We've been in a series at church for a few weeks now called, "Masquerade". Figuratively speaking, all of us wear masks at different points in our lives to cover up or hide what's really going on. In doing so, not only do we cover up who we really are, but we also deny ourselves the opportunity to get real with God, deal with our issues and become the people he really longs for us to be. So this series has been taking a look at some of the different masks we wear and challenging us to take off those masks and get real with God.

This week we looked at the mask of success. If it's true that every mask we wear hides something, then what Pastor Mark shared, was that the mask of success hides the lack of true identity in Christ. As this thought was developed I thought it was a fascinating idea to think about. If you think about our pursuit of success in this world, often it is motivated by image. In other words, our pursuit of success is a pursuit to create a certain kind of image for ourselves with wealth, possessions, status, etc. And the level of success we reach becomes our identity. So in essence, our identity is not defined by who we truly are but by what we accomplish and achieve, and those things mask our true identity.

But if we take off the mask of success and redefine it in God's terms, the very foundation of how we define success changes. Where the mask of success is defined by image... an image we create for ourselves that becomes our identity... success in God's eyes is defined by our identity (who we are in Christ) and this identity becomes our image. We could very easily do the same things in either scenario, but the motivation behind why we do those things totally changes. No longer are we vainly pursuing wealth, possessions, and status to create an image for ourselves but we are pursuing the things that God stirs within us out of a sense of our identity in Him.

So the big question is, how do we take off the mask of success and redefine what being successful is all about? Well according to human standards which are based on image, you've become successful when you achieve a certain image of success... you've achieved a certain status and you appear successful. According to God's standard which is based on identity, you become successful when you understand who you are in Christ, you get a sense of what God has created you to do and you live your life to fulfill that mission of what you were created for... your calling from God. What exactly that calling is, and what it will look like is different for every one of us because we were all created with a unique purpose. But the real goal in finding success is to understand who God has called you to be... what he has created you for... and to boldly and passionately pursue that purpose with everything that's in you every single day of your life.

God is so good and he never ceases to amaze me with the things he does and the ways he works!

I've really been wrestling a lot lately with what it means to follow Jesus... not just ideologically but in practice... to really follow him... to really live my life differently.

So a group of us from church have been studying the book "Weird: Because Normal Isn't Working" by Craig Groeshel and really talking about what it means to follow Jesus and live for him... but not just talk about it, live it!

Well, God has really been dealing with my heart on the whole money issue lately... tithing, giving, generosity, living debt free, etc. and this is one of the areas in our study of "Weird" that I've really been trying to take some action steps. I know this is an area of my life where I've had the illusion of thinking I'm in control. So over the years we've been way more reliant on credit cards than we should be and in the end probably missed out on the opportunity to be reliant on God and see the miracles of his provision on so many occasions.

I've been feeling in my heart like God wants me to cut up all the credit cards and get rid of that illusion of control that keeps me from completely depending on him but it's like the worst time right now! We live in California but have a house in Michigan still that we've been renting just to try to pay all the bills. Well, our renters recently moved out leaving us with our normal bills plus our mortgage payment to carry... and to top it all off the city building inspector came through and cited us for $3000 in repairs which we don't have the money to pay for. The kicker is we can't rent the house again until the repairs are done so we have to do them.

I've been praying hard, believing God to provide, but all the while had a plan B waiting in the wings, knowing that I could use the credit cards to help pay the bill if necessary. Last week, the day that I got the estimate from the contractor, as I was crunching numbers trying to figure out how we were going to pay this bill, the church treasurer shows up in my office with a check for $500 that someone from the church anonymously wanted to give to us! It was as if God was reminding me that he's more than able to provide... Cool, indeed... however, there still is $2500 that we don't have!

Ironically, if we were able to find renters for the house, the first months rent, the security deposit and the $500 anonymous gift would almost exactly cover the bill. But we haven't had much luck in finding renters. Lots of interest but nothing coming through. So I just continued to believe that God could provide but my plan B was still waiting in the wings.

Well, today I was watching a message online about Bold Obedience to God and I just knew in my heart at the end of this message that the Bold step of obedience I needed to take was to cut up all the credit cards and trust that God would provide. I was terrified knowing that there was no other way to pay this bill if the credit cards were gone but I knew it's what I had to do to truly trust God in this situation. I collected all the credit cards and was getting up out of my chair to go run them through the shredder (still terrified if I was making the right decision) when I glanced at my phone and noticed I had an email. It was from one of the people who had previously gone through our house stating that they really liked the house and are planning to submit an application in the next couple days!

Nothing is for sure at this point but it was just the confirmation I needed!

The credit cards have been run through the shredder!

God is good!

I've been reading the records of the kings of Israel and Judah in the Old Testament. The records are filled with wicked king after wicked king who led the people of God in idol worship, sin and rebellion against God. And then every once in a while you find a king who was fully devoted to God and would destroy the idols, shrines and high places and lead the people back to God.

I've glossed over these passages before but as I read them today, I was particularly struck by the tremendous courage of these kings who were devoted to God and led the people back to Him. Certainly it couldn't have been an easy thing to go against the tide of what had become "normal" in that culture and to bring about significant cultural change. It had to have taken a great deal of courage and conviction to stand up against the cultural current and turn things around.

As I mentioned, I've glossed over these passages before, feeling somewhat removed from the cultural context but I wonder how removed we really are. Do we not live in a culture that is full of idolatry, sin and rebellion? Certainly our idolatry, sin and rebellion looks different than it did back then, but is it not still idolatry, sin and rebellion? Doesn't it seem that these things have become the cultural norm for us? We adapt ourselves to less than godly ways of living and become numb to them because that's what's normal.

I wonder, then, where are the leaders, the people fully devoted to God who would follow the example of these courageous kings and rise up with courage and conviction to bring change? It may not be any easy road to walk, but doesn't God deserve for us to take a stand for Him?

May God fill you with passion, devotion, conviction and courage to be all he has created you to be and to stand up for what is right.

Just wanted to say a special thank you to all of you who made donations to World Vision for my marathon run this past weekend. Together we were able to raise over $1500 to help children around the world who are suffering!

The race went well considering the fact that it was pouring rain all day! I was able to finish in about 5 hours and actually felt pretty good through most of it.

If you'd still like to make donations, it's not too late. You can donate online by clicking on the link below.

http://support.worldvision.org/site/TR/TeamWorldVision/General?px=1119816&pg=personal&fr_id=1290

Thanks again for your gifts!

As many of you know, for the last 18 weeks I have been on an intense journey of highs and lows training for the 26.2 mile LA Marathon that I will run next Sunday, March 20 as part of Team World Vision. For a large portion of my life I've enjoyed the challenge and discipline of running and the idea of running a marathon has always been intriguing to me.

A couple years ago while I was attending a conference I had the opportunity to go to a lunch that was sponsored by Team World Vision. It was at this lunch that my heart was so moved by the stories I heard of lives that were being changed because people were willing to step up to the plate and do something that seemed impossible or even crazy to most. It was at this lunch that I made a commitment to pursue the journey of running a marathon, not for what I could get out of it, but for what I could give through it.


World Vision is an amazing Christian humanitarian organization dedicated to working with children, families, and their communities worldwide to reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice. They serve 100 million people in nearly 100 countries around the world.


World Vision, along with so many other organizations, also provides immediate disaster relief for major catastrophes like the deadly earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan last week. They are often one of the first responders to these crises and in fact are on the ground in Japan right now. Now more than ever they need our support so that they can continue to meet the needs and make a difference in the world.


The journey of training for this marathon has not always been an easy one, but what has kept me going through the difficult moments as I run, has been the thoughts of the real life people who live in the midst of horrifying poverty and injustice every day, and the fact that their lives can be changed through this small sacrifice on my part.


I write to ask if you would be willing to sponsor me as I run this marathon on behalf of Team World Vision. Every dollar we raise has the potential to radically change the circumstances for so many people who live in devastating and often deadly situations. I care and I want to do whatever I can to make a difference... and so this next Sunday I will run 26.2 miles in the hopes of changing lives.


To make a donation with a debit or credit card online, you can visit my team website at:


http://twv.convio.net/site/TR/TeamWorldVision/General?px=1119816&pg=personal&fr_id=1290


You can also send checks made out to World Vision to:


Skot Lokers
4342 Middlefield Dr.
Tracy, CA 95377


Your support is greatly appreciated!

Less than two weeks until our 30 Hour Famine event and I'm so excited about all the ways that people have pitched in to make this project a success! The truth is, though, as excited as I am about all that we have accomplished so far, the needs are still great and there is so much more that we can do!

The theme for this year's 30 Hour Famine is "Love Hungry". Because the truth is that it's not that hard to love when it's easy. It's not that difficult to love when it's comfortable and it doesn't cost us anything. But the whole purpose of the Famine is to learn to identify with other people's struggles and hardships and to learn to love when it's difficult... when it costs us something. And that's exactly what Jesus calls us to... to not only love when it's easy and comfortable but to learn to love when it's difficult and painful... when it costs us something.

I'm so proud of all the kids who have stepped up to the plate and volunteered to go without food for 30 hours and to love through their hunger. But this project isn't just about going without food to identify with others but to raise awareness and support so that we can change the circumstances for so many people that live in the reality of hunger every day. It's easy for us to throw a couple extra dollars in the jar and pat ourselves on the backs for doing a good thing. And don't get me wrong, those extra dollars make a huge difference and change lives, but is that really a sacrifice? Does that really capture the essence of "Love Hungry"?

So I'm asking you today to consider what sacrifices you can make to participate in changing the reality of hunger for people all over the world. Just $30 will feed a child for an entire month and in many cases provide sustainable food sources for an entire family for the rest of their lives... that's $1 a day!

I don't know about you but my family goes out to eat usually once every week or two and we spend at least $30 for the 5 of us. Perhaps we could sacrifice that meal for a week and eat at home, and know that by doing so we have saved a child's life for a month and maybe even for a lifetime.

Perhaps you go out to lunch every day while you're at work. Maybe for the next week or so you could pack a lunch and take that money and donate it to the Famine.

The possibilities are endless! Be creative! But I'm begging you all to dig deep during these final days of fundraising for our 30 Hour Famine and learn to "Love Hungry".

If you'd like to make a tax-deductible online donation to our group for the 30 Hour Famine, visit our team website at http://twv.convio.net/site/TR/30HourFamine/30HourFamine?team_id=11443&pg=team&fr_id=1310.

May God bless you richly for the sacrifices you make!

I've been reading the past couple days in the book of Exodus, the lengthy and incredibly detailed instructions given to Moses by God about how to build the Tabernacle (house of worship) and how to conduct worship, and it's got me thinking. At first glance it's easy to glaze over these portions of Scripture with their meticulous attention to every detail and easily think that it's irrelevant to us today who live so far beyond the times of Moses and the worship that took place in the Tabernacle.

I wonder though as I read this, how God feels about our worship. So much attention is given in this day and age to our personal styles of worship and what we like or don't like. But when was the last time we really asked how God wants us to worship? If he was so specific in his instructions to the people in Moses' day, is it too far fetched to think he might have an opinion on how we worship today?

That's not to say that I think our worship forms and styles today are irrelevant, or that God is not pleased with the sacrifices of worship we bring to him. But I think in the consumeristic culture we live in, church and worship can easily just become another thing we consume... another thing to feed our own selfish motivations. We can easily become consumers of worship rather than givers of worship. If indeed this is the way we operate, it is completely contrary to the essence of what worship is all about. Worship is an opportunity for us to take the focus off of ourselves and to honor God who is highly exalted above all of our selfish ambitions. Worship is about honoring someone else above ourselves and often involves sacrifice.

When was the last time you took time to consider or even ask God how he wants you to worship him?

When was the last time your worship cost you something?

Are your acts of worship truly God-honoring or self-indulgent?

Take some time to pray, read the Bible and consider how God might want you to worship. See what specific instructions he might give to you.

All of us have struggles and hardships in life. As Christians it can sometimes be difficult to reconcile God's plan with the struggles and hardships we face. How could a God who is so loving and caring allow me to go through this? The hope that we cling to though, is that God sees the bigger picture. As human beings we often have a limited perspective. We only see what lies before us. But God sees our entire existence. And often it's the most difficult seasons in life that shape us for the greater things that God has in store for us.

I was reading the story of Joseph in the Bible today and was particularly moved by this very principle in his life. Joseph was a favorite son of his father Jacob and his brothers despised him for it. So one day when they were out in the fields his brothers sold him into slavery to do away with him. Through a series of events, Joseph ends up in prison in Egypt for a number of years. But God uses those days of misfortune and eventually Joseph becomes second in command in the entire land of Egypt next to Pharaoh. God uses Joseph and his godly wisdom to literally save people's lives, including Joseph's own family, during a severe famine in the land.

After all Joseph had been through, I love what he says to his brothers when he reveals himself to them: "I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt! And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you." Joseph certainly had plenty of reason to be angry and upset with his brothers, but instead he sees the larger plan of God in the midst of all that has happened to him.

Now, none of us are promised the outcome of Joseph's life in the midst of our struggles and hardships. For that matter, none of us are even promised the outcome that we desire. But God does promise that in ALL things he works for the good of those who love him. (Romans 8:28) Regardless of what you're going through and regardless of the outcome, we can hope in the promise that God is good, and that he is working on our behalf.


To Him be the glory!

Love this song!! Nothing is impossible for our God!!

I was reading the story of Jacob and Esau this morning and was struck by the portion where Jacob steala his brother Esau's blessing. The story goes that Isaac, the father of Jacob and Easu was growing old and near the point of death. He wanted to give his eldest son Esau a blessing before he died and so he instructed Esau to go out and hunt some wild game, prepare it and bring it to him and then he would give him a blessing before he dies. Jacob the younger brother learns of this and sets out with his mother's help to deceive his father and steal the blessing of his older brother and indeed he does. He disguises himself as Esau and his father speaks a blessing over him and his life.

What strikes me about this story though is the apparent power behind the words that Isaac speaks. When Isaac speaks the blessing over Jacob, that's it and that's the way things are going to be. There is no taking it back or changing what has been said. When Esau comes in to receive his blessing both he and his father are overcome because they realize they have been deceived. However, there is nothing they can do to change it. The words have been spoken and that is the way things will be.

Reading this story, I wonder how much we take our words for granted? Proverbs 18:21 says that, "The tongue has the power of life and death..." It seems we live in a day and age where words don't mean much. We can say whatever we want to say and they're just words. We don't have to be accountable for the things we say because if things get too out of hand we can simply state that we didn't really mean what we said... they're just words!

But as I read this story I can't help but wonder how our words really do affect our lives? Perhaps the words we speak mean much more than we give them credit for. Perhaps they affect our lives and the lives of those around us more than we are aware of.

Today, consider how the things you speak might affect your life and the lives of those around you.

I was reading the story of Abraham in the book of Genesis this morning and was struck by a particular passage in Chapter 22. Mind you that Abraham has waited his entire life to have a son. God has made him promises that he would have a son and that through this son, Abraham would have descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and they would become God's chosen people. Finally at the age of 100 God's promise is fulfilled and Abraham has a son and names him Isaac. I can only imagine the love and attachment that Abraham has for this son of his.

But now as the story unfolds, God comes to Abraham again and says to him, "Take your son, your only son, whom you love - Isaac - and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will show you."

Can you imagine the horror for Abraham? Not only is this the son he has waited for 100 years for, but God has made Abraham all sorts of promises concerning this son of his. But seemingly without hesitation Abraham goes. He takes his son to the place God shows him, ties him to the altar and raises his knife to slay his beloved son and finally God intervenes and stops him. His words to Abraham are these, "Do not lay a hand on the boy. Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son."


What strikes me about this story is that God wants our pure, unadulterated love and devotion. He wants to be first place in our lives, above all else. For Abraham, God wanted to ensure that even what he had promised him and blessed him with, hadn't become an idol that Abraham treasured above God.


All of us have things that we love and cherish in life... be it relationships, money, possessions, jobs, status, etc. But the important thing for us to remember is not that those things are bad, but that God wants to be first in our life above all those things. For us to value anything above God is idolatry... we are worshipping something else above God.


So what are the things you value and cherish? Would you be able to stand up to the test of God and surrender those things if he so asked? Is there something he is perhaps asking you to lay on the altar and sacrifice in your life? What changes do you need to make in your life to solidify your devotion to God above all else?

I was reading a book today and came across the story of King Amaziah from the book of 2 Chronicles. The first portion of the account of Amaziah's life is about his obedience and devotion to God and the success he experienced in life. The second portion of the account of his life is about his disobedience to God and the defeat he experienced in the end.

There was one statement in 2 Chronicles 25:2 that I found particularly poignant though. It says, "He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, but not wholeheartedly."

It seems that this halfhearted obedience to God was perhaps what eventually led to his disobedience. I was particularly challenged by this because I know for me, working in full-time vocational ministry, I've had moments where it's easy to let my service and obedience to the Lord become part of the routine of what I do and not be given out of a place of true love and devotion. I do it because it's what I have to do and not because I love to do it.

I don't ever want to serve God just because it's what I'm SUPPOSED to do! I want to fall in love with him more and more every day and serve him with WHOLEHEARTED devotion!


Do you ever experience this sort of halfhearted devotion to God?


What are some ways you can keep the passion and fire alive in your life to wholeheartedly serve God?

If you know anything about me, patience is not a strength of mine. When I decide I want something, I want it now! When I decide to make a change in my life, I'm ready to make it now! Why wait for something that is inevitably coming? Let's just get to the end result.

Well, if you know anything about God, he doesn't always work that way. God seems to be much more concerned about the process we go through in getting somewhere than the actual destination itself. What's most valuable is not necessarily the blessing that lies at the end of the road but the things we learn and the ways we grow along the journey.

I was reading the story of Abraham this morning and was struck by his own impatience... not that I can blame him! Abraham was 75 years old and childless when God began to make him promises that his offspring would be God's chosen people and God would bless the world through them. After ten more years of waiting for God to give them a child, Abraham and his wife Sarah were still childless. They obviously were growing impatient and it seemed less and less likely that a man who was 85 and a woman who was now 75 would have children. So they decided to take things into their own hands. Sarah had a servant by the name of Hagar and decided that perhaps Abraham should sleep with her and they could have a surrogate child through her.

Hagar did indeed conceive a child for Abraham and it looked like perhaps their plan had worked. However God returned to Abraham when he was 99 years old, 24 years after he began promising Abraham descendants who would change the world, and he told him that his son Ishmael (Hagar's son) was not the chosen one but that he would still have a son with Sarah. A year later, 25 years after God's initial promises, when Abraham is 100 years old and Sarah is 90, their son Isaac was born.

Here's the kicker for me though... Along with Isaac, Ishmael would also grow into a great nation that would become some of the fiercest enemies to God's chosen people throughout all of history and even to this day. The repercussions of Abraham and Sarah's impatience became a long lasting stumbling block to the nation of Israel who were the descendants of Isaac.

So the obvious challenge for us (for me) is learning to be patient and wait on God. It's a difficult struggle for those of us who often lack patience, to wait patiently for God to fulfill his plans. But one of the obvious messages from this story is that our own impatience, and trying to force things to happen before it is time, can often cause more damage than it does good.

I personally have things that I've felt for 10+ years that God has called me to and it's a constant struggle to wait for God to fulfill his promise and not just try to make those things happen on my own.

So what are the promises that you are waiting for God to fulfill?

How well are you patiently waiting on him?

What are the possible repercussions if you become impatient and try to force things to happen?

Psalm 37:7
"Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him..."

It's interesting to me that all of us who claim to be Christians would likely agree that we desire to do God's will. We desire to live our lives in such a way that pleases him. But it's one thing to have a desire to do God's will and it's another thing to actually do it.

I was reading the story of Noah this morning in the book of Genesis and was struck by verse 22 in chapter 6.

Genesis 6:22
"Noah did everything just as God commanded him."

What an amazing statement... to have it said of you that you did EVERYTHING just as God commanded you! It's an easy thing to have good intentions, but in the end intentions don't amount to much. The difficult part of following God's plan for your life is making the appropriate adjustments and the difficult changes to actually live according to his plan.


As we face this new year... this fresh start... may God empower each of us not only with the passion and desire to do his will, but the determination and discipline to actually do it! May it be said of us at the end of 2011 that we did everything just as God commanded us. To Him be all the glory!

I was reading the story of creation this morning and was overcome by the awesomeness of our God! What an amazing thing that God simply spoke creation into existence! The Bible tells us that God spoke and it was so... and not only that but it was good!

As we begin this new year there is hope to know that no matter what you are facing that God is big enough and strong enough to carry you and sustain you through it. The answers to our prayers may not always be what we expect or even hope for but there is hope in knowing that God is in control. There is hope in knowing that with a single word from his mouth, God can alter the course of history.

My prayer for all of you this year is that this would be a year of new beginnings, of transformation and positive change. I pray that God would speak into the darkest places of your life and bring new life... that at the end of this year you would look back and be able to say with God, "It is good."

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him and he will make your paths straight." Proverbs 3:5

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred let me sow love,
Where there is injury, pardon,
Where there is discord, unity,
Where there is doubt, faith,
Where there is error, truth
Where there is despair, hope,
Where there is darkness, light,
And where there is sadness, joy.
Divine Master, grant me that I may seek not so much to be consoled but to console,
Not so much to be understood but to understand,
Not so much to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive,
It is in losing ourselves that we find ourselves,
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
And it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

- Saint Francis of Assisi