Craig Finnestad

Prayer for Balance - Legible

2012-01-27T10:24:00.001-06:00

A few of you had a tough time reading the prayer from yesterday. I have never been accused of having good handwriting and it was a full page of words. I hope you find this prayer helpful.

Hectic. Rushed. Worried.

Stressed. Cluttered. Burdened.

Lonely. Tired. Complex.

It is my life but not Your plan for my life.

By your grace, become the priority and passion of my life.

When I lack – You sustain.

When I am alone – You are present.

When I am overwhelmed – You are my help.

When I am defeated – You are my hope.

You provide my needs.

Faith. Family. Friends.

Work. Wellness. Wealth.

Sleep. School. Spending.

I am pulled in all directions. Pull me in Your direction.

I confess I have made choices that have caused me to lose balance.

Forgive me when these choices have been intentional.

I live in an imperfect world that makes balanced living difficult.

Give me wisdom not to conform to the patterns of the world but to be transformed by the Gospel.

I pray for organization in the details of life.

My distractions on non-essentials are many. I pray for focus on the essential things of life.

Help me give my time, energy, and resources to the important – not the urgent.

Help me say “no” to mediocre or even good things so I can say “yes” to the best.

Let me embrace simplicity and flexibility rather than complexity and rigidness.

Give me clear purposes in life. I want to love and be loved by You.

Make my relationships be life-giving and joyful for me and for those I relate to.

Help me love like you and extend my hand in service to those around me.

I am a sinner. Lead me to experience your forgiveness and to share forgiveness with others.

I am jealous and envious. Fill me with thankfulness and gratitude.

I have neglected my body. Help me take care of myself through exercise, nutrition, and rest.

I have let my work become my life. Allow me to see that my value comes from You.

I am unbalanced. It is my life but not Your plan for my life.

I am pulled in all directions. Pull me in your direction.

Give me harmony and peace.

Give me grace and balance.

In the name of Jesus I pray,

Amen.

Prayer for Balance

2012-01-26T13:03:00.000-06:00

Saying No and Saying Yes

2012-01-24T10:22:00.000-06:00

A video of Sunday's sermon. Part 2 in a series on balance in life.

Luke 10:38-42

As Jesus and the disciples continued on their way to Jerusalem, they came to a certain village where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. Her sister, Mary, sat at the Lord’s feet, listening to what he taught. But Martha was distracted by the big dinner she was preparing. She came to Jesus and said, “Lord, doesn’t it seem unfair to you that my sister just sits here while I do all the work? Tell her to come and help me.” But the Lord said to her, “My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details! There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.”

Pastor

2012-01-20T14:29:00.000-06:00

I am a pastor. Some people even call me pastor. It’s kind of a strange word and a holy word. A word used only in church circles. St. Augustine came up with the job description for a pastor about 1600 years ago and it hasn’t changed much.

Disturbers are to be rebuked, the low-spirited to be encouraged, the infirm to be supported, objectors confuted, the treacherous guarded against, the unskilled taught, the lazy aroused, the contentious restrained, the haughty repressed, litigants pacified, the poor relieved, the oppressed liberated, the good approved, the evil borne with, and all are to be loved.

Not a bad job description as far as job descriptions go. At least the parts of it I understand.

I am about as blessed as a pastor can be serving The Water’s Edge. The people at The Water’s Edge share God’s dream and the responsibility of being the church with me. Plus, you all are fun to share life with.

Two women dreamed up and implemented a girl’s night out to connect women in the church. Nearly fifty women attended the outing. I wasn’t invited, but heard it was great!

Over sixty people are running the Lincoln Marathon or Half-Marathon to raise money for hurting and marginalized people in Omaha, the United States, and throughout the world.

Thirty households are excited to serve as organizational, relational, and spiritual leaders for our upcoming capital campaign this spring to raise the level of discipleship and purchase land for our future home.

These are a few examples of the many things happening at The Water’s Edge. As a pastor, nothing brings me more joy than to see people connecting and growing. And, I want you to know the growth I am most interested in is yours. As a pastor, I will do my part to create environments and to help others and give permission to others to create environments where you can grow and connect.

I want to encourage you to place yourself in environments where you will grow and connect. New small groups will be starting this February and many existing groups will be welcoming new people. Give one a try for six weeks! Our capital campaign will also be an excellent place to connect and grow. We will all be asked to pray and serve. All of us! We will have several opportunities to connect in small gatherings at people’s homes and all together as a congregation at the school and the property. The goal of the campaign will not be to raise a bunch of money. The goal of the campaign is to connect us to God, each other, and the world. This will be a great and exciting season for us!

I’m blessed to be the pastor at The Water’s Edge and I look forward to growing with you and connecting with you in the future.

The best it yet to come…

Craig

Focus and Priority

2012-01-16T10:43:00.000-06:00

A video of yesterday's sermon. It was the first message in the three part series on balance. Jesus says to seek put God first and trust in God's provision. As we seek balance in life, the first step is making God our focus and priority.

Balance

2012-01-12T14:45:00.000-06:00

The baby has crawled for a while and even knows how to stand. She takes her first steps and plops to the ground. She lost her balance. The running back is heading to the goal line when he is blindsided by a linebacker charging at full speed. He hits the turf hard. He lost his balance. The bartender calls a cab. The middle-aged man stumbles between the door of the bar and the door of the car. He lost his balance.

People lose their balance all the time. Inexperience like the baby. Outside forces like the running back. Poor choices like the guy at the bar.

Balance is something some of us struggle with all of the time and all of us struggle with some of the time.

We don’t have enough money at the end of the month to pay our bills. We keep going a little further into debt.
We don’t have enough time during the week to spend time with the people we want to see or to do the things we want to do.
Stress from various areas of life prevents us from enjoying life and sleeping. It is taking a toll on our physical health.
We carry heavy burdens from the past that fill our present lives with regret and guilt.
We are constantly connected to technology and disconnected from life.
We are unable to say “no” to less important things and people so that we can say “yes” to more important things and people.
We go through the motions of the day on life’s terms and put our priorities and dreams on hold.

We live lives full of anxiety, clutter, and demands. God’s plan is that our lives are full of purpose, focus, and grace. A disconnect occurs between who we are and who we are created to be.

Last week, as we launched The Water’s Edge into a new season of ministry, we looked at the stones of possibility, forgiveness, and resurrection. During the next three weeks we are going to look at attaining balance in life. Balance that will allow our possibilities to be realities. Balance that will allow us to learn from the shortcomings of our past while simultaneously putting the past behind us. And balance that will resurrect us from who we are to who God wants us to be.

I pray at the end of these three weeks, we are all traveling toward lives of connectedness to God and others and that we deepen our experience of purpose, focus, and grace.

The best is yet to come…

Craig

Launch Sunday - Video

2012-01-09T18:20:00.000-06:00

An edited video of the 10:30 worship experience at The Water's Edge. It was our first Sunday as our own church! We recognized our early pioneers, received a blessing from our Bishop and District Superintendent, and experienced God's hope, forgiveness, and resurrection. Over 750 people of all ages were there to celebrate!

Launch Sunday

2012-01-06T12:45:00.000-06:00

I remember the evening. Amber and I drove to the family’s house. We were the first people to arrive, which is rare for us. We chatted for a few moments with the host family. We then went to the basement. She organized the snacks and desserts. I arranged the chairs. I invited dozens of people to come to that first small group meeting. Most didn’t. Sixteen people did. I led a few corny games to help everybody get to know each other. We had a Bible study, took a break, ate the food Amber recently organized, and got to know each other a little more. We concluded the evening with a discussion and prayer. Everybody came back the next week and eventually started bringing their friends.

A month or two later, The Water’s Edge leadership team started. This team contained a few people from the small group, a few people from Faith-Westwood, and a few people from the community. This group worked so hard and gave so much for The Water’s Edge to become a reality. We started off with no name, a dream, a few resources, and God’s power. We took a retreat to a monastery, handed out thousands of bottles of water at a parade, walked around neighborhoods and prayed, invited friends, collected food for hungry people, created ministry teams, and strategized for the future.

Less than a year later, The Water’s Edge launched our first worship service at Russell Middle School. It rained hard that morning. About 200 people worshipped with us. We were so excited. The next week it was clear and sunny. Less than 100 people came back. AJ was a one-man band. We had plenty of leftover donuts. Humble beginnings.

Since then we have worshipped in two other schools. Most of my pastor friends don’t believe me when I tell them we worshipped in a Catholic High School. We have fed thousands of people, baptized hundreds of people, started dozens of small groups and ministry teams, run marathons and half marathons together, and taken mission trips to places like Omaha and Joplin and Belize.

A few weeks ago on Christmas Eve we had over 1,000 people worship at The Water’s Edge. We sang familiar songs, prayed together, listened to God’s Word, shared communion, and lit glow sticks – promising each other and promising God we will be light to the world.

This morning is a new day that I will be writing about five or ten years from now. Our first day as our own church. I’m so grateful for the people at Faith-Westwood. Their support and vision has made The Water’s Edge possible. I’m more excited today about the future than I was five years ago and I was pretty excited back then. I can’t wait to see what the next five years will bring. More than anything, I hope The Water’s Edge helps you grow, serve, heal, relate better, give, forgive, laugh, love, cry, care, develop, make friends, and connect more closely with God. I’m glad we are on this journey together.

The best is yet to come…

Craig

12 Ways to Have a Miserable 2012 - Video

2012-01-03T12:56:00.000-06:00

12 Ways to Have a Miserable 2012 - With Bible Verses

2012-01-01T22:00:00.000-06:00

1. Don’t plan. Just roll with the punches. Be reactive and not proactive. Don’t make a list of things you want to get done, places you want to go, people you want to connect with, and goals you want to accomplish. Just remember, when you fail to plan then you are planning to fail.

Proverbs 29:18

Where there is no vision the people will perish.

2. Do as much as you can by yourself. Don’t enlist the help of others. Don’t seek the advice of others. Misery loves company, but it most likely happens alone.

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble. Likewise, two people lying close together can keep each other warm. But how can one be warm alone? A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken.

3. Neglect your most important relationships. Seek intimacy in inappropriate ways. Don’t trust others. Be afraid of being hurt. Gossip about others to feel good about yourself. Talk more and listen less. Demand your own way. Nitpick. Demand others be who you want them to be rather than their true selves. Believe kindness is overrated. Don’t be patient with others. Demand perfection. Carry grudges and don’t forgive others. Make others pay for their mistakes.

Ruth 1:16-17

But Ruth replied, “Don’t ask me to leave you and turn back. Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live, I will live. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God. Wherever you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord punish me severely if I allow anything but death to separate us!”

4. Stay busy. Don’t schedule downtime. Stay plugged into technology at all times. Be connected a little bit to everything and everybody so that you aren’t really connected to anything or anybody. Say “yes” to so many average things so that you don’t have the time or energy to say “yes” to the best things.

Exodus 34:21

You have six days each week for your ordinary work, but on the seventh day you must stop working, even during the seasons of plowing and harvest.

5. Don’t deal with your past. Carry all burdens of your past mistakes. Realize it’s not likely you are going to change. Don’t forgive yourself. Let your history define your future.

Philippians 3:13

No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead.

6. Don’t take any risks. Be afraid of falling. Be afraid of failing. Play it safe. Don’t explore. Don’t chase dreams. Don’t be vulnerable or authentic with others: the chance of being hurt a little bit far outweighs the benefit of loving someone and being loved by someone.

Exodus 12:1-2

The Lord had said to Abram, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you. I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others.

7. Quit when times get tough. Throw in the towel the first time you take a punch to the stomach. Raise the white flag when the battle is not going your way. Accept the easy life and don’t strive for the good life.

Philippians 3:14

I press on to reach the end of the race.

8. Place a lot of stock in what other people think about you. Try to impress others. Base your self-worth on what you think others perceive about you.

1 Peter 3:3-4

Don’t be concerned about the outward beauty of fancy hairstyles, expensive jewelry, or beautiful clothes. You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God.

9. Don’t give anything to anybody. Hoard your holdings. Stockpile your savings. You have earned what you have. Keep it. Be stingy with your time and energy too. Believe you can get far greater blessings in life doing what you want to do rather than helping a child or a hurting person.

2 Corinthians 9:6

Remember this—a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop.

10. Don’t worry about your character and integrity. Let things slide. Take a few shortcuts if it’s what you need to do. Cover up your shortcomings with image management. Do the easy thing and not the right thing. Don’t care who you are when nobody is looking.

Proverbs 21:3

The Lord is more pleased when we do what is right and just than when we offer him sacrifices.

11. Let yourself go physically. Eat whatever. Stop exercising. Get stressed out. Don’t sleep much.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20

Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.

12. Don’t focus too much on your relationship with God. You will have plenty of time to do that in the future.

Matthew 22:34-38

But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees with his reply, they met together to question him again. One of them, an expert in religious law, tried to trap him with this question: “Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?” Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment.

12 Ways to Have a Miserable 2012

2011-12-27T14:15:00.001-06:00

2. Do as much as you can by yourself. Don’t enlist the help of others. Don’t seek the advice of others. Misery loves company, but it most likely happens alone.

5. Don’t deal with your past. Carry all burdens of your past mistakes. Realize it’s not likely you are going to change. Don’t forgive yourself. Let your history define your future.

8. Place a lot of stock in what other people think about you. Try to impress others. Base your self-worth on what you think others perceive about you.

11. Let yourself go physically. Eat whatever. Stop exercising. Get stressed out. Don’t sleep much.

12. Don’t focus too much on your relationship with God. You will have plenty of time to do that in the future.

The worst is yet to come…

Craig

Christmas Eve Worship Video

2011-12-26T13:38:00.000-06:00

Here is my sermon from Christmas Eve.

Christmas Day Prayer

2011-12-25T00:00:00.000-06:00

Merry Christmas!

God is with Us

2011-12-19T18:20:00.001-06:00

The automatic piano in the hospital lobby plays and replays the old Christmas songs until their effect is like a child practicing a violin for the first time. Companies have Christmas parties that are like class reunions: people either really like them or really dislike them. People spend money they don’t have buying gifts people don’t need or even want. Fruitcake, lights hanging from roofs, Christmas movies, and Bruce Springsteen’s Santa Claus is Coming to Town all make their annual appearance. But despite culture’s efforts, we haven’t ruined Christmas.

John is the most succinct of the biblical writers when it comes to his account about Christmas. He simply says the Word became flesh. Theologians call it incarnation. Luke gives a few more details. Mary gives birth. It wasn’t easy for her. She and Joseph couldn’t afford the Embassy Suites and the Motel 6 was booked, so they found a barn. The local pharmacy was out of epidurals and the midwife was on vacation for the holidays, so Mary and Joseph were pretty much on their own. The birth wasn’t as peaceful as most nativity sets indicate. The blood, the pain, the fears, and the tears—they were all present. They had to be. But out of Mary’s agony came a fragile baby and the world hasn’t been the same since.

A worn out Mary looked into the eyes of the baby. She didn’t notice the blue or green or brown eyes. Instead she saw the Light of the World. The wiggly baby she held in her tired arms was the Resurrection and the Life. She fed from her breast the One who one day would defeat and destroy death. She experienced Christmas like nobody else ever has: God coming to be with us.

It was dark outside that night. They couldn’t find a plug-in for the incubator, so Joseph built a fire to keep the baby warm. A warm flicker of light defeated the cold darkness of the world. It was a sign of things to come.

The baby became a boy and the boy became a man. At the end of his life the tears, the fears, the pain, and the blood made their return and the world was about to change again. He rested in a wooden manger as a baby. Decades later he hung on a wooded cross as a man. His agony became our life.

It’s a gift. In Latin it’s gratia. In Greek it’s charis. In English we simply call it grace. We can’t earn it. We don’t deserve it. It is available to all of us no matter how good or how bad we are and thank God for that! We can either accept it or not accept it. If we don’t, nothing else really matters. If we do, nothing else really matters either. Because now and in the end, there is nothing quite like the promise of God’s presence: God is with us. That is what Christmas and life is all about.

Merry Christmas,

Craig

Give Us Your Peace

2011-12-14T16:21:00.000-06:00

A prayer for God's peace in our lives.
To be prayed at The Water's Edge this Sunday.

Giving Up On Perfect

2011-12-13T15:45:00.000-06:00

Sunday's sermon on giving up on perfect. We looked at three lessons from Mary:

1. Life will be bought, but life can also be great.

2. Nobody chooses your joy except you.

3. When in doubt what to do, take the next step.

Leadership Development

2011-12-08T14:47:00.001-06:00

In this series of columns, we are looking at the difference between a take-off and a launch for The Water’s Edge, beginning on January 1st, 2012, as we become a United Methodist Church separate from Faith-Westwood. The first two columns were on areas we have thrived in and are going to even do greater things in the future: missions and ministry to children and students. Serving hurting and marginalized people and loving and developing children and students was Jesus’ priority and will continue to be our priority as well. The third column discussed the vision to be and be known as a kind and generous congregation while simultaneously resourcing the vision God gives us. The next column was on the importance and priority of small groups. Last week we looked at our “invest and invite” strategy. Jesus spent most of his life doing two things: investing in the lives of others and inviting them to follow him. This week we will look at leadership and discipleship development.

Jesus developed twelve leaders. They weren’t rabbis. They were ordinary people. Fisherman, tax collectors, and tradesmen. They followed him and became his disciples. Jesus changed their world. After Jesus changed their world, the disciples changed the world.

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, concerned citizens can change world. Indeed it is the only thing that ever has. –Margaret Mead

Part of our vision is to change lives so that we can influence and transform the world. We will spend significant time and energy investing in our development as leaders and disciples so that our lives will be changed and so that we are equipped to transform the world.

We have two initiatives in the near future to develop leaders and disciples. The first of these is a leadership retreat on February 3rd and 4th. If you are on an administrative team, lead a small group, lead a serving team / ministry, or are feeling led to become a leader in any area at The Water’s Edge I want to encourage you to attend this retreat. We will worship, pray, learn, grow, develop, and have fun together.

The second initiative is called “Twenty.” From January to August, we are going to intentionally disciple and develop twenty people who are new or fairly new to The Water’s Edge. We will learn about, experience, and be encouraged in the following areas: Discipleship, small groups, giving, vision, serving, inviting, and leading. I am so excited for this new ministry. If you are interested in joining us for this ministry…email me at craig@watersedgeomaha.com.

I know God has gifted many of you to lead. My prayer is that you will use these skills to help The Water’s Edge connect people to God, to connect people to each other, and to serve our community and the world.

The best is yet to come…

Craig

Invest and Invite

2011-12-02T11:31:00.001-06:00

Week 5 in a series of 7 Columns

In this series of columns, we are looking at the difference between a take-off and a launch for The Water’s Edge, beginning on January 1st, 2012, as we become a United Methodist Church separate from Faith-Westwood. The first two columns were on areas we have thrived in and are going to even do greater things in the future: missions and ministry to children and students. Serving hurting and marginalized people and loving and developing children and students was Jesus’ priority and will continue to be our priority as well. The third column discussed the vision to be and be known as a kind and generous congregation while simultaneously resourcing the vision God gives us. Last week’s column was about small groups. This week we look at our “invest and invite” strategy. Jesus spent most of his life doing two things: investing in the lives of others and inviting them to follow him.

Investing in people begins with a heart for people. Jesus loved all and had great compassion. We have to care or the “invest and invite” strategy doesn’t work. As we seek God’s heart and mind, it becomes more natural and easier to focus our lives on others and connect with them so that they know we care. Investing is simply building meaningful relationships with people who naturally fall within our circles—neighbors, co-workers, classmates, friends, etc... A disciple does the same thing Jesus did: Invest ourselves in others by giving our time, energy, compassion, and love. Let me encourage you—just be a friend with no strings attached. Be like Jesus: invest time and energy befriending hurting people, people going through transitions, and people not active in a church. Know these friendships are not an accident. Who are you investing in?

Friendships open doors to invite people to serve, connect, grow, or worship with you. Make an invitation after you have earned the right to be heard and when inviting is the loving thing to do. “No” or “not yet” will be common responses to an invitation. “Yes” will be a common response as well. Either way, continue being their friend and praying for them! You are most likely their most common connection to God!

A long time ago, a girl I had a crush on, invited me to a Fellowship of Christian Athletes meeting. I went, but to be honest I was more interested in her than I was in Jesus. I don’t have a clue what happened to her, but I am forever grateful because her invitation changed my life!

Last week, the Sunday after Thanksgiving, over 700 adults and children worshipped and learned and experienced God at The Water’s Edge. Although some exceptions exist, most of us are at The Water’s Edge because somebody invited us. The crowd that gathered around Jesus was so large that he got into a boat and sat in it out on the lake, while all the people were along the shore at the water’s edge. He taught them many things. –Mark 4:1-2 We believe the teachings of Jesus changed the world, so we invest and invite.

The best is yet to come…

Craig

Waiting. Hoping.

2011-11-28T14:08:00.001-06:00

Waiting. Hoping. This prayer was inspired by the worship services at
The Water's Edge on November 27th, 2011.

If the Church Thing Doesn't Work Out

2011-11-26T21:41:00.000-06:00

Benjamin exploring the Embassy Suites in the Old Market

Happy Thanksgiving

2011-11-24T15:04:00.000-06:00

Happy Thanksgiving!

Small Groups

2011-11-23T14:25:00.000-06:00

Week four in a series of seven columns

In this series of columns, we are looking at the difference between a take-off and a launch for The Water’s Edge, beginning on January 1st, 2012, as we become a United Methodist Church separate from Faith-Westwood. The first two columns have been on areas we have thrived in and are going to even do greater things in the future: missions and ministry to children and students. Serving hurting and marginalized people and loving and developing children and students was Jesus’ priority and will continue to be our priority as well. The third column discussed the vision to be and be known as a kind and generous congregation while simultaneously resourcing the vision God gives us. For today’s column, I go back to the beginning.

It was in a basement. Amber and I invited dozens of people from the community and from Faith-Westwood. Of the fifty or so people we invited, sixteen showed up. I was the oldest person in the room. We went around and introduced ourselves. Most of the people didn’t know each other and they surely didn’t know what they were getting into. Ninety minutes later we left and we were a small group. During the next few months we become friends, we prayed together, we applied the Bible to our lives, we learned from each other, we played together, we supported each other, and we looked forward to our weekly meetings.

One couple moved to Louisiana to go to graduate school. Another couple moved to Missouri for a job promotion. Another couple felt called to ministry and are now serving together at another United Methodist Church here in Omaha. The rest of us are leaders at The Water’s Edge.

The idea of a small group goes back to Jesus. He knew a better option existed to living alone: living in community with others. He had the 12 disciples. They weren’t the pick of the litter, but Jesus wasn’t too picky. And then he had Mary and Martha. They weren’t good enough for other men, but they were good enough for him. The early church followed the example of Jesus.

The early believers met in the Temple and also in people’s homes. (Acts 2:46) Church was worshipping in the Temple and meeting as a smaller group in people’s houses. One wasn’t considered more important than the other. Both were essential. John Wesley, the founder of Methodism in 18th century England knew this as well. The foundation of early Methodism was small groups. Small groups would meet weekly and then a bunch of small groups would meet together when a preacher was available—usually monthly.

Today, at The Water’s Edge, we have about two dozen groups of various shapes and sizes. These groups include hundreds of people. Friends have been made, discipleship has been deepened, and people have been cared for. Small groups are who we have been, who we are, and who we will be. I encourage you to join a small group! You’ll be glad you did.

The best is yet to come…

Craig

Generosity and Kindness

2011-11-18T11:45:00.001-06:00

Week three in a series of seven columns

Today we look at resourcing our future of living out the Gospel together while simultaneously looking at one word that can transform our lives: generosity.

Jesus said more about money than any other subject. When it comes to a person’s real nature, money is of the utmost importance. Throughout Scripture and life, an intimate correlation exists between our character and how we handle money.

Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will be also. –Matthew 6:21

Giving does something in us that only giving can do: it transforms us into kind and generous people. Would you rather be known as “giver” or as a “consumer”? Being a giver means our priorities are in order. True giving is not a responsibility, but a privilege. True giving is more than an act of obedience. It is an act of faith. It is trusting that God can do more in our lives with 90% of our resources than we can do with 100% of our resources.

You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.” -2 Corinthians 9:7

Giving does not come naturally for most of us. The concept of generosity seems to be in direct conflict with the concept of self-preservation. However, it is not possible to become a fully committed follower of Jesus without becoming a fully developed steward of the resources we have been blessed with. Good things that cannot be calculated or quantified are set in motion in our lives and in our finances when we give. But we have to give in order to experience God’s blessings that exist only for those who give.

Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back. –Luke 6:38

The dream is to become a church that is known for its kindness and generosity. The dream is to be a church consisting of people who are on the journey to becoming kind and generous people. People who trust that as we fund God’s vision – reaching unreached people, serving poor and hurting people, and loving and developing children – God will provide and bless us beyond what we ever could imagine.

The best is yet to come…

Craig

Create in Me a Thankful Heart

2011-11-14T09:16:00.001-06:00

Thanksgiving is a national holiday. The day before and the Sunday after Thanksgiving are two of the busiest travel days of the year. It usually involves eating thousands of calories: turkey, dressing, potatoes, cranberries, some kind of corn, and pumpkin pie are usually on the menu. The Lions and the Cowboys always seem to be playing in a football game. And the newspaper is huge. Dozens of color advertisements are inserted between the sports and the business sections advertising 80% off things we don't need if we shop between midnight and four in the morning. Somehow I think we are missing the point of Thanksgiving.

Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. -1 Thessalonians 5:18

Last week I wrote this prayer early one morning. I want to encourage you to pray it regularly - especially in the days leading up to Thanksgiving. It would be great to pray together as a family. A thankful heart is a cure to jealousy, greed, envy, selfishness, and taking people and things for granted. A thankful heart also can connect us to God in ways we haven't been connected to God before.

Dear God,

Create in me a thankful heart.

Develop in me a grateful mind.

Give me an appreciative spirit.

I confess feelings of jealously toward the actions of others.

I confess feelings of envy toward the possessions, attributes, and skills of others.

I confess feelings of greed that have caused ungratefulness in my life.

Create in me a thankful heart.

I have focused on what I don’t have rather than what I do have.

I have taken for granted many of your blessings.

I have wanted more than I have needed.

Create in me a thankful heart.

For your fellowship

For my family

For my friends

I give you thanks.

For a warm bed to sleep and good food to eat

For clean water to drink and a clear mind to think

For comfortable clothes to wear and a life to share

I give you thanks.

For your grace for my mistakes

For your power when I am weak

For your love when I am alone

I give you thanks.

For your presence and promise in times of grief and trials

For your hope and light in days of despair and darkness

For creating the unique person I am

I give you thanks.

For laughter and smiles and hugs and most tears

For the ability to embrace and to be embraced

For recovery, restoration, repair, and reconciliation

I give you thanks.

Give me an appreciative spirit.

Develop in me a grateful mind.

Create in me a thankful heart.

Amen.

Students and Children

2011-11-11T10:50:00.001-06:00

The Water’s Edge Launch, Part 2

Last week we started looking at the difference between a take-off and a launch for The Water’s Edge, beginning on January 1st, 2012, as we become a United Methodist Church separate from Faith-Westwood. Last week I wrote about what a launch looks like in the area of missions, serving, and outreach to our world, country, and city.

This week we will look the people with a special place in the heart of Jesus and a special place in our hearts: children and students.

Kids serving runners this spring

One day some parents brought their children to Jesus so he could touch and bless them. But the disciples scolded the parents for bothering him. When Jesus saw what was happening, he was angry with his disciples. He said to them, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children. I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn’t receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.” Then he took the children in his arms and placed his hands on their heads and blessed them. –Mark 10:13-16

The above passage talks about the importance of children to Jesus. I’m a parent of two boys, ages 10 and 4. I know how important our children are to us and I know how important your children are to you. For those who don’t have children or for those whose children are adults—I know you see the value of outstanding and excellent children’s and student ministries to the church, to our culture, and most importantly to the children and students.

Eight years from now, Benjamin will be a freshman in college. One of my dreams for him is that he will leave The Water’s Edge and be a Christian leader at his college and for the rest of his days. That is one of my prayers for all children and students at The Water’s Edge. I have confidence that a solid foundation will be laid in his life through incredible staff people who lead caring and committed men and women in service to our children and students and to children and students in the community as well.

We already have well over one-hundred volunteers serving in children and student ministries. And we are going to need a whole lot more. One of the biggest challenges we have had in 2011 is managing the explosive growth in our children’s area (a great challenge to have!). I want to challenge all of us to serve and invest some way in these essential areas of ministry that are so important to God and so important to so many of us. I promise I will lead by example. I promise I will do my best in helping raise other people’s children and I know you will do your best in helping us raise our children.

The best is yet to come…

Craig

Launch

2011-11-04T11:03:00.000-05:00

Scene 1

I flew in a private airplane a few years ago. The take off from the Millard Airport was gentle. Even peaceful. It was cool flying over our house and seeing southwest Omaha from above.

Scene 2

Benjamin and I sat next to each other and tightly held hands. We were at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on the Space Shuttle Launch Simulator. A loud sound blasted and we were thrown back into our seats as the shuttle went from zero to 100 mph in three seconds kept accelerating until we reached 17,500 mph.

A quote I want you to think about

Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon.

Scene 3

It’s January 1st, 2012. The Water’s Edge becomes a church that day. Eight days earlier we celebrated the birth of a baby who changed the world. On New Year’s Day we celebrate the birth of church that will change the world of our people and the people we serve and love. January 1st is a Sunday. It is not the day we take-off. It is the day we launch. Not shooting for the sky, but for the moon. We probably won’t set an attendance record on January 1st, but then again Joseph, Mary, and Jesus didn’t have a lot of company either and they did pretty well.

Over the next two months I will describe what a launch looks like in all areas of our church.

The first area is missions

God is leading every one of us to serve somewhere and somebody in our world, country, and / or city next year and in all subsequent years. We look most like Jesus when we are serving—especially when we are serving the marginalized. Fans of Jesus support those who serve. Fans of Jesus think serving is a good idea. Followers serve and encourage others to serve alongside them. Period. Next year we are going to serve people outside the church and The Water’s Edge is going to encourage you and resource you so that you are successful.

We will do a few things well rather than doing a lot of things not very well. We will serve with focus and clarity. Opportunities will exist to serve the poor, the hurting, and the young—internationally, nationally, and right here in Omaha.

The Water’s Edge will be defined by kindness and generosity. We will be known as unselfish servants. We will live out the Gospel: For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others. –Matthew 20:28

The best is yet to come…

Craig

Igniting the Ordinary

2011-10-31T11:17:00.001-05:00

Listen to yesterday's sermon: Igniting the Ordinary.

Listen to the first sermon in the series, Sun Stand Still.

Read the text of Moses and the Burning Bush from Exodus 3.

Buy Steven Furtick's book: Sun Stand Still.

Below are some notes from the sermon: Igniting the Ordinary.

Pray Big Prayers

A primary purpose of prayer is to align your life with God’s will

Jesus prayed:

May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth. (Matthew 6:10)

Examples of Sun Stand Still prayers

Healthier relationships
Financial provision
Career aspirations
Spiritual breakthroughs
Emotional healing
Loved ones who are far from God
Standing strong against temptation
Achieving life goals
Finding and embracing God’s purpose for your life
Ministry resources

Develop a Big Vision

When we ask God to do something big, we set our sights on something specific.

A biblical vision is God’s preferred picture of your future.

God wants to accomplish something through you.

Don’t limit your dreams because you are limiting your life.
Don’t limit God’s power because you are limiting your life.

The opposite of a big vision is survival mode.

God can do the Improbable / Impossible

Impossible / improbable is what ever seems impossible / improbable to you.

Impossible / improbably means success for you is dependent on God.

Impossibilities / improbabilities don’t exist with God.

The opposite of improbable / impossible is ordinary.

Living with Audacity

Not cockiness or arrogance

Biblical audacity approaches God with confidence and believes in God for the impossible / improbable

Jesus said in Mark 9:23 - Anything is possible if a person believes.

Audacity is rooted in the Gospel and powered by the Holy Spirit

Audacity is not an activity.

Audacity is an approach.

Not what you do.

It’s how you do it.

Audacity is you daring to relate to God on a new level.

The opposite of audacity: complacency

Have and Audacious Faith

Faith

Hebrews 11:6 says we can’t please God without it

Ephesians 2:8 says we can’t be saved without it

Audacious faith is an attitude or a set of actions that are deeply rooted in the conviction that all things are possible with God.

The opposite of audacious faith: passive belief

Expect a Move of God

A move from God isn’t necessarily a scientific phenomenon from a scientific perspective.

A move of God is the way God’s power infuses the lives of ordinary followers to produce results that serve humanity and glorify God.

The results can be brilliant or subtle.

God desires to move in our lives.

Sun Stand Still Prayer

Based on your big vision

Activated by audacious faith,

Will mark you life by the miraculous,

Empower you to achieve the impossible,

And put you in the middle of a move of God.

Ignite the Ordinary

Objection #1

Audacious faith comes naturally to a pastor and I get to devote all my time to things like faith and prayer and reading the Bible.

I’m a 16 year old and audacious faith really isn’t all that cool.
I’m a 26 year old and my career is very demanding right now. I don’t have time.
I’m a 36 year old and my kids are my priority.
I’m a 56 year old and I’m enjoying a slower pace of life.

To the 16 year old – There is nothing cooler than audacious faith.
To the 26 year old – God wants to help you focus and prioritize so you have time to live abundantly.
To the 36 year old – The most important lesson you can teach your kids and the most important blessing you can give them is the gift of being an example of audacious faith.
To the 56 year old – Your greatest blessing in life doesn’t come from recreation or relaxation, but from fulfillment and function

Objection #2

Nothing remarkable ever happens to me. My prayers are rarely and randomly answered. No agenda in my life is important enough for God’s attention.

They ache of the ordinary is so common that we take sedatives: technology, substances, activity – to numb the pain instead of seeking treatment for the condition.

Here is what I know: God wants to stir up your spirit, pour out his presence, reveal his glory in your life, family, school, business, and community.

God is willing to burn brightly in the life of anybody who is willing to be set on fire.

Extraordinary moves of God start with simple acts of obedience

If God lives in you then you have the potential for audacious faith

Joshua knew this.

His mentor Moses experienced some extraordinary stuff

Yet it all began with a simple act of obedience

It started in Exodus 3

If you are thinking you are ordinary and average and God’s work is best done through somebody else…then this one is for you.

The setting is a desert – I wonder how many of us are there?

Moses is tending sheep – He is not a spiritual leader

He is an employee of his father-in-law

A bush catches on fire

Moses walks over to check things out

We might think that when God is about to do something great in us or through us—that this move will start with a bang or at least a thump. But more often it won’t so stop waiting around for the obvious and pay more attention to the subtle clues and a quiet voice.

God is challenging you to make a difference

It will usually begin in a small way

A flaming bush that only you will notice

Take off your shoes – draw close – receive your assignment

Community, Balance, and Significance

2011-10-27T13:19:00.000-05:00

Some of us have occupations with busy seasons. Accountants have the spring. As the snow melts and the days get longer, the tax returns pile up. Teachers know the drill. August is a busy time getting everything organized. Retail workers have the holidays. Nurses have the flu season. Kids, activities, school, work, household management—most of us experience the busy season at least once in a while.

Tuesday started at 5:45 a.m. It ended fourteen hours later at 7:45 p.m. I didn’t work the entire fourteen hours, but it was a long day. I arrived home and did my best to leave budgets, sermons, to-do lists, staff evaluations, and email at the office. The boys didn’t need a pastor. They needed a dad.

An hour or so later I found myself in bed with the boys. Benjamin was on one side and David was on the other. The light beside the bed dimly lit the room as I read a book and then told a story. The boys feel asleep and I stayed a few minutes. I thought about busyness and balance and purpose and passion. I came up with three things we long for in this messy, hectic, overfunctioning, stressful world.

Community – God didn’t create us to be alone. Then God said, “It is not good for man to be alone. I will make a companion who will help him.” –Genesis 2:18 Being alone has nothing to do with being in the presence of others. A person can be in the physical presence of others and be completely isolated. Anxiety and activity can make us feel lonely. Make time for companions who add value to your life.

Balance – Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 gives God’s vision for balance in life: For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven. A time to plant and a time to harvest. A time to tear down and a time to build up. A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones. A time to tear and a time to mend. A time to be quiet and a time to speak. Balance is God’s idea. Many of us are out of balance and this lifestyle is taking a toll on us relationally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Say “no” to some things, both good and not-so-good, so you can say “yes” to balance.

Significance – Success is the message of the world. Significance is the message of the Gospel. Success is attaining and achieving. Significance is empowering others to attain and achieve. Success doesn’t last a lifetime. Significance can last many lifetimes. We are wired to help others and without significance, we are missing out on an integral part of life. The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others. -Matthew 20:28

In our lives I pray, and I invite you to join me in praying, for community, balance, and significance.

The best is yet to come…

Craig

Birth, Dreams, and Land

2011-10-21T10:13:00.000-05:00

If you have been around a while, you know that The Water’s Edge and Faith-Westwood will become separate United Methodist churches on January 1st, 2012. This is a good thing. It’s not a split, but a multiplication. It’s not like a couple breaking up, but a family giving birth.

As a pastor at Faith-Westwood, I will be saying goodbye to many people in the next few months. I don’t look forward to that. There are lots of people I care about deeply. Although I will still live in the same city, I won’t be their pastor anymore. I look forward to leading The Water’s Edge full-time. The Water’s Edge is an amazing, young congregation because it is comprised of generous, remarkable, and dedicated people. I know that our best days are in front of us.

This week I will be meeting with a group of people to take a first steps in developing a strategic, long-term vision for The Water’s Edge. Part of the vision will be similar to what we are already doing: more small groups, exceptional kid’s ministry, serving each other, feeding Omaha, and challenging people to grow closer to God and each other.

Some of the vision will be new. I know God wants us to have a men’s small group every morning of the week. We are on are way. I know God wants The Water’s Edge to reach out to students in middle schools and high schools in West Omaha. God has placed it on my heart to develop a recovery ministry to minister to hundreds of people battling various addictions. I can’t imagine a vision that doesn’t include deepening your relationship with God and with others. When asked about the greatest commandment, Jesus replied: You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: Love your neighbor as yourself. –Matthew 22:37-39

Part of our long-term vision also involves the purchase of land. At the present time, we are working with commercial real estate agents to acquire land within a few miles of the high school. With our current population of adults and children and future projections based on growth during our first five years, we will eventually outgrow the facilities at Millard West High School. Our own facility will also allow us to serve our community more effectively than leased space. We have in front of us an opportunity to build a new kind of church: one that offers us a place to worship, grow, and relate, while simultaneously loving and serving our community. We will do things in West Omaha that need to be done that nobody else is doing.

These are big dreams and bigger dreams are on the way. Thankfully we have a bigger God who makes all things possible. I’m so excited to see what God is going to do through us and in us as we are take this journey together.

The best is yet to come…

Craig

Wesley's Covenant Prayer for Today

2011-10-19T13:07:00.000-05:00

In 1755, John Wesley first prayed what would later be known as his Covenant Prayer. This prayer was formally published in 1780. Here is the prayer:

I am no longer my own, but thine.
Put me to what thou wilt, rank me with whom thou wilt.
Put me to doing, put me to suffering.
Let me be employed for thee or laid aside for thee,
exalted for thee or brought low for thee.
Let me be full, let me be empty.
Let me have all things, let me have nothing.
I freely and heartily yield all things to thy pleasure and disposal.
And now, O glorious and blessed God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
thou art mine, and I am thine.
So be it.

And the covenant which I have made on earth,
let it be ratified in heaven.
Amen.

The prayer is simultaneously powerful and beautiful. Consider praying it regularly.

A few weeks ago I put the Ten Commandments into modern culture and language. A reader requested I do this with Wesley's Covenant Prayer. Here it is:

I was once mine. From this point forward, I am yours.

Make clear my purposes in life.

Place me among my loved ones and expand my heart to love all.

Help me to think the things you want me to think,
say the things you want me to say,
and do the things you want me to do,
even if it means I am belittled, ignored, or criticized.

Give me people to encourage, serve, and love.
Give me times of peace and rest so I can love and be loved by you.
Let me be a light to a dark world so people can see you working in me.
Make me humble and remind me that everything I have is because of you.
Thank you for times of happiness and prosperity
they are a gift.

Thank you for your presence and promise in days of sadness and hardship
I emerge stronger and wiser.

Let me discover and embrace your will for my life.
With joy and in fullness,
I give my possessions, my time, and my energy
to you and to your purposes.

Almighty, holy, and blessed God:
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,  
you are my true love and I am yours. 

And so it is.

Let the covenant I am making here on earth be acceptable and pleasing to you. 

Amen.

Sun Stand Still

2011-10-13T13:31:00.000-05:00

On Sunday, October 23rd, we are starting a new sermon series at The Water's Edge: Sun Stand Still. I invite you to join us!

It never happened before. It hasn’t happened since. Apologists use science and history to prove it. Skeptics say it’s silly. Some scholars argue it’s a metaphor with incredible meaning. It was the day the sun stood still.

Moses led his people to Mount Pisgah. He could see the land promised to his ancestors: Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. But he could take them no further. His tired muscles and broken bones died on the mountain looking at the finish line of a race he had been running for forty years. He smelled, tasted, and saw victory. But he never experienced it.

Moses was a tough act to follow. Andrew Johnson, Roger Moore, Frank Solich all know what it must have been like for Joshua. One followed Abraham Lincoln as President; one followed Sean Connery as James Bond; and one followed Tom Osborne as football coach. All of them were more than capable. But none of them could be the one thing they were expected to be: their predecessor. The only thing Joshua had going for him was God selected him. And that was more than enough.

Joshua was unsure of himself. Even if he could lead the people across the river to the land flowing with milk and honey, the current residents weren’t going to give up their landlord status and become tenants without a fight. Joshua had just finished an ultramarathon and he had five mixed martial arts fighters standing in line waiting for a piece of him. God sounded like a broken record when told Joshua to be strong and courageous. And Joshua listened. Joshua prayed to the Lord in front of all the people of Israel.

He said, “Let the sun stand still over Gibeon, and the moon over the valley of Aijalon.” So the sun stood still and the moon stayed in place until the nation of Israel had defeated its enemies. –Joshua 10:12-13

It was a day that changed Joshua’s world. Joshua’s back was against the wall. Hope was a mere flicker of light through a dense fog in a distance. He had come so far but had so far to go. But then he remembered the words of God: be strong and courageous. He prayed a prayer the size of his faith. A prayer that only God could answer: “Let the sun stand still.” And the minute he spoke those words the sun stopped dead in its tracks. The enemy didn’t have a chance.

And it was a day that can your world as well. Our mistakes become regrets. The debris of life gathers like rainwater in a puddle. We have hurt others and ourselves. Or maybe we are tired of average or adequate and our dreams are bigger than are available resources. It’s time to pray a prayer that only God can answer. A prayer like Joshua’s. Sun stand still. Save me I’m lost. Get me out of this mess. Help me forgive. Use me to change lives. Make my dreams come true.

The best is yet to come…

Craig

Living the Ten Commandments Today

2011-10-10T11:47:00.000-05:00

From my sermon yesterday...

1. Give me the primary place in your heart. Don’t let things like money or stuff or power or control or people take my place.

2. Worship me and not my creation. I’m much more dependable than the things of the world.

3. Keep your promises: the promises you make to me, the promises you make to others, and the promises you make to yourself. Broken promises lead to broken lives.

4. Rest once in a while. Do you really want to spend your life as tired and stressed and burdened? I created the world and the things in it for you to enjoy. Take me up on this offer.

5. Early in your life, listen to your parents. They aren’t perfect, but they are most likely doing their best to raise you. Later in life, do your best to take care of your parents. When you couldn’t take care of yourself, they were there for you. Now it’s your turn.

6. Don’t kill people. Don’t kill their dreams, their relationships, or their well-being. Spend your life building people up and not tearing them down.

7. Don’t mess around with your marriage vows or anybody else’s.

8. Don’t take things that aren’t yours. You will hurt somebody else and the thing you take probably won’t have much value to you anyway.

9. Don’t tell lies about others. Don’t gossip either. It is hurtful for the person you are gossiping about, the other person will most likely find what you said which will hurt or end your relationship with that person, and it makes you appear insensitive and untrustworthy.

10. Don’t be jealous of others. It’s tough to be in a good relationship with somebody you are jealous of and it makes you a whole lot less grateful for what you have.

The Waterfall

2011-10-05T17:09:00.000-05:00

I needed to get away. We all have those days. I left my cell phone in my car. Email would have to wait for another day. So would this column, this week’s sermon, advance planning, pastoral care, leadership, and administration.

Go away by yourself to a desolate place and rest a while. –Mark 6:31

I laced up some old trail running shoes. The leftover mud on the shoes was a few months old. Long shorts and an old t-shirt were the clothes for the morning. I filled my water bottle mostly with ice and a little water. The ice would melt soon enough. I got in my dirty black car and drove to the park. A sports radio show was on. I turned it off. Somehow two guys overanalyzing the hows and whys of Nebraska’s quarterback throwing too many interceptions just didn’t really matter to me.

It was a beautiful morning. The morning sun reflecting off the yellow and red leaves were God’s canvas. Monet and Van Gogh and Audubon on their best day never came close to this. The fallen leaves covered the crusty dirt trail. They also covered the tree roots and rocks. I shared the forest with a few deer and a group of wild turkeys. They were seeking food for their stomachs. I was seeking food for my soul.

Photo by Tim Wright
http://www.redbubble.com/people/bobst1080

After about 90 minutes of running the ice was melted and the water in the bottle was gone. A few scrapes existed on my right wrist and right knee from an encounter with a tree root. The shirt was sweaty in the upper back. I opened the door of the dirty car, removed my Bible and journal, and walked down a steep hill to a bench overlooking a small waterfall.

I opened the Bible. I read Psalm 42. No particular reason. It is just where I landed. I wrote part of the text in my own words:

When I am sad or stressed or tired or tense, I remember you.

The depths of my heart call to depths of your heart.

The waterfall makes smooth the jagged rock.

Each day God showers His love on my imperfect heart and changes it.

There is something about a waterfall. It overcomes obstacles with brawn and beauty. It is simultaneously peaceful and powerful. It is as delightful as it is determined. It takes a coarse rock and over time makes it as smooth as silk. Maybe the ordinary waterfall is so exceptional because it is like God: peaceful, powerful, beautiful, different, and transforming.

The sight and then the sound of the waterfall faded in the distance. I walked up the hill to the dirty black car. And I remembered God’s words to Moses, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” –Exodus 33:14

The best is yet to come…

Craig

Control Issues

2011-09-29T14:02:00.000-05:00

Last Sunday morning I had a headache. When I get them, usually a couple Advil takes the pain away. Last Sunday morning was an exception. I was having some investigative work done on my colon the next morning and wasn’t allowed to take Advil. So I drove downtown to pray with our runners who were doing the 10K, half-marathon, and marathon. Trying to find a parking spot, the headache got worse. When I got home the computer we use to project words and images on the screen during worship didn’t boot up. The headache got worse. In about 15 years of doing this, I don’t ever recall preaching with a headache. Now I can say I have.

I’ll skip the details between noon on Sunday and nine o’clock on Monday morning. The headache was still present. I hadn’t eaten for thirty-six hours. For the first time in my life I was getting an IV. The nurse pushed my bed into the surgical room. I was going to be put to sleep for the first time in my life.

I’m not a control freak. Quite the opposite. I am probably a little too hands off as a church leader and I may give my kids too much freedom. Hopefully I’m somewhere in the middle between micromanaging and chaos.

But on Monday morning I was dealing with some control issues. The anesthesiologist was very professional. He was even funny. I told him it was my first time going under. He replied I was his first patient, so we would be a good team. The surgeon was competent and compassionate. He noted I was the youngest patient he had seen in a while. By this time I was becoming sedated: I think I told him I didn’t know if that said more about me or him. Either that or I told him I was being chased by a giant, talking coconut. I remember them talking about my low resting pulse and being a funny guy for a pastor. Or maybe that was a dream.

The next thing I remember is waking up with the IV out wondering why they hadn’t started yet. The nurse explained I was done. I replied “What do you mean, done? Am I going to die?” She responded, “Eventually you will, but most likely not in the near future. We are finished. Everything went well.”

A while later, I left to go home. A queasy stomach. An empty stomach. A chauffeur. Having as much or as little control as I want. As I was dreaming about onion rings and key lime pie, it hit me, I realized I’m not really in control of much of anything except the thing that matters most. I don’t control things like the driver on the other side of the road, the stock market, or my kids when they are at school. But I can influence my relationship with God. It’s not much, but just as well, because in the present and in the end, it’s what matters. I’m not going to be a casual fan. I’m going to strive to be a fully committed follower.

The best is yet to come…

Craig

Why Honey Crisp Apples Cost More

2011-09-28T11:56:00.000-05:00

Last night Benjamin asked me why Honey Crisp apples cost more than other apples. It's not everyday I get to use my degree in economics...so here it goes.

A comparison of Red Delicious (red) and Honey Crisp (green) apples

First, the Honey Crisp is a fairly new apple so there is a fairly limited supply. Growers simply can't plant new trees and get huge harvests in the few years. It will take years for supply of Honey Crisps to catch up to other varieties of apples.

Second, the Honey Crisp is probably the best tasting apple. Their sweet and mild flavor and firm texture make them a joy to eat. Honey Crisp apples have the highest demand of any apple.

Intuition at this point tells us the Honey Crisp is going to cost more than other apples. The law of supply and demand graph confirms this intuition.

Two apples are compared on this chart. The Red Delicious are the red lines and the Honey Crisp are the green lines.

Supply

Note the supply of both varieties at $0. A grower will not harvest apples he or she has to give away. Note also the inelasticity of both supply curves: the price the buyer is willing to pay for the apples doesn't have a major effect on the quantity sold. The number of apple trees (and therefore apples) in a growing season is fixed. Just as it doesn't make sense to give the apples away, it doesn't make sense to let the apples rot. So regardless of price offered for the apples (assuming the price is above the cost of getting the apples to market), the quantity of apples supplied is not terribly dependent on price. Note as well the supply of Red Delicious apples is greater than the supply of Honey Crisp apples. A greater number of existing orchards and trees allow the growers to sell more units of Red Delicious apples at a lower price.

Demand

The demand of Honey Crisp apples is much greater than the demand for Red Delicious Apples. If given the choice, most apple eaters greatly prefer the taste of Honey Crisp apples to Red Delicious Apples. Look at two price points for each apple. At $2 the consumer is willing to purchase only 18 units of Red Delicious apples. The consumer is willing to purchase 60 units of Honey Crisp apples for $2. At $4 the consumer is willing to purchase only 10 units of Red Delicious apples. The consumer is willing to purchase 30 units of Honey Crisp apples for $4. So, the consumer wants Honey Crisp apples more than Red Delicious apples and is willing to pay the price. The demand for apples, especially Red Delicious, is pretty elastic. A change in price significantly effects the quantity demanded.

Equilibrium

The price is determined by the intersection of supply and demand. A high supply and lower demand for Red Delicious apples means 2.4 units of apples will be sold at a price of $1.30. A low supply and higher demand for Honey Crisp apples means 4.8 units of Honey Crisp apples will be sold at a price of $2.80.

Conclusion

Price is determined by supply and demand. Honey Crisp apples will continue to cost more than other varieties of apples until more Honey Crisp apple trees can be planted and other varieties of apples are developed that rival the taste of Honey Crisp Apples.

What You Can Do

2011-09-23T14:32:00.001-05:00

Dozens of times in the last few months, people have asked me how they can help with The Water’s Edge—especially as we have recently celebrated our 5th Birthday and as we launch into a new season of ministry and mission in Omaha and beyond. Here are some essential practices God wants from the people of His Church.

Hanging out at The Water's Edge at Platte River State Park

Invite. Nothing draws people to Jesus more than you. It takes courage for people to step into a journey towards Christ. It takes courage to walk through the doors of a church. And you can be the courage people need to step out! Honor the people in your life with an invitation to experience God at The Water’s Edge. Tell your friends, family, co-workers, and classmates—share what you love about your church—and invite them to worship with you.

Serve. We most look like Jesus when we serve. From teaching kids to greeting strangers to setting up chairs to dozens of other ministries – serving is part of God’s plan for our life. You will be a blessing and you will be blessed. Serving is a great way to get to know people as well.

Speaking of getting to know people, join a small group or commit to the current small group you are in. We currently have about 20 small groups of all shapes and sizes. More will be starting in mid-October and in early January. You will have fun, make friends, learn from and with others, and experience and encounter God.

Worship regularly. This is a primary way we connect with God. We are comforted and challenged. We experience the things of God: hope, grace, and forgiveness. The Scriptures are applied to our lives.

Every day do something that invests in your spiritual life and helps you grow as a disciple. Every day participate in our Bible reading plan or read a devotional. Every day do something that serves or benefits someone else. Every day pray for the church.

Give. The way we handle money is essential for our well-being and for the mission and ministry of the church. Giving frees us from the burden of greed and creates in us a spirit of generosity. Giving also allows us to trust that God can do more with most of our resources than we can do with all of our resources. To do the things God wants The Water’s Edge to do and to serve the people God wants us to serve, additional financial resources will be necessary.

Live out the Gospel. No substitute exists for Christian character. God will be most powerful in your life and the lives of those around you when you do the things Jesus did, live like Jesus lived, and love like Jesus loved.

That is how you can help.

The best is yet to come…

Craig

A Franciscan Prayer

2011-09-22T10:51:00.000-05:00

I'm reading through a book of Franciscan prayers each morning and invite you to join me in praying this prayer.

May God bless you with discomfort at easy answers, half truths, and superficial relationships so that you may live deep within your heart. May God bless every single one of you with anger at injustice, oppression, and the exploitation of people so that you may work for justice and freedom and peace. May God bless you with tears to shed for those who suffer from pain and rejection and starvation and war so that you may reach out your hand to comfort them and to turn their pain into joy. And may God bless you with enough foolishness to believe that you, yes you, can make a difference in this world so that you can do for Christ what others claim cannot be done. May God bless you with a heart that breaks for the things that break his heart; may God bless you with a divine tenderness. May God give you an ear that hears his voice. May God increase the anointing upon your life, for you have been filled with the same Spirit that raised Christ from the grave. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

And Make It Plain on Tablets

2011-09-16T10:59:00.000-05:00

Vision is a proactive, preferred picture of the future. Simultaneously, a vision is not just a picture of what can be; it is an appeal to better ourselves and a call to become something more. Last week we celebrated our fifth birthday as a congregation. I talked about vision for the future of The Water’s Edge.

Then the LORD answered me and said:

Write the vision
And make it plain on tablets,
That he may run who reads it. –Habakkuk 2:2

A biblical vision for a church always includes people outside the church. Jesus told his disciples to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, visit the sick and the prisoner, and welcome the stranger. He challenged people to care for the widows and orphans. He spent a lot more time outside the Temple than he spent inside the Temple. His last words to the disciples were to go and make disciples.

Jesus had other practices and beliefs. He believed in community. Not the polite kind where people are nice to each other. But the kind where people bear each other’s burdens, care for one another, dare each other to grow, and share life together. Jesus believed in recovery and wholeness. He believed in the power of prayer. He was a servant. He said children were as important as anything and everything else. And he wasn’t interested in fans: he never asked people to be enthusiastic admirers. He was only interested in people following him.

Where there is no vision, the people perish. –Proverbs 29:18

As we become a new church independent from Faith-Westwood on January 1, 2012 – it is the appropriate and perfect time to discern and develop God’s vision for our future.

I will pour out my Spirit upon all people.

Your sons and daughters will prophesy.

Your old men will dream dreams,

and your young men will see visions. –Joel 2:28

A team of people will pray, listen to God, study the teachings of Jesus, listen to our congregation, evaluate our strengths and areas for growth, listen to each other, dream, and create a vision for The Water’s Edge. I can’t imagine the vision won’t include things like small groups, recovery ministries, prayer, students and children, helping people’s dreams come true, serving hurting people all over the world, sharing our faith with people not in the church, a community-center-type building that will allow The Water’s Edge to love our community into a relationship with Jesus Christ, and a collection of eclectic people who are not fans of Jesus—but fully committed followers of Jesus.

The best is yet to come…

Craig

Faith, Hope, and Love Win

2011-09-08T05:31:00.001-05:00

It was ten years ago. Some days it doesn’t seem that long ago. Some days it does. Like every other Tuesday, I took the day off from being a pastor and was driving the forty-five minute commute from Spencer, Iowa to Cherokee, Iowa to be a chaplain at the Northwest Iowa Mental Health Institute. I was changing the radio stations and stopped when I heard one of the radio announcers praying for the events that happened in New York. I turned to a new station and heard a commercial airplane had crashed into one of the towers at the World Trade Center.

I spent the rest of the day watching the news with a co-worker, a Catholic nun, and dozens of patients at the hospital. I saw things I thought I would never see in this country: giant buildings collapsing, air traffic being grounded, and a nation under attack.

A nation lived in fear. Hearts were broken. Hope was temporarily suspended.

We did a worship service that night at Grace United Methodist Church. It originally started off as a prayer service in the chapel. Fifteen minutes before the service was supposed to start, the little chapel was overflowing with people so we moved worship to the Sanctuary. Hundreds of people from the community packed the Sanctuary. I read from the 23rd Psalm:

Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me.

I left the church that night knowing more clearly and believing more passionately: people need God.

It was five years ago. Some days it doesn’t seem that long ago. Some days it does. I walked into Russell Middle School knowing more clearly and believing more passionately that people need God. The launch of The Water’s Edge appropriately was experiencing rain. Not the normal polite Nebraska rain that gently falls from the sky. Buckets of water accompanied with gale force winds. The commons area at the school didn’t fill up fifteen minutes early. It never filled up at all. But the first page of the dream of dozens of committed people was written. Hundreds of pages have been written since that day. It has been a great five years.

Faith is replacing fear. Hearts are being healed. Hope is alive and we believe tomorrow can be better than yesterday.

This morning, as we reflect on the events from ten years ago, we remember how fragile and how precious human life is. We pledge not to take life for granted and give thanks to God by fully living each day. So we also celebrate The Water’s Edge being five years old this morning. We started and we will continue living out and sharing the Gospel because we believe more than ever that people need God.

Fear, despair, and hatred lose. Faith, hope, and love win.

The best is yet to come…

Craig

Quotes from Getting Past Your Past

2011-09-07T06:34:00.000-05:00

When you make a mistake you get another chance. Today is always a new day and plenty of opportunities exist for better relationships, personal achievement, joy, contentment, and growing closer to God. Failure is not stumbling or even falling down. Failure is staying down and refusing to embrace the new day. "This is the day the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it." -Psalm 118:24

Revenge, anger, getting even -- they all seem like a good idea at the time. Until we realize the pain directed at the person who hurt us is like a boomerang: the animosity and hostility returns to us and smacks us on the head. Unless you like being bitter and resentful...try forgiveness. It's God gift to you.

What is true about you today doesn't have to be true about you tomorrow. "This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!" -2 Corinthians 5:17

Forgiveness: It's not as much for the offending party as it is for you. Maybe they will sleep a little better at night or be able to look in the mirror without quite as much guilt. Maybe they won't. You are spared carrying around burdens like resentment, anger, and bitterness. Forgiveness may not be fair, but it is good.

The past: We can’t change a darn thing about it. We can and should learn from it: the good, the bad, and ugly. And, somehow, we have to put it behind us. Doing things such as this sure beats the alternative. I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead. –Philippians 3:13

Forgiveness doesn't change a darn thing about the past. It only changes the future. You get to choose your priority: yesterday or tomorrow. "Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you." -Ephesians 4:32

Saying sorry does't necessarily mean you are totally wrong and the other person is totally right. Both parties most likely share at least part of the blame. Apologizing is a starting point to reconciliation and simply means you value your relationship with that person more than you value your ego.

Forgiveness isn't overlooking an offense from another party. Overlooking the deed is either enabling a self-destructive behavior or being a doormat - neither of which are wise alternatives. Forgiveness simply rises above offenses and hurts.

Most failures in life happen because people didn't realize how close success was when they quit. Success generally happens only a step or two beyond what once looked like our greatest failure. Don't give up or quit. Continue and finish strong. "Problems develop endurance. Endurance develops character. Character strengthens hope. And hope will not lead to disappointment." -Romans 3:3-5

About Ten Years Later

2011-09-04T21:30:00.000-05:00

About ten years ago this girl in the church I was serving at the time asked me if I would do her wedding when she grows up. I told her I'd be honored to do it. She is a woman now and got engaged a while back. The four of us headed to Okoboji yesterday and today I kept the promise. It was a joy to perform her wedding.

Me, Samantha, and Shane

A Little Bit About Many Things

2011-09-02T11:49:00.001-05:00

A Ten Year Old Promise (And Where I Am This Weekend)

About ten years ago, a girl in the church I was serving in northwest Iowa asked me if I would do her wedding. I told her I would. She was young. Still had lots of school in front of her. She didn’t even have a boyfriend that I was aware of. A few months ago my phone rang. It was the girl who I haven’t talked to in about ten years. She is now a woman. I promised her I would do her wedding. This weekend I’m in Okoboji doing her wedding. I’m so grateful to all the volunteers who make things happen and we don’t miss a beat when I am gone. Thanks to Brad Krebs for doing this morning’s message. Brad is a middle school teacher at Russell Middle School and is a real blessing to us at The Water’s Edge.

Church Vote

We had great participation at both campuses last week to approve the Church Council’s proposal for The Water’s Edge to become a separate United Methodist Church from Faith-Westwood. Support for this proposal was nearly unanimous at The Water’s Edge and was supported by a majority of members at Faith-Westwood as well. The Water’s Edge will become a United Methodist Church on January 1st, 2012.

5th Birthday

Next week will be one of our biggest weeks ever at The Water’s Edge. We will take time to remember the tragic events of ten years ago, September 11th, 2001. Events like this remind us of the importance of God in our lives. We will celebrate what God has done during our first five years and also look forward to what is going to be happening during the next five years.

I’m Not a Fan of Jesus

I’m not a fan of Jesus. A fan is a person who supports and cheers on others from the sideline. Jesus never asked us to be his fan. He asks us to be his followers. Completely committed followers. Starting next week, for six weeks, we will look at what it means to be a completely committed follower of Jesus. I look forward to taking this six-week journey with you.

Small Groups

We have about twenty small groups launching or relaunching next week. If there is one thing I want you to do this fall—it’s for you to try a small group for six weeks. Register by visiting the small group table on Sunday morning, going online, or by filling out the bulletin insert and placing it in the offering basket.

Labor Day

Enjoy the Labor Day Weekend. Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” –Matthew 11:28-29

The best is yet to come…

Craig

Bible Reading Plan - Luke 11 to 17

2011-08-26T12:56:00.001-05:00

This week’s Bible reading plan is to read Luke chapters 11-17. In about five to ten minutes per day, you can read through the entire New Testament in one year. If you didn’t start on January 1st, start today and set a goal to read through Luke 11-17 this week. Stay consistent and make focused Bible reading a daily habit.

Read the selected verses each day.

Spend some time in prayer reflecting on how God spoke to you through the reading.

Read the study guide for the day to dig a little deeper into a few selected verses.

Respond to the questions and prayer guides as you apply the biblical teachings to your life.

By the end of this week we will have read through Matthew, Luke 1-17, John, Acts, Romans, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 Timothy, 1 Thessalonians, James, 1 Peter, 1 John, 2 John, 3 John.

Monday, August 29th – read Luke 11

Reread verse 28: “But he said, ‘Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!’” God desires blessings for us all, and tells us just how to obtain them; hear the Word of God and keep it. Pray and ask God to make your heart receptive to his word and fill you with the grace to walk in his ways. Meditate on Matthew 5:16. Ask God to use you to encourage another with his word.

Tuesday, August 30th – read Luke 12

Reread verse 2: “Nothing is covered up that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known.” Excusing ourselves from our hidden sins, rather than addressing them as the word of God teaches us will never benefit anyone. Sometimes we tend to compartmentalize our lives, giving only certain days and times to God, not allowing God’s presence into all the rest. Are there any hidden areas in part of your life? God is already there, and he knows all. Ask God to give you the grace to give all to him, and bring your whole life into the light of his love. Encourage another with this truth today. Meditate on 1 Peter 2:12.

Wednesday, August 31st – read Luke 13

Reread verse 35: “And I tell you, you will not see me until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!’” Living in a world where “seeing is believing” can be a subtle but constant tax on our faith. What are circumstances or difficulties you face that cause you to be anxious, worried or fearful of the outcome? Fear is the enemy of faith! Give your cares to God today and ask God to help your unbelief, so that you might take him fully at his word, and exercise an invincible faith for your situations and circumstances. Meditate on Mark 11:24. Nothing is impossible with God!

Thursday, Sept 1st – read Luke 14

Reread verse 26: “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.” The word “hate” in this passage, in the original Greek, actually means loving less. Now reread the scripture above inserting that meaning. Pray and ask God to examine your heart and reveal anything that you love or treasure more than him, and ask him to set your love priorities in the right order. Meditate on Luke 12:34.

Friday, Sept 2nd – Luke 15

Reread verse 24: “‘For this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.” Regardless of the life we’ve have lived and the mistakes we’ve made, God throws a party when we humbly turn and give our lives to him. Pray and ask God to reveal the depth and breadth, the height and width and weight of his great love for you. Meditate on Romans 5:8. Spread the love of God everywhere you go today!

Saturday, September 3rd – Luke 16

Reread verse 10: “One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much.” Following God is not just a “spiritual” journey, but a whole life commitment. Do you follow him in every aspect of your life? Ask God to reveal any areas in your work life, relationships, habits, or behaviors that fall short of faithfulness. Specifically, give them to God and ask him to be made strong in your every weakness. Meditate on 2 Corinthians 12:9. Ask God live large in every aspect of your life!

Sunday, September 5th – Luke 17

Happy Sunday! Reread verse 5-6: “The apostles said to the Lord, ‘Increase our faith.’ And the Lord said, ‘If you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.” If we could manage to wrap our minds around the power of faith in God, we’d find it is beyond any power ever known to humanity. The power of God is miraculous! How complete is your faith in God’s ability to work his miracles in your life, and the lives of those you pray for? Ask God to increase your faith today. Meditate on 1 John 5:14-15. Pray for The Water’s Edge; blessings on all the volunteers, staff, and lay leaders, peace and grace for those wrestling to get out the door to come to church today, and for God’s life-changing power as we are brought the message today. See you at worship!

This Week's Column

2011-08-25T11:50:00.000-05:00

I remember September 17, 2006. It was our second Sunday worshiping at The Water’s Edge. We worshipped at Russell Middle School back then and had about 75 adults and 25 kids present. AJ was a one-man band. Our bulletin was a front and back 8.5 x 11 sheet of paper. We had lots of leftover donuts.

In the last five years we have fed a lot of hungry people, new friendships have been created and existing friendships have been strengthened, children have learned about God, people have been supported though hardship, dozens of babies have been born, people have been baptized, marriages have been strengthened, we have laughed a lot, we have prayed a lot, we have run marathons and raised tens of thousands of dollars for kids in Africa, we have supported missionaries in Africa and Omaha and many places in between, we have worshipped in three different schools, we have been challenged and affirmed, and we have done our best to be God’s people together.

Last week we had over 550 adults and 135 children present in a crowded high school. The stage was full of musicians. The bulletin was 12 pages long. We ran out of donuts before the second worship service started.

We have come a long way and I sense that God is just getting started with us. I know much greater things are still to come.

You are the reason The Water’s Edge exists. The growth, grace, friendships, forgiveness, service, and salvation that I am most concerned about is the growth, grace, friendships, forgiveness, service, and salvation that happens in your life. The Water’s Edge exists to help people grow in their relationship with God and with others and to help us serve our community and world. I hope The Water’s Edge is making a difference in your life and I pray The Water’s Edge continues to make a difference in your life for the next five years and beyond!

I am more excited today about the next five years than I was five years ago about the first five years…and I was pretty excited back then! I know we are just seeing the tip of the iceberg about what God is going to do in us and through us.

Today is an important day for The Water’s Edge and for Faith-Westwood. After the 10:30 worship service we will hold a Church Conference to seek approval for the recommendation for The Water’s Edge to become a United Methodist Church separate from Faith-Westwood. It is my hope this approval is widely supported and embraced by people at both campuses. It is also my hope that no two churches in Omaha work more closely together in the future. I believe this proposal is best for The Water’s Edge and I believe it is best for Faith-Westwood because both churches will have the opportunity to focus externally on ministry (instead of inward on what it means to be one church), implement best ministry practices for their own unique setting, and create and live out their own unique vision of what it means to be the church.

The best is yet to come…

Craig

Forgiving Others

2011-08-21T20:56:00.001-05:00

Listen to this morning's message.

What forgiveness is not

1. Forgiveness is NOT Forgetting

It’s kind of like this: You have done something unspeakable to me. By all rights I should call it quits between us. My pride and my principles demand no less. I probably can’t forgot what has been done and will most likely carry scars for life, but I refuse to let the past stand between us and still want you as a friend.

2. Forgiveness is NOT an Act of Weakness

The weak have a tough time forgiving. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.

3. Forgiveness is NOT Permission to Continue Self-Destructive Behavior

That is called enabling. Quite a bit different than forgiveness.

4. Forgiveness is NOT Conditional

Sincere forgiveness isn't colored with expectations that the other person apologize or change. That would be call for-earn-ness and not for-give-ness.

5. Forgiveness is NOT necessarily a fully restored relationship

Sometimes it’s best and sometimes it’s only possible to forgive from a distance. Sometimes forgiveness says I’m going to try to be your friend again and sometimes forgiveness has to say goodbye.

6. Forgiveness is NOT usually a single event.

Forgiveness is usually a process. It is usually not a switch. It is usually a journey. It takes time. The deeper the offense; the longer the journey.

7. Forgiveness is NOT primarily for the other party.

To forgive is to set a prisoner free and the prisoner is usually you. We can either forgive or relive.

Types of hurt

1. Unintentional – misunderstanding - busyness

2. Intentional – betrayal

What I pray is for us to learn, embrace, and practice the biblical model of forgiveness so that we can deal with others the way God deals with us.

What is impossible by humans is possible with God. If there is unforgiveness exists in our lives – that God – through the power of the Holy Spirit will work in our lives to make the impossible happen and we can forgive those who have hurt us.

Why forgive?

1. Unforgiveness continues to hurt the person who was hurt. In other words…unforgiveness hurts us.

Hebrews 12:15 (NIV)

See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.

Unforgiveness is a bitter root.

We live with a bitter root.

We may or even may not be aware of the presence of the bitter root.

And the bitter root defiles. It causes trouble. It contaminates.

Love keeps no record of wrongs.

Bitterness keeps detailed records of wrongs.

Unforgiveness is a cancer to the soul.

It eats away at us.

It hurts our relationship with others.

It hurts our relationship with God.

It prevents us from becoming the self that God wants us to become.

Unforgiveness is like squeezing broken glass. It hurts us.

Unforgiveness is like drinking poison and hoping it kills the other person. -Anne LaMott

2. Because I’ll need forgiveness again.

Matthew 6:14-15

If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.

Matthew 18:32-35

Then the king called in the man he had forgiven and said, ‘You evil servant! I forgave you that tremendous debt because you pleaded with me. Shouldn’t you have mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you?’ Then the angry king sent the man to prison to be tortured until he had paid his entire debt. That’s what my heavenly Father will do to you if you refuse to forgive your brothers and sisters from your heart.

God’s grace and forgiveness is not conditional on our forgiveness of others. God is talking about something a little different.

The pride that prevents us from forgiving others is a twin sibling to the pride keeps us from accepting God’s forgiveness. And may God help us do something about it.

The forgiving becomes the forgiven

The forgiving doesn’t let hurts from the past to destroy the future.

How in the heck do I do this? I don’t know how.

1. Pray for those who hurt you.

Pray the way Jesus prayed when creation turned on the creator. As Jesus was dying on the cross – as people were hurting and humiliating him – he prayed: “Father forgive them for they know not what they do.”

Jesus taught clearly in Matthew 5:43-45

You have heard the law that says, "Love your neighbor" and hate your enemy. But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven.

Some of you are thinking I don’t want to pray for this person. I don’t feel like it.

We all need to understand this:

Right action leads to trigger right feelings.

Right actions to come first.

If you wait for the desire…you will be waiting for a long time.

But, if we start praying, right feelings will follow right actions.

My prayers for others may or may not change other people…but my prayers for others always, without exception, change me and my reaction to the other person.

Start small

Know it may be painful

2. Then forgive as you have been forgiven.

We forgive the same way God has forgiven us.

Completely

Constantly

Colossians 3:13

Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.

Forgive as you have been forgiven.

Forgiveness

2011-08-19T11:49:00.001-05:00

The young woman is starting her last year of college. She is going to make the most of it. She has her tickets for the home football games. Her and her friends have a spring break trip planned to Florida. She and her three roommates went out tonight. They had so much fun. Her first class is at 8:00 tomorrow morning. It’s 2:15 in the morning. She can’t sleep.

On the other side of the city is a man. 2:15 in the morning is a time he is all too familiar with. He steps out on the front porch for some fresh air. The air is cool, but heavy. The only sounds are the locusts and a delivery truck making the rounds a few blocks away. His wife is sleeping. He walks back inside and looks at an old family picture. His heart turns heavier than the humid Nebraska air.

Heavy is the way the young woman would describe her heart. Her parents were divorced when she was very young. It worked okay. She had a good relationship with each parent and they even seemed to get along with each other. Then one day, her mom started dating a man. They eventually got married. The young woman acted happy for her mom, but it was an act. As an eleven year old, she sensed the man was trouble. And she was right. The man was verbally abusive to the mom and then to her. He moved out a week after her graduation. She wishes he had never moved in. He left a path of devastation: shattered dreams, emotional scars, and seven wasted years. The man lives in Louisiana now and has moved on, but it’s 2:15 and the girl isn’t sleeping.

The man puts the picture down. A tear flows down his cheek. He sees his 20 year-old boy with a big smile on his face. The boy is 35 now. He has a couple kids of his own. The man hasn’t seen any of them for about five years. Well, he actually has watched a few soccer games from afar. He would give anything to give that granddaughter a hug after she scored that goal. He wouldn’t mind giving his son a hug either—just like the old days—but that isn’t going to happen. A fight over money took place and the two stubborn men haven’t spoken since.

Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you. –Ephesians 4:32

The young woman and the man live in the same city and a different world, but they desperately need the same thing: to forgive. Not for the sake of the offending party, but for their sake. Forgiveness, at its core, is an act of self-interest. Not forgiving allows the offending party to continue to hurt. Forgiving allows the heart to heal. Forgiving doesn’t mean forgetting or letting off the hook. Forgiving means to letting go of the past and its pesky travelling companions: anger, anxiety, and bitterness. Forgiveness is God’s idea for God’s children. And it’s a choice God gives us: we can remember and resent or we can forgive and live.

The best is yet to come…

Craig

Bible Reading Plan - Luke

2011-08-18T11:36:00.000-05:00

This week’s Bible reading plan is to read Luke chapters 6-10. In about five to ten minutes per day, you can read through the entire New Testament in one year. If you didn’t start on January 1st, start today and set a goal to read through Luke 6-10 this week. Stay consistent and make focused Bible reading a daily habit.

Read the selected verses each day.

Spend some time in prayer reflecting on how God spoke to you through the reading.

Read the study guide for the day to dig a little deeper into a few selected verses.

Respond to the questions and prayer guides as you apply the biblical teachings to your life.

By the end of this week we will have read through Matthew, Luke 1-10, John, Acts, Romans, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 Timothy, 1 Thessalonians, James, 1 Peter, 1 John, 2 John, 3 John.

Monday, August 22 – Luke 6:1-49

Reread verse 37-38: “Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” Do you have someone you need to forgive? Start with prayer, and confess your forgiveness and ask God to help you walk in love going forward, to heal and restore you. Meditate on Colossians 3:13.

Tuesday, August 23 – Luke 7:1-35

Reread verse 9: When Jesus heard these things, he marveled at him, and turning to the crowd that followed him, said, “I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.” Believing in the authority of Jesus (that he is all the Word says he is) equals faith, and releases His power in your life. Are you seeking God first in all things, giving him everything in prayer? His authority is higher and greater than all other. Pray with faith in the supreme/overriding authority of Christ over your concerns, circumstances, and loved ones. Believe God for answers. Meditate on Matthew 21:22.

Wednesday, August 24 – Luke 7:36-50

Reread verse 47: “Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.” Sin is sin, regardless of whether you think it’s a really bad sin or not. This makes us more deeply thankful to God for his forgiveness and gives us a greater compassion for others. Show our thankfulness to God. Let your words and deeds be your worship to Christ today, who has forgiven your every sin. Thank God for his forgiveness. Look for an opportunity to share this good news and forgive! Meditate on 1 Chronicles 16:8.

Thursday, August 25 – Luke 8

This chapter is full of amazing parables and miracles. Reread verses 11-12: “This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is God's word. The seeds that fell on the footpath represent those who hear the message, only to have the devil come and take it away from their hearts and prevent them from believing and being saved.” When we take God at his word, we are saved in every way we can be: heart, mind, soul, and strength. Live each day believing to the fullest that you are who God says you are, and so is he! Pray and thank God for the truth and authority of his word over your life today. Meditate today on Psalms 119:11.

Friday, August 26 – Luke 9

Reread verse 9:23: “Then he said to the crowd, ‘If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross daily, and follow me.’” The cross is used figuratively to represent sacrifice in yielding our lives to Christ and symbolizing God’s infinite love. Our cross is to yield our lives to his will and carry his infinite love with us as we go about each day. How well do you take up your cross daily? Ask God to help you walk in humility and love toward him and others today. Meditate on Romans 12:9.

Saturday, August 27 – Luke 10

Reread verse 27: “You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind.' And, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.’” This scripture was the correct answer to the question, “What must I do to have eternal life?” God gives us the answer; Love! Sometimes we’ve forgiven others and known God has forgiven us, but we still struggle with forgiving ourselves. We become stuck in regret and self-condemnation. Love starts with you! Meditate on Romans 8:1, “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,” Ask God for an opportunity today to encourage another with this truth.

Sunday, August 28 – Psalm 119:1-16

Do you want more of His presence in our life? Put your lamp on a stand let God live big through you! Look for opportunities this coming week to be an encouragement to others. Ask God to let His light shine through you, to bear witness to the one who gave His life for the love of you. Remember, Luke 8:38 “Give, and you will receive…” Pray for God’s blessings on all the volunteers and all their families, lay leaders, Water’s Edge staff and Pastor Craig as he brings the Word this morning. Pray for God’s blessings on all who come to hear the word this morning; that God would open their eyes to see the wonderful truths in His instructions. (Psalm 119:18) See you at worship!

Getting Past Your Past

2011-08-11T13:03:00.001-05:00

The forty-something year old man sits at his desk. He stares at the spreadsheet on his computer. The numbers he is crunching don’t look much different than they looked yesterday. He and his wife get along. Some of the passion from early in the relationship seems to be missing, but it could be worse. The kids are great, but they are growing up so fast. Life is usually busy, sometimes stressful, and passes by like an hourglass stuck to a table. Meanwhile, he is staring at a spreadsheet on his computer.

The woman in her mid twenties is walking around the lake. Her iPod blasts country music. She politely smiles at the people riding their bikes, pushing their jogging strollers, and walking their dogs. Her smile is more a surface smile. Inside she isn’t all that happy. She works in marketing and loves her job. She enjoys hanging out with her friends. Those things aren’t the problem. She walks faster, turns the music up louder, and keeps cranking out those smiles.

As the man stares at his computer, he goes back a decade or so to a time in his life when he was addicted to alcohol. With deep regret he remembers the days and nights he wasn’t home with his wife and kids. Even if he was home, he still has a lot to regret. He beats himself up over the night he was arrested for driving with too much liquor in his system. He wishes he could have found a more constructive way to deal with stress than a short-term reprieve of a few shots of whiskey and lots of beer. He is clean now and has been for some time, but the past has a tight stranglehold on him and the opponent’s grip is not getting any looser. He keeps staring at that spreadsheet.

As the woman continues around the lake she looks at her index finger on her left hand. It is empty. A ring was on the finger for ten months—about five years ago. It was shiny and beautiful. It represented faith, hope, and love. She was engaged. Life was perfect. The wedding date was set. Then one day, he told her they needed to postpone the wedding. He had some excuse about this being a really busy year with his job. She believed him and supported him. A few months later he broke it off and broke her heart. To make things worse, a year later he married another woman. They say time heals all wounds. It’s been five years and she ain’t there yet.

The man’s office and the woman’s lake are less than a mile apart. He is 45 and she is 25. Their lives are much different, but the issue they need to deal with is the same: getting past their past. They, and pretty much everybody else they know, need to heal from pain inflicted by others and by self. Things like forgiveness, getting over our failures, and not letting others define us are the first and most important steps to contentment, fulfillment, satisfaction and joy.

The past: we can’t change a darn thing about it. We can learn from it: the good, the bad, and ugly. And, somehow, we have to put it behind us. Doing things such as this sure beats the alternative.

I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead. –Philippians 3:13

The best is yet to come…

Craig

Bible Reading Plan - 1 Peter

2011-08-05T15:31:00.001-05:00

Thanks to Stephanie Reinhart for this week's Bible Reading Plan.

This week’s Bible reading plan takes us to the book of 1 Peter. In about five to ten minutes per day, you can read through the entire New Testament in one year. If you didn’t start on January 1st, start today and set a goal to make it through the book of 1 Peter this week. Stay consistent and make focused Bible reading a daily habit.

Read the selected verses each day.

Spend some time in prayer reflecting on how God spoke to you through the reading.

Read the study guide for the day to dig a little deeper into a few selected verses.

Respond to the questions and prayer guides as you apply the biblical teachings to your life.

By the end of this week we will have read through Matthew, John, Acts, Romans, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 Timothy, 1 Thessalonians, James, 1 Peter, 1 John, 2 John, 3 John.

Sunday, August 7th – Read 1 Peter 1:1-9

Peter opens this letter, addressed to the exiles that had been scattered and were being persecuted for their faith. He prayed for grace and peace to be multiplied upon them. He goes on to reassure them, and encourage them that their trials will serve to prove or establish their faith. Often we tend to allow trials to make us to feel shame, to retreat, grow angry, or even feel ineligible or barred from the peace and grace of God. Regardless of “why” trials come, God desires that we embrace His peace and grace. Ask God to give you His peace and grace for your trials, and to use you to encourage another today.

Monday, August 8th – Read 1 Peter 1:13-23

I love the way the New Living Translation puts verse 14, “So you must live as God's obedient children. Don't slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn't know any better then.” What are some areas in your life God is calling you to obedience; to live life His way? Write it down, then give it to God and ask for His grace to turn from your ways to His. Have you tried to make changes, break habits and walk in God’s ways without His help?

God wants you to rely on Him for everything, even obedience!

Tuesday, August 9th – 1 Peter 2:1-12

God calls us to be like living stones and a holy people. He desires we grow up and mature, and truly follow Him in our daily lives. Verses in this passage refer to war being waged in our souls over the way we conduct our lives. In what ways are you are tempted, when no one is looking, to cut a corner, give into a craving, or handle something in a way you know you shouldn’t? Pray today and ask God to be to Governor of your heart, mind and soul, to infuse you with desire, willingness and His grace to live well.

Wednesday, August 10th – 1 Peter 2:13-25

Chapter two encourages us to live with integrity, respect authorities as well as one another. Peter reminds us not to allow our freedoms in Christ to be a cover-up, but to live as servants of God; honoring others and reverencing God. How does the word “authority” sit with you? Many of us have been subject to the abuse of authority by another at some point in our lives. This can often build a tendency to resist authority, rather than respect it. Ask God to free you from having a wrong reaction to authority, to help you keep focus on living in humility, with integrity and respect.

Thursday, August 11th – 1 Peter 3:8-22

Reread verses 8-9. Paul tells us to have “a tender heart, a humble mind and brotherly love for one another” and not to “repay evil for evil, but to bless”. Do you find it difficult to bless others, in thought, word or deed, when they’ve done you wrong? 1 Peter 2:21 reminds us that this is the way of life we’re called to. Christ lived his life as “an example, so that we might follow in his steps”. In every way He can, God desires to be a light for others through us. Pray blessings for those who have hurt you. Verse 3:9 “for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing.”

Friday, August 12th – 1 Peter 4:8-16

Peter shares, in verse 4:11, that it’s God’s desire that “in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ”. He’s not just interested in blessing us on Sunday, or at Small Group or Bible Study, but every day and in every circumstance. We’re to be good stewards of God’s grace regardless of the circumstances in which we find ourselves; sin or obedience, suffering or happiness. Have you given God your whole self, your whole day, your everything? Successes as well as trials come to us all in different ways and in different seasons. Pray with a thankful heart, that Christ is with you, has paid the price and paved the way for you to walk with Him all ways, and in all ways-every day.

Saturday, August 13th –1 Peter 5:1-11

Regardless of where we are in our walk with Christ, Peter teaches us to clothe ourselves with humility toward one another. The Greek word used to describe humility in verse five is tapeinophrosýnē . It is defined as an inside-out virtue produced by comparing ourselves to the Lord (rather than to others). When we do this, it helps us have an inner revelation of humility that helps keep us from being self-exalting. How well are your clothes of humility fitting; in your relationships with your spouse or significant other, your parents, children, and coworkers? Ask God to cover your heart, mind, soul and strength with tapeinophrosýnē, and to cut away all pride that would stand in His way.

New Beginnings

2011-08-05T15:12:00.000-05:00

New beginnings. It’s a significant and reoccurring theme in the Bible.

This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! -2 Corinthians 5:17

Wednesday is a day of new beginnings for students in the Millard schools. For students in Elkhorn, Gretna, and Omaha – your day of new beginnings will come soon. Some will be going to Kindergarten for the first time. Others are going to be seniors and have one year left. A new grade level, new classes, new friends, new teachers, new opportunities. Most things are new. Except the food.

This morning we are going to pray for the teachers and other school employees who will be teaching, mentoring, leading, coaching, and serving students. Your calling is one of life’s highest. If I ever think of something more important in life than investing in future generations—I’ll let you know. But don’t hold your breath.

I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead. –Philippians 3:13

Students get a fresh start each August. The A’s and B’s and C’s from the previous year don’t matter. Many of us need that in life. A fresh start. Our past sins no longer hold us captive. Neither do our failures. Neither do our hurts. Starting next week, we are going to start a new sermon series called: Getting Past Your Past. We will look at breaking labels that bind us, forgiving those who hurt us, apologizing to those we have hurt, and getting past our personal failures. I invite you to join us and invite you to invite others to join us as we say goodbye to our guilt and pain and say hello to grace and hope. I have been praying these four weeks will be a major break through for many of us. I invite you to join me in praying that many of us will experience a fresh start this month at The Water’s Edge.

And the one sitting on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new!” –Revelation 21:5

On August 28th, after the 10:30 service, both campuses—Faith-Westwood and The Water’s Edge—will be holding a Church Conference to support the proposal that The Water’s Edge will become a separate United Methodist Church on January 1st, 2011. The congregations will move forward independently, yet cooperatively. I hope no two churches in Omaha work more closely together than Faith-Westwood and The Water’s Edge. Having served at Faith-Westwood for six years and The Water’s Edge for five years, I believe this is the best future direction for both the Faith-Westwood and The Water’s Edge. I wouldn’t support this proposal if I didn’t believe it was best for both locations. I believe these things will happen at both churches: a more clear and focused vision, higher levels of ownership and commitment, and a more effective and efficient use of people resources. In short, I believe God will do a new thing. And that is something that excites me.

The best is yet to come…

Craig

The Water's Edge

2011-07-26T10:59:00.001-05:00

Here is next Sunday's column, a little early. I'm leading a camp for kids this week and had a little time this morning.

Last Sunday night, a woman in our membership class, H2O, asked me where we got our name, The Water’s Edge. I was grateful she asked the question because, in the busyness of life and ministry, I need a reminder of why we exist.

Again Jesus began to teach by the lake. The crowd that gathered around him was so large that he got into a boat and sat in it out on the lake, while all the people were along the shore at the water’s edge. He taught them many things. –Mark 4:1-2

As chapter 4 continues, Jesus taught and challenged the people gathered at The Water’s Edge. Next, he sent the people out into their community to live out his teachings. Finally, he calmed the storm in the lives

The vision is to be a Mark 4 community. It begins with Jesus and his teachings. The dream is to have an overflowing group of people gathering weekly at The Water’s Edge to hear the teachings of Jesus. Community is experienced. We share our lives together. We laugh and pray and learn together. The teachings are relevant to our lives and they challenge us. When applied to our lives, the teachings make us better. Then we are sent out into the world and because we are getting better the world will be better. And, for those times when the world doesn’t make sense or our lives don’t quite make sense, Jesus calmed the storm. He offers peace when the world is not able to.

I left worship Sunday morning excited about how this vision is becoming a reality. People came early and stayed late. We ate together and shared with each other. We watched all the elementary kids singing songs about God’s love for them and their love for God. I don’t know if it’s possible to convince me of a more beautiful thing. Then we heard stories from high school students about how they served the elderly and the poor. That is beautiful too. We heard the teachings of Jesus that we are to be influencers in our communities. We prayed for one of our own who is having a mass removed from her brain this week. People stood in line and signed a card for her. I delivered that card to her this morning. Her eyes welled up. I could sense Jesus was calming a storm. And then the gathered people were sent into the community to love others, to offer hope, and to invite others to follow Jesus.

The dream for The Water’s Edge is that we experience community because life is best lived in the presence of others. The dream is that we are challenged when we need to be challenged and that we are comforted when we need to be comforted. The dream is God changes our world and the world one live at a time. I have enjoyed and I look forward to taking this journey with you.

The best is yet to come…

Craig

Colossians: Bible Reading Plan

2011-07-24T12:00:00.001-05:00

This week’s Bible reading plan is to read the book of Colossians. In about five to ten minutes per day, you can read through the entire New Testament in one year. If you didn’t start on January 1st, start today and set a goal to make it through the book of Colossians this week. Stay consistent and make focused Bible reading a daily habit.

Read the selected veres each day.

Spend some time in prayer reflecting on how God spoke to you through the reading.

Read the study guide for the day to dig a little deeper into a few selected verses.

Respond to the questions and prayer guides as you apply the biblical teachings to your life.

By the end of this week we will have read through Matthew, John, Acts, Romans, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 Timothy, 1 Thessalonians, James, 1 John, 2 John, 3 John.

Sunday, July 24th – Colossians 1:1 to 1:14

Paul opens by stating he is praying for the Colossians. Note what he prays for them: knowledge of God’s will, spiritual wisdom and understanding, living a fruitful life, growth as they learn to know God better, strength, endurance, patience, joy, and a grateful heart. When you pray for others, how do you pray? Think of a person you can pray for in the next few days. Use Paul’s model to pray for them.

Monday, July 25th – Colossians 1:15 to 1:29

Reread verse 22: “Yet now he has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ in his physical body. As a result, he has brought you into his own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault.” Many of us don’t see ourselves as holy or blameless. And by ourselves, we are not. But God has reconciled us to himself, making us holy and blameless. Write down some of your past shortcomings and sins on a sheet of paper. Throw away the sheet of paper. Look at a new, blank sheet of paper. Take God up on a fresh start.

Tuesday, July 26th – Colossians 2:1 to 2:10

Reread verses 6 and 7: “Just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him. Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him.” Accepting Christ is the first step. Following Christ is the next step and is simultaneously challenging and rewarding. Make a commitment to growing your roots down deep. Commit to daily Bible readings, consistent prayer, regular worship, growing with others in a small group, and serving others.

Wednesday, July 27th – Colossians 2:11 to 2:23

Reread verse 13: “You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins.” Paul continues his discourse about forgiveness. He talks about moving from death to life and from sin to grace. Consider Paul’s words: God made you alive. Think about some areas in your life where you would like to move from death to life or from sin to grace. Pray for God to help you take the first step in this journey and for the perseverance to keep taking the next step.

Thursday, July 28th – Colossians 3:1 to 3:11

Paul writes of a better way. He urges the Colossians to say “no” to sin and “yes” to God. Paul specifically writes about sexual immorality, lust, evil desires, greed, worshiping the things of this world, anger, malicious behavior, slander, dirty language, and lying. Look at this list of self-destructive behaviors. None of these add value to your life or the lives of others. Pray for the ability to break free from the power of these sins and to be set-free for a new life.

Friday, July 29th – Colossians 3:12 to 3:25

Reread verse 23: “Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.” Paul challenges us to see others as a child of God and act toward others as a child a God. Pray this prayer throughout the next few days: “Lord, help me see others through your eyes. Help me too treat others like I would treat you.”

Saturday, July 30th – Colossians 4:1 to 4:6

Reread verse 6: “Let your conversation be gracious and attractive.” The words we speak are powerful. We have all been hurt deeply by words. And we have all been encouraged by words. Challenge yourself today to you encouraging and loving words.

Sunday, July 31st – Colossians 4:7 to 4:18

Reread verse 17: “Be sure to carry out the ministry the Lord gave you.” This was part of Paul’s final instructions to the Colossians. It is a reminder to us as well. God gives us all a ministry. Pray for the strength, wisdom, passion, and teammates to carry out the ministry God gave you!

Enough

2011-07-20T21:32:00.002-05:00

I prayed this prayer this morning and want to share it with you.

I pray you enough sun to keep your attitude bright no matter how gray the day may appear.

I pray you enough rain to appreciate the sun even more.

I pray you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive and everlasting.

I pray you enough pain so that even the smallest of joys in life may
appear bigger.

I pray you enough gain to satisfy your wanting.

I pray you enough loss to appreciate all that you possess.

I pray you enough hellos to get you through the final good-bye.

Quitting or Continuing

2011-07-14T12:39:00.006-05:00

Consider the postage stamp: its usefulness consists in the ability to stick to one thing till it gets there. -Josh Billings

Life will bring troubles and trials, failures and frustrations, defeats and doubts. The great accomplishment in life is not avoiding setbacks or scrapes, but getting up every time we are knocked down. Significance in life doesn’t always go to the smartest or the fastest or the most creative, but to determined people who resolve to bounce back.

The world can tell us that trying is foolish. Or that quitting is the best option. Hope whispers: “Give it another try.” Hope knows something the world doesn’t: Overcoming obstacles and defeating difficulties is simultaneously rewarding and life-giving.

Each of us can overcome, persevere, and persist. We can say something like: “I give up” or “I gave it my best shot”. Or we can say something like: “I may not be there yet, but I’m a whole lot closer than I was yesterday.” Nothing great has ever been attained by those who have given up at adversity’s first appearance. Greatness is reserved only for those who have sweated, sacrificed, suffered, and stuck to it. Think about this: the mighty oak tree was at one time a little acorn.

Problems and trials in life aren’t God’s fault. Most likely they are your fault, the fault of another, bad luck, or a combination of the three. But God will use life’s problems to strengthen us and glorify Him.

We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us. –Romans 5:3-5

Problems and trials develop endurance, strength, character, and hope. Problems and trials can provide both human and Divine resources prosperity simply can’t develop.

Think of the problems and trials you are currently facing in life. The little ones and the big ones. Maybe it’s money. Or a relationship or two. Or a dream that hasn’t come true. Or weight that needs to be lost. Or a project that needs to be finished. You have two choices: To be overcome or to overcome. To do the easy thing or the right thing. To quit or to continue.

Pray for God to help. Seek the assistance of others. Think of the long-term good rather than short-term convenience. And remember the postage stamp: stick to it and you will eventually get there. And nothing quite exists in life like getting there.

The best is yet to come…

Craig

Independence and Freedom

2011-07-01T08:12:00.000-05:00

Independence Day. What we are celebrating? Why do we celebrate it? And where does God fit in all this?

If your family is anything like mine, you will get the kids in the neighborhood parade, have the in-laws over for some BBQ, go swimming, hang out until it gets dark, and sit with the dog during the fireworks trying to convince her that the world is not coming to an end. Not much reflecting on why we get the day off.

I love history. Especially early American history. The passion of the people for independence and freedom is inspiring:

I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty, or give me death! -Patrick Henry

I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country. -Nathan Hale

We must indeed all hang together, or, most assuredly, we shall all hang separately. -Benjamin Franklin

It is impossible to rightly govern a nation without God and the Bible. -George Washington

Independence and freedom are not the same. Independence means, for better or worse, we get to make the rules. The mistakes we get to live with are generally our own. Pre-Independence, the problem was taxation without representation. A few hundred years later, we still have taxes—gas taxes, income taxes, estate taxes, property taxes, sales taxes—to name a few. But instead of a king in London making the rules, a majority of citizens have decided such taxes are for the common good. Independence isn’t always perfect, but it sure beats the alternative.

Freedom is different. Someone can be independent, but not free. The young adult may live by herself and be independent of her parents, but she is not necessarily free. She probably has some sort of debt, a boss, a landlord, and / or demanding friends. She makes her own choices, but has obligations and habits that strongly determine the choices she makes. She is independent, but is she really free? As a country, we may make our own rules, but because of things like debt and nuclear weapons, we are not totally free.

There is another sort of independence and freedom that matters ultimately and it is another sort altogether. It isn’t represented by a flag, but by a cross and a cup. The flag represents freedom to worship the King who embodied the cross and the cup. At the end of the day the flag doesn’t offer the freedoms matter the most: forgiveness, hope, courage, faith, peace, joy, and salvation. A person can live in an independent democracy and suffer a personal life of oppression while another can live under a dictatorship and experience personal freedom: not because of the flag, but because of the cross and the cup.

This weekend, be grateful for independence and embrace freedom.

The best it yet to come…

Craig

Sin

2011-06-22T15:18:00.000-05:00

Sin is what you do or neglect to do that increases the distance between you and God and you and others. Short-term sin may seem like a good idea. Long-term sin is never a good idea. Sin, sometimes slowly and sometimes rapidly, destroys the core of the sinner. Paul pretty much says the same thing: “The wages of sin is death.” –Romans 6:23

“Sin is not hurtful because it is forbidden, but it is forbidden because it is hurtful.” –Benjamin Franklin

She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more. –John 8:11

“Should we all confess our sins to one another we would all laugh at one another for our lack of originality.” -Kahlil Gibran

So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin. –James 4:17

“Sin is whatever obscures the soul.” –Andre Gide

But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart. –Matthew 5:28

“Compassion will cure more sins than condemnation.” –Henry Ward Beecher

As our sin increases; God’s grace increases even more. –Romans 5:21

“Men are not punished for their sins, but by them.” –Elbert Hubbard

Suffering : Sufficiency

2011-06-12T22:01:00.008-05:00

Listen to the audio of my sermon from this morning on suffering and sufficiency. We should have the video up in a few days.

Here are some highlights.

When we wake up in the morning, we choose our attitude. The way we see the world shapes our lives.

Both the pessimist and the optimist know – we live in a complex and complicated world. Bad things and good things happen.

The world is full of pain. The world is also full of people conquering their pain. Short-term pain in life is inevitable. Long-term suffering in life is optional.

Sometimes there is a reason for suffering and sometimes there is no reason for suffering.

We want to believe the world makes senses and that a logical cause and effect exists for everything that happens. But life doesn’t work that way. If you don’t believe me, read the newspaper.

Sin happens.

Floods happen.

Death happens.

Disease happens.

Relational dysfunction happens.

Economic recession happens.

Hurt happens.

Depression happens.

Despair happens.

Sometimes there is a reason for suffering and sometimes there is no reason for suffering.

Our pain can be because of our poor choices.

Our pain can be because of the poor choices of others.

Our pain can happen for absolutely no reason at all.

God is not the cause of our pain.

God wants to be present with us in our pain.

Some things…only God can do.

2 Corinthians 12:7-9

Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”

The thing that God can do that no other can do is give God’s grace.

Paul experienced pain. Most likely it was headaches or epilepsy.

The vine clings to the oak during the fiercest of storms. Although the violence of nature may uproot the oak, twining tendrils still cling to it. If the vine is on the side opposite the wind, the great oak is its protection; if it is on the exposed side, the tempest only presses it closer to the trunk. In some of the storms of life, God intervenes and shelters us; while in others He allows us to be exposed, so that we will be pressed more closely to Him and allow God to do what only God can do – give us his grace.

Suffering gets our attention. It forces us to look to God.

Suffering also forces us to look within.

Our response to pain and adversity will simultaneously reveal our current character and develop our future character.

God can only help those who stop hurting themselves.

As I look back on my life, the greatest lessons have not been learned through success, but through suffering.

Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved.

Greatness is born out of difficulty

Matthew 5:4-5

Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.

Most of the Psalms were born in difficulty.

Most of the Epistles were written in prisons.

Florence Nightingale, too ill to move from her bed, reorganized the hospitals of England.

Semiparalyzed, Pasteur was tireless in his attack on disease.

In 1962, a research study of 413 "famous and exceptionally gifted people" called Cradles of Eminence. The researchers spent years attempting to understand what produced such greatness, what common thread might run through all of these outstanding people's lives. Surprisingly, the most outstanding fact was that virtually all of them, 392, had to overcome very difficult obstacles in order to become who they were.

A clay pot sitting in the sun will always be a clay pot. It has to go through the white heat of the furnace to become porcelain.

Saying "yes" to the possibility of love is saying "yes" to the possibility of suffering. Attempting to avoid suffering is also avoiding love. Avoiding love is the cruelest form of suffering that exists.

Acts: Bible Reading Plan

2011-06-03T15:12:00.000-05:00

We are staring our new Sermon Series and Bible Reading Plan this Sunday. We will read though the Book of Acts and investigate nine holy words that start with the letter "s".

In about five to ten minutes per day, you can read through the entire New Testament in one year. If you didn’t start on January 1st, start today. Stay consistent and make focused Bible reading a daily habit.

Read the selected chapter each day.

Spend some time in prayer reflecting on how God spoke to you through the reading.

Read the study guide for the day you are on to dig a little deeper into a few selected verses.

Respond to the questions and prayer guides as you apply the biblical teachings to your life.

By the end of this week we will have read through Matthew, John, Acts, Romans, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, 1 Timothy, 1 Thessalonians, James, 1 John, 2 John, 3 John.

Sunday, June 5th – Acts 1 – Sabbath : Sanctuary : Simple

Simple means pure and uncluttered. It means having time to do things that are important. Reread verse 8. What is one of the priorities God desires for you? Think about what a witness does in a courtroom. He or she tells the story they have experienced. Pray about who you can share God’s story / your story with today.

Monday, June 6th – Acts 2

A simple life is one where priorities can be lived out. Clutter reduces time and energy for priorities. Reread verses 42 to 47. Look at the priorities of the people in the early church: Hanging out together, sharing life, worshipping God, praying, learning together, and serving people. What are some things you can say “no” to in life so that you can say “yes” to your priorities. Pray for God’s priorities to be your priorities.

Tuesday, June 7th – Acts 3

Rest is essential in life. It is enjoyable and makes times of stress more manageable. Reread verse 19. Peter is urging repentance. Repentance means to turn from sin to love. To turn from self to God. Layers of sin and selfishness will weigh us down and force us to carry burdens than God doesn’t want us to carry. Think about the sin and selfishness in your life that is making your life cluttered and complicated. Pray for God to remove this sin from your life so that you may experience rest and purity.

Wednesday, June 8th – Acts 4

Material possessions make our life complicated. People need some possessions to survive and enjoy life, but we live in a culture of excess. Acquiring God’s creation is not the purpose of life. A relationship with God is the purpose of life. Reread verses 32 to 37. Note how possessions (verse 33) didn’t provide for a person’s deepest need: grace. God provides that. Pray for two things: 1) the desire to share your possessions and 2) the desire to receive God’s grace.

Thursday, June 9th – Acts 5

Sanctuary is a holy and safe space. Solomon’s Porch was a special place for the apostles. It was an environment where they experienced the love of God and the love of each other. Where are the spaces and places in your life where you can experience the love of God and the love of others? Make an effort to get to these spaces on a regular schedule.

Friday, June 10th – Acts 6

Verses 1 to 7 are a wonderful example of how to say “no”. The Greeks complained to the apostles that the widows were being neglected. Instead of going to feed the widows, the apostles send others to care for them while they remained in the ministry of the Word. Who and what do you need to say “no” to so that you can say “yes” to who and what are most important?

Saturday, June 11th – Acts 7

Acts 7 is the story of Stephen. He gave his life for the Gospel. No compromises or fears. Simple can also mean pure and not complex. Note Stephen’s purity and passion for the Lord. Pray for the passion and purity of Stephen.

Sunday, June 12th – Acts 8 – Suffering : Sufficiency

Reread verses 28 and 29. Note what happened. Peter was reading the Bible when the Holy Spirit spoke to him. The Holy Spirit can speak to us whenever, but we are most likely going to hear God’s voice when we are reading the Bible. Stick with the Bible reading plan and be open to hearing God’s voice.

Monday, June 13th – Acts 9

Suffering is never pleasant at the time. But God can do things in our life when we are suffering that simply can’t happen during times of prosperity and health. Paul lost his vision. He suffered. But because of his suffering, he was able to do things he would not have been able to do if he hadn’t suffered. Think about times you have suffered. How have these times helped you grow and be of more usefulness to God and others? Pray that your painful life experiences can be used in the future to help yourself and others.

Tuesday, June 14th – Acts 10

Sufficiency is receiving what we need. Note Peter’s confession in verses 39 to 43. He clearly states one of the central themes of the Bible: the forgiveness of sins. Forgiveness is one of the things we need. Pray for forgiveness of self, forgiveness from others, and for God’s forgiveness.

Wednesday, June 15th – Acts 11

When we are suffering it is easy to believe we are alone. That God doesn’t care and that nobody understands. Reread verse 21. The persecuted and suffering people were scattered, but God remained with them. Know that when they need God the most, God remains with us. God is not going to leave us in our time of suffering. Pray to more fully experience more of God’s presence in your life.

Thursday, June 16th – Acts 12

Peter was in prison. He was in chains and suffering. Reread verse 7. God freed Peter from his chains. Peter then got up and left. Part of Peter’s freedom depended on God and part depended on Peter. Think about the healing that needs to happen in your life. What part of the healing is your responsibility?

Friday, June 17th – Acts 13

Paul and Barnabas didn’t have an easy life. They worked hard, sometimes didn’t see many positive results, and sometimes were belittled and persecuted. They suffered. Reread verse 52 and note God gives them sufficiency: joy and the Holy Spirit. They didn’t seek power, control, and the approval. They did receive something much better: joy and the Holy Spirit. Pray for joy and the Holy Spirit in your present situation, whatever that situation is.

Saturday, June 18th – Acts 14

Suffering is a part of life. Paul was busy doing God’s work. Then the Jews from Antioch threw rocks at Paul and almost killed him. Paul didn’t sit around complaining or being sad, he got up and did more of God’s work. (verses 19 and 20) Pray for the ability to persevere through tough times.

Sunday, June 19th – Acts 15 – Surrender : Servant

Paul and Barnabas were both servants who lived surrendered lives. Reread verse 36. Note their compassion and commitment to people. Pray for God to give you compassion for people, a willingness to serve others, and to live a life surrendered to God.

Monday, June 20th – Acts 16

Paul and Silas didn’t just serve God in their spare time or just when times were good. They served God at all times. Reread verses 25 to 31. They even served God in prison. Many of us have busy lives. Pray for the ability to serve God where we are and to serve others we interact with.

Tuesday, June 21st – Acts 17

Athens contained many idols. (verse 16) Paul was preaching the one true God. Modern day America contains many idols as well. Idols that are rivals to God. Pray for idols such as materialism, power, selfishness, and technology to diminish in your life and for the one true God to increase in your life.

Wednesday, June 22nd – Acts 18

The promise God gave Paul in verses 9 and 10 is a promise God has given and will always give His people: “Do not be afraid, I am with you.” As we seek to serve God with greater frequency and intensity, in what ways does it help to know that God is with us?

Thursday, June 23rd – Acts 19

Paul had some good experiences in Ephesus and some not-so-good experiences in Ephesus. But he was always a servant. List five traits Paul displayed in chapter 19. Pray for these traits to be developed in your life.

Friday, June 24th – Acts 20

A surrendered servant gives radically. Reread verse 35. What does this verse say about giving? Think of how you can give generously and radically to others with your resources, time, and energy. Then give. Keep track of how God is blessing you through giving to others.

Saturday, June 25th – Acts 21

Paul was winning to give his life to serve the Gospel. Verses 12 to 14 show the lengths Paul was ready to go to for the Gospel. The Gospel demands not part of our lives but all of our lives. How much are you willing to give to the Gospel?

Sunday, June 26th – Acts 22 – Sin : Salvation

Paul’s early life was corrupted by sin. Reread verses 4 and 5. Paul did not let his past sin define his future. Think about sin in your past. Does this define you? Pray for the ability to accept God’s forgiveness and to live out a future that isn’t defined by your past, but by God’s promises.

Monday, June 27th – Acts 23

Healing is another word for salvation. Paul’s present human condition was grim: He was on trail for his life. Spiritually he received healing and salvation. Reread verse 6. His hope was not in escaping human punishment. His hope was in the resurrection of the dead. It is so easy to get caught up in thinking only about this world. How does Paul’s eternal view challenge you?

Tuesday, June 28th – Acts 24

Paul notes in verse 15 about the resurrection of the righteous and the wicked. Salvation under Christ is not earned, but given. It’s not just for the good people, but to all who believe in the resurrection. Pray to accept God’s gift of salvation that saves us from our sins.

Wednesday, June 29th – Acts 25

Paul was being tried not for something he did, but for who he was and what he believed. This happens to us in life. Note Paul’s response. He didn’t think less of himself or change his beliefs. He embraced who he was and trusted in God. What lessons can we learn from Paul?

Thursday, June 30th – Acts 26

Paul recalled an earlier conversation with Jesus. In this conversation, Jesus spoke of Paul’s sin in verse 15. He spoke of salvation in verses 17 and 18. Sin is what separates us from God and salvation is what restores us to God. Pray for restoration and healing in your relationship with God.

Friday, July 1st – Acts 27

Keep up your courage. Paul said that in verses 22 and 25. He was speaking to men on a ship who were in a storm. We all go through storms of life. We generally get to choose whether we overcome the storm or if the storm overcomes us. When in the storms of life, keep up your courage, and overcome the storms.

Saturday, July 2nd – Acts 28

Acts is concluded with Paul teaching about salvation. He notes the power of repentance. We turn and God heals. (verse 27) It is available to all. (verse 29) Take some time praying. Turn from sin and turn to God. Expect God to heal you and offer you grace!

Simple

2011-06-02T13:55:00.000-05:00

Simple: Free of complications and clutter

Simplifying means eliminating the unnecessary and urgent so we can focus on the necessary and enjoy the important. Many of us cannot focus on the necessary and enjoy the important because our lives are simply too complicated. Eliminate clutter. Eliminate it in your garage, your closet, your office, and your kitchen. And eliminate it in your finances, your relationships, and your spirituality.

Complicated: Containing intricately combined or involved parts.

Clutter: A confused or disordered state or collection.

Complicated and cluttered lives prevent us from doing the necessary and enjoying the important. We can choose complicated and cluttered or we can choose to de-complicate and de-clutter so that we can spend our time, energy, and resources doing the things we want to do with the people we want to do them with.

De-complicating and de-cluttering is simple, but not easy. It means discovering and indentifying what and who is most important and then eliminating everything else. The simple part is discovering and identifying. The not easy part is eliminating.

Just say a simple, “Yes, I will,” or “No, I won’t.” –Jesus in Matthew 5:37

Jesus was aware of the power of saying “no”. His aim in life was not to please people. His aim in life was loving God and loving people.

Saying “no” is essential to eliminating complication and clutter. Saying “yes” to the unimportant and unnecessary is essentially saying “no” to the important. The best has become cluttered and complicated by the average, the mediocre, and even the good. All of us need to say “no” to various habits, things, and people: Maybe it’s television, anger, consumerism, smart phones, over-committing our time and energy, lust, social media, co-dependent relationships, unhealthy relationships, gadgets, materialism, selfishness, unresolved conflict, debt, image management, unfulfilled dreams, addictions, regrets, failures, unforgiveness, guilt, and low self-esteem.

“Purity of heart is to will one thing.” -Sören Kierkegaard

Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. –Jesus in Matthew 6:33

Complications and clutter can also prevent us from experiencing or more fully experiencing God’s grace. We believe the constant barrage of messages the world sends us about happiness rather than trusting in God’s provision of joy. We confuse idle busyness with God’s purposes and eternal significance. We strive to be self-sufficient instead of dependent upon God. We seek God’s creation instead of God Himself.

De-complicate. De-clutter. Focus. Enjoy. Relate. Live. Love.

By de-complicating and de-cluttering, the best is yet to come…

Craig

Memorial Day

2011-05-27T14:20:00.000-05:00

Memorial Day means different things to different people. It usually falls around the time of graduation and the ending of school. For some it is the beginning of summer. Picnics, BBQ, family reunions, and sporting events are all associated with Memorial Day. For some it is simply a welcomed day off from work. For others Memorial Day is a sacred time. Memorial Day is a United States Federal Holiday that is observed on the last Monday of May. It was formerly known as Decoration Day. This holiday commemorates United States men and women who have died in military service to their country. It began first to honor Union soldiers who died during the American Civil War. After World War I, it was expanded to include those who died in any war or military action. The following words are from Twila Paris:

He was twenty-one in 1944

He was hope and he was courage on a lonely shore

Sent there by a mother with love beyond her tears

Just a young American who chose to rise above his fears

And as I watch him struggle up that hill

Without a thought of turning back

I cannot help but wonder

What did he die for?

He died for you and me

To the darkest day in A.D. 33

Came the mercy and compassion of eternity

Sent there by a Father with love beyond His tears

Blameless One, the only Son

to bear the guilt of all these years

And as I watch Him struggle up that hill

Without a thought of turning back

I cannot help but wonder

What did he die for?

He died for you and me

As Americans we are blessed with political, economic, and religious freedom as no other group of people in the history of the world have ever been blessed before. This did not come without a high price. Many people who are reading this have known somebody who has lost their lives defending the things that make the United States so great. As Christians we are blessed with spiritual freedom. Things like hope, forgiveness, and grace give us both an abundant and eternal life. This did not come without a high price. Jesus lost his life so we can experience a full life that will last forever.

The best is yet to come…

Craig

A Little Bit About A Lot of Things

2011-05-19T17:15:00.001-05:00

Here is Sunday's Column

Response Team

Last Sunday I shared a dream about creating a Mission Response Team. The goal of this team is to go serve people who are recovering from natural disasters. In the last few months, help has been needed all over the country. My dream is to have dozens of people register to serve in this ministry. This pool of people would be contacted when a disaster happens and those who are able will go serve hurting people together. This ministry will obviously start small, but my prayer is that it will turn into something big. If you are interested in being a leader for this ministry, contact celeste.ellis@faithwestwood.com. Join me in praying for this ministry as it develops.

Team World Vision

On next race will be the Omaha Marathon (26.2 miles), Half-Marathon (13.1 miles), and 10K (6.2 miles) on September 25th. We had 63 runners finish the Lincoln Marathon and Half Marathon and raised over $26,000. We will be releasing information in the next week or so as we are still working out a few details with World Vision and the Omaha Marathon.

I encourage you to join the team. You can walk, run, or do a combination of the two. Spend this summer getting fit and help support kids in Africa! Check out our web site: www.runningforkidsinafrica.com.

Summer Slump

The Water’s Edge is having a great year so far. Our average adult attendance is 453 per week (up 30% from last year) and our average kid’s Sunday school attendance is 104 per week (up 48% from last year)! Typically churches see less people in worship during summer months. Memorial Day is next weekend. Then school gets out for the year. I want to challenge you to do a few things this summer that will keep us thriving as a congregation and as individuals.

1. Try out the 9:00 worship experience. The service has grown in the last six months. It is identical to the 10:30 service. You can be done at 10:00 and have the rest of the summer day to enjoy.

2. Invite a guest to worship and introduce them to me and to some other people. Things are a little more laid back in the summer and this gives us an opportunity to get to know new people better.

3. If you are out of town or your child has a game early on Sunday morning, you can watch the sermon on YouTube. Visit www.watersedgeworship.com. You can also subscribe to a podcast if you prefer an audio version.

4. Do the daily Bible readings and study questions. You can always find them at on this site.

5. Register for E-Giving. People who give electronically report that it is easy and it helps them be consistent.

6. Register to be on a volunteer team. We have a few more opportunities in the summer. Email jill@watersedgeomaha.com (adult teams) or nancy@watersedgeomaha.com (the kid’s team) to volunteer.

The best is yet to come…

Craig