by Clarence E. Stowers | Mar 7, 2012 | regular
In 2005, Ice Cube (Nick) and Nia Long (Suzanne) starred in the hit comedy movie, “Are We There Yet?” Nick’s attracted to Suzanne and offers to drive her two very annoying children from Portland to Vancouver. The trip’s a disaster from the outset as the three face numerous mishaps while entertaining the nagging question, “Are we there yet?” As a parent who’s gone on numerous road trips with children, they have trouble understanding distance and how much time it takes to actually get ‘there.’
In his book, “Maximize The Moment,” Bishop T.D. Jakes references a “place called there.” It’s not a neighborhood. You can’t find it on a map. Money, education, or influence can’t get you there. There is the place God intended for us to be spiritually, relationally, financially, etc. It’s God’s destiny for us and once you’ve been touched by destiny, your relentless pursuit begins.
You and I are not alone in our quest to get ‘there.’ In 1 Kings 17: 1-10, we find a word that’s often overlooked and ignored. That little word is ‘there.’ It’s used no less than four times. We see it first hand when God informs Elijah to remain by the brook and the ravens would feed him ‘there.’
Next, he’s told to arise and go to Zaraphet and dwell ‘there’ and a widow will sustain him…the widow was found where? There! I can imagine what you’re thinking, “What’s the importance of this little word – ‘there.’ It’s very important and this story reveals what Elijah needed was not where he was, it was in Zaraphet. And it was the place where he found the abiding presence and abundant blessings of God.
What’s the lesson:
THERE IS WHERE GOD ABIDES
As we go from day-to-day, we must realize that our ‘there’ is subject to change at any given moment. However, if we remain in His presence, our ‘there’ is secure. God commanded Moses to “follow the cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night.”
Additionally, the words “faith” and faithfulness” are mentioned throughout Scripture and form the foundation of Christianity. Consequently, those who walk close with God must always seek His presence. Why? His presence provides clarity and provides a reference point to begin! I’ll say that again: HIS PRESENCE PROVIDES CLARITY. Get in His presence and you’ll get to your ‘there.’
Question: Are YOU there yet?
by Clarence E. Stowers | Mar 5, 2012 | regular
After a long day at the office, sometimes I sit back and watch TV. Recently, I found myself channel-surfing for about 15 minutes. I was amazed at how many of the ads were about getting in shape. Here are some of the exact phrases I heard:
“Six-second abs.”
“Easy shaper.”
“Incredible — a miracle!”
“It feels terrific! Let us show you how easy it is!”
“Quickly turn your flabby abs into that sexy six-pack!”
Where did we ever get the crazy idea that getting in shape is supposed to be quick and easy? Why do we think that there will be almost no cost? Why are we surprised when working out turns out to be arduous and healthy foods don’t really taste that good?
HERE’S THE PROBLEM: WE OFTEN CONFUSE THE WORDS “SIMPLE” AND “EASY”
The changes I help people make are generally very simple. However, they are never easy. Just as with diet and exercise, changing behavior involves hard work. It takes time.
Look in the mirror. Not just at how you look but who you are. If you want to be a better leader, a better professional, or just a better person — don’t kid yourself. To achieve meaningful goals, you’ll have to pay the price.
There’s no product, no diet, no exercise program, and (I hate to admit it) no pastor who can make you better. Only you can do it. If your source of motivation doesn’t come from inside, you won’t stick with it. This may not be infomercial material, but it’s great advice for any real achievement.
by Clarence E. Stowers | Mar 2, 2012 | regular
Quick! How many have heard this phrase:
Bloom where you’re planted.
I heard this heard statement before and it’s about making the most of what you have and being content with your life. Although I could not find the actual verse that bears directly on this statement, 1 Corinthians 7:17-24 suggest the idea of contentment.
Paul had been giving instruction in Chapter 7 regarding marital status. Apparently there was some level of discontent among the believers where there was an inordinate desire to change their state from single to married or from married to single.
Maybe those who were in mixed marriages were envious of those who were in Christian unions. Maybe those who were married wished that they were single so that they could serve the Lord more devotedly. In any case, Paul feels a need to pause and address the wider problem of contentment with your assigned role in life.
What’s the message:
Be content and understand that God is providentially working in their circumstances.
Personally, I believe “Bloom where you are planted” is a good message to follow.
While we may not always choose the path that we are given, we can choose how to respond to that path. You can bloom (be happy and make the most of life). Or you can wither and remain gloomy and sad over things that are not exactly as planned. For this reason, I am grateful God planted me at Mars Hill. I absolutely love the people and the place. Therefore, I choose to bloom where I’m planted.
I love Mars Hill because the worship experience is “off-the-chain.” I love how we worship God at Mars Hill. Our members understand that praise is both seen and heard. So, each Sunday our members embody Psalm 100 and enter “His courts” with thanksgiving, shouts of joy, and pure excitement. At Mars Hill, worship flows freely and our members are encouraged to “be free” when they worship.
Additionally, they understand that “TRUE” praise involves lifting hands (Numbers 7:89), clapping (Psalm 47:1), standing (2 Chronicles 5:12), and sometimes lying prostrate before God (Psalm 95:6; Revelation 19:4). When our members are on ONE accord, the Glory Cloud manifests (2 Chronicles 5:13-14) and the worship experience transcends to another level (It happened again this Sunday). As a result of God’s visitation, I encourage our members to “stay in His presence.”
As long as we’re on Lake St., we’ll bloom there until God says move. And when The Glory Cloud moves, we’ll move.
Question: Are you blooming where you’re planted?
Tell me how…
by Clarence E. Stowers | Mar 1, 2012 | regular
Honestly, I do not understand why most churches, pastors, and church leaders do not leverage technology for the Glory of God. Pastors, church leaders, and faithful church attendees who see social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn as evil are missing a great opportunity to reach people far from God.
Are you sitting?
Here’s something that’ll blow your mind…
Christianity was, in a very real sense, the first technologically driven religion.
Intrigued? Angry? Frustrated?
Galilee, Bethlehem and the rest of Palestine were part of a Roman world whose technological underpinnings had reached a level by Jesus’ day that was not to be surpassed until the 19th Century. Those roads that The Apostle Paul and his associates traveled to spread the faith were unprecedented marvels of engineering. Without the ingeniously constructed roads that led from the streets where Jesus had walked to the cities of Syria and Greece, Christianity might have remained another obscure Judean sect like those that fill the pages in accounts by Jewish historian Josephus.
The roads were technological marvels – the ORIGINAL information super-highway!
What’s The Point?
If Jesus, His Disciples, or The Apostle Paul were here today, they’d all use Facebook, Twitter, and other social media sites to reach people for God! I can imagine The Apostle Paul with his MacBook Air updating his Facebook status with these words:
19 Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. 20 To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. 21 To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. 22 To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. 23 I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings. (NIV)
At Mars Hill, we decided to leverage technology for the glory of God. Why? More people prefer to have information pushed to them as opposed to having to go looking for it. Twitter and Facebook can be used to push information to users. This saves people the effort of going to a web site and looking for the information they need.
Moreover, Twitter forces brevity with its 140 character limit. Churches can get out a short message with a link to a registration form or web page if additional information in necessary. The benefit is that people don’t need to spend a lot of time wading through information that does not pertain to them.
Pastors, if you’re not using Facebook, Twitter or any other form of social media, you’re missing a God-sized & ordained opportunity reach people for God.
How do you feel about churches using technology?
by Clarence E. Stowers | Feb 25, 2012 | regular
Fifteen years ago the Lord blessed Shauntai and I with our second son, Joshua. Today’s his fifteenth birthday & I pause to reflect and share wisdom that’ll live with him forever. Unlike material things, our words have the ability to create worlds – gateways to a better tomorrow.
If there’s a single word you should live your life by, it should be this: Love Should Be Your Rule. It might sound lame, I know … but trust me, there’s no better rule in life.
Some would live by the rule of success. Their lives will be stressful, unhappy and shallow.
Others would live by the rule of selfishness — putting their needs above those of others. They will live lonely lives, and will also be unhappy.
Still others will live by the rule of righteousness — trying to show the right path, and admonishing anyone who doesn’t live by that path. They are concerned with others, but in a negative way, and in the end will only have their own righteousness to live with, and that’s a horrible companion.
Live your life by the rule of love. Love your future wife, your parents, and your friends with all of your heart. Give to them what they need, and show them not cruelty nor disapproval nor coldness nor disappointment, but only love. Open your soul to them.
Love not only your loved ones, but your neighbors … your coworkers … strangers … your brothers and sisters in humanity. Offer anyone you meet a smile, a kind word, a kind gesture, a helping hand.
Love not only neighbors and strangers … but your enemy. The person who is cruelest to you, who has been unkind to you … love him. He is a tortured soul, and most in need of your love.
And most of all, love yourself. While others may criticize you, learn not to be so hard on yourself, to think that you’re ugly or dumb or unworthy of love … but to think instead that you are a wonderful human being, worthy of happiness and love … and learn to love yourself for who you are.
Finally, know that I love you and always will. You are starting out on a weird, scary, daunting, but ultimately incredibly wonderful journey, and I will be there for you when I can.
Happy Birthday Son!
by Clarence E. Stowers | Feb 20, 2012 | regular
I started blogging “unofficially” on MySpace (y’all remember them) as a hobby. Now it’s a vital part of my ministry portfolio. I plan to use it to supplement my weekend messages.
Don’t you wish Blogger or Typepad had been around 2,000 years ago. I wonder if Jesus would have blogged? What an RSS feed that would have been!
I thought I would hit the pause button and share the top ten reasons why I decided to “professionally” blog:
- I want to be a good steward of God’s ideas. God has given me so much…He has taught me so much…I would be wrong not to pass along what I’ve learned that might be able to help others. My blog is one way I “take my thoughts captive“—II Corinthians 10:5.
- Too often we remember what we should forget and forget what we should remember. My blog helps me remember what God doesn’t want me to forget.
- Blogging is therapeutic. Ithelps me process thoughts and emotions. I believe blogging will make me a better leader. It will make me accountable. It will keep me humble. Just as preaching keeps the preacher always learning, I believe blogging will keep me on the learning edge of leadership.
- Habakkuk 2:2 says, “Write down the revelation.” Blogging is one way I write down what God is revealing to me.
- Blogging is a form of digital discipleship. I can’t disciple a thousand people one-on-one or face-to-face. Blogging is asynchronous discipleship. It’s e-vangelism.
- Blogging is marking my trail with breadcrumbs like Hansel and Gretel. Jeremiah 31:21 says, “Set up road signs; put up guideposts. Mark well the path by which you came.”
- I blog for my children’s children. Mygrand kids will know what I was doing and thinking on February 19, 2008. They’ll be able to know my heart and read my mind.
- Blogging is a form of autobiography. It helps me understand God’s story-line for my life.
- Blogging makes Mars Hill Baptist Church an open-source church. For better or for worse, my blog is the way I share what we’re doing at MHBC.
- I enjoy blogging. I don’t think it comes natural to everyone. However, since I’ve always wanted to journal, blogging fits the rhythm of my life and ministry.
