robdale.ca

Okay, just had to post this one … thought it was hilarious!

Yes, a church found on a nudist colony … and yes, a pastor preaching in the buff. If you just ate, you may not want to watch!

You can see the original article here.

I just found a new blog that I am loving … there are some great posts there on spirituality as it relates to pop culture.

I read this post today and thought I’d pass it on to you all:

The idea of “the one” or a “soul-mate” is quite common in popular culture today.  The Twilight series based 4 rather lengthy books on this concept (I am not sure how, but its an impressive feat nonetheless).  I will never forget Serendipity, whose plot is based on two people who met briefly in the past who later in life attempt to reconnect because they simply feel that they are “the one.”  Even some of the most popular romantic comedies play off this idea on some level–Sleepless in Seatle, You’ve Got Mail, and Hitch come to mind.   Rarely in these movies are the consequences of “the one” mentality played out in any sort of realistic way.  Rarely do these movies take an honest look at what effect looking for “the one” has on the people closest to us. In fact, in most the movies I have mentioned, there are perfectly nice and likable people who are left alone simply because they are not “the one.”  Their stories are rarely told and their scars are most often overlooked.

The typical romance movie rarely tells the tales of the effects of the separations and family breakups caused by faith in “the one.”  In the rare instance that they do tell such a story, it is unrealistically portrayed as acceptable and hurt-free.  I can’t interpret this in any other way than an elevation of personal human freedom and happiness over commitment, sacrifice, and faithfulness.  Such Hollywood love, excuses far-reaching relational sins and makes joy in relationships purely circumstantial.

Many Christians have picked up this idea of “the one” and treated it almost as if it were biblical dogma.  Matt Chandler has called this “the one idolatry.”  He points out that Christians sometimes look so fervently for the perfect mate that they begin to worship the idea of a perfect woman or man that in fact does not exist.  I have personally witnessed young Christians pass up on relationships with very godly people based solely on feelings or break off relationships with a potential godly spouse because, “I just don’t think he/she is the one.”

Let it be known that I fully believe that God is sovereign over all things (Eph. 1:11).  I fully believe that He knows who you will marry as He knows all things.  However, I think that such knowledge is too wonderful for us (Psalm 139:6).  In addition, I often tell the single folks in my church, “don’t follow your heart!”  Why?  Because your heat is deceitful above all things (Jer. 17:9).  And in general, Scripture discourages making big decisions based on signs in the sky.

Three reasons why the search for “the one” is unhealthy:

1.  As I already said, the heart is deceitful above all things (Jer. 17:9; Mark 7:21).  So listening to your heart, quite frankly, can be very dangerous.  Certainly Christians have the Holy Spirit living in them and receive guidance from the HS, but this side of eternity we will always be fighting our sin nature and bottom line, your feelings cannot always be trusted.  God’s Word, on the other hand is trustworthy in all things.

2. “The One” mentality undermines the Bible’s teaching on the enduring nature of marriage.  People get divorces left and right today simply because they are not happy.  I don’t think that is a legitimate ground for a divorce.  “So they are no longer two but one flesh.  What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate” (Matt. 19:6).  God intends for Christian marriages to last so long as both spouses live.  We could talk about exceptions to that rule, but certainly I think we would all agree that that is God’s design for marriage.  The idea of “the one” elevates immediate, individual human happiness over the lasting joy that is found in Christ-like enduring loyalty.

3.  Scripture just doesn’t give us any indication that believers are to look for signs and wonders as they search for a spouse (Matt. 4:7).  One might argue that Isaac was told to look for signs, but that is a pretty unique instance and I don’t think that is normative for all believers.  What Scripture does give us plenty of is commands for husbands and wives.  So what I encourage singles who want to be married to do, is look for those attributes in their spouse.  And in all honesty, there is only one clear requirement for Christians in terms of marriage–”do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers” (2 Cor. 6:4).  Look for someone who loves the Lord, everything else is secondary.  I would also encourage single to marry someone they are attracted to, though even this can be taken way too far.  Bottom line is that you probably won’t marry someone you are not attracted to, but true attraction is far deeper than physical.  Compatibility is probably important, but it is often taken too far in my opinion.  Further, compatibility is something that can grow over time as you learn to appreciate and understand your spouse.  The idea of “the one” does not encourage such growth but rather encourages despair when a certain level of compatibility is absent in a relationship.

So what should single Christians look for in a potential spouse.  Its pretty simple.  Someone who loves the Lord (more than just on the surface–which probably involves some thoughtful investigation rather than just accepting their testimony) and someone you are attracted to (and I do not mean mere physical attraction, don’t forget God intends for marriage to be a enduring union).

Finally let me say to all of you who are married, please don’t go home tonight and tell your spouse, “you are NOT the one.”  Instead I would say with Matt Chandler, “I know you are the one because I married you and as long as we both live, you are THE one and I love you and I will sacrifice in order to grow to love you more.”  To my wife and I that is far more romantic anyway.

So, what do you think?

We are all aware of the devastation that has taken place in Haiti this past week. The images that come across our televisions and over the internet can be incredibly disturbing. I can’t imagine how difficult those images must be for those who continue to seek loved ones who have yet to make contact.

Last night, at Bikers’ Church, I shared a few thoughts on Haiti. One of our members, Ronald, is Haitian, and he has loved ones that are still missing. Ronald share a few thoughts with us and then we prayed together (the video of that service should be online by Saturday afternoon).

Ronald said something that I had not considered. He spoke of hope rising up from the destruction. Haiti is a country that has been in turmoil for most of its history. Over the past few years, they have begun to see change, but it is slow coming. Ronald believes that out of this destruction comes the possibility of unity. Perhaps when the country is at its weakest, people will stop fighting and come together to see restoration. I know that will be part of my prayer for Haiti.

I wish I had an answer for why things like this happen. I don’t. I wont pretend to know the will of God. But I do know this: as his followers, we are called to help. Rather than focus on the why, let’s turn our attention to the how: as in, how can I help?

In a week or two, the major media outlets will turn their attention to some other world issue. But Haiti will still need our help. They will still need our support. Let’s rise up and help a nation come together and turn the tide of a very difficult history.

UPDATE

My friend Don sent out this link to a missionary couple in Haiti. I encourage you to visit their site and stay up to date.

I realize that I have a wide variety of people who read my blog. Some of you are connected to me through The Bikers’ Church. Some are friends on Twitter. And others have found your way to this blog after following the daily devotional I write called The Oil Change. Many of you have a strong spiritual faith and love it when I focus on spirituality. Others of you are not that interested in spiritual things and yet share my love of motorcycles and enjoy those types of posts more.

Pro Bloggers would suggest I am better off writing two separate blogs. One that focuses on spirituality and the other that writes specifically are my love of riding. And yet, I cringe at the thought of doing that.

You see, this blog is about my reflections along the journey. What journey is that? The journey of life. A journey, that for me, includes my spirituality and my passion for riding. It would be almost impossible for me to separate the two. When I ride, I experience some of my most profound spiritual moments. And when I am connecting to God, I often feel my passion for riding increase. After all, it was God who wired me to love motorcycles the way I do.

I have come to believe something very strongly: your spirituality is not something you tack on to everything else about your life. In other words, you can’t truly relegate your spirituality to a one hour slot on Sunday morning (or in the case of Bikers’ Church, Thursday night). There isn’t the spiritual life and the secular life. There’s just life. Period.

My spirituality should permeate everything about me. How I watch the news, the entertainment I enjoy, the conversations I have. My spirituality should influence all of those things. Because it’s lived out in all those things.

The same is true of my biker lifestyle. I view life from the eyes of a biker. I see fashion from the eyes of a biker (some would suggest it’s a lack of fashion). Even though we have a few feet of snow on the ground, my heart still skips a beat when I go into my garage and see my bike sitting there. It’s “naked” right now, because my tank and fenders are off the bike, yet I still smile when I see it.

I guess what I’m trying to say is maybe it’s time to stop segregating your life into all kinds of different compartments. Rather than seeing each aspect of what makes you the person you are as individual traits, it’s time to see how all of those things combine together to make you the person God created you to be.

One of my goals in 2010 is to stop referring to “my spiritual life”, “my biker views”, my “canadian attitude”, etc. and just start seeing it all as “my life.” Me.

What do you think?

Well, I’m sitting in my office for the first time in 2010. While I’ve been back from my Rest Stop for almost a month now, I feel like I’m only now getting started. I believe that this year is going to be such a significant year in which God does some truly amazing things. As I stare at my two monitors, I’m reminded of what is truly important: my family and my faith.

My Family

This may be Brit’s last year living at home. In June, she’ll graduate from high school and in September, she’ll enter college. She’s applied at three different colleges, only one of them is here in Ottawa. Even if she gets into the Ottawa school, she may consider living on campus. Still, her first choice is one of the schools a few hours away.

Christina is growing up quickly and I love seeing her begin to focus more on her own areas of passion. In many ways, she is very much like her sister, but in other areas, she is clearly her own person. I love that. While Christina has already spent a year without her sister around (when Brit was in Costa Rica), it will still be different for her to experience teenage life without her big sister around as much.

Heather headed back to work this morning and will slowly get back into the swing of things. During the later part of 2009, she really saw her faith and her focus go to the next level, and I’m excited to see what will happen in her life in 2010. Much of the Extreme Faith theme for 2010 is a result of her, and I believe she will play in integral part in Bikers’ Church as we move forward.

Extreme Faith

Speaking of Bikers’ Church, I am truly excited about the theme we have for the year. This isn’t just a one month series, but a year long focus. What does it truly mean to live a life full of faith? What would happen if we lived each day believing in God’s ability to accomplish his will through us? What would it be like to have an authentic faith like that of the First Century Church?

I’m not sure I can fully answer those questions, yet. However, I look forward to the journey that the entire church will take over the course of the next twelve months. I truly believe it will change us dramatically.

And so, I sit here, looking at my monitors, asking God to lead me through this year. I feel inadequate. I feel unworthy of the task. Without God, we will fail. I will fail. But with God … well, all things are possible.

I’m ready. Are you?

Happy New Year!

It’s hard to believe it’s been ten years since Y2K. What a decade. Think about it, three of the most significant ways I communicate with people didn’t exist ten years ago. Twitter, Facebook, and WordPress.org blogs. Amazing.

But, this isn’t a post about the past decade, or even the past year.

This is a post about 2010. And, more specifically, two resolutions I’ve made for the upcoming year.

Normally, I don’t make resolutions. Never really have. But, this year, there are two things I feel strongly that I need to do, and I want to share them with you as a way of being publicly accountable. There’s something about making known a resolution. People can ask you how it’s going. In fact, I plan to share my progress with all of you, cause I know you care THAT much!

So, here they are:

1. Read the entire Bible

Yes, I’ve read through the entire Bible before. Probably a few times. But it’s been too long since I’ve done it just for me. In other words, not studying it for sermon material or for writing Oil Changes. But, just doing it for personal growth. So, I’m doing it this year. The entire Bible in 365 days.

I have a secret weapon I’m using in my quest to read through the Bible. It’s called YouVersion. If you haven’t discovered YouVersion yet, you need to. Go to their site and create an account. It is one of the best online Bible resources available. Not only can you read the Bible on your computer, you can also find all kinds of articles written for the various passages you’re reading. Heck, there might even be a few articles written by me.

YouVersion recently introduced Bible Reading Plans. I’ve used a reading plan in the past, and they are an excellent way to stay on track. What’s amazing about the YouVersion reading plans is they synchronize between your computer and your mobile phone. For me, that means I can follow my reading plan on my MacBook Pro or on my iPhone.

I’m going to use the Life Journal Reading Plan for 2010. Feel free to join me if you’d like. If you want to start with something a little less demanding, check out all their reading plans. Some cover just the Gospels, others involve only certain parts of the Bible. Some are for a full year, some are for only a month or two.

2. Forty Books

The other thing I plan on doing for 2010 is read a lot more books. There was a time when I was a huge reader. I probably still read more than the average person (I think I managed to read about 25 books in 2009), but I want to take in more variety of reading in 2010. So, 40 books it is. I wont write full reviews of all 40 books, but I will share what I’m reading and perhaps offer a few thoughts on some of the books. I’ll certainly highlight books that I think would benefit others.

Those who know me well, know that I value reading. Actually, I value learning. I just happen to learn through reading. I discovered books thanks to a mom who loved reading. Mom always – I mean always – had a book on the go. I love the fact that both my daughters love reading. Heather would love to read more, but she struggles with most books. So, she’s trying a new approach. She’s picked up a couple of audio books.

The point is not that everyone should have a book opened all the time. But everyone should have a goal to learn something all the time. Discover the insights of different people. Use books, blogs, audio and video podcasts.

How?

I know what you’re thinking: that’s cool for you. After all, you only work ONE day a week. You have time to do all this reading.

And, in a way, that’s true. Not the “work one day a week” part, but I do have the luxury of taking an hour here or there to read during the day. Although, to be honest, most of my reading is not done in the middle of the day. It’s done early in the morning or late at night. It’s done on the weekends. It’s done during my lunch.

In fact, one of the ways I plan on accomplishing my goal of reading both the Bible and other books is getting up earlier. I’m going to devote some time first thing in the morning, before anyone else is awake, to read. If I spend 30-60 minutes each morning reading, I will have no problem keeping my goal.

So, there you have it. It’s out here for all of you to see. Feel free to ask me how it’s going any time. If you

What about you? Any resolutions you’re making for 2010? Any of you want to join me in following a reading plan on YouVersion?

I’d love to read your thoughts in the comments section.

Every once in awhile, a book comes along and just the perfect time. That was the case with Mark Batterson’s newest release, Primal. I was sent a free copy of this book a few weeks ago with the agreement to blog about it once I was done. I planned to share my thoughts, good or bad.

What I didn’t expect was to have the book impact me the way it did. In fact, few books have ever stirred me up the way this one has. It’s that good. It’s that inspirational.

Batterson focuses on one verse in the Bible, Luke 10:27, “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind.” What would it be like to love God in each of the four areas? How would you live differently if you did?

As I launched into the book, I didn’t expect much from it, to be honest. After all, as a pastor, I’ve read that passage a thousand times. I simply didn’t expect that Batterson could offer a fresh perspective on the verse.

Boy, was I wrong.

I couldn’t put it down. It challenged me on so many levels. Perhaps it’s because I’m going to be doing a sermon series called Extreme Faith in January. My focus for that series is similar to the focus of Primal. Maybe that’s why it struck such a nerve with me. I don’t know. All I know is that I would continually find myself putting the book down at the end of a chapter, and praying that God would ignite that kind of love in my heart.

I have Batterson’s other books, but haven’t read them. With Primal, he has become one of my favourite authors. It’s that good.

Primal is being released today. You can find it at Amazon.com. It’s a must read.

Have you ever considered what kind of story you are writing with your life? You do realize that you are writing a story, right? We all are. Like it or not. Each day, we wake up to a blank page and write. For the most part, what is written that day depends on each of us. Our story builds on what was written the day before. It follows along the theme of what we’ve accomplished to this point. And yet, at any time, we can make the choice to change direction with the story.

Many people don’t like the story they are writing. And so, they ignore the book. They pretend the words aren’t really be written. They dive into some kind of make believe story and imagine their life differently. They go online and create a persona that really isn’t them. They watch movies and imagine themselves the hero, or the villan.

And yet, each day, another page is written in their own story. What are you writing?

There are a few things that have caused me to think more about this question. If you’ll indulge me, I’d like to share them with you. I’ll try to do this quickly, because I know most of you are pretty busy getting the final things done before Christmas. But, if you take the time to read this post to the very end, you may discover the best Christmas present you could give yourself.

Let me share three things.

First, I was struck yesterday by a tweet that came across my twitter account. A pastor wrote, “can’t imagine the pain of launching a church, watching it grow, stepping down in shame, & seeing a new pastor step up. Praying 4 ______”. I didn’t know the name of the person he was praying for, but I clicked on their twitter name and then went to the blog linked to his account. He planted a church eight years ago and was seeing amazing things done. And then, a six week affair brought everything crashing to the ground. Yesterday, that church announced the name of the pastor who would replace him. As I read his blog, I found a man who was trying to get his life back on track. It’s been six months since his actions became public. Today, he inspects roofs for an insurance company. He is separated from his wife and children, but his focus is to repair the damage he has caused to those relationships. He doesn’t want people to feel sorry for him. His wife and children are the victims. Still, yesterday must have been an incredible day of mixed emotions. On his own twitter account, he celebrated the announcement of a new pastor and wished him and the church nothing but God’s best, and yet still … it would have been a tough day. This pastor wakes up each morning and faces a blank page. He is writing a story that hopefully will describe how God can raise up a broken man. God is the God of Second Chances.

His story struck me because I often hear people tell me that they’ve given up on their own story. They failed miserably. For thirty or forty years, the pages of their life have been fill with failure. Broken relationships, missed opportunities, crushed promises. Rather than see the blank page in front of them today, they see the mess of a page from yesterday. Again, God is the God of Second Chances.

The second thing has me thinking about story took place a year ago. As many of you know, I have to amazing daughters. One is seventeen, the other is eleven. I’m still enjoying being a dad. That’s my focus. Most of my closest friends are in that stage of enjoying parenthood. However, a little over a year ago, a little baby boy was born. His name is Landon. Landon’s mom and dad are like adopted kids to me. Landon’s grandparent’s are some of my closest friends. Heck, I’m even known as “Papa Rob” to Landon (not that he really knows that name yet, he’s only one after all. But, he will.).

This morning, I was thinking about Landon’s grandfather, John. Actually, I was thinking about Landon in twenty five years. I imagined him sitting on a couch, cuddling a cute girl. They are in love. They’re talking about the future. And then, the cute girl asks Landon about his family. And for a minute, Landon is quiet. He is thinking. Memories flood his mind. He starts to share about his parents, and how amazing they are. He laughs as he talks about his grandmother Chantal. How she still spoils him rotten. How her face lights up every time he comes to visit. But then he gets quiet again. I imagine him almost whispering to the cute girl he is cuddling with, “Do you know who inspires me the most? My grandfather.” The cute girl hasn’t met his family yet, so she cuddles in a little closer and says, “Tell me about him.” And Landon does. He talks about his Dutch grandfather who taught him what it’s like to be a strong man. He tells stories that I can’t share, because … well, they haven’t been written yet. But they will be.

You see, John is writing on fresh pages. He’s writing a story that will live on through grandchildren, and even great-grandchildren. The story he writes will be up to him. What he wants Landon to tell that cute girl cuddling him on the couch is up to John.

Finally, this whole idea of the story we write has been sparked in my mind thanks to a book I’m reading right now. Don Miller has written a number of books, but his latest, A Million Miles In A Thousand Years is an amazing book. I encourage you to pick it up. Make it a gift to yourself this Christmas season. And be inspired to write a good story rather than a tragedy.

Look, each of us is writing a story. This is non-negotiable. Whether you like it or not, you’re writing a story. The question is we must ask is what kind of story are we writing?

Today’s page is blank before you. What will be written on the page at the end of the day?

I have a confession to make. Even though I am Facebook, I rarely go on. I much prefer Twitter. When you see my status on Facebook change, it’s because I’ve synchronized it with Twitter. In fact, there are times I’ve debated shutting down my Facebook account, but so many still use it, I hang on (besides, it’s the only way to vote for my daughter in her current competition).

When I do log into Facebook, one of the first things I noticed is the number of invitations I have to support some cause or play some game. I will typically go in and hit ignore to all of them. Sorry, but I just don’t use Facebook and figure there’s no point of supporting all the stuff people are doing on it.

Starting late November I began to see a lot of “causes” that reflected people’s frustration with the whole “Merry Christmas” vs. “Happy Holidays” issue. A lot of people want me to take up their cause and defend the true meaning of the holiday. It’s as if something cataclysmic will occur if we don’t keep Christ in Christmas.

But, I can’t support the cause. To be honest, I don’t think Christ would even bother. It wasn’t his style.

I’ve had people tell me how upset they get when someone says “Happy Holidays” to them. Some tell me how they will demand that the clerk say “Merry Christmas”. Some have told me how they have left their merchandise at the cash and walked out of the store because the clerk was not allowed to say “Merry Christmas.” Really? Is that the best we can do as Christ followers? I’m guessing that clerk has been swamped all day. They have been dealing with people who are rushing around buying presents they can’t afford, under pressure to keep everyone happy.

Here’s what I’ve noticed: No store can forbid me from wishing someone a Merry Christmas. And so, when a clerk says to me, “Happy Holidays.” I don’t make a big deal about it. I smile at them, say “Thank you. And Merry Christmas to you” and leave it at that. I don’t get hung up over it. For all I know, that clerk isn’t a Christ follower. They may have no clue about the true meaning of Christmas. For them, it could be just another busy shopping day. Maybe they have no family to celebrate Christmas with. Maybe things are not as they seem. Maybe I can do better than simply allow myself to get bothered when they don’t use the two words I think they should at this time of year.

Here’s my point: I think we spend far too much time getting upset at what others should say or do rather than focus on our own words and actions. Jesus made the point when he referred to the speck in a brother’s eye when there’s a log in our own.

So, stop getting all worked up when a secular, marketing system doesn’t use the words “Merry Christmas” when they take your money and feed the Seasonal Consumerism Addiction. Instead, love them. Care for them. Demonstrate with actions how this season truly is “Merry”.

And stop sending me those stupid “causes” on Facebook!

Merry Christmas

UPDATE:

As soon as I posted this, I was sent the following email. I thought I’d add it to the end. It’s a “letter from Jesus”

It has come to my attention that many of you are upset that folks are taking My name out of the season.

How I personally feel about this celebration can probably be most easily understood by those of you who have been blessed with children of your own. I don’t care what you call the day. If you want to celebrate My birth, just GET ALONG AND LOVE ONE ANOTHER.

Now, having said that let Me go on. If it bothers you that the town in which you live doesn’t allow a scene depicting My birth, then just get rid of a couple of Santas and snowmen and put in a small Nativity scene on your own front lawn If all My followers did that there wouldn’t be any need for such a scene on the town square because there would be many of them all around town.

Stop worrying about the fact that people are calling the tree a holiday tree, instead of a Christmas tree. It was I who made all trees. You can remember Me anytime you see any tree. Decorate a grape vine if you wish: I actually spoke of that one in a teaching, explaining who I am in relation to you and what each of our tasks were. If you have forgotten that one, look up John 15: 1 – 8.

If you want to give Me a present in remembrance of My birth here is my wish list. Choose something from it:

1. Instead of writing protest letters objecting to the way My birthday is being celebrated, write letters of love and hope to soldiers away from home. They are terribly afraid and lonely this time of year. I know, they tell Me all the time.

2. Visit someone in a nursing home. You don’t have to know them personally. They just need to know that someone cares about them..

3. Instead of writing the President complaining about the wording on the cards his staff sent out this year, why don’t you write and tell him that you’ll be praying for him and his family this year. Then follow up… It will be nice hearing from you again.

4. Instead of giving your children a lot of gifts you can’t afford and they don’t need, spend time with them. Tell them the story of My birth, and why I came to live with you down here. Hold them in your arms and remind them that I love them.

5 Pick someone that has hurt you in the past and forgive him or her.

6. Did you know that someone in your town will attempt to take their own life this season because they feel so alone and hopeless?  Since you don’t know who that person is, try giving everyone you meet a warm smile; it could make the difference.

7. Instead of nit picking about what the retailer in your town calls the holiday, be patient with the people who work there. Give them a warm smile and a kind word. Even if they aren’t allowed to wish you a “Merry Christmas” that doesn’t keep you from wishing them one. Then stop shopping there on Sunday. If the store didn’t make so much money on that day they’d close and let their employees spend the day at home with their families

8. If you really want to make a difference, support a missionary– especially one who takes My love and Good News to those who have never heard My name.

9. Here’s a good one. There are individuals and whole families in your town who not only will have no “Christmas” tree, but neither will they have any presents to give or receive. If you don’t know them, buy some food and a few gifts and give them to the Salvation Army or some other charity which believes in Me and they will make the delivery for you.

10. Finally, if you want to make a statement about your belief in and loyalty to Me, then behave like a Christian. Don’t do things in secret that you wouldn’t do in My presence. Let people know by your actions that you are one of mine. 

Don’t forget; I am God and can take care of Myself. Just love Me and do what I have told you to do. I’ll take care of all the rest. Check out the list above and get to work; time is short. I’ll help you, but the ball is now in your court.

And do have a most blessed Christmas with all those whom you love and remember:

I LOVE YOU,

JESUS

Letter from Jesus about Christmas –

It has come to my attention that many of you are upset that folks are taking My name out of the season.

How I personally feel about this celebration can probably be most easily understood by those of you who have been blessed with children of your own. I don’t care what you call the day. If you want to celebrate My birth, just GET ALONG AND LOVE ONE ANOTHER.

Now, having said that let Me go on. If it bothers you that the town in which you live doesn’t allow a scene depicting My birth, then just get rid of a couple of Santas and snowmen and put in a small Nativity scene on your own front lawn If all My followers did that there wouldn’t be any need for such a scene on the town square because there would be many of them all around town.

Stop worrying about the fact that people are calling the tree a holiday tree, instead of a Christmas tree. It was I who made all trees. You can remember Me anytime you see any tree. Decorate a grape vine if you wish: I actually spoke of that one in a teaching, explaining who I am in relation to you and what each of our tasks were. If you have forgotten that one, look up John 15: 1 – 8.

If you want to give Me a present in remembrance of My birth here is my wish list. Choose something from it:

1. Instead of writing protest letters objecting to the way My birthday is being celebrated, write letters of love and hope to soldiers away from home. They are terribly afraid and lonely this time of year. I know, they tell Me all the time.

2. Visit someone in a nursing home. You don’t have to know them personally. They just need to know that someone cares about them..

3. Instead of writing the President complaining about the wording on the cards his staff sent out this year, why don’t you write and tell him that you’ll be praying for him and his family this year. Then follow up… It will be nice hearing from you again.

4. Instead of giving your children a lot of gifts you can’t afford and they don’t need, spend time with them. Tell them the story of My birth, and why I came to live with you down here. Hold them in your arms and remind them that I love them.

5 Pick someone that has hurt you in the past and forgive him or her.

6. Did you know that someone in your town will attempt to take their own life this season because they feel so alone and hopeless?  Since you don’t know who that person is, try giving everyone you meet a warm smile; it could make the difference.

7. Instead of nit picking about what the retailer in your town calls the holiday, be patient with the people who work there. Give them a warm smile and a kind word. Even if they aren’t allowed to wish you a “Merry Christmas” that doesn’t keep you from wishing them one. Then stop shopping there on Sunday. If the store didn’t make so much money on that day they’d close and let their employees spend the day at home with their families

8. If you really want to make a difference, support a missionary– especially one who takes My love and Good News to those who have never heard My name.

9. Here’s a good one. There are individuals and whole families in your town who not only will have no “Christmas” tree, but neither will they have any presents to give or receive. If you don’t know them, buy some food and a few gifts and give them to the Salvation Army or some other charity which believes in Me and they will make the delivery for you.

10. Finally, if you want to make a statement about your belief in and loyalty to Me, then behave like a Christian. Don’t do things in secret that you wouldn’t do in My presence. Let people know by your actions that you are one of mine.

Don’t forget; I am God and can take care of Myself. Just love Me and do what I have told you to do. I’ll take care of all the rest. Check out the list above and get to work; time is short. I’ll help you, but the ball is now in your court. And do have a most blessed Christmas with all those whom you love and remember :

I LOVE YOU,Letter from Jesus about Christmas –

It has come to my attention that many of you are upset that folks are taking My name out of the season.

How I personally feel about this celebration can probably be most easily understood by those of you who have been blessed with children of your own. I don’t care what you call the day. If you want to celebrate My birth, just GET ALONG AND LOVE ONE ANOTHER.

Now, having said that let Me go on. If it bothers you that the town in which you live doesn’t allow a scene depicting My birth, then just get rid of a couple of Santas and snowmen and put in a small Nativity scene on your own front lawn If all My followers did that there wouldn’t be any need for such a scene on the town square because there would be many of them all around town.

Stop worrying about the fact that people are calling the tree a holiday tree, instead of a Christmas tree. It was I who made all trees. You can remember Me anytime you see any tree. Decorate a grape vine if you wish: I actually spoke of that one in a teaching, explaining who I am in relation to you and what each of our tasks were. If you have forgotten that one, look up John 15: 1 – 8.

If you want to give Me a present in remembrance of My birth here is my wish list. Choose something from it:

1. Instead of writing protest letters objecting to the way My birthday is being celebrated, write letters of love and hope to soldiers away from home. They are terribly afraid and lonely this time of year. I know, they tell Me all the time.

2. Visit someone in a nursing home. You don’t have to know them personally. They just need to know that someone cares about them..

3. Instead of writing the President complaining about the wording on the cards his staff sent out this year, why don’t you write and tell him that you’ll be praying for him and his family this year. Then follow up… It will be nice hearing from you again.

4. Instead of giving your children a lot of gifts you can’t afford and they don’t need, spend time with them. Tell them the story of My birth, and why I came to live with you down here. Hold them in your arms and remind them that I love them.

5 Pick someone that has hurt you in the past and forgive him or her.

6. Did you know that someone in your town will attempt to take their own life this season because they feel so alone and hopeless?  Since you don’t know who that person is, try giving everyone you meet a warm smile; it could make the difference.

7. Instead of nit picking about what the retailer in your town calls the holiday, be patient with the people who work there. Give them a warm smile and a kind word. Even if they aren’t allowed to wish you a “Merry Christmas” that doesn’t keep you from wishing them one. Then stop shopping there on Sunday. If the store didn’t make so much money on that day they’d close and let their employees spend the day at home with their families

8. If you really want to make a difference, support a missionary– especially one who takes My love and Good News to those who have never heard My name.

9. Here’s a good one. There are individuals and whole families in your town who not only will have no “Christmas” tree, but neither will they have any presents to give or receive. If you don’t know them, buy some food and a few gifts and give them to the Salvation Army or some other charity which believes in Me and they will make the delivery for you.

10. Finally, if you want to make a statement about your belief in and loyalty to Me, then behave like a Christian. Don’t do things in secret that you wouldn’t do in My presence. Let people know by your actions that you are one of mine.

Don’t forget; I am God and can take care of Myself. Just love Me and do what I have told you to do. I’ll take care of all the rest. Check out the list above and get to work; time is short. I’ll help you, but the ball is now in your court. And do have a most blessed Christmas with all those whom you love and remember :

I LOVE YOU,

JESUS

Three months ago today, I loaded up my bike and headed out on a twenty-five day road trip. (You can read about that trip by choosing the “Categories” tab on the right side and choosing “road trip”. Day one of the trip can be found here.) It was the start of a Rest Stop that I was blessed to have thanks to a forward thinking leadership team.

Today, I am sitting in my office for the first time since that Rest Stop began. I’m back. I’m ready to go. And, I want to share with you some of my thoughts about the past three months. I learned a number of things. About myself, my family, my calling, and the future. I think it would be fitting for me to share some of those thoughts with you.

Some mistakingly have referred to the past three months as a holiday. It really isn’t an accurate description of what went on for me. I did spend twenty five days on the road, and during that time, focused, for the most part, on relaxing. However, I also spent some of it meeting with other church planters with the hope of being inspired for new direction with Bikers’ Church. I devoted time while riding to hear from God about what he wanted with CCBC. And, since coming home from the road trip, I have spent most of my days working stuff that will eventually be implemented in the church. In other words, my days were not spent sitting around in my underwear pyjamas watching movies.

While I still did a number of things for CCBC, I was blessed to not have to follow my usual routine. I didn’t have to prepare messages each week or focus on the day to day stuff that I usually have on my plate with the church. As a result, I was able to see things from a different perspective and believe I’m energized to see God do new things at the church.

I wont go into a lot of detail about the things I learned during this Rest Stop, because the bulk of my messages in 2010 will focus on those discoveries. From the first series in January through the end of December next year, we will be challenged as a church to go to the next level of effectiveness. I am convinced that God has great things in store for Bikers’ Church, and we’re going to pin the throttle and see where it takes us.

Having said that, there are a few personal things I’d like to share with you now.

First, my relationship with God and the calling he has given me must be a priority for me. More so that at any time in the past. As a pastor, it’s too easy for my spirituality to become mechanical routine static dull less than what it should be. That has to change. It is changing. I have found myself rediscovering worship. Whether it’s in the car or sitting at home, I enjoy putting on a great worship CD and allowing my heart to reconnect with God. It’s wonderful. I need to devote more time to growing with God. It means not allowing myself to get distracted by the things that will pull me away from that connection. It means devoting more time to focusing on the things that I am called to do rather than the many things that others expect me to do.

Second, my relationship with my family is vital. Heather and I have rediscovered each other during this time. As many of you know, she has been off work due to a concussion she suffered in a car accident. While the headaches and dizziness she has experienced during this time is certainly not fun, having her home during my Rest Stop has been an unexpected bonus. In the nineteen years we’ve been married, we have never been able to enjoy this much time together. While there have been times in the past when Heather has been able to serve along side me in ministry, the sacrifices we’ve made to plant a church has required her to work full time. As a result, she has not been engaged in leadership at CCBC the way she’d like to. Over the past few months, we’ve been able to sit and dream together, talking vision and praying for direction. She’s an amazing woman and I love her deeply. I needed this time to be reminded of that. I’ve also been able to enjoy more time with the girls, often driving them to school or hanging out with them during certain activities. It’s been a true blessing for me.

I believe God is up to something at Bikers’ Church. As I shared with the leadership team this past Saturday night, I truly believe it is going to be a season of faith for us. We must learn to walk by faith and not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7). I’m ready to do that, and my heart is to lead each of us on a faith journey.

Bikers’ Church family, I encourage you. Take time over the next few weeks to prepare your heart. Ask God to use you, speak to you, direct you. In January, we begin a new chapter in the life of our church. And I’m excited about what will be written on the pages of this next chapter.

See you all on Thursday night.