I'm a preacher and my life revolves around church. More importantly, my life revolves around helping people grow in their relationship with Jesus Christ. With that in mind the church I preach at has been real exciting. God is really blessing us in a great way!
At each staff meeting and elders meeting I ask, and it's getting to be an old question (even for me), "Where have you seen people growing in the Lord the past couple weeks?" Each time I ask that people start thinking about what they have seen at Celebration and each time they have seen people grow in the Lord. Neat stories are told about how you are growing in the Lord. The worship has become more lively. A message helped someone gain a new insight on God. A child took a leap in their faith. A teenager chose the things of God over many other choices that are out there. It really is exciting to see the growth.
I never want us to loose focus on this. Our goal is to see people grow in the Lord! We want to celebrate that! This is what God celebrates!
In the coming weeks you are going to here about the formation of the Home Team at our church. This is a research team that will begin looking for a home for Celebration. We really need one. Our equipment is beginning to show the wear and tear of lugging it around. Our volunteers, though faithful (praise God for them!) could use the break! Plus, having a central place for our activities would make us more productive.
Several of us went to Lowes this past Sunday and simoly prayed God to give us the resources and the ability to have this property. I want you to pray with us. We want God to work in all of this. We want to dream so big that if God isn't in it it will not work. We want to glorify his name!
My point is this. In all the talk about a building, land, money, I don't want us to lose focus on our real goal, seeing people grow in the Lord. That's what it is all about. The land, money, and building will fade away. People don't. We must focus on them!
Have yourself Committed!
Kirk
Friday, September 28, 2007
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Michael Vick Found Jesus
Micahael Vick, a few weeks ago, had a press conference after his plea agreement and in the midst of his comments he said, "I've found Jesus." I found his thoughts very interesting.
First of all, he didn't have to look far! It's interesting that when we get caught up in sin we think of God as being far off. We think God has left us becasue we're not worthy anymore. This is a myth. The truth is God is already there right beside you when you sin. He's just waiting for a contrite heart; an honest heart.
If there is anything we should learn from Christmas is that Jesus left heaven to come down to be with us. What does this tell us about Jesus' character? It tells us that we do not need to walk far to get to God, we need only to look beside us and he's right there. I think that phrase, "I found Jesus," is interesting becasue Jesus has already found you! That phrase is kind of like playing hide and seek in reverse, the hider doesn't find the seeker!
One can be skeptical of Michael Vick's confession but I'm going to choose to believe Him. I will say this though. The fruit of his life will tell us if he has found Jesus (or Jesus found him). This is how we will know if Michael is truly following Jesus. For a disciple of Jesus bears uinique marks and behaviors. Like we've talked about at church lately; a disciple of Christ will be passionate in obedience to him, connected to a church family, and seek to be influential for the cause of Christ in the world around him. I'm not close enough to Michael Vick to know if he is bearing fruit in his life, but I am rooting for him.
I wouldn't mind playing football with him in heaven. (But I have to admit, if I was on his team, I'd wish I was on Peyton Manning's team. After all, I grew up a Colts fan!)
Have Yourself Committed!
Kirk
First of all, he didn't have to look far! It's interesting that when we get caught up in sin we think of God as being far off. We think God has left us becasue we're not worthy anymore. This is a myth. The truth is God is already there right beside you when you sin. He's just waiting for a contrite heart; an honest heart.
If there is anything we should learn from Christmas is that Jesus left heaven to come down to be with us. What does this tell us about Jesus' character? It tells us that we do not need to walk far to get to God, we need only to look beside us and he's right there. I think that phrase, "I found Jesus," is interesting becasue Jesus has already found you! That phrase is kind of like playing hide and seek in reverse, the hider doesn't find the seeker!
One can be skeptical of Michael Vick's confession but I'm going to choose to believe Him. I will say this though. The fruit of his life will tell us if he has found Jesus (or Jesus found him). This is how we will know if Michael is truly following Jesus. For a disciple of Jesus bears uinique marks and behaviors. Like we've talked about at church lately; a disciple of Christ will be passionate in obedience to him, connected to a church family, and seek to be influential for the cause of Christ in the world around him. I'm not close enough to Michael Vick to know if he is bearing fruit in his life, but I am rooting for him.
I wouldn't mind playing football with him in heaven. (But I have to admit, if I was on his team, I'd wish I was on Peyton Manning's team. After all, I grew up a Colts fan!)
Have Yourself Committed!
Kirk
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Connected in the Family
In the message that I gave this past Sunday we saw Paul using the metaphor of the body to describe how the church should function together.
In this blog I wanted to highlight another metaphor Paul uses to describe the church, the family.
Here are a couple scriptures to make this point:
Romans 8:15, "So you should not be like cowering, fearful slaves. You should behave instead like God’s very own children, adopted into his family —calling him "Father, dear Father."
Ephesians 1:5, "His unchanging plan has always been to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. And this gave him great pleasure."
The problem is in our culture the family has been attacked and split into many shards. The common statistic is 50% of all marriages end up in divorce. That doesn't include all the marriages that stick it out but are in horrible shape. You can look into the media and it seems the the people in the news are the ones who are living thier in the absence of family. In all honesty, we see thier lives with fascinating horror. Britney, Linsey, et. al. are a glimpse of what life is like without concrete family values. Life is a mess.
I don't have to tell you that. You know that from your own experience. Many of you have had hard times with your father and the conception that your heavenly father unconditionally loves you is hard to accept. The reactions we make in countering our bad family experiences often times have their own problems. For example a person might say: I was forced to do this as a child so we go to the other extreme to absolutely avoid it. This too has it's own problems.
Many of us have had tough experiences with family.
Then we come to church and we stress that we are like to be one big happy family! How? With the family break down our country has suffered, how can the church be a big happy family? What model should we use?
I don't have all the answers to that but I do know where to begin. Paul writes in Romans that we are to accept one another as Christ has accepted you. When Christ accepts you he takes you "as is." And let me tell you something, your "as is" is not accpetable to God's standards. He accepts you faults and all. He accepted you even when you were unacceptable. That's called grace!
We are to take that grace, that acceptance, and give it to others. That's one of the key components of a healthy family. You're accepted not because of what you have done, or where you came from, or from a lack of doing anything. You are accepted because you are family.
This can be hard to do, especially when someone irritates us, does something to hurt us, or just gets on our nerves. The truth is it's not about us. It's about demonstrating God's acceptance to all people, especially our church family.
Like the old song says, "We are family. I've got all my sisters and brothers with me!"
Have Yourself Committed!
Kirk
In this blog I wanted to highlight another metaphor Paul uses to describe the church, the family.
Here are a couple scriptures to make this point:
Romans 8:15, "So you should not be like cowering, fearful slaves. You should behave instead like God’s very own children, adopted into his family —calling him "Father, dear Father."
Ephesians 1:5, "His unchanging plan has always been to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. And this gave him great pleasure."
The problem is in our culture the family has been attacked and split into many shards. The common statistic is 50% of all marriages end up in divorce. That doesn't include all the marriages that stick it out but are in horrible shape. You can look into the media and it seems the the people in the news are the ones who are living thier in the absence of family. In all honesty, we see thier lives with fascinating horror. Britney, Linsey, et. al. are a glimpse of what life is like without concrete family values. Life is a mess.
I don't have to tell you that. You know that from your own experience. Many of you have had hard times with your father and the conception that your heavenly father unconditionally loves you is hard to accept. The reactions we make in countering our bad family experiences often times have their own problems. For example a person might say: I was forced to do this as a child so we go to the other extreme to absolutely avoid it. This too has it's own problems.
Many of us have had tough experiences with family.
Then we come to church and we stress that we are like to be one big happy family! How? With the family break down our country has suffered, how can the church be a big happy family? What model should we use?
I don't have all the answers to that but I do know where to begin. Paul writes in Romans that we are to accept one another as Christ has accepted you. When Christ accepts you he takes you "as is." And let me tell you something, your "as is" is not accpetable to God's standards. He accepts you faults and all. He accepted you even when you were unacceptable. That's called grace!
We are to take that grace, that acceptance, and give it to others. That's one of the key components of a healthy family. You're accepted not because of what you have done, or where you came from, or from a lack of doing anything. You are accepted because you are family.
This can be hard to do, especially when someone irritates us, does something to hurt us, or just gets on our nerves. The truth is it's not about us. It's about demonstrating God's acceptance to all people, especially our church family.
Like the old song says, "We are family. I've got all my sisters and brothers with me!"
Have Yourself Committed!
Kirk
Thursday, September 6, 2007
How can I know God is in my life?
According to the Apostle John that question is easy to answer. The answer is when we obey him. Obedience is a word that has fallen out of practice today. Most people don't like to obey. For many it is a humiliating word. A belittling word. It is a word where we feel controlled by somone else. It is a word that makes us feel out of control.
The Bible though has a different view on this word obedience and the difference is night and day. In our culture obedience is about restriction. In the Bible it's about freedom. In our culture obedience is about non-expression of our personality. In the Bible it's where we find the center of our personality. In our culture obedience is for dogs. In the Bible it is for the sons and daughters of the King. There is this huge gap between our cultures understanding and the Bible's understanding of obedience.
According to the Apostle John it is through obedience that we know God. I find this revolutionary. I am a book lover and I go to the Christian book stores and they are filled wih books about 7 principles to happiness, 8 steps to peace, and the like. I'm not disowning these books becasue they do have value.
But... (Don't you love that word)... if knowing God is our complete pleasure (after all we can't wait to get to heaven, right?) and if obeying God helps us know him then it stands to reason that peace and happiness and all those things we long for comes through an obedience to God.
John has a pretty simple plan to finding happiness... obey God to know the joy and peace of God. This is the pathway to true peace and joy.
Another thought on obedience. They way you live your life has greater impact on how you obey God than some thoughts on God written in a blog. The culture you live and breathe in often dictates the behavior you engage in. For example, at a basketball game you cheer, at church you pray, yet both are large gatherings of people. What's the difference? The environment you are in dictates your behavior.
Sometimes we are in environments that we cannot change and others we can. In the environments where you can't make a difference you have to determine your sphere of inluence and then decide how your behavior can dictate the environment you are in. Of course this must be done in a Christ like manner. Think about that gap in our culture's understanding of obedience and the Bible's understanding. You stand in the gap.
That's a few words on a deep thought. I just thought of it a couple days ago and have been meditating on it. Tell me what you think about obedience and it's power to free you and not bind you.
Have yourself committed!
Kirk
The Bible though has a different view on this word obedience and the difference is night and day. In our culture obedience is about restriction. In the Bible it's about freedom. In our culture obedience is about non-expression of our personality. In the Bible it's where we find the center of our personality. In our culture obedience is for dogs. In the Bible it is for the sons and daughters of the King. There is this huge gap between our cultures understanding and the Bible's understanding of obedience.
According to the Apostle John it is through obedience that we know God. I find this revolutionary. I am a book lover and I go to the Christian book stores and they are filled wih books about 7 principles to happiness, 8 steps to peace, and the like. I'm not disowning these books becasue they do have value.
But... (Don't you love that word)... if knowing God is our complete pleasure (after all we can't wait to get to heaven, right?) and if obeying God helps us know him then it stands to reason that peace and happiness and all those things we long for comes through an obedience to God.
John has a pretty simple plan to finding happiness... obey God to know the joy and peace of God. This is the pathway to true peace and joy.
Another thought on obedience. They way you live your life has greater impact on how you obey God than some thoughts on God written in a blog. The culture you live and breathe in often dictates the behavior you engage in. For example, at a basketball game you cheer, at church you pray, yet both are large gatherings of people. What's the difference? The environment you are in dictates your behavior.
Sometimes we are in environments that we cannot change and others we can. In the environments where you can't make a difference you have to determine your sphere of inluence and then decide how your behavior can dictate the environment you are in. Of course this must be done in a Christ like manner. Think about that gap in our culture's understanding of obedience and the Bible's understanding. You stand in the gap.
That's a few words on a deep thought. I just thought of it a couple days ago and have been meditating on it. Tell me what you think about obedience and it's power to free you and not bind you.
Have yourself committed!
Kirk
Monday, August 27, 2007
Whew!
Today's blog will be a little different. I usually like to comment in some further detail about the message I just preached and I'll probably make a few comments about that, but I thought I would also share about a new transition our family is making today.
Lisa went to work at Oakland School today. We're excited about that but it's still a trnasition. Lisa worked out of the home when we were in Kentucky and that made life awful convenient. I'm prooud of Lisa and I'm sure she'll do awesome!
Oh, yeah... I get to be Mr. Mom this week until the they get in school next week. I'm enjoyting it. We 're going to have some fun and I have great kids, but it's still a change.
I like change. It keeps me fresh and on my toes. I know a lot of people that don't like change. In fact, I have been accusing of liking to change things to quickly. If something isn't working I'm all for changing it. Then, many times, I like to change things up just becasue I can. It looks different. Nothings perfect.
I'm also excited about my grad work. I'm in my final year and so far so good. I'm really looking forward to graduation this spring. Dietrich just walked in.. he says, "Hi!"
Concerning the message yesterday. I think it's really exciting to be Jesus' disciple. I think it's really exciting that he chose us, even though we in no way qualify to be his Talmid. The fact still remains that he chose you!
He chose Paul who was a murderer. He chose Moses who was a nevous scardey cat. He chose David knowing he would commit adultrey. He chose Peter even though he betrayed Jesus. He chose Esther, even though she was in no position of power.
God always seems to choose people who thnk they aren't qualified. I think he does that so his glory will be shown even more.
Sorry if I rambled today... I'm in the process of changing...
Have yourself Committed!
Kirk
Kirk
Lisa went to work at Oakland School today. We're excited about that but it's still a trnasition. Lisa worked out of the home when we were in Kentucky and that made life awful convenient. I'm prooud of Lisa and I'm sure she'll do awesome!
Oh, yeah... I get to be Mr. Mom this week until the they get in school next week. I'm enjoyting it. We 're going to have some fun and I have great kids, but it's still a change.
I like change. It keeps me fresh and on my toes. I know a lot of people that don't like change. In fact, I have been accusing of liking to change things to quickly. If something isn't working I'm all for changing it. Then, many times, I like to change things up just becasue I can. It looks different. Nothings perfect.
I'm also excited about my grad work. I'm in my final year and so far so good. I'm really looking forward to graduation this spring. Dietrich just walked in.. he says, "Hi!"
Concerning the message yesterday. I think it's really exciting to be Jesus' disciple. I think it's really exciting that he chose us, even though we in no way qualify to be his Talmid. The fact still remains that he chose you!
He chose Paul who was a murderer. He chose Moses who was a nevous scardey cat. He chose David knowing he would commit adultrey. He chose Peter even though he betrayed Jesus. He chose Esther, even though she was in no position of power.
God always seems to choose people who thnk they aren't qualified. I think he does that so his glory will be shown even more.
Sorry if I rambled today... I'm in the process of changing...
Have yourself Committed!
Kirk
Kirk
Monday, August 20, 2007
Recovering from Sexual Sin
Well, yesterday I talked about sex and how it is an incredible gift from God. The world has abandoned this idea though. Our world likes to treat sex like an activity, a football game, and not what God designed it to be, intimacy, a special gift.
Sexual sin is not the worse sin, but it is a sin with unique consequences and I don't have to tell you how sexual sin has hurt so many people, maybe even you. What do you do though to recover from the consequences of sexual sin? Can you?
Here is what I see the Bible saying about this.
First, God does forgive sexual immorality, completely. When Jesus died on the cross he took on all of your sin. Not only that he took on all of God's wrath for your sin as well. He suffered in your place. And not only that, when you accept him as your Lord and Savior he gives you his righteousness, his holiness. Your sin is blotted from all eternity. It really is quite the deal!
If God forgives me why do I still suffer the consequences? You may have asked God to erase the consequences and God could do that if he chose too, but I have found many times he doesn't. Look at the life of King David in the Bible. He committed adultrey and then to cover it up he had the lady's husband murdered in battle. David had a child with this woman, Bathsheba, and God told David this child would die as a consequence of his sexual sin. David prayed and begged God to spare the child, but God didn't and the child died at 7 days old. David had confessed to God his sin and God said he forgave him, but he still suffered the consequence, why?
Why didn't God remove the consequence of the sexual sin? I see two reasons. One, there are consequences to sin and God doesn't want us to forget that. I see many times in the Bible that God will let consequences into people's live's to remind them never to go back there again. It hurts, it's wrong, and it is not good. God doesn't want us to forget that sin, particularly sexual sin, hurts. He doesn't want us to go back there. But oh! how often we get caught up in our circumstances and forget!
Secondly, God will use that consequence to remind you of his grace. Paul asked one time for a "thorn" to be removed from him. We don't know what this "thorn" is but Paul wanted it gone and God's reply was, "My grace is sufficient for you." What? God was saying I am going to use this thorn, whatever it is, to teach you about my love for you and my grace. For without it how will you know about my grace? God desires to teach us his grace too.
Let me tell you how to experience this grace. One practice is to simply write it out. Write it out, the circumstance, how you feel, the whole deal, and then offer it up to God. Just be honest and confess to him and ask to know his grace. This just has to be between you and God. When you get done burn the paper or throw it away. And as you practice this you find a strength that wasn't there before, a light in the darkness, a way out. You might need to do this several times even. And the amazing thing with God is he takes this incredible weakness and pain in your life and somehow turns it into a source of strength (It's hard to explain) and you'll be able to say what Paul says in the Bible , "I will brag about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me." 1 Corinthians 12:9.
Paul also said concerning his past, and the consequences of his sin (the pain and the shame), that he forgets what is behind him and presses on forward to the goal in his life. That's good advice too. There comes a point when you have to quit dwelling on the consequence and move forward to that which God has called you. We see King David doing this. After his baby died he got up and went back to work. When his servants asked how he could do this David replied, "While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept. I thought, "Who knows? The Lord may be gracious to me and let the child live. But now that the child is dead, why should I fast? Can I bring him back again?" David realized that it was time to move on and not dwell on the loss. Sometimes that is the the best step for us too.
The first step in overcoming sexual sin is to invite God's grace into that weakness, the powerlessness. For when we are weak, He is strong. In this way you see God's strength in you and thus you will overcome.
I hope this helps anyone that is struggling with this.
Have Yourself Committed,
Kirk
Sexual sin is not the worse sin, but it is a sin with unique consequences and I don't have to tell you how sexual sin has hurt so many people, maybe even you. What do you do though to recover from the consequences of sexual sin? Can you?
Here is what I see the Bible saying about this.
First, God does forgive sexual immorality, completely. When Jesus died on the cross he took on all of your sin. Not only that he took on all of God's wrath for your sin as well. He suffered in your place. And not only that, when you accept him as your Lord and Savior he gives you his righteousness, his holiness. Your sin is blotted from all eternity. It really is quite the deal!
If God forgives me why do I still suffer the consequences? You may have asked God to erase the consequences and God could do that if he chose too, but I have found many times he doesn't. Look at the life of King David in the Bible. He committed adultrey and then to cover it up he had the lady's husband murdered in battle. David had a child with this woman, Bathsheba, and God told David this child would die as a consequence of his sexual sin. David prayed and begged God to spare the child, but God didn't and the child died at 7 days old. David had confessed to God his sin and God said he forgave him, but he still suffered the consequence, why?
Why didn't God remove the consequence of the sexual sin? I see two reasons. One, there are consequences to sin and God doesn't want us to forget that. I see many times in the Bible that God will let consequences into people's live's to remind them never to go back there again. It hurts, it's wrong, and it is not good. God doesn't want us to forget that sin, particularly sexual sin, hurts. He doesn't want us to go back there. But oh! how often we get caught up in our circumstances and forget!
Secondly, God will use that consequence to remind you of his grace. Paul asked one time for a "thorn" to be removed from him. We don't know what this "thorn" is but Paul wanted it gone and God's reply was, "My grace is sufficient for you." What? God was saying I am going to use this thorn, whatever it is, to teach you about my love for you and my grace. For without it how will you know about my grace? God desires to teach us his grace too.
Let me tell you how to experience this grace. One practice is to simply write it out. Write it out, the circumstance, how you feel, the whole deal, and then offer it up to God. Just be honest and confess to him and ask to know his grace. This just has to be between you and God. When you get done burn the paper or throw it away. And as you practice this you find a strength that wasn't there before, a light in the darkness, a way out. You might need to do this several times even. And the amazing thing with God is he takes this incredible weakness and pain in your life and somehow turns it into a source of strength (It's hard to explain) and you'll be able to say what Paul says in the Bible , "I will brag about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me." 1 Corinthians 12:9.
Paul also said concerning his past, and the consequences of his sin (the pain and the shame), that he forgets what is behind him and presses on forward to the goal in his life. That's good advice too. There comes a point when you have to quit dwelling on the consequence and move forward to that which God has called you. We see King David doing this. After his baby died he got up and went back to work. When his servants asked how he could do this David replied, "While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept. I thought, "Who knows? The Lord may be gracious to me and let the child live. But now that the child is dead, why should I fast? Can I bring him back again?" David realized that it was time to move on and not dwell on the loss. Sometimes that is the the best step for us too.
The first step in overcoming sexual sin is to invite God's grace into that weakness, the powerlessness. For when we are weak, He is strong. In this way you see God's strength in you and thus you will overcome.
I hope this helps anyone that is struggling with this.
Have Yourself Committed,
Kirk
Monday, August 13, 2007
Another thought on money...
Yesterday I talked about money and I hope you understand that the Bible says a lot more about money than giving to the church. Whenever I preach about this topic I have always tried to take the attitude that the church will have the money it needs. The church belongs to God and he is the ultimate resource and He will provide for the church. After all, His Son died so the church could come forth!
In reality, and this is nothing new, money is not a giving issue, but a heart issue. Whenever Jesus spoke about money this was his concern. Whatever dominates your mind gets your attention and whatever gets your attention dominates your heart. Right? Just think about that person or child you love. They dominate your attention becasue you love them.
God knows that. He knows that whatever gets our attention dominates our heart. God knows that money and the worries that come with it can dominate your emotions and your mind. God wants to be in that place. His solution to break money's hold on us? You need to give it away. Give the first portion to God and when you do that you begin making him the priority in your life.
I've heard preachers say, "Let me look in your checkbook and I'll let you know who is first in your life." Interestingly, God doesn't look at your checkbook. He looks at your heart. He's more concerned about you.
So if you have a problem with your money maybe it's a heart issue, not a giving issue, or even a financial issue. For out of a man's heart flows his thought and actions.
I appreciate the comments. Keep them coming.
Have Yourself Committed, Kirk
In reality, and this is nothing new, money is not a giving issue, but a heart issue. Whenever Jesus spoke about money this was his concern. Whatever dominates your mind gets your attention and whatever gets your attention dominates your heart. Right? Just think about that person or child you love. They dominate your attention becasue you love them.
God knows that. He knows that whatever gets our attention dominates our heart. God knows that money and the worries that come with it can dominate your emotions and your mind. God wants to be in that place. His solution to break money's hold on us? You need to give it away. Give the first portion to God and when you do that you begin making him the priority in your life.
I've heard preachers say, "Let me look in your checkbook and I'll let you know who is first in your life." Interestingly, God doesn't look at your checkbook. He looks at your heart. He's more concerned about you.
So if you have a problem with your money maybe it's a heart issue, not a giving issue, or even a financial issue. For out of a man's heart flows his thought and actions.
I appreciate the comments. Keep them coming.
Have Yourself Committed, Kirk
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