Surviving the Storms

It's been a stormy winter across much of America. As record snows continue to blanket the east, we are even experiencing severe weather in Southern California. A storm that blew through here the other night, spawned a few tornado's and left a swath of debris behind it -- including a massive tree that was uprooted, just a block from my house, flattening a passenger van.

As America has been getting hammered, weather-wise, it seems but a metaphor for the people that have been getting hammered by the terrible recession that we are mired in. It's been a "stormy winter" for a lot of people who have lost jobs, homes, income, etc. Unfortunately, many people feel that the prospects of coming out the storm are bleak. Things seem to be getting worse, not better and hope seems to be but a pipe-dream.

For Christians, however, we must be reminded whose we are. We are not "nobodies," but we are the people of God. It is He who has made us and it is He who will keep us. We need to understand that seasons come and seasons go, but the Word of the Lord stands forever. “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up” (Galatians 6:9).

How to Swim, Not Sink -- In the Midst of the Storm

1) Live with God’s Kingdom as the priority – keep Christ first in your heart, home and finances. “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all of these things shall be added unto you"(Jesus in Matthew 6:33). What "things" you ask? Jesus was responding to those who were worried about their clothes, food, and provisions. His promise was that those who keep the kingdom a priority will be taken care of. What kingdom is a priority with you?

2) Live with confidence in God, not in fear of the circumstances around you.
“Don’t cast away your confidence which has great reward.” (Hebrews 10:35)
The writer had previously encouraged the Christian to “Hold fast to confidence” in Hebrews 3:6. In the 27th Psalm, David said; "The Lord is my light and my salvation... in this will I be confident." We have to live with the confidence that God is with us and that God is for us.

3) Live by faith. Don’t panic. Continue to do those things that are good, wise and right. Keep on keeping on. Paul told the Christians, “We walk by faith, and not by sight" (2 Corinthians 5:7). We are not to live according to what we see, but rather by what we believe. Don't allow your circumstances or surroundings dictate your actions -- let your actions follow your faith.

4) Live with the knowledge that this, too, shall pass. One of the most encouraging scriptures in the Bible; “it came to pass!” Tough times don’t last, tough people do. Ecclesiastes 3:1 reminds us; “To everything there is a season." Remember that storms are seasonal. "Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning!"

Conclusion:
I do believe that our best days are still ahead of us. I am prayerful that our worst are behind us. One thing that I do know, is, that if God is for us, we will be victorious. Live mindful of David's attitude during a difficult time in his life. In Psalm 27:13-14, he proclaimed; “I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Be strong, take heart, and wait for the Lord."

Make a faith-declaration like David did. The end-result for David? He realized what he had confidence in -- the salvation of the Lord. He did get to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living -- and so can you! Be a storm-survivor by trusting in the Savior.

Mounting Up With Eagle's Wings

“But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run, and not be weary, and they shall walk, and not faint.” -Isaiah 40:31


Fly Like an Eagle

Christians today need to know where their strength is. It is not found in their own physical, spiritual or mental prowess, but rather in the Lord. He is the source of strength, help and power that each of us need to be connected to in our lives. In the Bible, David stated that "The Lord is the strength of my life" (Psalm 27:1). Then, expounding on this further, David boldly declared that "The Lord will give strength to His people" (Psalm 29:11). Again, he re-iterates the fact that God gives strength to His people in Psalm 68:35, and then adds that God gives them "power" also.

Turbulent Winds Don't Bother Eagles

God does not permit adversity for the purpose of defeating us, but for the purpose of benefiting us. God designed the eagle to thrive in the face of adversity. The same Creator designed you to thrive also -- living an abundant life. The blustery winds and stormy clouds of circumstance are an opportunity for you to see how big and strong your God truly is!

1. Turbulent winds cause the eagle to fly higher.
There is great lifting power in the thermal updrafts of turbulent winds. These updrafts do not defeat the eagle, but rather they cause the eagle to soar to new heights!

2. Turbulent winds give the eagle a better view.
The higher the eagle fly's, the better his viewpoint -- for his perspective changes, it is enlarged. As He soars to higher places is then able to see more than before. What you can see from a mile high is much different than a ground level perspective.

3. Turbulent winds lift the eagle above harassment.
At lower elevations, the eagle has to contend with crows, hawks and other birds. Those other birds will do their best to harass the eagle, swooping on him and pestering him with the hope that he will leave their territory. As he flies higher they are left behind.

4. Turbulent winds allow the eagle to use less effort.
The wings of an eagle are designed for gliding in the wind. The feather structure on the eagle's wings, prevents stalling and reduces drag. He was created with soaring in mind.

5. Turbulent winds allow the eagle to stay up longer.
The eagle uses the power of the strong winds to his advantage and can soar -- riding the wind for long periods of time. God gives strength and power to His people so that they can enjoy "up" lives. "Up" is where the people of god belong.

6. Turbulent winds help the eagle to fly faster.
Normally, the eagle flies at a speed of 50 mph. However, when he rides the wind currents, he can go from 80 to 100mph.

Let God’s Power Work in You.

The power of the Christian to be able to rise above the circumstances, pressures and temptations of life, comes from our identification with, and connection to, Jesus Christ. The apostle Paul commanded Christians to "be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might" Ephesians 6:10). It is His power that works through us and His strength that lifts us. He’s got all the power that we need to succeed -- no matter what the storm, circumstance or situation that we may encounter in life! Our strength for soaring is renewed, when we trust in the Lord.

When facing the blowing winds of this life, don't fear or fret, but remember whose you are. You are a child of God! Boldly proclaim God's word, (Philippians 4:13), in faith; "I CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH CHRIST WHO STRENGTHENS ME!" Mount up! You were created to soar!

The Big Eraser

It is time to Leave Behind 2009!
On the first Sunday of 2010 at Cornerstone, we recognized how difficult the year 2009 was for so many of the people in our church and community. It was not a good year. It was a year of loss. Loss of family, loss of friends, loss of jobs, loss of finances, loss of sleep, loss of a sense of security, loss of health… The list goes on and on. It was a year filled with many struggles and much stress. It was a year that most of us are more than happy to see go.

It’s a Brand New Year!
Thankfully, 2009 is behind us and we have been presented with a brand-new year. Now it’s up to each of us to erase the past and start fresh with a clean slate in 2010. In the classic TV series “Star Trek,” the common recurring enemy of the Enterprise and its crew were the “Klingons.” Ironically, we have to constantly battle an enemy of the same name in order to move forward in our lives. The problem is that many of the old habits, struggles, and issues of the past will “cling-on” to our lives unless we deal with them. That is why we need to have our past and sins “erased.”

Some of the Reasons that we all need an Eraser…

1. Everybody Makes Mistakes.
James 3:2 “We all make many mistakes.”

2. Everybody Has Hard Times.
Ecclesiastes 7:14; When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider: God has made the one as well as the other.

3. Everybody Experiences Trouble.
Psalms 138:7; Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life.
The Good News:
It’s comforting to know that our God has a big eraser! He is ready, willing, and able to cleanse us from ALL sin and unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9; “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” His grace is indeed sufficient for each and every one of us. He can erase our past and give us a new future – if we will simply allow Him to!

It’s a New Day - a New Year - a New Decade. It's a fresh opportunity for all of us -- you included -- to allow God's amazing Grace to give a brand-new start! Let's put the past far behind us. Let it be forgiven and forgotten. Let's move ahead in our lives, ahead in our faith, ahead into the promises of God that are awaiting us!

It’s Time to Win in 2010!

T-Rex Christians

This was too funny not to re-post!
Have you run across any of these beasts?!


Thanks to http://tominthebox.blogspot.com/2010/01/t-rex-christianity.html

The Tree that Wouldn't Change

It has become a fall and winter ritual for me to talk to, or more likely about, the tree that is in my front yard. You see, the tree is not an evergreen, but it wants to be -- really bad! Every year it is the same old routine. The trees on our street begin to change the colors of their leaves and then they slowly dispense them, generally into my yard. I end up raking more leaves out of my yard that come from my neighbor's trees than I do of the tree that sits squarely in the middle of my yard.

Resistant to Change
I have come to realize that my tree, like many people, doesn't like change. In fact, it is incredibly resistant to change. Some years, it does not shed its leaves at all. Even though it is surrounded by other trees that actually know what season it is, it adamantly fights to keep it's green coat.

A few mornings back, Karlene and I went out in front of the house and took pictures of our delusional tree and also our neighbor's trees (that do not seem to have the same allusions of grandeur). You can see the trees that are across the street in photos 1, 2, and 3. But take a look at our tree -- clearly it has issues.


As I am writing this, it is but a few minutes away from a new year and a new decade. Nothing that I can do will stop the inevitable march of time. Change comes whether we want it or not and whether we like it or not. In fact, change is constant. It is continual. So why is it that people (like my tree) are so resistant to change? Here are a few reasons...

1. People misunderstand why they must change.

2. People lack ownership in the changing process.

3. People don’t like to change their habit patterns.

4. People feel the new is not worth the price.

5. People resist when they are threatened with the loss of something valuable.

6. People are satisfied or comfortable with the old.

7. Tradition: we have never done it that way before.

Change is the Price All of Us Must Pay for Growth.
Growth equals change; you cannot grow unless you change. Too often, people confuse immobility with stability. Just because one remains entrenched in the status quo doesn't mean that things are stable as a result. Time keeps on ticking and change keeps on happening -- no matter what we think or do. It takes place in spite of us.

It's important to recognize that in order to go "up" we must give up. Don't fight change, curse change or fear change. Instead, remember that the author of change is the very one who, by nature, is unchangeable (Malachi 3:6). He is the one who set the "times and seasons" in order!

Don't be like the tree in my yard and fight change, but be a change agent! This new year, make those changes that you need to make in order to move forward in your faith, in your family and in life. You can do it! Start today!

Translating the Language of Church-Hoppers

I haven't posted in awhile, but this was too humorous to not re-post. So, I thought I would pass on this top ten list I saw on a blog by Josh Reich, a young pastor in Tuscon, Arizona. Below is his post on a book by Bob Franquiz entitled, Zero to Sixty. It has a chapter on Church Hoppers. Here is how to spot a church hopper and what they mean:

1. “But my old church…”
This usually means they want your church to be like their old church.

2. “I just need time to be fed.”
This means, “I don’t want to do anything. I’m here just to sit and see what I can get out of this church, so don’t expect me to serve in any way, shape, or form.

3. “I’m looking for a church that teaches the Word.”
This means, “I’m looking for a church that dispenses lots of information without challenging me to do anything.”

4. “We came here because we are looking for deep teaching.”
This usually means their last church focused too much on actually obeying the Word. They want a church that just talks about the Rapture, the Second Coming, who the Hittites were and the identity of Theophilus.

5. “I should know my pastor.”
This means, “In my last church, I got to know the pastor, but when the church grew, and the pastor couldn’t have dinner with us every Tuesday night, I left and came here.”

6. “We want a church that’s focused on discipling people.”
This means, “I want a church that’s focused on me, not people who are lost.”

7. “I wish you wouldn’t focus so much on what people need to do.”
This means they don’t like commitment, they don’t like to be told the Bible actually tells them how to live and follow Jesus. They want to come to church, live in their sin and have no one tell them this is wrong.

8. “I wish you wouldn’t talk about money.”
This is the best way to tell a pastor “I don’t give.”

9. “My old church/pastor was…”
The way people come to your church is how they will leave. If your first conversation with them is all about their last church and pastor, that is how they will leave your church and how they will go to their next church.

10. “Pastor, I’ve been talking to a lot of people and they all say…”
Translation: “Me, my spouse and my mother think…” If they start this way, 99.9% of the time they have no one else who thinks this way, it is just the best way to complain. If someone has a complaint and uses this line with me, they need to list all of the names or my best assumption is they talked to the same person 10 times.

16 and Surgery

God has blessed me with a wonderful wife, Karlene, and two great kids, Tara and Zac. All of them are precious gifts from God – and I’m sure, better than I deserve. The youngest is my son, Zac. He was born in 1993 -- with a myriad of issues. For starters with the following: Microdeletion-22, PPD-NOS (Autism), Cleft Palate, and missing part of his abdominal muscle. There is more, but you get the picture.

A few days ago, Zachary had his 7th surgery overall and 2nd this year. I must admit that I am amazed by his incredible courage. He is quite the trooper. He seems to be able to manage the difficult hand that he has been dealt with much fortitude – it’s admirable, really.

As he was being prepped for his surgery, something out-of-the-ordinary – for us, anyway -- happened as Zac had an allergic reaction to some meds that they put in his IV. He started itching and freaking-out, which, in turn, caused Karlene and I to freak-out. Fortunately, his Anesthesiologist was right there with his two nurses and they were able to give him something that counteracted the allergic reaction and calmed Zac down. Karlene asked if they had a little of that to spare, they could also give some to us!

Dr. Pianim, (Zac's surgeon), then came in and reassured Zachary and ourselves that everything was going to be fine. We said our “good-byes” to Zac and they wheeled him down the hall and through the doors into the Operating Room. We went out to the lobby where our support team (Karlene’s parents and my mother) was waiting and gathered them to go get lunch while we waited for it to be over.

The surgery went well -- even though it ended up being more extensive than the good doctor had expected – and we were able to bring Zachary back home late that afternoon to his makeshift recovery room in the back of the house.

The surgery has left Zachary with a surgical wound that is about 3” long, 1” wide and 1” deep. That wound has to be packed and dressed a couple of times each day. I have attempted to help my wife with the process, but am almost useless when it comes down to it. She does an incredible job of cleaning, dressing and packing the wound. Zac willingly endures the painful procedure dutifully and without much complaint. I tend to get nauseous and have to leave the room.

We are blessed with family, both naturally and spiritually. For the first several days after the surgery, Karlene’s mother, (a retired nurse), stayed with us to help out with whatever was needed. We also were blessed with the expert care of Kelly, another nurse who is a member of our church, who dropped-in to provide competent help and encouragement the first few days that Zac was home from the hospital. Then there have been the meals, the calls, the cards, the prayers and well wishes from our loving family at Cornerstone and even from friends all around the world!

So far, Zachary is doing well in his recovery. We are one week out from his surgery. We will see the surgeon, Dr. Pianim, on Monday, August 3rd, to officially see where he stands. There is not a whole lot that Zachary can physically do right now. He is mobile, though and they recommend that he can be somewhat active -- he just needs to be careful. Therefore, he has to take it easy for the next several weeks’ (the healing/recovery process is about 8 weeks). So he is doing pretty much what he really likes doing… playing video games.

Zac loves the thoughts, cards, balloons and the attention that is coming his way as a result of the surgery. He can’t wait to be able to get out of the house so that he can share the latest chapter of his story with whoever will be willing to hear it.

Thanks for the prayers.