we need prayer warriors, not worry warts

My friend's wife got a scare a few weeks back when, after her yearly check up, the doctor's office called to tell her she needed to come back in for further tests... turned out to be nothing... doctor was just being extra careful...

But during the time they were unsure, they chose to let only a few people know about their struggle... they chose not to tell their families... afterwards, I asked my friend why he didn't tell their families... 'wouldn't it have been better to let her family know about it?' I asked...

'Heavens no!' he replied... 'they're the last people we would tell... what we needed were prayer warriors, not worry warts!'

Pretty harsh... but really true...

When you think about it, worry is the opposite of prayer... you really can't do both. You can either fret or you can talk to God. One is fruitful, the other futile...

God yearns for us to trust Him. This is the same God who breathed the stars into existence... do we think that our feeble worrying will help our situation more than the master of the universe?

May God lead us to trust Him more as we let go of the bad habit of worrying...

what are we to do?

When we try to be 'in tune' with our surroundings and pay attention to the needs of the people we come in contact with, it can be a liberating and exhilarating experience... it can also be a little frightening and overwhelming!

I am reminded of a scene from the movie 'Bruce Almighty' when Jim Carrey gets his wish (sort of) and has the powers of God... along with those powers, however, comes the responsibility of hearing and answering the prayers... from EVERYONE IN THE WORLD! It is a comical scene as the main character tries to do everything possible to 'manage' the global inflow of prayers...

It reminds me of us... for most of my life, I have traipsed through the world intentionally NOT knowing or caring about the pain and need around me... I mean, I wasn't a horrible person who kicked small animals and pushed down little old ladies to beat them to the checkout at WalMart... but I was just... blissfully unaware...

However, as my senses are heightened and my attention is turned more toward serving, I have prayed that God would open my eyes and help me pay attention to my 'surroundings'.

And God has answered that prayer... in talking to many members of my Riverside family, I am sensing that the Spirit is slowly opening their eyes as well...

Do you feel a little like Jim Carrey? Are you overwhelmed? Do you wonder where to start? I do. But I know the same God who revealed these needs to me will give me an avenue... a way to help.

That's why it is so exciting to watch this sleeping giant called Riverside awaken to the needs around us and find ways to help... Yeah, we have always been benevolent-minded in our approach... and our contribution has always been used more for outward focus than inward... but, WOW!

Did you have any idea we had a homeless shelter for women in Mountain Home whose building is literally falling down around its residents? Neither did I! But one of our life groups opened their collective eyes, and have taken that project on as their main focus! When the officials who operate this shelter learned that a group of complete strangers were planning to literally rebuild and renovate their facility, they wept openly.

Yeah, Riverside is a God-blessed and Spirit-led work-in-progress experiment... and I am so excited to play a small part in this story. I wake up every day anticipating how God will move through us to serve...

that's Outflow...

God Bless!

worry... it'll kill ya!

(the following is adapted from Max Lucado's 'Traveling Light'):

In the book that bears the tax-collector's name, Matthew records some of Jesus' words which seem terribly relevant today:

"You cannot add any time to your life by worrying about it."

The biblical word for worry (merimnao) is a compound of two Greek words, merizo (to divide”) and nous (the mind”). Anxiety splits our energy between today’s priorities and tomorrow’s problems. Part of our mind is on the now; the rest is on the not yet. The result is half-minded living.

No wonder worry is such a powerful tool of the evil one! If he can divide our attention... if he can split our energy... he has won the battle...

...and that’s not the only result. Worrying is not a disease, but it causes diseases. It has been connected to high blood pressure, heart trouble, blindness, migraine headaches, thyroid malfunctions, and a host of stomach disorders.

so, anxiety is an expensive habit. Of course, it might be worth the cost if it worked. But it doesn’t. Our frets are futile. Worry has never brightened a day, solved a problem, or cured a disease.

The opposite of worry is faith.

Faith will supplant worry much like light drives out darkness... we have only to pray and allow God to do His thing... He will carry us, but only if we let Him. He will shoulder our load... but only if we surrender!

Blessings!

it's still that simple... Garbage in, Garbage out...

OK, so go ahead and paint me as a simpleton....but I think we sometimes forget the causal connection between what we ingest and what we regurgitate...

Kelly and I are blessed each Sunday night with a houseful of teenagers (32 of them just now left!)... I am so much richer for them having been in my home. And these are really the cream of the crop; these guys and girls are, for the most part, pretty normal teenagers who aspire to be 'good kids'.

Still... they are teenagers. And they are exposed to a media barrage which is complete garbage! From texts to instant messages to Internet to television to ITunes to movies to YouTube, our kiddos are inundated with more and different types of media... and, sad to say, most of it has no socially redeeming value to it.

You think our young Christians are insulated or isolated from all the junk? Then you are simply not paying attention.

Many of us allow our kids to browse and watch and listen unsupervised... then act surprised when something tumbles out of their mouth which shocks us.

And you and I are no different. Don't you notice your mind is filled with whatever you allow 'in'? Do you find that what you listen to or watch shapes you?

It's the old computer adage... G.I.G.O. - Garbage in, Garbage out...

I challenge us all to try an experiment... for one week, take care what you watch and what you listen to... just for one week, listen to only Christian music.... watch only 'G' rated TV... don't watch YouTube at all (sorry, too much crap there)...

See if it doesn't make a difference... I promise it will... consider Philippians 4:8:

whatever is true, whatever is noble,

whatever is right, whatever is pure,

whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable

—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—

think about such things

Blessings!

Another beautiful day... how can I help?

As we approach another September Sunday in the Ozarks, God continues to bless us. Sunday will be another great worship experience at Riverside, as we commune with each other and the Lord around the table... Randy Willingham will deliver the lesson and our life groups will have their 3rd meeting of the season as we continue to 'Outflow'.

I continue to hear great testimonies from my friends at Riverside as we concentrate on serving others... Mike has done a terrific job with the Wednesday night 'outflow' class, which has served as a foundation for our Life Group focus. Each group is crystallizing its vision for the service project(s) it will take on... The teen life group is growing in number and in spiritual maturity...

And His Holy Spirit continues to reveal to us numerous opportunities to live out our faith, both individually and collectively...

Our Monday night men's Bible study is awesome! The first week, 14 men met and prayed and studied... last Monday night, 19 men met and prayed and studied and watched a little Monday night Football (and ate Neil's fish & shrimp couvillon)...

Lynn and Joy continue their incredible ministry in Volcan, Panama... and we continue to pray and share in that terrific ministry...

and all the while, I perceive the Spirit is leading the Riverside body and its members on this wonderful, complicated journey toward greater service and deeper love for each other and for those in our community...

....what an exciting time to be alive and living in the kingdom... what a great time to be a part of this wonderful experiment called the Riverside Church!

Blessings!

helping those who don't change...

Have you ever been frustrated with someone you are helping?

You can see very clearly how they need to change... you are willing to help, but you know they need to change... you continue to serve, but you don't see any difference in them...

does any of this sound familiar?

I visited a friend today. As he looked through the 1-inch Plexiglas which separates freedom from incarceration, his eyes told a story of remorse and embarrassment... he knows he messed up. The orange jumpsuit and the buzzer which signaled the beginning of our visiting session were stark reminders of another bad decision in a series of bad decisions...

In the not-so-distant past, I probably would have felt like my friend was getting just what he deserved... that I had helped him enough, and he failed ME... Before I became a member of PA (pharisees anonymous... hello, my name is Tim, and I am a recovering pharisee), I was much more aware of justice...(God is changing my heart now. I am by no means 'there' yet, but I am becoming a more merciful person... mainly because my wife continually reminds me that 'it's not about me!')

I looked at my friend today and I wanted to hug him and tell him it was going to be alright. He wanted to offer excuses for his latest mistake... and because of that, I believe he is not at 'rock bottom' yet. I have a close friend who watched as his own son dealt with similar demons of addiction and dependency... he told me last night that the one thing he told his boy over and over again was this: "God is waiting for you to call on Him... He can deliver you, but you have to call on Him and rely completely on Him."

And it hit me... that is exactly what God desires from every one of us! We are in the ungodly habit of categorizing sin... making some worse than others... you see, I sleep better at night knowing that my lying is not nearly as bad as your adultery... that my gluttony is much less egregious than your stealing... which obviously means that you need to call on God much worse than I do... and that's simply fantasy! To God, all sin is abomination.

With regard to my friend, my faithless mind wonders how his story will 'end'... Each time I think he is turning a corner, he falls... (As I write this, I realize that is precisely how God must feel about me... I know He must look at me and wonder when I am truly going to turn the corner and allow Him to write the next chapter in my life...)

Please pray for my friend... his name is Mike. Pray that he will forget the excuses and throw away his fear; pray that he will truly call on the name of God.

May we all grow to the point that we fully trust in His mercy and His grace... and may God help us to extend patience and mercy to the people we are trying to help.

Outflow = Impacting Lives

13 Precious Warriors stepped outside their 'picket fences' last night and served 32 diabetic patients at the local free Christian Clinic.

The inaugural effort was an unqualified success! We had a blast, and served a delicious, diabetic-friendly meal without cost to some really special folks...

Afterward, they enjoyed a short devotional thought before continuing their 'clinic' activities... including a discussion of how to manage their disease by eating healthier meals.

God was glorified, Jesus was lifted up, and the Spirit was definitely present.

Sometimes we are presented with BIG opportunities....and sometimes we see smaller chances to serve...

May God bless us as we keep our eyes peeled so we don't miss the chance - whether we deem them big or small - to impact lives!

If we will just plant and water, He (the same God who 'breathed' every star into existence) will give the increase!

fearless warriors in a picket fence

I have gone through my entire life trying to do what's right. As I have gotten older, I have also tried to do what's safe... and as time has gone on, I have confused the two. I got to the point where "safe" was substituted for "right".

And now I am convicted that safe and right are not the same thing. In fact, the more I examine the life of Jesus, I become more convinced that they are polar opposites! Think about it: Jesus always did what was right... and never 'played it safe'...

The new Casting Crowns CD (yes, that CD again) is entitled 'The Altar and the Door'... there is a song of the same name on the CD... but, according to Mark Hall (the author of the songs on this disc, and lead singer for the band), the title of the CD came from a single line in a different song on the CD... In 'Caught in the Middle', he uses that line to describe the disconnect between 'me' at the altar (in 'church') and 'me' at the door (out in the world)...

It's a great word picture!

But the four lines which really caught my ear were the lines of the chorus:

Fearless warriors in a picket fence

Reckless abandon wrapped in common sense

Deepwater faith in the shallow end

and I am caught in the middle

I heard that and thought "that's me!"... I have been a fearless warrior hiding behind my own picket fence! That describes a lot of us, I'm afraid...

picture it: an armor clad, sword-wielding, helmet-wearing warrior standing in his yard behind the picket fence... how useless and sad...

May we (I) have the courage to open the gate and walk out of our yards... and be true warriors for God!

God Bless us as we 'outflow' to everyone we come into contact with today...

many talk and some do

The 'Outflow' emphasis of our Life Groups at Riverside is a very challenging concept. Not challenging as in really hard to do... just challenging in the definitive sense of the word... it 'challenges' me... takes me out of my comfort zone...

I am not used to just helping people. I am not accustomed to letting God's blessings 'flow' through me.... and I suspect many of us are 'challenged' by the idea of simply finding someone who needs Christ's love and helping them...

However, every day one of my brothers of sisters walks up to me or calls me to tell me what blessings they have shared with others...

Last night, one of my sisters came up to me at the fair and told me her most recent 'outflow' story...

Seems she was driving by Hardee's - minding her own business! - when she noticed a lady walking along the street with a bag in one hand and a guitar case in the other... so she stopped and simply offered to give the lady a ride to wherever she was walking... when she asked where that 'wherever' might be, the lady asked "well, how far are you going?"

Turns out she needed a ride to Panther Bay pavilion... so the sister loaded her up in the car and drove her to the lake... on the ride out in became obvious the lady was a bit confused - maybe a little paranoid... so when she made sure that was where the lady needed to go, your sister gave her some coins for the payphone and dropped her off...

There is no dramatic ending to this story... mainly because this story is probably not over yet. And that's the beauty of 'fountain' living: God may use your kindness to bless someone and you may not see the 'end of the story'... this lady may 'pay it forward' to another stranger tomorrow! Or, she may never pass along the blessing given to her...

But I bet she never forgets the kindness extended to her by someone in the name of Jesus. And maybe your sister's kindness did nothing more than ease this lady's pain or alleviate her demons for a few minutes... or, maybe this act of kindness simply lightened her load for a few miles...

Whatever the case, God was glorified... Jesus was lifted up... all because someone cared enough to share a blessing with another someone.

... and that's outflow...

Cost/Benefit Analysis of a Kind Word

I work for a software development company and, from time to time, I am asked to help determine the value of certain projects... and sometimes we have to prepare what is called a cost/benefit analysis to present to the CFO... it's just what it sounds like: we try to predict the costs associated with completing and supporting the idea, then we try to predict the sales revenue which will be generated from the idea... the difference between the predicted cost and the predicted revenue helps determine whether that project is worthwhile or not.

...so now that I have put you to sleep with that...

I wonder if we 'put a pencil to it', how would we feel about the cost/benefit ratio of a kind word?

As I wrote previously, two weeks ago a sister simply told this receptionist in an office that she was 'an angel' for the way she helped her... that receptionist was so moved by her words, she learned where the sister worshipped and showed up at Riverside for the last two Sundays!

This morning, I heard a guy tell the drive-thru girl at Mickey D's that she was doing an amazing job of moving the incredible amount of traffic through the dual-laned drive-thru... (meanwhile, I was jockeying for position and having less-than-good thoughts about the dude in the duelly monster truck pulling the 40-foot stock trailer who was taking up WAAAY too much room in the drive-thru...) Thankfully, I held my tongue, or I would have felt even more like a heel in comparison to the kind-hearted guy with the encouraging word.

Last Sunday morning, a brother stepped up and asked a new family to be a part of their life group... they accepted, they were the first ones to their house that night, and they now genuinely feel a part of the family!

I know, I know... we don't always see the results of the kindnesses we show to others... but it is most assuredly worth the effort!

How do I know it? Because the effort is usually sooo small... and the result is usually sooo awesome! If this were a 'business decision', the cost/benefit ratio (I hope you know I'm using the c/b analogy somewhat tongue-in-cheek) would lead all involved to support this project whole-heartedly... it's a virtual slam-dunk!

So, step out and do something kind for a stranger today... do it in the name of Jesus, the one who gave you life. The impact (and ripple effect) will be out of all proportion to the 'cost'...

I guarantee it!

Now go 'OUTFLOW'!

Blessings!

What happens when you help?

The fear of the unknown is something we are all familiar with... from little kids to old folks, the 'not knowing' is the scariest thing.

I guess, at the heart of it, that is the reason we don't get out of our comfort zone more readily; oddly enough, as we get older (when faith should be supplanting fear), we become less flexible and more 'set' and less willing to step out...

Such is the case with helping other people... it's SO much easier to continue behaving like I always have, watching out for only me while intentionally wearing blinders to the needs of people around me...

and THAT'S why sharing our story is so vital to overcoming that fear and breaking out of that rut... think about it: if someone tells you about a time when they really stepped out and served and then shares how they were blessed because of it, part of your fear begins to melt away.

Last night, a good friend stopped by the house and shared a servant story. She doesn't realize what a blessing she and her family have been to Kelly and I... and to the larger Riverside family. She told of stepping outside her comfort zone (WAAAAY OUTSIDE) and getting deeply involved with a local family to help them... this is a family who does not normally travel in the same circles as hers... this is a family who, outside the context of Riverside, few of us would ever have tried to associate with... (she has no arrogance about this, but it is simply the truth)

With tears in her eyes, she told the story (which I will not retell here). And we sat and listened in awe as we saw, clearly, how the Holy Spirit is working God's will through this sister and her association with this family.

She has been places with this family which she never would have gone. She has handled issues she never thought she could. She has immersed herself in this family's "stuff" without regard to how it looks or what people may think. She has prayed and cried and gotten angry and sad and felt helpless... all because she chose to step out and help someone who really needed help.

So, what happens when you help?

• you struggle - but God is glorified!
• you get mad - but Jesus is lifted up!
• you make mistakes - but the Spirit gives you strength!
• you want to give up - but God lifts you!
• you risk - and God rewards!
• you feel helpless - and Jesus is magnified!

You don't always see progress (especially on your timetable)... and you don't necessarily see how God is glorified or Jesus is lifted up...

This story is still being written... but something special happened Sunday which gave this sister a glimpse of His leading and a much-needed boost of affirmation...

During our greeting time, a lady approached this sister and said "Hi, you don't remember me, do you?"...

"No, I can't put a name with the face..."

"I work at the office you visited a couple weeks ago with that precious family you were helping... I saw how you were with them... and then you told me I was 'an angel' for making the process so easy... and that MADE MY DAY! I found out who you were and where you worshipped, and this is my second time to worship here at Riverside... I wanted to tell you what an impact you had on me!"

Do you have chills yet?

As we all know (and as I wrote a few lines ago), we don't always receive THAT kind of feedback when we help people... so, when we do, I believe we should share it!

There are so many good points to take from this story... but maybe the one that strikes me is this: the ripple effect of God working in you is UNBELIEVABLE! and the way God uses your kindness toward one person... to touch another person... is nothing short of AWESOME!

Kelly and I wiped away tears as this precious sister and friend poured out her heart about how God had blessed her through this 'out-of-her-comfort-zone' experience....

may God bless us all as we seek out and serve 'the least of these, my brothers'...

now THAT's Outflow!

(...and I still have goose bumps...)

Quiet Strength

Last night, 14 men from our Riverside body met to study and pray... and watch football...

Our inaugural edition of MNMBSMNF (Monday Night Men's Bible Study & Monday Night Football - I know, I've got to find a better acronym!) was incredible! We are using Dungy's "Quiet Strength" as a foundation for our study, and it is a very well-written book... the study guide is also very well-designed...

Our cable at the church does not have ESPN (so we didn't watch either of the football games which aired last night, but no one seemed to care), but we are adding it for the football season so we can have some fun and fellowship after our prayer and Bible study.

We have been doing this MNMBSMNF for 4 years, though we did not host it last year... but the group of men which met last night seem very dedicated to this time of study and prayer and fellowship.

Please pray for this study... it is a vitally important part of spiritual growth for the men who participate, and for the larger Riverside body. The prayer time is especially meaningful and powerful!

We believe this is a wonderful vehicle for inviting your friends to a very non-threatening gathering of men who simply want to be better husbands, daddies, leaders, followers and citizens.

I feel very blessed to be a part of such a group...

Blessings!

how do you help? how can you not?

OK, so we pray to have a heart to help others... We preach about service, we have classes about overflowing like a fountain, we email and encourage each other...

But when the rubber meets the road and we are in the middle of dealing with our broken selves and our broken friends, how do we help? People are hurting and situations are messy and sometimes I just don't want to deal with any more stuff...

But then the Spirit of God sends me some kind of gentle reminder that I am every bit as broken as my friend who is addicted to prescription painkillers.... God reminds me that my messy-ness is no less messy than my buddy who struggles with anger and violence issues... God nudges me to understand that my need for a Savior is every bit as acute as theirs. My sin may not be as public or as noticable, and I may do a better job of masking it... but I am broken and needful of forgiveness, just like my friends who may seem more messed up than me....

And through all that, God loves me anyway. Before I was born, He knew me and loved me and sent His only child to take my sin away by taking it on Himself and dying on that tree.

And when He is finished nudging me and reminding me, I am moved beyond words... and I am moved into action. My gratitude is so deep that I truly have no choice but to try and help my fellow sinner. When I pay attention to all that He does for me, my awareness of the needs of others is heightened to the point that I act.

What excites me more than anything is that so many people are starting to realize the REAL REASON for studying the Bible... We (me at the top of the list) are finally starting to understand that studying His Word is more than memorizing scripture or using verses to 'proof out' our 'doctrine'... We are just beginning to get it!: that the very most important reason for Bible Study is PREPARATION!

When we read about Joseph dealing with his brothers who sold him into slavery, we learn how to deal with people (specifically brothers) who abuse us. When we read about the small band of Christians who were praying for Peter's release from prison, we learn how to pray and be hopeful... and when we understand the story of the cross, we learn how to treat others more gracefully... and on and on and on....

Yeah, dealing with people is messy.... and it is exhausting... but it is the natural response of someone who is beginning to understand the Grace of a Mighty God.

I am really trying to be a better servant... I don't do it well... and I don't do it nearly often enough. But I think the fact that I am more aware is a step in the right direction...

How 'bout you? How do you help? How can you not?

when we realize this...

"But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people"

Those words from Peter's 1st letter have been quoted from pulpits more times than I can count... especially with regard to the 'peculiar people' part... the NIV translation renders it 'a people belonging to God'. From what I can understand, it would seem that the KJV (quoted above) is actually pretty true to the original Greek text.

We interpret 'peculiar' to mean odd and weird and unusual (in the negative connotation)... and in some ways I suppose that can be accurate... the original text may be more accurately tranlated as "set apart" or "different". And, the longer I live, the more I become convicted that children of God should be different from the world...

Where I seem to have failed (sometimes miserably) in my quest to be set apart is my propensity to develop some sort of christian arrogance about being saved... that somehow I am 'better' than my unchurched and unsaved friends.

It is only when I allow the Spirit to lead me to strike a balance of humble gratitude and outward living that my arrogance evaporates into true Christ-like-ness...

So perhaps our challenge is to pray for the Spirit's guidance... and allow God's hand to lead us to a place where we can truly believe as Paul believed:

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—

and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—

not by works, so that no one can boast

or, put another way:

"if I am saved, it is because God rescued me

and NOT because I learned to swim."

when we realize this, we will have no choice but to live it out by helping people who need help...in Jesus' name...now THAT's peculiar!

Blessings!

Lessons from the Gridiron & Diamond

The Razorbacks and the Cardinals won on Saturday... and since I love sports, I really like to look for life applications in baseball and football games.

In the Hog game, two freshmen caught my eye: Alex Tejada is the placekicker and Crosby Tuck is a tight end, and both played a big role in the Razorbacks' 46-26 home opener on Saturday. Tejada kicked 4 field goals and 4 extra points, and Tuck caught the only touchdown pass of the contest.

In the Cardinal game, Rick Ankiel hit a grand slam into the first row of the right center field bleachers, which put the Redbirds on top for good; they eventually beat the Reds 8-5.

Each of these athletes share something in common: they were ready when opportunity knocked. They were prepared... we get to see them in the spotlight and, if we're not careful, we assign some luck or good fortune to their performance. But in each case, there were many hours and much work involved in preparation for their big moment.

and they were ready.

So many times we simply aren't ready. We are not prepared... and every day we overlook opportunities to serve and to help and to show Jesus to those around us...

Let me encourage all of us to be watchful for those opportunities... and to always be ready when those opportunities present themselves!

Blessings!

What this world needs

OK, you know I rarely have an original thought... so it won't surprise you if I use one of the new Casting Crowns songs to make a point...

The opening song on the new 'Altar and the door' CD is so spot on, I had to share it:

What this world needs is not another

one hit wonder with an axe to grind

Another two bit politician peddling lies;

another three ring circus society...

What this world needs is a Savior who will rescue

A Spirit who will lead

a Father who will love them in their time of need

that's what this world needs...

Toward the end of the song, there are young voices making some very profound statements as the music builds in the background:

People aren't confused by the gospel -

they're confused by us

Jesus is the only way to God,

but we are not the only way to Jesus

This world doesn't need my tie, my hoodie,

my denomination or my translation of the Bible

they just need Jesus!

we can be passionate about what we believe

but we can't strap ourselves to the gospel

'cause we're slowing it down...

Jesus is going to save the world

but maybe the best thing we can do

is just get out of the way!

Wow! I could not have said it better!

God Bless us all as we try to listen to His leading and let God use us...