My Favs This Week
I saw and read a lot of stuff online this week – but these are my favs and I wanted to share ‘em with you…
This post, Jesus and a Woman’s “Place” by… Read More
Posts Tagged: "jesus"
Love Has Won
I believe nothing has the power to separate us from God’s love.
Not death, not life, not angels or demons, not scary things or stressful things…
Not even hell has the power to separate us from His love.
No power up high or power down below—in fact, nothing in all the universe will ever be able to separate us from the love of God… Read More
Go Ahead. Leave Stuff Out.
On today’s Leadership Bites (6 minute leadership podcast), Andy and I talk about leaving stuff out. That’s right – you have permission: say the good, and leave the bad stuff… Read More
The Flight Simulator Church
I remember hearing Paul Scanlon use the analogy of a flight simulator to describe what church is often like…
“The church I grew up in was great. I loved the people. We all knew each other and loved each other—and we loved God. But we were turned inward. We liked things as they were and we weren’t looking to be changed.
God began to speak to my heart. I couldn’t explain it but I felt this overwhelming sadness and I knew I needed to change. So I left that church, and it was painful. The people I knew all my life were upset with me for leaving. It was like I’d left an Amish community and I was being shunned or something… Read More
Better Than Facebook
Here’s what captured my online attention this past week, and I’m serious when I claim this stuff is better than Facebook. Do yourself a favor and check ‘em out… Read More
God Is Perfectly Comfortable Entering Our Dirty Mess
A few years ago, I visited the apartment of a some college guys from my church.
To be honest, I was shocked. I’d never seen anything dirtier or messier. The cupboards were empty and the sink was overflowing with dirty dishes. The apartment smelled bad. There wasn’t adequate lighting and it was dark in there.
I tried to mask what I was feeling; I tried to act as if this was all normal to me.
Then one of the guys said, “Sit down PB! Make yourself comfortable.”
I looked at the couch. It was covered with crumbs and stains and miscellaneous articles of clothing (dirty of course).
On the inside, I was having a mild panic attack… Read More
Does Jesus _____?
Does Jesus prefer Pepsi or Coke?
Does Jesus like the Seahawks or the Saints?
Does Jesus answer “Dear baby Jesus” prayers?
Does Jesus really look so Caucasian?
Does Jesus always look so… Read More
Found People Find People
I know we like to think we found God.
It feels good to believe “we found love in a hopeless place” like Rihanna sings.
Expressions like “he found religion” reinforce the idea that we, while searching for treasure, made a great discovery.
But that’s just not how it happens. God, the Great Treasure, pursues us—and he does it relentlessly.
Eventually we realize He’s always been there. Our eyes open to the things He’s done.
We become aware.
We are not the finders of some great treasure. The Great Treasure found us.
We are found people.
That’s why we sing, “I once was lost but now I’m found, was blind but now I see.”
Here’s something true about found people that we see throughout the Gospels…
FOUND PEOPLE FIND PEOPLE.
The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Come, follow me.” Philip was from Bethsaida, Andrew and Peter’s hometown. Philip went to look for Nathanael and told him, “We have found the very person Moses and the prophets wrote about! His name is Jesus, the son of Joseph from Nazareth.” “Nazareth!” exclaimed Nathanael. “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” “Come and see for yourself,” Philip replied. —John 1.43-46 NLT
Jesus found Philip.
Notice what Philip does next…
He went to look for Nathanael and told him about Jesus, inviting him to “Come and see for yourself.”
This is what found people do. Found people find people.
Easter is the perfect time to invite—find people who don’t know Jesus!
Invite them to come with you and see for themselves.
Able To See Beautiful Treasure
I have a thing for old German cars – Volkswagen, Audi, Porsche, Mercedes Benz…
Any car from these automakers between 1960-1969 is of interest to me.
I know a little bit about how much they’re worth when they have been restored, but my interest in these vehicles isn’t for business. I don’t care about making money on cars. In fact, I’m pretty sure I’ve only ever lost money on cars (so don’t come to me for advice on buying or selling cars).
One person might see a nasty old rust bucket of a car sitting on someone’s lawn… but I see a treasure.
I’m drawn to it.
I like it.
And I actually think it’s beautiful—even in its not-yet restored condition.
To me, it’s a treasure.
I realize I’m kinda weird about the old German car thing and I’m not gonna convince anyone else to see these quirky cars as treasures (I’ve been trying to convince my family for 25 years now and haven’t won over a single convert).
While I don’t really care if you see old Audis as beautiful treasures, I do care how you see people.
It’s not that I want you to see people my way, I want us to see people God’s way.
How does God see people? As beautiful treasure.
He sees beauty, value, significance, and worth.
Even before “restoration” He thinks we’re beautiful.
He is drawn to people.
He likes us.
For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins. —Colossians 1.13, 14
When Jesus walked the earth, he never looked past or ignored the misfits. He saw their beauty, value, and significance… He saw the person. He was drawn to them—and they were drawn to Him.
Don’t believe me? Check out Luke chapter 5.
There, you’ll read a story about a man with an “advanced” case of leprosy.
That dude probably looked like something between a zombie and a mummy…
And while others looked away, Jesus saw him.
He spoke to him. He even touched him, and healed the man—because Jesus saw beautiful treasure.
Ultimately, this is why He willingly went to the cross.
That’s what you must understand about God. His treasure is us.
And we need to see people—all people—the way God does.
