What Luke Didn't Know

Never underestimate the value of investing your life in just one person.
If you're anything like me you tend to conceptualize impact in terms of "bigness." We think it's got to be big to really make any difference. But how many times do we find God using the simple, ordinary, insignificant, and down-right embarrassingly small things to accomplish the unthinkable.

The truth of this was never more apparent to me than after discovering an important detail in the introduction to Luke's Gospel. I've probably read these verses dozens and dozens of times, but never saw it quite like this.

Luke begins his Gospel by saying:
Many people have set out to write accounts about the events that have been fulfilled among us. They used the eyewitness reports circulating among us from the early disciples. Having carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I also decided to write a careful account for you, most honorable Theophilus, so you can be certain of the truth of everything you were taught.

Again, in the introduction to the book of Acts (the sequel to Luke's Gospel) Luke begins by saying:
In my first book I told you, Theophilus, about everything Jesus began to do and teach until the day he was taken up to heaven after giving his chosen apostles further instructions through the Holy Spirit.

Ok, did you happen to notice who Luke is writing these two books to?
Luke is not writing to a group of churches.
He's not writing to a church.
He's not even writing to a small group of believers or church leaders.
Luke is writing to one guy named Theophilus! What we know as the Gospel of Luke and the book of Acts started off as letters written to one guy. Can you imagine that?

We know Luke was a physician and a details kind of guy. In his own words he says he put together a "careful" or orderly account. Think about all the time, energy, and effort it took for Luke to write these two books...pouring over the evidence, cross referencing the eyewitnesses, investigating the details, writing it down, proofreading to make sure he got it right...
All for just one guy. Or was it?

Luke thought he was writing to one guy. He was hoping to encourage one friend. Yet, today it's impossible to measure the impact of his writing. Who knows how many over generations and centuries have read these two letters and been moved by them. Think about the significance of Luke and Acts on church history, the record of the early church, our understanding of the Holy Spirit. Think about the richness of parables and events recorded that are unique to Luke's Gospel.

The reality is that our world is different because Luke, under the influence of the Holy Spirit, decided to invest himself in one. What Luke didn't know is that, in obeying God and pouring himself into one, he was changing the world forever.

Do you want to make a difference? Do you want to do something really big? Do you want to change the world? Then find one person you can begin investing your life in. Let the Spirit lead you to pour into one and the rest will be history.

I Don't Have Time To Write Blogs

As you may have noticed from my last post, dated late February...I don't have time to write blogs! Actually, that's not true. It's more accurate to say that I don't take time or commit time to write blogs. I could say I don't have time for any of the important things in my life, and that kind of feels true. I'm too busy. He or she needs me. I have things to do, places to go, people to see. Time is a funny thing. We think of it like income, and act as if some have more of it than others. We say things like: I just don't have enough time...I'd love to, wish I had the time...It sure would be nice if I had time to...

But one of the unique aspects of time is that it is a level playing field. Every single one of us wakes up with 24 hours to do whatever we want with. Sure, I know we have different responsibilities, jobs with different hours and schedules, etc. But we all have the ability to choose what we will make time for, who or what we will commit time to. Family, hobbies, Tv, people, events, work? The painful truth is that nothing reveals more clearly our priorities than how we spend our time.

Recently, I heard the Lord say, "Ben, you have all the time you need to get done whatever needs to get done." In effect, God was telling me to prioritize and relax at the same time. Stressing because I don't have enough time isn't going to create more time! It's freeing to know that God has given me all the time I need. Today is his gift to me and to you. 24 hours to spend any way we wish. It's exactly enough to accomplish what he has in mind.

For me, a big key is commitment to the important rather than the urgent. You've probably heard that before, but what really is important to you? For example, we might say, "family," but does the amount of time we spend with our family tell the same story?

What's important to you? If I looked at your schedule what would it tell me about your priorities? Maybe the things you "don't have time for" are actually the things you need to commit time to the most.

Moses' Prayer

I was reading recently about Moses in Exodus 33 as he cried out to God when leading the Israelites. One of the best prayers recorded in scripture: If you don't personally go with us, don't make us leave this place. How will anyone know that you look favorably on me-on me and on your people-if you don't go with us? For your presence among us sets your people and me apart from all other people on the earth." V.15-16

What a prayer! God, we don't want to do anything or go anywhere without your presence! Moses understood that it's only God's presence that sets what we do apart! I know this seems to be stating the obvious, but what would happen if that was truly our approach to everything in life? If we were so hungry for God's presence to lead the way in everything we do that we actually refused to move without it? If we really, really believed that the ONLY thing that sets us apart and makes what we do worth anything is His presence?

Play Like A Saint

Well, Luke Emerson Perry was born Jan 19th. 5lbs 13oz. I now have a four year old, 1 year old, and newborn baby boy! Couldn't be happier. Haven't had much time to blog, however!

So I feel I have some catching up to do! What a year 2010 has been so far! I'm going to attempt to combine the two biggest events of my life for the new year (having my third son and the Saints winning the Superbowl) into some type of coherent and meaningful thought (because these days I have to multi-task!). So here goes.

Little Luke was a few weeks "early," but he was born at just the right time. Upon his birth we quickly learned that he had a low blood count. Babies normally have a blood count in the 50's; his was 18. Two blood transfusions later he was doing fine, and we were thanking God that he was born when he was. It was good for both him and mom.

Anyone who has ever witnessed a birth knows it is a powerful reminder of the gift life really is and how fragile it can be. Luke's entry to this world reminded me of how God had been at work in my own life at birth. I was born with a heart condition known as transposition of the great vessels. The long and short of it is that blood only flowed through one side of my heart, meaning that the blood wasn't being properly oxygenated before recirculating through my body. This, of course, can cause all kinds of problems (like death for example!) and the only thing that kept me alive was a small murmur that allowed just enough "good" blood to spill over to the other side of my heart. What followed was a series of miracles...the murmur, a young doctor who was able to quickly and correctly diagnose my condition, an opening--literally in the nick of time--at the only hospital where I could have emergency surgery to keep the murmur open until I was old enough to have open-heart surgery, an open-heart surgery one year later that was procedurally very new and successful, and a normal healthy life despite the doctor's concerns that I may have suffered brain damage or would have physical impairments.

I'm happy to say that I've always been a top student, played baseball and basketball in junior high and high school, and have never had any negative side effects. I know that my life is a miracle and gift from God. Your birth may not have been as dramatic, but the fact that you are breathing means you have purpose, and that God has entrusted you with this thing called "life." Now, what are going to do with it?

Forgive the awkward transition here, but this is where I attempt to tie all this to the Superbowl.
There are always two ways to play:
1. Play not to lose
2. Play to win

Playing not to lose means you play very cautiously and conservatively. You play the odds. You do what's safe. You do everything possible to avoid making a mistake. This is how the Colts played.

The Saints had a very different game plan. They came to win and they played to win. Playing to win means you hold nothing back and leave everything on the field. You take calculated risks. Rather than worrying about mistakes you're more concerned about a missed opportunity. You go for it on fourth down. You blitz Peyton Manning. You open the second half with an onside kick! Anyone watching had to appreciate the aggressive style of play by the Saints. They didn't go to Miami to play not to lose. They played to win their first ever Superbowl. And they did it. They shocked the sports world and all their nay-sayers.

So what if no one else believed? Never mind that they were playing the legendary Peyton Manning and only one team had ever come back from a 10-0 deficit in Superbowl history. The Saints saw their opportunity and they seized it. No other team had ever lost the last three games of the season and gone on to win the big one either. No other team had ever kicked three 40 yard plus field goals in the Superbowl. No other team had ever attempted an onside kick that early in the Superbowl. No other Saints team had ever made it this far.

It would have been so easy for the Saints to play not to lose. They had every reason to play not to lose. But they played to win because, after all, that's why you go to the Superbowl! Can you see where I'm going with this?

All of us have the same choice in life. We can play not to lose or play to win. We can live our lives cautiously, hoping to never make a mistake, or aggressively to seize opportunities and win. Often the difference comes when we glimpse how precious life is. People who have near-death experiences vow to play to win. Their eyes have been opened to the gift of life. They see the opportunity of a second chance, and they don't want to live with regret or be left wondering "what if."

My prayer is that we never take a single day for granted, and that it won't take a near-death experience to awaken us to the fact that life is short. It is precious. It is a gift and a sacred trust from God. May we never resign ourselves to a fear-driven, complacent, mediocre, play-not-to-lose mentality, but aggressively live every moment so that at the end of the game there are no regrets.

Let's play to win. Let's play like a Saint!

Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win! All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. So I run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadowboxing. I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified.
1 Corinth 9: 24-27

Community-Joy Multiplied

What a week! We finally moved into our new facility and had our first service this past Sunday. It was a dream come true and still feels a little surreal. But one thing is certain--it could not have happened without the dedication and sweat of 50+ people of The Mission who gave up their Saturday and all worked like crazy together for the glory of God!

At the end of the day, as the final product began coming into focus, I was reminded that there are very few things in life as sacred as taking part in this thing called "the church," and I was overwhelmed with gratefulness and real joy at being part of such a great community of believers. God is best experienced and expressed in biblical community. This is true at so many levels, but one of the most obvious benefits of biblical community is that our joy is multiplied!

Have you ever noticed that the best moments in life are the ones that are shared? I remember getting a new truck once and being so excited to have someone to show it to and celebrate it with. The only problem was that everyone I knew seemed to be gone or unavailable. I was frantically driving around looking for someone, anyone, to be happy with me! It just wasn't the same experience by myself. Likewise, our joy is multiplied when we share together in what God is doing, knowing that it's much bigger than any one person. There is a certain joyful synergy released as we allow our lives to be joined with others and move towards what the Bible calls "fellowship."

We have a saying at our church: "Share life." It means that you don't walk it alone. You do life together. Our Pastors, Deven and Kathy, embody this value better than anyone I know. Whether it's a baby shower, a funeral, a job interview, a dream (or even getting a new truck) Pastor Deven and Kathy "share it" with you. They understand that it's not just a good Christian thing to do, it is intrinsic to the gospel itself. Paul summarized this truth this way: We loved you so much that we shared with you not only God's Good News but our own lives, too (1 Thess 2:8).

Are you doing life with anyone? I mean for real?
I don't mean that you just go to church on Sundays; would you say you experience fellowship regularly?
If not, what's stopping you?
Let down your guard, start sharing life with some people, and watch the joy multiply.

Circumcision Is A Weird Blog Topic

Earlier in the week I wrote about being "impotent" in the sense that we have no ability to produce life outside of the Spirit of God. Flesh cannot produce anything except flesh; only the Spirit can produce spirit. God alone is the source of real and lasting change that brings life, as seen in the life of Abraham.

But that is only half the story.

As the story of Abraham continues, Chapter 17 of Genesis says that God changed Abraham's name. His name used to be Abram (which means exalted father). From now on, God says, call yourself Abraham (father of many nations/multitudes). This is a guy who's spent years (24 to be exact) waiting on the promise of children. And, as if to add insult to injury, now he's supposed to identify himself as "father of many nations!" Imagine being reminded of your worst disappointment, biggest unfulfilled dream, or longest lingering failure every time you say your own name. Yet, God insisted that Abraham identify himself with His promise rather than his current condition or circumstances. "Call yourself Abraham."

Also striking is the way God chose to confirm or mark this covenant promise...circumcision. I will not elaborate a great deal on this, but I'm guessing it was not very popular with Abraham. More to the point, God chose the very source of Abraham's failure and disappointment as the place to mark His promise. As Abraham and every descendant for generations to come reproduced they would forever be reminded that God brought forth a nation from a man and woman who could not have children. Do not be surprised if God chooses to mark you at the very source of your failure or disappointment.

In our own strength we are impotent and powerless to produce life and change. However, as believers, we DO have the life-giving Holy Spirit dwelling within us. It is the very same Spirit and power that raised Jesus from the dead (Eph 1:19-20). It is the very same Spirit that hovered over the waters at creation. The Spirit that inspired and breathed the written Word of God. The Helper, the Counselor. The one who teaches us, convicts us, guides us, prompts us, empowers us, and gives us life! The mark of the new covenant is a new heart and a Spirit-filled life. (Jeremiah 31:31-34, Rom 2:28-29). As Spirit-filled, new-covenant people we are called to be fruitful and multiply, to be life-givers (1 Cor 15:45-49).

So maybe you feel impotent and powerless to bring forth change.
You've waited and waited and...nothing.
You've tried and tried before...and given up.
Go back to His promise. Identify yourself with that. Call yourself "Abraham."

I'm Impotent

Only one week into 2010 and I already feel a little sluggish. Is it just me? Went back to the gym for the first time in a couple of months...big mistake, very depressing. This usually doesn't happen until late January or mid February, but it seems like I'm quickly losing the motivation for all my new year aspirations. What's going on?!!

This morning as I tried to figure this out the Lord reminded me of the simple fact that when it comes to bringing real change in my life I am impotent. There is absolutely nothing of my own power or resolve that can birth or sustain anything truly alive. I saw this in the life of Abraham (reading about him right now in the One Year Bible). God had begun to make extraordinary promises to him. Abraham was successful and wealthy. However, there was one thing he had no power to do...bring forth life. "O Sovereign Lord, what good are all these blessings when I don't even have a son?" (Gen 15:2)

Only God can bring forth life. He alone is the source of any real, lasting life-giving change. Our part, like Abraham's was, is to continue to surrender our lives, and walk in simple trust and obedience. This is so hard sometimes! It's much easier to work our own thing. It can even feel really spiritual too. The problem is it's impotent. It will never produce life.
"Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit." (John 3:6)

What do you need to surrender?
Where do you need to trust him?
Are you living in obedience?

Foolish Confession Pt 2

With every new year comes the chance to restart, refocus, re-prioritize, release, and receive. Over the past few years it’s been a great opportunity for me personally to reflect on what I’ve learned (or haven’t learned) and look forward with fresh vision and anticipation, probably due in part to my birthday falling on the second day of the year. As we step into 2010 I find myself turning the big 30, and making a rather odd new year’s resolution. This year I want to be more foolish.

Yep, that’s right. I want to be more foolish.

I’m asking God for the courage to be more foolish for his sake. To dream bold and ridiculous dreams that I have no way of fulfilling on my own, pray raw and miracle-dependent prayers, practice undignified worship, live unashamed of the truth, and most importantly act in foolish obedience. In short, I want God to use my life anyway he pleases and to his fullest glory, and I don’t want my pride, fear of failure, or anyone else’s opinion getting in the way.

A quick survey of Scripture reveals that it isn’t talent, good looks, winning charisma, skill, or even experience that God requires, but more often than not, a foolish obedience. Noah builds an ark because “rain” is going to fall from the sky and flood the earth. A fugitive shepherd named Moses demands the release of a free labor force from one of the great world powers because God says so. An orphan girl named Esther saves her people from certain disaster. An overlooked errand boy named David becomes a great warrior and king. Of course there was also Gideon, Deborah, Daniel, Mary, the disciples, the Apostle Paul...And the turning point in all of history when Jesus willingly gave His life to be crucified had to be considered foolish.

I wonder if what keeps many of us from seeing and living the miraculous is an unwillingness to look foolish? My experience has been that when God speaks to me about something the hold up usually isn’t because I’m unclear about what God is saying (even though I sometimes pretend it is...God is that really you?), but rather my attempt to salvage my own reputation. I just don’t want to look stupid. Because...

What if it doesn’t work?

What if I missed God?

What if it’s a terrible idea?

What if this person totally rejects what I’m trying to do for them, and thinks I’m crazy?

What if I sound like a dork?

What if no one shows up?

But consider that, in the end, those who change the world choose obedience over logic...Faithfulness over success...Foolishness over their own reputation. I’m convinced that the quicker we get over ourselves (and I mean really get over ourselves) the more we’ll see Him. Some advice?

Be foolish.