Who's the "you" behind the mask?

He comes around the corner and I hear "All units fire at will".  He looks like a Star Wars Clone Trooper.  He sounds like Star Wars Clone Trooper. The helmet looks authentic and the electronic voice synthesizer sounds real but those skinny, little,  pasty white legs and the four foot stature assure me that I'm not being attacked by an alien but by my seven year old son.  He's wearing a mask pretending to be something he's not.  He thinks he has me fooled but you know what? He doesn't. I know the little boy behind the mask.  I know his weaknesses and his strengths.  I know what makes him laugh and what makes him cry.  I know when he's telling the truth and when he's lying.  Why?  Because I'm his father.

So, what masks do you wear?  We all wear them but I think it's time for us to stop pretending. It's time for us to admit that often, the person we present to the world, to our friends, to our family, to our church, and even to ourselves is not the person we really are behind the mask. 

We all have a pile of masks.  We wear "bold and beautiful" when in fact we're insecure and lonely.  We wear "happy" when we're broken hearted.  We wear "righteous" when we're drowning in a sea of sin.  We wear "I've got it all together" when our marriages and our finances are in shambles.  Guess what.  Your Father knows the "you" behind the mask.  He knows your fears, your insecurities, you hopes, your hurts.  He knows the desires of your heart and the thoughts of your mind. He knows all of your hidden things, those things that even your best friends don't know, the things you've done and the things you've failed to do. 

Now,  I'm not suggesting that you climb up to the roof top, run to the front of the class, or stand on your desk at the office and tell everyone everything.  Let's just start with ourselves.  Let's just look in the mirror, slide the mask up, and see.  It's OK.  It's you and it's the only you there is. It's the you God created and God doesn't make mistakes.  We do, that's for sure, but He doesn't.  But the only way to be all that God intended you to be, is to be real.  It's hard for sure but unless you can admit the truth, you'll just continue pretending you're a Clone Trooper.

King David was a man that the Bible says was a man "after God's own heart" yet he did something terrible.  He took another man's wife (the wife of one of his loyal military soldiers), got her pregnant, then in order to cover his tracks made sure that the husband was conveniently killed in battle. So, the man after God's own heart committed adultery then murder.  OK, on goes the mask of denial and the mask of self righteousness. Then the Lord sent his servant Nathan to David. Nathan told King David this story about two men, one rich and the other poor.  The rich man had many sheep and cattle but the poor man had only one little lamb. The rich man was visited by a traveler and he wanted to prepare for him a fine meal.  So what did he do?  Of course he went and took the poor man's lamb, killed it, and served it to the traveler.  When David heard this story, the bible says he "Burned with anger against the man . . ."  Nathan said to him, "You are the man!"  Nathan removed David's mask.  Not a pretty scene.

This is the deal.  Eventually, our masks come off.  If they are stripped off like David's the consequences can be devastating.  If, on the other hand when we come before God and admit our struggles, admit our weaknesses, admit our sins, admit our failures, the Bible says he is faithful and just and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  One last thing;  we need to start being real with each other as well.  We can't really love each other unless we know each other. The church will be just a social club unless we begin to address tough topics, take our masks off, and trust that God will begin to heal us.  I think Star Wars Clone Troopers are cool but I REALLY love my son!  God really loves the you under the mask as well!  By the way, our main website is up and running!  Give it a look and Bookmark it for later.  I61Project.Org

In Christ, David

Wrong Way Riegels - Are you running the wrong way too?

It's New Years Day 1929.  It's the second quarter of the Rose Bowl and there's a fumble. California center Roy Riegels picks up the ball and starts to run.  He runs fast with heart, passion, and purpose but there is one small problem.  He's running in the wrong direction.  70,0000 fans were screaming, his team mates were screaming, and the radio broadcaster Graham McNamee could be heard yelling "What am I seeing?  What's wrong with me?  Am I crazy? Am I crazy? Am I crazy?"  But, Roy ran all the faster until his own teammate Benny Lom tackled him on the three yard line.  Ugh!  Must have been a long walk to the sidelines.

I heard this story and initially thought it was quite funny until God put another image in my head; millions of people running down the field of life in the wrong direction.  Running toward what they believe is the goal line when in fact they are running backwards.  Roy Riegels stood up after that play and his head hung low, far from the joy and elation he was expecting.  Last week I shared a bit of my story.  In a way, I was Roy Riegels, running fast, running hard, believing  I was going the right direction.  God was telling me to turn around but I ran all the faster.  He let me run to within inches of the opponents goal line an then he knocked me to the ground.  I got up dazed, dejected, embarrassed, confused, and afraid.  

Ever been there?  Are you there now? Are you running but going nowhere or even heading down the road to destruction?  Are you running toward riches, fame, comfort, position, possessions, lust, or self esteem?  Let me ask another question.  Have you ever been satisfied by the prize you ran after and caught?  If you were, how long did it last?  How about the job, the girl or guy, the salary, the award, the title, the big screen TV, the vacation to Bora Bora, or the Porche 911 turbo?  Be honest with yourself.  Hasn't it all been sinking sand?

Jesus said, "What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul?" He also told a parable (a story used to illustrate a point) about a foolish man who built his house on the sand "The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against the house, and it fell with a great crash."  What have you gained and on what are you building your house?  Think about it for real.  This isn't a sermon to listen to then check your watch to make sure the service isn't impinging on your 12:15 tee time.  You're here because God is drawing you near.  He's calling you toward the goal line.  I can promise that many people and many things will tempt you to take your ball and run full steam toward the wrong end zone but listen to your heart.  Listen to the one who made your heart from scratch.  Listen to God.

If you're without God, if you're without Christ, if something in you is saying "What's wrong with me? Am I crazy? Am I crazy? Am I crazy?", then stop, turn around, look up, and ask God to direct your path.  I promise that he'll get you to the goal line.  If you've already been tackled on the three yard line, don't lose hope!  You're still in the game and there is still time on the clock! How much time?  Good question!  Only God knows but there are a whole lot of people who want to run with you back down the field and there is a Savior who will clean you up and give you a new life!  Don't be like "Wrong Way Riegels".  It's a long walk to the sidelines.

Have a great week and thanks to all of you who have joined the I-61 Project family!

One last thing.  We want to share a song from Ivor's CD "Nowhere Else to Go" that may touch your heart with this message.  If you received this post in your email you might need to go to the actual blog to hear the song.  It's worth the visit!  

I61project.blogspot.com

In Christ, David

Holy Discontent - The Birth of the I-61 Project

So much to share and so little space!  Today I'm going to diverge from the usual path and give you some history and an update of the I-61 Project.  

First a little history.  For those who don't know me, I'm an Oral Surgeon who grew up with a hand full of religion and ritual, a whole lot of pride, and a list of good works.  I neither knew God nor worshiped him.  In 2002 God allowed me to fall REALLY hard and when all vestiges of my pride were stripped from me, I heard his voice.  Audibly? No. Powerfully? Yes!  Someday, I'll share the whole sorted scene but for now I'll cut to the chase. God saved me, changed me, and has put me to work.  He made me see that my religious activities and my church membership did not put me in right relationship with him.  My religion and ritual were no substitute for relationship.

Until recently, Ivor Thomas was the Director of Operations for Habitat for Humanity in Grand Rapids.  I met Ivor about eleven years ago.  He sang James Taylor's "Fire and Rain" at my wedding and eventually we both ended up on the praise band at our local church.  I'll let him share his testimony but I think he'd be cool with me telling you that God has revealed himself to him in similar ways and through similar trials.

About two years ago it began to be apparent that God had placed a serious "holy discontent" in both of our hearts.  An understanding that many people who were "churched" were just going through the motions.  This wasn't coming from a position of judgment but one of personal experience.  They were coming to worship with their church faces on and their real lives hidden behind a mask of religious duty.  They knew church but didn't know Jesus.  They had fish stickers on their minivans, kids in youth group, but their lives were not radically changed by the power of Christ.  Bob and John would pass in the halls and John would say "Hey Bob! How's the family?"  "Great, you?"  "Oh, we're really great."  When in reality, Bob was struggling with an addiction to pornography and John's house was in foreclosure.  (These are fictitious names and situations so I don't expect angry emails from all the Bobs and Johns in our church.) 

On another note, we were gathering inside the walls of church and many were dying spiritually on the outside.  Many would never hear the good news of God's love because they would never walk through the doors.  If they did walk through the doors, many would see all the "good" people doing religious things they knew nothing about and singing songs to a God they didn't know.  Please don't get me wrong.  We love church!  We love our church!  But God was calling us to do something different, to share Good News with the poor (financially and spiritually), to free those held captive by sin, despair, and addiction, and to bring light to the blind (those whose eyes were unable to see God).  He was calling us to come along side the church and do something different.  Not to change, water down, or make more palatable God's Word, but to break down some real walls and some spiritual walls.  Thus, The I-61 Project was born!

Now for the news.  

The I-61 Project Blog is growing daily in its readership (thank you all!).  If you haven't subscribed, we'd love to have you part of our growing family.  Please share the address with friends and family.

Ivor will be releasing his CD "Nowhere Else to Go" at the end of the month.  You can check out the music on the audio player to the left of this post or visit his website: ivorthomasmusic.bandvista.com

A local newspaper recently highlighted Ivor and his CD as well as the I-61 Project ministry: Rockford Independent

Our main website is nearly finished and will have information about the ministry, news, as well as online audio podcasts (soon to be recorded at River City Studios). You'll be able to download the podcasts to your computer or IPOD.  We will also have a link back to this Blog.  The site is still under construction but bookmark it for future use.  The web address is: i61project.org

There's much more to share but I've probably lost a bunch of you already!  I hope you've been fed by the previous posts and I know you'll be blessed by Ivor's music and the I-61 Project.. in the future.

See ya next week.

 In Christ's love,  David

God, the Only Source of Meaning in Our Lives

     Have you ever been engaged in a long conversation with a group of well dressed people at a dinner party when someone new joins the group, stops, looks you in the eye, and says "Excuse me, but you have a big piece of spinach between your two front teeth."  PLEASE!  It's been there the whole time but no one was honest enough to point it out.  Let me assure you that I'm really liking the honest guy who isn't afraid to share what's on his mind even if it might lead to an brief awkward moment.  Real relationships require truth and transparency.

     This ministry isn't about being superficial, trite, or serving up religious platitudes.  Last week someone had the courage to share his doubts about what I was apparently trying to say in my most recent post.  He was a bit unsure how I'd react but I was totally geeked!  (Is that word still in vogue?)  Anyway, the I-61 Project has, at its core, the desire to be transparent in our faith but also to be a safe place to be truthful and open about YOUR questions, concerns, doubts, worries, and struggles.  SO, kudos "B" for your courage!

     I want to address something "B" brought up regarding his doubts about the God he was taught about growing up; a God portrayed as one who sounds to me more like a cosmic genie in a bottle.  Somewhere in the perversion of the Christian faith came the idea that when we trust Jesus Christ, God will "hand deliver us a sense of fulfillment, protection, happiness, or better yet 'blessings' or 'rewarding' our lives."  There is this false teaching that if we read our bibles, give enough to the church, or live "holy" lives that God will make us happy, wealthy, and filled with bliss; that he'll save us from all danger and disease.  When people chase after this kind of God, they can't catch him, like my dog chasing after the spot of light.  However, my last post was truth .  "If you're without God, you're chasing the wind."  Does that mean if you seek God that your life will be filled with earthly blessings, protection, and happiness?  The question is "What does the Bible really say about the life of followers of Jesus Christ?"  "What is the Good News in the Gospel of Jesus Christ?"  I can only give a small appetizer in this post but will give more of a main course next week.   Here goes:

     The Apostle Paul was beaten, stoned, flogged, shipwrecked, imprisoned, and beheaded.  He was in danger from "rivers. . .  bandits. . . his own countrymen, the gentiles" and was in danger "in the city, in the country, and at sea"  He said in 2 Corinthians "For when we came into Macedonia, this body of ours had no rest, but we were harassed at every turn - conflicts on the outside, fears within."  Either Paul hadn't been reading his Bible enough, praying enough, giving enough to the local church, or just maybe the life of faith in God through Christ isn't about fleshly happiness, protection, and worldly fulfillment.  Jesus, betrayed by a friend, beaten, flogged, mocked, and nailed to a cross.  Comfort, peace, and protection?  Nope.  You're right "B" and all else who have been disillusioned by a Christian message that's come up short!  God's promises are SO much bigger and SO much deeper than that.  As I said, this is destined to be more that I can address in this one post so for now take this home with you:

     Everyone of us will find ourselves at times beaten down (maybe by a spouse or by our own self abuse), shipwrecked (maybe a crashed business or a shipwrecked marriage), imprisoned (behind bars or maybe held captive by pornography or drugs), and surrounded by fear.  God promises us grace and strength sufficient for the day, joy (which is the soul's equivalent to the mind's happiness), and freedom from the condemnation of sin.  Make no mistake, God can and often does protect us from real dangers (we'll never know the dangers that God's hand has protected us from).  God does bring blessing to our lives (My guess it that if you're reading this you have electricity, a computer, eyes that see, lungs that breath, and a brain that thinks.   WOW! Amazing blessings indeed!  OK, enough for now.  We'll get into the meat of it next week.

     Please, hit the "Comments" link or "Email the Author" with comments, questions, needs, etc.  It's all OK!  We love when it gets real.  Thanks "B" for opening that door!

Stay tuned,

Blessings in Christ, David