Spiritual Coffee

When I was a kid, I distinctly remember being told, “Steven, do not drink coffee because it will stunt your growth.”

It turns out that health tip is more fiction than fact. MSNBC.com says so. Teenhealthfx.com says so. Kidshealth.org says so. And we all know that the Internet never lies.

For years, I would not even touch the stuff out of fear of not growing and looking like a gnome. I had no clue if that saying is true. I did not research that advice before following it. (I did, however, end up 6’ without ever touching the stuff, so I thought it was true.) However, I cared enough to stay away from something that could potentially stunt my growth.

As I was thinking through this subject, I began to realize that people have been telling me for years to stay away from certain things that would stunt my spiritual growth – kind of like spiritual coffee. Sometimes I would listen to the advice. Other times I would ignore that advice and just try to get by on my own.

Have you been ever been there?

Let me share what I have found to be 3 spiritual coffees that will stunt your spiritual growth:

1. NOT COMMUNICATING WITH GOD. Would you ever be in a relationship with another person that you considered to be a strong relationship where you never talked or communicated with that person? Of course not! Realize that you are in a relationship with God – a real talking/listening relationship. A relationship requires communication to maintain health and stability. Talk to God. Read His Word. Communicate!

2. NOT BEING CONNECTED TO THE BODY. The church is often compared in the Bible to a body. The different people in the church are the body parts that work together in one unit. It is impossible for a part of the body to work and become what it should be apart from the body. You have something specific and unique to bring to the Body of Christ. Whether you are a arm, a nose, an eye, or toenail in the Body of Christ, the Body is not complete unless you are connected. However, the same applies with you. You cannot grow and become what God wants you to be unless you are connected to the Body. Connecting with people who share and encourage your faith is vital for growth. Get involved and stay connected!

3. BITTERNESS IN YOUR HEART. If you are unable to forgive other people or give second chances, you will stunt your own spiritual growth. Ephesians 4:31 (NIV) says to “get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.” Having a white-knuckled grip on bitterness, anger, and grudges limit our spiritual growth. We must get bitterness and anger out of our hearts and forgive others as Christ has forgive us.

What’s the spiritual coffee in your life that is stunting your spiritual growth?

May the Lord reveal those things to us today and give us the strength and the courage to initiate change in our lives today. Have a great day. Bless God!

The Rubik's Cube Gospel

I have distinct memories as a child of watching my father working on rubik’s cubes. Now for those of you who are part of the XBOX 360/Nintendo Wii generation, a rubik’s cube is a toy that is a mental puzzle. The challenge and objective of the rubik’s cube is to twist and turn the blocks around till each side of the cube is a solid color. Only when each side is a solid color at the same time is the puzzle completed.

My dad was incredible at the rubik’s cube. It is unbelievable. He must have had a class during college called “Rubik’s Cube 101″. Of course like most little boys, I wanted to be just like my Dad, so I naturally wanted to conquer the rubik’s cube.

I found out quickly that I was biting off more than I could chew. I found out that the rubik’s cube is really difficult. I was terrible at it. At times, I was luckily able to get one of the colors aligned just right, but every other side would be completely jacked up. So to fix the other sides, I would have to mess up the side I actually got right. On the other hand, I would be absolutely amazed at how easy and seemingly effortlessly my dad could master a rubik’s cube.

As I starting thinking more about my rubik’s cube experience more, I started realizing that the rubik’s cube had a lot of similarities to my walk with God.

How many of you can say that you have this whole “life-with-God-thing” completely figured out? I know I can’t. At times I feel like I cannot get anything right, much less understand the full complexity of God. As I have grown in my relationship with God, I feel like sometimes I have actually figured something out about life with God (like getting one side of the rubik’s cube correct), but everything else still seems to be unclear (the rest of the rubik’s cube is still wrong). And it seems to figure those things out, I have to break down what I feel like I do have a grasp on.

Does that make sense?

I wish that there was just one answer to the question: What is life with God all about? That would look like a rubik’s cube with only one color, but God (and the rubik’s cube) is not that easy.

The Charlie Hall song “One Thing” beautifully states, “All of life comes down to just one thing…and that’s to know you, Oh Jesus, and make you known.” I always found that song ironic because all of life comes down to one thing which is actually two things. But it makes sense! You cannot have one without the other. They go hand-in-hand.

I wanted to encourage you today as your grow in your relationship with God to not give up. Keep searching. Keep seeking. Always push yourself to keep growing. Know that it is a process and a journey, not a moment.

Remember what I did when I got frustrated and could not figure out the rubik’s cube? I gave it to my father and he was able to fix it for me. During times where you are struggling in your relationship with God, struggling in your faith, or struggling to keep going, when you want to put the rubik’s cube down in frustration, remember that your Heavenly Father is a master at the rubik’s cube.

hands held high...

“So Joshua fought the Amalekites as Moses had ordered, and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went to the top of the hill. As long as Moses help up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning. When Moses’ hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat upon it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up – one on one side, one on the other – so that his hands remained steady till sunset. So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the sword.” – Exodus 17:10-13

This portion of God’s Word has been on my heart a lot lately. I have been trying to fully wrap my mind around these words and see how it applies to you and me. Here is what I came up with:

We use all type of metaphor’s to describe our daily relationship with God. Some call it a journey. Some call it their spiritual walk. Others call it a spiritual rollercoaster.

My relationship with God can probably be more accurately described as a constant battle. A battle to choose to do the right things. A battle to choose selflessness over selfishness. A battle to pursue holiness in a world that does not value holiness. A battle to not define God by the people that say they follow him. A battle to endure life and the distractions of this world while maintaining your focus on God.

Like Exodus 17, I see my life in a constant battle. A battle between two worlds – the selfless, holy, God-following world vs the selfish, sinful, world-following world. Like any true battle, winning requires effort.

Moses had to keep his hands raised to win his battle. That may not sound like much but holding your hands in the air gets pretty difficult after a while. If you do not believe me, go ahead and hold your hands as high as you can for as long as you can. It starts to burn after a while. I can see why how over the course of a battle, Moses would get tired, give into gravity, and let his hands fall. When his hands were raised, they would be winning the battle. When he would get tired and his hands would fall, they would be losing the battle. Only after his friends were there to help consistently hold his hands high, could Moses keep his hands up.

I see the same cycle happening in my life. When I have energy, focus, and things going my way, I have my hands stretched towards heavenly in victory. However, when I am tired, weary, and burdened I go through hands-down stretches of defeat. Yet, I still go through the same cycle…good, bad, good, bad, hands up in victory, hands down in defeat, etc.

There has to be a way to be more consistent. Sometimes I am not strong enough. Sometimes I cannot do it on my own. Sometimes I do not have the strength to keep going. How do we keep our hands raised in victory when we grow weary and tired? According to Exodus 17, other believers are there to help us. People in your life that support you and want to see you win those spiritual battles should come beside you, hold you hands high, and help take you to victory.

Some of you reading this right now know exactly what I am saying. You have spent years going through the cycle of hands raised of victory and hands lowered in defeat. It is almost as if you have spiritual multiple personalities. You are craving spiritual consistency and consistent victories.

Others of you maybe right at the point of feeling tired. You have tried to endure, but your shoulders are burning. Maybe you are frustrated with the church and want to give up. Maybe you are frustrated in relationships and want to give up. Maybe you are tired of simply being tired.

Let me encourage you to find people in your life that will help hold your victorious hands high. Find those in your life that you trust and share your life. Tell them the specific areas of your life you need help. Tell them you are not strong enough to get through the battle alone. WARNING – this will require you to take off your Sunday suit/dress, be honest, and get real.

Others of you should be helping others more by being hand-lifters in other’s lives. You know people who are struggling to retain consistency in their spiritual walk. You see them go through the vicious cycle of inconsistency. WIll you care enough about those with their hands down in defeat to do something about it?

Are you tired? Do you need somebody to come alongside you and help hold your hands high? I know I sure do.

Thanks for reading.

Last Meal

I am wierd. I know it. I have accepted that fact.

To understand me better you must know that my mind is always going about any and everything. From the time I wake up to the time I enter a deep R.E.M. sleep, my mind is going one hundred miles per hour. Please do not misunderstand me, this does not mean that I am in a constant state of deep, important thought about pressing global issues and the theological mysteries of this world.

That being said, I was thinking this morning what it would like to be on death row. Now for the majority of the time, I think it would be an unpleasant experience. However, there I can think of a couple positives in the death row experience.

Being a pretty hardcore introvert (meaning I get my energy from times of being alone or with a small group of close friends, not that I do not like people), I think I would enjoy the time of quiet and solitude. I could probably some serious thinking and reading done during that time.

I also could see the LAST MEAL being an incredible experience. I think this is the one advantage death row people have over us non-death row people.

If you do not know what the death row last meal is, it is the last meal that inmates on death row get to pick everything they get to eat before they are executed. They get to hand pick everything without any rules or limitations. If they want breakfast food, they get it. A great steak from their favorite restaurant, they got it. Aside from the whole execution thing, not a bad way to go.

I started to think about what would be on the menu for my last meal. Here is what I came up with for my last meal:

1 bloomin onion from Outback steakhouse
2 tacos from Taquaria Los Gallos
pan seared pot stickers from costco (ling ling brand)
Caramel white mocha's from starbucks(notice the 's... more than one)
spider roll and spicy tuna roll from Yamamori sushi boat
fried catfish from texas roadhouse
couple pieces of my mothers meatloaf
2 scoups of watermelon sherbert from maryanns in santa cruz
IMPORTANT NOTE: this list is subject to change.

What about you? What would be on your last meal? Be specific. Meaning if you want Gatorade at your last meal, tell what specific flavor. If you want a nice steak, tell what restaurant or grill you want that steak to come from.

What would be on your last meal?

I Am Second Josh Hamilton

another reason to love Josh Hamilton

We are... Revolution

Rubbish

But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead. - Philippians 3: 7-11 (NIV)

I am fascinated by the word “rubbish” from this chunk of Scripture. Unless, you are British, you probably do not use that word in your day-to-day vocabulary. It is the Greek word “skubalon”. This is the only time in Scripture where that word is used. “Skubalon” literally translated means “$***” – a curse word that I probably should not use on my blog or in my regular vocabulary.

That’s a strong word used by one of the church’s greatest leaders in history. “Skubalon” is a word that would either perk you up and listen if you were zoning out the weekly sermon; it is a word that might cause you to blush if you heard it from your favorite preacher; and it is a word that could possibly offend you if your preacher used it from the pulpit.

I believe Paul is trying to prove a point by using such a strong word. I think he is yelling at the top of his lungs, “WAKE UP PEOPLE! GET SERIOUS! QUIT PLAYING AROUND! QUIT PLAYING CHURCH! AND UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS NOTHING MORE IMPORTANT AND PRECIOUS THAN KNOWING JESUS. EVERYTHING ELSE IS (BEEP)!”

Let me encourage you today…

Wake up! Get serious! Quit playing around! Quit playing church! And understand that there is nothing more important and precious than knowing Jesus. Everything else is…well…skubalon

thought-provoking quote

Listening to a podcast recently, I heard this quote:

“What you make optional in life, you will eventually stop doing.”

I have not been able to shake this quote since hearing it. It has me thinking. Over and over again I have been asking myself, “Is this quote true?”

After thinking long and hard about that question, I have come to believe that the answer is yes. Let’s think about this…

For example, let’s take a look at the half marathon im planning on running being in, in june 2011. As of today, I have been training for 3 weeks for this race. Because training has been optional, there have been times when I have made excuses to cut corners or simply stop running – a tight hamstring, no energy, not enough sleep, bad weather, stomach problems, etc. It has been a weekly battle to keep waking up and pounding the pavement. However, something changed last Friday… I officially registered for the marathon. Now training is not optional. I have broken down and paid the entrance fee and there is no turning back. When the alarm goes off that june morning for the dreaded 13.1-mile run, there is no doubt in my mind that I will be ready to run. It does not matter what the situation, I will running because now it is not optional.

Let’s take a look at another example…

What about church? Is church optional for you and your family? Being involved and working full-time for a church, I have seen many people where church is optional. When something is not easy or convenient - staff member change, leadership disagreement, a shift in direction of a ministry, etc – I have seen way too many people walk away from the church. It became optional. If church is optional for you, you will eventually stop going.

I hope you chew on this quote like I have. Test it. See for yourself if it is true. Tell me if you think it is wrong. Tell me why you think it is wrong. I would love to hear your thoughts on this…

“What you make optional in life, you will eventually stop doing.”

lessons from my first year in ministry

1. you will not please everyone, its nice to try but the reality is, someone will always complain.
2. people dont see what you do day in and day out so when they dont see results they think you are lazy, we are not.
3. getting into schools is alot harder than I ever thought it would be, you have to be creative to be able to walk on campus.
4. Always be ready to preach on sunday morning, you never know when your senior pastor might need you to do the morning message.
5. if your not growing spiritually you group will not either.
6. parents and leaders are your best asset and your worse asset. Use them the right way and your ministry will flourish.
7. Be organized, a youth pastor shuold be able to cast vision 3-6 months in advance, and plus it makes our jobs alot easier.
8. Preaching in series' is he best way to go, week to week makes for more work. A series gives you a direction of where you are going and helps your kids remember what they are learning.
9. sunday school is a great time to hang out with your students and just talk. Most Kids arent awake on sunday mornings so I found just talking to them and praying with them is the best use of time.
10. The best way to grow your ministry is by doing cheap monthly events.
11. Taking a sabbath is the best thing you can do. It not only rests your body but also your spirit. Taking a day where you do nothing seems crazy but in fact its worship to God. When you take a day and do nothing like God instructed you are telling God "I trust you, I trust that you will take care of me today".
12. Youth ministry is fun, hard work, rewarding, frustrating, crazy, and the greatest thing anyone can ever do. some nights you want to scream and quit, some night you want to jump and thank God... hopefully the latter happens more.
13. Music is the best way to invite the holy spirit into your ministry, students respond to music, more than anything, you need music to be successfull.
14. Be respectful but tell parents what you feel and the truth, sugar coating they have a demon for a child will do nothing for you, tell the parent but do it nicely.
15. Dont be afraid to discipline your youth, they will respect you for it after the fact, but it sucks when you have to do it.
16. energy, energy, energy.
17. Integrity of the ministry is way more important than numbers.
18. Your students will replicate who you are, if you are a worshipper they will be as well, what are you wanting your kids to replicate?
19. Caffiene is your best friend
20. 15 hour lock ins are the devil
21. serve your pastor like you want your leaders to serve you
22. time with your students outside of the midweek service is the most important time you have spend with them, and you grow with them
23. you may not always be right and you may make mistakes but be willing to learn from them.
24. Put a leadership team around you who is experienced, they will greatly help you when you make mistakes.
25. your youth ministry vision should help your pastors vision, if it isnt you need to go.

thoughts on steelers vs ravens

Pittsburgh 14 Baltimore 17.

- our Defense is probably the best in football, its certainly the best I have ever seen them play.
- Coach Tomlin should have trusted his Defense more, Pittsburgh was up by 4 with 1:20 left with a 4th and 10 on thier own 2. I would have taken the safety and kicked off, sure you set up a field goal to win it, but when your D is playing that well, its a gamble I would take.
- 3-1 going into the bye week is way more than any steelers fan much less football fan would have predicted without Ben Roethlisberger.
- with Ben coming back after the bye week this team is much more dangerous.
- cleveland and baltimore are non factors in this division, which means next games vs Baltimore is that much more important to the steelers division title hopes.

How I would fix the Dodgers

so Ill start this out by stating who will be on the team next year:

Andre Ethier
Matt Kemp
Rafael Furcal
James Loney
Casey Blake
Chad Billingsley
Clayton Kershaw
Hong Chi Kuo
Jonathan Broxton
Jamey Carrol
Ronald Belisario
Kenley Jansen
Jay Gibbons
AJ Ellis

non tenders:
Russell Martin
Ryan Theriot
George Sherrill
Ramon Troncoso

Free agents:

Ted Lilly
Hiroki Kuroda
Vicente Padilla
Jeff Weaver
Brad Ausmus
Rod Barajas
Reed Johnson
Scott Podsednick

that being said I would resign Ted Lilly as long as its no longer than 3 years, you dont want to sign a guy who will be 35 to a long term contract, sign jeremy Bonderman to be the 4th starter. For the fifth starter I would open up a competition in spring training to John ely, Jon link and maybe somebody else.

Bing back Rod Barajas, AJ Ellis as back up. Sign George Cantu to play third, make casey blake a back-up third base and first baseman. Sign Carlos Pena and trade James loney and Jon broxton to the cardinals for Colby Rasmus

Sign Jason Kubel to play left field with Jay gibbons already the back up corner outfield.

sign some new bullpen guys, and make the new closer a mix of Kenley Jansen and Hong Chi Kuo.

here is what the team looks like now under my proposed plan:

C- Rod Barajas
1b- Carlos Pena
2b- Colby Rasmus
3b- George Cantu
SS- Rafael Furcal
LF- Jason Kubel
CF- Matt Kemp
RF- Andre Ethier

SP1- Clayton Kershaw
SP2- Chad Billingsley
SP3- Ted Lilly
SP4- Jeremy Bonderman
Sp5- Ely, Link, someone else

bench:

MI- Jamey carrol
CI- Casey Blake
OF- Jay Gibbons
C- AJ Ellis
OF- Reed Johnson

Bullpen:

RP- Ronald Belisario
RP- Chad durbin
RP- loser of link and ely competition
RP- matt Guirrer
RP- Ramon Troncoso
RP- Hong Chi Kuo
CP- Kenley Jansen


I still think this is a 3rd place team in the west, but this is a realistic evaluation of what the team could look like. the payroll in my proposed plan would be around 80-85 million. Then again with this team it will probaly keep broxton, theriot and podsednick...


SELL THE TEAM