Star Trek/ Ricardo Sanchez

Growing up in the 70's & 80's, Star Trek was a show most kids watched. And I was no exception.

Tomorrow we begin a brand new series entitled "Reel Faith," and we're starting with the movie Star Trek. I can't wait to share some great truths with everyone tomorrow morning.

And as an added bonus, recording artist and award winner Ricardo Sanchez will be with us for a mini-concert in both morning services. This is a preview for a full concert on Sunday, August 16. To find out more about Ricardo go to www.ricardomusic.com. Bring someone with you and I can't wait to see you there.

Happy Fourth of July

Today is one of my favorite holidays of the year.  We will be spending our first 4th here in California at the home of some new friends. I love this great nation and for all she embodies, "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness."  This is what the American Dream is all about.  Having the freedom to live out what you feel you were born to do.  It's a dream that allows the poor to become rich, the obscure to become famous and the captive to be liberated.

This freedom is foundational to all Americans, and was the basis of our government from its inception.  This freedom is best seen when people help others.  America is know as the greatest benevolent nation in the world.  Because helping others be free from tragedy and tyranny, and allowing them to share in one of the world's single greatest gifts is what freedom demands us to do.  

However, in order to really be free one must become a prisoner.  Like the prophet Zechariah said, "O prisoners of Hope.." (Zech. 9:12).  And isn't that what has caused this great Nation to weather storms and battles: hope.  In America, the land of the free, we are and have always been "prisoners of hope."  We can make the world a better place, help the needy, assist the elderly, love the downtrodden all while offering them something they can't see for themselves in their current condition, hope.  

And this hope was prevalent when our founding fathers left the most prosperous nation in the world and declared our own independence.  This kind of hope is only truly found in Christ.  Paul wrote to the Colossians about this hope in Christ being alive in them (Col. 1:27).  And this kind of hope does not disappoint us (Ro. 5:5).

So this Fourth of July, take a moment to remember where real freedom comes from and not only celebrate our Country's independence, but your own in Him.

Draw Near to God

We are in a new series of messages at Faith Chapel entitled Draw Near based upon James 4:8, "Draw near to God and He will draw near to you."  The thing that I can't get over is that God desires to come near to me.  Despite all of my failures and shortcomings, the God of heaven and earth desires to come close to me.  Unbelievable!

As we started the series I shared these exciting facts about God's desire.

1.  God's passionate desire is you-  Ex. 13:14; Ps. 40:5; Ps. 139:17,18; Jer. 29:11

God is absolutely and passionately in love with you.  You are His creation and made in His image.  

2.  God purposefully communicates-  

In 1 Cor. 12:2, Paul says, "You know when you were pagans, somehow or other you were influenced and led astray to mute idols."  Paul is conveying a very profound truth to the Corinthians Church.  He is really drawing a line in the sand.  On one side is the God of the Bible and on the other side stands all of the other Gods from the world.  And what separates God from all of the other Gods in the entire world is that He wants to communicate with you.  They are mute, but God speaks (Jn. 10:27).

3.  God pursues His valued-  

Scripture says, "What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul?  Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? (Mt. 16:26)"  My take on this verse is very simple.  You have nothing of equal or greater value to give to God for the saving of your own soul.  But read what He exchanged for yous.  (Phil. 2:5-11)

John Piper in his book, "A Hunger for God," said, "If we don't feel strong desires for the manifestation of the Glory of God, it is not because we have drunk deeply and are satisfied.  It is because we have nibbled so long at the table of the world.  Our soul is stuffed with small things and there is no room for the Great."

Journey Series, "Open Arms" - Part 1

There isn't a better story in all the Bible that depicts this truth like the parable of the prodigal son found in Luke 15:11. It's interesting that this story is really the journey of two brothers.

The younger brother asked for his inheritance (which according to the custom of that day, he was allowed to do) and squandered it. His journey reveals three things to me:

The younger brother had...

1. Empty finances
2. Empty stomach
3. Empty soul

The empty finances represent the times we squander God's blessings in our own lives. So always try to give God his portion (10%) and then pay yourself a portion (10%). Then you will be prepared for the lean times.

His empty stomach brought him to the point of hanging out with pigs and even considering eating with them. This shows the depth of his hunger and desperation. No good Jewish boy would be caught dead around pigs who were considered unclean. When you make a bad decision, don't blame God for it. The choices you make now are always outcomes later.

And his empty soul is obvious. Scripture says, "he came to his senses... I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you'" (vv. 17,18). He realized that everything he needed was right there before him all the time. Everything he ever needed was at home with his father.

Is it time to go home and back to your Heavenly Father? You will find Him welcoming you with "Open Arms" (v. 20).

Journey Series- "Don't Stop Believing"

When we begin our spiritual journey, we are usually filled with a desire to do great things for God. We have a dream in our heart. However, the journey can get long. And potholes, roadblocks and detours can distract us from our original God given dream journey.

Proverbs 29:18 (KJV), tells us that "where there is no vision, the people perish." In other words, when dreams die, we die. In Scripture, Joseph is called The Dreamer. And after receiving his God given dream, his brothers hated him and couldn't even speak a "kind word to him" (Gen. 37:4).

His brothers threw him into a pit and sold him into slavery. Potiphar's wife tried to seduce him and lied about him. He is arrested, thrown into prison, and finally brought before Pharaoh to interpret a dream. According to Scripture, he was 17 yrs old when he received his dream (Gen. 37:1). And he is made prime minister over all of Egypt when he is 30 yrs old (Gen. 41:46). And finally after seven years of prosperity and seven years of famine, Joseph's dream is fulfilled.

Joseph carried his dream for 27 years.

Here is the dream dilemma: Do you give up or go on? Do you stop believing when things don't seemingly work out or don't appear to be headed in the right direction toward fulfillment, or do you continue to "press on toward the mark of the high calling?"

Don't stop believing in your dream no matter how long it's been. The God who gave it to you is the same God who will bring it about. What dream have you stopped believing for? What have you lost hope about in your life? It may take a long time for it to be realized, but it will come to pass if you stay faithful.

Journey Series- Faithfully

Maybe you remember the Journey song, "Faithfully" from your high school days, like I do. It was one of those songs some people slowed danced to. Actually, no one really danced--they just kind of stood there, right?

We used this song as a starter for part 1 of our series called Journey: Where Are You Going? As we explore our spiritual life journey, we see some important elements arise for us.

First, we have to look at the life of Moses. God asked Moses to join Him on Mt. Sinai. There Moses receives the 10 Commandments. He comes down the mountain and the people are worshiping a golden calf. After a rebuke and a time of repentance, the people of God are ready to journey towards the Promise Land. God lays it all out for Moses, but tells him that He won't go because they "have sinned and they are stiff necked."

Moses replies by saying, "If I have found favor with you, then go with us." To which God says, "My presence will go with you. I'll see the journey to the end" (Ex. 33:14, Message).

I find great assurance and rest in this verse. Every time we go to God, whether we have made a mistake or not, once we have repented, He will see us through our life's journey. That's why Scripture states, "The steps of the righteous are ordered by the Lord" (Ps. 37:23). He will never leave you, nor forsake you.

The suffix "fully" means "full of." So faith-fully is literally "full of faith." God is faithful and unchanging. He will do His part. But we are prone to wonder and have our ups and downs spiritually. So we must do everything possible to develop our faith in the Lord and be found faithful.

In Numbers 33:1-50, Scripture records the different stages the Israelites had to journey through in order to reach the promise land. Depending on how you count, there are 41 or 43 different stages in their journey. Here are my take-a-ways from that passage:

1. God wanted the different stages written down showing how important it is to journal through the journey.

2. God didn't tell the Israelites the entire journey up front because they would have become overwhelmed at the length and the difficulties related to such a journey.

3. God speaks to them one stage at a time making it simple for them to be faithful. Verse 5 says, "The Israelites left Ramses and camped at Succoth."

I believe God is telling you to be faithful right where you are now. Don't worry about the entire journey or all the possible problems. Everyone wants to do something big for God and sometimes wait until something big comes along. God is simply saying, "Leave Ramses and go to Succoth." Be faithful in the little and don't despise small beginnings. You never know what God is building in you for the future.

New Series: Journey

Everyone probably remembers the 70's - 80's rock band "Journey." Their song, "Don't Stop Believing" is the number one downloaded song of all time on iTunes. For the next four weeks, we are going to use four of the band's greatest hits as backdrops to a new series called Journey.

The word journey- is defined as traveling from one place to another, usually taking a rather long time, or a passage or progress from one stage to another: the journey to success.

You may not know it, but you are on a journey. And your journey is taking you to a particular destination. Do you know where you’re going? And equally important, do you know where you
are going to end up?

I Peter 1:18-21 (msg) says: Your life is a journey you must travel with a deep consciousness of God. It cost God plenty to get you out of that dead-end, empty-headed life you grew up in. He paid with Christ's sacred blood, you know. He died like an unblemished, sacrificial lamb. And this was no afterthought. Even though it has only lately—at the end of the ages—become public knowledge, God always knew he was going to do this for you. It's because of this sacrificed Messiah, whom God then raised from the dead and glorified, that you trust God, that you know you have a future in God.

Be here at Faith Chapel the next four Sundays for Journey: Where Are You Going?

4/19- "Faithfully"

4/26- "Don’t Stop Believing"

5/3- "Open Arms"

5/10- "Separate Ways"

Five Things a Church can Learn from Opening Day at the Ballpark

Baseball's opening day for most teams is tomorrow, and that got me thinking about the feeling and excitement of the stadium on opening day. I recently did a small teaching with the entire pastoral/support staff here at Faith Chapel using this example.

Opening day is so exciting. There's a spark in the air and anticipation fills the voices of fans. There's a unity in the stadium unlike any other day. Everyone is rooting for the home team to win. Fans can be seen giving "high fives" to people they don't know as a player delivers a big hit or a pitcher strikes out the opposition.

Everything is clean and freshly painted. It's like the entire stadium is inviting you to enter and be a part of the big event. Workers are energized and freshly trained. Even the players are more willing to mingle with fans and accommodate their requests.

This sounds a lot like church. In fact, every day should be "OPENING DAY" at church! We should carry that friendly smile and greet everyone with warmth and acceptance. They should also be willing to accommodate their reasonable requests. The church should be clean and fresh.

The unity produced by sincere community gives way to excitement and celebration. When this is directed to the Lord, the church is filled with a Spirit of anticipation and faith. Why don't we make everyday OPENING DAY?

Here are my five take-a-ways:
1. Unity- everyone on the same team
2. Clean and inviting conditions- you don't get a second chance to make a good first impression
3. Hospitable and friendly customer service- everyone one should feel welcome
4. Excitement gives way to Celebration- it's contagious and we should express ourselves openly with great joy.
5. Staff/Ministry leaders are well trained-

{look up Col. 3:23; 1 Cor. 14:12; 2 Cor. 8:7}

The Cross: The Arthur Blessitt Story

Yesterday, Jennifer and I went to see the new film "The Cross: the Arthur Blessitt Story." I hadn't read any reviews and wasn't quite sure what to expect.

The story is well done--documentary style--by producer Matt Crouch. The Katinas music is an added bonus.

In the film, we follow Arthur as he begins on Sunset Blvd. in Hollywood and carries a wooden cross all over the world for 40 years. It's the story of one man's life, completely surrendered in obedience to the Lord Jesus Christ. Arthur Blessitt's only desire is to serve the Lord by sharing God's love with anyone who will listen.

As I sat there in that theater I was challenged to cultivate an even deeper relationship with Christ. Arthur Blessitt's story will cause you to take a look too. His struggles and challenges, which he calls opportunities, give way for God to do miracles. And God wants to do miracles through your life too.

One of the greatest truths of the movie was the reminder of how simple and powerful the Cross really is. It is a message of God's love to everyone, regardless of race, location, or status. And the Cross is still powerful enough to draw men and women together from every walk of life. It's power is unparalleled and on display as Blessitt walks through wars, jungles, poverty and more. May God bless people like Arthur Blessitt who live a life worth following. This movie should be seen by everyone who calls themselves a believer.

Click here to find a theater showing "The Cross"

Chase The Lion Series

Over the past few days I have been settling into a new house, new church and a new routine. Along with that is trying to find my way around a new city. I have a GPS system, but turn it off on return trips to see if I can find my way back. So far it's about 50/50.

The house is right beside the church which allows me easy access to work. Without my family being here, it is also tempting for me to work more than I should. There is a lot going on and I feel the need to get a handle on things quickly.

Right now I'm in a series of messages based on the book "In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day" by Mark Batterson. Mark and I went to college together and he was nice enough to send a short promo video for the start of the series (watch it below). Chase The Lion had a great impact at my former church and I felt it would be a great series leading up to Easter at Faith Chapel. You can listen to part 1- "Defying Odds" here.

The book contains a Lion Chaser's Manifesto, and one part says something similar to, "don't let the bad in you keep you from worshiping the good in Him."

I think that's powerful! Far too many people focus on their shortcomings instead of directing their attention to "the author and perfecter of our faith." What would happen if we focused on God's example instead of our failures? How would that change us? How would that change what we attempted for God?

Go West - Day 3, Phoenix 1st Prayer Pavilion

Go West - Day 2

Go West Young Man

We are heading west! This morning I am leaving home in a moving truck headed for San Diego. With me to help drive is Tony Orlando, youth pastor at Faith Chapel. I am going to try to post some video blogs of our journey, so check back this week to hear more about our trip. I'm also posting on Facebook some photos of my day yesterday as we packed and had a nice BBQ dinner.

Snow Day in KC

I was getting all choked up about leaving KC and then .... I found myself shoving the driveway and freezing. San Diego looks better all the time.

No seriously, I love the snow and will miss it. It is always so beautiful and reminds me of God's grace which covers our sins and makes us white as snow.

Sent on the Now Network� from my Sprint® BlackBerry

Welcome!

I am glad you found us here on our new blog. As you know, I am now the senior pastor of Faith Chapel Assembly of God in Spring Valley, California. We are leaving Englewood Assembly in Independence, Missouri after 17 years. It's hard to believe sometimes, but God is truly calling us to move out of our comfort zone and into a brand new area of ministry. That is exciting!

We had a warm and gracious send-off from Englewood. We will forever treasure our memories, friendships, and growth there. We will continually pray for this church and anticipate God doing some awesome things through new leadership.

Jennifer, Joe, Brian, Braeden at Englewood going-away reception

The past couple of weeks have been extremely busy. Flying back and forth between San Diego and Kansas City has made things a little crazy. I find myself looking forward to the time when I get to SD on a full-time basis.

Things are off to a good start at Faith Chapel, but there is still a lot for a new guy to learn and catch up on. The people have been amazingly friendly and kind. It feels like home already. I hope to start posting on a more regular basis during the week of March 9th, so check back. You'll hear all about what God is up to with me personally, at Faith Chapel, and in our family. Also, you can follow me on Facebook. It's going to be fun!

Five Keys to a Better Fast

For those of you on the Daniel Fast with us, by now you should be done with the headaches and ready to really start focusing in on the Lord. You might be asking yourself, "What is the purpose of fasting, anyway?"

Fasting is a spiritual act of worship, directed to the Lord. And like any act of true worship, the action changes us and enables us to be empowered. Here are five keys to consider during your fast:

1. Be specific about why you are fasting-
2. Make a spiritual commitment, not a physical one-
3. The outer discipline should reflect an inner desire-
4. It is a statement of faith for others-
5. Yield the results to God-

These 5 keys are also very applicable for those of you medically unable to particpate in the Daniel Fast, but are "fasting" something else in your life.

I am believing with everyone, that God will move mightily in your lives and meet all of your "needs according to His riches and glory in Christ Jesus."

Don't forget to share your best Daniel Fast recipes with everyone by leaving them in the comment section. Also, if you're on Facebook, check out the group What I Ate On The Daniel Fast for encouragement, meal ideas, etc.

Daniel Fast Begins

We begin our 21 day Daniel Fast today. I hope you and your family are joining with Jennifer and I on the spiritual quest. Fasting when combined with prayer brings new power, destroys the enemies strongholds and allows us to enter into a deeper walk with God.

God has certain expectations of us as believers. In Matthew chapter 6, Jesus names three areas that every Christian should do: "When you give (v. 2),... When you pray (v. 5), and ... When you fast (v. 16). He did not say "if" you do these, but "when you do."

So I am asking everyone to be involved in this years Daniel Fast. Don't forget to check the daily Scriptures on the side bar for inspiration and encouragement.

And The People's Choice Award Goes To...

...Barabbas! Rome's Bad Boy. Mr. Rebellious. Did time in the 'pen. Probably had tatoos, a few piercings and rode a Harley. Think Oakland Raiders fan. An overall scary dude.

In John chapter 18, we witness Barabbas win The People's Choice Award, the King of the Jews being the only other nominee. The award presenter is none other than Pontius Pilate. Think spineless schmuck.

Jesus got the shaft.

The Jewish crowd chose Barabbas out of pure rebellion. It wasn't so much that they wanted Barabbas; but their hatred of Jesus had grown to such a level that they would have cried for anyone else to be released.

The crowd wanted no part of Jesus' teachings and claims. They had no intention of following a man who convicted them of sin. They took matters into their own hands.

This is the deceptiveness of sin. By rejecting the convictions of God in our lives, we deceive ourselves. We make Satan's job easy. When "we the people" ignore the Word, isolate ourselves from worship, and refuse to involve God in our choices, then just like the crowd that day, we are making The People's Choice not The Lord's Choice for our lives.

Stop living your life for YOU and choose to live it for the One who created you. It comes with a great award!

The Power of We

Throughout Scripture, we see multipled power in unity. When God's people come together and work for Kingdom causes (with Kingdom attitudes!), great things take place. This is the power of "we". This past Sunday our topic was, "What if we..."

1. ...Prayed every day?

2. ...Fasted once a week?

3. ...Tithed a tenth of our income?

4. ...Became involved in personal evangelism?

5. ...Attended church every week?

If everyone of us would personalize these five points, I believe we could see the power of God manifest in a powerful way in our church, and in our lives. These simple- but key- disciplines unlock the doorway to knowing God and hearing from Him. And when we know God's voice we can experience not only the joy of knowing Him, but the fruit of the obedient life.

Isn't it time to live God's way? To stay faithful in the small things? To strive towards a Kingdom Unity? It's through our faithfulness in these simple disciplines that we begin to see God's favor multiply our harvest. As we start this new year, let's focus on the Power of We.

Sensational Christmas

We love this time of year. Spending time together, all the homemade goodies & great food, seeing extended family, etc. Of course, the kids can't wait for the presents!

Years ago, when I gave my heart to Jesus, Christmas began to take on a deeper meaning. And it's that Spirit that always seems to be present during our recent "Carols, Candles, and Communion" service.

As we celebrated Christ's birth as a church family, the entire experience was especially meaningful as we pulled up to the table of the Lord and remembered His birth, life and death for us. The message leading into communion was from 1 John 1:1-9.

The passage starts by addressing the senses, "which we have heard...seen...and our hands have touched." And that's exactly what Christmas does for me and so many others. It touches our senses. The lights, food, carols and family time all bring our senses to alert and draw us into the holiday. But the most moving expression isn't from festivities or family; but from the "life that appeared" on that first Christmas day in the form of a baby.

And the Apostle John reminds us that this is to make our "joy complete." Even the angel heralded the same message to the shepherds, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people (Lk. 2:10)."

How about you? Do you have the joy of Christmas this season? Or have the distractions of Christmas kept you from experiencing the real joy, Emmanuel- God with Us. I pray that you have a sensational Christmas by being able to sense the presence and experience the joy of Jesus.