“Watch Your Triumph Unfold”

SCRIPTURE: “But you should keep a clear mind in every situation. Don’t be afraid of suffering for the Lord. Work at telling others the Good News, and fully carry out the ministry God has given you.” (2 Timothy 4:5)

OBSERVATION: Paul is teaching Timothy important life principals to live out this side of heaven so they will echo victoriously throughout eternity.  Paul reminds Timothy to stay awake as he walks out his faith journey with and for Jesus.  Lives depend on it.

APPLICATION:  I’ve been mentored by many.  However, there are only a handful who have proven to be faithful over the years.  These are the people who know me and advocate for God’s best in my life.  I’m grateful for these faithful few and appreciate how they hold my feet to the fire when I begin to stray off course.  They understand that legacy is about leading an intentional life. They remind me of the race I have been given to run.  It’s unconventional at best and I’m starting to fully enjoy who I am now and what Jesus has in store for me and my family!

The 75th Anniversary of the invasion of Pearl Harbor was a few days ago.  I asked my daughter what her teachers taught on.  To my surprise, she said, “Nothing.” … Nothing?!… Unacceptable.  So I helped her understand some of the stories that unfolded on island that day of infamy on December 7th 1941.

I had her watch some film footage of the attack, President FDR’s Presidential address to the Nation as we responded with resolve to finish the war we didn’t start… “So help us God.”

Then shared how her Great Grandpa, Frank Cordeiro, was only 16 years old when those Zeros released their bombs shattering America’s false hope of peace while confirming Japan’s bitter betrayal.  Grandpa Frank had his camera with him and began taking photographs.

He went on to become General MacArthur’s personal photographer during WWII and had the great privilege of capturing the signed surrender of the Japanese Empire aboard the Battleship Missouri.  He saw the war begin and end from a very unique perspective.  My kids should be proud of their family heritage.  It’s my role as a Father to remember well those who have come and gone in our life, gleaning life principals worthy of the next generation.

And with that, I shared with her the years we lived next to Pearl Harbor.  I shared how I used to run along the ocean shore path for miles with the old Battleship graveyard off shore in the distance.  Their hollowed shells reminded me of the history of Hawaii and the great privilege of living there.  Running on that path over the years changed me.  History set deeply within my heart.  It became personal.

So as I look at my life today, what am I about?  What is my life story reflecting?  What will my kids and my grandkids share about my life in the days to come?  These are questions that I hold loosely this morning.  I believe they are good questions.  They keep my feet following hard after the one that I follow, my King Jesus.

I want legacy.

I have legacy, up to a point.  I have a song and a story for the first 40 years of my life.  Yet I want more! And God knows it.  He put this longing deep within my heart before I was born.  Because of His faithfulness, I still follow Him.  There are promises I have held onto for years, that are being realized… NOW!  Life is now full of “Suddenlies” of blessings instead of curses.  Life is good.  And yet, there is so much more to come…

 

Praying and Planning for 2017 has me expecting a manifest season of “Suddenlies” for me and my family. Still praying through details, yet so expectant.  I’m at a fulcrum point in my life.  The next 40 years have just begun.  I’m getting excited about how Jesus will finish my story and glorify His name.  My life is good. And yet, God is not mocked… He will restore what was stolen from me and my family.  So excited!

PRAYER:  Make it count Jesus.  All of it.  I want legacy.  Not just the first 40… I want the next 40 to be exponentially better!  I choose to Follow You Off The Map as You show me every inch of this promised land You have brought me to.  Thank You for being so faithful.  I trust You.  And recognize that what You are about to do in and through me is for others.  May I fully carry out the ministry You are giving me.  I choose to be still and watch my triumph unfold… my faith is rising!

“It’s Personal…but not Personal”

SCRIPTURE: “God is mighty, but he does not despise anyone! He is mighty in both power and understanding. He does not let the wicked live but gives justice to the afflicted. He never takes his eyes off the innocent, but he sets them on thrones with kings and exalts them forever. If they are bound in chains and caught up in a web of trouble, he shows them the reason.  He shows them their sins of pride. He gets their attention and commands that they turn from evil. “If they listen and obey God, they will be blessed with prosperity throughout their lives. All their years will be pleasant. But if they refuse to listen to him, they will be killed by the sword and die from lack of understanding. For the godless are full of resentment. Even when he punishes them, they refuse to cry out to him for help. They die when they are young, after wasting their lives in immoral living. But by means of their suffering, he rescues those who suffer. For he gets their attention through adversity.” (Job 36:5-15)

OBSERVATION: Job’s friends are giving him advice in the middle of the worse chapter of his life.  Without reason, his family, finances and health have been attacked.  He’s crying out to God asking, “Why?!” Instead of his friends consoling him and helping be lightning rods, grounding his emotion safely… they reflect his emotions and throw it back at him reminding Job that God throws lightning bolts at those who are against Him.  This entire passage sounds great until you look how it is introduced and concluded.  Basically, Elihu starts off by saying how wise he is, patronizing Job in his suffering (Job 36:1-4).  Then he tells Job that God has brought all the suffering because of the evil Job has yet to confess (Job 36: 21)…what a Jerk!

APPLICATION: That’s pretty much my application this morning, “What a Jerk!”  When people are going through horrific pain and suffering, the last thing we need are so-called friends that smack us with the Bible in a way that puts the blame on us when we have done nothing to deserve what we’ve been dealt with.  Ok, ok…if it’s obvious that we have done wrong and need to walk through our own consiquences, I get that.  But not when we have been on the receiving end of someone else’s sin.  This is what qualifies Job’s friend Elihu, for the biggest Jerk card today.  What a Jerk!

But this isn’t the personal application for me thhis morning.  I’ve had job seasons before in my life.  One in particular when we were in Hawaii.  My marriage, family and ministry was on the line with what my wife was going through.  I was told I was cursed, to confess my hidden sin and stop rebelling against God and move back to Portland before my wife dies! Yes friends and family actually told me those things… seriously!  Remarkably, I didn’t give up on seeking God’s best for me and my family.  With the help of a few true family and firends, we made it through that season. God defended me, since I had done nothing to deserve any of that.

Now, in Seattle… the pain of betrayal far outweighs what I went through in Hawaii.  I have lost my marriage, family, ministry and more becuase of the choices of my wife. She no longer wants to be married, be a mother nor be in ministry.  After all that we have been through together, she has made her choice and continues to do so to abandon me and our kids.  So During the past 6 months, I have had to navigate the emotions of this storm.  I am so pleased to say that I now have almost 100% support through this storm.  At the beginning family & friends reacted emotionally and came at me with questions and accusations.  But I chose to hold in and let Jesus defend me once again.  I believe that fruit of a man’s life will make a place for him.  Jesus is showing up in my life in powerful ways!

The love of my life is demanding a divorce, yet only days ago, we have both declared our love for one another.  She simply is tormented by the undealt with pain within herself and is hurting. Hurting people hurt people. So I have come to the place in my heart to love her enough to let her go.  It’s not a decision of anger from her affair and more…  It’s not the need to cauterize a wound to stop the bleeding.  It’s not about me.  It’s about understanding that she wants a life apart from me and our kids and right now Jesus too.  I love my wife.  And she loves me… confusing, and yet I am understanding more and more. It’s personal, but not personal.  I must answer to Jesus for how I love my wife.  So I choose to love her enough to let her go.  Jesus needs to be first in her life, before me, marriage, motherhood and ministry.  It’s about my wife’s relationship with Jesus and her salvation. So I choose to do what I cannot in my own strength… to entrust her into Jesus’ arms, letting her go where I cannot go.

This is a very personal journal.  I’ve never posted these things for anyone to see.  But I’m choosing to be very real with what’s going on right now in such a way that I can process it and keep hope on the forefront.  Jesus is at work.  Job’s friend Elihu said it very well about how we can become hardened to God.  And even in our troubles, refuse to cry out to Jesus.  I don’t want to live that way.  I want to cry out to God and allow Him to lead me through the darkness to the other side.

I will not be beaten by betrayal.  Jesus was betrayed.  He knows.  So I put my life in His nail scarred hands.  He can handle it.  He knows the way out to a life of blessing.  This is what I want.  This is what I will have.  All I was and had has died.  The strategy that was set out to accomplish this has worked.  Then enemy of our souls won that battle.  But I will not be beaten by betrayal! I will choose to love my wife even when she wants nothing to do with me.  I choose love.  This unconventional weapon of love will allow Jesus to do His best work in my heart, my kids and eventually my wife’s heart.  I will have legacy, peace, joy, provision, family and maybe even marriage again someday… because of the way I have honored Jesus.  Jesus will honor me because I have honored Him.  Period.

PRAYER:  Jesus, I trust You today.  It looks like all is lost and at times feels that way.  It’s because it all has been lost!  And yet, You are the One and only True Living God!  You are more than able to make this mess into a blessling.  You are the only One that can turn betrayal into blessing!  So be it!  I love You and trust You today.  I choose to submit my heart to You and pray that my wife does the same someday.  May You help me lead my life in Love.  May this season be one that You are pleased with the way I handle that which has been dealt to me.  May the life choices I make now set my destiny in such a way to receive blessings from You that will save many lives.  I want this “Joseph Story” to end to well! Bring Genesis 50:20 alive in my life starting today Jesus! “You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people.”

“Making a House a Home”

SCRIPTURE: “ Together, we are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself.” (Ephesians 2:20 NLT)

OBSERVATION: It’s people that make up the church not a building. Jesus is the foundation stone that sets the measurements for life. It’s all based on who Jesus is. We must keep this focus in all life endeavors, or they won’t stand.

APPLICATION:After months of planning and preparation, our house goes on the market today. The sign goes up in the yard and people will see our house on the MLS lists, craigslist and more. Our house that we bought in 2008 soon became our home because of the memories and the culture we created within the house. Neighbors became friends, kids played in yard and memories were made. At first, selling the house was unthinkable to us. But after The Lord called us to move from Portland to Seattle…our hearts began to let go of a house and hold onto Jesus even more tightly. We soon realized that what started out as temporary…was really a calling to build leaders and plant churches with a band of brothers. So we are selling our house and grateful to Jesus how He will continue to bless us with friends like family and legacy as we are the true bricks in Gods house…the church.

PRAYER: Lord, I know the house will sell quickly and for a sum that will glorify your name. Many people are praying and expecting You to lead this in such a way that encourages people and glorifies your name. May You bring a family to our house that will love it as much as we did, making a house into a home because of Your presence.