Kung Fu Hometeam

Acts 2:42

And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.

Say it with me: “Here is the church, here is the steeple.  Open the doors, and see all the people!”

If you go to Church, why do you go? Why does the Church exist?  What is the Church?

Each of these questions could easily become the subject for a doctoral dissertabion.  But the pattern we have in scripture begins with this passage: “they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.”  Three of Rick Warren’s “Five Purposes” are listed in this verse (discipleship, fellowship, and worship), plus prayer, which is really the sixth purpose.  The last two, evangelism and service, come right after this verse.  This is what the first century Church focused on.

What does your Church do well?  In the congregation I grew up in, “Coffee Hour” was called “The Eighth Sacrament” and sometimes was the best part of Sunday morning.  Fellowship is important enough that God made it one of the six Purposes of the Church.  Today’s comic captures well the combination of two of the six: Discipleship and Fellowship.  My guess is they also prayed over the “tatersalad” as well as anyone injured in the Kung Fu.

What about Evangelism?  I once heard a radio preacher describe evangelism as “one beggar telling another where to find bread.”  When was the last time you asked a hungry friend to join you for the Bread of Life?  For me, it’s been a few weeks.  I wish it were more like a few hours…

What about Service?  Given the name “Steven” I think often of the first deacon, and the Greek word for “deacon” conveys both “ministry” and “menial service.”  In some of our churches, deacons are ordained ministers, and in others they are menial servants set aside for the hard physical work inside the church building.  If the last shall be first, and the first shall be last, why make a distinction between “minister” and “menial servant” - let’s do both “as unto the Lord.”

What about Worship?  I don’t mean the singing we do in the “Worship Center” or “Sanctuary” during Sunday morning or Midweek services.  Do you worship God in other ways?  What is “Worship?” I’m a musician, and making music, whether vocally or instrumentally, is an intense form of worship for me.  But so is writing.  So is witnessing.  Worship is anything I do that glorifies God.  Hopefully that’s everything I do.  Whether I am praying, serving, evangelizing, fellowshipping, or discipling, I want to be worshipping God.

I will pray for you, and will you please pray for me?  Pray that in all we do, we will glorify God.  Glorify Him through our Worship, Evangelism, Fellowship, Service, Discipleship and Prayer.  And even our Kung Fu!

Thanks for the time you took to read this!

Stevene

Kung Fu Hometeam

Acts 2:42

And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.

Say it with me: “Here is the church, here is the steeple.  Open the doors, and see all the people!”

If you go to Church, why do you go? Why does the Church exist?  What is the Church?

Each of these questions could easily become the subject for a doctoral dissertabion.  But the pattern we have in scripture begins with this passage: “they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.”  Three of Rick Warren’s “Five Purposes” are listed in this verse (discipleship, fellowship, and worship), plus prayer, which is really the sixth purpose.  The last two, evangelism and service, come right after this verse.  This is what the first century Church focused on.

What does your Church do well?  In the congregation I grew up in, “Coffee Hour” was called “The Eighth Sacrament” and sometimes was the best part of Sunday morning.  Fellowship is important enough that God made it one of the six Purposes of the Church.  Today’s comic captures well the combination of two of the six: Discipleship and Fellowship.  My guess is they also prayed over the “tatersalad” as well as anyone injured in the Kung Fu.

What about Evangelism?  I once heard a radio preacher describe evangelism as “one beggar telling another where to find bread.”  When was the last time you asked a hungry friend to join you for the Bread of Life?  For me, it’s been a few weeks.  I wish it were more like a few hours…

What about Service?  Given the name “Steven” I think often of the first deacon, and the Greek word for “deacon” conveys both “ministry” and “menial service.”  In some of our churches, deacons are ordained ministers, and in others they are menial servants set aside for the hard physical work inside the church building.  If the last shall be first, and the first shall be last, why make a distinction between “minister” and “menial servant” - let’s do both “as unto the Lord.”

What about Worship?  I don’t mean the singing we do in the “Worship Center” or “Sanctuary” during Sunday morning or Midweek services.  Do you worship God in other ways?  What is “Worship?” I’m a musician, and making music, whether vocally or instrumentally, is an intense form of worship for me.  But so is writing.  So is witnessing.  Worship is anything I do that glorifies God.  Hopefully that’s everything I do.  Whether I am praying, serving, evangelizing, fellowshipping, or discipling, I want to be worshipping God.

I will pray for you, and will you please pray for me?  Pray that in all we do, we will glorify God.  Glorify Him through our Worship, Evangelism, Fellowship, Service, Discipleship and Prayer.  And even our Kung Fu!

Thanks for the time you took to read this!

Stevene

John 3:17

For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.

Who’s wrong?  Who’s at fault?  If there’s such a huge problem, then there must be somebody we can blame!  I’m upset! Heads must roll!

Is that what you are hearing in your breakroom today?  I heard somebody grumble that “they’re all corrupt. There’s no way I can trust any of them to fix a problem they caused.”  The thought is understandable.  But is it Christ-like?

Some problems are so complicated that even legitimate experts are unable to wrap their mortal brains around  the causes.  And some problems have painful symptoms which need to be addressed quickly, even before the underlying cause is discerned.

Years ago I was involved in a national movement for social justice.  Where many social ministries focus on symptoms, this movement was trying to address underlying problems.  Occasionally these two opposites on the spectrum of ministry get into an argument about what “kind” of ministry is more important.  Do you put bandaids on problems, or do you concentrate on surgery to repair the underlying problem?

The best response to this question I ever heard was this: “Not only do we pull drowning babies out of the stream, but we go upstream to find out who is throwing them in.”

The current financial crisis is a situation where both tasks are going to be important. There is a symptom which needs to be addressed, and our national leaders are attempting to apply a huge bandaid.  Others are looking upstream and blaming those leaders for throwing the babies in, while, the babies are foundering in the stream.  Both perspectives are important.

God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world.  When Jesus dealt with the woman caught in adultery, He pulled her out of the stream in which she was drowning.  And then He told her to go away from the steam’s bank (”Go and sin no more”).

Let’s be careful anytime we are in the middle of a crisis, whether it’s a family member stuck in a hole he or she jumped into, or a financial market stuck in a hole likewise created by their sin.  Let’s be careful to look for the babies that are drowning in the stream, but also look for the reason they are in the water to begin with.

I’ll pray for you, and would you please pray for me?  Pray that we will honor God in our life ministries by rescuing the drowning babies AND by fixing the problem that is putting them in the water in the first place.  God needs us to minister both upstream AND downstream.  Let’s be in both places, in Jesus’ Name.

Thanks for the time you took to read this!

Stevene

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bailout comic

Mat 12:36

But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.

I am challenged by a very clear memory that replays conversations for me, especially those where my witness was, shall we say, “less than perfect.”  And I am challenged by a vivid imagination that plays back conversations with a modified dialogue, one where the words I speak are almost always either direct quotations or clear allusions to Bible passages.

I am not really sure which kind of mental video pains me more, the first kind, where I spoke “idle words” for which Jesus tells me I will have to answer, or the other one, where I could have spoken words Jesus would have said.  Of course the worst situation is one where both videos play in my mind: Not only did I speak poorly, but I missed an opportunity to speak the words of my Lord.

I have written before of a time in my life when my knowledge of Scripture was used to confuse Christians, in an effort to at least embarrass them, and hopefully “deliver them” from the Christian faith.  It pleases me to know that my knowledge of Scripture is now used (sometimes) to speak as Christ would.  I know God is pleased when I do this.  And I know He is not happy when I do not.

The best part of this is the awareness that the more I spend time reading the Bible devotionally, the more the words of Scripture are burned into my mind, and the easier it is to bring them out when God gives me the opportunity to speak for Him here on earth.

“Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”

I will pray for you, and will you please pray for me?  Pray that, when the moment arrives, and God trusts us to speak for Him, that we will be able to use the words Jesus would use, and not the idle words for which we will someday have to answer.  And let’s all pray for the people God honors us with the opportunity to to speak to.   Let us all pray that God’s words will be the first ones that come to mind whenever we open our mouths to speak.

Thanks for taking the time to read this!

Stevene

1Co 14:33 

For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.

This passage hits me twice: Once as a Christian struggling to worship with words, and again as a Christian struggling to worship with music.

Sometimes, when I am making music, and I let God work through me, there’s a special thing that happens:  Sounds come out of my instrument that I couldn’t have planned no matter how hard I try.  And sometimes what comes out is not so peaceful   I have come to understand, usually after the fact, that if I’m confused about something I’m going to play, then it’s probably best left unplayed.  On the other hand, if a tune comes strongly into my mind, and I play it, sometimes God blesses the output.

My words are the same way: If I’m confused about the words in my head, it’s because they are not God’s words.  Not only am I confused, but also they won’t make sense to anybody else.  God is not the Author of confusion.  Literally! If He writes it, the words are clear.  If the words are not clear, they’re not from God.

Once in a while, there’s something special that happens between me and my horn – a God thing.  And once in a while, there’s something special that happens between me and my computer.  Another God thing.  Not only is God NOT the Author of confusion, He is the Source of All that is worth writing… or reading.

I’ll pray for you, and will you please pray for me.  Pray that He’ll help us recognize Him in the moments of clarity that come sometimes, and that He’ll help us resist those moments of confusion that also come, but not from Him.

Thanks for taking time to read this!

Stevene

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confusion, comic, 1 Cor 14:33, music

 Matthew 25:40

And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

There’s a jazz club where I used to play that served a wonderful dish of Cajun red beans and rice.   The generous dose of peppery spices never failed to clear my sinuses, and leave me teary-eyed.  Ray Boltz wrote a song in the 80s that used to have the same effect.  “Thank you for giving of yourself.  I am a life that was changed.”  I cannot picture the scene he described without crying.  In fact, I’m tearing up just writing this. This verse hits me the same way. We think often of Mother Teresa when this image comes up, but I want to think of a French horn player named Wayne.  He was my roommate freshman year in music school.  I was deep into persecuting Christians with my quick wit and extensive knowledge of Bible verses.  But when I tried to confuse Wayne, he didn’t try to argue with me. Instead, he prayed for me.  He said, “I love Jesus, and I know He loves you.”  I was worth less than “a slug who’s already been salted” but Wayne loved me like I was Jesus Himself. 

I’d love to be there to say “thank you” at Wayne’s “Welcome home party.”  But more importantly, I want to “pay it forward.”  I can’t really pay Wayne back, but I can do for someone else like Wayne did for me.  I can minister “unto one of the least of these.”  I think Wayne would prefer it that way.  This verse tells me that Jesus definitely does!I’ll pray for you, and will you please pray for me?  Pray that He’ll help us see Him in each person whom He puts in our path, that we might honor the Christ in him or her, and truly minister “unto one of the least of these”.  Let’s honor Christ in our actions.

Thanks for taking time to read this!  And Wayne, thank you!

Stevene 

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comic Mt 25:40 Ray Boltz Thank You

Matthew 7:3-5

“Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? “Or how can you say to your brother, `Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ and behold, the log is in your own eye? “You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.

I can’t help but think of a scene from “The Odyssey” where Ulysses has to deal with the giant Cyclops.  He got into trouble when he landed on an island with beautiful trees full of fruits and nuts.  Ulysses allowed himself to be distracted from his mission.  In the process two of his sailors were eaten by the Cyclops. Overnight, Ulysses and his me sharpened a tree trunk and used it to blind the sleeping giant.  Then they snuck away the next day.

How many times do we allow ourselves to be distracted by a land full of tasty morsels.  Food is a particularly effective temptation for me, but there are many ways I can be distracted.  It is when I am distracted from my goals that it is easiest to find something to criticize in somebody else.  My mission in life is to glorify God by helping people answer God’s call, but when I get distracted from that goal, I also distract others from their goals.  Then I criticize them for being distracted a little, but it’s me who caused their distraction.  I’m not blinded by Ulysses’ tree trunk, but by something more attractive, more deceptive.  And the distraction comes because I have taken my eye off the mission God has given me.  And until I deal with the HUGE distraction by which I have been sidelined, I cannot address the minor one my neighbor is wrestling.  That log may not be sharpened, but it has blinded me to what God wants in my life.

I’ll pray for you, and will you please pray for me.  Pray that He’ll help us see the log in our eyes, and keep us in line with the mission He has given us in this life.

Thanks for taking time to read this!

Stevene

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comic dreams mission ulysses Matthew 7:3-5

2 Thessalonians 1:11

Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power

Two of my biggest problems are opposite sides of the same coin: Pride and false modesty.  Sometimes, I am so proud of myself, and what I have done (all by myself).  EGO gets in the way.  In this case, E.G.O. stands for “Edging God Out,” which is what I do.  Other times I think I am worth less than a slug that’s already been salted.  In these times, I am holding God at arm’s length.

Eugene Peterson’s “The Message” paraphrases Paul’s prayer in this verse: “we pray for you all the time–pray that our God will make you fit for what he’s called you to be, pray that He’ll fill your good ideas and acts of faith with His own energy so that it all amounts to something.”  Without His energy, I want to crawl in a corner and hide. If He doesn’t make me fit, I won’t fit.  But He makes me worthy, and He makes me fit.

I’ll pray for you, and will you please pray for me.  Pray that He’ll make us fit, and that He’ll fill our good ideas and acts of faith with His own energy so that it all amounts to something.”

Thanks for taking time to read this!

Stevene

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get well soon comic

Psalms 19:1

The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.

Devotional by Steve Hubbard:

In the 80s, there was a popular Christian song called “O sing to the Chief Musician”.  My wife and I were half of the quartet that sang this song at our wedding.  Have you ever looked at a sunset and wondered at God’s handiwork?  The details of His arts and crafts projects are often beyond our ability to conceive - how would you build a cloud?  Think about the wonderful computer-aided graphics the Chinese put on for the Olympics’ Opening Ceremony, and then think about a summer thunderstorm.  God’s graphics aren’t computer-aided, but they are grander than anything we can imagine.  Even then, they give us only a hint of God’s glory.  The expansiveness of His lightning shows His handiwork.  As the Psalmist said: “The heavens declare the glory of God.”  Let us join the chorus and cry “Hallelujah!”

In His Name,

Stevene

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windshield art and art interpretation modern art comic