All We Ever Need

The last couple weeks have stirred up a lot of feelings. I was filled to the brim with the uncertainty and unrest that COVID-19 has brought about. I was deeply stirred with indignation over the horrible murder of George Floyd by someone who abused the special authority given to police officers. And then I walked into our church’s sanctuary on Central and Glendale and joined with 246 other people to worship Jesus in the beauty of his holiness. There I found shalom. Like King David wrote:

“When I tried to understand it all, I just couldn’t. It was too puzzling—too much of a riddle to me. But then one day I was brought into the sanctuaries of God, and in the light of His glory, my distorted perspective vanished. Psalm 73:16-17 (TPT)

All of the pain, frustration, and dissonance we feel deep in our souls is actually a deep longing for the reign of Christ. If you take away the political rhetoric, it is easy to see that the system that shaped so much of the good we experience in America also produced structures that have led to real injustice and complex systematic problems. The truth is that no human system—and most human effort—is flawed and mingled with sin. It is only Christ who rules and reigns with beauty, goodness and righteousness. In Him there is no guile. When He reigns there will be no more death, sorrow, or pain.  

Now back to the worship night. During the worship service I experienced a powerful moment when we were singing a song called “The Blessing.” At the end of the song these lyrics are repeated over and over as if to overcome all the feelings of hurt, shame and fear rooted deep in our souls: 

May His favor be upon you
And a thousand generations
Your family and your children
And their children and their children.
He is for you, He is for you
He is for you, He is for you
He is for you, He is for you

As we sang, my heart warmed, thinking of all the goodness I’ve experienced from the Lord in my life. And then, something shifted in my heart and mind. I started to focus my attention on the black community, whose pain has come to the forefront. I continued to sing as if everyone in the black community could hear me. I was asking the Lord to put His blessing and favor on them and their children. I could feel a bit of the overwhelming love God has for His black sons and daughters.  

Then, right in the middle of that, a picture of the offending police officers’ families came to mind. I sensed that the Lord wanted me to pronounce the blessing over them as well. That somehow the wives and children of those men would know that Jesus loves them, that He is for them and wants to lead them to green pastures and still waters. I sang as if my song could keep anger and shame from taking root in their broken hearts. I prayed for the peace of Christ to take root instead and rule their families for generations.  

My friends, please know that the gospel of Jesus Christ is the power of God unto salvation. It the only hope/antidote for the world’s sadness and pain. Jesus’ blood can cleanse all of our sin. His Spirit can empower us to overcome sin. And His promised return will eradicate the stain of sin and our sinful nature forevermore. So let’s get out there and sacrificially love one another well.  

All we ever need is more Jesus.

David

The Gift of Hope

Lots of heaviness out there.

I’ve been with many this week who are carrying a large amount of sorrow. Due to a death, a health change, or a broken relationship, a heavy load of sorrow has been placed on their shoulders. Some have just begun to carry that sorrow. Others have been carrying their load of sorrow for years–or even decades. Just entering into their sorrow for brief moments this week was enough to leave me exhausted.

And then I made the mistake of listening to the new Coldplay album and heard the song, “Daddy.” (If possible listen to it before continuing to read.)

Daddy, are you out there?
Daddy, why'd you run away?
Daddy, are you okay?
Look Dad, we've got the same hair
And Daddy, it's my birthday
And all I want to say

Is you're so far away
Oh and you're so far away
That's okay
It's okay
It's okay

Won't you come and won't you stay?
Please stay
Oh, please stay
Won't you come and won't you stay?
One day
Just one day

Yikes! Hearing these lyrics broke my heart. It is a beautiful, heavy, deep, and poignant song that pinpoints a particular sadness that many of us can relate to.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 19.7 million children–more than 1 in 4–live without a father in the home. This is a staggering statistic but it bears out in the bewilderment of our society. (See https://www.fatherhood.org/fatherhood-data-statistics)

Though I have my own sadness from losing my father 22 years ago, my sadness is a little different than what is described in this song. I know that the only way I will see my dad again is when I join him in heaven. The sadness this song evokes belongs to those whose fathers are still alive and yet, for all intents and purposes, are dead to them. For some their dad is in jail, is disinterested in them, or is living a toxic lifestyle so they had to be cut off. This is a double sadness. This sadness is made up of the loss of what could have and should have been, as well as the sadness from hope being deferred at every holiday or birthday.

In Malachi 4 the prophet teaches that one of the things God wants to do is turn the hearts of the fathers to the children and the children to the fathers. I know it will not be easy; and I know that, in many cases, it seems impossible. But hard and impossible are God’s playground. Just ask Moses, who was trapped between two cliffs, a sea, and Pharaoh’s army when God made a way of escape and freedom. Just ask Jesus, who was dead and entombed when God, His Father, raised Him to life. God made a way where there was no way.

I believe God wants us to keep praying, keep hoping, and–like the prodigal’s Father–keep going to the edge of our property, with faith and hope in the God who is near to the fatherless (as well as the unfaithful fathers).

This Sunday we will be speaking about the strong, stubborn, supernatural gift that God gives His people in the face of deep despair. The gift of Hope. Please invite a few people who don’t know Jesus to come with you this Sunday. They just may receive Jesus and the hope He gives.

God bless you and fill you with Hope,

David

The Arrival of Peace

We live in an anxious world. Thirty-nine percent of Americans say they are more anxious this year than last year. According to the ADAA, about forty million Americans are now classified as having an anxiety disorder.

The peculiar thing is that, on nearly every metric—health, wealth, world conflict and comfort—our society is living in some of the best times in history. On the outside we should be the most at-peace society in history, and yet many of us are living weighed down by confusion and angst.

The word for peace in the Old Testament is Shalom. Shalom is a word filled with meaning and color. It can mean “the lack of conflict,” but it can also mean “whole” or “complete.” So when countries are without conflict, there is shalom; but also, when Solomon completed the temple, he brought shalom to it.

This sort of peace is illusive to the world around us. And, honestly, it was illusive for the people of Israel. In the history of Israel, there were only small glimpses of shalom in the midst of conflict, rebellion and pain.

That’s why the promise in Isaiah 9 is so powerful: “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given… and he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

Seven hundred years later, Jesus arrived.

But Jesus never promised that we would have external shalom—every circumstance in our life going well. What he promised was an internal peace in the midst of a confusing and painful world. He promised a peace that endures during an external breakdown. A peace that can mourn and hurt while retaining an interior stillness and steadfast hope.

Beyond that, Paul, in Ephesians 2, says that Jesus himself is our peace. He is the incarnation of shalom itself. Peace is not the absence of confusion or conflict. It’s the presence of Peace himself. It’s only in the presence of Jesus that we find true peace.

So, though we live in an anxious and chaotic world, we don’t have to allow it to sink into our interior. Jesus is the peace we need and have been looking for. It doesn’t depend on everything going well in our lives. It’s a peace that surpasses all understanding.

Christmas is the beautiful reminder that, when the world ran out of options in its pursuit of peace, Jesus arrived as the only true source of peace we can find.

–Ryan Romeo

Ask Someone

Thanks for reading this. I hope you are well. I also hope that you will stop reading this for one minute and text or call someone and invite them to church on Sunday. 
 
Did you do it? If you did, keep reading. If you didn’t, keep reading—and maybe I can convince you.
 
This Sunday we will kick off our Christmas season with a teaching on Joy. Everyone could use a little more of that. The next three Sundays we will be teaching on Peace, Hope, and Love. And everyone could use a little more of those, as well. 
 
I imagine there are some people in your contacts list that are currently living without the light and warmth that a relationship with Jesus brings. You may even be spending Thanksgiving with them. Remember, the Christmas season is a time when people are willing to give church another shot. Actually, studies show that around 80% of people who don’t go to church said they would go if invited. Those are some pretty good odds. 
 
I know it can be a little scary to ask someone. I know it can complicate your own Sunday morning experience. I also know that church is not the only way someone can come to know Jesus. But I believe it can help. I believe Jesus desires us to leave the ninety-nine and go after the one. I believe, “… there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.” 
 
So, now will you stop reading, and text or call someone?  Let’s see if we can give heaven a reason to party. 
 
Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours,
 
David 
 
p.s. If you do ask someone, send me a quick email about how it goes. I am interested to hear. 

It's Better to Try and Fail

First, a few words from Kanye:

I woke up this morning, I said my prayers
I'm all good, then I tried to talk to my dad 
Give him some advice, he starts spazzin' on me
I start spazzin' back, he said "That ain't Christ-like"
I said, "Aaaaagghh"

The struggle is real. It’s very rare for someone to actually notice and tell you that you are being Christlike. But when you’re trying to be Christlike, it’s very common for people to tell you you’re not being Christlike. Somehow our society sees it as better to not even try to be Christlike at all, than to try to be Christlike and not get it right all the time. When this happens I want to scream with Kanye: “Aaaagghh!”

• True Christlikeness is the actual goal of Christianity.

• True Christlikeness is and always will be the remedy for our ailing world. 

• True Christlikeness was God’s goal in creating humanity in the first place.

So, what is true Christlikeness?

One of my friends says being like Christ is being a “non-anxious presence in the world.” It would be great if Christians became that in their homes, workplaces and all the in-between activities.  

Another way I have heard Jesus described is, “love in the flesh.” It would be wonderful if Christians became that in their relationships, and in the pockets of society where pain, fear and injustice seem to reign. 

As for us at Living Streams, we are currently spending time unpacking the way “familymatters.net” describes the heart of Jesus. True greatness, or true Christlikeness, is having a humble heart, a servant heart, a grateful heart, and a generous heart.  

So, how can my soul be formed to be more Christlike? 

In John 15 Jesus made it very simple for us. He said, “If you abide in me and my words abide in you, you will bear much fruit.” So, basically, if you want to be more like Christ, then you spend time with Christ. As you spend time with Christ, you will find yourself being formed and shaped by the words of Christ. The next thing you know, you will be living and loving more like Christ. In the process of time, you will most assuredly fail, or fall short. However, it is truly better for you—and for our world—that you try and fail, rather than to not try at all. 

• If you want to become a more non-anxious presence, then spend time with the Prince of Peace.

• If you want to become more loving in your relationships, then spend time with Jesus, who is love.

• If you want to be more humble, helpful, grateful, and generous, spend time with the Servant of All, who gave it all for you and me.

David