DOES MUSIC AFFECT ME?

Does your house seem to have a heart-beat?  You know, incessant bass sound coming from the room of your teen?  Perhaps it comes from the stereo of your teenage-at-heart husband or wife, but nevertheless, a constant drone of noise.  We love music!  As a musician, I love to pick apart every drum fill, guitar lick, bass line, and keyboard/piano melody!

You may ask the question, “How does the music my son/daughter listens to affect them?  Time and again I have heard the excuse from teens; ”But the words don’t affect me…I just like the music.”  Oh, if this were only reality!  The truth is there are two major categories we need to examine concerning music: the Emotion of music and the Message of music.

First, we must examine the Emotion of Music.  Certain styles of music cause us to drive fast, feel angry, feel self-pity or mellow, cause reverence and humility, express joy and excitement.  If a band declares itself as “Christian,” is their music appropriate for us?  Not always.  If we listen to a certain type of music that causes us to feel angry or get an attitude with others, then it is not beneficial for us.  Paul states in 1 Corinthians 6:12, “…everything is permissible, but I will not be mastered by anything.”  Does your music master your emotions in such a way that it causes you to sin?

Second, we must examine the Message of Music.  Lyrics or words are used in music to communicate a message to the listener.  I agree with Al Menconi, author of , Today’s Music: A Window to Your Child’s Soul.”  When he categorizes music in the following three ways:  Music which is against God, music which is neutral, and music which draws us close to God.

Many parents fear their child listening to music which is against God, that which endorses Satan, disrespect, rape, suicide, killing, etc.  What we often fail to evaluate is the message of music against God’s moral law, that which endorses promiscuity, self-gratification, an attitude against others, or mockery of people whom God created.  How many “love songs” really talk about an affair, a one-night stand, and self-gratification; instead of patient love, kind love, protective, trusting, persevering love?

Neutral music doesn’t carry a message against God nor his moral law, but neither does it draw one close to God.  Its value is inconsequential and merely consumes time and attention.

Music that draws us close to God communicates a spiritual message, encouragement to follow God, to surrender to Him, to know God.  Much of these lyrics come from the Bible itself, or from biblical principles.

As you examine how music affects you and your teen, choose: Will I listen to a message that harms me? That does little for me? Or the kind that helps me?  You decide. Remember, it is inconsistent to reprove your children or spouse about the message in their music, if the message in your music is just as opposed to the ways of the Lord.  We must begin with ourselves, then lead our families in what is right in God’s eyes.

 

(I Corinthians 13, Psalm 95:1, Psalm 96:1-2).

Your Great Care

As a Pastor I see and hear a lot. Nothing really surprises me anymore and most people assume pastors are shielded from the world. The opposite is true. We LIVE with it see it and feel it deeply as we walk with people through the good, the bad, and the ugly of very real and often graphic lives. I wrote this entry with this in mind. It sums up the hope I find in Christ as I serve by helping others through those difficulties.

 

 

Great Care
My heart breaks from the world I see.
Angry people, rebellious friends, many lies.
Manipulators and users, wrought with evil ways;
Yet even here sit I.

The minister of God’s calling,
The pastor sent to serve.
But digging deep reveals the darkness,
The pain we so deserve.

Oh, I hurt from what I see,
I bleed from sinner’s deeds.
I cry for those who fall
And fight to meet their needs.

When your people fall away,
And they choose to live in sin.
When they scoff at restitution,
They rebel against You within.

May I not lose my diligent fervor,
Nor my passion to serve You well.
Though the world crash all around me,
May you conquer evil’s spell.

Now my hope is found in you.
You’re greater than all distress.
But I hurt at what hurts you,
And I taste its bitterness.

May this gall but glimpse your heart,
And find your feelings there.
I now sit with you beside me,
Feeling the weight of your great care.

Super-powerful Prayer

So there’s a group of men I share life with in our Community Group. Recently we were asking this question: “How would our prayers be empowered by praying Scripture?” As much as we want Aunt Helga’s cat to feel better, perhaps we should pray for things on an even greater scale. Now, we’re not claiming promises that were intended for other generations or taking verses out of context, but personalizing Scripture and praying the very things God breathed in his Word.

So we turned to 2 Thessalonians chapter 3 and took the first 5 verses as a prayer test case. Here’s a sample of verse one: “As for other matters, brothers and sisters, pray for us that the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honored, just as it was with you.” Hmm, what if we prayed that as a prayer request in our churches, neighborhoods and workplaces? It would be personalized like this, “God I pray that the message of the Lord would spread rapidly in Elk Grove, CA to people in businesses like Apple computer and in the homes in my neighborhood and that many people would honor Your Word.” Wow! I just went from my old way of praying within the limitations of things I can think up to praying what is in the heart of God and in His Word. Which do you think he will more likely answer?

Verse two: “And pray that we may be delivered from wicked and evil people, for not everyone has faith.” That one is easy to personalize: “I pray that we may be delivered from wicked and evil people, for not everyone has faith.”  You get the idea.

Verse three speaks of God’s protection; verse four quickens us to obey the commands of those in authority over us, especially the leaders in our churches. We should readily agree with those!

I was personally humbled by verse five, however. “May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance.”  This is a far cry from the “save me and rescue me right now” prayers we are so accustomed to pray. Personalize it: “Direct my heart into your love, and Christ’s perseverance.” What was Christ’s perseverance? Obedience unto death, even death on a cross. He sacrificed, he obeyed, he endured and pushed through opposition and he didn’t bail out early. Wow. I need prayer for my heart to be directed into sacrificial love and a perseverance that doesn’t give up or give in. THAT, my friends is a prayer God will gladly empower! Take him up on it.

- Pastor Dave

I Just Have to Show You

The journey of faith that Sun Grove Church has taken this year has stretched and grown us. Left to ourselves, our private fears and our limitations, we never would have imagined that God could and would bless our small faith with Him moving mountains. But He has.

In January this facility was listed for sale by a major bank.

In February we made an offer and were beat out by several others. But we had no peace that this opportunity was done, or that God had closed the door.

In March of last year several small prayer groups walked prayer circles around this facility as it was still operating as a functioning Gold’s Gym & Day Spa. We believed God could give it to us as a church facility.

 

April 1^st God gave us the opportunity to buy it. I believe on the “day of fools” God named it as ours and did the impossible. He would lead us and remove the giants:

• Change the zoning from travel commercial to general commercial so a church could operate there. He did.
• Raise the needed funds through our church to acquire the building. We gave in faith and He did it.
• Meet fire code and use of assembly. He did it.
• And many more.

 

Then we were thrown into a frivolous lawsuit regarding the building and began to rack up high legal fees to prove this was in fact frivolous. God settled the case and paid our legal fees.

 

The tenants moved on and we took possession of the facility right before Christmas 2011.

 

We are still walking in faith as we have tenant improvements and facility repairs and equipment to pay for.

 

But I just had to show you what God has done.

Matthew makes the news

A Family Effort

by Missy Calvert

Matthew’s family has supported MWFPRO in different ways. Most of his family members have iPhones and keep up with his apps—even his grandparents! Zach has written music for some of Matthew’s games, and Joshua, who loves art, may contribute to Matthew’s logos in the future.

“I have had a ton of support,” Matthew says.

Matthew’s grandma is on the leadership board at Joni and Friends, and his grandpa is the chairman of the board for the San Fernando Valley Pregnancy Resource Center. They threw a party at their house when the center’s app was finally accepted.

“It’s so cool that Matthew is helping to continue the legacy of his grandparents,” Zach says.

While many of his apps are free to download, Matthew has sold more than 20,000. With his profits, Matthew gives back to God through tithing, puts some away for college and spends some.

“My mom jokes that Matthew is going to put us all through college,” Zach says.

Matthew doesn’t know what his life or the future of MWFPRO will hold, but he trusts God with his passions and abilities as he seeks to serve other people.

“I honestly want to do whatever God wants me to do and whatever His plan is for my life,” Matthew says. “I really enjoy helping people, and I love technology.”

Copyright © 2011 by Focus on the Family. Used by permission. Clubhousemagazine.com.

I Love Haters

It’s not that the people didn’t get it, it’s that they got away from it and made a value that served themselves.

• I have heard it said that I should disrespect those who disrespect me.
• I have heard it said that I should focus on my needs right now and forget someone else.
• I have heard it said that I give love only when it is earned.
• I have heard it said that I should counter-sue those who sue you.
• I have heard it said that I can’t reason with people who hate.
• I have heard it said that I should fire someone who shows disloyalty.
• I have heard it said that I should hang out with people who believe exactly what I do.

I have heard it said…have you?

Jesus shows up to first century Israel and challenges the people who have heard a lot of things said. People, who would say, “I follow God”, but their conduct would usually point to them simply being a fan of themself. Now before this sounds judgmental, I need to defend these people. They’re like you and they’re like me. We know that God loves people. We know God loves us and we did nothing to deserve that love. We know we are to love other people like God does, but some of “those people” make it really hard to love them. It’s not that they didn’t get it, it’s that they got away from it; and they were spurred on by religious leaders who corrupted the law to use it to serve the interest of self. People who should know what God said, but had listened to the blind leaders tell them their view of the heart of God. They had heard it said…

So Jesus challenges them with this statement: You have heard that it was said,

Matthew 5:43-48 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor^[a] and hate your enemy.’ ⁴

⁴ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, ⁴⁵ that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. ⁴⁶ If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? ⁴⁷ And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? ⁴⁸ Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

The people had heard from their teachers a perversion of Leviticus 19:18 with the omission of a few key words: “Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD.” Then they would add “hate your enemy.”

Hating your enemy is the logical conclusion to all-consuming self-interest. The religious leaders had completely perverted the heart of God to an imitation summed up by the following: “Love your countrymen, and hate all foreigners.”

Jesus brings people back to what the heart of God really is: Love your neighbor as yourself and pray for those who persecute you.

Just like Jesus would later pray on the cross saying, “Father forgive them they don’t know what they’re doing.” His love was restraint versus revenge or judgment. It would be crazy in the eyes of the world to love our enemies in action (including restraint) and pray for them.

Ridiculous? Foolish? Weak? According to all we have heard it was said…

We choose to follow Jesus and love haters.

Stung By Wasps

Late in the Summer heat, I engage in the epic battle against the wasps that build their paper nests under my eaves and roof tiles. These angry swarming stinging insects come en-masse off the ample farmland we live by and make suburbia their kingdom. Armed with insect spray for long range strikes and a tennis racquet for in close defense, I am not playing. This is for keeps. And a little bit of fun. And the three mighty warriors (my sons) also armed have my back.

We attack the first sign of infestation under an arching roof tile and out pours the swarm.   You think I’m exaggerating, but at the end of our first strike nearly 60 wasps lay defeated as our adrenaline soars. You might feel we are a bit enthusiastic, but we have special reason to dislike wasps. Or yellow-jackets. Or hornets. Believe me, we have reason.

We had three boys in three years. That’s right a three year old, year and a half old and a newborn. Heather, her aunt Nan and the boys had just visited Heather’s grandma in a nursing home. At this time Matthew was 2. Like an exploring little toddler he hopped off a curb into a small pile of leaves. Unknown to us in that pile of leaves was a yellow-jacket nest.  Matthew was instantly swarmed and the stinging began. Heather couldn’t grab him because she had Joshua in her arms and was holding Zach’s hand. Totally helpless! Instantly Nan sprang into action, ran in, swept up Matthew and In doing so took several stings during her rescue effort.

They took Matthew to the doctor who marveled that this little boy had received 6 stings directly on his face and a seventh through his clothing. His little face swelled up, bruised up and looked awful. When Heather went with Matthew to the pharmacy to fill the Doctor’s prescription, people looked at her like she was a child abuser. Yeah, we don’t prefer angry insects.

There is a parallel to my story: when we were trapped in sin experiencing the sting of consequence and the condemnation of our guilt, Jesus Christ swept in, took our stings and paid our penalty on the cross. Now he offers you eternal life in Heaven if you believe in your heart and confess with your mouth that Jesus is LORD. That his death, burial and resurrection satisfied God’s righteous wrath against your sin and you now exercise your choice to follow him. You can cry out, “Jesus, save me, I’m yours!” Ask him to make you a new creation and ask him to be the Lord of your life.

When you finally surrender like that he raises you to be a warrior who can stand against sin and death and the destruction sin causes. You can point others who experience the sting of their sins, to experience rescue by Jesus and share the hope you found. So run toward the battle, enjoy it and live your calling.

 

 

 

 

Seeking God Eagerly

2 Chronicles 15:15b “They sought the LORD eagerly and He was found by them.”

There are certain things I seek eagerly:

• My wallet when I have misplaced it.
• The channel of the Big game so I can record it.
• The track of a hurricane or blizzard when I’m travelling.
• The epicenter of really big earthquakes.
• The fix when my wireless network goes down.
• When the band Switchfoot is coming to town to play.
• The Lord.

What’s funny about life is that it always brings a different circumstance causing dependency for me to stay in seeking mode, constant contact and in need of the LORD. Is that true of you?

Seeking the Lord eagerly means through a SEASON. One quick prayer is not enough. One decision does begin & end a season.

Today I was learning about the story of Asa the King. (Not a name you find in Baby Name listings, or spell-check for that matter)

2 Chronicles 15 gives us a glimpse into what Seeking God eagerly really means. (Read it, no seriously all of it…I put it below for your convenience).

Here are the modernized highlights that stuck out to me:

1. Be strong and don’t give up.
2. Take courage.
3. Follow through against strongholds of sin.
4. People will join your example, not because you’re great, but because they see God working in you.
5. Together commit to seek God through the entire season…and beyond.
6. The result of seeking is seeing and finding God.
7. Seekers will inevitably have to please God and displease some of the people they’ve been close to.
8. Seekers can persevere through the long season called “life.”

Take some time today to persevere by seeking Him Eagerly!

2 Chronicles 15 [NIV]

¹ The Spirit of God came on Azariah son of Oded. ² He went out to meet Asa and said to him, “Listen to me, Asa and all Judah and Benjamin. The LORD is with you when you are with him. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will forsake you. ³ For a long time Israel was without the true God, without a priest to teach and without the law. ⁴ But in their distress they turned to the LORD, the God of Israel, and sought him, and he was found by them. ⁵ In those days it was not safe to travel about, for all the inhabitants of the lands were in great turmoil. ⁶ One nation was being crushed by another and one city by another, because God was troubling them with every kind of distress. ⁷ But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded.”

⁸ When Asa heard these words and the prophecy of Azariah son of^[a] Oded the prophet, he took courage. He removed the detestable idols from the whole land of Judah and Benjamin and from the towns he had captured in the hills of Ephraim. He repaired the altar of the LORD that was in front of the portico of the LORD’s temple.

⁹ Then he assembled all Judah and Benjamin and the people from Ephraim, Manasseh and Simeon who had settled among them, for large numbers had come over to him from Israel when they saw that the LORD his God was with him.

¹⁰ They assembled at Jerusalem in the third month of the fifteenth year of Asa’s reign. ¹¹ At that time they sacrificed to the LORD seven hundred head of cattle and seven thousand sheep and goats from the plunder they had brought back. ¹² They entered into a covenant to seek the LORD, the God of their ancestors, with all their heart and soul. ¹³ All who would not seek the LORD, the God of Israel, were to be put to death, whether small or great, man or woman. ¹⁴ They took an oath to the LORD with loud acclamation, with shouting and with trumpets and horns. ¹⁵ All Judah rejoiced about the oath because they had sworn it wholeheartedly. They sought God eagerly, and he was found by them. So the LORD gave them rest on every side.

¹⁶ King Asa also deposed his grandmother Maakah from her position as queen mother, because she had made a repulsive image for the worship of Asherah. Asa cut it down, broke it up and burned it in the Kidron Valley. ¹⁷ Although he did not remove the high places from Israel, Asa’s heart was fully committed to the LORD all his life. ¹⁸ He brought into the temple of God the silver and gold and the articles that he and his father had dedicated.

¹⁹ There was no more war until the thirty-fifth year of Asa’s reign.

Praying BIG Prayers.

This year has been monumental for me to pray BIG prayers to an even Bigger GOD.

Often our prayers are as anemic as our daily momentary thoughts of God. Bless my circumstances, my safety, my relationships and me. Me, me, me.

I was recently challenged by this thought: What would be different in the world if you stopped praying? 

So I’ve begun to ask as if it really matters. Praying to a BIG GOD. To a GOD who wants to do more than I can ask or imagine. Prayers of faith. Prayers that ask, though I cannot see how it is going to happen. So often we compress God’s ability to our capacity of problem solving. If I reason and pray according merely to what I can imagine or solve, then I might as well just pray to myself!

Lets evaluate for a minute: Are we praying beyond ourselves, to a BIG GOD who will move heaven and earth to accomplish His will on earth when His people pray? Are we bold enough to pray asking God to do the Amazing, the Unthinkable and the Impossible apart from the one and only GOD completing it? Praying for the most LOST person you know. The one who would never accept Christ unless GOD alone drew that person to Himself? Praying for his kingdom to be realized on earth in every segment of society? Praying for peace in Jerusalem? Or Somalia? Or Afghanistan? Praying for resources to do the impossible? Praying for God to take over your neighborhood one person at a time?

That is SOOO different than travel mercies, blessed food, a good day, help on a test, a job interview or a convenient parking space.

What would be different in the world if you stopped praying?

Take courage and start praying BIG.

Cathedral Rings

We walked among giants.

I’m a man of 5’ 9” on a well-rested day. The men in my family are not known for learning height. I once heard a volleyball coach say, “You can’t teach height.” Funny, and true. Ability sure counts, but the force multiplier effect of stature will ultimately best the talent of many a man.

We walked among giants.

Imagine that scene in Star Wars where the Rebel forces and Ewoks are battling the stormtroopers on land-speeders. The movie set is no set at all. It’s the mighty redwood forests of the Pacific coastal mountains of North America. Trees over 1,000 years old. These massive giants lowest branches can be 100 feet up from the forest floor. Their top branches can begin their horizontal reach at over 350 feet high.

We walked among giants.

And as we did, I wondered what could topple these mighty beasts. Giants that had survived fire, shrugged off lightning, felt the bite of winter cold and blaze of summer heat. Yes, loggers had their day. Yes, dry rot from the inside out had downed a few. But the largest culprit is WIND. No hurricanes here. No tornadoes either. Just regular old wind.

You see, these giants have a shallow root base and no tap root to secure them to terra firma. The right tip of wind can cause a topple. The forest is full of them. Mossy downed logs among the ferns, across creeks and slowly returning to carbon matter in the soil.

We walked among giants.

When a tree gets rotted-out and snapped off near the base an amazing thing happens. The former base sprouts new trees in a circle.  Dendrologists (people who study trees) call these phenoms “cathedral rings.”

The fun part is that the one has replicated itself into many from the same source it used to become a tree in the first place.

We walked among giants.

My dad sprouted three men, though he has returned to his Maker. When the base matter is fertile the new sprouts have a great chance of a strong long life until the inevitable tip topples. I’m walking myself among good living men now. I’m also walking among giants over 4,000 years old, found in the truth of the Bible. Truth and lives that have stood the test of time and are based in relationship with their Maker. When God calls me to Himself, my three boys can experience a tight circle and say “We walked among giants.”