Sheepdog or Shepherd

Be sure you know the condition of your flocks, give careful attention to your herds.
Proverbs‬ ‭27:23‬

I was going through a short devotional for leaders in my Bible app and the daily reading for yesterday was entitled “sheepdog or shepherd.” The two have a few things in common: they both take care of the sheep, they both protect the sheep, and they both live very closet with the sheep. But the biggest difference between the two is that sheepdogs tend to be aggressive while shepherds tend to be gentle. Sheepdogs are quick, tenacious and often scare the sheep into order. Shepherds, on the other hand, are humble, walk calmly, and guide the sheep with their voice; very rarely do they need to use brute force. Jesus even said, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.”

If you are a follower of Christ among your friends, family, or colleagues who are not, you are a leader whether or not you like it. This is why we use language like “leading others to Christ.” But HOW are you leading them? Like a sheepdog or a shepherd?

How Greed Flows and Generosity Flows

The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in love.
Psalm 103:8

Lately, God has been very generous with me. He’s been lavishing me and my family with great gifts… fancy trips to Disneyland, luxurious vacations at Bass Lake, even a new car. There’s a part of me that resists this level of generosity; I almost feel guilty for having nice things and having these wonderful experiences. It’s probably a result of growing up with far less than I have now and knowing how much my parents struggled. It’s also because I’m painfully aware of the poverty and suffering that exists in the world. But as I was doing my devotional, I came across this verse in Psalm 103 that says that God is “gracious” and “abounding.” Those words can also be translated as “generous” and “abundant.” This was reassuring for me because it reminded me that God is a God of infinite blessing, goodness, and love. Just because I gladly receive God’s gracious and abundant love, it does not prevent others from receiving God’s blessing. Furthermore, if I gladly receive God’s gifts knowing I don’t deserve them, I’m more likely to give generously to others. Greed flows out of taking things we think we deserve. Generosity flows out of gratefully receiving things we know we do not deserve.

Mo' Money Mo' Problems

“I cannot go in these,” [David] said to Saul, “because I am not used to them.” So he took off [the armor, helmet, and sword]. Then he took his staff in his hand, chose five smooth stones from the stream, put them in the pouch of shepherd’s bag and, with his sling in his hand, approached the Philistine.
1 Samuel 17:39-40

Can I be candid with you? As a church planter, I worry a lot about resources. Fundraising, financial planning, and budgeting stresses me out, which is why I’m grateful people like our Leadership Team help handle that stuff for our church. But I think as a result of my anxiety, I desire more money. Sometimes I think more resources will cause my anxiety to go away. But most of us know that’s not necessarily true. In fact, many times mo’ money leads to mo’ problems. My requests for resources come from a reaction to my anxiety rather than a place of genuine need. For example, when we observe the story of David and Goliath, King Saul had encumbered young David with a lot of equipment before battling the giant Goliath (heavy armor, bronze helmet, and an oversized sword). But David knew right away that it was way too many resources and that they would actually get in the way, so he removed them. However, David did not go into battle empty-handed either. David took along a staff, sling, and five smooth stones. That was exactly what was needed at that time in order for David to defeat the giant Goliath. 

For much of life, God doesn’t give us more than we need and it makes us feel inadequate. But if we pay attention to what we already have, perhaps God has already given us exactly what we need in order to defeat our own giants.

New Wineskins

Traditional style wineskins in the Middle East.

“No one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins.” 
Mark 2:22

I’m not much of a wine connoisseur by any means, but I’m beginning to appreciate the uniqueness of this beverage. Good bottled wine, unlike beer, does not expire for up to a hundred years. And while spirit drinks like whiskey or vodka also have very long shelf lives, they don’t really change in flavor. Good wine matures over time. Most young wines that are one to five years old tend to be bright, sharp, and sweeter in taste. More mature wines that are at 7+ years old tend to become more mellow, earthy, and complex. However, if wines are not stored properly, they can end up bitter, sour, or corrupt. 

People are similar to wine in this way. Young “wines” tend to be bright, sharp, and sweeter. They’re so obnoxious sometimes, right?! If they don’t mature correctly, they can become bitter, sour, or corrupt. But when wines mature properly, they become more mellow, down to earth, and complex. Our desire as a new community is to create a “new wineskin” for ourselves to mature properly and healthy.

2020 Vision

He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!”
Revelation 21:5a

Happy new year! Many Christians, leaders, and optometrists are already calling 2020 “The Year of New Vision.” Get it?! As we look forward to 2020 with anticipation, hope, and excitement, what “newness” are you looking forward to? “New” is a favorite word in the Bible. “Behold, the old has gone, the new has come.” “You are a new creation.” “A new command I give you: love one another.” Even the entire 2nd half of the Bible is called the New Testament. God is in the business of making everything new. While we shouldn’t just rely on the arrival of a new year to make resolutions, it certainly is a good reminder of how we should strive for newness regularly in our lives. So again, what newness are you looking forward to?

Why Jesus Is Immanuel

“The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”).”
Matthew‬ ‭1:23‬ ‭

Merry Christmas from Perch.Church! We hope and pray this season would be a blessed one of hope, love, peace, and joy. May we remember and meditate on the fact that Jesus came as a baby because God wanted to intimately know the joys, struggles, and pain we all experience as humans. We don’t have a God who is unfamiliar with our suffering but a “Man of Sorrows” who is very familiar with all that we endure. This is why He is called Immanuel, God with us.

Why a Baby?

She gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.
‭Luke‬ ‭2:7‬

Why did God send a baby? Have you ever wondered that? I’m certain there are a variety of ways Jesus could have come to this world. He could have come as a 21 year old man on chariots of fire; He could have been ushered in from heaven with a legion of angels; He could have hovered over the earth like a magnificent cloud. Yet, none of those methods reflect a God of love, do they? Yet a baby, dependent on the love of its mother and father, taking time to develop trust and relationships, learning how to walk and talk... that reflects a God who truly wants to know what it’s like to be a human. That reflects a God who wants to know us and love us. God sent a baby because God is love and love moves slowly. 

Love/Give

For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.
John 3:16

During one of our church visits as a Launch Team, the pastor of one of these churches shared a simple yet profound truth about love; we give to those  whom we love. It’s as simple as that. The thought of God giving His only Son Jesus Christ to the world was a truth so unfathomable to me. Yet, it’s so obvious that God would do this because God is love; therefore, it is in His very nature to give. This Christmas season, as we buy gifts for those whom we love and receive gifts from those who love us, may we remember and meditate on the truth that God loves us so much that He gave His only Son.

Post Thanksgiving Post

Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
1 Thessalonians

Do you ever feel jealous of people who seem to have it all? They have successful careers, seemingly thriving relationships, and picture-perfect lives… at least, according to their Instagram posts. And all the while, they work hard and kick-butt with smiles on their faces. But neurological science and psychologists tell us that they’re not happy because their lives are great; their lives are great because they’re happy. As a recovering cynic and “downer”, I’m still learning how to live a life of gratitude. I’m realizing the gratitude is not as dependent on circumstances or external influences as we might think. Gratitude really begins from within; cynicism begins from without. Gratitude begins with the heart and being grateful for what we already have. Cynicism focuses on what we don’t have. So let’s give thanks in ALL circumstances; for this is how God wants His people to live.

Take A Deep Breath

Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
2 Corinthians 9:7

Have you ever received a wonderful gift from a friend, family member, or another loved one? What’s your immediate reaction? Typically, a person who receives a wonderful gift will respond by stating the kindness, thoughtfulness, or generosity of the giver. They might say something like, “This is such a nice gift! Thank you for being such a wonderful friend!” In many ways, God loves a cheerful giver because God Himself is a cheerful giver. God doesn’t give us good gifts and blessings out of reluctance or compulsion; God is happy to give to His children. Likewise, God wants His people to behave similarly. As we just celebrated Thanksgiving and entering another season of remembering God’s goodness in Advent, may we remember to respond to God’s gifts by giving praise back to the ultimate Giver. As one of my favorite worship leaders Matt Redman sang in one of his songs, “I’m breathing in Your grace, I’m breathing out Your praise.”