Bible Reading

It's impossible to deal honestly with God's Truth and not be changed (or flat out reject change).
As I've been continuing to read in the book of James here is some of what God has been showing me:

James 2:14-16 - Is it possible to have real faith in Christ and consistently look past the very real needs of those around us? Hmmm......

James 2:17 - Jesus said that a tree would reveal it's true nature by the fruit it produced. No matter how much makeup you put on it and how nice of clothes you dress it up in, a corpse is still dead!

James 2:18-19 - There is a cerebral - or theoretical - faith that never travels beyond mental assent and into the realm of abiding in Christ and obeying His commands. This is no different than Satan's belief in God (i.e. mental assent in the reality of).

James 2:26 - I take it that since he said it about 10 times in the last couple of hundred words that God isn't real excited about folks who talk about Him (and/or show up at church) and whose lives don't reflect Him.

Cross Training

The last few months as I've been preparing for the Austin Half-marathon, my cousin and trainer, has had me 'cross-training.'

I run every other day. I do a 'maintenance run' one day (4-4.5 miles) then two days later I run 'intervals' (not my favorite . . . 40 minutes total . . . jog 10 minutes, then for the next 20 minutes alternate between 2 minutes sprinting and one minute jogging, then end with 10 minutes jogging). Two days later I do a maintenance run; then two days after that I do a 'long run', increasing a mile each week. Then I start over.

It was explained to me how all these workouts have their different purposes to prepare me (I won't go into the messy details).

I've been talking about having a vision of following Jesus in a multiplying way, and if that is going to happen there are many ways we 'cross train' in getting there.

There are many different 'spiritual practices' that help us to mature in different ways. To this point I've talked a lot about reading God's Truth because it is basic and vital.
But we also moved towards God by exercising spiritually in other ways. Here's a few of them:

- Times of reflection and prayer - we need this daily to not just read, but meditate and respond to God

- Journaling - for me it's an awesome way to express myself to God and to record what He is telling me

- Hanging out with other believers - don't think this is a 'spiritual practice'? Read Acts 2

- Fasting - Yeah, I know I hate not eating too! But I find peace in the midst of it. And don't put it in a box. Fasting is simply giving up something that we depend on so that we can focus deeper on God.

- Confession - not only does James say that it brings healing (James 5:16), but confession creates a covenant to follow God (I did a whole post on this, click here to check it out)

- Celebration - didn't know God was into that? The Bible says that all of heaven celebrates when one persons life is changed for eternity! When we celebrate Him it renews our heart!

- Giving - pay for person in line behind you at Whataburger and watch what it does to your desire to serve others.

This is just the beginning of the list! Don't limit your growth. Find new ways to seek God and take others with you.

Which of these would you expand on, or what have you found to help you grow more like Jesus, let us know?

Wanna Text?

This Summer as we adventure into the book of James together, I'm excited about a new, creative way that we can hang out in James together.

You can click here (and then click the 'looking intently' button when it pops up) to sign up for a daily text that reminds you where we are 'looking intently' at what God says.

I'm constantly reminded that God's Word is LIVING and ACTIVE! And there is no greater power on all the planet than the Holy Spirit using God's Truth to shape our soul!

What are you waiting for? Quit talking . . . Start Living!

A Hole in My Tooth

I lost part of a tooth yesterday. Yep, that one up there on the top right (It always helps to have a picture doesn't it :)

Doesn't hurt too much right now, just a gaping black hole where there used to be a dentin & enamel (googled that one :)

But what is really driving me crazy is that my tongue just keeps going there. Uncontrollably. I'll notice my tongue rolling over the (now) jagged edges and pull that sucker away ('Get out of there!')

But as soon as I'm not thinking about, there it goes again. I'm believing more what James said: ". . . no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil . . ." (James 3:8)

But kidding aside, it reminds me what happens when I allow dark gaping holes in my life. (Yes, God even gives spiritual lessons in teeth!) The writer of Proverbs said: 'Above all else guard your heart; for it is the wellspring of life!' (Prov 4:23)
Paul said 'take off the old self . . . put on the new self.' (Colossians 2)

I so kid myself, we all do, when we allow darkness that drags us down to remain in our lives! And we kid ourselves into thinking that our tongues (minds & hearts) won't go there. Huh? We will go there and roll around the rough edges. Our heart and mind will. They do. They're enticed by it, drawn to it.

Whether it's an attitude I have that stinks, or an addiction that's undealt with, a relationship that's unhealthy, or whatever --- when we allow it to remain, unchecked, it will (not maybe) draw us away from God and abundant life!

Hopefully my tooth is going to get fixed today (or tomorrow). I know that if I went very long like this, it would get ugly (and I'm not very pain tolerant).

But remember, 'You are a new creature in Christ! The old has passed away, the new has come!'

In Christ you are alive! We don't have to live with that junk! Get those teeth fixed!

God's Prophetic Call to the World

I've been reading in the book of James the past couple of weeks as we've been in the midst of Advent Conspiracy and the holiday season.

James 1:22 says: "Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says."

How easily we just become spectators - listeners - of truth. And the truth is we're just fooling ourselves. Thinking that because we show up to church - or to a small Group - or drop a few bucks in the basket - or go to a Christmas Eve (Eve) Service - that we're living the life. God says, 'DO IT!' Do it man! God's not looking for our vote of confidence, He wants our lives!

And as we journey together through this holiday season, we want to do it! To be those who are pointing the world to the Risen Christ. To be those who are celebrating this season in a way that honors a King.

To that end one of the ways that I'm going to encourage us this Sunday to give ourselves away sacrificially is by giving to Living Water International.

How are you going to live it out? Will we BE God's prophetic call to the world?

I Need Truth

Yesterday in my message, I promised to dig deeper into having vision for our relationship with God.
As I shared yesterday, I began the year reading in the book of James and the passage that's weighed on me the heaviest is James 1:22-25. The first verse say this:

"Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says."

Yesterday I talked about how receiving, nurturing and living out God's Truth is central to a fruitful, multiplying life. Period.

Man, I know how much I needed a new commitment to not 'merely listening', but truly engaging in Truth. And that takes time, it takes attention. It has to soak in me.
You know, Doing 'what is says' doesn't just refer to doing good things. It also refers to being - inwardly being - the person has called us to be. It is just as spiritual to humble ourselves into being still and not doing sometimes, as it is to do.

The bottom line is that fruit is born as we don't just listen through our ears . . . but we soak in our souls and follow with our lives.

I want to remind you that TODAY Creek Living Water began . . . an awesome blog that we have designed where you can go and get daily Truth. Check it out.

Giving Our Lives Away

Central to what it means to follow Jesus is losing ourselves . . . and putting great value on those who are in need and hurting. James the brother of Jesus even asked the question: 'What good is it if you claim to have faith but have no actions to express that faith?' (James 2:14 my translation)

And it's amazing how this tendency to 'keep ourself' - instead of 'lose ourself' - blinds, or at least stiffens, us to those who are in need.

I have also observed that it many times takes radical acts of 'getting lost' to break out of self. It's like the deeper in ourselves we are the more 'lost' we've got to get.

This Summer all of you have an opportunity to lose yourself amongst the poor and hopeless in Mexico. The first of two trips is to Queretaro, Mexico and the Pan de Vida orphanage (see pics) on June 13-22. This is where Richard and Ximena Roseland serve with Orphanos.

This Sunday (May 4th) immediately following the 11am Celebration Dino Roseland will host an informational meeting about the trip. ANYONE even remotely interested is encouraged to come and check it out - men, women, students, children.

Haiti - Can We Ignore Them?

I didn't hear about what was going on in Haiti until we left Vietnam. Now I have heard much.

"What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone? Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, and you say, 'Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well'—but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do? So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless." (James 2:15-17)

It seems that James (the brother of Jesus) is saying that real faith - real Kingdom living - isn't 'just fancy talk, but living in God's power' (to borrow a phrase from Paul) . . . It's actually living out the Kingdom that lives inside of us!
And Jesus said that the most important commands were to: 1) Love God 2) Love Our Neighbor (further defined as someone who crosses our path with a need).

So, how can we as followers of Jesus ignore the suffering that is going on in Haiti? We can't.

In a week from Sunday . . . on January 31st . . . we will take a special offering to give to Samaritan's Purse (one of the first ministries that was on the ground in Haiti . . . you can check out on their website how they are giving aid by clicking here)

I realize that some of you are helping in other ways . . . that's great! But if not, let's join together and help how we can. No amount is too small. And everyone can help!

I want to give us a little time so everyone has an opportunity. Sell something on ebay, hawk some jewelry, have a car wash or bake sale, ask for donations at school, sell your dog (anybody want to buy mine? ok, just kidding :)

The point is we can all help, and it's all of us together in small ways that has BIG Kingdom impact.

Pray . . . Gather . . . January 31st.

Back in Shape

The last couple of weeks have been tough running weeks for me. I was carrying this lingering summer cold and the heat index has been skyrocketing.

Yesterday morning I got back out on the road for only the second time in about a week. It killed me. My hip hurt, my right knee hurt, my left ankle hurt, my head hurt, I couldn't breathe. And that was all before I got off my block! The first mile I wanted to quit so bad. . .

I didn't. I survived the first mile. Second mile was a little better. After that just had to fight to finish.

I was just reminded that it's so very hard to start. It's many times brutal to 'get back in shape.'

And the same that is true for our bodies is true with our soul. I encouraged everyone on Sunday from James that we must intently and continuously look into God's Truth if we are going to be 'doers' and not just 'dreamers.'

And I know that there are those of you who have 'started' before trying to get in spiritual shape and then quit. And then again . . . and again . . . and again . . .

It's OK! God's mercies are new every day! As long as you're breathing there's still hope!
Get back on the road! Forget about the past and press forward to what lies ahead!

I invited all of you to go on this journey through James with us this Summer . . . and to sign up for the Summer texting (see this post). Come on with us.

God's desire for all of us is blessing. He wants you to know the abundant life of a soul that chases after Him. . . . He just asks us if we will get on the road and trust Him.

50 . . . And Just Getting Started!

I was blessed on Saturday night to get to go to the 50th wedding anniversary celebration of some special Creekers - James & Lynda Stayton!

Wow, 50 years! What an awesome model for the rest of us! I told James & Lynda what an encouragement they are in our lives and the lives of so many others. You should be so very thankful if you know them (and proud of them) . . . and let them know!

(Obviously I have my eyes closed in the pic because I'm praying that I will make it 50!)

Beginning THIS Sunday!

I'm pumped that this Summer we're gonna explore the New Testament heart of James, the brother of Jesus.

James is passionate about putting feet to our faith and this Summer we're gonna challenge you to walk it out in new ways!

Who needs to come with you this Sunday and see that Jesus is Real . . . in the midst of Real Life?

Just do it man!

Confessional Friends

"Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and wonderful results." James 5:16

I touched on this on Sunday, but we don't practice enough of it. We don't talk honestly and openly enough about those things that keep us from God.

But when we do several things happen. First, there is something powerfully healing that happens when people confess their sins to one another in an authentic way. It's out of the darkness and into the light! You've cut off it's source of life.

Secondly, there is bonding into strands of our lives. New trust levels are entered into and friendships are allowed to go beyond what's on the surface. We are truly able to pray into one another's lives and not just at one another's lives.

Thirdly, confession creates covenant. When we voice our disdain over something in our life we are saying: 'This is who I am and I want to change!' We create this covenant with the other person of desiring to move nearer to God.

How about you . . . How have you seen confession bring great power and wonderful results??

Thoughts on Sunday

Wow, I praise God for showing up on Sunday! Thanks to Sylvia and Chris for doing a great job with our music!

I spoke about Navigating into the deeper waters of God. (If you didn't get to hear the message you can click here and listen.)

And I challenged Creekers in two ways: First of all that We're each responsible for our own spiritual growth! And secondly that, Your faith should be a disruptive force in your life. Boats don't reach destinations tied up in the dock. It's only when we experience the rough seas of the journey that we become navigators. Moving forward and perseverance 'in Christ' is accomplished through trials and trauma (see James 1:2-8).

A couple of more thoughts:
Be patient with yourself, God is faithful.
Back in June I had been running steadily for 7 months and feeling great. Then baseball all-stars hit and I essentially quit from mid-June through the first of August. Now, I've been going again for 5-weeks or so, and I'm still not where I was in June.
If you've been on the sideline spiritually, it's gonna take some time to renew and rebuild your spiritual momentum. Don't feel like it all has to happen this week.

And don't allow discouragement to win!
Today was my day to run. I didn't sleep well last night. Got home late. Didn't want to go at ALL! Almost as soon as I got home dinner was ready. Ahhh, an easy excuse. I knew I should go, but this was easier.
I confess that I even sat down for dinner as the conviction (that I needed) got stronger. I took one bite and then excused myself and laced up my running shoes.
Man, I was glad I did! I went further and felt better tonight than I've felt since June. When I finished - even though my body was burned - in my heart I could have gone 5 more miles!

And I believe that you can too! I felt God was telling me tonight as I was running - you can do it! I am with you, I will never leave you or forsake you! Trust me!
It feels so awesome - and is so much more rewarding - when in the power of the Holy Spirit we press through and faithfully follow Jesus.

You can do it!

(Much) Belated Thanks!

A few weeks ago at the end of Celebration I was surprised by getting an awesome gift that many of you participated in!

As of July 1st we will have been leading Oso Creek for 10 years! Wow! And for those who weren't there, our family was given a trip to Chicago!! Complete with Cubbies and White Sox games!

Thanks for the privilege of being your Pastor - and thanks for what will be a great family time!

And thanks for allowing God's goodness to work through you . . . without sounding trite, but believing what is true, I want to praise Him for this blessing . . .

"Whatever is good and perfect comes down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow." (James 1:17)

Is It Changing Our Life?

On Sunday I quoted Rick Warren in saying: "We only believe the parts of the Bible that we do." In other words God's Truth is not meant to just be understood but to be digested in our soul in such a way that it transforms our spiritual/emotional/physical DNA and results in a whole new life.

Mark Batterson said this in his blog a couple of days ago:
"The Bible wasn't meant to be read. The Bible was meant to be meditated. Reading without meditating is like eating without digesting." (see the entire post here)

I've been challenging you to meditate on Scripture with us as we go through the book of James (click here to sign up to get the daily texts). And I'm praying that you will chew on it and swallow it in such a way that it speeds up your heart rate for following Jesus.

Mark went on to say in his post: "If we read the Bible but we don't feel a greater sense of intimacy with the author, The Word Himself, has it really accomplished it's purpose?"

Has it?

As You Pray . . .

As we join millions of others today during the National Day of Prayer asking God to humble us and transform us . . . here are some reminders:

"So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened." (Jesus in Luke 11:9-10)

". . . I tell you the truth, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete." (Jesus in John 16:23-24)

"Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results." (James 5:16)

"Each time, before you intercede, be quiet first, and worship God in His glory. Think of what He can do, and how He delights to hear the prayers of His redeemed people. Think of your place and privilege in Christ, and expect great things!" (Andrew Murray)

"God does nothing but by prayer, and everything with it." (John Wesley)

Children Around the World

This is awesome . . . Tim & Susan Klaus (Tim is on our Elder Team & they both are active - and awesome - in leading at Oso Creek) got back from Korea late last week with a new baby boy!

They adopted James (on the left with Tim) who is almost exactly a year younger than Paul.

Adoption is such an incredible picture of what God has done for us! All of us who are followers of Jesus, have been adopted.

"In those days you were living apart from Christ. . . You lived in this world without God and without hope. But now you belong to Christ Jesus. Though you once were far away from God, now you have been brought near to him because of the blood of Christ. . . So you should not be like cowering, fearful slaves. You should behave instead like God's very own children, adopted into his family—calling him 'Father, dear Father.'" (Ephesians 2:12-13; Romans 8:15)

Saturday/Baseball Update

We won a game last (Friday) night - played well. And then played in the heat of the afternoon today and lost -- didn't play so well. Hopefully we learned . . . that's the point of playing, to get a little better every game.

Then I did a silly (no, stupid) thing and went running this afternoon at 4 o'clock -- Wow was it hot! Summers are tough running in Corpus . . .

About to go pick up my Mom from the airport . . . She's coming to take the twins on a cruise! She takes all our kids on a trip when they turn 16, pretty cool. But she never took ME on a stinkin' cruise!! :)

Looking forward to Celebration in the morning! James and temptation . . . .

Texting Stats

You're still invited to join us this Summer in our daily dwelling in God's Word . . . you can sign up here on our website to get the daily texts that I am sending out . . . They're focusing on our current series in James.

An interesting stat about those getting the texts --- There are 38 folks signed up right now, and 31 of them are ladies . . . Hmmmmm . . . . . Where art thou Adam?

Ouch! Was that for me?

"The Bible is very easy to understand. But we Christians are a bunch of scheming swindlers. We pretend to be unable to understand it because we know very well that the minute we understand, we are obligated to act accordingly." Soren Kierkegaard


"Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does." James 1:22-25