"Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God." Ephesians 5:1-2

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Francis Schaeffer's dictate in Mark of the Christian, "Because a man is a man, he is to be loved at all cost." Christ gave love priority over all other Christian virtues. "This is the message you heard form the beginning: We should love one another" 1 John 3:11
Yet in the fast paced life we live, we have yet to learn how to fully love in all of it's pain and pleasure. C.S. Lewis wrote "To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly be broken. If you want to be sure of keeping it intact, you must give your heart to no one - not even to an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements. Lock it up safely in the casket or the coffin of your selfishness. But, in that casket- safe, dark, motionless, airless, it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, unredeemable. The only place outside heaven where you can be safe from all the dangers and perturbations of love, is hell."

This Sunday begins my journey for the next 52 weeks. I am learning to live a life of love! I hope that you will join me weekly as we share this journey.

The Usual Suspects

It’s bittersweet in that we have been in Acts for the past two years, we have gone verse by verse, chapter by chapter, 58 messages in 12 mini-series and now we are finishing strong in the last chapter of Acts with a series called “The Usual Suspects”. You never know where life is going to take you or who you will meet along the way; but God is preparing divine encounters where you might be blessed by a stranger or be a blessing to a friend. There is a special e-vite that you can send to your friends inviting them to be your guest at The Fellowship this weekend. Just go to The Fellowship home page and click on the banner that says "Invite a friend to The Fellowship".

Just a note - this Sunday is daylight savings time so "Fall back" one hour and don't forget that we are having Donuts for Dads. So bring the kids, leave the pajamas on and have some donuts!

Spells, Spirits and the Unseen

Halloween is always a mixed bag for Christ followers. Its origins run deep into the past practices of ancient Celtic pagans where October 31st was considered to be the most powerful day of the year for casting spells and calling upon spirits. Yet it is also the eve before "All Saints Day" - where as early as 270 A.D. Christians would celebrate the anniversary of a martyr's death in an all night vigil followed by the taking of communion at the fallen saint's grave. Like many religious events, this pagan practice has become secularized and what we experience today in Katy, Texas, didn't even exist before the 1950's. The truth is that the origins of this day have little to do with what people believe and practice on Halloween. But it is does bring into focus the very issue I shared on Sunday about the "unseen". Remember that in 2 Corinthians 4:18 Paul writes that we are to "... fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." So what can you fix your eyes upon this Halloween? Is it the sites and sounds of candy, costumes or a child's customary "Trick or Treat" that will be the focus of our evening or is there more than the senses can detect. What is truly going on the spiritual realm? The Bible tells us that there is a battle raging against rulers, authorities and powers of the dark world, spiritual forces of evil. (Ephesians 6:12) This battle that is 24/7, not just relegated to one evening a year where goblins and ghouls haunt the night. The truth is that the enemy, though cloaked in the darkness, has been exposed by the light of God's presence, truth and love. God is present tonight! Let his light shine in all we do in his name and for his glory. Why do we as Christ followers have parties at our churches, hand out tracks about Christ or engage in the evening's festivities ... it is because our God reigns and not even one single night a year will we allow an evil darkness to come over our community and world. So let your light shine on this Hallowed Eve and pray that all who step into the dark of night would be drawn to the eternal light of the truth of God's love and grace!

I hope that you will join me tonight at the Hallelujah Hay Day at The Fellowship at Cinco Ranch, bring a friend!

Betcha That's a Great Ride

The city of Banda Aceh is alive with activity, the hustle and bustle of a normal urban environment. If you want to get around you can hire a car, take a small bus, taxi or the best way to see the town, a Betcha! Yes, it's my favorite way to get around town and yes it is pronounced just the way it sounds. Will is the photography and he went along for the ride. The city is alive like any urban scape, with sites, sounds and sensory experiences, but the challenge is to look beyond the five senses and exegete. It doesn't take long to see hurt and hope, suffering and smiles, pain and pleasure on the faces of people as they pass by. This is a city living in the reality of its only moment, today. They are people filled with so much life after suffering so much death. There are indeed signs of hope, just ride a betcha and see!

Serious Coffee

A morning cup of coffee to get the blood flowing and the senses awaken. I'm sitting at a little shack on the banks of the Acehnese river where they make a mean cup of coffee. Acehnese coffee is for serious coffee lovers. It's smooth, rich and strong ... can't you just smell that aroma. I'm bringing back about 5 kilos, so if you want some, let me know and I will share some of my beans with you. Sipping coffee is just a small part of the experience, it's more about sitting with new friends, watching and soaking up the new day filled with all its opportunity.

This morning we are going into the villages up in the mountains to visit some areas heavily populated by freedom fighters called Guam. They are a people traumatized by 30 years of civil war, death and destruction but they weren't as impacted by the tsunami. They are angry and untrusting, but yet they have a deep longing to be a part of the new building and prosperity of Aceh. They need education, job training, medical and so much more. They feel little hope about the future, but our God is a god of hope! Pray that the work among the Guam will continue to open doors of blessing for the future.

A Little Piece of Paradise

I know it looks like I got photo shopped into this picture but trust me this is the real deal. I am standing on the edge of a 1/2 acre of paradise where we will be building a retreat center for training and respite. As soon as we have something built it will also be a place for our teams to spend a day or two to train as well as retreat. We took a hydrofoil to the island of Wey and then across to the other side of island by the capital city called Sabang. We went to the "Tuna" cafe and then walked over to the property. It is tropical with cliffs reaching out over a emerald green sea. It is truly a little piece of paradise! As I walked the property I prayed that God would use this place as a blessing to so many who continue to love the Acehnese people with the love of God.

Tomorrow is my last day and then I will be heading home. This trip has been strategic for Bridges of Hope and The Fellowship at Cinco Ranch. I want to say again how much your prayers have strengthened me on this journey. I will be sharing more this Sunday, I can't wait to see all of you!

It's All About The Foundation

You can build all day long but in the end if the foundation is flawed the building will be compromised. We went with a friend who has developed a way to make bricks without using a kiln. This is a huge idea because if you look at the massive Sumatran jungle it won't take you long to see swaths of jungle spanning miles where the trees are being harvested to keep kilns burning to fire the bricks to rebuild the city of Banda Aceh. But a brick, made of sand, cement, water and other ingredients with little or no environmental impact is huge. They make the brick, put them under clear tarps to create a curing process that takes about 30 days. As they have been experimenting with bricks they keep discovering cracks that don't effect the quality of the building just the looks. But as they continue to build they know that it all depends on a level, well done foundation. Jesus reminded the disciples to pay attention to what you are building your life upon! There is only one solid foundation.

Radical Inclusiveness

I remember when I was little singing the song, "He's got the whole world in his hands ..." Sing it with me "... you and me and brother, in his hands, he's got you and me and brother ..." O.K., people are starting to stare at you! :-) But that song reminds me of the simple truth, that God's heart is an inclusive heart. God's desire is that none should perish into an eternity absent of His presence, but rather that they should know His love and redemption for all eternity. This is indeed an age of radical inclusiveness where God's plan for the nations is unfolding before our eyes. This morning I listened as a brother shared his journey to read all of scripture,Genesis to Revelation,highlighting every place where the word spoke of God's heart for the world, all people, all nations. His journey has been life changing as he began to see God's heart and promises for all people, and he's only through Jeremiah. I am so glad that God included you and me and that He has called us to share the love of his radical inclusiveness to the Acehnese people. Psalm 145 would be great place to spend some time just to see what I mean!

Visions and Dreams

The people of Aceh are praying daily in the Mosques prayers that say they want to know God and yet they can't find him. They are hungry for the truth and long to know God but debate and propositional truth makes little inroads to their search for meaning. As I listened to a man speak of how men and women are having visions and dreams where Jesus appears to them, I was reminded of Isaiah 29:8 says "as a hungry man dreams that he is eating, but he awakens, and is hunger remains; as when a thirsty man dreams that he is drinking, but he awakens faint, with his thirst unquenched."

In the Islamic world dreams are important to discerning truth and to understanding what God wills. Through history God has used visions and dreams to lead people to an understanding of His will for their lives. That is evident even today among the Acehnese people. The Lord is appearing to them and leading them to believers who can explain the way. So pray ... pray that the Lord of the universe will appear to men and women in visions and dreams leading them to seek out the truth from those whose are pointing the way.

A Hope and a Future

What an awesome day here in Banda Aceh. It began with an early morning run, shower and a Zone bar before spending time in Jeremiah 29. Jeremiah reminds Israel as well as all Christ followers that if we seek God, we will find Him, when we seek Him with all our hearts. The heart is filled with desires and I have to constantly ask, is my deepest desire to know the Lord more intimately and to follow him more closely. On most days in my little part of the world called Katy, the answer is yes. But on days like today sitting at the feet of some men and women whose passion burns so brightly that it casts a shadow of doubt. Lord I want to seek you with such abandon, and obey you with a reckless heart.

Some of those that I met today I won't share their names nor their causes for the sake of their own safety, but believe me they are making advances for the cause. When you see the sacrifice, suffering and service of these great people, I am moved at the deepest places of my soul. It is exciting to know that in our faith community called The Fellowship, there is a desire to radically and recklessly love others. From our community, city to the Acehnese God is at work.

Keep praying, keep seeking, keep serving, keep loving, keep hoping and believing God for He has a future for you, me and The Fellowship.

The Value of a Mom

Salary.com, a Massachusetts firm specializing in determining compensation, surveyed 40,000 mothers and found that if she were paid for all her work, the average mother works 92 hours and week, and would earn almost $140,000 a year. The company concluded the average mom works at least 10 jobs, including housekeeper, teacher, cook, computer operator, laundry machine operator, janitor, van driver, psychologist, and chief executive officer. Calculating the median salaries for each position and the number of hours worked at each during the week, the firm came up with an average salary of $138,095 a year. Salary.com’s calculations found that even mothers who work full-time outside the home, put in approximately $86,000 worth of work as mothers every year.

Proverbs reminds us, … Who can find a wife with a strong character? She is worth far more than jewels. Her husband trusts her with {all} his heart, and he does not lack anything good. She helps him and never harms him all the days of her life. She seeks out wool and linen {with care} and works with willing hands. She is like merchant ships. She brings her food from far away. She wakes up while it is still dark and gives food to her family and portions of food to her female slaves. She picks out a field and buys it. She plants a vineyard from the profits she has earned. She puts on strength like a belt and goes to work with energy. Proverbs 31:10-17 (GW)

I hope that every mother realizes that her worth and impact go far beyond her monetary value, for the role and blessing of motherhood can and should have an eternal value that even surpasses her temporal worth. Let’s celebrate motherhood and all moms and moms to be this Sunday.

Calling all Super Heroes!

I started reading a book this week, called “The Tipping Point” by Malcolm Gladwell. It is subtitled, “How Little Things Can make a Big Difference”. In the first chapter Gladwell talks about the three agents of change; the law of the few, the stickiness factor, and the power of context. Over the next few weeks I’ll share some additional thoughts on this book but let me just say this … it only takes one person to make an eternal difference. We all know the story of Paul Revere and his midnight right to warn all that “the British are coming.” It was that lone voice that created a sonic boom of resistance against the British on April 19th 1775 and ushered in the American Revolution. Gladwell says that “it is safe to say that word of mouth is – even in this age of mass communications and multimillion-dollar advertising campaigns – still the most important form of human communication.” That’s how the gospel of Jesus Christ has spread around the world, one voice adding to another till the sound reverberates to every continent – Jesus Christ is Lord! That is our mandate, our calling, our mission … to love and lead our community to Christ, to communication in word and deed God’s eternal love and grace. That’s what we are doing here at The Fellowship this summer … mobilizing all God’s average ordinary everyday superheroes in Christ.

I need you to consider the Mexico mission trip this summer, click this link for details (http://www.thefellowship.org/global_impact/mexico/index.htm) we need 15 more men, women and students who are willing to take the time and make the trip – it will be worth it, life changing!

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe said “There is one elementary truth, the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too. Whatever you can do, or dream you can do, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it. Begin it now.” What are you waiting for? Don’t forget that you are an “Average, Ordinary, Everyday Superhero … out to save the world!” Sign up for the Mexico mission trip today by emailing Pastor David Ruzicka (david@thefellowship.org).