Cup O' Joe

We showed a video on Sunday with a great message regarding God's shaping of us into the kind of people He desires. The message was on God's pruning from John 15:2. The video shifted the image of God's activity in our lives from gardening to an artist with a hammer and chisel. ("I take away everything that doesn't look like my Son." - says the God character in the skit. At another point the God character asked the man "Look in the mirror and who do you see?" "I see myself." "Right. And I will keep working on you until people see Me when they look at you." Great stuff.) So it got me to thinking of how many images I could think of from Scripture to describe the work of God in a person's life. We already have pruning and chiseling. Here is another one: Potter and clay. Jeremiah 18 and Romans 9 bring this image to life for us. God is molding and shaping us as a potter does to a lump of clay to make us useful and fit for the Master's use. Any more images come to mind? Help me out here. This can't be all of them can it? By the way, here is a link to the video skit from "The Skit Guys". It's a classic! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXut0HxncvY&feature=related

Okay, so I have reading glasses. For 45 years, I could read unaided. Now I need a lens. Around the house, I refer to my reading glasses as "my binoculars". What do you call your lens? What lens do you use? Reflections on our Mission Experience in New Orleans... We spent significant time with drug and alcohol rehabilitation ministries as well as time with homeless people "under the bridge" (actually two different quarter-mile long bridges which provided relief from the sun and rain for the homeless). Cold water, hot pizza, and hygiene kits were given in Jesus' name to the homeless. We did three days of physical work to improve facilities for those in "transformation" ministries. How do you view homeless people? Or those in rehab? What is your lens? Let's try on a few. Business lens - How would someone with a business lens view these sheep without a shepherd? Through a business lens they would be viewed for the assets and skills they bring to the table. They worth is determined by their contribution and enhancement of value. Since they do not currently contribute, this lens would make us drive on by. Let's try a different lens that sees value in every soul that Jesus died for. Political lens - Politically, we can see people who are blaming others for their circumstances, or waiting for the government to come bail them out of the mess they are in. I am thinking that twelve to sixteen feet of water would make it pretty tough to help yourself. This lens puts people in classes rather seeing real people with real needs. Law enforcement lens - Law enforcement says to round them up and make them pay. This view applies labels like felon, criminal, scumbag. Comfortable lens - This lens doesn't really see anyone else, unless our comfort is disturbed. Then the disturbing one becomes a nuisance. People exist only to help me. Anything beyond my own comfort is irrelevant. Mission lens - Jesus came with a mission to seek and to save those who are lost. This mission lens sees people as individuals wandering as lost sheep who need a shepherd, drowning people who need rescued by a savior, slaves to their sin habits who need redeemed. I want to wake up every day and put on the mission lens. I want to live with passion and purpose for the mission of God.

I leave today with our mission team to New Orleans. We will participate in a VBS, maybe some post-hurricane construction, serve a local church, and prayer walk through a community - all apparantly 4 blocks from the Super Dome. I remember my first cross-cultural mission experience. As a high school student, our youth ministry traveled from northeast Ohio to Tennessee (that is cross-cultural, no?). Putting faith in action in a fresh environment was invigorating. Doing it with a team a people was energizing. The comraderie of the group, the appreciation of the team leader, and connections with a local ministry all served to create a major significant event in my life. From the beginning of my vocational ministry, I have sought to provide regular cross-cultural experiences for people. I want others to see that a life invested in God's kingdom work is the most fulfilling, exhilarating way to live! I want this trip to New Orleans to feel like my first one, all over again.

Where to begin? This past weekend's wedding of my daughter, Melissa, to Lucas Jackson was significant beyond words for many reasons. One reason is the number of gracious friends and family who came to enjoy the experience with us; and the number of family and friends who worked hard to make the day special. BIG TIME THANKS. Also, my daughter married a godly young man. Lucas has drive and a heart for God and see blue skies ahead for them. They have made wise choices as a couple leading up to the wedding. I am confident wise choices will continue. Enough formality already. Here is the big one for me. The moment I left her side at the front of the auditorium, and went to sit with my wife was the key moment. Overcome with emotion, I looked down at my feet as they walked away. At that moment, I was surrendering my daughter to Lucas. Everything in me has protected and provided for her for 22 years. And I walked away. I watched my feet take the steps because I was in disbelief that I was doing this willingly. I wouldn't expect it to affect you as it does me, but I thought I would offer my thoughts.

The "surprise" Anniversary Celebration last week was a deeply moving experience. I write "surprise" because I was the only one surprised. Turns out everybody else knew all about it. What other secrets are you keeping? :) A BIG TIME THANKS to so many who worked very hard to make the evening special. WOW! The response from so many was so meaningful. There are several reasons why I love being a pastor. One of those is that I get to share life's journey with people. And there are so many who are great friends and we have walked many steps together. Your expressions of encouragement meant so much!!

Found this while studying for this Sunday's message. It is going into the message, but thought you might find it here. I would like to buy three dollars worth of God, please. I would like to buy just a little of the Lord. Not enough to explode my soul and disturb my sleep. Not enough to take control of my life. I want just enough to equal a cup of warm milk. Just enough to ease some of the pain from my guilt. I would like to buy three dollars worth of God, please. I would like to find a love that is pocket-sized. I don’t want enough of God to make me love a black man or pick beets with a migrant. Not enough to change my heart. I can only stand just enough to take to church when I have time. Just enough to equal a snooze in the sunshine. I want ecstasy, not transformation. I want the warmth of the womb, but not a new birth. I would like to purchase a pound of the eternal in a paper sack. If it doesn’t work, I would like to get my money back. I would like to buy three dollars worth of God, please. I would like to hide some for a rainy day. Not enough for people to see a change in me. Not enough to impose any responsibility. Just enough to make folks think I am ok. Could I just get three dollars worth of God, please? -Wilbur Rees

Here are the message topics for the series called "You Asked For It". These topics are in response to questions we solicited from the congregation through the month of July, and into August. Thanks for sending the Q's my way. September 13 - What does the Bible say about homosexuality and gay marriage? September 20 - What does the Bible say about alcohol? September 27 - What about Satan? Where did he come from? What are his tactics? October 4 - Where was Jesus during His three days in the grave? What about the after life? Where exactly do we go after death? October 11 - What about the church and politics? What is the significance of our Christian heritage? October 18 - What is discipleship? What does a mature Christian look like? October 25 - What is the timeline for the last days? What does Revelation say to us today? I hope to answer several related questions under these broader topics. Thanks to all who submitted questions.

I am looking forward to our Faith in Action Sunday. It has been exciting to see willing people stepping up and stepping out to make a difference for God. This idea of helping with practical needs has been one area where I can see a change in me over the last 4 years or so. My "compassion quotient" was not high. God has been teaching me to see people with different eyes - hurting individuals with a need for God's love. On Sunday, Sept.6th, our collective energy will all be focused in that direction. By the way, how has God changed you over the last few years? Weeks?

During yesterday's message on Jonathan's initiative we showed a great illustration through a brief video clip of Francis Chan and a balance beam. Here is the link to that video on youtube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LA_uwWPE6lQ There are other video clips from Francis you may enjoy. Here is a link to his church's website, Cornerstone Church in Simi Valley, CA. http://www.cornerstonesimi.com/

Lots of thoughts ran through my mind during our Sunday events. 15 years now as pastor of First Baptist Church. This month also marks 25 years in vocational ministry. I've had a front row seat to the work of God in so many ways. There are many who are "trophies of God's grace". During this 15-year run, I have observed the work of God coupled with frightening levels of humanity. That God would work in spite of such profound human interference is encouraging. There have been seasons where God's work was front and center. And there have been times when I/we interfered with His efforts. I believe greater things are yet to come for FBC. May this pastor get himself out of the way and let God's efforts prevail.