The Easter Play

I am continually impressed by the people of this church. It amazes me the effort that people put into the play this year...and what a success it was as a result!

A big thank you to everyone involved. From actors, to set crews, to people who prepared food...it was well-done. Thanks!

The Funny Thing About the Easter Play

This year's Easter Play is less than 72 hours away. The set is almost finished. All the props are collected. We have one more rehearsal. It's almost show time!

If you haven't seen the play in rehearsal, I don't want to ruin it for you, so let me say this much: It's realistic.

It is about a pastor who is trying to make the Easter story come to life. I can tell it was written by my wife.

She knows that my heart is to see people experience the radical transforming love of Christ. It's something I struggle to put into words every single week.

So if you see the play, remember: It's real.

Brett Favre's Retirement

Almost everyone who sees me is asking what I think about Brett Favre's retirement. They wonder if I am in mourning, or whether I think that the Packers have a chance next year. Here are my thoughts:

• For the last 5 years Vikings fans have been telling me that Favre is a washed-up has-been. So why do they think the Pack will be worse off without him?
• Was that a collective sigh of relief I heard from the defenses of 29 NFL teams?
• Or was that a gasp...about thinking that they are going to have to trash all of their Packer game films...and that they have no idea what the Packers are going to do next year? It's hard to play defense when you don't have a clue.
  
• Consider this: Brett Favre has started every game for the Packers since my oldest son was born. He is a junior in high school. Brett Favre has been playing quarterback for the Pack since some of his teammates were in kindergarten.
• What do Kurt Warner and Matt Hasselback have in common? Oh, yeah, they were Favre's understudies with the Packers. Aaron Rodgers is going to be just fine. So will the Pack.
• The Packers almost went to the Super Bowl last year because of coaching. That's right, coaching. The Packers looked at what they had and put together a creative and innovative scheme that tore up the NFL. I'm sure that McCarthy and company will do the same this year. In fact, I'm sure they already have a plan in place.
• The Packers are going to be better next year than they were this year. I predict a 1st place finish in the NFC North. After all, look who the other teams in the division are!

Here's an interesting item of trivia for you to research: What is the one NFL team that Brett Farve has never beat?

Leave a comment if you know, otherwise I'll tell you all on Sunday.

Keeping the Morning Watch

Many years ago someone coined the term “Morning Watch” to refer to the practice of spending the first thirty minutes of the day seeking God. While I dislike the idea of legalistically saying, “every ‘real’ Christian keeps the morning watch,” I recommend the practice because spending time with God is an important part of growing in your relationship with Him and doing it first thing in the morning is a great way to orient your entire day towards God’s purposes for you.

There are three main components to the morning watch.

First, take time to focus your thoughts on the Lord. Thank Him for the new day and the joys and challenges that it will bring. Devote yourself to Him and tell Him that you are going to follow Him. Tell Him why you are going to follow Him. Spend time enjoying his presence.

Second, read a portion of the Bible. Ask the Lord to speak to you as you read. It is usually best to read in a systematic fashion, but the goal is not to “finish the Bible in a year” or to “read a chapter a day.” Instead, read until the Holy Spirit begins to show you something in the Word, then stop and listen. What is God saying to you? Is there a promise to claim? A command to obey? An aspect of His character to worship? A sin to confess? Respond to the Lord appropriately.

Third, hold up your concerns for the day to the Lord. Ask him for wisdom and direction as you go about your day. Ask him to provide for your needs. Ask Him to bless friends and family members. Hold up difficult relationships and ask him to help you navigate your way through them.

Finally, thank him again for the wonderful day that he has in store for you, whatever it might bring!

The Lost Coin

Do you remember finding a penny when you were little? Maybe it was on the sidewalk or in the parking lot. It was your lucky day!

Here's a quick question: Do you still stop for pennies? If you were heading into the grocery store and saw a penny on the ground, would you pick it up? If not a penny, how about a nickel? A dime? A quarter?

What is the value of stopping and reaching to the ground to pick something up?

I ask this because yesterday I noticed a penny on the ground and I walked right by. I'm not sure why. Perhaps I was in a hurry. Or maybe it was too much of a bother. Or maybe it was dirty and would make a mess. Or maybe it seemed a little foolish to get excited over a mere penny.

I really didn't think about it until this morning when I had my devotions and read Luke 15. In this chapter Jesus tells several parables about the heart of God. He talks about the shepherd with 100 sheep who discovers one is missing. He sets out on a long search for that sheep and won't rest until he finds it. He tells the story of the woman who lost a coin and turns the house upside down looking for it. He tells the parable of the "Prodigal Son," which is really about the son who stayed home and didn't share the father's joy at the return of the prodigal.

It made me stop to wonder if I treat people like I do the penny in parking lot. Do I realize the value of the people? Do I stop to consider that the person that I am sitting next to at a basketball game is one for whom Christ died? Or that the clerk at the store is precious to Him?

Do I take the time to stop and demonstrate how important each person is?

Or am I in too much of a hurry? Or is it too much of a bother? Or do I think I might get dirty? Or do I think I would appear foolish?

There is greater joy in heaven over one who repents than ninety-nine who need no repentance.

A Fun Sunday Afternoon

Sunday afternoon was a blast! First, we joined almost everyone who was at the Sunday service in taking a tour of the new building. Because of the cold weather, the company's construction crews have been busy working inside in our building. Most of the walls are framed in and it was easy to see what the building was going to look like. I even put a board across the joists of the platform to get a feel for what it is going to be like. People had tons of questions and were looking for things that they could do to help. It's easy to believe that in a few weeks the project will be done to the point of our being able to move in. I'm looking forward to it!

Even more fun was going to the DQ afterwards (could this become a weekly after church event?). I got a chance to talk to the two people who are heading up our youth ministry. All I can say is, "Wow!" We've gone from four or five kids a few years ago to thirty. It was great to hear the stories of God's work in people's lives and to have the chance to have their enthusiasm rub off on me.

After a few minutes at home I went back to church to sit in on our deaconate meeting. This is an incredible group that is trying to figure out how we can do a better job of caring for people. They are so eager to be the hands and feet of Jesus that it really inspires me.

What a great day!

The Ship is Leaving Port!

My meetings are still going on, but I can tell that the ship is not only moving, but it is leaving port!

I am amazed at the people that are rising to the surface and taking on leadership responsibilities. It looks like in many ways the hardest part of the whole process is going to by my "letting go" and allowing others to run with their ministries. Duct tape may be involved here.

Actually, I enjoy watching other people "make it happen" because I know the sense of satisfaction that they are going to derive from allowing God to use them. Being a Christian is not a spectator sport. It involves following Christ and becoming involved in what he is doing. Helping other people step into ministry is an awesome thing to watch.

Last night the Trustees met. After getting the ball rolling, I left the meeting and allowed them to sort out themselves how they wanted to tackle their ministry. After waiting around a while I looked in to see how they were doing and saw that they were praying. I thought that was terrific. We have a bunch of guys on the Trustees who are seeking God for how to do their ministry.

We're leaving port and heading for open waters!

The Ship is Moving!

One of the goals this year is to work on the organizational structure of the church. To make that happen right now means a bunch of meetings for me, which is okay because it is going to get us where we need to go. The best part about these meetings is that they are with people that I enjoy being around and working with. What a great bunch of people God has put together!

Sunday we had a board meeting and tonight night we had an organizational meeting for the deacons and deaconesses. There was a wonderful spirit of cooperation at these meetings and a leader arose for each of these groups. That has been a real matter of prayer for me. The next step of growth for our church is to see strong leaders assume responsibility for much of the ministry that takes place, which will allow me to focus on the Word of God and prayer. Sounds alot like a New Testament church to me!

One person who had been with me at both meetings said, "The ship is moving, and once it's underway it is much easier to steer!" Amen!

Your Kingdom Come

This afternoon I spent some time in prayer. I usually use the Lord's Prayer to lend a structure to my prayer times. Today as I prayed "your kingdom come" I spent time submitting myself to His Lordship in my life, but then I began to think about what that meant to me. I recognized that I saw that primarily as a "limiting" thing: I would submit to the circumstances he led me into, that I would avoid sin, that I would seek to obey him, etc.

But what if it means something else? What if submitting to His Lordship also means living in anticipation of what He is going to do? What if submitting to His Lordship means that it is possible to walk on the water? What if submitting to His Lordship means stepping out in faith and seeing Him do miracles? What if submitting to His Lordship means living a "march to the sea and it divides" lifestyle?

In that case, submitting to His Lordship isn't limiting, but launching. It isn't kneeling, but jumping. It isn't silence, but singing.

I actually think that it is both limiting and launching because following Him means releasing our dreams for his and embarking on the greatest adventure of life.

Crazy January Days

I chuckled when I noticed that my last blog entry was about a "Sermonless Sunday". That was two weeks ago. Since then I've been so busy that I haven't had a chance to check my email much less sit down and blog about something. There have been a few issues that have demanded a lot of my time and countless hours on the phone sorting through decisions that needed to be made.

Looking back on things, I realize now that some of it was poor planning on my part, but mostly is was the simple difficulty of decision-making in a church. In the business world it is fairly easy to call a meeting and get everyone around a table to discuss something. If more information is needed then someone is assigned to gather it and the meeting is adjorned for a few hours and then everyone gets back together again. Decisions can be reached fairly quickly and everyone involved hears everything.

In a church setting like our where people travel for miles to get to church it is more difficult to gather people for a meeting. Sometimes that means trying to reach a decision through phone calls rather than face-to-face meetings. Trying to reach consensus about something by means of a dozen phone calls back and forth takes time and energy, particularly if you find yourself at the hub of all of the activity. What could take two or three thirty minute meetings in the business world winds up being several hours of phone calls stretched over a couple of days. It carries with it the danger of someone being out of the loop or misunderstood. Its the nature of the process can sometimes be the stressful for me rather than the actual "issues" involved.

Sometimes during periods like this I can lose perspective. I was reminded of this during my devotional time yesterday. I was reading Luke 8:22-25. Jesus told his disciples that they were going to go to the other side of the lake. He then climbed in the boat and promptly fell asleep. As they were crossing, a squall came down the lake. Water was pouring in the boat and the disciples, some whom were professional fishermen, were terrified that they were going to capsize. They woke Jesus up. Jesus stood up, told the wind to die down, and then asked them where their faith was.

It suddenly dawned on me that the disciples were placing their confidence in their apparent circumstances rather than in God. Think about it. The creator of the universe had just told them that they were going to the other side of the lake. He was with them in the boat. What was going to keep that from happening? A squall? I don't think so!

It's a good thing to remember when things get crazy hard. If you are following God you can be certain that you will reach your destination, even if an occassional squall comes up. In fact, it is seeing the power of God in the midst of the squall that fills us with awe and wonder about this Jesus that we are following.

A Sermonless Sunday

Almost every week of the year I spend a great deal of my time preparing a sermon. This week Tim Maki will be preaching and sharing his vision of a new church in Hibbing. So what do I do on weeks that I am not preaching? Is it a vacation week?

No.

A week that I am not preaching is a refreshing break from the routine. That's something we all need. I wouldn't call it a vacation though. I use my time to try to catch up on things that have been neglected and to try to get a head start on the coming weeks. Right now that means getting ready for Vision Day and the Annual Meeting. It also seems like the weeks that I don't preach wind up being busy with counseling and family obligations.

One thing I've noticed this week is that I find myself praying for Tim pretty regularly, but praying for myself even more. I am praying that Tim has a keen sense of what he is supposed to share on Sunday and that he is truly led by the Spirit.

One reason I'm blogging about this is that I want to encourage us to pray along the same lines every week. I know that I can tell when people are praying for me during the week as I prepare for Sunday morning. I covet people praying for me!

I have also been praying for myself, that I might really hear what God wants to say to me this Sunday. I have to confess that before I became a pastor there were many Sundays that I didn't really listen. My focus was on other things. I think I probably missed alot. So I'm praying for myself, that I would be open to what God wants to say to me. Perhaps that will be the key thought of the sermon, but it could be found in a song we sing, a prayer that's prayed or comment from a friend. Whatever it is, I believe that God wants to speak to me.

The other reason I'm blogging about a Sermonless Sunday is that I want to encourage us to pray for ourselves and one another that we would have a hunger for what God wants to say to us each week. Let's arrive hungry and leave filled to overflowing with something to share!

An Uncomfortable Day in the Hometown

I was reading Luke 4:14-30 and as I pictured the scene playing out in my imagination, there came to be some real challenges for me personally. I'd like to share them with you.

Jesus was a young man of about thirty when he returned to his hometown of Nazareth. His reputation as a preacher preceded him and the synagogue was filled with family, friends and the influential people of Nazareth that day. A hush fell over the crowd as his finger ran down the ancient, hand-copied scroll, finally resting in Isaiah 61. In a calm, clear and firm voice Jesus read the words of the prophet written many years before:

The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.

Here is where I encountered my first uncomfortable moment. As a product of upper-middle class suburbia the poor, the prisoners, the blind and the oppressed were things I read about in the textbooks and drove past if I had to go through the city to get to the suburbs on the other side. They were people to be avoided. People created the suburbs to insulate themselves from the problems of poverty and oppression. Yet here is my Lord saying that these were the very people that He had come for. I thought of the U.S. Representative I saw last night on CSpan as he talked about the community he represented in Chicago. It was a poor community totally unlike the one I grew up in. It was a community that struggled with poverty, but it was a community that he loved and was working to help. I had to admit that Jesus would have been at home there. Would I?

As I thought about this I realized that part of my fear, if you can call it that, is that I will be overwhelmed with the problems of other people. How do you help the single mom that barely graduated from high school that is struggling to raise a family? What about the unemployed worker with a bad back that has been self-medicating with alcohol? As I prayed the Lord showed me that I am not the answer. He is. I can build relationships, point people to Him and work for justice in our region. He will do the rest. Isn't that what the Holy Spirit said through Micah?

Every eye was focused on Jesus. Jesus was silent for a moment, allowing the suspense to build. Then he said simply, "Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing." The crowd was "amazed at his gracious words" and "all spoke well of him." The hometown boy could speak well. They were proud of him. There was another undercurrent, though. There were those that actually listen to the implications of what Jesus was saying. This was a passage that talked of the Messiah, the Anointed One, the one who would lead all of Israel! "Isn't this Joseph's son? Where does he get off claiming that?" they asked themselves.

Jesus changed his tone. He told them that a prophet was only without honor in his hometown. He told them that there would be no show for them. He told them that the prophets of old didn't do tricks for the folks back home.

They were furious! In fact, they tried to kill him by throwing him off the cliff, but he got away and went on to Capernaum.

Note to self: Remember to keep the back door locked in the new building. It is way too close to the cliff for me to survive a "bad sermon".

Seriously, I wondered why the home-folks reacted this way. Why didn't they accept Jesus? Was it familiarity? I mean, could it be that they couldn't handle the fact that Jesus wasn't who they thought he was...he was really the Messiah? If so, is it possible for me to think that I know Jesus so well that I dismiss what he really wants to do? In fact, if Jesus wanted to do something new could I find it upsetting?

I knew the answer to that question was yes. It took me some time to work through the implications again of saying, "Jesus, you are the Messiah. You are God. You are the one who I want to lead my life and this church. Help me to keep remember who you truly are and never think I can do things on my own without you. Be my Guide and my Rock." When I finally worked things through, the sense of freedom was incredible. Jesus is the Messiah who has come and is setting the captives free.

Vision Saturday

This afternoon I walked through the new building again. They have put the exterior metal on the north wall so the wind has been stopped. Even though it was only in the teens it wasn't too cold to spend time walking around the place and praying for what God wants to do there.

And that leads to the next obvious question: What is it that God wants to do there?

That's where our Vision Saturday (January 12) comes in.

We're setting aside the day to come together to pray and seek God for his direction. I believe that during the day the Lord is going to meet with us and begin to show us some things that He wants to do in and through us over the next year. I have some thoughts, but the purpose of this Vision Saturday is not for me to dump what I want to see happen on everyone else. Instead, it is to lead us in seeking God together and allowing Him to speak to us.

I'm excited about it. When we have done this in the past I've always walked away with a greater appreciation for the people in the church and tremendous anticipation for what God wants to do in our midst. It should be a great day. Hope to see you there!

New Year's Resolutions

Some people have long lists of resolutions that they intend to keep over the coming twelve months. My wife and oldest son are going to try to go sugar-free for the entire year. Of course, that's a resolution that is going to affect other people. My youngest and I are wondering (worrying?) how long their resolve will last and whether their will every be cookies in the cookie jar this year. Perhaps the fact that we still have a cookie jar is a good sign.

Personally, I've decided that the "all or nothing" resolutions don't really work that well for me. I get too discouraged when I fail. I'm going to try to "tweak" things instead. So, here's my list:

• Be more encouraging. I don't think I've ever met anyone who doesn't like to be sincerely encouraged about something they are doing. I'm surrounded by people who are doing some pretty incredible things. I need to let them know what I think about them more often.
• Look for the potential in people. I want to focus more on what people can become. Instead of "getting to know people" and leaving it at that, I want to see the potential of the people around me. I want to help the people around them become what God has designed them to be.
• See the opportunities in the situations I'm facing. I'm sure that this year will bring challenges. Instead of being overwhelmed or sulking about them, I want to see the opportunities that each one represents. For example, in the building project at church there is going to be a lot of sweat equity put in. I want to see it, not as a ton of work, but as a chance to spend time deepening relationships, making new friends and maybe learning some new skills.
• Become more focused in my use of time. I'm not quite sure how to do this yet, but I sense that I need to do a more efficient job in using my time.
• Lose the holiday weight! Like many people, I overindulged during the holidays. I need to return to healthy eating and the weight should come off. Swear off sugar for a year? No. Moderation in eating? Yes.

So that's it. I suppose that the highly goal-oriented people among us would point out that four out of the five resolutions cannot be measured, but that's fine with me. I figure that if I can make progress on the first four I will be a greater blessing to the people around me. If I can achieve the last one, I'll probably live longer. I think that's a good thing. I hope you do, too.

The Day After Christmas

I am reading slowly through Luke in my morning devotions. Yesterday I just happened to be reading the traditional Christmas story. It's familiar and warm, like a comfortable sweatshirt or an old pair of slippers. Images of famous paintings of the Nativity, candlelight church services and Christmas carols seemed to rise up from the page.

Today was different. Luke 2:25-40 tells of them bringing the baby Jesus to the Temple to be dedicated. Simeon spotted the family at the Temple. The Holy Spirit revealed to him that this little baby was the long awaited Messiah. He told Joseph and marry that their baby was the salvation of God, a light for the Gentiles, and the glory of Israel.


All parents think that their baby is the cutest, but to have these words spoken about your son must have been a strange experience for Joseph and Mary. What would they say in return? Would they be filled with pride? Awe? Hope? They might have even wondered what their role in all this might be. Would they have front row seats at the coronation?


Then Simeon added words that made me sit up and take notice this morning: "This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too."


In a flash, the warm fuzzy feeling of Christmas were gone. Here was something ominous. Like a fast-moving thunderstorm descending on a summer picnic, these words ruined the idyllic moment. Warm, fuzzy thoughts were replaced with fear and anxiety. Their child was to be controversial. He was going to expose the hearts of people and that exposure would not be popular. He would be spoken against. He would bring pain as well as joy.


This is understandable. Jesus was God-in-the-flesh. God is not someone that most people want to deal with. Sure, they might say they believe in God, but usually the "God" they believe in safe and kept at a distance until needed. He is merely a concept, not a person. God-as-a-concept might be a good idea. God-as-a-concept brings hope in times of trial. God-as-a-concept brings comfort to the mourning. But God-as-a-concept is never in control. We control God-as-a-concept.


God-in-the-flesh is something else again. Suddenly God is a reality that must be dealt with. God as-a-reality calls the shots. Jesus will expose what people really think about God. He is God. How people respond to Him exposes what they think about God. Sometimes that exposure isn't pretty at all. It would lead the religious to demand his crucifixion.


As a pastor, it is easy to fall for the "God-as-a-concept" mentality. If God is merely a concept, then I am in control. I get to guide what happens. After all, as pastor aren't I responsible for the flock? Leadership books are full of tips and techniques for controlling what happens in church. They fit in well with the God as a concept mentality. It seems much safer and much more secure.

This morning I prayed that I would never fall into the "God-as-a-concept" mentality, as peaceful and reassuring as that might be. Instead, I want "God-as-reality" or "God-in-the-flesh." I want God to truly guide me and lead me. Even if that means feeling like I'm out of control at times. Even if that means being unpopular or controversial.

Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve is always a special time. As I sat in our Christmas Eve service I couldn't help but think about the wonderful church we have and how great it is to be surrounded by so many friends and to have such a tremendous family. In case you missed it, here were some of the highlights for me:

• My seventh grade son played the prelude on the piano. Sure, I've heard him practicing at home, but it is always a thrill to see one of your kids using their gifts to glorify God.
• Amy K. came up to me minutes before the service started saying that she was unable to copy the backup music for her solo onto a CD. We scratched it from the order of service, but then she decided to sing it without any accompaniment. Wow! Can Amy ever sing! The song even included a key change, which is hard enough to do with music playing, but she did it flawlessly without instrumentation!
• Little kids are always a blast during the children's sermon. I asked them "What's your favorite thing about Christmas?" and one shouted out "Dinosaurs!"
• As I sat and listened to the choir sing, I was amazed at how good they sounded. I also couldn't help but think about how special each person standing up there is to me.
• When I stood up to preach I noticed that we had to bring in extra chairs in the back of the Sanctuary...a good problem to have.
• For the ?th year in a row the slide for "The First Noel" was wrong. Several years ago I typed, "Born is the king of Bethlehem" rather than "Israel." Each Christmas Eve I think, "I've got to fix that." Every year I forget. Every Christmas Eve day when I put together the slides I double check them. Once again, I messed up. After the service I suggested to my wife that I change it to "Born is the king of Nashwauk." It was vetoed. I guess it will probably stay "Bethlehem." I probably won't remember to fix it this week.
• Seeing my sister was another highlight. She came up with her daughter and my mom and a bunch of other family members. I thought about "calling her out" during the sermon, but she has a much quicker wit than just about anyone I know. I decided that anything I might say would be quickly turned around and used against me.
• Closing the service with Silent Night always brings a tear to my eye.

All in all, it was a great Christmas Eve. I hope that you enjoyed the service as much as I did. I'm looking forward to the coming year. I think God has a lot of great things planned.

Ten Shekels and a Shirt

Occasionally I find a sermon that has much to chew on. Paris Reidhead's sermon "Ten Shekels and a Shirt" has a message that is incredibly relevant to our day and age. I highly recommend that you read it and ponder its message.

As you begin to read it, you might think that it is aimed only at pastors, but that really isn't the case. Instead, it deals with the issue of what true Christianity really is. So many times I see people who view religion as a utilitarian thing. If it works, great. And by working they mean that they want to know if religion helps them get what they want...a new car, a better marriage or a leg up on the competition then religion is fine with them. These people see religion as a buffet table. You take a little of this and a little of that, and pretty soon you have a fantastic meal. It kind of reminds me of the TV commercial for buying a car on the internet. You pick the model, color, options, press a button and Presto! there's your new car!

The reality is that we don't get to pick what God is like. He is God. The question then is not, "what do we want our designer "god" to be like?" but "what has God revealed Himself to be like?" The answer to that question is found in Bible and in the person of Jesus Christ, God-come-in-the -flesh.

Read the sermon. Its a good one.

The Judgment Seat

As a pastor, one of the things that I am committed to is the systematic teaching of God's Word. Over the years I have found that this provides a balanced diet for the people of the congregation. There is no temptation to dress up the same six sermons in different clothes or to preach on my favorite themes over and over again. It causes us to deal with difficult issues and hopefully I stay true to the Bible.

Sometimes, though, it can make for some interesting moments for people who are visiting the church. This coming weekend is no exception. There will be people in town for Christmas, but as we work our way through 2 Corinthians we find ourselves in chapter 5 verse 10:

We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.

That's not what most people are expecting to hear two days before Christmas! At the same time, it is a passage that is incredibly real to me right now. Last night Celinda Johnson, who had recently started attending our church, was killed in an accident not far from our house. Earlier this week I was stopped in traffic on 169 while officers cleaned up after a head-on collision. Earlier this month I blogged about almost sliding into 169 after picking up one of the boys from basketball practice.

The truth is you never know when your days will come to an end. Hebrews 9:27 says that "it is given man once to die and after that to face judgment." Everyone needs to be ready for that day...our "day in court."

I also know that most people will not think about what might happen. To cause people to think about their day of judgment takes an act of God. John 16:8 says that the Holy Spirit will "convict the world in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment." That's what I'm praying for this Sunday: that the Holy Spirit will convict people and apply a "pre-test" to let them know where they are standing now in light of that day.

Take time to read 2 Corinthians 13:5-6 and 1 John 5:11-13 and pray that people would be ready for that awesome day when they stand before Him.

Opening Presents Early

The end is in sight! I've been reading through the Bible this year and can see the finish line. It's been a great discipline for me. I've had a direction and goal as I sit down with the Lord each day to read and pray. In an earlier post I talked about trying to decide what to do in my devotions after the first of the year. I've elected to start in the gospel of Luke and simply spend time meditating on the life of Christ. I'm really excited to get started, but that has created a problem.

Reading through the Bible in a year has become a habit. There have been days I have forced myself to read. There have been other days I have forced myself to stop. Over the last 350 days there have only been a handful of days that I haven't done the "required" reading. Now I just have a few of the little Old Testament prophets to read and I will reach the finish line.

This has created a silly internal struggle. I want to race through the prophets and get on to Luke. I feel like a kid at Christmastime. "Can we open the packages early?" "How about one package now?" "Do we have to wait until Christmas?" Mom and Dad always said no. The disciplined part of me that has forced me to read each day says no. The carefree part of me asks, "Why not?" The peacekeeper in me tries to settle the argument by suggesting to myself that I sit down and read the rest of the Old Testament today and have fun with Luke tomorrow.

Like I said, it's a silly struggle, but it does show the power of habits. My routines drive me in certain directions. Having developed the discipline of running, my body actually hurts now when I don't run...it expects, needs and even demands running in order to feel good.

This silly struggle has caused me to think a little bit about some of my habits. If my habits drive me in certain directions, what would I like to change? For example, I have a habit of heading to the kitchen for a snack whenever I come home from anywhere. Why is that? Do I really need a snack after the church potluck? I keep talking about wanting to spend more time with friends, but can I create a "routine" like having someone over after church every week that would make it feel strange not to be spending time with friends?

I've decided that when it comes to my devotions it's okay to do both. I will continue to read through the Old Testament and finish the Bible on December 31. I am also going to start Luke now. There's nothing wrong with that! In fact, the greatest habit I want to reinforce over the coming year is spending time with Jesus. It hurts when I don't spend time with Him. What was it the psalmist wrote? Oh yeah, "As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God" (Psalm 42:1).

A New Church

One of the advantages of reading this blog on a regular basis is that sometimes you can be one of the first to know about new things that are happening in and around the church. This morning I shared with the elders an exciting development that is taking place in Hibbing that I believe the Lord wants us to play a significant role.

Tim Maki, a frequent speaker here and a friend of many, has announced that he is going to step down from his position in the disctrict as Director of Church Planting. That's bad news for the district. Tim has done a great job and we have seen numerous churches started around the state under his leadership. He will be hard to replace, but God has something else in mind for Tim.

Tim is going to be starting a new Alliance Church in Hibbing! Tentatively called North Star Church, the church will be designed to reach the unchurched and will have as part of its foundational vision the starting of other churches around the Iron Range.

I believe that Nashwauk Alliance is called to be a part of this effort. Prayer, finances and people will all be needed to make this new church a reality. We will be having Tim come to share his vision after the first of the year, but you are now "in the know" and can begin laying the foundation in prayer.

You may be asking, "Why a new church?" Here are some facts to consider:

• According to recent studies 85% of the people in St. Louis county are unchurched. (Itasca county is at 80%).
• 40% of the workforce at the mines will be retiring soon. This will bring new families to the area as these businesses seek to replace retiring workers.
• MSI's impact will be felt throughout the western range bringing 2000+ jobs.
• Church planting is one of the most effective ways to do evangelism.

There is plenty of room for another church targeting the unreached!

I don't want to steal any of Tim's thunder, but I am excited about what God is doing and challenge all of us to be in prayer so that the foundation of this new church will be well-laid.