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The Agency

We have a group that meets about 4-5 times a year called The Agency.  It's for all our volunteers - which number about 175-200.  Tonight is the first Agency of the year, and it has a back-to-school meets Charlie's Angels theme, so you know it's going to be good.

For those that volunteer at The Journey, see you tonight from 6:30-8:30 pm.

Stampeded at Thouroughbred

I took a vacation day yesterday and took my dad golfing at Thouroughbred Golf Course at Double JJ.  It's in need of a little TLC because of the bankruptcy, but the new owners are working the course and I'm sure will get it back to what it was.  That being said (and this was my first time playing this course), it was the hardest course I've ever played.  I shot a 102 (on the modiefied Urban scale) for 18 holes and was HAPPY.  There were so many shots where you simply couldn't see where you were hitting, and there were lots of narrow spots to hit through.  The terrain was up and down and rolling hills throughout almost the whole course.

That course kicked my butt, and today I'm pretty sore too.  But, with all that being said - I had a GREAT time.  It was good to be with my dad, it was a fun course, and it didn't rain.

Needing some encouragement?

My guess is, you're thinking - "yeah!  What do you got?", but here comes the twist . . . so often we're so busy doing life that we don't take the time to encourage those around us.  So, who can you encourage today?  Who is the person that you need to write a note to, email, give a call to, and let them know exactly what you appreciate about their role in your life.  The Bible talks often about encouraging one another, like in 1 Thessalonians 5:11, or in Hebrews 3:13, or in Hebrews 10:25.  So, who are you encouraging?

I got this email the other day from a former student who was in a youth group where I was the youth pastor:

   "Hey, I just wanted to let you know that I have been following your blog lately.  It brings me back to the days where you were my youth pastor, my spiritual leader. 
I just wanted to let you know that I am still being encouraged and taught by you.  And not just by the words I read in your blog.  Sometimes when I am at youth group, I remember how you would look right into my eyes when you were talking.  You actually listened.  I think of all us youth group kids knew you cared so much for us and I just wanted to thank you for that.
I wanted to thank you for making the decision to love Christ and love people.
Just consider this the detective wiping away the dust on a glass after a crime scene and finding your finger prints.  Your finger prints are all over my life (by the way, I hope you realize this is an analogy that you used to teach during youth group about 10 years ago or else this last paragraph won't make any sensel...)

That was much less about me than it was about God, but guess what it did for my spirit?!  Who needs some words of encouragement from you today?  Who needs their spirit lifted and you're the one to do it?

Okay, that's it for now.  I've got some emails and letters to write . . .

Yeah I know it Sucks!

That's what I want to tell people all the time.  Because of who we are at The Journey we will get lots of people that, honestly, have made a mess of their lives.  Maybe it's not all their fault, but there have been numerous choices that have been made that led them down a path and to a destination they never intended.

That person will then decide they need God in their life, they want to begin a relationship with Jesus and they want to know what do they do now about all these problems in their life.  Insert "Yeah I know, it sucks!".  Not the best spiritual advice, right?

Except, that it's true.  Can God turn things around?  Definitely.  Can God bring peace, and comfort, and hope?  I know it, and I've seen it.  But, will everything just get better overnight?  I doubt it.  We still have to deal with the consequences of a lifetime of bad choices.  And that doesn't get better overnight - usually it will include a lot of pain and difficult decisions, and heartache.

But, that shouldn't discourage you.  Because the corner has been turned.  You're beginning a legacy of making right choices.  And, you have a church, and more importantly, a Savior who will walk through it with you.  We can't make it all better, but we can be in it with you.  It's a marathon not a sprint.  But, we're also living in the sprint, not the marathon.  Eternity is coming, where there will be no more pain, or tears, or sorrow.

So, I'm sorry you're going through what you're going through.  I know it sucks.  But, hang in there - we're in it with you, keep trusting and following Jesus!

Dependency

One of the goals at The Journey this year is for us to be more God-dependent.  To seek Him more, to rely on Him, to depend on Him.  I want God to work in such God-sized ways that we couldn't even attempt to take credit for it.  But, so often we (okay, so often . . . I) depend on our own abilities, our own hard work.  The truth is, we could probably have a decent church and even grow just based on our own ability and hard work.

But, nothing of real lasting importance, nothing that really matters for eternity is going to happen unless God does it.  We need Him.  YOU NEED HIM.  For everything.  Don't fool yourself thinking you're in control.  Because you're not.  We're dependent on God.  We need Him.  Every good gift comes from God.  Don't believe me?  Check out James 1:17.

So, would you pray with me that God would do what only He could do at The Journey this year?  Oh, and you might want to pray that for yourself and your family (if you dare).  I am.

On my mind . . . maybe why I can't sleep!

Haven't slept well.  Last night woke up at 4:00 am and couldn't go back to sleep.  Here's some things that are keeping me up . . .

Fantasy football draft (I know it's geeky!  Sorry!)

Lots to think about concerning our upcoming series'

Dreaming some big dreams about next steps and what this next year could hold for The Journey.

Thinking about how to help others excel in their areas of work and ministry

My oldest son starts football practice tomorrow for the middle school team.  Wasn't he just in kindergarten?

We're working on a family vacation and doing a lot of planning and research

Trying to finish out some summer projects and fun summer events/nights - squeezing them into the next two weeks is gonna be tough

Praying and planning a lot as I think about Journey groups, another church plant, another service, more and better creativity, developing leaders, and so much more

Lots of people stuff lately - people hurting and struggling.  On top of that, a couple more weddings yet to do this early fall

Beginning and the End

No this is not some end of the world pronouncement - breathe everyone!  All week long we've been talking about reading the Bible and it's importance if we're going to move in the right direction and end up at the preferred destination of a life connected deeply to God and others - a life of meaning and purpose now, and a life in eternity connected to Jesus.

When it comes to reading the bible - I've given some helpful hints all week long - now it's your turn!  What's worked for you?  What do you do that we didn't mention?  Leave your comments here!

As we close out the week - here's one last helpful hint - start each time and end each time by praying.  When you start - simply ask God to help you to understand what He's trying to say.  Because His Words matter - all of them - and He wants you to know Him.  2 Timothy 3:16 and  Psalm 119:130 talk about that. 

When you end, simply ask God to help you apply and live out what you've learned.  It will make a big difference in how you "see" the Bible and the impact it makes on you.

Another way to read

A lot of times, when it comes to reading the Bible - we just pick it up and read a few verses hoping for it to inspire us.  We're often reading out of context and because we're really hoping to hear from God - often times we're reading into it, something that wasn't intended.

Here's what I find interesting - most people who weren't going to church before coming to The Journey, but then decide to read the Bible, follow Jesus, etc. - they read the Bible (and the books of the Bible) as a book.  They might not read it cover to cover, but they read each book more like a, well, book.  Chapter by chapter, a couple chapters at a time, start to finish.

If you're looking for a new way to read and get connected to the Bible (our direction, remember!) - maybe you need to read some of the books all the way through.  And, don't read them just once.  Read them several times.  Spend a week with the goal of reading a book 3 times.  Read it how the author wrote it and see if there are any dominant themes that jump out at you.  If so, what do you think that theme has to say about your life, today?  See what things you notice the second or third time through the book.  Write down thoughts of application as they come to you.  Underline when the book tells you something about God's character - it will help you get to know Him better.

So, this next week - what if you tried reading the book of Philippians in the New Testament . . . try reading it three times in the next week and answer the questions we talked about above. 

Questions

One of the ways we can look at reading the Bible in some fresh ways is to ask lots of questions.

Read a paragraph of the Bible (see yesterday's post) and ask the "Who, what, why, where, how" questions.

You can also have these three questions guide you:  "What (what does it say), So what (why does it matter), Now What (what do I need to do - apply to my life)"

Often, I'll also ask these questions:  What do I learn about who God is - His character from this paragraph?  After all, the Bible is God's Words to us, and He wants us to know Him, so it makes sense that He would be revealing Himself through the pages - so what do I learn about Him?  I will also look to see if there are any promises that I find in that paragraph.  Does God promise anything to those that are following Him?

So, here's today's assignment:  Read Luke 15:1-7.(it's page 1363 in The Journey Bible).  Ask these questions as you read:  What does this tell me about who God is?  "What, So what, Now what?"  If you find something new and helpful to you - leave a comment on this post and share with the rest of us!!

By the way - as you read - feel free to write questions you have in the margins of the Bible - don't be afraid to underline, highlight, put question marks, write thoughts - it's OKAY!  You're not defaming God's Words or anything.  It's meant to be studied, thought about, remembered. 

How the Bible was written

I said we'd deal with questions to ask next, but I've changed my mind - and since it's my blog, I can do that.

When we're going to try and read the Bible, we need to understand a little bit about how & why it was written.  The Bible, is 66 "books" pulled together under one cover.  But, they are far from 66 individual stories.  These books come together to tell one story - the story of God and his pursuit of people and their relationship with Him.  The old testament points the way to the new testament.  It shows us (over and over again) that religion and rules will never be enough - that we need someone to save us from sin and make us right with God.  The new testament show us that the savior we need is God in the flesh - Jesus.  It then shows us how we're called to live in relationship to Jesus.

The Bible was also written, almost always, to groups of people.  In the new testament it was usually letters to churches of specific towns or areas.  We almost always read the Bible, thinking "what does this say personally to me?", and we do need to do that.  But, we also need to ask "What does this say to the church?  What was the author trying to communicate to the church of his time?".

Because the Bible was written in story form, and in letter form (generally), I would encourage you to (usually) read it in a paragraph format.  In other words, don't just read one verse (out of context)  and apply that.  Look at what the whole paragraph is saying - it will often bring new meaning and insight to a specific verse.

If you have a Journey Bible (or a number of other Bibles as well), check on the first page of each book and you may find an introduction about who wrote it, when it was written, to whom it was written, and why it was written.  READ IT.  It will give you context to what you're reading, and a larger understanding of this books place within the Bible.