Dim Bulbs, Walking Dead, and the Word Made Flesh

In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. (John 1:4, NASB)

I have a confession. Even though I am a pastor and I love Jesus, I like the show The Walking Dead. I know, I know... guts, gore, and some cussing. How could a Christian find anything redeeming about a show like that -- especially a pastor, for crying out loud! Even my wife doubts my salvation for watching it.

It's hard to put a finger on. I don't "enjoy" it the way some people enjoy a TV show. It's not funny, it's not heartwarming, it's not escapist entertainment by anyone's definition. But there is something about it that is compelling. There is something in it that smacks of real life. Not dark, edgy, gritty, zombie-apocalypse reality. I mean real life, right now, where we all live. Underneath all that is a truth struggling to be seen and heard and recognized... and embraced. 

There was one scene early on in season 2 that stands out as particularly compelling. The little band of survivors are on the move in rural Georgia, desperately trying to survive against all odds, clinging to some semblance of hope and humanity. Exhausted and despondent, they stumble across a small church in the country. They exchange silent glances, a glimmer of hope for safety and sanctuary passes between them. They enter the church.  What they find there is forever stamped in my mind.
Sitting in the pews, silently facing the front of the church are a meager handful of zombies. Living dead. Going through the motions of a life they no longer possess. Empty shells, devoid of anything that made them human.  An empty pulpit and a replica of Christ hanging on the cross stare silently back at them, as if to say, "There is no hope here, either. Christianity holds no answers. Nothing here can save you or help you or change you."

I remember seeing that and thinking half-sarcastically, "I've been to that church before!" It would be funnier if it were not such a sad and sobering truth. (I am not speaking about my home church here, just some churches I have been to in the past.) Many have come to churches hope and healing and... life! Only to find it filled with the walking dead -- members who long ago gave up any hope that the gospel can make any real difference in the world. So they come. And sit. And stare. And go lifelessly through the motions of church without ever connecting with the only One who can give them life. And we as leaders have allowed this to happen. Somehow we have failed on a massive scale in this country to connect people to their source of life.

God said it this way through the prophet Jeremiah:

"An appalling and horrible thing

Has happened in the land:

The prophets prophesy falsely,

And the priests rule on their own authority;

And My people love it so!

But what will you do at the end of it?" (Jeremiah 5:30-31, NASB)

As Christmas draws nearer, my heart is drawn to one of the greatest passages about the incarnation of a Savior in all of scripture: John 1. The Word was God. The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. In Him was Light, and that Light was the life of men! I read that this morning and immediately thought of the lamp on my desk at work. It doesn't work anymore because the bulb burned out and I haven't replaced it yet. The dead bulb is sitting on my desk.

When the scripture says "In Him was light, and this light was the life of men," it's like that dead bulb. It was created to give light. It contains the filament and the wiring, the potential for light. But it takes being connected to electricity. It needs a power source to realize that potential it was created for. Unless it is connected it will sit, unlit and unused, never knowing why it's there or what its purpose is.

I imagine myself as a light bulb trying to figure out why I am here. I can tell I was created for something. The stuff inside me is there for a reason and I have an unmet longing to be what I was designed to be. I would try my best to figure it out. But I would probably end up missing the point altogether and spend my life trying to be a paperweight or a door stop or decoration somewhere, unlit, unloved, and unfulfilled. And because I am fragile and designed for a very specific purpose, trying to live life on my own would end with me broken on the floor somewhere, feeling fit only for the trash can.

But I heard a rumor somewhere that there was a place I could go and they would tell me who I am supposed to be and how life is supposed to work. More than that, that they would connect me to a power source and I would actually light up! I would surge with electricity and be absolutely brilliant. And that the light I could cast would dispel darkness and make vision possible and illuminate the world around me so people could see the truth about where they were and what was gong on.

That's what people come to church for, if they come at all. And our job as the church is to connect dim bulbs to their source of power so they can be what they were made to be, for the glory of God and the good of the whole world. Our job is to connect people to Jesus. Because in Him is the light, and this life is the light of men.

Jeremiah was saying that there are reasons so many can come into churches and fail to connect with Christ:

• The prophets prophecy falsely. The ones who stand to proclaim "Thus says the Lord" say things that the Bible does not say. They either lie by not telling us what God's Word really says, or they lie by telling us it says something it does not say. Either way, we will never connect with Jesus if we do not know His heart. And we will never know His heart if the ones He has entrusted to speak for Him are liars. Like the empty pulpit fro the aforementioned scene, there is too often no one there to open the Word and simply tell people what God said.
• The priests rule in their own authority. Rather than obeying God and submitting to the authority of His Word, many pastors and church leaders run the church according to their best thinking, their market research, their strategies and focus groups and consultants. They gather together in conferences, they read each others blogs, and buy each others books, but when it comes to leading the church they spend more time following each others' tweets than on their face before God. They rely on their own wisdom and cleverness, or worse, the wisdom and cleverness of someone else, and make decisions without any prayer other than, "Bless what I have already decided to do without really asking You, Lord."
• My people love it so. This is the saddest part. We like it this way. We don't really want God showing up to church, revealing His glory, making His demands on our time and money. We want a church that pushes all our buttons, scratches all our itches, offers every program under the sun for every demographic in our community. It's a consumer mind set. we pick a church like we pick a car or TV or a smart phone. Does it do what I want? Does it have all my favorite apps? Will it give me everything I want but cost me as little as possible? I fear that the modern North American church model has more to do with the Great American Dream than the Great Commission. And even less with the Great Commandment.

"But what will be the end of it?" asks God. How will this play out? A handful of zombies gathered to stare at an empty pulpit and an image of Jesus who has been defeated by a cross. Walking Dead.

O God, stir our hearts! Wake us up! revive your church, Jesus! Help us to sync our hearts with Yours and to make it our passion to connect people to Your Light, the life of all people everywhere. Forgive us for making church a place of death and despair, when you mean it to be a place of life and hope. Cause Your Bride to be beautiful again.  In the precious, powerful, light-bringing, life-giving name of Jesus, I cry out to you! Amen.

The Day Jesus Came to Church

-->

The Day Jesus Came to Church

Mark 1:21-34

Jerry Davison

Mark 1:33 is one of my favorite verses in all of scripture. In one short, simple sentence, Mark captures the profound effect that the presence of Jesus can make when He "enters the house."

So why don't the majority of churches in North America & Western Europe experience this phenomenon? Why doesn't "the whole city gather at the door" of our meetings? To answer that question, we have to understand why this particular town had gathered at this particular door...

Jesus was there!

Back in verse 21, Jesus "entered the synagogue." The first thing that happened is that Jesus showed up to church! Unless we are gathering specifically and intentionally to meet with God, then church is a waste of time. If Jesus is not there, don't bother coming. Yet how many so-called “Christian” churches do not experience – nor would they welcome – the present, active intervention of Christ Himself?
In our current church culture, we have become so good at "doing church" -- with all its programs and strategies, carefully marketed to specific demographic subsets -- we have no need for God to show up at all. I fear that most churches don't even miss Him! A gathering of believers exists for one reason only: to encounter the living presence of a Holy God in corporate worship. In other words, to experience His glory.  As Matt Chandler says, "Church is a lousy hobby." If we are not meeting with God, let's lock the door and turn off the lights and go home. But let's don't pretend we are actually a church if Jesus is not there.

The Word is the Ultimate Authority

In verse 22, Mark says that the people there were "amazed at His teaching; for He was teaching as one having authority, not as the scribes." The root word of authority is author. Who knows more about a book than the one who wrote it? Who has the final say about the plot, the characters, the setting, and the ending? Who is the authority? The author! Standing before them was The Author of THE Story. The Word Made Flesh was teaching His own Word to them. No wonder it carried such weight! As oppose to the scribes, whose job it was to meticulously copy the text, paying careful attention to every line, letter, and punctuation. Could it be that they could not see the Word for the words? They were merely copiers of a manuscript; Jesus was the Author, the source, the very Word Himself.
If our churches are to attract the whole city to gather at our door, Jesus must be there, and His Word must be the Ultimate Authority over every area of our lives. It must be taught without our own thoughts and opinions mixed into it. It must be allowed to speak with its full voice and take us to the mat with its full weight, every single Sunday. Only the inspired scriptures have the power to teach, reprove, correct, train us in righteous, and equip us for every good work. (2 Tim. 3:16)

True Spiritual Need is Exposed, Confronted, and Dealt With

Inevitably, the unapologetic preaching of the authoritative Word of God will flush out the Enemy's hidden activities. In verse 23, a man in the synagogue with an unclean spirit cried out, "What business do we have with each other, Jesus of Nazareth? Have You come to destroy us? I know who You are-the Holy One of God!" Ironically, the demon recognized Jesus when the religious leaders did not! Jesus then rebukes the demon and casts him out of the man. This simple confession from a demon should be the foundation of all our repentance – “I know Who You are -- and I understand what that means!” What else do the scriptures mean when it says “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom”? (Ps. 111:10, Prov. 1:7 and 9:10)
Now, am I suggesting that we have demon-possessed people attending our churches today? I don’t know; maybe we do! We may even have a few as pastors from what I have seen in some churches! But the principle here is that when Jesus shows up at church, and His Word is preached with full authority, then the true spiritual nature of our deepest needs is exposed, confronted and corrected. Our struggle is not against mere flesh and blood, Paul says. It is spiritual in nature, not merely physical, mental, or emotional, and therefore requires a spiritual solution. (Eph. 6:12-18)

Our churches are filled with people who live under the oppression of dark spiritual forces who constantly discourage, deceive, diminish, distract, and seek to destroy any work of God in them or through them. We have to stop relying on the wisdom of the world’s best thinking, stop applying merely superficial approaches to deep spiritual problems. This is so important that God mentioned it twice to the prophet Jeremiah in 6:14 and 8:11: “They offer superficial treatments for my people’s mortal wound. They give assurances of peace when all is war.” Felt needs preaching and programs will not cut it. We will have to recognize that we have a very real Enemy and stand ready to do battle in spiritual warfare, through prayer, the Word of God, and the power of the Holy Spirit.

God is Glorified

When Jesus’ presence is in a church, God’s Word is preached unapologetically and authoritatively, and people start getting set free and lives start changing, word is bound to get out. Verse 28 says that “His fame spread everywhere throughout all the surrounding region…” Notice it was Jesus’ fame, not the synagogue’s. We must be more interested in building His Kingdom than drawing a crowd. We never want to make the mistake of the citizens of Babel in Genesis 11 and try to “make a name for ourselves” at the expense of God’s glory. When a church is more interested in God’s glory than its own, it’s time to order more chairs!

Homes and Families are Transformed

From the church, it moves into the home and the family.  In verse 29, Mark tells us, “Immediately after they came out of the synagogue, they came into the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John.” Now follow this progression: The glorious presence of Christ is manifested at the church meeting, His Word is boldly preached with authority, it exposes the true spiritual nature of our deepest need and satisfies it, lives are radically changed, word gets out and begins impacting the surrounding community… then the presence of Jesus moves from the church house into OUR house. Once Jesus entered the synagogue, He then moves into the homes of His followers and begins healing and changing their families! It is important to note, it was the men of the house who brought Him in!

One significant phrase to notice in this story is in verse 30. Simon’s mother-in-law was sick and feverish, “and immediately they spoke to Jesus about her.” Once Jesus moves into our homes and families, prayer takes hold and Jesus’ power is released and activated in response. “And He came to her and raised her up, taking her by the hand, and the fever left her, and she waited on them.” (v. 31) The sure sign of a life that has been touched and healed and changed by Jesus is joyful, willing, service to Him and to His followers. No one asked her to serve them. Jesus didn’t demand it: “You’re healed! Now go fix me a sandwich!” No! The text is clear, her grateful, voluntary response to His healing touch was to place herself at His disposal, and to lovingly serve those who follow Him.

People Bring Others to Jesus

What happens next? “They began bringing to Him all who were ill and those who were demon-possessed.” (v. 32) The people began inviting their family, friends, neighbors, co-workers, classmates… ANYONE! People began bringing others to Jesus. No clever church marketing. No expensive mailers or billboards. No gimmicks or circus antics to attract those who want to be entertained. The people were the invitation. “Come and see what Jesus did for me! He can do it for you to!” When Jesus is in the house and His Word is clearly preached, lives get changed and word spreads, and the church members themselves begin bringing the lost, the broken, the desperate to Jesus without a marketing strategy or intensive witnessing program. But listen… this is key… Evangelism was NOT the primary focus; it was God’s glory! When God is honored and worshipped authentically, people cannot help but hear about Jesus. Evangelism isn’t a program or an emphasis; it is the inevitable overflow of God’s manifest presence in a community of faith!

The Whole City is Impacted

Which brings us full circle back to Mark 1:33: “And the whole city had gathered at the door.” Not to build our church, or draw a crowd, or make a name for ourselves, but because Jesus is there, His Word is boldly and uncompromisingly proclaimed, lives were transformed by His power, and His name was glorified! Forget the latest trend in church planting. Forget the strategies, the marketing, the conferences that tout the latest model. If we want to see a city changed by the power of God, Mark 1: 21-32 tells us how.

Error: Audio/Video Synchronization issues!

     The other night at our small group Bible study, we were watching the video teaching segment for the series we are doing. We were streaming the video over a network to a TV. The teaching began and everyone was genuinely interested to hear what the speaker had to say. It soon became clear, however, that there was a problem. The sound and the picture were not matching up. We would hear the words first, then several awkward seconds later the guy in the video would move his mouth. At first it was kind of comical but as the teaching went on, it became a distraction. The it became downright annoying. I found myself wanting to just stop the video, even though I really wanted to hear what he was saying.
     Ironically, the topic the teacher was speaking on was the role of the church in displaying the glory of God. As we all struggled to keep up with what he was saying without being driven to distraction by the out-of-sync video, the Holy Spirit said something to me and I wrote it down in my notes:

"When what people hear us say doesn't match what they see in our lives, it distracts from the message we are trying to deliver."

 In other words, if the audio is out of sync with the video, people can completely miss the point! And what is the point? The glory of God! We want people to see who God really is by the way that we live. The Holy Spirit is always working in the lives of God's people "conforming them to the image of Christ," so that we will reflect His character and nature to people who so desperately need to know He is real.
     Tragically, few people get to see that image of Christ reflected in us because our lives get out of sync with our words. This is not a new problem, either. It dates back thousands of years. Listen to what God spoke through the prophet Jeremiah to His people Israel:

"Behold, you are trusting in deceptive words to no avail. Will you steal, murder, and commit adultery and swear falsely, and offer sacrifices to Baal and walk after other gods that you have not known, then come and stand before Me in this house, which is called by My name, and say, 'We are delivered!'-that you may do all these abominations? Has this house, which is called by My name, become a den of robbers in your sight? Behold, I, even I, have seen it," declares the LORD. (Jer. 5:8-11, NASB)

What was happening here? The people were coming into the temple, saying all the right words, singing all the songs, "amen-ing" the preacher in all the right places. But there was no life change. What they were saying didn't match up with what they were doing. The audio was out-of-sync with the video. And it was diminishing the glory that God intended the pagan nations around them to see through their holy lives. Ezekiel said it "profaned the name of God among the nations" for His people to live out-of-sync with the Word of God (Eze. 36:16-21)
     To much of the world watching this jumble, they have found the gospel message difficult to follow, distracting to watch, and have either become annoyed and frustrated by it, or have lost interest altogether. The name and glory of God is diminished when His people live out-of-sync with the Word they claim to believe. Churches go through the motions of services and programs every week, devoid of the power or presence of God, and then wonder why people are leaving in droves.
     But how can we expect His power or presence on Sunday morning when we don't give it much thought Monday thru Saturday? We worship on Sunday morning out of the relationship with God we have cultivated the rest of the week. What we bring to the table is what we have prepared in the kitchen. You can't bring a stale, half-eaten peanut butter sandwich to the table and expect it to magically become steak and lobster. Similarly, we can't live our lives all week focused on ourselves and then expect God to show up and do amazing things in our midst just because we have a band and lights and video screens and a dynamic, well-educated speaker.
     God help us! Please help us to repent. Help me to repent. Jeremiah warned:

But this people has a stubborn and rebellious heart;

They have turned aside and departed.

'They do not say in their heart,

"Let us now fear the LORD our God,

Who gives rain in its season,

Both the autumn rain and the spring rain,

Who keeps for us

The appointed weeks of the harvest."

'Your iniquities have turned these away,

And your sins have withheld good from you.

'For wicked men are found among My people,

They watch like fowlers lying in wait;

They set a trap,

They catch men.

Like a cage full of birds,

So their houses are full of deceit;

Therefore they have become great and rich.

'They are fat, they are sleek,

They also excel in deeds of wickedness;

They do not plead the cause,

The cause of the orphan, that they may prosper;

And they do not defend the rights of the poor.

'Shall I not punish these people?' declares the LORD,

'On a nation such as this

Shall I not avenge Myself?' (Jer. 5:23-29, NASB, emphasis mine)

New Message: Out of the Main Stream

What happens when the church loses its "first love"? How can we tell if our church is in danger of drifting out of the current of God's presence and power, and becoming a closed off, stagnant pool? Yesterday I had the honor of teaching from Revelation 2:1-5 at my church, Church at the Ridge. In case you weren't there, or if you are one of my out-of-town friends or family, I have posted it here. I would love to hear your feedback! Thanks!

Let Go of Your Fig Leaf and Name the Chickens!

Last Sunday I had the privilege to teach our people at the Church at the Ridge. I called the message "Let Go of Your Fig Leaf and Name the Chickens!" Want to know what the heck that means? Listen to the podcast here!

Idol Picks & Pedictions Follow-Up

So how did I do? Much better than my previous years. On the guys, I got 4 of my 6 picks and I accurately predicted 5 of the 7 finalists. For the girls, I only got 3 of my 6 picks but I predicted 4 of the 6 girl finalists. So to sum up my totals, 7 for 13 on picks and 9 for 13 on predictions. The only real surprise was Reed Grimm. I thought for sure he would make it but his wild card song was ill-conceived and poorly executed. He really shot himself in the foot there. Oh, well....
Now the bigger questions: Who will win this thing? Off the top of my head I would say either Colton Dixon or Elise Testone. But who knows? There's a whole lotta show between now and then!

American Idol 2012 Picks & Predictions

OK well I didn't do so well last year. Seems I am grossly out of touch with what America thinks is "talent." And the American Idol viewers seem to have the annoying habit of eliminating just about anyone who is halfway interesting before we get to the Top 12 so that all we are left with is the bland, boring, cliche, talent show pageant singers.
So this year instead of predicting what I think will happen, I am just going to give my picks for who I believe has the stuff to be a finalist. Afterwards I will take a stab at predicting what I think will happen...

First the guys...
The guys have definitely out-shined the ladies this year. I am hard pressed to narrow down only 6 guys. But here is my pick for the guys finalists:

1. Reed Grimm - He's like Casey Abrams on speed. Crazy talented and completely out of his mind. I love it! Don't think he has a snowball's chance in Hades to win but I think he's so darn lovable he will stay around until the Top 3 or 4.

2. Joshua Ladet - I nearly fell out of my chair the other night when he sang "You Pulled Me Through." I thought I was watching the winner of a previous season come back and give a master class to the other contestants. May not be my personal favorite but no one -- NO ONE -- beats this kid for sheer passion and emotion. He is amazing.

3.  Phillip Phillips - With his down-home charm and I-wish-I-was-Dave-Matthews-more-than-anything-else-in-the-whole-world vibe, you gotta love this guy. I loved his take on the Phil Collins tune. And you can just feel his love for music coming through. I love how grounded this guy is in who he is and what he wants to do. None of the glitz and glamour of the AI experience seems to penetrate that single-minded focus on just loving music. He has the highest hip factor of all the contestants by far.

4. Heejun Han - Please please please please PLEASE, America, keep voting this guy through. Sure, he doesn't have the confidence and swagger of some of the other guys, but the dude is HILARIOUS! I love how he doesn't take himself seriously -- heck, he doesn't seem to take anything seriously! But he has a great voice, smooth as silk, and if he doesn't make it as a singer he has a bright future as a comedic actor! Not my favorite singer, but definitely my favorite person to watch this year.

From here it gets a little tougher because I like nearly all the guys this year but after these four there are very few standouts to me. But if I had to pick 2 more...

5. Adam Brock - What a sweetheart of guy! And the dude can sing! Wha-wha-WHAAAAT?! He definitely has that magic, gruff, smoky, soulful tone that I love but if there is one thing he needs to be careful of, it's slipping into the cheese zone. Self-nicknaming is always a bad idea, especially f the best you can do is "White Chocolate." I mean, seriously? Let Heejun name you. He would think of something infinitely more clever. And it would be infinitely funnier, I'll bet. Song selection could be a problem for Adam. Plus he seems older than even the oldest contestants. He feels like he should be an over 30 on X-Factor. Nevertheless, he is a terrific singer and could do well with the right song choices and enough good moments.

6. Colton Dixon - I had a hard time here because my fingers paused over the keyboard and I almost typed in Deandre Brackensick. Both are returning after being eliminated right before the Top 24. Both are crazy talented. Both have ridiculous hair. But I have to say I give Colton the nod because he's a rocker and that falsetto thing Deandre does is going to get old real quick. It's like Hailey Reinhardt's growling last year. She does it once and the judges say, "That's awesome! I love it!" and she does it every single freaking time ad nauseam. I feel like Deandre will do the same thing. Plus I think Colton will bring a little edgier, alt-rocker feel to the show which is sorely needed.


Ok, those are my personal picks. Now here is what I think will happen... I think Reed will make it on likability and mad talent, Joshua is a shoe-in, but unfortunately I think the rest of my boys will be edged out by the preteen girl vote. I think you will see Deandre and Eben in the Top 6 boys based on the simple fact that middle school girls squeal when they see them. We might see Phil Phillips squeak in there but I have a feeling we will either see Jeremiah Jones or Jeremy Rosado in the finals. Not that they are bad, but they are boring.

One more note on the guys: I really think Creighton Fraker has a great voice but he looks like Beaker and sounds like a chipmunk on helium. It just gives me the willies. Sorry, Fraker fans. I can't helps how I feels.

Alright, now my pick for the girls. This is a lot tougher because there aren't as many standouts t me among the girls. They eliminated a few of my picks for finalists after Vegas week. There was this girl, I forget her name, who was stinkin' amazing and she had this really cool husky bluesy voice. Cut. Sent home. To make room for more cheerleaders and beauty pageant winners.

1. Elise Testone - the only girl I saw I think could give a guy a run for the money this year. She was nothing short of brilliant doing that Adele song last night. And frankly I would rather hear her than Adele. She is definitely one to watch. However, I don't like her chances to make it to the Top 6 girls because she just doesn't have that cover-girl look that some of the other contestants have. She will have to really work hard to overcome that whole image ting, but hey, look at Crystal Bowersox. She holds the record for highest ranking American Idol finalists with really bad teeth. So anything could happen. But Elise is by far the best singer in the girls this year.

2. Jennifer Hirsch - One of the better female vocalists. Seasoned, poised, and professional. Very commercial voice. Like Adam Brock, she seems older than she is and like Elise, doesn't have the look that some of the younger girls in the competition have. But there is no doubt she has the pipes to make a career out of singing. Does she have the charisma, the "it" factor? We will see...

3. Erika Van Pelt - More of a rocker than the other two with a very commercial voice. She makes it look easy. I like her attitude. I like her voice. And I like that she has the same last name as Linus in the Peanuts comics. That is a major plus and just may be what puts her over the top. Once again, she is one of the older contestants and is a little heavier with some funky teeth-and-gum issues. Don't get me wrong; I could care less about that junk. But America, especially the junior high girls that make up the vast majority of the voters on American Idol, will most likely not connect with her. I fear none of these first three will make it to the Top 6 when you have so many younger, prettier, skinnier contestants to vote for. Wow, Jerry! Cynical much? You bet! I have seen too many seasons of this show to expect any different.

Okay, just like with the guys, it gets a little fuzzy for me here. Most of the girls sing well enough, but very few are unique enough to stand out from your standard crop of bland AI finalists. But if'n I had to choose...

4. Hollie Cavanaugh - Terrific voice. Zero stage presence. And her song choice! Mulan? Seriously? Could you possibly pick a more overdone, predictable song to sing? With the gazillion amazing Disney songs you could sing, why do they always pick that one?! But she did sing it well enough. The thing that bugs me most is her lack of visible eyebrows. I know I sound petty and superficial, but when I watch her singing I keep thinking, where the heck are her eyebrows? I noticed they darkened them up for the cameras last night. I think she is the strongest of the younger girl singers this year. I think she will go through to the Top 6.

5. Hayley Johnson - Kudos for the attempt, but her version of Eurhythmics' "Sweet Dreams" was just plain awkward. Weird. Dark. Kinda Adam Lambert gone awry. And those creepy eyeballs in the background did not help her one bit. If she was on X-Factor I would have thought David Lynch was her mentor. It was that strange. But I think she is better than that and hope she gets a second chance. I doubt it, though. I think she killed her chances with that disaster last night.

6. Hallie Day - I don't feel very strongly one way or the other but I chose her for the simple fact that every other girl annoys me. I personally can't stand Skylar's "Chipmunks Sing Reba McEntire" twang. Shannon Magrane gets props for being Joe Magrane's daughter, for picking an obscure Christian artists's song, and for being ridiculously tall and standing next to Ryan Seacrest, but she is incurably bland. Jessica Sanchez has a vibrato you could drive an 18 wheeler through. Chelsea Sorrell is just okay, and Baylie Brown is not okay. Brielle Von Hugel is almost as bad, plus she comes across as a self-focused diva with an overbearing stage mom, which gives her a likeability score of right around zero. Quite simply, that only leaves Hallie Day. Is it just me or does she remind anyone else of Napoleon Dynamite in drag? Seriously, watch her face. Same exact facial expressions. Especially her mouth. I'm telling you, it's uncanny. Now that I spotted it, I can't think of anything else when she's singing. Put some wire-rim glasses and a red curly wig on her, add a "Vote For Pedro" T-shirt and stand her next to a tether ball set and she is Jon Heder. Watch and see! It's weird!

OK so that's my pick for the girls. Now here is what I predict will happen. Let's make this really simple: anyone over 18 and not eligible for a Miss Teen USA pageant will be eliminated. The only three amazingly talented singers will be out, and you will be left with Skylar Laine, Jessica Sanchez, Shannon Magrane, Hollie Cavanaugh, Baylie Brown, and Chelsea Sorrell.  Why not Brielle? Nobody likes her (or her mom) after Hollywood week. Why not Haley Johnson? Because she stunk up the stage last night. Why not Hallie Day? Because she looks like Napoleon Dynamite. And she is boring. Just trying to keep it real, folks.

In just a few short hours we will find out if I am right. Like I said, my cognitive abilities don't exactly have a stellar track record in seasons past. Last year I said (and I quote):

"I think while Scotty [McCreery, last year's landslide winner] is definitely great at what he does, what he does will not be enough to make it to the Final 12... And James Durbin has a great back story but be honest, aren't you already sick of his high-pitched caterwauling every single stinkin' song?! I know I am."

 On the other hand, I did call it with Lauren Alaina...

"Had her pegged for a finalist since her first audition. She's a powerhouse who makes it seem effortless. She has that Steel Magnolias beauty parlor flavor when she talks but her voice is amazing."

My record for picking finalists last year was 50% - 6 out of 12. So I ain't half bad! Or maybe I am exactly half bad. Glass full? Glass empty? America decides tonight!

That's a good question...

But the Lord God called to the man and said to him, "Where are you?" (Gen. 3:9)

What an amazing verse this is! God comes looking for us, knowing full well our rebellion, our faithlessness, our depravity. He doesn't appear in wrath or judgement, but like a tender-hearted Father, he comes looking for his lost children. What a precious and hopeful thought, that even though I hide from Him, He comes looking for me!

Simon Tugwell says, "So long as we imagine that it is we who have to look for God, we must often lose heart. But it is the other way about; He is looking for us. And so we can afford to recognize that very often we are not looking for God; far from it, we are in full flight from him, in high rebellion against him. And He knows that and has taken it into account. He has followed us into our own darkness; there where we thought finally to escape him, we run straight into his arms. So we do not have to erect a false piety for ourselves, to give us the hope of salvation. Our hope is in his determination to save us, and he will not give in." (Prayer)

You hear the tenderness, the aching heart, in His simple question, "Where are you?" He doesn't ask because He doesn't know. He doesn't need information. He is trying to show us something He already knows but we don't yet realize: that we are far from Him, by our own choosing. He wants us to open our eyes, look around, and answer the question, "Now tell me, what d you see? Where has this gotten you? Do you see where you are?"

And so He pursues. Not to condemn but to rescue. Yes, there are harsh and bitter consequences, but His plan is to reconcile, redeem, ransom, and rescue. And He sets that plan immediately into motion in verse 15, the protoevangelium, the first gospel. He then seals it in blood for the first time of many in verse 21, the first blood sacrifice to cover the sins of man. Every verse of the rest of the Old Testament is a steady march toward the culmination of that plan, ultimately realized in Jesus Christ, the final and only perfect blood sacrifice for our sin. The rest of the New Testament is the story of Himself drawing men, women, boys, and girls from every tribe, tongue, and nation to Himself through Jesus. The story continues today, and we are all -- all believers everywhere -- a vital part of it with an irreplaceable role to play.

And our story still starts with this question: "Where are you?" The answer to that question can change your life forever.

Marriage Matters!

I recently had the honor of speaking at my church, The Church at The Ridge, as part of our Family Matters series. My pastor, Steve Whipple, asked me to teach on the marriage relationship as the foundational relationship of the family. You can listen to the message here. Let me know what you think!

Passion 2012 gets favorable media attention...