Uncomfortable

I ran early this morning to escape the heat. It didn't work. Laura and I took off at 5:45. By 5:50 my gray t-shirt was soaked. The dew point was 77 degrees which is about as high as it gets. The air was super-saturated with water. It was getting hot and the sun was already beating down. The trail around the lake was crowded. All of us runners form some kind of strange solidarity on days like this. We all kind of gave each other a laughing glance at the absurdity of the conditions.

Meanwhile, a pastor and a dentist, made their trek around the lake. We talked about marathons and life. We stopped for water at each of the 3 fountains along the 7.5 mile journey.

After the run I was thinking that I am thankful that most days aren't like this. I was also grateful to be able to beat the elements and not let the elements beat me. Finally, even though it was a tough run, it was a great way to start the day!

Favorite Quotes

I am not afraid that the people called Methodists should ever cease to exist either in Europe or America. But I am afraid lest they should only exist as a dead sect, having the form of religion without the power. And this undoubtedly will be the case unless they hold fast both the doctrine, spirit, and discipline with which they first set out. -John Wesley

To dare is to lose one's footing momentarily. Not to dare is to lose oneself. -Soren Kierkegaard

The will to win means nothing without the will to prepare. -Juma Ikangaa

The greatest advances of civilization, whether in architecture or painting, in science and literature, in industry or agriculture, have never come from centralized government. -Milton Friedman

Humor is not the opposite of seriousness; humor is the opposite of despair. -Conrad HyersYou sit at the board and suddenly your heart leaps. Your hand trembles to pick up the piece and move it. But what chess teaches you is that you must sit there calmly and think about whether it's really a good idea and whether there are other, better ideas. -Stanley Kubrick

The difference between the mile and the marathon is the difference between burning your fingers with a match and being slowly roasted over hot coals. -Hal Higdon

Father's Day

You can listen to this morning's sermon here.

Thanks to Benjamin and David. One of my biggest joys is being your dad!

Benjamin, Craig, and David
Father's Day, 2009

Invite

Here is tomorrow's column:

Earlier this week I was talking with a young family who started coming to The Water’s Edge about a year ago. They shared with me about all the changes in their life. They feel more closely connected to each other. They have met new friends. They are being more intentional in their relationship with God. They feel better equipped as parents. They reported there life isn’t perfect yet, but it is much different and much better.

One of the questions I asked them was how they started coming. They replied that a friend invited them. They politely declined. They said they thought church was for good people and they weren’t quite there yet. A few months later another friend invited them. After a little resistance on her part and a lot a resistance on his part, they decided to come.

I’ll stop the conversation there. Think about that. Lives have been changed because of two invitations. One invitation was declined, but it planted an important seed. The second invitation was accepted. The family came and report one year later that they are so grateful for the invitations.

As I look back on my life it was an invitation from an ordinary person that started my journey with Jesus. She simply invited me to a small group she was in with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. I experienced community and grace. She graduated from college and I lost track of her. That was seventeen or eighteen years ago. Sometimes I wonder if she knows what I am doing today. Of all the people I am thankful for in life, she is near the top of the list.

These are illustrations of how ordinary people doing a simple task can make a huge difference through an extraordinary God. A simple invitation can make a world of difference.

Jesus was always walking around making invitations. “Come and listen.” “Come and follow me.” “Come to me all of you who are weary and heavy leaden and I will give you rest.” “Go and make disciples.”

I want to encourage you and challenge you. Think about who you can invite to worship. Or maybe think about somebody you can invite to your small group. Sometimes you will get a big “no.” Know that you are planting a seed in their life. Sometimes you will get a “yes”. Do your best to bring them or meet them at worship. Introduce them to a few other people. I would love to meet your guest as well. I’m going to do my best to invite a few people by the end of the summer. I hope that you will join me.

I hope for all of us that we can partner with God and with each others in doing God’s work in the world. I also pray that we, as pretty ordinary people, can be part of somebody else’s testimony about an extraordinary God.

In Christ,

Craig

Set-Up and Tear-Down

Here is an article from this week's bulletin about the set-up and tear down crew. I thought it would be interesting to share this with you. Thanks for all you do guys!

Most of us come to worship on Sunday mornings between 10:25 and 10:35. Some come a little earlier. A few come a lot earlier. Most of us leave within 10 or 15 minutes of whenever Craig decides he is done talking for the morning. The same people who came a lot earlier also stay a lot later.

Each week a group of 6 to 10 people come around 9:00 and don’t leave until 12:30. They set up the chairs, the stage, the kid’s area, the tables, the sound and media, and do other things as well. After the worship experience, they take down and load up what they previously unloaded and set up.

Some of the volunteers on this team commit to serving one weekend a month. Others volunteers serve on this team almost every week. All are appreciated. If you are a volunteer on this team: THANK YOU! You make worship possible for us on Sunday mornings. If you see a person with the black set-up and tear-down team shirt, thank them for their hard work. If you would like to volunteer in this area once a month, please register on the registration cards that are distributed during the connection’s time. This is a great way for fathers and sons to serve together. It is also a great way to get to know others, to serve God, and get in a good workout!

YDHWIT to Control the Future

Here are the notes and study guide from Sunday's sermon.

Objective: To stop trying to control our future and experience the peace that comes from trusting God.

1. Achieving greatness always requires that we leave

The life of faith is a life of leaving. God is always trying to get us to leave where we are to take us to where He wants us to be.

If God has an incredible future for His honor and for His glory, why don’t people leave where they are?

A. We live by faith and not by sight.

For we live by believing and not by seeing. -2 Corinthians 5:7

It was by faith that Abraham obeyed when God called him to leave home and go to another land that God would give him as his inheritance. He went without knowing where he was going. –Hebrews 11:8

B. People have a fear of failure.

The serpent was the shrewdest of all the wild animals the Lord God had made. One day he asked the woman, “Did God really say you must not eat the fruit from any of the trees in the garden?” -Genesis 3:1

C. People don’t trust God with their future.

That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? “And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith? “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today. –Matthew 6:25-34

2. When God says leave, He always gives, gives you a promise.

The Lord had said to Abram, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you. I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you.” So Abram departed as the Lord had instructed, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he left Haran. -Genesis 12:1-4

We don’t leave for two reasons.

A. We are not aware of the promises of God
B. We have forgot the promises of God

Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” –Matthew 11:28

Questions and Reflections for individual and group study

Reflect:

What do the people around you seem to worry about the most concerning
their future?

How have you seen others try to control their future?

Describe a time when things felt out of control and God met your needs.

How does God meeting your needs in the past affect your view of the
future?

Describe issue(s) you are facing where Jesus is saying, “Don’t be afraid.
Just trust me.”

Pray:

Ask God to take control of any area where you are worried about the future. Ask Him to replace your worry with His peace.

Apply:

1. What is one fear that you can ask the Lord to help you face this week?
2. With what concrete action can you show your faith in the Lord this week?

YDHWIT To Handle Everything

Here are the notes for this Sunday's sermon: You Don't Have What It Takes To Handle Everything.

Objective: To admit we can’t do it all alone and to experience freedom by giving our burdens to God.

Do, do you really think that God’s intention for us is to be consistently overwhelmed, over burdened, and stressed out? Something is wrong. What culture calls normal living today, God must call insane, unbiblical, dangerous, and wrong.

Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” -Matthew 11:28-30

Jesus was unquestionably busy, but He wasn’t hurried, and there is a huge difference. We can be busy and productive without being hurried, because busy-ness happens, but hurriedness is a sickness of the soul. God did not design you to handle it all.

1. Some burdens are meant to be shared

Many of us are good at giving help. It is a challenge for many of us to ask for and receive physical and / or emotional help.

“This is not good!” Moses’ father-in-law exclaimed. “You’re going to wear yourself out—and the people, too. This job is too heavy a burden for you to handle all by yourself. -Exodus 18:17

Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ.
-Galatians 6:2

2. Some things need to be stopped

But the Lord said to her, “My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details! There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.”
-Luke 10:41

Fill in the blank. If I had more time I would _____________________. Now you have an assignment. Whatever is in your blank is what I want you to be doing more of. Starting today.

Be still (raphaw), and know that I am God! –Psalm 46:10

Raphaw – raw-faw’ – To slacken, to allow to sink, to let drop. Best translation: Drop it.

Action Step: Create a To-Don’t List. It’s just like a to-do list, but it only contains items of things you won’t do.

3. Everything needs to be surrendered

I wait quietly before God, for my victory comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will never be shaken.
-Psalm 62:1-2

Give (shalak) your burdens to the Lord, and he will take care of you.
-Psalm 55:22

Shalak – Cast, hurl, throw.

Questions for individual and group study

What radical change do you need to make to grow closer to God and to live in closer community with others?

Describe a time when you needed help but didn’t ask for it or didn’t
accept it.

Why is it difficult for us to accept help from others?

“Give all your worries and cares to God, for He cares about what happens to you.” -1 Peter 5:7 (NLT)

Why is it sometimes difficult for us to ask for or accept help from God?

Then Jesus said, "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” -Matthew 11:28

What burdens are you carrying that are heavy and exhausting?

In what practical ways can you give these burdens to God?

“God blesses those who realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is given to them.” -Matthew 5:3 (NLT)

Prayer:

Lord I admit my need for you in every area of my life. Please help me to give my burdens completely to you and experience the freedom of leaving them in your hands. Amen.

Credit: Craig Groeschel

Living

Here is my column for Sunday morning:

This past week I was at our denominational meeting for clergy. Hundreds of us gathered from all parts of Nebraska. We met for three and a half days. I did a wedding on Friday night and Saturday, so I only met with my colleagues for two and a half of those days.

On Wednesday afternoon we had the Memorial Worship Service for the clergy who died during the previous year. I think there were six or seven. Most of them were retired. One was active. The worship leader read the names of the deceased pastors, rang a little bell, and then there was a moment of silence. Later we watched a video that had pictures of the deceased pastors. The families of these men and women sat in a special section in the front and center of the room. I didn’t personally know any of the pastors or their families, but I know certain things about them and about their families simply because I share the same vocation in life. I felt a sense of loss as I sat through the hour long service.

As I was sitting at a table during the Memorial Service with a few friends, I realized something: one day it would be my name that is read, one day my picture would be on the screen, and one day my family: Amber, Benjamin, and David would be sitting on those chairs. The preacher continued to talk, but I wasn’t really listening. I’m sure that has happened to you before! I wasn’t thinking about death. I was thinking about life.

I want to fast forward about two hours. While my colleagues were meeting in the big room, I took my Bible, got up from my seat, and left. I was asked to speak to the hundred or so high school students who were at the same conference, so I wandered around the Cornhusker Hotel until I found the correct room. A few minutes later I began speaking.

They were all at the Memorial Service as well. I told them about my little epiphany. I don’t remember exactly what I said, but it went like this:

Here’s the deal. We are all here for a limited time. I don’t think it is death we fear. I think what we are really afraid of is not living. I think what we are really afraid of is having our families sit in those chairs and have to look at those pictures and mourn the life that never was. We are all either dying or we are living. You have an incredible opportunity in front of you to live. I don’t know you, but I know something about you: you don’t want to go through the motions of life and just survive. You want a life that matters you, to others, and to God. You want to thrive. So do it and don’t look back.

I hope they found those words helpful and I hope you do too.

In Christ,

Craig

New Beginnings

I ran this morning. It has been at least a week. I think I probably have run about six or seven times in three months. I don't know if the injury is gone, it feels pretty good, but I do know that I am out of shape.

Six miles. Very slow. Very difficult. Beautiful morning out though.

It's kind of like beginning (or rebeginning) life's journey with God. God accepts us where we are and loves us so much that God doesn't want to leave us where we are.

Today was tough. They were my first steps. But there will be better days to come. I fully believe I'll finish well in the Philadelphia Marathon in late November.

God has a better life for you. The future can be much better than today. With God's help, goals can be reached and dreams can be realized.

So whatever it is, start today, one step at a time.

Congratulations Angee!

A friend and occasional running partner, Angee Henry, won the 800 meter run at the 2009 Music City Distance Carnival this past weekend. Her time of 2:04 qualifies her for the national meet in a few weeks in Eugene, Oregon. Congratulations Angee! Here is the video for your viewing pleasure: