BRCC has a missions trip to NYC in August (4th-10th).  The trip requires that someone does a "previsit."  The purpose of the previsit is to get  to know the leaders of the organization and where we will be serving.  The previsit responsibility fell to me today and tomorrow :)

I took the bus down to NYC and was required to take the subway around to my locations - hotel, missions site, restaurant, etc.  For those of you who have been to NYC you know that the subway system is absolutely maddening when you're not used to it.  It's fair to say with all my travel in Boston that I've become comfortable with the Boston system.  The problem is that the NYC system is like 10 times as big!  I spent most of my day (and I assume the rest of the day today) with full on anxiety on where I needed to go and how to get there (I already have high anxiety, so my heart was pounding pretty hard).  Sometimes the travel seemed impossible and I always seemed lost.

When I finally got to the hotel I did some Bible reading (before I turned on ESPN :).  While I read it occurred to me that while I might feel lost in the subway system and have anxiety in where to go, in my life with God I always know where I'm going and the directions are always clear.  The Bible, the community, and the Holy Spirit are always guiding me - so no need for anxiety.  God doesn't send mixed signals about our faith and His own nature.  The Bible is clear to the purpose and goal of our lives - put our faith and trust in Him and then to glorify Him.

So pray for me today - its going to be challenging to get around, but I got a guidebook for the rest of my life!

As Christians we go through life pretty much like everyone else most of the time:

- We watch the same TV shows
- We see the same movies
- We listen to the same music
- We wear the same clothes

And the fact of the matter is that most of the time we are ignoring or blowing of the fact that we are called people of God.  

We are called to be different.  The call is not based on the premise that we are better than everyone else.  Actually quite the opposite, we are called to be different and be everyone else's servant. The New Testament is ripe with references to those who have put their faith in Christ as the called out people of God.  My favorite is 2 Peter 2:9  - "But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light."

As Christians we have been called out of darkness into light - we are God's people. Being God's people means that we are living in the light and avoiding things that leads us away from God to the darkness.  We are to live differently.  Firstly, we are to be aware and consider at ever step if our actions or our predilections will be proper for one who is a child of God:  The movie we're watching that contains questionable material (say nude scenes), the TV show that doesn't have an explicit sex scene but does have one that is highly suggested to the viewer - these are just a few.  I know what will be said, "Steve - it sounds like your judging those who do this or that."  No, no - I'm addressing CHRISTIANS who have already said they are believers in Christ and a called out person of God.  I'm saying you can't be one thing and do another - it doesn't work.

You can't serve two master - you have to choose one and reject the other.

What does it mean to you to be a called out person of God?

Light and Darkness, Sin and Forgiveness

"5 This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. 6 If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. 8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us."

Is there anything worse than stubbing your toe in the dark.  The event is painful and somewhat embarrassing!  The problem with the dark is obvious you can't see anything , you can't find your way around, and eventually pain can come.  When we turn on the light our eyes adjust and we can see everything for what it is, find our way around, and do what we need to do.

Light is important - light is essential.

1 John (read above) teaches us that if we have placed our faith and trust in Jesus Christ we are walking in the light and everything that we need to see is available to us.  Walking in the light means dependence on Him and constant acknowledging our sin as we depend on Him more.  Walking in the dark means that we are not acknowledging our sin and our dependance on God.  We are depending on ourselves and not on Christ.  In this scenario, we are constantly lost and not knowing which way to go.  Further, we are a danger to others as we can bump into them!  On a more serious note, darkness brings only more darkness.  The ultimate darkness is spending eternity away from God.

Walk in the light today

What we are designed to do is this - love God with your hearth soul and mind, and love your neighbor as yourself.  The reality is that we all fail at doing this completely and wholly.  The truth is, no matter how hard we try, we are going to fail at completely fulfilling this command - the greatest of commandments.  As we are growing Christians, we shoot for this, but we come up short.

When we come up short we often feel guilty and lost.

Also, we all desire to have new beginnings.  God has build the longing in us to get another chance when we have made a mistake.  Lamentations 3:22-23 says "The Lord's loving-kindnesses indeed never cease, for His compassions never fail.  They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness."  Every morning, despite what yesterday looked like, God is there with His faithfulness and law, giving us a new opportunity to love Him.  In effect, God gives us a mulligan - a second chance.  All throughout the OT, God gives the Israelites second chances at loving and obeying Him.  In contrast to their faithlessness, God's faithfulness to the Israelites set the tone for their relationship to God.  God didn't just ignore their behavior; He punished them harshly many times.  Despite this punishment, God gives them more chances to love Him.

Take a mulligan today, take the new start that God offers you today!

One man come in the name of love 
One man come and go 
One come he to justify 
One man to overthrow 

In the name of love 
What more in the name of love 
In the name of love 
What more in the name of love 

One man caught on a barbed wire fence 
One man he resist 
One man washed on an empty beach. 
One man betrayed with a kiss 

In the name of love 
What more in the name of love 
In the name of love 
What more in the name of love 

Early morning, April 4 
Shot rings out in the Memphis sky 
Free at last, they took your life 
They could not take your pride 

In the name of love 
What more in the name of love 
In the name of love 
What more in the name of love 
In the name of love 
What more in the name of love... 

U2 - In The Name of Love

Most of the time we view obedience to God as a drudge or boring job.  Obedience is something we swallow as a bitter pill.  Most of the time this is because we don't know what is at stake when we obey or disobey.

One of the things that I firmly believe is that each and every person who is on their walk of faith needs resources.    Resources help you to grow in your faith and gives your tools when you are challenged in your  faith.  Today I want to give you some great web resources that will help you in your walk.  You can click on any link and it will open in a new window.  

I really hope you will click on some links and allow them to grow you!

www.youversion.com - online Bible, read even on lunch :)
www.conversantlife.com - great discussion of faith, art, life, and religion.
www.christianbook.com - great web site for all kinds of Christian resources.  IF you want to buy a book, get a gift, etc. 
www.biblestudytools.com - this is really helpful site that is not only a Bible tool, but       
                                                                                 also commentaries, dictionaries, and encyclopedias.
                                                                                 www.bible-reading.com - if you want a guide to reading the Bible, this site is for you!

That's it for today's resources - take advantage of them!

Great book – get it. Awakening the quieter virtues. Some quotes to convince me and you.


“Discernment is the child of prudence, or wisdom. Before we make the outer choice that might reveal our wisdom, we make an inner choice about what is ‘life’ and what is ‘death.’ “

” . . . discernment involves disciplining ourselves toward more life-nurturing choices.”

We all know what “muzak” is – its that music that we hear in elevators and at the grocery store just to keep our mind occupied. There is a great word relative to discernment – its choozak. Choozak is the problem we face when we are unable to distinguish important decisions from less important decisions. Like muzak, we get a imitation vs. the real thing. We are so inundated with little and frankly mundane decision that we become incapable of making the most important or big decisions. Why? Because we are trained to have to make decisions fast and on a miniscule amount of information.

To make big decisions that matter we need to develop discernment – we need to be able to discern between wasting time on little insignificant decisions and develop the ability to know what big decisions are and be equipped to make them.

Get equipped.

There are a lot of thing that help us in our Christian walk.  Some things are easier than other.  As pastor of BRCC I'm interested in what people find the hardest to do in their spiritual life.  Perhaps once I know what the hardest things are, the church can help equip you to do these things better.

Take a second and take the poll below and let me know what the hardest thing for you is!