Suffering = Perseverance = Character = Hope

 

Sunday was an incredible day at Sonterra Fellowship.  Might I add that most of them have been very incredible.  God is doing some amazing things at our church.  I was challenged by Pastor Bill’s message about character, and I wanted to share a few thoughts that I had.  God has taken me on a tremendous path over the last few years.  There has been much pain and suffering - mostly inflicted by my own personal choices, but nonetheless they hurt.  They hurt others as well.  We looked at Romans 5:3-4, the word suffering really stood out to me.  This is a word that I have often had a hard time figuring out.  I have often tried to figure it out in biblical terms - let’s change that to “churchy terms.”  You know those definitions of words that all have a positive and lovely answer.  Suffering doesn’t.  I have tried and tried to bend it and make it into some sort of missionary who because God has called him to the mission field suffers by not having A/C or Starbucks or Dr. Pepper.  In a counseling session one day (yes - I have and do go to counseling, and if you have an issue with that you should probably go yourself) I went round and round about suffering in a different verse trying to make MY God out to be one who would not allow hardship or suffering to happen.  You know that is the whole fallen man thing.  Pain, sin, suffering, hardships all come about only because of sin right?  They have nothing to do with God.  At least that was my case, and I pushed really hard too because if there is one thing I am good at, it is justifying my inability.  All that to say just this.  I have no earthly idea why these things happen (pain, sin, suffering, hardships, death).  Why would God allow such things.  The very simple answer is the fallen state of man.  Ok, I get that, but the ones around me as I made my choices that led to these things (pain, sin, suffering, hardships)  Why should they also have to endure?

This is what I have found.  These things happen (pain, sin, suffering, hardships, death).  And they happen to the best of us, and sometimes because of our choices, and other times just because they happen.  And guess what?  I believe that God allows them to happen.  WHAT?  Not my God!  This is where that trust thing comes into place.  When life leads us to pain, sin, suffering, hardships, and death - that’s when God shows up in a very real way. 

Here’s what the scripture says: “We also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; character, hope.”

Here is what God has shown me in some very, very dark and turbulent times:

The pursuit of Christ in suffering shows and builds your character - and this character produces a Godly hope, and Godly hope is salvation.

 

So what’s happening in your life?

It’s time….

Time for another get together.  I know Spring has been busy for many of us.  I appologize for the lack of post.  i will sit down tonight or Tuesday night and put together the game plan for Shoot # 2.  Start buying shells!

 

 

The Rocks Cry Out

“I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”  Luke 19:40

 

OK, ok - it’s been almost a month without a post.  I apologize.  Life has been busy.  Every time I get ready to post, something else comes up.  You know what I’m talking about…and if you don’t your wife or girlfriend does because they have a list of stuff you haven’t done yet.

Confession Time -

I admit it, I watch American Idol, I even Tivo it so I can watch it when I get home from Matt’s baseball practice and community group on Wednesday nights.  It’s sad I know, but I have admitted it and I feel much better.  Believe it or not, this post is about American Idol.  Tonight, in utter amazement, Karen and I watched as the contestants all together with a choir sang “Shout to The Lord.”  It’s a song we have done a few times at Sonterra.  It was written by Darlene Zschech from Hillsongs Austrailia and has awesome words.  As we watched, I realized that here we were watching the most pitiful show in the world, which by the way is being viewed by MILLIONS and had just been on the previous night with all of Hollywood to raise 100 Million for charity.  And now, they open with Shout to The Lord.  It reminded me of Luke 19:40.  Jesus tells the pharisees (as they complain about the loud crowd praising Jesus) that if the crowd keeps quiet, then the rocks will cry out.  I couldn’t help but watch those “IDOLS” and wonder about my week at work and on the baseball field as a coach thinking, maybe…..just maybe tonight, the rocks cry out in my place.

 

So now that I have confessed that I watch Idol, and that I even was moved by a performance on an episode, I am going to go sharpen my knife, or clean a gun to regain my manhood.

New Post Coming Soon……

I know it’s been forever, but I am planning a new post soon.  Hang in there with me and keep checking back!

Clays For Dinner

As you can see, it was very windy Saturday.  These guys helped out by holding the chairs down!  Actually these guys stepped up, knocked all their clays down, and then left the rest for us amateurs.  I’m not really sure how you measure the success of the first ever Men of Courage skeet shoot, but I think it was very successful.  Over 20 guys showed up to take part and just hang out as guys.  No kids, no females, just men and shotguns (insert that sound Tim Allen makes on Home Improvement).  Another way to figure success is this - We threw roughly 630 clays.  If each man brought 6 boxes of shells, that’s 3000 shells.  We roughly shot 4.7 shells per clay.  Ok, so we need some more practice.  We’ll do it again.  Thanks to all who contributed, showed up and stayed late.  I had a blast and look forward to doing it next month.  Start prepping your wives and or girlfriends for your trip to South Texas in late September for the opening day of Dove season.  I’m going and you’re welcome to come along.  I’ll give details later!

 Thanks Murphy for the photos!

Are you fake?

Today we talked about Psalm 1 at Sonterra.  I had previously encouraged you to take a look at it.  It’s great stuff about plugging into God’s word and growing your roots deep.  This morning I showed you the fake ficus tree.  I believe we cover up our shortcomings and our struggles with sin with fake ficus trees in our life.  Simply because to be real and authentic with life, would mean the possibility of letting someone know your deepest, darkest struggle.  I encourage you to be real.  Get into God’s word, and when you find out that you’ve fallen a few steps away from being the healthy real tree planted by the living water, quit covering that ground with the fake ficus life.  Take a few steps back, confront your life and plug back into God’s word.  It only takes one fire to burn away the fake plastic life and then your life will be laid bare for everyone to see.  Day to day authenticity will eliminate the fake…….  Let’s be REAL!

(If by chance you missed it this morning and none of this makes since, log onto Sonterra’s web page and listen to today’s talk)

March 1st, 2008

The first ever Men Of Courage men’s ministry meeting is around the corner.  Join us March 1st, 2008 at Sonterra Fellowship’s property on CR 313.  We plan on starting around 3:00 PM and finishing up around dark or a little later.  Whether or not you find your self an outdoorsman or not, please join us for a time to hangout as men with some BBQ and Skeet shooting.  Don’t worry about shotguns or shells.  Bring’em if you got them, we’ll have ‘em if you don’t.  If you’re a man, you’re invited!

Saturday March 1st, 2008

3:00 pm - dark:30

Skeet

BBQ

Hangout time

Making A Post

It has come to my attention that many reading this blog could be “blogging” for the first time.  So…for some of you first timers, here is how you comment to a blog.  First, read the post most current (or perhaps even a previous one).  If you feel like making a comment - Complaints, Comments, Gripes, or Encouragement - click on the title of the post.  It will take you to that post’s page.  At the bottom of the page you can fill out info - name email, or even make up anonymous info and then fill out your comment, then click submit. 

Now - no excuses for zero discussion!

On another note, watch the blog - sometime Saturday will be posted all info on the upcoming men’s event.

Around The Corner

 Men Of Courage - Men’s ministry is getting closer and closer to launch.  This coming Sunday Various men who will be in leadership positions will be coming together to discuss and prepare for our first event.  Since no one has yet ventured out there and posted a comment, I thought I would try to encourage some comments now.  As you think about what could be around the corner for our men’s ministry - what are you looking for, what are you needing?  Step up and post!

As water reflects a face, so a man’s heart reflects the man. Proverbs 27:19

I had a very interesting experience today, at least as an irrigator.  Crews were working rapidly to install a system in Leander.  I had designed the irrigation system to perfect dimensions.  I had taken all the right measurements, I had tested the water PSI at the house.  I calculated all water hydraulics and then laid it out on CAD for the crews to have a plan to follow.  They really did a great job following everything on the plan to a “T.”  When the last pipe was glued, the last head covered, and the wiring all tied into the controller, we turned on the water.  Guess what……..an irrigation nightmare, only a little water was getting to each head.  Not even enough to make them “pop up” and spray.  I was so disappointed, this was a custom design that needed to be perfect for one of our custom home builders.  We began to check everything, valves, heads, backflow preventer - it was all installed correctly, maybe I had missed something big on my calculations.  Our only option at this point was to tear everything apart, and re-install with smaller zones to maximize the low water pressure.  I couldn’t believe it, this was going to cost big.  Now for those of you have have no clue about any of this…hang in there, I’m coming to a point.  At 5:15 PM, past time to load up and head home I finally figured it out.  There wasn’t anything wrong with the design of the system, or the parts installed.  It was really a simple fix.  Some how - some way a large rock had become lodged in the PRV (Pressure Regulating Valve).  Perhaps the “heart” of the system.  It was clogged.  We simply removed the rock and everything was operating perfectly.  Here’s where it all comes together -

Some men live perfect lives (at least it seems that way).  Great jobs, wonderful family.  Beautiful wife, home, truck, and even a dog that obeys their every command.  Yet in all this perfection, life just seems not to be operating to manufactured specs, or to the “Great Design.”  I submit to you that it could possibly be a heart problem.  David cries out to the Lord in Psalm 51:10 saying “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.”  David had come to a low point in life, he had everything any man could want or desire, yet his heart was not pure.  It was blocked!  Psalm 51 is a chapter in scripture detailing David’s repentance and desire to clean his heart.

Perhaps you have some heart “blockage.”  Read Psalm 51, listen to David’s prayer for a clean heart.  Perhaps life will find you at a time when your heart needs a little purifying.