Heaven and Earth – Hillsong Worship

Heaven and earth collide
The Savior for everyone has come
Bringing the dead to life
All for the glory of Your name

By His stripes we are healed
By His death we can live
In Jesus name, in Jesus name
All oppression will cease
Every captive released
In Jesus name, in Jesus name

 

This is the chorus from the song “Heaven and Earth” by Hillsong Worship.  I love this CD and this song in particular is really kicking my butt the last few days.   We get to interact with an amazing, BIG God and yet, we have our “smallness” in sin and our inadequacies.

The phrase “heaven and earth collide” is pretty accurate.  The word collision means “to strike one another or one against the other with a forceful impact;come into violent contact; crash; to clash; conflict”  Don’t you feel like there are days where your life and God’s will are just like rock ’em, sock ’em robots.  You want this, He want that. Bam! Pow!

Here is what is kicking my butt…the last line of the chorus – “In Jesus name.” That is slowing me down and making me ponder all that Christ has done for me.  Jesus changes everything.  No situation, circumstance or challenge can compare to my savior, sinless and the embodiment of God, hanging on a cross for me.  Also, it is in that same name, that gives me victory over those situations.  In other words, He not only paid the debt but also paved the way out of the challenge to receive the ultimate victory in the end.

Leave you with this challenge – Whatever you are facing today, good or bad, try looking at it from God’s perspective.  What would you want to see accomplished in you?  What would you see as the long-term effect?  What would you see that would build on your relationship?  Finally, how much weight would that decision have on your eternity?

“In Jesus’ name”…it will change your perspective.

 

 

I once heard someone say that of the four hundred plus leaders mentioned in the Bible, only twenty percent finished well in their faith.  

I am forty seven as I write this and I am closer to being on the “other side” of the hill.  I wonder what my last decades and years are going to look like at times.  I look back on those previous years with wonder and gratefulness.  There have definitely been challenges and painful situations but I would say that overall, it has been an amazing journey with God and those I love.

You can argue the accuracy of the opening statement in bold but the majority of people in the bible eventually fell into their own desires and will.  One who baffles me is Solomon.  When your father is “a man after God’s own heart” and you have more wisdom, money and resources than anyone else in the world, you would think you would have a basis for a successful, vibrant relationship with God.  In I King 11:4-8, it talks about how his wives turned him away from God.  He can’t play the blame game – he blew it.

How do you and I finish strong?  Here is a couple of thoughts:

• Stay Broken.  We were born into sin – we were broken before we took our first breath.  Accepting Christ and an ongoing relationship covers the price of our sin.  Even so, recognizing our human brokenness keeps a reliance on Christ to walk out each day.  In thinking we “have arrived,” we put the bullseye on ourselves that we can handle life’s challenges on our own.

 

• Stay in Communication.  Being around people every week at church, it is always fun to see people who attend on Easter and Christmas.  Since I stand at the stairs, they usually will recognize me and reaffirm our relationship.  After chatting for a few moments, one will say, “I will call you.”  We know that means the conversation is done and neither of us expect to have a phone conversation any time in the near future.  Hard but simple question – When is the last time you said to God, “I will call you.”

 

• Stay in Relationship.  One of the greatest tools of the enemy is for us to think we are “alone.”  In every circumstance, good or bad, he loves to twist the situation from “God is with us” to “where is God?” Or, “I did this myself, I do not need God.”  I have seen people that when they experience success, they don’t need God anymore.   I once was told by an upcoming businessman, “I have a great wife, kids I love and a job that is doing extremely well beyond my expectations.  I even know what you are going to say in the Bible, but “Why do I need God?”  Be very careful of what you think you have done “all by yourself.”  It can change very quickly.

 

• Stay in Awe.  I will always have a Children’s Pastor’s blood flowing through me.  My roles are so different now but I still want to look at things through the eyes of a child.  When we lose the ability to be amazed or in awe of something, I believe we lose creativity, imagination and a sense of fun in life and with God.  Stand on top of a mountain, wiggle your toes on a sandy seashore, hold a newborn baby, hug an older person, dance with a person in a wheel chair.  The list is endless.  God’s expression for us is the same way…always changing and keeping us in wonder.

 

• Stay in Love.  My marriage to Kristin is going to be at twenty seven years on May 14th.  I choose her every day over anyone else in this world.  It isn’t even a question of whether it is a good day or a bad day.  She is my love, my passion and everything I want in a wife.  I choose her.  That is how I approach God.  I choose Him.  No matter the circumstance, challenge, or victory – God is my God and I love him more than all the “little gods” that pop up in my life.  I choose to stay in love with him even when it doesn’t make sense.  Or, better yet, when it does make sense and I can easily take it for granted.  Love is a choice…I choose Him.

Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. —DEUTERONOMY 31: 6

 

I was on vacation when I took this picture.  It was dusk – the sun was setting and the low clouds made for an unusual sunset.  Instead of the fireball kissing the water and creating the huge color fest, it was muted.  As if daring the sun to try to find a way through, the clouds parted enough for just this one, small glimpse of the sun.

You might read this and think – that’s the way it is going for me.  I am doing everything I can to live for God and honor Him in all my ways and I feel like I am all alone.  I am like this picture.  I work so hard to do the “right things” and yet, where is God in my challenges and pain?

As we are preparing for the Freedom Encounter at Grace Family this upcoming weekend, I have been praying about people who are walking this path.  And so you know, you are not alone.  I think everyone goes through times when they feel “all alone.”  I know I have.  Even with a tremendous family and friends who love and support me, I get that “isolated” feeling at times.  It is an interesting place to be in when your journey leads you to places no one else can go to just because others are not you.

Therein is a lie and a truth.  The lie comes in the form of “you being the only one to experience this and that you were meant to fail.”  The enemy loves to use thoughts of isolation, condemnation and frustration to make us feel like we will never meet expectations of our own or others.  In Romans 1:25 NIV, the Bible says, “They exchanged the truth about God for a lie…”   So what is God’s truth?  The scripture above says it best; “He will never leave you nor forsake you.”  The truth is that God will “never” leave you alone.  Applying a loose definition of “never” to your situation – as bad, dark or difficult the circumstance – you will “always” have God to turn to and put your trust in.  There is always hope.

Life is real.  It has tremendous joys and challenges.  You can meet each one of those head on, with great confidence – you are never alone.

 

 

 

 

Easter 2015 is done.

I am writing this the morning after and I have lots of thoughts swirling in my head after my quiet time and my preparation time for the upcoming week. Indulge me to write in random observations…

• I didn’t preach six times live…How does Pastor Craig do that?
• I didn’t sit at all during those six services…now I know why I am tired.
• If a church doesn’t do a Good Friday  or Sunrise service, they are missing one of the coolest experiences.  They might be traditional, but young, cutting edge churches, enjoy the honoring of traditional. (Same goes true for 11pm on Christmas Eve!)
• The GFC staff on all of our campuses were tremendous – this is our Super Bowl and you are World Champions in my book!
• The GFC Volunteers on all of our campuses were awesome – you truly are the heart of GFC and it showed time and time again.  You might not think someone noticed what you did, but we did.  And they did…and most importantly, He did.
• I continue to be humbled by the Cross.  The song “We Thank You for the Cross” was powerful and such a great reminder of the price that was paid for me.
• I wish we could do more services in an open air setting – something cool about being outside and worshipping God.
• Our maintenance team cleaned up spills, up chucks, and did more environment turn overs than people will know…how do you take 1,500 hundred chairs and reset the courtyard, while baptisms are happening before the 9:30 service hits?  Wow!
• Speaking of baptism…72 people will be able to say they were baptized on Easter 2015 morning! That is huge!
• People ask what it is like to watch Casey lead worship – still gets me.  Watching him lead “Unto God” from the front row caused a couple of tears…never gets old.
• So many children – what a great thing!  GFC loves children!  P. Mike and Jeanna and all their teams bring God’s love to the next generation.
• Grateful to everyone who makes our strategy of campuses come to life.  Your willingness to “be out in the community,” allows us to do just that – “reach our community.”
• Being on staff does not eliminate you from the traffic when leaving an Easter service.  Even waiting till most of it is gone…you still get to practice the art of “patience and forgiveness.”
• One memory people will not see – sitting with P. Craig and Debbie before the last service.  We had 5 min. to sit before greeting the last service.  I am grateful that God led my family to come to GFC 20 years ago. I have been through so many holidays and services with my pastor.  He is truly everything I aspire to be as a pastor, leader and man of God.  He is the Best!
• Final memory – as my family gathered for Easter lunch to bless our meal – as I looked around the circle, I was humbled in the blessing I have in family.  I saw so many who took family pictures to remember the day.  We couldn’t do that because we were all over the place serving the church or others. But when we circled up, I knew how blessed I am.  You guys are my greatest gift!

Hey!  We have more services in six days…let’s do this!

 

Easter is the Superbowl of Christianity!

Christmas brings the celebration of Jesus’ birth to the forefront and all the world recognizes that day. Easter has even more significance because it remembers the three-day span in which Christ was arrested, put on trial, executed and then resurrected. While all humanity can say they were born, no one can say they accomplished what Jesus did. He is the only person and religious leader who ever predicted his death and resurrection and then it happened. Not only how he called it, but in accordance with every prophecy in the Bible about it.

So, how does a church get ready for Easter? At GFC, we do somethings different that week. One, we have a different service schedule. Easter is one weekend that most people who don’t attend regularly will attend. We offer services on Good Friday, at sun rise on Sunday and the other regular times. On the Van Dyke Campus, our staff and volunteers will park off campus and be shuttled to the church so we can accommodate the most people on the campus possible. We will bring in additional seating on all the campuses so everyone will have a place to sit and enjoy the service. Our amazing maintenance team has been working on special projects for weeks to ensure the campuses look their best. The staff will volunteer outside their regular jobs to help all the weekend ministries cover their responsibilities. Our children, youth and adult weekend ministries have been preparing special worship and teaching to capture the message and celebration of Christ’s resurrection. Countless volunteers will help out throughout the week and over the Easter weekend to make sure everything (and I mean everything) is covered.

You need to know that…really? You do because that is the heart beat of the church for people to know Christ. Other than the special service times and parking arrangements, all those people do the same things every week because they want someone to accept Christ as their Lord and Savior. I was walking through the sanctuary yesterday and a volunteer was restocking the commitment cards and pens in the chairs. He said he gives a few hours each week to do that. I didn’t know he did that and either did you. But when we reach for a pen, we are glad he did.

Easter is worth every bit of preparation. Lives will be impacted in a big way. And to many of us, Easter is every weekend because God is always impacting lives.