by Sam | Oct 20, 2016 | Inspiration, Reflection
I absolutely love this generation! This generation is full of so many people who are called, gifted, and anointed by the Lord. They are passionate and dream big dreams. They want to be used by God. They also have access to more resources than any other previous generation. Thanks to social media and technology, we can find out what God is doing all over the world. We know what sermons are being preached, what songs are being sung, and what books are being read in an instant. There is something to be said when there are countless videos of worship songs getting millions of views online! So many people, including myself, get inspired and encouraged by these things. Yet the temptation is to just mimic what others are doing expecting the same results. While what God is doing in building a worship culture around the world is both inspiring and powerful, let us not become a generation that is governed by what is trendy rather than what is true. I believe that God is wanting to disciple a generation in authentic worship rather than a generation that’s discipled by just worship culture. Here are some values of what authentic worship looks like. OBEDIENCE OVER SACRIFICE True worship is about obedience unto the Lord. Obedience in even the smallest of things is greater in the sight of the Lord than extravagant expressions of sacrifice (1 Samuel 15:22). We see this in the life of King Saul. Instead of obeying God, King Saul does what he thinks is best in his own eyes and understanding. He covers up his own pride by spiritualizing...
by Sam | Mar 7, 2016 | Guest Blogger, Inspiration, Reflection
I think most of us, including me, summarize perseverance by the simple mantra: “Don’t give up!” Perseverance is often measured by years, the amount of time invested, the number of sick days not taken. But I think “not-giving-up” can become an easy front. Plenty of people show up to work for years, to their churches and marriages and children for decades, and can look like they’re reliable. Except inside, they’re not there. Plenty of us can quit without physically quitting. We can live this way for years, thinking that “showing up” is enough and we can skate by on the bare minimum. In other words, perseverance is not just staying in, but being in. It’s being present and engaged. It’s not that we don’t have it in us to persevere. It’s that all of us wasn’t in the task at hand. Even a person who gets to the finish-line, who didn’t put their all into it, hasn’t really persevered. I do this, too. I can be there but not there. And I’m learning that being disengaged begins with my expectations. When our plans don’t turn out the way we want to, we tend to check out. Disengagement is a way of protecting ourselves from disappointment. This isn’t to judge anyone, because perseverance is hard. But I think it’s made harder because of the way we’ve been trained. Some of us have bought into an overly romanticized narrative. We get excited and inspired to do stuff, but the second we do stuff, it’s nothing like those first emotions that got us there. Here’s what I mean. I get really inspired...
by Sam | Oct 8, 2015 | Inspiration, Reflection
“And he said to him, ‘Well done, good servant! Because you have been faithful in a very little, you shall have authority over ten cities.’ … And he said to those who stood by, ‘Take the mina from him, and give it to the one who has the ten minas.’ And they said to him, ‘Lord, he has ten minas!’ ‘I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.” — Luke 19:17, 24-26 In the Gospels, Jesus tells the parable of the talents as well as the parable of the minas (text above). Both of them have the same premise: three servants are all entrusted with differing amounts of resources. Two of the three produce a great return, but one of them does absolutely nothing with what he’s been given except in fear, bury it. Many of us have heard this story or are at least familiar with it, but can you imagine what it’s like to be one of those servants? After being given the talents, I would want to know what the instruction is. At least some next practical steps, right? Yet none are given! Okay, so I’ve been given these resources, so what now? You ever ask yourself that question, “What now?“ I often ask myself that question when I’m in a new season or in transition. What do I do now? What should I do now? Yet I believe the answer sometimes is to just use what you already have. Now it takes faith to just go for it....
by Sam | Jul 15, 2015 | Guest Blogger, Inspiration, Reflection
The Beauty of Grieving by Catherine Cha One of the most valuable things I learned during my years at Alliance Theological Seminary was the discipline of grieving the seasons of my life. I’ve always been prone to melancholy and nostalgia, but never had words to adequately convey or coherently cry out what I was feeling, and why. I never knew what to do about the pulsating weights that would press on my heart and my gut every now and then. I never knew how to dissolve the lumps that would form at the back of my throat, or reverse the downward trajectory of the corners of my lips on those days when all I wanted to do was pout and whimper. I never knew why everyone around me was so happily looking forward to the next day, the next year, the next step, the next change, and I was the only one looking backwards and longing for what once was and never will be again. I never knew that I could grieve these things – these never-again moments – and give them a proper send-off so that I could say “hello” to the new. Learning to grieve the passing seasons of my life – and thus, strangely, becoming more able to celebrate the wonderful and not-so-wonderful days that were flowing by – has made me more self-aware, and more grateful, having more capacity to honor the One who gives them to me in the first place. June 8, 2015, was the 365th day that my daughter Sasha has been with us. On June 9, 2015, she turned 1 year old,...
by Sam | Jul 7, 2015 | Inspiration, Reflection
There have been moments in my life where I reached out to my friends because I was having a hard time. I needed to be around people who were for me and wanted their company, prayers, and encouragement. Now if I only ever reach out to my friends because I need something from them, that friendship will quickly become one-sided, and ultimately go downhill. Imagine if I call my friends to meet, and yet I only talk about how I don’t sense their closeness as much as I did “last time”. How about if I only ask why they aren’t encouraging me more. Or if all I say to them is how I just want more of their friendship… to their face. Isn’t that weird? That is a sure-fire way to end friendships! Yet so often that’s how we approach and seek God. In healthy relationships I seek out friends simply for the sake of friendship. To meet, to catch-up, and ultimately to just be with them. When it comes to friendship with God, I believe it’s exactly the same. Of course there are times when we seek Him because of a need or a want. I have gone to God to hear His voice, to find His leading, to feel His presence, and to even ask for more of Him. As good as those things are, I ultimately want to seek God to simply be with Him for the sake of being with Him. I don’t need a Word from heaven or direction, I don’t need a feeling or even a sense, as much as I need to just be with Him. I...
by Sam | Jun 24, 2015 | Inspiration, Reflection
I have heard it said that God takes a long time to act suddenly. In my own experiences and when I read Scripture, I see this to be very true. Especially in the life of Abraham. He first encounters God at the age of 75, but doesn’t see the promise fulfilled until it seems impossible 25 years later. Can you imagine that? Waiting on God for 25 years! Through that process, Abraham makes mistakes, yet God’s faithfulness shines through. In the Kingdom of God there are no “late bloomers”. Only those who have experienced God’s perfect timing. Here are some thoughts and observations on the process of promises… God is not just interested in our 100+ years of life here on earth. The Bible says that this life is but a mist that comes and goes. God is more interested in preparing us for eternity. In the grand scheme of things, what is 100 years compared to a thousand? Compared to a million? Therefore He is preparing us for the long haul. He is the God of process! It is imperative that we say yes to God. When it comes to God’s promise to us, there is His part, and then there is ours. Wisdom is knowing which is ours! Abraham confused the two and ended up with an illegitimate son. Our best will always produce an Ishmael. God’s best will always produce an Isaac. Therefore our part is to trust, yield, and to continually say “yes”. His part is to fulfill His word in His way and His timing. While saying “yes” to God is vital, my “yes”...
