Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: alarm, Michael Phelps, monday morning, wake up
Second Look
I woke up this morning at 6:45. I thought it was 8:45. I was freaking out. I thought I was late for work, but then after I had rolled out of bed in a panic, I took a second look. That is always a nice feeling, the second look. I don’t know if that feeling is aggravation or relief.
Dancing SugarPlums
There have been times after the second look where I could jump back in the bed in pure excitement, reset the alarm and fall fast asleep with sugar plums dancing away. However today was not one of those days. Instead of the dancing fruit I had a Monday morning thought.
Today is Monday, the first day of the week. I have two options. Retreat or Attack. I chose attack. I actually really enjoy those morning where I get up early, get a shower, read my Bible, and attack the day. The problem most days is getting my body to agree with my head. I want to attack the day but every bone under the cover is telling me to retreat.
Today I won
So for whatever reason, here I am at 8:42 having already felt victorious over this Monday. I feel like I won a medal, forget Michael Phelps. I am the Gold medal winner of Monday! Yes, Hallelujah, thank you Jesus!
Now what about Tuesday?
I know it sounds strange.
But the truth is, Jesus is just like a GPS. I mean think about it. No matter where you are, He knows. No matter where you want to go, He will be there. He can tell you how to get there, correct your mistakes and speaks like a million languages!
You gotta have a receiver.
The truth is the GPS you have in your car is just the receiver. It doesn’t do anything other than chit chat with the satellite. So just think if you don’t have a receiver/relationship then it doesn’t matter that the satellite is up there in orbit watching over us. You have to buy a receiver, have a relationship with God in order to have the benefits of the GPS.
I know it isn’t deep but it is true.
The reality is some people have the receive/relationship yet they refuse to turn it on. They think they know a better way, a shorter way, a quicker way. I don’t understand why they don’t just sit back and let the GPS tell them which way to go.
Buy one, turn it on, and enjoy the ride.
The truth is if we really relied upon the GPS we wouldn’t have a care in the world. No more maps, no more preplanning, just jump in the car, turn it on and listen closely. If you make a mistake, the GPS will let you know and course correct. The GPS isn’t angry, you will just have to take longer now. The GPS isn’t going to shut down because you didn’t listen. It will offer you advice and you will have the option to listen to ignore.
Enough GPS talk
When it comes down to it, Paul said it best in Colossians 1 starting in verse 13.
“For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by Him all things were created, {both} in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities–all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.”
Just turn the GPS on.
Thank God for Jasmine!
I guess I tend to forget that I work with teenagers. I was so excited about practice tonight. The truth is I had prayed for it, printed music, copied cds, and turned the air on early just to get ready. In the end, thank God for Jasmine. It was me and her for about an hour. Tara and the choir were there too, but as far as teens it was just Jasmine.
Don’t miss the putt
It is so easy to take your eyes off the goal and miss the putt. I used to get distracted and disappointed when things didn’t go my way. Reality is, I am not going anywhere. I will still be here next week and so will the teenagers. So I don’t fret, I don’t throw my hands in the air and give up. I just keep moving.
Keep on strumming
Although it was just me and Jasmine tonight, I do have a dream! Did that sound weird? I do have a dream that in one year we will have a completely student led band. Although after tonight it might be one year and one week 
but I do have a dream.
The story is called “Joey”
I think to often we give up too soon. We don’t want to put the time or the energy into making something turn out great. But I have a story to tell you. The story is called “Joey”, and it wasn’t a short story. It wasn’t an easy one but it turned out incredible.
Joey was a student I had in Florida. He played the drums. He wasn’t bad. In fact he kept a straight beat which is more than most. But Joey was shy and played really simple. I worked with Joey for two years playing music each week. Joey turned into the only guy I ever wanted to play with. There were other drummers, other guys who played well. But no one, no one, knew me like Joey. No one played better than Joey in worship and no one had a heart for worship like him. He learned knew beats, complicated stuff, and he got good and loud. I wish I had a million Joey’s. A million Joey’s could play the most incredible music ever.
So when band practice bombs and it is just me and Jasmine. I am reminded that there are more Joey’s out there. It might take a while. It might take 2 years but Joey is coming!
What if you could give up an entire week with no distractions?
We took 8 teenagers away from everything. We gave them food of course, but everything else was taken away. No cell phones, no internet, no boyfriends or girlfriends, no myspace, facebook, text message, Ipod, or email. The only thing we gave them that week was an opportunity to meet with God.
We prayed together, worshipped together, learned together, ask questions, did personal mentoring, mowed the lawn, and cleaned the church. It was incredible.
Biggest Lesson
The biggest lesson I took from the week was the church’s greatest weakness. The church might look great on the outside. Joel Osteen might be busting at the seems, and Rick Warren might have a best seller, but the American church is missing something. Might I dare say that one thing is DISCIPLESHIP.
I was shocked
at how little these students knew about basic Christian practices like prayer and bible study. They all knew we should be, but the how to was never explained. I mean basic stuff, like what do we pray about, how long should we pray. What happens when I get bored? Do I have to read the bible everyday? Why should I go to church?
…most faithful
I don’t say that as though these students are void of knowledge or passion for God. In fact some of these students were our most faithful. The problem was that as leaders we have not taken the time to ask the basic question of “Do you know how to…”
Failure to follow through
I think the reason we fail to ask is follow through. If I ask and find out, I am required to follow through. Discipleship is hard. These students lived at my house for a week! An entire week. We ate together, brushed our teeth together. I mean to get where we got took a lot.
I don’t say this all to push us down and shame us. I just personally came to the place where I realized I wasn’t doing anything to disciple my teens. Sure I preached and got em to the altar, but what then?
Jesus and the Disciples
I wish we could have done it with more. I wish all of the student could have packed into my house for the week. But reality says 50+ people would not do good in a 4 bedroom house.
I guess the conclusion that Tara (my wife) and I came to was that discipleship cannot work with the crowd. It can only work with the few. If we brought in all of teenagers the mix would not have been right. Bad attitudes and mixed emotions would have killed the momentum and in the end we would have had a week long “lock in”.
I think jesus knew what he was doing when he pulled 12 guys out of the crowd, away from the fishing net and into a holy huddle. Something incredible happens when you lay down your net and follow Christ. That something is discipleship.
The Masses
Although I want to reach the masses, I know the dynamic of people. Intimacy is not possible with dozens and dozens. Intimacy is only intimate if there are few. So next year although we want to grow, I want even more to disciple. We will pray that God gives us direction for next year’s God week. And I pray we don’t have to wait till next year to disciple again.
