W.W.J.D.

Remember those initials (W.W.J.D)?  Those initials were so popular through the 90s and you still see it around today – What Would Jesus Do?  I must say from a business standpoint, someone better have made bank for the genius marketing that took place.  I never did get into the fad all that much; having a name that starts with “J” didn’t help since I could insert my name, plus I thought it was a cheesy phrase.

The phrase came to the forefront of my mind recently (amongst other things that I ponder daily about) in light of what started here in the US and has sparked an international outrage.  I have to preface what I write and reiterate that these are my personal internal  dialogs and writing them down is cathartic for me.  I love current affairs and try to be educated on things that happen around the world – I read up on news from all over the world and absorb as much as I can.  I am intrigued by politics and systems of governing.  I have a deep faith and thus, am drawn to faith conversations here and beyond.

So, when our dear pastor friend from Florida decided to go public with his intentions, I began observing the backlash or outbursts from all angles – political, religious, military, legal, personal.  I must admit that the day the news broke and I saw the headline, I was a little disgusted by it; I didn’t need to read to much into in to know that it was not a good situation.  Being a bi-vocational pastor myself, I like to know what other pastors are up to and how God is using them, so this was not a good start.

I understand the mainstream media has a job to spread the news to a mass audience and the bottom line (sponsors, ads, etc) more often than not gets in the way.  As such, a slightly sensationalized headline will grab attention.  I honestly don’t like to see a headline with the words “Pastor” doing or involved in something; mostly likely it is not good.  Rarely does the media leave the headline space for a pastor who is doing something good.  I digress.

This was when the phrase W.W.J.D.  popped into my head.  There were and still are tons of responses/comments/advice/whatnot that are in a similar vein.  What would Jesus do?  What I considered a cheesy phrase now was illuminating my mind.  What would Jesus do, not only to the situation at hand or the root of it, but also with the person who started this whole international incident?  My little imaginative mind started to wonder and picture how Jesus would respond.  I started thinking of scriptures and scenarios in the Bible of similar encounters.

Jesus is and should be our perfect example.  He personified compassion; He showed love; He offered grace and mercy; He spoke truth, calling things how they were, all at the same time not discriminating.  I think about the Samaritan woman at the well and how her life was radically transformed – Jesus made it a point to engage her in conversation.  He broke tradition and rules when He came into her life; she was a woman and a Samaritan, both a big “no no” during that time and for a man of His heritage.  He was willing to cross boundaries, and it wasn’t a coincidence it occurred because He chose to go that route and be at the well at that specific time.  I also think when He raised the only son of a widow because He knew her needs.

Jesus did not tolerate things, neither did He teach tolerance.  He made it clear as to the only way to get to heaven and have eternal life.  He showed love, a love so great that eventually led to His crucifixion.  I heard it once said that tolerance is the antithesis of love.  What does it mean to tolerate?  In simple terms, it means to put up with something even though you may not want to.  Why would that be a good option in life?  I choose love and the expression of Christ’s love.  1 Corinthians 13:1-3 (NIV) says “If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal…and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. ³If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.”  I am a drummer so I know the effect of a clanging cymbal and it is not pleasant.

There are so many people in need of hearing the good news of this love; one that is so readily available.  People need to hear about the real Jesus of the Bible and not the one that is designed for specific needs and/or wants.  Christ’s return is eminent so there is much work to be done – Matthew 24:4-8 (NIV) “Jesus answered: "Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am the Christ, and will deceive many. You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains.”  Jesus continues to say in verse 14 “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.”  We have the game plan, it is time to execute and show the world the real Jesus and let His love shine through.  No time to waste, it is time to be like Jesus!

Today my perspective is realigned with Jesus and when I ask myself W.W.J.D, I want to show His love and grace and point all things to the One who made all things.

Entanglements

Hebrews 12:1-3 “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”

This passage demanded my immediate attention this morning as I read it.  I couldn’t escape he phrase “sin that so easily entangles.”  The truth behind that phrase hit me; I started to think of the things that I do that is not pleasing to a Holy God – the “small” stuff and the big stuff.  It definitely easily entangles!

I try my hardest to fix my eyes on Jesus just like the passage instructs; yet so often I run my life in auto-pilot, and I let God down.  Running the race takes stamina, and stamina comes from working out and training; I definitely can do better and must do better.  I really do try to live a missional life and want to bring the hope of Jesus to people I encounter, so the hindrances and distractions of life take away from that pursuit.  I liken it to text messaging while driving (guilty) – looking down for a split second could make it the last second to breathe (extreme case of course).  So fixing my eyes on Jesus and not growing weary is essential.  Once again, “training” and a good spiritual “diet” is key to not growing weary.

One uplifting part of this passage is that “we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses” so we have the support and accountability which I am utterly grateful for.  There is hope even when the race is not easy to run and at times giving up seems the best option.  Jesus is the answer.

The Choice

Today I saw a quote that said “the choices we make determine the consequence we face” and the question was asked, what choices are we making?  I was immediately reminded of the fact that if we say yes to Jesus, then saying no to bad choices will be a natural progression.

As I reflect this week on the last week in Jesus’ life, leading up to Good Friday when he was crucified and then Easter Sunday when He rose; another thing that struck me was the choice that Jesus made.  Zoom out some more and we see the choice God made when Adam and Eve chose disobedience – He made the choice to pursue us and demonstrate His love, that meant sacrificing His Son for us.

I heard a depiction last weekend about the process of the crucifixion.  The Romans used this form of execution for criminals and enemies of the state.  Their methods were diabolical in that they tried to delay death and extend pain and suffering by the way they nailed the condemned person to the crucifix.  By nailing just the wrists/hands the person would die in minutes because of blood loss and asphyxiation from the weight of the body hanging.  The Romans added the nailing of the feet, bending the knees, so that the could “prop” themselves up to breath thus delaying their death.  Imagine being nailed like that to a coarse wooden beam while trying to prop oneself up hence rubbing one’s back against the grain of the wood after been whipped and tortured prior to being nailed.  The punishment was meant to shame and disgrace the person.

When Jesus was crucified, it was with two others beside Him; two thieves, possibly deserving of such a punishment but certainly not Jesus.  He made the choice.  He chose to enter Jerusalem and walk into this eventual scene.  Wrongly accused, beaten beyond recognition, spit on, mocked and then nailed to a wooden cross for display.  I remember a line from an old song - “and as He hung there dying, He was mending lives…”  It was for you and me that He made that choice.  The criminals didn’t choose their punishment, Jesus made that choice to suffer through it; because of love for you and I.  His choice has an amazing consequence and I am so thankful for that!

As we move through the rest of the week and celebrate what Jesus accomplished on the cross, think about your choices and then reflect on what Jesus chose.  May you and I be overwhelmed with His unconditional love and grace given.

Peace…

Can’t Afford To Be Safe

Acts 4:13 & 20 (NLT) - The members of the council were amazed when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, for they could see that they were ordinary men with no special training in the Scriptures. They also recognized them as men who had been with Jesus…We cannot stop telling about everything we have seen and heard.

I have a feeling this is going to be the scripture passage that took me from 2009 into 2010 and will continue to challenge me this year and beyond.  Yesterday was one of those days where I was reminded all day long.  At LATR church yesterday morning, Josh talked about the marks of people who are obsessed about Jesus.  We should be marked by unusual love (Jesus loved and gave His life because that love). We should be marked by faith – faith to be fully engaged, willing to take risks and of unusual sacrifice (again like Jesus).

Then last night, Jarron and I visited New Life Church and once again I was confronted with these thoughts.  The pastor talked about when he gave his heart to Jesus and was baptized, he experienced a transformation and passion for Jesus that led to a relentless boldness to share Jesus with everyone and anyone.  Then he said when he got older something switched, he started to be “safe” – he got married, he got a mortgage, he had kids, etc, and he discovered the boldness dissipating.  His descriptions resonated with me and then he referred to the Acts 4:20 where when Peter and John were basically asked to stop talking about Jesus, their response was that they can’t stop telling about Jesus and what He has done.

I heard a stat yesterday that motivated even more.  I found out that I was living in 4th most un-churched  county in the country.  I cannot afford to be safe anymore!  There are people all around me that have never heard and/or experience the love of Jesus.  It is no longer ok to be safe; it is time to be bold and be recognized for having experienced and been transform by Jesus.

Another encouragement and challenge as a part of a church plant was something else the pastor said – he had been struggling with the idea of membership and the number of people attending the church.  The idea of a church with a few thousand people attending being known as a mega church was not what he wanted anymore – he desires to see a church of mega missionaries; people who are outward looking and sharing Jesus with everyone.  I know it is the heart of Josh and mine to see our small community of people at LATR be mega missionaries and be concerned with growth that comes from people coming to know Jesus and be changed forever.

It is now time to live a marked life and not stop telling about everything we have experienced and seen Jesus do!

The Year of the Tiger

Acts 4:13 (NLT)  The members of the council were amazed when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, for they could see that they were ordinary men with no special training in the Scriptures. They also recognized them as men who had been with Jesus.

Tomorrow (Sunday for us) many Asians, especially the Chinese, will celebrate the Lunar New Year.  It is a 2 week celebration in some cultures and everyone takes a break.  I liken it to Thanksgiving with a little Christmas mix.  Thanksgiving because everyone in the family gathers for a Reunion Dinner on the eve of the new year, much like the Thanksgiving feast.  Then on the first day of the new year, the younger generation will take the time to visit their elders and celebrate and there is an exchange of red packets containing cash.  If you are single (to a certain age I suppose), you’ll most likely get one.

This year has some significance for me as I was born in the year of the Tiger (according to the Lunar Calendar).

I only just realized it a few days ago and it got me thinking.  So when the thinking comes on, so does some creativity, hence this post.  My friend Aik told me that I don’t seem like the typical “tiger” personality.  I don’t have an aggressive personality or display the “roar”.  My mind quickly went back to the scripture (above) from Acts.

I had used that passage to challenge people at my church at the end of last year when I got to speak.  And we have been on a series at church called “Bold (New Year)” – living bold lives (in giving, in worship and in the Spirit).  The passage came back to mind as Aik was jokingly teasing me about my lack of “tiger” personality.  I know I want to be bold like Peter and John and have people be amazed enough to ask questions about it.  I also want to be recognized having been with Jesus – working on this discipline, need to spend more time with Him.  I want to be ready and able to give a reason for my faith/hope in Jesus (1 Peter 3:15) and live my life so it demands that answer.

I am looking forward to an awesome Year of the Tiger!  What about you?  Do you have a fresh start?  Are you living boldly for Jesus?  Have you met the real Jesus?  It is never too late!

Peace!

Transformation

CAUTION – wordy blog ahead :)

My mind was captivated by two scripture passages I read this week, and I have been mulling them over since.

Hebrews 4:12-13 (NIV)

¹²For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. ¹³Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

Romans 12:1-2 (NLT)

¹ And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. ² Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

I have been thinking a lot about transformation recently and how it can occur in someone’s life.  I believe that our own personal journey and stories can have some transformational effect on others.  I know self-motivation or one’s thought process is another element in causing transformation or the lack thereof.  Circumstances, environment/surrounding, all can cause transformation.  I have been reflecting on my own personal transformation and the struggles I have been through.  I have been considering how to better be an agent of transformation and helping people realize supernatural transformation through Jesus.

The Merriam-Webster dictionary’s definition of  “transform” is a : to change in composition or structure b : to change the outward form or appearance of c : to change in character or condition

As I am considering these things, I can’t help by acknowledge my need for Jesus to transform me.  Sure, I could motivate myself to get into shape and be disciplined – I have been there and done that; having a drill sergeant yell at you all day can get you whipped into shape pretty quickly .  Or I could “choose” to have a positive thought life so as to lead a more positive life.  To borrow some lines from the movie “Happy Gilmore” – “Harness in the good energy, block out the bad. Harness. Energy. Block. Bad. It's like a carousel. You put the quarter in, you get on the horse, it goes up and down, and around. Circular, circle. Feel it. Go with the flow.”  At the end of the day, I know there is a space that needs to be filled.

When I think about the dictionary definition, I see Jesus all over it – He is the Creator, the Healer, the Savior and the Judge.  When it comes to a “change in composition or structure” my first thought is of the caterpillar cocooning into a beautiful butterfly – now that is one serious change in composition!  You can draw so many analogies from butterfly transformation.  When it comes to “change the outward form or appearance” I think of the physical appearance of someone who has been transformed by Jesus.  I have personally encountered a night and day difference in a person’s demeanor when Jesus came into that space.  This kind of ties in with the last example of the definition “to change in character or condition.”  It is amazing and possible to see such change in someone’s life and again I have encountered people.  It is a journey nonetheless, sometimes it is a gradual change but Jesus makes it possible.

Many people criticize Christianity as a “religion” full of rules that take the fun out of life but because they haven’t taken the step to discover Jesus; not the one portrayed in movies or not even the one they hear about through a preacher on TV, or the name that is used a swear word; the Real Jesus – the one who was talked about in olden days before he even was born, the one lived among people, the one loved people and healed people, the one who was willing to die a horrible death even though He did nothing wrong, choosing to stand on the side of truth.

If only those who criticize and mock would take the time to discover the Jesus of the Bible and let the words that are “living and active – Hebrews 4:12” start to transform their hearts and the way they think. And “don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. – Romans 12:2”  I know without a doubt that when Jesus becomes a part of your heart and mind, transformation takes place and you’ll experience joy and peace; not that you won’t still face difficult, sometimes more difficult than we think we can bear, but because the way we think is now transforming through Jesus, we can have joy and peace.  You want God’s will for your life?  Let Jesus transform your thinking.  Let the Word aka the Bible penetrate even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; and let it judge the thoughts and attitudes of the heart like it say is Hebrews 4.  Once we allow these transformations to occur, we will realize fun like never before; the so-called “rules” will not control your life but instead guide your life.

I had some entertainment news program on the other night while making some dinner and they introduced the author Laura Day, who recently wrote a book called “How To Rule The World From Your Couch.”  It immediately caught my attention and I stopped to listen.  I wanted to find out what tips she was going to give and whether it was going to be useful for me because she had some major celebrity endorsements.  Here’s what she writes in her “Welcome Page” of her website:

I welcome you to the Practical Intuition website. You as a human being are vastly more powerful and accomplished than you realize.  You have innate abilities, already developed, that allow you to understand yourself, others, and your environment. These abilities can help you act in ways that create joy, success and healing.  This is a place where you, the intuitive, and you, the healer, can refine and share your talents with others and gather information on the resources that will help you reach your greatest potential.

I think to myself, how can one not stop and think about the source of these human abilities she listed.  How can we deny the existence of God when clearly there is a Creator that lavished these innate abilities on us and these things didn’t just happen or evolve?

Another thing that popped into my head as I listened to Laura talk and describe her book, was my friend Greg Wingard.  He was inspired (while taking time to read the Bible, in prayer and in his journey of discovering Jesus) to put together what is now known as the “Red Bucket Strategy.”  It is scientific protocols that addresses more than 30 obstacles to creating permanent change.  The strategies have helped organizations and individuals achieve dramatic increases in sales results, customer service levels, leadership development, time management, and numerous areas of personal performance.  Some of these organizations helped include Starbucks, Jack In The Box, Aflac, Microsoft, etc.  Not too shabby array of endorsements as well.  Most importantly though is, if you were to ask Greg where he came up with these strategies, he would tell you they all came from Biblical principles.  Remember: “For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” and “let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”?  It is all about Jesus!

What I have concluded in my lengthy winding thought process is that I need to take time to discover Jesus and allow Him and the word of God to transform my heart and mind and then I will learn to know God’s will.  I hope you will do the same.

Peace!

Do You See Him?

We started a new series at LATR called “Do You See Him?”  The big idea of the series is that Jesus is walking with us whether we see Him or not.  I think so often we choose to have selected awareness of Jesus in our lives – we praise Him in the good times and when things are bad we wonder why He is so far away when in reality He is always there.

I was reminded of a section in the first chapter of Glenn Packiam’s new book called “Secondhand Jesus” where he wrote about how he had bought into the suburban rumor that so many of us have bought into and that is “my house was an evidence of His blessing. Our growing church was an indication of God’s pleasure. Things were going to get better and better while I kept my life on cruise control. Never mind that I had struggled—mostly unsuccessfully—to have consistent time alone with God. Forget that I had hardly spent time worshipping God offstage. The more my wife and I searched our own souls, the more we realized we had become passive, complacent, at times even indifferent about our own knowledge of God. We had been lulled to sleep by our own apparent success, numbed into coasting by our spiritual Midas touch.”  Like Glenn, I find myself in a similar condition; I have not been seeing the real Jesus behind what I have and what He has allowed me to accomplish but now it is exposed.  Now that I have written this, I guess people are going to hold me accountable. :D

Josh did an excellent job describing areas of our lives that we might have missed seeing Jesus, and there was a particular area he mentioned that convicted me instantly, thus this mini confession.  That area is in regards to work/biz.  Josh mentioned how the global economic situation has caused many people to have lost money, jobs and businesses.  I was instantly convicted because I was made aware then that I have not, truly, in recent times, given thanks to God for having a job and the continued success in business.  It is true, we’ve worked hard as a company and have made wise decisions, but I know that is only because of the hand of God that we are where we are.  I am probably the only one in the company that believes this, yet I have failed to properly acknowledge Jesus and see His hand over everything.  I am once again humbled by this revelation.

There are a few lines from a song that Glenn just released that have been running over and over again in my mind:

“I have only heard the whispers of Your majesty.  All I’ve know were only rumors, now my eyes have seen Your glory”

I am tired of the rumors and lies of Jesus that I have bought into, I want to see Jesus and His glory.  Another quote from Glenn: “Rumors grow in the absence of revelation. Every time we keep God at arm’s length, declining an active, living knowledge of Him, we become vulnerable to rumors. Lulled by false comfort and half-truths about God, we—in Keith Green’s famous words—fall asleep in the light.”  I am certainly more aware that I need to block out the rumors and look for true revelation of the man who gave His life for me so I can have life, more and better life.

Jesus is at work, in fact, I believe He has kicked it into overdrive.  I want in!  I want to be more aware of His presence and to be able to see Jesus in pain and sorrow and in good times.  Open my eyes Jesus!

Becoming Like Dad

With Fathers’ Day coming up this weekend, I found myself thinking about my dad, Alfred, today.  Being so far away from him, I don’t get to celebrate with him but I’ll call to wish him.  My mum actually gave me the low down on his schedule this weekend so I would be able to figure a way to get a hold of him.  You see, he is preaching all weekend, traveling to two countries for those gatherings.  That is one of his traits that I admire; his tireless desire to preach the gospel of Jesus, even if it means getting in his car to drive hours and then get into a boat to get to the next destination.

Recently, I decided to ask my dad what his favorite hymn was.  It was the first time in my life that I even thought to ask.  I wished I could have seen his face when I posed the question because I really wonder what he thought about my very random question.  I was amazed when I found out that we shared the same favorite hymn.  The discovery was very exciting for me.  It was such a special moment (at least for me) as we talked about what the song meant to us.  So cool!

The conversation got me thinking about our relationship and things that I have noticed in my own life.  In the last few years, I started making observations of character and personality traits that I shared with my dad and I must say I am becoming like dad.  I want to take an opportunity to share some of these observations.

First of all, my dad loves gadgets and, I believe, is a geek at heart.  As far back as I can recall, we’ve had all kinds of electronic equipment around the house; mostly restored to functioning form.  As times have progressed, I hear about the new and latest cell phones and laptops he has been getting and moving on from.  My dad is a card carrying member of a chain of electronic stores, and every time my parents hit the mall, that’s where he’ll spend his time.  Some of you who know me are probably snickering at this point because I just described some of my tendencies.  I love technology and cool “toys".  Another my dad enjoys doing is, drive and go on road trips.  I happen to share the same desires – I am a big fan of road trips and seeing the world that way.  We used to have father and son trips all over Asia when I was younger; I have spent many hours on the road driving or on a plane with the man.  Great memories!

My dad’s quite the loner and a bit of a social introvert.  Once again this is a trait that I share.  We lead “public” lives, being in ministry and all, so we have no problems being by ourselves in a large crowd.  We can be social when needed though our default is more introverted.  We like being home even if it was by ourselves.  We like our alone time and space.  My dad is usually a quiet figure; he offers his opinions and suggestions when appropriate.  He is revered for that fact amongst his peers and is often called upon to provide that stability.  God has blessed him with wisdom and patience to do what he does.

I am the quiet type (for the most part) like him.  Our relationship would seem strange to some because we seldom converse but when we do it was usually pretty profound.  It suits us well.  I remember sharing a meal with him a few years back, where we sat across from each other but didn’t talk almost the entire meal; then at one point he stopped eating and started sharing what my mum and him had thought about a situation in my life.  It was a moving experience for me.  I also have discovered that I am a little stubborn just like he is, on certain things.  We hold our opinions and agree to disagree.  It is quite comical sometimes.

There are some much more things that I am trying to mimic from his life.  As the saying goes “imitation is the sincerest form of flattery” however more than just imitate, I want to be able to back up my life with substance like he has.  His passion for Jesus.  His heart for missions and seeing people come to know Jesus.  His pastoral heart even in the toughest of circumstances.  His calm and collected personality.  The list goes on and I know I am not even close, maybe one day I will share some more of these traits.

On this Fathers’ Day weekend, I want to publicly honor him and express my admiration for the man.  Thanks for being my dad and for demonstrating what it means to follow Jesus and really trusting in Him.  I love you daddy!

The Builder

In my Bible reading earlier this week, there was a verse in a passage of scripture that really caught my attention.  I have read this verse before and can even quote it; however it took more significance this week.  The verse is Psalm 127:1

"Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain.
Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain."

I am somewhat of a thinker, not so much philosophical, more pragmatic.  My friends can probably testify that I am a "black & white" person and that's how things appear in my head.  All that to say, I have been thinking a lot recently and mulling over things happening around me.

One of the things that has impacted me slowly but surely is the "personal confession" moment my friend Josh had earlier this year.  It has radically changed his outlook on life.  The confession is a simple yet powerful one and that is JESUS IS LORD.  I have adopted that confession and confess each morning as I roll out of bed and even throughout the day, I hear it in my head.

I desperately want Jesus to be Lord of my life, every aspect of it.  Like most people, I like to be in control, so this new practice of confession/submission has been not always easy but really good for me.

In light of the "confession" and the mission we are trying to accomplish as a church, the Psalm 127:1 verse really resonated with me.  I quickly stopped to ponder if I had taken the Lord out of the equation in building "His House."  I get to pastor a relatively big group of people and these people are watching my life, so I am trying my best to model Jesus.  It is so easy to rely on the talented people we have around us to build something and I believe that will be devastating.  Last night we had a meeting with one of our leadership teams and it was excellent.  What was exciting to me, was to hear these leaders share their hearts and see that they too have a desire (prayer, Bible reading, etc) to have Jesus as Lord of their lives and what we do to build the church.

More thinking later, I found I was asking myself again who was building my house.  I thought about being a single guy and how easy it is for me to coast through life and not think about the "house" I am building.  I thought about my friends and family here and back in Singapore, people whose houses are not in order and I was saddened by that.  Regardless of whether or not I have my own little family in the future, I have been challenged to declare that Jesus is Lord and that same Lord is the one building my house.

Who is your builder today?  Try confessing Jesus is Lord and making Him your custom home builder.

The Gift

This is undoubtedly the season for giving, and one of the most commonly asked question this week and next is "are you ready for Christmas?" - i.e. have you completed your shopping?  Well, I am glad to report, based on that notion, I am no where close to being ready.  The pressure is now on.  I do realize I am responsible for a lot of that pressure.

I like giving gifts.  I love watching the expressions on the faces of people I give gifts to, especially the children.  The joy and excitement, the look of wonder and surprise, the look of thankfulness, etc.  Those expressions are very important to me, because I like to see people happy, hence the pressure.  I  am the type of person that likes to find the best gift available to give, therefore I am not easily satisfied, and it makes shopping somewhat challenging.  I try my hardest to figure out what each person would really like at Christmas and I am always afraid that the gift is not the "perfect" gift from me.

Anyway, tonight I had an interesting revelation come to me.  I thought about gifts and what it meant.  This may sound kind of silly but it made sense to me tonight.  A gift from me comes from my heart, something sincere; so even though it may not be the "perfect" gift or one of the best gifts of the year, it is still my best gift.  I understand that the recipient of the gift may or may not like what I got, and may even return it the next day, still it is from me.  Like the old saying goes "it is from the heart."  That helped me relax a little and hopefully I can now finish finding gifts.

I also began to think further and reflected on what this season means.  All over the world people will exchange gifts during this season.  I wonder how many of them realize where this whole idea of giving came from.  I started thinking of the first Christmas and of the gifts that Jesus got; gold, frankincense and myrrh.  Each of these gifts revealed something about Jesus and what He came to do.  Then I thought about The Gift himself, Jesus.  He came to seek and save us, and He did it by dying on a cross.  Not matter what people do to discredit what this season means, Jesus is truly the reason for the season.  He came to bring the perfect gift - the gift of life (God and sinners reconciled).

I am saddened to think, here I am trying to find the best gift out there for people and my fear that it is still not the best, that Jesus came to this earth, demonstrated His love, sacrificed His life to give us the perfect gift, yet He is still rejected.  The heart behind the gifts I give don't even come close to what Jesus gives but more often than not the gifts we bring are much more appreciated.

I wrote a song a few years back and I was reminded of it while writing this:

The hope of life

The hope of love

You died on a tree

So I could be free

A love so beautiful

A love so pure

A life so rich

A life worth living for

Amazing grace

Never to far

For a wreck like me

To live eternally

Jesus, Jesus

Savior, Redeemer

My prayer this season is that we will all remember the significance of giving and the greatest Gift of all, Jesus.

This morning, while driving to work, I noticed a car in front of me that had tons of bumper stickers. I am always curious to see who these people are and I wonder what drives them to actually stick something permanently on their vehicles.

This was one of those cars that had all kinds of political stickers and social stickers on it - we have all seen those cars. There was, however, one sticker that particularly stuck out to me - it was the one that said "Think Globally, Act Locally." I couldn't stop thinking about that phrase after reading it. I got to work and I did a quick Internet search to see where this phrase came from. What I found were some different contexts in which it was used; from the business world, in terms of globalization, to the social issues that are prominent these days (like going green).

I couldn't help but think of what it meant to me as a Christ follower. I thought about Jesus' life and realized that He carried out this phrase/slogan. His very coming to the earth had impact on a global scale; yet He acted locally. He helped the poor, the needy, the sick, the lonely and He gave them hope and love. What He did for the people in the local area moved His mission forward globally through the people who experienced life transformations.

Then before Jesus returned to heaven, He commissioned His disciples (and that includes us as Christ followers) in Matthew 28:18-20

18Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

He was again thinking globally with this commissioning. Then in Acts, Jesus gives us a promise and He again addresses the phrase:

Acts 1:8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.

We are instructed here to be His witnesses in Jerusalem (the local area), and in all Judea and Samaria (the neighboring areas) and finally to the rest of the earth (globally). Think Globally, Act Locally.

I am learning that there are no boundaries with mission of Jesus. Our web/sphere (whatever you want to call it) of influence is sometimes more far-reaching than we are realize. I think of how wide the good news of Jesus Christ has already reached across this universe and it all started "locally" with a commission. I am personally experiencing some of the effects of being on the mission locally and internationally.

The mission is clear, the message is good; it's time to act - Think Globally, Act Locally.