Recognizing Jesus

"As Jesus and the disciples approached Jerusalem, they came to the town of Bethphage on the Mount of Olives. Jesus sent two of them on ahead. ² “Go into the village over there,” he said. “As soon as you enter it, you will see a donkey tied there, with its colt beside it. Untie them and bring them to me. ³ If anyone asks what you are doing, just say, ‘The Lord needs them,’ and he will immediately let you take them.”
⁴ This took place to fulfill the prophecy that said,

⁵ “Tell the people of Jerusalem,
    ‘Look, your King is coming to you.
He is humble, riding on a donkey—
    riding on a donkey’s colt.’”

⁶ The two disciples did as Jesus commanded. ⁷ They brought the donkey and the colt to him and threw their garments over the colt, and he sat on it.

⁸ Most of the crowd spread their garments on the road ahead of him, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. ⁹ Jesus was in the center of the procession, and the people all around him were shouting,

“Praise God for the Son of David!
    Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the Lord!
    Praise God in highest heaven!

¹⁰ The entire city of Jerusalem was in an uproar as he entered. “Who is this?” they asked.

¹¹ And the crowds replied, “It’s Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.”
Matthew 21:1-11
 

I think it is easy to make our own judgement calls on who WE think Jesus is or Who WE want Him to be, rather than looking into the Truth of the Word. We hear things and assume, or we read Facebook and other peoples' opinions, but do you really know Who Jesus is?
We see two sets of people in the crowd here, as Jesus rides in on the donkey colt. There are those who praised Him and shouted glory to His Name, and there where those who stood there in disappointment, asking "Who is this?"
I honestly believe that there is symbolism here in these two sets of people, which begs two questions:

1) Would you recognize Who Jesus is?

This may see vague or even like an obvious answer to you, but really? In our culture today, where we water down everything, or feel the liberty of being judgemental towards everyone we meet, would you be able to know Jesus in the middle of the crowd? When Jesus rode through on the donkey colt, we read there were questions. We read that people seemed confused. Great Kings in that day rode in on horses, which represented war. But Jesus rode in on a donkey - a colt at that- which is the symbol of peace. There is a reason people were confused and didn't quite understand why this man was considered a "Messiah" - which leads me to my next question:

2) Are you disappointed in Who Jesus is?

Do you have this picture of Who you believe Jesus is in your head? Is it accurate? People had been hearing of this great "Messiah" who had come, and they wanted to see for themselves. Once they got a look at this Jesus people were praising, however, they had to ask Who He was.
I think we all fall guilty of putting Jesus into our own picture. We think of a Jesus Who heals, or a Jesus Who gives us rest, or a Jesus Who provides us with what we want. While Jesus did all of these things and may have in your life (or will) we can't help but note that there are many times God doesn't heal or provide what we want, or give us rest when we think we need it.
I went through that "why" phase. Why would God bring me a newborn, then keep me away from her the first few weeks of her life? It wasn't until I looked back on that and realized that I wasn't relying on the same Jesus that He truly is. If I hadn't experienced that very hard time, I wouldn't be who I am today, and the story I have wouldn't be the same.

We have a SAVING God, not a God Who always keeps life cozy.

Are you believing in what He did and Who He is, or are you believing in Who you WANT Him to be and what you think He SHOULD do for you?
This is a hard question, and will require heavy reflection.

When you aren't provided for in the ways you think you should be, will you still recognize Jesus for Who He is? Will you be disappointed in Who He is?
We see a portion of our life that is so micro in our world. Jesus sees the big picture and knows what you will need down the road and how His glory will carry out. We serve a God Who is so much bigger than us, and Who's plans are always good. Trust Him.

The Guilt and Shame Game

We live in a society that has guilt and shame smeared all over it. People thrive on it. Others sink because of it. Guilt and shame are not of Christ and they don't have a place in the Christian community, nor should they ever be something acceptable to humanity in general.

I've struggled with the guilt and shame game. I fold to it like a weak chair under pressure. As soon as someone uses that "buzzword" on me...you know, the ones like "you should have...", "why didn't you...", "would you just do it?"... "If you were really a good Christian/mom/wife/woman/daughter/friend, you would...", "I thought you knew me better than that...",  I run from guilt and shame like they are an epidemic, so when I can't avoid, I give in way too easily.

Something I have learned over the last couple years is that no one ever has the right to guilt or shame me. I realized how much of a sucker I am for it. I make mistakes, but that doesn't mean someone calls it out in front of an audience, or tells me to do something in a manner that is superior in front of others. I get pushed around as a mom I think almost weekly. "Well, you really should be with your daughter more." "You only have 18 years with them, so maybe you should spend more time with her." Yes...I get it. They grow fast. I'll wish I had more time. But when you're at the breaking point of mommy-hood and need some mommy-time, I would say the "quality time" will turn a little emotional. Not to mention the "you feed that to your child?!" and the "maybe she needs a sibling" comments - whether they're undertoned or blunt, I've heard them.

Then there is the guilt and shame game among Christians. I believe that this is the ugliest kind because while you want to believe that Christians are "good people", you find it cuts a lot deeper when they don't offer that grace and love to others like Christ did for us. I know so many people who have endured guilt and shame over the schools they choose (or can afford) to put their kids in, the struggles they have and happen to let someone in on, the ways they keep a house, the habits they contend with, the lifestyles they choose (or are forced into), and the list goes on and on and on. And I have to be blunt here in saying that I've heard it most from Christians towards other Christians.

I'm not sure where the carte blanche came for Christians to judge others, but I don't remember reading that in the Bible I have...maybe I'm missing something. You are correct in recalling Matthew 18, where Christ tells us how to deal with conflict, but directly after that section comes the forgiveness story, and boy- is that one powerful.

Jen Hatmaker has become a very loved writer of mine. In her book, "For the Love: Fighting for Grace in a World with Impossible Standards" (the title alone should be enough to get you to read this...), she has an entire chapter devoted to Christians who destroy each other, and what it is doing to our world. We are losing this battle, friends. Why? Because we are picking the wrong fights, scaring people away from ever walking into a church, and hurting each other in the process because we are set on our opinions and being what we think are Christ's advocates. One thing we're missing - LOVE. We can have our opinions. We can speak truth. We are called to do these things. But must we slam people to the ground with it?

When a stranger walks into church and is seeking something, the last thing they want is to feel the judgement, wrath, shame and guilt from people who don't have their own lives together. Welcome them. Love them. You don't have to agree with them to love them. You don't have to bash the school they send their kids to. You don't have to comment on the cigarette smell that is coming off of them. You don't have to point out that they are the one you saw stumbling out of the bar last weekend. You know where Christ stands on things. And yes, we know where you stand on things. But give these people some love and grace. The minute we guilt and shame them, they are gone, and will probably never consider a church again. What if Christ didn't offer you the love and grace? What if what brought you to church was want pointed out all of your faults and downfalls? I'd run, and I did for a time.

Let's end this guilt and shame game. Let's look to love and grace and allow Christ to do the rest. We stand strong on His truth and we will never move from it, but let's not bash it over the heads of seeking people. People who know the truth and reject it, that is another story. But the bystanders who are trying to figure this whole Christ-follower thing out, help them figure it out - in LOVE.

Moms - stop throwing guilt on other moms. I know you are supermom and can be with your child 24/7 for 18-30 years, but I'm not supermom. I give in to fruit snacks and french fries as lunch on occasion. (Keep your comments right there.) I'm aware my child is the only one, and if I want to share our future plans with you, I will. But notice the craziness it took me to get this one here! (Really?! - People have to ask if I'm "naturally having" more?)

Christians - "They will know we are Christians by our love." Not from our judging. Not from our hunting them down and dragging them in. Love.

"You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love." - Galatians 5:13

"Do everything in love." - 1 Corinthians 16:14

"And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them." - 1 John 4:16

"Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love." - Ephesians 4:2 

"Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins." -1 Peter 4:8

"We love because He first loved us." -1 John 4:19

"My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you." -John 15:12

"No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us." - 1 John 4:12  

Do you really need any more verses to make it clear to you? Let me know.


 

First Love

I know many people who just don't get a kick out of Valentine's Day. I used to be one of them, and I have to be honest in saying that I thought having a husband would change my perspective on it, but really, that hasn't been the case.
Don't hear me wrong! I love my husband and I love our "married people" moments together, but the ultimate satisfaction is not and never will be found in him. Not only is that a lot of pressure to place on a person, but it is the completely wrong reason and way to pursue a relationship with another human.
As it is written, "Seek first the Kingdom of Heaven and all else will be added to you" (Matthew 6:33), this also applies with relationships, big time! When we put our all, and our hearts into people, we will be missing out on the happiness our heart can truly have.

Today, at MCRC we talked about the famous Ephesians 5:21-33. You know, the one that makes people squirm and that society is always fighting against. God's plan for relationships is all laid out here. The whole premise of a wife "submitting" to her husband make the feminist throw an outrage. The fact that a man has to love his wife (and only 1 woman) is sure blurred in the culture we dwell in. But do you actually know where those words, "submit", "respect" and "love" come from? Do you know their meanings in this context?

First of all, to understand the grand plan, we have to realize that this relationship thing goes both ways. Wives must CHOOSE to respect their husbands, and husbands must CHOOSE to love their wives, no matter how stupid a guy might be, or how stubborn a woman can get. This is an everyday choice. This is where our society falls incredibly short. There is this stigma of "well, if you don't like it, just get out of it." Unfortunately this is becoming the norm - both in the secular world and in the Christian world.

Secondly, there is mutual respect. When you get to know the others around you, whether this be a married relationship, friendships, coworkers, authorities, etc. this should be an easy thing to do. We see the disrespect that happens all around us - most recently and most well-known about is with law enforcement, as Pastor Todd talked about this morning. Do you know what that person goes through everyday? Or what they face when they get home? Or how that kid is bullied in school? Or what that kid faces when they go home? When you can stop dehumanizing everyone and see them for the hearts they really are, you can respect so much more.

When you see the pressures on your husband to provide for a family and be the "cornerstone" (as the word "head" here means) to the foundation of your family, you can begin to appreciate who he is. When a husband can see his wife for all that she has to put up with on a daily basis, with raising children, dealing with "backseat mothering" (this is my phrase for other moms telling you how to raise your children), getting meals put together, etc, he can really put into perspective what it is like for her and respect her.

We CHOOSE (that word we love to hate) to do this.

Lastly, there needs to be a common motive. If Christ is not your number one, your everything, your first and only TRUE love, you should not pursue a person to be that for you. It is so, incredibly unfair and you will be a year down the road, disappointed and left more alone than you thought you were before. No husband and no wife should have to be expected to meet the needs of your heart that only God can. That relationship will be absolutely miserable for you all. Christ MUST be in the center of it. When you are disappointed in your spouse, where would you run? Usually your friends or "someone else". This is toxic. When you run to God instead, that is something that can grow.

Friends, PLEASE hear me for what I am saying. Chase after God full force, and He will fulfill the needs He knows you have. Life will be much happier when you do and realize this!

Singles - as you wait patiently on the Lord to provide, remember He knows what you need right now. What are you doing to pursue Him fully to show your heart for Him rather than trying to cram a person into that lonely space? I can tell you that having a spouse is wonderful, but if I hadn't straightened out my relationship with Christ and realized His priorities for me, our marriage would be an absolute mess. When He feels like you're ready, He will provide. If you doubt that, you have more work to do. Wait while being active for your True Love - Christ. He will be my first love always and forever. It is everything.

Doors

As this 2015 closes out and yet another year is gearing up for take-off, I am in disbelief that I will be taking off to the Dominican Republic on January 22. Not sure how that came up so quick.
I'm excited beyond comprehension, but also very, very terrified.
I've been to the DR many times, but it has been about 3 years now since I last stepped foot on the country's grounds. Each time I'm filled with such emotion and inspiration as I work not only alongside the people I went there with, but with the people who are there, embracing us in return.

The excitement side of me recalls beautiful sunrises over an impoverished community, and the incredible range of emotions that stir as I daily faced a new challenge and/or realization. The children are so vibrant and content in who they are and where they are from, and challenge your thinking in the "have to have it all" mentality. Adults are no different. Welcoming, loving and embracing as you exchange smiles in lue of the language barrier. They again, have you asking yourself "what am I missing that makes them so happy?"
Then there are the evenings together as a team, diving into the Word that God has laid before us in ways we never get the opportunity to do back home in the midst of busy lives and chaotic schedules. Tears, laughter, opening up. Before you know it, these crazy people become your family and you are lonely without them once you get home. (Though, I literally married one of them, and made him my family...)
The evenings and mornings are just splendid. Nothing beats a morning, listening to the roosters crow upon the sunrise and sipping the coffee while God intimately moves you in ways that you didn't think possible. My, oh, my...I wish I could bring this experience home to give others a taste of it, but nothing compares. I think it may be the beauty in the midst of the differences, encompassing the simplicity of it all. So simple is this time, yet so driven and authentic.

Then, there is the terrified side of me. The side that questions everything. The stepping on a plane when blood clots have invaded and taken captive of my life. The leaving my baby girl home for that long. The unknowns of life back at home. It almost crushes me. Am I doing the right thing? Am I pursuing the right path?
I'm terrified of leaving the states after what happened 2 years ago.
There is a whirlwind of emotion that tangles itself up in the excitement, and brings me back down to earth when I loft on the memories of this sweet, beautiful place.
What if I do something stupid? Say the wrong things? Make a wrong choice?
All of these questions explode in my mind.

But then I remember how Christ grabbed my hand and guided me here. He has this. He has opened doors wide for me before. He has slammed them before I was dumb enough to step through them (although at the time, I was so upset and angry for those doors not working out). He has literally pushed me through doors before when it all seemed so wrong. But without going through those doors, I wouldn't be who I am today, or have the strength and faith that came with the hardships of those doors.
Again, He stands there, with this door WIDE, and I mean, WIDE open, holding out His hand and offering it to help usher me in to where I'm so unsure of going. He's put pieces in place, and people and contributions where they need to be to get me here. (I can't THANK YOU all enough!) He has given me every reason to hold on to His hand and go. Just go.

So, on January 22, I will be going. For the first time in 3 years, I will be returning to the DR, with a different strength, and health, and different worries than I had 3 years ago. I know He is faithful, and He has  proven this to me in so many dramatic ways since the last time.
Be in prayer for my team, my family, me, and God's direction as we do what He needs us to do. Some would question us going at all, but He has His reasons, and I know never to question that.

Hungry

I've been hungry lately. 

I don't mean physically hungry, because trust me, I've gotten my fill this month between Thanksgiving and Christmas.

No, my friends, I mean the ultimate and most painful kind of hunger. 

The hunger for God's Word to saturate my mind.

The hunger for God's presence to throw me to my knees.

And the hunger for a lost world to fall so deeply in love with it's Creator, that it freaking hurts lately. 

I am so hungry. I'm hungry for Christ-followers to start denying what they want, and do whatever it takes to drive a life-altering Truth into the lost, not in a Bible-thumping, intimidating, arrogant loser- sort of way, but in a loving unconditionally, so full of light despite life's darkness attacking - sort of way. 

I yearn to see passionate people giving up the fights within the church body, to pursue the battle that lies before us in this world in bringing the message. 

I am famished by the lack of faith and passion portrayed around me. For the love, quit fighting the battle of what your cozy church, life, job, spouse, children, home, programs, look like and SEEK FIRST the Kingdom! Surrender all of those things in His timing for His sake, and let Him provide. 

NOW is the time to seek Him, to share His love, to fight the battle in His Name, and to chase passionately after Him. 

This world is temporary, you guys! How will we ever realize this, and then get others to, if we are busy making comfortable lives before surrendering to His mission for our lives? What do those who aren't following Christ think when we don't even pursue Him in our daily lives? Why would they want to jump into that? We could lose this whole world tomorrow, and then we're left with nothing. God is eternal. He has given me a unique look at how short and questionable this life is. Please, please, please, don't waste it. Life is not about cars, jobs, money, spouses, kids, houses, achievements, "success", but about a surrendering to His cause. 

Please don't hear me wrong- all of those things are not bad, but we are to SEEK FIRST the Kingdom of heaven, and these things will be added. 

So if you're spending your time hunting for a spouse, or getting to the top of the career ladder, or pouring every ounce of energy into a program that is precious to your agenda, or working to earning an achievement that isn't going to count once this life is over, I urge you to pour that time into a mission that has lasting, eternal ripples instead. First chase Him. Surrender it all to Him. Give it up for His path. Then allow Him to bring you all of those other wonderful things in His time. When your heart can be content where it is in Him first, then He will bring you the rest. 

Get moving and do something! 

Mother's Heart

I don't wish for her to make the team one day. I don't long for her to be popular or win contests. She will accomplish much, but that is not what matters to me. Her life is more than being my daughter, and more than the achievements she will earn. I don't even hold a passion for her to make top grades or be aligned with the right schools. She's so smart at 20 months, but I'm not concerned with that either. While these things aren't bad by any means, they will come with seeking first His Kingdom and His plan.

No, I don't hope, wish, or even pray for these things, but for her to find her safety and security on the lap of her Heavenly Father.
I long with my whole heart for her to be so ridiculously passionate for her King that all her other passions are reflecting Him.
I yearn that she has a faith that shines and glows everywhere she goes so that others wonder why she is filled with such inexplicable joy.
When life pushes her around (because it will), I pray that she knows where to look and Who to reach to.
I pray she is surrounded with friends who push her to be full of the fervent faith that is disappearing from our world.
I don't want anything to matter to her as much as the things of Heaven.
I want her to reach the broken, love the outcasts, and set the alternative for what this world has to offer to those who need to see it.  
God, touch this little one to follow in the passions of Your heart.

Why We Value Kids in Church

 
Sometimes I have a hard time trying to figure out why our kids don't matter as much as they should in our churches. Here is why I think they should:

1) They are our future. Our kids will be the next generation of the church. On an single church basis, they will one day be a deacon, an elder, the secretary, the youth pastor, the pastor...I grew up surrounded by awesome kids programs and I have strong belief that those programs are a lot of the reason I hung on to the idea of church. I grew up in our GEMS program, which was amazing being that I was never an outgoing kid. Every summer I looked forward to VBS programs and having fun learning Bible verses in a way I could understand - and I hold on to some of those today in the same way as I learned them then. Youth group was huge for me too. I don't think I would have ever went to church without going to youth group. Now, I'm the secretary of a church and am a huge advocate for our kids. The impact of kids' ministries is so important and real!


2) Catch the kid, catch the parents. This one sounds creepy, but it's true. Kids who love kids' church will bring their parents to church. When they go home and rant to mom and dad about Wednesday night Awana or GEMS, parents tend to want to see more. Sometimes, kids will drag their parents to church because they don't want to miss Sunday School. Parents love that their kids are taken care of and show great respect for churches that put kids first. Now that I'm a parent, this is a MUST for us. If I know my baby is being taken care of in a safe place and will grow up learning some life-applicable teachings from God's Word, that is a win in my book.
Safety is a must too. By safety, I mean no random adults wandering through my child's classroom and area. Just because everyone knows Joe Smith in the church doesn't mean the first-time dad knows him, and he shouldn't be just walking through his kids' area unless he works with the kids and has proof of it. If Joe Smith is an elder, first-time dad doesn't know that and will probably look twice and wonder why they're in there. Same with anyone not wearing Children's Ministry ID and attire. A safe place for JUST kids is a must. (See more about that below). Turn off the safety, you might as well turn on a big sign saying "we could care less about the kids of our church". This is the biggest turn off for new parents.


3) Kids will be the next generation of the Good News. Kids pick up on everything. They will grow passionate about God if they see how passionate we ware about Him and how much we care about them learning about God. God tells us to teach His Word to our kids, and when we fail to pass that along, we miss the mark and we face a dying generation of the Word. How is this not important? Proverbs 22:6


4) We learn from children. The faith of a child is the purest and most open. Adults put on the blinders, create biases, and question every word they hear and read. Kids take things as they hear and see them. When we approach God in such a way, we are so open to His imprinting and molding of our lives. This is why it is also important to teach children while they are young and open. Matthew 18:2-4


5) Jesus commands us to value our kids. Check out Matthew 18:2-6. It speaks for itself.



What we should be doing about it:

1) Give kids their own, safe place to come. Just like us as adults, kids love to go to church when there is something for them. Many adults love to go to church...when there is something they can take away. I heard this conversation just this week. Yes- we need to go to give back to God too, but growth is a very important aspect of this too. If we cram our kids in the smallest room in church and have it packed full of stuff made for adults, what does that say about our value for our kids? Safety, as I ranted about above is HUGE.


2) Kids need new, exciting, curriculum. This can be a tough one in churches because curriculum is so much of the cost. But, how much does your church pay to have a pastor  teach a new message each week? I doubt the pastor uses the same messages year after year. I'm pretty sure if he did the people would probably start seeking another place of worship. How is it any different for our kids and youth? We need to value our adults, but I believe we need to value our kids even more. Giving them fresh, new stuff each year is a big part in creating the excitement in them for Children's Ministry.


3) Value those who value the kids. Volunteers and staff who work with our kids and youth are detrimental in growing faith-filled kids. It's hard to know the background kids come from and the adults that are in their lives, but you can guarantee they are getting some positive influence through the people at their church. This is to be a constant in their inconsistent worlds, and that is so valuable to our kids today. Treat volunteers and staff as inferior who work with our kids and you might as well kiss your quality kids and youth ministries goodbye.


What do you think?