Another story

I love to hear how God is using the church to create a sense of home. Listen to one woman's story:

Pastor Chris – I just wanted to take a moment to say thanks for allowing me the honor of being a part of the 10 year celebration. I felt God’s presence in a way that I haven’t experienced since moving to Vegas a year ago. When I began this journey of leaving my family, friends, and everything that I had known until that point I knew that God had a purpose. I didn’t really know what it was and am not yet 100% clear, but after listening to Ted talk about how for all things there is a season, I do know that I am in a new season of my life. I am very clear on the fact that coming to NCC is part of that season. As you know, I found the church from the sign out front. I did not now a single person at the church before coming. In just a few short months, this now feels like home. I have traveled back to Oklahoma many times in the year that I have lived here and always refer to those trips as “going home”. I have often wandered when those roles would reverse and flying back here would become the trip home. This Church has played a huge part in helping me make that transition.

I know that I tend to be introverted until I get comfortable with people, but I am very grateful for the numerous individuals who have gone out of their way to make me feel a part of the family here at NCC. A special thanks to both you and Michelle for all your kindness and love that you have so freely given to me. I am so thankful that God has allowed the two of you and so many others here at NCC to be part of the “special people” in my life for this current season that He has placed me in. I look forward to seeing many dreams unfold and being a part of all that God has in store for NCC in the coming days. It’s gonna be awesome!

10 years of Joy!

Ten years ago Michelle and I packed everything we owned into a Ryder truck and moved to Las Vegas not knowing much more than we had been called by God to come and plant the church. God gave us a dream and you are that dream! I’m just sitting here this morning thinking about how full the last ten years of my life have been. Wow! Ten Years! When we moved here I told Michelle that we had to be willing to give at least ten years of our lives to the church and here we are. I am so thankful for all the people God has given us the priveledge of knowing and loving. My life is enriched with memories, experiences and growth. Thanks to all who have been a part of the journey so far. I look forward to more memories, more friendships, more character development, and a lot more fun along the way. I love this church!

Lemme Lemme upgrade Ja!

Upgrade your potential for Joy!

I don’t know about you but sometimes I can become negative, anxious, and even unbelieving in my thought life. I am learning that each thought I think goes directly into the formation of my character. What I think about others, myself, my future, everything all contributes to who I am becoming and where I will end up. I am seeking to take greater control of my thought life and thus change my capacity for Joy.

Today I was listening to a teaching on the “battlefield of the mind” and heard the speaker say that we have thought potential of Jesus. His discipline-His-focus-His influence-even His capacity for Joy flowed from His extremely Godly thought life. We are told in scripture I Cor. 2:16 that “we have the mind of Christ”. Then I was reading the book "The 4:8 Principle" and it said, "You can think God's thoughts". I wondered if God was trying to get me a message.

How much is it possible to think in harmony with Jesus? I know that God did not give me a literal brain transplant but really, How much of His thought life is available to me? Can I via the presence of His indwelling Spirit think “God’s thoughts”? If this is true(that I have His mind in me) then certainly I can upgrade my potential for Joy.

In the words of that famous theologian Beyonce, “Lemme Lemme upgrade Ja”

Joy Train

Ok so yesterday went pretty good for me concerning the "Word of Life Challenge". Most of the day I prayed and controlled my tongue although I did have about an hour where I was tested. I was putting together a new train set provided via Grandma for Christmas when the pressure began to mount. With Sam jumping all over me and the tracks in utter joy and anticipation, I could not get the already difficult project assembled. I broke a very fragile piece. I’m not sure but I think it was then that I declared the train set had been forsaken by God. This was immediately followed by an impassioned plea for Sam to spend an extended period in time out.

I don’t know, you tell me, did I “Do everything without complaining or arguing”? Maybe not in that instant. But I repented and made a new declaration that the train was a good and perfect gift from the Father and I thanked Him for it. Then I released Sam from his harsh prison sentence and Joy reentered all our lives. Hallelujah! (the previous is based on a true story)

16 Be joyful always; 17 pray continually; 18 give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NIV)

Today is a fresh day. I am up this morning praying, thanking God for His many blessings in my life. I am even having my joy tank filled as I type watching the train go round and round the track on my living room floor (I have decided to name it the Joy train). I’m setting my course for joy and fully expect to spread it wherever I go all day long. What a priveledge to be tasked by Jesus to give Joy to the world. Watch out people-here I come!

Joy to the world
All the boys and girls
Joy to the fishes in the deep blue sea
Joy to you and me

p.s. Sam just walked in and caught me running the/his Joy train and he is not happy! Gotta go quick! Send me your comments.

Creating Harmony

Psalm 133:1
“How wonderful it is, how pleasant, when brothers live together in harmony!”

In thinking about being in tune with God and others, I realize that I have to practice my part if the song is to be beautiful and harmonious. In the end, none of us are soloists but are part of a beautiful choir singing the new song of life in Jesus. Working on my part is important if the song is to be in harmony with others.

Just acknowledging the ideal of harmony with others is a big step. To be aware of its importance and understanding my relationship to others is key-to be in tune with Jesus so I can be in tune with others. Making harmony a priority is the biggest step anyone can take. To consciously set out to create harmony as a personal life goal is huge.

Cultivating the habit of noticing and paying attention to others helps create harmony. Self-centered people destroy the harmony of any environment. Unless everyone in that group wants to tune themselves to the selfish one. When I notice others in detail I am better positioned to understand them and what is happening around them. “Paying” attention is critical. The word pay is interesting to me because I find that real focused attention to others is costly. It many times comes at a price-usually to my own ego or selfish desires.

Learning to listen more deeply is one of my personal goals for the coming year. Empathic listening and “feeling with” people as they speak does much to harmonize relationships. The deliberate investment of my heart in others is what I’m talking about. To create harmony and live in unity is to give Joy to the world and I believe it puts a smile on the face of Jesus.

Romans 15:5-6 (NLT) 5 May God, who gives this patience and encouragement, help you live in complete harmony with each other—each with the attitude of Christ Jesus toward the other. 6 Then all of you can join together with one voice, giving praise and glory to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Tuned to Middle "C"

“…then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose” Phil 2:2

I remember when I was a little kid (back in the 70’s) a commercial would play at Christmas time where people from all over the world came together to “teach the world to sing in perfect harmony”. There they are from Africa, Europe, Asia, and North & South America holding candles and harmoniously coming together in unity. What is this that has done what so many have failed to achieve. What is this that has broken down the walls of division and hatred and created such Joy? COKE! Yes its coke the “real thing”.

Harmony is a beautiful thing when it is achieved. I have a lot of experience trying to make it. In music, some of my most enjoyable moments have been in performances where I and others found our parts and perfectly harmonized to make something beautiful. I have also been in other moments where we made something altogether different and, well let’s just say, less than pleasant. If you think about it, your experience will bear this out-good harmony in music always produces a smile while bad harmony will almost always educe a frown (unless you politely fight it).

Life is like that as well. There are times when I find “my part” in relationship with others and harmonize to create something beautiful.

When we moved to Las Vegas, we loaded our piano on a moving truck and drove across the county. The 1000 miles of starts, stops, bumps, and climate change took a toll on the instrument. It had to be tuned. The first thing the man who tuned it needed to do was find “middle C”. From the orientation of middle C the rest of the keys find there correct sound. Then the piano can make beautiful music for all to enjoy.

We are told in the book of Philippians to “have this attitude in you which was also in Christ Jesus”. Apart from finding middle C (Christ) and tuning myself to Him, I will experience an unpleasant lack of harmony in life. In music there are major and minor chords that can be played. Apart from Christ people major on the minor. Pettiness, selfishness, pride, and rivalry win the day. Jesus teaches us how to major on the majors and in humility find ways of coming together to do beautiful things. We can bring Joy to the world as we “esteem others as better” and “look to the interests of others”. Our homes and places of employment can be transformed into harmonious environments of cooperation, effectiveness and great joy as we find “middle C” and adjust our hearts to him. Keeping Him at the center helps us to sing our part.

Jesus truly can teach us all to sing in perfect harmony. He is the real thing!

My source of Joy

The other night I was watching an interview on Lary King with Winona Judd. She was talking about her current victory over depression which led her to alcoholism. She said something that I may never forget: "Now days when I start to reach for a drink, instead I reach for relationships." She went on to explain that healthy, loving relationships was what she always needed and did not have. Now her happiness is found in love with other key people that she allows into her life.

I have found this to be true as well. Joy for me is found in relationship to others who I am exploring what it means to give and recieve true love. Nothing matters more than relationships. Those who devalue relationships lose out on much of life's joy. Paul recognized this in his letter to some of his friends. They had a "special place in his heart" and were a constant source of joy in his memory bank. He could simply think of them and experience joy. Listen to the message paraphrase:

"It's not at all fanciful for me to think this way about you. My prayers and hopes have deep roots in reality. You have, after all, stuck with me all the way from the time I was thrown in jail, put on trial, and came out of it in one piece. All along you have experienced with me the most generous help from God. 8 He knows how much I love and miss you these days. Sometimes I think I feel as strongly about you as Christ does!" Phil. 1:7-8 (MSG)

Jesus taught us that the secret to joy was loving each other the way that He loved us. To lay down our lives for each other and serve one another in love.

“I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command.” John 15:11-14 (NIV)

My joy is ultimately found when I listen to Jesus who leads me to live an others-centered life giving myself away in loving relationships with those He loves. I am glad that Jesus is showing me this again. My joy is expanding as I obey Him in this. Like Winona, I too am reaching for relationships.

May the Joy of Jesus be in you today and may your joy be full!