I've had a little over a year in this job now. Kinda getting used to God waking me up in the middle of the night. Usually I have a pretty good idea what I'm supposed to be about when He interrupts what I think is supposed to be sleep time. Not always, though.
It happened again about 5:00 a.m. Wednesday morning. It was pretty clear I was supposed to be up and at 'em working to finalize the sermon for Sunday. Once that was finished, I knew I was supposed to crank in hard on the leader training presentation for Saturday. So, I'm feeling pretty good about being obedient and all. I'm sitting in what used to be our dining room--now a makeshift study--writing away. Pretty sure I'm doing what God wants me doing.
Wrong.
About 6:45 a.m., I hear a sound. It's like the sound of many waters--there's scriptural reference for you in there. But it sounded like these were many waters INSIDE. It had been raining outside for two straight days, so water sounds were common. But this sounded different. Now, my wife will tell you that there are two things I do not think should be running loose in a house. One of them is insects. The other is, well, you know---H2O.
I listen for a few seconds, and the sound does not go away. I start a search. Could it be that God has gotten Jackie up at 6:45 and she's showering? Jackie's a slow-waker-upper, so it's unlikely in the stupor she's in when she first gets up that she would have gone from sleep to shower this quickly. But I check. Nothing there.
I check the garage, where we had a water leak last year. Nothing there. I check out the back windows and walk around first floor. Nothing.
I go to the basement. . .and step into a couple of inches of water. The analyst in me figures "This may be where the sound is coming from." I turn the corner and there it is. The main water line is busted. Good news is that I've figured out where the water pressure we don't seem to have in our kitchen sink is concentrated. Yeah, water's shooting out like a fire hydrant--not the ones in DC that don't work, but a functioning one.
Things get wacky for a while as I'm trying to remember where the main water valve is and shut it off, try to find brooms and rags and towels, and, well, you can imagine.
Hours later, with the clean up basically in hand, Jackie and I sat, exhausted, and reflected. What if God hadn't awakened me? What if that water line had busted at 2:00 a.m. and run all night? What if it had happened when we were away for a vacation or something? Yeah, we were inconvenienced a little, but it could have been so much worse. And before our time was over, we were rejoicing about the water in the basement and how wonderful God's timing was in it all and how the best thing that could have happened was for that water line to bust open. It was weird. It was wonderful.
I went back to the basement. Still some puddles here and there, but I saw it differently this time. This was where God did something. This was where He intervened. This is where He revealed a weakness, caused a disturbance, forced a response, but He did it with grace, minimizing the damage in His love, like a surgeon. Then it hit me. This is how He deals with me all the time.
And during that time with Him there, I saw what was true all along--that the wet concrete floor wasn't just a basement. It was holy ground.
Maybe God's messing around in your life today, too. Do you see it as an inconvenience, or a chance to touch and be touched by the maker of everything?
God's good. Happy slogging.
Dwaine Darrah
McLean Campus Pastor
Friday, November 13, 2009
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Life Interrupted
Weird night at lifegroup. Prayers going up for travel mercies for one of our number attending funeral in Atlanta and for another traveling to California to be with mom with stage 4 colon cancer and for one of our guys in pain who is awaiting knee replacement surgery and for a new couple in need of jobs.
And then. . .well, then something happened I didn't expect. One person shouted out a praise for having gotten cancer. She's just coming off chemo. But she talked of how cancer for her was a blessing, that it forced her to focus, get her priorities in line with God's, and that she's seeing God at work in new, more vivid ways. Ok, after that, it was hard to ask for prayer for my hangnail.
But this dealing with seeing God at work in the interruptions of life popped up in our scripture for the night--Acts 16. Paul and Barnabas determine to visit all the churches they started on their first journey. They can't even get packed before they split up over who would come with them. Rats. Interrupted.
We're sure Barnabas is doing great work, too, but the Holy Spirit zeroes in here on Paul. As he's about the work, we're told that he is forbidden by the Holy Spirit from going to Asia (verse 6). Rats. Interrupted.
Then Paul intends to go to Bithynia, but, again, the Holy Spirit did not permit it. Rats. Interrupted.
We don't know why or how the Holy Spirit communicated this. Did Paul fall ill? Could they not get correct change for the subway? Easy at this point for Paul to go "God, what's the deal? You are standing in the way of my well-conceived travel plans." Sounds like he didn't do that, since he then gets a vision to go to Macedonia and obeys.
Paul eventually ends up in Philippi, where there is this hilarious story. Paul and his troupe on the Sabbath decide to go down to the river for a little peace and quiet, "supposing there would be a place of prayer" there. They supposed wrong. Instead, there were a bunch of women yacking it up. Rats. Interrupted.
Instead of rolling their eyes, they sit down and start talking to the women. One, Lydia, overhears, gets saved, and then her whole household gets saved. And the gospel is off and running in Europe!! Who'd have thunk it?
So, here's one for ya. Are you actually about the business of God's work and purposes? Do you have a plan to be a minister of the gospel and are you pursuing it? As you pursue it, are you open to the Holy Spirit altering those plans without becoming bitter and thereby missing God's purposes? Yeah, some exciting things can happen. You get a promotion, you get engaged, you get some blessing. But God often directs through inconveniences. The loss of a job, a broken down car, a serious illness, a betrayal, or some other huge disappointment. Do you stop in those times to listen, to see what God might be up to?
He's probably leading you to your Lydia.
But we'll miss that if we're bummed that He interrupted our plans. But isn't that where we spend too much of our time? I mean, seriously, when's the last time you shared your faith outside the church walls? Is it really that there's just a lack of lost people out there, or are you just not listening?
Ok, I'm done. You can go back to what you were doing now. Sorry for the interruption.
Dwaine Darrah
McLean Campus Pastor
And then. . .well, then something happened I didn't expect. One person shouted out a praise for having gotten cancer. She's just coming off chemo. But she talked of how cancer for her was a blessing, that it forced her to focus, get her priorities in line with God's, and that she's seeing God at work in new, more vivid ways. Ok, after that, it was hard to ask for prayer for my hangnail.
But this dealing with seeing God at work in the interruptions of life popped up in our scripture for the night--Acts 16. Paul and Barnabas determine to visit all the churches they started on their first journey. They can't even get packed before they split up over who would come with them. Rats. Interrupted.
We're sure Barnabas is doing great work, too, but the Holy Spirit zeroes in here on Paul. As he's about the work, we're told that he is forbidden by the Holy Spirit from going to Asia (verse 6). Rats. Interrupted.
Then Paul intends to go to Bithynia, but, again, the Holy Spirit did not permit it. Rats. Interrupted.
We don't know why or how the Holy Spirit communicated this. Did Paul fall ill? Could they not get correct change for the subway? Easy at this point for Paul to go "God, what's the deal? You are standing in the way of my well-conceived travel plans." Sounds like he didn't do that, since he then gets a vision to go to Macedonia and obeys.
Paul eventually ends up in Philippi, where there is this hilarious story. Paul and his troupe on the Sabbath decide to go down to the river for a little peace and quiet, "supposing there would be a place of prayer" there. They supposed wrong. Instead, there were a bunch of women yacking it up. Rats. Interrupted.
Instead of rolling their eyes, they sit down and start talking to the women. One, Lydia, overhears, gets saved, and then her whole household gets saved. And the gospel is off and running in Europe!! Who'd have thunk it?
So, here's one for ya. Are you actually about the business of God's work and purposes? Do you have a plan to be a minister of the gospel and are you pursuing it? As you pursue it, are you open to the Holy Spirit altering those plans without becoming bitter and thereby missing God's purposes? Yeah, some exciting things can happen. You get a promotion, you get engaged, you get some blessing. But God often directs through inconveniences. The loss of a job, a broken down car, a serious illness, a betrayal, or some other huge disappointment. Do you stop in those times to listen, to see what God might be up to?
He's probably leading you to your Lydia.
But we'll miss that if we're bummed that He interrupted our plans. But isn't that where we spend too much of our time? I mean, seriously, when's the last time you shared your faith outside the church walls? Is it really that there's just a lack of lost people out there, or are you just not listening?
Ok, I'm done. You can go back to what you were doing now. Sorry for the interruption.
Dwaine Darrah
McLean Campus Pastor
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Inching Along
Lifegroup Tuesday. Acts 13. Came across an intriguing fella named Elymas. The description of him was clear, but it appeared to make no sense.
He was a false prophet.
He was a sorcerer.
He was a Jew.
Like the aptitute test that asks "Which of these things is not like the others?" these three descriptors do not go together naturally. Why? Well, the Old Testament clearly states that if you were a Jew, you were not to be a false prophet. The result? Big rocks dropped on ya. How about if you thought sorcery would be a good career choice? Result? Big rocks dropped on ya.
And that got us to thinking about how this could happen. Does a good little Jewish boy just wake up one day and think to himself "Yeah, today it's gonna be sorcery and false prophesying. That's the ticket." And then we asked, "Does the high school teacher arrested for having child porn on his computer just wake up one day and go there and, like, get nabbed right out of the chute?" Probably not. In fact, 15 years ago, if you had told that high school teacher, fresh out of college, that he'd lose his job, his family, his reputation, and his friends doing child porn, he'd have told you you were nuts.
No, the path was probably long and twisting. Long because it took a whole lot of steps to get there. Twisting because each step had to occur with the final destination concealed. Had he seen it coming, he might have changed course. Makes sense. Proverbs tells us that it's the little foxes that ruin the vineyard, not one big fox. Lots of little things add up. Add up for good or for ill. Romans tells us that ending up in a good place is the result of little steps, too--little steps of faith that build on each other.
So, what to do? We sought to evaluate our lives right now. Where are we, in little things, in seemingly inconsequential things, in "what's the big deal?" things, taking little steps leading to righteousness? And where are we, in little things, in seemingly inconsequential things, in "what's the big deal?" things, taking little steps that are taking us to utter destruction currently hidden by the twists in the road?
For some, it was the need to bow a head and pray publicly for that meal in the restaurant. For others, it was talking to that family member who asks the question that forces us to profess what we really believe about Jesus. For me, it was not just saying I'd pray for ya, but actually stopping and doing it. Or, seeing the need of a brother in pain and stopping from my so-called busy schedule to hang out with him at the doc's. A lot of the time, I'm impatient for the big rush, the major accomplishment. But today. . .today some mighty good stuff flowed from what would appear to be just dinky little things.
Liked it enough, I'm thinking about trying a little step of faith again tomorrow. Who knows where this might lead?
Could be bailing someone out of the adult detention center who's taken too few of them, I suppose.
Dwaine Darrah
McLean Campus Pastor
He was a false prophet.
He was a sorcerer.
He was a Jew.
Like the aptitute test that asks "Which of these things is not like the others?" these three descriptors do not go together naturally. Why? Well, the Old Testament clearly states that if you were a Jew, you were not to be a false prophet. The result? Big rocks dropped on ya. How about if you thought sorcery would be a good career choice? Result? Big rocks dropped on ya.
And that got us to thinking about how this could happen. Does a good little Jewish boy just wake up one day and think to himself "Yeah, today it's gonna be sorcery and false prophesying. That's the ticket." And then we asked, "Does the high school teacher arrested for having child porn on his computer just wake up one day and go there and, like, get nabbed right out of the chute?" Probably not. In fact, 15 years ago, if you had told that high school teacher, fresh out of college, that he'd lose his job, his family, his reputation, and his friends doing child porn, he'd have told you you were nuts.
No, the path was probably long and twisting. Long because it took a whole lot of steps to get there. Twisting because each step had to occur with the final destination concealed. Had he seen it coming, he might have changed course. Makes sense. Proverbs tells us that it's the little foxes that ruin the vineyard, not one big fox. Lots of little things add up. Add up for good or for ill. Romans tells us that ending up in a good place is the result of little steps, too--little steps of faith that build on each other.
So, what to do? We sought to evaluate our lives right now. Where are we, in little things, in seemingly inconsequential things, in "what's the big deal?" things, taking little steps leading to righteousness? And where are we, in little things, in seemingly inconsequential things, in "what's the big deal?" things, taking little steps that are taking us to utter destruction currently hidden by the twists in the road?
For some, it was the need to bow a head and pray publicly for that meal in the restaurant. For others, it was talking to that family member who asks the question that forces us to profess what we really believe about Jesus. For me, it was not just saying I'd pray for ya, but actually stopping and doing it. Or, seeing the need of a brother in pain and stopping from my so-called busy schedule to hang out with him at the doc's. A lot of the time, I'm impatient for the big rush, the major accomplishment. But today. . .today some mighty good stuff flowed from what would appear to be just dinky little things.
Liked it enough, I'm thinking about trying a little step of faith again tomorrow. Who knows where this might lead?
Could be bailing someone out of the adult detention center who's taken too few of them, I suppose.
Dwaine Darrah
McLean Campus Pastor
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Boldness Revisited
I was out in Indiana a couple of weeks ago. Didn't want to be there. Oh, I like Indiana just fine. All the family is there. But I was in town to do the funeral for Bill, my brother-in-law. Tough stuff. But I find it's easy when I'm doing my "minister" thing to spot the moments for boldness, for speaking out. Like, we couldn't stay with family members because other family was packed in there, so we stayed with John and Jeannie, long-time friends of Bill's. I'm sitting at midnight at the computer working on the funeral message when John walks in and tries to look over my shoulder at what I'm writing. After just standing there for a while, he just says, "Well, I know I'm going to hell." You don't have to be brilliant to know "Hey, here's a opportunity for boldness."
At lifegroup yesterday, we were kicking around Psalm 139 and Ephesians 1 and talking about boldness. Here's another reason to be in lifegroup--my understanding got broadened as we kicked this around. It struck us that boldness might not look the same for everyone. Depending upon how God has fearfully and wonderfully made us, it might look like a funeral message, but it also might look like cooking a meal for a neighbor. It might look like letting someone in front of you in traffic, especially if you've got a fish on your rear fender. It might look like asking if you could pray for someone at work whose family member has taken ill. It might look like offering to babysit a neighbor's kids so they can go out and talk. It might look like paying for another couple's meal that you don't know sitting across the room at a restaurant, or maybe a huge tip to bless the wait staff. Maybe it looks like raking a neighbor's leaves or cutting their grass. Maybe it's saddling up to the outcast at work that no one else likes and being a friend.
Maybe it's not always talking, but maybe it's doing life in a way that will make people ask you what the deal is with you, make them ask why you're different, why you're being nice to them. And when they do, you can talk then.
Ephesians tells us that we've been saved, we've been wiped clean, we've been given the Holy Spirit for a reason, for a purpose, to accomplish an end. And that end is, amazingly, not so we can just do our thing and "be happy.' It's all for the purpose that we would be "to the praise of His glory."
Changes things a bit when you walk out the door in the morning if you consider that your purpose today, no matter what the day holds, is to testify to the glory, the beauty, the majesty, the might, the awesomeness of the One who made you. That testimony can be as varied as the stars, as God has put you together uniquely.
Want to go to sleep tonight fulfilled? Live, exist, operate to bring praise to His glory.
Oh, and have a nice day.
Dwaine Darrah, McLean Campus Pastor
At lifegroup yesterday, we were kicking around Psalm 139 and Ephesians 1 and talking about boldness. Here's another reason to be in lifegroup--my understanding got broadened as we kicked this around. It struck us that boldness might not look the same for everyone. Depending upon how God has fearfully and wonderfully made us, it might look like a funeral message, but it also might look like cooking a meal for a neighbor. It might look like letting someone in front of you in traffic, especially if you've got a fish on your rear fender. It might look like asking if you could pray for someone at work whose family member has taken ill. It might look like offering to babysit a neighbor's kids so they can go out and talk. It might look like paying for another couple's meal that you don't know sitting across the room at a restaurant, or maybe a huge tip to bless the wait staff. Maybe it looks like raking a neighbor's leaves or cutting their grass. Maybe it's saddling up to the outcast at work that no one else likes and being a friend.
Maybe it's not always talking, but maybe it's doing life in a way that will make people ask you what the deal is with you, make them ask why you're different, why you're being nice to them. And when they do, you can talk then.
Ephesians tells us that we've been saved, we've been wiped clean, we've been given the Holy Spirit for a reason, for a purpose, to accomplish an end. And that end is, amazingly, not so we can just do our thing and "be happy.' It's all for the purpose that we would be "to the praise of His glory."
Changes things a bit when you walk out the door in the morning if you consider that your purpose today, no matter what the day holds, is to testify to the glory, the beauty, the majesty, the might, the awesomeness of the One who made you. That testimony can be as varied as the stars, as God has put you together uniquely.
Want to go to sleep tonight fulfilled? Live, exist, operate to bring praise to His glory.
Oh, and have a nice day.
Dwaine Darrah, McLean Campus Pastor
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Who You Talking To?
It's Tuesday. It's lifegroup. It's God using His word to give us a little shot across the chops.
Acts 11. Yeah, we were there last week, but at least we're in the second half of the chapter. Now, Peter has just reported to the folk in Jerusalem about this Gentile fella, Cornelius, who has gone and done the unthinkable--accepted Jesus Christ and received the Holy Spirit without becoming a Jew first. How dare he. And even though the Jewish Christians seemed to offer no resistance to Peter's account, it does not seem that they really got what was going on. Why do I think so?
Well, in the very next verse, verse 19 actually, it says that, as the Jewish believers were scattered from Jerusalem because of the persecution there, they ended up in various places--Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch--and purposed to talk to no one except other Jews about Christ. No way they were going to reach out to those dirty Gentiles.
This cycle was amazingly broken by Jewish believers from Cyprus and Cyrene. Those ne'er- do-wells show up in Antioch and started sharing the gospel with the Greeks (a highly classified euphemism for "non-Jews"). Not only that, but a bunch of these "Greeks" accepted Christ, causing such a ruckus that the folk in Jerusalem hear about it and send Barnabas to check it out.
Now, Barnabas is very impressed by what he sees, but he appears very concerned, too, that these new believers might be tempted back to their old ways. Good reason to be worried. Worship of Venus and Apollo in that area included some serious sexual depravity. We found it interesting that, rather than go and report back to Jerusalem what he had seen, Barnabas goes looking for Paul. That verb "look for" doesn't do justice to the sentiment here. It really means that he went searching frantically, like you would if your child got separated from you in the mall. Its the same verb used to describe Mary and Joseph's search for Jesus when he was left behind in Jerusalem. You get the drift. Barnabas was absolutely determined to get Paul, bring him to Antioch, and have him teach these new believers.
There's a lot to glean from this account, but one thing we were challenged with is whether we come to church on Sunday determined to speak only to "jews", i.e., the people we already know, our friends, people we're comfortable with. I read a list of some new people who've been coming to the McLean campus over the last couple of months to see whether everyone in the group knew them. We didn't. So, we challenged ourselves to be about the business on Sunday mornings of reaching outside our circle of friends and to meet anyone whose name and story we don't know.
McLean is a pretty friendly campus, but keeping it that way requires reminding ourselves from time to time what we're all about. How sad would it be if someone walked in who didn't know Christ and is able to walk out not knowing anyone else in the room, either.
So, the goal is to remember this not just next Tuesday, but on Sunday morning at 11:00. Should be fun to see what happens.
By the way, these guys make lifegroup a highlight of the week!! If you're not in one, how much you are missing!!
Dwaine Darrah
McLean Campus Pastor
Acts 11. Yeah, we were there last week, but at least we're in the second half of the chapter. Now, Peter has just reported to the folk in Jerusalem about this Gentile fella, Cornelius, who has gone and done the unthinkable--accepted Jesus Christ and received the Holy Spirit without becoming a Jew first. How dare he. And even though the Jewish Christians seemed to offer no resistance to Peter's account, it does not seem that they really got what was going on. Why do I think so?
Well, in the very next verse, verse 19 actually, it says that, as the Jewish believers were scattered from Jerusalem because of the persecution there, they ended up in various places--Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch--and purposed to talk to no one except other Jews about Christ. No way they were going to reach out to those dirty Gentiles.
This cycle was amazingly broken by Jewish believers from Cyprus and Cyrene. Those ne'er- do-wells show up in Antioch and started sharing the gospel with the Greeks (a highly classified euphemism for "non-Jews"). Not only that, but a bunch of these "Greeks" accepted Christ, causing such a ruckus that the folk in Jerusalem hear about it and send Barnabas to check it out.
Now, Barnabas is very impressed by what he sees, but he appears very concerned, too, that these new believers might be tempted back to their old ways. Good reason to be worried. Worship of Venus and Apollo in that area included some serious sexual depravity. We found it interesting that, rather than go and report back to Jerusalem what he had seen, Barnabas goes looking for Paul. That verb "look for" doesn't do justice to the sentiment here. It really means that he went searching frantically, like you would if your child got separated from you in the mall. Its the same verb used to describe Mary and Joseph's search for Jesus when he was left behind in Jerusalem. You get the drift. Barnabas was absolutely determined to get Paul, bring him to Antioch, and have him teach these new believers.
There's a lot to glean from this account, but one thing we were challenged with is whether we come to church on Sunday determined to speak only to "jews", i.e., the people we already know, our friends, people we're comfortable with. I read a list of some new people who've been coming to the McLean campus over the last couple of months to see whether everyone in the group knew them. We didn't. So, we challenged ourselves to be about the business on Sunday mornings of reaching outside our circle of friends and to meet anyone whose name and story we don't know.
McLean is a pretty friendly campus, but keeping it that way requires reminding ourselves from time to time what we're all about. How sad would it be if someone walked in who didn't know Christ and is able to walk out not knowing anyone else in the room, either.
So, the goal is to remember this not just next Tuesday, but on Sunday morning at 11:00. Should be fun to see what happens.
By the way, these guys make lifegroup a highlight of the week!! If you're not in one, how much you are missing!!
Dwaine Darrah
McLean Campus Pastor
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Give It a Rest
Give It a Rest
This blew me away at lifegroup last night. Hacking through the 1st half of Acts 11. Peter returns to Jerusalem after the Gentile, Cornelius, has the Holy Spirit fall on him and gets baptized. He is immediately set upon by Jewish Christians for daring to mingle with a Gentile. So, Peter recalls the whole story, and it says at the end of his telling of it, his critics "quieted down."
What we found interesting is that this same Greek word is used in Luke 14. Jesus is out walking around on the Sabbath, following by a bunch of lawyers and religious leaders looking for Him to make a mistake. Jesus sees a man suffering from dropsy in front of him. He turns to the religious types and asks them whether it is lawful to heal on the Sabbath. The scriptures say that they kept silent. "Kept silent" is the same word as "quieted down" in Acts.
In Luke 23, after Jesus' crucifixion, the women saw Jesus' tomb and how His body was laid. And they returned and prepared spices and perfumes. And on the Sabbath, it says, they rested according to the commandment. The word "rested" is the same word translated "kept silent" and "quieted down."
Putting these all together, what do you get? Maybe resting in the Lord has a lot more to do with shutting up for a change. Before the God of all the Universe, the Creator of all things, the One who sees the end from the very beginning, the Merciful and Just God who knows us better than we do, perhaps we'd be wise to be as savvy as the Pharisees and just give it a rest. Realize we have nothing to say that really matters. There's no defense we can make. No excuse that works. No argument that sounds wise. No plans or strategies that impress.
Maybe we should just give it a rest. Maybe if we shut up, He'll have a chance to talk to us. Maybe He'll tell us what to pray for. Maybe He'll tell us how to pray for it. Maybe He'll rip our hearts open, as He did mine last night, and show us areas of us He doesn't yet posses but wants to.
So, for 13 minutes last night, we just allowed Him the opportunity to have His way, to have the floor, our hearts a quiet pool to stir with his finger. To be truthful, we didn't find it easy. Maybe the joy of transforming lives will give us perserverance. So, we're writing down what we heard. Our boldness move next week is to share that.
Dangerous stuff. Feel feel to try it.
Dwaine Darrah
McLean Campus Pastor
This blew me away at lifegroup last night. Hacking through the 1st half of Acts 11. Peter returns to Jerusalem after the Gentile, Cornelius, has the Holy Spirit fall on him and gets baptized. He is immediately set upon by Jewish Christians for daring to mingle with a Gentile. So, Peter recalls the whole story, and it says at the end of his telling of it, his critics "quieted down."
What we found interesting is that this same Greek word is used in Luke 14. Jesus is out walking around on the Sabbath, following by a bunch of lawyers and religious leaders looking for Him to make a mistake. Jesus sees a man suffering from dropsy in front of him. He turns to the religious types and asks them whether it is lawful to heal on the Sabbath. The scriptures say that they kept silent. "Kept silent" is the same word as "quieted down" in Acts.
In Luke 23, after Jesus' crucifixion, the women saw Jesus' tomb and how His body was laid. And they returned and prepared spices and perfumes. And on the Sabbath, it says, they rested according to the commandment. The word "rested" is the same word translated "kept silent" and "quieted down."
Putting these all together, what do you get? Maybe resting in the Lord has a lot more to do with shutting up for a change. Before the God of all the Universe, the Creator of all things, the One who sees the end from the very beginning, the Merciful and Just God who knows us better than we do, perhaps we'd be wise to be as savvy as the Pharisees and just give it a rest. Realize we have nothing to say that really matters. There's no defense we can make. No excuse that works. No argument that sounds wise. No plans or strategies that impress.
Maybe we should just give it a rest. Maybe if we shut up, He'll have a chance to talk to us. Maybe He'll tell us what to pray for. Maybe He'll tell us how to pray for it. Maybe He'll rip our hearts open, as He did mine last night, and show us areas of us He doesn't yet posses but wants to.
So, for 13 minutes last night, we just allowed Him the opportunity to have His way, to have the floor, our hearts a quiet pool to stir with his finger. To be truthful, we didn't find it easy. Maybe the joy of transforming lives will give us perserverance. So, we're writing down what we heard. Our boldness move next week is to share that.
Dangerous stuff. Feel feel to try it.
Dwaine Darrah
McLean Campus Pastor
Thursday, July 9, 2009
On That Day: A DocuDrama
Stephen and I have a lot in common. We grew up in the same town. Went to the same church growing up. Came to believe in the same Jesus. Saw the same miracles.
Died on the same day.
That day began like most others in Jerusalem. Job was going fine, had my health. I also was a new Christian. In fact, my whole family had come to know this Jesus guy and call him Lord. And He was changing us from the inside out in amazing ways. And the teaching. . ..AWESOME. Best sermons on the planet. The church was happening, man. We were seeing incredible things. Like, some days, thousands of my friends and neighbors became followers of Jesus. It was pretty sweet.
Well, mostly sweet. Up to that day. Should have seen it coming. Just wasn't looking. Man, they got Stephen the same way they got Jesus. Had some dudes invent lies about what he was saying, stirred up a mob, and just murdered him. Not cool at all. So, I think it's right that Stephen gets written up in the bible. What he laid on the religious leaders in his defense was for the ages.
Me? I don't make it through the day, either. I'm just a footnote, like everyone else who bought the farm on that day when all hell broke loose against the church.
I had a lot of questions, for sure. You would have, too. I mean, to stop breathing on that day was not in my five-year plan. I double-checked. Not there. There were still more people with whom I wanted to share the gospel, more things to learn, more changes to make, more tithes to give, more impact to have. Dying on that day? Just didn't seem to make a lot of sense. Why did this happen? Why would God allow it? Does He know what He's doing? Is He really in control? If not, can I trust Him?
Things happened so fast after Stephen's death that I didn't have a chance to get good answers to these questions. The mob just turned immediately on anyone who was a Christian. It looked like leaving town would be the only option, but we didn't have time to pack before they dragged us off.
So, here I am. Looking down on the earth I used to walk, trying to figure it out. I've got this incredible eternity to look forward to. Not particularly bitter. Just wanting to make sense of why I was at all. What purpose was there in my life down there, and what good did I accomplish? I was only a Christian for a couple of months. Seems like such a waste.
But sitting here, I'm reminded that Jesus told us we would be His witnesses not only in Jerusalem, but in Judea, in Samaria, and in the remotest parts of the earth. While I thought I'd leave Jerusalem someday and spread the gospel, seems God's idea was that I was to serve as the catalyst for others to make that journey. Wasn't easy to accommodate, but it seems I was supposed to die there in Jerusalem. It wasn't some fluke, an accident. My death forced those whose job was to move out and spread the gospel to get on with it.
Ok, I'm still pretty sure I would have written a different role for myself in this saga, but I'm getting it that God knows exactly what He's doing. I also got it just how much of my relationship with Jesus revolved around my expectations of what He'd do for me, how He'd make me happy, and how He'd give me this or that thing or experience, how He'd make me notable or great or something. You know, I thought my mindset was eternally focused, but in reality I had way too much stock in life down there. Maybe I'd have seen things more clearly if my life revolved less around my happiness and more around seeing how every situation was an opportunity to give Him glory.
So, for those of you still down there, maybe you're wondering about hard times, illnesses, disappointments, whatever. Maybe there's something bigger afoot. Are you looking for it? Maybe it's not going badly. Maybe it's just going godly. And, on that day--you know, when you get here--it'll be fun to compare notes.
Want to read some more about this stuff, cull through Acts 1:1-8; Acts 6:1-8:4.
Died on the same day.
That day began like most others in Jerusalem. Job was going fine, had my health. I also was a new Christian. In fact, my whole family had come to know this Jesus guy and call him Lord. And He was changing us from the inside out in amazing ways. And the teaching. . ..AWESOME. Best sermons on the planet. The church was happening, man. We were seeing incredible things. Like, some days, thousands of my friends and neighbors became followers of Jesus. It was pretty sweet.
Well, mostly sweet. Up to that day. Should have seen it coming. Just wasn't looking. Man, they got Stephen the same way they got Jesus. Had some dudes invent lies about what he was saying, stirred up a mob, and just murdered him. Not cool at all. So, I think it's right that Stephen gets written up in the bible. What he laid on the religious leaders in his defense was for the ages.
Me? I don't make it through the day, either. I'm just a footnote, like everyone else who bought the farm on that day when all hell broke loose against the church.
I had a lot of questions, for sure. You would have, too. I mean, to stop breathing on that day was not in my five-year plan. I double-checked. Not there. There were still more people with whom I wanted to share the gospel, more things to learn, more changes to make, more tithes to give, more impact to have. Dying on that day? Just didn't seem to make a lot of sense. Why did this happen? Why would God allow it? Does He know what He's doing? Is He really in control? If not, can I trust Him?
Things happened so fast after Stephen's death that I didn't have a chance to get good answers to these questions. The mob just turned immediately on anyone who was a Christian. It looked like leaving town would be the only option, but we didn't have time to pack before they dragged us off.
So, here I am. Looking down on the earth I used to walk, trying to figure it out. I've got this incredible eternity to look forward to. Not particularly bitter. Just wanting to make sense of why I was at all. What purpose was there in my life down there, and what good did I accomplish? I was only a Christian for a couple of months. Seems like such a waste.
But sitting here, I'm reminded that Jesus told us we would be His witnesses not only in Jerusalem, but in Judea, in Samaria, and in the remotest parts of the earth. While I thought I'd leave Jerusalem someday and spread the gospel, seems God's idea was that I was to serve as the catalyst for others to make that journey. Wasn't easy to accommodate, but it seems I was supposed to die there in Jerusalem. It wasn't some fluke, an accident. My death forced those whose job was to move out and spread the gospel to get on with it.
Ok, I'm still pretty sure I would have written a different role for myself in this saga, but I'm getting it that God knows exactly what He's doing. I also got it just how much of my relationship with Jesus revolved around my expectations of what He'd do for me, how He'd make me happy, and how He'd give me this or that thing or experience, how He'd make me notable or great or something. You know, I thought my mindset was eternally focused, but in reality I had way too much stock in life down there. Maybe I'd have seen things more clearly if my life revolved less around my happiness and more around seeing how every situation was an opportunity to give Him glory.
So, for those of you still down there, maybe you're wondering about hard times, illnesses, disappointments, whatever. Maybe there's something bigger afoot. Are you looking for it? Maybe it's not going badly. Maybe it's just going godly. And, on that day--you know, when you get here--it'll be fun to compare notes.
Want to read some more about this stuff, cull through Acts 1:1-8; Acts 6:1-8:4.
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
And That's the Truth
What is.
That was my answer. And it was my answer every time.
I don't know where the kids' fascination with the concept originated. A story read to them? Sunday School? Discussions about lying? Who knows. I just know that at some point they asked the question, "Daddy, what is truth?" My response was "Truth is what is." They thought this was so amusing that it became a ritual. Any time they had friends over, they'd drag 'em to me and say "Daddy, tell Billy what truth is." And they wouldn't stop until I'd say "The truth is what is." Then they'd run off howling. Yeah, I've got weird kids.
At first glance, you'd think that everyone was as interested in truth as my kids were. I mean, juries want you to testify and tell the truth. It's important enough that you have to swear to do so. More than 15 countries have instituted truth commissions of one kind or another to get to the bottom of some issue haunting their past. One of Malcolm X's exhibits is title "A Search for Truth."
I've found, however, that sometimes, we're not that interested in the straight up truth, because it can be hard to swallow. My sister-in-law is wanting truth to go far away right now. It's not because she's a bad person. She just wants to suppress the truth because she's in pain. My brother-in-law's been battling cancer, and the doctors are now saying that even though it's in remission right now, it's still there and will take him within 5 years. She doesn't want "what is." She wants something else.
Sometimes, even when you want to deal with the truth, it seems beyond your grasp. Ask someone addicted to drugs or alcohol or sex or whatever. They know it's killing them, destroying them. But suppressing the truth persuades you to do it again, expecting somehow that it'll turn out alright this time.
And then there's me. The Bible tells me straight up in the early part of the book of Romans that when I decide to do my own thing, believe something that God doesn't believe, that I am suppressing truth. Oh, sure, I'm not gonna call it that, but I want what I want even though God tells me it's bad for me. But I suppress that, choosing to believe a lie--that somehow my good will result from it--to justify my own selfishness. The BIble even goes so far as to say that I can be so blinded by my selfishness that I can't even think straight. I know this is true. I've done it more times than I care to remember. I can con myself so well that I forget I'm conning myself and believe this thing I know is bad for me is actually good for me.
The Bible makes a pretty bold claim. Not only does Jesus have the skinny on some truth. It goes beyond that to say that Jesus is actually truth. Jesus Himself says that. And it that's true, then if I really want to know the truth about what will bring me happiness, or the truth on how to find meaning for my life, or the truth about what I'm doing that's working for my good or ill, or the truth about how to understand my own heart and my own desires, or the truth about how to make sense of the stuff that just seems to happen all around me, then I'd better get to know Jesus. Not know about Him. Not memorize facts about what He did, where He went, what He said. Really know Him.
Realizing this has made me zero in more on walking and talking to Him like the real person He is, rather that studying about Him like He's some great art work or something. And it's made all the difference.
Reflecting back, truth really is "what is." But what really is, is Jesus.
No lie.
Dwaine Darrah, McLean Campus Pastor
That was my answer. And it was my answer every time.
I don't know where the kids' fascination with the concept originated. A story read to them? Sunday School? Discussions about lying? Who knows. I just know that at some point they asked the question, "Daddy, what is truth?" My response was "Truth is what is." They thought this was so amusing that it became a ritual. Any time they had friends over, they'd drag 'em to me and say "Daddy, tell Billy what truth is." And they wouldn't stop until I'd say "The truth is what is." Then they'd run off howling. Yeah, I've got weird kids.
At first glance, you'd think that everyone was as interested in truth as my kids were. I mean, juries want you to testify and tell the truth. It's important enough that you have to swear to do so. More than 15 countries have instituted truth commissions of one kind or another to get to the bottom of some issue haunting their past. One of Malcolm X's exhibits is title "A Search for Truth."
I've found, however, that sometimes, we're not that interested in the straight up truth, because it can be hard to swallow. My sister-in-law is wanting truth to go far away right now. It's not because she's a bad person. She just wants to suppress the truth because she's in pain. My brother-in-law's been battling cancer, and the doctors are now saying that even though it's in remission right now, it's still there and will take him within 5 years. She doesn't want "what is." She wants something else.
Sometimes, even when you want to deal with the truth, it seems beyond your grasp. Ask someone addicted to drugs or alcohol or sex or whatever. They know it's killing them, destroying them. But suppressing the truth persuades you to do it again, expecting somehow that it'll turn out alright this time.
And then there's me. The Bible tells me straight up in the early part of the book of Romans that when I decide to do my own thing, believe something that God doesn't believe, that I am suppressing truth. Oh, sure, I'm not gonna call it that, but I want what I want even though God tells me it's bad for me. But I suppress that, choosing to believe a lie--that somehow my good will result from it--to justify my own selfishness. The BIble even goes so far as to say that I can be so blinded by my selfishness that I can't even think straight. I know this is true. I've done it more times than I care to remember. I can con myself so well that I forget I'm conning myself and believe this thing I know is bad for me is actually good for me.
The Bible makes a pretty bold claim. Not only does Jesus have the skinny on some truth. It goes beyond that to say that Jesus is actually truth. Jesus Himself says that. And it that's true, then if I really want to know the truth about what will bring me happiness, or the truth on how to find meaning for my life, or the truth about what I'm doing that's working for my good or ill, or the truth about how to understand my own heart and my own desires, or the truth about how to make sense of the stuff that just seems to happen all around me, then I'd better get to know Jesus. Not know about Him. Not memorize facts about what He did, where He went, what He said. Really know Him.
Realizing this has made me zero in more on walking and talking to Him like the real person He is, rather that studying about Him like He's some great art work or something. And it's made all the difference.
Reflecting back, truth really is "what is." But what really is, is Jesus.
No lie.
Dwaine Darrah, McLean Campus Pastor
Friday, June 19, 2009
Great Expectations
Last week at lifegroup, we challenged ourselves to be more bold. This week, we all wanted, of course, to forget that we had prayed about that and to just keep on plowing through Acts. I mean, it's all about getting more Bible facts in our brains, right?
Sadly, reminded that the Bible tells us not to be like people who look in mirror and then forget our appearance when we turn away, we went for it. We went around the room to tell what happened. All I gotta say was that it was AWESOME!!!! I'll mention no names to protect the innocent, but here are the stories:
One guy teamed up with another Christian at work to start having lunch with this particularly troubled person no one wants anything to do with. When they raised the idea of getting together with this person to a couple of other non-Christian colleagues, it's caused all kinds of discussions to break out.
One gal told of a young couple who are sort of distant relatives by marriage with whom she's had some recent conversations. The young woman just told her that her boyfriend is moving and has asked her to move in with him in the new location. The way she mentioned this, it was almost like the young girl is inviting a conversation on the topic. So, doors are opening.
One guy had a conversation with a neighbor. As soon as anything about church was mentioned, the neighbor clammed up. So, we kicked around ideas for helping jump start the conversation again.
One gal is moving toward getting into a crafting club to meet people to start conversations.
One guy noted that his neighbors, who have been separated on and off for years are back together. He is determined to strike up a conversation with them this week.
One gal, who was an a vowed atheist before accepting Jesus, has singled out a close friend who is still an atheist, to bodly reach out to.
Some points worth noting. Doing this together was incredibly encouraging. The people in the room are just like me - just people living life, working, eating, sleeping, having the same pressures I do. There was a "we're all in this thing together" feel in the room.
I left feeling like I could do this! I could persevere! These guys have my back!
I also found the accountability rewarding. To have people who know you and love you anyway holding you accountable feels a whole lot different than having it done by some impersonal "boss type." It was a lot of fun.
Finally, it was incredibly helpful. As we shared, others threw out ideas that might work, things that might be said to break through the barriers. And the real benefit was that these comments came often from people with backgrounds similar to those some of us were trying to reach. They had insights into how those people think and how they would respond that I did not.
In the end, I left more equipped for the task this week, feeling like I was part of something much bigger than me, and encouraged that I was not in this alone.
If you're not in a lifegroup, all I can tell you is that you are missing out big time.
I know it's possible that you are just growing and growing, and starting conversations with your unchurched neighbors, and leading people to Jesus all the time. But I know it's more likely that you aren't.
We're gonna be talking about what it means to be on Jesus' team on Sunday at McLean. Team certainly implies connecting. Why not check out the lifegroups, make the time, and be there.
Oh, and you can study up on Jesus' team in Matthew 10 if you want a leg up for Sunday.
Sadly, reminded that the Bible tells us not to be like people who look in mirror and then forget our appearance when we turn away, we went for it. We went around the room to tell what happened. All I gotta say was that it was AWESOME!!!! I'll mention no names to protect the innocent, but here are the stories:
One guy teamed up with another Christian at work to start having lunch with this particularly troubled person no one wants anything to do with. When they raised the idea of getting together with this person to a couple of other non-Christian colleagues, it's caused all kinds of discussions to break out.
One gal told of a young couple who are sort of distant relatives by marriage with whom she's had some recent conversations. The young woman just told her that her boyfriend is moving and has asked her to move in with him in the new location. The way she mentioned this, it was almost like the young girl is inviting a conversation on the topic. So, doors are opening.
One guy had a conversation with a neighbor. As soon as anything about church was mentioned, the neighbor clammed up. So, we kicked around ideas for helping jump start the conversation again.
One gal is moving toward getting into a crafting club to meet people to start conversations.
One guy noted that his neighbors, who have been separated on and off for years are back together. He is determined to strike up a conversation with them this week.
One gal, who was an a vowed atheist before accepting Jesus, has singled out a close friend who is still an atheist, to bodly reach out to.
Some points worth noting. Doing this together was incredibly encouraging. The people in the room are just like me - just people living life, working, eating, sleeping, having the same pressures I do. There was a "we're all in this thing together" feel in the room.
I left feeling like I could do this! I could persevere! These guys have my back!
I also found the accountability rewarding. To have people who know you and love you anyway holding you accountable feels a whole lot different than having it done by some impersonal "boss type." It was a lot of fun.
Finally, it was incredibly helpful. As we shared, others threw out ideas that might work, things that might be said to break through the barriers. And the real benefit was that these comments came often from people with backgrounds similar to those some of us were trying to reach. They had insights into how those people think and how they would respond that I did not.
In the end, I left more equipped for the task this week, feeling like I was part of something much bigger than me, and encouraged that I was not in this alone.
If you're not in a lifegroup, all I can tell you is that you are missing out big time.
I know it's possible that you are just growing and growing, and starting conversations with your unchurched neighbors, and leading people to Jesus all the time. But I know it's more likely that you aren't.
We're gonna be talking about what it means to be on Jesus' team on Sunday at McLean. Team certainly implies connecting. Why not check out the lifegroups, make the time, and be there.
Oh, and you can study up on Jesus' team in Matthew 10 if you want a leg up for Sunday.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Generating a Little Fear
It's the day after the white supremacist, the Jew and Black hater, opened fire at the Holocaust Museum in DC. I'm in DC today helping my daughter with the twins. As Jackie and Amy head to the grocery store, I decide to walk to McDonald's, two blocks away. Amy's not happy. That location is notorious as a center for drugs and gangs. I'll have to walk by the place where, in broad daylight a few weeks ago, a young kid was shot dead. I'm a man, after all, and thus too stupid to know anything. So, I walk. But, I gotta say that I was on high alert and the eyes behind my Oakley's didn't miss a thing. I soldiered through because I was hungry, pressed ahead despite the risk. Got my burger, walked back the two blocks, and downed it safely.
Reminds me a smidge of lifegroup this week. It's the early chapters of Acts. Peter and John heal a lame guy, and the crowd goes wild. But the authorities don't and haul them off to jail for the night. All the brass gather the next morning, which, for all Peter and John knew, could be their last. They give an impressive testimony that Jesus Christ was behind the miracle. Unable to crack these guys, worried about the crowd reaction, and reconciled to the fact that an actual miracle had occurred, the brass let Peter and John go, ordering them to not mention Jesus' name again. Implicit in the order is "Or else." Peter and John say "No way, dudes" and head off to meet with the church.
What happens next is interesting to me, because in the face of the threat, the whole church unifies behind this prayer, and I'm paraphrasing: "Help us overcome our fear and testify boldy of You, Jesus." And to the thousands already saved since Pentecost, multitudes continued to be saved.
So I'm thinking, maybe we're not afraid enough yet to pray for boldness. Maybe that's why we've not filled our auditoria yet to the brim. The church in China, under attack and underground, is and has been experiencing exponential growth for years.
So, I'm thinking, can we get a proper fear going without having to rely on the government to persecute us? Can we be fearful of our family members spending an eternity in misery? Can we be fearful of our friends spending an eternity in misery? Can we be fearful of our neighbors spending an eternity in misery? Can we be fearful of Americans spending an eternity in misery? Can we be fearful of the nations spending an eternity in misery?
Can we be fearful of people living lives of misery and purposeless right here on this planet? I mean, fearful enough to get on our knees and pray for boldness to testify of Jesus Christ?
Our lifegroup took on the challenge this week, with a commitment to hold ourselves accountable. I've got to go into that room next Tuesday night, and as the pastor, I'd better have a story. And the pressure just got worse. One guy in the group told me the very next day of a "boldness" story. Geez, who'd have thought they were all serious???
So, ok, I'm not afraid for my life, but I'm hoping the fear of being embarrassed at not living the life I say I believe in will propel me to my knees and that the Holy Spirit will lead me into action. Cause it'd be cool if this turns out not to be just a fad, but a lifestyle.
Reminds me a smidge of lifegroup this week. It's the early chapters of Acts. Peter and John heal a lame guy, and the crowd goes wild. But the authorities don't and haul them off to jail for the night. All the brass gather the next morning, which, for all Peter and John knew, could be their last. They give an impressive testimony that Jesus Christ was behind the miracle. Unable to crack these guys, worried about the crowd reaction, and reconciled to the fact that an actual miracle had occurred, the brass let Peter and John go, ordering them to not mention Jesus' name again. Implicit in the order is "Or else." Peter and John say "No way, dudes" and head off to meet with the church.
What happens next is interesting to me, because in the face of the threat, the whole church unifies behind this prayer, and I'm paraphrasing: "Help us overcome our fear and testify boldy of You, Jesus." And to the thousands already saved since Pentecost, multitudes continued to be saved.
So I'm thinking, maybe we're not afraid enough yet to pray for boldness. Maybe that's why we've not filled our auditoria yet to the brim. The church in China, under attack and underground, is and has been experiencing exponential growth for years.
So, I'm thinking, can we get a proper fear going without having to rely on the government to persecute us? Can we be fearful of our family members spending an eternity in misery? Can we be fearful of our friends spending an eternity in misery? Can we be fearful of our neighbors spending an eternity in misery? Can we be fearful of Americans spending an eternity in misery? Can we be fearful of the nations spending an eternity in misery?
Can we be fearful of people living lives of misery and purposeless right here on this planet? I mean, fearful enough to get on our knees and pray for boldness to testify of Jesus Christ?
Our lifegroup took on the challenge this week, with a commitment to hold ourselves accountable. I've got to go into that room next Tuesday night, and as the pastor, I'd better have a story. And the pressure just got worse. One guy in the group told me the very next day of a "boldness" story. Geez, who'd have thought they were all serious???
So, ok, I'm not afraid for my life, but I'm hoping the fear of being embarrassed at not living the life I say I believe in will propel me to my knees and that the Holy Spirit will lead me into action. Cause it'd be cool if this turns out not to be just a fad, but a lifestyle.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Coming Attraction: Transformers
I saw the Star Trek movie this week, and I only have one question.
William Shatner? Where were you, dude?
Oh, and a comment.
Uhuru and Spock? I don't think so.
But enough about the main attraction, how about one of my favorite parts of every movie experience... the coming attractions!
This time it was all about the new Transformers flick. I am glad they're making a sequel; perhaps the director will have gained familiarity with the concept of character development.
Still, it got me thinking.
Some of the cars and trucks and bulldozers transform into good guys; some transform into bad guys.
It is what's going on in the deepest part of the machines that determines everything. Same with us, it seems.
In Ezekiel 7:19-20 it talks about how it's possible for us to transform things beautiful into that which is abhorrent.
Doesn't have to be that way. Check out Romans 12:2. It's possible that we can be transformed from the inside out in a way that proves just how good and perfect and pleasing God is.
Is it an unfair question to ask you to ponder which path you're pursuing? Look back 5 years. What do you see?
To encourage you, we'll be hearing from two people on Sunday who will tell us their stories of transformation on the second path. No, they're not angels. Just imperfect people like you and me, still a work in progress, but who are finding hope and joy we all want.
Tired of just hearing all about what God could do? Come and see what He has done and is doing!
It'll bless your socks off--good thing we're an informal bunch, eh?
11:00 a.m., Sunday at 1988 Kirby Road, McLean.
William Shatner? Where were you, dude?
Oh, and a comment.
Uhuru and Spock? I don't think so.
But enough about the main attraction, how about one of my favorite parts of every movie experience... the coming attractions!
This time it was all about the new Transformers flick. I am glad they're making a sequel; perhaps the director will have gained familiarity with the concept of character development.
Still, it got me thinking.
Some of the cars and trucks and bulldozers transform into good guys; some transform into bad guys.
It is what's going on in the deepest part of the machines that determines everything. Same with us, it seems.
In Ezekiel 7:19-20 it talks about how it's possible for us to transform things beautiful into that which is abhorrent.
Doesn't have to be that way. Check out Romans 12:2. It's possible that we can be transformed from the inside out in a way that proves just how good and perfect and pleasing God is.
Is it an unfair question to ask you to ponder which path you're pursuing? Look back 5 years. What do you see?
To encourage you, we'll be hearing from two people on Sunday who will tell us their stories of transformation on the second path. No, they're not angels. Just imperfect people like you and me, still a work in progress, but who are finding hope and joy we all want.
Tired of just hearing all about what God could do? Come and see what He has done and is doing!
It'll bless your socks off--good thing we're an informal bunch, eh?
11:00 a.m., Sunday at 1988 Kirby Road, McLean.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Help from the Other Side?
Everywhere you turn, there's another news story that suggests God is getting beat down.
From the porn movie broadcast at the University of Maryland, to the 10 Commandments being removed from government property, to redefining what a marriage is. There was even criticism of Rick Warren's prayer at Obama's inauguration (how dare he mention Jesus!).
You'd think that all of America had come to the same conclusion--God isn't.
Despite this, Americans have this fascination with the spiritual? It's everywhere; not just on Oprah.
Ghost Town - a jerk dentist survives a near-death experience and see ghosts.
Ghost Whisperer - Jennifer Love Hewitt's character aids troubled spirits.
Supernatural - two brothers hunting demons.
Medium - Allison Dubois helps the police solve murders through visions and contact with the dead. Interestingly, this week, she concludes that her gift was given to her by God.
We could go on (Touched by an Angel, Joan of Arcadia, Ghost, The Others, Sixth Sense, A Haunting in Connecticut, The Gift), but you get my point!
Oh, there's also a great book on the supernatural. It's called the Bible. It's author might know something about this subject.
Now, the story it tells doesn't read anything like what we're getting from Hollywood.
But, hey, if you think Hollywood has a bead on all things spiritual, I've got a bridge in New York I want to sell you.
Want to compare Hollywood's take with God's? Visit us at 11:00am this Sunday at 1988 Kirby Road, McLean, VA.
It might make your head spin--but probably not 360 degrees.
Want to ponder in advance? Try Galatians 5.
From the porn movie broadcast at the University of Maryland, to the 10 Commandments being removed from government property, to redefining what a marriage is. There was even criticism of Rick Warren's prayer at Obama's inauguration (how dare he mention Jesus!).
You'd think that all of America had come to the same conclusion--God isn't.
Despite this, Americans have this fascination with the spiritual? It's everywhere; not just on Oprah.
Ghost Town - a jerk dentist survives a near-death experience and see ghosts.
Ghost Whisperer - Jennifer Love Hewitt's character aids troubled spirits.
Supernatural - two brothers hunting demons.
Medium - Allison Dubois helps the police solve murders through visions and contact with the dead. Interestingly, this week, she concludes that her gift was given to her by God.
We could go on (Touched by an Angel, Joan of Arcadia, Ghost, The Others, Sixth Sense, A Haunting in Connecticut, The Gift), but you get my point!
Oh, there's also a great book on the supernatural. It's called the Bible. It's author might know something about this subject.
Now, the story it tells doesn't read anything like what we're getting from Hollywood.
But, hey, if you think Hollywood has a bead on all things spiritual, I've got a bridge in New York I want to sell you.
Want to compare Hollywood's take with God's? Visit us at 11:00am this Sunday at 1988 Kirby Road, McLean, VA.
It might make your head spin--but probably not 360 degrees.
Want to ponder in advance? Try Galatians 5.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
The Big Question: What's Next?
I spent a chunk of this week comforting a woman whose mother died.
She knew her mom's time was drawing to a close; and had known it for months.
A hospice was overseeing her mom's care. You don't get that unless the medical professionals think you have less than 6 months left.
She died quietly, at peace, at home, last Sunday morning.
As funeral plans shaped up, the one big concern has focused on answering questions from the grand kids.
Two boys, ages 10 and 14.
Interestingly, they are the same questions a lot of us have.
Is grandma just floating around up in space?
Is she still hurting?
Will we ever see her again?
How will we recognize her?
Will she know us?
We could make up stuff to try to comfort folks, but it turns out that God has given us His thoughts on the subject.
So, we're going with His thoughts, incorporating them into this week's message--part of our series on answering key questions that people who don't follow Christ ask about Christianity.
Death is something we're all gonna face, sadly. But maybe it doesn't have to be that sad.
Maybe we can look to going through this thing we'd rather not with a little hope. a little confidence.
It is what we're going to talk about this Sunday, at 11:00am at our 1988 Kirby Road, McLean location.
Why not drop on in? We're dying to meet you.
She knew her mom's time was drawing to a close; and had known it for months.
A hospice was overseeing her mom's care. You don't get that unless the medical professionals think you have less than 6 months left.
She died quietly, at peace, at home, last Sunday morning.
As funeral plans shaped up, the one big concern has focused on answering questions from the grand kids.
Two boys, ages 10 and 14.
Interestingly, they are the same questions a lot of us have.
Is grandma just floating around up in space?
Is she still hurting?
Will we ever see her again?
How will we recognize her?
Will she know us?
We could make up stuff to try to comfort folks, but it turns out that God has given us His thoughts on the subject.
So, we're going with His thoughts, incorporating them into this week's message--part of our series on answering key questions that people who don't follow Christ ask about Christianity.
Death is something we're all gonna face, sadly. But maybe it doesn't have to be that sad.
Maybe we can look to going through this thing we'd rather not with a little hope. a little confidence.
It is what we're going to talk about this Sunday, at 11:00am at our 1988 Kirby Road, McLean location.
Why not drop on in? We're dying to meet you.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Getting what is coming to you
In the classic black-and-white gangster movie, particularly those starring Edward G. Robinson (man, they are the best ever), you hear this recurring line:
"I want what's coming to me."
The other person ominously promises:
"Yeah, you'll get what's coming to ya."
The first guy is expecting a payoff or something, but alas, he always gets whacked.
So, sometimes "getting what's coming to ya" isn't that grand.
Here's an example:
It's 15 April, TAX DAY. I just hit the send button. But I didn't really want what I had coming to me. But I got what was coming to me. POW!!! BLAM!!! SHOT DEAD!!!
So, when I think about taxes or anything else, really, I think I've landed on something.
I'd like not to get what's coming to me.
I'd like to get something better.
Something I didn't deserve.
Where do I get some of that?
Good news is that there is some of this out there - It's called grace.
And God's sending some of it your way.
Hear all about it Sunday at 11:00am at New Life Westmoreland (1988 Kirby Road, McLean, VA).
Want to ponder the thought in advance? Check out John 6:29.
"I want what's coming to me."
The other person ominously promises:
"Yeah, you'll get what's coming to ya."
The first guy is expecting a payoff or something, but alas, he always gets whacked.
So, sometimes "getting what's coming to ya" isn't that grand.
Here's an example:
It's 15 April, TAX DAY. I just hit the send button. But I didn't really want what I had coming to me. But I got what was coming to me. POW!!! BLAM!!! SHOT DEAD!!!
So, when I think about taxes or anything else, really, I think I've landed on something.
I'd like not to get what's coming to me.
I'd like to get something better.
Something I didn't deserve.
Where do I get some of that?
Good news is that there is some of this out there - It's called grace.
And God's sending some of it your way.
Hear all about it Sunday at 11:00am at New Life Westmoreland (1988 Kirby Road, McLean, VA).
Want to ponder the thought in advance? Check out John 6:29.
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Rebel Yell
Bernie Madoff...
Governor Spitzer...
Michael Vick...
Kobe Bryant...
NBA Referee Tim Donaghy...
A-Rod...
Marion Jones...
Tonya Harding...
A couple others????
Living large and in charge! On top of the world! Masters of our own fate!
They don't answer to nobody, right?
The rules? They're for the little people.
We're never gonna get found out. We'll beat the odds. 'Cause we're different. We're unique.
They are rebels and proud of it.
Uh, that is, until they're not.
So, what if your rebellion doesn't make you unique, special, or different at all? What if you're just another link in a long, long, long--dare I say it again?--long chain, who'd make it work, get away with it, never get caught?
Well, striving to be a rebel pretty is familiar turf for God.
Join us Sunday for just one thought from Him on the subject.
I know you don't have time for two thoughts. But one? You've got time for one thought, don't you? Promise you'll have plenty of time the rest of the day for your rebel thing.
11:00am at 1988 Kirby Road, McLean, VA this Sunday.
Want to read an exciting reality adventure on being a rebel? Check out II Chronicles 36.
Governor Spitzer...
Michael Vick...
Kobe Bryant...
NBA Referee Tim Donaghy...
A-Rod...
Marion Jones...
Tonya Harding...
A couple others????
Living large and in charge! On top of the world! Masters of our own fate!
They don't answer to nobody, right?
The rules? They're for the little people.
We're never gonna get found out. We'll beat the odds. 'Cause we're different. We're unique.
They are rebels and proud of it.
Uh, that is, until they're not.
So, what if your rebellion doesn't make you unique, special, or different at all? What if you're just another link in a long, long, long--dare I say it again?--long chain, who'd make it work, get away with it, never get caught?
Well, striving to be a rebel pretty is familiar turf for God.
Join us Sunday for just one thought from Him on the subject.
I know you don't have time for two thoughts. But one? You've got time for one thought, don't you? Promise you'll have plenty of time the rest of the day for your rebel thing.
11:00am at 1988 Kirby Road, McLean, VA this Sunday.
Want to read an exciting reality adventure on being a rebel? Check out II Chronicles 36.
Friday, April 3, 2009
Who Made Up All the Rules, We Follow Them Like Fools*
*(First line of "They" by JEM)
Jenny was late! She was late! For a very important date!
This would be the perfect job, she thought. Only 15 minutes from home. Except now she has to make up the minutes lost searching for the keys. But how?
The complete answer never came, because the rolling stop through the intersection got her introduced immediately to a member of the motorcycle police force.
Fuming while waiting and waiting and waiting and waiting to get the bloody ticket, she reflected that this didn't seem fair.
She had, after all, stopped at that same sign hundreds of times in the past. Why doesn't she get some credit or something for all the times she obeyed the law? But, NOOOOOO! One violation, and BOOM, she's nabbed.
And then it hit her. The law is not her friend. It's never sitting there on the books to tell her how wonderful she is. Nope.
It's just sitting there waiting patiently for her to mess up. Just biding its time until she screws up just that one tiny bit.
And then Jenny reflected on the stuff she'd been hearing at church lately.
Hmmm... I wonder if that's what the pastor meant when he said we can never be good enough to make God happy by just following all the rules. Maybe God's rules are like this stupid stop sign. Only good for one thing--to accuse us when we violate them.
Because, oh yeah, she had violated a few of those God rules, too.
"Well, if the rules aren't the way to make God happy with me," she thought, "then what is?"
We hope Jenny is with us Sunday, when we explore that question. You might want to give a listen, too.
If you're inclined, read through Exodus 20.
Or hear the answer at 11:00 a.m. this Sunday at 1988 Kirby Road, McLean, VA.
Jenny was late! She was late! For a very important date!
This would be the perfect job, she thought. Only 15 minutes from home. Except now she has to make up the minutes lost searching for the keys. But how?
The complete answer never came, because the rolling stop through the intersection got her introduced immediately to a member of the motorcycle police force.
Fuming while waiting and waiting and waiting and waiting to get the bloody ticket, she reflected that this didn't seem fair.
She had, after all, stopped at that same sign hundreds of times in the past. Why doesn't she get some credit or something for all the times she obeyed the law? But, NOOOOOO! One violation, and BOOM, she's nabbed.
And then it hit her. The law is not her friend. It's never sitting there on the books to tell her how wonderful she is. Nope.
It's just sitting there waiting patiently for her to mess up. Just biding its time until she screws up just that one tiny bit.
And then Jenny reflected on the stuff she'd been hearing at church lately.
Hmmm... I wonder if that's what the pastor meant when he said we can never be good enough to make God happy by just following all the rules. Maybe God's rules are like this stupid stop sign. Only good for one thing--to accuse us when we violate them.
Because, oh yeah, she had violated a few of those God rules, too.
"Well, if the rules aren't the way to make God happy with me," she thought, "then what is?"
We hope Jenny is with us Sunday, when we explore that question. You might want to give a listen, too.
If you're inclined, read through Exodus 20.
Or hear the answer at 11:00 a.m. this Sunday at 1988 Kirby Road, McLean, VA.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Cleaning Up
We've all seen the pictures, haven't we?
The aftermath of a hurricane, or a flood, or a tornado that rips through a town. Everything is destroyed, covered in gooey muck, and washed away.
We see that imagine and think, "What if that were my home? My town? My mess? Where would I even begin? It's too massive to even come up with a game plan for cleaning this up!"
Truth is, you'd tackle the clean up just like those people. One board at a time, one branch at a time, one step at a time. Messes this big don't get cleaned up in a day or a week.
But then we go back some time later and are amazed to find that things are restored, homes rebuilt, the piles of debris are gone. Life has returned to some semblance of normalcy.
We've talked last week about why the world is in such a mess. And we found that it's not God's fault. It's ours. So, when God looks down and sees this world we totally messed up, it might have looked impossible, might have looked hopeless, might have looked irredeemable.
He could have just built a big wall around this world and starting up something new on some other planet.
But that's what separates God from the rest of us.
The mess we couldn't fix, He did. Want to know about his strategy?
Amazingly, He started just like we do in cleaning up after a tornado - with one branch, one board or, in this case, one man.
Genesis 11-15 might be some interesting reading in preparation.
Sunday at 11:00am, to hear more about the biggest clean up job in history.
The aftermath of a hurricane, or a flood, or a tornado that rips through a town. Everything is destroyed, covered in gooey muck, and washed away.
We see that imagine and think, "What if that were my home? My town? My mess? Where would I even begin? It's too massive to even come up with a game plan for cleaning this up!"
Truth is, you'd tackle the clean up just like those people. One board at a time, one branch at a time, one step at a time. Messes this big don't get cleaned up in a day or a week.
But then we go back some time later and are amazed to find that things are restored, homes rebuilt, the piles of debris are gone. Life has returned to some semblance of normalcy.
We've talked last week about why the world is in such a mess. And we found that it's not God's fault. It's ours. So, when God looks down and sees this world we totally messed up, it might have looked impossible, might have looked hopeless, might have looked irredeemable.
He could have just built a big wall around this world and starting up something new on some other planet.
But that's what separates God from the rest of us.
The mess we couldn't fix, He did. Want to know about his strategy?
Amazingly, He started just like we do in cleaning up after a tornado - with one branch, one board or, in this case, one man.
Genesis 11-15 might be some interesting reading in preparation.
Sunday at 11:00am, to hear more about the biggest clean up job in history.
New Life on TV!
In an effort to get a little website traffic and name recognition, New Life will be airing a series of "Random People" commercials on many of your favorite TV programing!
You might find these commercials on during programing on Comedy Central, TBS, and NBC so keep a look out!
The videos are 15 seconds each and very funny, so please let us know what you think!
You might find these commercials on during programing on Comedy Central, TBS, and NBC so keep a look out!
The videos are 15 seconds each and very funny, so please let us know what you think!
Thursday, March 19, 2009
What is wrong with the world today?
We first heard the news from my wife, Jackie's hairdresser who told her that the woman was brain dead.
It was pretty depressing that the accident had happened in the first place, but even more so that we were informed by a hairdresser! I was an intelligence analyst in the CIA; I'm supposed to know things!
So, it probably wasn't true.
I mean how could a hairdresser know about things that weren't even in the paper yet?
Then sure enough, I pick up the paper today to see that, yet again, hairdressers are pretty much clued in to everything.
Natasha Richardson, esteemed stage and screen actress, wife of Liam Neesom, dead at 45 from a fall on a bunny slope.
That's right... a bunny slope.
Somehow, we just know, don't we, that this isn't right?
We know Liam knows it isn't supposed to be this way. We know Natasha's two kids know it isn't supposed to be this way.
How can we make sense of something like this?
And for those who believe in God, there's this tendency to look toward the sky and ask: What are you thinking? Are you even thinking? Are you aware of what's going on down here?
Good questions, but are there good answers?
We'll give it a shot Sunday at 11:00 at 1988 Kirby Road in McLean.
The topic? Why is the World So Messed Up? Perspective is everything.
To get a head start open to the first story in the Bible - Genesis 1.
Or, if nothing bad has ever happened to you or anyone you know, feel free to take a pass on this one. I'm sure we'll do a message on "Being in Denial" soon.
It was pretty depressing that the accident had happened in the first place, but even more so that we were informed by a hairdresser! I was an intelligence analyst in the CIA; I'm supposed to know things!
So, it probably wasn't true.
I mean how could a hairdresser know about things that weren't even in the paper yet?
Then sure enough, I pick up the paper today to see that, yet again, hairdressers are pretty much clued in to everything.
Natasha Richardson, esteemed stage and screen actress, wife of Liam Neesom, dead at 45 from a fall on a bunny slope.
That's right... a bunny slope.
Somehow, we just know, don't we, that this isn't right?
We know Liam knows it isn't supposed to be this way. We know Natasha's two kids know it isn't supposed to be this way.
How can we make sense of something like this?
And for those who believe in God, there's this tendency to look toward the sky and ask: What are you thinking? Are you even thinking? Are you aware of what's going on down here?
Good questions, but are there good answers?
We'll give it a shot Sunday at 11:00 at 1988 Kirby Road in McLean.
The topic? Why is the World So Messed Up? Perspective is everything.
To get a head start open to the first story in the Bible - Genesis 1.
Or, if nothing bad has ever happened to you or anyone you know, feel free to take a pass on this one. I'm sure we'll do a message on "Being in Denial" soon.
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