If you’re happy and you know it…

So I was playing hockey today with my brother at my apartment when this kid came running out of his house screaming at the top of his lungs:

HOCKEY PLAYERS! REAL HOCKEY PLAYERS! EVERYBODY COME AND SEE THE HOCKEY PLAYERS! THERE ARE HOCKEY PLAYERS IN OUR PARKING LOT! I CAN’T BELIEVE  I’M WATCHING REAL HOCKEY! THIS IS AWESOME!

And then he asked me, “What team are you”?

Of course I said ECU Pirates ; ) And here he goes again…

I LOVE THAT TEAM! A REAL HOCKEY PLAYER! I’M WATCHING REAL HOCKEY.

“Hey guys, I’ll be right back, I’m going to get get all my friends!”

He went away and came back with 3 other boys. Now they have joined the celebration…

WE ARE WATCHING REAL HOCKEY! WOO HOO! YAAAAYYY! THIS IS AWESOME!

I thought to myself, “wow, these guys really like hockey…especially their leader.” It was all he could talk/scream about. I began to think of what an awesome illustration of the gospel that this is. Just as this kid came out and saw hockey, Jesus reveals Himself to us and we see Him. Our response, just like the kid’s, is to go and tell everybody we know about what we have seen. I was just ready to preach this sermon until…

I THINK I HEAR THE ICE CREAM TRUCK! THE ICE CREAM TRUCK IS HERE! WE NEED MONEY! I WANT ICE CREAM! I LOVE CHOCOLATE ICECREAM…

I was shocked. This kid actually fooled me. I truly thought he was sold out on hockey. He acted like hockey was the center of his world. He even gathered people around him so that they could share in his joy of hockey. But then, as soon as he heard the bells, he immediately tried to direct his group’s focus away from hockey and to the ice cream truck.

How easily our hearts are pleased. It is shameful. It is almost as if our heart is trying its best to keep pace with our eyes. Everything we see, we want it to satisfy us. I know that I do this whenever I see doctors, marriages, children, financial security, and even certain cars.

In Psalm 84, David exclaims how excited he would be to just sit in the presence of God. He makes the claim that to sit with God would be better than sitting ANYWHERE else. Really David? I mean, what about at a basketball game when your team hits the buzzer beater to with the championship? God is better. Okay, what about being there when your team hits a grand slam to come from behind and win the world series? God is far better. What about seeing your first child being born? God is much better. What about flying over the Swiss Alps or Ireland’s rolling hills? These creations SCREAM that God is better. 

Wow, Brad this is a great post! I agree, but mainly because it is not mine. Last night at small group, a good friend prayed over me that I would delight while I rest in the Lord and that Jesus would restore my soul and revive my spirit. She prayed that I would exclaim Jahova Jireh, “God Provides”. And guess what? This blog and God teaching me through hockey is a small fraction of God’s answer to her prayer.

Jesus, preach the gospel to me and create in me a heart that desires to be in Your presence rather than anywhere else. – Amen

Growth in Summit Kids

Yes, pun is intended. Get it; growth in Summit Kids!? Hahaha. Anyway…

I have been leading the preschoolers at Summit’s BCPM campus for over a year now and I saw fruit last weekend….when I got rebuked by a kindergartner while I was preaching.

I was introducing my Easter sermon with:

“Guys, I have some good news and some bad news. The bad news is that, on this weekend 2,000 years ago, Jesus was murdered and died on the cross…”

But then one of my kindergartners stood up on the front row, pointed his finger at me, and exclaimed,

“NO MR. BRAD! THAT IS GOOD NEWS! THAT IS NOT BAD NEWS! THAT IS GOOD NEWS THAT JESUS DIED ON THE CROSS!”

I paused.

“Yes! That is good news that Jesus died on the cross because His death brought our salvation. The greater news is that God approved Jesus’ death by raising Him to life…”

Honestly though, I was so proud of my kindergartner for calling me out. And here’s why;

About a year ago, I had just started working at Summit Kids. The kid that called me out had done something wrong that night and I called him out on it. He apologized and we moved on. But then, he came back to me teary-eyed apologizing again. I explained to him how Jesus forgives him at the cross and because Jesus forgives him, I can forgive him too. He walked away. But then, not 5 minutes later, he came back about to cry again as he apologized. I explained the freedom we have in the gospel and sent him away. However, he kept coming back.

When his mom came to pick him up, I felt I needed to say something. I remember thinking not anger or frustration, but just how weird it was that he wouldn’t let it go and kept coming back. When I explained to his mom what had happened that night, his mom started crying. I thought, oh crap what have I done! I just started working here and I made a mom cry!?

His mom then explained to me how her son had been facing and wrestling with severe condemnation. She explained how her and her husband live and preach the gospel to their son day in and day out, but the Accuser will not leave him alone.

At this point I went from confused to down right angry that hell would have such a hold on this kid. I told the mom that I would support her and her husband as they pray for their son. That I and my leaders would join their fight for freedom.

And now, over a year later, it is this very kid reminding me that Jesus’ death brought us freedom from condemnation on Easter weekend at Summit Kids.

Praise God!

Mapping out Mission

God is clear in Scripture that He is a God who sends and is sent on mission. The Father sends the Son, the Son sends the Spirit, and the Spirit sends us.

As I was considering my excessively busy life, I sketched up this picture/map with regard to my priorities. A common theme in Scripture is to work hard and rest well. Basically, that is the life of a true Christian. Because of Jesus’ work on the cross and in us, we work extremely hard for His glory. Also, because we can rest in His work on the cross, we rest very well.

However, it is not all theology. There must be some planning to help our physical body keep pace with our spiritual one. I had this thought the other day as I see my friends who love Jesus literally wearing themselves out for the gospel:

Our physical body cannot keep pace with our spiritual new life in Christ. Our body is simply too weak.

Unfortunately, I am in the smack dab middle of my current ‘season’ right now and am not at a place to prune and delete things in my life that are preventing me from working hard and/or resting well. I wish I had prayed and walked through this planning process back in December.

General Questions:

1) Does the church (Summit in my case) belongs near the bottom?

2) How would you edit the flow of this map?

Personal Questions:

1) When does your season begin and end?

2) Who is at the top of your chart? you, Jesus, religion, etc.

3) Where are your mission fields?

4) How do you need to edit your mission fields next season?

cool story from Summit Kids

So tonight, one of our preschool girls said,

“Mr. Brad, did you know that God is One God who exists in 3 people? But He’s still One God.”

I was like, yeah isn’t that cool! She said,

“I know. My daddy told me this, but I don’t understand how that can be.”

I laughed and told her that i didn’t completely understand it either.

 

Here’s the thing though. She told me this fact as just that – a fact. I was just challenged at how she believed it, although she didn’t fully understand it.

“Can you fathom the deep things of God? Can you find out the limit of the Almighty?”  Job 11:7

Leading in Circles

What do Hitler, many leaders, and even some pastors have in common? They all lead in circles.

Most have heard the phrase, “talking in circles”. This phrase describes when a proponent of an argument bases portions of his argument on other parts of his own argument. Eventually, he just goes in circles. This is detrimental because he is trying to prove his argument with the same argument that hasn’t been proven yet. Not only detrimental, but confusing I know.

Well, I am reading the biography of Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones and I came across an instance where a pastor was doing something worse than talking in circles; he was leading in circles. (pp.271-273)

Thomas Todhunter Shields was a pastor in Toronto, Canada. He used to be a very gospel centered preacher. He was even called, The Canadian Spurgeon”. However, he became extremely negative and derogatory towards other churches and pastors. He would verbally assault them and denounce them. Then Dr. Lloyd-Jones confronted him.

Shields tried to reference Paul exposing Peter in Galatians 2. The doctor’s response was that Paul was trying to win Peter so that Peter could call Paul, “our beloved brother Paul”. The doctor explained how this was NOT the objective with Shields.

Shields broke down and cried. A fifty year old loud mouth broken and crying at the conviction of his sin. His response? He told the doctor that he would discuss with his elder board all that they had talked about and he would submit to their direction.

Now here is where Leading in Circles completed the destruction of Shields. His elder board told him NOT to follow the advice of Lloyd-Jones and so Shields continued as he had before. He was ultimately driven away from his church, and finished (using this term lightly) with a much reduced congregation.  So what happened?

Shields’ elder board worshiped, followed, and submitted to Shields instead of the Holy Spirit pointing to Jesus.

Shields was leading in circles. He multiplied himself across his elder board – even his unrepentant pride and sin.

I am called to be a missionary doctor in a medical city here in the United States. It will be paramount, as I surround myself with Godly men, that they point me to Jesus and not direct me back to my sinful self. How sinful and helpless I truly am. How sinful and helpless we truly are. We need Jesus.

Questions:

Who does your team worship?

Are they knowledgeable and willing to confront you when sin is in your life?

Does Jesus preach to them through His word during their personal time better than you do?

I said, DOES JESUS, THE AUTHOR AND PERFECTER OF THEIR FAITH, THE VERY WORD OF GOD, THE MAN IN WHOM THE FULLNESS OF GOD WAS PLEASED TO DWELL, THE MAN ON WHOM THE SPIRIT RESTS, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS, JESUS, PREACH BETTER TO THEM THAN YOU DO!? If not, then you need to lead them in repentance.

Focused Living

I had wondered how my work would change at my job once I found out that I got accepted or rejected from med school. Interestingly, now that I have been accepted, my work output is still the same, but my mind is fully on Greenville. All I can think about is med school, moving to Greenville, practicing medicine, and being a doctor living on mission in my city. My body is at UNC, but my mind and heart are in Greenville.

1 Peter shows us how, because Christ has redeemed us, we no longer live for this world. We no longer are satisfied by the parties, passions, and delights that this world has to offer. Instead, we live in our world while being satisfied in Jesus.

Over the next several months, I will be meeting with multiple physicians and healthcare professionals to glean from their wisdom with regards to my future in medicine. In a much similar way to 1 Peter, I am temporarily living in RDU with a long-term focus towards Greenville. The Holy Spirit exhorts us, as Christians, to live in and among our culture with a focus and intention towards eternity.

Questions:

Are you living for today, tomorrow, or Jesus?

Specifically, how do you live in your culture with a focus towards Jesus’ Kingdom?

New Design

We’re getting a new design in July. It’s going to be quite different and quite spectacular. Stay tuned….it’ll be worth it.

God’s sense of humor

So I had a pretty big scare today. I took an exam for an online class I am finishing up this Spring. Now, granted, I didn’t study as diligently as I should have. I had reserved about 2 hours this afternoon to study for my exam right before (this class is a Sophmore level class and not very difficult).

Well, as I was driving home from work to get my textbook to study, I was re-routed because they were doing construction on the road. The detour was going to be 5 MILES out of the way! So, I just park my car, walk through the construction site to my apartment, get my book, and walk all the way back to my car. This was bad because I walked and lost about 40 minutes of [now] precious study time.

Feeling frazzeled as I entered the library to take the exam, I threw up a quick little prayer for God’s grace. When I signed myself in, they discovered that my professor had not provided a password. This means that I may have to wait and take the exam tomorrow (darn). I felt God saying, “This is my Grace”.

But then, my professor called the library and offered the password. I immediately felt God saying, “…and this is my Judgment”. I gave a nervous laugh.

My jaw dropped in disappointment as I received my score of a 43 out of 100. I was extremely upset. How bad would it be to get so close to medical school just for them to pull out their acceptance because I failed an online class that I should have aced!? As I proceeded to navigate through the test scores, I came across a message from our professor. She told us how the system was grading the scores out of 50 instead of 100 and she would adjust our scores on Thursday.

Whew. I got an 86 instead of a 43!

This truly was the Grace of God! Because of this Grace today, I repented over my lackadaisical attitude towards my current online classes and have increased my focus and priority for these classes.

…and at the end of the day, God looks down as a Father to His son and chuckles as he watches me grow.

Sent

Last year: Identity

This year:

4:00pm – Arrive home and open mail box.

4:01 – Sigh at the sight of a standard sized envelope from Brody School of Medicine.

4:02 – Don’t read past first line;

“It is my pleasure to inform you that you have been selected for admission…”

4:02 – Sprint to car.

4:30 – Park in downtown Raleigh.

4:45 – Ask the security officer at my parents workplace to call my parents and tell them they have a visitor.

4:50 – Worship King Jesus with my parents as we celebrate my acceptance into med school.

Today was a good day. Indeed, a day that has been 7 years in the making; 4 of those being years of pursuit and 3 of those being years of rejection. God is still good. His goodness was displayed at the cross of Christ and my changed life will now be on display in the medical field to my patients and colleagues.

Here are some of the verses that I have prayed over the past 7 years.

Ephesians 2:8-10

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

John 20:21

Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.”

2 Peter 1:10

Therefore brothers, be all the more diligent to make your calling and election sure, for if you practice these qualities, you will never fail.

Isaiah 40:8

The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.

Philippians 1:6

And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

Romans 10:13-15

“For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” How will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”

Isaiah 6:8

And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.”

Question:

Where has God sent you?

Mission in pen & Method in pencil

We read verses like:

2 Peter 1:10 Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to make your calling and election sure, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall.

and Ephesians 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

We see two things here; mission and method. When God calls us to a specific people group (medical field in my case), we begin dreaming up different ways that we can witness and minister to these people. But how tightly should we hold on to our calling and ideas to accomplish this calling?

Well, Peter exhorts us to hold onto our calling, or mission, extremely tightly. In other words, write it in pen.

However, we see in Ephesians that it is God who prepares good works for us to do. All we do is walk in them. Therefore, we write our ideas in pencil. Sure, we’ll pursue them, but we are willing to erase them quickly if God opens another opportunity. I found this to be no more true than last week;

A new coworker arrived at work several weeks ago and was needing help moving from out of state. Because I have excessively strong muscles and a small amount of man-pride, I offered to help her out. Well, today she met me at Summit Church to check out what we were all about!

I’ve had many ideas about how to reach my current medical community. None of them involved helping one of them move from out of state. But praise be to God that He has prepared good works for me to do so that I can walk in them.

Questions:

What people group is your mission field?

Has the Spirit convicted you of this to the point that you can write it down in pen?

What ideas and methods have you written down? Are you willing to erase these?