Richest City in the US is in Orange County

The city of Newport Beach is the richest city in America according to
portfolio.com

According to their statistics, the per capita income of Newport Beach is $86,586 and the median household income is $123,958.
Nearly one in three Newport households — 28.6% — earn more than $200,000 a year and the median home value tops $1 million.
(adapted from OC Register.com)

Marie and I love spending time in Newport Beach. Our first date was on Baloboa Island in Newport. We often spend our Friday's with the kids at the beach in Newport.

How do we as Christians stay "De-Orange County-ized?"

How do we live in this area of massive wealth, yet stay grounded in our mission to live as citizens of heaven, not storing up for ourselves treasures on earth but focusing in on storing up treasues in heaven?

It a question me and Marie ask ourselves a lot as we raise our family here in Orange County.

Tiger's Apology

What did you think of Tiger Wood's public apology today?

I respected him for not placing the blame on anyone other than himself.
In a culture where we often blame addictions, others and circumstances for our bad behavior,
I appreciated Tiger owning his behavior.

As I watched the press conference, my heart went out to Tiger.
He must feel the weight of the world on his shoulders.
It saddened me to think that his only solace was to look to the teachings of Buddhism.
Buddhism seems like such a ill-equipped philosophy to deal with our guilt from sin.
Basically it coaches us to look within ourselves to do more and do better.
It is completely empty of forgiveness and new life.

I pray that Tiger in his self-evaluation will have someone he trusts explain the good news of Jesus to him. What a relief it would be for him to understand he can be made new, forgiven of his past and given the power to live faithfully to his wife and kids, not through self-help but through the power of cross! I pray Tiger will hear the Gospel loudly and clearly at this stage of his life.

Oh how the words of the 1876 hymn, "Nothing but the Blood" by William Doan and Robert Lowry could provide relief and peace to a guy like Tiger right now.

What can wash away my sin?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
What can make me whole again?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

Oh! precious is the flow
That makes me white as snow;
No other fount I know,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

For my pardon, this I see,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
For my cleansing this my plea,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

Nothing can for sin atone,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
Naught of good that I have done,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

This is all my hope and peace,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
This is all my righteousness,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

Now by this I’ll overcome—
Nothing but the blood of Jesus,
Now by this I’ll reach my home—
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

"Without the shedding of blood, there is no remission of sins."
Hebrews 9:22

Where is our Treasure?

In this short video created by sermon jams, we are confronted with the reality that nothing but Jesus Christ is worthy of being our treasure.




You can find more "sermon jams" here.
Thanks to Joshua Harris for the link.

Laundry Love + NewSong Church in Irvine

Newsong Church in Irvine, California has become a role model in our Orange County Community for effective local outreach. I really respect their obedience to God's call to be Salt and Light into our community. They call their community and global outreach program, "Unleash Beauty."

One of the projects they have gotten involved with over the past year here in my city of Santa Ana is called "Landry Love Santa Ana." Laundry Love is part of a larger international movement to assist low-income folks with free laundry services. It is a small way to show the love of God to people in our neighborhoods. I love it.

Orange County Chick-Fil-A's Giveout Free Food This Week

To celebrate its 6th anniversary in Orange County, all Chick-fil-A restaurants will be giving away free food Monday, Feb. 15 through Thursday, Feb. 18. Hours: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Here’s the lowdown:

Monday: Free spicy Chicken Sandwich

Tuesday: Free, 3-count chicken strips

Wednesday: Free Original Chicken Sandwich

Thursday: Free 8-count Nuggets

(Courtesy OC REGISTER)

The Church on Mission

Ed Stetzer has become one of my favorite bloggers/authors/pastors.
His insights into pastoral ministry are compelling and challenging.
Go check out his blog after you watch this video he created recently:



This video summarizes my dream for the Christian community I am a part of, Calvary Church.

Free Amy Grant Tickets for Orange County Concert

The Big Red Tractor

The Big Red Tractor from Jacob Lewis on Vimeo.

A Sad Night at UCI

Michael Oren, Israeli Ambassador to the United States spoke tonight at UC Irvine here in Orange County.
His speech was interupted several times by angry Muslim students, leading to 12 arrests.
The anger of the protesting students seems strange to many of us in America.
But for Muslims and Jews, it is part of the norm after thousands of years of tensions, dating back to Ishmael (who Muslims identify with) and Isaac (who Jews identify with) in Genesis 16:8:

"The child grew and was weaned, and on the day Isaac was weaned Abraham held a great feast. 9 But Sarah saw that the son whom Hagar the Egyptian had borne to Abraham was mocking, 10 and she said to Abraham, "Get rid of that slave woman and her son, for that slave woman's son will never share in the inheritance with my son Isaac."

There has been tension, anger and hatred ever since.

How Are Christians to Respond?
As Christians, we are called to "pray for the peace of Jerusalem" (Psalm 122:6).
Yet I also believe we are called to pray and have a heart for Muslims, for Jesus loves the world and that includes our Muslim friends.

The following video makes me sad and honestly makes me frustrated at the Muslim students acting so rudely. Yet, I pray that as you and I watch this, the Holy Spirit will begin to develop a heart of compassion for both people groups as we realize that the good news of Jesus Christ and the riches of God's amazing grace is available for any Muslim or Jewish person who is willing to receive it!

My Sermon from Last Sunday at Calvary Church

If you are interested in such things,
you can listen to my sermon from last Sunday (1/31) at Calvary Church
by going here.

The message is part of our 10 part series we are doing at Calvary on the Book of Genesis called Road Trip: A Journey of Faith.
My message is titled, "Road Trip: Grace for the Journey"
It is based on the true story of Hagar, Abraham and Sarai from Genesis 16 and 21.

Here was my outline from the morning:



1. We travel the “Boulevard of Bad Decisions” when we rely on ourselves and not on God.
*Genesis 16:1-3
a. We doubt God and His word/promises to us (Gen. 3)
b. We create man-made plans, without God (Prov. 3:5-6)
c. We are driven by works (achievement), not by grace (receivement) (Gal. 4:22-23)

2. We experience the “Parkway of Pain” because of our bad decisions.
*Genesis 16:4-6
a. Pain and Conflict between Hagar and Sarai.
b. Pain and Conflict between Sarai and Abram.
c. Pain for Hagar (in desert)
d. Pain for Sarai and Abram (still no child, no fulfillment of promise)

3. We are met by the “Rest Stop of God’s Grace” in our pain, despite our bad decisions.
*Genesis 16:7-11 and Genesis 21:1-21
a. God’s grace to Hagar by meeting her in the desert and guiding her home.
*Genesis 16:7-11
b. God’s grace to Abram & Sarai in keeping his promise, providing a miracle son.*Genesis 21:1-8
c. God’s grace to Isaac and Ishmael in His plans for them.
*Genesis 21:9-13
d. God’s grace to Hagar and Ishmael again.
*Genesis 21:14-21
e. God’s grace to us!
*Isaiah 53:5, Matthew 11:28-30

Eric Mason: My Favorite Pastor to Listen to at the Moment

Eric Mason is the Lead Pastor at Epiphany Fellowship in Philadelphia, Pa.

His sermon podcasts have some of my favorite ones to listen to lately.

He received his THM from Dallas Seminary and his Doctorate from Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary.

Eric is an incredible speaker. He will get you rolling with laughter and in the next moment, cut to the heart with conviction. God is using this man in mighty ways.

Here is an excerpt from the Mission Statement of Epiphany Fellowship:
"We would like to see The Name of Jesus Christ Magnified by the credibility of the Church being reestablished in the world through Robust & Relevant Worship, Rich & Relevant Word, and Real & Relevant Witnesses (Eph. 2:20-21). We want to have inward depth, and be outwardly missional."

Here is the website of the Church: Epiphany Fellowship
Here is a great article from Ed Stetzer's Blog on Eric Mason.

Go here to subscribe to Eric's sermon podcasts.

13 Powerful Words - Romans 12:9

"Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good."

ROMANS 12:9

This is the passage I will be teaching on this Tuesday Night at our Young Adult Gathering at Calvary. I had the honor of teaching at both Sunday services at Calvary this past Sunday on Genesis 16. I thought I would be dreading trying to prepare for another sermon just 2 days later after putting in so much mental, emotional, physical and spiritual effort into Sunday's sermons. But just the opposite is true today. I feel really excited to teach on Romans 12:9 Tuesday Night. This passage is incredible:

1. It challenges us to Love without hypocrisy.

2. Hate what is objectively evil in God's eyes (not make evil what we hate - John Piper)

3. Cling to what is objectively good in God's eyes (not make good what we cling to - Piper)

All of this in 13 words. The Bible is amazing.