So who can relate to that?  I’m sure you can’t.  What, with your perfect life and perfect family, and perfect job, and perfect…what’s that?  You say your life isn’t perfect?  I’ve always found it strange that when our lives seem the most balanced, or ordered, or successful on the outside that often we feel the most frustrated, angry, and confused on the inside.

Perhaps the most perplexing part of all this is that, at least for me, I seldom know why.  I’m frustrated and yet I can’t find the source of my frustration.  I’m angry but I’m not sure who or what I’m angry about.  I’m confused and yet I don’t have the mental clarity to even decipher what it is that I don’t understand.  I guess it’s possible that you are reading this and you have not been able to relate to anything that I’ve said so far.  If that’s you may, I suggest a different blog, perhaps something like this with cute puppies.

For the rest of us, you probably didn’t just relate with what I said you are probably right smack dab in the middle of this very quandary.   This enigma that is life and our human emotions is not one that is always easy to navigate.  The question is where do we turn in these situations and how do we find the exit?

In John 16:32-33 Jesus says, “In the world you will have tribulation.”  First of all let’s stop pretending it won’t or can’t happen to us.  If Jesus said it (and He did) then let’s just believe it.  Times of frustration and anger and confusion are going to happen.  But, just as Jesus says in these verses that He is not alone, neither are we for the Father is with us.

If you want to know where to turn to in times of frustrangerfusion, then the answer is simple; Turn to God.  Now here comes the part where I give you the standard Christian advice.  Get into the word and read your bible.  Start spending time in prayer.  Put in the worship CD and begin praising God.

Certainly all of those things are good and that’s all good advice, but I want to make some suggestions to you today that maybe you haven’t thought of:

1. Write in your blog – Trust me this one works, I know because I’m writing in mine right now.  Don’t have a blog?  No problem get yourself a notebook and pen and just start writing.  It’s amazing how different our perspective is on things when we write them down.
2. Laugh so hard that it hurts -Jesus said in John 16 that we should be of good cheer because He has overcome the world.  It’s pretty easy to tell someone to look at the bright side.  It’s much harder to actually do it.  But, on the other hand it’s really hard to be angry or frustrated when you are laughing so hard that you begin to cry and perhaps you pee your pants just a little.  Find something to laugh at.  Grab a friend and pop in a video of your favorite comedian or better yet just go people watching at Wal-Mart…that always kills me.
3. Talk it out – A good friend is such a valuable resource, don’t forget you got them.  Sometimes we are bottling up the same frustrations that our friends have capped off inside of themselves.  Take some time and spend it with a trusted friend talking out your feelings.  Just in case that gets you more depressed or frustrated try reminding of that time the cop pulled you over for doing a Chinese fire drill in someone’s driveway.  You know who you are

Today I received 4 pieces of mail which were endorsing candidates.  Two pieces were from one candidate and the other two were for another candidate running for the same political seat.  As a side note let me just say this before I get to my main point.  I have never voted for a candidate because of a direct mail piece that I have received.  However, the contrary is true.  I have in the past, voted against a candidate because of a mail piece or even an item dropped off at my door.  So to sum up my side note, let me just say that direct mail has done more damage then good.

But, here is the real message that I would like to convey to every politician who can hear it (and quite frankly also to those who cannot hear it)…

STOP TELLING US WHAT OR WHO YOU ARE AGAINST AND START TELLING US WHAT YOU ARE FOR.

I won’t go to the trouble of embarrassing this particular candidate by mentioning his name (actually he embarrassed himself enough just by sending this junk mail) but all he succeeded in telling me with his direct mail campaign is that something smells fishy and he is against the other guy.  So let me get this straight.  You don’t like your opponent and you are against him.  Well duh!!  Nobody ever ran for office because they thought the other guy or gal was the best person for the job.  If they thought that then they would have simply got on board that person’s campaign rather than launching their own.

Here is an idea for you.  Try telling us what you will do right if you are elected, instead of telling us what the other person has done wrong.  Seriously, at this point most voters have a pretty good understanding of what they think is wrong.  What we really want to hear is what sort of things you are willing to do if elected.

This goes way beyond just having a “positive” campaign.  An upbeat and positive attitude does go a long way, but positive thinking doesn’t solve problems….answers solve problems.  So how about it?  What do say we start talking about some real issues and you start to give us some real ideas that can address those issues?

Trouble and anguish have overtaken me,
Yet Your commandments are my delights.
-Psalm 119:143

Take some time out of your busy week and spend it with God.  Even if it’s just a couple of minutes each day to pray or maybe just read a couple of scriptures….take the time.  If we would take the time to be overwhelmed by Jesus, then the things of this world would not overwhelm us any longer.

Information plus application equals transformation.
-Perry Noble

Oh, man that mathematical…uhh shall we say biblical formula right there ought to keep you thinking for a while.  Yes we do live in the information age.  It’s true we are surrounded by information and it is way to easy for us to kick back and read our bibles and never ever apply what we have read.

If we do that than the word of God which IS powerful…will have very little power in our lives.  On the other hand if we let the word become alive in us to the point where we actually act upon it…that’s when life change will happen.

As you read your bible today, think about how you can take what you just read and apply it to your life.

I’m not sure that any of us are immune to this equal opportunity contagion.  Even those of us (by us I mean you since I have little will power) with great will power are sparsely able to resist the allure of it.  Despite our assumptions that peer pressure is merely an adolescent affliction, it is truly ageless.

It can strike at any time, in any place, and at anyone.   So then what is our best defense against such an indiscriminate foe?  I believe the best advice is found in Proverbs 12:26.

The righteous should choose his friends carefully,
For the way of the wicked leads them astray.
- Proverbs 12:26

Our absolute best preventive medicine is to place ourselves among peers who will provide the “right” kind of pressure.  Pick your friends wisely.

As I sat here wondering why I procrastinate so much, I figured what better way to study this out then to write about it.  Or at least if I’m not studying why I’m such a procrastinator I can be comforted by the fact that I’m still procrastinating as I write this instead of the sermon.

I was looking for some deep philosophical reason for it.  I don’t buy the lame excuse that everyone uses about being ADD or having too much sugar in their diet or being dropped on their head as a baby.  I don’t think any of those things apply to me.  I’m pretty sure my procrastination is caused by a dash of laziness and a whole heaping desire to just goof off.  So instead of risking that I say something remotely useful, I’ll just sign off now

Why must we always take the easiest way out?  Is it truly the way that we find the greatest reward?  Sometimes we get the greatest gain by taking the time and the energy and putting forth the work necessary to get to the top of the tree.  So what if we go after the high hanging fruit?

Let’s think about this in terms of the church.  As the church in America I think too often we go for the low hanging fruit.  We create programs that attract and draw in “church” people.  For some churches they are so inward focused that they never reach outside their own four walls.  Everything they do is about their own congregation and the people of their own church.

For other churches they speak the language of other believers.  The programs and ministries within their church may bring in new people but at times it’s more about how our church is “cooler” than the one you go to now so you should switch.

Sure I could argue that if you’re not being fed or if a church is being ineffective than I guess it makes sense for people to move from church A to church B across town.  But, you know those are really the low hanging fruit.  What about the high hanging fruit.

What are we doing to reach the unreached?  What are we doing to bring those who are far from God into our churches.  Unless we pull out the ladder or drive in the boom truck, how can we even expect to reach the high hanging fruit?

I don’t pretend to have the answers.  I look at our own church and as much as I love our people and what’s happening their…I know we need to continue to focus on reaching the lost and hurting people who are all over our community.  Just about any city you travel to in America, you will find about 50% of the population never attend church.  It is an epidemic of lost souls and it’s up to us to start reaching for those high hanging fruit.

Got some ideas?  Maybe some success stories of how your church is reaching those that are far from God…I’d love to hear about it.  Post up your comments here.

⁷ “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. ⁸ For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.
-Matthew 7:7-8

Sometimes it’s tough to ask those really big questions like, “God what do you want to do with my life?”  It’s because, quite frankly, we are afraid He might answer. I would challenge you this year to allow God to answer that question. And once He does, trust him to bring that vision to reality.

• Midnight is not nearly as late as it seems.  Everyone was awake and excited and I did not hear a single complaint about being tired.
• I was shocked that so many stuck around to talk after the service even though it was late at night.  I’m reminded that we have a great community at our church…a family!
• 30 minutes was the perfect amount of time.  It wasn’t too short or too long, it was the perfect length for a midnight service.  I’m so glad we went that way.  I had originally planned on more music, and this was much better.
• Never underestimate the power of God’s word.  I basically read from Isaiah and Luke and that was it.  I didn’t tell a bunch of jokes or stories (not that there’s anything wrong with that), but rather we just told the Christmas story.  And it truly made an impact.  Hebrews 4:12
• Note to self, don’t ever forget your bible and notes again.  Wow I felt like a fish out of water for the first few minutes.  Thank God for technology!  I had my laptop and was able to reprint my notes and the scripture passages.  I’m still wondering what kind of preacher leaves his bible at home?
• I felt nervous for the first time in a very long time.  You might think that’s bad at first, but on the contrary, it is the best thing!  It means that we stepped up to another level last night.  We had a full house and while that was a blessing, it was a surprise walking out on the stage and seeing it.  I couldn’t be more excited for next week and all that the coming year is bringing!

In all seriousness though, as we come to the end of yet another year I am really starting to reflect back on the year and see that it has been quite a ride.  2011 has flown past me and I really wish above all that I could rewind the clock just a wee bit and squeeze in a few more moments of fun with the family.  But, I must say I’m so thankful for the holidays as I will get to catch up a bit over the next couple of weeks.  Also, as I look back at 2011 I am blown away by what God has done this year at Connecting Point Church.  I was just in awe of how good God is as my wife and I were reflecting on the fact that we have now been in our new building for a year.

As Christmas quickly approaches, I just want to wish all of my readers a very Merry Christmas.  My prayer for you in 2012 is that God will open doors for you that the enemy can’t shut.  I know I sound like a broken record with my sports analogy, but I want to remind you that you are far too valuable to sit on the sidelines.  I’m praying that you will get in the game in 2012.  God has great plans for your life.  Jeremiah 29:11