All You Need is Love: part 1 & 2

I love it when Pastor David says these words:

"Okay, I'm just going to offend people. Just putting it out there".

Because he usually delivers a pretty, to the point, get over yourself message. With grace and mercy, but "you need to really here this" deliverance.

The series we're in right now is "All you need is Love". While most messages on Easter Day would have been about the crucifixion, Pastor David gave it a new twist. The ultimate Love was Christ's CHOICE to endure torture and horrific death for you and me. Why? Because love is not a feeling, it's a choice and it needed to be accomplished, it was God's promise to us for eternal salvation and Christ chose to love us, above our human failings and sinful nature.

Along with that choice, comes consequence. When love dies, a relationship ends, it's often because someone made a choice - possibly NOT to love. To not choose to confirm the relationship, to not build the relationship up but otherwise delve into possibly selfish natures and harm the relationship. The consequence of our human choice to not love is a rendering of whatever relationship that is. Sometimes we have to choose to love others, even through our inner ugliness to their outward ugliness. I am paraphrasing the sermon into where it hit me (oh and it hit me).

Last Sunday the message extended again to choice. And he got to the offensive part. (paraphrase) "Husbands, Fathers, I'm speaking to you directly because mostly this is a male issue. Just because you are providing financially for your family does not mean you are loving them. They need your time. YOU CAN ALWAYS MAKE MORE MONEY - YOU CAN NOT MAKE MORE TIME!" "Why do we spend our time watching a reality TV show on how to be the perfect family instead of spending our time making our own the perfect family? We spend our time watching a show about ultimate friendship, yet we don't reach out to those around us and MAKE ultimate friendships".

Sometimes as humans we just need a good thwack on the head to see the obvious! He really got to our hearts. Your kids need YOU. People need people. Families need the PEOPLE in it! The Church - is the PEOPLE. Not the building. All nice points.

He relayed a recent story of his college age son asking him to come out and see his new art of cutting a Bonsai tree. Pastor David admitted he grumbled about it, it was the end of the day, he was tired.. plodding out into the dark night to watch his son cut this tree up. But the relevance that his college age son still wanted his father's attention to see something he was learning and accomplishing. As I'm typing this I have the revelation of what an accomplishment as a father to still have his son's affection at that age - and the son's continued desire for his father's participation in his life.

Pastor David "turn off the tv, turn off the iPod, turn off the radio, stop the scrapbooking, turn off the computer - whatever it is that you're doing - and give them your undivided attention and time." In our stress, time driven world, we are so busy trying to achieve and be that we forget these simple truths. When Jesus was asked what the most important commandments were, He answered:

1) Love God above all
2) Love your neighbor as yourself

and THE GREATEST OF THESE IS LOVE. Of all the things God could have chosen for His creation - LOVE. Wow. Not legalism, not judgment, not condemnation, not being right, not being rich, not having the right car, the right house, the right clothes, the right education (they may have a place, yes). But love - choose to love & choose to live with others. Not around others.

Driving home Matt asked me if I felt conviction. Hell yes (yes, I did say Hell yes). Because Hell keeps me from connecting to my own kids who are just down the hall from me as I struggle through my own internal issues of dealing with adult life. People scare me. Personally this is a big issue for me. I am a loner and I like it that way because people hurt and wound & I don't recover quickly. I LOVE technology! Email & texting - wonderful! And I've fallen into the black hole of not having the time to talk to anyone. Other then those I have to see face to face. I even email my boss from my office next door (because that 20 step walk is SO far!) The enemy wins by dissecting us and diverting us and destroying our unity. Where two or more are gathered, there so is The Lord! We are powerful together! Great good has come out of technology but it has also alienated us from those we love to a depth we are wandering alone disconnected.

And while we do, each generation grows up around us, even though they need the older generations to succeed! To win the fight! To march on through life's adventure and turmoil. Instead, I found myself blind to the fact, one day I will watch their back walk away and wish... I had more time.




(if you'd like to hear the message, go to this link)

http://mcaweb.org/index.php?s=rs&nid=103097

Sunday's message

I have to tell you, if you are looking for a great pastor to listen to, Maltby Christian Assembly has 2 of the best. Pastor David, the lead pastor is genuine. I truly love listening to his sermons. His goal I think is really getting people to narrow it down to the one thing that's important - following Christ. Simple eh? :)

The young adult pastor, Justin Farley is a talented guy. He's young, hip and hilarious. He delivers his message from the gate getting you to laugh out loud and then turns it to the heart of the message softly, you quiet down as the words sink in to your psyche and heart. He reaches the kids where they are, with what they struggle with and an open genuine heart of a young adult who's "been there".

Yesterdays sermon was no exception. And boy, it was delivered lock & key right to where I've been dwelling lately.

You can download the messages in to ITunes from their website -

http://mcaweb.org/index.php?s=rs&nid=103097

I wrote down a few sentences that got my attention yesterday - here's a couple:

This is a quote from John Wooden, former UCLA basketball coach

"Don't let what you can't do, keep you from doing what you can do." I know I struggle with this all the time. Fear of failure is deep.

He spoke of Mother Teresa, how her life started. She committed herself to being a Nun for life at a young age. Her birth name was Agnes. She had a vision to open a orphanage and was ridiculed by her fellow sisters. Against the ridicule, she followed the fire placed on her heart by God. Justin's message said that sometimes that FIRE which burns inside you, is placed there by Him, so that maybe you'll ACT on it and complete His plan for your life. Wow, that really hit me hard because it was verbalization of the same words that had been spinning through my mind lately.

Justin said when he sees people like this he feels 3 things - first, inspiration. Followed by Intimidation. Finally Doubt. I add that this leads to non performance. Giving Up. What you can't do - and fear of failure or ridicule - keeps you from doing whatever it is that you can do.

Here I sit, guilty as charged. Yet... I am spreading the message in hopes it reaches someone else today and spurs action.

Have a great day -