journey onWord with us

At Journey onWord, we are excited about the opportunity to help believers grow in faith. Over the last few years we have focused on reading through the Bible, which is an important step in getting to know God. For 2012, our emphasis is going to be equally as intentional and focused on Scripture.

There are two simple and fundamental truths that will guide our path in 2012.  First, that the Bible is the living, breathing Word of God, and is foundational to our daily existence and the experience of knowing God.  And second, we believe that the stresses and pace of our modern lives wreak havoc on our daily discipline to be in the Word.  We want you to have the opportunity to grow deeper in your faith as you study God’s Word. So we have decided on the guiding principle of “slower and deeper” in the new year.

We are excited about surveying God’s Word in a different format this year. Our hope is that you will choose to dig deeper with us in 2012. Below, you will find an outline of our reading plan.

Jan – Mar
You will have the privilege of studying key chapters of the Bible. The plan will give you two days to read and reflect on each chapter. Our goal is for you to read the chapter two times on the first day for reflection, and then read it again on the next day writing down key points (we’ll provide the study sheets).

Apr – Jun
During the second quarter, you will have the privilege of looking at the life of Jesus. The reading will begin with the cross and resurrection, and cover key chapters on Jesus’ earthly journey. We begin at the end of Christ’s earthly ministry to prepare for Easter.

Jul – Sep
Studying the parables and miracles of Jesus will take us into the fall season. This will give you great insight and encouragement as you reflect on the meanings of His parables and see the greatness of His miracles.

Oct – Dec
Fall will find us getting to really know some great men and women of the Bible. Taking the time to enjoy Abraham, Moses, David, Mary and others will be an enjoyable way to end the year.

Journey onWord will provide you with the reading plan, the study sheets and encouragement to grow in Knowing God in 2012.  Let this be a year of refreshment, growth and effectiveness on your personal journey. As always, you will receive each week’s reading assignment on Saturday night for the next week. It is our hope that you will partner with us in this focused study for 2012.

I am a big kid at Christmas, have been for as long as I can remember.  The season just suits my soul.  I love the “feel” that the season brings.  I love Christmas carols, Christmas movies, the smell of cookies baking and the warm glow of the Christmas tree.  It is a season where I am drawn to find a cozy spot and nestle into the warmth that is everything Christmas.

This year, however, my soul has been marinating on a particular thought or theme that is far removed from the pictures I just drew.  It’s the thought that Jesus was born in the margins.  Both the setting and it’s truth are far from the cozy spot that my soul loves to settle into.  Far from the quaint picture of a young couple, peaceful barn animals, shepherds and wise men huddled around a manger.

It has been a moving month in the life of my local church.  The past several weeks have seen a focus on the persecuted church, and a calendar week of hosting 28 homeless men and women, sleeping on single mattresses on basement floors.  The persecuted and homeless … broken and beautiful souls … the exact kinds that exist in the margins that Jesus was born into, and spent his adult life seeking out.  The message and truth of Christmas is that Jesus left heaven to be human for all of us, but perhaps those who should feel the most hope during this season are the persecuted and homeless.  I wonder if they do?

This wondering has motivated me to act, to offer my heart and hands in serving those in need.  It motivated me to step, even if only toe-deep, into the margins.  There is real life there … real brokenness, but also real beauty.  My desire is not to call attention to my own action, but to invite you into the margins with me.  To provide a brief pause in your own experience of the season to see this “marginal” truth.  I have seen it and experienced it in a way that has permanently changed me.

Jesus arrived in the crudest of settings.  His family was on the run not long after he was born.  As an adult, the Son of Man had “no place to lay his head” (Luke 9:58).  And on his road to the cross, he endured the most inhumane treatment imaginable.   Sounds like a life those in the margins would be quite familiar with.

This year I pray that you are just a bit more aware of the “marginal” truth of Christmas, and that it motivates you to seek and to serve those who are lost.

Merry Christmas from all of us at Journey OnWord!

What’s the most memorable gift that you have ever received? You may remember a childhood gift that was just the one you wanted. Your favorite gift may have special meaning because of the thoughtfulness or sacrifice of the person who gave it. And then, we could all list a gift that was, shall I say, “A dud”. In the next few days, gifts will be given and received as an expression of the deep love felt in our families. For Christmas, I wanted to share a story that reflects family love, but can help all of us get a glimpse of true Christmas love.

The year was 1952, and it was a cold Christmas Eve. In a land far away, Korea was in the midst of a civil war. On this Christmas Eve, a young woman was about to give birth, alone. Follow the story and reflect on a mother’s love, and the love of God, as written by Bill Bright.

“Help me! Please. My baby.” No one paid any attention to her. A middle-aged couple walked by. The wife pushed away the young mother and sneered, “Where’s the father? Where’s your American man now?” The couple laughed and went on. The young woman almost doubled up from a contraction as she watched them go. “Please . . .” she begged. 

She had heard of a missionary living nearby who might help her. Hurriedly, she began walking to that village. If only he would help her baby. Shivering and in pain, she struggled over the frozen countryside. But the night was so cold. Snow began to fall. Realizing that the time was near to deliver her baby, she took shelter under a bridge. There, alone, her baby was born on Christmas Eve.

Worried about her newborn son, she took off her own clothes, wrapped them around the baby and held him close in the warm circle of her arms.

The next day, the missionary braved the new snow to deliver Christmas packages. As he walked along, he heard the cry of a baby. He followed the sound to a bridge. Under it, he found a young mother frozen to death, still clutching her crying newborn son. The missionary tenderly lifted the baby out of her arms.

When the baby was 10 years old, his now adoptive father told him the story of his mother’s death on Christmas Eve. The young boy cried, realizing the sacrifice his mother had made for him.

The next morning, the missionary rose early to find the boy’s bed empty. Seeing a fresh set of small footprints in the snow outside, he bundled up warmly in a winter coat and followed the trail. It led back to the bridge where the young mother had died.

As the missionary approached the bridge, he stopped, stunned. Kneeling in the snow was his son, naked and shivering uncontrollably. His clothes lay beside him in a small pile. Moving closer, he heard the boy say through chattering teeth:

“Mother, were you this cold for me?”  

What an indescribable love! But far greater is the indescribable love that caused Jesus to leave heaven and be born in a stable for a sinful world. His mother had her own issues finding a place for His birth. As you know, there was no room in the Inn. She gave birth to the Son of God in a stable! He came so that you and I could receive the gift of all gifts: eternal life in heaven. That’s what Christmas is all about! And I trust that a young Korean mother’s love will help you reflect on the Savior’s eternal love! Indescribable!

A few days ago, I woke up with a stiff neck. Every movement seemed to remind me that the muscles around my neck were not in a good mood. You can probably remember how aggravating it was when you had that stiff neck or sore back, or sprained ankle. Every step screams that something is amiss. To sit in a chair or lie down takes extra effort, and you find yourself trying to find just the right position. If you are anything like me when those stiff necks come, you would pay any price to be comfortable. I can only imagine what my friends with chronic pain go through. The minor bout with a stiff neck caused me to reflect on being comfortable.

It is not a stretch for me to say that you and I are very much alike in our desire to be comfortable in life. An adequate income, a home in the right neighborhood with a great school system and living with some measure of control over our circumstances is a reasonable goal for all of us. When you imagine your spiritual life, although words like sacrifice, commitment and serving abound, you and I still cling to some measure of control. After all, we want to be comfortable. However, in my opinion, God’s priority is not our comfort, but our joy. So in thinking about what I believe to be God’s design for His followers, I’ve coined the phrase joyful uncomfortable-ness.

If you and I value His control in our lives, we then will accept that He has a purpose for us that will take our time, energy and sometimes our resources. Living with an eternal viewpoint will cause each of us to focus on others and not what makes us comfortable. Caring, loving and ministering to others are anything but comfortable. But really loving and helping others will cause joy (joyful uncomfortable-ness). Just this morning I was tested with my own desires. Prior to a breakfast meeting, I was to talk to a friend about faith and spiritual growth. But instead of desiring to discuss important issues, I wanted to read the sports page and not call my friend. You see Mike likes his comfort! After calling my friend, I am glad to have joyful uncomfortable-ness.

Recently, I have been studying the life of the Apostle Paul. From prison, he lived with joy and cared for others. I Colossians 1:24, we find the words; I am glad when I suffer for you in my body, for I am participating in the sufferings of Christ that continue for his body, the church. His life was hard, his joy was obvious and what He cared about was others. He lived the phrase before I coined it – joyful uncomfortable-ness. Now I don’t think for a moment that you and I have to endure the incredible circumstances that Paul faced to please the Father. But I do believe that the more you and I love Him, the less comfortable our lives will become. The question for all of us to answer is this; is His cause worth our uncomfortable-ness?

My answer to that question is, yes! Because I know that if my uncomfortable-ness pleases the Father, He will provide joy in ways that I could have never imagined. However, I know that I will selfishly want to read the sports page some mornings. I am sure you understand the battle. But for you and for me, if living well for Christ causes us to have some uncomfortable moments, so be it. And with those moments, look out for joy.  Think about it!

…..If you were wondering, my neck is better….

Who is the most famous person you have been privileged to meet? At that moment, you probably had a sense of awe in starting the conversation. Your palms were sweaty and you feared saying something dumb or inappropriate. Rising far above any awe-struck conversation is the opportunity we have been given to communicate with God. Through a relationship with Jesus Christ, we are given entrance to His throne room. God wants to spend time with us, and there is no need for sweaty palms or fearful hearts. At the moment of our salvation, we were adopted into His family (Romans 8:15). So why, if God wants to spend time with us, and we need Him, do we spend so little time in prayer?

One of the primary reasons, I believe, is that we view prayer in the wrong context. Whether you are new to faith or a long time follower of Christ, chances are your prayer life often frustrates you. Could it be that too much emphasis is put on “my requests” and “His answers?” Surely we are to seek God with our burdens, no matter the size. And our Father wants to meet us at our point of need. So what is the right context?  Note the words of author Dr. Larry Crabb, in “The PAPA Prayer” …

“The chief purpose of prayer is to get to know God, to deepen our relationship with Him, to nourish the life of God He’s already placed within us, and to do it all to satisfy His desire for relationship with us”.

It is obvious to me that most of us spend far more time requesting of God than we do building a relationship with Him. Requests can easily become one-sided, while cultivating a relationship involves listening as well as speaking.

During the earthly ministry of Jesus, prayer played a critical role. After an evening of healing, we see a vivid picture of Christ’s relationship with the Father. “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed” (Mark 1:35). View His life, and you will see constant and deep communion with the Father. Search scripture and you won’t find Christ just giving God His laundry list of requests. He needed and wanted to spend time in prayer. Could it be that we sense so little victory and enjoyment in prayer because we aren’t developing a relationship, but simply conveying our needs?

Most parents know the needs of their children and desire to meet them. Those same parents long to meet needs in the context of a relationship. God knows our every need and wants to bless our lives as we spend time with Him, sharing our hearts, and listening to His. You can give God lots of requests, without cultivating a relationship. But you may find that in spending time relating to Him, your prayer life becomes more meaningful, enjoyable and victorious. I believe those who see great answers to prayer seek a relationship over the laundry list.

Be honest with yourself. If you don’t enjoy your prayer life and find it ineffective, it’s time to think about replacing your approach with a new one. You may find that more relating and less requesting will give you greater confidence. Try letting your prayer time be more of sharing your heart, and then quietly listening to His.  Praying this way may take more of your time, but who cares, you are in the presence of God. And don’t worry, He knows what you need before your lips ever utter a request!

I teach a Bible Study on Tuesday afternoons to a very enthusiastic group of young students…young at heart, that is.  You see, the average age is 88.  But they may just be the best class I have ever taught.  We have tackled the book of Revelation, Prophecy, and the life of David, and currently we are deep into the life of Moses.  This week as I prepared the lesson, I was hit hard with a concept that I feel all of us should reflect on as the New Year approaches.

God had led the Israelites to the Desert of Sinai, in the shadow of that great 8,000 foot mountain.  It would be here that God would speak to all of them through Moses and give the world the Ten Commandments.

Exodus 19:20
The LORD descended to the top of Mount Sinai and called Moses to the top of the mountain. So Moses went up

But before God would do that, there were four prerequisites for all the people to do:

Be Obedient
Open Your Heart to Listen
Consecrate (Cleanse) Yourselves
and
Show Great Respect for God

I would encourage you to take 10 minutes and read Exodus Chapter 19 because there is so much there – God gave very specific instructions for these preparations, especially in regards to showing respect for the Almighty.

verse 12
Put limits for the people around the mountain and tell them, ‘Be careful that you do not approach the mountain or touch the foot of it. Whoever touches the mountain is to be put to death…

This was God’s mountain, Mt. Sinai, where God himself was going to descend from Heaven and speak to all 2 million Israelites.  This was sacred ground where no one was to even touch the mountain unless God gave specific instructions for them to do so.  That is respect.  Nowadays we don’t see anything remotely resembling respect like that, do we?  Many refer to the “man upstairs” while using OMG on everything from phone texts to billboards.  One rock musician refers to “the big daddy upstairs” while another writes the hit lyrics, “What if God were just a slob like us?”

God has become our pal, our buddy.  This is a very casual and shallow view of God … and it’s wrong.

God is Holy
God is the Great I Am
God is Exalted
God is all-knowing
God is all-powerful
God is all-present
God is the Creator
The Maker
The Sovereign Lord
God is Love

You get the idea…He is anything but “the man upstairs.”

So what was it like to meet God that day in the shadow of the sacred Mt. Sinai?

verses 16-19
On the morning of the third day there was thunder and lightning, with a thick cloud over the mountain, and a very loud trumpet blast. Everyone in the camp trembled. Then Moses led the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. Mount Sinai was covered with smoke, because the LORD descended on it in fire. The smoke billowed up from it like smoke from a furnace, and the whole mountain trembled violently. As the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke and the voice of God answered him.

Wow!  Our daily time with the Lord is not quite as dramatic as this, but we must remember, we are talking to the same God as described in Exodus 19!

Obedience, listening, cleansing of our hearts . . . and Respect – our goal to meet God and hear His voice each day.

How many people need the gift of you? Oh, I’m not talking about the sarcastic phrase kids used to say; “He thinks He’s God’s gift to the world”. Those words reflect pride, arrogance and selfishness. On the contrary, the gift of you and I should be one of humility, caring and selflessness. These thoughts are born out of some reading that I have been doing from the book of Philippians. Scattered all across the verses of chapter two was a focus on others. The apostle Paul wastes no time in conveying the thought that Christ-followers should live esteeming others better than ourselves and not looking out just for our own interests, but also the interests of others. Talk about a gift worth giving!

Moving through this wonderful chapter solidifies Paul’s premise. He begins with the ultimate Giver. Christ came to earth, was born of a virgin and became obedient unto death for our salvation. His was the ultimate gift of selflessness, servant-hood and caring ever presented. But the chapter continued with other focused principles that I believe to be helpful for us all. From the way Paul writes to the believers at Philippi, to his inclusion of Timothy and Epaphroditus, we are given awesome examples of men who didn’t just focus on their own needs. What a gift to give!

Timothy (I wonder if anyone called him Tim) is someone you have read about. You have probably even read the two books of the Bible bearing his name. But do you really know him? When Paul sent Timothy to the Philippians, he was still likely a young man. His name meant “God honoring” and he certainly lived up it. From my study, it can be assumed that he was rather frail, with some stomach issues and was also probably a bit introverted. With those characteristics, it would be easy to understand if he would have focused primarily on himself. But he had a tender heart, and others were important to him. He gave the gift of himself!

Philippians 2:19-24 (MSG)
I plan (according to Jesus’ plan) to send Timothy to you very soon so he can bring back all the news of you he can gather. Oh, how that will do my heart good! I have no one quite like Timothy. He is loyal, and genuinely concerned for you. Most people around here are looking out for themselves, with little concern for the things of Jesus. But you know yourselves that Timothy’s the real thing. He’s been a devoted son to me as together we’ve delivered the Message. As soon as I see how things are going to fall out for me here, I plan to send him off. And then I’m hoping and praying to be right on his heels.

Paul wanted to send someone to the Philippians to get some news. His telling words set Timothy apart; I have no one quite like Timothy. He is loyal, and genuinely concerned for you. Most people around here are looking out for themselves…. When Timothy could have been just like everyone else, he wasn’t. Others mattered to him. There is not space to write about it fully, but I also believe that Timothy was a great source of comfort and care to the Apostle Paul.

You and I live in a culture driven by selfishness. Few people in your life have understood that caring for others is a gift worth giving. But you and I have a responsibility, as Christ-followers, to be other-centered. Timothy, an introvert, stepped out and cared for others, and God was honored. People in your world need someone to care like Timothy. Are others important to you? Look around you, and this Christmas, give the gift of you!

It was a special day when my daughter learned to ride a bike by herself. Dad was great at holding her up and running alongside, but letting go was not so easy. Releasing her to ride by herself was a big step for me, because falling was an option. Learning to ride a bike seems like such a small issue now, because there have been far bigger release points along our journey. If you have children, your mind can easily go to a myriad of release points that have been difficult, maybe even gut wrenching, yet needed.  Our struggle is control, or the lack thereof. With my hands on the bike, she was not falling, but she needed the freedom to ride (or crash) on her own. Today’s thoughts are not about riding bikes or our children, but about releasing our grip on issues that we want to control.  The freedom God has designed for us is often wrestled away by our tight grip.

People in your life that you can’t control, a job problem that you can’t fix, bitterness and hurt that constantly hound you, fears that grip you, possessions that are hard to release, habits that you are dying to stop… I am sure you could complete this article with specific bikes you are controlling. Our faith teaches that we can give our burdens to the Father, and walk boldly in freedom. But if your faith is anything like mine, human frailties and sin often have a tight grip on heartfelt intentions. Releasing our struggles back to the Father needs to be part of our journey experience on a daily basis. Without conscious releasing, there will be constant unneeded burdens. Look at what His Word tells us …

Psalm 119:45
I will walk about in freedom, for I have sought out your precepts.

My assumption is that everyone has a bike that needs releasing. Your issue is not to free your child, but to free yourself. The counsel of God’s Word makes it very clear that those who accept His Son by faith can live in joy and peace. Maintaining  a tight grip on my daughter’s bike kept her from falling, but never gave her the freedom to ride. Holding on to issues that weigh you and I down will wreck the ride of joy, freedom and peace that He designed for us.

Are you still holding onto something?  Do you need to release the bike to Him?  Embrace the release, and with eyes of faith, look forward to the joy of the resulting ride.  Seek His precepts and ride in freedom!

In a matter of days, gifts will be given and received … some of them may even be bikes! I believe the Giver of all good gifts wants you to enjoy the amazing gift of freedom. He wants you to stop holding onto the bikes of fear, and possessions and hurts. He wants you to release them into His loving care. When the Father provides a burden lifted, you’ll have an incredible gift….better than even the most expensive bike!

As I write this article, there are exactly four weeks until Christmas Day. Most of us had a bit of relaxation and feasting this past week while celebrating Thanksgiving. My only regret is the lack of discipline I displayed on Thanksgiving Day … far too much feasting! I am sure you can relate to my regret. But with the feasting and relaxation coming to an end, we all start gearing up for the mad rush to Christmas. Truth be told, most people get to Christmas Day regretting the pace of the season and lack of emphasis on our Savior’s birth. As we begin our four weeks until Christmas, I would like to be the voice of reason.

There is a bit of conflict in us all as we think about the next few weeks. Everyone likes to give and receive presents, and attend parties at work or with friends while getting into the Christmas spirit. Coupled with our enjoyment is the number of gifts we have to buy, the number of parties to attend, the nonstop pace, too much traffic and too little time to relax. There is not much you and I can do about the external pace of the season, but internally we can prepare ourselves to have fewer regrets as we celebrate Christmas. I trust that some thoughts that have encouraged me will help you gain perspective.

In Tim Hansel’s book, When I Relax, I Feel Guilty there is a poem that I have used in previous posts. Today I want to use just a couple of lines that can be a constant reminder to us all over the next few weeks.

Slow me down, Lord.
Ease the pounding of my heart by the quieting of my mind…

Remind me each day that the race is not always to the swift; that there is more to life than increasing its speed.

Our pace will tend to move faster over the next few weeks. Correspondingly, our stress level will rise without a conscious choice to slow down. We can balance our pace by cultivating a quiet heart that comes from time with the Father. Slow me down, Lord.

A quote from Gary Thomas’ book, Thirsting for God sums up the struggle we face in life, which is amplified during the Christmas season.

“Living a busy life is like running a marathon—we tax our ability to care, our ability to focus, our strength to manage disappointment, our sense of peace and rest. Consequently, we live on the edge of exhaustion, irritation and anger. We have to re-gather ourselves, guard our peace, and focus so we will be free to care about the things that really matter and fully give ourselves to the tasks that God calls us to address.”

If we are not careful, our emotions will get taxed in the next few weeks, causing us to lose our ability to focus on what’s really important and miss the voice of God. There is no better time for you and I to focus on guarding our peace. After all, aren’t we celebrating the birth of the Prince of Peace?

If you and I are to guard our peace, we need to apply the words of Psalm 46:10: Cease striving and know that I am God. The Hebrew word for cease means to relax, which is counter-intuitive to how we are compelled to live during the Christmas season. But God’s design for His followers during this season is to cease (relax) striving and depend on Him.

Could you and I begin each day during the next four weeks this way? “Slow me down, Lord, because my desire is to live today with a quiet heart and guard my peace. I will cease striving because I choose to depend on Your control for the events of this day. I will relax!”                        

 …  Choosing to live this way can create a Christmas with no regrets …

Every year as Thanksgiving approaches, we can look back over the last year and say, as Charles Dickens did in A Tale of Two Cities, “It was the best of times and the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair.”  Each year, past and future will be part joy and difficulty, smiles and tears, new energy and tired bodies. In 1621 when the pilgrims gave thanks, it was not without recognition of the heartbreak of the last year. When President Washington proclaimed Thanksgiving a nation-wide holiday in 1789, he knew the struggles which were behind and before the people of the fledgling republic. But with a grateful heart, he declared it to be a day of prayer and giving thanks to God. Over 200 years later, the day is still special.  Joys and difficulties remain, but God is still good, and genuine thanksgiving to Him is in order.

Truth be told, for many Thanksgiving is their favorite holiday of the year. Families gather, the turkey and trimmings are great (and so are the leftovers).  Football comes in the afternoon, and often there is a four-day vacation. If you are like me, those items alone create thankfulness, but there has to be more.

Psalm 103:4-5
Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts
with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.
For the Lord is good and his love endures forever;
his faithfulness continues through all generations.

When life seems too difficult, He cares .. He is good and His love endures forever
When the sun is bright, and we can smile .. He is good and His love endures forever
When we pray, He has the answers .. He is good and His love endures forever
When we are fearful, grace is available .. He is good and His love endures forever
When hope fades, and no one understands .. He is good and His love endures forever

With all of the joys and sorrows during the last year, one thing never changed. He is good and His love endures forever! It is easy to immerse ourselves in each new challenge, and forget that He is good and His love endures forever. In 1621, the pilgrims stopped in the midst of their struggle to give thanks. Should we be any different? He is good and His love endures forever.   As we celebrate Thanksgiving later this week, let those words ring clear. You may (like me) have a tendency to get caught up in all the earthly joy of the holiday, but God’s grace has been poured out on our country and on our lives, and He deserves our deepest thanks and highest praise.

He is good and His love endures forever!