: I'm not a superhuman, super-spiritual, got-all-the-answers pastor. I'm just not. Sometimes I argue with my wife... I yell at my kids... I don't feel like studying... I snore... I fart... my feet stink... I'm sorry... I'm keeping it real. I'm not your Super Pastor. I'm just not.

If that scares you, join the crowd... sometimes I scare myself! But I do love Jesus... with all my heart... and I want to be all that He wants me to be. Truth is, though... I need all the prayer I can get! Church planting isn't for punks and sissies... there's more spiritual warfare to deal with in starting churches than you'd ever imagine. So, I don't fool myself into thinking that Satan can care less about what I'm doing. He hates it... and he wants to take me out, as well as anybody who is believing God for the impossible... and who wants to see the fame of God's name proclaimed everywhere!

I just found out that the pastor of Revolution Church in California recently left his wife and 2 kids for another woman in his church... and I'm not dumb enough to believe that something like that couldn't happen to me. I have to constantly stay on-guard to protect my heart from those kinds of traps. It's not easy... but God promises us strength, if we'll trust in Him (Ps. 24:14). I love Jesus... with all my heart. Following Him is not easy, but He gives us the grace to do it. Still, the sobering thought is that I'm capable of committing the most grievous, heinous sins... because I'm not some super-spiritual, always-do-the-right-thing person.

I love Jesus with all my heart, and I'm fulfilling the mission He's called me to... but I do it without a big "S" on my chest.

***EDIT***
Mark Beeson, one of my "pastors from afar", has a great post on how comparing the stealth of a bobcat and how our enemy stalks us... read it here.

Burning Bushes and the Voice of God

There was nothing about Moses' life that one could consider normal. He grew up in an Egyptian palace... left that behind and went out into the desert, where he just happened to hook up with a man who gave him a place to stay and a wife (sweet!)... and now, he's seeing things: a bush burning in the desert (maybe not so unusual), but not burning up (now, that's unusual). So, he said, "I need to get a closer look at this bush!" And, if he thought his life was unusual up to that point, he was now in for the ride of his life!

Who would think that a simple bush could change the trajectory of a person's life? It's amazing, the places that God shows up! And He knows exactly what will get our attention. The bush, and the fact that it was on fire, didnt't jar Moses' attention... it was the fact that the bush wasn't burning up. And when God got his attention (VERY important), He spoke. I think there are many "strange occurances" that happen in our lives... we ponder them, and then talk about the "thing" that happened to us... we get upset or frown because of a flat tire, rowdy kids, misplaced keys, late spouse, traffic jam, whatever...

Could it be that God is trying to get our attention?

When I think about it this way, I wonder how many opportunities I've missed to hear God speak. I wonder how many times I've been so pressed to get to where I wanted to go, that I've missed getting God's direction as to where He wanted me. Sometimes... God shows up in the strangest of places.

The next time you have a strange, "burning bush" experience... stop and take a look... you might be surprised as to what you find... or hear. ;-)

The Hush of God

Great day at the beach! Relaxing and rowdy at the same time... ha! Actually, it wasn't as crowded at Ocean City as it normally is... which was surprising. I really don't mind the hustle and bustle of the beach environment... I'm such a people person that I'm pretty much at home even in a crowd. But there's something to be said for slowing down, and taking it easy... getting away from the fast-pace environment and kicking up your heels a little bit.

Another thing that's different about our beach trip is the weather: usually August is STEAMY hot, but today there was a steady breeze, reminding us that our days of summer will be soon drawing to an end.

As I reflect on those things, I'm reminded of this passage: often, we look for God to show up among the excitement... I mean, He's a God of ACTION, isn't He? So, we look for Him in the windstorm... or the earthquake... or the fire... those places of radical activity, where God shows up and shakes things up... but often he shows up in a gentle breeze. Now, don't get it twisted: many times, God does speak with power (see this verse), and that's an awesome thing! Sometimes, that's what we need... but there are times when God speaks in the hush... and it's no less powerful... and - like Elijah - it's what we need at that moment.

Some of us are moving along at a snail's pace... wasting precious time, and not taking serious the call of God to radical, missional action. And God is getting ready to shake some things up in our lives... and remind us of His power.

But there are some of us who are frantically working... and praying... and laboring... and sacrificing... and we're wondering where God is in all of this.

He's there.

We just may have been looking for Him in the wrong places...

We need to get quiet... and listen for the hush.

Shhh... listen. What's He saying to you?

The Dream's Alive!

Well, whaddya know...

The dream's alive! Funny how, even when things look dim, God has a way of blowing our minds! After working through some miscommunication, I'll be headed up to South Haven next week after all!

SIDEBAR: Important Leadership Lesson - "Some dudes" have your back, even when it seems like they don't. ;-)

But... South Haven, here I come!

When I look back at the past 12 hours, I see that I had a choice of "life and death" before me. "Death" was getting bent out of shape, and losing my temper - because I couldn't for the LIFE of me (no pun intended) see why this had to be a closed door. "Life" was choosing God's way of humility and submission, and accepting - although I didn't understand - His answer. Had I chosen the anger route, which I really wanted to choose (I kept trying to fit this under "righteous indignation", but God wouldn't let me get away with it), I might have unnecesarily caused irreparable damage to some relationships. By choosing submission, when it came time for the issue to be pressed - for the envelope to be pushed - there was no tension to wade through and dialogue could take place in a God-honoring way.

Yes... there was a time when I would've ranted and raved, because of being treated "unfairly." But I'm learning that it always pays to remember this ... and this.

Somebody out there needs to take heed: "Chill... and be still."

Putting the Brakes On Discouragement

Church planting is difficult in and of itself...

Discouraging days make it even more so.

I'm convinced that whatever God calls a person to do is SO BIG that he or she cannot possibly pull it off by themselves. In fact, if what you're doing is something you can accomplish on your own, then rest assured that God most likely isn't in it.

I'm also convinced that whatever God calls a person to do will be attacked on all fronts by our mortal enemy, the devil... and one of the tools he most frequently uses on us is discouragement.

He'll whisper in your ear, "You'll never be able to pull this off..."
He'll speak through people who don't really know you and say, "You're trying to do what? Good luck!"
He'll speak through people who know you well and say, "Nah... that's not for me... I'll catch you next time."

He'll do whatever he has to in order to take your eyes off of God and His ability to accomplish the vision. And when you're paying more attention to the naysayers and the non-committed than you are to Jesus and what He's called you to do, don't be surprised when you find yourself "walking a treadmill" rather than moving forward... because lingering discouragement disconnects us from the Source of our vision... and, without Him, we can't do a daggone thing (John 15:4-5, my translation).

I'm learning some things on this journey:

I take more time off than the devil does...
This vision makes him madder than any scorned woman...
Discouragement, doubt, and the devil can be defeated when I stay on my knees...

I've said it before: Church planting has some really high highs, and some really low lows. It's a given... accept it... prepare for battle... trust and obey God in all things, and watch Him give wings to the vision!

He wants the vision for this church to be fulfilled more than I do... and He wants to fulfill it through me... otherwise He would've given it to someone else. It might be too big for me, but it isn't too big for my God.

"Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations for ever and ever! Amen." (Ephesians 3:20)

Putting the Brakes On Temptation

I found this article on the internet on "How to Change Your Brake Pads"... and the first line really intrigued me:

"Nothing is more important than your car's ability to stop itself."

As I pondered that statement, I thought about the incredible insight it gives us into all kinds of areas in life... especially temptation. When it comes to temptation, nothing is more important for us than knowing how to stop ourselves... No matter whether the temptation has to do with food, anger, lying, money, or sex... our ability to stop ourselves... putting on the brakes... can keep us from a world of trouble.

A few lines down in the article, though, another line really floored me:

"Braking systems often fail us -- usually from our own neglect."

Isn't this true in our lives, as well?? We neglect to take care of our life's braking system - being intentional in exercising self-control - and, when it matters most, we find that our brakes have been worn so thin that we end up crashing, causing harm to ourselves... and often to others, as well.

The truth is... you usually can see red lights from a pretty far distance. And, when you see them, you're supposed to start hitting the brakes! Don't wait until you get right at the light to put on the brakes... that's dangerous! You're asking for trouble! When you see that red light, start hitting your brakes!

That's true for cars...

And it's true for us, as well.

I don't want to crash in life as a church planter and pastor because of neglecting my braking system... I hope you don't, either.

The red lights are there... we just have to look for them... and put on the brakes.

"Each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death" (James 1:14-15).

Putting On the Brakes...

I was in the car repair shop today, waiting to get my brakes done (actually, waiting for the Lord to drop some money from the sky in order for me to get my brakes done...lol), and I got a call from a friend, who was speaking hard truth to me... truth that I didn't want to hear at the time (more about what he was saying in a later post). I remember standing there, saying to myself, "This is the last thing I need right now..." But the truth is - I did need to hear it... and I needed to hear it right then. I had to put the brakes on my frustration, and listen to what the Spirit was saying through Steve...

Sometimes, planting a church is just like that... there are times when you simply need to say, "Wait a minute... let me slow down... put on the brakes... and listen to what the Spirit is saying." We read all the books... we go to all the conferences... we read all the blogs of so-called guru church planters... we can do all that, and still miss what the Spirit has to say to us.

You know what?

We need to put on the brakes...

... and listen to the Spirit.

I believe wholeheartedly that my friend had my best interest at heart today... even though it sorta stung at the time. Because I truly believe the Holy Spirit was speaking through Him. No one loves us like the Father, and no one knows the heart of the Father like the Spirit... just makes sense that we would want to hear from Him above and beyond anyone else.

Make sure if you're a church planter that you're listening to the Spirit... because, if not... if you're simply listening to and reading about what others have done... you won't plant the church God is calling you to plant. You'll just plant someone else's church.

Listen...

Do you hear that sound?

Screeeeeeeecccccchhhh!!!!!!!

Okay, maybe that's overdoing it...

But maybe the Spirit is trying to get your attention... and telling you to put on the brakes.

Are you listening?

Putting on the brakes doesn't mean to stop what you're doing (unless you're not following His vision). Just stop listening to others before you hear from him.

"He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches" (Rev. 2:7).

Forgiveness is Crazy!

Then Peter came to him and asked, “Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?” “No, not seven times,” Jesus replied, “but seventy time seven!”

I have to admit… every time I read this, it sounds like the craziest thing I’ve ever heard. It’s hard enough to forgive someone once, if the offense is bad enough. And Peter seems to be going above and beyond by offering forgiveness seven times… but Jesus says, “Nope… can’t stop there. Every time you’re offended… even if you lose count… you must offer forgiveness.” Whoa.

He then goes on to tell a story about a man who was in debt some millions of dollars to his employer (I mean, what kind of employer/employee relationship did they have?). He couldn’t afford to pay back the money, so his boss was going to have him – and his entire family – sold as slaves until the money could be repaid. But the man begged and pleaded with his boss... the boss had pity on him; then he released the man from his debt (wow… I might try that little crying routine to get released from my car note!)

So this guy turns around, and hems up his friend who owed him a couple hundred dollars (a lot of money in my book). His friends see what happened, and they tell “Boss Man” about it. The boss gets angry, calls in the man, and says, “You wicked man, you!! (my translation) I released you from that humongous debt of yours, because you cried like a little baby… and I took pity on you. And you have the audacity to go medieval on somebody else who owes you money???” So, Boss Man sent the guy to prison until his entire debt could be paid back.

Here’s the point of Jesus’ story: as sinful human beings, we have been forgiven much – if we’ve placed our trust in Jesus’ death and resurrection. We have sinned against a holy God, and we owed a debt that we could not repay; but, Jesus paid all of it for us by dying for us on the Cross. And even as we still often blow it and sin against God every day, Jesus’ words from the Cross still rings out, “Father, forgive them… for they don’t understand what they’re doing.” Yet, how often do we fail (better, refuse) to release the people in our lives for the things they do to us? And when we take the stance of non-forgiveness, it shows just how much we do not understand the Cross… or God’s grace. Because when we see ourselves for who we really are – and what we really deserve - we know that it’s only because of the grace and mercy of God that we’re no longer bound for an eternal hell.

“Seventy times seven,” Jesus says. “Stop counting offenses.” That’s a hard word… especially when the relationship is more than a casual one. But unconditional love doesn’t keep track of wrongs, does it? “Love is patient and kind… It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged” (1 Cor. 13:4-5). Crazy? Seems like it… but it’s the way of Jesus… and it must be the way of anyone who follows Him. No wonder He said, “If anyone wants to follow Me, he must… take up his cross…”

Crosses and forgiveness go together… you can’t have one without the other.

Brrrrr!

Man... what happened to our nice weather? I'm sitting here in Starbucks, freezing my buns off! I think these crazies have the AC on!

Well, though it's cold all around me, Jesus has kept a flame burning in my heart! He just totally blows my mind EVERY DAY!!!! You say, "Tell me about what He's done, Darren!" I say, "Nothing necessarily out of the ordinary... today!" Just the fact that His mercies are new every morning! He keeps a song on my heart, and gives me a reason to live! Actually, He has done something... He gave me TUESDAY, JANUARY 16, 2007! I've never seen this day before... it's a totally unique day... and it awaits my signature! I can live today to the fullest, knowing that I'll never have another chance to mark it. Yesterday's mark was for yesterday... tomorrow's will be for tomorrow. But today is longing to have my name etched in it! Today is unwritten... and so is tomorrow, and so is Thursday, and so is... you get the picture.

And, knowing that I'm writing in indelible ink reminds me that I have to be intentional and purposeful about what I'm writing... because I can't go back and erase what's written. Wow... what an amazing thought...

And here's another amazing thought: I really think my fingers are frostbitten... and I can't feel the tip of my nose.

Kingdom Living, pt. 2

This book is GOOD!!! Here's another quote:

"The church in America has totally missed the boat when it comes to what it means to follow Jesus. We have resolved that to be a follower of Jesus is to repeat a prayer, but neglect living a life to the glory of God. A movement so rich in meaning and purpose that has been watered down to allow us to still go to heaven when we die, but live like hell here on the earth. True Christian faith is to be a part of a revolution."

Kingdom Living

I'm reading through Bob Franquiz's book, Elements, and came across this awesome quote:

"What would your life look like if you made God's kingdom your primary concern? Would your conversations be different? Would they move beyond box scores, movie reviews, and the weather? Would they center on issues like why we were put on this planet? Would your relationships change from functional to influential -- where one encounter with you would change the way people live?"

Growing in 2007

Bob Franquiz asks some great questions on his post for personal growth in 2007. This is an area where I know I need to pay more focused attention this year. Sometimes, as a leader, you can get so busy with "building" your ministry or looking after others' needs and growth that you can neglect yours. I know I have to continue to grow and allow God to stretch me into the pastor He wants me to be to lead Mosaic...

But, whether we're a leader or not, God wants us to GROW! Too many of us are content with coasting in our life with God... LET'S CHANGE THAT IN 2007... let's not go ONE WEEK without seeing God make some significant change(s) in our life!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

Just wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas... hope everyone's having a great time with family and friends! My sons, Darren Jr., Shawn, and Seth have been celebrating and opening gifts for two days now! :-) It's always alot of fun to see their faces light up when they open their presents, and they shout something like, "Thanks, Mom and Dad... this is AWESOME!" (How come kids always say "Mom" first?) And you know, they were getting in a lot of trouble last night and this morning, and I started to make them wait until noon to open their presents! (I know, I'm such a meanie) But, as I watched them open their gifts, it made me think of how the Father feels when He blesses us (Jam. 1:17)... especially when we don't deserve it! There was an old Commissioned song some years ago that was a favorite of mine, called You Keep On Blessing Me... the chorus had really powerful words:

You keep on blessing me, though I might not be on top
You keep on blessing me, if I'm asking You or not
You keep on blessing me, everybody I must tell
How You bless me, Jesus, in spite of myself
How You bless me, Jesus, in spite of myself!

Wow... what an awesome God! :-)