You're Invited

Imagine reaching into your mailbox and finding a fancy invitation. The worn envelop suggests the letter has traveled a long way. There’s no return address, but your full name is written on the front. Curious, you rip it open and discover a perfectly handwritten note with gold-embossed lining. Then, you glance to the bottom and realize it is signed by … God himself! Essentially, that’s what God does in Isaiah 55. He sends you a personal invitation.

The chapter begins with an offer that sounds just too good to be true:

“Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price!” 

What? Food for free? Wine and milk at no price? What kind of supermarket is this? In these verses, the prophet Isaiah is using a figure of speech. He says that people in this world are thirsty for joy. They are hungry for happiness. But only God can satisfy, and His love is absolutely free.

Then in verse 2 God asks,

“Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy?”

 People are always chasing after something new, looking for something – or someone – that will make us happy. Maybe it’s a different job, or a bigger TV, or a newer smart phone. Others turn to alcohol, or sex, or drugs to numb the pain and experience just a few minutes of escape. But none of these fill the emptiness in our souls. To borrow the words of Mick Jagger, “I can’t get no satisfaction.”

So what is the answer to our quest for joy? Is this just another fairy tale, like the lost city of El Dorado? Not at all. God knows only He can satisfy our deepest needs and desires. And in verses 6-7, he invites you to turn to Jesus with a humble heart:

“Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.”

Have you trusted in Christ while He may be found? Isaiah 55 invites you to experience that joy today.

This article first appeared in today's edition of our local newspaper, The Hi Desert Star

Photo credit: nuchylee

Book Review: California's Best Trips

If ever a state was made for road trips, it's California.

With its moderate climate, scenic coasts, urban culture, snow-capped peaks, sprawling farmlands, and quirky deserts, every corner of California is ripe and ready to be explored. And California's Best Trips is a great guide to plan your next family vacation in the Golden State.

There are two basic ways to plan a trip:

1. Region. Choose a specific attraction or region you want to travel to, then pick one of the road trips in that area. The book is divided into three main sections: Northern California (pp. 31-148), Central California (pp. 149-168), and Southern California (pp. 269-363). Each section offers an overview map as well as specific itineraries, attractions, driving instructions, and local dining and hotel options. 
2. Theme. What really sets this book apart is that if you don't already have a destination in mind, you can build your itinerary around a theme. Choose from seven Classic Road Trips (pp. 8-11), five Scenic Routes (p. 15) or four Historical Routes (p. 22). Explore some of California's Major Cities (pp. 26-29) or slow down in one of the Best Small Towns (p. 17). You can even choose a road trip geared toward children (p. 23) or the great outdoors at one of the national or state parks (p. 23).

A word of caution: make sure you budget ample time and travel expenses to get to the start point and return from the end point of your trip. Most of these are one-way trips from point A to B, and will take significantly longer when you factor in travel time from your home. For example, Road Trip #11 "Trinity Scenic Byway" is 235 miles long and covers some beautiful territory in Northern California. But someone living in San Diego would have to drive 724 miles (11 hours) just to arrive at the base of Mount Shasta and begin the road trip. You'll definitely want to factor that in.

California's Best Trips is a fun and unique tour guide to California. My family can't wait to jump in the minivan and start our next trip! But remember, it's not just about the destination, but the journey to get there.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary review copy of this book as part of the Amazon Vine Program and was not influenced in any way by the publisher.

Pastor's Update

Here's a church update I shared at last Sunday's quarterly business meeting...

“Keep Up the Good Work!” These are words every worker wants to hear. Or, as Paul told the Thessalonians, “You have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another, for that indeed is what you are doing…But we urge you, brothers, to do this more and more” (1 Thess. 4:9-10). So let me encourage you, First Southern Baptist, to keep excelling in ministry. Keep excelling in your love, in your growth, in your service, in your discernment, in your joy, in your attention to the Word, and in your evangelism.

Ryan Hodson and I had the privilege of attending The 40^th annual Shepherd’s Conference in Sun Valley on March 7-9, 2013. Together with 4,000 other pastors and elders, we sang, listened to the preaching of the Word, and enjoyed great times of fellowship. During our time, we were amazed at the glory of Christ and humbled at our duty to serve Him. Thank you for making this trip possible so we can come back refreshed and better equipped to minister to all of you.

Our church leaders have recently been discussing our Sunday School or “Life Groups” ministry. Currently, our attendance is hovering around 25 each week with few or no children. But we believe this ministry has great potential and could become a key component of our long-term discipleship strategy at First Southern.  With many of you traveling up to forty minutes one way to attend church, we know our weekly time together is limited. So we are looking for ways to make Life Groups a vibrant ministry that you will want to take part in. 

Details are still coming together, but we are talking and praying about moving to the “Gospel Project” curriculum produced by Lifeway. Some of the benefits of this program are its cross-centered approach to the Scriptures, excellent teacher resources, and a comprehensive, three-year lesson plan for children, youth, and adults. Stay tuned for more details in the months ahead!

Free Music

For a limited time, the Christian band Page CXVI (pronounced '116') is generously giving away every song they've produced in the last seven years. This includes seven hymns albums and four pop albums (through their alternate indie band name Autumn Film). Just click here to visit their site.

We had this band at our church a few years ago for an outreach concert, and were blessed by their musical talents and their willingness to perform in smaller venues.

Their press release says, "Between re-arranging the classic hymns, to creating beautiful emotive indie pop music, the band has recorded 11 albums together. Please join them in celebrating this jubilee by catching up on the records you’ve missed or download the entire catalog."

Don't miss out on this great opportunity.

Now it's your turn: What are some of your favorite Christian artists today?

Related posts:

• Spring Concert 2010
• Are Hymns Still Relevant in our Worship?

Children in the Worship Service

I've noticed that many parents in our church are now keeping their kids with them for the entire Sunday morning worship service. I admire this decision and love to see families worshiping together (especially by the time kids enter grade school).

Parents, if you're looking for ways to keep your kids engaged in the worship service, here are some helpful articles:

• The Family: Together in God’s Presence – a theological basis by Noel Piper
• Teaching Kids to Sit Through Church – a short and practical blog article
• Listening Page – a printable worksheet for non-readers
• Note-taking Sheet – a printable worksheet for readers

For everyone else, thank you for your patience at the little disruptions along the way. Parenting is hard work! When a child gets noisy or seems squirmy, just smile and pray for them. Rejoice that they are in God’s house and that Mom and Dad are trying to train them right. If you’re sitting near a family with young children, see if you can be of any help. Maybe even offer to rock the baby or pick up that crayon off the floor.

Jesus said, “Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God” (Mk. 10:14). What a privilege to nurture young children in the faith. In a way, these kids are the most important guests at our church on Sunday morning. For they are the next generation who will serve God, long after the rest of us are gone.

Related posts:

• A Bible for Every Age and Reading Level
• Kids Worship CDs
• Truth & Grace Memory Books
• The Message Behind Children's Clothes
• Disciplining our Children 

Photo credit: freedigitalphotos

A Drive through Isaiah

Over the past three months, our church has been studying the Book of Isaiah. Like a drive across America, you can take the faster route or the longer, more scenic route. In our situation, we opted for the faster route.

I challenged our people at the outset of this journey to read one chapter of Isaiah per day, six chapters per week. Along the way, we saw some staggering visions, stern warnings, strange customs, and stunning promises.

As I reflect on this trip, I'm humbled at how much I still have to learn about Isaiah. At the same time, I'm grateful that God would willingly send His Son as our Savior and King.

Here are the passages we studied together on Sunday mornings, along with sermon links:

Isaiah 1: Isaiah: Prophet of Hope (no audio available)
Isaiah 6: Holy is the Lord of Hosts (audio)
Isaiah 11-12: Christ's Millennial Kingdom (audio)
Isaiah 15-16: The Pride of Moab (audio)
Isaiah 19: Striking and Healing (audio)
Isaiah 26: Perfect Peace (audio)
Isaiah 36-37: God Defends His People (audio)
Isaiah 43: No Other Savior (audio)
Isaiah 53: The Suffering Servant (audio)
Isaiah 55: Seek the Lord (audio)
Isaiah 66: Hope for the Humble (audio)

Photo credit: nuttakit

Four Soils

It's been c-c-cold in January. But spring is in the air! And in about six more weeks, it will be time for spring planting.

For our family, gardening is just a fun hobby to enjoy some fresh air, get our hands dirty, and feast on a few home-grown vegetables. But for most people in Jesus’ day, farming was a way of life. It’s no wonder, then, that so many of Jesus’ stories involved agriculture.

One of the most famous parables in the Bible is about a farmer who went out to his field to plant. Jesus mentions four kinds of soil (which describe four kinds of people). Notice how each soil reacts differently to the seed (which represents the Word of God).

The first soil was packed hard from years of foot traffic. Not your ideal place to grow crops. “Some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them” (Matthew 13:4). Jesus says this soil pictures people who hear God’s word, but can’t understand it (verse 19). They yawn. They laugh. They scratch their heads. Then Satan distracts them with other things that seem far more important.

The second soil was rocky, like much of our desert. “Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, but when the sun rose, they were scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away” (vv. 5-6). These people receive God’s word joyfully at first. Perhaps they even get baptized and start attending church. But like a passing fad or well-intentioned New Year’s Resolution, they give up as soon as things get tough and people begin to mock (v. 21).

The third soil was full of weeds and thistles. “Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them” (v. 7). These people show early potential, but are slowly choked out by the worries of life and the empty promises of money (v. 22). Those who chase after money, toys, and pleasure end up selling their souls for something that can never satisfy. But thankfully, there is one more kind of soil… 

The fourth soil was “good soil and produced grain - some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty” (v. 8). Jesus urges all of us to become this kind of soil - where God’s Word is heard, understood, and planted deeply into our hearts. Such people will humble themselves, trust in God’s Son, and begin a life of growing obedience to Jesus Christ.

Four soils. Four kinds of people. Which one are you?

This article first appeared in our 
local newspaper, the Hi Desert Star 

Related Posts:

• The Hard Soil
• The Stony Soil
  

Photo credit: adamr