A Pastor in The Northwest

Now that technology has advanced so much, we can measure just about anything. In fact, modern sports seems to be dominated by stats and numbers, and metrics. Have you watched a Major League Baseball game lately? Sheesh... But, it isn't just sports that have embraced all this; ministry has also been affected. In a world of metrics, it’s easy to become obsessed with statistics and start to quantify every aspect of our lives. Stats can even become a type of scorekeeping between churches or pastors: “We have more members than you do.” We may never say those words out loud, but we think them; more than one person has made the mistake of measuring a ministry based on attendance. But God has His own method for measuring success.  Barry, J. D., & Kruyswijk, R. (2012). Connect the Testaments: A One-Year Daily Devotional with Bible Reading Plan . Lexham Press. For me, I find it a bit exhausting. However, I do get it. We like things we can quantify and control if you will. Unfortunat...

If God is light and if we humans are created in His image and likeness, well then, an article I read today makes perfect sense. Here's one of the early paragraphs: "An extraordinary experiment on mice and leaves from two different plant species has uncovered direct physical evidence of an eerie 'biophoton' phenomenon ceasing on death, suggesting all living things – including humans – could literally glow with health, until we don't." In the writings of the New Testament, we discover more... 7But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. -1 John 1:7 8 for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light 9 (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), -Ephesians 5:8-9 So we are made alive in Messiah Jesus, and the light in us shines out. Could it be that science has finally caught up to this t...

I've been thinking about this idea today of not eating and of fasting in general. Fasting is something Jackie and I do regularly. That may sound weird to you, but it is a discipline that has benefited us physically, spiritually, and even mentally (do you realize how much we think and deal with food?). In Scripture, fasting was part of the normal spiritual lives of people. It was often connected to prayer.  With both of these tools, people set aside the normal rhythm of life and had space for God to speak and direct. Other times, people fast in mourning or times of reflection and repentance of sin. Today, on my extended fast to kick off the work week, I found myself thanking God for the blessing of being able to voluntarily fast in a world where many don't have access to food.  As I drank cold, filtered water from my refrigerator, I thanked God for clean water. I also thanked God today for being living water and for the cleansing of all our sins in Messiah Jesus' death and r...

I read this today: "Nature trembles before God's majesty and kindness, scholars are reduced to fools, and saints and angels go blind. Words fail me when I think what would happen to us all if God, in his wisdom, didn't measure out the revelation of himself to match our ability and the progress of grace in our lives." -The Cloud of Unknowing (chapter 13) The Almighty God has graciously reached out to us, pursued us, and meets us where we are in our limited imaginations. It is clear that we simply cannot grasp or handle the full measure of His awesomeness. When I think of this, I am humbled all over again. Reminds me of Ecclesiastes 5:1-3 (NIV): 1 Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Go near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong. 2 Do not be quick with your mouth,     do not be hasty in your heart     to utter anything before God. God is in heaven     and you are on earth,     so let y...

(wikipedia photo of a sculpture of St George by Donatello) It's Monday today, and, on the Christian liturgical calendar, it's the feast of St. George in the second week of Eastertide. I realized that I don't actually know who this George person was nor do I know what Eastertide means, so, I did some homework to find out. You are so welcome... St. George is, according to Britannica, the patron saint of England. Apparently, this George was a Christian Roman soldier in the third century who was killed by the persecution of Christians under Emperor Diocletian. Sad story really... Now to Eastertide which is simply the time from Easter Sunday through to the celebration of Pentecost - a span of 50 days. Its the extended celebration of Jesus' resurrection from the dead. So, in continuing in resurrection mode, how is Christ's resurrection remaking you today? Maybe we can pray together, "Lord Jesus Christ, continue to transform and remake us into your likeness more and ...

I was thinking about the breaking of bread and the wine/grape juice that we eat as part of our corporate worship gatherings and how important it is for us as a church family. It is really one of my most treasured moments every time we get together! Then I read this today: Jesus did not save us at a safe distance, as if by remote control. He threw Himself into our salvation with wholehearted abandon...Jesus sealed our new covenant hope by His very blood. He did not hold back at all...and in addition, our risen Savior, through His Spirit, visits us in Holy Communion with real-time experiences of His endless grace. By calling us to eat and drink, He is saying, "My dying love for you is so real you can taste it! Come. Take it in. Be renewed." So, "Do this in remembrance of me" invites us there. Why hold back at all? He didn't. And He doesn't." -Ray Ortlund Whoa!  Some pretty powerful statements of truth in this quote right? By faith in Messiah Jesus, we hav...

A week before Jesus' final Passover meal shared with His friends and followers, he was eating a meal with his friend Lazarus in Bethany. His sisters were Mary and Martha as you might already know. One of them, Mary, did something extravagant and maybe a little scandalous (thanks to John for recording her name in John 12). What was it? Mary took some expensive perfume (like a year's salary worth!) and poured it on Jesus' feet (and likely His head) and then wiped His feet with her hair - whoa! This was recorded by Matthew (26) and Mark (14) as well - why? I'm sure it was a story too powerful for them not to share, right? Not everyone was happy - typical. No good deed goes...well, you know... Anyway, Mary's work of love and devotion to Jesus is awe-inspiring and well, just plain extravagant! She sacrifices clearly one of her most precious possessions and uses her hair, another of her special possessions to do something BIG for Messiah Jesus, Her Lord. Then, in just a...