My NewDay Friends,

In the past few week I’ve noticed a lot of my conversations with people focus so much on what is happening “next”.  We have a hard time living in the present… in the “now”.  I like how Eugene Peterson gives an everyday perspective on Jesus challenge to us in Matthew chapter 6, “Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get  worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you  deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.”

Last week I was consumed with what is happening next.  Two couples just had babies.  One couple had a girl and the other a boy.  When I went to visit Robin  Ben in the hospital and see their new baby, I just assumed it was a girl.  I even brought a little gift basket with girl type stuff in it.  Yesterday, at our Sunday Worship Service I mentioned to everyone that they had a girl. NOPE…They are proud parents of Mason… a little boy!   (Thanks Robin  Ben for your understanding, forgiveness  laughter!)

I hope most of you are better than I am at being fully PRESENT in the moment.  May my error be a challenge to you to keep your focus on God and others while sharing your life fully with them!

I cannot begin to express to you what a JOY it is to be working together with you in serving the Lord Jesus!

Blessings on you today!

Pastor John

I walked outside my office and down the river that flows under the main road heading through Rochester, MN. I looked up to see all the cars whizzing past. Traffic slowed as I stood below in the grass bank of grass. All of a sudden, all the cars stopped. I’m not sure why. It could have been an accident, or a long stoplight, or something in the road. They were at this standstill for over 5 minutes.

I kept looking up to see if anyone would notice the beauty of the river. If anyone would look down and see me sitting here, waiting to catch their eye and to smile and wave. No one looked. No one saw me. Eventually the traffic begin to move again and on they went.

I wonder how many times we miss out on the simple fact that God is just waiting for us to stop and enjoy the moment with Him. Richard Foster, said, “Today the heart of God is an open wound of love. He aches over our distance and preoccupation… He aches over our obsession with muchness and manyness. He longs for our presence.”

It’s time to stop… to be present with the One who is trying to get your attention.

Living in the moment, Pastor John

The title is from a white water rafting company t-shirt I got a few years ago. It echoes the kind of life I want to live.  I got in a discussion with another person awhile back about this whole area of taking risks.  His philosophy was, “I only take risks that I’m pretty sure I can succeed at.”  That’s pretty sound advice, if your only goal is calculated success.  But what about being so compelled to launch yourself out there that whether you succeed or fail, it’s doesn’t matter?

When Jesus called people to Himself and simply said, “follow me”, certain ones dropped everything for the opportunity to learn and walk and live with one who claimed to have “the words of life.”  This past Sunday I had the privilege of hearing six people share how following after Jesus has changed their life.  The focus was on a desire to be totally immersed and surrounded by the one who loves them most.  They came to be baptized.  Each one had taken a risk, surrendered their life to the creator of all, and found out what only those who are willing to take this step of faith learn… Jesus catches us when we fall, forgives us when we return, and embraces us as beloved children.

Every time I wear that shirt I look forward to someone asking me about “risk”.  I know one life changing risk that’s always worth taking.

This is one of the most radical ideas I have ever read in the Bible.

Jesus said, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.  By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13:34-35

Does Jesus actually think that we, as followers of Him, are going to truly love one another sacrificially – just like He did?  Do you think He expects that people who have different personalities, cultures that differ, that come from varying background and experiences – can REALLY “love” one another?

It would mean the agenda for my life would always have to go through the filter of, “does what I am doing demonstrate my love for my fellow brothers & sisters in Christ?” I’m trying to do this and it’s creating great havoc on my ability to spend money on things I want, to do what I like with my time, and how I prioritize all I do!

Is this really how people will know we are different – because of the level of sacrifice we make for the sake of those who Jesus called us to journey alongside?  I have found that making this one of the great commitments of my life takes up more time and energy than I ever thought it would.  It makes me so much more vulnerable to be hurt and taken advantage of as well.

Can Jesus truly expect that we can adjust our life and create the time to care for one another this way in the world in which we live?  Doesn’t He realize how busy we are trying to balance the burdens of our own life without having this extra weight of sharing our lives with others?

Would it be okay for me to be a “disciple” of Jesus and make it more about Him loving me and me loving Him?  This call to “love one another” is sure making a mess of my life.

Please… let me know… is it worth the effort to keep trying to live this way?

Pastor John

I’ve been struggling with the painful reality that most people, in some way or another, tend to sabotage themselves.  We might mentally acknowledge that something is not good for us, but we end up choosing that “thing” anyway.  I recognize that I am most vulnerable to doing this when I don’t like the way I “feel” inside.  The inner longing creates a void that I want filled.  This leads me to begin to look for a way to effectively meet that need.  Ironically, it’s at this point that I am most likely to sabotage myself by choosing a solution that will do me more harm than good in the long run.

This last week I listened to people explain to me how their wrong choices created the problems they are having right now.  It grieves me deeply to the debris of shattered marriages, careers, and friendships washed up on the shore of another person’s life. In looking back over my own life, there was one time I really messed up a friendship.  I can picture the moment clearly in my mind where I deliberately lied to a good friend and he found out.  On top of that, when he confronted me about it… I lied again.  He was devastated. In a few short weeks, I lost that friendship.  I got to tell you, if I could go back and change those choices, I would in a heartbeat.

I know I needed to change. I found some great insight from the Apostle Paul in his writings to other followers of Jesus in Philippi… “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things….And the God of peace will be with you.” I began to move from sabotaging myself in choosing quick fixes to thinking about what is the BEST choice.  I encourage you to begin the mental discipline of displacing those thoughts that will lead you down a road to pain, to one that brings healing and hope.

Pastor John