OUR FINEST HOUR

History was mad 2 nights ago. America voted for it's first african american president. Though many fundamental's are in an uproar and furious. I have to admit there's a tinge of excitement in my heart. NOT because I voted Pres-elect Obama, or even agree with half of his policies. But for the fact of the matter that this is the church's finest hour. With the moral neglect agenda future President Obama has in store, Christians all around this great country have the opportunity to finally live out the bible.

Romans 13:1-7 says this: EVERYONE must submit himself to the governing authorities, for therei s no authority except that which GOD has established. The authorities that exist have been established by GOD. Consequently he who rebels against authority is rebelling against what God has institutied". 

1st Timothy 2 says " I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers and intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone. For kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.

I had 15 text messages on Tuesday night all proclaiming that "WE NOW NEED TO PRAY MORE THAN EVER". 

I responded to each saying "SHOULDN'T WE HAVE ALREADY BEEN PRAYING"

                                    Christians calm down, and stop insulting God as if he has no clue what he is doing. Were primed as a church for "OUR FINEST HOUR" when we can pray for a president we don't fully agree with, or hold the same values. We can finally show that we will stand behind scripture that tells us to focus on PRAYER for our leaders.

Going ballistic and showing rage get's us nowhere. Our job now is to pray. Pray whole heartedly that God will bring leaders around President Obama, that will encourage, strengthen and show him the heart of God.

Wanna do something funny to a christian. When they start ranting and raving about how bad things will be, and ask who you voted for? Make a crazy face and tell them you totally forgot to vote! They're reaction is priceless.

HoW's YoUr 30?

There are times in your life when you really feel like your onto something, like you've really grabbed the heart of God. 

"30" is one of those things in my life currently that I feel God can take use as a catalyst for my leadership. Here's where it was born. 

A couple weeks ago, I began pondering what 2009 would look like. How can I get young people to grow consistantly and continually? I realized this. In about 2 and a half months peole will begin pondering in their minds the things they will do in 2009. Some will call them goals, some will deem them new years resolutions. Thin in 3 and 1/2 months (and 10 pounds added onO from now, everyone will have forgotten those "deemed' goals and life will continue, roll on , nad move forward. This produces an endless cycle of inconsistency in our lives, and gives us no strong bar for growth. One night during a quiet time, and in the name of measuring spiritual growth, I had this idea (or vision you could say). What if we were able to get people to continually evaluate their spiritual growth "DURING" THE GROWING PROCESS? (Think looking at yourself in the mirror as a child and "phisically" watching yourself grow). What if we were able to set goals, make commitments to God (LARGE and small) and measure our positive motion (movements towards God) throughout a 30 dayperiod. Roughly 12 times a year, stand up against a wall and mark off our "growth". I presented this to my "Remnant" (leadership Institute) and quickly the phrase "HoW's yOuR 30? (think New York accent "how you doin? but cooler) was born out of their spiritual creativity. What we came together to plan is a 1 year worth of "30's". Every 30 days for the next year we are going to challenge a group of about 150 students to evaluate, re-evaluate, and re-evaluate again their lives all in the name of finding who they are in Christ. The goal will be to be able to have a continual bar as which to gauge themselves by:

Eph 3:17-20 says this: So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge- that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

The word dwell comes from the Hebrew word "MISHKAN" which means "to live in". My hopes and prayers are that if we challenge people (especially this generation) to pull out the spiritual measuring tape every 30 days. To truly be honest with themselves and ask "HAVE I GROWN? or am I stunted spiritually?" If were able to monitor growth DURING growth itself, imagine how REAL God becomes to us! 

Make this covenant with God. Share your thoughts and your growth. You can check out what some of the youth are committing to  at 

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=26639725265&ref=share

Under the Influence

Moments ago I was sitting in my office, doing what I do on a continual weekly basis. On Friday I have a little ritual to break down my week and I ask myself an honest tough question.

How much have of an influence have I been this week?

Now some weeks it's a very fun question. Other weeks I want to open up the earth and just crawl in. 

I like to think of myself as a leader who daily wants to be "UNDER THE INFLUENCE". When we think of these words, how we tend to think negatively. Mel, Brittany, Nick (btw one of my favorite photo's ever) may jump out into our mind.

But what about JESUS? We know when Christ came, he was severly under the influence. The disciples? obvious (and I won't continue on and on with cheesy christian analogies...you get the point)

    So @ i'm sitting in my office a dad walks in (and this always puts fear in my heart at first). Rob is a great guy. MAJOR ENCOURAGER. He and his wife have pulled me through some tense "moments" by simple e mails, or cards, or just simple smiles and "atta boys". Rob also heads up our mens ministry. As he walked briskly into my office he says to me words that shake me to my core.  He says this. "You know what your doing is influencing the whole church". See Rob is the head of our men's ministry. He's taken our mentorship strategy we've implemented in our "REMNANT" student leadership team, and began adapting it to the men's ministry. He then speaks of our "HOW'S YOUR 30?" covenant program, and how he's intrigued by it for the men. 

Rob blessed me this morning in so many ways. As he was walking out of my office he slyly said "Your making my job easy". When Rob left my office, I knew my "weekly tough question" had been answered.   I was under the influence.....and being an influence.

John Wesley said this.

DO ALL THE GOOD YOU CAN

BY ALL THE MEANS YOU CAN

IN ALL THE WAYS YOU CAN

IN ALL THE PLACES YOU CAN

TO ALL THE PEOPLE YOU CAN

ALL THE TIMES YOU CAN.

Dinner Theater.

Watching my kids eat is like going to a movie.

You laugh

You cry,

You shriek,jump in your seat, ask people to stop talking and put away your cell phones, stop kicking the chairs.....

SOMETIMES at the end your either glad it's over, or wishing it never begun. Then other days it's absolutely magical...

Needless to say it's an adventure. We start off every meal with a quick "favorite moment of the day". Today, Bella my oldest daughter , really felt a need to be detailed. I love this! I get every second of every moment of her day. From I talked to Ryan, to I forgot to wash my hands. These moments i desperately try to burn into my brain. I also love this because it "provokes" Ari to out duel her. So from Ari I get everything from I played with Polly pockets...to  I like scary things (which she knows we hate). When these stories occur I find myself in incredible trance....hanging on every word they feed to me. Most of these times, I find myself gazing at them saying to myself "WHO ARE YOU?" just yesterday you were in diapers, and barely walking. So tonight it just popped out. In the middle of Bella's novel she was sharing (which BTW, if you think the lunch lady is playing around???? she AIN'T).

I had to interrupt, and as opposed to ask, I more likely "accused" her of being someone she wasn't. I said "WHO ARE YOU?".

Here is when Bella knows I'm in a daddy trance. She gives me this sheepish look across the table and hums a simple HMMMMM. Then I always live for the dramatic! So I stare directly into her big chocolate chip eyes and say very slowly. WHO....ARE.......YOU?

Bella looks at me, and with the sweetest voice that would rival the angels...says........"I'M YOU!"

Yeah......Yeah...

Scripture says "Be Holy, as I am Holy"....

That someday God would look upon us. Look deeply into our beautiful eyes and lovingly ask...WHO....ARE.....YOU???

The Gospel according to Legalism

During my prayer time this morning I've been battling in my spirit on what is legalistic in my soul, and what I'm over justifying. I know many Christians who think they have the corner market on this subject. They're opinion is the end all tell all to the "LAW".

I however am honest in the fact that I struggle with Paul's words of "ALL THINGS TO ALL PEOPLE"  vs  Jesus' words of  "IF YOU CAUSE ONE OF THESE LITTLE ONES TO STUMBLE".

I battle the my convictions VS God's law and heart to his people. 

It can all be so confusing. However THIS  I KNOW. I choose to do things with a Godly heart, and Godly intentions. There are so many things I will screw up on, and really pray God always sees the intentions of my heart,not necessarily my "works". My works will always fall short, but my heart? May it never fall short. May I not be Legalistic in my thinking. May I not lead out of my own convictions.  May I always balance LAW with effectiveness. 

Here's the best article I found. Sweet article by C.J. MAHANEY....

I pray it ministers to your hearts.

http://www.boundless.org/2005/articles/a0001465.cfm

I imagine this fiery toothed maniac looking guy.

I imagine him being somewhat toothless from living in the dessert for years eating God knows what.

I imagine Him being horse (like a Lou Engle) kind of horse voiced.

I imagine people coming at first to mock and poke fun at this insane looking individual. Then being captivated by passion at it's purest.

I think of the fact that this person was SO passionate about what he did and why he did it, we don't know his last name (of course  we really don't know of any old or new testament  authors or patriarchs last names). But JOHN was the one of the few which his last name became the thing he loved the most.  Him and Jesus (THE CHRIST). (you could argue ELIJAH the prophet...but he was so much more wasn't he?)

So it's like me. Imagine if people didn't call me Jimmy Smuda. They called me Jimmy the youth pastor. Or Jimmy THE MINISTER, or Jimmy the Christian. (my personal favorite would be JIMMY THE DADDY...that or Jimmy the Daddy loving minister his most Holiness anointed one. That would do, be be really tough when filling out taxes). 

Today, I was honored to baptize 18 people in my church. What an awesome privilege. I'm not like most people (or pastors for that matter) I don't look for big conferences to speak at (been there. done that). I don't need a overload of platform time (again..done it..had enough of it). I find the utmost pleasure in continuing the things the hero's of the faith had done in their time. What an honor to baptize others into a deeper walk with God. 

I pray there's a time that God gives me a ministry, with people in mind, that would define me in the people's eyes. I look up and smile at the name of my blog....the idiot...

JIMMY THE IDIOT........fits well..

SEEKING OUT PROUD MOMENTS

The last few days have been many "proud" moments.

This past Sunday I taught with a student of mine in front of the church, I currently serve at.

What an honor. 1st to be given the privilege to speak to such a diverse, multi-ethnic crowd. But also to share a stage with an men tee of mine. I've only known Mark for about 6 months, but our souls have collided in a beautiful effort to further the kingdom. I sat there  very proudly on Sunday as I glanced with a watchful eye, almost seeing God pour his blessings upon this young man. It felt as if I was watching a boy transform into a man.

I also have another proud moment. This one a bit more to the center of the heart. My oldest daughter Bella starts 1st grade tomorrow. Nothing in me wants to allow her to grow up. I dread every day that takes "too  much" time away from her. It makes me sick when I lose focus on what's important to me. There is nothing more important then Family, and the people who can become family. NOTHING. PERIOD!

We have to look for the opportunities where we can bask in joy for others, while seeing the move on in their life. Though sometimes it's really hard for us to watch others succeed and move on. It's important our lives remain selfless and focused on others.

Otherwise we are self absorbed, over bloated, egotistical maniacs....

or what others may call...Ministers (I'm a minister..i just took a shot at myself and no one else)

tHe iDiOt....