More Simeons please!

I’ve been reading more of Luke’s version of the arrival of baby Jesus. Today my focus fell on Simeon who met Mary and Joseph as they brought their newborn into the temple.

Luke 2:25 And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him.

This little blip is not placed in the scriptures just to take up page space. There is a lesson here.

We need more people like Simeon today.
· He was just or righteous before men. He acted right towards others.
· He was devout. He was dedicated to God. He was careful, serious about the things of God.
· He was looking for the consolation of Israel, for the coming Messiah.
· The Holy Spirit was upon Him, controlling his life.

Let’s follow this example.
· Let us be just, acting righteous in our dealings with others.
· Let us be devout, carefully committed to God.
· Let us be looking for the second coming of Christ.

Titus 2:13 - Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;

· And let us seek the full control of the Holy Spirit upon our lives.

Verses 27-28 go on to inform us that Simeon was guided on the right day to the right place, to the right child by the Holy Spirit.

We should settle for nothing less than this for our lives – THE HOLY GHOST’S GUIDANCE IN ALL THINGS!

Simeon’s devotion to God leads him to a literal “Hands On” meeting with Jesus!

Verse 29 – Simeon was totally satisfied when He saw Jesus!
He was now ready to go “home” after what was undoubtedly a long life!

May we learn this kind of satisfaction, no matter how long our lives are, they are not complete until we’ve seen and held JESUS!

I'm back!

Well to be honest, last week I tried my very best to avoid any and all semblance of work. It felt wonderful to relax mentally, physically as well as spiritually. We celebrated a wonderful thanksgiving day with my Father, Mother, Brother and his family, Sister and her family. Our celebration came complete with all the turkey, ham and other essentials that one could possibly consume.

Last night, my bride and I spent some time discussing our children. It seems a little strange to refer to a 23 year old and a 18 year old as children. This is without doubt the scariest part of our parenthood. How do you “parent” another adult? We still have a certain amount of influence in their lives, but increasingly they are making choices that we have little to zero input in.

I was reading in Matthew this morning for personal devotions. In chapter one Joseph is described as being a “righteous man”. Luke tells us the story as well and records the angel of the Lord saying, “Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.”

Wow, talk about intimidation! Jesus earthly father is called “righteous” and his mother is call “highly favoured”. I don’t feel like I fit in that classification, (my wife? Yes! Me? NO!)

It was in thinking on these things that I came across a few words regarding parenting that I’d like to share today.

I don’t know who wrote these word’s but they are impacting!

What a Parent Can and Can’t Do
I gave you life, but I cannot live it for you.
I can teach you things but I cannot make you learn.

I can give you directions
but I cannot always be there to lead you.
I can allow you freedom but I cannot account for it.

I can take you to church but I cannot make you believe.
I can teach you right from wrong
but I can’t always decide for you.

I can buy you beautiful clothes
but I cannot make you lovely inside.
I can offer you advice but I cannot accept it for you.

I can give you love but I cannot force it upon you.
I can teach you to be a friend but I cannot make you one.

I can teach you to share but I cannot make you unselfish.
I can teach you respect but I can’t force you to show honor.

I can grieve about your report card
but I cannot doubt your teachers.
I can advise you about friends
but I cannot choose them for you.

I can teach you about sex but I cannot keep you pure.
I can tell you the facts of life
but I can’t build your reputation.

I can tell you about drink but I can’t say NO for you.
I can warn you about drugs
but I can’t prevent you from using them.

I can tell you about lofty goals,
but I can’t achieve them for you.
I can teach you kindness but I can’t force you to be gracious.

I can warn you about sins but I cannot make your morals
I can love you as a daughter or son
but I cannot place you in God’s Family.

I can pray for you but I cannot make you walk with God.
I can teach you about Jesus
but I cannot make HIM your Saviour.

I can teach you to OBEY
but I cannot make Jesus Your Lord.
I can tell you how to live but I cannot give you Eternal Life.

Source Unknown http://www.bible.org/illus.asp?topic_id=1065

Weekend Reflections

I woke up this morning feeling that something was wrong. Then I realized that I was in our motorhome rather than our landhome. We arrived in Antioch Ca this morning about 1:35 after a long drive up interstate 5. We are in Antioch to meet up with my family for Thanksgiving!

Yesterday we buried Clayton Keene at the Forest Lawn in Hollywood Hills. Officiating a funeral always puts me in a little more somber mood than usual. I think of how quickly life passes by. It seems just yesterday that Clayton was excited because he had retired from truck driving. Just a few feet away we saw the grave of Liberace of piano fame. It made me relect that no matter who you are, how much you have or what you accomplish, at the end you cannot take it with you, and you must go.

Losing our relevancy on purpose

I've been reading the story of Henri Nouwen, a renown theologian and christian leadership expert. After 20 plus years of world travel, teaching, preaching and publishing books and literature, He felt led to stop it all and go serve in a community for mentally handicapped people.
The transition was life changing to say the least. Nouwen states: "The first thing that struck me when I came to live in a house with mentally handicapped people was that their liking of me had absolutely nothing to do with any of the many useful things I had done until then. Since nobody could read my books, the books could not impress anyone. Since none of them ever went to school, my twenty years at Notre Dame, Yale, and Harvard did not provide a significant introduction.
Nouwen goes on to relate that not being able to rely on the skills that had proven so practical up until that point, made him feel very naked. "I was suddenly faced with my naked self, open for affirmations an rejections, hugs and punches, smiles and tears, all dependent simply on how I was perceived at the moment.

As I read his words I reflect on prayer. How many times do I approach God in a professional christian manner? How many times do I go through learned processes, when really all He wants me to do is humble myself, become vulnerable and open. Jesus said it first, and said it best, "suffer the little children to come unto me," then, "Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven."

Just a note about livin'

Today we rejoiced to hear that Bethani Roam possibly will get to go home this coming Saturday. Considering that last Saturday her family was being prepared for her death, this is an incredible 2007 miracle!

I came across a statement by the irrepresible Mark Twain that I like.

"Dance like nobody's watching; love like you've never been hurt. Sing like nobody's listening; live like it's heaven on earth."

I have but one life to live. I'm not in a hurry for tomorrow. I want to enjoy today.

Prayer for Bethani Roam

We have been in prayer for Bethani Roam since learning of her tragic condition on Saturday. Bethani (Bishop) Roam is the loving wife of Rev Brian Roam, mother of a 7 month old son, daughter of Rev David and Nina Bishop. She is 24 years old. Two weeks ago she became nauseated and unable to eat. She went to two different hospital - a wrong diagnoses at one and the other not able to help. She was flown to UC San Francisco on Friday, November 9. On Saturday it was determined that her liver was infected and was not working. Her family was advised that a liver transplant was needed immediately.
Yesterday, (Monday) a liver was found and surgery was performed. She is recovering very well at this point. GOD is SO good!
If you would like to follow this miracle in the making, you can visit a blog called http://bethaniroam.blogspot.com.

Carried to the table

This Sunday morning I've been reminiscing about that special time of communion that I experienced this past Friday. I looked up the words to the song that we heard while participating in Communion. It is entitled "Carried to the table" by Leeland.

Here are the words.

Wounded and forsaken
I was shattered by the fall
Broken and forgotten
Feeling lost and all alone
Summoned by the King
Into the Master’s courts
Lifted by the Savior
And cradled in His arms

I was carried to the table
Seated where I don’t belong
Carried to the table
Swept away by His love
And I don’t see my brokenness anymore
When I’m seated at the table of the Lord
I’m carried to the table
The table of the Lord

Fighting thoughts of fear
And wondering why He called my name
Am I good enough to share this cup
This world has left me lame
Even in my weakness
The Savior called my name
In His Holy presence
I’m healed and unashamed

You carried me, my God
You carried me

True Communion

This morning I took the Lord's Supper in an extremely inspiring way.
Usually, we are in a church setting, standing at an altar and partake the Lord's Supper in silent contemplation.
This morning found me listening to a song by a group called Leeland singing "Carried to the table", a song about the lords supper.
I remained seated at the table in a darkened classroom, and the result was a feeling of literally sitting with Jesus and communing with Him on a very personal, intimate set.
I wept.

lonely in Seattle

Well, it's a lonely Wednesday night here in Seattle.

All my church family are getting ready for a great church service and I'm sitting in a Macaroni Grill all by myself.

Not to worry, I heard a lasagna is getting ready to join me at my table.
I'm sure we'll have some great fellowship!

change or die

Thom S. Rainer and Eric Geiger have written a book called "Simple Church" that deals with the overloading of churches with programs.
I was bothered (in a good way) as I came to the end of this book. The author’s have a section entitled “change or die”. 600,000 people have heart bypasses a year in America. They are told that they MUST change their lifestyles. Their bypass is a temporary fix. Diet, smoking, drinking must quit and be replaced with exercise and reduced stress. Literally they are told, “change or die”. Studies show that 2 years after heart surgery, 90% of the heart patients do not change. Instead of making changes for life, they choose death.
In ministry I deal with many who come to God, receive the Holy Ghost (bypass?) get baptized and fail to understand that they must "change or die".
The empowering of the Holy Ghost is to help them eliminate destructive carnal drives that pull them inthe opposite direction from where God is trying to take them.
Yet even faced with losing our relationship with God, we resist change and sometimes chose death instead.

As I start a new day

As I start this brand new day, there are things from yesterday that I dare not bring into the innocence of today.
As I start this brand new day, there are lessons from yesterday that I dare not leave to memory. They must make this journey with me.

As I start this brand new day I am forced to ask the question;

What part of me needs to die today, so that more of Jesus can be born in me?

A contemplative prayer

St. Francis of Assisi lived from 1181-1226 AD.

He wrote a prayer that is still thought provoking for us today.

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen

Oh, that I may know Him!

I have started this blog as a result of a challenge. I'm taking a course in ministering to the emerging culture for my M Div program. Dr. Earl Creps challenged us today to find creative ways to reach this emergent hyper-modern culture and spread the gospel of Jesus Christ.

I've always been partial to this story in Luke's gospel. It tells about two dejected and frustrated disciples headed home after a weekend that saw the shattering of their dreams.

They were so absorbed in their own emotional pits, that they failed to recognize Jesus as He joined their 7 mile walk home. They invited Him to stay and break bread and finally at the end of their day, they saw HIM!

"Did not our hearts burn within us?" Holy heartburn is not enough! I want to KNOW HIM!