Forgotten God Part One

So this is a later post, but I don't think for a second I've missed my commitment. Today, I woke up and biked 21 miles with a fantastic volunteer and friend, and so this blog post is falling a little later in the day than I'd care to. I'm not worried though, God revealed himself this morning too!

Yesterday I started Francis Chan's "Forgotten God." It's certainly an easy ready but a challenging concept. What do we really believe about the Holy Spirit?

Scripture makes it clear that the Holy Spirit is a person, is God, has thoughts, emotions, a will, and he/she lives inside of us. Do I actually believe this? Do I believe that GOD dwells within me? Does my life reflect that? Do I live and lead like that? Does this scare me? Do I actually want God living in me? What would it mean if I relinquished all control to this forgotten God?

In 1 Corinthians 12:7, Paul says "the Holy Spirit is given to each of us for the common good." As I continue through this book the challenge for me, and all of us for that matter, is to truly embrace the Holy Spirit living within us so that we might grow in service and excellence for the common good of those in our lives. We have God's unlimited and abundant power at our disposal to benefit our loved ones, our friends, our enemies, and our world. May we each welcome it with willingness and humility to be the conquerors in Christ that we are called to be. Dare I say our lives, our TRUE and FULL lives, depend on it?

Be Ready- All the Time

Well, the pressure is on. Last week, I felt God calling me to improve my devotional life in a big way. Specifically, waking up @ 6AM every day to read, blog, and PT. Seems intense I know, but how does one argue with God's prompting?

This morning I read a few verses in 2 Timothy 4. "Preach the Word, be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke, and encourage- with great patience and careful instruction." Last week was definitely a week where I lived that daily. Late night conversations, group prayers, leading 50 other people, certainly could not have done that on my own. God spoke and led through me, and somehow I always had the right words to say. As a result of God's Spirit, over 30 students made deeper commitments to Christ. Praise God!

So train yourself for God's service, be ready all the time, in every situation. Then just stand back and watch the power and Word of God come flowing out of you through what you say and what you do. Have patience, instruct carefully, and prepare to be amazed!

Move On

Move On

Move on and not change a thing?
You stare at yourself,
unsatisfied but unwilling.
You know the best life is one more choice away,
But you say that today is not the day.

Move on, that's your choice to make.
Amidst the heart break
And Tears no one's gonna stop ya.
For us He hung though it was our price to pay,
But you say that today is not the day.

Don't move on, sit in your guilt.
Your shame consumes you,
The soul looking back is horrid.
His Spirit professes grace given freely,
But you say that today is not the day.

Don't move on, ignore the truth.
This is who you are,
Couldn't be saved even if you wanted.
It's all this deceit from the Father of lies.
But you say that today is not the day.

Move on, see who you could be!
You aren't perfect,
But you know that you wanna be.
God's Word is a mirror, let it change your life.
So move on! Today's the day!

Dangerous Prayers

We say:

Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be your name
Your kingdom come,
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven
Give us this day our daily bread
And forgive us our debts
As we forgive our debtors
And lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from evil
For yours is the kingdom, power, and the glory forever.
Amen!

But what we really mean is:

Oh Distant being far off and indifferent
Here's a nice line about you so that you'll grant my wishes.
I kind of want to do things my way
And really don't want to think much about what you want
Please, because my mama taught me that was a polite word to say, give me way more than I actually need
And let me live however I want
While I get my revenge on everyone that ticks me off
And let me pretend to be a faithful follower
While I secretly dive into everything that's wrong behind closed doors
Now I'm going to end with some nice things about your way or the highway, when it's really all about me & my life
And God, you better get it right this time. So be it.

Read carefully. These are both dangerous prayers. Which one are you praying?

A Note from Our Pastor about this Past Sunday

Hey Friends,

Wanted to pass along this note from our senior pastor Ben Cachiaras. If you absolutely hate the church for its supposed hypocrisy or maybe you're burnt out from being a part of a church that makes you feel like it's going nowhere, this note is for you! Enjoy, maybe even get involved:

Hi Mountain friends,

Sunday was one of those days we'll all remember for a long, long time. I believe we all heard from God and were given a simple, practical way to put feet to the story Jesus told about being a neighbor who serves like Jesus. I think the Lord helped us see a need, feel something, and then do something we could do to be a doulos - one who serves God by serving others. Sunday at all three venues was God's Frat Party at its best.

It's not every Sunday you're invited to leave your shoes for people who need them. But that's what we did. What a powerful scene. I sat stunned and happy, proud, outclassed and overwhelmed all at the same time, watching people pour down the aisles to leave their shoes. They left their cowboy boots, their brand new Nikes, their pumps, boat shoes, heels, and wing tips. There were big flip flops next to baby shoes, along with Chuck Taylors, surf shoes, sneakers and fuzzy fashion boots. As the worship continued and shoes piled up in all our venues, I think we all felt the freedom and lightness that comes from giving. With 40% of the world going shoeless, it's a small act of kindness to make a practical difference.

One woman was angry. She was not the only one. She left church with shoes in hand. "These are my new shoes." She got out to her car and couldn't leave. She stormed back in and with a melted heart left her shoes in the pile. Her anger was at herself for feeling so attached to her new shoes, when there are 300 million children with none.

My wife Karla attended a baby shower Sunday afternoon. Mrs. Richardson was there, one of our eighty year old members, as classy and dignified as any one you will ever meet. There she sat in her beautiful dress, pantyhose, and bare feet. She'd left her shoes at church.

After the service, I sat for a while on the front row, before a mountain of shoes, symbols of sacrifice, worship, and love. Along came a young mother with a couple of kids in tow, about 4 and 7 years old. They stared at the pile of shoes like it was a holy monument. She whispered some explanation in their ears. Immediately her daughter reached down, yanked off her shiny white Sunday dress sandals, and her eyes asked the question for her: "Can I give them, Mommy?" The woman nodded yes, and the little girl and the little boy left their tiny shoes on the pile, sending them off with love. Soon, some mother in Haiti will be handed that white pair of sandals and told they are from Jesus.

Many others carried their shoes to their car, eager to come back this week with pairs of new shoes for kids in Romania.

One friend said he went without shoes all day and his feet were so sore! Mine too. A poignant reminder of the discomfort we are spared, and what much of the world lives with daily. Facebook is jammed with pictures and powerful stories from the day.

Let me try to clarify what the plan is moving forward and explain things for those of you who weren't present (you can always go online and LISTEN to the Sundays you miss.)

1. Haiti: The gently worn shoes are for HAITI and are being distributed through Soles4Souls. Yes, you can still donate used shoes for Haiti - but this Sunday, May 23, will be the last day we will collect them. You can do so at all three venues.

2. Romania: We are now collecting new shoes for Romania which will be distributed by Remember the Children (CLICK HERE for the brochure that explains how it all works and our partnership with them.). You can also visit their website at www.Remember-the-children.org where there is more information about what is being done nationwide to gather shoes for Romania. Mountain is concentrating our collection of shoes for Romania from now through Sunday, June 27. So you may bring new shoes of any size - kids or adults - and place them in the collection containers in the Commons area of the New Life Center & Cook Auditorium any day of the week and at the Bel Air location on Sundays only from now through June 27. You may also make a monetary donation to help with shipping or purchasing shoes by going to the collection locations on Sunday and giving cash or check, which will be used by Remember the Children this Fall. If you have interest in going to Romania to help distribute, check out the brochure I mentioned a moment ago.

3. Go viral. "What about sharing this idea with my 10 friends?" Go for it. Have a shoeless day at work. Why not get your friends involved in gathering shoes for Romania? Use the online brochure if you want to. People who aren't Christians often want to help others, too. One group of ladies is having a shoe drive in their neighborhood, and already have word out and are arranging a pick up on Friday. Others are posting information about it all on Facebook or using email chains. Great. Shoe drives from this point forward should be focused on new shoes for Romania, and can be brought to the church anytime until June 27, our last collection day.

4. Help: We need some help binding donated shoes in rubber bands, counting, and packing them into crates. If you, your friends, your small group, or family want to help with this important part of making this happen, please drop us a note at shoes@mountainchristian.org (or if you don't do email, call the church office) to say you can help and which session you plan to help with. Happy hands are needed to help at the following times in the NLC:

1. Wednesday, May 19, noon - 2 PM
2. Wednesday, May 19, 6:30 - 8:30 PM
3. Thursday, May 20, 6:30 - 8:30 PM

Be sure to contact us so we can contact you if the work is already done and we cancel work sessions.

Also - we are looking for a way to get several pallets of shoes down to Nashville sometime during the week of May 24. Anyone got access to a truck who is game for a road trip? Write us at shoes@mountainchristian.org to let us know.

5. Share. I'd love to hear your shoe story. What happened on Sunday, and what is God saying to and doing in you since? If you want to tell what it was like from your perspective, or talk about some other aspect of Shoe Sunday, write us at shoes@mountainchristian.org.

That's all for now. Spread the word. "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news."

See you Sunday, shoes or no shoes. Either way it's holy ground.

Ben

P.S. We begin a really important new series about our priorities in life - and the distractions that can pull us away from a life devoted to God. It's called American Idols and would be a great series to invite friends to who do not currently have any church home. See you then.

I think I can, I think I can... and then I crashed.

I can't believe it's been over 6 weeks since I wrote last. Truth be told, it's exciting to see life change happen, but for a lot of us, pursuing a life that matters can quickly and unknowingly become a pursuit of burn out.

Many of us grew up hearing the story of The Little Engine that Could. Thanks to the wonder that is wikipedia, I've provided the short version:

A little railroad engine was employed about a station yard for such work as it was built for, pulling a few cards on and off the switches. One morning it was waiting for the next call when a long train of freight-cars asked a large engine in the roundhouse to take it over the hill "I can't; that is too much a pull for me," said the great engine built for hard work. Then the train asked another engine, and another, only to hear excuses and be refused. In desperation, the train asked the little switch engine to draw it up the grade and down on the other side. "I think I can," puffed the little locomotive, and put itself in front of the great heavy train. As it went on the little engine kept bravely puffing faster and faster, "I think I can, I think I can, I think I can."

As it neared the top of the grade, which had so discouraged the larger engines, it went more slowly. However, it still kept saying, "I--think--I--can, I--think--I--can." It reached the top by drawing on bravery and then went on down the grade, congratulating itself by saying, "I thought I could, I thought I could."

A great story, with an obvious moral: Work hard, never give up, always persevere, and you will always come out on top. Inspired by this classic tale, I felt obligated to write the sequel:

News of the little engine who could spread far and wide. Here was a train who really could do anything! He always thought he could do it, and he never said "no" to anyone.

Before long, the little engine forgot all about his family of trains from which he came. Those who were once close to his heart quickly slipped to the caboose of his mind. Local engineers said if he didn't slow down, the steam from his stack and the heat from his furnace would soon burn out.

Always persevering, the little engine pressed on. "I know I can, I know I can," proclaimed the little engine.

And forgetting to balance his work with his family, never taking time to really plug into his source of energy, the little engine accomplished many wonderful deeds that people still speak about to this day!

And the little engine? One day he woke up and realized all that he had lost but before he could correct his course, he crashed. He died: young, rusted, and alone.

The End

In case you missed the moral, let me say it like this. My dad spent most of his life telling me to grow up fast because he wouldn't be around forever. Toward the last few years of his life, he started telling me to slow down, that I was going to burn out. I've still got a long way to go before I can hear this advice, but I thank God that in the midst of all that God has been doing in my life and in the church community where I serve, enough people have gotten in my face to challenge me to put first things first. In the words of Andy Stanley, "No one retires to their office."

Of course, life is all about tension. Some people find themselves so complacent and lazy that they haven't yet begun to reach their full potential. If you're like me though, you've made the opposite error. You're pushing too hard in your work. You sense that you're called to do something great, but you're striving for it on your own power, not God's.

As much as Jesus says we're to do great things, his calling is covered with a plea to rhythm, relationship, and rest:

"I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him produces much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing." Abiding comes first, then we produce. We can do nothing that matters without the power of God within us.

Let's also not forget Jesus asking, "Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest."

Friends, sometimes in life, we find ourselves in unhealthy rhythms where we constantly think we can. My prayer for you is that you would open your eyes to the crash that may be just around the corner. May you seek comfort, rest, and healing in the only person that can refuel and restore your strength!

Take Off Your Pants, Please

I wore blue jeans to Ultimate last Saturday. Terrible idea, but really, it wasn't supposed to be that way. It was a late night followed by an early morning, we had to shoot a video of us chucking stuff off the roof, and Frisbee was immediately after that. Leaving the house, I had three wardrobe changes, two bags of breakable objects, and my Frisbee attire all ready to go, yet somehow, I arrived late to destination one and angrily threw up my hands when I realized my memory lapse.

At this point it's too far to turn back, and I would never dream of missing Frisbee. Ignoring the banter of everyone on the field, I played anyway. The jeans slowed me down, I tore them up, and no, we didn't win. Epic fail.

When I got home, I shared my frustration with Lauren as I tossed the now grass-stained and shredded denim into the washer. "Figures," I thought to myself, "Now I can have shorts on." At that moment it might have been because I'm a pastor with Bible on the brain, or maybe Jesus beamed down some divine insight, but I found myself flipping open to this verse:

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us strip off every weight that hinders and the sin that easily entangles, and let us run with endurance the race marked out for us." - Hebrews 12:1

I was an idiot to play Ultimate wearing pants, but it wasn't the first time I came overdressed to a competitive event.

Life is a race, my friends. We're all running it. If you don't buy into all this "Jesus died and rose again" stuff, I'm pretty sure you're headed for the wrong finish line. But hey, I'm biased. If that's the case for you, God isn't worried about what you have on, just get in the right race.

If you do say you're running the race of life for Jesus, then maybe you find yourself tripping over your pant legs just like me. My faith journey was always "Jesus AND..."

Jesus AND following the rules. Jesus AND my success. Jesus AND my video games. Jesus AND my workout routine. Jesus AND Saturday night parties. I even chose to get baptized partially because I wanted it to be Jesus AND the hot Christian girls that I thought would give me hugs. I was 10 at the time. Don't judge me.

You've got some "AND's" in your life, don't you? The Scripture writer above breaks these into two categories: weight and sin.

The sin part is obvious. You're doing the double life thing. You're going to church on Sunday but you've got that habit you can't kick. That rumor you know you shouldn't spread but you text it forward anyway. The grudge you still hold. Misguided rebellion. The hatred you bury inside yourself. The longing to be better than the guy down the street. The apathy that keeps you from doing the good thing you know you should do. Whatever it is, it slowly but steadily entangles you. You'd say you still follow Jesus, but truth be told, it's exhausting. Wearing pants and running will always wear you out.

The weight thing might be a little trickier. By itself, it's not a bad thing. Ancient runners would wear heavy weights around their ankles as they traveled on foot to the race. Moments before launch, these athletes would remove the weights, thus taking their first steps as light as a feather and as strong as a stallion. But no fool would ever consider wearing the weights for the race.

Putting a few extra hours into your job isn't a bad thing. Spending some time on video games, board games, and card games aren't either. Going to a party doesn't make you a sinner. Eating at fancy restaurants or driving nice cars are okay hobbies to have. These things are okay by themselves, but I'm pretty sure there comes a point when we're no longer just enjoying them. They become weights. Those are our "AND's." It's a lot like wearing pants to a race.

A lot of people look at Christianity as a burden. You have to do this list of rules and not do all these no no's. This verse tells a different story. Faith in Jesus is about freedom. It's about letting go of things that make our lives heavy. We're running the race of life anyway, so why not run it the best way possible?

Jesus never had to take sin off of himself, but he did take off his divinity. He did run a race that led him to death, and he ran it so freely that not even death could stop him. This Easter we celebrate Jesus' victory across the finish line into eternity.

With that, he invites us to strip off whatever hinders us from running the race he has for us. He invites us to run with him. It's time to drop whatever "pants" we're still wearing and run with endurance the race marked out for us. I don't know what the "pants" in your life are, but please take them off!