Hold on to the Promises



So I set out this year making all kinds of proclamations, making a number of resolutions. In a past post, I urged readers to continue to hold fast and keep running toward those goals! To be honest, I feel I have done well in keeping up with these goals. Except one:

I had the goal of posting here on this blog about twice a month. In reality it has been about once every four weeks. I also made another proclamation: that I would shed more light on justice issues instead of expounding on topics that relate to faith, much the topic of last year.

So I followed up that post with another that talked about being a superhero for justice, but even this post was just a veiled post that still expounded the glories within Jesus Christ.

And it has been one long month since that last point.

SILENCE on mikepstaub.blogspot.com.

The reason is that  while I have thought all month of what I would want to share related to justice, so many of thoughts have continued to be involved in reminding myself of God's greatness. I live in a world that is ugly and so often seem absent of God, but I know this truth to not be true... I am holding on to the Promises.

I see the ugliness. I see the injustice. I want to be a superhero to erase it all, and I thought my keystrokes may make a difference by covering such issues as hunger, trafficking, gluttony, selfishness, non-compassion.

But it rather depresses me. There is so much, and I have realized that there are so many, so much.

I am just one drop.

But I am a drop of hope. Hope was the word I held onto throughout 2012, and hope is what is lived out through the Jesus that is in my heart.

I have a hope that holds onto the Promises. The promises of a world that will be healed, that all this time spent working toward redemption will be worth the cause, that there is a Fathers to the fatherless, and hope for the hopeless.

Life is a STRUGGLE (and the title of the newest album by Tenth Ave North... blog post coming soon) and my feelings for God and reflection of God wane and wax like the moon.

But faith is not built on feeling. It is built on a promise that exists above emotions.

For God was, is, and will be. There, my friends, is hope in this Promise.

Superheroes and Superpowers

I was hanging out with a small group of people tonight and the following question came up: “If you could be any superhero or have any superpower, who or what would it be?”

This nagged a couple of questions in my mind, the first of which is: what are superpowers for? Would I desire this power like I would desire a new Chevy Camaro, for its coolness? Or, would I desire this power for the effect and help that it could bring to the world?

When I got past the superficial answer of “freezing the moisture out of the air”, I found that every superpower I could think of fell short of my aspirations to “save the world”.  Being the fastest man on Earth could never heal a sickness. Manipulating objects does not bring love into broken families. Super-strength only has limited ability to stop the selfish mind from pursuing our own self-interests.

When it came down to it, I wanted to be Jesus. Yes, the man that only used his powers for the gains of others, not himself (as evidenced by the story where he is tempted by the devil, Matt 4).  We have a story where he could do some cool things and manipulate the laws of science to bless the lives of many. But, he also cared about relationships.  He could calm a storm (a cool science trick in itself) and he could encourage a thief to give back what he stole and he could even give a son back to his mother from death.

I covet the power of Jesus, but I would not be able to drink from the same cup that He did. I cannot handle the price, so I am thankful for the small part of him that he puts in my heart to live out in the most unorganized and messy, yet glorifying way.

I need a superhero. And I have one. And He inspires me each day.

They actually make comic book Bibles. I gave them to my little cousins for Christmas last year. The best part? The stories are not made up! http://www.amazon.com/The-Action-Bible-Doug-Mauss/

This thought process all came about due to a special event that is being sponsored in Morristown, NJ on Saturday, May 11 by the organization called Liquid Water.  Check out the details in the below video.

Provoked to Redeem

I have been fairly quiet on the blog for a little while, but for a measured reason. I have been instructed to abide by my word of the year, #FOCUS, and for the past few weeks I have been wrapped up in another word: #JUSTICE.

I have spent the last month working slowly through a book, The Hole in Our Gospel by Richard Stearns.  This has launched me on a journey of self-discovery that will shape my discussion on this blog for the months to come. I have spent much of the past year writing about God moving in my life, how he encourages me, lifts me, and walks with me. I have also discussed the nature of broken humanity in the midst of some tragic media stories, including Jerry Sandusky.

In addition to these writings on how God works in our hearts, I have not wrote much on how God touches the world. I sprinkle in a few stories here and there about the water crisis, but I have learned that injustice is everywhere, and we have been privileged to take up this cause. (Yes, privileged, not burdened. This is a thought that I will build out in a later posting.)

I have to admit that I was initially peeved at Richard Stearns' title.  I thought it was audacious to title a book in such a provocative way and was initially put off due to a perception of arrogance.  The title seemed to assert that we had gotten it all wrong up to this point and Richard had the answer.

But get just a few pages into the prologue and introduction, and I did indeed see his humility. I read that he had seen poverty, rejection, brokenness firsthand. He looked HIV/AIDS square in the eyes when he saw this disease take two parents and leave three boys orphaned without a sparkle in his eye. "Where was the Church?" he asked himself.

This book does not diminish the work of churches to preach the gospel of salvation, which is quite important as God wants each of our hearts. However, He also wants each of our hearts to break for what breaks His heart.  This means that our hearts and our faith are moved into action to work against the forces of injustice in the world.

The title is provocative, but so is God.  But more importantly, I have been provoked, and as such I will share with you in this coming year. Thanks for climbing on board for yet another journey. Thanks for being among the ripples that are affected by my Drop in the Sea.

Video rights go to GospelQuest, an organization that promotes the integration of justice along with faith into the church.

AGAIN!



Consider the word "again"...

When I contemplate the meaning of words, I often play the word association game with myself:
chances, continuation, always, repetition, persistence, never, always, affirmation.

Also, in my version and personal idea of "Life Is a Musical", finding the definition of words is often accompanied by a song that sticks into my head.  I was not sure whether to write this post, but this thought and this song kept popping into my head...

...again...

...and again...

...and again!

So why not share:
"On and on and on it goes"
"One thing remains"
"Your love never fails, it never gives up, it never runs out on me"

Translated: God is all about "AGAIN".

Again, and again, and again, He pursues and affirms and convicts and redeems and saves.  Again and again, inside of me! Me alone. Of course, all I have to do is lift my eyes to a neighbor or brother to see that He replicates these same actions again inside another individual.

"Again" is a powerful word. I am glad it is in His vocabulary as well as mine :)

Inspired by Overlapped.  Check her blog out here: http://overlapped.wordpress.com/2013/01/25/five-minute-friday-again/

Lift Yourself Off the Floor...Salvation is HERE!




Happy NEW Year...

A time for reflection
A time for new beginnings
A time for setting goals
A time for looking forward

In a time when so many are making New Year's resolutions, I thought I would resuscitate an old music hit that may be of some encouragement.  Switchfoot released "Dare You to Move" in 2002 and the song gained widespread popularity in 2005. Even still, the driving beat and encouraging "get up and go" mentality provides a great inspiration to all those looking over their shoulder at 2012 and running toward something in 2013.

This song starts with a  nice greeting "welcome to the planet" with an invitation in the chorus to be bold and "to lift yourself off the floor", urging us on with new initiative and a new energy in our new goals despite whatever put us on the floor in the first place.

However, by the second verse, the song quickly mentions the hurdles and "the fallout, and resistance" that get in the way of what we are running toward.  However, the repetition of the chorus following this verse continues to urge us on, despite roadblocks that may be new or even feel familiar to those felt in 2012.

I like that this story is demonstrated throughout the video with a runner that has a laser focus and starts out un-impeded with one foot placed in front of the other with great determination.  And then the crowd shows up and he is knocked off-balance, but still remains determined to place another foot in the direction of the goal.

However, while my goals and resolutions focus on an endpoint or achievement, my prayer is that I learn much through the journey.  And while my pursuit will knock me off my feet from time to time, I so look forward to seeing the redemption, forgiveness, and ultimately SALVATION through the story that is sung by Switchfoot through the bridge. 

Be inspired that the achievement of goals are sweeter when met with resistance, overcome, and finally redeemed.

The story is greater when the word "victory" includes redemption, forgiveness, and salvation.

Goals are made up of a series of dots.  The pursuit is represented by a series of lines.  Only together do they form a great work, a piece of art.


So the great reminder for 2013:

Pick yourself up off the floor...
and I Dare You to MOVE!

The Reason for the Season is...Easter



I know, this is more of an Easter song so I should probably wait a few months before highlighting this song and this concept.  I should be going more for the traditional carols and songs of good cheer...but that just got me to thinking...

When I really think about the reason for the season...

...there would be no Christmas without Easter.

The only reason Jesus's birth is significant is because of the role that He plays on Earth...

...which leads to great jubilation and celebration because we look toward that day...

That day when we reunite and the groom (Jesus) and the bride (His church) are united with no sin or hurdles to cause a divide.

There is SO MUCH (yes so so much) hope in this vision and it is one that requires great faith, and furthermore it is a story that involves love.  Not a love that chooses and is swayed by attraction, but a love that is chosen and intentional.

I have blogged much in 2012 about pain 

and suffering 

and trial 

and tribulation...

But even though those have been my themes of 2012, my word for the year is

HOPE

 In this I will always celebrate and it is for this reason that...

I AM SO EXCITED FOR CHRISTMAS!!!

This is the story of the Son of God
Hanging on the cross for me
But it ends with a bride and groom
And a wedding by a glassy sea
O death where is your sting
Cause I'll be there singing
Holy Holy Holy
Is the Lord

This is the story of a bride in white
Waiting on her wedding day
Anticipation welling up inside
While the groom is crowned as king
O death where is your sting
Cause we'll be there singing
Holy Holy Holy is the Lord
Is the Lord Almighty

Enormous Generosity: $3,000,000

The charity:ball is one of charity:water's premiere fundraising events that has done nothing but grow in popularity and influence in the past 6 years. It took a small army and a lot of planning and hours to make this event successful, and I was honored to assist for a night for such a critical cause.

"Every dollar spent on water and sanitation produces a $9 return on saved time, lessened health costs, and increased productivity" -Seametrics

More insight into this great act of generosity can be viewed here: http://www.charitywater.org/blog/charity-ball-2012/