:// When the heat comes…

Trust is such a crazy concept if you really start thinking about it.

It asks you to believe in something you can’t see. It asks you to hope for the uncertain. It asks you to be confident in an outcome that has no guarantee…maybe even no evidence of it’s coming manifestation.

Trust requires you to make your move FIRST. To invest your portion FIRST. To take your step out FIRST. To lay it all on the line FIRST.

It is not within our human nature to be comfortable with this process. We want the answers, the guarantees and we want the proof that our action and investment is not going to waste. This is why trust is so difficult.

We don’t purchase a home until we see some warranties and guarantees on the building. We don’t invest a large portion of money into a mutual fund or other investment vehicle until we have evidence of the past record of proven positive performance. And likewise, it is very difficult for us to move out into obedience and sacrifice following the Lord’s leading into new territory - without a long list of evidence and proof that we’re going to make it.

But, I believe God works on a different system, and that system is based on TRUST.

Jeremiah 17:7-8 says; “Blessed is the man who TRUSTS in the Lord, whose CONFIDENCE is in him. He will be like a tree PLANTED BY WATER that SENDS OUT ROOTS by the stream. It does not fear WHEN THE HEAT COMES; its leaves are always green. It has NO WORRIES in a year of drought and NEVER FAILS to bear fruit.”

What I have been learning is that it is hardest for us to trust in God when the heat comes. In other words, when we are facing adversity, when we are walking through a desert season, when we are wrestling with surrender, or dealing with heavy temptation.  When there is no evidence of a positive outcome.  When all we see on the outside is drought, heat and dying… will we still trust in God?

This is when we should exercise our trust, and tap our spiritual roots underground (areas where no one else can see) into the streams of living water.  Then, when others are dying back…and failing to produce any fruit because of the negative circumstances, we have a full bloom of life and fruitfulness that will cause others to wonder: “How in the world are you staying alive and well through it all???”.

At that point, you will have one easy answer to one difficult process.

I chose to TRUST in God… and I am blessed because of it.

JJ

Purity vs. Proximity

I’ve been finishing up an eye opening book lately called ‘UnChristian’, written by David Kinnaman (President of the Barna Group - www.barna.org) and Gabe Lyons (founder of the Fermi Project - www.fermiproject.com).

This book comes out of a new research project, which describes the increasing negative reputation of Christians, especially among young Americans. It unveils the main criticisms held against Christians, and is helping me to understand why these negative images exist.

The back sleeve of the book describes it like this: “Christians are supposed to represent Christ to the world. But according to the latest report card, something has gone terribly wrong. Using descriptions like ‘hypocritical, ‘insensitive’ and ‘judgmental’, young Americans share an impression of Christians that’s nothing short of… unChristian”.

It’s pretty scary stuff. Scary but true, because I see it happening all over.

I think a big part of it comes out of the difference of values represented by our different generations.

If you look at the ‘Boomer’ generation, they are generally more focused on outward things, such as behavior, action, accomplishments, obedience, numbers. Even more, statistics say that they have a strong value system of right and wrong. Their values are based on black and white truth, and most of anything that doesn’t fit within that system is tossed.

If they’re not careful, it could quickly turn into a judgmental religiosity that lacks a healthy balance of love and grace.

Then you’ve got the Busters (my generation). As a whole, we tend to lean much more on relationships. That’s why I believe countless sub-cultures are popping up everywhere these days - it gives everyone a place to ‘belong’. That’s what seems so important to us - to belong. I remember back in my own days of high school, there were maybe 3 distinguishable cultures in the hallways. Now, there’s dozens, maybe even over a hundred that call out for the loyalty of teenagers.

But, in our quest for relational connection and belonging, the “morality line” our previous generation is holding so tightly to has begun to blur. I think what is driving this comes down to what I hear in my own generation so regularly now - ‘I want to be authentic.’ Keeping it real is a big buzz word and we want to stop pretending to be something we’re not, while being wide open about our faults.

We haven’t been careful in this, though. I’ve seen over the years as a Master’s Commission Director, how despite being exposed to regular messages on ethics and morality, our generation does not seem to be getting the message. It seems to me that more and more young Christians are living out their faith with deepening moral laxity… and it doesn’t bother them that much.

In my own eyes, this looks like a battle between truth and grace. One generation is fighting for absolute truth and spiritual morality. The other is fighting for the power of grace, and spiritual relevancy.

I don’t know if anyone is winning.

Actually, I think it’s only provoking a deeper divide between us. And, the world is watching us with the same skepticism like they’re watching the Democrats beat each other’s heads in right now.

So, on all this, there is a particular chapter in ‘unChristian’ that is hammering away at my own heart, and I wanted to share the reading and my thoughts on it with you.

“Being salt and light demands two things: we practice purity in the midst of a fallen world and yet we live in proximity to this fallen world. If you don’t hold up both truths in tension, you invariably become useless and separated from the world God loves. For example, if you only practice purity apart from proximity to the culture, you inevitably become pietistic, separatist and conceited. If you live in close proximity to the culture without also living in a holy manner, you become indistinguishable from fallen culture and useless in God’s Kingdom“.

Wow. Doesn’t this just nail it?

How many times have we seen someone get pushed out of church, because they couldn’t ‘meet up’ to the standard portrayed by a Christian of how to live for Jesus?

And, how many times have we seen someone back out of church, because all they saw was hypocrisy lived out by someone proclaiming to be a Christ follower, who’s life was a far cry from the integrity Jesus desires?

I wonder if we could embrace His love and law at that same time. I wonder if we could hold on strong to truth and grace together. Because, truth without grace is only legalism, and grace without truth is mere compromise.

I wonder what our churches would look like if we were able to walk in purity and proximity together…

JJ

Nothing.

The other night, I got the opportunity to preach a brand new message God has been stirring in my heart lately… and it was all about “Nothing”

Now, before you drift away on the basis of the title, please let me explain.

We serve a compassionate and loving God who is mighty in miracles and supernatural intervention. My own life is littered with testimonies of His love, provision, healing and grace in my greatest time of need.

But - what should we do when life hands us nothing? What should we do when we pray and hear nothing? What should we do when we need a miracle, and get nothing? When God says nothing? When God does nothing? When God gives nothing?

When God is Absent. When He is Silent. When He is Dormant.

When we end up praying prayers like:

Where are you God? Why aren’t you intervening? Why am I not healed? Why am I not delivered? Why aren’t you speaking to me? Why am I not seeing this miracle? Why won’t this mountain be moved?

When discouragement prevails, and we might begin to believe the lie that God is indeed ‘against’ us, instead of being ‘for’ us.

What should we do in moments like these? When we don’t have all the right answers in a neat little box we can pull out in the middle of our circumstances. When we don’t have much strength to keep struggling through the moment. When all we want to do is give up or give in.

In my short experience of serving God, I’ve learned that He doesn’t always make sense. God doesn’t always intervene, and He doesn’t always send his angels.

And what are we supposed to do with that?

All I know to do is go back to His Word, and HABAKKUK 3:17-19 speaks directly to this kind of situation.

‘Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior. The Sovereign LORD is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to go on the heights.’

This is the great song of ‘Nevertheless’. Though my life is falling apart in every way I could imagine, nevertheless I will still find a place of joy in the Lord. He will still give me the strength to make it through.

This praise isn’t birthed out of victory and prosperity, but defeat and poverty.

It is a refusal to let the troubles we’re facing be bigger than God.

As I was studying and preparing for this, this statement kept resounding in my heart: He is the Great I AM, not the I WAS, and not the I WILL BE.

He is present with us in the moment, and has not abandoned us at all. Though everything inside of us is screaming such things. There must be a reason for all of this then.

Maybe, when all we see is ‘nothing’… God is actually up to something.

There’s no better example of this in the Scriptures that I know of than that of Jesus.

HE WAS REDUCED TO ABSOLUTELY NOTHING.

The most sophisticated religious system of its time allied itself with the most powerful political empire against a solitary figure, the only perfect man who ever lived.

No miracles broke in.
No supernatural rescue attempts.
Nothing.

In Gethsemane, Jesus told the disciples His soul was overwhelmed to point of death, and that they should stay with him and keep a prayer watch. Yet, they failed Him by falling asleep. The only time Jesus really needed His disciples, and they gave Him Nothing.

Beyond that, I believe Gethsemane depicts the story of unanswered prayer. We see Jesus asking for the cup to pass from Him, but the cup of suffering was not removed. Prayers went up, but Nothing came down.

We know that Judas betrayed Him.

We know that all of the disciples abandoned Him. When it became clear that Jesus kind of kingdom led to a cross, and not a throne, all the disciples fled. Couldn’t they have finished this journey together with Him? When He needed somebody to walk Him through His pain, they abandoned Him. The result of pouring His whole life into them for 3.5 years amounted to Nothing.

We know that Peter denied Him.

We know that in all of His trials and interrogations, not a single witness rose to His defense. No leader had the nerve to speak out against the impending injustice. Nothing was done to defend Him.

We know that He took a terrible beating for us all. The guards flogged Him, beat Him to a pulp, spit on Him, pulled out His beard, stripped Him naked. There was no one there to protect Him. He was physically reduced to NOTHING.

He lost His family, His leadership, His prominence, His comfort, His dignity.

Matthew and Mark quote Jesus’ last words as “My God, My God why have you forsaken me?”

All His other prayers listed in the gospel, Jesus addressed Him as “Abba” or “Father”, but this time, Jesus used the formal, distant word “God”. Maybe He was expressing a strong sense of abandonment.

When it seems like God has abandoned us, we have to look past the pain of the moment and know He has bigger purposes. How can I say this?

Because, we are all here today, because God did NOTHING on that day.

Hang in there, whatever you are going through. You never know what is going to be birthed out of our own Nothings.

JJ

High Places

FYI - I just uploaded a new message on my Podcast called “High Places”. I preached it last Fall for the first and only time so far. I’ve put a small overview of the message below…

You read continually in the Old Testament how many of the kings did what was right in the eyes of the Lord. But for all of the God-pleasing that they did, they neglected to tear down the high places. For 280 years, dozens of kings sat in rule over Israel and Judah, and many of them really did have a heart after God.

BUT - they would not, or could not, tear down the HIGH PLACES. These were altars that were set up by Jeroboam to steal Israel’s loyalty away from the current King of Israel (and TRUE King - Jehovah).

We then can look at our own lives and see where we strive to do what is right in the eyes of the Lord, but we refuse to tear down the high places. The places of compromise. The places of hidden sin. The places of our habits. We spend our lives trying to please God, but it is these high places, these places out of the way, and out of our sight, that work against what God is trying to do in our lives.

It is time we take a look at our high places.

Fast forward to the present day… and us living out our faith walks for Christ.

Many of us work hard to follow in the ways of the LORD. Yet it’s common for the enemy to work just as hard to set up his own high places in our midst. The majority of our lives seem to be under God’s control (just like the kings of Israel) but there is a particular “High Place” that has been in our life for so long - defying God and His plans for us. This “high place” could be represent walls in our marriage, abusive or absent parents, addictions, generational curses, anger, mind games, guilt, fear, a lack of His prosperity, unsaved loved ones, broken relationships, unforgiveness, self doubt, etc.

Whatever it is, we have battled with it for a long time, and we’ve learned to co-exist with it - instead of conquering it. Some of us are convinced we cannot tear them down… and others of us plainly just don’t want to.

Either way… there IS hope.

I read about it in 2 KINGS 23:14-16.

14 Josiah smashed the sacred stones and cut down the Asherah poles and covered the sites with human bones. 15 Even the altar at Bethel, the high place made by Jeroboam son of Nebat, who had caused Israel to sin—even that altar and high place he demolished. He burned the high place and ground it to powder, and burned the Asherah pole also. 16 Then Josiah looked around, and when he saw the tombs that were there on the hillside, he had the bones removed from them and burned on the altar to defile it, in accordance with the word of the LORD proclaimed by the man of God who foretold these things.

Josiah had the guts to go after the very thing that no one else had the courage, or the audacity, to tear down. After he read the Book of the Law (God’s Word), he was convicted of the way that they were all living, and decided to cleanse the land of EVERY high place that stood in defiance of God.

Even Jeroboam’s.

NOBODY went after Jeroboam’s.  Except Josiah.

Because of this - it was written of him that neither before, or after him, was there a King who performed such a cleansing of the land as he did.

It is time for us to follow the footsteps of Josiah.

It is time that we see the ‘High Places’ for what they are - idols that set themselves up against the holiness of God in our lives. It is time that we don’t allow these things to take away from the abundant life that God offers us. It is time that we go beyond, and live in a victory that speaks, so that when others are describing our lives, they cannot say of us; ‘they pleased the Lord, but did not remove the high places.’

Hope you enjoy the message…

JJ

Podcast Release Official ::

Well, it is official - The Epic Change Podcast is now on iTunes! I will be uploading brand new messages every week, so be sure to subscribe by following the instructions below. It’s really easy, I promise… just make sure you have iTunes on your computer!

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You can subscribe to the Podcast automatically through iTunes, by CLICKING HERE and then making sure to click the “SUBSCRIBE” button on my iTunes Podcast homepage once you get there.

iTunes displays your Podcast playlist, which shows all of the podcasts to which you have subscribed. Next to the new podcast subscription, you should see an orange circle, which indicates that iTunes is downloading the most recent episode. When the orange circle disappears, you should be able to see the podcast title, a list of all the episodes downloaded, and a check next to the most recent episode, indicating that it has been successfully downloaded. Double-click on the episode to play it in iTunes. If you can play the episode, then you have successfully subscribed to the Epic Change podcast!

Enjoy!

JJ

ZENN

No, not Zen buddhism… much better - it’s the all new Zenn car!

The Zenn (which stands for Zero Emission, No Noise), available since February from Feel Good Cars subsidiary Zenn Motors, can be purchased from 33 dealerships throughout 20 U.S. states.

Priced around $13,000, the car offers a driving range of up to 35 miles per charge. And while the car can go faster, it tops out at 25 mph, in keeping with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards and Regulations for this type of car.

Ironically, while the Zenn was developed by a publicly traded company based in Canada, it has not yet been approved for street-legal driving in Canadian provinces. Go figure - leave it up to us Canadians to let a great idea get caught up in bureaucracy!

Check out their website HERE.

You know, if you’re upset about rising gas prices… this car doesn’t even have a gas tank! Just plug it in to your neighbors wall outlet and have at it! OK, well don’t do that to your neighbor…

JJ.

Democracy or Theocracy?

I’ve been doing some thinking on spiritual authority… and it seems as though we live in an era where Judges 21:25 is more prevalent than ever - when “everyone did what was right in his own eyes”.

If you ask 10 different people on the street the question; “what are your religious beliefs”, it’s probable that you’re going to get 10 different answers… once you go a few steps deeper than ‘I believe in (a) God’ of course. What is even more frightening is that you’re likely to hear 10 different reasons of why.

Sometimes I wonder if the same issue exists within the walls of Jesus’ church. I know we all believe in and serve the same God - but when it comes down to how we devote our lives to Him, things begin to look a lot different.

It’s almost as if we’re viewing ourselves as being autonomous (self-law), with no higher authority than ourselves… making it all up as we go along, depending on what we feel is right and what serves our lifestyle best.

I would call this Relative Morality - the opposite of Absolute Truth.

Now, it is pretty evident in the current season of our American Presidential elections, that we live in a Democracy - a system where we can vote in and out our highest leadership and government. A system that essentially allows us to put people into leadership that we believe reflect OUR values and beliefs… people that will fight for what WE think is right.

I think this is a great system for politics.

I don’t think this is a great system for spiritual development and discipleship.

What if we treated God how we treat politics? Would we ever vote God out of being God? I know that in the past, churches have voted their lead pastors out of the pulpit. What if we’re fighting harder for what is more important to US than what is right?

If you read 1 Samuel 8, you’ll find Israel pleading with Samuel for a King… and their reasoning was culture based. They said they wanted to be like all the other nations who had a king to rule over them as well. Essentially, they rejected what God had for them, to embrace what the latest trends were in the local cultures. God told them He would be their King, and that He would do a much better job than any man ever could.

But - they wouldn’t listen. Their ‘democracy’ overruled His ‘theocracy’.

Culture won out over Conviction.

Looking across the cultures of our world, there isn’t a uniform concept of right and wrong. For example, some cultures out there practice polygamy, while others endorse monogamy. Some cultures consider it a moral obligation to give one of their children to an infertile couple, while others, such as certain Eskimo groups, practice euthanasia and infantacide. Among the Auca Indians of South America, treachery was considered to be virtuous. In fact, after sharing the Gospel with them, the missionaries were shocked to learn that they saw Judas as the hero of the Gospel, not Jesus! What the natives of Polynesia considered wrong is wild - despite the fact that women had much freedom in the area of sexual relations, it was ‘taboo’ to eat a meal with someone of the opposite sex.

Wow.

If that was the case here, I would be going to hell on a rocket ship. OK, don’t get bent out of shape here… stay with me! I just wanted to get you smiling =)

But, seriously - in view of such moral diversity, we should be scared to base our beliefs on what our culture says is right and wrong.

Unfortunately, this more ‘enlightened’ way of viewing morality causes its very foundation to be set on a moving target… if we let culture define our morality and convictions, we push God and His truth out of the picture, ultimately letting go of any true standard binding us to a higher way of living.

We, just like Israel, push our spiritual democracy through, and reject His theocracy.

I guess we could call that rebellion… and to rebel is to set up a counter authority.

So next time, or maybe even today, as we’re establishing our boundaries, our convictions and our values, let’s all remember that you are either UNDER authority or OPPOSING it. Let’s remember to follow what Phillippians 2:12 says: “…continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling.” Let’s remember to put what God wants for us before what we want for ourselves.

That’s enough writing for today =)

JJ.

Worship Presentation Software for MAC.

Just a quick little tech note for you Mac users out there…

On January 31, Renovatio Software released the “iWorship” software download on apple.com. The download is a 30 day trial, and if you like it enough, get a check out for $500 for the full license.

Here’s some of the key features:

Key Features:
- No limits on concurrent uses - no need to pay extra for a “site license”
- Slick, intuitive interface - virtually no learning curve, even for the beginner.
- High-Definition video playback support.
- Play DVD videos from directly within iWorship.
- Live video from any connected FireWire or USB camera streamed under your text.
- Instantly adapts to playback monitor - zero configuration required.
- Blazing fast editing - easily edit slides directly in the thumbnails.
- Live spell check happens automatically as you type.
- .Mac integration - works with Backup to keep your library safe on your iDisk.

If you’re interested, you can read more here.

JJ

:: This is the way to dream ::

I was reading a leadership blog this morning, and I came across this article where the Ben Arment says:

“So I’m sitting in Starbuck’s yesterday enjoying a fine beverage, and this dude sits at the counter, sets up a whiteboard, and starts scratching away with ideas. I was floored. I’ve seen crackberrys, laptops, tablet PCs and iPhones… but this is the first time I’ve seen an actual whiteboard on location.”

What better environment than Starbucks to start dreaming with a whiteboard… Staples, here I come =)

By the Way… speaking of Starbuck’s - beginning this spring, Starbuck’s Card holders can enjoy up to two hours of free Wi-Fi service per day at Starbuck’s locations offering Wi-Fi access! Tell me this isn’t long overdue… you can read more about this at http://www.starbucks.com/aboutus/pressdesc.asp?id=827

JJ

Time stands still

OK, this is really cool. It doesn’t have much spiritual significance, but I love the creativity and boldness.

200 people made time stand still at Grand Central Station in New York City - for 5 minutes. “Improv Everywhere” Agents froze in place at the exact same second in the Main Concourse of Grand Central Station. Over 500,000 people rush through Grand Central every day, but today, things slowed down just a bit as commuters and tourists alike stopped to notice what was happening around them.  Thanks to Danislinus for the good find.

Watch this video and be WOWED.

JJ