Sword...Play.

Memorizing scripture is an extremely worthwhile discipline. It doesn't take a ton of work. Print out the scripture you want to put in your memory bank and pin it to a bulletin board. Or make it the background on your computer. Record it on your cell phone and make it your ring tone. Okay that's a reach.. but you get the point.

Jesus responded to the temptations in the wilderness by quoting scripture. "It is written" Jesus said as he quoted scripture to combat the lies of the enemy. Every temptation that comes to you and I trying to convince you of a lie. The lie is... the temptation will fulfill your need. Temptation says "if you do this you'll feel better" "you'll be happy" "you won't feel lonely"... but temptation cannot deliver and it is insatiable. Giving in to temptation never brings peace, because it always leaves you lacking.

Jesus had memorized the words that he quoted to Satan. Each scripture he used was like a sword. That's the cool thing about this part of the Armor of God.

Heb 4:12 For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

What an incredible offensive weapon the Lord has given for us to put on. It is THE way to overcome temptation. So memorize a verse this week. You will be stronger and you will strengthen the whole of the body of Christ as you do.

Go for it.

VAN

To This Weekend and Beyond

We are concluding the series "What to Wear" this weekend as well as bringing to a close our fall emphasis on Renewing Relationships.

Sunday we will look at the God designed wardrobe called the Armor of God. We will conclude the morning service with a special time of prayer. I'm looking forward to it!

After this week I will continue to blog 3-5 times per week on life in Eugene, Oregon and at Willamette. By the way, next month I'm off to a quick trip to Romania (Nov. 1-9). I will be joining a team of folks from California to put on a Pastor's Seminar in Oradea, Romania. President Max Rossi from Bethany University, Scott Hagin (a Pastor from Sacramento) and myself will be leading this much needed seminar for Romanian Pastors sponsored/funded by Green Valley Christian Center in Watsonville, California. Stan Sankey (one of our Willamette leaders) will be joining me on the support team for this event. I'm looking forward to traveling and working with him!

We will bring back an update on the work in Oradea. It'll be fun!

More later,

VAN

My High/Low of the week...

We have a question we use at the dinner table to help us keep updated on each of our kids. The question is: "What was your High of the Day?" and "What was your Low of the Day?" Or High/Low for short. Here's mine for the week.

HIGH: We did a quick trip to Florence this week to do some staff planning. We stayed at a friends house just up from Driftwood Shores, right on the beach. As you may know the weather has been absolutely great all week; even with the few drops of rain. It was no different on the coast. That alone is great... but it gets better.
Tuesday morning I got to get in an early morning run on the beach! Yes, folks that's my high. It was absolutely beautiful... perfect weather, stunning scenery and I felt great. With the small exception of the dead seal that I ran passed it was PERFECT!

LOW:
1. Went to the fundraiser for Vanessa Grossnicklaus at Papa's. That's not the low part.

[by the way, it was a great night to see all those a part of the Willamette Community coming together to support Pete and Vanessa].

2. Anyway, ate some great pizza. LOVE THE PAPA'S PIZZA... That's not the low part.
3. Went home and felt... bad. I haven't eaten that much cheese and pepperoni in months. It was quite a shock to the system. That's the low part :-(

Lesson learned.
Running on the beach... GOOD!
Eating multiple slices of Pepperoni Pizza.. BAD!
Eating the pizza was easy. Running on the beach was a challenge.

Brings to mind another lesson I've learned.
Choosing my own way... Easy.
Humbling myself before God... a challenge.

This application is clear.

"You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.
Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to, instead...he humbled himself in obedience to God." Ephesians 2:5,6, 8 (NLT)

This scripture helps me... If Jesus can do this... I can too!

More later,
VAN

a blog to check out

I tend to blog at night. That's when the opportunity tends to present itself. Tonight is no different.

I mentioned a blog during the talk on Sunday. My sis-in-law (Sue) is an author and is currently writing a book, that I think will be called "Confessions of a Tired Supergirl". Anyway, Sue is one of the funniest people I know and she married a dude (my brother-in-law) that just point blank makes me laugh. So they are quite a pair. They have three great boys under the age of 6 and are pioneering a church in Palo Alto, California. It's a privilege to be related to them.

Anyway, Sue has a blog that you should check out. She writes funny, inspirational, life stuff that makes your heart glad. Her target audience is other "tired supergirls" (or tsg's as she calls them) of which I am not one. I am however, a proud brother-in-law and I think you should check it out. I think it'll be good for you even if you're an "rested" supergirl or even like me, more of a "a little sleepy" superdude!

More later.
VAN

Here's the link to the original post to give the beginning idea of the "tired supergirl" thing.

The problem with being "the speaker"

The problem with being "the speaker" is that you remember everything "the speaker" said. This last weekend we talked about the God designed garment that he has prepared for you and I... a garment called Gratitude.

The average person will remember a few things spoken by "the speaker"... some only one thing. Like those who noticed that I referenced the BALTIMORE COLTS rather than the Colts who currently reside in Indiana. My son Samuel (the 8 year old football stat fanatic) was appalled that I made such a blunder. "Dad it is the Baltimore Ravens, and the Indianapolis Colts." I guess it's because when I was an 8 year football stat fanatic the Colts were in Maryland. Oh well.

Anyway, this week my gratitude clothing has been more holey than holy. This morning I wanted to exit my day through the backdoor of complaining. I just didn't want to face the day. But I recalled that "the speaker"said I should "Enter my day through the Gateway of Praise".

So, I tried it.

"God, you are Lord of heaven and earth. You are so good, so true, so real. I love you and I thank you for the plan you have for me in this day. I'm glad to go with you in this day. Thank you in advance for leading me in it."

I've had a great day. God was with me. He blessed me. He led me. Amazing. Grace.

So, if you didn't remember what "the speaker" said (and I don't blame if you didn't) here's the words you should commit to memory. "Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." 1 Thess. 5:18

Nice!

Van

One more thought on Submission...

It happens quite often at our house. I come into the kitchen around 6 pm and Erica is making an incredible dinner I grab her and give her a hug... and then it happens.

Out of nowhere comes the sound of "size 3" feet slapping against the saltillo tile, then little padded hands sliding into the space between us, as we look down we see the smushed cherub cheek of 5 year old Hope Caroline making her way into the "love sandwich".

All of our kids have done this... It's almost like we send out a beacon signal... "THE BIG PEOPLE ARE HUGGING IN THE KITCHEN" and they come a runnin'! Why? they don't want to miss out on the deal. They don't want to be on the outside of the love... they want to be in the middle of the action.

I'm like that too... I don't want to miss the reality of God's love. As I read the Gospels I see this incredible submitted relationship of Jesus and the Father. John is the only gospel writer who records the other words of Jesus while he prayed in the garden. Chapter 17 records his prayer for himself, for his disciples, and for all believers. The focus of his prayers for believers is that they would be one. "I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one..."

Jesus in complete submission to God (especially in this moment when He asks if there is any way that the "cup" would pass from him) is asking for you and I to get in on the action. That we would be one just like he was with the Father. HOW? Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.

What a powerful "beacon" we can send out to the world around us...

THE JESUS PEOPLE ARE LOVING EACH OTHER AT THE CHURCH...

Jesus said when we do this, people would know that Jesus is the Son of God

and that God really loves them.

"May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know

that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me." John 17:23

Fun stuff.

VAN

A New Series

This weekend we start a new series within our fall focus on Renewing Relationships. We're calling it "What to Wear".

There's a show on the TLC channel with a similiar name called What Not to Wear. It's a show where the hosts ambush people who have a severe fashion problem. They offer them $5,000 to buy a new wardrobe with the only requirement being that they give up all of their current clothes and they purchase new clothes according to some new rules.

My girls love watching it. Samuel and I aren't too into it, but we have only one cable box and they outnumber us 2 to 1. (it does make us more grateful for the NFL channel.)

I do have to say that the "victims" (the fashion challenged) actually look better at the end the show. And it strikes me that the show is less about what NOT to wear and more about what they SHOULD wear.

So... that got me thinking... the scripture is clear about things we should put off... anger, malice, lust etc. , But, I believe the Lord is equally concerned with what we actually "put on". So, where going to talk about three of those things; gratitude, humility and the armor of God.

All within the context of relationships. It'll be fun.

VAN

Prayer ... again.

I've been reading a challenging book... it's an old book written sometime after 1912. It's entitled "The Prayer Life - The Inner Chamber and the deepest secret of Pentecost." It was written in response to a conference of ministers at Stellenbosch, South Africa, April 11-14, 1912.

The topic of the conference was "the low state of spiritual life which marked the Church generally." I have been amazed, as in the past with the writings of guys like A.W. Tozer and Oswald Chambers, that the "problems" of the past are strikingly similiar to problems of today!

Prayerlessness was the main topic of discussion at this conference 95 years ago. Here's a quote:

"They(conference attendees) did not dare to make any promise to the Lord to live and pray as He would have them; they felt it impossible. Such confessions gradually led to the great truth, that the only power for a new prayer life is to be found in an entirely new relation to our blessed Savior. It is as we see in Him the Lord who saves us from sin-- thesin of prayerlessness--and our faith yields itself to a life of closer intercourse with Him, that a life in His love and fellowship will make prayer to Him the natural expression of our soul's life."

God could make it really hard on us... to come to him and all. But, no spiritual gymnastics are required. Just open your mouth, your ears and your heart. Be genuine...be real. Submit to God what you think... then open the Word and say back to him what He thinks. Then just listen. God will speak... He's been waiting for us to listen.

Boy, do I want prayer to become a "natural expression of my soul's life!" I'll bet you do to.

Van

Prayer as Submission

Praying is something I naturally resist.

Even though it comes easier when I'm under the pressure of the moment...

• like when the expense account is greater than the income account or
• when my kid runs out into the street with a car coming down the road, or
• when I reach the very end of my strength;

...it doesn't come easy when things are spinning along great. Why? I guess when my need isn't as evident my desire to pray isn't either.

I don't like it that I resist praying. You'd think after SO many times of praying and seeing God work, feeling His touch or hearing His voice, I'd remember. I do know more now than I did 20 years ago and I "just do it" more and more, because I know how great it is. But I still resist it.

I know it is simply about pride. I like not needing help. But I'm learning more and more how to submit to God and start with praying rather than simply stumbling onto it as a last resort. When I was 17 years old and doubting God's existence, it was the words of 1 Peter 5:6 that were a turning point for me...

"Humble yourselves... under God's mighty hand

that He may lift you up in due time.

Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you."

Come to think of it... these words are a turning point for me today.
Hope they will be for you too!
VAN

A new poll about couple prayer

The problem with a poll like the one to your right is that if the answer isn't "daily" you feel bad.
So, I wanted you to know that is not the intent. The hope is to get a sense for where couples are in this area. Even Erica and I struggle with not only making time, but actually breaking in on the routine to say "let's pray together." Everytime we do... it is really good. But it is a challenge with the schedules that we have and the lack of recognition of its extreme value.
Oh, I think we know it's "so valuable", but I always think if I really knew HOW significant it was to my relationship with God, my wife, my kids and with you, wouldn't I pray more often with the "love of my life"?

It's a bit scary to be vunerable like this, except that you live a real life too. And I hope you will be encouraged to pursue this simple but profound opportunity; to pray to the one who IS complete knowledge, complete power, and completely able.

If you want a better marriage. Pray with your spouse. Try it tonight.
Give it a go!


VAN

Prayer Help has arrived!

You gotta check out this great tool online for prayer reminders. It's called echoprayer.com. It was the idea of a believer in Southern California. At first he charged for it and then quickly realized it was too important to keep people away from it due to cost. So it's free!

You simply enter your prayer list (give it a title and details) and your done. You can set custom reminders for specific prayers you want to pray for people (re: appointments etc.) or you can just have the system send you reminders for your request in random order. It can send the reminders to your email or even text message you. ALSO, it's a terrific way to keep a journal of answered prayers. In each email you get to remind you to prayer, there is a link to take you back to the EchoPrayer website so you can update the request or edit it. It's great. It has helped me to remember to prayer all throughout the day.

Remember, prayer doesn't fit us for the greater work... it IS the greater work!
Check it out,
VAN

Eternity Video

Hey, I was finally able to transfer over the live footage from the service on the 23rd. Here's the whole illustration. Hope you like it!
Van