Life, Love, & the Pursuit of Happiness

The Urgency of Souls - 2/6/12

2012-02-06T08:33:00.001-08:00

Last week, I talked about the Transparency of Souls and our need, as Christians, to look deeper or beyond the flesh. But, there seems to be an urgency that many of us haven't yet taken hold of - the urgency of their soul. When you no longer consider people as just flesh and bones, but consider them in light of their eternal soul, you begin to notice the urgency of their eternal damnation, if they die without Christ. And that, in addition to a growing love for them, seems to be the thing that keeps me motivated.

About a week ago, I had a dream. After the dream, I woke up and was immediately conscious of the dream and what had transpired. Someone that I know was pregnant and she died during childbirth. Besides the orphaned child, the thing that stuck out in my thoughts was the fact that she would've died without Christ (had the dream been real). How many chances had I blow to witness to her? How many opportunities was I given to share the love of Christ? Was it my fault that she was lost and without Christ?

I realize that everyone has their own opportunity to accept Christ or not; however, their independence doesn't give us a license to remain silent. In order to truly live out our calling as Christians, we never stop considering their soul. This seems like a simple concept, and yet, we forget so easily. So, I'm just giving this reminder: don't forget about them. Them? Yes, the people that you have been praying for. The people that are on your heart. The people that you have taken responsibility for.

I hope that you can look into their souls this week. I hope that you can see them for who they really are. I hope that you can share the love of Christ with them. And, I hope that God is able to speak through you in every part of your witness!

God's blessings on your life this week,

Bryan

http://thebtaylor.blogspot.com

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A Fluosilicate of Aluminum to Remember

2012-01-31T13:42:00.000-08:00

to·paz [toh-paz]
noun
1. a mineral, a fluosilicate of aluminum, usually occurring in prismatic orthorhombic crystals of various colors, and used as a gem.

Have I ever told you about my first car? It was a gem, and I mean, a real gem. It was a Topaz, to be exact. A Mercury Topaz that was the envy of all who laid eyes on it. When you think, "First car, I wonder what it could be," you may consider a Mustang or even an old-school VW Beetle, but I set my sights on something that was a little more functional than that.

Consider with me the hot summer days of Fresno. In the middle of the afternoon, after your car has been sitting in the sun and ripening all of those spilled drinks, that you desire to roll your windows down and freshen the car hits with the immediacy of one needing to release an evil spirit. Well, not so in this Topaz. I mean, you could roll down the back windows, but they only went halfway due to the child protection locks. The front would roll down, but not go back up. So, if you wanted to get out of the car and guide the window up straight, you could hazard rolling the window down. Why not just turn on the AC? That's a great question. It didn't work. Next question.

What about the look of the car? So it had some mechanical issues...did it still work well on the exterior? Sure! If you consider peeling paint to be gorgeous on a car. Better yet, let me tell you about the functional parts. One of the seat belts didn't work; the lights would turn on, but not off unless you knew the correct angle of depression; the wipers worked when it wasn't raining; the turn signal hung limply and you had to hold it up or down with all of your might to get a blinking light; and, the e-brake was slightly touchy when set in place. But, other than that, it was a beautiful gem that got me from point A to point B.

What was your first car? Did it work? Has it forever more changed your life?

The Transparency of Souls - 1/30/12

2012-01-30T09:44:00.001-08:00

I have this thought that has been returning to my mind over the last few days. It really reminds me of an X-ray machine, in that, it allows me to see into the depths of someone's life. Now, before you think that I'm really the next Clark Kent, please don't mistake my awesomeness. And, please don't think that I'm inappropriately using the X-ray machine. I'm just thinking through this ability to see into people's lives and know, beyond anything else, that their soul is at stake.

Last night's sermon was on Amos 4. At the end of the chapter, the prophet says,

"'Therefore this is what I will do to you, Israel,

and because I will do this to you, Israel,

prepare to meet your God.'

He who forms the mountains,

who creates the wind,

and who reveals His thoughts to mankind,

who turns dawn to darkness,

and treads on the heights of the earth-

the LORD God Almighty is His name.'"

And, after reading these verses (12-13), I just get this sense that there is so much more to people's souls than we really take into consideration. Yes, people make their own choices and place themselves in harm's way and do things that they shouldn't and deserve judgment for all that they have done. And, yes, they deserve every, single bit of destruction that is forewarned; because, God is almighty, He reigns on His throne, and He has already spoken of our impending doom, should we continue on in our sin.

But, He have us a way out! That way is Christ Jesus, and each of us (if we are really honest with ourselves), is relieved to not have to bear the burden of sin on our own. But, Christ didn't come to just save you. He came to save you and everyone around you. He came to save parents, children, husbands, wives, co-workers, enemies, agnostics, atheists, hypocrites, and anyone else that you can think of.

When you truly consider the soul of each person that you meet on a daily basis, you begin to see more than just skin color, hair, eyes, perfection, beauty, ugliness, scars, and their physical appearance. You see into the depth of their soul, because your soul is not that dissimilar. You see who they are, because you understand their plight. You desire that they know God, because you were once without Him.

God's blessings on your life this week,

Bryan

http://thebtaylor.blogspot.com

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We tried kissing, but the Earth didn't move

2012-01-27T11:40:00.000-08:00

Leonard: Oh, we tried kissing, but the Earth didn't move. I mean any more than the 383 miles that it was going to move anyway. (The Big Bang Theory, The Fuzzy Boots Corollary)

We're coming close to the "Season of Love," aka Valentine's Day, aka Singles Awareness Day; and, many people are starting to think about what is going to happen on that epic day: February 14, 2012. Some of the men are still wondering how they're going to impress that lady. Some of the ladies are really wondering if they're going to be disappointed. Some of the singles are worried about not having a date. And, some people are just sick of the commercialism found in the day.

But, before you judge me for any cynicism, please hear me out (or read me out). I'm not an advocate for abolishing El Dia de San Valentin. I'm just wondering, out loud, about all of the people that are expecting that ONE moment on that one day to rock their world. They get to Valentine's Day, the anticipation has been building, the chocolate has been purchased, and the food has been paid for; but, the Earth doesn't move and fireworks don't go off. The disappointment that ensues breaks their heart and they feel empty inside.

I've told people, for a very long time, that there can't just be ONE day that is dedicated to your love (or infatuation or like-from-a-distance) to the extent that you neglect the other 354 days of the year. The response from many is, "Bryan, you're single, so you obviously wouldn't understand." Really? That would be applicable had I NEVER dated. That would be applicable had I never been out for a Valentine's Day meal that I wanted to be perfect. But, there is more to life than that one day.

I just want to be an encouragement to all of the rest of us. In the same manner that we consider our relationship to Christ to be a day-by-day thing, our relationship to our spouse or significant other has to be a day-by-day thing. It's great to get excited and do something special; but, if the Earth doesn't move, don't worry about it! There are 364 more days to try and I guarantee that on at least ONE of them, the Earth will move, fireworks will go off and you will be perfectly happy.

But, don't let happiness be your driving force in life. If you only strive for the happy moments, you will miss everything else around you. When Paul talks about contentment in Philippians 4:12, he is expressing an underlying desire to be blessed by Christ - to live for God with everything that you have. You have an opportunity to influence your relationship every, single day. Make every single day a blessed day! And, whether you are married, engaged, in love, in like, or single, make the most of your Valentine's Day!

It's Monday - 1/23/12

2012-01-23T10:47:00.001-08:00

It's Monday! Yes, I used an exclamation point, so get over it.

Most of my coworkers realize that I'm not actually awake between 8am and 10am, despite starting work at 8am every day. But Bryan, aren't you missing out on two very valuable hours in the day? Of course not! I work, I'm just not really awake for any type of significant conversation. And, without fail, every Monday morning, between the hours of 8 and 10, it's even worse. I mean, it's not like I do it on purpose. It's just that, after the weekend, NO one wants to go back to work...except maybe the robots...and often I question their salvation.

And, since I technically am a pastor and should probably bring some biblical basis to this whole thought, I'm forced to ask the question: How did the Israelites deal with Monday mornings? Yeah...nothings really coming to mind. There is a LOT written about the Sabbath, but nothing that ever talks about the morning after. Nothing to give us any indication that they required caffeine-filled substances to get their week started. Nothing to prove that they were groggy from 8-10am. Nothing to show that they struggled in this area.

Except...maybe a few different commands.

"Be holy because I, the LORD your God, am holy." - Leviticus 19:2b

"I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the LORD sustains me." - Psalm 3:5

"I obey your precepts and your statues, for all my ways are known to you." - Psalm 119:168

The LORD sustains us. He makes our path clear and gives us guidance every single day. He provides for our needs and is continually faithful. If there is anything that we can take away from Monday mornings, it is that God is still the same God as He was on Sunday; and, He will continue to be the same God tomorrow.

I hope this brings you some encouraging thoughts for the week. As you approach the week, think about the main priorities of your life and accomplish THOSE things.

God's blessings on your life this week,

Bryan

http://thebtaylor.blogspot.com

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The State of Our Israel

2012-01-20T13:20:00.000-08:00

First, I pose a question. How long will we continue to make excuses for the way that we live our lives?

Bryan, the response to that is simple. We're not making excuses. We're not hiding what we do - we just don't think that we're as bad as you might make us out to be.

That's an interesting perspective; however, I'd like to outline a little of what was said by the prophet Amos. He is speaking to the Israelites during the time of Jeroboam (just following Solomon and Rehoboam). God has sent him a judgement for Israel, and chapter two, verse six picks up the part that is directed at them.

In verses 6-8, we see, what I will express in modern terms, the innocent and needy are ignored; the poor are left behind; sexual promiscuity is horrific; they're living beyond their means; and, they abuse the good things that should be set apart for the LORD. Now, normally I would have just said, "Yah, that's how Israel was back then," except for the fact that these sins are far too closely related to what is happening today.

What do you mean when you say that the innocent and needy are ignored? Look at our foster system. I could leave it at that, but there is more to the story. We are so concerned with being "politically correct" that there are thousands of children without homes and they shouldn't be. Why? Because people abuse the system. They'll take money for helping children, but as soon as the children stop behaving (most likely due to a lack of care and love), they want to put the kids back into the system. We care more for our animals than we do our children.

Add to that, the number of people in your own community that are without jobs and are helpless, because no one will step up to help them. We haven't even started looking outside our own borders, but there is more and I won't take the time to spell it all out.

What do you mean that the poor are left behind? Didn't they deserve it in the first place? I mean, 80-90% of the homeless are so, because they choose to be. There are so many agencies to help them get back on their feet. The fact that they haven't done anything about it means that they didn't want to do anything.

I'm not talking about the homeless, I'm talking about the poor. Sure, the homeless can be poor and the poor can be homeless; but, often there are people right under our nose that are dying for help and we're too stubborn to look their way. We're afraid that if we acknowledge their need, that we'll have to take responsibility for them. That's just it! No one is taking responsibility to help those that are in need.

I'll admit that the state of our sexuality has gone a little far; but, it's not like we weren't meant to be sexual creatures. Really? That's the hill of battle that you're going to die upon? Israel is accused of allowing fathers and sons to take advantage of the same girl. For one, that's incestuous. For two, it defies God's original intent for marriage.

And, think about the teens that are growing up in today's world! I just read a post the other day that went like this: "I'm tired of guys, so I guess I'll turn to girls." Ten years ago, the argument for homosexuality was, "God made me this way," and everyone would try to use the Bible to argue for or against. This doesn't even come close to that argument. This statement means that no one is helping this young girl to understand who she is. No one is teaching her right from wrong. No one is telling her that her sexual purity is not to be given away on a whim of boredom. What's worse than this? She thinks that she has no one to turn to.

"Our sexuality has gone a little far" is the greatest understatement of the last decade.

How are we living beyond our means? Well, let's start with foreclosures. But, go beyond that. People are living off of so much credit, they don't even see the light at the end of their payment tunnel. Rather than doing our best with the resources that we have, people are spending all of their money to prove to others that they aren't poor. THAT is living beyond your means.

Who cares if you have jewels on your jeans? Who cares if you have the greatest pair of sunglasses that the world has ever seen? Who cares if your car has 22-in rims and a sound system that can be heard in the next county? Aren't these all material possessions and in the grand scheme can't be taken with us?

We keep the church sacred, so don't even try to argue that one. Well, we used to keep it sacred. Now, it doesn't mean anything to us. I don't care if you go once a month or four times a week; if, the LORD's things are not kept sacred, then you're just wasting your time. We don't worship the LORD. We worship the act of worship. No, actually, we worship feelings. And honestly, that's not any better than abusing sex.

I was listening to "Arms Open Wide" by Hillsong United. In that song, we sing, "My whole life is Yours, I give it all, surrendered to Your name." When are we going to stop lying about that. Our whole life isn't His. We haven't surrendered anything that we didn't feel like giving up in the first place. And, nothing has been given to God, except our wasted time and breath.

This is the state of our Israel. When are we going to fully commit everything that we have to our LORD? Because as of now, we're just making excuses.

Considering Others - 1/18/12

2012-01-18T08:32:00.001-08:00

Consider this the late edition :) When we have a Monday holiday, my whole week is thrown off.

I was recently walking down the sidewalk and saw a coworker headed my way. In order to be polite, I smiled and he smiled. Then I said, "Good morning," and he responded, "Good morning." Well...we still had 10 feet to walk before we passed each other. What was I to do?? So, I said, "How are you?" Casual. Just a quick, socially accepted protocol. Phew. That one was easy. And, he responded, "Good."

THAT'S IT??? You're not even going to ask me how MY morning is going? You're not going to ask why I'm so cold? You're not going to wish me well today? That's IT?

Well, I was already 20 feet away at this point, so it wasn't like I was going to turn around and shout across the campus at him.

As I walked into my office, I just kept thinking, "Consider others better than yourself..." It was almost as if I shouldn't care about myself so much, but rather should start caring for others. It would've almost been prophetic, had it not been written 2,000 years ago to the church at Philippi. Well, it can still be prophetic, but I wasn't hearing anything new that hadn't already been said. In Paul's letter to the Philippians (specifically chapter 2), he very simply calls us to have the love of Christ, to maintain a common presence in the Spirit of God, and to value others above ourselves.

I'm not very good at that. Honestly.

So, that's probably what upset me about this very short and very brief social interaction. I wanted to know why he wasn't valuing me above himself. And, the only answer that I could come up with, is that I wasn't valuing him as long as I was trying to get him to value me. I know that sounds like circular logic, but it's true. As long as I'm worried about what others can do for me, I'm not making them my first priority. I'm making ME my first priority.

It's a new year. I hope that you are able to value others above yourself this year. Being selfless is a habit, and not an easy one to acquire; but, I know that you can do it, as I will be attempting the same.

I hope this brings you some encouraging thoughts for the week. As you approach the week, think about the main priorities of your life and accomplish THOSE things.

God's blessings on your life this week,

Bryan

http://thebtaylor.blogspot.com

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Slowly Slipping By - 1/9/12

2012-01-09T11:26:00.000-08:00

Slowly slipping by? Or slowly getting by? Or...is it the same concept. God has been speaking to my heart, lately, from the book of Amos. As I spent some time reading through the first couple of chapters, I realized that God was getting on to the people of Israel, because they had rejected Him. But, I had to keep asking the question of "HOW" they had rejected Him? This pointed me back to 1 Kings 11:29-39 and the issues that arose at the end of Solomon's reign as king. God said, "I will do this because they have forsaken me and worshiped Ashtoreth...Chemosh...Molek...and have not walked in obedience to me, nor done what is right in my eyes, nor kept my decrees and laws as David, Solomon's father, did."

I honestly don't think that the Israelites started out with a desire to worship the other gods. I mean, they were committed to God; but, over time, they allowed the things of the world to slip into their lives. Similarly, we live in the same manner. And, before we know it, we're casually just slipping in and out of church; or, the Word of God; or, our prayer lives. We don't intend to slip by, but it just happens, because we aren't paying attention.

We're in the second week of January - a new year - and, some of us have already been slipping by. We made resolutions or we had great plans for an amazing year, but are already disappointed by the way this year is shaping out. Let that go and let God restore you. But, Bryan, we're only 9 days into the new year! Yes, that's OK. Let Him restore you back to Him. The more that we allow God to refocus our lives throughout the year, the more clearly we will see His plan and His will for our lives.

I hope this brings you some encouraging thoughts for the week. As you approach the week, think about the main priorities of your life and accomplish THOSE things.

God's blessings on your life this week,

Bryan

http://thebtaylor.blogspot.com

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The "Me" Factor

2011-12-20T15:00:00.000-08:00

How often do you cycle through life being hot for Jesus and then cold and then hot and then cold and then hot again. There seems to be this continual roller coaster and we don't know how to handle the dichotomy of our lives being torn in two, wanting to follow Christ, but maintain our status of "me." I won't lie, Revelation 3:16 is talking to me too! I can't stand being lukewarm, and yet it seems that I spend quite a lot of my life in that status, because I can't continually keep my eyes focused on Christ.

We tend to think in terms of fully working or fully vacationing. We're either completely following Christ or we're just taking time to focus on "me." And yet, we know, from Scripture, that the Christian life will be hard. Jesus doesn't make light of that fact, nor does He make excuses for it. He simply reiterates, "Follow me."

Since you will probably find yourself in the same boat that I continually find myself in, I'd like to offer some encouragement. Rather than throwing up your hands and saying, "I can't believe that I am so far away from Christ, yet again," I encourage you to just take a moment and reflect upon where you are at this point in your life. No matter what has happened or what you've done, just stop and consider your "now."

After you have done that, I'm going to say something that might sound harsh - "Get over yourself."

See, we weren't put at the center of God's universe. Many of us think that is the case, but it's not. God is at the center of His own universe. We were created to join Him, but contrary to popular opinion, we are not central to God existing. He exists on His own, with or without us, spanning the entirety of time. And yet, we treat Him as if He revolves around us. "Lord, just give me some time to get my life together," seems to be a popular excuse among Christians today. At what point did you begin thinking that God couldn't handle you where you are NOW? What makes you think that you are immune to Satan's attacks? What makes you think that you are the only one in the universe that is feeling this way? Stop it!

Christ came to forgive us of our sins. And yet, rather than ceasing our sin, we continue on acting as if He's not good enough to take care of us. Instead of making Him our center, we expect Him to cater to our every need. We are stuck facing "me" and we can't seem to reorient our lives back to Christ. If that's the case, then we're in a sad state of affairs.

It's time for change. Stop worrying about what everyone around you is thinking. Stop your own worry about everything that is happening in your life. Point your life toward Christ and start walking in His direction.

"But, Bryan, it's SO hard." Yep. And it will continue to be. Learn to walk toward Christ, despite the difficulty, because He is the only one that can carry us through each of these difficult situations. Instead of pushing Him away and resisting His call, rest in the only One that can truly make you whole. No more me. Leave me behind.

Thoughts for New Year's Resolutions - 12/19/11

2011-12-19T12:54:00.000-08:00

I've been keeping track of some kick-start thoughts for New Year's resolutions. Maybe some of these apply to your life.
* If you don't start it, no one will start it for you. We seem to have a tendency to wait for others to do something for us, when in reality, we should've been working on a postponed project for quite some time. Just get to it!
* At the beginning of January, turn all of your hangers backwards. After you wear an item in your closet, turn the hanger back the right way. In June, donate all of the clothing items that are still facing the wrong direction. You haven't worn them in six months, so you probably won't wear them anytime soon. Why is it that Americans feel the need to hang on to useless things? We have a tendency to hold on more than let go. Quite applicable in many areas, don't you think?
* Find at least one thing to celebrate every day. Don't be afraid to celebrate the small things. Christ is our salvation, right? I mean, He's already made all things possible and yet we get caught up in unnecessary drama. Celebrate, don't stew.
* Rather than making the largest "home improvement" list that you've ever known, schedule out one home improvement project per month. This will give you time to plan out the project, will protect your budget, but still allow you to make the changes that you desire to see. We often forget that the small accomplishments add up to big change.
* Go through your contacts and delete people that don't need to be there. I don't think this is mean, in any way. We have contacts that just take up space - people in our lives that don't do anything for us. Granted, not EVERYthing is about us, but at some point you have to evaluate whether or not the relationship is worth it. Consider pouring more energy into those that are.

I'm usually not a fan of resolutions, because I start a new one every Monday, after our Sunday services. And...by about Tuesday, it's over. But, I think that there is some worth in taking an annual evaluation of our lives and allowing Christ to lead us in His direction.

I hope this helps point you toward Him!

God's blessings on your life this week,

Bryan
http://thebtaylor.blogspot.com
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To My Love

2011-12-19T12:22:00.000-08:00

The essence of my life
Bringing wonder to my soul
My sustenance and ever-present desire
Keeping my heart healthy and whole

Your love is known round the world
Serving those who are in need
You are at the fore of every heart and mind
But you are precious only to me

I love you in my inner-most heart
For you alone do I crave
This thing called food will ever be
The thing for which all I gave

Bring the Best Robe

2011-12-13T14:37:00.001-08:00

What percentage of people spend their lives in fear, guilt or sadness? How many people miss out on the amazing opportunities that God has for their life, because they are stuck in the rut of their current life? My attention is drawn to the lost or prodigal son found in Luke 15:11-32, in which a story of a lost son returning into the father's care draws upon the strings of our hearts. Check this out!

Most of us are already familiar with the story, so I won't recap the whole thing. I'll only say this - the son was so tired of living a lost and wandering life that he finally came back to his father to beg for a place among the servants. Consider what he must have put himself through as he wandered the streets, looking for a bit of food or a warm place to spend the night. Picture the humility that he would have gone through, just to eat with the pigs, because he couldn't find food enough to feed his appetite (which had dwindled considerably at this point). Imagine the rags that he wore as he approached his father to beg for mercy.

As he walks up to the father (and I consider this to be a dramatic, staggering walk with the last of his unspent energy), his face is sunken in from malnutrition and his gait has turned into a hobble. His eyes are probably tired, dry, and yet filled with tears, because he just took his first steps back onto his father's property. The servants are probably staring, knowing that they're supposed to be working, but can't help themselves. The older brother is scornful and wishes the father would just turn him away.

The humility, the pain, the guilt - all of these things weigh heavily on the prodigal son's heart. Nothing else matters, though, because just by being in the father's presence, his heart is restored. Just knowing that his father hasn't cast him away melts his sadness into even more tears of joy. Bowing before his father, he just sits and weeps with his head down around his father's feet.

But, the father says, "Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him."

Shock! Everyone turns to look at the father's face. Is he joking? Is this a ploy? Why would he say that? What RIGHT does this son have? He squandered his father's living! He made a mess of the family name. He doesn't deserve ANYTHING, let alone the best robe!

How does the prodigal respond? He didn't want the best robe, he just wanted something to cover him as he sleeps at night. He didn't want a ring on his finger, he just wanted a warm meal to tide him over until he could work again.

"This is sick! This is disgusting," he thought. He didn't deserve anything, let alone a place of honor among his family. "Why would my father do this? He has to be wrong. He has to be crazy!"

But, the father insisted. In fact, he turned to his manservant and gave him a well-known glare that said, "If you don't complete the task that I give to you, you can return back to the fields to work." He was completely serious and within seconds everyone rushed to comply with his command. As they brought the robe out, the father grabbed it out of their hands and bent down to kneel face-to-face with his lost son. "Get up," he said.

Not knowing any other way to respond to his father's command, he slowly rose. Joints cracking from a lack of exercise, the son stood before his father with his head bowed. The father gently placed the robe over his shoulders and straightened it as it lay there on his shallow frame. For seconds that seemed like an eternity, the son just stood there and sobbed. His shaking body could barely stand, but the father's hands upon his shoulders kept him upright.

And then, the father wrapped him in his arms. The most welcoming hug that he had ever given anyone was the breaking point for everyone in the room. All that were staring gasped in awe at what the father had just done. He had welcomed an undeserving orphan into his household - into his inheritance. The son knew, perhaps for the first time, his father's complete and undivided love.

What I find interesting about this story is the fact that God is ready to replace our filthy rags with the best robe. He desires to wrap us in His arms and just welcome us into His inheritance. If I knew what it was like to allow God that full and complete place in my own life, I'd express it. All I know is that I spend most of my time waiting on the outskirts of my Father's property, unwilling to take that first step. My fear, my guilt, my shame all keep me from walking into His presence.

Doesn't He deserve more? Wait! Bryan, you're asking the wrong question. Shouldn't you have asked if WE deserve more? No! God deserves our love. He deserves our undivided attention. After all, we are placed on this earth to glorify Him. Nothing else matters. So, rather than sitting in our guilt and shame, isn't it time for us to step into His presence and just allow Him to protect and guide us?

It's just something I struggle with. What about you?

Living Out Christmas - 12/12/11

2011-12-12T09:35:00.001-08:00

As I sat and watched our children's Christmas play last night, I was reminded of the sparkle and twinkle of Christmas. In the U.S., we have wrapped the holidays up in a very nice package. We mostly spend time worrying about how it is wrapped, rather than considering the gift that comes inside of the wrapping. And here's a thought - no matter how you wrap Jesus, He's still the same gift.

In Luke 9:57-62, Jesus tells those following Him that they have to be willing to give up everything in order to follow Him. This isn't a one-time recruitment message, nor is is a simple prayer and your done. We seem to think that by going to church on Christmas and Easter, that our relationship to God will simply pan out in the end. However, this is NOT the message the Jesus communicates! It will be hard. It will be tiring. It will be grueling. Does that sound like the simple message of the Messiah coming that we usually hear at Christmas?

Instead of spending all of this Christmas season wondering about all of the beautiful wrapping and lights, I encourage you to deeply consider how the Messiah has changed your life. I encourage you to consider His message of hope to humanity along with His desire that you follow Him intimately. I encourage you to spread the word about God's affect on YOUR life. Show them how the Messiah has forever changed who you are and invite them to start the journey this season. It's not a one-time commitment and then your done; but, they can start the walk now. There's never a better time than now!

God's blessings on your life this week,

Bryan

http://thebtaylor.blogspot.com

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Understanding God's Healing

2011-11-30T20:53:00.000-08:00

I'm not going to profess to understand everything about God's amazing power to heal; but, I would like to share God's healing hand in my life tonight.

I've always known that God has the ability to bring about physical healing. I read the stories of His healing throughout the Bible and also of His other miraculous works, and I continually am amazed what He has done. However, I wasn't raised in a church that overtly talked about physical healing, so it was always something that I expected happened at other places. Sure, I didn't doubt that God could heal someone from my church, or even my family, but it just wasn't something that we saw.

Tonight, I experienced yet another healing moment, but I'm not sure that I've ever really thought of it as such until now. Since we have youth group on Wednesday nights, I usually come very tired after a normal work day. On several occasions, I have come home from work with a headache, sometimes borderline migraine, and not wanted to go to youth group. It's not that I don't love my church or my people, but rather that I literally feel as if I am going to fall over. Tonight was one of those nights.

I specifically remember driving to pick up a couple of the teens at their school and thinking, "I hope that I can stay conscious long enough to just get through this service." But, I also spent some time in prayer. I know that, if God has called me to the task of preaching, then He will equip me with everything that I need to get the job done. So, I just asked that God heal me - even if it was only to preach.

7 o'clock rolled by and still the headache was there. It was so bad, I was having trouble seeing straight and didn't even know how I was going to remember the message. And then God, as He has often done, said, "It's time to start. Let's go." Immediately, I was taken to another place and I was ushered on stage to lead the group in praising God. No headache. No thought of a headache. No desire to be in bed. My only thoughts and desires were to lead my group into the presence of God, so that they could connect with God.

As soon as church was over and I was back in my car, the headache had returned. I realize that I had it for a reason - I was dehydrated; but, what blows my mind is the fact that God takes care of me, every time He needs me to do His work.

Sure, it's not like I had a broken arm that was healed. It's not like I had a terminal disease that was taken away. I wasn't taken from a mat, carried into the presence of Jesus, touched by His hands, and told to walk; but, my body was healed so that I could preach the Word of God to the group.

Well, Bryan, that's not really that big of a deal.

Maybe not, but one of the teens was saved tonight. A young man, lost and alone, was forever changed, because he heard the message of the Gospel. Call it whatever you want, but I believe that my God handles things when they need to be dealt with. I believe that He intends for us to prosper. I believe that He desires a blessed relationship with us. And, I also believe that many will turn their back on Him, because they don't quite get it - the message, that is.

I just want you to be encouraged. I know that, often, we are required to follow God without knowing what will happen or how it will happen or even who will go with us. That's exactly how I felt tonight and I was reassured that only one thing mattered: connecting to God. I encourage you to follow that same path. If you don't know what I'm talking about, then connect with me and I'll connect you to Him.

Blessings upon your life.

Second-Rate Love

2011-11-23T21:16:00.000-08:00

As I sit, considering tomorrow's Thanksgiving festivities, I'm forced to reflect upon tonight's communion service message from Revelation 2:2-5. Some of us are thankful for things. Others of us are thankful for family and our church body. Sometimes, we forget the only thing worth remembering: our First Love.

In a recent conversation with a friend, I was drawn to the fact that my love for Christ, however strong, never fully reaches the love that Christ first had for us. "How are you today?"

"I'm about 75%."

"Interesting, because 75% pure gold is still considered to be impure." It wasn't a statement of condemnation, rather one of self-reflection. Have I ever attained first-rate love? A communion service, a remembrance of our communion and one-ness with Christ, should bring us back to remembering our First Love. And yet, why is it, that most of my life is spent with the feeling of being a second-rate lover.

I offer the following lyrics as my reflection. I realize that it can sound like a love song, but consider the words as you stand face-to-face with Christ. Maybe I'll record the music...someday...for now, consider the reflection.

You look so beautiful to me

Reminding me of nothing that I've seen

Drawing me to reframe the everything that I'm dreaming

I think the state of my me brings a purer love for Thee

I stand here as a second-rate

Holding only the shadow left behind

I sing hallelujah-lelujah

For the wonder of Your love

So pure and mine

I feel Your scarred and wounded hands

Not keeping me from driving the nail again

Bringing me to the place of giving up my needs

I think with less of me I'll find a purer love for Thee

I stand here as a second-rate, a second-rate

Holding only the shadow left behind

I sing hallelujah-lelujah

For the wonder of Your love

I bring to You the praise with my life

Leaving my depravity and sin so far behind

I sing hallelujah-lelujah

For the wonder of Your love

So pure and mine

Giving Love for the Ninja Nod-Off

2011-11-23T13:22:00.000-08:00

Not all of you are aware, but there is a wonderful blog that I like to follow called Stuff Christians Like. Not only does it make my day, but also, it gives good ideas for things that we can do better in church. Check out today's post entitled, "The Ninja Nod-off!" I hope that it makes your day better :)

When Super Mario Bros & Dating Collide

2011-11-17T18:52:00.000-08:00

There seems to be somewhat of a discrepancy over the different stages in getting to know someone. What many people don't actually understand, and seems to be a lesser-known fact, is the idea that dating is not simply defined as it used to be in the golden days. When I was in elementary school, if you wanted to date someone, you called it "goin' around." That was it. There weren't multiple steps or stages or whatever. We didn't kiss, because that was such a disgusting idea, that only the most raunchy of students actually tried it. When I moved into high school, it was no longer called "goin' around," but was changed to "dating." OK, that's still pretty simple.

Now, with the addition of social media into our world, there is a WHOLE new slew of stages that takes the concept of "dating" to a whole new level. I've described it in terms of Super Mario Bros for the sake of all of the guys out there that are still confused.

World One: Gently Stalking - This happens until the two become friends on Facebook. Generally speaking, this is the introduction phase, where you're learning how to play the game.

World Two: Texting - This is a casual conversation that allows the exchange of information, but no emotional connection. You probably think that you have a handle on things, but don't get cocky.

World Three: The Coffee Date - You are now able to establish an emotional connection in a Starbucks (or similar coffee shop), without feeling trapped or overwhelmed.

World Four: The Actual Date - If you are the guy, you wear jeans and a button-down, so as not to seem too excited, and take the girl to a restaurant that has been pre-approved by your non-dating-status girl friends. If you are the girl, you wear pants and a nice blouse that says, "Don't get crazy."

World Five: The First Call - This is initiated by the guy, because the girl doesn't want to seem too forward. He's usually unsure as to how long after the date to call, because Google data analysis still hasn't caught up to the modern age of social media awkwardness.

World Six: The Dating Phase - If you've passed World Five, then you are now launched into one of the longest levels of your life. It will seem insurmountable, but there are hints below to help you pass this level.

World Seven: The Question - There are multiple theories as to the best plan of attack for this level. If you don't keep a healthy balance at this point, then you won't follow through to the end. The question is only asked when you know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that you got this.

World Eight: The Wedding - You've Saved the Princess! Not yet...You are now facing the moment of truth. You have persisted and maintained your lives all the way up to this point. This is the final battle that will decide the truth of your relationship.

You will definitely need help throughout this process. If you think that you can do it alone, don't even try. The following are hints to help you along the way.

Warps - If you've played the game before, or at least been coached along the way, then you will find ways to warp between worlds. If this option is available and is not going to hurt you in the long run, then take advantage of it.

1-Ups - You NEED these. There is no way that you can make it through without these. You are going to make mistakes, so save your 1-Ups for the times when you make mistakes. Not only will they give you new life, but also they will give you a chance to rethink your plan.

Pause - There have been attempts to drink caffeinated beverages and just streak through the game without stopping. Don't do this. Take your time, if necessary, to pause and reflect. And...use the bathroom as necessary.

Coins - You can make it through the game without collecting coins, but it would be better to grab as many as you can. Pay attention to opportunities to gather more coins. Don't stop to get them, if it will hurt your time, but don't just pass them by without paying attention. You will need the 1-Ups that they bring.

Fire Flower - There will be times when you feel as if you are completely on fire. Enjoy it. Bask in it. But remember, it doesn't last forever. You still need to brush up on your overall skills, because the Fire Flower will not always be around to rescue you.

Starman - These are less common than Fire Flower, but allow you to blaze through anything without being affected. Please take caution when using the Starman. If you run out of your invincible power and are not paying attention, then you will surely die.

Remember that Bowser is just that - Bowser. He represents every guy that stands in your way of rescuing the princess. Don't let them defeat you. They will act stronger, tougher, and some may even spit game; but, don't let that stop you. You have ONE mission: Rescue the princess!

Good luck!

Sermon Notes - 11/14/11

2011-11-14T07:58:00.000-08:00

I was reading a blog, recently, about taking sermon notes. Regardless of the rest of the blog, I started thinking about how often we take sermon notes and why. And, then I started thinking about whether or not we actually pay attention in church. I mean, do our notes reflect what we learned in the sermon? Do they just represent the main points that someone tried to get across to us? Are they just doodles?

Do you pay attention? To life?

We just had a recent discussion in youth group about the usefulness of cell phones in a church service. Their response, without my prompting, was that phones are unnecessary in church. I asked that those with the Bible app on their phone to raise their hand. About half of the hands went up. Then I asked that those who owned a physical Bible put their hands down. Only one hand was left up, and I promised to get her a Bible.

When we take out all of our excuses for not paying attention, we really are forced to ask the hard question. Do I really and truly want a relationship with God or am I just really, really good at pretending?

Psalm 78:1-4 says, "My people, hear my teaching; listen to the words of my mouth. I will open my mouth with a parable; I will utter hidden things, things from of old - things we have heard and known, things our ancestors have told us. We will not hide them from their descendants; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the LORD, His power, and the wonders He has done."

I hope that you can answer the question of life.

God's blessings on your life this week,

Bryan

http://thebtaylor.blogspot.com

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Widows and Orphans - 11/7/11

2011-11-07T08:11:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was Orphan Sunday (around the United States), so I thought it would be appropriate to have a discussion about our responsibility as the church in regard to widows and orphans.

James 1:26-27 says, "Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless. Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world."

I see three very basic things rising up out of this passage. The first is that anyone who first considers themselves religious is just fooling themselves. Speaking out about your religion, but having not actions to back up your words, proves just how shallow you truly are. If you desire to have a deep sense of "religion," then look out for others in greater need than yourself, and ensure that you are following biblical principles.

Secondly, James warns us to look out for the orphans and widows in distress. Do we even know who those people are? That seems to be the question running through my head. How do I find them? Well, in order to know who those are in distress, I have to first have a relationship with them. Some people are so secretive about their issues, that they don't want anyone to know. You may have people in distress, right under your nose, but wouldn't know what is causing that distress, because you haven't been paying attention.

And lastly, keep yourself from being polluted by the world. I don't think that this overshadows our attention to others, but rather it coincides with it. Helping others is a part of how we keep ourselves from being polluted. We can't have more concern for others than for ourselves, but it also works the other way. There is a constant pull between what we feel for ourselves, and how we respond to others, and that balance that we find is what comes from being filled with the Spirit of God.

I say these things, almost more to myself than to you, because I know just how hard it is for me to remain faithful to the call of God upon my own life. I hope that this week, you are able to seek out those in distress and pray for them. Bring them comfort. Help meet their physical needs. They are truly all around us, we just have to look.

God's blessings on your life this week,

Bryan

http://thebtaylor.blogspot.com

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I Pulled the God Card

2011-11-02T22:58:00.000-07:00

Have you ever considered forgiving the person that hurts you the most? How about the person that drives you insane? Or the person who should already know better, but they continue to act inappropriately? I have...

Honestly, I'm not thrilled about the prospect of forgiving them. The social justice side of me wants to speak out, "But, they need to be held accountable!!" I'll share with you tonight's lesson from the track.

I was walking, as I sometimes do when I cannot run (by sometimes, I really mean a lot) and having a conversation with myself. Well, I was really having a conversation with "the other person." There were a lot of "Oh ya, do you know what you did??" statements and also calls for repentance. But, the entire time I was NOT convincing the other person to see my side of the argument (interesting, since it was ultimately myself).

I finally pulled my wild card. I mean, I had "the other person" dead to rights with this card. There was no escaping, no denying - NOTHING. This was the "God" card.

"If you were standing in the presence of God, you would have to repent. If you don't, then God is going to smite you." I don't think I actually said smite, but I like the word, so it'll fit closely enough. I was there, intimately looking for a response. God was standing next to me and He said, "If there is no repentance, then you make the call and I will end the life of 'the other person.'"

WHOA - wait a minute! You mean to tell me that I get to make the call? This was the moment. I could finally get an apology! This was the thing for which I had been arguing until my legs hurt from walking.

And, then it hit me. I was condemning this person to death. The judgement that I was to deal out, was the judgement that is reserved only for God. But, He said I could! No. But, "the other person" deserves it! No. In that moment, I knew that I had no more argument left.

How could I, a sinner just like "the other person," justify anyone's life? To this moment, I still feel a sense of loss, as if I had really pulled the trigger or swung the axe. I wanted it so badly, even if it meant the other person's condemnation to an eternity in hell.

I hope you learn from my mistake. Maybe "your other person" has done worse than mine. If that's the case, then you have a longer road to walk. I can't say that I envy either of our situations, but I can say that mine is ending in forgiveness.

One of my fears is that "the other person" will hurt me again after I forgive. The truth is, I can't control that. I can only promise to remain faithful to God and ask that He direct my steps. I hope that you can do the same.

The Bride of Christ - 10/31/11

2011-10-31T11:19:00.001-07:00

In John 3:27-30, John the Baptists refers to Christ as the Bridegroom, referring to the anticipation that the Groom has while waiting for His bride (the church) to finally enter the marriage. Think about that! Christ truly desires us, His bride, as a groom that waits in anticipation for the wedding day.

For those of you that are married, you can probably still remember the giddy feeling that you had, while waiting for the final moment in which you would say your vows and seal your marriage relationship. Think about Christ, waiting for us on the day of judgment. He is excited to see us enter into a relationship with Himself, because that is our original purpose. This communion with God is ultimately our undeniable calling that many people toss away so willingly.

I encourage you to think about the anticipation of entering into the presence of Christ. Just remember that He desires you, much more than you have ever (or will ever) desire Him. And that, brothers and sisters, is the hope that we have in Him.

I hope that you are able to share this with those that are closest to you. Spread the word about what Christ has done in your life lately. Let them know about the blessings that you have, and encourage them to enter into this same relationship.

God's blessings on your life this week,

Bryan

http://thebtaylor.blogspot.com

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Considering Joy

2011-10-27T18:52:00.000-07:00

James 1:2 says, "Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance."

I'm curious as to what those "trials of many kinds" actually look like. When was the last time that I faced something that was seriously considered a trial? For that matter, when was the last time that I actually did something that serious. If I consider my minuscule issues "trials," what will actually happen when I face a real trial?

I love how James phrases this, because he says "trials of many kinds." That means I will sometimes have big trials, sometimes small ones, and sometimes even things that I have no clue how to classify. But, he says that regardless the type of trial, when I come through it, my faith will have been tested and proven. THAT is what really gets me.

I desire perfection, but obviously won't get there any time soon. However, I know that when my faith has been tested and comes out stronger, that I will have more perseverance for the future trials. How amazing is it, that we are blessed with a God who sees exactly what we need and helps us through?

In Luke 11:11-13, Jesus asked, "Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!"

When you are faced with trials, pray for the Spirit of God to fill your life and dwell with you. There is nothing more that you can ask for and God expects that you ask for nothing less. He knows exactly what we need to persevere, so give Him the opportunity to make it happen!

True and Glorious Salvation - 10/24/11

2011-10-24T08:08:00.000-07:00

Matthew 7:21-23 says, "Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’"

Think about the many thousands of people that have cried, "Lord, Lord," but will never enter heaven. While we know that God is a loving Father and the Creator of the Universe, we also know that He is a just, jealous, and righteous God. For the sake of us understanding this text, we need to realize that some of the people that call themselves Christians will NOT enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. You're probably running through a list of 4-5 people right now - people that you know are not living their lives for the Christ, the Messiah.

So, what does it mean to have true salvation? It's not the fact that we open the door and finally allow Jesus to participate in our lives. Rather, it is the undeniable reality that we are absolutely NOTHING without Him. We have nothing of value to offer for our lives. Just opening the door to His call seems shallow.

The picture that Jesus paints is one of a dinner table, in which we sup with Him. This, from my understanding, is His call to commune with Him. We feast, we talk, we laugh, we obey, we struggle, we do everything with Him. This type of radical salvation is not something that we can take lightly. If we are truly "saved" from the pit of hell, it is because we are allowing the Holy Spirit of God to make sweeping changes in our lives, bringing us closer to mirroring Him, and not our former life.

If there is truly a great need in our lives, it is that we tell everyone that we know of the salvation that God offers through His Son, Jesus Christ. Many are calling Him "Lord," but He is not the Lord of their lives. If you care about those that are without Christ, then you will do something about it. I challenge you to consider this message today. Salvation is not for us to keep to ourselves. There is a Savior that can change our lives, and we need to share Him with everyone that we can!

God's blessings on your life this week,

Bryan

http://thebtaylor.blogspot.com

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If you'd like to subscribe to this weekly devotional, please forward your email and name to thebtaylor@gmail.com. Also, the idea for today's devotional comes from David Platt's book Radical.

Letters to My Wife, Chapter 6

2011-10-21T15:51:00.000-07:00

I was asked, repeatedly, what my "type" was. Who would I desire to date? What did I look for in a wife? I mean, I wanted to be completely honest, but sometimes I just didn't know what to say. Most people wanted to know if I looked for a brunette or a blond and how tall she should be and whether she was thin and all of that superficial stuff. While I'll admit, I desired a woman who was beautiful, I didn't necessarily have a "type" as most people wanted to know.

I wanted to see the heart. I wanted someone with whom I could have a real and honest conversation. I wanted deeper than the typical, superficial relationship that I saw in so many people around me. Often people wondered why I was so picky, and it was because I just couldn't see myself with this girl or that one. There was nothing beyond the physical attraction and that bothered me.

So, when people asked about my type, I shared my prayer:

"Lord, I ask that you bring me a beautiful woman to be my wife. Please let her be someone who will love and respect me; and someone that I can love and respect in return. Let her be someone that will join with me in ministry. And, let her be someone that I can pour my heart into and will pour her heart into me in return. Thank you, Lord."

At hearing this, most people would respond with, "Awwe," as if I had discovered some secret to love and happiness. The truth is, I was still single. I would often wonder if I had prayed the wrong prayer or if my prayer would ever be answered. But, I waited with anticipation. I knew that God would send you, and I held on to that hope. I knew that, if I was faithful to my God, He would bless me, more abundantly than I had ever thought possible.

Now that we're finally married, I realize that I couldn't have asked for anyone more appropriate. My God supplied my needs and blessed me with a woman who completes me so fully, I haven't the words to express it. So, I simply say, "I love you. Thank you, for being a part of the rest of my life."

A Message from Jesus - 10/17/11

2011-10-17T10:08:00.001-07:00

Jesus Christ is our salvation, and yet, we spend so little time actually examining the messages that He had to impart to humanity. More specifically, I think we sometimes forget to look at the Sermon on the Mount, found in Matthew 5. I'd like to spend a little time on the Beatitudes for the next few weeks or so. The Beatitudes are Jesus' opening remarks for the rest of the sermon, and really outline, I think, His desire for Israel to turn back to their God.

Last week I discussed hungering and thirsting for righteousness, but I didn't do much to introduce the first three verses. This week, let's look at Matthew 5:3: "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."

Poor in spirit? What on earth does THAT mean? Do I have to lose my spirit? Is my spirit not good enough? Is He talking about God's Spirit?

Imagine our spirit as a glass jar or container. An empty container is still filled with something - air. So, imagine your spiritual container being filled with things: emotions, reactions, thoughts, words, ideas, beliefs, etc. All of these things are direct change agents to our spirit. If I start filling my container with negative emotions, my spirit is going to look negative. If I begin to fill my container with positive thoughts, then I will be filled with a bunch of "good words". But, imagine me emptying my container of all of MY stuff. If I do this, then I am making room for it to be filled with something else.

This emptying can be dangerous, because it leaves room for either negative things or positive things to fill it. But, if my entire desire is to be filled with God's spirit (going back to Matthew 5:6 from last week), then I HAVE to empty my container to make room for Him. That's a risk that I take, but one that I am absolutely willing to do, because I cannot continue to live my life without Christ. To live without Christ is nothingness. To live without Him is emptiness. To live without Him is worthless.

Once I have emptied my spirit (or become poor in spirit - my own spirit), I have room to inherit the kingdom of heaven. And THAT, brothers and sisters, is the desire of my heart. This week, I hope that all of your actions, statements, and thoughts glorify God. May you have God's peace, to surround your life and keep you humble.

God's blessings on your life this week,

Bryan

http://thebtaylor.blogspot.com

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Things to be Remembered

2011-10-13T13:17:00.001-07:00

Have you ever found yourself wondering why you are in your current situation? Have you been so completely overwhelmed with life that you forget to remember the GOOD things that Christ is doing in and through your life? To hopefully avoid finding myself in that place, I'd like to share the following story. It may not be that significant to some, but it is to me, and therefore is set up as an Ebenezer for future remembrance.

Last night, youth group was a different service that what we've experienced lately. Don't get me wrong, I've been enjoying our youth services, but last night was special. It was the culmination of a number of changes that God has been making in my life and in the lives of many of my teens. It was the turning point and a time that should not be forgotten.

We started with our music. While the teens were excited and full of rambunctious energy, when we began singing, we were moved from our current place of understanding, to a place in which the Holy Spirit was able to speak into our hearts. This was in addition to the fact that I really had fun playing guitar with my brother. I mean, there's just something about playing well together, when you are in sync, that let's you know that the groove is on and you're playing out of the overflowing abundance of your heart. THAT was cool!

But, back to the teens. There is something about hearing a bunch of teens lift their voices in praise and adoration of our Father and Creator that soothes the soul. There is something about that moment in time that allows the Holy Spirit to just say, "Peace. Hear my voice and respond." In that instant, you are moved from thinking about your current situation, your problems, your worries, and your concerns with life to only caring about serving the one, true Savior. THAT was cool!

But, put the guitar aside. Put the music and lyrics aside. Open the Word of the Lord to Hosea 10:12. If, as most Christians would state, our desire is to draw closer to God through righteousness, we would look at this passage and wonder, is my field fallow? Is my soil rocky? Do I have weeds in my life that are keeping me from worshiping God with every part of my being? If so, then I HAVE to plow my field and get it ready for God's great and abundant blessings for my life.

This brought us to the point of an invitation to answer the Spirit's call on our lives. Hands were raised, teens were feeling the Spirit moving in their lives. The altar was open and ready to receive people for prayer. In that moment in time, there was absolutely no doubt about God's call for repentance, changed lives, and new attitudes. To leave there without connecting with God was a very purposeful and rebellious decision.

Afterward, the teens wanted to stay and talk. I mean, we have days in which people jet out the door and are ready to go home; but, not last night! I literally had to force them out the door so that we could have our new believer's Bible study. The fact that they were disappointed to leave the House of God just warmed my heart, and warms it still.

Fast forward through Bible study, which was great, and you are brought to the van ride home. There was laughter! There were giggles. There was fun. There was excitement. There were good conversations. How can you get better than a van full of life?

To look back and say that God's Spirit was not present would be a scandalous falsehood. God was present last night. He was real. And, He was moving. I would rather have that with only a handful of teens, than a room full of disengaged and disinterested teens. But, here's the kicker! We had a great number of teens! More than I expected for "Christian concert" night at the fair, for which many people decided to skip our mid-week service. I don't hold that against them, but rather I rejoice in the fact that God still brought new people into His house so that they could hear the Gospel message. THAT was cool!

I fully recognize that there are times in life that seem dreary, dull, and without hope. Let this be a reminder that God is still God and that He reigns on His throne. He is the King and He will always protect and care for His people. Let this be a reminder that He's got our back! Let this be my Ebenezer!

Blessings on you! Feel free to share the message! Christ lives and His salvation changes our lives!

Hungering and Thirsting for Righteousness - 10/10/11

2011-10-10T10:19:00.000-07:00

Matthew 5:6 says, "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled."

Righteousness, as defined by the dictionary, is "the quality or state of being just or rightful." Righteousness is something that everyone understands, whether they can put words to it or not. We are trained from birth to act correctly, because we understand very early on what sin is. Living in righteousness means that we are living through justified actions. How many people can honestly say that every single one of their actions is justified?

In Romans 5:15-19, we see that, through the actions of Adam's original sin, each of us is plagued with sin and condemned to an eternity away from God. We also see, however, that because of Christ's pure and righteous act (death on a cross and resurrection into life), we can reenter into righteousness.

Often, people try to justify their actions on their own, stating "their" reasons for acting in the manner observed. Unfortunately, this is the most childish of responses that we can have. We can't justify our own sin, so what good does it do to reason things away? Wouldn't it be better to just own up to the mistakes made?

Every time that someone tries to reason away their mistakes, they work out of their own strength. Working out of one's own strength just uses up whatever energy they had and thus leaves them with less than when they started. This is the essence of being burnt out and is the complete opposite of God's original intent for us to be filled.

Consider your life. Are you tired of paying the price for your own actions and mistakes? Please don't misunderstand me, I'm not saying that you will live a life without consequences; but, you can live a life that is finally justified. Christ's actions don't justify us continually living in sin, but rather they justify us being removed from sin, to no longer be caught in the trap of unfulfilling and useless words. Do you desire to be filled by God? Then stop trying to make excuses for your wrong actions! Just stop doing them.

This week, I encourage you to take inventory of your thoughts, words, and actions. Do you have a growing sense of God's presence in your life or are you continually feeling empty and alone. Only you can change that. God will save you, if you would just let Him have authority in your life.

God's blessings on your life this week,

Bryan

http://thebtaylor.blogspot.com

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A Healing God - 10/3/11

2011-10-03T09:17:00.000-07:00

Do you believe that God truly wants to see His people healed and healthy? I'm not just talking about physical healing, but also spiritual and emotional healing. Often we don't trust that God has our best interests at heart. We wonder why He is taking so long to help us, but I want to encourage you to rest in God's amazingly perfect timing.

Last night, for our service, we baptized 9 teens/children! Here's what's really cool - I wasn't the only one baptizing them. Some of the children were baptized by their grandfathers. Some were baptized by their fathers. Imagine the legacy marker being left, because the Spirit of the Lord was working through fathers and grandfathers to bless the children of the next generation!

When you think of God's perfect and healing hand, His timing was exactly as it needed to be. For a church that has been wondering how God is going to continue to bless, adding 9 members to the family seemed an amazing shot in the arm.

I'm not sure how last week went, but I would like to encourage you as you start the new week. God has plans for our lives, but we are so busy trying to figure things out on our own that we miss Him. Look for the things with which God is blessing your life. Celebrate those things! It brings healing that we never even imagined could happen.

I'll leave you with a story from a friend. He was riding his motorcycle and a big SUV came racing up behind him, almost touching his tailpipes. After it happened twice, he almost lost his cool. In the moment, he wasn't sure what he would do; but, after he had cooled down, he said, "I should've just smiled." Smile this week, no matter what happens. You have a Savior that is completely in to you. Live like it!

God's blessings on your life this week,

Bryan

http://thebtaylor.blogspot.com

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Follow Me As I Follow Christ - 9/26/11

2011-09-26T08:13:00.000-07:00

"Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ." (1 Corinthians 11:1)

That's a rather bold statement, isn't it? I mean, Paul has a huge assumption that he is actually following Christ. Obviously, he thinks that he is, but what if someone contended that fact? What if you said, "Follow me, as I follow Christ?" Would you be ridiculed for that statement? Would people think that you are arrogant? Would they judge you?

Let me ask another question: What if no one is showing them Christ? What if they have no example of Christ in their lives? Do you think that it's more important to remain "without judgment" or to be an example for others?

"Bryan, there has to be another option than just those two." If there is, please pose it for me. Put words to your thought - your rebuttal - or consider the implications that my question leaves behind. There are plenty of people that live without a godly example in their lives. The problem is, none of us is willing to step up and take action. That is ridiculous!

People know that you are going to fail. In fact, they probably expect that you will fail, and fail hard. So, why not put yourself out on the line and guide them as best you can? Let them follow you, as you follow Christ. This will do two things: (1) give them a godly example to follow as they get plugged in to the truth of God's word, and (2) keep you accountable.

I think most of us would rather not be held accountable. If you've read any of my previous posts, you know that having no accountability is not an option. So, this week, see who you can influence in a godly way. Point others to Christ. We all know that you can't save them, but point them to the One that can! I hope that love becomes your guiding light, rather than fear of judgment.

God's blessings on your life this week,

Bryan

http://thebtaylor.blogspot.com

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A Longing In My Heart

2011-09-22T20:19:00.000-07:00

To borrow the phrase from Dannah Gresh (in today's D6 Conference), I am emotionally wealthy at the moment. What does that mean? It means that my emotions are super-charged and am have wasted at least half - if not all - of my ability to cry. So, the rest of this post is an explanation of the longing in my heart.

Many of these emotions are derived from our most recent church split. Over the last 7 years, Harmony Church has gone through a succession of three pastoral resignations. For a church, that is a lot of turnover. I remember reading Doug Fields' Your First Two Years in Youth Ministry, and in that he tells the story of a girl who had 5 different small group leaders during the course of her 6-year participation in youth group. That much change can wear on a person. That much change has worn on me. I'm not planning to leave, but I have been left with scars - things that don't ever go away.

In addition to that, past feelings that I thought were put to rest have, once again, been drummed up. I thought I was content with being single. I know that you probably don't want to spend much time reading this part, but I feel compelled to share part of this experience. When we had our church business meeting (two weeks ago), I was forced to think about my brother's recent engagement. Knowing that my future sister-in-law was new to the church, I wondered what she thought about our fighting and squabbling during the business meeting. I also wondered what it would have been like, if I were recently engaged and living through this event with a fiance.

Would she be upset over this? Why would she want to be with someone who had committed his life to working in the church, if this was the mess that she could look forward to? Why would anyone even want to consider me as a future spouse, knowing the conflict that I would face? Why would I want to make this my life, my goal, my passion?

Obviously, these were rhetorical questions, but I found myself wondering them. And, I found myself revisiting the previous issue of singleness, wondering if I was truly content.

Now, to add another lay to this complexity, I am leaving the freshly wounded church, to fly out to Dallas and attend a conference about keeping people healthy within the family of God - ironic. In the morning session, however, we heard from David Platt - a man with whom I was previously unfamiliar. Following an encouraging talk from Doug Fields, Platt proceeded to kick our butts. Very simply summarized, there are too many unsaved people in this world to continue playing Christian. There is a calling more profound than anything we have ever known and that is to follow Christ, with everything that we have and with all that we are.

In Luke 9:57-62, Jesus talks about the cost of being a disciple. The cost, however, is not something that we are prepared for - leaving behind all that we have, including family. This doesn't mean that we shouldn't love our families or work hard to train them in the ways of the Lord. It does mean, however, that we are undeniable called to seek Christ's Kingdom, despite our family. Christ is not a means to an end. He IS the end.

Couple this with my previous thoughts and it seems that I have nothing left to stand on. What I perceive to be a "hard time" or a difficult situation to deal with, really looks stupid in comparison to the ultimate goal of the Kingdom. Why has Harmony Church gone through this pruning? Why am I left to the life of a single male? Why are each and everyone of us faced with difficult situations? Does it really matter, when compared to the larger goal of the Kingdom?

Christ has called us to join Him on His journey, and most of the time, all we can think about is our own selfish ambitions. When are we going to catch the vision for His Kingdom work? We have talked for so long about needing the vision from a pastor, but the vision has already been cast! All we have to do is open our eyes to see it!

We live in a wicked and depraved world that tells us that we're bad if we judge people and mad if we take a stand for justice. Look around us! People, on every street corner, are looking for justice - they just can't stand a righteous Judge. We have been so timid to preach that vision, it just proves our selfishness in not taking a stand.

I, for one, can no longer stand to sit on the sidelines, when billions of people remain unreached for the cause of Christ. I can't let the church stand in the way. I can't let my own timidity stand in the way. I can't let ME stand in the way.

I'm sitting here in the hotel room and Chris has "God of this City" playing as a reminder of the vision that we have already been given. We have been called to rise up and follow Christ by reaching the lost of our world. I, for one, don't intend for mission to be put on the shelf for another day - we are called NOW!

This renewed longing in my heart is what I should've been passionate about during all of this conflict. Whether inner turmoil or exterior anger management, I can't lose sight of the fact that God has wrapped His indelible Spirit around His me for the purpose of protecting and guiding me into the next generation of winning souls for His Kingdom. This longing is an awakening to the true potential of all believers, and shouldn't be quieted for the world.

No matter what you have been going through, know this - Christ is here to save us from our depravity and give us a new life, a new Spirit, and a new vision. You are called to be one of His children.

Leave me your feedback on God's specific call for you to take His message to the world! I'd love to hear from you.

We Are - 9/19/11

2011-09-19T16:42:00.000-07:00

Have you ever heard someone say, "I'm trying to be a Christian?" They might not have said it in those words, but if asked the question, "How is your walk with God," they might respond with, "Well, I'm trying."

Why trying? Does that make them feel better about failure? Does it make them think that they can save themselves? As if trying harder would do anything to forgive sins. I mean, Jesus said, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6) He is the only way. You trying is not going to change that fact.

I've been considering the movie We Are Marshall. The theme of "we are" is significant in this, because it proves unity by virtue of being on the same team. We, as Christ-followers, are either Christians or we aren't. There isn't a middle stage of "trying".

You might be thinking, "Bryan, that sounds very legalistic. You can't expect there to be a hard and fast rule, because God is the one that judges the heart." I don't argue God's judgement here. All I am doing is bringing up the fact that there is no middle ground. If Christ has not forgiven your sins, then you are still a sinner and you deserve death and judgement in hell. If Christ has forgiven your sins, then you are undeniably covered by His blood and you will be welcomed into the gates of heaven.

"But, Bryan, what if I sin? What if I mess up? Am I still covered under the blood? What if I don't feel like a Christian? What if I am struggling or just having a hard time?" Honestly, these are the questions that we answer during the first lesson for new believers in Christ. If you don't know the answers to these questions, then we need to have an honest and real conversation about the Bible.

The point that I am making is that, as Christians, we have an unshakable responsibility to BE Christians. We don't try to act like them, we ARE them. Live out your faith this week, showing others that there is something more significant to life than just existing. Be a Christ-follower!

God's blessings on your life this week,

Bryan

http://thebtaylor.blogspot.com

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A Few More Commands - 9/12/11

2011-09-12T08:03:00.001-07:00

We just had Bro. Curtis Linton at our church for a revival. I wasn't able to attend all of the services, but he started off the series (Monday night) with a sermon on Achan's sin. In light of the fact that I just sent out an email about obeying God's commands, I thought I might use some of his sermon to highlight or readdress a couple more thoughts. Take a look at Joshua 7:1. It says that "the Israelites were unfaithful in regard to the devoted things." Achan was the only man that took what he wasn't supposed to, but ALL of Israel was considered sinful, because of his actions. WHAT?? How on EARTH is that fair?

You guys know that I am very close to my family. Consider, for instance, that I were to do something for which the rest of my siblings would receive punishment. I know what you're thinking…"Bryan would NEVER do that!" Well, that may or may not be true. But, rather than bring any blame on myself or anyone else, let's just consider this theoretical situation. Would that be fair? Absolutely not! So why would my parents have reason to discipline all four of us? Even worse, what if my parents were to discipline the other three and not me? What would be the initial reaction of the other three?

I think there would be anger - for sure. I think there would also be some resentment. However, I hope that, after some time had passed, my siblings would consider our future as a family. You see, we've never just stopped at telling someone what we think they should or shouldn't do. Rather, we dive into their life and make sure that they know how serious we are in keeping them from trouble. If I had a habit of getting the others in trouble, they would try even harder to keep me from future trouble. Interesting.

Reconsider Achan. A man who, for all intensive purposes, isn't that significant. His sin affects the entire nation of Israel. It starts Joshua on a road of doubt as the leader of the people. It causes the deaths of 36 men and routed the Israelite army in humiliation. It caused unrest, strife, and mourning in the camp of the Israelites. One man's sin did this. ONE man.

How many "one man" situations are causing you or those closest to you to fail? We're not just individuals living out this life, despite the fact that we are individually responsible for our decisions and commitment to God. We keep each other accountable. You are held to accountability by those closest to you.

You affect those around you.

So take some time to be honest with yourself this week. In what ways are you holding others hostage by your own actions? Do something about it. How are others holding you hostage by their actions? Do something about it. But, do it in love.

God's blessings on your life this week,

Bryan
http://thebtaylor.blogspot.com
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Dealing With Commands - 9/5/11

2011-09-05T06:43:00.001-07:00

When you think about the commands that God gave, not just the Ten Commandments, how do you juggle that with your personal life? We know what is actually "good" for us, but are we really willing to obey them fully? We know that to "disobey" is sin, but have we disregarded God's warning to the point of apathy?

I've been challenged, recently, to reconsider my priorities and to truly challenge my values and my actions. Have I become lax in my treatment of God's commands? Since God hasn't stricken me down, does that mean that I'm off the hook regarding punishment?

In John 14, Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me."

Wow. I may not experience immediate punishment, but I have to consider the implications of being separated from God's eternal presence. This is not just a situation in which I'm not talking to a friend. This is the consideration that I may be separated from God for all eternity. I'm not saying that "one sin" will separate you from God, because I believe that God knows the intent of your heart and whether you are truly attempting to obey Him in all faithfulness. I am saying, however, that if you continue to ignore God and make it a regular practice to ignore His commands, that you will become separated from His presence. I will never lose His love, but has my lack of faithfulness caused me to drift away from His presence?

I don't consider this idea when I plan to just leave Him out of my life. I try not to think about it, knowing that to do so, I might feel guilty. So, I continue ignoring His gentle prodding and before I know it, I have found myself a great distance off. All of this happens, because I have been unwilling to be faithful in the small commands that He has given me.

I hate the fact that things so small can make such a HUGE impact in my life. Why can't I remain faithful in the small things…? I have no answer. All I have is Jesus' response regarding obedience.

I hope that you find strength in Him this week. I know that it's easy to disregard the seemingly "lesser" commands, but they are just as important as the greater ones. Rest in God's love, knowing that your faithfulness will grow your relationship in Him!

God's blessings on your life this week,

Bryan

http://thebtaylor.blogspot.com

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Kefa Coffee - Done Right

2011-09-02T11:44:00.000-07:00

I'm sitting in Kefa Coffee in Oakland and am getting ready to have lunch. The cool thing about this place is the free wi-fi and the environment. I figure, since I'm here and they have free wi-fi, I'll give them a proper shout out.

I decided to check out their website and noticed that it was started, because two people enjoyed coffee and were tired of seeing it done wrong. Now, that's exactly how it SHOULD be done. If you are passionate about something, then do it well. Don't let someone else continue to get it wrong.

If you have a chance to visit Kefa Coffee when you visit Oakland, check it out!

The Face of the People

2011-09-01T12:17:00.000-07:00

I'm in San Francisco this week attending a conference for work. As I was on the way back to my hotel room for the night, I almost ran into a woman (literally) who was staggering down the sidewalk. Now, by virtue of the fact that I am in San Francisco, I knew that there might be some interesting people on the streets. There are at least 5 people outside my hotel, every time that I enter or leave, that are begging for money.

So, having been here a number of times in the past, I wasn't really affected by the many people on the streets - until I found myself on a collision course.The lady had a pocked-marked face and appeared to be filled with fever blisters. I know that not everyone can have a perfect face, but I immediately felt pain when looking upon her face. Why was she like this? What had taken place in her life that she would look to be in such pain? Was this her own choice or was it forced upon her?

She was also crying as she staggered down the sidewalk. Not only were there tears in her eyes, but also she kept repeating, "Someone save me, someone save me." What should I do about this? Why would she be saying this as she was walking down the street? This took me back to Criminal Minds, as if it were another episode on women lost in the big city. Would anyone remember her, if she were gone? Would anyone care? Does anyone care even now?

My gut reaction was to keep walking, which I did. Was that wrong? I justified it by saying that there were shelters, if she needed help. There were also police on every corner, directing traffic. There were plenty of stores with open doors. There were hundreds of people walking by. Why was no one helping? Did she really want help? Was it for attention?

These are the thoughts that many of us are plagued with. Should I actually help this person? Am I a bad person for not helping?

What are YOUR thoughts? Share with me what you would've done in this situation.

San Francisco Traffic

2011-08-30T13:52:00.000-07:00

Not many people enjoy getting lost in big city traffic. What appears to be a simple process of getting from point A to point B can quickly become a hazardous train wreck. Today, I had the pleasure of observing (from the back seat, no less) an amazing experience of the stress that can be compounded when driving in inner-city San Francisco. Check out this video and share your comments!

On Holiness - 8/29/11

2011-08-29T08:45:00.000-07:00

1 Peter 1:15-16 says, "But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: 'Be holy, because I am holy.'"

Peter is giving a restatement of God's original plan in Leviticus 19 to be holy. What is holiness? Is it always doing the right thing at the right time? Is it drawing from God's strength to live our lives appropriately? Is it a purification process?

I think all of these things, but much more! Holiness is the consecration of oneself to God - setting yourself apart to be used by Him. This requires that we live blamelessly, because we know that we cannot enter into the presence of God with sin in our lives. This requires our full devotion to God, knowing that we are guided by His Holy Spirit. And, it also requires that we make tweaks and changes along the way in order to fully understand how our lives fit into God's eternal plan.

But, more than all of this, it says "be". Don't act holy. That apparently is a mask that people see through rather quickly. Don't ask for God's strength and then ignore Him when He offers help. Be. That's it.

Be the person that you know you ought to be. Don't pretend or fake it or whatever. Be that person - a Christ-follower. There is nothing more important or more satisfying that to be a follower of Christ and be fully satisfied with the knowledge that you are forgiven. You can be a parent or a successful teacher or whatever, but nothing will satisfy you more that belonging to Christ.

I think it's time that we step up and be who we should have been for the last 6 months or year or however long it has been since you lost the vision. You are protected under God's covenant, if you are His child, so don't worry about what the world has to say - be. Don't stress about the finances - be. Don't give in to that sin - be.

Live the life you were called to live.

God's blessings on your life this week,

Bryan

http://thebtaylor.blogspot.com

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A Sword Wound to Remember

2011-08-23T13:11:00.001-07:00

A couple of weeks ago, I went for a walk in my neighborhood. You may ask why I wasn’t running, but I’ll tell you, it wasn’t by choice. I had previously hurt my knee and was on week three of recovery, so walking seemed to be the best thing for getting the blood flowing throughout the body. Knowing that I was going to be out in the dark, I thought to protect myself as I normally do: I brought my pirate sword. I don’t like assuming that there may be trouble in the hood, but one has to take precautions in today’s society.

On the third mile through the streets, I caught sight of a shadow, off to the right. Not wishing to be caught unawares, I immediately began scanning (cautiously, of course) the surrounding area for signs of trouble. Panning my vision around, I noticed that there were, what appeared to be, three shadowed figures following me.

My mind was racing! What was I to do? I don’t consider myself to be particularly adept at fighting, but I was determined to put up a fight and not go down easily. As I turned the corner, I found a place in which to hide. This seemed to be a perfect spot for an ambush, if I could just calm my breathing as they passed by. I quickly headed for the spot, but as I turned to back into the shadows, I noticed that my plan had been found. One of the shadowed figures was swiftly walking in my direction and I had no choice, but to defend.

Faster that I thought myself able, I drew my sword in defense. The ring of steel leaving the scabbard was distinctive – not only mine, but three more! Trying to remember my training, I set my feet and awaited my attackers.

The first exchange was exciting. The rush of blood and adrenaline surged through my veins. I was in the moment and the battle ensued. Cuts, bruises, blades, shoulders, kicks, sweat – everything around me erupted into the forceful game of skill and wit. I managed to wound one attacker, getting him out of the way, but the remaining two charged on with continued determination. Every second that they pressed was another that I grew weak.

Finally it happened – I felt the piercing blade of fire in my side. At first I was able to shunt the pain, but the throbbing under my ribs increased rapidly. I knew that I had to end the battle, but I was at a loss for direction. In an instant, it came to me. With one sweeping motion I arched my blade around, taking both assailants down with the cut.

Then I was running. Holding my side, I couldn’t chance looking backward. I ran like I have never run before toward the nearest clinic that I could remember; but, something in the back of my mind would not release my attention. What was it about those men that seemed so familiar?

Not wanting to chance capture, I changed directions and headed to a friend’s house – a man who I could trust with my life. When I arrived at his house, I found it dark and no one inside. I knew that I had to avoid looking suspicious, so I hid in the backyard until his return.

I must have passed out, because I only remember waking up in his spare room. I was told that he found me unconscious on the back porch when he was taking out the trash. He had no clue how long I was lying there, but he dragged me into the house as soon as he saw me. The rest is just medical jargon that I don’t understand.

I’m grateful to be alive, because from what I can tell, I lost a lot of blood. And, if any of you readers actually think that this story is true, please note that I’m really fond of writing fictional pieces – whether about me or others J

Then Forgive

2011-08-22T08:29:00.000-07:00

"Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?"

Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times."

Check out Matthew 18:21-35. Jesus' response is a resounding, "Until they get it right!" He goes on to give a parable about a servant who has to pay up, but is forgiven his debt. In return, that servant goes and demands the minuscule debt that is owed him, forgetting the forgiveness that he just received. In stark contrast to Jesus' first statement, He gives a parable that is the exact opposite of what He is telling His disciples to do. It's as if He is saying, let me show you what to do, by describing what NOT to do.

In reality, many of us have trouble with knowing what to do, because we are too focused on what not to do. We can't seem to get past that part - why should I forgive my brother or sister, when they did this to me? I think Jesus' was saying, "Because you hate it when that is done to you."

We each have things that are a little harder to deal with than others. For some, it is love, while others it is faith. Yet, there are others that have trouble with letting things go. They seem to cling to the offense, because when the anger and the pain are strong enough, it blocks out the hurt. Stop trying to receive emotional fulfillment in negative feelings. They're not healthy, nor are they right. They won't keep you in right standing with God.

In the opposite light, let love enshroud your life. Let it cover every single thought, action, and part of your presence. Imagine that love covers you like a cloak, not keeping the world from seeing you, but to keep you warm and protected from the evil that you will face throughout the day. If love is your light, and Christ is your guide, then forgiveness is no longer a "have to" situation, but rather an outpouring of your regular character.

This week, look for your people to forgive. Some of them may be friends, and others may be annoying; but, all deserve it. Make Christ's redemption your glory!

God's blessings on your life this week,

Bryan

http://thebtaylor.blogspot.com

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By Faith - 8/15/11

2011-08-15T08:18:00.000-07:00

Romans 10:17 - "Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ."

I wonder what we're listening to. Or even whom we're listening to. Is the word about Christ dwelling deeply in our lives?

I had a wonderful opportunity to talk about the Bible this week with a number of different people, because I threw out the question, "What have you always wanted to know about the Bible?" The response was overwhelming; and, I found myself continually trying to convince people that the Bible is correct, and that dinosaurs existed during the time of man, etc. After awhile, I was no longer attempting to show the Word of God, but rather trying to prove how smart I was through my biblical knowledge. Fail.

On Thursday, I had lunch with a friend that I haven't talked to in a very long time. We went to tacos (not surprising, if you know me) and while there we discussed some of the hard questions that had been raised. His response was very simple. "Don't get so caught up in trying to explain everything that you take faith out of the discussion." Truth.

The word about Christ had ceased to be the message I was spreading.

We are already familiar with the idea that we must have faith in Jesus in order to receive salvation, but are we continually listening to the message about Christ? Because, without the message of Christ girding our understanding of faith, we lose. This week, you will be tempted to follow other passions, other ideas, or logical conclusions that may not necessarily be wrong; however, if they do not fortify your faith in Christ, ignore them. Abraham had faith and followed God to a new land. In the same manner, ignore the other pastures that may seem "good enough" and follow God into the new land that is prepared for you and your family.

God's blessings on your life this week,

Bryan

http://thebtaylor.blogspot.com

Be sure to share the love!

If you'd like to subscribe to this weekly devotional, please forward your email and name to thebtaylor@gmail.com.

The Legacy Path, by Brian Haynes

2011-08-14T15:48:00.000-07:00

If you're looking for a good read on biblical parenting and leaving a legacy for your children, check out Brian Haynes' new book! The Legacy Path: Discover Intentional Spiritual Parenting is a book that every parent, pastor, and youth worker should have in their library. You can find it on sale at Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/Legacy-Path-Intentional-Spiritual-Parenting/dp/0892656344/ref=pd_rhf_p_t_1

Haynes has an easy way of communicating God's plan for parenthood. The Legacy Path is intentionally grounded in scripture as a way of pointing each of our parenting decisions back to the Bible. Not only are we responsible for leaving our children with a godly legacy, but also we are to look to God's example outlined, very clearly, in the Bible.

Haynes is well-researched and writes in an easy-to-read format, so that anyone picking up the book can understand the message. By breaking down the major points of understanding into smaller concepts, the reader can quickly grasp the intentional guidelines that God has outlined for parents.

I would recommend this book for any parent, pastor, or youth worker! It has very practical ways for understanding the roles and responsibilities of parents. If we were to look at God's example of parenting, we would very simply see that our way of parenting should be similar. But, not only does this give parents an understanding of their task, it also gives pastors and youth workers clarity on role distinction.

Often, pastors and youth workers feel as if they have to parent the teens and children that walk through the church doors. Not so! Instead, they are responsible for teaching the parents of those children to parent well. As a youth worker, myself, I've come to realize that I cannot parent every teen that walks into my room; however, I can work with the parents of my teens, to frame their parenting abilities after God's original plan. Since I have no children of my own, I found Haynes' book extremely useful and insightful for teen ministry.

If you can, share the word about The Legacy Path, please do so! We need more parents that are willing to take a stand for biblical parenting principles!

On Love - 8/8/11

2011-08-08T06:40:00.000-07:00

"What is love, baby don't hurt me, don't hurt me no more."

Man, isn't that just how it is? We're afraid to love, because we're afraid of getting hurt?

Consider John 13 with me. This is the time when Jesus having the Last Supper with His disciples. They've spent three years together, ministering to each other, Jesus, and the people; and, now they're approaching the time for the final meal. At this point, I'm sure the disciples weren't fully aware that Jesus would be leaving them, although He had mentioned it repeatedly throughout His ministry. They were probably just reclining and enjoying the celebratory meal of the Passover, while excitedly awaiting the Passover Festival.

Before Jesus begins to break the action, John describes His attitude by saying, "Having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end." An accurate description of His lifestyle, this seems to embody all that Christ was about: love. To put actions to words, Jesus stands up and begins to wash His disciples' feet. And, if that's not enough, He continues to eat with the disciple that will betray Him, giving no further thought to regret, emotion, or retribution. How is it that this man, called Jesus, can do the unthinkable and love the person that is about to betray Him??

Finally, He leaves His disciples with one last command: Love one another. He said, "And I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."

It seems that we are only willing to love others when they are lovable. Going back to the lyrics to the song above, we're seemingly not able to love people after we've been hurt by them. I think Jesus was saying, "Love anyway. I don't really care if you've been hurt, just do what you know that you're supposed to do." To me, that's powerful.

This week, you will have many opportunities to love others. Some will be dear to you, while others will want nothing to do with you. Love them anyway. Love the ones that are close to you, because Jesus first loved them. Love those that hate you, because Jesus first loved them. Love without fear of getting hurt. Love without fear of retaliation. Just love.

God's blessings on your life this week,

Bryan

http://thebtaylor.blogspot.com

Be sure to share the love!

If you'd like to subscribe to this weekly devotional, please forward your email and name to thebtaylor@gmail.com.

In the Middle of the Pool

2011-07-25T07:26:00.000-07:00

I'm sure some of you are fans of swimming. For sure there have been moments of pure bliss for me in the pool, and then other moments that have taken my breath away...literally. Have you ever considered swimming laps, but then partway through one of your laps, you can't seem to make it all the way across. It doesn't matter if the pool is six feet deep or ten, if you can't make it across, you begin to panic and wonder if you will drown. For most of us the pool is short enough that we never have that issue. In fact, we can almost make it across in one push-off from the ledge.

I want you to imagine, however, that you are in an Olympic-sized pool. And, it makes waves.

On one side of the pool is the ledge marked "Traditions and Values". On the other side of the pool is the ledge marked "Forgiveness and Grace". The life of a Christian consists of us treading water in the middle of the pool, perfectly balanced between the two ledges.

Jesus said, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me" (John 14:6). We recognize that it is only by His forgiveness and grace that we are allowed to enter into the presence of God. There is no other way around it. If we have not personally claimed Him as our Savior and devoted our lives to Him, then He will not claim us on the Day of Judgement. In many ways, this seems to mark the attitude of Christians, by saying, "There's nothing that I can ever do without God's forgiveness through Jesus," as an excuse for the way that they live their lives.

However, James says that "religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world" (1:27). There is another camp that says, I am following God through my religious fervor. I prove to God, through my everyday actions, that I am His follower; and yet, their lives seem to be filled with a lot of them and a little God.

There is an unseen, but strongly felt, tension that exists within the heart of every Christian and that is this: I balance out my faith in God's salvation through living according to His Word. We know that balance must exist by treading water in the middle of the pool, but when we get tired, or when the water seems a bit higher than usual, or the waves just start to creep in enough to splash us in the face, we think about swimming back to the ledge. It doesn't really matter which ledge, because either is the mark of shallow living; but, swim to it we do.

Wars have been fought over religious differences. Souls have been lost over the idea of religion. We have this idea that our religious believes and ideology will save us. Even today, there is an ever-growing thought that there are many ways to God, and if you truly believe that your way is correct, you will be saved. Unfortunately, that is the farthest thing from the truth and it will damn all who believe it.

There is also a new movement that says, "Relationship, NOT Religion". I'm not inclined to disagree with them, but it still only hits part of the mark for which we should strive. For, in essence, our relationship with God is reaffirmed by the religion that He has set up for us. We first acquire a relationship with God and then put into practice the commands and mandates that He has given us. The relationship is equally important with the practice, but we've had a hard time understanding that. In fact, we've spent so much time arguing about it that we are willing to give up one to save the other. We are willing to forsake one ledge and cling to the familiar. Both are necessary and both are required.

If you're going to live your life as a true Christ-follower, then you must understand that God is your only source of strength in the middle of the pool. Rather than freaking out over the waves or fatigue, find your energy and comfort in the One that will sustain you. Don't go back to your old habit of short-sided and opinionated dialogue about how "good" you are, but rather recognize that He will provide for your every need as you obey His commands and remain unpolluted by the world.

Then the middle of the pool won't seem so scary.

My Pet Dinosaurs

2011-07-21T09:09:00.000-07:00

Have you ever considered having your own pet dinosaur? That fascination normally goes away at or around the age of 7. Mine, however, did not.

I want a dinosaur. In fact, I would like a number of them.

One would be for transportation. I mean, how cool would it be to have a lizard give you a ride to work? You can't expect to go anywhere in life without a dinosaur to take you there. I'm envisioning this dinosaur being big enough to wear a saddle, but not so big that I need a rope ladder to get up. For my transportation dino, he'd have to make it across Fresno at a decent gait, so I'll probably use a triceratops.

Then I'd like one for a pet. I have a pretty cool dog, but who wouldn't want a dinosaur as well?? This one would have to be small enough to snuggle on the couch, but still able to tear apart any midnight intruders. To stay on the smaller end, I'd like a lesothosaurus.

Lastly, there's always a need for constant home security. I recently had my license plates stolen from my car while it was in the driveway; however, if I had better home security, that wouldn't have happened. I'll need something quick and able charge the enemy without a moment's hesitation, which made me think of the raptor. However, I'm looking for an all-around good pick, and the raptor, while vicious, might take MY head off too. I'm going to diverge from the family and pick a dragon. I'd have to modify my garage to make a home for him, but I think it's worth it when all of the benefits are considered.

A dragon will provide instant heat for BBQ or smores. It could also give me that home security that I've desired for awhile now. But, most importantly, when I'm tired of riding the triceratops to work, I can fly in and make a grand entrance on my dragon. All around, a good pick, I think.

So there you have it. When I am finally able to afford my new pets, I'll post pictures.

eScrip Sign-ups for Harmony Church Youth

2011-06-27T15:17:00.000-07:00

For those of you that don't know, our youth group is enrolled in the eScrip program to provide fundraising support for our youth events and activities. eScrip is most notably linked to Vons/Safeway stores, but they are continually adding new merchants to their group of supporters. If you are willing to register your Vons/Safeway card, the store will donate 1-2% of what you spend to our group. Our summer goal is to sign up 4,000 new supporters to help keep our ministry funded. It only takes 5 minutes to register your card, so please help us by signing up! Thank you and God bless!

Go to https://secure.escrip.com/jsp/supporter/registration/step1.jsp and follow the instructions. Our group ID is 7430647. Again, thank you for your willingness to support Harmony Youth Ministries!

And Now Batting Fourth

2011-06-02T15:01:00.000-07:00

I'm a HUGE Giants baseball fan, and like many others, my spirits were crushed when Buster Posey was taken out of the game. I immediately began thinking that there was NO WAY that the Giants could recover after he was taken out for the season. But, something else struck my mind: the spirit of the Giants took a big hit. A quiet and unassuming man, Posey commanded the game, without even realizing that He was doing it. It was as natural to him as eating is to me. And with that thought, I began to realize just how clutch Posey has been in his first two seasons with the Giants.

With that said, I feel compelled to relate an incident that happened in my life, and how I was able to draw back to that experience of watching Giants baseball...

I took my car into the shop, because the check engine light had been on (for awhile, but I won't say how long...). When I arrived, the mechanic said that it was only by the grace of God that I was able to drive it in to the shop. My car shouldn't have been running, nor should I have been able to drive it for as long as I did. My first thought went to the expenses. But after I considered what was really happening, I had to stop and tell God that He had just pulled a Buster Posey. He was clutch and I could barely believe that He had taken care of me YET AGAIN. Although I was prepared for the worst, but the price came in under my original assessment. I drove my car into the ground, and yet God kept me safe for that long. How is it that God has such an unassuming ability to protect me and care for me and I treat Him as just another "player" in my life - as if I can live life without Him!

Looking back, I realize that God has done season after season in my life and yet I don't recognize Him for the amazing work that He has done. He has been clutch, and yet I still worry about whether or not He is going to come through for me. With as many times as it has happened, you'd think that I would allow Him to hit clean up ALL of the time, but sometimes I'm slow on the uptake.

I encourage you to take a moment and recognize God's presence in your life. How has He been clutch for you? What can you do to praise Him for the blessings in your life? I hope that you are able to give Him credit where it is due!

Another Book Idea

2011-05-31T23:19:00.000-07:00

Looking ahead, there was nothing that he could do. No where to run. Thus far, he had escaped the enemy troops, but he could see them encircling his men off in the distance. I am the one to lead them, he thought, so I must find a way through this ring of steel. All at once it came to him: drive a wedge through the men that are holding the edge of the forrest. If I can get the men to the forrest, we can disappear and regroup.

“Captain! Regroup and push toward the forrest!” he yelled. At his command, the Five turned and immediately began marshaling the troops toward the West. Captain Drake, a man so thoroughly versed in the art of war, was the commander of his personal guard. The Five, as they had come to be known, were his most precious protectors: his life. They were with him always, and while the captain commanded the personal guard, the unit moved as one.

Aiden had been pushing through the enemy ranks, doing what he could to find an opening, but nothing seemed to be working. The only choice they had was to head West into the Dark Forrest. It had been given it’s name, because of the shadow that enshrouded all that were lost to it. Men went in, but only spirits returned.

“Lord Aiden, you have to follow us now! We can’t withstand them any longer.” The captain had formed the men into a wedge and they were driving swiftly through the enemy ranks. The enemy was overbearing, but they began to shrink back from the shadows cast by the trees.

Before he knew it, two sets of muscular hands were pulling him back toward the rest of his men. Aiden realized that, had he wanted to escape their grip, there was no way that he could possibly break free from the hold that his protectors had over him. He was a man of no mean size, but in their grasp he was helpless. They carried him back into the middle of the group, and only when they were assured the protection of the guard did they release him.

“Quickly men! Into the forrest before they change their minds.” Aiden had just condemned them, sent them to their destiny.

They followed an unmarked path deeper into the forrest. There were scouts that went ahead and behind to carve out the trail and then mask it after the guard had passed. The Five remained close to Aiden, not wanting to lose him for another second in the depths of the shadows. Only after they were an hour deep into the trees did he command them to stop.

“My Lord, Keira and I take offense to you calling us all men.” Anna always seemed to make the most noise. While it was true that she and Keira were the only female guards, they were every bit as impressive as the toughest of Aiden’s men. What they lacked in pure strength, they made up for in ruthless speed and determination. “We have been part of the Five for almost a year and still you treat us like all the rest. We’re your favorite, so you should really start treating us better than the rest of these brutes.”

Captain Drake opened his mouth to speak, but at Aiden’s signal, backed away. “My favorite?”

“Yes, Lord. Without us, you would have no one of intelligence to protect you. Our finesse is the only thing keeping you alive. In fact, without us, you would have no idea how to treat a lady and would lose your bride to carelessness.”

“You’re right, I would be nothing without you. Since you are such an invaluable asset to my guard, please make yourself useful by setting up camp.” While Anna stormed off with a pleasant smile for having ruffled his feathers, Aiden tried to gather his thoughts and set up a plan for getting out of the forrest. “Captain, I need a report. Where do we stand?”

“My Lord, we just finished the count. We lost Finn.”

No! Losing men in battle was always a burden that he bore, but Finn was one of the most lovable men in the guard. Without Finn, there would be no laughter in the midst of a storm. “Did he make it to the forrest?”

“No, sir. There is no sign of his body. We only noticed that he was missing when we stopped.”

“Very well. What is the condition of the rest?”

“Surprisingly unscathed. It appears that, despite their overwhelming numbers, they were afraid to fight in the shadow of the trees. Our detachment is small, but the men fought well.” At that, Anna turned her glare upon Drake. The captain cleared his throat and quickly followed with, “But, none fought as fiercely as our two fine ladies.”

“We’re soldiers. Don’t try and belittle us by calling us ladies.” The look that she was giving the captain was even more ruthless as she cleaned the blood from her sword. “Besides, if we wore pretty pink dresses, the lot of you couldn’t keep your eyes off of us.”

“Captain, ignore her and finish the report.” Aiden had to ignore the banter and set a plan for taking care of his troops. One was enough. If they were caught, again, by the enemy, they would lose more than one.

“Yes, sir. As soon as you commanded us to stop, I sent forward and reverse scouts to check our location. I expect them back within the quarter and we’ll be set to plan the next move. Only one of us has traveled this forrest before, so you will have to direct us from here.” With eyebrow arched, Drake’s expression was as cold as ice. No one had ever come out of the forrest alive until Aiden. Even then, he wasn’t sure how he had done it, except that he had help. “How did you get through the first time, Lord?”

Aiden was in no mood to argue, again. He had to think through his new plan. “Let me know when the scouts arrive. I need the next fifteen minutes to think.”

On the Essence of Coffee

2011-05-31T09:50:00.000-07:00

Thou art beautiful just as thou art
The need for superfluous adornment, there is not
Taking thee plainly bringeth comfort to my soul
Thou art the essence of my revival

When I wake, thou art there
Bringing joy to my beautiful morning
When I return, thou art there
Bringing sustenance to the dull and dreary afternoon

To look for another would be a release of my commitment
So I remain faithfully thine
I will not abandon thee, despite the temptation for another
So please abide with me

Each day our reunion blesses my soul
And I will continually aspire to be with thee
Until the day that my anticipation is fulfilled
Remain pure, strong, and black

The Call of the Wild

2011-05-23T07:34:00.001-07:00

Sometimes you just have to go out and have fun. I love hanging out with Nate and Chris, so taking a day hike should be no problem, right?

The Truth in Love

2011-05-17T07:57:00.000-07:00

I encourage you to speak the truth in love!

As a believer in Christ, there should be absolutely NO fear to speak the Gospel (or Good News of Christ's redemption) to the world. And yet, we struggle with this daily. Is it because we have a fear of rejection? Are we concerned that our friends will look down upon us? No matter what the reason, I think that if we weighed it against the soul of our friend, their soul would win every time.

Paul said, "For I am not ashamed of the Gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile" (Romans 1:16). His understanding of the Gospel is that it has the power to transform lives - to literally save people from their sin. I hold this same understanding, because I believe that it very clearly outlines the predicament that we were in as we lived in our sin. Our sin separated us from God, but Jesus reconnects us to God.

Many of our friends don’t understand this message. For that reason, I believe that Paul wrote, “First to the Jew, then to the Gentile.” The Church (or the people who have been a part of the community of God for some time) understands the need for salvation, and also understands the method for salvation. We are the “Jews” in Paul’s message. We understand that a Messiah (or Christ, or Savior) is necessary for us to obtain eternal life; but, we have friends that do NOT understand this (the “Gentiles”), and who better to tell them of the method for salvation than the Church?

Very simply, there are people that do not know the power of Christ’s salvation, and we may be the only people that can/will tell them. So what is holding you back? Are you still afraid? Why should your fear keep them from salvation?

Are you still nervous? God has taken all of our excuses away, as evidenced by His repeated message to Moses, Jonah, and many others.

They are lost and need the message. Go and tell them!

On Relationships

2011-05-16T07:44:00.000-07:00

Have you ever wondered about the way in which we treat our relationships? I'm not just talking about boy/girl relationships, but just those in general. We wonder why people don't understand us. Or we wonder why we're so different. Or at times we just simply fail. I have some thoughts...feel free to take them or leave them.

Relationships are Important
I don't think that enough of us consider the true importance of relationships. We were created to have a relationship first, and foremost, with God - so obviously this is a big deal in the life of a human. It's part of our internal structure, and yet we place so little value on it that it almost seems meaningless.

If we are to see a visible change in our relationships, then we have to put a priority on those people that we truly value. What are you doing to show them that you care? In what ways have you stretched yourself to be the bigger person? Think about the top five relationships that you own - yes I said own - and take some time to consider how you can step up to make them better.

You Get What You Pay For

This is true with computers, cars, and filters. We know, from vast experience, that we are only going to get value out of something, if we spend resources developing it. No one else is going to make your relationship work for you. You do it!

One way that you can pour into a relationship is to give trust. The saying, "You have to give trust to earn it," really applies in this situation. If you expect a relationship to work and be a two-way street, then you have to show the person that you are willing to trust them and their actions.

This is very telling in our non-verbal communication. We can "say" that we trust someone, but if our face belies that fact, then we have worsened the trust more substantially that we could've realized. Not only have we lost an opportunity to gain trust, but also we have proven that we will take trust back at a moment's notice, and people pick up on that really quickly.

Not Everything is as It Seems

Just because you are feeling uncomfortable, doesn't mean that the other person is. There are times, when one half of the relationship is struggling with something, but doesn't know how to relate it to the other half. This is where trust and communication play a huge role. If the person is to tell you what is going on in their life, then they have to believe that you will still love them when everything has been aired out.

An understanding of the person's mannerisms and communication style can only come with time. Sometimes you don't get it right on the first try, but that doesn't give you license to stop trying. If you think enough of the relationship to start it, then you should care enough to see it through to success, no matter what the obstacle or situation.

Build with a Foundation of Love

"If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal" (1 Corinthians 13:1). This is such a poignant verse! I can have all of the communication skills in the world, but if I don't have love, I'm just flailing my arms and shouting, "Look at me! Look at me!" Our relationships are not always about us. If they were, there would be a lot of empty people in the world...oh wait, there already are.

Be the love for that person, even if you don't think they deserve it. It could be the difference that they need. The reality is that they will be there to uphold you in the future, so you take care of them now. Love unconditionally, because Christ first modeled that for us.

Chapter 1A - Suzy, Age 5

2011-05-10T07:53:00.000-07:00

Hey Guys -

I just released the first part of chapter 1 for the book "Silence in the Shadows". If you have a chance, please check it out!

I'll also be creating a Facebook page soon, because I'd like to hear some thoughts from the readers about the issues that the kids in the book will face.

The link is: http://silence-shadows.blogspot.com/2011/05/chapter-1a-suzy-age-5.html

Selah: Take a Moment to Pause

2011-05-08T22:46:00.000-07:00

During your busy day, remember to think back to the One who gave you life...

Failure:Fearlessness

2011-04-25T23:50:00.000-07:00

I have a fear: failing. I've often wondered about how I even got this far in life; because, there have been many times that I've desired to quit. Quitting seemed natural - easy - desirous. But, it's nothing that will help me in the long run.

I'm not sure that anyone is as conscious of my failures as myself (with the exception of God). While others may notice the mistakes or the inconsistencies in my life, they don't understand the true depth of my own depravity. They may understand their own lowliness, but not mine. Mine is reserved for me.

And I've wallowed in it.

Not wanting to make a change.

Because change is too hard.

But then I read 1 Corinthians 10:13..."No temptation has overtaken you except what iscommon to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it."

And I'm reminded that there is no second life to try again. No reincarnation that allows me to make up for past mistakes. In fact, nothing that I can do that will save myself. Nothing to right so many wrongs.

This on the day after Easter - the day after we celebrate the Resurrection. Nothing that I, a sinful man, can do. "But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed" (Isaiah 53:5). Nothing that I can do.

My failure is a reminder of Christ's salvation, His ability to rid my life of sin. There should be no attempt to hide the wrongs committed over a lifetime; but instead, there should be celebration in His resurrection. He is the King, and my life is just a simple remembrance or offering at His feet. I no longer quake at my inadequacies - I fear leaving His presence.

Silence in the Shadows

2011-04-19T08:17:00.000-07:00

Hi Friends,

Many of you already know that I’m writing a book about cross-cultural experiences in the lives of American teenagers. This is a fictional piece that represents two stories that we quite frequently see in ministry: a teen who grows up through the foster care system and a teen who is raised in a gang. If you are already aware of the book, then this might be a repeat; but, I wanted to let everyone know that the new blog is up! Thanks to some beautiful friends here at FPU, I was able to get help with the graphics and coding to adjust the blog. If you would be so kind, please share this with your friends and family to help generate support for, what I consider to be, a great ministry opportunity. Also, if you have a youth pastor or ministry leaders in your church that might benefit from something like this, I would encourage you to share it with them as well. Thank you all SO much and God bless!

Silence in the Shadows
at http://silence-shadows.blogspot.com/

Prologue

2011-03-22T21:34:00.001-07:00

“Ya, he’ll be a dawg fo sho.” The gruff voice was the only one heard in the silent ICU nursery in the infant ward. As Carlos stood there watching his newborn son breathe through a ventilator, he determined that his son would soon grow to take his place within the gang.

The hospital was in his territory and the thought of insurance or payments never occurred to him. His lieutenant would take care of everything through their security guard contact. His baby would be able to stay until his condition was stable enough to return to the mother and he would begin instruction at the age of five. Carlos had plenty of children through various women, but this child came from the woman he loved.

“What’s his name?” A nurse said, walking in from behind him.

“Dunno, and it doesn’t matter. He’ll be known by his marks.” Despite knowing the nurse, personally, what was left unsaid was for her protection. He would be known by his distinguishing features - tattoos of identification - and he would be known by his actions left on the city.

To do anything besides leave a mark would make him weak. Carlos didn’t have weak children. Each of them was bred and raised to continue the tradition and mission of the gang. If not, they were cut from the group without so much as proper last rites. His family would be strong - his family was born strong.

One nameless baby born into the world.

--------------------

Across the city, in a reputable hospital, screaming could be heard throughout the birthing center. A mother was in the final throws of childbirth and the pain would soon be over.

“Breathe!” A nurse said. “It’s almost over, just stick with it!”

“I can’t!” Screamed Amy. She had had enough. Thirty-eight hours of labor had ended in one long, agonizing delivery process, and she had nothing left to give. “It’s no use, I have nothing left!”

“You can do it,” the nurse exclaimed, “the head is almost out!”

After another five, seemingly-endless seconds, there was a cry that sounded different than all the others. Her baby boy, wet and dirty, had just shouted his first words to the world. As he was fully delivered, the nurse quickly cleaned him and brought him around so Amy could see him.

“He’s beautiful,” panted Amy.

“What will you call him?” the nurse asked.

“If I knew who his father was, I’d give him that name. But I don’t, and it all just seems a waste now.” Amy had gone back to ask each of the guys that she knew she had slept with, but none would say anything to give her much hope. As she sat silently in despair, she contemplated any reason for continuing on.

“She’s losing a lot of blood!” the nurse shouted into the hallway, trying to attract more attention into the room. They were so busy and short-staffed, so any help that she could find would be distracted. She quickly ran into the hall to get a doctor, but as she returned, there the baby lay, silently on his mother’s still chest.

Another nameless one.

Onions and Roses

2011-02-22T22:28:00.000-08:00

"What's in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet."

- Juliet

Names are important, but so are definitions. While some, like me, are just simpletons, others are more complex, and take time to figure out. To truly know someone is to help define who they are. We use analogies, diagrams, symbols, pictures, and many other forms for classification, but they are all just small parts to the larger whole.

This weekend we had our purity for life conference at church. It was designed for our teens to learn and grow in their walk with Christ by making a commitment to remain sexually pure. During some of our discussions, a number of questions came up (some more wonderful than others), but they all came back to the same thing: what is LOVE? Being single, I have only one perspective on loved; but it will hopefully be valuable to the other singles reading this blog.

Love is the undivided commitment to someone and engagement in knowing who they are at an intimate level.

No, I'm not sure that you will find that definition in the Bible. It just happens to be mine...I don't, however, think that it's unbiblical. A marriage has undivided commitment, but will only last if there is engagement in the relationship.

But love gets back to the idea that you are dedicated to that person, no matter what you find when you uncover rocks...right...? I mean, when I remember Pappy's statement, "Bryan, I would've divorced your grandmother a thousand times over, if..." and it makes me think that there were a lot of gross and disgusting bugs under the rocks of their marriage. But they were willing to overcome them.

Poetry and flattery are one thing, and if it helps the relationship, then use them. But wouldn't truth be more important? I guess there has to be a balance of honest discourse with unadulterated fun, otherwise only the pragmatists would have babies.

Despite this, I think there needs to be more honesty. If a person smells like a rose, then call her by that name. And if she's complex, then call her onion.

Make it a Good Fairy Tale

2011-02-15T23:06:00.000-08:00

I can't stand it when one event in life makes the whole fairy tale collapse. I mean, what's the point of the fairy tale in the first place? To inspire people to think larger than life!

Since when do princes get everything right? Every prince that I know has failed at one point or another. In fact, they probably get it wrong more than the get it right, and yet they're still known as being the good prince.

If you take each of the Disney stories, even the ones where the prince seems shamelessly perfect, you will realize that he can never actually be that way; however, if you take him for what he really is, a prince coming to the rescue, then I think there can be some value in his valor.

We know that "amazing" stories are told, because the rest of us want to have something to live up to; but isn't it time for us to make our own fairy tales? How many of us are waiting in the window for something to happen, when we really should be out in the streets living life! Go be the prince or princess that you were created to be! Make your own fairy tale and don't let the negatives dissolve your dream. Be the flower that you were meant to be.

Karma, neh?

2011-01-16T13:53:00.000-08:00

The idea of karma was brought up this week as someone mentioned, "that's karma." I know that a lot of people talk about karma as if it's a real thing, but I don't believe that it is.

Karma, as I understand it, is what some people believe is "payback". When you do certain things in life, whether good or bad, you will receive a reward that coincides with your acts. If you do good things, you will have good things done to you.

It seems to me that the idea of karma was created from a need to understand guilt. People live with the general understanding that there are rules that we live by. Whether they live in harmony with the Bible or some other code of conduct, they understand that there are good and bad actions. When we believe that there are approved methods for living, we feel guilty for not following those rules. By believing in karma, people find ways to justify their actions; if I do enough good things, they will outweigh the bad.

The reality, however, is that good or bad, we aren't judged on man's standard, but God's. If we don't live up to God's standard, then nothing else really matters. What we see as karma is the idea that when something happens that we deserve, we have a way to explain it. Isn't it possible, however, that when something happens that would be deserving, that it could just be part of life? I mean, we are hurt by people all of the time and yet when someone hurts us, we think that it's karma. Isn't that just part of life? When we speed in the car and then eventually get a ticket, it's not karma...it's just us getting caught.

I think we should stop trying to explain everything away and just accept the fact that life happens. When we get in trouble, it's an effect from us doing something wrong. So rather than expecting that it will affect what happens to us in the future, we should just accept blame and apologize to God.

No Greater Honor

2010-12-01T23:21:00.000-08:00

Tonight, I saw God breathe life into a new creature. He had been living for 16 years before, but it wasn't a viable life. After he had decided that giving his life to Christ would completely change his life, he said to me, "Bryan, I owe you big time." At the time, I realized that I couldn't convince him that he owed me nothing, but I have faith that, in time, he will realize that I do what I do, because I love Christ.

I get a paycheck as a youth minister, but no amount of money can repay the feeling of leading someone to Christ. And leading someone to Christ never grows old. I can tell someone the plan of salvation in my sleep, but when they have the "aha" moment and God is able to speak breath into their life, I cannot help but feel the elation.

There is no way that he, or anyone else, can repay me for a moment in which I was but a witness. Christ renews Himself to me through moments like this, moments in which His covenant is played out. To be in pursuit of anything other than these moments is to practice futility. And, the very definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again with the same results: futility.

I intend to not let that honor go to waste.

Do the Unexpected this Time

2010-11-25T15:59:00.001-08:00

I was waiting at a stop light, while on the way to Grandma's for our annual Thanksgiving luncheon, when I noticed a man and his son in the corner parking lot. The both got out of the car and slowly walked to a check-cashing store. The father pulled on the door handle, but when he realized that it was locked and they were closed for business, he turned to the son with a sigh. They both shuffled back to the car as they discussed what they would now do, since they wouldn't be able to get a cash advance.

As I waited there, still trying to get warm in the car, I was reminded of an incident in my life, in which I had met my limit with the bank (I love hearing the words "insufficient funds") and had to be turned away, because the store didn't take credit cards. Fortunately for me, I had the cash that I needed at home; but what about the man and his son, who dejectedly walked back to the car?

It seems that, in the holiday season, most of us are walking hurriedly to accomplish some task (gift shopping, grocery shopping, decorations shopping, etc.), and throughout the entire length of the holiday season, we completely lose track of time. In fact, last night, I had the amazing opportunity of administering my very first solo communion service, and I reminded the congregation that we cannot rush through it - we are charged with remembering Christ. And yet, that very night, as soon as church was done, I was rushing to the very next thing - I still had an agenda to complete.

This year, I challenge you to do the unexpected. Slow down your life and consider the God who gave us everything that we need. I can only postulate about the situation of the man on the street corner, who couldn't get a cash advance, but it seems that his time for payment had finally come. Rather than finding yourself with "insufficient funds", do the unexpected and life life for something other than money.

My family started a tradition a couple years ago that I hope we continue to observe: not giving gifts. Rather than trying to figure out how much money we're going to spend on each other, we spend time looking for an organization that could use the money more than us. This year, there is an opportunity to give young women a Christmas party in Thailand. Women, who are purchased for sex every evening, will be purchased for a Christmas party. For some of the women, this will be their very first Christmas. They will hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ, perhaps for the first time, and will have an opportunity to feel love, rather lust. Imagine the transformation that can take place in their lives, because someone decided to help them, rather than help themselves.

If you have it within your ability, do something for someone else. That's what Jesus did. As much as I hate to repeat fad, the phrase, "What Would Jesus Do?" is really quite appropriate. How did He give His life for you? In like fashion, give your life for someone in return. I guarantee that your life will be transformed, when you allow the unexpected to happen this year. Try it!

The Suckerfish Saga

2010-11-02T07:39:00.000-07:00

A requirement of maintaining one's tank is that he/she also takes fish out that do not like to play nicely. The following is a story about a fish that would not play nicely...

So I says to Myself, "Myself, you really need to do something about that suckerfish. He's constantly harassing the other fish and he's grown too large for the tank."

Myself responded with, "How are you going to get him out (assuming he's actually a him and not a her - not that it really matters)?"

"Well," Self said as he looked pensively into Myself's deeply wondering eyes, "I don't really know. Alls I know is that I have to try."

And with that they began cleaning out the tank. On the first day of cleaning, the main priority was getting the tank operating at an optimum level. If they didn't catch the suckerfish on day one, that was OK. But by day two, if they didn't net the suckerfish, there was no way they would continue the project. It had to be that day.

As day two approached, Self and Myself were frightfully anticipating the imminent battle that was to occur on the high seas. Knowing that there was only one day in which they could complete the task, they threw everything in to planning and scripting how the battle would unfold.

At dawn, at the cusp of the terrifying moment, the anticipation of what lay beyond was almost too much to take in. The two young men marched into the room of terror to face their destiny. One grabbed the fish net, while the other took up a very nice, slightly used plastic pitcher that was previously used for making Kool-Aid and pink lemonade. Forward they went, knowing that their lives depended on catching the fish.

For what seemed like an eternity, but was probably more like two hours, the battle was played out. Strategically they fought the fish, while he knowingly avoided capture. When it seemed that he was on the verge of giving up, the boys gave a last-ditch effort to try and sack the elusive scoundrel.

Out of no where, the fish magically appeared in the net of Myself. Some say that Poseidon, himself, was the reason for the capture. Others insist that the fish gave up. Regardless of the reason, he was caught. His day had been marked and he would be no more.

The funeral dirge began playing as Self and Myself began hauling the bucket that contained the sukerfish to its final resting place. The march seemed interminable, but -

There was a plop on the ground! As Self and Myself looked into the bucket of refuse, they noticed that the fish was gone. Quickly, with palpitating hearts, they scanned the floor to find the suckerfish. With great speed, they found him and attempted to recapture him, but he hung tenaciously to the tile floor, sucking to save his life. The boys, however, were the victors, knowing that the suckerfish had little life to which he could cling. Again, they continued their slow, but steady march to the porcelain tomb of the suckerfish - the burial ground of its ancestors.

Upon entering the tomb, they quickly proceeded with dumping the fish down the toilet, knowing that to rid him from their lives, they could not wait any longer. As they kicked the toilet's flush-extender handle thing, they suddenly realized their error in judgement. He was a suckerfish and he was NOT going to go down the drain. The boys started sweating as they, again, kicked the toilet's flush-extender handle thing, but it was to no avail. The fish hung on for dear life.

After the third flush, they realized that a man was quietly sitting in the tomb next to them, listening to their hurried actions. Knowing that they could save embarrassment if they hurried, they ran out of the restroom and back to their discarded weapons. Self grabbed the pitcher, while Myself grabbed his trident. Running back, they hoped that the fish had lost all hope and released his grip on life; but upon reentering the tomb, they realized that it was a false hope.

Quickly scooping him out of the tomb they, once again, saw the quiet man's shoes. Not wanting to be found out, they left the tomb with all speed, never to return with another suckerfish. Not wanting to continue the agony, Self and Myself decided that the fish's life must be ended. They discarded him into an undisclosed trash can, never to see him again.

Life changed for the boys after that day. They were proud and strong, but they had learned an important lesson for life: know your enemy.

People Watching in Vegas

2010-07-03T07:49:00.001-07:00

I'm sitting in the McCarran airport on the first of two layovers. Since I find people watching to be such a fascinating experience, I thought I would share some of my thoughts.

First, and foremost, people are way too concerned with looking good in the airport. I mean, really? Are you really looking to pick someone up in the airport or is that just some form of self-esteem boost that you get when flying? Now, I know what you're thinking...Bryan, I bet you're just as concerned about yourself as the person sitting across from you in the terminal. There is some truth to that, but I would also like to think that the self-awareness factor trumps...But I could be wrong, and it wouldn't be the first time. I think God created these for the purpose of spreading the fashion techniques lost from ancient Egypt.

Who actually plays the slots in the middle of an airport? Yes, obviously I can see the people sitting there, but I guess I'm wondering "Why?" I mean, I don't gamble, but if I was going to, I would rather do it in a different environment than an airport. I just seems so...cheesy...stupid...wasteful...insert your own adjective. And yet, they rush to it as if it's a "new" phenomenon. I wish I could just get inside of their heads and see what's really going on in there, which leads me to self-reflection #2: I should have been a psychologist. I think God created these people to sharpen all of the rest of humanity.

Then there are the people who look bored out of their minds. I guess you can group me in that category. A two-hour layover will do that to you. Then again, the three-hour that I have coming up will be fun. At least I have my laptop. Some people look as if they are going to fall asleep with their eyes open, because they dont' know what else to do. If a fly were to land on their nose, I'm pretty sure that they would try to grab it to pluck off its wings - dumb action is better than none at all, right? I think God created them to have fun, but they forgot it back at home.

Oh, and apparently not EVERYone has iPods these days. I guess I'm used to walking around with my youth group, in which everyone seems to "need" their portable music device just to function. Granted, I'm sitting here with a number of older individuals who might have a heart attack if the music was turned up too loudly. I think God created them for a relationship, but they missed that part of the Bible.

I also feel sorry for the people that are turned away at the terminal. Whether they missed their flight or were on standby, it's still rather sad to see them walk away dejected. They're definitely not as fun as the people who run on the people movers, because they're afraid that walking for themselves will strain a muscle. I think God created them for comic relief, but they haven't been given a microphone yet.

Oh, and I LOVE the guy carrying a dozen Krispy Kreme doughnuts onto the plane. How wrong is that? The people on the plane will probably kill him before they even take off. Just reminds me of when God created Cain...not sure that I have any other comments on that subject.

Finally, I have to wonder about the airport workers. I mean, they must have a wonderful time watching someone walk by four times due to the fact that they got lost and didn't listen to the directions the first time. Oops...five times. I typed too soon. Interestingly enough, "I Will Survive" is playing (when not interrupted by the annoyingly monotonous pages coming through the speakers) in the background and it seems a very fitting song for that poor lady. If I see her walk by again, I won't bother informing you. God created her...for a good reason. A very good reason and I'll try to remember to ask when I reach heaven.

Oh, and the guy who's shirt got pulled up in his backpack and is showing off his completely white mid-section.

And the guy with his "Vegas" shirt!

And the people wearing pajamas.

And the guy wearing his unsightly white undershirt in public...must not be married...

Oh - the guy in the muscle shirt with an interesting tan line.

And the lady who keeps answering her phone behind me, only to get the person on the other end to hang up as quickly as possible. Isn't that why they invented voicemail?

And the young parents who have never taken their three- and five-year-old kids out into public and are now not sure what to do with them.

And the guy wearing an outfit so similar to mine that it makes me wonder about my own wardrobe selection...

Oh, and I almost missed it! The lady who wears the "CHANGE" vest. Apparently she cashes in change for the people playing the slots...that's funny. We've moved away from an automated change dispenser and made the process more "customer-service friendly."

I guess I figured out what the lady behind me is doing on the phone. I guess she's returning all of her "voicemails;" but she says "so" and "um" a LOT. That would definitely annoy me...oh wait - it actually is.

And lastly, the guy who looks like he should belong to the Russian mafia, but is on "vacation" and trying to figure out how to use his portable music device.

Man, this is so fun when you get started - oh that lady looks like my mom - that I don't want to stop, but will if you happened to keep reading this far. Have a great day!

Joshua, My Colleague

2010-07-01T08:28:00.000-07:00

I submit to you this statement on behalf of the exceptional work completed by Josh Flick during his term of service in my office. Rest assured that this is not an official document, but rather a personal reflection as a grateful colleague.

There are very few men to whom I can attribute the mark of integrity without reservation or hesitation. I, for one, cannot even attribute that quality to myself, because I know my inner spirit all too well. Josh, however, is the exception to the rule, and the following will outline his distinguishable service to the office and university.

I will start at the end and work backward, since today is still fresh in my mind. Up until the very last minute, anyone who did not know Josh personally would have thought that he was a long-term employee and would arrive at work the next morning for another dayʼs worth of work. On his very last day, he was moving furniture for the very people that were replacing him; he was filing, calling, helping through the duration of the day rather than wasting time around the office; he was doing everything that he normally did to provide an honest dayʼs work. Even when the temptation to leave early occurred to him, he stayed through his normal working hours. I asked myself why someone would do this, but came up with only one answer: integrity.

But one day should not be the entire measure of this man. Every single day, with the exception of a handful of days which required his attention elsewhere, Josh came in on or before time, took a short lunch, and then stayed until the office closed. There was no need for him to give an extra half hour or hour each day, but he did, because he was asked to keep his shift late. Could he have taken a longer lunch? Yes, but there was always someone or something that needed his attention and his full attention was continually given.

When told that he was working his last day as if it were his first, his response was, “Why should today be any different? Why should today change?” What I find most unfathomable about this situation is the fact that Josh was not here to be taught, but to teach. In each and every moment of his work, he was dedicated to making the life of someone else more pleasing, more productive or more secure in Christ. If anyone deserves to be blessed of God it is him.

I normally do not consider that any human should deserve God's blessing, but if I changed my opinion, Josh would be one of the select few. So I pray God's richest blessings upon him for his influence, his character, his integrity, and his continual Christ-like love. When someone proves to be a true Christian, I think they should be recognized, if only to show others that it is possible to do. May his example shine for others to catch and adopt.

Blessings Joshua!

The State of Contentment

2010-06-23T10:13:00.000-07:00

In Philippians 4, Paul talks discusses contentment: what is contentment; how do we view contentment; why contentment is necessary. The more I consider Paul's words, the more I am inclined to think of him as super-human. Was he really content in every situation or was he just talking for the sake of encouragement?? Knowing Paul, as the rhetorician that he was, he probably wasn't talking to just fill space. So, if that is the case, how did he do it?

Thinking back on Paul's past, he was ship-wrecked, beaten and left for dead, imprisoned, and ultimately sent to face Caesar. Not that I'm equating myself with such a great man, but I see myself as very similar to Paul. I am starting to think that God had to continually break down Paul's pride. Growing up, I always thought of Paul as the "example" - that the stories in the Bible, while true, were given to use for encouragement. But, the older I get, the more I realize that Paul had some personal issues that had to be addressed. Maybe he could only learn contentment after God had allowed him to face so many terrible situations.

Therefore, I'm inclined to think that Paul could only find contentment after allowing himself to be made free in Christ. For Paul, that journey took him through trial after trial. Could he have learned after one major catastrophe? Sure! But do you? Do I? But please do not confuse contentment with complacency. Those are two very different words, but are often equated to mean the same thing. God could only speak to Paul, after he had been emptied of Paul.

So what does this mean in terms of life today? Well, the most immediate answer that comes to mind is that I have to understand that, despite my circumstances, I am going to face trials. Each of those hardships is going to give me an option or a choice: do I allow God to change my life or do I continue to resist His perfect and pleasing will? Often, I have the audacity to tell God that my way is better. Once I finish stating my case, He says, "OK, let's try this again." After about the fourth or fifth attempt, God finally gets my attention and I start to learn contentment for that particular situation.

For me, the process of learning contentment goes in stages. While I am a very quick learner at work or with other skills, I can't seem to master the idea that God's plan is ALWAYS better than mine. So the tango that He and I dance, seems to be a long one. My encouragement to you is this: when you hear God saying, "Go," "Stop," "Wait," listen to Him. He really does have a good inkling for what should happen to keep the world spinning.

Letters to My Wife, Chapter 5

2010-06-20T23:10:00.000-07:00

Do you remember the day that I asked you to marry me? Good grief - I was so nervous! All that day I couldn't get you off of my mind. I rehearsed the speech probably a thousand times, continually going over the nuances. In fact, I think I had proposed and responded with a 'no' about half of those times.

As I think back to that day, I have to remember the journey that took me there. We both know that I was arrogant and cocky before I met you. In fact, if we're being honest, my inner monologue probably went something like, "Why wouldn't she want me? I'm a pretty good candidate, so there's no way she can say no." I would probably have to apologize every day for the rest of my life if you weren't as forgiving as you are. I often ask myself what I was thinking with that attitude, but the only thing that I can come up with is, "I wasn't thinking."

Despite all of this, however, the thing that finally led me to ask you the question was the absence of all pride in our relationship. I had spent so many years thinking that I had life, love, and the pursuit of happiness figured out, that I completely lost track of the real goal: the journey. After spending some time with Pappy one day, he decided to share something that I never thought I would ever hear leave his lips. He said, "Bryan, your grandmother and I probably should've been divorced a thousand times over." Imagine my shock after hearing a man I fully esteem admit to failure. I couldn't believe that he would say something like this - not MY Pappy.

After trying to quiet my racing mind and get back on track with his story, I finally heard him say, "The reason we didn't quit was because of the children. When we both thought that there was no solution possible, we let go of our own idea of what was right in order to make our family work." Well, this brought Pappy down from the level of demi-god to human, and frankly, I wasn't sure if I liked it.

But I mulled over his statements and brought myself to the point of understanding the true meaning behind his words. The marriage was not about me. The relationship was not about me. In fact (and I know most of you already know this), nothing has ever been about me. Only after I realized this could I approach you with giving up your life for me. I couldn't ask you to do something that I was not willing to do myself; therefore, I was never going to ask you until I was sure that I could give myself up.

I had so much trouble withe my proposal speech, because nothing I could say made sense. Asking you to marry me was one-sided. Having you for my wife is one-sided. I've always come out on the winning end and in most cases I feel guilty for that. But, since you said 'yes', I figure that you realized this too and were still willing to go for it. And for that, I thank you!

Why Men Anger Me

2010-06-13T16:06:00.001-07:00

Wait - aren't you a man? Yes, but I still get angry at myself...

I was watching Memoirs of a Geisha last night, because I think it's a wonderfully made film, but I found myself getting more and more ticked, the longer I watched it. I know that Japan has (and still does) a different society, but there are some things that should just be kept sacred.

For those of you unfamiliar with the world of the geisha, it is often seen through the lens of misconception - mostly due to the U.S. involvement in Japan during the time after World War II. But the life of a geisha originated from the idea that men needed to be entertained, because their wives and children were not the end-all to their family lives. In fact, Japan had such a loose culture when it came to sexual pleasure, that the wives were completely aware of the habit of courtesans and often encouraged their husbands to visit them. Geisha, however, were seen as the artists, not the prostitutes. While there were times in which sex was involved, they prided themselves on being able to entertain and entice men without the physical attachment.

But my problem doesn't so much lie with the fact that geisha separated themselves from the average prostitute, rather it has to do with the fact that there were courtesans in the first place. At what point did it become OK to live outside the marriage for things that a wife is supposed to provide? AND, when did it become acceptable to swap women as if they were property?

When I read Genesis 2, I see that God provided one woman for Adam, and that to be a compatible/suitable helper. As we read throughout the Bible, despite Hebrew culture, we see that women are to be respected and cared for. So when I see what has become of humanity, it disgusts me. Don't get me wrong, I'm as much a sinner as the next person; but I see that we are failing to produce men that stand up for what is right. In fact, we have plenty of men that fail to even stand up for their wives...If your wife has been disrespected or is in trouble, GOOD GRIEF, do something about it.

I know we have the saying, "Women: Can't live with 'em, can't live without 'em," but I'm really starting to question the validity of manliness, chivalry, and virtue in today's society. And often, I think that I'm so sensitive to the matter, because of my own inability to avoid the pitfalls of society.

Males, if you want to call yourselves men, then I suggest we get back to the basics of Christian living. Honor her, because she is to be our "crown" (Proverbs 12).

The God of Bryan

2010-06-07T22:48:00.000-07:00

I've been fascinated with the way that God is portrayed in the Old Testament - especially through the Pentateuch. Often people refer back to Him as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, which reveals an intimate ownership or claim. I understand that Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were the patriarchs of the Israelite tradition, but then He's also referenced as the God of Moses - the spiritual leader of that same tradition.

I'm guessing that Abraham didn't actually refer to God as the "God of Abraham", but he did claim Him as his Leader, Guide, and Creator. Abraham revealed Him to others and encouraged those same people to follow in his footsteps, in worshipping the God that created all life in the universe. If I am going to follow in Abraham's footsteps, I too want to lead others in worshipping our Lord and Savior. But, in order to do that, I want people to know that He is MY God...not just the God of my parents, not just the God of my church, but my God - my intimately close, but reverently far God.

When I say that He is the God of Bryan, it is my way of allowing accountability in public. People may say, "Wait Bryan, I thought you said that He was your God? So why haven't you proven it lately?" But, I would rather claim Him publicly and fail, then live very well but not bring anyone along with me on the journey. Doesn't He deserve to have our praise and our glory? Doesn't He deserve to be recognized for His amazing power and might? Doesn't He deserve my full and unswerving love? Then He also deserves my acknowledgement of these things.

I hope that you claim Him as your God. Not that He can be contained within a box or bent to your will; but rather that He is the only thing in your life worth living for. Give it a shot!

Letters to my Wife, Chapter 4

2010-06-04T06:21:00.000-07:00

I'm thinking about the first time that I said, "I love you."

We've talked about the fact that love doesn't come easy to me. You know, as well as I do, that love is quite possibly the farthest thing from natural that I can think of. And yet, it's the most important command outlined in the Bible. So, when I think of all of the people to whom I have said, "I love you," most of them have been "I'm really trying hard to follow the commands of our Lord, so I am going to put forth every effort to make sure that love is a priority in our relationship" statements. But the first time that I made the statement to you, it was as natural as if I were saying it to one of my family members - it just made sense.

In Genesis 2:18, God said, "It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable (suitable) to him." This is the first time in which God actually notices something in His creation that is "not good". He was obviously concerned about the well-being of Adam; and since He had created Adam in His image, there was the need for a relational component.

I used to wonder about marriages in the Old and New Testaments. I had this notion that everything was a business deal - cold-hearted and political. But the more I consider God's original intent, I see that He was taking care of our needs (and I don't just mean sex and procreation). He was literally providing us with a suitable partner for sharing life.

So when I consider the first time that I said, "I love you," I remember the feeling of completion, knowing that when I was with you, I was "completely and incandescently happy" (to quote Pride and Prejudice - yes, I did). Being with you is no longer about who's right or wrong, although we know that still comes into play. It's no longer about status, power or pride, even if I do think that I'm the luckiest man in the world and that no one else compares. And it no longer seems to be about the competition over who wins in the end. It's just contentment - knowing that I am perfectly in the will of God for my life and that I have someone with whom I can share everything. And that's why saying, "I love you," was not forced, but seemed as natural as everything else in life.

Servitude

2010-05-25T12:29:00.000-07:00

While reading Psalm 143, I was reminded of a concept that I had let slip away from my conscious thought. The Message states it in this way, "Keep up your reputation, God - give me life! In your justice, get me out of this trouble! In your great love, vanquish my enemies; make a clean sweep of those who harass me. And why? Because I'm your servant" (vv. 11-12). Why should God even consider any of this?? Because I have given my life in service to Him.

Servitude to Christ seems to be a lost art. In fact, in the United States, you rarely find someone willing to give themselves over as a slave to Christ. We give service to sin; we give service to others; we even give service to ourselves; but we don't give service to Christ. My question is "why"? Why am I (are you, are we) unwilling to give ourselves in complete surrender to Christ? And lip service doesn't count!

I'd like to consider the life of a real slave - someone in bondage to sin. You can take any sin, but for the sake of painting a clear picture, I'm going to use a very visual sin: sexual bondage. Now, most of us don't always think of fornication or adultery as bondage, but in truth it is. Giving oneself to someone in this manner (at least as far as the Bible is concerned) is the same as connecting or chaining or gluing ourselves to them. We have formed a connection that cannot be severed without pain, loss, and torture. In fact, when the person does separate from the other, they are continually reminded of the experience(s), because it is ingrained into their memory.

Now, consider this same act with multiple partners and you can begin to see why people are drawn to sex. It's no longer about the pleasure of the act, but rather about continually trying to fill the void of separation that has been formed from the first moment. To find healing, one can only turn to God, our true Healer. But, as a statement of self-worth and value, we tell ourselves that we can fix it on our own, and thus perpetuate the cycle.

Whether you see it now or not, this has an extremely negative effect on our emotions, our well-being, and our spiritual condition, because we have allowed someone else (or multiple people) to control our thoughts, feelings, and circumstances. When Paul tells us to take every thought into captivity, it's not for the sake of legalism, but rather for the purpose of pulling us out of the mire into which we continually sink on our own. This is the negative form of servitude.

But please allow me to consider the opposite - the positive form of servitude. If we were to take all of the energy and life that we pour into negative services and were to pour them into our service for God, all of the negative emotions, thoughts, and experiences would now be changed into positive ones. Servitude, or slavery, to God is no longer seen in the context of giving up our lives, but rather under the view that we are greatly impacted for the better because of knowing Him. Our weakness becomes our strength in Him. The more that we attach ourselves to God, the more that it hurts to tear ourselves away. The more that we glue ourselves to Him, the more we feel the hole of His absence. Through our bondage (consider the bonding process in this analogy) to Him, we have thus enable Him to be the one that controls our thoughts, feelings, and circumstances.

If I were to logically conclude that one view is better over the other, I can't deny the fact that allowing the Supreme Being in the universe to control my actions is an amazingly good thing. I can allow bondage to sin or I can allow bondage to God. When looking at this from a purely rational view, I have to judge that the only way to better my life is through service to God. Therefore, if I am to follow the footsteps of David into willful servitude of God, I have to stop thinking like Bryan. Interesting concept, ya?

Letters to my Wife, Chapter 3

2010-05-18T07:06:00.000-07:00

Well, I understand that the question of purity has to come up at some point, so I might as well dive in. This letter, however, may be the hardest that I write, because talking about sex, intimacy, purity of though, and abstinence is, for me, a very private matter. However, in the attempt at full disclosure, I feel that it is necessary to continue on in honesty.

I saved myself for you - at least I thought I did. Growing up, I had this notion that sexual purity and abstinence was completely a physical thing. I mean, it's not like my dad didn't talk to me about lust or being a gentleman or all of those good things, because he did - quite awkwardly at times. But there are some things that you can only learn through failure that I had to experience for myself.

Recently, God has been teaching me about holistic purity: pure heart, mind, body, and soul. When I started my trek into puberty, I was only focused on one area - body. Dad said, "Don't look," so I tried not to. It wasn't because I didn't desire to look - because I did - but rather because I found myself constitutionally unable to purposefully disobey my father. If he told me to do something or not do something, I obeyed - even to the point of stupidity (but that's another 3 chapters). And I eventually found myself toeing the line, trying to see what I could and couldn't get away with as long as I obeyed my father. What I didn't realize throughout this process, was that I was more concerned about what my earthly father thought, than what my Heavenly Father though.

You ask, "Bryan, if you didn't touch her inappropriately or engage in sex outside of marriage, then how did you go wrong?" And my response would be, "In every way."

My father taught me to be a gentleman. I know that this is a lost cause in today's society, but I still believe in the virtue of chivalry and taking responsibility for one's actions. In my quest to become the man that my father is, I did just as much damage as good. How? By objectifying women, by selfishly making every relationship about me, by falling into the same traps that Satan lays for every other person out there. But worst of all, by thinking that I was superhuman.

Objectifying women is not just about physical appearance - although that also happened. Women desire to be loved, right (or so I'm told)? So how is keeping a young woman around just long enough to feel the warmth of a relationship and then leaving because you're not sure she's the "right fit" giving love? Wouldn't the better symbol of love be one that keeps you apart until you're sure? Caring more about her thoughts, feelings, and reactions more than giving in to the intimacy that you long for?

All of these thoughts bring me back to a central purpose in purity: a person can only be pure when then have emptied themselves of all inconsistencies and deformities. Because we are born into sin and have the impurities because of it, we can only be pure through remaining in God's refining fire. And that, my dear, is my new commitment to you - that I will allow God to purify me, so that I am no longer worried about my own sense of accomplishment. Nothing else really matters...

Spiritual Constipation

2010-05-10T18:29:00.000-07:00

I started thinking about how I haven't had a chance to blog in awhile and my brain suddenly hit a spark - maybe you haven't been able to write, because you're constipated...spiritually of course. I mean, I've had a ton of ideas, but haven't been able to set any down. So it dawned on me that there could be more to the absence of new blogs than meets the eye. Recognizing that I don't necessarily want to be gross on purpose, the idea of spiritual constipation seems to be the only explanation that I can come up with.

Have you ever been at a place in life in which everything around you was so annoyingly obvious that you couldn't see the forrest through the trees? I've found that the annoyance of unaccomplishment (don't care if it's a real word at this point) seems to be the most intriguing part of this situation. But as I consider these ideas, I am reminded of a statement by John Ortberg,"If you need to try harder, then try harder. If you need to try softer, then try softer."

Which drives me to another conclusion...If I'm the one doing the trying, I'm not allowing God to do anything. Now, this is not an argument for challenging God, nor is it an excuse for not trying. But it does remind me that Christ requests that we allow Him to share our burdens - you know - something along the lines of "My yoke is easy and My burden is light."

So I am challenged to find a way through this. I have the option to rely on Christ and I have the alternative of trying to do it myself. If I really care enough about myself to make the change, then I have to consider which option has more spiritual fiber. There is no way that anything involving myself is spiritually good, because I know from past experiences that I am mostly junk food. Therefore I am left with only one option: relying on Christ. Don't get me wrong - I don't think that this is a bad option, nor do I consider it a last alternative. I'm merely stating that after exhausting all possibilities on my own, it's time to reconsider God's request for a meaningful relationship with me.

I have no idea if any of you are spiritually constipated, but I offer this - Christ died so that our burden would be easier. There was no way for us to meet God on our own, so He gave us a solution that was perfect. Resting in Jesus' power seems to be elusive if we cling to our own. So let go of yourself and rest in Him.

Letters to My Wife, Chapter 2

2010-04-24T18:51:00.001-07:00

At the beginning of our relationship, we said that our relationship would be founded on Christ. To be honest, I absolutely love that about you; but we both know how difficult that was for us. Our dating and engagement seemed like an eternity of waiting, trying to remain pure, but we are better because of it and I thank you for that.

John 15:13 says, “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” When we were dating, I often wondered why it was so difficult to love you unconditionally. I mean, seriously, I would have done anything for you. I would have taken a punch, a bullet, a bad comment - anything! But it took me a really long time to fully comprehend the idea of laying down my life for you. I understood the concept, but in all practical terms, I was unwilling to lay my entire life down for you.

There were times when I felt as if you had cut me out of your life (however brief those experiences might have been) or rejected me as a person and I didn’t understand why that would happen. I had told you that I would lay down my life for you, so why wouldn’t you do the exact same for me? And as often as I came upon these thoughts (and you know that my brain rarely shuts off), I just as frequently found myself completing an illogical circuit of reasoning. Despite the fact that I was willing to lay down my physical life, I had reservations and conditions on laying down the rest of my life.

Every unreasoned action, every inappropriate comment, every illogical conclusion on your part presented a condition on my part. I was only willing to concede to you the things that made sense to me. When you had to work through a problem, I only listened to the point of fixing it. When you dealt with a rough day, I only gave you space or comforted you to the point that I was not put out. When you were spontaneous in your life, I only joined along until I felt like an idiot.

But laying down my life for you soon began to change and take shape. As I grew more comfortable with who I was as a person, I realized that I could join in on your spontaneity, because it meant that I had a chance to share a moment with you. I was able to listen with fewer thoughts of fixing, because I realized that God was the only one who could shape you. And, I learned the appropriate times to console you and when to just keep my stupid mouth shut.

It wasn’t easy for me, and from the fights and quarrels that we went through I know it wasn’t easy for you. But we made it…eventually. And we are definitely the better for it. If someone were to ask me how I love you, I would answer that it is with fury tempered with patience.

I’ve often wondered why you stuck around so long, but have concluded that you saw something in me that presented a spark of hope. Now that I’ve achieved perfection (obvious sarcasm for any novice reading this), I realize that I love you more than day one and wouldn’t have taken any other journey to get there. So as we continue to walk this road, just remember that God is the glue that keeps us together long enough to work out our stupid idiosyncrasies.

Letters to My Wife, Chapter 1

2010-04-19T23:45:00.000-07:00

First of all, I love you - immensely. I am super-excited about us getting to share our lives together! The wait to intimately share my life with my wife has been excruciating, but I know that God allowed my patience to be tested in order to refine me for you. If I told you everything right now, you would have this marriage annulled, so I’ll just start with the simple stuff.

Apparently you like me, because we wouldn’t be here if you didn’t. But you have to know, that I liked me a lot too. In fact, I liked myself so much so that God decided that He needed to trim me down to size. I can truly tell you that it was the hardest thing that I have ever been through.

Pride has always been my weakness, and will probably continue to be so. I hate the fact that something has had such a huge hold over my life, but the reality of humanity shows that each of us have something. Mine happens to be something quite public at times, but also gives me much fear in honestly opening up to others.

I went through an extreme time in my life in which God disassembled my life (much like a car), repaired and replaced parts, and then reassembled me in a way that would be more pleasing to Him. During the process, I did a LOT of waiting around. It was as if I was in the waiting room of an auto body shop, but couldn’t leave until my car was completely done. And unfortunately, it took more that one day for me to allow God to finish the job.

He will still continue to work in my life, but for now, I am satisfied that His lessons for me have not been wasted. God spent much time teaching me to love. Since love does not come naturally to me, learning to love freely and fully was sincerely painful. I had learned to isolate myself from the rest of the world as a coping mechanism for loneliness, so trying to bring people back into my life was difficult and not something that I realized I was in need of.

But, in order to learn to love you, I had to learn to love myself a little less. Not to keep repeating this, but I loved myself a lot. Cutting myself out of the picture was like cutting off a limb. When people lose a limb, they often try to re-use the ghost limb - and that was what life was like for a long time. I didn’t know how to act if I wasn’t in the equation.

As God taught me about unconditional love, I realized that I would not be able to grow unless I completely let go of myself. And that meant loving you, even if you didn’t love me back yet. It also meant loving the unloveable. I was very vividly reminded of the fact that even the heathen love the lovable, but if I wanted to separate myself from the rest of the world, then I had to start loving the people who were getting “in the way” of my life.

My life was ordered, structured, and neatly set to allow me to anticipate what would happen from day to day; but I didn’t realize the impact that my own selfishness was having on everyone around me. In an attempt to classify and identify my world, I had alienated the people that were most dear. And, the only way that I could find you was to reconnect myself to the rest of the world around me. I know that sounds weird and counter-intuitive, but again, I could only find myself after I let go of myself.

But this I was willing to do, because I knew that you were completely worth any wait that I had inadvertently initiated through my own stubbornness. If you take anything from this chapter, it’s that my entire heart’s desire is to love and know you (obviously this is in addition to my love for God). What seemed like an eternity of patience has revealed itself to be a testing period - one that I would suffer again if it meant having you. Again, I love you, and look forward to the rest of our lives together.

Asking Too Much?

2010-04-18T12:17:00.000-07:00

I was hit with a brick this morning as I taught out of II Kings 20. Hezekiah - a good king as far as the writer is concerned - was ill and told by Isaiah that he would not live much longer. In Hez's desire to live longer, he asked God to consider all that he had done and let him live. I mean, after all, was he not God's man? So God granted his request and before Isaiah had left the palace, God told him to turn back and tell Hez that he would live for another 15 years.

Interestingly enough, while he was allowed to live, Hez showed the envoy from Babylon everything that there was to see in the kingdom of Israel. In his desire to show off the riches that had been restored to Israel, he allowed the enemy to get in and make an assessment of the value and strength of Israel.

I've wondered about whether or not Hez was actually bosting or giving God the honor/glory, but my guess is that it was a moment of pride - something that he did b/c of where the Israelites used to be. They were down and barely surviving, and then God restored them to a place of glory. Through this, he inadvertently let the enemy see his weakness and thus opened Israel up to another invasion.

I've also been wondering about God's perspective in this whole thing. Did God say, "You want it? Fine - you get it," when he spared Hez's life? Was God cynical about the whole thing? Obviously God knew what was going on and what would happen in the future, but why did God really allow Hez to live? Was it just the catalyst for the invasion?

And now getting to the point of our lives...how often have we said, "God, just give it to me b/c I'm your child," and then received His gift to later wonder why we asked in the first place? Every good gift comes from above, but do we ever ask for too much? Sometimes when we ask, God allows us to have what we want, even though He knows that it may eventually trip us up in the future. It's like a kid asking for another piece of pizza after they've already had 3. Although we know they will be sick after eating the fourth piece, they relentlessly continue asking, because they really, really want it. So we allow them to have it and then sit back and laugh as they look miserable for the rest of the night.

Is that what God was thinking? Is that how He responded? Or was it merely an innocent, "Yes, my child, you may have the desire of your heart"? I'm just thinking out loud - I don't actually have an answer... :)

Neighborhood Spectacle

2010-04-09T07:41:00.001-07:00

So, when my brother asked me to help trim the trees in our parents' yard, I didn't think that it would be this kind of experience...

If you know me well enough, you understand that I come from and live in a multicultural neighborhood. Doesn't really bother me much, so when people ask why I'm the only white guy on the block, it almost makes me wonder why they can't see for themselves. Bottom line, it's what I'm used to.

We went into the back yard with the saw and clippers and got everything set to work. We could smell Grandpa's (that's what we call the elderly Asian gentleman that lives next door) pipe tobacco and knew it was gonna be a good afternoon. Since both of us are so adept at trimming trees, neither of us thought anything about just whacking off the first limb that we could reach.

I'm generally considered the muscle of the family (satirical jest), I was the one who got to cart all of the hewn branches out to the street for the trash pick-up day. Actually, I think it was because Nate didn't trust me with the saw - don't blame him. On my first venture to the other side of the fence I had no idea that I would encounter such a fascinating sociological study. Rounding the corner, I immediately saw the family next door turn and stare. Normally a lot of people stare...so why was this different?

Each time that I went to neatly stack the branches out by the street, I was always conscious of eyes following me. In fact, at one point, Nate came out with me and commented that they must not have had a TV, because they couldn't stop watching us. One of the men, presumably in his 40's, literally stood in the middle of the lawn watching us. Sometimes his arms were folded as he watched with amusement on his face, while during other times he was on his cell phone...still watching.

I can't remember the last time that someone took such a fascinating interest in the trimming of trees, but I have to be honest, it was a little awkward. To have an entire family out on the front lawn watching us was just a different experience. Were they judging us for not doing it correctly? Were they simply amused? Was it just a fleeting attraction that allowed the passage of time? I'd like to say that I have an answer, but I think I'm still in awe. For whatever reason we were the neighborhood spectacle for an evening...oh well.

The Mystery of God

2010-04-01T13:12:00.001-07:00

D. L. Moody was asked to explain a passage in the Bible and his response was, “no.” When the person, who was obviously shocked ask why such a learned person could not explain God’s word, he responded that if we were to know everything about God, that there would be no need for the Bible. He also related that if the young man wanted the answer, that he should ask God directly.

Considering all that I still have to learn about God, it’s amazing that my head has not yet exploded. I love God; I know that He cares for me. I know that His desires for my life are greater than my own; but for some reason, I have always had this idea that I knew what God’s ultimate goals were for my life. I had it set in the back of my mind: I know God and therefore I expect that He should bless me as His child.

Well…Proverbs 3:5-6 has a new meaning in my life today. Trusting God means more than just saying, “I’m your child.” In fact, it means that I will never, EVER, know all that there is to understanding Him, but allowing Him to still guide my life. It means that if I truly desire to follow Him, that I will completely leave my life in His hands.

For all of you control freaks out there, I’m sure you’re wondering why on earth we would give up the control. For all of you that could care less, you’re wondering why this is even an issue. The reality is this – my understanding is sooo much smaller than I originally thought that if I were to rely on just MY understanding of every situation, then I would literally run my life into the ground. I could name examples, but I don’t feel like being THAT vulnerable today. Suffice it to say, if we ran the heavenly battle on my brain, Satan would have won.

So, when I consider the mystery of God – who He is, why He exists, how He works – I have to just sit. I will never understand the depths of His might, power, and grace. Oh – and on the subject of grace, I should remind us all that it’s free. We didn’t deserve it and God gets nothing by giving it. It’s just His free gift.

I hope that you rest in Him this weekend. I hope that your life is more fully developed through resting in and considering who He is. He gave so much for our salvation, and while I don’t understand why He would even care enough about me to do so, He did. Mystery solved.

On Sanctification

2010-03-29T20:11:00.000-07:00

verb. to make holy; set apart as sacred; consecrate.

I thought I had a lot to say, until I was put in my place. I've found that often I view sanctification through the lens of my own experience. So, when someone does something that I have never done or never even considered doing, I expect them to find their way to the altar and consecrate their lives to God. Is it inbred? Is it because I'm a pastor? Is it due to the fact that I'm so anal, I can't see the forrest due to the one lady bug that has too many spots on the left side and not enough spots on the right?

From what I understand of Paul's writings, sanctification can only come through one's willingness to accept the possibility that God may have a better life planned for them. When we offer ourselves over to God, we have to understand that there are going to be things that God desires us to change. Unfortunately, I've considered everyone else's changes and not really my own.

Well, I assume that if I am going to be set apart as holy for the purpose of God's kingdom work, that I also have to consider that I am not yet holy and that God has some work to do. But...my inner monologue continually desires to judge others, and I am thus thrown into the conflict of letting God do His work and me staying out of the way. I've found, as of late, that quite often, when I think that God needs to do some changing, that it first starts with me. Now really? That's quite an awful thing to do to someone who is already holy...oh wait...

If I may, I'd like to refer back to my previous post on Unconditional Love...the one that I didn't see the need to follow. I suppose that until I am completely changed into the image of Christ, my only recourse is to love unconditionally. I mean, I am not the Holy Spirit, nor am I the judge, jury, and executioner. I am merely a man in need of grace. And if I am in need of grace, then I had better start showing it a little more often. After all, I don't think the words, "forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors," were stated for the purpose of giving me ammunition. No - they were stated, because Jesus realized that in my hastiness, I would inevitably fail. He needed to let me know that my failure would eventually come back to haunt me and therefore I had better be prepared to suck it up.

Oh - and while we're on that subject...the one about dying to pride...I suppose that's also not a good quality to have when asking God to sanctify your life. I don't remember pride being in the recipe for holiness, so I suppose that the absence of pride would be a better ingredient.

That said, I go back to the original definition of sanctification. Being set apart as sacred. Each and every one of us should have the desire to be set apart as sacred. I don't think that we consider this idea of setting apart to be very important, because we don't actually set ourselves apart from anything that is a strong desire in our lives. Since the cat is already out of the bag, I'll consider my own pride. If I am to truly be set apart for God's use, then there can be none of my own pride. It must die. And I don't just mean die as in...prune it back. I mean, pull the entire bush out of the yard, take it out back, burn it, and throw the ashes into the East wind. Die.

My process of sanctification is different than yours, but it doesn't necessarily mean that mine is more right. I just need Roundup in other areas than you do.

I Looked for a Man to Fill the Gap

2010-03-23T20:10:00.000-07:00

I was reading Ezekiel 22, got to the very end of the chapter, and had my mind blown. The direct text is, '30 "I looked for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found none. 31 So I will pour out my wrath on them and consume them with my fiery anger, bringing down on their own heads all they have done, declares the Sovereign LORD."'

Now, my question is this: how many men are there to stand in the gap on behalf of the people? I'm reminded of the warning "Mind the Gap" or "Watch Your Step", and frankly, I think more of us are actually more worried about our own steps than we are for the sake of others. And I'm not even talking about the "plank in your own eye". I'm talking about approaching the throne of God on behalf of the people.

God has been greatly speaking to my heart recently about the idea of unconditional love. What does it mean to love someone or a group of people unconditionally? If we really consider the concept, it means that we are willing to love and NOT expect anything in return.
Consider a 5-year-old. Now, he (or she) is mostly concerned with his own well-being. Am I hungry? Am I tired? Do I want to stay up and play? How many more play minutes do I get before I have to go take a bath?? If mom or dad tells him "NO", he breaks down, because it's all about him. He has no idea what it means to love unconditionally, because he is still more concerned about himself more than anyone else. And that's not to say that the child doesn't love mom or dad, because the parent is the first one that he runs to when he is scared or in need. But his love is always based on how he feels at the time.

Now, consider the average adult. Most of us are concerned with wealth, sustenance, relationships, work, kids, etc. And often we don't consider allowing someone else to be the focus of our relationship, because we are occupied with trying to do things for what we can get in return. I mean, isn't that what your job is all about? Isn't that what most of your relationships are about? I'm not going to give to you unless I am completely sure that you will respond in equal or better fashion.

I mean, that has been the existence of mankind. But what I see God saying is, "Who really cares about the people?? If you are SO concerned with your own issues and ideas and feelings, then you don't DESERVE my love! You don't DESERVE my gratitude! You don't DESERVE my protection! Obviously Ezekiel was writing, because God was fed up; but don't you think it makes sense?? God created us for a relationship and we took advantage of that in the Garden. He has been trying ever since to get us back, but it's a longer process than any of us actually think.

My challenge, if any of you are interested, is to consider others before yourself. Try loving someone for who they are, rather than for what they can give. It's amazing to see just how much God has in store for our lives when we give up ourselves and consider the needs of the masses to be more important. Just try it for a week and only then will I let you tell me that it didn't work.

Waiting for God to Catch Up

2010-03-20T20:34:00.000-07:00

You're probably thinking that God is going to strike be down right now, but I think it's important to share the following thoughts.

I've usually considered myself to be a patient person in some areas and impatient in others. I think, when it's been an area of passion, I've been less patient, because I see how things could just be fixed really easily and then all would be better. But God has been teaching me to slow down and wait for Him.

Now - I know that His plan is always better; but I'm here to tell you that knowing that in my head and in my heart are two completely different things. Because what I want God to do and what He wills to be done are two different things, and the idea that I have to be patient and allow God's will to be done is something that goes in direct contradiction to my own omniscience. You're thinking, "Bryan, you're not omniscient," and my response is usually, "Well how do you know?" But I think you get the general drift. If God is going to work in and through our lives, then we HAVE to have less of us and more of Him.

So there's been a tension in my heart, one that requires that I wait for God to catch up with my perceived plan for life. And every time that I tell God to hurry up, He takes a moment to remind me that I'm walking too far ahead and that He's getting ready to turn down a fork in the road that I missed. I'm no Eagle Scout, but I've been walking the path of life for awhile now, and I totally missed that fork. So how in the world could God have seen what I missed?

Better yet - how could God see a better plan for my life than what I see? How could He know more about what is best for me than I do? How could He know what blessings await me if I will just be patient? Oh, that's right! He's God.

My encouragement to you is that you have patience for His will. As much as I say that to others, I have such a hard time living it out myself. His ways are higher, His thoughts are more in tune with the grand scheme of things that we will ever know. So, maybe it's time that we catch up to Him, rather than waiting on Him to catch up to us. It might actually mean that we have to change our direction, and for many of us that becomes problematic. But it's a worthy goal, ya?

The Object of God's Love

2010-03-16T20:35:00.000-07:00

C.S. Lewis tells a story of a schoolboy who was asked about God's character. "He replied that, as far as he could make out, God was 'the sort of person who is always snooping around to see if anyone is enjoying himself and then trying to stop it.'" I would argue that many of us still have the same view: "How is God going to beat me down today, because I didn't measure up to His standards?" And, while I consider God's wrath to be one of the only certainties in life, I also know that God's love is equally certain.

If you will, consider the fact that God's love existed before time. Before there was a way to measure the events of the past, God had already loved the world enough to create it. Despite the fact that God's love allows for our errors and misjudgments, He still gives it. In addition to His gift, He WILLS it. God said there would be love and it happened, just as sure as any of the rest of His promises.

I recently sat down to have story time with a couple of young boys. They were wild and crazy as any other young boy might be; but they also have an uncanny gift for melting one's heart, as many other children do. As we sat down for story time (I was actually laying on my stomach), one of them came up and just laid down on top of my back. Now, I'm not a father, but I think this must have been the closest that I've been to feeling the love of a father, because as he laid there, listening to the stories, he just rested.

In that moment, every other thought of wrongdoing evaporated. No thoughts about what he had done wrong that day. No cares about what he would do wrong the next. Just peace.

And as I've tried to consider resting in God's peace, I had never quite experienced what it might look like in that context. I mean - how often does God desire for you to just walk up to Him, turn around, and just plunk your butt down into His lap?? Psalm 51 says, "for Thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: Thou delightest not in burnt offering." And while the Psalmist is specifically talking about the restoration of one's soul to God's grace, I also think that it refers to our desires toward God. Does He truly desire to see you rest in Him? Does He truly desire to love you?

See, we can all say, "Well, I'm not good enough for God, because I've done x, y, and z." Well, I have news for you! He says, "Give it to Me, because I can handle it. Give it to me, because I can wash it clean! I am Your Father. I am Your God. Therefore, what I command, you have NO business disobeying. And I command you to rest in My peace."

It's no wonder that so many of us walk around with our hearts dragging through the dirt - we have the anchor of the world pulling it down to the depths of despair. But, if we will just be the object of God's life, as He fully intended us to be, then we shall be blessed beyond measure. I don't care what you've done! I don't care how you feel! I only care that you give up you for the sake of Him.

Will you do that today?

Playing for Rascal Flatts

2010-03-06T18:09:00.000-08:00

Not many of you know of my fame with the legendary group Rascal Flatts, so I thought I would regale you with my adventures.

It all started on a rainy summer day in Arkansas. I had just arrived in Little Rock and was greeted by my amazing friend Allen Pointer. We headed to the car, where we met Ryan Akers (affectionately known as "Intern Boy") and started off to Russelleville. As we were driving down the interstate, they related a story that had happened on the way to summer camp, in which every single bus was said to be the tour bus of Rascal Flatts. Apparently there were some girls that were "big fans" and couldn't stop talking about how the LOVED the band. So we decided during the car ride that I would act as the bass player for Rascal Flatts when we showed up for Sunday School the next morning.

Fast-forwarding to Sunday School the next day, I found myself slightly anxious, because, while I knew the band's music, I really knew little else about them. But, being the gregarious thespian that I am, I knew that I could play the role perfectly. So as Ryan walked in, I followed. He introduced me as Bryan the bassist for Rascal Flatts. He did it in such a way as to be sly and casual, but you could see it on the faces of both the girls and boys. The boys looked dejected, while the girls looked giddy and excited.

There were a couple girls (to remain nameless, although they know who they are - Brittany Tucker) who decided to bridge the gap and approach me. As I smiled and told them of our tour, I couldn't help thinking how WRONG this was, but how AMAZing it was. It seemed completely interesting to me that while they professed to be avid fans of the band (and owned, like, every, single, CD, on, the, planet), none of them actually knew what the bassist looked like.

Well, we went through the entire duration of Sunday School with none the wiser, except the adults. So I followed everyone into the sanctuary and prepared to meet my Maker at the altar for my sins of the morning. About this time, one of the girls came storming through the doors and walked directly up to me. From the look on her face, I thought that she was going to pin me to the floor and use me for kick boxing practice. With eyes that had been thoroughly moistened, she said, "you LIED to me!"

Needless to say, I felt a little sheepish. Especially considering that I was in the House of the Lord. With a completely stupid grin on my face, I tried to explain the "joke", but she would have none. There was to be NO consolation that morning. For the remainder of the service I sat awkwardly, wondering if she would ever forgive me.

I think, in the end, I might have received a slight smile, but that was about it. Fortunately, the church still stands and everyone has moved on about their daily lives. While the joke was extremely funny, I supposed that Sunday School is prolly not the best place to tell of the mighty adventures of the band...But, we live and learn, right?

The Art and Craft of Wooing a Woman

2010-03-05T21:11:00.000-08:00

To all my boys out there...this message is for you.

We see sooo many hints in the world at what it must mean to give and receive love. Mostly, if you watch the movies, you will see that "love" means selling yourself - doing whatever you have to do to get the opposite sex to notice you. If you listen to music, "love" is that magical thing that binds two people in passionate and intimate physical union. If you observe the lives of people, you see that "love" is the one place of piece and quiet - the shelter that they turn to when the world becomes too much.

So, after checking out what the world considers to be love, we then try to emulate it. We try to own it by copying it, rather than listening to the original text. We CRAVE it, because we don't understand God's true idea for our lives. But rather than reiterating my previous sentiments from another blog entry, I'd like to point out a few thoughts when trying to capture the special attention of that lady that has your focus...

- It is true that you have to put forth effort, but don't try so hard that you push her away

- Your profession of love is only going to last as long as your gift of love

- Her idea of intimacy is different than your plan for success

- Your feelings are about as important as the spark plugs in an engine

- If you keep a godly pursuit, then you can't go wrong

- It's your virtue to choose, but God is always watching

It's interesting that we all put on the facade of manliness, but when it comes to being a real man, we feel so completely lost. Follow the godly men that have come before you. They are considered godly men, because they fought the temptation (desire, passion, lust) and came out ahead. And, if all else fails, remember that you measure godly success by actually following God's principles...not your own.

"There is, hidden or flaunted, a sword between the sexes till an entire marriage reconciles them." - C. S. Lewis

The Legacy That You Leave

2010-03-04T15:13:00.000-08:00

I think that if my dad were to read my blogs on a regular basis, he would argue emphatically that I should not post the following...because it's about him...and he's humble. So I'll continue on as if he's not reading and, I guess, deal with the forgiveness aspect at a later date.

I was in a conference today with Thom Rainer as the keynote. It was in the 2nd or 3rd session that I heard something very profound - a story of the time that he preached his father's funeral. At the time he realized the significance of his father's life, because the whole town of 3500 people showed up to the service and they had to relocate to a hill by the cemetery to accomodate all of the people. As I sat there listening to his story, my eyes began to water when I thought of my dad and the pride I have of calling him my father. In fact, I'm nearly in tears (sitting outside of Starbucks) right now as I recall my previous emotions of the day.

You may ask, "Bryan, why were you in tears? Was it because you think 3500 people will show up to your father's funeral service?" On the contrary, no. Because my father has never been one to reach the masses. As I look back on my 27 years with him, I see (very profoundly) that he ministers to the few, in the hope - burning desire even - that they will reach the masses.

There was also a public funeral for the fallen officers in last week's shooting over at People's Church (across town). It was a very large and very open funeral, because many people desired to show their appreciation for an officer's willingness to lay his/her life on the line to defend their public constituents. But that's also not the kind of funeral that my Poppi will have.

No - his will consist of the people that mattered most in life to him: his personal family and his church family. There will, no doubt, be a number of people there, but it will not be a public or open display of people to whom he showed affection. It will be the people that he ministered to on a daily basis, who will go on to minister to the masses.

No one publicly remembers that he is the voice of reason - that he is the man with more wisdom that most of his peers. No one continually voices how well he did in the sermon on Sunday, because he wasn't preaching - he was praying for the preacher. No one remembers that he went to college, because he didn't - he worked his entire life to be faithful to God so that each and every one of his kids could go through college and receive a better education.

No one will mention that he went to another country to save the masses, because he didn't - he just adopted one that will grow up to do that. No one will recognize his contribution to social justice issues, because he had none of his own - he continually fought so that just one would minister to hundreds of poor, needy, homeless, broken, shattered women in slavery and prostitution. No one will comment that he saved the city, because he only trained one to go out to city block after city block and keep our streets safe. No one will see how he taught others, because there was just one that he raised to go out and exemplify godly principles to class after class of elementary students.

And no one will say that he built up a church to its fullest potential, because he only poured into one that would go on to minister to the hearts of hundreds of congregants.

There's something to be said for the one that ministered to the few so that the thousands would be reached. And THAT is why I love my Poppi. THAT is why I thank God for his faithfulness. THAT is why my father is great.

You may not have had the same experience. And you may not know the full potential of this message, but he seems to just find one at a time and I'm sure that you can be next.

The Musings of a Bachelor

2010-03-02T22:06:00.000-08:00

Now, obviously some may see me as cynical... :) But that's OK - I don't mind it a bit.

There have been a TON of postings about this Jason dude. In fact, it seems that Americans, despite their lack of TV watching, can't get away from his life. Now, you can consider this to be the real love to a relationship or you can consider the following as an alternate possibility (an inspired post due to some comments about signing me up for the next Bachelor TV season)...

I don't mind being single. Do I wish to be married? Absolutely! But for this season of my life, I have absolutely NO problem with the fact that God has an aMAzing young woman out there with whom I can spend the rest of my life. And I absolutely look forward to that day that I can give my whole heart to this fabulous woman.

But along this road of bachelor-ness-hood, I've realized a couple of important facts (which will probably be corrected by some even more cynical married couple):

1. I don't mind waiting for sex. I'm a guy and I think statistics explain everything; but I would rather have fewer years of pure, unadulterated sex, than many, many years of baggage that I have to carry around with me.

2. I desire (strongly desire) to bless my wife with godly wisdom and leadership. Control freak? No...just following God's original plan of heading up the household.

3. Under NO circumstances am I going to settle for someone that does not fit into my life like a hand into a glove. Does that make me lonely? Sure. But isn't everyone lonely at some point in their life?

I keep hearing about this STUPID show (and I know that people like it just for the drama), but SERIOUSLY - isn't there more to be desired than multiple make-out sessions on TV. And I know what you guys are thinking - he just needs to get him some. I'm sorry, but that is a scandalous falsehood! My God made me to have a beautiful relationship with a woman and the two of us will become one and will live in the peace and love of God.

If you're one of those people reading this and laughing, then maybe it's time that you re-evaluate your own relationship. Maybe you're sad, because it lacks luster. Maybe you're broken, because your relationship is. I have learned to be perfectly content, despite my circumstances. AND I challenge each and every one of you to do the same.

Call me cynical. Call me stupid. Call me unfortunate. Call me celibate. Call me a LOSER. But I dare you to say it to my face. I also dare you to watch my future marriage - when God blesses me, because I remained pure and faithful.

I dare you...

God's Power Conduit

2010-03-01T20:32:00.001-08:00

When you finally realize that God is at the center of everything that is great, you start to realize that you are not the person you thought you were. God's power - the most incredible force in the entire universe - is something that we can only see when we empty ourselves of our human capabilities and rely fully on His strength.

Follow in 1 Corinthians 12 with me - "Now about the spiritual gifts (the special endowments of supernatural energy), brethren, I do not want you to be misinformed...Now there are distinctive varieties and distributions of endowments (gifts, extraordinary powers distinguishing certain Christians, due to the power of divin grace operating in their souls by the Holy Spirit) and they vary, but the [Holy] Spirit remains the same. And there are distinctive varieties of service and ministration, but it is the same Lord [Who is served]." (Amplified Bible, 1 Corinthians 12:1, 4-5)

If we consider that we are gifted in different areas - all under the supernatural guidance/power of the Holy Spirit - then we should start thinking and acting in the Spirit if we are to use these gifts. Upon viewing the events over the past two weeks of my life, I have distinctly come to realize that Christ's power working through me, has nothing to do with me EXCEPT that I open my will to His.

When I speak on behalf of the Lord, there are times when I am completely under the influence of the Holy Spirit and other times in which I am only partly taken. To understand the full nature of this, I suggest we consider piping or conduit. When a valve is released (or opened), the amount of energy flow is determined by the dilation of the valve. If the valve were opened to full strength, then the total force of the energy would be released and you would attain maximum output.

For lack of a better demonstration, I believe that this is partly how the Holy Spirit's power works. When we open ourselves up to His energy, we allow Him to flow through us and work His miraculous wonders. Am I talking about healing? Well, healing comes in season. It may not be a physical manifestation of healing, but it could be spiritual or emotional.

Am I talking about wisdom? Well, wisdom and discernment come to those who ask. It may not be the wisdom of time, but it could very well be the wisdom to make a certain choice at a certain time.

Am I talking about prophecy? Have you ever just spoken the words that someone needed to hear and had no clue where they came from? It may not be on par with Ezekiel or Jeremiah, or even Isaiah, but it was the Word of the Lord and it was given to a people in need.

I think that most of us are too scared to even consider the power of the Holy Spirit...

(1) It requires less of us and more of God. As much as we like to "sing" about that concept and "preach" about its meaning, it really is a hard thing for us to fully grasp.

(2) It requires that we dedicate our life's work to God's calling. You don't have to be a pastor or teacher or missionary to be used by the Holy Spirit; but there is a sense that only these people are "good enough" to do the job.

(3) It requires that we just rest in God's presence...and quite often that can be a hard thing to do. Resting in God's presence means that we have forgiven ourselves of past mistakes...Resting in God's presence means that we have accepted God's forgiveness...Resting in God's presence means that despite all that we face, we remain princes and princesses in God's holy family.

You are royalty, and as such you deserve - and are commanded - to uphold the family name. What are you doing toward that end?

The Power of Prayer

2010-02-12T01:50:00.000-08:00

I can't sleep, so I don't see how blogging can be a bad idea. I'd like to talk for a moment about prayer. In the past I have viewed prayer as a tool to communicate with God; but recently I have been thinking about prayer as more than just a tool - it is God's way to change my heart.

If I have a continual attitude of prayer, as Paul suggests, then I should allow that attitude to pervade every part of my life. This attitude is not only my suggestions and thoughts being sent to God, but also it is my request that God make His will known to me by guiding my prayer thoughts. If I truly want Him to be glorified in my life, then each prayer will be a direct link into His will. My thoughts continually become less my own and more of God's.

So let me say this: Change my heart, oh God. In my daily walk with You grant me the peace of knowing Your will. In my devotions grant me the burden for your people. In my life grant me the opportunity to see Your face. In all that I do, may Your glory shine through.

The Art of TV Purchasing

2010-01-15T12:09:00.000-08:00

This story comes from a land that is near and dear to my heart: Fresno. Like all good stories, it includes a hero (myself) and a villain (to be portrayed as you keep reading)…

There was a young man named Moesh who lived in Fresno and enjoyed spending time with his friends and family. In an effort to enhance the joy, he decided to purchase a new TV. A million thoughts ran through his head, but the main thing was that he didn’t want to spend too much on the TV since times were hard.

Well Moesh had a friend named Jermaine. Jermaine was one of those lively fellows that can make friends with anyone, and in so doing discovered a discount TV store in the area. Knowing that they had good TV’s for sale at a decent price, Moesh decided to check out the shop.

Upon arrival, two things were evidently clear: (1) not ALL of the TV’s were in the best shape, and (2) the business was a small operation that was not very well organized. Upon seeing this, Moesh decided that it was best to find a good TV and then bargain for a good price. He and the owner settled on a TV of good quality and struck the bargain.

Excitedly, Moesh took his TV home and enjoy an amazing night of movie watching. But the next morning, to his demise, the TV would not work. So he took the TV back, expecting a change. Upon his second arrival, he noticed that the employee did not look well – rather tired and fatigued. When Moesh explained the problem, the employee gave him an incredulous look and asked him to try switching out the cables.

Frustrated, Moesh took the TV back home to try again. After realizing that he still had the same problem, he took the TV in for an actual work order. The shop kept his TV for the next week in order to replace the “broken” part and “test” its functionality. Excitedly Moesh pick up his TV and took it home for another test run.

When he got home, plugged everything in and turned the TV on it STILL didn’t work. DejecteThis story comes from a land that is near and dear to my heart: Fresno. Like all good stories, it includes a hero (myself) and a villain (to be portrayed as you keep reading)…

When he got home, plugged everything in and turned the TV on it STILL didn’t work. Dejectedly he loaded the TV up for one more drive out to the shop. With frustration building every second as he drove he had worked out a plan of what he was to say when asked about the TV. But when he arrived at the shop, the owner casually said, “Pick out another one and let’s call it good.”

The TV that Moesh picked out was very similar to the original one, but a newer model. Despite the frustration, he was able to get a better TV that he originally intended, which was satisfying in the end.

Moral: Be nice to your TV salesman and he will help you in the long run…

ONCE UPON A TIME

2009-08-04T21:36:00.000-07:00

Once upon a time there was a prince named George. He lived in a quiet castle not too far from the home city of his father's kingdom. He would often stroll through the everglade forests surrounding his castle, wondering about the young maiden that would someday catch his attention.

While strolling through the forest one day, he was startled at hearing a faint whisper. He listened intently to try and recognize the sound, but could not make it out what was making the noise. He did, however, discover the direction from which the sound was produced and decided to quietly sneak in that direction. To George's surprise, he stumbled upon a black dragon sitting in a swamp.

The dragon looked surprised, but did nothing to harm George. Feeling the inclination to find out why the dragon had been whispering, George ventured a question - "What are you doing?"

The dragon replied, "I'm Chester! I was just trying to mimic the fish in the swamp and was breathing through fish lips."

Suddenly intrigued by interest in Chester's actions, George asked, "How do you make fish lips?"

"By pursing your lips together like this," Chester replied as he sucked in his cheeks. Unfortunately, Chester could not hold his breath for very long and began breathing out of his nose. The noise sounded like tiny elves whispering on a cool summer afternoon as they basked in the sun coming through the trees.

George liked the sound and realized that it was vaguely familiar to the way that his friend Thom would breathe as they would travel together in the forest. Thom always had a comforting presence about him that helped George to relax when he was stressed about helping his father run the kingdom. It may have been Thom's instincts as an elf, but mostly it was his unwavering dedication and support for his friend.

Chester snorted to get George's attention. "Oh, I'm sorry," George said, "but I got lost in thought thinking about my friend Thom."

"Thom," Chester replied, "I remember him. He told me that when I saw you, I was to take you to him."

"What!" George exclaimed. "How could you possibly know Thom? And where is he?"

"Oh, he's on the other side of this mountain," said Chester. "Are you ready for me to take you to him?"

Unsure of how to respond, George took his time in replying. "Well," he said, "I guess you can't be that dangerous. I mean - after all - you were making fish faces a moment ago. That's something that Thom used to do..."

"Well of course he did," Chester interrupted. "Who do you think taught me?"

"Of course," George replied, "I forgot that the fish face was his sign that I should trust the person I met. And, while you're not a person, I think I can still trust you."

So Chester swooped down to allow George to climb up onto his back. "Grab on to my wings and hold on!" And off into the air they went. Chester swooped and ducked around the trees, but once they were out of the forest, he soared high into the air to cross the mountain.

As they descended, George began to see two tiny specks off in the distance. The closer they got, the more he began to make out that they were people. One was Thom - tall and handsome - and the other was a beautiful young woman. As George began to behold her beauty, he realized that she was the prettiest young lady that he had ever seen.

Chester glided to a smooth landing and allowed George to dismount. Jumping off the dragon, George ran to his friend and embraced him with excitement. "It's so good to see you, Thom!"

"I've missed you, George," Thom replied. "And I have someone for you to meet. George, this is Laurabelle! She is the most beautiful woman that I could find. When I told her of your wisdom and bravery as the crowned prince of our kingdom, she immediately knew of whom I was speaking."

George, knowing that he should say something before the scene became awkward, stuttered, "Huh-hi. It's good to meet you Laurabelle."

They continued in conversation until Chester departed. Thom then led them to a nearby village to stay the evening. Thom and George said goodnight to Laurabelle and went to sleep under an old oak tree.

By the time George had awakened the next morning, the whole village had gathered to see the visitors. When questioned about who they were and what they were doing, Thom replied that they were passing through to go back to the other side of the mountain. The villagers gave them supplies and wished them well on their journey.

Thom led the couple - for they were quickly becoming attached - back to their land. When they arrived there were banners and trumpets proclaiming their arrival. As they approached the king, Thom began to make the appropriate introduction, but George stepped up and called out, "Father, I would like you to meet my bride-to-be." The king welcomed Laurabelle into the castle and soon after the young couple was married.

To say that the couple lived happily ever after would be a slight. They lived with the most amazing passion for life that has ever been seen. The prince loved his new wife and she respected his bravery and courage. Until death finally separated them, they lived life to the fullest.

And to this day everyone in the kingdom tells the story of love at first sight and the prince and princess who would forever inspire the people.

THE END

Truth & Peace Opening Video

2009-07-14T08:19:00.001-07:00

Here is the opening video for the 2009 Truth and Peace conference. Had a blast editing it!

New JOE Blog

2009-06-28T23:44:00.000-07:00

Here's the blog for our new youth group posts. I hope you can participate in the discussions!

http://joeyouth.blogspot.com

The Hero Paradox

2009-04-22T08:20:00.000-07:00

Have you ever stopped to consider our relationship to God through the eyes of humility? I'm not gonna lie, it's extremely difficult, and rarely - if ever - am I able to seriously consider God in this manner. But I was reading Psalm 7 the other day and was hit with a club over the top of my head for the stupidity that I often call knowledge. I've read Psalm 7 before and I'm sure I liked it, but on this occasion, this instance, I was struck with God's incredibly different, but similar nature to us.

I wrote about the image of God on a separate occasion, so I will not continue to discuss that topic; however I find it necessary to bring up the image of God, because that is how we were created - to be with Him, with commonalities that draw us close. It's similar to other relationships in life. There has to be a link that draws people together. Even considering Sheldon, Leonard, Raj, and Howard in The Big Bang Theory shows that relationships require at least one link: Leonard. We were made with similarities to God for the purpose of attracting us to Him.

Those similarities are often the things that seem to separate us from Him as well. Take Psalm 7:4 - "What is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?" God has given us a great responsibility and joy as his children, but as we consider the converse, how many of us are mindful of God? Do we, as His children, pay attention to Him because we love Him or because He gives us what we want? Do we see God as a loving and admonishing Father or as a Grandfather that we go to when we want candy?

Thus we see the Hero Paradox. God created us, nurtured us, forgave us, saved us, and and redeemed us, but we consider ourselves to be the hero. We puff ourselves up as if we've done something great. Have you considered that God was the One to give you your talent? Have you considered that God was the One to create you, guide you, and give you insight into life's mysteries? At what point were we ever the hero? Unfortunately it is only in our mind's eye.

Psalm 7:5, "You made [man] a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor," is not said to promote us, but rather the mighty and awesome power of God. Psalm 7:6, "You made him ruler over the wors of your hands; You put everything under his feet," is not talking about our power, but rather God's.

So if we are going to continue to be God's children, I think we need to consider Him a little bit more than ourselves during our daily reflections. "God forgive me, because I failed again" repeated five times is not thinking about God. Ask for His forgiveness and then move on to how awesome and wonderful He is. Enjoy Him for who He is, not what He gives. He is the true Hero and should be treated with all the reverence and respect that His title deserves.

The Cougar Den

2009-04-03T14:29:00.000-07:00

cou-gar [koo-ger]

-noun, plural -gars, (especially collectively) -gar.

A woman (generally 35+) who seeks out younger men as prey.

This story was almost going to have a legendary title, but I thought that I would call it like it is. For those of you that do not believe that there are cougars out there, please be advised that the stories that you have heard are 95% true. This one is no exception...

It was during the summer of 2008 that I found myself involved in the production and distribution of wedding videos. I was working with a friend (the photographer), just sitting in on weddings for which the bride wanted video in addition to pictures. We had fun, don't get me wrong, but on this occasion, the summer heat was unbelievably unbearable to the extent that I was sweating like a kid who had just walked into his first candy shop and felt the unending joy and pain of his first sugar rush.

Most of the shooting had gone well up until the point of dinner. We (as the photographers) were allowed to eat with the rest of the guests and had our names on one of the tables. As we all went to get our seats, we realized that there were two extra people vying for our table. In an effort to be conscientious servants, we decided that I and the second photographer would sit at another table to accommodate the guests.

In moving to an alternate table I was a little disgruntled and uncomfortable; however it was not my wedding, so I had no room for complaint. Arriving at the table we noticed that there was one man and the rest women. They all seemed to be very comfortable with the man's vulgar and obscene gestures, as if they had grown up with him. While he was in his 50's, he talked like a football player in his 20's, which gave me cause for alarm.

The women at the table were much more varied than the man. The youngest was about my age at the time, while the oldest was about the same age as the man. The youngest was fair to look upon, but her mouth was the disturbing factor with her. I am not beguiled into thinking that every woman is a lady, but she and her girlfriends could almost discredit the whole sex.

As people were swapping names and stories with the second photographer, I sat by just watching. Not feeling the need to partake in the conversation, I was quickly brought out of my thoughts when I felt all eyes on me. A question was asked. What had been said? Who had asked me? Think - respond. They're expecting you to say something! OH - she had asked my name?

'And who might this young man in the blue be?'

'I'm Bryan,' I responded.

She was a brunette with long dark hair. She looked to be about 35-38 years old with the look of one looking for fun. By the dress she wore, one could tell that she enjoyed flaunting her figure. Answer her - she's asking another question!

'Are you single?' An innocent question, right? I mean, they have all been sharing their stories, so apparently they want to know mine.

'Yes.' STUPID! Why would you give out that information? You know what's coming next! Idiot.

As she walked around the table to talk more directly to me she asked, 'So, do you like older women?' WHAT? What on earth would possess her to ask me something like that?! Idiot, you should NEVER talk with strangers. They are nothing but trouble! Think - she's coming around the table for a response.

'Well, I work at a college and am really more interested in college-aged girls.' Phew that worked. No it didn't - that was a stupid answer. Oh wait, she's responding - pay attention.

'Oh, that's interesting.' She is running her hands through her fingers...what could that mean? Why is she not walking away? Did I not give the proper response to turn her away? She is talking again...'Well, it would be interesting if you changed your mind.' Oh good, she is walking away. Don't make eye contact. By this time the second photographer was looking at me with a smirk on his face. Great, what else was I supposed to do? She was clearly intoxicated, so why did it matter that I just said, 'no.' With the amount of alcohol that they had consumed already, I was not surprised by her actions. Or was I?

For the rest of the wedding I did everything that I could to ensure that we stayed apart. Even when the women wanted to give us hugs at the end, I made sure that they were quick. I had no intention to stay around after dark with these women. Nothing good could come out of it. Walk away...walk away...

The Legend of the Zip Line

2009-03-17T09:20:00.000-07:00

There are some that have a genuine fear of the outdoors. Others, it seems, cannot live without it. I, however, have grown accustomed to life in the city for a variety of reasons, only one of which I will share today.

Let me say at the onset that I am not opposed to the outdoors. It is just that I have been scarred beyond recovery and need to take it slowly...

Once upon a time...who uses this phrase anymore? I would've used something more appropriate, but couldn't think of a better intro. Once upon a time I went to church camp. As a general rule I went every year, but there were times of hardship during which my family could not afford to pay for it. During this particular incident I found myself thoroughly enjoying life as a teenager, expecting that camp would last forever and I would never have to return home only to attend another year of school.

We had already been participating in outdoor activities which included several team-building exercises. For those of you that have attended camp at some point in your life you know what I'm talking about. Everyone has to come together as a team in order to break down the barriers between us and become friends - that kind of stuff.

After the team-building exercises we were introduced to the zip line. Now - a zip line is a cable that has been strung from two points (generally trees) that allows the person to quickly "zip" or move through the air from the highest point to the other. This being the case, the zip line has to be set up in the air (definitely a few feet off of the ground) in order to accomplish the trick.

To start, I have a fear of heights. Some would call this acrophobia, but I just call it losing my stomach at the thought of falling from a height of more than 1 foot. So, to even look up at the zip line made my blood start to quiver. Actually...just thinking about the tall tree that would eventually spell my doom is starting to make my stomach turn.

Climbing to the top seemed like an eternity. It was a rope ladder that wouldn't stay still if my life depended on it. Who in their right mind would want to climb a waving tendril of death?? Once I got to the top, I was strapped in and given a couple of directions. Face forward, keep your feet in front of you, don't turn your back to the tree, when you get to the end, Scott will catch you. My guide also pointed out that there was a wooden block set in place to slow my momentum at the point of impact.

As we counted down from whatever arbitrary number seemed to please my guide at the time, I realized that my heart was racing. GO! And I jumped. And I lost my stomach. And I was pretty sure that if I hadn't gone to the bathroom beforehand, that I would've at that moment in time. Down I went. Because people were watching me, I thought I'd try to erase the fear that had left me clinging to the rope. Think good thoughts. Focus on the target.

You know, it's not as bad as one might thing. You just have to get used to the sensation of losing all control of your life and allowing nature to take its course. HA. Twisting...I'm twisting. What do I do? Just enjoy the ride. Wait - where's the tree? Oh - it's a ways off. Plus, there's the wooden block to slow my roll. Oh, and there's Scott on the platform, waiting to catch me.

Wooden block. OK - brace for impact. Contact with wooden block. Still sailing through. At this point in time everything around me slowed down to an eternity. It was like I could see the world around me in HD slow motion. Apparently the wooden block hadn't done the job, because I was still flying at the speed of...say a hawk intent on catching its prey. Oh wait, Scott can catch me.

Just passed Scott. Apparently I was going to fast for him to catch the rope and I slid right past. However, I could still see the shock on his face as I was looking at him rather than at my final resting place. The last thought that went through my mind before impact was, 'Don't forget to keep your feet in front of you.' I quickly tried to turn so that my back wasn't facing the tree that I was about to hit. I had about 2 feet to complete the twist.

Too late. My back was now coming in contact with the tree. More specifically, my back collided with a stub of a branch that had been cut off. Why someone would leave a foot left on the branch is beyond me, since that seemed to be the thing that had induced pain of the acutest kind. Not only had I met the tree with an incredible impact, but also all of my energy and momentum had been expended on that one branch. If you know anything about physics, you will understand the extent to which this would cause pain.

I slowly started moving back toward Scott who was waiting to catch me on the platform. He asked if I was OK, but I could only respond with, 'get me down, because I can't breathe.' He quickly unstrapped me from the zip line and laid me on the platform. At this point I felt as if a rib had been broken. At bare minimum I felt as if my heart had been punctured...OK, not exactly since it was the right side of my back, but close enough.

I remember people running to get the camp nurse. All of the sudden I see Phil running at breakneck speed to the platform. He doesn't even run like that for softball, so I knew that something was up. Once we found out that my skin hadn't even been punctured, I felt as if all of that pain was for nothing. No one would believe I was hurt if there was no blood. That's whack!

Unfortunately I had to spend the rest of the day (until dinner) under observation, because I couldn't bear the shame of being out in public. Who runs into a tree? Good grief, at the very least I could've put my feet out to stop my momentum, but NO - I had to do things the hard way.

The zip line has thus become a legend in my own mind. If not for that incident, I might not be as afraid of outdoor obstacle courses. But alas, I am what I am. For better or worse...probably the latter, not the former. I hope that you can draw insight from this story. When going on a zip line, please remember to look where you're going, and not where you've been...

Space Mountain

2009-03-09T16:34:00.000-07:00

Yes - it is one of my favorite rides at Disneyland. That not withstanding, I now have a complex about the ride, due to a series of complications that my family and I faced one year while enjoying our time at the happiest place on earth. The words that follow are now as accurate a description as I can portray from the agony that arose from Space Mountain: The Ride of Shame. Consequently, this also happens to be the second Disneyland story to complicate my life...which makes me start to wonder...

It was a day to start off the summer season. My family and I were in Anaheim for my sister's graduation and decided that at least one day during our trip should be dedicated to the Disneyland monument. Since Space Mountain is one of our favorite rides, it was definitely in the queue to visit - and by visit, I mean about 3-4 times (obviously in between fits of stuffing our faces with the most glorious food available).

Standing in line during our first visit got us to thinking about life, love, and the pursuit of happiness. While enjoying our time in line, we decided to see if we could shake the walkway that crosses over the actual roller coasters. We thought it hilarious that when all of us jumped at the same time, we were able to shake the walkway. At the same time, we were also a little surprised and scared that we were able to shake the walkway.

There were 12 of us for the first trip, so we took up a full roller coaster. As an aside, I think that being able to fill your own coaster is awesome, because then others don't have to deal with the annoyance of your incredibly awkward personal jokes and obnoxious laughter. We were already screaming at the top of our lungs when we pulled up the first 10 feet to the control tower. We waited, and waited, and waited, but were not allowed to proceed. Instead of going to the right, we were steered to the left.

At this point, I didn't know that there was a problem. I actually thought we were going through a secret tunnel - stupid, I know, but my imagination is amazingly vivid. Secondary thoughts racing through our heads were ones of guilt...wondering if we were in trouble for causing so much ruckus on the walkway. The attendant told us that the coaster's speakers were broken and that we would have to go on the next one. We insisted that they were working just fine, since we could hear them right next to our ears, but they wouldn't listen to 'reason'. They split us up and we took two different carts...totally not the same experience.

Not wishing to have a ruined experience, we went back later on that night. By the time we actually got to the coasters it was nearing 8:30-9pm. Hungry and extremely excited we, once again, boarded a coaster. Our family completed a full roster of 12, but there were 1 or 2 replacements from the previous trip. We pulled up to the control tower and waited. And waited. After about 2 minutes (an eternity in roller coaster time), we were guided to the left, only this time we went through the curtains that were blocking our path before. We were taken to a back room where we waited to see what the attendant had to say.

He politely asked us to get out of the cart, because it was broken and they needed to put us into another one. We said that this had already happened earlier in the day and that we didn't believe that the cart was actually broken. At this, the attendant looked at us with a start and asked what had happened. After we conveyed the short version of the story, he looked down with a sheepish grin and a slightly embarrassed look in order to regain his momentary loss of composure. When he looked up he said, "There's no easy way to say this. The coaster is too heavy. There is a maximum weight limit in order for the coaster to function properly, and you have exceeded it."

At this, the majority of us were caught with fits of laughter, so much to the point that the attendant didn't know what to do. He looked up at us with surprise, since he was unsure of how to react, and when we told him that this was the funniest thing that had happened all day (besides, of course, the Eel Man story, which was related to you in a previous blog), he felt comfortable enough to lose his embarrassment and join in on the laugh.

After that, there was no stopping us from having fun. He split us up - 6 of us took up a coaster of our own, while the other six were with three kids, not older than 12. As we went through the ride, which was one of my most thrilling experiences through Space Mountain, we found ourselves screaming at the top of our lungs. Upon exiting the ride, we were immediately funneled through to the Spaceport cafeteria. Seeing as how we had just impressed the amazingly awesome attendant with our ability to stop a coaster twice in one day, we headed straight to the cafeteria for our 9pm meal.

I never stop remembering or retelling this story every time that I ride on Space Mountain. It seems cruel that I would have to suffer through two Disneyland experiences in one trip (the second being the Eel Man as previously stated), but you hardly get a story better than this to tell your grandchildren. I hope this has brought joy to your day.