Eternally Prioritizing our Lives

Christian Parents,

This is going to be one of those not so easy to write, and probably harder to read posts. That's why I'm going to let someone else explain it. So hopefully then you will be mad at them and not at me.

But first, let me express why I believe the ending article is so significant for every Christian parent to read by being very transparent in my own personal Christian upbringing. To do this, I am going to simply compare myself to my brother who is 1 year older than I am. Since I know that either he or my parents may actually read this blog, please understand that this comparison is difficult to publically say. But I fear that I see so many Christian parents making the mistakes that are outlined in the following article, that I feel the need to illustrate it by using the reality that has been my experience.

A quick side note. My brother has been a beautiful illustration of Proverbs 22:6, "Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it." He is happily married, involved in church, and living out the Christian life in a way that any parent (or pastor/brother) would be extremely proud.

My brother and I grew up in a very committed and somewhat demanding Christian home. My father was a deacon, my mother was the leader of the Women's Mission Union, and both were the greatest Christians I've ever known. So it is quite interesting that my experience in high school was so very different from my brother's. The primary difference was simply our priorities. My brother was a 4-year starter for the Ryle Raider football team, and 2-year captain of the team. He was for all intensive purposes, the athletic superstar of the school. It is challenging for a teenager not to get caught up in this environment. And it didn't take long that I witnessed my brother abandoning the Christian principles that our family valued so highly. 3-a-day football practices, and an all consuming football and social schedule caused my brother to neglect his church, church friendships and more importantly, his relationship with Christ. Football, popularity, and partying became his priorities. On the other hand, instead of trying to live in his shadow (which I was hardly athletic enough to do), I went the opposite direction. I decided that I wanted to be identified by my faith. My closest friends were my church friends, my Youth Pastor, and my Young Life Leader. While my brother was at football practice every day, I had a Bible Study or other Christian activity every single night of the week from Sunday-Thursday night. I poured myself into my faith, Scripture, memorizing the Bible, etc.

In our teenage years, I wasn't as popular as my brother. I didn't have "Letters" on my Ryle jacket. But 12 years later, all my brother has to show for the time invested in football and popularity is little more than a few lingering injuries that will become more and more problematic later in life. However, the time I was able to spend growing my faith was eternally invaluable. Not only does it allow me to be a better Student Pastor today, but it has allowed me get a 10 year head-start of storing up Treasures in Heaven. All that to say this...parents, it is ultimately our responsibility to ensure that our teenagers see church, Pulse, and their faith in general as a higher priority than volleyball, soccer, football, baseball, cheerleading, NHS, NJHS, etc. Because when we begin thinking eternally, sports, scholarships, and everything else will be completely irrelevant in 200 years, not to mention 2 million. So as a parent, what is your primary priority for your child? And does the way you allow their time to be scheduled really reflect that? If I'm having to compete with your child for their time and priorities...I will lose every time. And 10 years from now, they will be just beginning to discover the life that you allowed them to miss now.

Please read this article. It's hard to read, mostly because it's entirely true. That's what makes it so important.
http://scottlinscott.com/2010/03/10/your-kids-an-all-star-wow-someday-hell-be-average-like-the-rest-of-us/

To God be the Glory,
BJ

Pulse Message 4-22-12 - Love Leadership

Following Christ into Radical Surrender demands a Love for Leadership

How is everyone doing on our Deep Dive Challenge? We are one week in, we have one week left. How many read their Bible every day this week? How many read your Bible more than you normally do this week?

We are finishing up talking about the sequence of characteristics that define someone who is following Christ in radical surrender. We have talked about having a love and a passion for the church, worship, telling others about Christ, and Scripture. Next week we will look at having a secure and confident identity in Christ. But today, we are looking at the topic of leadership. Specifically Christian Leadership.

Christian Leadership is Servant Leadership. My hope is that every one of you is developing into a Servant Leader both now and for life. There are 2 parts to that; Servant and Leader. Both are seen in Christ.

John 13:1-17 (Jesus washes the disciples feet, Servant Leadership)

To truly lead others, you must first be a servant. The whole purpose of this study is that we are examining what it means to FOLLOW Christ into Radical SURRENDER! Those words frighten some people. But the Christian life is one of humility and learning to be submissive to God. Jesus was a leader who moved men to change the world, and here we find Him taking on the lower position of their culture in order to serve them. And what is His instruction to them and to us? Do likewise. Serve. Get your hands dirty. People are always going to have needs, and if you want to ever being considered as a leader, then you must first make it your priority to meet their needs. People can be messed up, cruel, creepy, and bitter toward you and life. Serve them anyway. Figure out how you can make their experience in this world better, and then do something about it. This is the heart of missions, which is the heart of Christ.

Only after mastering that first part can you ever consider yourself a leader as our culture defines it. Leadership is influence. If you are wondering how effective you are as a leader, simply look around this room. How many Sunday nights have you sat here in this loft? How many other people are sitting in here tonight because of your influence in their life? Every one of us walked into Pulse for the first time because of the influence of someone inviting us or just being so excited about what God is doing in their life that you wanted to experience it for yourself. But the true measure of leadership is in the amount of people who have followed you in these doors. How many people can say that they are more in love with God because you are a part of their life? That is Servant Leadership.

Ultimately, a Servant Leader will see a need and take the initiative to get that need met. Who is someone in your life that you wish could experience God more? What are some needs that you see you parents have, or your friends have, and how can you meet those needs? When you think of the perfect ministry, what types of things do you think of? What do you wish we were doing that we aren’t? What are some ways that we can make Pulse better each week? How can you get involved to make things better? These are the questions that a Servant Leader asks.

I want everyone to break into groups of 4, and ask these questions together. Make a list, but then ask each other how you can be a part of the solution.

Pulse Message - 4/15/12 - Love Scripture

April 15: Following Christ into Radical Surrender demands a Love for the Bible

This week, we are going to continue to talk about the main characteristics or traits that I hope every one of you graduate out of FMBC Student Ministries as a fundamental part of your identity as a Christian. We’ve covered how following Christ into Radical Surrender requires developing a love and passion for church like Jesus loved the church, having a love and passion for worship, and loving your friends enough to share Christ with them. Today, we are going to examine the most practical and life-changing aspect of following Christ. Because if you are going to fall passionately in love with your God to the point of Radical Surrender, it is going to demand that you become passionately in love with His Word.

Matthew 7:24-27 (The wise and foolish builders) 

Here’s the simple truth to life…it’s hard. It’s painful. At times, it’s unbearable. Some of you have already experienced pain unimaginable. All of you will go through pain in this life that you cannot even comprehend. And all the while, we are all in the same place. We are all trying to build our lives into something meaningful. Something that matters. But as we clumsily construct the house of our lives, we are fighting against unseen forces and unstable foundations. Things beyond our control battle against our efforts to make our lives matter. It’s the same threat to both houses. The difference is in one’s response to the truth - one’s obedience. Experience of problems, trials, etc. does not mean you are unsaved or unspiritual. The same winds blow against both. The issue is your response. Are you going to collapse or withstand it?

What’s the Central Truth in this story?

There are two applications - First, the evidence of an authentic relationship with Christ is found in your obedience to His Word. Second, the application of the truth of God’s Word is foundational to a stable lifestyle.

Application: Just reading the Bible without letting the Bible “read through me” is incomplete.

We are all going to commit to spending some time reading Scripture every day for the next 14 days. The YouVersion Bible App/Website has a 14 day Deep Dive Youth Devotional that I am challenging all of us to go through together.

Dive deeper. Swim farther. This 14 day reading plan for teens helps take your spirituality to the next level. You will have the opportunity to dive into God's Word and be challenged through daily devotionals along the way.

There are 2 ways we can do this together. If you have the Bible app on your phone or other devices (demonstrate this as I explain it), click “Plans” when you open it. Then click “Browse,” then “youth,” and the top one is called Deep Dive 14. Click on that, and then click “Start Plan.” Each day, go back into “Plans” and it will be there waiting for you. And you can even ask it to give you a reminder to read each day, or to e-mail your daily reading to you.

Or you can just do this with us directly from the YouVersion.com website. Go to the website, you’ll need to create an account if you don’t have one. The 3^rd icon down on the left says “Reading Plans.” Click that, then “All Plans,” then “Youth,” then scroll until you find Deep Dive 14, and start your reading plan!

So we are all going to go through this together. I’ve made a Facebook event for it under the FMBC Student Ministries page. I want everyone everyday, when you finish reading your daily reading, to jump on and tell us that you read today, and what you thought about that day’s reading!

When God gives you exactly what you need

Every now and then, God seems to know exactly where you are in life, and give you exactly what you need. I heard this sentiment in the testimony of a family who lost everything in the recent tornadoes expressing that God is miraculously met their every physical need just in time. You witness this in Scripture in the lives of the Heroes of the faith. And Galatians 4:4 tells us that God sent His Son at just the right time. I always find that interesting. It's almost as if God waits until we are at our wits end until He intervenes and saves the day. He seems to have a sense for the dramatic like that. He can be victorious by a blowout if He so desires, but it sure is more exciting to win it on a last second buzzer beater half-court shot!!

Well, just when I seem ready to give up, or take a break, or slow down, or complain about my own self-centered needs, God reminds me that it's not about me. He did that again today. My daily Scripture study was:
1 After Moses the Lord’s servant died, the Lord said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ assistant:2 “Moses my servant is dead. Get ready! Cross the Jordan River! Lead these people into the land which I am ready to hand over to them.3 I am handing over to you every place you set foot, as I promised Moses.4 Your territory will extend from the wilderness in the south to Lebanon in the north. It will extend all the way to the great River Euphrates in the east (including all of Syria) and all the way to the Mediterranean Sea in the west.5 No one will be able to resist you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not abandon you or leave you alone.6 Be strong and brave! You must lead these people in the conquest of this land that I solemnly promised their ancestors I would hand over to them.7 Make sure you are very strong and brave! Carefully obey all the law my servant Moses charged you to keep! Do not swerve from it to the right or to the left, so that you may be successful in all you do.8 This law scroll must not leave your lips! You must memorize it day and night so you can carefully obey all that is written in it. Then you will prosper and be successful.9 I repeat, be strong and brave! Don’t be afraid and don’t panic, for I, the Lord your God, am with you in all you do.”

Now realize that every time you approach the Word of God which is living and active, it will speak to you directly where you are at in that moment. So 99% of the time, apply the above differently than I do today. But today, I need some encouragement. Do you think God doesn't know this?

In this Scripture, I'm reminded of a few things. First, God doesn't need me. Moses was incredible...perhaps the greatest leader the world has ever known. And when his time is up, God just calmly moves on to the next guy. "Moses is dead. Josh, it's time to step it up!" My pride wants me to be important...like Moses was. But God didn't need Moses...He's fine using Joshua or whoever else He chooses...and He doesn't need me. I typically need encouragement because I fail to live up to my own personal pursuit of greatness. This shouldn't be so. God will use us as He sees fit, and we shall all be satisfied with that.

And that leads my to the second thing, God wants to use us. He chooses us. He has designated for us to lead and motivate and to simply make a difference for His Kingdom! So I cannot take today off, for the task is far to great to take a break. So be strong (fight for what's right), be courageous (don't be intimidated by political pastors or pimply teenagers), carefully obey the law (do what's right), and ultimately God will make you successful. And to be successful according to God's standard is to be great.


But what I'm most reminded of and most encouraged by from this specific passage actually has very little to do with the passage itself necessarily. It stems back to my early years entering into the ministry as a Young Life Leader. I was new, young, and clueless, and about to step into the primary leadership role at Beechwood High School. Add to the pressure that I was replacing on of the greatest leaders I've ever encountered in Dave Metz. And one day, I find sitting in my car a laminated paper with Joshua 1:1-9 reworded in this way (it's amazing how being at Fort Mitchell Baptist Church has caused this to remain perfectly applicable in my life):

  
Thanks Marjie Long. After all these years, you are still making a positive impact on my life. This is hanging on my clipboard behind me at all time!!


BJ