Easter '09 - The Conqueror

Easter at Real Life brought us to the 6th week of the I Am series with I Am the Conqueror! Join us on a journey with the women who went to the tomb that morning. They left their homes full of despair and pain and grief but returned full of joy and hope! You can be free from what is keeping you from seeing Jesus too! Maybe you just need a change of focus...

I Am: The WAY. The TRUTH. The LIFE!

Has your life gone the way you planned? Maybe you believed the lie that you weren't good enough or that you could find freedom in things that soon eslaved and addicted you. Maybe you're thinking that life just isn't worth much anymore... There is a man named Jesus who can show you the WAY, will always tell you the TRUTH and wants desperately to give you Real Life!

I Am: part 4 - The Good Shepherd

Jesus is The Good Shepherd and as our Good Shepherd fills two rolls that no one else can, we'll look at these and what Jesus wants so much he was willing to die to get it.

I Am: your Access to Peace

In John 10 Jesus says that He is "the GATE." But what does that mean? A metal gate? Chainlink, wood? In this message we'll take a look at what Jesus meant by the gate and how we can move through it.

I Am: The Light of the World

In this message we'll look at Jesus claim that He is the Light of the World. We'll also see how we fit into this as reflectors of His light.

I Am: The Bread of Life

Many things have been written and said about the man Jesus Christ. But if we truly want to know Him, we must seek to know what He said about Himself. What did the Great I Am say about Himself? Join us to find out...

FANATIC: week 2 - What is Worship... continued

We continue Fanatic with week 2 as we discusss what worship looks like and how and when we worship. Do you ever get burned out with all the stuff you have to do, even on Sunday? Do you ever "check out" of worship? Let this message rekindle your fire for worship.

FANATIC: week 1 - What is Worship?

In this message we discuss what worship is from a quick look at worship in the Old Testament, New Testament from a traditional view and contemporary view of worship. Worship may not mean what you think it means... join us as we ask the question, What is Worship?

Just a thought about the prodigals...

I was reading in Luke 15 for today's bible reading and was struck by something that I hadn't noticed before...
I suppose that I am not too different from most, or at least many Christians. We have the ability to, quite smugly, look down our noses at those we might call "prodigals." People who have run away from God, or never were with Him in the first place. You know what I mean. Makes us feel better about our own sin when we see someone who has REAL issues.
But I wonder if there are any redeeming qualities there? When we look at those who are not a part of our "group" and make judgements about them are they mostly on the negative side? I think so. But what if we were to look a little deeper...
As I was reading the prodigal son story again, for the like the bazilionth time I noticed something I hadn't before - well, I'd read it a ton of times but it struck me different this time. It's a small thing, maybe insignificant...but maybe not. Here's a kid that we want to be disgusted by (I'll recount the reasons to dislike him). He brazenly asked for a portion of the inheritance that he should have only received upon his father's death or near death. Jerk. He took the money and took off, leaving his father and brother to do the work while he partied. Jerk. He apparently took his father's money and spent it on prostitutes, according to his brother. Perv. He gets in a bind and expects his father to bail him out...even if it is as a slave.
We want to hear the father say something like, "well, you're a little presumptuous aren't you? You come work and slave and do all the dirty jobs and I'll think about letting you come back." But I'm getting off track.
I noticed today that when the prodigal was away from home, broke and working for pennies in a job he must have hated and been humiliated by (even the prostitutes were makin' more money - though they wouldn't even give him the time of day now!) he didn't steal from his boss...or the pigs for that matter. Did you ever notice that? Jesus tells us that he "longed to fill his stomach with the pods the pigs were eating...but no one gave him anything." He was so hungry he would eat pig slop... but he didn't, even though no one else would give him anything to eat. Now, I'm guessing a little that if the guy who bought him as a slave was able to afford someone to feed his pigs he must have been well off and probably had lots of pigs. If this assumption is true the pigs would be kept in a pen away from the home and probably outside the city on a pig farm of some kind. So the boy would have had ample opportunity to steal, but he doesn't. Even though he is extremely hungry, he doesn't.
There are many Christians who will inadvertently take a candy bar from Wall-mart, forget to pay for it and not go back into the store. Or, in other words, steal a candy bar. But this boy wouldn't do it. Maybe he remembered some story his dad told about being honest, about character or what it means to be a man. Maybe that is why he eventually decides to go home and face the music... lucky for him he had the greatest Father in the world!
So my thought this evening is this, maybe I ought to spend a little more time looking for the redeeming instead of the condemning. Maybe you'll join me?

HOSTAGE: part 5 - Anger

What is it that really makes you mad? Did you know that there is righteous anger and unrighteous anger? Which one do you think you spend most of your time with? That's what I thought...me too. But there are some steps we can take to minimize the unrighteous kind in our lives. Remember that anger is not bad in itself, it's what you do with it and how you display it that makes it bad... or good.

HOSTAGE: part 6 - New Creation

You don't have to be held hostage any longer! The Truth in Christ is that you are FREE! The old has gone the new has come and you are a NEW CREATION!!!! Now you just have to live like it!

Hostage 4: Anger

Do you struggle with anger? In this message you'll learn how to begin to turn that part of your life around. The emotion of anger does not have to control your life anymore. What makes you angry?

HOSTAGE 3 - Addiction

This week we take at look what it's like to be held hostage to addictions. I'll bet if you thought about it for a minute you'd find something you are addicted to. Fishing? Television? Texting or Internet? Or maybe it's more destructive then that, pornography. drugs or sexual addiction. You've tried to stop but you just haven't been able to. Maybe today is your day to break free. Maybe tomorrow you won't be a HOSTAGE any longer. It's YOUR time!

HOSTAGE 2 - Worry

We’re all held hostage by something...what is your captor? Maybe it’s fear, pride, lust, or even jealousy. The good news is that our ransom has been paid in full. Join us for Hostage and discover how to truly break free, once and for all.

What I learned on the way there...

When I was younger I loved to go places with no plan. I just get in the car with a destination in mind but just drive, a kind of "get there when we get there" attitude. But I learned something on this trip, well, several things.
Never travel without baby wipes - in good supply!
But second to that is, where travel is concerned I am not a "journey" kind of guy. I am a destination guy. I have a plan. There is expectation involved. The journey gets in the way of my plan. We were supposed to arrive in Boise the evening of the 22nd. But that didn't work out. After we got to Ogden Utah we found out that Interstate 84 West to Boise was closed because of poor visibility (snowing really good!). So we had to travel North to Pocatello (where we ended up staying the night). I was not worried about the snow or the roads, I was upset that we were not going to make it when we planned. We had to drive 2 hours out of the way. And had to spend money on a hotel! I did not really care about the adventure, the journey we got to take. We stayed at a great hotel. And we got to see some beautiful countryside. But I didn't pay much attention to those things since I was more upset about not getting to Boise when planned.

Life, I've heard is not about the destination (though it is ALL about the destination - but go with me for a minute) but about the journey. The twists and turns in life that take us to places we didn't plan and experiences we had not expected. I know some people in life who, like my travel, are more concerned about the destination, their plans and purposes and stuff then they are about the journey of life.

I suppose that it is good for us to be willing to take what life brings us, or rather, take what God brings us. I am reminded of Paul who said, "I know what it is to have plenty, and I know what it is to be in want" and he finished it all with, "I have learned to be content." Enjoying the journey of life has a great deal to do with leaning to be content with what you are given, what comes your way, what God brings.

So I prayed on Monday while driving, "God help me to enjoy what you bring - the detours and the bumps and the turns and twists."

Maybe this Christmas is not turning out just like YOU planned. Maybe the tree isn't as stuffed with presents as you wanted. Maybe there's no snow on the ground like you wanted (were supposed to get up to 6inches today and tomorrow here in Boise!). But What has God brought you? What turns did your life take this last year that changed your plans? Have you been upset about it? Why not see it is an opportunity to discover something about yourself, about your God and about contentment?

Have a great Christmas Eve and Christmas day!

He Will Be Called - part 3 - Everlasting Father

There are lots of names for Christ, this week we look at Christ as our Everlasting Father. No matter what kind of a father you had, your Everlasting Father is better than them all, watch and see.

Hebrews 13 / December 9 - The Last things...

Well, I've been working on the message for Sunday, it's about Jesus as our Everlasting Father, and I read a website where people whose Fathers had died could post letters to their Dad. It was actually pretty sad. Some of the letters and short statements on the guestbook were very positive and gave a nod to God for His work in their lives through the difficult times. But others seemed just hopeless. There was more than one that said, I can't live without you, it's hopeless. Others talked of years of pain and sadness that would not go away. One asked the question, "why, why, did you have to smoke?" The pain and emptiness that was conveyed by many was terribly depressing. There were others though that spoke of the last things that were said, voice mails left or fun times. What would you say if it were your last chance to speak to someone?

Hebrews 13 is the epilogue of the book. Perhaps the last time the writer (who every he or she was) would ever speak to their audience again. What was so important? What couldn't wait? What had to be said?

Did you notice that what the writer says falls very close to the following; keep it up! Don't waiver! Keep doing what you know you ought to do! Love. Entertain. Remember. Keep pure. Be content. Consider. Don't be carried away. Look for the City. Obey and pray.

Get busy!

And the prayer of the one who penned this encouragement? That God would, "equip you with everything good for doing HIS will, and may He work in us what is pleasing to HIM, through Jesus Christ."

Would you like it in a nutshell? After all it is the holidays. Don't stop. Don't stop doing the things you know are pleasing to God - even if you want to - don't stop. Get up. Start again if you fail. Don't give up. Don't shut up. Don't... I don't know another one that ends in "up" but you get the idea. And when you move and go and don't stop God will equip you with everything for doing HIS will.

Have a great Wednesday.

He Will Be Called: Mighty God - 12-7-08

It's Christmas time. Snow. Caroling. Family. Presents. But let's not forget bills, pressure to get the right gifts, family. Snow. Life is chaotic enough but when we add Christmas into the mix the pressure increases. Have been trying to do life on your own? Planning your own steps. Trying desperately to be the man, or woman you think you need to be to meet your own needs or the needs of your family. But guess what? You can't do it. But there is someone who can...

Hebrews 1 / Dec 3 - Jesus is # 1

Do you remember in Nacho Libre when Ramses is getting ready for the big fight? He's got some guy who is sitting there saying, "Ramses is #1, his arms are number one, his legs are number one, his fists are number one...Ramses is...number one."
In the movie it turns out to not be true, since Ramses gets beat by Nacho. But we could say this about Jesus and it would be true. Look no further than Hebrews 1.

Jesus is
heir of all things
maker of the universe
the radiance of God's glory
the exact representation of his being
sustainer of all things by his powerful word
superior to the angels

There are those who worship mere men or women... but they will eventually get beat, by death or Nacho if nothing else. Angels are pretty popular today but even with their abilities worshiping angels doesn't get you anywhere either.

Jesus is the only one that fits the bill. Heir. Maker. Radiance. Exact Representation. Sustainer. Superior. There is no one else who is the Son of God. No one else who has the right to stand at the right hand of God. No one else who will withstand and outlast everything else created.

Jesus is number one...
His arms are number one...
His legs are number one...
His love is number one...
His grace is number one...
His mercy is number one...
His sacrifice is number one...
Jesus...is....number one!

Have a great Wednesday knowing you have a relationship with the NUMBER ONE of all time!

He Will Be Called:Wonderful Counselor - Week 1

Where do you go for advice? Is it always good? How would you like to get the right advice at the right time - every time? The first term Isaiah used to describe Jesus was Wonderful Counselor. But in order to take advantage of that counsel we must...well I don't want to give it away!