Pastor Bobby - Blog

Hindu Threat To Christians: Convert or Flee  This headline in today’s newspaper caught my eye when I was at Starbucks this morning. In the country of India, the Hindu majority is persecuting Christians.  The story told of one family who was forced to watch as their Bible and other items were burned in front of them.  They were told to embrace Hinduism or their house would be demolished.  They were threatened to be thrown out of the village or even killed.

As I flipped through the pages to read the rest of the story, I noticed another article about persecuting Christians. This was taking place in Iraq.  Apparently, Christians there have been the target of suicide bombing and other forms of violence.  11 Christians have been killed in the last 10 days in the town of Mosul.  Many of them are now scattering to villages north of the city.

Although I was surprised to read these stories at Starbucks this morning, we should not be surprised to hear of Christians being persecuted.  In fact, we should expect it.  Scripture is clear that this is what will happen to people who stand for Christ.

2 Timothy 3:12 - In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted

We need to make sure that we are not naïve, thinking that most Christians go through life without suffering.  Persecution is normal.  Throughout history and in many places in the world today, this is standard operating procedure for the church.  In fact, this verse makes it clear that if we are living “a godly life in Christ’ we will be persecuted too!

Matthew 5:11-12 - Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.  Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

On the day that you and I face persecution, I hope we are expecting it.  I hope we can see it coming and take heart.  Let’s know that our Christian brothers and sisters throughout time and all over the planet have experienced this and it is an honor for us to be in their company.  Let’s see past the present pain into our future reward.  And let’s be ready to lose our home or life or whatever it may be…for the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus our Lord!

This was a great summer for our high school ministry. We did an evangelism event with the In-N-Out truck and our largest gathering of high school students yet. We did a Missions Trip with 45 highly committed students to our Spanish church in San Juan. And we did our biggest event ever: Revival 08!

Yet, out of all the memories made this summer, one word stands out to me the most: Maranatha! On the last night of camp I had the privilege of preaching from Philippians 3:20-21 on our citizenship in heaven. This can be a difficult subject for students. They have so much to look forward to in this life it can be hard for them to consider the next. Are high school students really going to be interested in being with Christ compared to the upcoming prospects of college, career and marriage?

The answer on this night was a resounding yes! The students wanted Jesus more! There was a great sense of excitement as we looked at what maranatha meant. It is an Aramaic word transliterated into the Greek and it only appears once in the New Testament. Here it is:

1 Corinthians 16:22 - Come, O Lord!

At the end of his long letter to the Corinthian church, Paul lets out this exclamation of his heart! He wants to see Jesus! He wants it now! He wants it more than everything else this world has to offer! It was so exciting for us to get a sense of this under the tent on the last night of Revival 08. It was a night I will not forget.

In fact, I was reminded of it yesterday as our high school ministry read the last chapter of the Bible together on our Scripture of the Day.

Revelation 22:7 - “Behold, I am coming soon! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy in this book.”

In this verse Jesus himself tells us that he is coming. And when does he say that he is coming? Soon! As I was scrolling through the comments on Revelation 22 yesterday, it was encouraging to see so many students saying “Maranatha!” They too had not forgotten. As Christians, we always need to keep our desire to depart and be with Christ in the forefront of our thinking. This will give us motivation to live each day for him as we “eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ (Philippians 3:20)!”

If you are committed to praying maranatha every day please leave a comment below and I will get you a free copy of the cd of “The Maranatha Sermon” from the last night of Revival 08.

Come, O Lord!

Here at Compass we have a very straightforward approach to youth ministry: teaching the Bible.  We teach it in a way that is relevant to the student’s lives without dumbing it down.

Now consider the images that come to your mind when you usually hear the words “youth ministry.”  I am going to guess that these two words are not synonymous with “Bible teaching” in your mental thesaurus.  Why does the image of students sticking their faces into a toilet bowl and bobbing for Snickers bars come to mind? The makeup for much of contemporary youth ministry is mostly games and activities with a little bit of Bible thrown in.  The thought is this is all the youth can handle.

1 Timothy 4:12 - Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.

This verse says that youth is not an excuse.  Paul is writing to Timothy, who is a young pastor, and tells him not to think that it is okay to be looked down on because of his age.  Rather, Paul challenges Timothy to set the example.  He says that he should live in such a way that people look up to him, even older people.

This same principle applies to teenagers today.  We don’t need to act like we are condescending down to their level.  We need to help them live up to the standards God has set in Scripture.

In fact, throughout the Bible God loves to use young people. He gave Joseph big dreams when he was only seventeen (Genesis 37:2).  He raised Daniel to become an exemplary young man in Babylon (Daniel 1:4).  And consider the words King Saul said to David before he fought Goliath, “You are not able to go out against this Philistine and fight him; you are only a boy, and he has been a fighting man from his youth (1 Samuel 17:33).”  Yet God still used him to lead the men of Israel to victory on that day.

Similarly, God is working in the lives of many young people at our church.  Of course we have fun together, but that is not what our ministry is about.  We empower young people through the preaching of God’s Word in an age appropriate way.  Some students have radically changed by repenting of their sins and putting their faith in Christ.  Some are growing to levels of spiritual maturity.  Many are learning to serve the church and evangelize their schools. Let’s stop looking down on our youth and instead praise the Lord for how he uses them for his glory!

And let’s pray that He will do great things in our high school and junior high ministries this year as we continue to teach the Bible to our young people!

The gospel of self-esteem is proudly preached at the high schools of Orange Country. Students are encouraged to look inside, find the good and follow their hearts. The way to greatness, they are told, is in being yourself.

Jesus had something radically different to say. He said the way to greatness wasn’t in regarding yourself highly, but esteeming yourself as a slave.

Matthew 10:26-28 - Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave- just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.

Jesus says that to be first, we must become slaves. I’m trying to think how this line would come across at high school graduation ceremonies in Orange County. Students are incessantly told that everything they need is within them and to spend their life pursuing their own dreams. Instead, Jesus commands a life of servitude.

As Christians, the challenge for us is who are we going to believe: the popular worldly wisdom or the paradoxical truth of Jesus. While it is easy to say Jesus is right, do our lives show a servant’s heart? Do we wake up in the morning thinking about what we want to do that day or how we can help others? Do we walk into a room looking for what we are going to get or what we are going to give? We show that we understand Jesus when we do what he says.

Towards the end of the book of Acts, there is a quote from our Lord Jesus Christ. It is not a quote from any of the gospel books. In fact, I don’t even know when Jesus said it. But as the apostle Paul is talking to the leaders of the church in Ephesus, he quotes Jesus as saying:

Acts 20:35 - “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”

Jesus was living proof of this. Philippians 2:6-7 says that even though Jesus was by nature God he took on the nature of a slave. He served us by dying on the cross for our sin. Because of this God has now exalted him to the highest place and given him the name above all names. Someday every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. Let us follow his example and become slaves ourselves. Let all of us esteem service as the more blessed way to live.

Take a moment right now to think about how you can serve someone today!

This was the last week of school. Students all across Orange County were loosed from the shackles of backpacks, homework and studying for finals. You could see them smiling. You could hear their sighs of relief. On Facebook their collective status was filled with exclamation points. Yes, summer is finally here!

But what are our students going to spend their summer doing? “Nothing.” “Sleeping in.” “Taking a break.” As High School Pastor, these are all answers I have heard. While it is great to have rest from the rigors of school, I would still encourage our students to study, that’s right study! In fact, I encourage all of us here at Compass Bible Church to spend this summer diligently studying God’s Word. Summertime is not a vacation from Scripture!

Proverbs 6:9-11 - How long will you lie there, you sluggard? When will you get up from your sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest- and poverty will come on you like a bandit and scarcity like an armed man.

Proverbs 13:4 - The sluggard craves and gets nothing, but the desires of the diligent are fully satisfied.

If we are craving nothing this summer then that is exactly what we will get! We need to make sure that we don’t go the way of the sluggard, sleeping in and being lazy. Diligence is what the Proverbs command! Biblical wisdom is what we should desire! Right now we’ve been reading through this book in the high school ministry and it is the perfect message for our all of us as the season of slacking begins. Don’t waste your summer! Be wise and get into God’s Word!

Proverbs 4:5 - Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or swerve from them.

Proverbs 4:7 - Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding.

I know students sometimes have a hard time staying consistent in their Bible study and so I work hard to keep them accountable. But, I am often surprised by how many of the adults at our church tell me they are behind in their Daily Bible Reading. Yes, life is busy. Yes, it can be challenging to read day after day without a break. But this is why diligence is so important! This is why we have to desire God’s wisdom even if it costs us other things!

The exciting thing is we have an opportunity to read the Scriptures right here on our website! And not only can we read them for ourselves, we can leave comments that will encourage other readers as well. Check out these web pages for all ages:

Adults: Our very own Daily Bible Reading under the leadership of Pastor Mike is now updated on our site every 24 hours! Not only is it a great source of accountability to keep up with the schedule and not fall behind, but you can also comment on what God is teaching you and spur the rest of our church family on!

High Schoolers: Read through the Proverbs with us on Scripture of the Day! There are so many good verses, even in just one chapter, to think about throughout the day and to pass on to others.

Junior Highers: Right now Pastor Lucas is leading his people through the Psalms on Chapter of the Day. What a great way to get to know God and share what you are learning with your friends!

So, who’s ready to commit to reading the Bible all summer long on a daily basis? If you haven’t been reading or are behind, this is the day to get back on track! Just leave me a comment letting me know you are ready to start reading and let’s hold each other accountable! I’ll see you on here…every…single…day!

It is easy for us to dichotomize the character of God.  We simply split Him into two parts.  On the one hand, we fear the consuming fire who hates sin so much He is going to send sinners to hell.  On the other hand, we celebrate the Heavenly Father who loves us so much He sent His Son to take the place of all our sin.  It’s almost like we think of Him as two separate people.  We really like the good part but are almost embarrassed about His other attributes.  We love His love but not the other half of His wrath.  Here’s the thing: God is both!  Whether we are considering the rightness of justice or the kindness of mercy, they are both Him!

John 1:14 - The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.  We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

John is describing Jesus as the expression of God to man, when He “tabernacled” or “tented” among us.  He wants to compare Him to the glory of the Heavenly Father and so he uses the phrase: “Full of grace and truth.”  He is saying here is what it means to be God, being 100% love and 100% just. God is glorious in that He is all of His attributes all of the time.

John is picking up on how God described himself back in the Old Testament time of establishing the tabernacle. As God passed in front of Moses in Exodus 34:6-7 He referred to Himself as loving, forgiving and gracious.  But He did not stop there.  He also said, “Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation.”  If we want to see God in the fullness of His glory then we have to view Him with a complete perspective.  As He says in this passage He is “…abounding in love and faithfulness…” He is both compassionate and judging and this is how He wants us to know Him.

How we see God has dynamic implications in our life.  If we think that God is primarily grace we may turn it into a license for sin.  If we think that He is mainly truth our Christianity will become a harsh, hard-working religion.

What about you?  Do you lean one way or another in your perspective on God?  Do you give first place to grace and need to be reminded of His righteousness?  Or are you so focused on His truth that you overlook His love?  How can meditating on the “full” character of God help you better reflect Him in your actions and attitudes towards others?

“Rededicating your life to Christ” is a popular phrase in student ministries.  In fact, you would be hard-pressed to find a summer camp or an outreach event where it didn’t come up.  Young people who have wandered away from Christ are encouraged to come back to Him.  In our high school ministry, I regularly interact with young people in this position.   But instead of telling them to “Rededicate their life to Christ,” I think of what Jesus would say to them.

John 8:12 - When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

In the Greek language, the phrase “will never walk” is worded as strongly as it can be. It is a way of saying that this cannot happen. It is impossible for followers of Christ to continue in sin. Christians don’t walk away from the Lord and keep living like the light doesn’t exist.  They cannot go back to a life of darkness.

So, if someone says that they wandered away from the Lord into a lifestyle of sin, then they were never really converted in the first place. They don’t need to “rededicate,” they need to repent.  Repentance is the act of turning from sin. It is a radical redirection of our life as we respond to God bringing us out of the darkness and into His glorious light.  There is no switching the light on and off.

The call to repent is common throughout the New Testament.  It is even used for religious people or those who thought they knew God.  In Acts 26:20 the apostle Paul says that we will prove our repentance by our deeds. From the time we begin following Christ, walking with Him will become our consistent pattern. We may fall into a sin or struggle with temptation, but not without the conviction and correction of the Holy Spirit. Our life will change from the way it was before. As Jesus said:

John 12:46 - “I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.”

What do you think?  Why do people use extra-biblical phrases like “rededicating your life to Christ?”  Why are phrases like this so popular today?

If we are not careful, it is easy for us to fall into “on the clock” Christianity. We clock in for Christ when we are coming to church or doing Bible study. But when it comes time for work or play we clock out and think it is our time. I am concerned that too many Christians consider following Christ a part-time job. Yet Scripture is clear that the only way to live is full-time for Jesus.

1 Corinthians 15:58 - Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that you labor in the Lord is not in vain.

Look at the 100% language in this verse. In response to what Christ has done for us in His death and resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) we are commanded to give ourselves “always” and “fully” to the work of the Lord. “Always” means with 100% of our time. “Fully” means with 100% of our hearts and effort. The Lord’s work demands everything that we have. There is nothing leftover for us.

This is a theme that continually comes up in my teaching with the high school students. It is so easy for them to think of school or home or sports as something different than church. Instead of seeing themselves as missionaries for Jesus wherever they are, they can see themselves as independent operators. So much of life becomes about what they want to do rather than carrying the name of Jesus forward in the world.

Colossians 3:17 - And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Colossians 3:18-25 goes on to give specific relationships where this full-time for Jesus mentality applies. At home, students should obey their parents in the Lord. At school, they should do what their teachers tell them like a slave would follow his master’s commands. All of these things are not separate pursuits, but should all be seen as serving our Lord and Savior.

You might think that this is easy for me to say because I am involved in full-time ministry. However, a mentality of “always giving yourselves fully” to the work of the Lord has nothing to do with where we are employed. It has everything to do with how we work. Our whole heart is into it. We do it with a level of excellence that adorns the gospel. Sadly, there are many who work at churches and don’t live this way. I remember when I began high school ministry six years ago, it was easy for me to think of it as a 9 to 5 job. I thought that at the end of the day when I came home it was “Bobby time.” However, the Lord has convicted me of thinking of my free time as my own. It all belongs to Him!

So how are you doing? I’d encourage you to look at the 24 hours of your day and ask yourself if you are giving them fully to our Lord Jesus? Yes, we need to sleep and eat and rest but all of these things need to be done with the mentality of someone who is a 24/7 Christian, because that is the only kind of Christian there is. Compass Bible Church, we are “on the clock”…right…now!