Being American is largely about being comfortable. We buy bigger, more expensive, houses so that we can spread out in them and be comfortable. We buy bigger cars, with worse gas mileage and more foot room, so that we can be comfortable. We buy new sneakers so that our feet are comfortable while we are all walking far less than we should. We eat foods that are “comfort foods” and we all have a tendency to completely avoid any situation that might make us the least bit uncomfortable.

I’m not trying to be a hater, but this is what I see in my life and in the lives around me. And, though this type of living seems mildly harmless I’m beginning to wonder how harmless it really is. I was reading Philippians today and came across this verse:

For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake,  engaged in the same conflict that you saw I had and now hear that I still have.
Philippians 1:29-30

Now, we have all heard verses about suffering for Jesus sake, taking up our cross, dying to self, being a living sacrifice, yada yada yada. And, I can’t tell you how many times I have read Philippians 1, but today the Holy Spirit kind of thumped me on the noggin with this one. It’s not so much that I should suffer for the sake of Jesus, it’s that it has been granted to me, like a blessing.

The greek word for “granted” in verse 29 is xariðzomai which means “to do something pleasant or agreeable (to one), to do a favor to.”

Does that seem like the normal way to describe suffering? No! But, God, in His infinite wisdom and knowledge knows that suffering for Jesus is, in fact, its own blessing.

It’s also interesting that suffering is a part of the progression of our spiritual growth. Paul writes, “you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake”, teaching us that belief in Jesus is the important first step, but that it must not end there. We are also called to follow Him in such a radical way that some type of suffering is incurred.

Maybe we suffer because we sacrifice a large portion of our money to help support ministry around the world. Maybe we suffer because we are called to go around the world for that ministry. Maybe we suffer uncertainty and stress as we step out in faith to follow after Jesus. Whatever kind of suffering we must do, be sure of this; if we aren’t suffering in some form or fashion then we aren’t as radical as Jesus was and we aren’t becoming more like Him. Suffering is a part of growth, it’s tough but true.

I think John Piper wraps up this idea perfectly. In his book A Godward Life on page 44 he writes:

Do you have zeal for a worthy cause? Is there some good for which you are being slandered? Or is your routine so harmless in this evil world that it fits nicely with the way things are going, and so nobody is asking you anything?

One of the things that I have gleaned from Jewish culture is praying the Shema. This is one of the oldest prayers that is regularly prayed by the Jews. It is typically the first prayer that they teach their children as soon as their children can speak. And having been immersed briefly in their culture, I can tell you that this is a prayer that affects every aspect of their physical and spiritual lives, which in and of itself shows the power of this prayer.

The cool thing about the Shema is that it is just strait scripture. The prayer comes from three passages: Deuteronomy 6:4–9, Deuteronomy 11:13-21, and Numbers 15:37–41. I encourage you to read it.

I have been trying to read and pray the Shema daily, and the thing that has really impacted me in that process has been how it teaches that the scriptures need to be integrated into every area of our life. In the first and second parts of the Shema the scriptures say to talk about God’s word “when you are sitting in your house, and when you are walking by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.”

Talking about His word should happen continually, in everything that we do. I think too often Western Christianity compartmentalizes God’s word to something that is read in church or a quiet time and something that is talked about in Sunday School or a small group. But, it should be much more than that. His word should constantly be in the front of our minds for us to meditate on and bound to our hands for us to deliver to others. His word must play a larger role in our life, both spiritual and physical.

It is this type of dedication to God’s word that I pray I will learn and reproduce in my family for generations to come.

I haven’t written much since getting back from Israel. There are two reasons for this, I’m extremely busy working on the church and designing websites, and I needed some time to process my thoughts about the trip.

It was truly the trip of a lifetime, and one that changed me mentally and spiritually. Several times I have been asked what impacted me the most, that is the subject of this post.

Honestly, the first thing that hit was was the devotion that the Jewish people have for the scriptures and for God. Watching them pray and read scripture for hours on end made me feel lazy and really convicted me about how little effort we (American Christians) tend to put into our spiritual walk. Our guide on the tour was a Kabbalah Jew, and even though He was not a believer, he talked about the New Testament in more detail and with more enthusiasm than I have heard in a long time. His knowledge of the scriptures was astounding and convicting.

The next thing I learned, and probably my main takeaway from the trip was my realization of how little Christians know about their spiritual heritage. If we are grafted in to the tree of God’s people like Romans 11 says we are, then our spiritual heritage is traced back to the Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. We are, in a sense, kin to the Jews, but for some reason we see fit to ignore all of their great heritage and therefore we miss some of the important nuances of the Old and New Testaments.

I am starting to think that maybe its time for Christians to relearn some of the ancient Jewish traditions that Jesus Himself practiced. Not that we need to practice them as though we are under the law, but rather that we can take these great elements of faith and choose to practice them in freedom. Just a thought.

I will write more of this later in a series that I will entitle, “Lessons From Israel.” Stay tuned.

Starting a new church is tough, and there are tons of books with strategies that try to tell you how it should be done. One thing that I learned early on was to read less books and talk to more people, people that actually know what they are doing and do it well. In this process I have met some amazing men and women and have gleaned (stolen) some great ideas about how to do things in our church. And, recently, two of my ideas have been stolen as well.

I have to say, this is an honor. I’m not going to tell you the ideas, or the people that stole them, but I will tell you that I am proud to have had a decent idea that was worth replicating. I think that is what being Kingdom minded is really about, sharing ideas, learning from one another’s experiences, and sharing new an innovative ways to connect with our community.

Here’s to less reading and more relationships!

Today I have been thinking about the sacrifices that we make in order to follow Jesus wherever He leads. When Jesus calls us to do something is any sacrifice too great? Something to think about…

When I open my Bible to Job 21 there is text in bold over the top of it, titling the chapter “Job Replies: The Wicked Do Prosper.” In the chapter Job talks about how the wicked often have a tendency to prosper with wealth, health and family.

As I read that chapter I got to thinking about what that means. Typically we look at someone that is healthy and wealthy and we have a tendency to say “well they are blessed.” But, it might be just as likely that they are wicked, because the wicked to prosper.

I think we make a profound mistake when we assume that God’s blessing has anything at all to do with material. Rather, it has to do with God giving more of Himself, more of His love, more of His mind. Sometimes His blessing comes in the form of a smile, sometimes in the form of an emotion, and even sometimes in the form of material. Ultimately, His blessing always points us back to Him and is designed to draw is nearer to His heart.

But, just a thought, maybe the material blessings that He gives are far fewer than the spiritual, emotional and mental blessings that he offers. We just tend to fixate on the material blessing because we can see that and we are all too often blind to His other, greater blessings. Which makes me wonder how many things God would bless me with if I would only open myself to receive even more of Him.

I’m just pontificating here, any thoughts? I would love a good conversation on this one