Soiled Saints

Top Gun.  1986.  Anthony Edwards and Tom Cruise.

“I feel the need.  The need for speed.” 

I don’t.  I feel the need for slow.  It seems as if life never slows down.  I am behind on my book reading, my workouts for the week (I’ve missed two due to sheer busy-ness) and the pace of life is frenetic, with another crunching weekend ahead.  I can hear the sympathy now:  “Yeah, Jason, join the human race why doncha!! We’re all busy.” 

I’m not complaining, but there are times in which I’m so busy working for God (as if He needs me to do anything FOR Him) that I forget that He is God of my work.  And that’s true no matter the vocation. 

Which is why i need to be still (very hard for me.) and know He is God.

I plan to catch up on my work-outs another day. 

I’ll just read two chapters in one day and hop back on the book-wagon.

but I’m going to go home, take a shower, and just read the Scriptures.  My Discipleship journal plan doesn’t kick in again until Saturday, so I’m going to take a nice look at the early Church.  May my priorities be re-calibrated and aligned around Him.

Dizzy, but still dazzled at grace,

Jason

I recently had an interesting phenomenon happen as I walked to the mailbox.

Yes, you can have extraordinary encounters with God while walking to and from a place as seemingly non-spiritual as a mailbox. 

Inside my mailbox recently I had a moment of holy fear, terror, and a sense of God’s presence.  Now, I can almost e-hear you now………..

“are you drinking something other than water Jason?”

“what kind of ingredients are to be found in your asthma inhaler….are you INHALING?”

“did you watch too much religious t.v. and put your hands on the t.v. to agree with the preacher?”

Let me assure you:  not usually, only ingredients needed to battle asthma and ……not a snowball’s change in Houston.

I opened the tiny hole to see a bunch of bills…..or so I thought.  There were nine different envelopes, all with my legal name on them.  I hadn’t really received any bills, etc. from the pacemaker visit, so i gulped rather largely.  “Here we go,” I thought, as I sifted through the other mail. 

Included in the other mail was a flyer for “Cash Loan Advance.”  I could receive a payday advance today for my paycheck plus an absurd amount of interest.  Apparently I pre-qualified, and was ready for a “quick and easy approval process” that could see me “walk out with the money you need to pay your bills today.”

Imagine that…..that gulp that signified a moment of fear could be satisfied with a trip to my local loaning office. 

And I don’t think that the nine and the one came on the same day by chance or coincidence.  I think there was divine orchestration behind that.  Here’s why:

As i walked away from the mailbox, I had a choice to make  How will I face this fear?  Will I face my fear by responding with a cash loan advance?  Surely that was God’s answer right?  THey came on the same day even.

By the way, there were no checks in the mail addressed to Mandy or I to help out with potential bills.

Just a cash loan advance that promised to quickly and easily remedy my nine envelopes-of-doom.

It’s about a 30 yard walk from our apartment stairs to the mailbox.  Right as i was about to go up the stairs, I began to remember:

God has provided for me so much.  During our eight years at FBC, we have been given three cars.  THREE.

My heart is beating.  BEATING.

My wife loves me. LOVING

My God will provide for me:  JESUS.

As I tore up the stairs, I tore up the flyer.  God would have to provide.  How, I didn’t know.

Will I face fears by depending on the latest fad that actually could ensnare me in systems that will lead to bondage, or will I face fears by thinking………remembering……dwelling……….

God will provide.  He has provided.  He is faithful. 

So how much were all the bills? 

They weren’t much at all.  They were from my insurance company explaining my benefits.  The amount of what was not covered was about 2,000.00.

God has already provided that in my savings account.

He will provide.  He is great. 

And I can trust Him.

More to come,

Jason

If you look around this site, you will know that I like David Crowder* Band very much.  (there is no “the” in DC*B but there is an *.  ) 

In 2003, DC*B released an album called Illuminate.  In said album, which remains one of my favorites some 5 years later, Crowder writes:

“I’m so bored of little gods while standing on the edge of something large…standing here so close to you…we could be consumed….what a glorious day.”

I may not have been word-for-word perfect but I think I have gotten and you will get the jist of the verse.  WIth election day just three weeks away, we as a country are on the edge of something large.  The last two weeks have seen us merely “on the edge.”  In three weeks, we will either have our first black president or our first woman vice-president.  History is guaranteed to be made.  My feelings of large aren’t quite that newsworthy……yet….

 I too have the feeling I’m standing on the edge of something large right now.  Perhaps it’s a large cliff (boo) or a large opportunity (yahoo).  I honestly don’t know.  I know that there is a divine, sovereign hand behind it that controls it.  Because of that, I wish I was as attune to such moments always.  I firmly believe that most days, although seemingly mundane, are larger than I realize.  It’s only when faced with large decisions, large ramifications, and large problems do I realize the largeness of the day.

So here I am again.  I’m standing on the edge.  And it’s either going to be glorious in the flameout, or glorious in the provision.  Either way, God is somehow working His plan. 

….and from what I read, that plan is larger than mine will ever be. 

Jason

 3. He has a mold-able heart.

This may sound more like a slam at first but stay with me.  Rob will be the first 1 to tell you that he’s got a stubborn streak in him that’s longer than the gap between financially successful Wall Street days.  But in the last four years, I’ve seen both up close and from afar how God has molded and changed his heart.  Rob comes from a cultural fit that wouldn’t exactly tailor-make him for his current ministry.  But over the last few months especially, Rob is wanting to see community change, and is willing to do the hard things and go to the hard places to do it.  Has he always wanted that? 

Unequivocably yes.  It’s just that now it’s so much a part of his spiritual DNA that it’s hard NOT to have a conversation with Rob that you don’t see the overflow of a person following Christ with his heart.  Rob’s example to me shows that I must continually seek after Christ, and let my heart go where Christ wants it.

4. He is loyal.

Rob has been my friend through ten turbulent years, years where both of us have seen upheaval and hard times.  He has not turned his back on me ever.  While his counsel to me has not always been pleasant to absorb at first, he has:  always been willing to give it, given it out of a sense of wanting God’s best for me, and has given it from a place of wanting me to listen to God’s voice.  Giving someone counsel that is not easy to hear or say is a mark of true friendship.  He could have easily swept stuff under the rug.  But he didn’t.  He did the right thing in spite of the short-term costs. That’s loyalty.  That’s Rob. 

I hope you have enjoyed getting to know Rob.  Check his blog, church website, and if in Portsmouth, Virginia, his church out.

You’ll be glad you did. 

Jason

In a recent series of blog posts, Seattle pastor and church leader Mark Driscoll ( www.theresurgence.com and www.marshillchurch.org )  wrote a tribute of sorts to his friend and fellow pastor Dr. John Piper.  If you want to see, just click on Mark’s name on the right-hand side of this present page. 

I read the series, and thought how cool it was that a cool, hip, Seattle pastor like Driscoll honored someone who would not say nor think he’s cool…..which is a reason why John Piper is cool. 

So, in honor of that, and to honor a friend whom I dearly love and respect, I am jacking Driscoll’s blog idea and using it for my own nefarious purposes.

Another name you’ll see on the right hand side of your page is Rob Edwards.  Sadly, he’s not as well-known as Driscoll or Piper in the Christian community (and that’s nothing on Driscoll or Piper.  They are both heroes of mine that I’ve been blessed by so often through their written and spoken words). 

He should be as well known. 

Since he’s not, I’d like to advance his cause and in doing the cause of Christ to the 1-5 people who read/subscribe.  I want you to know Rob.  I want you to love him like I do. 

I’ve known Rob for 10 years.  He and I began to be acquainted during a process that saw me go to Norfolk, Virginia as a youth pastor.  Rob and I clicked nearly immediately, our thinking and musing about the church more similar to one another than other guys on staff.

I’ve never had an older brother, and Rob has never had a younger one.  He is that “older brother” (10 years older to be exact) to me.  During our time in ministry we shared together we grew to be incredibly close, a privilege I share to this day despite the 1500 miles of geographical seperation.

Rob is incredibly smart.  He has a Master’s Degree, but don’t mistake that….he’s got a phd brain.  He’s able to think at multiple levels during multiple activities.  His ability to think, organize thoughts, and process both astounds me and nearly discourages me because I won’t be able to do that short of a transplant anytime soon:)  . 

He’s a voracious reader.  When pressed, or driven, Rob can read a book a day…..and I’m not talking about a pocket-sized book.  I’m talking about a 2-300 page book that has small print and large themes.

Even better for me, Rob acts and looks like Niles Crane from Frasier.  We were in a meeting one time when I responded with that name.  Something along the lines of “that’s right Niles” came from my mouth when responding to a wisecrack from him.  When I said that, the room feel silent, and then erupted with laughter.  At first he scowled, and then laughed as well.  I’ve never let him live that down…..

I’ve seen Rob in ministry together and have been able to watch his ministry from afar.  SImply put:  He’s an amazing man. 

1. He is an intense thinker that never stops seeking God’s activity.

Of all the people I know, God has given Rob more than 10% of his brain to use.  I believe it was Einstein who said that we only use that much of our brain.  Rob is always thinking of how he can both personally and as a part of a corporate gathering discern where God is working and joining God in that work.  That has been a core conviction of his since I’ve known him, and it’s amazing to watch this man think and process how to be God’s people for this time.  I’ve learned the importance of seeking God’s agenda vs. implementing my agenda from Rob.

2. He could hang in a huge church, but chooses to stay where he is.

With all his connections (the guy is a networker par excellent), I have no doubts that Rob can currently serve on a megachurch staff and be great at it.  Yet Rob has a greater passion for the success of the “Big C” church than his own success.  Rob has faithfully served his church, Cradock Baptist Church in Portsmouth, Virginia.  (www.cradockbaptist.org) for over four years.  Honestly, the church is not like Rob in personality or demographics.  It’s more urban, Rob seems to be more suburban.  It’s more older in age, Rob’s more modern in his thought.  Yet, you can see Rob desiring to be faithful to God’s call on his life through his leadership of this smaller band of rebels stirring up some holy trouble right where they are.  If Rob ever wrote a book (HINT) on the history of his time at Cradock, you would easily see how God has used him to lovingly lead a group of people in the direction that God desires them to go.  From the outside one would perhaps naturally turn from  a church like Cradock, which doesn’t have a parking lot, power point, or contemporary worship.  Rob has served this church, and his time is beginning to pay off.

Can you begin to see why I love this guy?  He’s a friend, a brother, a mentor, and helps me love Jesus more.  I want to follow Rob as he follows Christ.

More to come,

Jason

It would seem as if God is changing me and my heart.  I will never claim to know all of God and His ways, since they are not my ways, and it would be the height of arrogance to do so.

God is seeming fit to do a work in my heart that is unexpected and greatly affecting me.  While it’s all “plus side” there is always an immediate plus side and a “this-is-bad-right-now-but-He-will-turn-it-good” side. 

THe plus side is that I’m in a place where I’m scared to death…..I mean prayer.  Prayer is as Hank Hanegraaf says “firing the winning shot.”  Also, I’m in a place of such uncertainty I am HAVING to depend and lean on Him.  It’s not comfy, nor cute, but necessary.

The other side is that I fear that I may hurt a few folks with things that i may have to say and do.  And there’s nothing I can do about that fact.  I don’t like hurting people on purpose as a general rule.  I want people to be happy with me, and happy in general. 

Winds are blowing still.  Ike has long passed, but God’s winds are full-force.  And they will tear down or build up what He wants.

More to come.

Jason

So, there’s 700 billion coming to “bail out” Wall Street…or Main Street…or someone.  I’m not really sure.  I just have heard about “Bail Out.”  The phrase “bail out” has a particular meaning to me that I’ll share later.  House leaders in our government seeom to be desperate to put a quick fix on a problem that has seemingly loomed for a while.  I saw a Yahoo article that said that Bush was trying to have a plan that would be a “massive rescue plan designed to stave off national economic disaster.”

Hmm….

Bush stated according to Yahoo that ” “A lot of people are watching,” Bush pointed out — as if lawmakers needed reminding — and he argued from the White House that the measure was the best chance to calm unnerved financial markets and ease a spreading credit crunch. Anything but reassured, investors sent the Dow Jones industrials plunging another 348 points lower.”

I really didn’t and don’t know exactly what the bail out is, but again, Yahoo to the rescue (that sort of rhymes).  Apparently, the measure would do this:

-the government would spend money buying bad mortgage-related securites and other devalued assets from the financial institutions.  if the plan works, people who approve of this measure say that frozen credit (to small businesses?) would be better and a recession could be prevented.

So I switched to MSN and saw a slide show about CEO’s making tons while their corporations went down the drain.  Needless to say, I was a tad pissed.

It seems that everyone is blaming everyone for the doldrums and problems.  And people are seemingly trying to avoid responsibility to be bailed out for another.

 But it’s only when we take responsibility that we can really feel and tremble at the great bail out of the cross. 

I need a much deeper bail out than my money.  My soul needed a bailout.  It was in trouble.  It wasn’t heading towards recession.  A recession would have been an improvement.  Trust me, I am in need of a ”massive rescue plan designed to stave off personal soul-disaster.”

Dead people don’t know recession.

They don’t know life.

I was dead before God.  I needed the ultimate bailout.  The ultimate rescue, bringing me back from death to life by Jesus through the Holy Spirit.

Now my attitudes, actions, and views can be bailed out by the ongoing work that God is doing (will do) in me. 

Will I ever be in a position of not needing bail out?  Yes…..but when that time happens, this blog won’t be here….

“The power of word-of-mouth is perhaps one of the strongest in this universe.  I saw it through the media and through personal communication.

Word of mouth was rumored to be dead in this age of buzz marketing and instant access to advertisements.  I’m here to tell you from my…….e-mouth……

It’s alive and well.”

During pre-Ike, and especially post-Ike, I imagine people in Houston, and other parts of the state/country immediately affected by Ike were somewhat glued to a tv and/or radio trying to find out information about the storm, their loved ones, and supplies.   

Gratefully, I was in Jasper, and while we were without power, we did have a gas-powered generator that served us well, including a DISH network-inspired tv that allowed us to get hundreds of channels.  In all reality, while we surfed a few times, our main channels of communication were the NBC-CBS-ABC Houston affiliates.

Each of them had around-the-clock coverage, complete with bottom-of-the-screen tickers with information such as power outages, open shelters, etc.  That was nice and needed.  I was awestruck with the capability of a station, presumably running on generator power themselves, being able to have live shots, scrolling in information and graphics.  Say what you want to about the media, and I have and will.  But they work excruciatingly hard at what they do. 

The most awe-striking issue for me was the power of the media’s mouth. 

In the hours and days following the storm part of Ike, each station dispatched reporters to shelters, stadiums, stores and stations to update, inform, and show people what was going on.  Here’s the amazing awe-striking thing:  As soon as a reporter would say “this is happening, this is open” the next time the reporter would be seen, a crowd of people were there.  Some examples include:

PEOPLE SWIMMING IN AN ENGORGED BAYOU

I remember one reporter making a report from a flooded bayou off of Interstate 10.  They stated that the bayou was dangerous due to water not being healthy yet people were swimming.  When the reporter was given a chance for an update, not only were there MORE people swimming in the bayou, there were many onlookers.  When interviewed, more than one stated they showed up because they saw the previous report.

OPEN GAS STATIONS

As anyone who remembered Katrina or Rita (here known as Kat-rita) can tell you, gas can become in rapid order in short supply.  Many gas stations in Houston were closed due to a lack of power.  Reporters would find an open one, and do a live shot from it.  Within minutes, the gas station was overwhelmed with customers.  Where did they hear that?  Again, people who were interviewed mentioned the report heard on tv.  I personally saw this happen 4 different times between the three networks.

OPEN GROCERY STORES

One sports reporter became a field reporter during Ike, and reported an open HEB store that had certain items necessary for survival (water, ice, energy drinks, etc).  The next time they panned to him, the line was double what it was when he first had the live shot.  Again, people noted the tv report as a main reason they found out about what happened.

The people heard.   What did they do with what they heard?  They told/texted/called others.  News spread person to person.  Before you knew it, open stations, shelters, and storms were stormed with people.  How could they know? 

Word of mouth.  I don’t recall them hearing through a commercial. 

Now, what does this mean for me, you, and the cause of Christ?

in a day and age where there is so much marketing and commercial to attract and draw, the power of word of mouth is STILL champ.  We CAN spread a message and make it so viral that it infects people here, there, and everywhere.  Marketing is cool, and has its place.

But I fear for me that I’ve let marketing be my mouth.

Marekting can’t replace my mouth.  I use it for so many things, and to be honest, if I were to take stock in it, my mouth is used far more to spread other viruses that damage than those that heal.

Word of Mouth wins again.  Will my mouth join the team?

Jason