Bob's Blog

Did You Say, Call Cleo Taylor?

2011-09-20T18:36:00.000-04:00

Today was one of those days that I found myself running from meeting to meeting. Frantic scurrying from one building to another without even time between meetings to use the restroom. My mind was occupied with all of the issues of the meeting I was coming from, while trying to transition to the issues of the meeting that I was heading towards.

Since it takes a bit of time to make it from one building to the other, I decided to try to make a call while I speed walked. I popped my bluetooth headset in my ear and used the voice activation feature to tell my phone who I wanted to call. Seeking to verify my instruction it asked, "Did you say, call Cleo Taylor?"

The question stopped me in my tracks. I paused for a moment and sadly and slowly answered, "No."

Cleo Taylor was my grandfather. Apparently, his contact information has been transferred from one cell phone to the other as I have upgraded to newer phones. Unfortunately, he has been dead for a number of years.

I wanted so badly at that moment to say, "Yes! I did say to call Cleo Taylor. I miss him." I wanted to tell him about what was going on and what had been happening over the passed years. How proud he would be of his great grandchildren who are now almost grown. I wanted to ask him some questions. Questions that I never took the time or was afraid to ask about his views, hopes, disappointments. I wanted to spend some time with my grandpa.

I think it was a brief moment of wanting to connect with a past that seems to be slipping into history like so many of the ancestors I come across as I research our family heritage. I think I also experienced a recognition that someday my name may be the one that is left in someone's address book and contact list.

It was a brief reminder to make the most of every day. Not just everyday, but this one!!!

Beauty!

2011-08-24T21:33:00.001-04:00

Wow!

The Mountain from TSO Photography on Vimeo.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Stillness of the Evening

2011-08-23T20:24:00.001-04:00

Last year my son and I took a trip to the Boundary Waters in Minnesota. During that trip I wrote a journal entry that I later included in a blog entry called, "His Right Hand Shall Lead Me." In that note, I was commenting about how easy it was to feel God in the midst of the wilderness and silence. But, God promises that no matter where we find ourselves, He is there.

Even though I know that is true, I am always encouraged when He reminds me. He often does so through nature. Like a cloud formation or a sunset that is particularly striking. Like tonight.

These photos were taken tonight while on a walk with my wife in our neighborhood.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Back In The Saddle

2011-08-21T15:40:00.001-04:00

Well, it has been awhile. To be honest, I am not sure why. As everyone else, I have been busy and there have been a lot of changes over the past year. I also have a folder full of draft blogs. Yet, I never took the time to complete them.

I think sometimes I get caught up in the pressure to say something important or full of impact. I think I just need to share what I believe God is speaking to me about. We learn from one another through our stories. I have found that men are not so good at letting other men into ours. Maybe that is what we should focus on.

In any case, I plan to jump back in the saddle. Share a few thought from my story, my journal, etc. I would love to hear about yours as well. Please feel free to do so in the comments of this blog!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

The Aroma of Hope

2010-08-01T16:07:00.000-04:00

Our family just returned from a mission trip to Mexico. The theme of the trip was "The Aroma of Hope." I won't go into all of the nuances of the "aromas" to which the theme referred. Believe me, when you combine 100 degree heat with hard work and no running water, there were many, both good and bad.

But, one of the "aromas" to which the theme referred was the aroma of Christ. 2 Corinthians 2:15-16. According to these verses, we are the aroma of Christ, the "fragrance of life."

A couple of years ago, my uncle gave me a bottle of cologne that had belonged to my grandfather, who had died over 20 years earlier. When I opened the bottle and smelled the cologne, I was immediately transported into many memories of my grandfather. I did not just recall them. I felt like I was there. The fragrance awakened many memories that had either been long forgotten or muted by time. But, one sniff of this cologne made them all real again.

As I recalled this event, I wondered if the same dynamic was at work when God calls us the aroma of Christ, the "fragrance of life." Do all men and women have a vague, long forgotten memory of the love of God written deep within their hearts? An echo of Eden. One that has been muted by time, by wounds and by sin. By serving people and showing them just a glimpse or sniff of God's love, are we awakening a longing for that love, for that life in Christ?

I believe it is possible. If so, what a powerful tool for winning the lost.

Time Stands Still

2010-06-25T19:15:00.000-04:00

If you have attended some of our Men's Meetings or read some of my blogs or have just been around me when I have been thinking of it, you have probably heard me talk about how disappointed I am in how fast time passes. I recognize that it is probably something all "aging" people think about. Unfortunately, I guess I must qualify for that category.

I am most keenly aware of the topic as my kids hit certain significant milestones. It is disappointing to me to realize that I can only remember a very small fraction of the time that we have had together. If someone has lived in your house for 18 years, one should be able to better account for more than the number of moments that I can specifically recall. With only a few exceptions, it seems that the minutes, hours and years have mostly blurred into a fuzzy lump.

I experienced something completely different on my recent trip to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area in Minnesota. When I am here at home, I get caught up in the mundane and in all of the seemingly important activities that consume our lives and time. In the BWCA, I was present in almost every minute. In turn that made me very aware of every minute. I found that that dynamic, put together with the fact that we could not see the sun most of the trip, caused us to drastically over estimate how fast time was passing.

On the first day, after many hours of paddling, canoeing, and portaging, both my son and I estimated that it was 4 or 4:30 in the afternoon. It was 1:50. That happened over and over on the trip. One morning after sleeping in, fixing breakfast, eating breakfast, cleaning up after breakfast, talking and journaling, we estimated that it might be about time for lunch. It was 9:30. I had not experienced this phenomenon since I was a kid.

I started to realize what really causes us to lose time. It is busyness. All of the stuff with which we fill our lives swallows our time or at least our awareness of it. In addition, many of us spend our time lamenting the past or worrying about the future instead of living in the moment. Television or surfing the web can do it too.

I started wondering how I could bring this back to Indy. How do I force myself to jettison the things from my life that steal my time? How do I live more in the moment rather than in the past or worrying about the future? I have started to ask myself, "Why am I doing what I am doing?" Is there any value in it?

I really would like your comments here. What are your thoughts?

His Right Hand Shall Lead Me!

2010-06-19T16:03:00.000-04:00

My son and I just returned from a trip to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area (BWCA) in upper Minnesota, literally a few feet south of the Canadian border. Actually, due to rookie navigation skills, we did accidentally stray into Canada on a few occasions. The BWCA is very remote. There are few people and motorized vehicles are not allowed in most of the area.

I intend on blogging a few times about our trip. But, thought I would start with a journal entry from one of the afternoons in which we were camping on an island in the northernmost part of the BWCA. Here is that entry...

This afternoon I have been sitting here on a granite outcropping a few feet north of our campsite on Camper's Island. There is a slight breeze, but for the most part the water is calm. The sun has been out a few times today, but it has been overcast most of it.

I can see about eight pine covered islands from where I am sitting within 200 yards or so in the middle of the Saganaga. The land masses further on are probably islands as well, but from here the land just runs together. According to the map, they are most likely Horseshoe, Government and Blueberry Islands.

The stillness is only broken by the occasional mournful cry of a loon, the slight lapping of the water on the rocks and a few motors and voices far off in the distance. Sound travels a great distance out here. At the moment, I can hear nearly every word said from some canoeists nearly a mile from me on Horseshoe Island.

But, most of the afternoon has been shrouded in silence. To be honest, the silence is a very comforting but strange and unusual experience. It is calming and exhilarating at the same time. God is here!! His majesty is unmistakable. As I considered this a few minutes ago, a lone bald eagle flew directly over our camp. I could hear, very distinctly, every flap of his wings. It was stunning! God truly is a God of beauty! The cool thing is that even though I can more easily sense His presence here, I don't have to come here to find Him! I was reading earlier today and came across Psalm 139:7-10. "If I ascend unto heaven, you are there. If I make my bed in hell, you are there."

He is in the Boundary Waters AND He is in Indianapolis! Even there, His right hand shall lead me!

More to come later!

Mentoring - Man Style

2010-04-03T09:32:00.000-04:00

I went to McDonald's this morning to have a sausage biscuit and a cup of coffee. I know that it is very fashionable in some circles these days to malign McDonald's. But as I sat there listening to the conversations, I realized that the local McDonald's in our area is providing an environment for the development of relationships.

I have talked with many of you in the past years lamenting the loss of a "third place" in our culture. A place where people in a community congregate to relate. Think English pubs, French cafes, coffee houses, small town cafes, etc. Someplace close to home and easy to get to. Because of the way we have zoned our neighborhoods, put together with a variety of other reasons, we have lost those places in recent years. It contributes to our isolation!

But, this morning, at least at our local McDonald's, I saw and heard elements of the "third place" returning. The people sitting at multiple tables behind me apparently knew one another. They had not come in together nor had they arranged this meeting, but were seemingly accustomed to meeting one another there as there were a few comments about "where have you been lately" and "I missed you yesterday", etc.

They quickly launched into a fairly long conversation about recent oil changes. Where, when, how much it cost, the virtues of paying to have it done versus doing it yourself. To a casual listener, it would have seemed like irrelevant small talk. However, tucked in the middle of this conversation as they talked about recent oil changes for their adult children, where a few minutes of discussion about how to relate to these grown children. Empathy was expressed and advice was shared. Then, they were back to discussing oil changes, then new tires.

They had not called one another together to discuss relationship issues with grown children. They had just casually met for a cup of coffee at McDonald's. The relationship conversation happened in the middle of that. It was mentoring, Man Style!

"You Need an Enemy"

2010-03-28T20:54:00.000-04:00

In this morning's message at the Blended Church, Pastor Dehner Maurer preached a message about adversity having a purpose in our lives. You can see this message here on ustream. The message starts around the 36 minute mark and I highly recommend it. In this message, Pastor Dehner said, "You need an enemy."

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote a blog entry on "Dying to Self" which included an article by Bill Britton. This morning's message reminded me of another article by Bill Britton entitled, "My Beloved Enemy." I have included some excerpts from that article below. The theme of both of these messages is that God uses our enemies to bring about Godliness and spiritual maturity.

"My Beloved Enemy"

Bill Britton

YOU are not really my enemies at all. in reality you are some of the best friends I have. You who have lied about me, and about this ministry, who have tried to destroy people's faith and confidence in me, who have spread false and damaging rumors about my life and teachings. through your efforts there has been a work of grace wrought in this heart of mine that could never have happened without you.

My friends have been many, and loyal, and faithful to stand with me in many hours of trial and need. They have been strength to my weakness, added joy to my heart in time of sorrow, and have girded up my faith amidst raging doubts. They have brought me before the throne of grace innumerable times in their seasons of prayer. I could not have continued long in this spiritual conflict without these wonderful friends.

But, believe me, I speak in sincerity and truth, there can be no perfection in the lives of God's elect without the chastising work of a real enemy. For when a bitter vicious person begins to do all they can to destroy me and my work for God, then there is a work done that brings out all the wrong and evil attitudes and spirits that lie hidden and deeply rooted in my heart. When a friend extols all my good virtues and praises me from their heart of true friendship, I feel nothing but love for them. But, when I hear of an enemy who has unjustly brought shame upon me, there rises up a spirit of defending myself, and a spirit of "righteous indignation" to refute the enemy. It is then that the precious Holy Spirit does His office work and reveals to me the wrongness of my own spirit. I see in me then, the things I did not know were there before. With repenting and sorrow of heart I cry to God, and He delivers me from that which I have seen in my life. It was hidden, lying dormant, until you, my beloved enemy brought it to light with your crucifying process. The prophets of old would never have had the glory of being stoned for the Word of God-and no martyr's crowns could ever have been won by the early Christians without real enemies.

You see, I cannot crucify myself, and friends will not do it. So it takes you, my enemy, to bring me to the cross. And to the cross I must come, if ever I am to come to the glory of perfection. But I have much progress yet to make before coming to the image of my lovely Jesus. There is so much I must yet learn. And, my enemy, you are teaching me. I have learned that the road to glory is by way of the cross. Without you I would not have found the way. Someone had to crucify my Jesus. Not his friends, not his disciples, and He could not do it Himself. So Satan and the princes of this world stirred up hatred in the hearts of His enemies, and the work was done. Had they known that they were bringing Him into His glory, and bringing about the salvation of lost mankind, they would not have done it. And I'm sure that if you knew the good your efforts are working out in my life, you would not want to help me so much. But the work is being done, and I have learned to love you because of it. "Love thy enemies," He said, and I wondered how I could do it. But you have taught me. For because of you I have grown in God, increased in His Grace, and partaken of His divine nature.

NOW JUST A WORD TO ALL WHO HAVE READ THIS. I trust that you have understood that this word has not been applicable to me only, but should apply as well to all of God's dear children. May the Spirit speak to your heart and open your eyes to this great truth. that without chastisement and the work of enemies we can never come into full Sonship. And when we see how much our persecutions and afflictions mean to us in maturing our spirits and bringing us into His image, then we can truly "Love our enemies," and "bless them that curse us." Praise God for His marvelous plan! And remember. all the enemy can destroy in the fires of persecution is "hay, wood and stubble," and all they will melt and bring into His image is the "gold, silver and the precious stones." So let us be willing to burn that which will burn, that those things which will not burn may stand forever!

Bill Britton

Leadership Communication Mistakes

2010-03-19T19:02:00.000-04:00

Just ran across this on a blog written by Tim Stevens. Very good counsel. I have been guilty of all of them at one time or another. Some, many times.

The Most Common Mistakes People Make When Communicating Expectations

Barking out “marching orders” without making your directions clear enough that people fully understand and accept them.
Assuming people need only one explanation in order to understand what you expect them to deliver.
Failing to form an expectation clearly yourself before communicating it to others.
Excluding any explanation about “why” you want something done within a specific time frame.
Asking people to do something, but not clearly explaining when you need it done.
Failing to describe the resources available to help people do what you want them to do.
Issuing such specific instructions about what to do and how to do it, that people hesitate to “own it” themselves and think out of the box to ensure the result.

From the book How Did That Happen? by Roger Connors and Tom Smith

Dying to Self

2010-02-12T09:32:00.000-05:00

After all of these years, I have pretty much decided that my greatest enemy is not Satan. It is me! More specifically it is my selfishness. It's my tendency for my motivation to do anything to be "What can I get out of this?" or "How can I manipulate people, circumstances, etc. to get things to turn out the way I want them?"

I don't think these things consciously! It is just obvious when I really evaluate my behaviors and feelings. The irony of it all is that this approach causes me great pain and is very tiring. It is hard work to always be trying to manipulate your surroundings. It is no fun for those who love me either.

Many years ago, I worked for a pastor named Bill Britton. He was an author and evangelist. One of the articles that he wrote follows. In the end, it is obvious to me that I am NOT dead yet.

Dying to Self

Bill Britton

When you are forgotten or neglected or purposely set at naught, and you don’t sting and hurt with the insult or the oversight, but your heart is happy being counted worthy to suffer for Christ, now that’s dying to self.

When your good is evil spoken of, and when your wishes are crossed, when your advice is disregarded, and your opinions are ridiculed, and you refuse to let anger rise in your heart,
or even defend yourself, but take it all in patient, loving silence, now friends, that’s dying to self.

When you lovingly and patiently bear with any disorder, any irregularity, any impunctuality or any annoyance, when you can stand face to face with waste, folly, extravagance, spiritual insensibility, and endure it as Jesus endured it, that is dying to self.

When you are content with any food, any offering, any raiment, any climate, any society, any solitude, or any interruption by the will of God, now friends, that’s dying to self.

When you never care to refer to yourself in conversation, or to record your own good works, or itch after commendation, when you can truly love to be unknown, now that’s dying to self.

When you can see your brother prosper and have his needs met, and can honestly rejoice with him in spirit, and feel no envy or question God about it, while your own needs are far greater and in desperate circumstances, now, friends, that is really dying to self.

When you can receive correction and reproof from one of less stature than yourself, and can humbly submit inwardly as well as outwardly finding no rebellion or resentment rising up within your heart, now that is dying to self.

Well, are you dead yet?

Recapping 2009

2010-01-01T12:03:00.000-05:00

Looks like I wrote 23 blogs in 2009, although some of those were just links to interesting stories or videos. I hope to write more in 2010. Sometimes I just lose track of time.

As I look back at the topics for 2009, I see some themes emerge. I think God was definitely speaking to be about beauty and its purpose, His Beauty. Here are the links to a few of those blogs:

Echos of Eden
Ringing the Bell at the Brothel
How Do You Like My Office
Tiger Woods Is Looking for God!

Other themes include mentoring, the Holy Spirit, and what it means to be a Godly man.

I am looking forward to seeing what themes emerge in 2010!

Important Construction Skills

2009-12-31T11:55:00.000-05:00

There are some skills that are important to have...

Tiger Woods is Looking For God

2009-12-15T18:06:00.000-05:00

A few months back, I wrote a blog about a quote that I had read. See the details here, but the quote was "The young man who rings the bell at the brothel is unconsciously looking for God."

Here is why...

God is a God of beauty! He is continually wooing us to Himself with the beauty that is all around us. I have written about how this recognition of beauty and its impact is unique to mankind. I am sure that all of you have experienced this when you have gazed at the mountains, the ocean, a star-filled sky, the clouds of a gathering thunderstorm, etc. This feeling is the wooing that I spoke of above.

Men, you know that the beauty of a woman has a similar, yet more intense, impact. That is because Woman is God's crowning achievement. This is what Solomon was saying in the Song of Solomon. Woman is beauty personified. Her beauty and all of God's creation are intended to stir a longing in our hearts. A longing for our creator.

But, that intention and plan took a hit in the Garden of Eden. Adam found himself face to face with the deception of Eve and had to choose between following the naked woman or following God. Of course we all know he chose the naked woman. Adam's idolatry set the stage for an ongoing struggle. That decision placed Eve, rather than God, as the focus. We have been choosing the naked woman over God ever since. We still have that intense longing for our creator. But, we have directed it towards the Woman instead. We look to her to fill our deep longings for affirmation, intimacy and relevance.

But, she can't do it! Not even the supermodels. Unperturbed, we go from woman to woman trying to pacify that longing. Make no mistake, the longing is real. The longing is legitimate. Until we direct it the right way, we will continue to make stupid choices and do some pretty dumb things.

So Tiger, if by some miracle you happen to read this, no woman will ever be enough to fulfill the longing that you have. No woman is intended to. That longing is a God longing. Look for your answers there.

Christmas Light Hero

2009-12-12T11:47:00.000-05:00

Ok, just wanted to share this video for all of you who are Guitar Hero fans...

Courageous

2009-11-24T15:47:00.001-05:00

The makers of Fireproof and Facing the Giants have just announced that they are making a new movie. Courageous. Here is the info from the website...

Four men, one calling: To serve and protect. As law enforcement officers, they face danger every day. Yet when tragedy strikes close to home, these fathers are left wrestling with their hopes, their fears, and their faith. From this struggle will come a decision that changes all of their lives.

With action, drama, and humor, the fourth film from Sherwood Pictures embraces God’s promise to "turn the hearts of fathers to their children, and the hearts of children to their fathers." Souls will be stirred, and hearts will be challenged to be ... courageous!

COURAGEOUS. Honor begins at home!

These guys make great movies! I am excited to see how they deal with this important topic.

What Are You Missing?

2009-11-15T14:52:00.000-05:00

I am sure that many of you have visited large cities that have subways. Many of the subway stations are frequented by "would-be" musicians who perform for commuters for whatever cash is placed in their cases, hats or buckets.

One past January morning, in Washington DC, one such musician opened his violin case, placed it on the floor and proceeded to play for about 45 minutes. During this time he played 6 pieces written by Bach. Almost no one noticed. Of the estimated 2,000 people who passed by, only 6 stopped to listen and a few others did drop a few bucks in the open violin case. The violinist made a total of $32.

His name was Joshua Bell. One of the most accomplished musicians on earth. The pieces were some of the most difficult written by Bach. The 3.5 million dollar violin was built in 1713 by Antonio Stradivari. In his usual venues, Joshua Bell sells out concerts in which the prices are hundreds of dollars per seat. This was actually a social experiment organized by the Washington Post.

In this case, most people were just too busying going about their daily lives to notice one of the worlds best musicians playing some of the best music on this expensive instrument.

When I read about this story, I had to ask myself, "What am I missing?" How often am I too caught up in daily life to notice the beauty around me? How often am I too busy to notice the messages that God is trying to speak to me?

The Catch and the Hug

2009-09-19T13:22:00.000-04:00

In a recent Phillies vs. Nationals game, a player from the Phillies fouled a pitch into the upper deck. A man there with his wife and two little girls made a great catch. He received all of the expected congratulations from the fans around him. Then reached down and gave the ball to his four year old daughter. Watch the video below to see what happened next...

What a great dad! Many fans attend games for years and are never able to snag a foul ball. When this guy does it and gives it to his daughter, she throws it back. As the announcers say in the video, she is just doing what she has seen the players do.

In an interview, the dad said that he could not believe that she threw it back. Then he saw the scared look on her face, like she had done something wrong. So he pulled her to him and hugged her. After the hug, you can tell that she is "all better."

What a great dad, to understand the significance of the moment and take the opportunity to communicate to his daughter that she is much more important to him than any old baseball.

Homeless to Harvard

2009-09-08T19:09:00.000-04:00

I had a great time talking about Liz Murray in last week's service. I thought some of you might like more information about her.

Her website is www.homelesstoharvard.com

See this wikipedia article to find out where Liz is today!

Mr. Miyagi and the Holy Spirit

2009-08-29T15:14:00.000-04:00

I am guessing that many of you have seen the 1984 movie called The Karate Kid. In the movie, Daniel has moved to a new town where he does not fit in. He is harassed by a group of martial arts trained young men. Through a series of events, Daniel meets a man named Mr. Miyagi who knows karate and who agrees to train Daniel.

Daniel's end goal is to learn to fight so he can defend himself. Mr. Miyagi is wise and knows that the process of learning how to fight is not a short one. There are many things to learn. So he sets out to train Daniel-san.

In the above clip, what Daniel-san does not know is that Mr. Miyagi is teaching him how to block. Later as Mr. Miyagi continues this method of teaching, Daniel-san gets angry. He feels that Mr. Miyagi is taking advantage of him. He wants to learn to fight and his teacher is just using him. It is only later that he learns that all of the seemingly menial unrelated tasks have taught and strengthened him.

God has a plan for your life. Winston Churchill once said, "To each there comes in their lifetime a special moment when they are figuratively tapped on the shoulder and offered the chance to do a very special thing, unique to them and fitted to their talents. What a tragedy if that moment finds them unprepared or unqualified for that which could have been their finest hour."

The Holy Spirit is all about preparing us for that moment when God calls us into our "finest hour." How many times have we complained about where He is currently leading us? What He is taking us through? Could it be that He is teaching us to block. He is strengthening us. He is teaching us valuable lessons that we will need to know when it is time for us to fulfill our destiny!

"How Do You Like My Office?"

2009-08-10T18:54:00.000-04:00

B.Z is a cowboy in Utah. A few days ago he was our guide on a trail ride through sandstone cliffs overlooking Zion National Park at sunset.

Despite the upper 90 degree heat, a comparatively cool wind had been blowing all afternoon across the arid hills that flank the eastern border of Zion. We briefly considered canceling our ride due to the dust the wind was kicking up. As 8pm neared, the wind and dust died down a bit.

After mounting our horses, B.Z. led us up and around the sandstone bluffs. The horses were relatively sure-footed with only a few slips and stumbles on the narrow rocky sand-covered inclines.

Looking into the wind toward the setting sun over Zion, the views from the narrow 200 ft. bluffs were stunning! The moment touched all of the senses. The sight of the sunset and majestic cliffs. The sound of the wind and the feel of it on my face. The exhilaration of sitting in a saddle on a horse just feet from the edge of a cliff. The smell of the sage carried on the wind.

As always, in situations like these, my thoughts went to God! What an incredible creation! And more to the point, what an incredible impact this creation has on our souls.

I am envious of B.Z. He lives closer than I to this creation. He knows it too. At one point on the ride, he yelled back to me, "Hey Bob, how do you like my office?"

I like it very much B.Z.! Very much!

A Game of Hope

2009-07-17T21:45:00.000-04:00

The Blended Church, my home church in Indianapolis, IN, has a strong prison ministry called "Broken Chains." Over the past few years, I have had the opportunity to partner with the leader of that ministry, Mike Miller, to teach classes at the Plainfield Re-entry Educational Facility based on John Eldredge's book called "Wild at Heart."

I have to admit, before I got involved with this ministry, I was pretty judgmental of the men in prison. My attitude has changed over time. To be sure, my belief that they are accountable for their actions has not changed. But, I think I am getting a better understanding of the kind of situations most of these men come out of. In addition to this, I realize that in many cases the only difference between us and them is that they got caught.

Clearly, Jesus has not given up on these men and neither should we. You don't have to take my word for it. When you get to heaven, just ask the thief on the cross.

Are You Dangerous?

2009-05-25T20:00:00.000-04:00

On multiple occasions, in various meetings with men, I have asked them to give me adjectives to describe a Godly or Christian man.

Most of the time the list includes words like these:

honest
loving
meek
gentle
prayerful
diligent
trustworthy
etc. etc. ... you get the picture

Let me ask you this, are these what you dreamt of becoming when you were a boy? Yep, when I grow up I want to be ... trustworthy! Do they inspire you now. Don't get me wrong, they are great attributes, but they are only a part of the full picture.

On rare occasions, I will get a few words like, courageous, strong, and mighty. Indeed, these words start to fill out the more accurate picture. Unfortunately, very few Christian men would call themselves out as courageous, strong or mighty.

In these exercises, I have never gotten this word... DANGEROUS! But, isn't that just what Jesus was? Ask the Pharisees! Ask the demons! Ask Satan! The first words to describe Jesus that would come to their minds would most likely not be "trustworthy" or "honest!" Although, he was definitely both of those things.

I do not believe the church has done a good job of putting a compelling picture of Godly manhood in front of men. One that they could indeed feel inspired to achieve. Every man wants to be found courageous, strong, mighty and yes, in some situations, dangerous! When it comes to evil, we need to be dangerous. On far too many occasions, we have been passive instead.

Are you dangerous?

God Level Perspective

2009-05-22T19:24:00.000-04:00

In our last Connection Group meeting, we watched lesson number two of the 1 Month to Live Program. In this lesson, Chris Shook mentioned that in 1 Samuel 17, David had a "God Level Perspective."

This comment really struck a chord with me. Everyone besides David in this chapter had a "ground level" perspective. Only David saw the situation through God's eyes. For in God's eyes, a giant from Gath is no big deal. David clearly demonstrates this perspective when he confronts Goliath.

So the Philistine said to David, "Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?" And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. And the Philistine said, "Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field!"

Then David said to the Philistine, "You come to me with a sword, and a spear, and with a javelin. But, I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied."

In David's mind, this is not a fair fight.... and Goliath is NOT the one with the advantage.

How many of our giants would fade, if we only saw things through God's eyes?

All In!

2009-05-08T18:22:00.000-04:00

Oh God, You are my God;

Early will I seek You;

My soul thirsts for You;

My flesh longs for You

In a dry and thirsty land

Where there is no water.

So I have looked for you in the sanctuary,

To see Your power and Your glory.

Because Your lovingkindness is better than life,

My lips shall praise You.

Thus will I bless You while I live;

I will lift up my hands in Your name.

My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness,

And my mouth shall praise You with joyful lips.

David held nothing back in his relationship with God! He was a man of passion. He lived his life on the edge. He love God all out and he was "all in."

Remember, this is a man who was one of the greatest warriors who ever lived. He was not a weak man. He was mighty, strong and courageous. Yet before God he says, "My soul thirsts for you, my flesh longs for you." He is not ashamed nor afraid to admit his deep need for intimacy with his Creator.

God, help us live this way! All in!

Wondering Where the Lions Are!

2009-04-24T21:27:00.000-04:00

Men need to be initiated into Godly manhood. We need to be mentored through the stages and levels of growth. The model I like to use is the one created by John Eldredge.

Boyhood -> Cowboy -> Warrior -> Lover -> King -> Sage.

This journey, through the stages, is made easier when men in the stages above, reach down and pull us up.

Unfortunately, not enough of this is happening. In fact, because of the crisis of manhood in our world today, fewer and fewer Kings and Sages exist to help those below. The path through these stages has become overgrown and vaguely marked. Often, I feel like I am trying to navigate uncharted territory. It should not be this way.

Men, we have an obligation and a duty to open this trail, to reach down and pull men up through the stages through which we have already passed. Kings and Sages, show yourselves. God is not finished with you! You are desperately needed.

Ringing the Bell at the Brothel

2009-04-13T18:40:00.000-04:00

"The young man who rings the bell at the brothel is unconsciously looking for God." from The World, The Flesh, and Father Smith by Bruce Marshall

I love the quote above! I heard it recently when listening to a Podcast by John Eldredge. As I have discussed before on this blog, men often take their search for affirmation, intimacy, and validation to the woman. It is God's intention that we approach the woman with our strength, to protect and to lead our families. Instead, all too often, we approach the woman in search of our strength. But, she cannot, nor was she intended to, provide that.

She is not God!

But, we keep searching, thinking the problem is with the woman that we have chosen, not our expectations. Indeed, her beauty is the pinnacle of God's creation. But her beauty is not the destination. Instead, that beauty is intended to be an arrow, pointing us straight to the heart of the Creator.

Evensong

2009-04-12T16:25:00.001-04:00

Due to a recent business trip, Liza and I found ourselves in London this past Palm Sunday afternoon. We had flown all night and had arrived at our hotel in Ascot, England around noon that day. Even though we were tired, we decided to make our way to London which is about an hour train ride from Ascot to Waterloo Station.

After visiting the London Eye and Parliament Building, we made our way to Westminster Abbey to see if we might be able to attend a service. As luck would have it, we arrived at 2:59 PM and found that the Evensong Service started at 3:00 PM.

Westminster Abbey, pictured above, was built between 1245 and 1517. In addition to being an acting church, it is in effect, as most abbeys are in England, an indoor cemetery. No less than a dozen kings and queens of England are buried in the Abbey. Others buried there include Sir Issac Newton, David Livingstone, William Wilberforce, Rudyard Kipling and even Charles Darwin. Some of you may remember seeing the Abbey on television in recent years as it is where Charles and Diana were married and where Diana's funeral was held.

The Nave is tall and majestic. Ancient stained glass allows light from the upper reaches. The stone work of the varies tombs is intricate. It is in this Nave that Liza and I were directed to take a seat just as the Westminster Choir began to sing.

This choir is world famous. It is made up of 30 young boys. The sound of their voices filling the ancient Nave is indeed a profoundly spiritual experience. The fact that it was Palm Sunday added to the experience. It was a true blessing from God.

"We're Gonna Be In The Hudson"

2009-03-09T20:03:00.001-04:00

This is a very cool animation of US Airways 1549 landing in the Hudson. It is real time and includes the actual audio of the conversation between air traffic control and the plane. It is incredible how fast things happened and how calm Captain Sullenberger stays.

Echoes of Eden

2009-03-01T20:14:00.000-05:00

Back in 1998, our family took a vacation to Colorado. While there, we went on a short hike in Rocky Mountain National Park. As I recall, the trail extended north from Trail Ridge road. I remember looking at a map and noting that we were indeed heading off into the wilderness. The trail made its way through a valley with a small river. Mountain peaks rose on either side. It was a beautiful early summer day. The valley was green with vegetation and wild flowers bloomed around us, but the mountain peaks were still snow covered.

As we walked, I had the feeling that we were leaving civilization. The trail was the only thing that betrayed the existence of another human besides our immediate family. It was a wild and rugged country, but it was also extremely beautiful. The majesty of the mountains was breathtaking. It was a profoundly spiritual experience.

I have thought of that hike many times since. What is it about experiences like it that touch something in our hearts so deeply? That sparks a longing to keep walking away from the world in which we live, into paradise? It is because experiences like these are as close as we can now get to Eden. Something in our soul remembers and longs to return. Eden still echoes in our hearts.

We hear that echo every time we pause for a few minutes to watch a sunset, to look at a sky full of stars on a very dark night, to walk through a woods at dusk, or to watch a sunrise over a foggy pond. All of you know this feeling! Deep inside us we hear a faint voice.

God is calling!

RansomedHeart.Net

2009-02-22T19:55:00.000-05:00

I am sure that many of you are familiar with Facebook. One of my previous posts let you know that we now have a group on Facebook for the Jesus the Messiah Church Men's Ministry.

I also know that many of you have not yet dipped your toe into this social networking thing. My career is in information technology and I have to admit that, even though I have had a Facebook account for a few years, social networking is still a curious thing to me.

For those of you who are still just a bit uncomfortable with the concept, there is a new option that has recently been released by John Eldredge's Ransomed Heart Ministries. Here is the description straight from the site...

RansomedHeart.net is a new Social Networking site for John Eldredge and Ransomed Heart's friends around the world. Come on in and make yourself at home...upload a profile picture, play with your page, write a blog post, set up a group for your band of brothers or a special area of interest (bow hunting anyone?), start a discussion, post an event you're organizing...this place is for you.

If you are interested, click on the box below. I also plan to set up a JMC Men's Group on this page.

View my page on RansomedHeart.NET

Buzzer Beater

2009-02-13T21:07:00.000-05:00

On many occasions, in our meetings, we have talked about the dreams that we had and the games that we played as little boys. We dreamed of hitting a homerun to win the World Series or catching a touchdown pass to win the Super Bowl. For most of us, those dreams included hitting a last second shot to win the NBA championship.

Here is the story of a young man who hit the last shot of a high school game and not the NBA championship. But, you would never know that it was only a high school game by the reaction of his fans and teammates.

JMC Men's Ministry Group on Facebook

2009-02-09T21:06:00.001-05:00

Just wanted all of you Facebookers to know that there is now a JMC Men's Ministry Group on Facebook. Just search follow this LINK to join!

The Bridge

2009-02-07T18:01:00.000-05:00

This is a somewhat lengthy, but very impactful clip. It is well worth the six and a half minutes.

I am sure that often we do not understand the significance of what God has done for us. Jesus' death was excruciating for both Father and Son. For God SO loved the world that He gave His Son!

Connection

2009-01-18T16:50:00.000-05:00

When I was growing up in a small town most people had front porches. Now, we all have back decks or patios surrounded by privacy fences. We can drive right into our houses (attached garages) without ever seeing a neighbor for days or weeks. With the invention of "self-service" lines, we can get groceries or gas without ever talking or interacting with another human. We can even Christmas shop with out ever leaving our house. We can bank online and we can "social" network while staring at an LCD screen. Wal-Mart and other stores are actually hiring greeters. How interesting! We are now hiring people to do what just came natural only a few decades ago.

We are becoming more and more disconnected with other humans. What is so strange about this is, we were created to interact. We desire relationship. Even those of us who are "loners" are usually so because of woundings. No wonder we feel alone. We know something is missing.

That is why I am so excited about the Connection Groups that we are starting at church. These groups will be a great place to engage and connect. A safe place to be challenged and grow. I really look forward to getting to know more of you better. I look forward to developing deeper relationships.

Fireproof

2008-12-21T16:49:00.000-05:00

I am sure that most of you heard the story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego in Sunday School when you were young. I thought of this story recently when my wife and I went to see the movie Fireproof. There is the obvious connection with the title. But, there is a more subtle connection as well.

In the Bible story, these men were instructed to bow to an idol created by the king. The men would not bow. As a result, they were threatened with the fiery furnace. Their reaction showed the depth of their faith.

"If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up.”

The key line in their answer is, "But if not...we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship..." Their answer was not contingent on God's reaction. They were not going to bow regardless of God's response or the consequences.

In the movie Fireproof, the main character, Caleb Holt sets out to save his marriage by following the instuctions in a book his father has given him. But, Caleb's heart is not in it. Another way to say this is that Caleb's efforts are simply attempts to manipulate his wife's behavior. His dedication to doing the things in the book ebbs and flows with his wife's reaction to his efforts.

It is only after Caleb dedicates himself to do the right thing, regardless of his wife's response, that his marriage starts to improve. It is at this point that his wife starts to understand his real commitment.

"Don't just follow your heart...Lead your heart!"

How Guys Babysit!

2008-12-04T13:07:00.000-05:00

I think this needs no other explanation...

Everything

2008-11-25T18:38:00.000-05:00

I recently accompanied our youth group on a trip to Mexico. The video below was filmed at a community center in a small town in Mexico. I love this skit. In it, the main character is separated from Jesus by sin. Those sins eventually turn on her and start to destroy her. Jesus is grieved by her situation and comes to her rescue as she turns back to him. He stands between her and the consequences of her sin and takes the "beating" for her. To me, the cool part is at the end when Jesus starts to teach her how to dance again, just like at the beginning of the skit.

It is a very good representation of what Jesus does for all of us.

Ransomed Heart

2008-11-20T18:04:00.000-05:00

It has been a while since I posted. Sorry about that! It has been a busy couple of months and now here we are only a few days from the start of the holiday season.

This time I wanted to direct you to a great website. www.ransomedheart.com

Ransomed Heart is the name of John Eldredge's ministry. The site has links to all of his books, a blog and a forum. The forum is a place where men and women can interact virtually. There are some good topics. Take a look around the site and tell me what you think.

Just so you know, you can comment on any of my posts by looking for the "comment" link at the bottom of each post. I would really like to hear what you think!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Don't Quit

2008-10-17T17:54:00.000-04:00

So often, what we can accomplish is limited not by our lack of skill, lack of ability or strength but simply by what we believe about ourselves. "I am not a good leader. I am not a good public speaker. I am not very smart. I am not good at ...." You fill in the blank. We believe these things because we have been told that they are true or simply because we have decided them about ourselves. Many times, we have believed them because it is easier that way. We don't have to take a risk or put ourselves on the line.

In the video, Brock thinks he can make it to the 30 yard line. But, he makes it to the opposite goal line. Are you at the 30? Don't quit! What giants are you facing? Is your marriage on the rocks? Are your kids rebelling? Don't quit! Have you fallen to temptation once again? Don't quit! We are guaranteed to fail when we quit. But, God has placed you here on this earth for a purpose. Don't quit!

The Object of Our Desire

2008-09-28T18:25:00.000-04:00

A couple of posts ago, I wrote about "desire." In that post, I said that our desires are not bad. That God gives us our desires and that we can live a life based on Desire not based on Duty.

The trouble is, often we focus those desires on the wrong object instead of where God intended us to focus them.

A great example that most men can relate to is lust, often manifested as a struggle with pornography. Lust is typically a search for affirmation, love, acceptance and beauty. All of these are desires that are God-given, but the object is all wrong. Those desires are intended to show us our deep need for an intimate relationship with God. He is a God of love and beauty. He offers affirmation and acceptance.

But instead we choose a substitute, the woman! In essence we are committing Adam's original sin all over again.

After Eve fell, Adam had a choice. Does he follow after God or does he follow after the created being, Eve? We all know the choice he made and many of us continue to make that same choice today.

Many of us have tried to address this issue of lust by killing the desire. Wrong approach! This ultimately results in us killing our hearts. We flatline! We become passive!

Men, the answer is to take those desires to God!

Sorta Funny, But Also Sorta Sad

2008-09-16T12:53:00.000-04:00

"My Name is Neo!"

2008-09-13T19:43:00.000-04:00

One of my favorite scenes in the movie "The Matrix" is the subway station fight scene. I know many of you have seen the movie, so I will not spend much time setting the scene.

Neo has discovered that the world in which he has been living is a fake, an illusion; one in which humanity is held captive by machines, the matrix. But, he has become enlightened. In essence, he has been born again. He now understands the truth but he is still not sure of his role in it.

During one of his trips back into the matrix he meets an agent, Mr. Smith, in the above mentioned subway station. During the fight that ensues the agent continues to refer to Neo by his old matrix name, Mr Anderson. The fight is a hard fought one. Clearly the agent is getting the upper hand. But, right at the last minute, when death looks imminent, Neo defiently says, "My name is Neo!" as he defeats the agent.

Satan is just like Mr. Smith. He knows that we have been given a new name. "Neo" means new. But, he tries to deceive us by continuing to call us by our old names, liar, adulterer, thief, shameful, selfish, passive, coward, etc. The problem is sometimes we listen. We start accepting his accusations. After all, isn't he right? Weren't we all of those things? Yes, we WERE! But, we are NOT NOW!

We have been given a new name. You have been given a new name. Shake off the condemnation of who you used to be. Those are just Satan's attacks to render us ineffective.

You are a new creation!

Where Your Deep Joy and The World's Deep Hunger Meet

2008-09-06T16:24:00.000-04:00

I was listening to John Eldredge's podcast this week in which he quoted Frederick Buechner. "The place where God calls you is where your deep joy and the world's deep hunger meet."

Can this really be true? Haven't we been taught in both deeds and words that the Christian life is more about duty than desire. I believe that Buechner's words are true. That God places down deep in our hearts, a desire that reveals his plan for our destiny. I believe that these core desires are what are referred to in Psalm 37:4.

"Delight yourself also in the LORD, And He shall give you the desires of your heart."

These desires that God places in our hearts are not bad. They are good! They are very good!

Our part in this equation is to "Delight yourself in the LORD." The revelation of the desires of our heart will follow.

"William Franklin, Your Father Loves You"

2008-08-08T19:15:00.000-04:00

On May 16, 2008, Steven Curtis Chapman's 5 year old adopted daughter was killed when his 17 year old son accidentally ran over her in their driveway with the family's SUV.

I recall a conversation that my 16 year old son and I had the day after this happened. He asked, "Dad, what do you say to someone when they do something like that." I remember responding that I did not know, but I was confident that the first words out of Steven Curtis Chapman's mouth to his son were critical. A father's words are powerful for the positive or for the negative, especially in a tragedy such as this.

A few weeks ago, Steven Curtis Chapman and his family were on Larry King Live. They described the events of that day. I won't go into all of the details, but I did find out what Steven's first words were to his devastated son. After hitting his sister Maria, Will sprinted down the driveway trying to get away from the accident scene. He was tackled by his 18 year old brother half way down the long driveway where they both collapsed sobbing. They stayed there until after the ambulance left.

As Steven jumped in a car to follow the ambulance to the hospital, he instructed his driver to stop near Will and his brother. Not wanting to delay in getting to the hospital, he rolled down the window and shouted, "William Franklin, your father loves you!"

At this point, Steven had no idea how this had happened. He did not know whether or not his son had been careless or negligent. Yet, his first words to his son revealed his heart. No matter what had happened, he wanted Will to know that he loved him.

I would like to believe that my reaction would have been similar. But, experience tells me that it would not. However, I am convinced that this is God's attitude toward us when we fail or make some critical mistake.

Men of Jesus the Messiah Church, your Father loves you!

EPIC

2008-08-07T19:48:00.000-04:00

...surpassing the usual or ordinary, heroic and impressive in quality!

That is the definition of epic. When I think of films that are epics, I think of The Ten Commandments, Ben Hur, Gone with the Wind and more recently, The Lord of the Rings. They are stories of epic struggle, life and death conflict and heroic action. Often, they are stories of ordinary people caught up in extraordinary events.

YOU HAVE BEEN BORN INTO AN EPIC!

It is a story much like the story told in The Lord of the Rings. Your story, like theirs, begins in the middle of time. In fact, at first Frodo and Sam do not even realize that they are key players in a dangerous struggle that began hundreds of years before they were born. They can't see it. They live in blissful ignorance of the struggle that rages just outside the borders of their world.

We too, live in ignorance of the epic struggle that we have been born into. Although for many of us there is one key difference. Ours is not a blissful ignorance. Down deep we know something is going on. Something big! We know this because many of us carry wounds from a battle we didn't even know we were in.

Men, you have been born into an ancient struggle. The exciting thing is that you are now on the side of good and God has a plan for you in this epic. One you were born for. It is time to gird yourself. Put on your armor.

Cookout - August 23 - More Details

2008-08-02T10:52:00.000-04:00

All of you are invited to the next JMC Cookout at 4pm on August, 23, 2008 at the Youth Center.

All men and their sons are invited. We will have food, fellowship and games.

Please bring a covered dish and a 2-liter. Don't forget to sign up at the Welcome Center at the church.

Please see Bob Taylor or John Fernandes for more information.

Stages of Manhood - John Eldredge

2008-08-01T17:52:00.000-04:00

Many of you know that we use a number of books written by John Eldredge in the JMC Men's Ministry. Some of you may not know what John Eldredge looks or sounds like. Here is a video of John summarizing his book called The Way of the Wild Heart.

Cookout - August 23

2008-07-31T20:19:00.000-04:00

Pastor Dehner says, "feed them and they will come." Well, break out the forks and spoons. On second thought, you don't need those for a cookout. Just leave those at home and bring some kind of food and a 2-liter. We will supply the meat and the grill.

Have you ever noticed how most men don't even need a plate. Most times over the kitchen sink will suffice.

The cookout will start at 4:00pm.

Leave the kitchen sink at home too.