My life over the past month or so has been some of the best days of my life. I won't go into all of the details, but I have experienced a closeness with God that has spread into the other areas of my life in noticeable ways.
One of the failures that I have had throughout my life is that I have not had a disciplined time of prayer, Bible intake, reading of other spiritual books, and fasting. I have gone through many a spurts where I would do these things and then back out again, and the one thing that I have noticed is the common denominator in the times of spiritual health is someone keeping me accountable.
My life is a pretty busy one. I work as a youth pastor, try to make enough time for my wife and 2 toddlers, run another music ministry that keeps me out of town atleast once a month, and I try and be a friend on top of this. not too bad, but enough to spread out my passion so that each things is not getting enough attention.
My walk with the Lord has been strong over the past month thanks to the program I mentioned in a previous email called "The Lords Table." It is a very intense program that consists of a rigerous eating plan, accountability, and a daily online lesson steeped in scripture.
Here is the thing....I have noticed that by taking time with the Lord every morning and every evening, I have been better able to accomplish the other things in my life, and not only accmplish them but do them with excellence and zeal. I have noticed that thought time and time again I have made the excuse that I am too busy to spend unhurried time in God word and in prayer, that I am actually too busy NOT to spend time with God. God Word brings focus, and and prayer brings a compassion for people that allows you to set your own agenda aside. Fasting breaks the hold of satan in so many areas, and rfeminds us regularly that our depandance is on the Lord.
So, I encourage you to stop and spend some time in the Word today. Spend some time praying or reading a book (I suggest starting with one by John Piper) And maybe even read up on and practice a day of fasting, and see how it changes the way you live.
For as long as I can remember I have been a big guy. I think that since I was in middle school, the smallest I have ever been was about 180 lbs, which was my sophomore year in college. The reason for this was that I was playing competitive racquetball, and I was in the court several times a day. Since then I have gone back and forth between 210 and 245, and once again I am up at the 245 mark. The pants are a little tight and uncomfortable and some of my shirts are starting not to fit, so usually that is a sign that it is time to slim down.
I was thinking about all this as I drove to work this morning, thinking about a strategy to lose some weight, and I remembered talking to a friend a while back about a program called "The Lords Table. The idea behind the whole thing is that God commands us to do everything for His glory.
1 Corinthians 10:30 So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.
It is a 60 week Bible study that goes along with a strict eating plan that will help change your motivations and tame your mind to bring God glory instead of self-gratifying with food. I am excited in one sense, and on the other hand, I have thought about forgetting the whole thing about 4 or 5 times today because I am looking forward to thanksgiving.
One of the things that I have realized is that I really really love food and I really love to eat. 2 separate things I think. I enjoy cooking and using food as an art, but on the other hand I like to eat cookies. Does that make sense? I think that the really enjoying food is okay, but my passion to eat is not.
Anyway, I think that I often want food more than I want God, and I think that is a problem. So, off I go onto this 60 day journey of finding out how and why I have put food above God, and how I can move food down the priority list where it should be. Pray for me because this is going to be a tough one.
It has been almost a year since we released our last Album, "Who Is Like Our God." about a month ago we started tracking our first song, and we will start the next 2 on Monday down at Lava Room Studios in Cleveland. We are really excited to get to work with the guys down there on a piece of this project. We are also working with Stephanie Strong from Ellis Design on the graphic design of the CD cover and accompanying merchandise. We have also put together a new Promo Pic from our good friend Nathan Migal at Imagen Photography.
I have been doing a good load of the writing, and have been getting a lot of inspiration from the current state of our country. I wrote a song, which the album will be named after, called "Lamentations of the 21st Century," that basically talks about how we are dying as a nation and as a people.
We also have been working on a new worship anthem called "He is Here," which is probably going to be our new opener for a lot of our stuff.
So, if you have supported us in the past, heard us at CVC, 707, or somewhere else, or are just interested in what we are doing, check out the website for updates and such.
We may also be sneaking out a little Christmas tune this lovey time of the year!
Many of you may have had the opportunity to go out to the polls on Tuesday and vote for the miriad of important issues that were on the ballot in this years election. But this call to the left is not just for election day. This call to the left is an everyday event. This challenge is a challenge that I am asking to you incorporate into your everyday life on a consistent basis. Here it is...
When people are trying to merge onto the freeway, especially during rush hour...move over!!
I honestly believe that traffic is a perfect example of who we are as a nation. We want what we want, and we want it on our terms, and forget everyone else. Well, here is the truth of the matter. That attitude causes traffic jams, and causes me to fly into extreme fits of road rage. If you are ever stuck on route 77 and you see a little rusted out Dodge Dakota with an overweight man beating up his stearing wheel while mouthing the words "move over, " its probably me.
If we would just slow down a little bit, move over, and let people merge, no one would have to slam on their brakes, which would not cause the person behind them to slam on their brakes, which would, in turn, not cause the person behind that person to slam on their brakes and so on and so on, and TADA - no traffic jams. The trade off is a beautiful thing. Sacrifice a few MPH, and your love affair with the right lane, and we can all get to work faster.
On the other side of the coin, there is a group that needs to move right as well. When it snows or rains in Ohio, which tends to be a total of 6 months out of the year, it doesn't mean that you have to drive 10 PMH under the speed limit. There is no law that says you must do this. However, I do understand your need for safety and I respect that choice. SO GET OUT OF THE LEFT LANE!! If you need to pass someone who is going 2 MPH faster than you are, then speed up a little bit to get around them instead of making your 1 car pass a 10 minute affair while the cars pile up behind you. You are the people who make other people mad and then they get so upset that they won't let people in, and round and round we go!
If you all heed my few little suggestions, we can all have a better driving experience in rush hour, normal driving time, snow, sleet, rain, construction, and any other driving conditions.
On a side note. We lost a great and brilliant author in Michael Crighton yesterday. I have been a fan for several years, and am greatly saddened for his family and fans. God Bless.
If there is one thing that I have seen politics do to the body of Christ it is this - divide it. If I were given the opportunity to name another thing that politics has done to the body of Christ, it would be this - alienate people.
As is the case with the rest of you, the country that we live in has been littered with propaganda for the past several months encouraging us to vote for one candidate or the other. Our 2 main choices being John McCain and Barack Obama. Two very different candidates with 2 very different sets of ideas on how to fix America.
This election has drawn me to Christ, to community, and to the Bible more than any other time I have voted (which is not that many times). My walk with Christ over the past 2 years has drawn me to a place where I am always asking the question, as cliche' as it might sound, "what would Jesus do in this situation?" I believe that Jesus was and is the ultimate example of how we should be conducting our lives while we are here on earth. You can argue relevanct of the times, translation of the Bible, or the context of his actions and words, but all that aside, Jesus is our example of true Christian living.
In the old testament, God set up the first King of Israel in the book of 1 Samuel. Israel had a desire to have a king to rule over them, because this was the trend among the other nations. so Samuel asks God if he should appoint a King, and God answers him with 3 points.
1 - the reason that the people want a king is because they rejected God and no longer wanted God to reign over them.
2 - Listen to what the people want, but warn them about what appointing a king will look like.
3 - Here are the things to know up front about what the king will be like. He will take your sons and make them serve with his chariots and horses, and they will run in front of his chariots. Some he will assign to be commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and others to plow his ground and reap his harvest, and still others to make weapons of war and equipment for his chariots. He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers. He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive groves and give them to his attendants. He will take a tenth of your grain and of your vintage and give it to his officials and attendants. Your menservants and maidservants and the best of your cattle and donkeys he will take for his own use. He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his slaves. When that day comes, you will cry out for relief from the king you have chosen, and the LORD will not answer you in that day."
So Samuel told this to all the people, but they persisted in their want for a king, so God gave Samuel permission to appoint a king.
If you know the story of the Israelites, you know that from this point on in their history is quite the downward spiral. A few books later in the Bible, a prophet named Jeremiah is looking over the city and here is what he writes.
How deserted lies the city,
once so full of people!
How like a widow is she,
who once was great among the nations!
She who was queen among the provinces
has now become a slave.
Bitterly she weeps at night,
tears are upon her cheeks.
Among all her lovers
there is none to comfort her.
All her friends have betrayed her;
they have become her enemies.
After affliction and harsh labor,
Judah has gone into exile.
She dwells among the nations;
she finds no resting place.
All who pursue her have overtaken her
in the midst of her distress.
The roads to Zion mourn,
for no one comes to her appointed feasts.
All her gateways are desolate,
her priests groan,
her maidens grieve,
and she is in bitter anguish.
If you move to the new testament, Jesus comes along - God only son - the Messiah - our perfect example of how to live here on earth, and he sets up his rule. Isaiah the prophet talked about the coming of Jesus in the old testament, and he said that "the government would be upon His shoulders." Meaning that Jesus would be the ultimate ruler and even the highest of government would have no power over Him.
And one of the first things that Jesus does after he calls his disciples in the book of Matthew is to lay out one of the most incredible, and some believe the most important, instruction to his disciples. It goes something like this.
Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called sons of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
These are Jesus commands on how we should live, and on who we should be.
Later in Matthew some of the first and only questions about government are brought up to Jesus. He is asked about paying the temple tax, and commands Peter to go and catch a fish and take the money out of its mouth to pay the temple tax. No big deal.
He is later asked if, as Jewish people, they should have to pay taxes to Caesar, and he pretty much haphazardly answers them by saying "Give to Caesar was is Caesars and give to God what is Gods." and then Jesus goes on his way. He never goes into detail, never tells a parable, or mentions it again. The next mention of such things is in Romans and the government is described as "God's servants."
When Jesus stands before Pilate to be sentenced to death, he gives his final thoughts on government before he dies in this exchange found in the book of John.
Pilate then went back inside the palace, summoned Jesus and asked him, "Are you the king of the Jews?"
"Is that your own idea," Jesus asked, "or did others talk to you about me?"
"Am I a Jew?" Pilate replied. "It was your people and your chief priests who handed you over to me. What is it you have done?"
Jesus said, "My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews. But now my kingdom is from another place."
"You are a king, then!" said Pilate.
Jesus answered, "You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me."
Jesus plainly explains the lack of authority that the govenment has on spiritual things.
This blog has gotten crazy long, so I will go ahead and end it with my thoughts, and I'll tell you how I voted.
There is no time in Jesus life that he ever puts any stock in the government. If the Kingdom of God could be advanced by government, Jesus would have used those means, but He didn't. We never see any record if Him caring even in the slightest about any government rulers. Jesus lived in one of the most oppressive and gruesome governments that the world has ever seen. The Romans Empire ruled with an iron hand and was full of corruption and sin. Why would God choose to put Jesus in this place at this time. I think it is to show that the Kingdom of God will advance reguardless of who is in charge, because ultimatly all we need to worry about is our answer to God when we die. We are blessed when we are persecuted, we are blessed when peoplesay all kinds of things about us. We feed Jesus when we feed the least of these. We are blessed when we are poor in spirit and meek.
Jesus' desire is for us to be focused on things that are worth being focused on. We are to store up our trasures in heaven, and have our minds focused on things of His kingdom, not this world.
So who did I vote for this year? I didn't vote, because I want to make a statement that the way I live my life, the way I seek Christ, and the way that I seek to advance the kingdom has nothing to do with who is in the oval office. Gods kingdom will advance, and the church needs to be unified and needs to love one another as Christ loves us. This world will know us by one thing. Not our vote, not how much money we make, not party affiliation, and not even what country we live in or how much freedom we have. This world will know us by our love, so don't let this election divide. If you're brother voted for McCain and you don't agree, join arms with him and win souls for Christ. If your sister voted for Obama, and you don't agree, join arms with her and go serve the least of these. If your mother or father voted opposite your views, lift your hands together and worship. If you are oppsed to the war, or if you support the war, remember that the war we fight is not against flesh and blood. And as the world continues to unravel before our eyes reguardless of who is leading this country, remember that we are getting cloer to glory, and people need to know about Jesus and his saving grace.
Just to warn you, there is not a religious or sappy lesson to be learned from this blog, so don't come looking for one. This is just a quick little note about the fun that I had this morning. I have to stay late at my job tonight to get ready for our halloween alternative called Nerd Prom. So I had a little extra time at home this morning. Logan got up early, so we went downstairs, had coffee (and of course rice cereal), and then after some playing and throwing little toys around the room (which he can now do) he crashed back out. So I was thinking, maybe I can take some time while they are both sleeping and get ready for work....not so. Grace woke up almost immediately, and we went down stairs and got some food for her. Of course,the last time that we had snow, she was only a year old and was unable to really appreciate it. So I couldn't help myself, and I got her all bundled up in her snow suit, and once my mom got there to watch Logan, Grace and I headed out to the 2 inches of snow that covered Streetsboro this morning. We rolled around in the snow, Grace smiled her wonderful smile, and then we built a snowman. It was an aweosme time together in the first snow of the year!
It is an awesome thing to know people who really excel at their art. Some of us might know someone who is a good painter, or a person who is a really good actor or singer. We might know someone who played football at the college level or baseball in the minor leagues, but it is rare to know people whoa re really great at what they do.
I met Nathan Migal about 4 years ago when we worked together for about 6 months at my church. Nate has since gone on to realize his dream of being a professional photographer. Nate isn't one of those guys who is pretty good at taking pictures, Nate is one of the best, and you can ask anyone who has ever worked with him and they will tell you the same.
Our first experience was hiring Nate for our wedding. We did this long before he had a business, a website, or even really good equipment. He was just getting going, and we were on a tight budget, so we asked Nate to do our wedding. Every photographer is going to capture the things that they need to capture...the kiss.....the walk down the isle....the ring.....the first dance....etc. But Nate captured moments in our wedding that happened within seconds, and the pictures that he took have captured those looks and laughes for us to have forever.
So of course, we started telling everyone that we know about him, and he got a few more weddings, then he staretd really pushing his business, and he's blowing up big time. I call him now and then and he's in Baltimore or in Florida doing a shoot. Not too shabby.
Nathan also did a shoot with my band, Ward 9, and the shots that he got are incredible. You can see them on his blog.
But the reason for this blog, is that a few weeks ago, Nathan came to our home and did pictures of our children. He made a link to them last night, and I was floored.....again, he just gets better and better. So I wanted to take this opportunity for all of you who read my blog, to introduce you to Imagen Photography. You can find out all about him and his team at http://www.imagenphotos.com. You can see samples of their work, and most importantly link to his blog where you can keep up to date on everything that is going on with their company. I have posted a few pictures here just to give you a taste. I hope you are okay with that Nate. He now is also providing family shoots at your home and is working with families to create their holiday greetings, so ask about that too.
Last weekend I went and visited my brother, his wife, and my new niece Leah. He and his wife are both youth pastors at a church in a really cool little town in Michigan called Williamston. It actually reminds me a lot of our hometown of Rome Ohio.
I was driving home from work today, and I happen to be playing against my brother today in our fantasy football league. Of course there was a smack talk phone call, and several text messages daunting the other, but it got me to thinking about the relationship that my brother and I have. I think that compared to a lot of people I know, we have something pretty cool. My brother and I genuinly love one another, and on top of that, we like each other. I once heard a commedian say that there are a lot of people that we have to love that we don't like. I'm lucky enough to have a brother that I both love and like.
We grew up in different stages. When I was in middle school, he was in elementary, and was much too cool for my little brother. Once I got into high school, and was interested in him again, he was in middle school, and was way too cool for me. We had one year of high school together, when I was a senior and he was a freshman. We started to bond a little bit in that time, but I really think it was once I went off to college that Micah and I really became friends. I worried about choices he was making in high school, regreted some of the examples I had set for him, but most of all we really were finally on the same playing field...we were both growing up.
Some of my favorite times are when we are able to spend time together, whether it be at Holidays or on a visit...I think I probably laugh harder with my brother than with anyone else, and that is saying a lot, because I do a lot of laughing.
For a long time I was uncertain of my brothers faith, and honestly that scared me a lot. I think it was actually his wife, when they started dating, that reintroduced him to his faith, and helped him grow. I'll always be thankful to her for that. Now, I'm in a place where I've not only been able to see him become and good husband, but also to see how my he loves his little girl, and what a great dad he is.
Linda and I often talk about how blessed we are to have the family that we do, and for them to get along the way that they do. Unlike many a horrible sitcom, I love my mother-in-law. She is so stinking fun I can't stand it, and Linda loves my mom as well. How often does that ever happen. My dad and I have a great relationship that keeps us on the golf course, watching the big game, and hanging out together often. My parents are a couple of my best freinds these days. They live pretty close, and there is never a time when I don't look forward to them visiting.
Its pretty rare to look forward to seeing everyone at the holidays. Usually, in families I have engaged with, there is the one member of the family that nobody likes, or that one argument that has yet to be resolved. Do we have our issues, sure. But when it's all said and done, my family is pretty special, and I'm so thankful that my wife gets the opportunity to do life with them, and that I have the opportunity to do life with mny wifes family. And I'm even more thankful that my kids will get to see such beautiful and strong love in action as they grow up.
A few days ago a co-worker and myself were talking about the pace that our wives keep....FAST! He mentioned that even when they take a walk together, she is moving at the speed of sound. Our constant chant as husbands is "please slow down."
Over the past months my walks along the sidewalk of our little community with my 18 month old daughter have been somewhat therapeutic for me. When Grace walks down the sidewalk, she doesn't have a goal in mind. She's just excited to be out walking with Dad. She takes her time. She will stop and watch cars go by, and wave to people that she doesn't even know. Yesterday she stopped for probably 5 or 6 minutes and just watched a cat walk around in a yard. One of my favorite things that she will do is stop and smell the flowers that are in flowerbeds at the end of people's driveways. Now and again, she'll find a crack that warrants jumping over, and she'll jump back and forth over it. People will drive by and smile at her. I love to watch people drive by because she makes them smile....if only for those few seconds. She loves to stop and examine the halloween decorations at the house at the end of the street.
Yesterday we spent about a half hour searching for the mysterious little pods that have suddenly appeared in our front flower bed. Of course, pine cones never meant much to me, but to Grace they are a new discovery....something special....and she found so much joy in finding a new one as she searched through the mulch.
I remember a moment a while back when I realized the mistake I was making. I was always pushing Grace to "come on" or "lets go." There was always a goal for me.....to get the walk done, and get home. That makes sense right?
Grace has shown me how to literally stop and smell the roses. In those 40 or so minutes in my walk with Grace, I am able to slow down, and see a little piece of true joy, and true excitement at Gods creation. She helps me to stroll instead of walk. She points out all the things I have taken for granted for so long. Grace....as impatient as she is at 18 months, is teaching me patience, and I'm thankful.
One of my favorite songs by Shane and Shane is called "Beauty for Ashes." The lyrics from this song comes from Isaiah 61, which is an awesome passage, but my recent reading in Jeremiah has drawn me back to the truth of this song.
Jeremiah 2:32 says this "Does a maiden forget her jewelry, a bride her wedding ornaments?
Yet my people have forgotten me, days without number."
This passage started to make me thing about what it is that makes us beautiful. What is it that gives us worth? God compares himself to a young woman's jewelry or the wedding ornaments of a bride....things that set them apart, and add luster to what might be plain without the ornaments.
More and more I look around at the world (when the Lord blesses me with those slim opportunities to step outside of my selfishness and see the world just slighty through His eyes) and I see how much stock people put into making themselves look good. I do it myself with the phone I carry, the clothes I wear, even the way that I form my facial expressions. I....we....are constantly trying to draw peoples attention to ourselves and gain approval, when the truth of the matter is that I am grossly sinful and the only thing good in me at all is Jesus. He is my ornament, He is my jewelry, and the one thing that sets me apart, and makes my plainness something special.
Unfortunatly I think that as a church, we have followed where our flesh would lead in many of these areas. Please don't get me wrong. I am not a church-basher. Nothing makes me more angry then people who continuously write about what a joke the church is. I passionatly love the church, but I love it like a friend that needs to hear truth from me at times, and I impart that truth because I love them.
The church has entered into an arms race (to coin a Bryan Karas term) with the culture that we simply cannot ever win. To be plain about it, the world will always have more money, more inovation, and more people who care only about furthering their own fame to carry out their new ideas. You all know what I mean. I don't have to spell out all the detaila about how churches have taken the cross out of the building to make people more comfortable, or put of giant screens like a football stadium, or time their worship services to laser light shows. We have all read the articles and seen the news.
The question I would like to pose both to Christians and to the church, is what makes us beautiful? Do we really understand that all we have to bring to the table is ashes, and that Christ is the only one who can trade those ashes for His beauty? This is a call to trade. Trade the ashes that come in the form of money, houses, cars, clothes, accessories, facial expressions, food, lights, couches, cool flyers, music, movies, and anything else that you think makes you special or that makes your church special, and trade them for the true beauty of Jesus Christ living in us.
Beauty for ashes, and a garment of praise for my heaviness. Take this heart of stone and make it Yours. I delight myself in the richest of fare, trading all that I have, for all that is better.
-Shane and Shane
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