Brian Taylor Online

I’m Back To Wordpress

I’m back on Wordpress now. Same address: http://www.briantayloronline.com, however, you won’t be able to stay updated by following me on Tumblr anymore!

You can still subscribe to my feed above! =)

Excuse Me, How Long Is The Wait?

I must confess, I am impatient.  It is one of thorns in my side.  I don’t like to wait in lines. I don’t like to wait for people to get stuff done. I’m always looking for the fastest, most efficient way to do everything.  I’m the guy that inches up every 2 seconds at a stop light until I’m just about in the middle of the intersection, anticipating the light change. I’m easily irritated, and tend to be a bit too task oriented. I’m not proud of it, and God has done a miraculous work in me on it, but I’ve still got a LONG way to go (why couldn’t I just get there now…).

As I talked about in one of my last posts, something that really sticks out to me in Lazarus’ story in John 11, is the fact that Jesus waited so long before He went to where Lazarus was. I’m sure that wait was just about unbearable for Mary, Martha, and their friends and family. However, as I said before, we know that Jesus’ waiting to respond was intentional and that He had a greater purpose than just to respond to their need.

Many places in the Bible we find the exhortation to “wait on the Lord”. Here are some things I’ve learned in having to wait on the Lord:

1. It cripples our self-dependency and self-reliance. When we wait on the Lord, it is an acknowledgement of dependence on Him.  We are a generation that loves to get things done — we love to rush ahead of everyone else, and if we can do something we do it and quick.  But having to wait on the Lord, even when we are “able” to do something, reminds us that we are not on the throne.
    
2. It helps to ensure that we are moving in God’s timing and not our own. I’m a pretty passionate guy. When I see things going on that shouldn’t be, my flesh always wants me to bust the doors down and get everything out into the light.  More often than I like, this does more damage than good.  However, when I remember that I’m not the judge, but that God is, and I wait for His instructions, it always leads to restoration and reconciliation.  When we blast forward in our own timing, we risk propelling ourselves right out of God’s will. 
    
3. It causes us to appreciate God’s blessings even more. Several months ago, I purchased a Nikon DSLR.  I had wanted a camera like that ever since I was a little boy, but never had the opportunity.  Then, before you know it, I was married and had little Judah.  I made a resolution that I was going to wait until I had saved up enough Best Buy gift cards to get one.  It took over 2 years of not spending any of the gift cards that I received, and eventually I had enough to get one while keeping with the normal expense budget my wife and I had.
   
   After such a long wait, boy do I love that camera. I worked hard and waited a long time to get it. There was no guilt with spending the money because I followed the plan!  I appreciate it so much more because I didn’t just buy it on an impulse, even though I could.  When we wait on the Lord, we see the blessings and results in a much different light when they finally arrive. We are more appreciative, more grateful, and more responsible with them because we knew they cost something (whether it be money or time). They are more valuable to us.

These are a few of the things I’ve learned in waiting.  What about you?

Jesus Must Not Love Me.

There is probably no harder a season in our lives than when we witness the sickness and death of someone we love. These seasons often cause us to feel helpless, hopeless, and heavy-hearted. This was what the family and friends of Lazarus faced in John 11.

Confronted with the realization that Lazarus wasn’t going to get better, they were forced to stand by and watch him die. They had called for Jesus and told Him what was happening, yet He was no where in sight. When He finally arrived, I’m sure they felt it was too little, too late. But as we talked about yesterday, there was more to the story!

When we find ourselves in similar situations, whether it is the sickness and death of someone or something we love, there are things we must remember — things God wants to teach us. Truth that will help us make it through. There are several things, and I’m going to take them one by one. I hope you’ll stay with me through the next few posts!

So, looking at the story, what is the first thing that we need to remember when we face these situations and seasons?

Jesus still loves you and He’s not forgotten you!

I’m sure that Martha and Mary felt like Jesus had forgotten them. It had been at several days since they first told him and He had nothing to say? Why was there no rush to save their brother?  I thought that Jesus loved Lazarus? Maybe that was all words just words to get their allegiance? Questions like those probably filled their minds. Doubt, anger, fear, and a myriad of other emotions probably engulfed them as they walked through this experience.  

Have you ever found yourself asking the same kind of questions? “Where is God? Why isn’t He here yet? I thought He loved me? I thought that He said He’d always be there when I needed Him?” You are not alone. We all goes through times like that.

However, even in waiting, we must remember are not forgotten and He still loves us. This story reminds us:

3 So the sisters sent to him, saying, “Lord, he whom you love is ill.”

But, look at what it says just 2 verse later:

5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 6 So, when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was.

He loved them SO He stayed where He was. Say what? That doesn’t make sense to us unless you read the rest of the story! Jesus knew what was going to happen and that this situation wouldn’t end in death’s advantage.

He knew that what was best for them was not for Him to rush in and save the day. He knew that there was a greater glory to be revealed.  He knew they had to wait, but He never stopped loving them.

He hasn’t stopped loving you either. Don’t stop trusting. Don’t stop believing.  You are not forgotten.

Next — what we learn in the waiting.

It Will Not End In Death

John 11

1 Now a man named Lazarus was sick. He was from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. 2 This Mary, whose brother Lazarus now lay sick, was the same one who poured perfume on the Lord and wiped his feet with her hair. 3 So the sisters sent word to Jesus, “Lord, the one you love is sick.”

4 When he heard this, Jesus said, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.” 5 Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 6 Yet when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days. 7 Then he said to his disciples, “Let us go back to Judea.”

…11 …he went on to tell them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going there to wake him up.” 12 His disciples replied, “Lord, if he sleeps, he will get better.”13 Jesus had been speaking of his death, but his disciples thought he meant natural sleep. 14 So then he told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead, 15 and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.”

The rest of the story goes something like this: Jesus goes to where Lazarus is. There He encounters His friends, Mary and Martha, as well as many that are grieving Lazarus’ death.  He witnesses a tremendous amount of grief, questions of why He didn’t come sooner, and even the doubt of some present as to whether He really could really have done anything about it.  Jesus, after grieving at the sight of the suffering they were enduring, then commands that the stone be removed and calls for Lazarus to come out from the tomb.  Lazarus walks out resurrected, and because of that many believe!

There are so many incredible things about this story — the display of power of God over death, the comparison to Jesus’ own death and resurrection, and so much more. I, however, would like to focus on the beginning of the story. As I was reading this, Jesus spoke a phrase that really stuck out to me. In verse 4 he says, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory…”  

Jesus knew full well, as we saw in verse 14, that Lazarus was going to die. Yet he tells His disciples, and as normal I don’t even think they really got it, that Lazarus’ sickness was not going to end in death, but rather that this seemingly terrible situation would result in a tremendous display of God’s glory! Literally, the word that is used in the passage means “to the advantage of; at, near, by; to, towards, with regard to.” Jesus was saying that though no hope was apparent, this situation would not end in death’s advantage. There would be more to the story!

I simply wanted to share a word of encouragement today from my heart on this passage.  There are season of life where things seem to be getting sick and dying — our marriages, our ministry, our relationships, our dreams, the seed of truth we’ve planted in the hearts of our children.  Some things may have already died. Life has left them, and they have been bound up and placed in a tomb for some time (Lazarus was in the tomb for four days before Jesus got there).

These are things that we love, things that Jesus loves, things that we believe He asked us to do. Yet, it seems death has begun waving it’s victory flag and the powers of hell are doing a touchdown dance. The word I feel in my heart is simply this:

Take courage. Even if death has arrived, things will not end there, nor will it end to death’s advantage. No, it is for God’s glory, that we may believe and so that Jesus may be glorified. There is more to the story!

Jesus has power over death — spiritual, emotional, physical, or otherwise — and He has and IS the final word. He IS the resurrection and the life.  If we are centered in His perfect will for our lives, and we believe (just as Jesus tells Martha in verse 39), we WILL see the glory of God displayed! In Jesus Name!

Tomorrow I will talk about a few things that these seasons of life teach us and what we can learn from them!

My Thoughts On: Vicky Beeching’s “Eternity Invades”

Every Wednesday, I’m going to do a new post series called “My Thoughts On…” where I will share…well, my thoughts on music I’m currently listening to, a book I’m reading, or some other piece of media I’m in the process of consuming. This won’t be your typical “review.” You can get those from many places by much more qualified people!  I simply want to share my heart.  

Today, I’m going to share my thoughts on the latest project by worship leader Vicky Beeching called Eternity Invades (released in early April 2010).

I was first introduced to Vicky Beeching while attending a worship conference in California a few years ago.  I was greatly impressed by her humility and her heart of worship. It has remained one of the most powerful times I’ve worship that I’ve experienced to this day, and this is my favorite CD of hers so far.

It is very well-produced and mixed, and the musicianship is excellent.  However, the thing that stands out most is that her heart as a worship leader shines through. Most, if not all, of the songs would work in a contemporary service setting for either worship or special music. We plan on introducing several of them at our church.

Vicky is a gifted songwriter and one of my favorite things about the music on this project is that there is none of what I call “mindless pop worship”.  You know, the songs that say a lot but don’t really saying anything — very catchy but leave you a little empty theologically. This is definitely not the case here. The music is very catchy, but is packed full with scripture and truth.  From the moment I started listening, I’ve felt encouraged to worship along with her as we move through the thirteen tracks together.

• I’D CLASSIFY IT AS: Great contemporary worship with solid truth.
• FAVORITE TRACK : #3 “Deliverer”
• BOTTOM LINE: Great worship. Great worship leader. This project is fresh, relevant, and worshipful. It will be a great addition to your library. BUY IT. 

You can find more information on Vicky Beeching at http://www.vickybeeching.com.

2 Qualities of the Servant God Chooses & Uses (Pt. 2)

In the Bible, King David is known almost as much for His staggering defeats and failures as He is for his victories and triumphs. Yet in all of this, God described Him as a “man after My own heart.”  What was it about David? What are some of the qualities that he possessed that put Him in a position to be used by God?

In my previous post, we talked about the fact that David was a servant that shepherded God’s people with “integrity of heart”.  In this post, we’ll talk about a second quality found in Psalm 78:

70 [The Lord] chose David His servant and took him from the sheep pens; 71 from tending the sheep He brought him to be the shepherd of his people Jacob, of Israel his inheritance. 

72 And David shepherded them with integrity of heart; with skillful hands he led them.

Quality #2: God is looking for servants that desire to serve and lead skillfully.

“With skillful hands he led them.” God is looking for servants that will lead with intentionality, wisdom, and grace. He is looking for those that literally have “intelligence, understanding, [and] insight”. Notice however, that He’s not necessarily impressed by nor concerned with formal education or training, though those are valuable resources. David didn’t develop his skills in the classroom, he learned them in the “sheep pens.”

The kind of skill God requires can only be obtained in the “sheep pens” of life — knowing and applying God’s Word in our daily walk and circumstances; learning valuable lessons from triumphs, but also from mistakes and failures; and engaging in serving and loving people! Without a “sheep pen” there can be no throne room! David’s experience with real sheep made him the perfect candidate to be a shepherd of God’s people!

Until we are willing to “get our hands dirty” when (we think) no one is watching, we will never be able to serve in area where everyone is watching! God wants skillful servants that serve with integrity of heart!

How do these two qualities apply to you? Think of some of the ways you can apply them in your home, ministry, or area of service!

2 Qualities of the Servant God Chooses & Uses (Pt. 1)

If asked the question, I believe we all would say that we want to be used by God to do great things for His kingdom.  There is a desire within us to be effective in our ministry, our leadership, our homes, our workplaces — and the list goes on.  If that is our desire, we also must understand that nothing happens by chance.  There are principles, based on His word, that God uses when searching for an “honorable vessel.” Today, I want to look at the one of two of those qualities.

Psalm 78

70 [The Lord] chose David His servant and took him from the sheep pens; 71 from tending the sheep He brought him to be the shepherd of his people Jacob, of Israel his inheritance. 

72 And David shepherded them with integrity of heart; with skillful hands he led them.

The Bible says that the Lord himself chose David and decided to use him to be the shepherd of Israel.  The way it says David chose to lead shows us the qualities that he possessed, the qualities that God was looking for:

Quality #1: A servant that will shepherd (feed, care for, protect) people with “integrity of heart”. 

What does it mean to have “integrity of heart”?

“Integrity of heart” or an “upright heart” does not indicate the absence of sin, but rather the presence of:

• Humility
  We must recognize that without God we have nothing to offer, and understand that without His grace and power our best effort will be fruitless! Ask God to show you where you stand and be ready to hear what He has to say!
   
• Repentance
  Once we’ve humbled ourselves before the Lord and seen the damaged, dirty areas of our hearts, we must take the appropriate action to turn away from those things and turn to God, to draw closer to Him. Knowing is only half the battle!
   
• Sincerity
  We finally choose to lead, love, and live as an offering of sincere worship unto the Lord.
   

Leading with integrity of heart means that we are 100% invested in the work that has been assigned to our hands. It means that there are no hidden motives, agendas, or ambitions. Our goal is glorifying God and leading others to do the same. This kind of servant lives a life of integrity and is therefore able to lead the same way.

“Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting” - Psalm 139:23-24 (NIV)