Where is your focus?

Where is your focus?  Are you focused on earning God’s favor?  If you are “in Christ” you are a new creation and already have his favor.  The blood of Christ has earned it for you and there is nothing you can do, Jesus has already done it.  Our focus must shift from this conditional earning love mentality to a passionate relationship that worships the infinite wisdom and intimate love of the God of the universe.  We must long to be with our Savior.  He alone needs to be our God, He alone needs to be our focus, He alone needs to be our desire.

“O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you;

my soul thirsts for you;

my flesh faints for you,

as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.”

- Psalm 63:1

Jesus described himself as the “living water.”  This world will dry you up.  At times it can feel like you are walking through a spiritual desert.  We are constantly longing for water, to be nourished and filled.  We must put our hope in Jesus.  We must rest in his love, his truth, his mercy, and his grace.

In his book Mere Christianity C.S. Lewis says, “Creatures are not born with desires unless satisfaction for those desires exist.”  He goes on to say,  “If I find in myself a desire in which no experience in this world can satisfy, the probable explanation is that I was made for another world.”  Do you realize you were made for another world?  An eternal world where you will be face to face with Jesus Christ.  I hope that excites you, I hope that ignites something inside of you.  We will continue to desire more than this world has to offer because we were made for the next.

Make The Most of Your Time

"Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil." - Ephesians 5:15-16

I love to travel to the west coast but whenever I do, waking up comes really early.  With the three hour time change I find myself waking up between 4am - 5am and I am wide awake.  What do you do that early when you are at someones house or a hotel?  Nothing is open, its dark, and it is dead silent.  What a great opportunity!

The problem with opportunities is that they have to be taken advantage of.  Throughout our days we have opportunities, time we can use for the eternal.  Are you making the best use of your time?  Are you taking advantage of the opportunities before you?

The days we live in are evil.  Distractions surround us, discipline is difficult but we must work hard to make the best use of our time.  Where is your time going?  What is taking up your time that shouldn't be?  Spend some time seeking God for wisdom, ask to walk in wisdom so that you can make the best use of your time.

Walk With God

“Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him.” - Genesis 5:24

“By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him.  Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God.” - Hebrews 11:5

When it says Enoch walked with God it means that he pleased God.  There are many people in our lives that we try to please.  It could be a spouse, a boss, friend, customer, family members, etc.  Why do we try to please these people?  Are we looking for something in return?  Are we seeking favor?  Are we striving for them to act in a way that benefits us?

Enoch loved God, he walked with Him, he pleased Him.  Walking with God implies a moment by moment fellowship with the Lord.  A constant communion with our Father.  Imagine the depth and love in that type of relationship.  Would you like you walk with God as Enoch did?  What is slowing you down?  What priorities need shifted?

Enoch was not, for God took him.  He never experienced death.  Elijah and Enoch are the only two people we know of that we taken.  Enoch gives us an example of an intentional and passionate pursuit of God.  Be purposeful, be focused, seek God with every fiber of your being.  Know your need for Him, live out of your need for Him.

Who Are The Rechabites?

"Go to the house of the Rechabites and speak with them and bring them to the house of the LORD..." 

- Jeremiah 35:2

Are you the rule breaker?  If not, more than likely you know "that guy."  The one who tries to defy every rule just because.  Who likes to do the opposite of what you are supposed to do.  Maybe your a parent who has a disobedient child.  We all have a streak of disobedience in us, an urge to not obey the rules, to be our own person.  Besides, no one can tell me what to do...right?  Or can they?  The people of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem were God's chosen people, yet constantly refused to listen to the voice of the LORD.  In fact, God speaks to them saying,

"...I have spoken to you persistently, but you have not listened to me.  I have sent to you all my servants the prophets, sending them persistently, saying, "Turn now every one of you from his evil way, and amend your deeds, and do not go after other gods to serve them, and then you shall dwell in the land that I gave to you and your fathers.  But you did not incline your ear or listen to me.""

- Jeremiah 35:14b-15

God uses the example of the Rechabites in Jeremiah 35 to show us a picture of obedience.  Because they feared and respected their father they obeyed him.  They did not drink wine all the days that they lived and did not build houses to dwell in because that is what their father commanded them not to do.  They spent their lives living in tents being obedient and listening to the instruction of their father.

You may not listen to the speed limit signs on the interstate, the "no trespassing" sign, or the cancer warnings on tobacco products but there is one person we must listen to.  You see, because of Judah's disobedience God brought disaster upon them.  He gave them every opportunity to listen to him.  He persistently sent prophets to speak to them but their hearts turned cold.

Don't let your heart grow cold.  Understand who God is, the creator, the author of life and death.  Understand who we are, his creation, created to bring glory to Him.  My prayer is that wherever you are at in your spiritual journey you would start to listen to God.  I don't care what you think about "Christians" or "Church" but I do care that you listen to what God says in Scripture.  I challenge you to open the Bible, seek Him, and he will be found by you.  He is the God of all hope, full of grace, mercy, truth.

Bad Day

So we have all had bad days before.  Some days are bad because of one really bad event that takes place while others can be bad because every little thing seems to go wrong.  Well today was one of those days.  I over slept my alarm by 2 hours which never happens.  I am not behind and trying to figure out how I am going to get everything done.  While I am quickly grabbing some breakfast our breaker for toaster goes out.  I then proceed to our dungeon basement to flip the breaker and notice a large amount of water and extreme dampness down there.  After careful inspection it seems that during the storms that happened here while we were in Alaska water seeped into our basement.  As I am inspecting the basement I hit my head a few times, find another spot that needs patched, and notice that the roof where our wood burning stove pipe goes up needs resealed.

At this point in time I am stressing about the new ministry website that needs done along with all the events of the morning.  I sat down to take a deep breathe and my wife walks up to me, hands me her Bible and says, "read this."

I opened the Bible to Psalm 44 and it says,

"O God, we have heard with our ears,
our fathers have told us,
what deeds you performed in their days,
in the days of old:
you with your own hand drove out the nations,
but them you planted;
you afflicted the people,
but them you set free;
for not by their own sword did they win the land,
nor did their own arm save them,
but your right hand and your arm,
and the light of your face,
for you delighted in them." v.1-3


God's word is such a great reminder.  We will face affliction, we will have bad days, hear bad news, make bad purchases, and at times make bad decisions.  In the midst of the "badness" we must never forget our position in Christ.  We are saved, redeemed, rescued, loved, secure, complete, whole, and much more because God loved us so much that he sent his son Jesus Christ to die in our place.  We can rest in the fact that its not about us, its about him and his glory.  So if you are having a bad day like me, pick up the Bible and read it.  Be reminded of how great and awesome God is and how much he cares about you, even in your bad day.

Why Is A Story Told?

Have you ever sat down and thought about why stories are told?  Stories have different purposes at different times.  Some are just for simple entertainment, some are meant to communicate a point, and others can be a way of recounting history.  This leads to another question, what makes a story a great story?  What are some of your favorite stories?

I would tend to think "great" stories, or our most favorite stories are the ones that move us in our hearts. They make us laugh hysterically, cry unceasingly, and to act with courage.  Have you ever told someone a true story but they didn't believe you?  The disciples know how you feel.  Check out John 20:24-25;

"Now Thomas, one of the Twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came.  So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord."  But he said to them, "Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe."

The disciples were telling Thomas a true story, a story that aligned with what Jesus taught them and a story all of his close friends were telling him was true.  Yet I wonder if Thomas was still grieving the loss of Christ, I wonder if this story seemed too good to be true.  Even though Thomas refused to believe their story at first he ultimately found it to be true and believed.  The fact that the story was true didn't change but Thomas's belief in the truth changed.

John 20:31 says, "but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name."

The Bible is God's words to us.  It is 66 books of pure truth at our fingertips yet we often don't believe the words on the page.  We are missing out, Thomas was on the verge of not recognizing and believing the greatest story ever told.  My prayer is that you wouldn't disbelieve that greatest story ever told.  Jesus came as a man, died on a cross, and rose 3 days and paid the due penalty for our sins.  By grace we are saved, through faith in Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen!

Quick to hear, slow to speak

"Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.  Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls."

- James 1:19-21

We love giving out opinions.  We love to hear our own voices.  Whether the subject is sports, politics, theology, or just practical life advice we tend to be slow to hear and quick to speak.  When we are slow to hear and quick to speak we often are more easily angered.  This can lead us to seek to be right rather than seek to understand.  A friend from Chicago always tells me, "seek first to understand and then be understood."  The point is that we often are ready to respond before we allow the other person to finish speaking.  We begin to generate our response and stop listening.

James not only is warning us not to do this relationally but more importantly in our ultimate relationship.  Many times we are not quick to hear from Scripture.  We formulate our response to a passage without ever carefully inspecting what it is actually saying.  Later on in James he talks about how the Bible is like a mirror.  We must carefully look into the mirror and examine our lives.  If you remember when you went on a date you starred into the mirror a little longer.  You made sure you searched all over for those zits and blemishes before you went out to meet that special someone.

How often do you look into the mirror of Scripture?  How intently do you look into it?  Is it a quick glance?  Or do you take you time and carefully examine, observing and listening to what the words of God have to say?

I encourage you to take a look in the mirror.  Look closely, take your time, and allow the word of God to show you the blemishes and bring healing and encouragement to you.

Coming to America

Tuesday evening my wife will arrive in the US for the first time since August.  This year long process is finally nearing an end.  Through it all we both have grown individually and together as we have seen God's faithfulness, provision, and hand in our lives.  There have been many tears, many laughs, and many memories.  In the past year I have gotten a small taste of what it should be like to long for heaven.  Just as I have been longing to be with Bek my longing to be with Christ has increased.  It has caused me to love him more, seek him more, and keep my eyes on him.

This evening my neighbor lady came over as a few of the guys and I were having dinner.  She is all alone and just wanted someone to talk to.  She cried and poured out a lot of hurt from her life.  Don shared the gospel with her and made sure that she understood Jesus's atoning work on the cross for salvation.  I couldn't imagine what it must be like to be all alone with no spouse, no friends, and no family.  Waking up each day just waiting to die.  I was thankful for my wife, my church, my family, and my friends.  My challenge for you today is just to ask yourself this question, "Who can I be a friend to today?"  My neighbor Ann just needed a friend today.  Someone to talk to, someone to pray for her and encourage her.  Will you be a friend to someone today?

New Off The Wall Logo

My wonderful wife is currently using her graphic talents to create a new logo and t-shirt design for Off The Wall Ministry.  Here is a sneak peak as we continue to work toward a finished product.  Leave some comments and let me know what you think.

Seize The Summer

As you may know I am about to embark on a journey with 12 other people across 6 states over the next two weeks called Seize The Summer.  Through worship, drama, and preaching we hope to ignite people of all ages to "Seize The Summer" for Christ.  One of my favorite passages in Scripture is found in 1 Corinthians 15:58 and it says,

"Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain."

During the summer we tend to take vacations, whether it be from school, work, or just to get away for a week or two.  Often time that vacation carries over to our spiritual life.  We become more self-focused and less God-focused.  Our commitment to God tends to decrease while our hours of daylight increases.  As we travel together over the next two weeks please pray for us, but also take a look at your summer and be purposeful to seize it, to take hold of the opportunities you have to grow in Christ and love people.

I will try to blog on what is happening and also share our team devotionals with you as well.  Also check out http://polenband.wordpress.com for pictures and video from the tour.

Sermon Notes from Titus 3

This morning I was blessed to have the opportunity to share the message at Countryside Chapel.  The people of the church have grown near and dear to my heart and I am excited to get to know everyone more and walk with them as I move into a role as one of the pastors.  Here are some notes from this morning's sermon from Titus chapter 3:

1. We All Need A Reminder
- We are a forgetful people, we constantly need to be reminded of Biblical truth and what a Godly life should look like.

2. We All Need To Understand The Gospel
- How deep is your understanding of the Gospel?  Do you understand terms like "regeneration," "justification," or "grace?"
Regeneration: to be born again, or born from above (see John 3)
Justified: to declare or treat as righteous (see Romans 4:1-8)
Grace: God's enabling power


3. We All Need To Devote Ourselves To What Is Excellent & Profitable
- Do you live a purposeful and intentional life for Jesus?  Do you build others up or tear them down?

Summary:  We all need to read Titus 3 and other Bible passages (especially the whole book of Romans & Ephesians 2) to be reminded of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  We need to study and un-layer all that Christ accomplished for us on the cross and in turn worship and adore him with thankfulness.  Many of us are held back by a fear of truly understanding the grace and mercy of God.  Living a life abandoned to Christ, fully trusting him, following him in faith is scary for many.  My prayer is that you would "taste and see that the LORD is good" and you would know Jesus and his love for you in an intimate way.

Eat God's Words

"Your words were found, and I ate them, and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart, for I am called by your name, O LORD, God of hosts." - Jeremiah 15:16

How precious are the words of God to you?  Are they sweet to your taste?  Do they bring you joy?  Do they breathe hope and thankfulness into your life?  Jeremiah digested and delighted God's words.  He spoke them for the people's good.


When we "eat" God's words, when we digest them and let them be nutrition for our souls it makes us spiritually healthy.  Just as in the physical sense we need to have a healthy diet balanced with exercise so we also need a healthy spiritual diet and work out our faith.


Notice Jeremiah said "your words became to me a joy..."  It takes perseverance, commitment, and discipline.  Just as it is hard to stay away from the sweets, to be disciplined to work out we fight the same battle spiritually.  Distractions lead us away from our Bible and prayer quickly eludes our minds.  God will reward your commitment to him and his word with joy and delight.  Ask for spiritual wisdom and insight as you are committed to study his word and your life will change.


My challenge for you today is to set for yourself one spiritual goal for Bible Study.  Find someone to hold you accountable and do it!  My wife and I are personally committing to memorizing 1 Corinthians 13 by June 5th.  My prayer for you is that you would digest the Word of God and it would be joy and delight to your heart.

Northern Ireland Update 7

Beki and I have been praying every morning for our situation and a few days she told God, "I just want to know when my interview is."  Well, a few hours later we got an email that told us her interview is May 24th.  While the downside is that it is far away the upside is that we finally have a date.  We are praying for the possibility of moving the date up to the end of April or first of May however there are no guarantees this will happen.

In preparation for the interview Beki has to get a medical done in London as well as prepare all of our paperwork.  Please keep us in your prayers as we begin to make plans to move forward with the interview and our return home.

Northern Ireland Update 6

It's cold!  Today it is really windy, cold, and dumping down a combination of rain and sleet.  I am ready for summer.  Beki and I are continuing to enjoy marriage.  Everyone keeps asking us about what marriage is like and to us nothing is really different other than we sleep in the same bed together.  This week we have been invited out for dinner almost every night.  Our calendar quickly is filling up but we are just asking God to use us during our time here.

I have been busy skyping in on meetings and keeping up to date with the guys and girls at Off The Wall.  I am also in the process of developing a new website for the ministry so please pray for my patience as I am learning a new program.  I have also been blessed to meet with many young men over here and continue to network and build connections.

Beki and I are trying to figure out how to best encourage and grow one another in marriage.  I love hearing about what she is reading in Scripture.  This morning I was encouraged by the passage she was reading in Exodus 18.  I want to encourage you to take a moment today and read it.  It is a great example of leadership and discipleship.  Continue to pray for favor with governments and airlines over the next few weeks as we await to hear when we will be able to return.

I figured you may like a picture so here is one from our wedding :)

Northern Ireland Update 5

The wedding is over and the dust is settling.  Beki and I moved into a cozy little house that we are renting out until we are able to go home.  We currently do not have a car so we have been walking a lot and relying on others for rides.  We had guests over last night and look forward to using the time we have here to minister to those God puts in our path.  I am having some coffee and meals with some local young guys over here this week.  Beki and I are also taking time to get together with many other newly married couples as we prepare for young married ministry back home in Ohio.

Please keep praying for Beki's visa medical and interview.  Both must be done in London which means we need God's favor to have the timing work out.  It is not like you can just drive to London and can get very expensive flying there and staying a few nights there.  We are praying everything can work out to get the medical and interview done within a few days of each other so we only have to take one trip to London.

During my time over here I am gaining a small insight to what Paul must have felt when he wrote the epistles.  I miss seeing firsthand the growth God is doing in everyone back home.  I am excited for what is to come and pray that I will be with you all soon.  I will leave you with this passage...


"We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves. And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all. See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but alwaysseek to do good to one another and to everyone. Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies, but test everything; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil.

Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may yourwhole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.

Brothers, pray for us.

Greet all the brothers with a holy kiss.

I put you under oath before the Lord to have this letter read to all the brothers.  The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you."

- 1 Thessalonians 5:12-28

Northern Ireland Update 4

We were truly blessed by our friends and family on our wedding day.  We had so much fun and loved the worship time during our wedding ceremony.  We spent 5 days in Edinburgh, Scotland that were absolutely great.  We are now back at Beki's parents house trying to find a place to stay for a couple weeks.  Dad dropped off paperwork at the lawyer's office as soon as they returned home so now we are just waiting for our interview to get scheduled in London.  We are praying for a quick return home and finally get settled in our house.

Beki and I started reading Colossians together.  This morning I was challenged by the power and purpose in Paul's prayer and words.  I want to leave you with this passage as food for thought today.  May these words, may this hunger, and love for people be an essential part of our lives.

"And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.  May you be strengthened with all power, according to this glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light." - Colossians 1:9-12

Northern Ireland Update 3

So tomorrow I am getting married...

As I am reflecting on the whole marriage process I am finding how sanctifying it is.  If I really open my eyes to everything that has happened, especially recently it is easy to see how self-centered and not God centered we can be.  You own wedding can be in and of itself a justification to put your eyes on yourself.  The problem is that when your eyes are on us they are not on Jesus.  I am enjoying this eve of my wedding just thinking about how great God is.  Thanking him for my friends, family, church and most of all my soon to be wife.  This truly is about him and his glory as two people unite.  May God be glorified and lifted high tomorrow!

Thanks for all the prayers and support for the big day!  Love you all!

Northern Ireland Update 2

It was a blessing to pick everyone up from the airport yesterday in Dublin.  After long waits for delayed flights we eventually got the rental cars and got to experience driving on the other side of the road.  Lets just say it was an experience making the two hour drive from Dublin to Bangor.  Needless to say we all arrived home safely and everyone was able to get settled in.  Today the men are off for a road trip along the coast while the women do their women stuff...lol.

In preparation for marriage I have been reading a lot on marriage, listening to sermons on marriage, looking into the Scriptures for passages on marriage, and praying for our upcoming marriage.  The main thought I keep coming back to is found in Ephesians 5:25,

"Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her,"

This is an incredible challenge and responsibility for us men.  To show our wives the same love that Christ showed us.  For you young guys who someday want to be married I would challenge you to start thinking about this.  Prepare yourself, really start to understand what this means so that you can love your future wife as God has commanded you to do.

Continue to pray as we work through all the last minute details.  Beki and I still have no idea where we are going to live over here when we get back from March 23rd.  Just praying that God will provide us a place to stay till we are able to return to the states.  Our documents are still in the mail.  Upon arrival they will be able to schedule our interview to get us home.  Pray that they would arrive soon.  Thanks again for all your love and support!

Northern Ireland Update

As many of you know I am in Northern Ireland about to get married to my beautiful bride to be. We are blessed to have so many friends and family that have been praying for us and encouraging us through the whole process. I wanted to keep everyone updated with our situation so you can continue to be praying for us. I will try to keep posting updates and possibly some pictures.

Beki and I are currently waiting on an interview to be scheduled in London for her to be approved to return to the states. She sent documents through express mail 2 weeks ago that they needed in the US but have still not arrived.

Last night I was able to be part of a young adult study on Ephesians 6. We looked at the armor of God. I want to remind you today that we are in a battle.

12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.
13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.

God gives us the armor to stand against a vicious foe. We must put on the armor or else leave ourselves susceptible and vulnerable to be attacked and defeated.

praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, v.18

When Truth Becomes Reality

The Word of God is amazing!  There are many truths, many stories, and many lessons I have been taught growing up.  I know them in my head, but have they become an actual reality in my life?

Has Jesus become a reality to you?  When the truth of Scripture penetrates our hearts and open ups our blinded eyes life changes, our perspective and purpose changes.

So, dive into your Bible.  Ask God to give you ears to hear and eyes to see the reality of all that Jesus has done.  Let the Word of God transform you by shining light into the darkness of our lives.