It has been an absolute fun joy to give the Mission Going Up (MGU) gifts to each of these ministries. The fiscal margin in these ministries are always lean so while New Hope’s gift won’t create much of a margin each gift is received with joyful thanksgiving and will be used to serve the children and the adults who serve them. My pastoral heart is warmed way beyond the weather in knowing New Hope is serving on purpose with MGU. MGU here is MGU in our hearts in Wisconsin.

I am looking forward to returning to cold Wisconsin with the full warmth of God’s ever expanding Kingdom happening in us, through us, all around us and way beyond us. You will be hearing this phrase over and over again so I would invite you to begin praying it, thinking about it, repeating it, getting ready to hear it and live it. “God’s Kingdom is ever expanding in us, through us, all around us and way beyond us.” New Hope I coming back Kingdom expanding warm. Glory!

God’s Kingdom is also ever expanding here at New Hope. As 2013 begins New Hope is leaning in with a new and improved that this church exists to be “Inviting men, women and children to the warm presence of Jesus.” I believe as we practice this core focus God’s Kingdom is going to be ever expanding in us, through us, all around us and way beyond us. “Father, give us the eyes of faith to see these realities of Your ever expanding Kingdom. Amen.” Ask these two questions: 1) who can I be inviting? 2) how can I be warm to souls that matter to God?

As I do another MGU trip to Thailand I am looking forward to presenting your end of the year MGU gifts to three of the Thailand ministries that are doing Kingdom expanding serving. As always I will also be doing some Kingdom expanding praying, dreaming, planning and reading for when I return to serve New Hope. 2013 is going to be a great Kingdom expanding year. Don’t miss the celebrations and the warm presence of Jesus ever with us. Glory!

One of the reasons I enjoy Jesus so much is I experience Him as a warm, radianting presence of grace. This has been my experience for years like I imagine it has been for many of you too. Jesus comes near to each of us and wants to come near to us relentlessly. There is a battle going on in this world against cold beyond the weather. There is a coldness to sin that can shrivel our souls. So here comes Jesus near to us with His relentless affection so that our souls would not shrivel but expand with warm hope. Is this not a part of the wonder of our Christmas experience each year?

Jesus coming near to us with the grace of His birth is warm and inviting. The angels bursting with light, music and words of hope. Mary, Joseph, shepherds, wise men, and Luke 2 all radiate around the warm presence of Jesus, Immanuel – God with us.

There is a promise that Jesus is going to come again. Here is one Bible verse about a warm coming attraction: Revelation 22:5 “And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.” Sounds real warm to me. The Church continues to pray, “Come, Lord Jesus, come in glory.” Glory!

This picture is going to change drastically in Genesis 3 when sin enters in. The picture will no longer be a perfect warm. The horrible realities of sin is that sin is opposite of warm to both extremes. Both bitter cold and furiously hot. These two extremes are not difficult for us to picture.

When the warm presence of the Creator comes near Adam and Eve try to hide. The warm life Adam and Eve have known to this point will never be perfectly warm again in their lives or in any of our lives to follow. Yet, in the realities of either cold or hot sin God gives a warm promise that there will be a way back to a warm eternal paradise. Heaven is a coming warm attraction.

As we picture Jesus in the Gospels maybe we can see Him quite often with a warm smile? A warm smile for boys and girls? A warm smile for a newborn infant snuggled close? Jesus with a warm smile combined with a reaching warm healing hand and warm lifting words for the lonely, the outcast, the “tax collectors and sinners?”

How do you picture Jesus? Imagine if we picture Jesus more and more with warm smiles? Does Jesus have a warm smile for you? Picture it.
Glory! (Next blog: the temperature of grace and glory.)

Each episode definitely has delightful moments of silliness but what caught me over and over again is the solid approach to teaching the foundational truths of the Bible. Even though designed for younger children the series takes on “tricky questions” of creation, genocide, and other Old Testament head scratchers. Your knowledge of the Bible, your appreciation of the Bible and even your respect for the Bible will increase if you start watching the episodes in “What’s in the Bible?” I am looking forward to both rewatching the episodes in Volumes 1-8 plus future volumes as they are released. By the way even the bonus features in each episode are quite entertaining.

Is there any other book like the Bible? The short answer is no. Next question is how much influence does the Bible have on you? on your life? on your thoughts? If dozens of people are dedicating themselves and their creative talents working 40 hour weeks over the period of several years using puppets, songs and other engaging media all captured on half hour DVD episodes to teach the whole Bible, does that mean anything to you? It makes me deeply realize there is no other book or source of truth and grace like the Bible. Enjoy the Bible, smile and live with fresh breaths of glorious hope. Glory!

Here are some of the names that have teaching series available: Henry Blackaby, George Barna, Francis Chan, Matt Chandler, Mark Driscoll, Margaret Feinberg, Doug Fields, Randy Frazee (The Story), Louie Giglio, Craig Groeschel, Bill Hybels, Tim Keller, Max Lucado, Eric Mason, Erwin McManus, Don Miller, David Nasser, John Ortberg, Drs. Les & Leslie Parrott, John Piper, Kara Powell, Dave Ramsey, Chris Seay, Andy Stanley, Gary Thomas, Dallas Willard, N.T. Wright, plus more…  Here are the categories: Youth, Adult Small Groups, Work, Family, Marriage, Men, Women, Biblical Characters and books of the Bible.

Imagine watching a half hour inspirational Bible based teaching each week in place of one half hour television program?  Ask yourself what remains with you after one half hour television sitcom?  Imagine the inspiration and hope you would receive from gifted teachers who all have a passion for God’s ever expanding Kingdom? 

Currently I’m researching the purchase of a SMART TV (not 3D and way under 120″ screen) so I can enjoy the inspirational teaching while I am exercising.  If you have any tips for me as I research please email me on contact me for a conversation. 

Are you familiar with Veggie Tales?  In my next blog I will write about puppets teaching the story and the books of the Bible.  I am finding each DVD volume of “What’s In The Bible” entertaining, engaging and inspiring.  Phil Vischer, the original creator of Veggie Tales, is the gifted creator behind “What’s In The Bible.”  More next time on puppets. Glory!

Pastor Andy Stanley inspires me along with thousands of others.  The latest teaching series of the church he serves is entitled “Future Family.”  The six messages and other resources are available at www.futurefamily.org.  For all of New Hope’s families with young children message five of this series features Pastor Andy and his wife discussing their parenting wisdom.  They have two college aged sons and a daughter in high school.  Watch and maybe be inspired.  Who knows what wisdom insights will serve you and your family?

Pastor John Piper is another source of repeating inspiration both as a preacher and as an author.  All his preaching, books and other writings are available for free at www.desiringgod.org.  In the past few months I have been reading brief biographies written by Dr. Piper.  In one of them he writes about Charles Simeon who served as a pastor for 54 years (1782-1836) at Trinity Church in Cambridge, England.  Here’s just a crazy, almost unimaginable quote of people opposing Pastor Simeon’s serving:  “The pewholders refused to come (to church) and refused to let others sit in their personal pews.  Simeon set up seats in the sisles and nooks and corners at his own expense.  But the church wardens took them out and threw them into the churchyard.  …This situation lasted at least ten years.”

I need to bring this blog to a close.  Pastor Simeon served faithfully on through those years of pointed opposition and through other periods of less intense opposition.  Here’s a quote that is inspiring me from this faithful pastor: “A nominal Christian is content with proving the way of salvation by a crucified Redeemer.  But the true Christian loves it, delights in it and shudders at the very thought of glorying in anything else… Let all your joys flow from the contemplation of his cross.”  Breathe inspiration from God often.

In the next blog more on breathing inspiration from the resources available at Right Now Media.

When souls that matter to God are made alive in Christ who is the “Word” (John 1:1, 14) there is wonder and celebration.  But not only are our souls made alive in the “Word” but our souls are nurtured and matured through the very same “Word.”  God’s ongoing gifts to us is feasting on His Word through hearing, reading, speaking, meditating, singing, praying and hoping.  We are graced to do this deep within ourselves and broadly with others gathering at New Hope as well as the furthest reaches of God’s Church.  There is no Church without the “Word.”  Glory!

Join a small group for 40 Days in the Word and/or follow along with Daily Devotionals!

In Exodus 34 Moses has made his way back again for another holy encounter with God up on Sinai. In this encounter God will speak foundational words about His character. God says He is “the Lord, the Lord, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.” These God spoken words and the content of these words will be repeated throughout the rest of the Bible. Here is a partial list: Numbers 14:18; 2 Chronicles 30:9; Nehemiah 9:17; Psalms 86:15, 103:8, 145:8; Joel 2:13; Jonah 4:2; Matthew 9:35-36; 2 Corinthians 1:3-4; James 5:11

There is never a time that these words about who God is are not true. Thinking deeply on these God spoken words over the years as I serve as a pastor have brought me hope, healing and wonder. Consider the nature of Jesus with me and we will see Jesus “compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.” If we listen to God speaking these words to us and reversing our faulty impression of God as judge first and compassionate second what might this do in us?

Would you agree it’s hard to want to get close to God as judge? But what might change in us if God speaks and impresses upon us these words that are eternally true? God speaks. Hear Him.

In my next blog I will be laying down more faith foundation thoughts looking at the seminal event of Exodus 34 where Moses is back up the mountain with God to get another set of tablets from God. During this repeat ascension Moses had requested to see God’s glory. God displays to Moses as much glory as Moses can take in from the “backside.” As God is passing Moses, God speaks words that are still true and applicable to God’s Church in our day. These God true words have shaped my faith, my healing and how I serve as a pastor at New Hope. Glory!
Pastor Jeff