John Bishop

DRIFTING

Hey everyone.

Today, I was just thinking, reading and listening to God. I wanted to do something different with the blog. Hope it helps you. I want to share some verses and thoughts from Revelation chapter 2. If you can, read them. If you have time this week, read the book of First John. Amazing stuff.

Isn't it easy to allow a relationship that was once passionate to 'drift'? Relationships are won and lost with this basic principle. The 'drift' happens so slowly. In a marriage, things can be going so well. One choice leads to a little less focus, a little less attention, a little less love, and then you end up in a place you never planned on being.

How many marriages can start out so passionate, so excited, so self-denying, so serving, and then the drift begins. It is so subtle, and so deadly, and yet so fixable.

The times in my marriage that I have stopped being intentional in spending time with Michelle, or putting other things above her have been the moments where I started 'drifting' the most.

It is easy to 'drift' in our relationship with God. So easy. Jesus speaks about a church that 'drifted' from it's First Love. I promise spiritual drifting is the easiest thing to do and the toughest thing sometimes to see. Subtle things are that way.

Check these verses out in Revelation chapter 2:

"To the angel[a] of the church in Ephesus write:
These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands: I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked men, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary. Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first." (Revelation 2:1-5)

Here is the church in Ephesus. The capitol of Asia Minor. One of the three most influential cities in the eastern part of the Roman Empire. So much going for it. Economically, financially, positionally in the world, YET it missed everything and Jesus indicts the church for it's 'drift' factor.

He commends them for their deeds, hard work, perseverance, staying true to the Gospel, suffering and not quitting. To the Ephesican church, Paul commends them for their love for God and others (Ephesians 1:15). They did so much right and missed everything. It wasn't what they 'did' but what they had 'become' that had brought the letter in the first place. They allowed 'drift' to win.

I wonder how many Christ followers end up there? I hate that there have been times in my life where I have left and even replaced my first 'love' or other things. I wish these verses weren't in the Bible, but here they are, and here we are, and all I can do is be real with myself, with God and take whatever steps necessary to change. Who we are isn't who we can become.

Can I be honest? I really hope you hear my heart on this. I have seen so many people fall in love with God, believe in Jesus, receive the free gift of eternal life, only to get bored, discouraged, tired and slip away from their relationship with God.

Fortunately, reality isn't the end of the story, but the promise of a new beginning and a new hope and a new love.

The steps to RETURNING are so easy:

1. Be REAL with God if you have slipped in your faith. You have 'forsaken' your first love. Be real in seeing what is true about where you are right now. Has anything or anyone replaced your love? A job, finances, worry, family? So many things can cause us to 'drift.' It is for me often good things that replace the best things. With God, you can't fake him out, so just be real. Tell Him. He already knows. These were mostly second generation Christians who were losing their zeal and passion for God. How are you doing really??

2. REMEMBER. Remember the height from which you have fallen. In other words, go back to the day when you realized that you could not begin to make it to God on your own. Remember how much you have been forgiven. Remember how much you didn't deserve to be forgiven. Remember what He has done. Remember How loved you are. Remembering that establishes the basis for which your relationship rests. I am the forget guy. I forget, I start thinking I deserve. This is the sin of entitlement. You are saved by Grace, loved intensely by God. REMEMBER IT.

3. REPENT. Repent of anything that has gotten in the way of your relationship with God. An attitude of pride, judgement, or any other thing. Repent of actions that have not honored God. Sins not confessed always strain a relationship. Why would it be different with God? Just recognize it, admit it and repent of it. Repenting is going in a new direction.

4. RETURN. He closes with "do the things you did at first." Return to do what you did when you first came to Christ. This is both an active (action) thing as well as an attitude (passion) thing. What are those things? Is it reading Scripture? Is it prayer? Is it Life Group (some of the best growth times in my life have been in the context of small groups) Do whatever it will take to restore your heart, passion and love for God.

Bottom Line: Drifting is the easiest thing to do, the hardest thing to recognize and the most important thing to fix. Your faith depends on it.

I just wanted to share what God is showing me.

Hope your week is going well.

I am excited about the weekend. I am shooting a video part of the day Friday. Also, quickly. Thanks to our campus pastors. I met with them today, and am so excited about what God is doing and so proud of them for their love for God and people.

God is doing so much, but if we miss Him, don't we miss everything?? I choose to not drift.....

That's it.

john

BLOG LETTER

I hope you are having a great week.  One day at a time, and keep doing the next right thing.  I wanted to just simply do a few updates. 

FAMILY
Hannah (my 13 year old) is going on her first mission trip to Idaho Saturday, so we are helping her get ready for that.  She is pretty excited.     You gotta love seeing your kids get pumped up about serving Jesus. 

LIVING HOPE AT HOME.
There is so much going on around the church these days.  Youth camp (Danny Joe is going to speak at all evening services), children's camp, new Portland location (Laurelhurst) and so many other things. Sign up for these camps as soon as you can.    SIDE NOTE:  We need volunteers for summer in most weekend ministries.  Please if you can think about it volunteering at a service and go to a service.  It seems churches struggle the most financially and serving during the summer months.  I hope you will consider helping out.  Thanks.

PORTLAND
Thank you to EVERYONE who served and sacrificed to begin a church in Portland.  The convention center was a blessing, and we are SO EXCITED to have a permanent location in the Laurelhurst neighborhood.   LET ME CLARIFY why I am a bit torn right now and am trying to do the best I can.  This is what you can count on (people keep asking) I will be doing my best always speaking live at Brush Prairie on all THREE SATURDAY SERVICES, and 1:00 PM service.  Portland is at 10:00 am, so because they aren't quite there yet for the campus vision, I am torn between being there live (so many visitors this weekend), and being at home for 9:00 and/or 11:00 am services.  Please continue to share the vision that drives us to reach lost people, to do whatever we can.  I believe the multi site approach is the future of the local church and will do my best.  I was actually able to start the 9:00 am, end the 11:00 am and preach at 1:00 pm.  I will do what I can do, you do what you can do, together we seize the moments for God's Kingdom.    If you can, visit a campus this summer.  Promise you will be blessed.  Check out Portland, or tell your friends about it.  Super cool venue.  We still need a few people to help out.  Thanks Pastors Will and Lori and Bruce and Laura and the rest of the team for carrying out the vision in Portland.

XXXCHURCH.com
We are excited to have this ministry share with us during our VEGAS Rules series.  They speak internationally, and specifically speak to the issue of pornography.   The porn industry grows, is so seductive, so evil and they serve beyond one church to THE church. They will go right into a porn conference and set up their booth (JESUS LOVES PORN STARS) They will be here in two weeks.  Promise, it will be an amazing weekend.   If you have time, visit their website.  Already people are very excited  so I wanted to give you a heads up to bring friends and families.

NEW ZEALAND
If you didn't know, we joined with a church in New Zealand, and are praying for them.  We are in the middle of discussing how and who to send to each church.  I think from a missional standpoint there is such gain in sharing together and serving each other.  It is exciting.  You have to check out their new website.  I was on the phone with Danny Joe late, as it was launched live.  Sweet.

Check it out:    www.livinghopechurch.co.nz

Go comment on David Dishroon's new blog.  Welcome David to the blogging world.  Good on ya!

THIS WEEKEND
I have been reading in Matthew 4 this week.  Jesus' three temptations.  I was thinking about temptation and want to talk about it this weekend. I think it fits well for the series.  When it comes to temptation, there are two things.  First it is always an test and in some cases an assault to your relationship with God.  Secondly, We can only see (in that moment) what is here and now.  We have to learn to pull back the layers and see through a different set of eyes.  We will do that this weekend.    I think the enemy is so good at causing us to see through the eyes of 'self' and 'now' that we get blindsided and think it is just one choice.   

Hope the updates are helpful.  I look forward to seeing you all this weekend.

John

HAPPY FATHERS DAY

I hope everyone had a great Father's Day. Hope you were able to write a card, make a phone call and (if you are able) spend time with your dad. It seems that every year it is the weekend of dificult emotions. Even CNN says that Father's Day is difficult, especially for those who are without dad.

I am glad God worked in the lives of so many this weekend. I hope you (whomever you are) are able to live loved and be love to those around you. I often think of the question: Who is your dad. I hope we could expose the deception and begin to live in the reality of who God REALLY is. He is the perfect Father, in every way. I hope we can live in that.

FYI: Portland was amazing this weekend. I love the venue. I love Portland.

So much going on, just wanted to say Happy Fathers Day and say I hope you have a great week.

Never give up!

John

GRADUATION

"The successful completion of a program of study"

Congratulations graduates on completing your studies.  This week is a week of commencement exercises, parties, dinners, out of town guests, cards and so many congratulations. I want to say yeah God for all the graduates in Living Hope.  I was at BGHS Monday night and it felt like a Living Hope reunion.  So exciting as you end 13 years of school.  So many will go on to college, some to work, some to rest, chill and figure stuff out. 

Funny how the definition of graduation is only half sided.  It is the successful completion of a program of study.  I think it is better defined as the beginning of a new book or chapter.  It is the beginning of being able to make choices that will shape the rest of your life.  I remember hearing someone say once that we only make a few really big decisions (career, marriage, children, etc) and the rest of our lives are spent managing those choices.  I say it this way, you make choices, then your choices make you.  No matter where you go or what you do, my thoughts for you are to fast forward your life to the end (just long enough) to ask what will matter beyond this life?  As you start making decisions, can I suggest a verse to help in your decision making process?  "But I fear that somehow you will be led away from your pure and simple devotion to Christ..."  2 Corinthians 11:3 

It seems that the more choices get made in our lives, the more complexity sets in and then the tendency is for my faith to either slip or get complex.  If I had one thing, it would be don't add Jesus to your lives.  Don't do what so many do.  Don't make Him one 'piece' of your life.  He is the whole thing.  It is through the grid of your faith that you have to make every decision.  Instead of asking what would Jesus do, can I just say do what He did.  He always put people first.  He always risked everything for God's Kingdom.  He always was quick to forgive (and had the right to judge the most).  He always believed the best in others (love believes all things...).  He always did just the next right thing.  He lived in the moments He found Himself in.  In short, Jesus began a revolution 2000 years ago, with mostly high school students.  More cities, streets and counties have been named after him than anyone in history.  More books and songs have been written about Him.  He began a revolution that you have been chosen to be part of.  You are marked by God to be used by God to change the world for God.  Don't be led away from your simple and pure devotion to Jesus.  That is my advice. 

I am so proud of each of you.  Moms and dads you have done so well.  It really does take a village.  Teachers.  Thank you for what you do.  I recognized some of the teachers at BGHS from church.  Thank you for allowing your one and only life to be used to teach students.  Have a great summer.  See you this weekend, right??

John

INTERRUPTIONS

INTERRUPTIONS??  I haven't been able to blog since I have been back.  Something with the company we use?  Technical interruptions way beyond me. 

I am excited about being home.  I had a great time in New Zealand, for sure.  So proud of our team there.  So excited about the possibilities.   I look forward to seeing people from America, go visit and serve there, and New Zealanders come here to do the same.  To our new friends in New Zealand.  Cheers for your hospitality and new friendship. 

It was good to get home.  I am learning that always in interruption there is an invitation by God to be in on something He is up to.  As I shared this weekend, sometimes on the way to invitation I get stuck in irritation and miss so much.  It's almost as if we get so wrapped up in our day to day 'plans' that I can't yield to what God wants, because I can't see what He wants.  Make sense?  Remember that verse from Psalm 37?

"Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart." Ps 37:4

I am learning that the more I see God...The more I see what God wants.... Over time it seems the more I want what God sees.

Maybe this week, try and see God during the interruptive moments?  Here are the questions I try to ask:
1.  Is there something God wants me to do?
2.  Is there something God wants me to stop doing?
3.  What is God trying to do IN me?

Interruptions seem to mostly be about people.  So seeing God is then seeing what matters most to Him...people.  Begin with your family.  Take advantage of moments you will never ever have again.  Katie and I sat up and talked for over an hour Saturday night.  I was just on my way to bed (around midnight), she wanted to share what God was doing in her life, and I just sat and listened to her share and dream.  It was amazing time spent.   Lose a bit of sleep, gain time with your daughter?  No brainer.   I wouldn't trade that for anything.

While gone, I really got to spend such good time with our whole family.  It was way cool.   My grandpa  was able to go with us.  He told me his whole life he wanted to  go to New Zealand, so when he got his passport and his plane ticket,  he made the journey.  So many priceless memories.

Pray to God to be open to HIS Interruptions.  You will never, ever be the same.  Some things will be life altering.  Some will be life changing.  Some will be life correcting, all will be in finding that sweet spot of His dream for your life.

Good to be home.

John.

PS
Below is a picture of the main campus in New Zealand.  Sweet as. 

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