Leaving nets

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Matthew 4:19-20

[19] And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” [20] Immediately they left their nets and followed him. Matthew 4:19-20

[19] And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” [20] Immediately they left their nets and followed him.

What nets do you need to leave behind?

I’ve been struggling on several levels  at the same time I’m discovering more about God’s leading and intervention in my life  as I share the following, but I know it could come back to bite me.  I do not want to hurt anyone, because the burden of what I want to say falls upon me.  I do not want to gossip or blame. Paul, I’ve spent a sizable amount of time with you, discussing the history of LFF, my personal crucibles of faith, my views of what church is all about.  Do you remember those kayak talks? 

I’ve also shared with you the growing evil oppression I’ve felt, especially when Sandy was so sick in Omaha. I alerted you and updated you several times, discussing with you the premonition of what we were going through, yet the overwhelming sense of His presence.

As I said, I’ve struggled with my involvement at LFF since the accusations of being arrogant and divisive.  I’m fully aware that many have not agreed with me on my views of discipleship, missions, church expenditures without approval. I’ve said too much in past MLT meetings that may have come across confrontational, but I believe we need to be on guard against legalism, or a group that plays church without passion.

I genuinely want to finish the last years of my life encouraging others to be faithful, to surrender their lives to Jesus.  How can I do that at LFF with animosity toward me?  I’ve supported you, Paul, from the beginning.  I’m full of sadness and regret that I’ve not encouraged you enough.  In that respect, I’ve failed in my connection with you.  I’m restless to do more, and am praying that God will awaken me to something different, a holy passion to love well, to build up others.  

I’ve worked my entire career being able very public with my faith in a public school setting.  My biggest critics have always been church people. I sense a growing trend at LFF that we need to hunker down because the world is evil and we are about to be overtaken by a liberal agenda. That may be be true, but retreat into the bunker is the wrong way to follow Christ.  I’ve tried to build a welcoming spirit in my classroom, enabling anyone to be accepted.  Why don’t I feel accepted in the church I’ve helped start?  But, as Pastor Doug strongly taught, ‘Life is not about you, Bob.  It’s about the glory of Christ in and through us.’

Again, I take full responsibility for others’ reactions to me.  I cannot be open and honest with many in fear of the divisiveness that I’ve created, in fear that I will become bitter.    I do not want to be a bitter old man. One of my heroes has been Bob Bragg who always tries to bring unity yet told the truth. In reference to leaving my the nets behind, perhaps there are necessary endings to what was once good.  Perhaps I need to cast nets in another location. Perhaps I’ve grown to follow a different path.  .

I’ve been struggling with my church involvement. Everything I read says that participating in church is part of following Christ.  A huge question has been on my mind - How can I be an effective disciple and influence others to follow Christ in obedience?  

I was in LFF leadership and taught Sunday School at LFF. Before and after Doug Shada’s death, I witnessed vicious and mean spirited LFF board meetings. Many left in anger. I stayed and remained loyal.  I supported you to be pastor, Paul.  But after being criticized for my arrogance and trouble making, I chose to be quiet, step back form involvement and reflect. I’ve been mocked for my Covid position, for being a public educator, and for following medical advice, rather than lame conspiracy theories. My reaction - Maybe I’ve been too dogmatic in what I’ve said. Perhaps I’ve wanted others to notice me rather than Christ. Maybe I’ve been too prideful. 

I do not want to negate others efforts, divide the church, or teach content in the wrong manner.  By being silent and stepping back, those who have been offended, will calm down. I know this sounds like a story from middle school drama, but at this point t in my life, something needs to change.  Maybe I’ve changed.  I fully acknowledge that church is NOT about me.  I do not want to be on a platform in front of others.  I once thought I wanted to teach the Bible to others in a group setting.  I’ve received teaching awards and have spoken to groups of 400 fellow teachers.  But taking the back seat in church is just fine. 

One of my problems is that I’ve listened to countless stories given to me, insights into family secrets, family trauma, abuse by employees upon teen workers.  I’ve  reported child abuse and neglect, reported abuse cases to the county sheriff, collaborated with child protective services, and law enforcement to capture those who hurt children, and listened to many who have have considered ending their lives in depression.  I’ve walked with students and families in the depth of their grief.  But at LFF, I’m told to keep quiet.  

Increasingly some individuals at LFF will not talk to me. When some see me walking toward them, they turn the other way to avoid me. Some do not even respond when I say Good Morning or Hi.  What poison is being spread?

I’ve spent 46 years in public education and worked hard to develop a classroom / school atmosphere that is welcoming, inclusive to everyone.  It hurts to be treated with disdain for wanting to be passionate for what I believe. 

I’ve been restless and discontent, struggling to know what to do. I do not want to make a bigger problem, proving to the critics that I’m a trouble maker. I genuinely care about relationships in the church, but feel very uncomfortable with how I perceive the church to be drifting. I do not have answers or solutions.   I cannot continue to be a bystander.  In effect, I’ve quit church but stayed, thinking it will get better.  I want to be better skilled at disciple making. How can I when I do not seem to fit in? How can I be a positive influence when the attitude seems to be ‘Who do you think you are?’

I feel like a fish out of water at LFF, even though there are attendees I truly appreciate.  I’m weary and tired of the lack of attention to detail regarding those who are hurting, sick, and lonely.  There does not seem to be ‘follow up’ with expressed health concerns or for those who are deeply struggling. Email Alerts about prayer requests are great but seem minimal attempts to communicate a caring approach to hurts in  small church setting.

To sum things up, I’m taking a break from LFF because if I continue to attend at this point, my hurt will turn into anger and bitterness.  I must do something to help myself, even though I know it’s wrong to view church attendance from a consumer mindset.

I’m so excited about global missions and want to stay updated regarding Activate Global and Possibilities Africa. Where is the passion for missions and discipleship? Is it only an obligation out of loyalty? Why hasn’t there been any sharing of stories from these agents of the gospel?  Why are no testimonies of what God is doing?  Why doesn’t LFF support local missions such as the Todd Becker Foundation?  Where is the passion?

I truly appreciate an expository approach in preaching  but why isn’t there encouragement for attendees to read and study the Bible on their own?

I want to continue receiving the minimal email approach to connect people, because I care and I want to pray for those in need.  

What church is supposed to be, according to Alistair Begg:

"That's the plan and purpose of the Spirit of God: to take a diverse group of people and to create a unity within the framework of that diversity, so that we may be far more effective than any one of us could ever be left to ourselves." 

The Rooted series by Eric Geiger is highly rated. the one on one discipling relationships that seem to come my way. I honestly believe God has provided each connection, that I’ve not pursued any of them for selfish reasons, as one LFF attender said. 7 of the 8 daily connections are with those outside the LFF community  

Beth Moore - A run-on sentence: 

In a culture where we’ve already canceled one another completely out and done immeasurable harm to innumerable people, the only sane way ahead is to learn in Christ how to treat one another with decency and dignity—even in our deep disagreement—and, with the humility that ought be firmly ingrained and fully alive in each individual saved by grace, reach deeply down for some measure of mutual compassion as fellow humans in a hateful world dying to know Jesus.

And yes, I am a nightmare to my book editors.

“My goal is to know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings, being conformed to his death, assuming that I will somehow reach the resurrection from among the dead.”

‭‭Philippians‬ ‭3‬:‭10‬-‭11‬ ‭CSB‬‬

https://bible.com/bible/1713/php.3.11.CSB

So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Galatians 5:16-21

Daniel 14

 We can learn so much from Daniel and his friends. For me, the primary lessons relate to God’s sovereignty and His presence. He knows every detail of our lives, even the secret dark places that we often hide from others. He knows our anxieties and fears and how the evil one makes every attempt to undermine our credibility, courage and identity. We cannot doubt what our Father has shown us in the light, even when the lights go out. He will give us the strength we need when we are weak and confused. 

“People who have never suffered in life have less empathy for others, little knowledge of their own shortcomings and limitations, no endurance in the face of hardship, and unrealistic expectations for life. As the New Testament book of Hebrews tells us, anyone God loves experiences hardship (Hebrews 12:1-8).” - Timothy Keller, Counterfeit Gods

Daniel 13

 Nebechudnezzer had the unusual blessing of seeing the fourth person in the heat and fire, which changed his perspective in a radical way. He gave praise to our Almighty Father as the one true God.  When we are in the in the predicaments and crises of our lives, others may or may not see His presence walking with us, but we know that He is in the thick of the heat right along side us.  

“As many have learned and later taught, you don’t realize Jesus is all you need until Jesus is all you have.” - Timothy Keller, Counterfeit Gods

Life changing

 Michael Sprague

LIFE-CHANGING FOR ME

"Jesus, you are going to be very busy today...would it be ok if I journey with you today?"

For the past few years, before I get out of bed most mornings, I pray these words as a spiritual discipline of intent and devotion. It has been life changing. Why? Because for too many years my thought often was much more like this, "Lord, I've got a lot of plans for my day. Would you bless my plans...and by the way, please don't give me too many problems today!!!"

Lol... can you relate?

I'm slowly learning to discern where God is working and jump into the middle of what He is doing. His plans are sometimes uncomfortable, unpredictable and even messy but I'm learning His plans are always better than my plans. I'm betting the farm on God today... how about you?

Joshua 3

 Leaving the past behind and moving forward is key if we expect to get anywhere in life. There seem to be multiple issues to end but equally issues to begin and continue with the process. Leaving the guilt and shame of the last, the burden of following rules, each must end. Henry Cloud’s book ‘Necessary Endings’ has been a helpful read for me. 

Daniel 12

 We live in a comfy culture where we usually do not have to face a firing squad or be beaten for our faith in the one true God. But we may often encounter lesser forms of persecution such as ridicule, back biting, gossip, or being shunned. Some of my worst critics have been fellow church attendees rather than a non church attender. But we we can encounter other tests to our faith as others watch how we handle the heat of the moment. It doesn’t matter what others think or say. We are accountable to His love and pull in our hearts. Our only response to His call is surrender to what He sees best. 

“Now I know that you love me more than anything in the world.” That’s what “the fear of God” means.” - Timothy Keller, Counterfeit Gods

Daniel 11

 Daniel’s friends knew that God knew everything. They didn’t have to come up with any defense for a plea of innocence or for understanding. Their allegiance and loyalty to the one true King surpasses the fear of being burned alive or the orders of an earthly king. Their quiet obedience stood out in the public arena, a stark contrast to the idols of the day. Does our obedience and surrender to the one true King stand out in our culture?

“If you want God’s grace, all you need is need, all you need is nothing. But that kind of spiritual humility is hard to muster. We come to God saying, “Look at all I’ve done,” or maybe “Look at all I’ve suffered.” God, however, wants us to look to him—to just watch.” - Timothy Keller, Counterfeit Gods

Daniel 10

It seems like people are more aware of how we handle life when a crisis occurs or when they are in deep need. If we are a non anxious presence during the storm, others notice. If we are available to others and we demonstrate a caring presence, others notice. We cannot control others’s divisiveness, greed or jealousy. Crises usually reveal what is happening in the hearts of many. Daniel’s opposition didn’t seem to rattle us resolve to be the man God called him to be. May we be what God is calling us to be. 

In any culture in which God is largely absent, sex, money, and politics will fill the vacuum for different people. This is the reason that our political discourse is increasingly ideological and polarized. Many describe the current poisonous public discourse as a lack of bi-partisanship, but the roots go much deeper than that. As Niebuhr taught, they go back to the beginning of the world, to our alienation from God, and to our frantic efforts to compensate for our feelings of cosmic nakedness and powerlessness. The only way to deal with all these things is to heal our relationship with God.” - Timothy Keller, Counterfeit Gods

Wickham 11

 Each day presents issues that a renewed attitude, a renewed heart, air efforts to restore mercy and justice. We live in a sin embedded world and we have a default gonna negative about the outcome of our efforts. But His love is the power we need to reconcile and restore. It’s the renewed energy we desperately need to persevere. His love is the foundation for doing anything if we want to follow Christ. 

God of Rival https://youtu.be/u32v8iR0QJA?si=UmheH8J92tO9PFfl

Psalm 3

 I used to think I was never good enough to measure up. I could never compare to a mature Christian, no matter how hard I tried. I felt that I had to ResEdits my life to Christ in a church setting. What bad theology!  Life is not about me and my efforts!  It’s about the love of Christ, grasping His presence in my heart. It’s allowing Him to live in and through me. Life is about God working, not me. Fortunately, I have t fallen into a major sin blunder ghat has ruined my relationships. But God has miraculously intervened to protect me. 

“A carefully cultivated heart will, assisted by the grace of God, foresee, forestall, or transform most of the painful situations before which others stand like helpless children saying “Why?” - Dallas Willard, Renovation of the Heart

Joshua 2

 Joshua was certain about God’s calling on his life, knowing that he needed to listen to the authoratative voice of God. God was not a dictator, but He laid out the pattern for His folllwers to live. God’s authority is immersed in love like no other. Joshua surrendered any pretense to set himself up to be king, because he knew that following g God’s way led to freedom from the past slavery under a human pharaoh. The same for us. We can live in freesom by surrendering to Him or be enslaved to any number of fake authorities. 

Daniel 9

 We have so many options to distract our attention and awe of God. We seem to very skilled at downsizing the magnitude of who God is. His majesty as Ruler of the universe and Sustainer of life is minimized in today’s world. Could anyone see glimpse of my love for who God is in my life by the way I live?  Or do I just blend in with the landscape of anyone else?  Our heart default is to be an idol factory, yet we can respond to the Holy Spirit’s pull to love our Lord. May we fight the urge each day to build our illusions, to be self absorbed. 

“When anything in life is an absolute requirement for your happiness and self-worth, it is essentially an ‘idol,’ something you are actually worshiping. When such a thing is threatened, your anger is absolute. Your anger is actually the way the idol keeps you in its service, in its chains. Therefore if you find that, despite all the efforts to forgive, your anger and bitterness cannot subside, you may need to look deeper and ask, ‘What am I defending? What is so important that I cannot live without?’ It may be that, until some inordinate desire is identified and confronted, you will not be able to master your anger.” - Timothy Keller, Counterfeit Gods

Joshua 1

 “If you do nothing in a difficult time, your strength is limited.”

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭24‬:‭10‬ ‭CSB‬‬

Wow - what a verse to apply. I do not like conflict nor do I like it when people around me are disagreeable. There are so many factors in life that are beyond my control but sitting on my thumbs is the worst option. I want to be a peace maker but it’s going to take real effort and creativity to be the calming influence. Even though circumstances seem without hope and uncontrollable, I want to be a catalyst for change. Perhaps my one puny step of faith work trigger others to do the same. 

Wickham 10

 What struck me was the statement about not seeing half way. Jesus wants us to be all in, to grasp in full what is happening in the kingdom.  How many times have I been blind to what God is doing. How many times have i not listened to what God was telling me to do. Grasping the full weight of His creation, the details and beauty, is awe inspiring. The same is true for how He is changing the hearts and minds of those who are responding to His nudge and push. 

Psalm 2

1) I will bless the Lord at all times - I will praise Him, acknowledge Him in everything I do, think how He would say what I’m about to say, give Him credit for the good that is happening  

2) his praise will always be on my lips. - I will change my negative mindset to refocus on what He is doing. I will dwell on Hos love because He understands and knows what I’m going through. 

3) I will boast in the Lord;  I will be focused on what He is doing, not what I’m doing. He is the King, I’m im the kingdom

4)  the humble will hear and be glad.  I want to be so focused on what He is doing that I’m not in the equation, yet I’m humbled to witness what He is doing. 

5)  Proclaim the Lord’s greatness with me;  I want others to join me in proclaiming His work and His presence. 

6)  let us exalt his name together. I want to be with like minded followers of Christ who are fired up about being fired up

7) I sought the Lord, and he answered me and rescued me from all my fears.” I’ve placed my anxieties and worries on Him  I’ve thrown them on Him, leaving them in His hands  

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭34‬:‭1‬-‭4‬ ‭CSB‬‬

https://bible.com/bible/1713/psa.34.1-4.CSB

Daniel 8

 Have you had a dream come true?  I cannot recall that I have but I’ve had premonitions of events happening, and they later took place. I don’t understand all that but Hod can do the miraculous. Muslims in the least reached regions are seeing visions that lead to their conversion to Christ and receiving the Scriptures in their own hands. God is up to something while many American churches are consumers rather than senders. I pray that these devotionals inspire us to be on the producing side of disciple making rather than just the consumer side. 

“Does the gospel we preach produce disciples or does it produce consumers of religious goods and services?” - Bill Hull, The Complete Book of Discipleship

Psalms 1

 When my thinking and emotion are all over the chart, I’ve turned to the Psalms. They are full of lament, complaints, frustration yet full of joy and completeness. The Bible is not a Pollyanna approach to life. Everything is not always beautiful with birds singing I’m the background. The Psalms are evidence that our Father truly understands us. Jesus lives among us for a lot of reasons, with one to show us that He empathizes with our experiences. 

Wickham 9

 We want everything done now. We have a hard time waiting for anything. Most families seem to be super busy, helping their children be involved in everything so that they can be well adjusted. Churches offer programs while school activities eat up a teenager’s life all months of the year. But true worship is slowing down to smell the roses, to enjoy the sunrise and sunset. Listening to music or watching a fire in the backyard can slow our minds down to deprioritize our goals. We can being doing lots of good stuff without enjoying the presence of our Father. 

Leviticus 10

 Obedience seems like a bad word in our independent ‘Ill have it my way’ culture. We seem to be anti- authority yet we want someone to take authority and fix our problems. It’s scary to think what could happen if a huge pet of our country rebels against our basic institutions. But the Bible is clear that we ought to surrender our lives to the Kong, obeying His call to be holy, to live Him with all our heart and love others as well. How counter culture is that?  Obedience to our King brings meaning and purpose to life like nothing else. How could we not love Him with our whole selves, considering what He has done for us. 

Daniel 7

 It’s easy to be overwhelmed with the ups and downs of news events. Those in political power seem to throw their weight around as if they had power to control the future. But grasping the truth that Gid is in charge of history is a radical perspective change, compared to the majority in our culture. God intervenes in unseen ways to adjust events into His agenda. No one can stand in His way, no matter how important they think they are. The same is true in our ordinary day. God is moving events and circumstances to fit His plan, despite how chaotic we may think our lives are. 

“Each believer is either a conformer or a transformer. We’re either being squeezed into the world’s mold or we’re transforming things in the world into which God has put us. Transformers don’t always have an easy life, but it’s an exciting one, and it gives us great delight to know that God is using us to influence others.” - Warren W. Wiersbe, Be Resolute (Daniel)

Leviticus 9

 I’m learning that Inness Christ. It’s not a suggestion to depend on Him, nor a contract that if I do so much, He will fulfill His duties. Depending on our Father is not an obligation or ritual. Rather it is a passion with no option to do something else. I do not want to be functioning as an atheist who claims to believe, but never follows through with my behavior. I want to be all in with no regrets. 

Attentive 7

 I know that I’m loved by my Father and I know the Spirit is alive in me. However there are times when I sense an all out attack to discourage me. The enemy makes every attempt to undermine my identity, saying to me that I’m not qualified, I’m not worthy of His love. He reminds me of my weaknesses, that I’ll never measure up. But Romans 8 reminds me that NOTHING can separate me from His love. He is the faithful One who will NEVER give up on me. 

Daniel 6

What was the last dilemma or predicament you had, when you didn’t know how to respond?  It seems that these situations come in waves, demanding immediate responses or decisions that are far more complicated than they appear. Daniel has the courage to speak up, even though he needed time to pray. His response is a model of dependency on God. Daniel knew that God knew the answers, but he needed time to ask and wait. May you and I have this as a pattern for life, asking and waiting, making the next best decision. 

“To wait in silence before the Lord is not idleness or inactivity. It is calm worship and faith, resting in His greatness and submitted to His will. It is preparation for the time when God gives the orders to act.” - Warren W. Wiersbe, Be Worshipful (Psalms 1-89)

I hate waiting

 Michael Sprague

Hate Waiting? Impatient with your journey?

Waiting on a promotion…. a healing…. a prodigal to return home…a house to sell…a girlfriend… a breakthrough with your bravest prayer request? You wait and wait and wait yet many times God takes us on His roundabout ways. From your vantage point, the direct route seems to make so much more sense. God often has a different destination in mind.

Consider this…the shortest route for the nation of Israel to go from Egypt to the Promised Land would have been a straight line of 200 miles…sort of like Mandeville to Destin on I12 East. God choose the roundabout way. If the goal was a destination only, God makes for a lousy travel agent. The four-week journey ultimately zig-zagged into 40 years. Sort of like Mandeville to Florida by way of Detroit.

The lesson is—God is not in a hurry. God knows where His people are going is not as important as what His people are becoming on the way. Besides possessing a Promised Land without character can be downright dangerous. Along the roundabout way one learns patience and how to love God for God’s sake and not just for the milk and honey. Hearts change and trust in God grows. 

Think of an Oyster. Oysters have an amazing capacity to expel sand that gets inside their shell. However, occasionally, a piece of sand gets stuck inside the shell. How irritating! Frustrating! It drives the oyster crazy. Hence, the oyster secretes a white fluid to coat the sand over and over. Over a long period of time a pearl is formed. Ladies, if you wear pearls... do you realize you are wearing someone’s bad day. The point...No frustration, No PEARLS.

The same with us, without the roundabout ways, the zigzags, the irritations we will never become the PEARLS God wants us to become. Frustrated? Hang in there. God is at work and your Promise Land will come.

Wickham 7

 The sin “His Name Is Jesus” is one of my favorites. The power of His presence brings joy, peace and a calmness that is not matched by anything else. There have been many experiences when this joy and fulfillment is experienced with like minded Christ followers. The bond we have cannot be compared to anything. Other times, the void is a chasm of emptiness between people who have no idea what a relationship with Christ is. Talking in depth about heart felt wisdom is easy with like minded followers. I’m puzzled why we do not experience that deep fellowship more, even among fellow church attendees. 

His Name Is Jesus - https://youtu.be/deiWQo1GZmE?si=yVvstjtpWYMCHwoB

Attentive 6

 I’ve often wondered if I work too hard at trying to listen for God’s voice in my life. Other times I wonder if I’m not praying boldly enough, nor listening with enough acuity. Some says I’m overwhelmed by His presence and full of joy. In a few days, I can sense an all out attack by the enemy of discouragement, questioning my identity in Christ. Part of the dilemma may be a spiritual battle and part is my sin default, resorting to prose and self absorption. Focusing on Christ and His word builds a stronger foundation than focusing in any form. 

Leviticus 8

 I’m no history expert but it seems like the festivals were celebrations of gratitude and thankfulness for what Gos has done or continues to do. Some religious quasi Christian groups do not celebrate much while most of us celebrate Christmas, Easter and Thanksgiving. But should we celebrate more? Perhaps making a personal commitment to celebrate big events in our lives, milestones that remind us of God’s greatness would help us to be more focused in our growth and maturity. Perhaps celebrating a person’s influence on us, or being sure to thank someone for their impact would help us be more focused. Celebrations are a good anti Todd to the gloom and doom themes pushed by so many in our culture. 

Friend of sinners

 My new book Friendship with the Friend of Sinners: The Remarkable Possibility of Closeness with Christ explores these questions. Here are 25 quotes from the book that I trust will prompt you to delve deeper:

1. “In a very real way, at the moment I most deserved to be utterly alone and rejected, Jesus came into that room, sat on the floor next to me, put his arm around me, and said, ‘It’s going to be okay.’At the lowest moment of my life, I came face-to-face with my real self. And I came face-to-face with the truest friend. I found him true because at that moment I had the least to offer him.” – p.14

2. “Biblically speaking, of course, Christianity is both religion and relationship. In fact, these categories, properly understood, are not so distinguishable from each other, and it turns out each must fuel the other. A relationship with Jesus without a commitment to his commands, to his church and her ordinances, to his shaping of our entire lives through the (even imperfect) pursuit of disciplines according to his like- ness isn’t the kind of relationship he desires from us. Similarly, a Christian religion without a spiritual hunger for his grace, a humble surrender to his character, and a desperate desire for intimacy with his very presence is just religiosity.” – p.18

3. “The less we become like Jesus, the less we will understand how to do real friendship.” – p.25

4. “The truth is, we’re all terrible friends to Jesus. But he is still the truest friend we could have.” – p.31

5. “The reality of friendship with Jesus depends on a serious reckoning with the reality of Jesus. Most of us, Christians included, however, have grown accustomed to conducting a relationship with the idea of Jesus. But Jesus is a real person.” – p.44

6. “As the aim of spiritual growth in Christianity is to become more conformed to the image of Christ, it behooves us to remember that for Christ to be made real in us, we must be drawing near to a real Christ.” – p.52

7. “We can come to the Bible for more knowledge, and that’s fine. Its facts are impeccable. We can come to the Bible for artistry, and that’s fine. Its words are beautiful. We can come to the Bible for instructions on the religious life, and that too is fine. The law of God is holy and glorious. But if we don’t come to the Word of God for life, we run the risk of dying smart, entertained, and religious.” – pp.56-57

8. “There is no friend closer than Jesus. As we follow him, he never strides too far ahead. He never dodges or ditches us. If we are weary, he slows. If we pull up lame, he stops. If we wander, he circles back. He won’t let us be lost.” – p.61

9. “He has come to dwell among us. He won’t even keep a superior detachment from sinners! He gets up close and personal. He touches people’s sores. He holds their hands. He puts his spit in people’s eyes. You couldn’t keep him at arm’s length if you tried. You certainly cannot cordon him off from your life with chains of flesh or velvet ropes of religion.” – pp.70-71

10. “Remember the good news that God loves sinners. Jesus died for sinners! He isn’t looking for awesome people to unite to himself. He isn’t looking for put-together people for his Spirit to indwell. He isn’t looking for religious people to become brand ambassadors for him. Jesus came to save sinners. He came to unite to himself people who could add nothing to him.” – p.73

11. “Our feelings are no barrier to him.” – p.78

12. “You don’t need a particularly mighty faith to receive the favor of God. Because it isn’t the strength of the faith that saves but the strength of the Savior. If the faith is true, however small, it can lay hold of all the riches of grace in Christ Jesus.” – pp.88-89

13. “He gets so close to the whores and the cheats and the drunkards that he’s accused of their very sins. He’s willing to bear the shame they bear, hear the insults they hear, feel the rejection they feel. Jesus is willing not just to preach to sinners but, risking his own reputation, to be their friend. Indeed, Jesus isn’t just willing to give up his reputation for sinners; he is willing to give up his life.” – p.91

14. “We can’t become like anyone with whom we don’t spend any time. So he draws us to himself. He invites us into his unbothered, undistracted presence.” – p.97

15. “To sit at the feet of Jesus is the highest and best experience we can have. He knows we need to change. He knows we need to produce good fruit and perform good works. But he also knows that none of that matters — or can truly even happen — if we don’t make it a priority to sit still with him and listen.” – p.105

16. “Maturing Christians come not to begrudge the inefficiency of discipleship but to embrace it. We know that the very lament of not being further along is itself a sign of the Spirit’s working in us. The conviction we feel about our sin is a sign of his closeness. The pain we feel in our battle with the flesh is a sign of bearing Christ’s cross. You cannot get close to Jesus without touching his wounds.” – p.108

17. “Every Christian wakes up with Jesus as a ready and eager friend. And no matter how the day has gone — and you might have really blown it! — every Christian goes to bed at night with Jesus as a ready and eager friend.” – p.127

18. “God isn’t keeping score. Because his Son is victorious, so are you. Because his Son is beloved, so are you. And because his Son is eternally resting from the work of atonement, so are you.” – p.132

19. “It was in my lowest, most broken, most desperate devastation that Christ came near in the sweetest grace and care. My sin didn’t surprise him. My blowing up my life did not startle him. He saw it all coming, and in a way, I was on a collision course with a life-changing awakening to the gospel, sovereignly directed by his own will. The truth caught up with me, but so did the grace of God. And when I was most exposed, he was the most tender.” – pp.148-149

20. “Nobody slips through the cracks.” – p.161

21. “This is how our friend Jesus receives our stupid efforts at obedience. We bring the weeds of our works and the mess of our efforts to him, and with the warmest gaze, not even pretending, he says, ‘Oh, how precious!’ He is a gracious Savior. Compared to what he’s given us, he receives so little. But he gladly accepts it all. He receives everything from us with nothing but love.” – p.164

22. “The Giver is himself the gift. And there’s no gift he can give us that can exceed the preciousness and worth of his very self.” – pp.165-166

23. “The closer we walk with him, the more our stride begins to resemble his.” – p.169

24. “The good news is, we aren’t high maintenance to Jesus.” – p.176

25. “Jesus is real. Even now, in our hearts, we can see his face.” – p.212

Daniel 5

 I’m very unaccustomed to fasting for any length of time. Giving up something for the sake of more intense prayer changes a praying life. The temptations to have more possessions and manipulate what we do to increase our status and power is ever present. Giving up what the culture sees as needed to be normal is living counter cultural. Living a quiet life, carving out time for solitude and reflection is not fasting, but I’m trying to find a rhythm of a slower pace. 

“What if the formula “more stuff equals more happiness” is bad math? What if more stuff often just equals more stress? More hours at the office, more debt, more years working in a job I don’t feel called to, more time wasted cleaning and maintaining and fixing and playing with and organizing and reorganizing and updating all that junk I don’t even need. What if more stuff actually equals less of what matters most? Less time. Less financial freedom. Less generosity, which according to Jesus is where the real joy is. Less peace, as I hurry my way through the mall parking lot. Less focus on what life is actually about. Less mental real estate for creativity. Less relationships. Less margin. Less prayer. Less of what I actually ache for? What if I were to reject my culture’s messaging as a half-truth at best, if not a full-on lie, and live into another message? Another gospel?” - John Mark Comer, The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry

Leviticus 7

 The temptation to get even may not be as strong as wanting to avoid that person for what they’ve done. Maybe I’m passive aggressive but I often am on high alert if I suspect a set up for an ambush again. But praying for that person and for a changes attitude in me is a huge step in the right direction. Being passive aggressive is my go to reaction, which is a form of continuing the anger. Seeing the situation with the attitude of Christ takes my pride down a notch, helping me to build fewer walls. 

Daniel 4

 The resolve to not be defiled and polities by the distractions around us takes guts and determination. But fortunately Hia grace is sufficient for our weakness and fear. Dani demonstrates courage by asking permission. We don’t need permission to avoid temptations in our culture but we often get the social consequences. FOMO - fear of missing out needs to be replaced with JOMO - joy of missing out - developing a more intimate relationship with Christ. 

“For many of us the great danger is not that we will renounce our faith. It is that we will become so distracted and rushed and preoccupied that we will settle for a mediocre version of it. We will just skim our lives instead of actually living them.” - John Mark Comer, The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry

Attentive 4

 Developing a rhythm of quiet solitude and meditation is counter everything our culture screams at us.  The biggest enemy of growth in our walk with Christ is a hurried life. Our daily goal (Dallas Willard) is the ruthless elimination of the hurried life. Worship through thoughtful walks, listening to music, truly listening to our children, and experiencing the outdoors are on my list. 

Because what you give your attention to is the person you become. Put another way: the mind is the portal to the soul, and what you fill your mind with will shape the trajectory of your character. In the end, your life is no more than the sum of what you gave your attention to. That bodes well for those apprentices of Jesus who give the bulk of their attention to him and to all that is good, beautiful, and true in his world. But not for those who give their attention to the 24-7 news cycle of outrage and anxiety and emotion-charged drama or the nonstop feed of celebrity gossip, titillation, and cultural drivel. (As if we “give” it in the first place; much of it is stolen by a clever algorithm out to monetize our precious attention.) But again: we become what we give our attention to, for better or worse.

John Mark Comer, The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry:

Wickham 5

 I do not want to view my salvation in a casual manner. Nor do I want to view what God has provided numerous times with a ‘so what’ attitude. Believing in Christ’s sacrifice on the cross involves following Him, regardless of the circumstances. God has shown His grace and mercy over and over through a variety of crises in our sins’s lives and in their families. He has shown His presence in miraculous ways through Sandy’s health issues. The medical problems haven’t disappears but God has provided the right people at just the right time. He has nudges or pushed us to make decisions for our good, despite the problems, in the dilemma, or despite feeling alone. 

Today’s song - https://youtu.be/zcAV7-b9wMQ?si=V6vTreK6mDoD9qTF

Daniel 3

 Life is filled with so many factors that we cannot control. Danie and his friends had been taken captive, filling their minds with so much fear and uncertainty. The king wanted to completely change their identity, immersing them into a different way of thinking and living. Thankfully they had been parented well and resolved to not lose sight of who they were, despite their surroundings and intense training. I wonder if I truly have the passion, zeal, and energy to be like Daniel, committed to who God wants me to be, despite the pressures to live a casual, normal American Christian life. 

“I no longer need to carry the burden of the past on my shoulders, so I am free to fully give myself to what God has called me to in the here and now.” - Paul David Tripp, New Morning Mercies: A Daily Gospel Devotional

"Sometimes when we say we’re waiting on God, He's actually waiting on us."  - Bob Goff

The switch.

 I can’t believe the relief of actually making the change in churches. The sark cloud has lifted. Sunlight is visible instead of a dark cave of doom and gloom. The fear of hearing another sermon with inappropriate titles and words has been changed to a hopeful anticipation of how discipleship will be presented. Information based sermons with no applications are self serving for the presenter. 

I do not like the drift that LFF has taken  yes it’s for missions but it’s out of obligation  the passion is not there  yes the preaching is from the Bible, but there is no passion for discipleship  yes there are good people attending, but there is a lack of attention to detail  sensitivity to ongoing medieval issues, mental health concerns in the community, or linking up with other churches does not seem to happen  prayer concerns are documented as if on a clipboard, without genuine follow up to pray for new developments  new ideas are criticized  

The snubbing and deer in the head light looks are a mystery but I’ve grown weary. The hunkering down end game with a home school flag on the roof have bothered me. Yes the world is evil but God calls us to engage with non church goers, tone in positions of influence. 

Feeling marginalized and silenced is not healthy and anti Christian like. More than that is the insensitivity to those who have experienced trauma or health crises. Mocking medicine and science, aligning with a politician at the expense of the kingdom is not Biblical. 

Back to the Bible

Instead of standing passively by, we can be intentional! Here’s where we start. Look less at the people in the church and focus more on the real reason for being there. In Psalm 118:8 we are told that, “It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man.”

We go to church to worship Jesus Christ, not man. In Christ there is peace, not division. He has all the answers to our problems, not man. Being in fellowship together is the only way the principle of “iron sharpens iron” can work!

Here’s another important thing to consider. Jesus has placed us right here, right now, in 2023. He prepared each of us for this time and place to know and serve Him. In Matthew 4:19, Jesus promises, “Follow me and I will make you fishers of men.” Compare how the

Holman Christian Standard Bible puts it, “Come follow me! I will teach you how to catch people instead of fish.” To become fishers of people, we can’t be as effective as He wants by ourselves. We need the boat, the nets, and the crew to help. Outside of the community

that church provides, we lose all of those advantages! There is no way a loner can be as effective as a group working on the same task together.

Attentive 1

 Matthew 6:33 has been very impactful the last few weeks. By seeking His kingdom, I’m discovering His presence in so many ways, especially with Sandy’s medical issues and our frustrations with church issues. God’s nudge, promptings and thumps on the head have shown me that He knows fully and completely what we are experiencing. He has provided numerous friends to be so supportive and encouraging, especially with Sandy. You have been such a blessing to me, Nick, building momentum to continue seek g Him in all I do. Last Sunday, taking the courage to attend Kearney e- Free (the courage was not attending our old church) - two long time friends of Sandy’s were there to greet us. Their emotional support is huge for her. As Pastor Adrian said, we are known and fully loved. 

Daniel 2

 When the Scriptures state ‘Be holy’, it doesn’t say sort of holy, or be holy in specific situations. The command is not a suggestion.  I have had a hard time sallying this verse at times, thinking through all the ramifications  tough issues have arisen in work situations when asked to fudge on statistics, or when I wanted to present myself better than I should have. Daniel and friends demonstrated a resolve to be  the men God called them to be. They didn’t create a scene with being righteous in their behavior, they just did what was best in God’s eyes. They didn’t have a ‘I’ll be that guy someday’, but demonstrates right living in the moment. 

“Trusting God means thinking and acting according to God’s word in spite of circumstances, feelings, or consequences.”

— Warren W. Wiersbe

"Meaning and purpose in life do not have to be that difficult nor is it that hard when we take time to learn from those much wiser than we are." - Doug Shada

Daniel 1

 Just at the moment in my life when I think I’ve been trusting God, another dilemma or tempest shows up. Just when I think life rolling smoothly, detours and rough roads appear out of nowhere. Through each experience, I'm learning to answer God’s questions:  “Do you trust me?”  “Will you follow me?”  He has promised to NEVER leave us or forsake us, stated many times in the Scriptures. There is reason to remind us over and over. 

“In many cases, our need to wonder about or be told what God wants in a certain situation is nothing short of a clear indication of how little we are engaged in His work.” - Dallas Willard, Hearing God

"The idea that you can trust Christ and not intend to obey him is an illusion generated by the prevalence of an unbelieving 'Christian culture.'"

—Dallas Willard, 'Renewing the Christian Mind'

Trusting 22”

 God is all knowing. He knows us and He loves us beyond measure. This series has been so practical to me with a variety of issues, whether it is anxiety about medical issues, worry for the future, or regrets of the past. God is working all things out for His honor and glory, no matter what is happening. He is present in the here and now moment just as was in the beginning and will be in the end. 

”In many cases, our need to wonder about or be told what God wants in a certain situation is nothing short of a clear indication of how little we are engaged in His work.” - Dallas Willard, Hearing God