Jerry Falwell frequently used to quote Charles E. Jones, saying, “Five years from now you’ll be the same person you are today except for the books you read and the people you meet.”
I’ve included a reading category in my major goals for 2009, which are broken down according to quarter. So, for April to June 2009, here is my list of books I’m trying to read:
Reading List April-June 2009
- Communicating for a Change by Andy Stanley (Finished)
- Unchristian by George Barna
- After Fidel by Brian Latell
- Axiom by Bill Hybels
- Never Eat Alone by Keith Ferrazzi and Tahl Raz
- Creating an Intimate Marriage by Jim Burns
- Revisiting Relational Youth Ministry by Andrew Root
- Youth Ministry 3.0 by Marko
- The Labyrinth of Solitude by Octavio Paz
- In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day by Mark Batterson
- Killing Cockroaches by Tony Morgan
- Tribes by Seth Godin
- Engaging the Soul of Youth Culture by Walt Mueller
What are you reading? I’d love to get some suggestions for next quarter.
(Photo by: Phil Moore on flickr)
I’ve been stunned lately by the deaths of some family and friends. My grandmother died late last year. My Uncle died last week. One of my best friends from high school was found dead this morning.
Thinking about death makes me think about what I do on a daily basis. It makes me think about the way I treat people and respond to situations. It makes me think about the plans I make and how I spend my time. It makes me want to dedicate myself to live better.
When I think about life and death, I am drawn to James 4:14.
Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.
We have a short time here on earth. We have little time to influence people. I want my short vapor of a life to count for something. I want, when the mist is gone, for Christ to have been magnified by my life.
Nothing else matters. I will miss the people who we have lost in the last few days. They influenced me. They are in my memories. Their lives counted. I want my life to count for something.
What would happen if we lived life in light of James 4:14? What would happen if we realized how short life really is? I’m sure my daily decisions would be different. I’m sure I would live to make a greater impact both in my family and in the lives of those around me.
Andy Stanley, in his book Communicating for a Change, talks about a thing called “the preacher’s burden.” He says it’s the thing that “if you don’t preach it, you will die.” The thing that your audience has to hear.
I was supposed to preach on Friday in chapel at the Seminary, and I had prepared like never before. I had studied the passage. I had prepared my outline. I had boiled it down to one thing. I had the perfect illustration. Then the phone rang.
It seems there is someone in town that the Seminary wants to preach on Friday instead. The guy is part of an organization that helps the Seminary a lot, and they called me today (Wednesday) to let me know that they want him to preach on Friday, the day that has been on the calendar for me to preach since the start of the term.
So what do I do with the burden? I am convinced the Seminary students, professors (including me), and administration need to hear the sermon I was going to preach. I have the burden. I might explode if I can’t tell them what I felt God had told me to say.
They tell me that I will get a chance to preach next term. It will be my turn again, I’m sure. But in the meantime, I guess I have to put into practice the concept that God taught me and gave me a passion for while I was preparing to preach. Could it be that the message was more for me than for the Seminary students?
So what do you do with the preacher’s burden when it turns out that you don’t get to preach it? Are there other ways to get the message out?
The chile piquin is a small but powerful type of chile pepper. I tried one the other day because my students had told me that they would make an excellent illustration for my sermon on the tongue. They were right. I had to spit it out because I didn’t want it to burn my esophagus.
Today I preached on James 3 at Bethel Church in Xochimilco. My introduction was the chile piquin. We talked about three observations about the tongue: It has power (for good or evil); it is difficult to tame; and controlling it is essential to living out our faith.
It’s a lot easier to preach about taming the tongue than it is to live it. I think part of it has to do with the fact that there are so many ways to slip up with the tongue. It takes only a little moment in time to lose your temper and say something that you will regret for a long time.
I had a good time with a new group of Christians today, and I pray that the sermon will take root in their lives and the life of their church.
Earlier today, I tweeted (and consequently updated my Facebook status),
“4 of the greatest words in the English language – ‘Daddy, I love you’.”
Nathan had just said it to me, and then I got to thinking about that phrase in another way.
Imagine how us expressing our love to God makes Him feel. If I can feel so good hearing Nathan tell me that He loves me, my worship must make God feel great.
Crawling up next to our Heavenly Father and telling Him, “Daddy, I love you,” has to be a great feeling for Him. Especially if we don’t do it out of obligation or to see what “special favor” He will do for us. When we say that phrase as a genuine expression of our love for Him, it is true worship.
Today is the inauguration of the 44th President of the United States of America. Regardless of how you voted, you can please God today, tomorrow, and in the future. Here’s what 1 Timothy 2:1-8 says.
I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone— for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.
For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all men—the testimony given in its proper time. And for this purpose I was appointed a herald and an apostle—I am telling the truth, I am not lying—and a teacher of the true faith to the Gentiles.
I want men everywhere to lift up holy hands in prayer, without anger or disputing.
My Observations
- What should we do? Make requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving.
- Who should we pray for? Everyone – including kings and those in authority (aka…the President)
- Why? That we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.
- Another why? This is good, and pleases God our Savior.
- What about God? He wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.
- How should we pray? With holy hands lifted up, and without anger or disputing.
Today, my family and I will pray for Barack Obama, hoping to live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. We want to please God our Savior, believing that He wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.
(image by: Wa-J on flickr)
