id'd

being id'd, or 'identified,' with Christ is a great spiritual privilege for those who have believed in Him and been transformed by faith through the grace of His resurrection.

Christ called us to tell the good news of the forgiveness that is available in the Cross to everyone around us 'as we go' in life, making them followers of Him by teaching them the Word in a way that leads to the radical transformation of lives. to cap it off though, He told us all to get id'd with him - identified with Him in Baptism. identified with Christ in His death and resurrection to new life - the old is gone, and the new has come!

So Sunday was and 'id'd day' at our church. people id'd with Christ because they just got saved. kids id'd with Christ who have been trusting in Jesus for few years, but just decided to get baptized. adults who finally faced their fears and committed themselves to living for Christ. people who got saved during the baptism service and got id'd in the water on the spot!

so 67 in all were baptized - id'd with Christ for all to see - what a day! and the first one i had the honor of baptizing was my oldest son squire. what an honor as a dad, to get to baptize, along with my dad, the first of the next generation of my family, as he continues to choose to id himself with Jesus! one of the best moments of life!! thank you Lord - may You lead him and keep him as he continues to grow and learn to walk with you. amen.

ride like jehu

I want to be like Jehu.

A man of great Zeal for the things of God. Passion and direction for the things of Christ, lived out with fury. With zeal. With abandon.

Jehu knew life like this. The scene in 2 Kings 9-10: Commander Jehu was anointed in his field tent by an out-of-breath and unnamed 'crazy' prophet, sent by God through Elisha, to destroy the house of the evil King Ahab and Queen Jezebel. With the anointing oil still dripping off his eyebrows, and the 'babbling' prophet running off into the wilderness as quickly as he came, what does Jehu do? What any smart person would do - he drops everything to obey his calling - and he does so with fierce zeal.

Jehu knew zeal. A soldier whose reputation for fantastic chariot riding in battle was know across the county, he was referred to as a reckless madman. How often do we espouse to be reckless madmen and madwomen as we gather together around the Word?

How do I respond to the Word of God? When He reveals His Plan to me from His Word? When His Spirit convicts me of the right path when I am tempted to do otherwise? When I know I am called to serve Him in a task or opportunity?

Do I wait for confirmation to get involved? Do I look for a better time to make time for my kids? Do I wait until the moment is perfect to apologize? Do I figure that she wouldn't really be interested in hearing the Gospel anyways? "He's pretty good guy - I'll bet he goes to church and can hear about Christ there." Do I hit pause and hope to forget the Word and settle into more comfortable options of action.

Or do I seize the moment? Do I ride right into the fire-fight and call people into God's plan and Kingdom?! Do I act with zeal - like I really mean it?

It's been a real honor to spend these last 4 months serving as part of the Body here at LCC. Having grown up here and started my walk with Christ here, it's great to get to serve for a while as part of the localized Body again. I am not sure of all that God is doing in our midst as I am here, but I am praying for an infusion of Zeal into each individual and family at LCC. I pray that God cements His vision for living and expanding His Kingdom in each of our hearts and gives us the burning passion to accomplish it - to take it by storm.

Make us these People Lord: That our neighbors wouldn't just notice our wild driving at 6am, but that our lives would be come wildly unmistakable. The Neighbor that everybody on the block knows has a grip on life and will gladly help you with yours... The Co-worker who is Passionate about Christ - even beyond the cubicle of life. The Woman who is Zealous for Forgiveness in her relationships, even beyond the pain of the past. The Man who Recklessly represents the Savior to a dying world, even though he risks his reputation at work with each testimony.

And if we were mad-people like that at LCC, I can only imagine what the Lord could do with and among us...

august.8.2007 - trip of the day

i met an ethiopian doctor in california last night who had a piece of perspective that i don't know much about.

'why don't they read the book?' was his question. a man who started and heads up an organization that funds/equips/sends out 400 christian pastors and missionaries from northern Africa into other northern African nations, he told me with a smile on his face that almost all of his team working in a specific African country were in prison because of their proclamation of the gospel of Jesus.

'why don't they read the book?' he asked.

'if they would simply read the book they would know that as soon as they throw us in prison and take our lives that the Kingdom of God will multiply greatly beyond their reach! instead we are leading dozens to Christ in the prisons and the church outside is growing!'

but his punchline made me sick. 'if they wanted to destroy the church all they need to do is give us freedom and money, and death of the church is at hand.'

and i'm pretty sure that most of my prayers boil down to requests for more freedom and more money. forgive me Lord, have mercy on us...