Tuesday, June 10, 2008
"Did they do that when they took you down from the cross?"
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
We should all be more like Grandma's house.....
Monday, April 21, 2008
I Disobeyed
Sunday, April 13, 2008
And the Voice whispered....."The Kingdom"
"Hey, how are you?"
"I'm great! You?" I replied.
"Pretty good, just getting ready. I leave in 7 hours."
"Oh yeah? Where ya going?"
"....oh, I know this guy in Nashville...." was her answer.
I looked at my watch. It said it was the 10th. My fingers hovered over the keyboard waiting for some kind of a reply to come to my mind.
"Nicholas Huber...."
"I'm sorry!! It crept up on me! I was thinking we were leaving the 14th for some reason."
I had been planning on going to Houston for a while now, but had gotten so busy that it crept up on me without me noticing. In less that 24 hours I would have 2 house guests....I was supposed to speak that night at a church meeting. I spent the next day cleaning the house, thinking about what I would speak about that night. I threw some steaks on the grill right before the two girls arrived. We ate, then one of them accompanied me to the meeting.
As we drove, I mulled over some of the things I had on my heart to talk about. One of them was what was going on in the youth, another was the excitement in the leadership meeting when we spoke about a Creative Worship Sunday.....another was freedom... I noticed something prick my conscience and I listened. The Voice whispered....."The Kingdom". DING DING DING! I knew it was right. All of the things I had on my heart had a central theme, the Kingdom.
The meeting started. About 15 minutes in I started talking about what I was seeing happening around us....what God was at work doing. I have had several people speak to me about what God has put on their heart, and they all seem to be hearing the same thing! I told how Marko had the same thing shown to him, remember that story from a few posts ago? Here is a refresher:
"Marko and I hopped in the truck and began our drive to a pizza shop near the church. Marko broke the silence, "Ya know....I was thinking about it during church and I think I know what God has been putting on my heart.... I think I know what God is calling me to."
I believe God is making His Kingdom known, not church denominations, not religions, not individual revelations, but a widespread movement of opening people's eyes to see His Kingdom for what it really is. It is worth getting excited about. As I shared, Erin spoke up and said "Thats really cool because me and Adam have been praying about where God wants to take these meetings and He put the same thing on our hearts, and starting next week we are going to begin a study on the Kingdom"
Our meeting ran late as everyone shared their thoughts on what we can do to share the Kingdom of God with people. It was amazing!
The next day I was getting ready to leave the house when Jim, one of the worship leaders at church stopped by.
"Are you getting ready to leave?"
"Yeah, I was just about to walk out the door, why, whats up?"
"Man, I gotta tell you a story before you leave...Man, the other day at the leadership meeting....that was amazing. Dude, everyone was flippin' about that! We had an Elder's meeting afterwards and thats what we talked about. It was so cool seeing Don excited about that, he was like, 'Man, Nick was right.' I could sit through meetings like that all day dude."
He sat there talking through moist eyes, excited about what God is doing in our little church. People are getting passionate, people are getting excited, God is speaking to His children, bringing freedom and creativity to His people.
I am in Arkansas right now, about to take off to a nearby bookstore. I leave for Houston in a few days and will return to Nashville on the 19th. I'll keep you all posted about whats going on here.
(To 15yr old Anna from NLA, I've heard about you and would love to meet you when I return. Drop me an e-mail, I've got some questions for ya.)
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Freedom.... exciting?
"So... get anything?"
"Yeah.... I got 'freedom'...", he replied.
"Heh....no way. I've had my mind on the same thing."
We spoke for a few more minutes and I continued driving.
"White cafe mocha please." I told the girl behind the counter at Starbucks. Me and Marko grabbed a table and sat down, Bibles in hand with a blank notebook page. We had done it before... we pray... we hear... it goes down on paper.... then we speak about what is written. So what exactly did He have planned for the youth? We had been thinking about it all week. We had a broad topic.... how do we speak about freedom in an hour and a half?
I took the notebook and started us off:
April 9, 2008
Plans for Youth: Freedom
April 9, 2008
Plans for Youth: Freedom
"Or have you forgotten that when we became Christians and were baptized to become one with Christ Jesus, we died with him? For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives. Since we have been united with him in his death, we will also be raised as he was." Romans 6:3-5
We have this freedom from sin now, and we have to understand this.... knowing this is crucial to living in the freedom that is in Christ. Marko used a story to illustrate this:
"Back in the Vietnam War some American soldiers were taken hostage and made into slaves. They continued in bondage to their masters. The war ended....but the continued working. They didn't know that they were free, and the man that they were slaves to didn't tell them because he knew the moment they found out the war was over....they were free. It wasn't until much later that someone told them that the war was over and that they no longer had to be slaves."
The whole time after the war was over.....they were free!! Yet they continued living in that bondage because they didn't know they were free. We spoke for a while after this about how Christ took our place in bondage....died....and rose again because He could not be bound by the power of sin and death. We basically taught the rest of Romans 5:
"What a contrast between Adam and Christ, who was yet to come! And what a difference between our sin and God's generous gift of forgiveness. For this one man, Adam, brought death to many through his sin. But this other man, Jesus Christ, brought forgiveness to many through God's bountiful gift. And the result of God's gracious gift is very different from the result of that one man's sin. For Adam's sin led to condemnation, but we have the free gift of being accepted by God, even though we are guilty of many sins.
The sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over us, but all who receive God's wonderful, gracious gift of righteousness will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ. Yes, Adam's one sin brought condemnation upon everyone, but Christ's one act of righteousness makes all people right in God's sight and gives them life. Because one person disobeyed God, many people became sinners. But because one other person obeyed God, many people will be made right in God's sight.
God's law was given so that all people could see how sinful they were. But as people sinned more and more, God's wonderful kindness became more abundant.
So just as sin ruled over all people and brought them to death, now God's wonderful kindness rules instead, giving us right standing with God and resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."
Monday, April 7, 2008
Day by Day
I walked into the sanctuary, grabbed my seat, and waited for service to start. Another Sunday, another service, same people.....
As worship began I allowed my mind to wander.... no particular direction in mind.... I just relaxed and kinda allowed God to bring whatever He wanted to to my mind. As time passed, so did the thoughts....one by one different thoughts kept popping up in my head, new ministries, new ways of doing the same things, different approaches to the same task. I took a step outside what I was thinking about and marveled at the creativity that worship inspires. Looking back on all the other Sundays, all the other worship services, I've realized that it is then...... in that moment..... that moment of praise and worship.... that I feel the most creative and hear God the clearest. But it was just another Sunday, another service, same people....... and I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world...
After service, just like every other service, everyone walked around talking to the same friends, just like every other Sunday. As I made my way around the sanctuary talking to everyone I began to realize how much I love the church..... not the building, not the service, not Sunday..... not what we see when we look at the "church", but the real Church, the Bride of Christ, the church as God sees it..... the Church as Satan sees it..... the church that is rooted in eternity, more powerful than any army, stronger than any other force the enemy can muster....... I've fallen in love....
Marko and I hopped in the truck and began our drive to a pizza shop near the church. Marko broke the silence, "Ya know....I was thinking about it during church and I think I know what God has been putting on my heart.... I think I know what God is calling me to." We continued to talk until we arrived at the pizza shop. It was a conversation I have had with many people before, and I am beginning to realize something..... God isn't doing business like He used to..... our Father is pouring out a new wine, and He is calling those who will hear His voice to prepare the "new wineskins". The Kingdom is what He is putting on my heart, Marko's heart....and many others who I have spoken with. The Kingdom of Heaven is what Christ taught. This is what has been my passion for a while now. If we saw the Kingdom for what it really is..... is it actually possible to continue living our lives without the direction of the Spirit? I don't know.... this is still a new revelation to me.... I am just seeing the same thing springing up in the hearts of those God is joining me to.... the same passion, the same calling, the same Love....
I'm not sure what God has planned, but I have this deep feeling..... you know that feeling.... kinda like that feeling in the air before a summer thunderstorm..... God is about to pour out something amazing, something that will blow our minds, and He has already started, His plan is in motion, He is equipping and calling His children to a new level of intimacy with Him. I'm not the only one....many others have described the same feeling to me. Im excited! I have this amazing peace I've never experienced before.
Every morning I wake up....a new day, same people.... and I love every moment of it. I find myself in some kind of conversation with someone everyday that is meaningful to me. I always walk away thinking "Wow....thank You....." I still can't understand it, but everyday is the same, yet completely different. Its the same in that God does something daily to blow my mind, in that I always have an opportunity to share with someone about how much God loves them, how much He cares, and how real He really is. This is something that happens every day now.....which used to NEVER happen to me. Just today I went to work and a guy was there whom I have worked with before I left for Budapest. He never really liked me... he actually disliked me. As the day progressed, in the middle of one of our conversation he stopped me, "Man....you have changed, God has gotten ahold of your life....". I didn't say anything, I just kinda looked back with thanksgiving at what God has done for me.... Later in the conversation I was talking about a couple of meeting that I would be speaking at this week and he replied, "Man....you continue on like this and you will be doing a lot more than just speaking at meetings....you have been speaking to me all day about this stuff..." At the end of the day it seemed that any grievances that had been between us were completely gone, we had talked about a lot of things that we have gone through in our lives and how God had always been faithful in those moments. I wont say everything that happened, I'm not sure he would appreciate it, but it was good. He told me at the end that he hadn't tithed in a long time, and that while we were talking he decided that he wanted to start giving me what he would have tithed to go towards my trip to the medical missions school in Guatemala in October. I couldn't believe it.... 7 months ago this man really disliked me....now he was wanting to help me. Man.... I am in awe.... little miracles like this make me fall deeper in love with my Father everyday....
Well....these are some pretty scattered thoughts. Little random thoughts from the past couple of days. A lot of people have kept asking me to continue posting, and I find it keeps me motivated. So enjoy! I really love you guys a lot.... I can't even explain it, but you guys....man, you all are great.
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
I still got it...
The party that was planned for me when I got home included the ice cream cake and sub. I took small portions.... To be honest, I ate what I did out of obligation. I had lost my appetite. The next morning was Sunday church. Afterwards I found myself at Cracker Barrel where I ordered the steak. The waitress put the plate in front of me and I sat there for a few minutes poking the steak around the plate before cutting off a corner a setting it inside my mouth. It tasted amazing....but still....i had to force feed myself the rest of it.... I just couldn't eat... This continued for the whole week, I don't know why, but I just couldn't allow myself to enjoy my time here. I was so used to only having the necessities, it was difficult being able to have delicacies that make life more enjoyable....and for some, more bearable. I remember walking down the aisle of Wal-Mart and looking at all of the things that I "could" have, but didn't exactly need. It was a difficult transition, but I seem to be doing better now.
I picked up the youth leader position again alongside my best friend (or "runnin' buddy", as my pastor calls it) Marko. We have been doing a lot of praying for the youth as we prepare to lead them on a mission trip to Mexico. Last week we sat down on the bed with a blank piece of paper, asked the Lord to prepare our hearts to hear His voice, and then waited silently in expectation. We needed to know how to prepare the youth for this trip...what did He have planned for us to speak about...
I took a quick examination of the status of my heart, what had been going on in there the past few weeks, and listened to hear if God was quickening anything to my mind. All I could hear was the breathing of Marko and I as we sat there listening.
....."Prayer...this is the foundation".... I recognized His voice and a smile spread across my face. I looked up and shared with Marko what I had heard, he smile in agreement. Our meeting with the youth would be about prayer...
From there ideas and instructions trickled into our time of prayer like little puzzle pieces until we had a complete picture of what God had planned for the youth. We excitedly wrote down all that we had heard, and then moved into the other room to type the handout we had come up with. It was amazing! As I sat there going over in my head all that we had heard, I thought about how the youth would receive what we would teach them. Prayer...i remember as a youth what I thought about prayer, I remember the way I would roll my eyes when I was told we would have a meeting on prayer.... It wasn't until this point in my life that I understand the reality of what prayer is, and the power that it carries. I thought about the importance and life that comes from prayer.....then wondered....
"Why is it that the most valuable, important, intimate part of our relationship with our Father is the most neglected, misunderstood, dreaded, and 'boring' part of our life?"
Marko nodded in agreement, "You just answered your own question, it is BECAUSE it is the most valuable and intimate part of our relationship that it is the most neglected and misunderstood part of our life"
I knew what he was getting at.... prayer is one of the most dangerous tools against the kingdom of darkness, so of course the enemy is going to try to take this defense out first. As we put the meeting together, we knew it would be really foundational in preparing for this trip.
The meeting went great. Amidst the bored faces and glazed eyes, there were a few who had really listened, a few who took the teaching seriously and would follow through with the exercises we had given them for the week. I would follow along with them also as I prayed for the youth and God's favor on them throughout the week.
On Friday morning I arrived at the airport a few hours before I would have liked to wake up. I called the guy I had talked to on the phone a few days earlier, whom I had never met. He met me at the door and we got my ticket and climbed into the plane. His name was Darby, a friend of a friend who had contacted me to help him with a job opportunity that had come up in Miami. The plane took off and a few hours later we touched down in Miami. As the Miami sun beat down on my face I thought to myself "Hmm...what a wild trip this will be.... I dont even know these people!"
We climbed into a cab that drove us to Bay Harbor where we would spend the next few days. We pulled up to the million dollar house and walked in. An older lady introduced herself to me as Jamie, and shortly afterwards a man, Alex, arrived. Jamie and Alex were Buddhists, and throughout the day we could hear them chanting and ringing bells in front of this little shrine. Darby and I had been asked to come down and load up her possessions in a truck and drive it back to Nashville. For the next couple of days I watched them live their lives as Buddhists, and suffer the void that comes along with it. I had been following the specific things that we had asked to youth to pray about during the list. Our last morning there I thought back about what we had decided to pray about that day...."Pray that God gives you an opportunity to share your faith with someone". I prayed the prayer, and then asked God to help the youth with this prayer and then set off to finish off some last minute things before we left. Darby had to drive Jamie to the bank, and me and Alex would stay behind to wrap one more thing...
Alex sat down on the couch, I took a seat next to him. "So, Alex, how long have you lived in the States?" ....and so the conversation began. We talked about life in the States, life in his native country, Buddhism, his relationship with Jamie....and finally I asked him..."Has anyone ever told you about Jesus.....not the religious, outdated, oil painting Jesus on the wall of old Sunday school classes.....but the REAL Jesus?" He looked at me and said he had heard of Jesus but believed that praying to the universe and himself didn't stop him from accepting Jesus. A few minutes later my new brother was bowed in prayer, asking Jesus to change his life. WOOOHOOO!!! He began asking me questions about God and asking me to help him prayer about specific things in his life and for specific people he knew. As the door handle rattled, notifying us of Darby and Jamie's arrival, he looked at me with his moistened eyes and said "Thank you....you dont know how much I needed this" I whispered, "I think I do....." Darby and I grabbed a few last things and headed out the door. Alex hugged my neck and thanked me again. As Darby and I climbed up into the truck, Darby asked me, "What did you and Alex talk about?"
I smiled and said that we talked about his life and a few different things. "Why, whats up?"
"He looked different", he replied.
I smile and told him I had told Him about Jesus and that we had prayed together about some things. Darby said that he had noticed that his countenance had changed, and he was right. Alex was a new man! After 20 or so hours of driving, I am home again. I was able to have dinner with Esther, one of my favorite girls in the world who spent the last six months with me overseas as we drove through Atlanta.
I am excited to hear the stories of the youth as they report how God has answered their prayers this week! I'll keep you guys updated!