Getting Your Preach On

I did something today I don't usually do; I listened to a pastor give a sermon and just let him preach to me without thinking of ideas of how I might use something he said in a message too.

It was weird in a way because I'm usually the one preaching. So, it's not usual that I am on the other side of the table simply & solely wanting to be the listener & not a pastor or a preacher myself in that moment.

One thing he said that has been ringing in my ears all day was about self pity. He said, when we feel sorry for ourselves about something we tend to take matters into our own hands & strength then. He went on to say that at that moment we are inversely deciding not to live by faith and not to live in the strength of God.

Self pity or feeling sorry for yourself is a denial of God's promises and God's power.

Do you ever hear something that you know you are supposed to hear & you know there is deep meaning in it for you but you feel just on the outskirts of getting exactly what you're supposed to get form it?

That's kind of how I feel today.

In the work of my day I am praying for God to make clear what I think He may be trying to say to me today through the voice of another pastor.

Praying

Today my day has been packed with several meetings. I spent the morning with three of our key leaders from Paradox discussing everything form Summer events, organizing our life groups better, this last Sunday, the coming Sunday, the funny smell in Tom's car, a leaf raking project we are planning for the fall, baptisms at Metro Beach on July 25 (which if you wanna get dunked then email me at craig@paradoxchurch.com), and Dan Cipponeri's shiny bald spot!

Yup, there it is again. I know what you're thinking, and yes, it's getting old but he called me "princess" this last week. So, once again I'm am forced to point out his pretty shiny head!

Now I'm getting ready to go to the city attorney's office to sign our lease amendment.

Then, I'll be headed to the hospital to see a friend who just had a brain tumor removed this morning. Marty Peters is his name and he had a seizure last week while driving and that was how they found the cancer. Pretty nuts to go from one day all is normal to the next being told you have brain cancer, taken to surgery, & then all the uncertainty that lay ahead.

You may not know him but I'm asking you to pray with me for Marty. His sister, Kara, comes to Paradox and she & the rest of Marty's family could use your prayers too. It all kind of makes everything else I'm doing today seem a but less important. But in another way it makes other things seem more important when you realize just how quick your whole life can change.

Muddy Butt

I usually take Mondays off since my weekends are weird with being as Pastor, and since my wife works on Mondays it means I get to spend the day with my little girls.

Today we were talking a walk in the woods and it was like a swamp land after all the rain yesterday. We even found a huge fish trapped in a small pond that was the runoff of the nearby river. While we were walking we gave extra care to avoid all the puddles and pools of mud and we were almost successful too.

Right up to the end of the walk only feet away from being done my one daughter slipped and slid down a small hill right into a pool of mud!

At first, she jumped up and was clearly upset, and she was about to loose it because her pretty skirt was trashed, but then her sister looked at her and laughed & said, "you have a muddy butt". At that point we all started laughing and didn't stop until after getting home, taking a bath & putting them down for a nap.

I love my little girls and I think times like these are not just a gift from God but are sacred moments. My job makes my Mondays my day off but my daughters make my Mondays sacred.

I wonder where else I may be missing the sacred gifts of God in my life because they are moments that at first glance just seem too ordinary.

Kurt Nilsen?

Who?

Exactly! Until yesterday I had never heard of this guy & I had no idea he had won a contest called World Idol. Ok, don't tune me out now because I said idol.

I watched this video with him in it & at first he is pretty unassuming, even a bit funny with a giant gap in his teeth, and then he sings - wow!

I wonder how often I do this with people right in front of me, ya know, judge them at first glance and in my mind label them as someone less amazing than they are.

Now I'm sure you never do this but, I know I do it without even thinking at times.

My goal today & this week is to realize that everyone I meet, talk to, see, & encounter is an amazing person, made with amazing potential because they are formed by an amazing God, and then treat them as such.

Maybe we all need to start be first realizing that WE are amazingly made by an amazing God.

Here's a video with Kurt singing, he is the last person to sing. Enjoy your Saturday & see you tomorrow as together we worship our Amazing Jesus.

Watch Kurt's Video Here

Meeting Mr. Anderson...

Remember that guy form the movie The Matrix; Neo or as his arch nemesis called him, "Mr. Anderson"? Well I didn't meet him today but I did have breakfast with a guy named Sam Anderson and he's almost as cool as Neo.

He's a husband, a dad & is currently a youth pastor in Georgia. So, what is he doing here in Detroit. Well, he is really bad with directions & got lost on his way to a local Starbucks. By the way why does Starbucks coffee seem to get more expensive every time I go in there, but that's another post I guess.

Sam & his family are here in Detroit because in 4 weeks they will be moving here to start a church in the outskirts of Detroit, right on (or near) the "Shady made famous", 8 mile road. So, who is backing him, how much money has he raised, how many people are committed to be a part of it, where will they meet & how will they do it. The answers are....
No one, zero, zero, don't know, not sure.

Of course, all those thing will likely have better answers in the days & weeks to come but at this present moment all Sam has is a deep belief that God is telling him to pack it up, mover here & walk by faith. This shouldn't be abnormal or surprising, I mean look through the bible & time after time these were the details of many who followed the mysterious & seemingly reckless movements of God. Yet, somehow we get all hung up on the details & the need for certainty and success. But, here's this young 25 year old guy with a wife, & a 7 month old baby, & currently a really good job but, he feels the pull of God to step out into what is scary, exciting, uncertain & risky. So, he's putting one foot in front of the other & stepping one step at a time.

I wonder where God is asking me to live this way right now, I wonder where he is asking you too, I wonder where He is asking Paradox to live more this way right now. I wonder what things (comfort, fear, risk, uncertainty, criticism...) will threaten to have us ignore the next time God pulls on us.

One of my friends tries to live by the anthem, "Heroes wanted for a quest to save the universe, safe return doubtful". I think this is exactly what Sam is doing & how he is living, and ya know what, He will experience the power of the living God in ways that will be amazing! May God grant us all the courage to live more like Mr. Anderson.

You'll all meet Sam soon. When he moves here I want to bring him to Paradox to pray for him. I see all kinds of cool opportunities for our two churches to partner together to save the universe :)

Spreads like peanut butter

Are you thinking what I'm thinking Pinky?

Do you remember that show? I used to love that cartoon when I was a kid, ok so I still do.

Well, I've been thinking lately too & not about taking over the universe, or, well, actually, I guess I have been thinking about taking over the universe; in a way.

I have recently been through one of those moments of life that is as painful as it is educating & growing. I'll spare you all the details but suffice to say it involved people hurting people. In the process I watched a lot of things happen but the thing that I found most interesting is the rapid pace at which fear & frustration spread.

I mean think about it, can you remember a time when you saw someone you knew get frustrated about something? How long did it take before everyone around them knew they were frustrated, as well as many of the details of why? Now, if your alive then you will have things & relationships that frustrate you, that's just part of being human. But, the speed at which we spread our frustrations often travels at the speed & with the same damaging effect of the crusades; almost religious like.

Hmmmm

Why is it that frustrations & fear spread like wild fire but the one thing that Jesus told us to spread (His Gospel) seems to spread more like peanut butter; slow, sticky & in patches??

Are you thinking what I'm thinking Pinky? Yes, Brain, but if we spread our faith like we do our frustrations the whole world could change overnight. Exactly Pinky, exactly!!!!

So, when was the last time you told someone about the amazing God who loves you whose name is Jesus? And, I don't mean you told someone you go to church or used His name after stubbing your toe. I mean when was the last time you told a person who does not know God that there is one & that they have been made to know Him & be loved by Him, when was the last time you invited them to your church? When was the last time you spread the Gospel; the good news that there is a God to whom we all matter and that He has made a way for us to know Him.

Likewise, when was the last time you told someone about a frustration you had and something or someone that you were upset about / with? Just between you, God & the invisible man in your room, ask yourself and answer it out loud, is there an imbalance?

We all want a better world to live in, work in & raise our families in, so, what will create it?

What does your life spread more of on this planet; the Gospel or your frustrations. Let me ask it this way, does your life spread more of Jesus on this planet or more or you?

May God heal where we hurt, empower where we are weak & comfort where we are afraid and may He fill our hearts with passion to spread the knowledge of the loving, gracious & forgiving Jesus like wild fire & everything else like peanut butter.

As It Is On Earth...

This Sunday we will start a new series called, "On earth as it is in heaven" and our very own, Tom Gibson will be speaking these next two weeks. This is not a picture of Tom but it is from Tom's Facebook & frankly it's far more interesting than any picture I could find of Tom.

Tom is not only a great speaker but he is one of the best things about Paradox; if you haven't met him yet then your life may possibly be horrible until you do.

Tom & his wife Jenna are amazing people that I am honored to know & I am excited to serve alongside.

What makes him so amazing you ask? Oh, no, I'm not making it that easy on you, go talk to him, get to know him & find out for yourself. Paradox Church is the people & Tom & Jenna are Paradox.

Join us these next few weeks for our new series as Tom lays out how it's possible to experience a bit of heaven here on earth.