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Hi, my name is Danny and I’m addicted to Facebook

January 20, 2012 in Personal with 9 Comments

 

There.

I said it. I’m addicted.

Not the kind of addiction where I’m actually engaging the friends I have. But the kind of addiction that sends you to the fridge every 5 minutes after 9 o’clock hoping something miraculously appeared since the last time you checked. Truth is, all you find is crap that’s no good for you anyway, but since you’re there you grab some Snickers and the last roll of Girl Scout Thin Mint cookies that you’ve been hoarding and eat that junk like there’s no tomorrow.

And I’m not better for it. By the time I go to bed I feel like an 8 year old that just went trick or treating at the rich golf club with no adult supervision to stop the candy binge.

Maybe for now I have the metabolism to handle that. But here’s what I don’t have…

I don’t have the spiritual life that mirrors my freaking “bumper sticker Christianity” status updates.
What I have is the crazy sense of needing approval and I’ll check Facebook a thousand times after posting something to see how many “likes” I get.

I don’t have the compassion that I should have for others after spending time reading 200 people talk about their day.
What I have do have is a growing impatience for God’s people. And all of sudden the things that break your heart no longer matter to me. The overload of info caused me to stop caring.

I certainly don’t have deep relationships with the majority of my Facebook friends, and when I comment on something that you posted
..it’s more than likely so the rest of my friends can see that I’m exercising some form of 21st century “ministerial care.”

This is what hit me: For the Christian, social media shouldn’t be about “you.” It shouldn’t be about how many friends you have or how many people follow you on Twitter. Rather, for us, social media should be a way that we cultivate more meaningful relationships during the times we aren’t together in a building or formal group.

What do you think? How can we use the gift of social media to establish stronger faith communities?

 

 

Only Jesus

January 17, 2012 in Church, Crossroads Church, Personal with 0 Comments

I’m a wreck. A complete mess. At times a deprave sinner, and at times a sincere follower of Christ.

I’m not there yet.

Sometimes that gets the best of me, and I fall apart wondering why God would choose to use me for the proclamation of good news. How could someone as jacked up as I am, possibly serve any purpose in the advancement of the Kingdom? And at the basis of all that, how could He even love me?

Here’s what I’m coming to learn and appreciate -

The Gospel is not about me or you. It’s not about us, because it’s for us. It’s not about our strengths or our weaknesses. It’s about Jesus. Only Jesus.

So, the next time you fail or the next time you do something great, do not focus on yourself.

Focus on Jesus.

When your eyes are fixed on Him, you’ll forget about you.

Digging into the Bible in 2012

December 29, 2011 in Crossroads Church, Family, Personal with 10 Comments

 

It is once again Resolution time. You know how it goes, over the past few days, maybe weeks, we’ve been determining goals that we hope to accomplish in the coming year. Sometimes we are successful at keeping them, while other times we never even make it out of the start gate.

May I suggest something for you to resolve to do this year?

The coming of the New Year is a great time to determine to read through the entire Bible. I’m not talking about reading through a plan in order to check off the block everyday. Rather, I’m speaking of reading with purpose and with intent to know God and His Word more.

Justin Taylor over at the Gospel Coalition has put together a great list of yearly reading plans along with some information on the importance of reading with a plan. 

Additionally, YouVersion has some excellent reading plans.

I’m committing to the M’Cheyne One-Year Reading Plan. Mainly because it greatly adaptable to a family devotional setting.

So, what do you say? Who wants to pick a plan and hold each other accountable to the task at hand?

Our Worst Adversary

August 31, 2011 in Church, Hell, Personal, Uncategorized with 0 Comments

He will deceive you and try to destroy you.
Do not underestimate him.

But ultimately, he’s no match for Jesus.
The Cross lays waste to our adversary.

Fight against him.
Until God destroys him.

Happy Anniversary

June 30, 2011 in Personal with 0 Comments

This is my beautiful bride. God saw fit to place her by my side and every day I’m thankful for that. She has taught me a lot. She makes me desire to be a better husband and dad. She challenges me to be a better pastor.

I do not lord over her; I love her.

I do not command her; I commit to her.

I do not use her; I appreciate her.

I’m learning every day that it’s as much about me submitting to her as it is her submitting to me; and us both submitting to Christ.

Happy Anniversary, Jessie. I love you.

“Submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.” Ephesians 5:21

The Death of the Wicked.

May 3, 2011 in America, Crossroads Church, Personal with 1 Comment

The man responsible for leading a terrorist organization has been killed. Osama Bin Laden is dead; that’s what the headline proclaimed. With that declaration came a flurry of response. Some were ecstatic and joyful, while others were contemplative and somber. It wasn’t long before my Facebook feed lit up with the response from Christians here in America.

Admittedly, being a Christian in America places us in a conundrum. On one hand, we can finally see some glimpse to the end of this terribly long and deadly war. On the other, we carry a message of Jesus and redemption; a message that is to all men. The one question raging through my head Sunday night was, “what does the Christian do with the death of the wicked?” Let’s be real. We can’t talk about the death of Bin Laden with out, by default, bringing into the conversation everyone who has died with out Jesus.

“Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is min, I will repay, says the Lord” -Romans 12:19

“Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles.”-Proverbs 24:17

“When justice is done, it is a joy to the righteous.” -Proverbs 21:15

“When is goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices, and when the wicked perish there are shouts of gladness.” -Proverbs 11:10

Scripture seems to be clear that we are not to gloat, boast or brag in the death of our enemies. And yet, there seems to be some sense of release to be felt by the righteous when justice has come. It’s OK to experience peace now. It’s OK to find some sense of closure in all of this.

If we are going to be honest with ourselves we need to acknowledge that if it was any other wicked man, some of us wouldn’t have responded the way we did. Paul in his letter to the Ephesians said we were, “by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.” We all deserve God’s wrath. No matter how decent we think we manage to live. In a warped sense of self-righteousness we forget the sins that we have committed, individually and as a nation.

A good friend said this morning. “Noah wasn’t doing the happy dance on the ark while people died around him.”

What if the news were different? What if the headline read, “We have found Bin Laden, he repented, and has surrendered his life to Jesus.” How would we have responded to that?

Today, don’t celebrate that a man is dead; celebrate that Jesus is alive. Don’t rejoice in some false sense of security found by military battles. Rejoice that the ultimate battle for our soul has been fought and Jesus declared the victor.

What do you think…how should the Christian respond?

Update:
I’m sure my community of faith, Crossroads Church, already more than knows this about me, but to remove any doubt; this isn’t a rant against our military or the soldiers and their families that I daily minister to. Truth be told, I’m unworthy of shouldering the mantle of being your pastor. I’m deeply grateful and overwhelmingly proud of you for fighting for my freedom and rights. It is a great joy to be your pastor.

Joy in Conviction

January 16, 2011 in Bible, Crossroads Church, Personal with 2 Comments

“And do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” Nehemiah 8:10

The closer we get to God, the clearer we see ourselves. That was the response of the Israelites after Ezra had read to them the Book of the Law. They feel upon their faces in worship and then were utterly grieved by the reality of their sin.

Here’s the catch. Nehemiah and Ezra commanded the people, “Do not mourn or weep.” The instruction was for them to find joy among their conviction. To realize that by focusing on all of their wrong, they were losing sight of God. And after the recent success of re-building the wall of Jerusalem, now was a time for celebration. A time for rejoicing!

Fact: It’s incredibly easy to live in a way that we are overcome by the reality of our sin.

Truth: In that moment, “The joy of the Lord is your strength.”

It’s beneficial to realize that we DO sin. But, it is burden lifting to realize that there is a redeemer named Jesus who came to set us free.

What about you? How you find joy in the moment of conviction?

Great AND Awesome

December 7, 2010 in Crossroads Church, Personal with 1 Comment

“Remember the Lord who is great and awesome…” Nehemiah 4:14b

If I’m guilty of saying one thing too often it’s, “We have forgotten who are God is.” Well that and, “Are you tracking with me?” But who’s counting?

Fact: We serve a powerful and mighty God.
Fact: That same God loves us passionately and desires to do amazing things, through us, to bring glory to His name.

It’s time for you to stop acting like your life has failed and start remembering who your God is. He isn’t some celestial being disconnected from reality laughing as your life spirals out of control. No. He’s the all-powerful AND all-loving author of your existence. You really can turn to Him, and He really will do awesome things for you. The scripture doesn’t promise us some joyride of lollipops and gumdrops. If that was the case a lot more people would sign up. Life will be filled with disappointment and sorrow. But rest assured, our God is, “great and awesome.”

When life gets frustrating, go ahead and struggle. Wrestle. Cry. But always remember. Always remember who your God is.

How do you actively work on remember the Lord?

Let us Love

November 12, 2010 in Church, Personal with 0 Comments

“Every breath brings a chance for redemption
If somehow we could wake up!”

One of the truths that always humbles me, is that we are living in a world that is dying and yet God has this amazing redemptive plan. It’s easy sometimes to live with an escapist mentality and always long for the eternal without living now. So amidst the sorrow and the pain. Among the tears and the death. While hoping and anxiously anticipating the day that we meet our Savior…

Let us love.

God will redeem His people. He will redeem His creation. Everything will be made new. But until then…

Let us love.

A world is waiting.

This Post is for You

October 22, 2010 in Crossroads Church, Personal, Project Awaken with 1 Comment

This one is for the one who is currently suffering.
This one is for the one who is shouting with joy.
For the one who will cry themselves to sleep tonight.
And for the one who will rest in sweet slumber.

This is for the one who has poured out so much and is ready to give up.
This is for the one who knows their labor is not in vain.
For the one who wrestles in their understanding.
And for the one who stands firm upon the unchanging word of God.

To all of you. No matter who, or where you are. It makes no difference rather it is a molehill or a mountain. Or your making of a molehill into a mountain. To those whose faith is shaken. And to those whose belief has never been stronger.

To you…

“The Lord reigns, let the earth rejoice; let the many coastlands be glad!
Clouds and thick darkness are all around him; righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.
Fire goes before him and burns up his adversaries all around.
His lightnings light up the world; the earth sees and trembles.
The mountains melt like wax before the Lord, before the Lord of all the earth.

The heavens proclaim his righteousness, and all the peoples see his glory.
All worshipers of images are put to shame, who make their boast in worthless idols; worship him, all you gods!

Zion hears and is glad, and the daughters of Judah rejoice, because of your judgments, O Lord.
For you, O Lord, are most high over all the earth; you are exalted far above all gods.

O you who love the Lord, hate evil! He preserves the lives of his saints; he delivers them from the hand of the wicked.
Light is sown for the righteous, and joy for the upright in heart.
Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous, and give thanks to his holy name!”

97th Psalm

All of you remember. Our. God. Reigns.

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