Category Archives: Musings
The Key to Freedom
“Free me from prison…” Psalm 142:7
Ever feel this way? Like your in your own personal prison – alone, punished, tormented, and desperately longing for freedom. David, the author of Psalm 142 certainly had to feel this way. He was alone in a cave, clinging to his life – desperate for freedom.
I don’t know about your personal prison, but let me give up you peek behind the armor so you can see one of mine.
I would rather be filled with the scars of 100 wounds against me, than live with the guilt of being the one inflicted a scar on someone else. My prison bars are formed by the decisions I’ve made that left others in pain. It torments me to think of those who have been scared by the words I’ve said, or didn’t say. Guilt weighs heavy on my soul, sometimes to the point of total despair. I can live with almost anything and anyone, except the wicked man I am. I long for freedom – not from the consequences of decisions made and words said, but from the guilt that has locked the door of my soul and thrown away the key into the depths of the ocean. Not surprisingly in the times of loneliness and pain of soul, the prison cell I reside in seems to grow smaller and smaller, tighter and tighter. What is left to do? Is freedom even a possibility? Are these chains forever?
“I cry aloud to the LORD; I plead aloud to the LORD for mercy. I pour out my complaint before Him; I reveal my trouble to Him. Although my spirit is weak within me, You know my way…” Psalm 142:1-3
There is no reason to pretend before the Lord. He knows all my thoughts and ways. He is not fooled by my fake countenance, or my lofty words. He is not impressed by human strength that is mere weakness disguised. So inside the prison bars I cry aloud. I plead. I pour my heart out. I am honest. I acknowledge my frailty and weakness. None of this surprises my Lord.
“I cry to You, LORD; I say, ‘You are my shelter, my portion in the land of the living.’ Listen to my cry for I am very weak.” Psalm 142:5-6
If there is any hope for me, it is not in me, so I cry to the Lord. He is the only one who can offer shelter – relief from this trouble. You are the only one who can give me new life.
“Free me from prison so that I can praise Your name.” Psalm 142:7
Don’t free me so that I may be free. Don’t free me so that I may escape the pain. Free me SO that I may praise Your name. That I may praise the name of the ONLY name worthy of praise. That I may praise the ONE who knows my way, who hears my cry, and is my shelter and portion.
“You deal generously with me.” Psalm 142:7b
When I plead for mercy, though undeserving, you offer it freely. When I cry out for grace, you send it in full without regard to my merit.
Freedom is given to me, not just from You, but because of You. The chains around my feet fall because of your great name. The prison door opens because you are rich in faithful love and mercy. I stand to walk in the light of your glorious grace not because I deserve to, but for your name’s sake.
Daily I can lay down my loosened chains and walk out of my opened cell because of the Gospel. I don’t have to live with myself, but I get to live with Christ in me, the hope of glory. I live today knowing that His grace is far greater than my sin. The key to my freedom that was lost in an ocean of guilt and shame has been found by the One who made the ocean by the word of His mouth. He has given it to me. It’s not surprising that it opens the lock of all prison doors.
I am free, and you can be too.
- Brad
When Morning Doesn’t Come
One of the more familiar and encouraging verses in the Bible is Psalms 30:5, the later portion of which states: “Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning.”
That phrase encourages us because we all have experienced weeping nights of sorrow and pain – with the hope that joy will come in the morning. But what if morning is a long way off? What about the times when it seems so dark that morning isn’t coming? What do you do when it seems like the light of morning dawn is unable to rise in the face of your daunting darkness?
Let us consider the author of these words – David, who
- was overlooked and considered insignificant as a child
- was rewarded with the death penalty for sparing the Kingdom of Saul
- lost his best friend
- saw family and friend murdered when the sword couldn’t reach him
- experienced the torment of a daughter abused and the sorrow of a son murdered
- suffered the pain of betrayal at the hands of his closest allies – including his own flesh and blood.
- and alas, saw his glorious kingdom that he fought for divided against him
Yes, that’s the man who wrote, “Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning.” In 2 Samuel 15 David finds himself on the outskirts of Jerusalem after being forced into battle against his own son. The priest began to follow David with the Ark of God. (The Ark was a powerful symbol to all of Israel. No army in the generation of David ever lost a battle while the Ark was in their presence.) Stunningly, David says to the priest in verse 25: “Take the ark of God back into the city.” This had to mystify the priests and all of David’s army. Why would he send the Ark back into the city? It is at this moment we get a peek into the soul of David as he says to the priest, “If I find favor in the LORD’s eyes, He will bring me back and let me see it and His dwelling place again. But if He says, ‘I am not pleased with you,’ then I am ready; let Him do to me whatever seems good to Him.”
David’s Hope was not influenced by the depth of the darkness that surrounded him. Rather, his Hope – his Joy was shaped by his unflinching trust and confidence in the sovereign goodness of his God. David knew God could never be manipulated, but that He could always be trusted. David’s focus shifted from the surrounding darkness – to the surpassing glory of the one who had originally breathed the light into existence to start with.
Do you find yourself surrounded by darkness and weeping that lasts through the night? Maybe even wondering if morning light will come? If so let me encourage you to pray another Psalmist’s prayer – Psalm 33:22 May Your faithful love rest on us, Lord, for we put our hope in You.
Put your hope in God your heavenly Father, not the coming light. After all, He made the light to begin with.
- Brad
5 lessons from my time away from Facebook & Twitter
Back in January our church entered into a 21 day corporate fast where we intentionally gave up something, whether it was food or technology in a desire to seek after God is a special way. Part of my personal fast was 21 days away from Facebook and Twitter – which I did except for a brief moment to post about Church at the Joe. I’ve took a little time to reflect in what I learned by taking a break from social networking. Here are five lessons:
1.) Social Networking (Facebook and Twitter etc.) are great tools, but can be consuming.
When I stopped using Facebook cold turkey, I realized how attached I was to it. In my case I wasn’t and obsessive Facebook user, but I certainly spent too much time on it. I deleted both Facebook and Twitter from my phone – which in my down time I would by habit always start browsing through newsfeeds and timelines. There is nothing inherently wrong with it, except that it took time and focus away from my family when I was home that belonged to them. I didn’t realize how much I was stealing from them. I haven’t put the apps back on my phone.
2.) We managed to survive three weeks without knowing what and where each other were eating.
Seriously, is there area our lives more vanity filled than our Facebook and Twitter accounts? Whether it is our profile pictures, info sections, or our posting the play by play of the mundane of our lives – it really is a bit silly. Eating a sandwich at Subway. Ran 2 miles on the treadmill. Long line at Wal-Mart. My, that was a refreshing drink of water. Ever witnessed a “one upping” conversation where people keep trying to top each other’s stories? Facebook can be one giant “one upping” conversation. For the record – cute pictures of your kids don’t qualify as vanity 
3.) “ ________________ and you are not friends”.
The new Facebook Timeline profile has a way of unintentionally dealing out some hard news. I know I’m a grown man and all that stuff, but it still stung deeply recently when I got de-friended by someone I care about. A tough decision I made hurt them – I get it, but Facebook just says it so bluntly.
4.) Social Networking has changed everything.
Everything! The way I hear the news. They way I find out someone died. The way we market and do business. The way we communicate. The way your extended family sees your kids grow up. The way people try to persuade you to their point of view. This is just a few of the areas it has totally changed our world. Today there are over 800 million Facebook users and 200 million Twitter users. One Billion people using social networking sites changes the way everything works. It’s just integrated into my life now. Today I communicated with people by phone, e-mail, Twitter, Facebook, paper letter, text messaging and in person. Amazing how differently we interact today than just 20 years ago.
5.) Reducing my Facebok and Twitter time has been VERY healthy.
During my social media fast I spent more time talking with my wife, playing with Rylee, reading books – including the Bible. It was soul cleansing. It was great for my relationship with Julie. It helped me a better father. I spent more time with God. I wasn’t preoccupied with what was going on at 12:41pm in everyone else’s life, nor did I post what I was doing at 12:41pm. All of which was healthy for me spiritually and relationally. So, I’ve significantly reduced my interaction with both Twitter and Facebook. They are too beneficial to abandon, but they are not essential to my life. I don’t plan on putting Twitter or Facebook back on my phone anytime soon. The reduction in notifications has been a good thing. A really good thing.
- Brad
Daddy, hold my hand.
Recently I’ve been in a situation where I have to make some really big, really important decisions. The toughest decisions aren’t usually between good and bad things. The tough decisions are when you have to choose between two good things, or even more daunting – two great things.
I felt lead to do three things in this process. 1) Pray. 2) Read the books of Proverbs. 3) Journal those prayers and insights from Proverbs. I’ve been stuck in Proverbs chapter 3, meditating and praying through three relatively familiar verses, verses 5-7.
“5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. 7 Be not wise in your own eyes…”
This morning I was focusing on verse 6. I was writing in my journal that I need not be preoccupied with what I think, what others think, but to be tuned into what God thinks. Not what God thinks of me, but what the heart of God is concerning the tough decisions I’m wrestling with. I was making a note on how if I made God’s heart in this decision my focus, then I would be guided on the right path.
At that moment Rylee, my 2 year old daughter, walked up next to me and said, “Daddy, hold my hand.” She was putting on shoes that were too big for her to wear and needed stability so that she wouldn’t fall. Without hesitation she sat the shoes next to me and asked me to hold her hand. I held her hand, and she slipped on the high heeled shoes that were too big for her to wear without a problem. She had no stress, no worries. Why? Because she knew that all she had to do was ask daddy to hold her hand.
My 2 year old realizes a simple profound truth that this 30 year-old forgets so often. When you have a problem, when you have something in front of you that is way too big for you to deal with on your own – ask Daddy to hold your hand. After all, daddy is never too busy to hold his daughter’s hand when she asks.
Do you have something in front of you that is overwhelming? A big decision? A difficult circumstance you need help getting through? Ask your heavenly Father to hold your hand – He’s never too busy for His children.
- Brad
The proper response to the Gospel
There have been numerous occasions where I have caught Rylee, my 2 year-old, about to do something she shouldn’t do. I’ll say, “Rylee, NO – don’t touch that, or don’t do that”. To which she looks at me and does it anyway. When she rebels and disobeys me I begin walking toward her to swat her hand, or put her in timeout.
While I begin to walk to her, she usually begins to run…not away from me…but toward me with her arms held up.
After I discipline her, and she dramatically squalls, she curls up in my arms and lays her head on my shoulder. Why does she run toward me, then hold me after I’ve disciplined her instead of running away? Because she knows I love her. So she doesn’t run away from the discipline – but towards her father.
And that is exactly how we should respond to the Gospel. Are you running from God – trying to get away from Him? Then you don’t understand Gospel Love. If you understood how much God loves you, you’d run to Him.
Stop running away from God, and run toward Him – arms held high.
Yes, it will hurt in the beginning. But soon you’ll find the most loving embrace wrapped up in your Savior’s arms.
- Brad
I love you daddy
Yesterday my daughter, Rylee uttered the words “I love you daddy” for the first time. It was in the parking lot of Gatti’s pizza of all places. I kissed her and made a big deal of it, which prompted her to smile as if she had just won the Pulitzer prize…as far as I am concerned I had just won the prize. It took her a little over two years to say “I love you daddy”. She doesn’t even fully know what it means, but hears me and mommy say it enough to repeat it back to us.
It got me to thinking…
I’ve been telling Rylee I love her since before she was born. I’ve loved Rylee since the beginning – and there was nothing Rylee did to earn my love. I love her because she’s mine. She knows I love her, but has no idea as to the depths that I love her. She knows we get her food, clothing and toys – but has no knowledge of the other things we do for her. She knows to come running to daddy and mommy when she is scared or hurt. She doesn’t know that daddy and mommy would give our lives up in the blink of an eye to protect her. As she grows she’ll have the propensity to make us proud, and yet hurt us deeply too. Regardless of whether she is making us proud, or wounding us with rebellion – we’ll love her.
And that’s how your heavenly Father feels about you. He has been loving you since before you were born, “For it was You who created my inward parts; You knit me together in my mother’s womb.” Psalm 139:13 Our Father’s love has been steadfast since the beginning, “As the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you.” John 15:9 Our Father was willing to give up His Son because of His love for us, “For God so love the world that He gave his one and only son…” John 3:16 Our Father has loved us despite of ourselves, “But God, who is abundant in mercy, because of His great love that He had for us, made us alive with the Messiah even though we were dead in trespasses.” Ephesians 2:4-5.
So tell your heavenly Father…your abba “daddy” Father you love Him today, but remember – He’s been loving you all along.
- Brad
Updates and the such
- Thank you to all who helped bring awareness to the epidemic of Human Trafficking last week. If we all do a little, we have a huge impact. Also, thanks to those who gave to help support the A21 campaign, and organizational committed to the abolition of young women. We were able to give just under $1,000 to this cause.
- I’m loving the move to weekly services at Discovery Church. We’re discussing our core values, and how they guide us in our “In Rhythm” series. You can watch the teaching and download the weekly study guides at www.thediscoverychurch.net
- I keep hearing stories of people who are unchurched, or who have been out of church for a long time, coming to Discovery Church and wanting to come back because they are accepted, they understand it, and they actually like it….imagine the that…people liking church! One guy told me, “it doesn’t feel like a chore here”.
- When you know you are following God and so many good things are happening in people’s lives, it makes the criticism roll of your back so much easier and quicker.
- I’m 30 now. I don’t feel old, but it did occur to me that I remember my parents when they were in their 30s…it seems like it was just yesterday. Time goes by so fast, we have to make the most of it. I also told God about 8 years ago that I’d like to plant a church when I was 30. I feel like He said Happy Birthday to me in a big way this month.
- My wife through a surprise party for me. She is awesome like that. Her cake was something you’d see on Ace of Cakes too.
- We have room for 2 more people in my young leaders coaching group. HERE is more information on it.
Have a Great Day!
- Brad
