EnterMission - Rob Wegner

I've Got a Secret

This past weekend Mark said, "Grace is always opposed to earning (Eph2:8-9) Grace is not opposed to effort (Eph2:10). We can't earn by good works, but they are a loving response to the grace of a good God."

The same idea Paul works out in Philippians 2:12

Continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God who works in you to will and act according to His good purpose.

I can’t change myself. Only God can do that. But I’m not passive either. I’m not just treading water. Good deeds works are involved in this process of inner transformation. I begin to arrange my life around the activities that Jesus arranged his life around.  In so doing, I stay in a place where I am constantly receiving the life and love of the Father.

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus shares three such activities that we are to arrange our lives around:

• Secret giving (Matt 6:2-4)
• Secret prayer (Matt 6:5-15)
• Secret fasting. (Matt 6:16-18)

Jesus asks us to approach them in a different way. We don’t see the good deeds as the end in and of themselves.  These activities are our way of cooperating with God; doing life with God; abiding in Jesus; a way of putting myself in a space where God is moving.

These activities are a way of raising the sail, so I can catch the wind of God that is blowing.

These activities are a way of keeping the radio tuned in so I can always hear the music; instead of static.

These activities are a way to get my boat in water and start rowing, but there is current underneath me that is flowing;

Jesus said, “My Father and I are always at work.”

The wind is blowing; I need to learn to raise my sail.

The music is playing; I need to tune in.

The current is flowing; I need to learn how get in the flow.

Secret Giving, Secret Prayer, and Secret Fasting are all ways to hoist the sail, tune in the music, and get in the flow.

We need to move beyond the action and try to focus on the kind of heart that Jesus wants us to shoot for.

Notice Jesus adds "secret" to each of these activities. The implications are huge.

The action of secrecy is ultimately not about the action of concealment, it’s about something much deeper.

Everybody loves a secret.

Why? It creates a sense of being connected & bonded. There is a direct ratio between degree of secrecy shared and the degree of confidence and depth in a relationship.

The people I share the most “private” information with are the people I am closest to.  If I look at my closest relationship with Michelle, that relationship has more “secret knowledge” than any other relationship. If I start blabbing our private stuff in a message, it doesn’t matter if I’m the pastor, I’m going to get a whipping when I get home.  I can play the clergy card, “Michelle, God wanted me to share that," but she’ll slap that down in about 2 seconds.

I ask Michelle permission before I share any story about us because there’s a sacred trust there that I’m not going to walk all over for the sake of a funny illustration or whatever.

A sacred trust is birthed through secrecy that can’t be found any other way.

Secrecy isn’t about proving something, "God look how pure my motives are! I haven’t told anyone!" You see how quickly that could backfire on us. Secrecy is about creating a private communication between you and God.

The spirit behind this isn’t one of performance or proving something, but of playfulness.

Secrecy is kind of an inside joke between me and Jesus. We share inside jokes with the people we are closest to. You mention a certain word or phrase and you laugh until you vomit.  Others who aren’t in on the joke will a look at you like, “What is so funny? Have you been sniffing glue or something?”

Our family has a bunch of “secrets” – those bind us together – we share them in a unique way that is not available to the general public. We can give each other knowing winks and nudges.

Jesus is inviting us to have an inside joke with him; to initiate a secret society of two, me and Him.

Secret giving, secret prayer, and secret fasting will create space for this.

He told them, "The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you…" Mark 4:11 (NIV)

It’s the greatest secret in the world! Jesus is letting me and you in on it.

I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. John 15:15 (NIV)

These secrets we share with Jesus will do some amazing things for us.

Secrecy is a Motive Purifier.

How do we overcome this hunger for fame, the attention of others, and the praise of men?  All the will power in the world can't change our motives.  There isn't a motive switch inside that I can flip. Oh, look, silly me. It was set on people, I'll just flip it over to God.

How do I address my motives? Jesus is so practical, it is painful.

Secret giving, secret prayer, secret fasting.  As we arrange our life around these activities, it’s like hoisting the sail to catch the wind, tuning in the radio to hear the music, and getting in the flow.  We'll find internally we care more and more about what God thinks and less and less about what others think.

Secrecy is a Potent Faith Developer.

But when you give to charity, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, So that your deeds of charity maybe in secret; and your Father Who sees in secret will reward you openly.   Matthew 6:3-4 Amplified Bible

If I act in Secret for God, God will act in Public for Me. You want to see God move? You want to see God out in the open? Start acting in secret.  Jesus assumes that there is benefit to be had from this secrecy (vs 4, 6, 17). Jesus is very up front, he says “Expect God to act on your behalf.”  When that starts happening, it will be like putting your faith on steroids.

I can’t go into details on this one because it will spoil it,  but I’ll just say I had a very specific thing that I laid in front of Jesus.  I didn’t tell anyone about, not Michelle and none of my friends. I didn’t ask anyone else to pray for it. It was just between me and Jesus.  Then without a doubt, it happened.  Undeniably, it happened. What’s the first thing I wanted to do?  Go tell somebody all the details! In fact, I ran into a friend at a coffee shop and I was so close to saying, “You know what? You’re not going to believe this.” Just as I was about to say it, I could feel a little nudge...from Jesus,   "Hey, zip it. That’s our inside joke. Nudge. Nudge. Wink. Wink."

You know what I savored that closeness all day. I still do.

I could feel the wind in my sail. I had the music tuned in. I could feel the flow…

So, why not keep a secret today?  Don't tell anyone.

I Saw The Risen Christ This Morning in a Man

This weekend I asked one simple question: Am I a fan of Jesus or a follower of Jesus? 

We looked at the journey from admiration to devotion.  Every follower of Jesus starts as a fan.  Their admiration grows as they come to know and experience the Risen Christ.  Then, they reach a threshold.  It looks different for every person.   At that threshold, Jesus asks them to move from admiration to total and complete devotion. 

Right at that threshold, there is always a sticking point.   As a fan of Jesus, I admire him, but I continue to retain control of my life.  I want to Jesus to have influence on my life, but a marginal influence.  I want to be close enough to Him so that my life benefits, but I don't want to get so close that it becomes dangerous.

That's the threshold between fan and follower.

When you move from fan to follower, it is those sticking points, the very areas of our life where we want to say "Hands off," that we surrender to Jesus.

We surrender EVERYTHING.

This morning, I received a letter that is the embodiment of that surrendered life.  It moved me so profoundly, I don't have words to describe it.

The letter came from one of my closest friends, Gene Ort.  Gene and his wonderful wife Mary, lost their daughter Rachael, in a tragic car accident on this last Christmas Eve, at the young age of 27.  Rachel was a young lady who radiate the relentless affection and tenderness of Jesus everywhere she went. 

Here's the question: How would I respond to the man who killed my daughter and left me with an aching loss that threatens to undo me completely?

How would a fan of Jesus respond?

How would a follower of Jesus respond?

Let me show you how a follower of Jesus responds.

Hi Guys,

Mary and I, Jonny and his parents meet with the Cass county prosecutor tomorrow at 4:30. They have made their decision as to what happens from here as far as the law is concerned.

They will be telling us if they are going to be pressing criminal charges or whatever.. against the driver of the truck in Rachel's accident.

This stirs up a lot of stuff in me.

There is talk of a civil lawsuit against him....I am concerned for all involved.

My prayers are for all of us to hold fast to God's perspective. We are to forgive. Vengeance is not an option for us.

The law does what it does to serve the community. We really have nothing to do with that.

Money, on the other hand.... can make you nuts....

My desire for all of us is to be centered in God's will and not to be dragged into a hurtful pursuit of any kind.

Please join with me in prayer for our whole family and the young man who was driving the truck and his family.

Surrendered.

Abandoned.

Rescued.

Gene

Gene gave me permission to share this.  He said, "I don't want any buzz about me."  I said, "Gene, people need to see what following looks like.  You are showing us the way."

In the final moments of our conversation today, Gene said to me, "I'm praying fervently that this young man who killed my daughter will come to know the grace I've found in Jesus.  You know what I'm looking forward to?  When this young man and my daughter meet in Heaven.  I can already see the embrace, Rob."

I can already see the embrace?   That broke me.   I have tears in my eyes right now as I type this.

I saw the Risen Christ this morning...in a man. 

That's what  You 2.0 looks like.   You 2.0 is possible. It's possible for you. It's possible for me.

Let's live with this question today: Am I a fan of Jesus or a follower of Jesus?

Please pray for Gene and his family.

                                                                                     Photo by DC Curry

Ten Places I Stop By on the Way to Easter

 

Last week, I started a journey with Jesus through the Ten Stations of the Cross.  As many of you know, the Ten Stations are a series of mediations on  the Passion of Jesus, from his arrest all the way through to laying his body in the tomb.

Each day, I pause at one of the ten places with Jesus:

The Arrest of Jesus

The Denial of Peter

Pilate Had Jesus Flogged

The Crowning of Thorns

Ecce Homo:  Here is the Man

Jesus Meets His Mother

Veronica Wipes the Face of Jesus

The Good Thief

Jesus Dies on the Cross

Jesus is Laid in the Tomb

Michelle and I will lead our girls through this, as well.  If you're looking for some guidance through these stations, follow a seasoned guide here.

I'd love to hear how you are preparing for the most important day of the year.

How do you prepare for Easter?

Ash Wednesday

One Question:  What must I let go of to have an undivided heart for God?

Consider asking yourself that question each morning and evening until Easter.

Joel 2:12-17 (NIV)
¹² 'Even now,' declares the LORD, 'return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.'
¹³ Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity.
¹⁴ Who knows? He may turn and have pity and leave behind a blessing-- grain offerings and drink offerings for the LORD your God.
¹⁵ Blow the trumpet in Zion, declare a holy fast, call a sacred assembly.
¹⁶ Gather the people, consecrate the assembly; bring together the elders, gather the children, those nursing at the breast. Let the bridegroom leave his room and the bride her chamber.
¹⁷ Let the priests, who minister before the LORD, weep between the temple porch and the altar. Let them say, 'Spare your people, O LORD. Do not make your inheritance an object of scorn, a byword among the nations. Why should they say among the peoples, 'Where is their God?''

If you are considering a fast during Lent, take a minute and read this excellent post by my buddy Isaac, Lead Pastor at Summit Church.

Centering Prayer Changed My Life

Centering Prayer has changed my life.

Beyond the study of the Scriptures, I believe it has been the single most transformational practice in my life.

Now all of us are different, so I can't promise you the same impact.  Each person's "spiritual workout" has to be tailor-made according to their personal wiring, their relevant circumstances, the current state of their soul, and by the leading of the Spirit.  

But, let me tell you my story.

About 15 years ago, I read Celebration of Discipline for the first time, and discovered Centering Prayer.  I can still remember the first time I attempted it.  The connection I experienced with the living Christ was profound.  Over the years, no other practice has been so helpful in moving from selfishness to selflessness, from worry to peace, from fear to courage, from sleep to awareness.

A couple weeks ago, my friend and mentor, Ron Martoia, asked a small group of friends, "Hey, would it be helpful if I arranged a brief online experience for people to learn about Centering Prayer?"

I wrote back a one word email, "Yes!!"

I hope you take advantage of this opportunity. Let me know if you do, so I can pray for you.

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How can you recession proof the your attitude during this tough economic crisis?

What is the number one thing you need to do to make sure your head and heart stay on an even keel?

How do we move beyond the sense of isolation and anxiety that dominates a life on autopilot?

Join us for an Online Velocity Learning Conversation: An Introduction to Centering Prayer. 

Centering Prayer is a transformative practice where one moves beyond words and images to a form of interior prayer beyond thoughts. The purpose is to open yourself up to the presence of the God who is both within you and who transcends you. Come to know and understand the intentional rhythmic alternation between contemplation and action fundamental to Jesus' life. Discover the place apart with God that becomes more and more established in you so this inner sanctuary begins to flow out of your life...a place you come from.

When you register here for one of the two mini VLCs you will receive

1. One 90 minute online mini VLC
2. A pdf after the conversation to assist you with your centering prayer practice
3. An mp3  download with Ron walking you through a practice

Choose one of the two available times for  VLCs on Centering Prayer.  You can choose one of the following times and register here online. 

Thursday, March 19th 7:00pm EST - 8:30 pm EST

Saturday , March 21st 9:00am EST - 10:30 am EST