Why do what you do?

Have you ever taken the time to examine in your life why you do the things you do?  Things like work, relationships, education, spirituality...why do you engage (or not engage) in certain things?

I have been thinking about this a lot from the perspective of our community of faith at Higher Calling.  If I am not careful, it is far too easy for me to become apathetic.....maybe you are the same.  In these times it is important to me to know WHY I do what I do, it gives me motivation, passion, and purpose to know the WHY of my life.

I have decided I do the things I do because I genuinely love God.  I am confused by Him, I rarely understand the path He chooses for me and for others, but I trust Him and love Him.  The only reason I can continue doing what I am doing is because of His power working in me, and I will always be grateful for the many blessings He has given me.  I do what I do because of what He has already done for me.

I also sincerely love people.  Not just love people, either, I actually like them (I just lost some of you!).  I like meeting people and getting to know them.  I like being a part of people's stories, and I like being with people as their journeys are shaped.  I like sharing with the highs and the lows

More than anything, I like introducing people to God.  I'll tell you what's the most incredible thing of all:  when I meet people again after they have met God.  It's like meeting a completely new person.  I love that.

And its why I do what I do.

Let's try this again

Did you miss me?  I am going to be writing on here again after a three month hiatus.

The last blog experiment went pretty well, but I think writing too much burnt me out a little bit. Its hard to come up with a new entry everyday!  If you like reading, you can help out by sending in questions or topics for me to handle so I don't have to think of them.  I want to post 2-3 times a week, on good weeks you may get even more.  We will see how I feel.

Let the journey begin.....again.  Higher Calling Online Journal v. 3.0 starts......now.

(If anyone is reading this, even if you know me from church, leave a comment or something.)

Fuel For The Week

I hope everyone is having a great week!  I have some news to share with you about upcoming events at Higher Calling and some encouragement to send your way as well.

Next Sunday is August 3rd, and it will mark the two year anniversary of Pastor Don's death.  Many of you knew Pastor Don, and many of you didn't, but all of you have been affected by his story because of your presence at Higher Calling.  Most of you know that Pastor Don was my dad, and obviously that day will be difficult for me and my family and for so many of you who knew my dad as a friend and as your pastor.  On any emotional day, we all must choose how to respond to the stress of the day.  My dad had to make those choices in how to respond to life with cancer, and he chose to believe God even when circumstances were difficult.

That is why we are putting together a special service on August 3rd.  Instead of choosing to withdraw and reflect, our church will be reaching out to people who need to hear that God can do something amazing in their life.  God still changes lives; we are all proof of that, and we want to see him change more lives on August 3rd.  Many of you have expressed a desire to share the story of the church to friends or family members; this service will be the perfect opportunity to do just that!  I am asking that you do all you can personally to get as many people as possible into our Worship Center so many can be touched by this message.

Don't sit this one out!  We are putting together an inspirational and reflective service that will touch the hearts of everyone involved.  If you know some people who don't usually go to church and may only go once a year, make sure they are at this service because God is going to move in a powerful way.

If there is one thing that I learned from my dad, it is this:  always trust God.  That is why I believe August 3rd will be an incredible time as we reflect on the story of our church and our incredible vision for the future.  Let's all believe God for something even more than we can imagine.  Pray that the lives of people close to you at this service will be changed forever because of what is shared.  

We are all in this together, and I am glad to be on the journey with all of you.

The Life Worth Dying For, Part 2

What does a life that follows the will of God look like? The book of Hebrews tells us that it is impossible to please God without faith (11:6), so a life lived in the will of God must be a life of faith. Building on that great passage from Hebrews is the entire 11th chapter, sometimes known as the "hall of faith" because of its descriptions of many great lives of faith.

We have many of the usual suspects, guys like Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, and even "lesser" characters like Rahab, stories that are rich in faith.  The writer of Hebrews describes all of these men and women like this:

Hebrews 11:33-35 (NIV)  

who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies.  Women received back their dead, raised to life again. 

Isn't that what faith is all about?  When we think about the work of God in the world and in the Bible, these are the stories that get told and retold.  When faith acts then death is defeated, people escape from danger, the fire is extinguished, the battle is won.

I wish this story was the only story of faith, but it isn't.  I don't ever want you to think that these things don't still happen because I believe they still do, but I also believe God works in areas that are often less spectacular and are therefore overlooked.

Hebrews 11:35-40 (NIV)  

Others were tortured and refused to be released, so that they might gain a better resurrection.  Some faced jeers and flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison.  They were stoned; they were sawed in two; they were put to death by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated--the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground.  These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised.  God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect. 

Now this doesn't match our traditional images of faith does it?  This sounds......awful.  Torture, death, poverty, insults, jeering are all mentioned for these people who lived commendable lives of faith.  I find it interesting that we don't get the names of these heroes of faith.  Why do you think that is?

Call me crazy, but I think it is because there are many more of the faith giants represented in the second passage than in the first.  Despite what we might think, the stories in the Bible are not everyday events...it is not normal for David to defeat Goliath, that is what makes it extraordinary.  Usually, diseases run their course, the dead remain dead, the obstacle remains unmoved, and we are then forced to live with the consequences of those events.  Does that mean God is absent?  Of course not, but it certainly means we need to adjust what we sometimes think living by faith is all about.

It isn't about taking the easiest path.  God may be calling you to be one of the unnamed in this passage, the one willing to follow Him into the darkest and most dangerous of places, regardless of the consequences.

Is a life of faith supposed to be easy?  I would say no.  God is calling us to something much different than the usual life.  Our life is a journey, an adventure, a race.  

The story continues soon.

The Life Worth Dying For, Part 1

It is hard to watch any type of programming and not come across some type of tragedy. CNN, MSNBC, FOX, every local news station...they all lead off with the worst news. Another death, another fire, one more broken family, one more seemingly unexplainable selfish act.

We have to wonder....when does this get easier? Life starts out with a process known as "labor" and it ends with the cruel event of death and never seems to get easier along the way. Is it supposed to be easy?

If you listen to some of the God talk in our culture, it seems like it should be. Both high profile preachers and everyday believers seem to think the dominant message of the scriptures is one of God smoothing out the journey and removing obstacles from our path. Trouble is seen as proof of God wanting you to go in a different direction because God would not want us to struggle. If you do have issues, sickness, financial problems...well, then you just need more faith.

Is this the truth? I hear this message and it hurts my heart because I know far too many God fearing men and women who have experienced some pretty awful things. Is the problem a lack of faith? I don't believe so.

I think we are missing something that is essential to our journey. But what is it?

Hope Springs Eternal

You hear that saying often this time of year as baseball season starts as fans of all teams rejoice the beginning of a new year and the promise of a successful team. It is amazing to me how otherwise rational people can talk themselves into rooting for a team they believe has no chance....it just seems to me that people gravitate toward feeling this type of hope.

But do you have hope in more important areas of life? It is pretty easy to root for a team; even if they lose it doesn't truly affect those of us who watch.  We can have hope in small areas but we can live hopeless lives everywhere else.  Maybe you have given up on having hope in your life.  You have been hurt too deeply, or feel like you have fallen far too short of your own expectations.

Why do we think that hope is an auxiliary desire of the human heart?  Hope is essential!  It is what sustains us and motivates us.  Why should you have hope?  Here are three reasons:

1: God has forgiven my past.  The greatest need you ever had was satisfied because Jesus came and willfully gave his life for you.  This means you are treasured by God.  It also means you don't have to live in guilt or shame anymore.  Hope lives where despair used to thrive.

2:  God has a purpose for the present.  You don't have to wander through life anymore.  God has a mission for you, a task that only you can accomplish.  The path you take, the places you set your feet are for you and you alone.  Be hopeful because if you are alive God still has a purpose for you.

3.  God has prepared a home for me in heaven.  The greatest hope of them all is the hope for eternity.  One day we will be reunited with those we have lost and we will finally see Jesus.  Our faith will be fulfilled in that moment, and our hope realized.  Everything in your life should be preparing you for that moment.

Is it possible that you have given up on hope too soon?

Don't give up.  Hope springs eternal!

Back in Action

Spring break was fantastic, baseball was on TV every single day, and the weather has gotten consistently warmer.  All good things!  I am working on a post for this afternoon, and I will continue regular posting from here on out.  

Hopefully you will be here, too!

Self-image

We live in a world that focuses on the negatives in people instead of celebrating the positive. Many of you have such a negative self image that comes from the lies you have been told through your life. Maybe it was family, perhaps it was kids in school, maybe it is just a nagging voice in your our head that told you you were worthless.

It isn't true. You are valuable because God values you.

Real self esteem comes from knowing what God thinks about you. He came to make you different. He has made a way for you to be forgiven and then invites you to accept that forgiveness. And then he calls you to walk with him throughout your life.

God valued you so much he died to set you free, and that freedom includes escape from a negative self image. That comes from knowing who you are in the eyes of God.

50 Facts About Albert Pujols

1. Albert Pujols can light ants on fire with a magnifying glass.... at night.
2. Albert Pujols can slam a revolving door.
3. "The World's Strongest Man Competition" has been renamed "The Albert Pujols Workout Hour."
4. During the running of the bulls, the people run away from the bulls. A little known fact is that the bulls are running from Albert Pujols.
5. The Great Wall of China was originally created to keep Albert Pujols out. It failed miserably.
6. When Albert Pujols sends in his taxes, he sends blank forms and includes only a picture of himself, crouched and ready to attack. Albert Pujols has not had to pay taxes, ever.
7. Albert Pujols can win a game of Connect Four in only three moves.
8. There is no theory of evolution, just a list of creatures Albert Pujols allows to live.
9. Albert Pujols can make 30 minute brownies in 17 minutes.
10. Time waits for no man. Unless that man is Albert Pujols.
11. There is a saying that claims, "You can’t squeeze blood from a turnip." That is true, you can't. Unless of course you’re Albert Pujols.
12. Albert Pujols can teach old dogs new tricks.
13. When you go to see a game Albert Pujols is playing in, you have to buy 2 sets of tickets; one for the baseball game and another for the gun show.
14. There is no other intelligent life in the universe because intelligent life knows that would be far too close to Albert Pujols.
15. Albert Pujols will never test positive for steroids. Steroids test positive for Albert Pujols.
16. The show Survivor had the original premise of putting people on an island with Albert Pujols. There were no survivors, and nobody is brave enough to go to the island to retrieve the footage.
17. It takes Albert Pujols 20 minutes to watch 60 Minutes.
18. Albert Pujols counted to infinity....twice.
    
19. When Albert Pujols pushes the snooze button on his alarm clock, the sun actually stays down for another ten minutes.
20. If at first you don't succeed, you're not Albert Pujols.
21. Google won't search for Albert Pujols because it knows you don't find Albert Pujols, he finds you.
22. Albert Pujols can lead a horse to water AND make it drink.
23. Albert Pujols destroyed the periodic table, because Albert Pujols only recognizes the element of surprise.
24. It is believed dinosaurs are extinct due to a giant meteor. That's true if you want to call Albert Pujols a giant meteor.
25. When Bruce Banner gets mad, he turns into the Hulk. When the Hulk gets mad, he turns into Albert Pujols.
26. The original title for Alien vs. Predator was Alien and Predator vs. Albert Pujols. The film was cancelled shortly after going into preproduction. No one would pay nine dollars to see a movie fourteen seconds long.
27. The average pitcher can throw a baseball about 90 mph…Albert Pujols can throw the average pitcher 90 mph.
28. Albert Pujols was originally cast in the hit show 24, but had to be let go because he averaged saving the world in a mere 12 minutes and 47 seconds.
29. If you spell Albert Pujols wrong on Google it doesn't say "Did you mean Albert Pujols?" It simply replies "Run while you still have the chance."
30. Albert Pujols doesn’t play hide and seek; he plays HIDE AND PRAY HE DOESN”T FIND YOU!!!!
31. They say curiosity killed the cat. This is false. Albert Pujols killed the cat. Every single one of them.
32. Albert Pujols was bitten by a rattlesnake once. After five days of intense pain and suffering…the snake died.
33. Albert Pujols doesn’t breathe, he holds air hostage.
34. Pujols once hit a home run on a hit by pitch.
35. Pujols is his own batting practice pitcher.
36. Pujols can play all three outfield positions. At the same time.
37. He did all the special effects in Transformers.
38. Pujols once hit a ground rule double on a ground ball hit to the shortstop.
39. When Albert Pujols does push-ups, he’s not pushing himself up, he’s pushing the Earth down.
40. Pujols does 500 push ups in between each inning. Then he works out a little bit.
41. It’s been shown that Albert Pujols doesn’t ever actually hit a baseball. The ball flies away in fear before his bat makes contact.
42. Albert Pujols can rip the NYC phone book in half. With one hand.
43. Someone once told Albert Pujols that if he shaved his legs, he’d be able to run faster. St. Louis is still experiencing a shortage of razors, and Albert Pujols still has hair on his legs.
44. Albert Pujols is currently under the impression that "Major League Baseball" is actually a slow-pitch softball league for his church.
45. Some kids wear Superman pajamas. Superman wears #5 Albert Pujols pajamas.
46. The Sherman tank was originally called the Pujols tank until Albert Pujols decided it wasn't tough enough to be associated with him. The Army, for fear of Albert Pujols, renamed the tank and promised to develop a weapon more fitting of his name. To date, no weapon created has been awesome enough to be named after Albert Pujols.
47. The original plans for the atomic bomb were inspired by watching Albert Pujols taking batting practice.
    
48. It is widely believed that Albert Pujols' tears cure cancer. This cannot be confirmed because Pujols has never cried.
49. Albert Pujols is the reason Waldo is hiding.
50. Faster than a speeding bullet? More powerful than a locomotive? Leaping tall buildings with a single bound? That is a description of Albert's warmup routine.
    

Things You Need to Know About Me

With baseball season approaching, like the previous post indicates, there are some things about me that all of need to know in order to fully understand the depth of my insanity.

First things first, a few introductions are in order.


This is Albert Pujols. He is an excellent baseball player, one of the very best playing right now. If he stays healthy and continues to produce at the level he has been the past 7 seasons, he may go down in history as one of the top 5 right handed hitters of all time. I love Albert Pujols, in a completely non-creepy way. My wife once asked me if I loved her more than Albert. I told her it wasn't a fair comparison, since I hadn't known her for nearly as long as I have known Albert. Don't judge me.

Moving on...


This is Colby Rasmus. I don't know Colby very well, but he represents a transition in my baseball fandom. You see, Colby is very young, even younger than me, and I am going to be paying to watch him play baseball during his career. Every fan makes this transition, when they stop looking up to athletes and instead become "mature" fans...whatever that means. Colby Rasmus is going to be a very good baseball player, and I am looking forward to watching him play this season.

You will hear me referring to these guys throughout the year, usually at random. Don't say I haven't warned you.

How are you doing?

Good? Me too. Do you know why?

Because baseball has officially started its season, and next week contains the first full schedule of games. I am pumped.

One question: Does a person have a problem if they wake up at 6 am to watch a baseball game being televised in Japan even though he doesn't have any rooting interest for either team?

I'm asking for a friend.

Who Am I?

It is the cry of the human heart. I think at some point all of us are desperate to find out who we are. It is the search for identity. It is a search for what has been stolen from us.

We have been told lies about who we are and who we belong to. What have you been told in your life that made you doubt the goodness of God?

Moses heard what God had planned for him and he was filled with thoughts of inadequacy. It completely overwhelmed and paralyzed him. Maybe God is calling you and you feel so unworthy to measure up to the call you have in your heart.

The bad news: You are unworthy. We ALL are. The great news? God wants to use us anyway.

That is the an incredible truth and it tells you the most about who you really are. You are the chosen agent designed to reflect God's beautiful love and character.

Easter Recap

I hope all of you had a good time on Sunday! I hope you were touched by the singing and by Janet Berner's testimony.

Good news! We had 428 people here and it is due to the many visitors you guys invited and shared with. The ad in the paper that we funded together was also a huge success. Way to go everyone, now let's keep it up!

More stuff coming in the afternoon.

He is Risen!

Not even death could contain the One who is the source of life. We have hope because Jesus walked out of his tomb.

Rejoice because Jesus won the battle we couldn't even fight. No one has ever found his body, and the followers who saw him alive swore to the truth of that statement until their executions.

He fought the battle, he paid the debt, he won the victory, and he did it for you. Don't ever forget about the resurrection, the most important event of human history.

He is risen!

Noon, Good Friday

Jesus was crucified at 9 AM. He has been on the cross for three hours. Religious leaders have mocked and taunted him, the crowds have jeered at him, and even the thieves on the crosses beside him have hurled insults in his direction. His face is a mask of blood, sweat, spit, and pain. Every breath is a struggle, every movement is agony. White hot jolts of pain sear through his entire body, and no position relieves the pain.

The greatest pain is still to come.

The sky begins to darken, and soon a bright day is turned into dusk. Creation is in agony, the Creator is being killed. The darkness creeps over the land as the Father turns from the Son and begins to pour out his wrath on the Chosen One.

For the first time, Jesus experiences separation from the Father. It is more than he can bear. Jesus has been silent most of this morning, only speaking forgiveness onto those nailing him to this cross, but the Father turning away sparks a cry from Jesus' broken heart.

"My God, my God.....why have you forsaken me?" The cry rips through creation and stabs right into the heart of the Father. The cup has been given to the Son, and he has shouldered the burden of sin, guilt and shame. The spotless lamb has been blemished.

I watch this with amazement. The God of all things is on a cross, yet I know nails do not keep gods fastened to trees.

As I look at his eyes, I wonder, "Jesus, what is keeping you there? Why do you stay?"

WHY??

God on Trial

Jesus has decided to go through with his mission. He has chosen to take on the cup of suffering. Soon after, a large group of armed men came through the garden. Judas was with them, and he greeted Jesus with a kiss on the cheek. This kiss signaled to the soldiers that Jesus was the one they were after.

Judas betrayed his Creator with a kiss. After that, the entire story erupts into chaos. Peter attacks one of the soldiers, slicing off his ear with a sword. Jesus scolds him and heals the ear. The men lead Jesus away, and the disciples run away. Jesus is alone to meet his fate.

Over the night, Jesus will endure multiple trials. These were highly illegal under Jewish law for many reasons, including the fact they were held at night. It was of no concern to the Jewish authority who wanted Jesus dead. Witnesses were brought in to condemn the only faultless person on the planet. They were fools, contradicting themselves and embarrassing the leaders who put them there. Jesus was off the hook! He was silent against his idiotic accusers, and had completely avoided any implication of wrongdoing.

Completely at a loss for what to do, the High Priest confronts Jesus directly. "Are you the Christ?" he said, "The Son of the Blessed One?" Jesus had been silent to this point, but he affirms the identity credited to him. Jesus said, "I am, and you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven." Jesus had just told the truth, and confirmed his identity, and the High Priest condemned him for blasphemy. By speaking, Jesus had sealed his fate, and a death sentence from the Jewish leaders was assured.

However, the Jewish leaders were not allowed to put someone to death without consulting the Roman authority, the real political rulers of the area. Jesus had another court date, but this one would have to wait for dawn.

Jesus was thrown into a cell to await his next appointment. On Friday morning, the Roman government would make its judgment on God.

Jesus had been awake since Thursday morning, he had been through severe emotional stress, and now he had been subject to the violence of the guards who mocked and beat him. It would have been enough to break most men.

How much more can one man take?

In the Garden

Jesus and the disciples arrived at the Garden late at night. Jesus wanted to talk to his Father, something he did regularly, usually by himself.

Tonight was different, he wanted his friends to be there with him during this difficult time. He asked them to stay awake with him and pray. Jesus went away by himself and began pouring his spirit out to God. The scriptures describe a man in such agony that his sweat actually looked like drops of blood. This is actually a real medical condition called hematidrosis, usually found in people who are undergoing extreme stress and psychological strain. Jesus certainly fit this description.

All of Jesus' life had led to this moment. Every miracle, every healing, every teaching, every prophecy...everything came down to this critical decision. Jesus knew his purpose. It was his mission to take all of the sins and ugliness of humanity on himself. He was to bear the burden. He was to take the punishment.

And he didn't want to do it.

Jesus pleaded with the Father to find another method of salvation. The unspoken answer: "There is no other way." Jesus relented to the will of his Father. Humility and trust paved the way to our freedom. The wrath of God would soon be on him, and God would look at us as sinless because of his punishment. As Isaiah said, we are healed because of his wounds.

The Father was waiting to pour out the cup of sin and suffering on his own Son. The final incarnation was waiting to take place. The final spotless lamb had been prepared for sacrifice.

Jesus was the lamb.

The Journey to the Garden

Jesus and His disciples leave the room where they celebrated Passover and they head to the Garden of Gethsemane on the Mount of Olives just outside Jerusalem. As they traveled, they would have seen the incredible Temple. At night, its white stone would have shined brilliantly as it reflecting the light of dozens and dozens of burning torches. It would have been an incredible sight.

Jesus took advantage of these final moments to pour his soul out in front of his disciples, telling them everything they would need to know to complete their mission and teaching them what was truly important. All of these final teachings and prayers are found in John chapters 15-17. Jesus knew his time was coming, and these chapters reflect his heart.

He wanted his followers to be connected with him because he knew that they could not exist without him. He told them of his great love for them and gave them a simple commandment: Love one another. And he prayed. He prayed for the unity of his followers.

As Jesus prepared for his mission, his mind was on you.

The Journey Begins: The Last Supper

Jesus and his disciples are preparing to celebrate the traditional Jewish meal of Passover, the holiday the marks the rescuing of the Hebrew people from slavery in Egypt.

This would have been a happy time, and certainly the mood in the room was festive. It is almost certain that no one but Jesus knew the significance of this moment, and he was about to let his followers know exactly how important this meeting was to him.

Jesus expresses how much he wanted to be with his disciples for this meal, and he tells them he will not eat of this meal again until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God. He then takes bread, gives thanks, and begins instituting the Lord's Supper. Jesus tells the disciples the bread represents his body that was broken for them, and to eat it in remembrance of him. Jesus then takes a cup of wine and tells the disciples it represents the blood he will shed for their sins.

Jesus makes reference to his betrayer sitting in their midst, and the disciples miss out on the obvious sign that Judas is the one Jesus is referring to. Judas leaves quickly, and no one seems to notice his absence. The disciples then begin to argue among themselves regarding which one of them should be considered the greatest in the coming kingdom.

The very Creator of the universe is sitting in their midst, telling them he will not be with them much longer; yet the room seems strangely unaffected. The disciples, all too like us, seem oblivious to the world around them. Jesus tries to tell them of the difficulties that lie ahead, but they fail to understand what he means.

Peter tells Jesus he will be with him to the very end, saying "Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death." Jesus simply replies that Peter will deny him three times this very evening, even before the rooster crows.

The world is about to be changed forever, and hardly anyone realizes it.

Hey everybody, come see how good we look!

Higher Calling is featured in an ad this week in the Indy Star. It is on page A6, the main section.

It is big, bold, and blue....you can't miss it!

Go and buy papers, then use them as an invite for Easter!!!!