God, the Holy Genie?

Last night I attended worship at Northland. I go there every once in a while to worship on my own. Sometimes its nice to go someplace and not be known and just focus on God. They are in a sermon series called "Respond to God" and the weeks theme was prayer. This seemed to be fitting as my prayer life isn't the best and I'm preparing to lead a prayer night in December with my high school students. It was powerful worship with great music and a pretty good message. The main thing that stuck with me was Pastor Joel Hunter speaking about what prayer really is; a conversation with God that builds relationship. A conversation like any we would have on this earth. One like we would have with a spouse or boyfriend/girlfriend. And more importantly, it is practice for the day when we reach the kingdom and are in front of God. Pastor Joel asked the question, "Will you know what to say and how to say it when you are right in front of God on the other side of this creation?"

It is through prayer that we practice these conversations. And that is a great way to think of it, but really truly, it's not just practice, when we pray its the real thing. We believe that God is present to us (maybe not physically but spiritually) and when we pray we are having a conversation with him. But what Pastor Joel was saying is true, I believe when we reach the kingdom it will be different because God will be physically present, visible in front of us and that does seem to change the conversation a bit, doesn't it?

So we pray, because practice makes perfect...but what are we saying when we pray? Generally people turn to prayer when they need something. That is OK. God asks us to pray and wants us to ask for things, but that is not the only reason to pray. God is not some Holy Genie that we can just ask for something and poof it is there. It is about conversation with Him, present to you in your life, right then and there. So you are talking with him about your day, whats good, whats bad. You are asking him questions, asking him favors, thanking him for blessings he has brought to you. Letting him know your frustrations, sharing your praises, crying to him, smiling with him. It's NOT just about asking for stuff that you think will make life better for you. In fact, many times when we ask for something, God gives it to us, just not in the way we expected it! If you ask for patients, God isn't going to just magically make you patient, He is going to give you an opportunity to practice patients so that you can learn how to become patient! That's a little tricky isn't it? But it's just like parenting. For all those parents out there, or those kids who had parents, when your kids are of a certain age and wanted a new toy and it wasn't their birthday or Christmas there probably came a point that you didn't get it for them. Instead you gave them an opportunity to get it for themselves. You talked with them about how they could work and earn money which would then allow them to buy the toy. God does the same thing with us! He is our parent! And when you think about it, what a phenomenal way for God to work, He is allowing us to grow and learn!

So do we pray because we have to? No, we pray because we get to! God gives us this instant line to Him that we can use anytime and He wants us to use it all the time! We can't bug God. In the bible He tells us to pray to Him! How great is it that no matter where we are, what we are doing, and who is around us, we always have God present ready to listen and to hear us. But we need to take advantage of this offering He gives to us. So I challenge you to pray this week, not just when you need something but all the time. Talk with God when you are in the car, in your office, in school, at home. Let Him know how things are going, what you need, and what you are thankful for. Share your life with Him, He is ready and present and already sharing with you, you just need to recognize that and say hello!

May you pray the prayer your heart is seeking each and every moment of your life, leaning on God, praising God, thanking God, crying to God, smiling with God, and being with God!

The Miracle of Serving

Over the past four years in youth ministry I have discovered a passion for serving. I have seen how actually doing Jesus transforms lives, not just talking Jesus. In fact, it was my first mission trip to Philadelphia, PA with 16 students that sealed my faith and my heart in ministry. Four years later I've relived that mission experience three more times and have led/participated in countless other service experiences that have touched my heart, changed my world view, and allowed Jesus to clearly move and show himself in the world I live in. And now, He has blessed me with a job where these types of things are in the job description!

Really, when you think about it, it all makes sense and is pretty easy to understand. In the bible we are told that Jesus is the model for us. We were created in His image and we all have the ability to be Christ like. When we are Christ like in action and word we tap into Him and that is heaven! So when we are caring for others, serving those less fortunate, and fighting for injustice in a peaceful manner we are becoming Christ like and tapping into heaven. For brief moments of time, the kingdom is coming near and not only can you feel that, so can the others around you. You are opening the proverbial flood gates that we as sinful humans have built up and allowing the kingdom to flow through the way it should. In the end, it is nothing short of a miracle and the feelings, relationships, and experiences that come out of that kingdom presence can only be described as a miracle.

This past weekend Solid Rock (our youth ministry) had our monthly MD (Mission Day). The idea was to go on a scavenger hunt around town with a list of things like canned goods, toothbrushes, toothpaste, socks, soap, etc. and see which team could collect the most for the Christian Sharing Center. Each item had a point value and each team had $25 that they could spend. They could also collect money donations that would go to the Sharing Center. When we first gathered moral was low. The students didn't seem to be all that excited about a scavenger hunt and they hate asking for food or money! The adults had a similar view, but they were more concerned about time and where they were going to go. But like always, everyone rallied and off they went to their separate cars, speeding out of the parking lot because whoever got to the "hour long light" leaving the church would have such an advantage! I was home base and backup so I began to prepare things for the rest of our evening and get some work done. Two hours flew by and the next thing I knew the herd of students came rushing up the stairs to make sure they were all on time, hands filled with bags, that were filled with all kinds of donated items! Just two hours ago, there was 9 students slowly walking down the stairs, tired and unexcited along with 6 adults and all of a sudden those 9 students and 6 adults were smiling, laughing, and full of joy! Then we began counting. I was amazed at how much these students had gotten donated from just knocking on doors and asking for things. 484 items!!! 9 students, 2 hours! And then the biggest shock of them all...they begin pulling out wads of cash! People had given these students money to donate as well! $95 in total!!! Honestly, when making the scavenger hunt I just put the cash on their as a last minute "what the hell" type thing. I really didn't expect the students to get money donated, but they did, and a lot!! In the end every student told me how much fun they had and the adults the same. I heard stories of the relationships built in the 2 hours stuffed in a car and all the joy that they brought, even to people's homes that they went and stopped at! The only way I can explain this 180 is a miracle, a miracle of God, moving through these students as the Holy Spirit as they became like Christ and the kingdom drew closer, the sin pushed away and God reached out and touched everyone involved!

It is these experiences that confirm my faith that God does exist and that it is possible for us to reach the kingdom. I had said on a mission trip in 2009, if everyone could experience what we had just experienced then maybe we would be that much closer to heaven, because what we had experienced that week was heaven. It is my prayer that everyone is able to let go of their own needs at some point and lift up those who are truly in need, serve like Jesus, break down the sin even just for a moment, and let the kingdom come near. All it takes is one time for this miracle to happen, then you become addicted and there is no turning back...and it is awesome!

May the kingdom be brought close to you, whether through the serve you are doing or the service others are doing for you so that you might find the comfort and joy that the kingdom brings!

The Mysterys of God

"As you do not know the path of the wind, or now the body is formed in a mother's womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the Maker of all things."

~Ecclesiastes 11:5

It is not always possible for us to understand God's plan for us. And if you really try, sometimes it just becomes more frustrating trying to figure out what this ultimate teacher, guide, creator, and leader is trying to accomplish in His plan! We get frustrated when we ask God for something in prayer and we don't recieve it. We say that God isn't listening or that he doesn't asnwer prayers. But God is not a genie that you can just turn to him and he will grant your every wish. That, unfortunately, not how all this works! No, fortunately, God wants us to be involved in our own lives and wants us to be in relationship with him that honors him and his creation! Plus, maybe God did answer that prayer you prayed asking for something. But maybe it just wasn't the way you invisioned it. God's funny in that way, he can answer our prayer without us even knowing it and work through us in ways we might not have ever thought.
Three years ago I was finished with school and looking for work. I applied to hundreds of production companies, film houses, and television stations. Every day I spent hours online looking at job sites, sending follow up emails, and tweeking my demo reel. I spent days upon days driving around town knocking on doors, meeting people, passing out resumes and hunting for the job that would launch my career in the film and television industry. I prayed to God, "God, please help me find a job! If you help me find a job I promise to honor you with it! I will work really hard, make lots of money, and will work on films that promote positive social change. I will create my own production company that will make videos for churches and it will all honor you! All I'm asking for is that first job that will get me started on this path! Amen" More months went by and no job... Finally, i caught a break, a job on a cruise ship! This was it, the start of the career that would be the rest of my life! Thank you God!.... Nope! The job sucked! Before I knew it I was back home in the exact same place I was four months earlier. And then God did it; he did his funny little thing that was answering my prayers but boy it sure wasn't the answer I was expecting. I got a job offer at this church to be the Youth and Family Ministry Coach. It wasn't at all what I was expecting or looking for but it was a job. I didn't realize it until after I accepted the job that this was God answering my prayer and working in a really mysterious round about way. By golly it was His plan and boy did he know better then me! I'm now entering my third year as a youth minister, preparing for further education in ministry, and no plans to be stepping out of ministry. I prayed for a job that would honor him and that is what he gave me, just not the same job I thought I needed to honor him.

Why ask why? If we believe God is always present to us and has a plan for us, why do we always try to figure it our ourselves? I guess that is the nature of sin, our own meddling in this plan that we frankely can't grasp...because we are always meddling in it! What would it be like if we just sat back and enjoyed the mystery of life that God is putting before us? What if we stopped asking why and started asking where? Where is Jesus in the midst of our lives? He is there, all the time, in ALL of our lives. What if we start seeing Him in our lives on a daily basis? How does that change your daily adventure of life? Maybe we just need to get out of the way, say, "I love you and trust you God" and see what adventures He has planned for us.

What does your adventure look like? Where is Jesus in your adventure today?

May you find Him and His love in the wonderful adventure of life that is a gift and a blessing each and every day!

Contentment Comes from God

To the man who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God.

Ecclesiastes 2:26

"Whenever someone is able to feel content with what they have, it's a gift from God. God gives those who please him contentment without having to strive for it. God sees only two kinds of people: those who are faithful and those who are sinners. Besides the gifts he gives to all people, God gives wisdom and discretion to the faithful. On top of that, he adds joy. The faithful are content with what they have and are not tormented by the same kind of thoughts and desires sinners have. They go about their business with joy and peace.

On the other hand, sinners are always troubled. They are preoccupied with gathering and storing up wealth, but they're never satisfied. Even if they've been given wisdom and skill, so many difficulties are mixed in with these gifts that they feel more like punishment. Sinners don't enjoy their work, whether it's farming or building—even though others enjoy doing these things and find happiness in them. What sinners produce cannot be used in the right way by anyone except those who have God's approval. So whatever sinners accumulate belongs to those who have God's approval. The faithful know how to use God's gifts with joy and thanksgiving, even when they have very little.

But sinners don't even use what they have, in spite of all the trouble they go through to accumulate their possessions. In the end, faithful people truly own the whole world because they enjoy it with happiness and contentment. Even when they possess a lot, sinners have nothing. That's how pointless their lives are." ~Martin Luther


It is funny to think about our lives and what we try to do each and every day. So many of us are striving to do well in school to get a good job to make a lot of money to make our families happy and ourselves happy. We are trying to impress the girl/guy we like, we are trying to be cool, popular, unique, normal, different, better, whatever your poison. Our lives seem to be a constant struggle to find contentment and to be happy, but in the end, all of these things we do and gather and collect don't make us happy and content. In the end it is what God offers us, His eternal love and grace. We have it all wrong, if we just look at the blessings God has given us and are content with what we have, we end up gaining so much more! It is those who continue to try to have more (more of things that don't matter!) that continue to struggle because they do not recognize God's presence in their life! He is there, but if your life is so cluttered by the things you are trying to do without Him then you are blinded to His works and His presence.

So my question and challenge to you this week is, what are you content with in your life? How has God blessed you with contentment and what does that look like in your life?

May you feel blessed with whatever it is God has blessed you with, whether it be big or small, and may you feel content with God's undeniable, unrelenting love and grace He has for you. May we all feel content with this amazing gift and continues to give us the world! Amen!