Last night at Calvary was a truly Amazing Grace experience! It was refreshing to have experienced the Spirit in a worship service like that. I wish not to give accolades to people, but my desire is to give God the glory and honor His majesty deserves. Too many times “musicals” or “cantatas” or “dramas” showcase the talents of people and elevate our egos to new heights while God is almost completely ignored. Not last night…in fact, my experience at Calvary has always been that God’s is exalted and I have come away refreshed by a fresh breeze of the Spirit blowing upon me. The worship service focused upon the instrument of suffering and salvation—the cross! Let me pull something from that experience for us to focus on during this Passion Week…

Let our minds be riveted on the cruel instrument upon which our great and mighty Savior, Jesus Christ, died—the cross! The cross was an instrument used by the Romans to “shame” and “humiliate” its victim. But, what we often equate with “shame” and “humiliation” God turns around and uses it for “glory” and “exaltation.” Yes, the cross was a place of curse lest we forget what scripture teaches us,

Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree.” (Galatians 3:13)

But we must always remember that it was our curse that Jesus bore on the cross; it was us who deserved to hang on the tree. And, in taking our place on the cross (i.e., becoming a curse for us) He offers forgiveness through repentance. So, the curse becomes a blessing…a blessing for us. It is a place where the burden of our sin falls off when we believe.

When we look at the cross let’s keep in mind also that it is God’s power of salvation that was displayed through the crucifixion. Some would see the cross as weakness, but to God it was the ultimate show of power and strength. Some would see it as foolishness, but to God it was the quintessential display of wisdom.

For the word of the cross is to those who are perishing foolishness, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. (1 Corinthians 1:18)

Cross-Centered,

Scott

We all get news we like to hear and some news we don’t. Whenever we get good news we just want to share it with everybody. It could be a job promotion, a new baby, a great tax return (What’s that?), a date to the prom, a great report card, or good news from the doctor.

Let me share some good news that came my way last week. You all have been faithfully praying for our Mom because of her epic war with cancer for the sixth time (yes, #6!). Well, on Friday, March 7, 2008 at exactly 2:38 p.m. (cell phone) Mom called and said she had just gotten the reports from the doctors and they told her she no longer had cancer. Yea Baby! Her response was that she didn’t have cancer any more because of all the people who were praying for her. No, the doctors didn’t get the praise...she gave the glory and honor to her heavenly Father! In any book that’s AWESOME!!! Nobody, but nobody can tell us that God isn’t on the throne controlling every microbe in the universe. He has chosen to heal Mom and to me that is “good news.”

It took me awhile but in time I remembered what Solomon wrote,

Like cold water to a thirsty soul,
so is good news from a far country. (Proverbs 25:25)

Now I realize that not all news is good news, sometimes it’s bad. What do we do with bad news? The same with what we do with good news…we share it. Paul is very explicit in his teaching when it comes to any news we have. He writes,

Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. (Romans 12:15)

The Swedish Proverb that says, “Shared joy is double joy and shared sorrow is half sorrow” captures exactly what Paul was trying to communicate. God never intended for us to go it alone in this world. He knows how tough it is to make it all the way to the end. To keep our “sorrow” bottled up is not good. We must share our pain and sorrow with each other. It helps us through. God created the church to be a community…a family that shares both joy and sorrow.

My hope and prayer for all of you is that your “news” is good news, but if it’s not…still share it. Calvary is a family that wants to hug you and cry with you when your news is bad or good! Got news?!

Love Ya,

David asks a most perplexing question of God in Psalm 13:1,

How long will you hide your face from me?

When I came across this verse it got me to thinking seriously about playing hide-and-seek. Now hide-n-seek was a favorite game of mine growing up. In fact, I remember a time during which I was a youth pastor that I would play “find the pastor.” It was my grown up and respectable way of playing hide-n-seek and call it ministry. Those were fun times with the kids, and every once in a while I receive an email from one of those grown up kids and it brings back all the fun we had. Oops…I think I got off track. Now where was I? Oh yeah…Does God really hide from us? Does He play some sort of game when we need Him? Or, is David asking a question that is a human problem of perception?

I have come to believe it is a human problem of perception. It boils down to a God focus versus self focus issue. You see, when I am focused on me and the circumstances I face I only have eyes for me. I can’t see God working in and through my circumstances. My conclusion? I don’t see God and I assume He is not there for me.

Circumstances are what God uses to mold me and to shape me into the image of His Son. He is not hiding from me when I need Him most. In fact, He is never more near me during those times of distress and heartache.

The end of Psalm 13 helps get my focus in the right place,

I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. (v. 5)

God’s love is constant in my life and the salvation He offers is super abundant. What about you? Have you felt that God is hiding His face from you? Remember that He is always there and His love never fails you!

Grace & Peace,