Ownership

09.22.08

Have you ever met or are you one of those surfers that when the waves are good you forget that you have a job, a wife, kids or even that you have to eat? I don’t mean that you just get focused. But the kind of friend that you want to say, “Bro, don’t you know that you have kids at home that need you?” I mean, that kind of situation that’s over the line.

Many Christians seem to approach life this way. You probably wouldn’t borrow someone’s board to take on a trip without first consulting the owner. Yet, we make decisions all the time and often don’t even stop to realize that we no longer hold ownership over our lives. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 says, “…do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.”

As this week unfolds think about the fact that you are not your own but first do some thinking on this –What was the price that you were bought at?

Who do you surf for?

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Get Some Rest

09.15.08

It's 10:38 PM and I just arrived home from a trade show. Every major surf brand was there. Christian Surfers always has a booth at these type of events. We seek to encourage believers and share Christ's love with everyone.

For three days I've watched beautiful women wonder if they were beautiful enough, I've observed strong men questioning their strength, "cool" people feeling insecure. Watching not just seeing for three days. People, afraid that someone will see through the exterior, see into the real person on the inside - and that if that happens, they will somehow come up short in the evaluation they are undergoing. Restless is one way to describe it. Chasing, seeking, pursuing. Whether it's beauty or strength or coolness or wealth or fun. Souls with skin on, running after something to meet that craving but not finding it. A wise man once said that the soul of man is restless until it finds rest in God.

I'm thankful that after I shower off and lay down to sleep tonight I will do so in total peace. Not because I've obtained all those things that others are striving for and I'm OK with that. I'm at peace because I've been taken into the family of my creator. Adopted as a son. Not accepted because I did the right thing but accepted in spite of me doing the wrong thing. In fact I've been accepted, not because of what "I've" done at all but because of what God has done. Yea, tonight I'm right on with God and OK with who He made me to be. How about you? Are you finding your place in Jesus or still looking? The Good News is that you can stop running and turn around and Jesus is right there waiting to tell you how He feels about you. Here's a hint - you are a work of art that HE created.

Gotta get some sleep - have a great week. Oh, and it's time to register for the Saturday training in OCT. - 10am until 4:30pm in a town near you.

Me, Wrong?

09.08.08

So, it’s hurricane swell, steep beach and my 3 year old is offended that I insist on being near him in the edge of the water. Of course, I’m aware of the rips, I just saw a shark, blah, blah, blah…He doesn’t care. He doesn’t want to be told he’s wrong.

What about you? When God says, thru His people, His Word, or just your conscience, that you’re wrong – how do you react? Are you offended that He (or they) would “judge” you? Or, do you trust HIM that maybe HE really is bigger than you and knows things you don’t. At the heart of Christianity is trust. Not blind trust, but trust in a Heavenly Father that knows best.

Are there any things that HE is telling you that you’re wrong about today? Why not trust HIM and give HIS way a go?

Who do you surf for?

We still need help for ESA Easterns

Worship & Work

09.01.08

Who do you surf for? We’ve asked that question a lot this year. Many people quickly say Jesus. But, what does that mean?

When some people think of worship they automatically think of groups of people in a church building singing. Others think of quiet moments in creation, a walk in the woods or sitting in the lineup. Instead of asking, “what we think of in regards to worship” we should be asking, “what is worship?” The definition of worship has to do with placing value on something or someone. Some people call it “worth-ship”.

Since it’s Labor Day, I thought it would be good to think about our work and how it relates to worship. In the Bible in Colossians 3:22-23 it addresses this idea. My paraphrase is, “Employees, obey your bosses in everything, not only when they’re watching so they’ll be impressed but when they’re not – with a sincere heart and out of respect for your real boss – the LORD. Whatever you do, work at it with all you’ve got – working for the LORD not human bosses.”

But, since Labor Day is celebrated by not working, most of us will probably be in the water. So, “Who Do You Surf For?”

And tomorrow – Who do you work for?

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Are You Missing Out?

08.25.08

Have you had one of those days where you look at the gnarly local ripper and wonder if you're the one missing out? I mean all this time reading the Bible and following Jesus while this guy lives a wicked life and now he’s skipping out to head for Indo, again. Sometimes the world makes sin look so glamorous and fun. If you've ever struggled with this, be encouraged, so have tons of others. In fact, the LORD knew that we would be tempted in these ways and gave us advice to deal with it.

James 1:16-18 says, "So, my very dear friends, don't get thrown off course. Every desirable and beneficial gift comes out of heaven. The gifts are rivers of light cascading down from the Father of Light. There is nothing deceitful in God, nothing two-faced, nothing fickle. He brought us to life using the true Word, showing us off as the crown of all his creatures." -The Message

In other words, if it is truly good - God will bring it into our lives. If God says it’s off limits, than it doesn’t matter how good it looks - we can know that it’s not good for us.

Proverbs 23:17-18 puts it this way, “Don't for a minute envy careless rebels; soak yourself in the Fear-of-God—That's where your future lies. Then you won't be left with an armload of nothing.” - The Message

So, Who Do You Surf For?

Check out this life "Shaping" experience

Don't miss out on this opportunity

No one is "Missing Out" on this view. Seen recently on a CS members mission trip.

Work With the Wave

08.18.08

I was going down line and Tom Curren dropped in on me. It was cool though, partly b/c it was Curren and partly b/c I dropped in on the 6 friends that dropped in on the guy that was on the peak. In a 30 yard stretch 7 people got cut off and everyone was smiling and saying, “Tom Curren just dropped in on my wave.”
Since I had the privilege of riding a few feet behind him I thought I should watch closely and try to learn something. This is what I observed; Tom works with what the wave gives him. I don’t mean he floats a section because it’s closing out. I mean, he works with the wave – the way he pumped changed each time depending on what that section was doing. When he floated a section, it wasn’t just like the last floater he did because that wave wasn’t just like the last wave. Often my surfing is UGLY – me trying to force the wave to work with me and me receiving the same consequences.

Surfing is a culture that values rebellion. The founding fathers of surfing were rebels, many innovations in surfing were made by rebels and it goes on and on. But, rebellion isn’t a good thing. In fact, the best surfing is submitting to and working with a wave - not fighting against it. This is where terminology is important. There is a difference between rebellion and a pioneering spirit . Ultimately rebellion is against God because HE establishes authorities. God has set up the universe in a certain way – like gravity for example. You can refuse to accept it and you can fight against it but you cannot overcome the fact that you are subject to gravity. There are moral laws that are just as binding. Jesus said He is offering us LIFE. Often in our actions, words and thoughts we run contrary to what God tells us in the Bible, b/c we think that God might not be looking out for our best interest. So, we shine Him and do it our way – that’s rebellion.

Tom showed me that it’s a beautiful thing when you stop fighting the wave and work within the parameters of what it gives you. Jesus shows me that it’s an amazing thing when I submit to God’s plan and live within it.
1 Samuel 15:23 “Rebellion is like the sin of withcraft…”

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To Hope or to Know

8.11.08

I’m in Florida and the waves have left the building. Boy, I HOPE we get some swell soon. Some people are smart enough to travel so they check Surfline and plan and set up a trip. They HOPE that the forecasts are right and they don’t get skunked. Other people are fortunate enough to wake up, look out and check it. They see the perfect, morning glass rolling in and they don’t HOPE for some surf – they KNOW!

In the Bible in the book of 1 John chapter 5 and verse 13 it talks about this concept. There are a lot of people out there that HOPE they will have eternal life. They might HOPE that going to church or being a good person or praying or whatever was enough for them to deserve it. They HOPE. But, the Bible has bad news for that person. Just like there aren’t gonna be waves tomorrow no matter how much I HOPE, the Bible says that we can’t do anything that would make us deserve eternal life. In fact, the Bible says we are HOPELESS. So, we need someone else to fix our situation. That someone is JESUS! Back to 1John – it doesn’t talk about HOPE , it says, “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God (Jesus) so that you may KNOW that you have eternal life.” There it is. We can KNOW we have eternal life. It’s as easy as verse 12 of the same chapter, “He who has the Son has life he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.”

So, here’s the question, “Do you have good deeds, prayer, church, etc. OR do you have Jesus?” The answer is the difference between KNOWING and MISGUIDED HOPE.

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Super Christians?

08.04.08

Do you ever hear the cool stories of “Super Christians”? Do you ever think, “Man, I wish I was a real ripper so that I could speak on God’s behalf”? I know, I get tricked into thinking like that sometimes. I want to remind you of a well-known story, it’s found in the Bible in the book of John chapter 6.

In the story there are thousands of people and they’ve all come to hear Jesus teach but they don’t have enough food for everyone to eat. The story ends with Jesus miraculously supplying enough food for thousands of people, but look at the middle section. Jesus is questioning the disciples about how they are going to feed all these people when one of the disciples puts forth a statement. It’s not even a suggestion because there’s no solution in the statement.

Change viewpoints for a second
There’s this little grom watching Jesus talk with the disciples. He’s got his lunch, that his Mom gave him, and he’s standing in the middle of a sea of people. The kid doesn’t come off as dumb enough to think he’s going to feed everyone (over 5,000 people) on his lunch. But something in him says that Jesus can fix this. So he just offers his lunch to Jesus.

Back to the viewpoint of the disciples
Andrew says, “Here is a boy with five small pieces of bread and two small fish…” Then, just so the other disciples won’t smack him in the back of the head as if to say, “what are you thinking” – he adds, “but how far will they go among so many?” We’ve already stated how it ends. The point: It’s not how great the gift you have to offer. It’s that you are giving it to the all-powerful Creator of the universe to do with whatever He wants. So don’t worry if you’re not the coolest or if you are. Either way, are you willing to give whatever you have to Jesus and let Him use it? Are you willing to let the light of Jesus shine through you in your lineup? Offer what you have today to Jesus and see what He does.

Who do you surf for?

Practical Love

07.28.08

We’ve all met those guys/girls that are totally “Bro”ed” out. They look more like a pro surfer than the pro surfers, but when the waves are good they are nowhere to be found. The problem isn’t their lack of ability in the water or their fear. The problem is their posing.

1 John 3:18 says, “…let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.” Christians that surf need to go beyond merely talking about Christianity and start taking action in the lineup. What was the last practical expression of Jesus’ love you showed to a surfer? When will the next one be? How about today?

Remember it’s not the greatness of the act but the greatness of the love.

Who do you surf for?

Romans 8:28-3

07.21.08

28And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

29For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren;

30and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.

31What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us?

32He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?

Sometimes it is good to remember just whose corner we are in. God has called us, foreknown us, predestined us, justified us and glorified us. There remains nothing more that God could have given us, He has poured out upon us all things, including His only Son! Proverbs 28:1b says “the righteous are bold as a lion.” Knowing the Ruler of the Universe should give us boldness and confidence to face any obstacles or resistance.

Guest Author: Daniel Felton

Who do you surf for?

Luke 5:16

07.14.08

“But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.”
Ever notice how often Jesus slips away to be with the Father? Take a look at His life and notice when He prays, why He prays, where He prays and the results after He prays. It’s a great study.

Have you ever dreamed of being a “Prayer Warrior”? Maybe you have been stirred by a story or a sermon and you think – “I want my instincts to be prayer.” But then you try to pray and it’s a major wipeout. There are books, sermons and advice on it but I think this quote sums it up nicely.

"We learn prayer's deepest depths in prayer, not from books. We reach prayer's highest heights in prayer, not from sermons. The only place to learn prayer, is in prayer, bent and broken on our knees." - Dick Eastman

Remember, as a member of Christian Surfers United States we are asking you to spend some time on Mondays in prayer for surfers and this ministry.

Who do you surf for?

Isaiah 30:18

07.07.08

I was surfing “Major’s Bay” on Kauai in the late 90’s. A large Hawaiian man sat on a board with hot pink rails and it was obvious he ruled the peak. As one set rolled in a strange thing happened. I had worked my way into the pack and was waiting my turn when the guy looks at me and says, “you go bra.” I was so shocked I didn’t know what to do. He gave me the head nod and off I went. It was odd because it went against the rules of the jungle.

In ancient times a king sat on his throne and people stood before him. He didn’t rise for others and his priority was often himself. God is a God worthy of honor and respect. In all His greatness He deserves to sit on the throne of Heaven but check out Isaiah 30:18, “Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you; HE rises to show you compassion.” How rad is that?! The verse ends by saying, “For the LORD is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait on HIM!” In this world where kings look out for themselves and we all bow to them, the one King of Kings that deserves our bowing - rises to show us compassion. Wow!

Who do you surf for?

Do People Matter to You?

06.30.08

Do people matter to you, people in general?

In Luke 4:38-44 Jesus is at a friend's house and people start showing up in need of help. Throughout His ministry Jesus heals people in a variety of ways; some close up, some at a distance, some just by telling them they are healed, and some by doing weird stuff like putting spit on them. The point is that He can choose to heal however He wants. That’s what makes this so wild! It says in verse 40, “and laying His hands on each one, he healed them.” There was a big crowd and it went late into the night and I’m sure Jesus got tired (people wear you out). So, why didn’t He just heal them all in one shot? Jesus showed over and over again that He cared for each person as an individual.

What about you? I ask you again, do people matter to you? What about that guy that hangs out in the parking lot where you surf and is always hitting everyone up for money? I’m not saying he shouldn’t get a job but do you recognize that you and he have the same Creator? What about that dude in the lineup that annoys everyone or that girl that thinks she’s all that and flirts with every guy? What about that quiet person that no one even notices? God notices them, do you? Jesus loved people so much that He gave up the entire night (and much more) in order to express love to each person. Why not show love for God today by loving the people He made.

Who do you surf for?

True Joy

06.23.08

What do you believe will bring you joy? The answer to that question will dictate your life.

Check out Mark 1:32. At sunset, people start showing up at the house where Jesus is and He begins healing. The next morning people show up for the sequel but He’s gone. How cool must it have been to be in His presence and hear His compassion filled teaching and see His gentle healing touch? It must have been like the first time Rick Kane watched the North Shore really break. The people must have thought, “Oh, I wish we could have spent more time with Him.” Which brings up a good point – Why didn’t they come sooner, why did they wait until sunset?

Well, it was the Sabbath – which begins at sunset on Friday and ends at sunset on Saturday. I’m sure you’ve heard of all the rules and such that pertained to the Sabbath back then. So here’s the deal – people wanted to come see Jesus but they believed deep in their hearts that following the rules of their religion would ultimately bring them joy. So, they waited until the Sabbath ended. People make decisions based on what they think will bring them joy. When you check the surf you decide whether to go out or not based on whether you think that you’ll have fun. Are people ever wrong – sure. Just think of the crackhead that says, I’ve gotta have this, it makes me happy. No, it doesn’t!

The Bible teaches us that what will ultimately bring us joy is God being glorified, this includes sitting in the presence of Jesus and seeing the awesomeness of God. What about in our lives? Do you think that keeping the rules or surfing or going to church or serving in a ministry will ultimately bring you joy? If so, you are wrong. Those things can all bring a measure of joy but ultimately experiencing intimacy with God is what will bring true joy. Remember Job? At the end of his story he says knowing God is better than all the rad stuff the Devil stole from him. Don’t be like the people in Mark 1 who were kicking themselves and saying, “Man, if we knew it was gonna be this great we would have come sooner.” Make time to be with Jesus today – even if it means blowing off a little time in the water.

Who do you surf for?

Jesus brings Life

06.16.08

I used to have a friend that worked at a Christian college. Like all schools they had struggles with rebellion and recruiting. He decided the solution was a new marketing campaign with a catchy slogan. The winner, “We have everything the world has and Jesus too.”

Sadly this is what many people think they want. Jesus, so my bases are covered and living like the world so I can enjoy life.

Often people think that Jesus is trying to ruin us, calm us down. God didn’t come to earth because we were having too MUCH fun but because we weren’t having enough. Jesus came to show us how to really live. In fact, in John 10 Jesus says, I didn’t come to ruin your life – that’s what thieves do, they steal, kill and destroy. I came so you could have real life – life lived to the fullest. James 1 says it even more strongly. If you think that there are good things out there that don’t come from God, you’re getting played!

Once in the book of John, the crowds of people left Jesus because His teaching just got too tough. Jesus’ response was to ask the disciples if they wanted to leave as well. Their response was basically – where are we gonna go, this worlds got nothing and you’ve got it all.

If you think that you’re going to miss out on something because you want to follow Jesus, you’re being tricked. Jesus offers real life, not temporary fun with long term consequences.

So, who do you surf for?

Down the Line

06.09.08

Just dropping in on a wave is not enough. I mean, if you’re just beginning, it’s a thrilling experience and if the wave is 20+ feet you can do whatever you want. But, in normal surf, after you drop in you’ve got to go down the line to get the full experience.

Today there are many Christians emphasizing different important points to Christianity. Whether it is being non-violent or enjoying creation or justice for the weak, without the Good News of salvation it is not enough. Let me pause and say, I don’t mean organizationally but personally as a follower of Jesus. If you work for Exxon in Saudi Arabia the mission statement of the company doesn’t need to include spreading the Gospel. But, every Christian is called to not only play a role in sharing Jesus with the world but personally sharing Jesus with individuals. Now, we each have different styles; for example, some people are more confrontational while others are better at inviting someone to an evangelistic event, some open the door through service while others just have the “gift of gab” that allows them to non-offensively share with friends about Jesus. But, none of us are “off the hook” when it comes to calling people into a relationship with Jesus.

Think about this: after 100,000 years in hell a person will not say, “I’m glad those Christians built a library in my town so I could learn to read.” But, after 100,000 years with God someone might say, “I’m glad those Christians built a library in my town and continued to love me in practical ways. By building a friendship of trust where they taught me that Jesus is the only name under Heaven by which people can be saved I called out to HIM for salvation.”

Not living to make the world a better place is a pseudo Christianity. But only living to make the world a better place falls short .

Only dropping in robs you of the full experience of surfing as does living a Christianity that doesn’t include the joy of being a part of people being born again.

Who do you surf for?

Storing Up

06.02.08

Have you ever been in a situation where you didn’t have the right board for the occasion? On a trip you can only choose from the quiver you packed.

In life, for the most part, people want good to come out of them. But the way we control what comes out of us is by focusing on what goes into us. In Luke 6:45 Jesus says, “The good man brings good things out of the good STORED UP in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil STORED UP in his heart. For out of the OVERFLOW of his heart his mouth speaks.”

Have you ever had those occasions when you didn’t want to go to church and listen to another message or sit and read your Bible? Sometimes it just feels like it doesn’t matter. But here’s the thing, you are storing up good and at some point it will overflow. The opposite is also true. You ever think, “it doesn’t hurt anyone if I look at this in privacy” or “it doesn’t matter if I listen to gossip, I mean, I’m not the one saying it”? You’re storing up and at some point it’s gonna overflow. That’s why it’s important to take in good and reject evil because you are “STORING UP”.

The key to having the right board on a trip is packing the right board at home. The key to having good come out of you is to have good stored up in you.

Who do you surf for?