Isaiah 6

My eyes searched frantically for something familiar

They found nowhere to rest.

My gaze was stolen by the man and His throne

Captivated by His presence my spirit lifted him higher

And he ascended in my praise.

The winged beasts circled Him ominously,

Covering their eyes in fear of His beauty

They spoke nothing but I could hear their cries

They called him holy, perfectly holy,

And my heart screamed in agreement

His glory overflowed my heart and I was afraid.

The muscles in my legs pinged with adrenaline

Ready to give out from shock

I said it, no I shouted it, from the depths of my

Visceral being it came- “Woe is me! I am a man

Of unclean lips...for my eyes have seen the King,

The Lord of Hosts.” The room shifted at my feet

They must have heard me. The world must have

Heard me shout. One of the stunning creatures

Majestically swooped up a fiery stone and pressed

It hard to my lips. The freeing agony I felt

Electrified my stony heart, and I leapt.

I heard his whisper, “Behold, this has touched

Your lips, your guilt is taken away, and your sin

Atoned for.” It was gone. The winged beasts

Disappeared and all I saw was my roof.

It was real.

Meditations on Ephesians 5 Part II

Thought 2 From My Readings of Ephesians 5:22-33

The motivation of Jesus in laying down his life for the church was that "he might sanctify her...so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish." Christ died for the church so that she would be sinless and blameless before Him at the day of Christ. How would this reward Christ? If you recall in chapter 1 verse 18 Paul writes, "that you may know...the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints." Christ is preparing His heavenly inheritance. It is of indescribable importance that He die for the church because:
1) If He doesn't die for Her, she will not be with Him. Without the death of Christ, the church will not enter into eternity. The Groom will be "brideless" on that day. She cannot be righteous without the blood of the Groom. So in order for the bride to join Him she must be made clean, and the only way she can be made clean is through the Groom's laying down of His life.
2) She is His body. She is a part of Him. When He came for Her the two became one flesh (v. 31-32). If Christ did not die for her then He would have separated Himself from Himself, which we know to be impossible.

For earthly husbands, this means you are called to give up your self in order to bring your bride to yourself. If you are to be joined with her properly, she must be led the right way. If a husband is not leading in his home, his WIFE will be guilty! That is an incredible thought to me, and may bring about some reactions that are unfriendly (go ahead and send some hate mail), but as one flesh his obedience makes her sanctified.

It is important to realize this means two very important things. First, how important is it that husbands follow this instruction? If you don't, your wives will be found guilty of your sin! Second, wives should realize the importance of marrying a man who will fulfill this responsibility. Marry a leader, not a coward! Do not marry a man you can direct and manipulate. Marry a man who will die to himself for you in order to present you to himself, pure and blameless, spotless and beautiful, holy and righteous.
Sovereign Father, Your Word instructs us to do this. Give men the strength to not back down from this challenge, and do so for the sake of Your great Name. Make the marriages of Christian men and women a reflection of Your Son and His Bride, one that glorifies your greatness! In the Name of Jesus I ask these things, Amen.

Meditations on Ephesians 5

Over the next few days I am hoping to post some solid thoughts I am having on Ephesians 5:22-33.

Thought 1:
The way a husband should love his wife is the way Christ loved the church. This is a profound truth that is so often misplaced. Many preachers will say the phrase "gave himself up for her" means that he died for her, which is true, but it is so much more than that. The words "gave up" are "paredoken" in Greek. The semantic range of this word means:
1) give over from one's hand to someone or something
2) of authoritative commitment of something to someone
3) of a sacrificial love
4) as a legal technical term for passing someone along in the judicial
process- an unjustified act of handing someone over to judicial authorities

We can choose one of these working definitions, but I believe under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit Paul meant every one of them. Christ gave HimSELF up. He gave up SELF for the sake of the church, his bride. Human beings operate in the vein of "I will do whatever brings me the most amount of pleasure and the least amount of pain." It is built into us to do such a thing, and there is very little to drive us from that thought process. But for Christ, He was driven from that thought process. He abandoned heaven and equality with God, not counting it something to be grasped, made Himself a servant and took the form of nothing, and humbled Himself to death, even death on a cross. Remember- this is GOD we are talking about. The deity of Christ cannot be forgotten. If we lose the fullness of His deity we lose the fullness of His sacrifice and thus the cross does not have the same effect- namely, to draw us to it in awestruck worship.

Ultimately, the example we meet of how Christ loved the church is a brief one- He betrayed (this is the literal meaning) His SELF and handed His SELF over to her. This was all done with full knowledge (for Jesus is God and all knowing) that His bride would deny Him and shame Him for centuries until He returns. That she would turn and run at times, and do horrific things in His name. In full knowledge of this He died to Himself, and He took responsibility for His bride.

This self-sacrificing love comes from a heart that loves it's object more than itself. I cannot imagine how difficult it is for a husband to love his wife with full knowledge that she will not love him back, or submit to him as she's supposed to, or deny him to his face. I cannot imagine the pain a husband would experience when his bride finds comfort in another man. But Scripture is clear on this- it is His job to die to Himself and love His wife, no matter how she is acting. He must give up His SELF and love her. Husbands, respond to this call. Follow the example of our precious Savior! Seek His strength in being able to love your wives as you must, die to yourself for them at every moment!

Next Post- Why should we, and why would He?

Spurgeon On Daniel and Prayer

"It is no small token of God's love to a man, if the man lives in the spirit of prayer, if he delights himself in prayer, and if year after year prayer has not become a monotony to him, if it is real to him, yea, and if he so much hungers after more of it that he devotes lengthened seasons to its more intense exercise. If God privileges him to become mighty in prayer, then is he a man greatly beloved. Power in prayer is one of the most divine of the Lord's gracious gifts...Whenever I look upon a man who is powerful in prayer, who by supplication brings down blessings on his own family, and the church and his neighborhood, I know that there is to be found a man who is indeed greatly beloved." CH Spurgeon

This is taken from a sermon on Daniel 10:19. Make us people who do not find prayer monotonous or dull. Let us hunger after more prayer.

Ephesians 1:15-23

Paul's prayer for the Ephesians in this passage struck me as incredibly beautiful this morning. His prayer isn't that their lives would be easy, they would be rich, but that God would reveal Himself to them fully and completely in three ways (having the eyes of their hearts enlightened in these three ways:

1) "That you may know what is the hope to which He has called you..."- That is, namely, that the Christians in Ephesus may have an understanding of what it means to be a Christian, what the desires of our heart truly are. It is possible to be so mixed up in this life as a Christian that we hope in the wrong things. But Paul's prayer for the Ephesians is that their hope would be in the right thing, through revelation and wisdom from God they would know the Hope God has called them to- hope in Jesus Christ, hope in the future resurrection from the dead. Hope in this, for it will not fail. "Whom have I in heaven but you? There is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. Though my heart and my flesh may fail, God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." Psalm 73:25-26

2)"That you may know...what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints..."- Know, Ephesians, that the people of God will be gathered together in eternity and this is the inheritance of God. Not only this, but Paul calls it a rich and glorious inheritance! God is looking forward to eternity with the saints in Jesus Christ and will enjoy the praises of His people for all time. It is no fluke that God has saved you, nor has He saved you without purpose. God has saved us for Himself, "In love He predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ..." (Ephesians 1:4-5). God will wake the dead for Himself, to His glory, and it will be our pleasure and His to praise Him for all of eternity!

3) That you may know...what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe..." If you continue reading, you will see that the power this speaks of is the power that raised Christ from the dead. This greatly powerful display, put on by God, showed that there is no authority greater than Him! The very worst that this world could do to man, to take away His life, was not enough to overcome the power of the Father! He is "above all rule and authority and power and dominion..." (Ephesians 1:21). There is nothing greater than God, and He shows us this greatness in that the same power that raised Christ from the dead is working amongst all who believe in His name!

Oh how I pray this for the church today! God make it so, do this among your people. Enlighten the eyes of our heart so that we may see You, Father.

In the Middle

I am currently sitting in a recliner 6 days following a simple nasal surgery. Those six days have been spent flat on my back, eyes watering, and head feeling like it may explode. Now is no different, maybe even the worst it has been for some time. I would be optimistic, were it not for the ominous information that tomorrow I will be at a research hospital in Seattle awaiting a treatment for the small (non-cancerous) mass they found in my nose during surgery. That process will take a few more days, a few more pills, and of course a few more dollars.

I say all that not in hopes that many will look at me and feel pity. This situation is far easier than that of so many in the world, and my plight is an easy sentence for those fighting cancer or losing loved ones. However, since my life has not been characterized by suffering, this has been difficult for me. I have been withheld from activities, people, and things that I do love. I feel as if I can't carry on a coherent conversation. I can hardly read my Bible because staring at the page hurts my head! But in all this I have found sweet comfort in one thing- that my God is sovereign.

Given the thought that this were "from Satan," or "not of God," I think my temperament would be most gloomy. I would sit and think of ways that I could get better, or earn enough of God's favor and grace to get healed. But on the other side of that fence- the one where my soul rests- there are green pastures, still waters, and a rod and staff that may strike with pain at times, but will never fail to steer me away from eminent danger. I have great confidence that this whole ordeal was ordained by God for His glory and for my joy. At this point, I don't know how that will arrive. I do find some joy in trying to figure out that mystery, but I have never had a doubt that my God is here, and he is better than pain. There is an enormous difference in believing in THE Sovereign God, and believing in a god. My God is sovereign, and "even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me."

Thank you Lord, this is not easy but I trust that it is right. Help me to deal with it in a way that reflects your Glory.

Thank the Lord

In my reading today I came across this passage in the book of Judges. If you've never read it before, Judges is a fairly accurate summary of most of our lives. The people of Israel "did what was evil in the sight of the Lord" over and over again. They would serve other gods, not follow his commandments, and for the most part dishonor God in every way. Very few were faithful in this time, and at the end of it they would be in trouble. They typically ended up in oppression to people like the Philistines or the Midianites, and once they were miserable enough they would repent and call out to God. This text grabbed my heart today as I read it, thanking Him that this was never His response to me:

"And the people of Israel cried out to the Lord, saying, “We have sinned against you, because we have forsaken our God and have served the Baals.” 11 And the Lord said to the people of Israel, “Did I not save you from the Egyptians and from the Amorites, from the Ammonites and from the Philistines? 12 The Sidonians also, and the Amalekites and the Maonites oppressed you, and you cried out to me, and I saved you out of their hand. 13 Yet you have forsaken me and served other gods; therefore I will save you no more. 14 Go and cry out to the gods whom you have chosen; let them save you in the time of your distress.” 15 And the people of Israel said to the Lord, “We have sinned; do to us whatever seems good to you. Only please deliver us this day.” 16 So they put away the foreign gods from among them and served the Lord, and he became impatient over the misery of Israel."

I don't feel that different from the Israelites in Judges. God will often take action in convincing fashion all around me. I see lives changed at a camp, people healed, addictions cured, and hope rekindled quite often. Just like the Israelites saw deliverance from oppressors and slavery, miracles, punishment for sin, and the Red Sea parted in front of them. Most of the time we can objectify ourselves from stories, thinking, "How could they forget that easily? If I had seen what they had seen, I would never forget!" I think it almost every day. But the reality is, we would/do forget. I can't imagine if those same Israelites were alive today, would they be looking at us thinking, "How could they forget? If I had seen Jesus die on the cross like they have seen, I would never forget!"

We tend to romanticize everything but the present, and the present says this- "You have seen. You know the truth. You have heard about this Jesus. You know the price He paid for you. It is real. Follow Him." It is enough. He has done more than enough for us. I thank God that His response to me when I cried out to Him wasn't, "Did I not save you from her? Did I not save you from lust? Did I not save you from pride? You cried out to me and I delivered you from their hands. Yet you have forsaken me and served other gods; therefore I will save you no more. 14 Go and cry out to the gods whom you have chosen; let them save you in the time of your distress.”

Oh how I thank God that He is more than patient with me! That when I have chased after idols and foolishness he never responded in that way! His response was always, "I have saved you, I have made you righteous!" The gods I pursued could never have saved me, but God did!

I finished my reading today with 2 Corinthians 5:21- "God made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God."

He made the way, He solved the problem, He sent His Son, He was perfect, HE SAVES. Thank God that He saves. To Him be the glory.

Prayer

I often wonder what it is that brings people to their knees before God. Everyone has a different story, many are like mine, and others are unique or original tales of God's grace. Nevertheless, we do have a story, and at some point in there if we are a Christian we have found ourselves on our knees before God. So often Christianity is mistaken for wanting to go to heaven and escaping hell. Reality: fear of hell is not sufficient to usher you into the kingdom of God. Heaven is for those who love Him, and that doesn't stem from fear of hell in and of itself. Somewhere between falling on our knees in worship at the Cross of Jesus Christ and entering into Heaven we fall into a trap- Pride.

Pride is ever so dangerous and always lurking around the corner. It is a constant danger and appears in so many different ways. What is pride you say? Edward Payson says this:

"Pride consists in an unduly exalted opinion of one's self. It is, therefore, impatient of a rival, hates a superior, and cannot endure a master."

Paul reminds us in Romans 12 not to think more highly of ourselves than we ought to, but with sober judgment examine ourselves. I love his advice, but how does this come? I am not the only person on earth blogging on pride. I am the 1,000,000th customer in this game. So many have answered the question in their minds, and yet it still plagued me. The reason- I am so proud. It is a battle for so long that I couldn't win, and eventually deemed helpless. It showed itself in subtle ways, like establishing myself as an "Alpha" in a group. It happens when I judge the conversations of others. It rears its ugly head when I hear another teach or preach. Pride leaps out when I "fish for compliments" because of my insecurities. Funny how insecurity at its core is really pride. I fought and fought for so long. I legitimately tried everything I knew, and I had an insatiable hunger for the Word of God...but nothing worked.

Recently I think I have found the solution. It is simple, but people find it so difficult. Prayer. I really think that as Christians we should lament that our prayers don't do more. But is there anything more humbling than asking God for EVERYTHING?! When you get in your car and pray for a safe trip- because you have no control over the other drivers on the road and whether or not you get there safely! When you get in the shower in the morning- because your life is so fragile you could slip and fall. When you wake up after a night's sleep- because God created the world in such a way that sleeping gives your body rest, and He doesn't need any! When you teach and preach and proclaim the gospel with great words and knowledge- and then you stand before kids crying unable to formulate a coherent thought...pray, and God acts.

Knowing that we aren't in control of anything can be frightening at first. Praying for humility, praying in everything, praying for friends and churches and missionaries- it's humbling. It shows us how big God is and how sovereign He is, and just how incredibly small we are!

Why is it comforting? Because in the end you aren't as good at controlling stuff as He is. Because God knows everything, and you only know most stuff. And because the God who created the world through spoken word is orchestrating the workings of the universe to work together for the good of the entire church (universal) instead of you working for your own good.

Pray. Humble yourself in prayer. Pray to Him for all things, through all things, and in all things. You will be surprised to find that God answers prayers and takes delight in meeting the needs of His people.

"The church will not get on its feet until it first gets on its knees." Vance Havner

The Justice of My King

I feel as if this blog has been stirring in my heart for quite some time, but it has been difficult to find the tone to write it with. I read Psalm 101 some days ago, and it has sat on my heart with the weight of a large stone. I cannot get past the first 4 lines:

I will sing of steadfast love and justice; to you, O LORD, I will make music. I will ponder the way that is blameless. Oh when will you come to me?

David wrote it. It's a song about leaders. Who leaders should be, what they should do, how they should live- it's all here in this little song the Israelites would sing. But who could fulfill such steep requirements? When they sang the song they had in mind a king in the line of David, but even more than that they had in mind a Messiah. They would sing it envisioning someone who had not been born yet, but they knew would exist. The man was faceless and shapeless, but his character was evident. He was blameless- faultless, without sin, innocent. He was steadfast in love- his love never failed, it was endless and unconditional. And His justice was perfect- he upheld the law and was the judge of the law, morally and spiritually perfect, He was life and life in the fullest.

This man was the ideal of the Hebrew people- and they waited for Him to come. And then they nailed Him to a cross, crucified Him, and to this day are waiting for the "real one" to appear.

He was here. He came for us, and he fit the mold His people were looking for. He was blameless, and steadfast in love and justice. Oh how perfect He was. He is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but in every way was tempted like us- yet was without sin! (Hebrews 4:15) We have a King who committed no sin, neither was deceit found in His mouth (1 Peter 2:22). Steadfast in love and justice, blameless before God, and a perfect sacrifice for my sin, for your sin, and for the sins of His people.

I wonder how many today wait for a savior. Maybe it isn't a king from the line of David, but is: money, jobs, marriage, romance, children, or some other mythical satisfaction the world hurls our way. He was here already. He came for you- don't miss Him, He was everything we sing about today and more- our glorious Savior.

Dear Friends and Facebook

Most of you will probably never read this, and the few that will know me well enough to respect it, I hope. I have been thinking quite a bit about my Facebook and the attraction it has on my soul. While I am not a Facebook addict, and I have often refused to participate in the narcissistic posting about my daily routine (not too difficult since no one is interested- I'm a pretty boring dude), I have detected a bit of underlying concern with my page. I often post notes or updates pertaining to Christ, and my hope is that they glorify Him. However, there is a deep part of my heart that hopes they glorify me. I want people to visit my page, to comment on my pictures, to think of me often, to see how intelligent I am (which requires lots of slight of hand and illusions), and to be interested in my life. This portion of my heart has gone unresolved for too long. It is my arrogance that has allowed me to let it grow for even this long, and it is the grace of God that has revealed it to me now. I am far too concerned with the lives of others (including people who I have no business being concerned for), and not concerned enough with the lives of FOS students, my family, and most importantly- The Word of God. Social networking and internet has distracted me long enough, and I am absolutely humbled before God in this moment. I long for intimacy with my Savior and I don't believe Facebook is a venue that is conducive to that for me. I could use the excuse that it is networking with other pastors or old friends- but that is merely laziness on my part. I would like to say that this is a decision I am making knowing my own heart, and I do not think by any means that Facebook is the anti-Christ, demonic, Satan, Beelzubub, or worse- Hilary Clinton (sorry, I had to make a joke here and it was too easy). I do hope that one day I will return to this world because it is fun to see what is going on in the lives of people I care about, but that day is far off yet. If you would like to keep in touch I would be absolutely honored to hear from you. My email address is:

jake@ecconline.cc and/or jgamble.nchs@gmail.com

You can also have my phone number if you ask for it. Thanks for your friendship (the 3 of you who read this) and I hope that even in this note God is glorified. I will be deleting my Facebook account tomorrow evening.

In the words of Clarence (It's a Wonderful Life), "Remember George...No man is a failure who has friends."

For the Glory of God,
Jake Gamble

P.S.- I will continue writing at takethegamble.blogspot.com if you wish to follow along.

Skid Row

On Friday morning, 9 people from our team (required to be 17 and older) got the go ahead to visit "Skid Row" in downtown LA. This is an area of 12 city blocks that is "home" to about 1,000 homeless people per block. As we drove past in our vans to park, it was incredible to see every single sidewalk full of people. Some were sleeping on mats, others pushing carts, and others still standing "innocently."

We pulled over and as we were receiving our simple instructions (to invite each person to a free meal at 1:30 pm)a man decided it was time to impart some wisdom. He told us how he was a product of Skid Row, how he had grown up there and the streets made him who he was, and how he could smell the "Hills" (Beverly Hills) on everyone of us "rich white folk." The tension was high enough without this guy stirring us up, but that didn't help. Some of the kids (and leaders) were afraid, so we took time to pray and ask God for courage and protection.

As we walked the streets, I saw things that I know will never be erased from my memory. After speaking with one man, I was walking to catch up with the group when a guy stumbled around the corner. I was a bit startled, but as I went to invite him to the meal I noticed his eyes rolled back in his head and a band tied around his upper arm. He had just finished shooting up in the alley. I tried to start a coherent conversation with him, but he was not following. We passed a few more blocks when I stopped to talk with 2 more guys. They were surprisingly friendly as I made conversation, and when I had finished (about to ask them if I could pray with them since they were so nice) speaking both started to reach into their pockets. One pulled out a large wad of cash, the other a small baggie filled with white powder. I was 2 feet from them and in broad daylight, but there was no shame on their part, it was simply a part of every day life.

Then we stopped by San Julian Park. I had only seen places like this in the movies. There were probably a hundred people inside, groups of 10-15 spread out around covered tables with their music blasting from old school boom boxes. I decided to approach one table and apologize for interrupting. The conversation went something like this-

Me: "Hey, sorry to interrupt, how's it going?"
Guy: "You don't care."
Me: "Oh, I'm sorry...I just wanted to tell you we are serving a free meal..."
Guy: "Good for you."
Me: "Well, it's at 1:30 at the V.O.A..."
Guy: "Shut up."
Me: "Yes sir, well I hope to see..."
Guy: "I said SHUTUP!"

Needless to say, I shut up. I wasn't sure what it was that set him off. Maybe it was my tone, or the fact that I was interrupting. Maybe it was the fact that I was white and he thought I had no business interrupting his day. I could feel the bitterness, anger, and hatred coming from his soul.

A few blocks from there a large camper sat on the side of the street that had a bucket inside. Junkies could come drop off dirty needles and exchange them for clean ones. It was like the city had given up, saying, "Well, we can't stop them from shooting up, so we might as well keep them from getting AIDS while they do it."

I had never seen anything like Skid Row. So many people hurting, broken, desperate, and lost...and they don't want any help. Years and years of neglect have left some angry at the world; and others searching for a way out. Stepping out of the car you could feel the weight of the place you had entered. You could feel the oppression, and you could sense the hopelessness. Somehow, seeing through the anger and desperation and the high most were riding, I saw something unexpected. I saw people. There were souls in there. Some maybe hidden deeper than others, but there were real, genuine people who were made in the image of God! There were people who had never known love, who had never seen the beautiful feet mentioned in Romans 10. Sin had hidden the message from them for so long, and we tried to bring it through food.

I left unsure of what to feel. I wanted so badly to do more. All of us wanted to rush out of our van and weep, crying out to them, "It doesn't have to be this way! There is another life, a better life! There is hope and infinite joy! It's not just Chinese food we were inviting you too!"

It left me thinking this- No place on this earth is God-forsaken. No matter how dark and lost a place is, God is there. But as I looked around and saw the misery all I could think was what hell must be like. Similar in a place of torment and hopelessness, but there is no sunshine that brings light in the morning. There is no free meal on Friday afternoon to fill your belly. There is merely the tragedy of dead souls who never knew the life that was at stake. And as the thought hit me I could not help but think I will not be a part of people going to hell! If sinners go then I will do all that is in my power to stop them! I will beg and plead and weep with them to find Christ in their lives so that they must not experience hell! They mustn't go to a place worse than what I had seen! God give me beautiful feet to bring that message.

C.H. Spurgeon once said, "If sinners will be damned, at least let them leap to hell over our bodies. And if they will perish, let them perish with our arms around their knees, imploring them to stay. If hell must be filled, at least let it be filled in the teeth of our exertions, and let not one go there unwarned and unprayed for."

Make it so, Sweet Lord. Precious Jesus, please let the people of Skid Row see that "The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned."

LA Dream Center Introduction Letter

The theme of FOS Missions has taken on a new identity. The overarching theme for FOS Missions is “Let the nations be glad…” which is taken from Psalm 67:4. The point of this theme- that every FOS missions team will be sent with the express purpose of bringing the joy of God to people around the globe. This Spring, 28 people will travel to inner city Los Angeles to bring that joy to people who have never experienced it, never known it, and possibly never heard of it. There is no greater purpose on this earth, nor a greater glorification of God than reaching people with the gospel of Jesus Christ.

The unique theme of this year’s trip is “Light in Darkness;” taken from Isaiah 9:2. There are a few major ways that this light will manifest itself in our lives during this trip. First, we will be carriers of light for people living in a land of darkness. The city of Los Angeles has a population of roughly 4 million people, 800,000 of which live in poverty. Twenty-five percent of those 800,000 (200,000) are children ages 11 and younger. If you would like a comparison- the total population of Thurston County (Lacey, Olympia, Tumwater, and neighbors) is 204,300. There are as many children living in poverty in the city of Los Angeles as there are people in Thurston County. The light we will be bringing to these people isn’t preaching and it isn’t discipleship- it’s things like food, water, soap, and tears. We will bring the light of the love of God as we give them basic necessities that they couldn’t have had on their own, and through that they will know the love of God and the value of every human being in God’s eyes.

I believe we will also see a light shine out of darkness in our hearts. As a community we are blessed, but we often take for granted the blessings we have when we sit down to eat dinner. There are needs we have met every day that we don’t even give thought to, and on this trip we will see people who are lacking in those needs. It is my greatest hope that your perspective will be changed before returning home. And not changed for a moment, for a few weeks, or even a year; but having your heart and mind changed for a lifetime as you see the reality that people face every day. Things we never gave a thought to will be highlighted as essential and incredible, and through this God’s grace in our lives will ring out. He will shed light on dark corners of our hearts that we did not even know existed, and we need to return home changed.

Finally, we will bring light to FOS. There is a message, an attitude, and a heart that returns from a missions trip. Many of you have seen it before. We should never forget that message. Through this trip some of us may be called to world missions for a lifetime, some for a season and others will recognize the desperate need to help in our very own town. But we can never forget what we witness, what we hear, what we do, or even what God reveals in our hearts as we serve. That is a message that has to be passed on to FOS, to Evergreen Christian Community, and to the body of Christ as a whole. It is a message of grace and compassion, a message of heartache and brokenness, but most of all a message about hope. It is a message that brings joy where there was none, and a message that brings light to those trapped in darkness- whether that is Olympia, Los Angeles, Burma, Indonesia, Mexico, or Spain- it must go on.

Take a posture of humility in this trip, and allow God to do with you as He wills- you will be surprised to find the depths of joy in serving such a caring God.

The Difficulties of Preaching

I have been thinking a great deal about teaching the Word of God (not to mention doing it 4 times a week for the last 7 months). It is draining, weighty, difficult, frustrating, joyous, adrenaline filled, and challenging. I love the Bible. I love that as I read it, it speaks to me and proves itself true. It identifies my sin, it works and moves me, it truly is living and active. One of the problems of teaching it is the guarantee from God that people will hear it in different ways- Luke 8. Some people will eat it up at first and get choked out by other concerns, some will never have it sink in, others will enjoy a message but when trial comes it will knock them down. And still- others- they will hear it and it will bring forth beautiful, deep, rich, meaningful life. That is a joyous time in any preacher's life.

I think we have missed this for too long in Christianity. We look at the three groups that don't bear fruit as "getting it." I don't think they do. I don't think they are Christians- at least not yet. It kills me to see someone in church on a Sunday morning, Tuesday or Wednesday night, and they nod their heads through the entire message. They agree, maybe cry, and receive the message in that moment. THEN- and this is huge- they go home and turn on the television. And what they don't realize is that the birds are coming in and swooping up the message that was just spoken to them. They are eating up the seeds of the Gospel that were scattered in their hearts just moments before. And it's not just TV, it can be a cell phone, Facebook, Myspace, or having friends over.

Where is the wrestle? The word of God goes out and it has to sink through the soil, it has to settle and be watered and weeded and cared for continuously. We get so distracted that we forget to wrestle with the deep truth that affected us while a pastor spoke. We put off change because there is a good movie on, or a friend is coming over. Why? Why would we risk it? Don't wait! Do what you feel God pressing you to do, don't reason it away as being too radical...don't even give yourself that chance! Change is right, it's what the Gospel does. The words of Jesus would be spoken and stir the hearts of the people around Him, and they would act! Don't allow your justifications and reasoning to take away the extreme action God is calling you to.

Why would you do it? Because there is more joy in being obedient to Christ and knowing that through that obedience you are drawing near to Him and Him to you. There is more joy in that than in a movie, a video game, a text, a girlfriend, shopping, or a party! There is so much more joy in knowing God than any of those things, so don't wait!

I hope as you read this God is revealing to you the thing you have put off for days, weeks, years, maybe for some of you decades- go do it. Turn off the electronics and go be with God! Cancel your cable. Turn your phone off. Sell your x-box. Run to the arms of Christ knowing that in obedience your time with Him will only be increased...He will bring you comfort.

A Hard Day

Today at ECC we started the "goodbye process" for Pastor Dale. He announced today that he and his family will be leaving to pastor People's Church in Fresno, California. While it was difficult news for me, I had time to process. Many, however, did not. I saw many tears, many shocked faces, and many people who experienced a great range of emotions in a flash. I was greatly encouraged to see so much maturity in the church, hugging Pastor Dale with love and releasing him to the place of his next calling.

I had a conversation with a good friend after our 12:12 service for about 20 minutes following the announcement of his departure. I wanted to affirm the sovereignty of God in all of this (nothing she hadn't heard before) and the joy of knowing that our future with God is brighter than our past or present. I do realize this though: We are human beings with hearts that feel, hurt, love, and mourn. I hope we embrace these feelings. So many people are ashamed of tears because they show vulnerability- but Jesus was never afraid to be vulnerable. He called on his friends when he needed them, He wept openly at the loss of a dear friend (John 11:35). He mourned with the sad, He wept with the hurting, and He was never afraid to share what was on His heart.

For those that are hurting and trying to find a cure for the pain- sort through the emotions. Process, wrestle, struggle, fight, and search for joy in all of this. It will grow your soul. There may not be a definitive answer to the pain, or a cure for that matter, but there can be faith that fills the gap between our pain and the promise of God that it is working for our good eternal joy.

Don't run from it. Talk with friends, cry with brothers and sisters, pray together, love each other, be all that the church is supposed to be in this moment. And when that happens we'll see that the church wasn't built on the shoulders of any one human being- it was built on the God-Man- Jesus Christ. He is the head and the foundation of the church, and as we wrestle through that my prayer is that He will meet us with loving arms, calling us to more of Him even in the midst of a difficult time as a body. I know He will do this, I know He will reveal much of Himself in this transition period, and I know that whoever comes will not be Pastor Dale, but will be exactly who God has called to this place for this moment. And for that I'm thankful.

In the mean time, we get to hear from a passionate preacher, and a very dear friend/boss of mine! And that sure ain't no hand me down. This boy can preach!

In Christ,
Jake

The Joy of Gathering Together

As I look over the last 3 years of serving in a youth ministry, I have often wondered whether or not I wore a "mask." We often refer to the persona that a person puts on in a certain situation as a "mask" so that people will think they are one way when, in fact, they are not. So frequently I have rough days and I come into FOS and there is a smile on my face, joy in my soul, and conversations to be had. As I contemplate this thought, it hit me- I've never had to try. Never once has my joy been deceptive, nor have I tried to fool everyone into thinking I've had it all together. I have joy because I am doing something that God created me to do- gathering for corporate worship.

In Psalm 42, the Psalter writes:
"These things I remember,
as I pour out my soul:
how I would go with the throng
and lead them in procession to the house of God
with glad shouts and songs of praise,
a multitude keeping festival."

The author is going through an awful experience in life- his tears have been his food day and night, his adversaries taunt him, he has felt far from God for too long...and what does he do? He posts his feelings on Facebook so his 1900 "friends" can all ask, "What's wrong?" and then write on his wall how great he is! (Buzzer sound) Wrong! He preaches to himself, first, that God is still God and that he has hope in God! (There will be more to come on this idea of self-preaching). But he says as he pours out his soul he remembers how he would gather with the throng (a multitude of assembled persons) and lead them in procession in the house of God, with glad shouts and songs of praise, a multitude keeping festival! He looks back on his time WITH THE CHURCH in fondness and it is a memory that allows him to press onward! It is beautiful. He remembers his friends gathering together, he remembers how he would lead them, and that very memory serves him in his moment of despair.

Christianity was meant to be lived out in community, not in isolation. We have others to help carry our burdens, we have people to cry with us and pray for us and hurt with us! We have people to rejoice with us and to hope with us and to love with us! It is a gift- the church is a precious gift of Christ and how we spoil it by being so angry towards it!

I know that one day, when trial comes, I will look back on my time at FOS as I pour out my soul. I will remember how I stood with the kids singing praises to God and rejoicing at all that He is and does, and that very memory will push me through trial.

I hope you have that because it is there, you must want it. Thank you Lord, for the beautiful bride that is the church. We are not perfect, but you are...and we worship you for that, TOGETHER.

Hope for Young Men

On Tuesday night I preached at FOS McCleary on men. One of the things I mentioned is that nothing is more discouraging/frustrating for me to see than men in the Christian church being outnumbered 3:1. I'm not sure how it happened, but somewhere along the way men stopped leading and started becoming lazy, ignorant, stagnant little boys. Most Sundays you'll find men sitting at home watching football on the couch as their wife gets the kids ready for church, drives them to church, registers them, and then brings them home to make their lunch, along with the lunch of her husband, who is also a child.

I found hope on Wednesday night. I watched about 50 young guys gather in front of everyone- high school freshman, sophomores, juniors, and seniors, even some middle schoolers- and worship the God of the universe with no shame. I saw these young men a month ago at camp be broken before God, cry without shame, covenant to protect women, remain pure, and ask each other the difficult questions that have been missing from American culture for so long. I saw those young men sit together with their Bibles open on Wednesday night taking notes on Biblical teaching. I have heard them recite Scripture that they have memorized to war against the desires of the flesh. I have seen them sit and read their Bibles together while everyone else fools around. I've watched silently as they help little ones, reach out to the hurt, and love a community of people who look up to them. I see them wake up on Sunday mornings to learn more about God in classroom formats. I hear them say they love each other and witness them hug. I see them play sports and not glorify themselves.

Something is different in these young men, and it's Christ. Christ is at work in them and it gives me so much hope that maybe, all around the country, other young men are being raised up to be good daddy's, loving husbands, providers, and LEADERS! Oh how I pray that young men are being gathered to do just that! How joyous it would be indeed to see a movement of men who really do care, who can get off their behinds and work for the gospel of Jesus Christ! What hope that brings to me, and I pray that it does the same for you, or that it challenges you to be a better man.

There is a shortage of good, Christian men in the world. Let's fix that.

We Were Brothers Once

Today I celebrate the exodus of a very dear friend. For those of you who don't know, Connor Schmidt left today for the Army Ranger Indoctrination Program in Fort Benning Georgia. We celebrated with him yesterday, I shed tears at his departure, not in fear or true sadness...tears of joy at his embracing life and doing what he feels called to do. But mixed in with those tears were tears I couldn't hide- tears of a brother.

I am the brother of one great sister, but my whole life I wanted a brother. I wanted another boy to tackle, to wrestle, to laugh with, eat with, fight with, struggle with, and cry with. Roughly three years ago God gave me that brother in Connor. Our first conversation took place on the kitchen counter of Andrew Murch's house when we both discovered our passion for ministry and desire to be a pastor one day. Since that day we've shared many memories, and we've walked the path of manhood together. His leaving was abrupt and too fast, but I know this- God has enormous things in store for Connor. He will impact the lives of soldiers, friends, family, kids, and whoever else finds themselves in his company. I'm excited to share him with the world, even through the tears of a brother.

Every so often people enter into your life that you never forget. Not because they are hilarious or good looking, but because they leave fingerprints on your heart. You gave them access to the real you, and they impacted you in deep, meaningful ways. A very wise man once told me, "A friend is someone I will call if I have a need." That's a pretty good definition- and if you know Connor you probably considered him a friend. I encourage you this night, don't forget those people. The ones that really changed you, the ones that loved you enough to tell you the truth, the people who genuinely cared for your well-being, not just what you thought of them. Don't forget them- pray for them. Call them. Think of them often because they are a gift from God.

I miss Connor. I hope he comes back in a few months. I will be praying for him (and I know he would appreciate all your prayers as he goes through grueling training and prepares for combat). But I will not forget my brother. Not in the least. I look forward to the day when he and I can celebrate together and continue the road that we started to walk 3 years ago. Thank you Jesus for good friends, good men who give you their whole heart and help me to see what being a man is really about. Thank you Lord.

More than a feeling...

Brad Delp's falsetto tones ring out in my ear, "It's more than a feeling...more than a feeling...when I hear that old song they used to play...it's more than a feeling." What could possibly be more than a feeling?

One week ago today we headed up a mountain to visit Camp Ghormley, FOS youth's annual winter camp (visit fosyouth.com or foscamps.com for more information). We left changed. And yet, every year kids return from camp on a spiritual "high" that they seem certain will evaporate and suddenly they find themselves clinging to the thoughts of the next big even to reestablish that high, or that feeling. Just a few days ago a kid asked me, "What if I don't feel God? It doesn't really feel like He is close to me. I just can't feel it." Or so often I have heard, "I am trying to worship but I am not really feeling it."

What swells in my heart in those responses is not anger, inasmuch as it is indignation. We have taken what was intended for God and made it about ourselves. Worship is our giving praise to God for all that He has done, it is the stirring of our affections for Him in the face of His greatness. It is not goosebumps and a warm feeling spreading over our body as the bridge to our favorite song gets as loud as possible while the drummer's lead foot pounds the kick into the microphone causing our microscopic hearts to pound at the same pace...this is not worship.

Worship is not inspired by music alone, nor is it inspired by anything else alone. Worship is inspired by God. Our worship of God is not dependent on how good the music is, or how good the preaching makes us feel. Our worship for God hinges on one fact- "While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." We have never and will never deserve the mercy of God, but He has granted it to us without reason. That to me is reason to worship. That stirs my affections for Him in all things, not just a "warm-fuzzy" lifting my hands. To know that the God of the universe loved us enough to send His Son to die for us, not because we are great but because He is, so that we could be with Him in eternity is enough to awaken worship in my heart. What does it take for you? A "motivational speaker" making you "feel good" when you leave the church on Sunday? A loud speaker with a sub-woofer the size of Sioux Falls, South Dakota pounding your rib cage to death? Or the message of the Gospel, "For while we were still weak (dead), at the right time Christ died for the ungodly." Is that enough for us to devote our lives to a most holy God no matter what the cost? I hope so...or else we are guilty of idolatry.

A student sharing her story said this: "I never thought I was a bad person before. I didn't have a lot of 'sins' to confess outright. Then I realized- I'm TERRIBLE! I fail so much, and yet God loves me because Christ died for me. I don't know what to do with that other than love Him back."

I can still hear the music..."When I hear that old song they used to play...more than a feeling...I begin dreaming...it's more than a feeling..." Is it more than a feeling? Indeed it is- it's called faith. Even when you can't "feel Him" anymore, you know He is still there.