The Resonance

Ash Wednesday

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 11:26:04 -0700

Today is Ash Wednesday. On the historic church calendar, this day marks the beginning of Lent and the 40 days leading up to the Resurrection of Christ. Lent is a time of fasting in correlation to the 40 days that Jesus spent in the desert preceding his public ministry. Ash Wednesday marks a time of fasting, repentance, and contemplative worship.

Now, I probably won’t attend an Ash Wednesday service today (though I just googled traditional services happening in Longmont), but I was drawn to read the passage of Scripture that launches us into the season of Lent.

In the book of Matthew we read a beautiful passage all about the inauguration of Jesus. As He was getting baptized by John the baptist we read that they Holy Spirit descends visibly in the form of a dove, and the Father audibly speaks His words of affirmation to His beloved Son, Jesus.

What happens next is what is surprising.

In Matthew 4:1-11, instead of launching into a ministry tour of Israel to celebrate this new season, Matthew tells us that the Holy Spirit actually leads Jesus to the desert, and more specifically to Satan. Not only does Jesus take 40 days to fast and pray and spend time with the Father, but He is purposefully led straight into the tempter’s hands. It wasn’t that Jesus just found himself in the same place as the devil. It says he was led there. Really?

We don’t often see this passage as a “selling point” of the Spirit-empowered life. “Be filled with the Holy Spirit and the first thing He will do is lead you straight to the devil.” This is not what we say to our kids when we tuck them in at night!

But never-the-less, this is what needed to happen for Jesus to be fully prepared for public ministry. Though we celebrate Jesus as FULLY God, our comfort is that He was also FULLY man. Jesus himself was tested in character, integrity, and needed to be sure of his identity. And His identity is exactly what the devil attacked 3 times. Jesus transcended these temptations by announcing the truth of Scripture even though he technically could have done everything that the enemy tempted him with. Jesus was sure of His mission on earth and was given the opportunity to trust the voice of the Father and lean into the power of the Holy Spirit.

This passage has many applications, but I take comfort today in the fact that Spirit-led life doesn’t mean the absence of obstacles, opposition, and temptation, but the provision of grace and power in the face of those things. I am reminded today that just as the Holy Spirit led Jesus to a place of where His identity was tested, He does the same for us. God’s intention for us is to grow in the fullness of the measure of the stature of Christ (Eph. 4), and His method is by taking into hard places for spiritual formation.

So, in the face of tough conversations, relational hardships, hurt, and grief - be reminded that God is at work. He is developing character, strength, & the identity needed for greater works. And just as Christ was victorious over temptation and sin, we too through the power of the Spirit and the resurrection power of Jesus are able to walk in supernatural peace and joy, right now.

Far Off Destinations

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 09:28:00 -0700

This last year at the Resound Conference, I sat in on a workshop with friend Tim Coons. He was talking about all of the preparation that a pastor or worship leader puts into planning a weekend service for a church….all of the volunteer coordination, song selection, sermon prep, prayer, etc.. Then he asked a poignant question:

If you’re planning a worship service, is your process as worshipful as the event?

The weight of the question hit me. I was immediately convicted and admittedly, I may have shed a couple tears. I had to ask myself, “With all of the worship conferences and services that I help plan - does my everyday living, thinking, and relational interactions carry the same heart and message as the event I’m leading toward?

Then I realized that this same question applies to our other processes and journeys in life. Maybe it’s not an event that we’re working towards, but we have other destinations in mind.

I spend a lot of time thinking the type of person I want to be later in life, and dream about a variety of things I’d like to do or be known for. We often call these goals, and goals are good. Goals give us vision for what could be. But I’ve found I have this extraordinary ability to always see my goals as something for another day. And that my job is just to get to that day.

I have dreams for my future and think about what life will look like around the time I will retire. I don’t say these things but I often think “When I get older, I want to be a __________ kind of person” or “Later in life I want to do ________”.

But it’s funny how I think of these things as if I’ll just wake up one morning when I’m 55 and suddenly decide to be generous, or out of nowhere just write a book. I don’t spend a lot of time thinking about the road and process it takes to get there. But if the question above also applies to my other goals then I could say…

If I want my wife, kids, and friends to know me as a happy, joyful person later in life, then the real question is - Am I able to be joyful today?
If I want to be outrageously generous with all I have, am I waiting until I hit the jackpot and get loaded? Or, am I able to be generous right where I am with what I have, right now?
If I want to be stress-free, and completely satisfied, am I waiting and longing for circumstances to magically change in my life, or am I able to be fully satisfied in Christ right now as I sit here?
If I want to write a book later, can I write something…anything, today?

For most of the things that are on my list, If I cannot learn how to live in joy, generosity, and satisfaction amid the tensions of TODAY, there’s a pretty good chance they will not be a reality later in life. And I’ll still be left dreaming of future day when everything will come together.

What are those things for you? What are the attitudes and decisions that you can make now rather than waiting for the stars to align later in life?

If we can take steps towards our destinations now, then there’s a good chance we’ll arrive there later. And if we can start thinking this way, I’m pretty sure we’d find that the process isn’t just the means. The process IS the destination.

“For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline” - 2 Timothy 1:7

It's not an Idea.

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 10:00:38 -0700

I went to a book writing workshop this last Saturday with a handful of other areas pastors and leaders. Jonathan, the guy who came in to teach the workshop owns his own boutique publishing company called Rhizome.

I learned several important principles about writing and the book publishing industry, but I loved a story that he shared towards the end of the workshop.

Then he told us about a time he went to pitch a book idea to Michael Hyatt, the CEO of Thomas Nelson. As you can imagine, if you’re the CEO of one of the 6 major publishers in the U.S., you get a lot of requests to review book proposals and pitches. That’s why I love Mr. Hyatt’s approach…

For each request, he invites these hopeful authors to go jogging with him in the morning. If they can pitch the idea to him during the jog, then he’ll give them the time of day and possibly some helpful suggestions on their idea.

Jonathan, with around a dozen other authors, joined Mr. Hyatt on his jog on this particular morning - each of them waiting for the split second, the moment where they could get a word in edge-wise. One of these guys wasted no time and started into his pitch from the get go. As they began jogging, the rest of the authors waited and waited. Mr. Hyatt was going back and forth with this one author for several minutes. Though most of them were out-of-shape, non-runners, they were all hoping the jog was at least 5 miles so they could get a shot at their pitch. Only 2 miles later, Mr. Hyatt stopped jogging after listening to one guy use all of the time on himself. He then said to the group, “Sorry guys, that’s it for today.” Mr. Hyatt then said this to the disappointed group, “Let this be your lesson for today. If you cannot pitch your idea in under a minute, it is not an idea.”

That’s worth the price of a jog.

That’s a vital exercise in any creative process. It is especially important for a new generation of artists, writers, and speakers who all feel like they have something to say. In an age where everyone is busy, overwhelmed, and highly distracted, we have to master the discipline of stating our message simply and succinctly.

It’s not enough to label your blog post “Ramblings”. Nobody wants to sing a song that incorporates so many themes, metaphors, and adjectives that it’s about everything and nothing all at once. There are select few people who can get away with being vague and random. But probably not you or I.

So, before you hit “publish” on your blog post, before you call a song finished, before you deliver your talk, make sure you can state the big idea in a phrase that is an irreducible minimum. This will help refine your art, and sharpen your message until it is unmistakeable.

I still struggle with this exercise - especially when I always have one more story or insight I could “fit in”. But I’m convinced, that our world doesn’t need more messages. We need clear and convicting ones.

Dangerous Prayers

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 16:12:06 -0700

One prayer that I’ve found myself praying this new year goes something like this…

“God, search my heart and dismantle every other kingdom but yours in my life.”

It’s a good prayer that finds its roots in Matthew 6:33. But the more I think about it, the more I realize how dangerous that prayer really is. What if God actually took me up on that offer? Do I really mean those words? Could I bear to see that there are other kingdoms competing for real estate in my heart?

The truth is - He has already accepted this invitation. In fact, He’s been doing this for some time now.

Over the last couple years, I’ve been catching God at work in the caverns of my soul. I use the term “catching” because I am largely unaware of what He’s doing in me on most days. But at some point in the work He clues me in. Naturally, I pretend I knew all along. He just smiles.

It’s like my life is a giant renovation project of which I have not seen the complete blueprints. I get glimpses of what He’s up to, but am often left waiting in faith. It’s like walking through a construction zone with a blindfold. You can hear the noises of demolition and the sounds of power tools, but still be clueless about what’s happening. You just know there is some kind of deconstruction and reconstruction.

In those deconstruction times - the moments where He is kicking down an interior wall, I often have no idea why He would do such a thing. All I know is that I liked that wall. It was a pretty color. I have memories with that wall. I even hung shelves on that wall to display my trophies. And then He destroys it without asking me first. That wall is usually an inferior way of thinking that has worked for some time, but no longer.

Or even more frustrating are the times when I decide to join in on the renovation. Without asking about the plan, I pick up my tools and decide a wall would look good on that side of the room. I start framing the wall, and then He comes by with a saw and cuts it in half….again, with a smile on His face. All that work - only to be dismantled.

This last year I can point to so many times where I thought I had the best ideas for His church, for the conferences we do, for the people we reach, for my own family. But the Lord, in His mercy, always found a way to rearrange things in a way that I wouldn’t expect, but in the end have proven more fruitful and left me with more peace.

He seems to like doing that. Not destroying our lives, but removing the things that get in the way of His plan, His blueprints, His kingdom in our lives. It’s only because He is good and knows that only He can be our deepest joy. For that reason, He gladly accepts invitations to eliminate other plans that don’t start and end with His Kingdom. Then he rebuilds us with a foundation of righteousness, peace, and joy.

With that said, what prayers are you praying these days? Do you really mean what you pray? Are they safe prayers or dangerous prayers? What would happen if God answered your most dangerous prayer?

Encouragement File

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 13:17:00 -0700

I’m going to risk sounding fluffy for a moment.

Over the course of a year, we hear so many words, and receive so much input from the people in our lives. Nice words, mean words, direct words, words of encouragements, words of criticism, and then the infamous compliment sandwich (2 sugary compliment buns with a [pick your horrible noun] on the inside).

One of my favorites from this last year was an old man who complimented me after one of my talks at Vinelife. It went something like this…

Old man: “That was a good sermon, young man. The beginning was rough, but you really pulled through.”

Me: “Thanks, old man.” (sigh)

For whatever reason, I tend to give the words of criticism more points than the words of encouragement. If I hear ten nice things in a day, it’s still the one critique or confusing remark that keeps me up at night. This shouldn’t happen, but it does. It’s probably because I’m more insecure than I’d like to admit. I’m guessing that’s the case for you too.

Here are a few suggestions….

First, remind yourself who you are in Christ, and what He says about you. You’re a son, you’re daughter. Believe it.

Secondly, get over it.

Third, start an encouragement file. In my email I have a special folder called “Encouragement”. Every time someone emails me something with words that are kind or truthful about who I am or what I’ve done, I store it in this file. Occasionally, on those aweful days, I’ll mosey on through the words from people in my life who cared enough to say something. It has helped me a ton! Maybe because words of affirmation are my love language. But mostly because we all need encouragement.

Fourth, email someone RIGHT NOW, and encourage them deeply. Don’t just say some nice words to make them feel good. Say something that they may not hear often. Or tell them what they mean to you. Affirm their true identity.

One of my favorite Christmas gifts this last year was a sweet...

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 14:21:07 -0700

One of my favorite Christmas gifts this last year was a sweet new leather belt and hand-painted buckle all custom made by Chris Foster in Boise, ID. I met Chris at Resound back in November and later I came to find out that he is a custom welder and produces amazing belts, buckles, and cuffs. When I went to His website, the first buckle to jump out at me was the one that was recently given to me.

In case you’re not familiar with the ways of the midwest, a blue background, a golden torch, and 18 golden stars can only mean one thing - Indiana state flag.

So, this buckle is now a nostalgic tribute to my humble, midwest beginnings. Furthermore, I’ve always been a fan of good old-fashioned American-made craftsmanship. Do you remember back when things were made here?

Go check out the Foster Weld site to see more of his work and consider supporting this great artist next time you need to buy a gift for someone.

Thank you, Chris. Thank you, Indiana. And God bless America.

Mornings with Tozer

Fri, 30 Dec 2011 09:39:21 -0700

One of things I’m most looking forward to come January 1 is starting a new devotional that I was given for Christmas. It’s called Mornings with Tozer. It’s a 366 day devotional that takes you through the best moments in all of his writing.

I started reading Tozer’s writings back when I was in high school, and he did much to fuel my spiritual growth. I got my hands on his more notable works like Pursuit of God, Knowledge of the Holy, and Whatever Happened to Worship.

Tozer was mid-century Christian mystic who was never quite satisfied with trite Christianity. He had a passion for the Presence of God. When I read Tozer, I’m till caught off guard when I remind myself that these books were written in the 1950’s. His words are about the state of the church are as true today as when he wrote them. Here’s a few great quotes…

“Much that passes for New Testament Christianity is little more that objective truth sweetened with song and made palatable by religious entertainment.”
― A.W. Tozer

“To have found God and still to pursue Him is the soul’s paradox of love, scorned indeed by the too-easily-satisfied religionist but justified in happy experience by the children of the burning heart.”
― A.W. Tozer

“One hundred religious persons knit into a unity by careful organization do not constitute a church any more than eleven dead men make a football team.”
― A.W. Tozer

Get the devotional on Amazon here. Or, if you’re an iPhone users, you can download it in the App Store for $2.99. That’s a steal.

“Son, that’s lipstick. Not chapstick.” (Taken...

Mon, 26 Dec 2011 08:53:49 -0700

“Son, that’s lipstick. Not chapstick.” (Taken with instagram)

"The problem with Christianity is not that it has been tried and found wanting, but that it has been..."

Thu, 22 Dec 2011 14:47:11 -0700

““The problem with Christianity is not that it has been tried and found wanting, but that it has been found difficult and left untried.””

- G.K. Chesterton

Gingerbread House via Noah (Taken with instagram)

Sat, 10 Dec 2011 18:11:23 -0700

Gingerbread House via Noah (Taken with instagram)

Unconquered Sun

Wed, 07 Dec 2011 16:48:00 -0700

Let me just say, I love Christmas. I really do. I sometimes get jaded by a few of the silly peripheral traditions, but it really is a special time of the year. I think the trouble is that it gets too familiar. It’s at that point that we find ourselves doing things without really knowing why. So, it’s fun to dig a little and find some new angles with which to view Advent.

This last week, I was preparing for a talk at Vinelife, and I stumbled on an interesting historical tidbit. I never knew why we celebrate Christ’s birth at the end of December. I figured it was an arbitrary day picked by the wise old men who canonized the Bible sometime in the Middle Ages.

It turns out that originally, the Christians were celebrating Christ’s birth on Three Kings Day which was January 6th. At the same time, there were pagans that celebrated winter Solstice at the end of December. Winter Solstice is the time when the sun reaches it’s southernmost point of the year (in the north hemisphere). After this day, our days get brighter and brighter. The pagans actually called it the day of the “Unconquered Sun”, because it was a sign that the sun could not be defeated. So, Christians would celebrate Christ’s birth just a couple weeks after this pagan sun holiday. At around 350 A.D., the church fathers came to the conclusion that Christ’s birth was also a celebration of the “Unconquered Sun” as Jesus was the unbeatable light of the world (John 1). Instead of fighting the pagans for this celebration, they decided to redeem what they already identified correctly - we are all placing our hope in the “Unconquered Sun” (and Son).

Right now, it’s mid-December and each day is getting darker and darker. The light of each day is shriveling before our eyes. We have the chance to be reminded of the darkness of our souls before Christ came - the fact that we have no hope in and of ourselves. But as we near the end of this month and celebrate the coming of Emmanuel, we can be reminded that a new day has come. The light is here to illuminate the kingdom and to shine brightly in the darkness that we still find in ourselves. He is our hope. Jesus is the beautiful, nail-scarred, Unconquered Sun.

"I'm Stressed Out"

Thu, 06 Oct 2011 12:01:00 -0600

It’s a confession we hear almost daily from friends, family members, co-workers, and littered all over Facebook. Even in short bits of conversation it seems to be the first thing some people want to talk about. And it’s only getting more frequent.

Usually, when we say “I’m stressed” we’re referring to our external circumstances - the responsibilities at work, tension in the home environment, relationships that are on the rocks, a looming deadline. Though, a brief lesson in physics shows us that the external circumstances are not defined as “stress” - its called “pressure”. So, more often than not, what we mean to say is “I’m feeling a lot of pressure”.

Thanks Luke. Why is that important?

This is important because “stress” is not the pressure that we feel. Stress is our response to the pressure that we feel. Stress is defined as internal resistance to an external load. In other words, stress is not something that happens to you. Stress happens when your inner core is weaker than the pressures of life.

Ever wonder how Winston Churchill was able to read a book every night even during the WW2 Blitz?

Ever wonder why Jesus was able to sleep during a storm when everyone else was frantic on the boat?

It’s not because they didn’t have pressure or a reason to freak out. It’s not because they denied or ignored what was happening. It’s because they were stronger internally than the circumstances that bombarded them.

Sometimes we respond to “stressful” situations by trying to eliminate external pressure (And sometimes that’s what’s needed.) But if we never work develop internal strength, capacity, peace, joy, and confidence, then we just end up buckling every time the next bit of pressure comes our way. Surely, we will always encounter a trial or challenge that’s above our heads, but the question is - Are we spending more energy running from pressure or learning how to dance with it?

Apparently, statistics say that we Americans are more stressed out than we’ve ever been. I wonder if that actually means that we’re weaker than we’ve ever been. When we hear someone say, “I’m stressed out,” I wonder if that’s it’s more of a confession of an internal weakness than an announcement of a great trial. Just a thought.

Be strong.

James 1:2-4 (NIV)
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

"Those of us who write, make films or sing songs usually spend the first chunk of our careers begging..."

Mon, 08 Aug 2011 09:51:00 -0600

“Those of us who write, make films or sing songs usually spend the first chunk of our careers begging for validation. But after we get validated, something very meaningful can happen. An artist can turn a corner and their desire to give can trump their desire to receive.”

- Don Miller - Back to the Art

Books About Heaven

Mon, 25 Jul 2011 15:40:00 -0600

I just finished Steven Pressfield’s Do the Work. It’s a follow up to the War of Art and it is just as brilliant. Here is an excerpt from the end of the book…

“Have you seen this greatNew Yorker cartoon:

A perplexed person stands before two doors. One door says HEAVEN. The other door says BOOKS ABOUT HEAVEN.

What makes us laugh, I suspect, is that all of us feel the pull to pick BOOKS ABOUT HEAVEN.

Are we that timid? Are our huevos that pocito?

When we’re offered a chance at heaven, what diabolically craven force makes us want to back off—just for now, we promise ourselves—and choose instead heaven’s pale reflection?” - Do the Work, by Steven Pressfield

Honestly, most days I feel a sense of schizophrenia between the things I’m doing, the things I want to do, and the things I have to do. I often find myself opting for the “Books about heaven” door thinking that if I can read and study about what I know I’m supposed to do, it might be a safe way of feeling like I’m actually doing those things.

This is true for all creative endeavors, but I’ve found the Christian life is much like that too. It’s easy to think, ponder, sermonize, and discuss the teachings of Jesus and the Kingdom of Heaven without ever having to live in the reality of those things. We settle for a mediocre life, convinced otherwise because we intellectually know what was behind the other door.

I believe what keeps us from the “Heaven” door is the fear of what might change. The fear of not knowing all the sides and angles of that decision. I’d rather read about it first and then choose that door later. The problem is, we rarely actually choose that door later. We usually just choose more books.

Lost footage recovered! ellary at Nissi’s 2006. Wow. This...

Wed, 20 Jul 2011 21:42:31 -0600

Lost footage recovered! ellary at Nissi’s 2006.

Wow. This is a throw back. Archived footage of from the timeless Ellary days.

iamjasonroberson.com: Just Released - All Things New EP

Mon, 11 Jul 2011 10:55:13 -0600

iamjasonroberson.com: Just Released - All Things New EP:

iamjasonroberson:

Announcing the release of All Things New.

In January of this year (2011) I began to feel a personal stirring to pursue simplicity and rest in my relationship with God, specifically in times of worship. The playlist’s on my iPod began to fill up with simple songs and musical arrangements,…

Installed a swing for Noah on the front porch. I think he likes...

Thu, 30 Jun 2011 17:58:36 -0600

Installed a swing for Noah on the front porch. I think he likes it. Dad is so cool. (Taken with instagram)

"A child has no trouble believing the unbelievable, nor does a genius or the madmen. It’s only..."

Thu, 16 Jun 2011 18:14:46 -0600

“A child has no trouble believing the unbelievable, nor does a genius or the madmen. It’s only you and I, with our big brains, and our tiny hearts, who doubt and overthink and hesitate.”

- Steven Pressfield

Just ate the most sinful, obscene burger of my existence. Burger...

Sat, 21 May 2011 17:58:45 -0600

Just ate the most sinful, obscene burger of my existence. Burger with a hot dog on top. Dedicated to Harold Camping. (Taken with instagram)

The location where I will giggle and cry like a school girl in...

Thu, 19 May 2011 15:21:35 -0600

The location where I will giggle and cry like a school girl in two days.