Words For The Kingdom

There Are Two Kinds of People...

2011-11-23T11:24:00.004-05:00

I posted this picture on the screen in my classroom and asked my students to put their pens to paper and write. Although this is a simple question, the responses I received were quite insightful.

Here are some of the responses:

givers & takers

judges & juries

the skeptical & the gullible

rich & poor

dependent & independent

What was interesting to me is that these answers came from kids that are no older than 21 and most come from a low income, sometimes at-risk living situation.

So when I answered the question for myself the first thing that popped in my mind was: There are two kinds of people in the world... people who are content and people who are not content.

Since Thanksgiving is tomorrow, it seems like there is no better time to look at what contentment is and what it means. To me, contentment is a feeling of peace within yourself that allows you to face the difficulties of life without allowing them to weigh you down and burden your soul. So many people walk around with heavy hearts and you can almost see the burdens that they bear. It is very difficult times that we face right now. The difficulties that we face, however, need not dominate our thoughts or weigh down our hearts.

I think that contentment is key to the message of Jesus in the New Testament. Contentment comes from knowing who you are and where your security rests. When I acknowledge the Lordship of Christ in my life and when I recognize that circumstances don't control me or change my eternal destination, then I can begin to be content with where I am and what I have. Please note that there is a difference in being content and being stagnant. Contentedness is not a fatalistic mindset that nothing will ever change so why bother trying. Rather, it is a realization that my circumstances can be used to shape me and mold me into the image of Christ and that I must be content to allow the Father to work in me through whatever ways He sees fit.

There is so much to be thankful for this Thanksgiving. I haven't enjoyed everything that I have persevered through this year and it is easy to compare what other people have and feel dejected, but if you take a few moments to look around you, you will see there is much to be thankful for and content with.

I hope that you can choose to be one of the contented instead of one of the discontented. It will not only change your life, but it will change your outlook and your relationships with others as well.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Strong Heart, Weak Mind

2011-07-14T06:44:00.001-04:00

Psalm 56:10 & 11

In God, whose word I praise,

in the Lord, whose word I praise---

in God I trust; I will not be afraid,

What can man do to me?

I read Psalm 56 in my quiet time this morning. I have been embarking on a journey through Psalms for the past month, because their earnest cries to God seemed to fit my life right now.

These two verses jumped out at me this morning. It struck me that David had to repeat himself three times. He had to keep reminding himself: I trust God, I praise God, God has me in His hands, God is watching over me…

I wonder if we would do the same?

As I read the Psalms I am reminded why God and David had special bond. David was gut-wrenchingly honest with God. Are we that way?

I like this Psalm because David is not afraid of trying to not be afraid. He reminds himself over and over that he is in God and His words are worthy of praise.

I find myself needing to be strong all the time. What David shows me is that I am not strong, I am weak. However, what he also shows me is that as long as I am in the Lord, I need have no fear of circumstances in my life.

After all, What can man do to me?

My salvation is assured, my walk is in Christ, my final destination is decided, my treasures in Heaven are being stored up, and my Savior is waiting for me!

Who Are The People You Meet?

2011-06-30T12:15:00.002-04:00

How do you see people? Do you see people? Do you see people like Jesus did? Seeing people in their true condition is a difficult thing to do. We tend to look at the outward appearance or listen to the words a person says, but many times that doesn’t paint an accurate picture of what is going on in a person’s soul. In fact, we have become masters of disguise, putting up so many walls and defenses that it is almost impossible for the casual observer to see into our heart. It makes it extremely difficult to reach out to others at their point of need.

To further complicate matters, most of us are just too busy to bother with really trying to see people. It’s no wonder that God cannot use us to work miracles in the lives of those around us. In a recent sermon I was listening to, the pastor said that in order for God to use us to do miraculous things, we must look at the condition of our heart. Matthew 9:36 says of Jesus: “Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd.” Note the order of the words here. Jesus feels compassion first because he noticed that the people were distressed and dispirited. The NIV says they were harassed and helpless. Does this description describe the people we encounter each day? Does it describe you?

I teach GED classes two nights a week for the state of Georgia. When I first started teaching I had the incorrect assumption that my students would be a bunch of punk kids that dropped out of school. I expected thugs sent to school by their probation officers and kids whose parents were forcing them to be there. I was surprised to find that only a handful of students fit this demographic. Almost 80% of the people I teach have come from another country, learned English and are now pursuing their GED so they can go on to further education. If I judged on outward appearance and demeanor alone, I would have never met the guy from El Salvador who drives a semi truck and has a wife and two kids. I wouldn’t have gotten to know the young lady from Japan who married a Navy man and moved to Georgia by way of Hawaii. I wouldn’t have gotten to know the lady from Germany who rides a unicycle, is married to a guy from Baton Rouge and wants to do a Christian game show for kids. I haven’t performed any earth shattering miracles in front of my class, but it may be a miracle for them to see a Christian each week who lives what he believes and genuinely cares for them.

While I have far to go to be like Jesus, I do try to see these people with compassion. Like the people Jesus encountered in the Matthew, the people I meet are distressed and dispirited. Life has a way of making us feel harassed and helpless. To the people that we encounter each day, we may be the only slivers of light that they see for days at a time. As followers of Christ, we have an obligation to see people with compassion. We have to walk with them, talk to them, and show them the love of God through our words and deeds. After all, Jesus did. How can we do any less?

Are We Positioning Ourselves To See Miracles?

2011-05-05T19:09:00.000-04:00

The message on Sunday dealt with the subject of miracles and whether they still exist or not. These days the word miracle is overused and applied to things that aren't miraculous at all. Things like a sports team winning, getting a good grade on a test, or gasoline falling back below $3 a gallon…

Miracle defined is: a surprising or welcome event that is not explicable by natural or scientific laws and is therefore considered to be the work of the divine. What is interesting is that in most of the stories of biblical miracles, the one performing the miracle was just a regular person. Moses—regular guy, regular staff, incredible obedience, and his miracle is an army wide gap in the Red Sea. Elijah—regular guy, obedient prophet of God, his miracle is an all consuming fire from heaven, defeating the prophets of Baal. Even Jesus, who was God’s son, was still fully human. He was a regular guy, a tradesman, and one who was obedient to the Father. The Bible says the miracles he performed are to numerous to mention.

So as I listened to the message Sunday morning one of the points leapt off the page to me. When you consider whether we are positioning ourselves to see miracles, Ronnie said we have separated ourselves from society. As Christians we tend to live pretty insulated lives. Jesus healed those around him, because He was around them. So if we expect to see miracles worked, we must get down in the trenches with those in the most need. It seems that we as Americans have had a tendency to be self-fulfilled with our stuff. Our big houses, nice cars, steady incomes and quality of life in general keeps us living in certain circles. These circles often keep us blinded to the needs of others around us.

As I listened to the message Sunday I had a troubling thought. In these current tough times, what if God is freeing us from our “stuff” so that we can empathize with others and get closer to God’s plan for us? (GASP!) What if He needs to get our attention in a drastic manner so that He can once again use His people to work miracles so that His name might be glorified and people are drawn to Him?

I admit that this isn’t always the most fun. Moses gave up a life of luxury to follow God’s plan. David spent many years on the run from an angry king. Jesus had no place to lay His head and ultimately lost His life to an angry mob. But no one can question the effects of the miracles that God worked through His servants. They are recorded in the Word for us to dwell on and revisit.

This week as you live life, be cognizant of the fact that God wants to work through you just as He did through believers throughout history. You may not raise the dead or move a mountain this week, but that doesn’t mean that God has lost His power or is any different. Miracles do exist if you position yourself to see them. Miracles come in many shapes and sizes and it may be that you are someone’s miracle this week.

Grow Up!

2011-05-05T19:06:00.000-04:00

How mature would you say that your faith is? Is it in its infancy, learning the first steps of the Christian walk? Is it a bit further along, perhaps past the reading of the Gospels into the deeper books of the Bible, mining them for nuggets of truth? Perhaps your walk is deeply spiritually mature. Maybe you spend many minutes of the day either in the Word or in prayer. Maybe your connection with the Father is deep and growing daily.

Chances are though; we are still like the spiritual infants that Paul speaks of in so many of his letters. The fact is, for many years churches have been so concerned about getting people “saved” that they have neglected making disciples. I grew up in the Baptist church and in my own walk this has often been the case. I have often felt left to fend for myself when it comes to my growth as a believer.

My pastor made the point that the reason he can’t deliver his sermons on a deeper level is because most of us aren’t spiritually mature enough to handle it. This is a sad indictment on the American church. We seem to be content to be saved but unwilling to go much further in our walk with Christ.

So what is the answer?

I believe that one key component is for the spiritually mature among us to step up and make an impact in the lives of other less mature believers among us. My wife and I were examining our own lives and realize that we can count very few believers in our own lives that we see as mature enough to guide, mentor, and impact us as Jesus impacted his disciples. This is definitely not how I wish it to be.

I believe that we have a duty as Christians to build up and edify other believers: the body of Christ. When we neglect this aspect of our faith, we not only miss out on the blessing of building others up, but our walk stays shallow, as well.

A few years ago, we recognized the need for a Newlyweds/engaged couples class within our church. Although I am not an expert on the subject, I do have a strong Christian marriage and a heart for the young and in love. So for three years, we taught this class and hopefully impacted several marriages for the better. In the process, my wife and I were able to grow and mature in our own faith and marriage.

I would urge you to examine your walk with the Lord. Are you where you want to be? Are you impacting others and making disciples or is your walk stagnant and unmoving? My challenge to each of us is to find someone that you can build up and don’t be surprised if in the process you find yourself walking a little closer to Jesus.

Are You Being Transformed?

2011-05-05T19:05:00.001-04:00

“Does God want more from you than you are giving now?”

Isn’t it amazing how when the Word of God is being preached it has a way of cutting right to the point and right through you?

It is a good thing to ask yourself periodically because it can help keep you on track in your faith and your walk. And for most of us the answer will always be yes.

Romans 12:2 states, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

The two key words here are conformation and transformation. Conforming means to give in, or to allow yourself to be shaped by the circumstances and situations around you. Even the very word conform has a negative sound to it. It conveys the feeling of giving in and not reaching your full potential. This world continually puts pressure on us to conform to its powerful and seductive ways.

Contrast that with transformation. God calls us to be transformed into the image of His Son. Each of us knows how far away we are from the perfect and holy Jesus. But God isn’t content to leave us where we are. Transformation involves taking something rough and raw and making it into a thing of beauty. Think of a sparkling diamond cut with all its shimmering facets. It is much different from the dirty rock extracted from the bottom of a mine.

So does God want more from me than I am giving now? Absolutely! Everyday I am faced with enormous pressures to conform. The world presses in on us and can be overwhelming. Sometimes it is easier to just go along to get through the day. But we have something happening inside us that the world cannot see unless we let it. We have the very Spirit of God working within us. When we embrace the transformation that is taking place, we have no choice but to shine Jesus’ light into a dark and dreary world.

It won’t always be easy. The pressure to conform will not diminish; in fact it will be even more tangible as we see the changes Christ is making in us. But the end result will be a determination and a drive to give God everything we’ve got in this life. We will embrace the things that God desires for our lives. We will shine forth with a light that illuminates the dark corners of this world and sets an example; it is an example of transformation for all to see.

What In The World Is Happening?

2011-02-24T15:19:00.003-05:00

This is just a quick observation...

Yesterday as I was driving between jobs I had on an AM news station. In just a 5 minute update they mentioned that the stock market had fallen 150 points, the country of Libya is in shambles as a their Dictator attempts to cling to power, oil jumped to over $100 per barrel for the first time in two years (which explains $3.15/gallon gas) and finally President Obama told the attorney general not to defend the Defense of Marriage Act (which defines marriage as the institution between a man and a woman.)

In just a few short minutes of listening to the news updates I had the thought,

...our once great nation is going down in flames fast...

I know that sounds like an extremely pessimistic attitude, but as I see and hear about each of these things, I can't help but wonder when Jesus is coming back.

Furthermore, I realized that as we lose hope in everything we see around us: our government, our citizens, our very way of life--it forces us to believe in and hope in the only One that is constant and unchanging.

I know that regardless of the situation in the world, my Jesus loves me. My Jesus is preparing a place for me right now. Regardless of the decay of this country from within as we move further and further away from a strong moral belief system, God is still in control. Even though it is getting increasingly difficult to stay afloat financially with limited work and depressed wages, I know that my future is secure.

I know things are incredibly difficult right now. All you have to do is look around to see that. But know that all is not hopeless. As our hope fades in the things that have always been constant and sustained us, remember that this world is not our home. We are preparing for eternity.

Jesus is still Lord.

You still have a home in Heaven.

Don't lose hope.

Keep pushing on.

____________________________________________________

PS…for what it’s worth, here is a link to a website that Mike Huckabee has set up that is urging us to sign a petition to defend marriage as a sacred union between a man and a woman. I've done it, so should you.

http://www.huckpac.com/?Fuseaction=Newsroom.Article&ID=228

The Eyes of Jesus

2011-02-17T20:05:00.000-05:00

In this past Sunday’s sermon, Pastor Ronnie outlined three things that Jesus did to reach others and tried to get the disciples to understand:

1. Teach others

2. Reach out to others

3. Meet people where they are.

He alluded to a problem that almost all of us have and that is the tendency to look at the outside of a person without ever seeing the person within. It is interesting to think about because we do it all the time. We judge people by the clothes they wear- the brands, the fit, the style. We judge them by the way they look- are they tan, fit, covered in tattoos & piercings? We judge them by the job they do or if they don’t work we judge that too. We all have notions of what someone ought to do and the way they ought to do it.

The fact is, just like you can’t judge a book by it’s cover, you also can’t necessarily judge a person by their outward appearance. Sometimes you have to look in a person’s eyes to really see inside them and see what they are feeling.

I started praying that God would help me to see people as He sees them back when I was in high school. It is difficult to do sometimes but when you look past all of the walls that people put up you can see their hurts, their needs, their vulnerabilities.

In order to reach people for Christ, we must be willing to meet them where they are. That means that you may have to step out of your comfort zone and get down where they live. It means you have to let your guard down a little and become vulnerable yourself. It means that you may have to endure a little grief from your friends and family and, (gulp!) other believers.

To truly see others through the eyes of Christ, we have to leave the comfort of our homes, our seats in the church and our Sunday school rooms or small groups.

The fact is that Jesus sees us all in one of two ways: He either rejoices because we have been redeemed by His blood at the foot of the cross, or He weeps because we haven’t yet come into a relationship with Him.

Imagine the change it would make in the world if you and I looked at everyone we met in that same way.

Father, give me your vision of our lost world. Help me to unshackle myself from the conventions that hold me back from seeing people as you see people. Give me the courage to show love to the unlovable and show mercy to those that don’t deserve it, just as you loved me and showed mercy to me. Help me to go to the lost with a message of your love and salvation. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Living For Eternity

2011-02-15T10:09:00.001-05:00

“A Kingdom centered life is more about how you live than what you do for a living.”

I have had a lot of time to think about this statement over the last few years. With a background in the construction industry I have been a victim of the economy and have found myself “under”-employed. In the past several years I have been a building products salesman, trim carpenter, handyman, thrift-store manager, GED teacher, teacher of my kids, supporter of my wife’s job, minister and writer. As a man, it is sometimes difficult because so much of our identity is wrapped up in what we do for a living. Indeed, we spend most of our waking hours at hour jobs, so when you don’t have a job or have a job that is less than what you had hoped for it can leave you feeling slightly inadequate.

Then you think about the statement above: a Kingdom centered life is more about how you live than what you do for a living.

I firmly believe that the things I do on this earth are mere preparation for my life in eternity. Everything I do (or don’t do) here makes ripples in the ocean of eternity. That is why it is so important to focus on the Kingdom of God and what impact you can have on the eternal things.

For this reason, whether I am working or not, I can impact people for Christ. In fact, my attitude and demeanor when I am not working can speak volumes about my relationship with Him. Doing carpentry work I am exposed to different people almost every week. I have an opportunity to show Jesus to them through my life and then often times I never see them again. I have to trust that the Holy Spirit will work on their hearts and some other believer somewhere will be instrumental in the Harvest of their soul. As a teacher, every ten weeks I am exposed to a new group of people. I have an opportunity there to live my life in such a way that they see Jesus in me. It is not something I take lightly.

My desire for my life is to serve God in some capacity of full time Christian ministry. For whatever reason He has me stuck firmly where I am. As difficult as 2010 was, my family and I were taken care of every day and our basic needs were met.

As you go through the days, weeks, months, and years ahead, focus on this one thing. As Christ-followers, we are all placed in positions where we can do the most good for those around us. We have to simply be obedient to the Spirit’s leading and show Jesus to those we meet.

Father, help me to be content to labor where you have placed me. Help me to never miss an opportunity to share the love you have shown me. Give me peace and joy in the simple things that last for eternity and help me to thrive where you have placed me.

Our Identity In Christ, Part II

2011-02-08T22:15:00.001-05:00

If I were to ask you who or what you are most proud of being, what would you say? Would it be a successful businessman, an accomplished pianist, a good athlete, a caring nurse, an excellent teacher or a loving daughter? It could be any of these or something totally different.

For my example, I listed the following as what I am primarily identified as: a Christian, Husband, Father, Son, Grandson, Uncle, Brother, Brother-In-Law, Friend, Employee, Carpenter, Teacher, and Writer. Most people know me as one or more of these things.

The particular titles on your list are not as important as the order in which they are placed…

I am a Christian before I am anything else. It is of utmost importance in that it defines every other aspect of my life. My relationship with Christ shapes me daily into the kind of man that I want to be. As I go down my list each part of my identity is made better by the fact that I have been born again, changed and made new.

When we find our identity in Christ,

it makes every part of our life

closer to the way it should be.

After being recognized as a Christian, I am most proud of being a husband and father. I proudly wear my wedding ring as a symbol of my love and commitment to my wife. I can genuinely love her because of the love that I have been shown by Jesus. I adore my kids because I know that they are a gift from God. I can imagine just a little bit the way He loves me because of the way that I love them.

Next I am a Son. I have great parents that have shown me how to be a good parent to my kids. I try to honor them as the Bible says I should by being respectful and listening to them and seeking to help them out in whatever ways I can.

I am also a brother to a younger sister and younger brother. I am a brother in law. I am an Uncle to four amazing nieces and nephews. I am a friend. In all these facets of who I am, I am able to be better because of He who is in me.

The simple fact of the matter is, that we must have our priorities in the right order in order to be effective at our relationships with anyone else. If we don’t put Christ at the head of our lives and our hearts, we will fail miserably in our attempts to be good husbands, wives, parents, friends and so on.

Your identity in Christ should shape your life for everyone that you come in contact with to see. There should be no question. As you become more like Christ, others will see the change in you and appreciate the change they see.

Our Identity In Christ, Part 1

2011-02-01T08:05:00.001-05:00

How often have you heard America referred to as “a Christian nation?” According to a poll by The Pew Forum on Religious and Public Life, 78.4% of Americans identify themselves as Christians. This is an interesting statistic. If true, then it means that three out of for people you meet today should be easily identifiable by their actions and attitudes and by their walk and their talk.

So what does it mean to BE a Christian?

As Christians, first and foremost we should be identified in Christ Jesus. In 2 Corinthians 5:17 it says,

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. (NKJV)

So the first mark of a Christian is to become a new creation. This means that we must have had a change in us. If I buy a new pair of jeans, the designation of new means that they are different from any other jeans I have worn before. So it is with Christ. Once I become a Christian, the old me has been replaced by this new identity in Christ.

In John 15:5, Jesus says to us,

I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.

The second mark of a Christian is to be intimately connected with Christ. The word abide here in this passage is indicative of this kind of relationship. The picture here is of a vine and branches. Picture a mighty oak tree. Its branches stretch and twist to the sky and on the end of one of the uppermost limbs is a small acorn. That acorn is connected to the little branch by a skinny stem. That little branch works its way back to the larger branches and all the way back to the trunk itself. The trunk sinks into the ground where a massive root system anchors that tree and provides nutrients for growth and stability. This is the kind of connection that we must have in Christ. If the acorn falls from the tree it is apt to be plucked up by an animal, ground underfoot by a passerby or rot back into the dirt. Only when it is connected to the tree can it grow to fullness.

As Christians, you and I are like that tiny acorn. When we are connected to Christ, we are fruitful, producing fruit in the form of kindness, gentleness, love, respect, etc. This connectedness to Christ forms our identity as Christians.

When we consider our identity, we must not overlook the importance of being connected to Jesus. On our own we may take His name, but there will be no lasting change in us. What’s worse, we tend to do more damage to the name of Christ when we aren’t truly connected to Him, because our sin nature kicks in and takes us places we don’t wish to go.

If you have accepted the name of Christ then remember,

It is His name we bear,

His Spirit inside of us,

His Word we study,

His will we seek and

His Cross we bear.

How Strong Is Your Identity?

2011-01-28T17:21:00.001-05:00

Have you ever given much thought to your identity? We’ve all been warned about the dangers of identity theft, which involves who we are on paper—our social security number, credit score, etc. But does this identity truly represent who we are?

Although protecting this identity is definitely important, if that identity was stolen you wouldn’t cease to exist as a person. What is infinitely more important is our identity in this world and how it causes us to relate to others. Regardless of outside circumstances such as turmoil, job loss, economic woes and tragedy, your fundamental identity need not change.

My identity can be summed up in the following terms:

Christian

Husband

Father

Son

Grandson

Uncle

Brother

Brother-In-Law

Friend

Employee

Carpenter

Teacher

Writer

Although this list is not all-inclusive, it is very representative of my life. How does this compare to your list? It is worth taking a few moments to write your list down and see what it looks like. It is also important to look at the order of your list. I have tried to prioritize my identity along these basic lines: loyalty to God; loyalty to my wife, then my kids; loyalty to my extended family members and close friends; loyalty to my employers; and loyalty to my passions and interests.

Where do your loyalties lie?

Our identities shape us for sure, but don’t we make the choices first that put our identities in place?

Over the next few postings I am going to examine what our identity says about us to others and what it should say to ourselves.

Stay tuned!

The Habit of Faith

2011-01-27T09:55:00.001-05:00

I was reading today’s devotion from Streams in the Desert and I came across the turn of phrase: the habit of faith. Something within them resonated with me. Perhaps it is because the word habit is usually associated with the negative adjective “bad” in front of it. For example, the bad habit of biting your fingernails, or chewing with your mouth open or following the slow driver in the fast lane too closely.

What struck me about this is that habits can be good too. What is a habit anyway?

Habit: a settled or regular tendency or practice, especially one that is hard to give up.

So the question is this: Is your faith a habit? Is it a regular practice? Is it hard to give up? Or as is so often the case do you flee your faith when the going gets tough?

The lesson to be learned here is that a habit takes time, energy and effort to attain. This is perhaps more true for a good habit than a bad one. If your faith seems shaky and not in the habit category, perhaps you need to spend a little time on developing it. Regular time in the Word, listening to what God has said to others and what He wants to say to you is a good start. Working through your trials with a prayerful heart is another way to develop your habit.

Remember, any habit that has God as its obsession is a good thing. It will be what you turn to automatically when you need it. Your habit of faith will sustain you as you rely solely on the One that is sufficient to meet your deepest needs.

The Surprise of Stillness

2011-01-15T09:24:00.000-05:00

January 12, 2011

We absolutely hate to sit still. Think about it, we have to keep moving. It may be in our cars, going to the store, going to work or going through the drive-through at McDonald’s. It may be in our house on the computer, checking e-mail, looking at Facebook, texting or watching television. Whatever you choose, chances are you can’t sit still either.

I am watching the news this morning and it is proving my point. Reporters are at the side of Interstate 75 showing a 3-mile long line of cars and trucks sitting still. At the airport the reporter shows travelers sitting still and rows of planes sitting still. According to reports not one plain has taken off this morning from the worlds busiest airport.

It seems like with all this stillness it is a perfect time to hear the voice of God. After all, what else is there to do that is more important.

Psalm 46:10 says, Be still and know that I am God…

This verse is a great reminder to us about the power of stillness. Unfortunately sometimes it takes something as dramatic as a snowstorm to give us pause and to let us become still.

Today as the first day of the corporate fast begins, embrace the stillness. As you dig into the Word let it permeate into your soul. Let the fact that you are stuck draw you closer to the Father. Let the things that are important be important.

Yesterday I went outside with my 8 year old daughter and 4-year-old son and made memories. We tromped through snow in the woods behind our house following the tracks of several deer. We slid down the snow and ice encrusted street on a piece of plastic and laughed when we crashed to a stop. We fell on our backs in the snow and just enjoyed the stillness. All of which is not typical Monday behavior for any of us. The stillness didn’t allow me to be particularly productive, but when then we came inside and sat by the fire sipping hot chocolate, my daughter said, “Dad, this was the best day ever!”

Thank you Lord for the stillness that causes me to see what’s important.

Out of Control, Into His Hands

2011-01-11T17:18:00.001-05:00

As I sit here writing this it is Monday morning---the graphic on the news is calling it “Winter Weather Watch 2011” or some other important sounding title. Last night I watched on the news as people slipped and slid in their cars on snow-coated streets. In every sense of the phrase they were out of control.

It made me think of the sermon series Unexplainable. I believe that one of the first things necessary for God to do an unexplainable work in our life is for us to let go and allow ourselves to be out of control. Of course, for most of us this is difficult to do. We like to have everything precisely under our control. This explains our dependence of schedules, calendars, and routines.

The problem is when we have everything under control; we have squeezed God out of the picture. In essence, when we are in control of our lives, He can’t be. God is not going to come in like an over-bearing relative and wrench the wheel from our hands. He is going to let us drive and let us go where we want to go. When we get there we shouldn’t be surprised that nothing unexplainable happened. After all, how could it? We effectively stunted the possibility when we retained control.

My Pastor, Ronnie, made the statement that we want the unexplainable, but don’t put ourselves in the place to allow God to make unexplainable things happen. We have such an opportunity before us over the next 11 days.

Fasting is an opportunity to relinquish control and let God move in our lives. It is a time when every pang of hunger can push us to the Lord in prayer. It is a way to allow ourselves to be nourished on the Word of the Lord and to be sustained by the presence of the Spirit. When we fast we are giving up control of something we often turn to for comfort.

Remember this: as we presumably give up control for the next 11 days in reality we are merely handing over control to the One that should have it all along. We are giving Him the opportunity to right our course, steer us through the slippery and treacherous parts of life and to guide us safely to the destination that He has prepared for us. Keep that in mind through the days ahead and allow God to work the Unexplainable in you.

Surprised by A Heart of Service

2010-12-14T20:59:00.001-05:00

Have you ever done something nice for somebody that is a perfect stranger, something unexpected, and watched his or her reaction? It is a very interesting experiment and a slightly sad one too. Interesting because it shocks people that you would take the time to do something nice and sad because it shocks people that you would take the time to do something nice.

Let me give you a few illustrations, not to toot my own horn but to make my point.

On the way home from work today, I went by the ultimate holiday fun house which I will call Wal-Mart. I needed to get some liquid sinus medicine for my son because he has a cold. While I was on that aisle there was an older gentleman in one of the store scooters. He was on his phone talking to his wife asking, rather loudly, what that medicine was that he was supposed to get so he would stop coughing. She replied Mucinex D, which he repeated for me and half of Wal-Mart to hear. He then proceeded to scoot down that aisle and head for the pharmacy counter to ask them for help. I decided to do my Momma proud and find what he needed and bring it to him. So after locating the right brand, right strength, right quantity and right flavor, I grabbed a box that was on the upper shelf and went on my mission. I turned the corner and he was still on the phone so I held out the box in front of his face until it caught his attention. When he looked up, I said “Is this what you were looking for?” His startled reply was “Yes” and then he began telling his wife about the nice young man who found it for him. I said you’re welcome and went on my way. All told it took me about 47 seconds, but I believe it meant a lot to him.

My second example happened last week when the uncommon cold temperatures and gusty winds blew into town. I was driving home from work and cutting through a store parking lot when I noticed a lady standing by her car with a flat rear tire, the trunk open and on a cell phone. I called my wife and told her what I was going to do and then swung back around to see if I could help. She was on the phone with her dad who was but a short distance away but it was literally about 32 degrees out and windy so I jumped out to help. Her dad showed up and together he and I got the tire changed in about 10 minutes. When I stood up she had a $20 bill in her hand to attempt to pay me. I said that I didn’t need any money and that I would hope someone would do the same for my wife or mom. Away I drove.

The last example is one my wife told me about. She and a friend went shopping on Black Friday for reasons I know not of. They were at Target at about 6 am, which I am told is a madhouse. They came across an elderly lady in a store scooter that was broken down. (At this point I immediately thought of a car stuck in the middle lane of I-285 that runs around Atlanta with traffic flying by on either side.) Anyway, my wife asked if she could help the lady. She said that she didn’t know much about the scooters but was having trouble walking. So my wife determined that the scooter was out of battery and then went to the service desk to let someone know so the lady wouldn’t try walking in the store and fall. When my wife went back to tell the lady that the customer service manager was bringing a different scooter to her, she was amazed and thankful. The two women began to talk about how nice it was for a young person to take time and help two old ladies. My wife went on her way.

The point to all that is this: when did we as a society get so busy that we lost our sense of kindness and selflessness? I believe as Christians that these little moments are what shape us and mark us as believers. They are opportunities to live out our faith in a very real way and in a way that impacts others. It may not be as dramatic as sinking a well in a remote village in Africa or taking a mission trip to the Amazon, but it is something that each of us can do every day. It is something that we can do at very little cost to ourselves and the benefits are great.

It felt good to help that lady with her tire and I hope that she told someone about it. It made me happy to help that old man with his medicine and I hope that he and his wife had it a little easier tonight. It made my wife feel good to be able to help that elderly lady and it made an impression on them that morning.

I hope that in some small way by being kind and gentle and giving to others they can go on with their lives and realize that there are some people out there who care about others and maybe they will go and do the same things.

You Just Had to Be There…

2010-12-14T20:25:00.002-05:00

So about two weeks ago was the Thanksgiving holiday. In my opinion, Thanksgiving is one of the best days of the year because you can eat with reckless abandon all in the name of thankfulness! In fact it is and insult to the cooks if you do not try some of everything.

So I did my best on Thursday to eat my fill at both places I went that day. For lunch, we went to my in-laws house. We enjoyed a ham, corn-casserole, green-bean casserole, and my wife’s made from scratch cornbread dressing, hot rolls, sweet tea and two types of pies for dessert. Around five o’clock, we headed to my parents house for round two. My almost 90-year-old grandmother was staying with my parents this week and she and my mom got a little carried away cooking. There we had a hot from the oven turkey, spiral sliced ham, mashed potatoes and gravy, sweet potatoes, macaroni and cheese, Jell-O salad, pink salad, corn, rolls and choice of beverage. For dessert we had apple pie, pumpkin pie, banana bread and pumpkin bread. (For the record, I ran out of room for dessert…)

My question is this: after reading all that, do you feel satisfied and full, as if you were there? No you don’t, because you had to be there.

Following Jesus can be like this at times. Ronnie’s second point Sunday was that “following Christ means seeking the shepherd, not watching the sheep.” I took this a little differently than maybe it was intended but the point here is valid. There is a wealth of Christian material out there that we can use to learn about God. There are amazing pastors that have a heart for teaching and I love to learn from them. There are amazingly talented singers and musicians that can stir our souls with their lyrics and harmonies. There are books that are thought provoking and profound. There are conferences you can attend and teachers you can follow. But much like my describing my Thanksgiving meal doesn’t fill you up, these things above are no substitute for sitting at the feet of Jesus in prayer and digging into the Word on our own.

Sometimes I think we are too busy ‘watching the sheep’ to hear from the Shepherd. Understand, there is nothing wrong with any of these things as tools to help you on your Christian walk, but used to the exclusion of a personal time with the Savior, they are hollow and empty.

Jesus told us to follow Him. At times this is difficult. Sometimes it is hard to see things that are applicable to my situation when I read the Bible. That doesn’t mean they aren’t there. It just means I need to dig a little deeper, pray a little harder and wait for the Lord to speak to me. I have never been disappointed in seeking God this way.

I would encourage you to make sure you are spending time with the One that all the books and music and sermons are about. Allow Him to speak to you directly and be amazed at the sound of His voice.

Now if you will excuse me, I have to go get something to eat, all that talk about food really made me hungry!

Father, give us a hunger and a desire for the real thing, for You. Create a thirst in us for your voice and for your leading. Remove all the distractions that would hinder us from hearing your voice. Help us to walk obediently with you and to follow your leading as the Good Shepherd. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Following Christ Through the Highs and Lows

2010-12-14T20:21:00.001-05:00

You cannot stay where you are and follow Christ.

We enjoy being comfortable. Flannel sheets in the wintertime, cushy recliners, heated seats and breakfast in bed. HDTV’s, remote control, microwaves and delivered pizzas. Comfort is nice when you can get it.

But the Christian life is not about comfort--it is about obedience. In my own life the times I have been most obedient to God’s voice, I have been the least comfortable. In fact, many times I have been sick to my stomach and scared to death, but knowing that I was walking in full obedience to the Father’s will for me.

In a recent sermon, my Pastor mentioned repeatedly that the Christian life is a journey. If you have ever been on any type of journey you know that things don’t always go as you planned. A journey is filled with highs and lows and ups and downs. Sometimes you make it there unscathed but often you end up with some bumps and scrapes along the way. The one thing that is true of all journeys is that they start with a destination in mind. Rarely does one strike out on a journey without knowing where they want to end up. What makes the low points of the journey tolerable is the hope that you will make it to your destination and the excitement you will feel when you get there.

The journey of the Christian life can be a tough one. Especially when its course doesn’t quite follow the route you expected to take. Jesus said that if we followed Him we should expect difficulties. I think He did this so we wouldn’t be surprised but would start our journey with the right mindset and an awareness of the difficulties to come.

You may find yourself in a difficult time right now. You may be miles away from where you wanted to be. I know I am. My life is way different than I expected it to be. Sometimes it gets me down. But in the last few years, God has taught me to rely fully on Him. He is all I have left. He has taught me the joy in praying for the strength and means to get through the day. He has taught me to enjoy the blessings I have been given for THIS DAY, blessings like the love of my wife, the adoration of my children and the respect of my friends and family.

My journey may be different than yours, but one thing is the same. We must keep our eyes on Christ. He is at the conclusion of every Christian’s journey. We must desire a closer walk with Him no matter what the circumstances. We must see our difficulties as a way that God molds us into the image of Jesus. We must endeavor to finish the race well and to seek the things that will last for eternity. We must be willing to leave where we are in order to get up and follow Christ.

Father, help me to be strong. In this Christian life that is often not easy, help me to follow your unseen hand and rely on your Spirit’s leading. Thank you for shaping me into the image of Christ, even though the tools you use often bring pain. Thank you for the promise that one-day I will stand in your presence and worship you face to face. Continue to beckon me onward as I walk with you. In Jesus name, Amen.

Preparing As We Wait...

2010-10-22T22:49:00.001-04:00

God may give us transition periods and times of waiting to help us depend on him and trust his timing. If we patiently do his will during the transition times, we will be better prepared to serve him as we should when he calls us.

(Note from Genesis 11:31—Life Application Study Bible)

I am not by nature a very patient person. I don’t like being behind slow drivers when I am in a hurry. I hate choosing the wrong line at the grocery store. I get frustrated when things don’t always go as I think they should.

All of which makes life very interesting when you are waiting on God’s timing and direction

These last few years have been an extended period of waiting for me. I have waited on God’s provision for my family as my work dried up. I have waited to find the place that God wants me to serve. I have tried to be obedient to him and wait for his calling.

Now things are starting to move and I can see how these last few years have prepared me to step out in faith and obedience to him now. Just as the note above states, my transition periods and times of waiting have helped me depend solely on him and trust in his perfect timing.

It now appears that his timing is near and he is calling me on to new and exciting things. This push he is giving me has drawn me even closer to him as I earnestly seek him in prayer and make sure I am going where he wants to lead me.

If you find yourself stuck, waiting, and impatient to move on, I would encourage you to continue to seek his face. Be content to wait on the one that knows you best. Look for ways to worship Him and serve Him as he holds you for a time. His timing is perfect and when he calls you, you can be sure that when he has you move forward it will be to the exact place he needs you to be.

Does Your Sin Cause You Shame?

2010-09-07T23:39:00.000-04:00

Have you ever been ashamed of something you have said or done? Not just a little ashamed, but head hanging down, can’t-look-someone-in-the eye-kind-of-ashamed? Have you ever felt this kind of shame when you came face to face with the Living God?

Paul gave Timothy some advice on how to avoid this kind of shame. "Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth." 2 Timothy 2:15

The words found in this verse are written in the front of a study Bible that I got from my grandmother when I was fifteen years old. They are penned in her familiar style and her love and admonition for me still leaps off the page.

As a young man I would study this verse and attempt to apply it to my life. There are three applications found in this verse that can be applied daily to our lives. All deal with handling the sin in our lives that we all too often rationalize away. Here is my take on it.

The first thing Paul says is to “be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman.” In my life I have found that when I am “working” for God—that is putting my faith into action—it is difficult to sin and put myself first. When I am being obedient to the leading of the Spirit it kind of drives everything else that is inconsequential out of me. I am therefore able to present myself to God approved (clear of sin) as a workman.

The second part of this verse is the phrase “who does not need to be ashamed…” Where does shame come from? It comes from doing something wrong, horrible even, and feeling bad about it. When we rationalize our sin away it is like a callous that builds over our sin until we no longer feel shame. The more we rationalize the easier it becomes to continue in that sin and a continuing cycle is established. Unfortunately, many Christians have ceased to feel shame in their sin or if they do it is so deep down that they cannot even feel the Holy Spirit move within them. This pattern negates any positive effect we can have on the Kingdom of God and damages our relationship with Him.

The third part of this verse is, “…accurately handling the word of truth.” As we looked at yesterday in Hebrews 4:12, the Word of God is sharper than any two-edged sword. Imagine the razor sharp edge of a scalpel. Used correctly it can cut away that which is damaging to our bodies. The key is that it must be used correctly and by someone who knows what they are cutting away.

When the Holy Spirit pricks your heart with the Word of God it can feel a little like a sharp blade, but that is sometimes what is needed to free us from the things that cause us to be ashamed. This Word is necessary and vital to a healthy walk with God and an end to the rationalization of sin that keeps us enslaved.

The Intentions of The Heart

2010-09-07T22:58:00.000-04:00

"For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart." Hebrews 4:12

This is one of my favorite verses in the Bible. This verse describes to us in great detail the power that is contained between the front and back covers of the book we bring to church each Sunday. Not only is the Word powerful; it is living and active. It stirs us, moves us and touches our souls. It can pierce us and change us and cause us to do things that seem strange to the world around us.

However, it is those last ten words in that verse that make us squirm a little bit--…able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” This is where we tend to shrink back from this powerful Word. After all, most of us don’t want our thoughts and the intentions of our hearts examined by anyone. This is where we hide things from others, from ourselves, and where we think we hide things from God.

The problem is, we cannot hide anything from God, especially what goes on inside our hearts and minds.

The message on Sunday dealt with the topic of rationalizing our sin. Rationalizing is just another way of saying that we are making an excuse for something we know is wrong. When one of my kids disobeys and gets called on it usually the first words out of their mouths are, “But, Dad…” Often they feel they have a good reason for disobeying. I imagine it is the same when we try to rationalize our sin to God. “But, God…”

The fact is we all try to keep our sins hidden deep down in our hearts. When we pass each other in church on Sunday morning, no one can see what is in our hearts. We can say all the right things and fool our friends, but we cannot fool God.

If we continue to keep rationalizing our sin it will eventually begin to control us. Paul says in Romans 6:16, Don't you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey—whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness?

We have a choice to make: we can continue rationalizing our sin—explaining it away—or we can confess it to the One that can free us from its chains. In one choice is found freedom, in the other slavery.

I know the things I struggle with. I know just the right words to say to make myself feel better about my sin. I also know that I am only fooling myself if I continue to rationalize my sin. When I confess my sin and let my heart be freed from its sinful intentions, I can feel the sharp and living Word of God separating me from the sin that can destroy me.

Father, please make me aware of my attempts at rationalizing my sin. I don’t want to do anything that will cause me to be separated from you. I know that you cannot bear to look upon my sin, so help me to realize what I am doing and with your power, stop. Help me to stay in your Word so that you speak to me and keep me walking in your ways.

Stronger On My Knees

2010-07-15T11:42:00.001-04:00

Stronger on My Knees

God brings us things sometimes that drive us to our knees.

It’s tough being the type of Christian that God wants me to be. I don’t know why I am surprised at this. Jesus said that the way to follow Him was narrow and that many would not be able to make it. He said that I would have to deny myself and take up my cross to follow Him. Being a disciple of Christ is so much more than being baptized or being a church member or simply saying the sinner’s prayer. Being a disciple of Christ is hard work.

I am convinced that there are two types of Christians: the ones who know just enough to be saved and the ones who have an earnest desire to be remade into the image of Christ. The first group has accepted Jesus and then goes forward with their life trying to do the best they can to live like it. The second group realizes that they can’t be like Christ without some radical remaking taking place.

Therein lies the difficulty. When Jimmy said that God brings us things sometimes that drive us to our knees, it resonated with me this week. I once heard a preacher say that you are either in a storm, coming out of a storm or heading into a storm. Right now I am in the midst of a storm that has put holes in my jeans and calluses on my knees. This time, however, I am not despairing.

This time, there is a change in me. I know that my present storm is necessary, even good for me. This storm is there because God is using it to reshape me, yet again. This storm is driving me to my knees because I have exhausted every option in my feeble mind. I know that all I can do is fall down before my Creator and raise my hands and wait for His voice.

Would I rather be standing on my own two feet? Absolutely! But I also know that I am most able to be shaped by God’s hand when I kneel and submit at His feet.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, I urge you to allow God to shape you into the image of Jesus. Allow the circumstances that drive you to your knees to be the catalyst that drives you closer to God. Allow His gentle and to smooth away anything that is of you and replace it with all of Him. Be willing to be remade and be ready for where He leads you. When your time of struggle is finished and He picks you up from your knees, know that you will be a little bit closer to where He wants you to be.

Father, help me to recognize that you should be the first place I should turn to, not the last. Help me to rely on you for my strength and my peace. Give me direction through the storms that life throws at me and help me to be obedient to you when the rain blows away. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Future Generations, Future Blessings.

2010-07-12T23:30:00.000-04:00

As parents, if we live for God, our blessings will be passed down to our children and subsequent generations.

In this week’s message, Pastor Jimmy made the statement above. Its context was in regards to Solomon—David’s son and recognized as the wisest man who ever lived. Solomon had big shoes to fill. After all, his father was known as “a man after God’s own heart.” Although Solomon failed God towards the end of his life, he left behind much that we can admire and much that we can learn from.

The statement that the way I live now will affect my children and future generations is something that I have thought about frequently. I come from a family that has a Godly Christian heritage. Both my parents are believers as are all of my grandparents. My grandmother even played the organ at one of Billy Graham’s early revivals. I am blessed to follow in the footsteps of the ones who came before me. In the same way, I have been blessed in this life with a wonderful wife, beautiful children, my health and my salvation.

But the same foundation that has been laid for me I must continue to be lay for my children. I often look at my kids and wonder what plans God has for them. I am then reminded that I must fervently pray for them and their future. I must walk according to God’s will for my life both to give them an example to follow and also to pass on the blessings that God has given me.

Many of us are resigned to the fact that we will face the consequences of our actions. In some ways we believe that we can handle that. But it becomes a different story when our children and grandchildren have to suffer because of our sin. That is the problem with sin; it taints everything around it. There are many stories in the Bible of the effects of one person’s disobedience being passed down from generation to generation.

I would urge you this week to consider the effects of your walk with God on your family. Are you living in such a way that God will bless you and as a result those blessings can’t help but overflow on to those around you? Or are you living in a way that is displeasing to God and the effects of that are seeping into your family life?

What you and I do here and now has echoes in eternity. The way we choose to live can be a blessing or a curse on our children and grandchildren. Make the choice today to be a father or mother that passes on blessings to future generations.

Father, I thank you for giving me the opportunity to be a blessing to others long after I am home with You. Help my life to be a shining example for those I love to follow. Help me to walk this day according to your purpose and plan and to follow you in obedience. Bless me as you said you would and let those blessings flow down to the ones I love. In Jesus name, Amen.

The Father's Day Post

2010-07-12T23:28:00.000-04:00

What Makes a Good Father?

All of us had one, whether we liked him or not. Some of us never even knew who he was. Some of us knew but vowed never to be like him. Some of us idolized him, wanting to be just like him. Some of us knew that he would always be there for us. Some of us were crushed because he wasn’t. Some of us felt the strength and security of knowing he was there. Some of us still carry around the burden of his absence. How could this one person be all at once, so important, so mysterious, so essential and so unique? Of course, this person is a Father.

The title Father is one that is bestowed upon a man, and should be earned not just given. There are plenty of men who know how to “father” a child, but have absolutely no idea what it means to be a Father. One who is a true Father may go by many names: Daddy, Dad, Pop, Pa, Pere, and Papa just to name a few. But what does it mean to be a Father, and more importantly how can a man become a good one?

There are many different examples of Fathers that we could emulate. Television and movies often paint fathers in the portrait of the bumbling idiot, who cannot do anything right, or the tyrant who is so focused on work and discipline that his kids can do no right. A true father, one who can be termed a good father falls somewhere in the middle of these two extremes. Any man has a bit of bumbling idiot in him. Just the same, any man has the nature to work hard ingrained in his being. However, there are several things that are the mark of a good father.

The first is a good father must learn to pay attention to his children. Men by nature tend to be singularly focused. That is to say that men do one thing at a time. Most men are not good multi-taskers. While that may be a strength in some circumstances it can become a weakness in raising children. It is easy to not pay attention to kids. They can kind of fade away into the background of life if a father doesn’t make a purposeful effort to engage them. Men can get wrapped up in their own lives, doing good work, providing financially for their families and taking care of business. All of this is important, but can create in a child the feeling that they are not important. Kids need to know that they are just as important as anything else in the world. In fact, they need to know that they are more important than anything else in the world. For a father, this means that he has to focus on his children just as much as he does his job, the bills, hunting, football and his wife.

This leads to the second thing. A good father must learn to make time for his kids. * (*The asterisk means that you must do this even when you are tired, because you will always be tired.) My father impressed this lesson on me when I was a boy, even though I didn’t know it at the time. My father is a carpenter. I can remember him coming home at the end of the day, sweaty and tired, covered in sawdust and just wanting a shower and a place to relax before dinner. I would be waiting with my baseball glove and ball in hand, for his red truck to come in the driveway. As soon as he did, I was out the door in a flash, looking expectantly at him. More often than not, he would go inside, maybe change shirts and come back out with his glove in hand and we would play catch until my mom had dinner ready. I never knew then what I know now. That it is hard when you have worked all day and been through the grind to turn it all off and become that kind of father. But I do know that it was worth it to me to know that I was important to my dad. He showed me that by being there when I needed him.

This leads into the third thing, and that is finding what your kids find important to be important as well. Every generation is different and there will be things that you do not understand about your kids, but they will see right through you and be crushed if you don’t at least attempt to care about what they care about. The message that will be sent is “I don’t care about what you care about, therefore I don’t care about you.” Is that what you are saying? No. But that is what a child understands. So a good father makes the attempt to play Barbie with his daughter, or picks up the other controller for the Playstation and gets laughed at as he falls off a cliff or gets beat up by the other guy. For these occasions are where memories are made and where the message is sent that I love you and I love what is important to you.

Fourth, a good father will treat his kids like they are kids. For all of you stuffy “grown-ups” out there, this means you will have to act like a kid yourself. Gasp! Come in from work, change out of your work clothes and get down on the floor and wrestle with your kids. A dad’s job is to get his kids wound up. Maybe you come out with a towel tied around your neck like a cape and your underwear on over your pants. Be goofy. Your kids will get the message that my dad wants to be with me on my level and that he can be silly too. Besides you may be surprised and actually like it. (Although I would not recommend going outside with your underwear in view, the neighbors may call the police.)

Fifth and perhaps one of the most important is supporting and believing in your kids no matter what. I would add the caveat that you can also balance this with encouraging your kids and building them up in the areas you see they have strengths. No matter how much you may want it, chances are some boys are not going to be the next Joe Montana or Peyton Manning. This doesn’t mean he shouldn’t try out for sports nor should you discourage him. Kids learn from trying things and they learn as much from their failures and struggles as they do from their successes. A good father teaches a child how to manage them both. Whether they succeed or fail at something they need to see you in the stands or the audience, cheering them on like a crazy person. Deep down, they love it.

It is also important, however, to recognize where your child is talented or gifted and give them every opportunity you can provide to draw that talent out. That means if they are musically inclined, get them music lessons and listen patiently to every wrong note they hit. If they are artistic, get them an art set and proudly hang their masterpieces on your refrigerator. If your passion is football and your sons is soccer, be understanding and get him into soccer. A good dad knows what his kids are good at and does everything in his power to develop and grow those strengths.

Finally a good dad, indeed a good man, knows when to be strong, when to be submissive and when to serve. The father who only shows his strength is like a car that only turns to the left. It is great in certain situations, but not always practical. A good dad is a picture of strength for his children, but also knows there are times to be gentle and sensitive. Likewise, there are times for a dad to stand up and there are times to be submissive. A child needs to see both. A man should stand up for what is right and fight what it wrong. But a man also needs to have a spirit of humility and service from time to time. In this way his children learn that their father is like a diamond with many facets, each rising to the light, when the necessity arises.

So whether you knew your father or not, whether you idolized him or vowed to be nothing like him, there are some traits of a father that transcend generations, races or cultures. These traits of a good father are ones that anyone can learn no matter what their past. They are ones that will show their children that they are prized and loved above all else. They are traits that will be passed on by example to the generations to come.

Where Is The Urgency?

2010-05-26T19:52:00.003-04:00

Hello faithful followers. It's me again. So this title is pretty funny coming from a guy who hasn't written anything this month, but I started listening to a sermon series by David Jeremiah on Heaven and it got me thinking.

Consider these statistics:
Worldwide, 3 people die every second.
That equates to 180 every minute,
11,000 every hour
and around 250,000 people dying every day.

So again I ask myself, where is the urgency. When you hear the phrase "a lost and dying world" these statistics should spring to mind and spur us to action. Unfortunately, most of us rarely think of death and dying unless someone we know has died. Even then, we often don't think about the finality of it and what it means.

The Bible says that when a person dies they will spend eternity either in Heaven with God or in Hell separated from God. Those are the only two options. The choice is made here on earth and it has eternal ramifications.

What struck me was my own lack of urgency in letting those I interact with each day know that time is short and we don't know when we will die. Today is Wednesday. As I relate how my day went think about how many people I interacted with today. First thing this morning, I went to Home Depot to get some materials for a job I am finishing. I passed a cashier I see several times a week, the guy in the millwork department, a guy that always is cleaning the floors, and a different cashier to check out. After that, I ran by Chick-Fil-A and got breakfast for my wife and kids; I went through the drive through so I only talked to one guy. Then I went to Starbucks in a Kroger to get a cup of coffee for my wife, because I love her so much. I talked to the guy there for a few minutes about contact lenses versus glasses and how bad the pollen was this year. Next I went to my jobsite and worked until I ran out of material and had to go back to Home Depot. I ran into the electrical department guy and a lady from self checkout who, when I asked how she was doing said, 'I'm hanging in there." Then I went by QT and got a $0.49 fountain drink and said hello and goodbye to the cashier there that I have been knowing for 5 years. After I got done with work I had to run by the gas station and get gas. I then went home and changed into my "teaching" clothes and came up to school where I saw my two coworkers, several students and the security guard.

Do you know how many times I asked someone about what would happen to them when they died?

Zero.

Not one person. I probably talked to twenty-five people today and I didn't mention Jesus to one of them. Shame on me. Tonight may be the last night for someone and I didn't take time to speak to them about the most important thing in this world.

So where is my urgency?

Something needs to change within us. We need to be thinking about what is really important, not just the superficial things of this world. We need to impact others in a way that matters not just in passing superficially. I admit I don't know exactly how to make that change in myself, much less in you. All I know is that we have to be diligent in getting the word out. We have to have an urgency about the most urgent message there is.

“Have You Opened Your Gift Yet?

2010-04-21T23:04:00.001-04:00

Often the gift we receive is never unwrapped and sits idle in our lives.

My wife is a fantastic gift giver. She can remember some obscure thing that I have said and many months later at a birthday or anniversary surprise me with something that is exactly right for me. This goes for our friends and family as well, she has a way of listening to people and remembering what they say. This always makes people feel special.

It would make my wife feel terrible and unappreciated if I didn’t react appropriately to a gift she has put so much thought and time into.

This must be how God feels when we don’t use the gift that he has given us. 1 Peter 4:9 states, “Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms.” There are many reasons that we may not use our gift: ignorance, indifference, or insecurity come to mind. But the fact is that we have a God-given gift and we ought to be using it for his glory.

Some of us never even take the time to unwrap our gift. Do you know that the skills and abilities that come naturally to you are a reflection of the gift God has placed within you? I often pray each morning that God would allow me to use the gifts and talents he has given me not for my own glory and honor, but for His glory. Some of us haven’t even explored what our gifts might be and so we walk along ignorant to the fact that they should be used to further God’s kingdom.

Perhaps even worse than ignorance is indifference. We may know what our gift is, but we go along from day to day not at all caring if we use it for God’s glory. We are simply too busy to be bothered with our gift. One thing to note is that in the New American Standard version the verse above says we are to “employ” our gift. We are to put that gift to work. Indifference clearly is not an option.

Finally a third reason we may not open our gift is insecurity. If your gift is evangelism, it means you are going to have to go out and start telling people about Christ. You may face rejection and criticism. If your gift is teaching, you may be called to teach a Sunday school class or small group. This will take up some of your time. If your gift is intercessory prayer you may spend countless hours on your knees each week interceding on behalf of others. Sometimes we feel inadequate for the task at hand and so we simply ignore our gift.

For all these things I would point out that God knows you so well that he will not give you a gift that you are unsuited for. He tailor made your gift to fit you. He alone knows that you are not only able to use your gift but that if you use it for His glory you will be blessed as you seek to bless others.

So find your gift. Your Maker has given it to you. It is a joy to use it for others and you won’t be disappointed that you did.

Father thank you for giving me a gift that is perfectly my own. Thank you for the diversity within the church and the wonderful tapestry of servants you have woven together. Help me to be acutely aware of my gift and help me to look for opportunities to use it each day—not for my glory, but for yours. In Jesus name, Amen.

The Heart of Service

2010-04-19T23:32:00.001-04:00

Be hospitable to one another without complaint. 1 Peter 4:9

Is service really service if it is done begrudgingly? Is it really service if it done boastfully? Is service an action of the hands and feet or an attitude of the heart?

This verse says that we are to be hospitable to one another without complaint. The NIV says to offer hospitality without grumbling. The Living Bible says to cheerfully share with those in need. What is the attitude of your heart toward serving?

Perhaps the greatest illustration in the Bible of serving is when Jesus washed the disciples feet before the last supper. If ever there was someone who had a good excuse not to serve, it was Jesus. John says, “Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he now showed them the full extent of his love.” What a great verse! You see service shows others that we love them.

What if Jesus had grumbled loudly about washing the disciples feet. After all, who would want to get on their hands and knees with the prospect of washing twenty-two feet (that’s 220 grimy toes, but who’s counting?) to get all of the dust and dirt off of them? Jesus could have groaned loudly: “Well, I guess I will wash all of your feet…since no one else is going to do it.” “Man, Peter, you still smell like fish!” “I always get stuck washing the feet!” “This is the last time I do this for you…”

What if Jesus had boasted arrogantly about his service? “Attention everyone! I Jesus, the Son of God, who knows the number of hairs on your head, will now stoop to the level of a servant and wash your feet.” “Yes, I know it is far beneath me, but I am glad to do it for you!”

Instead, he didn’t have to say a word. He simply saw a need, took the necessary steps, and served his disciples. As John said, he showed them the full extent of his love.

This picture is a beautiful example of the way we ought to serve:

Instead of making excuses, we should serve with joy.

Instead of complaining about serving, we should serve quietly.

Instead of boasting about our service, we should boast in the one who showed us how to serve.

We must serve others as an outpouring of the love that He showed us.

Father, give me a heart of service. Instead of being so focused on my needs, and myself help me to see others around me. Give me opportunities to serve you with the gifts you have blessed me with. Bless me with a heart to serve others as you served us by laying down your life for us. In Jesus name, Amen.

...But God…

2010-04-18T15:28:00.002-04:00

I believe that two of the greatest words in the Bible are these: But God.

“But God” is a powerful hint at who God is and what He desires for us.

Look at Ephesians 2:4-6—But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus…

These verses, indeed the whole passage of Ephesians 2, offer a wealth of theology for the believer in Christ. The passage begins by outlining our station before Christ. We are called ‘dead in our trespasses and sins’ and ‘walking according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air.’ It also says we lived in the ‘lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and mind…even as the rest.’ This passage paints a bleak picture of man before coming to a saving knowledge of Christ.

Ah, but then those precious words…But God…

But God…being rich in mercy…

(this means He spares us what we deserve and has compassion on us.)

But God…because of His great love with which He loved us…

(this means He sees us through the eyes of His love.)

But God…even when we were dead in our transgressions

(this means we were moving away from Him, dead to Him, unable to even stand in His presence)

But God…made us alive together with Christ!

You see, “But God” is an indication of when God stepped in, usually on our behalf, to change the course of events for us to be in a relationship with Him.

Think of all the instances in the Bible:

But God…provided a way for Noah to be saved from the flood.

But God…provided a son for Abraham in order to fulfill His covenant.

But God…parted the Red Sea for the Israelites to escape the wrath of Pharoah.

But God…gave His chosen people chance after chance to follow Him.

But God…fulfilled hundreds of prophecies with the birth of Jesus.

But God…”is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9)

But God…spared us what we deserved and made a way for us to have an eternal relationship with Him.

So how about in your own life, do you have any “But God” moments? If you are a believer in Him, I am sure you do. You see, God loves to intervene on our behalf. He loves to because He loves us. He loves you. God’s desire is to be the one and only thing we count on. Ultimately He is the only thing we can count on because He is constant and unchanging.

So the next time you are reading His living Word, look for all the “But God’s.”

Then be thankful for what He has done for you.

A Disturbance in My Force?

2010-04-09T23:38:00.002-04:00

“There is a disturbance in the force.”

Remember that line? Every so often my daughter reminds me that I am “basically from the 19’s” meaning I was born before the year 2000, unlike she and her brother (they are basically from the 2000’s.) In my case, I am from the mid 70’s and every person from the mid 70’s knows about the force. This is a key component to the Star Wars movies. So what does this have to do with a Christian blog? In this case, there is a disturbance in my force.

This has been a strange week. I had an awesome and spiritual Easter weekend. My writing was flowing and I felt very connected to God. Now, I can’t quite put my finger on it, but I have been in a funk this week. I sat down next to my wife one day and she immediately said, “What’s wrong with your countenance?” It is sometimes uncanny that she knows me that well. She had it pegged though. Something has been bothering me and I don’t exactly know what it is or what to do about it.

Part of it is my allowing some of the old stress to come back into my life. Part of it is the need to be writing more often than I am and the fact that God makes me uncomfortable when I do not make time for Him. I have tried searching the Scriptures for something, but haven’t found it yet. I have prayed, but heard no clear voice. Hence, the cause of my force disturbance

So what am I to do? I think God gives us these little mini times to work some things out in ourselves. Unfortunately, I am like most people in that when I pray or read the Bible looking for an answer, what I most want is something to make myself feel better. Isn’t that what we really want when we are upset or uncomfortable or unnerved? We just want that feeling to go away. I am no different. I want things to be smoothed over and have the nagging feeling in my gut and the subsequent stress to go away.

However, I haven’t found any place in the Bible that says, “Ye shall be stress free!” What the Bible does say is that we are to trust in the Lord with all our heart and lean not on our own understanding. It also says to cast our cares upon Him. How necessary would it be to trust God if we simply found a verse or prayed a prayer that made us feel better when we were out of sorts? Trust would not be necessary at all; rather it would be just like going to the drug store to get a prescription filled. We go in and get what we need and then walk out. I think this is why God sometimes leaves us hanging there a little while, so we will turn to Him and call out to Him. It is there that we find peace and there that He conforms us more to the image of Jesus.

So I will keep crying out in prayer. I will keep searching my heart and soul and listening for the leading of the Spirit. I will allow myself to be molded and shaped even though it is painful. I will delve deep into the Word, letting its living message pierce me and penetrate me. I will seek deliverance, not from my feelings, but rather into His presence. And when my force is no longer disturbed, I will relish in the One who has brought me to Him.

Peter's Lament

2010-04-03T07:30:00.001-04:00

“It is finished.”

These are the words John said Jesus uttered yesterday before sagging one final time against the nails and breathing His final ragged breath.

Finished? Lord, how can it be finished? Just a week ago you rode into Jerusalem like a conquering hero, palm branches waving, the crowd chanting, “Hosanna!” Now this Sabbath morning you lay sealed up in a borrowed tomb, broken, beaten, abused…and gone.

How can this have happened?

You called me Cephas. Peter. Stone. Rock? Surely you couldn’t have known what I would do last night or you would have called me something else. Three times I denied you. Three times! Then when you looked at me I thought I would die. My eyes are red from crying. I have no tears left. I feel more inconsequential than a grain of sand. Some rock. On me you would build a church?

This wasn’t supposed to happen like this. Your time here has been too short. Only three years we have traveled with you, walked where you walked, seen you do the amazing things you have done. You are the Son of God! I know it. I saw you up on the mountain, transformed before my eyes. It was a terrifying and wonderful sight to see.

Why did you let them take you like that last night? Out of the darkness came an angry mob, carrying stones and swords, treating you like you were a dangerous criminal. All your hands have ever done is bring hope and healing. And Judas, that traitor. Why did you let him betray you? Then they took you away and we fled, we left you alone. All the big talk and promises and not one of us stood by your side. You were left to meet Pilate and Herod alone. You endured the whip alone. You carried your cross alone. Even a stranger had to be plucked from the crowd to help you with that.

I am ashamed to even face any of the others. I am Peter. Big. Boisterous. Quick to speak, quick to act. Yet in your hour of greatest need, my mouth denied you, my sword struck one whom you healed, my feet fled you and now I lay cold and shivering in hiding outside your tomb. I see the guards they have posted outside your tomb. I guess even in death you are a threat to the religious leaders.

What would you have me do Lord? I am not sure where to even begin. Once I have walked with you how can I go back to fishing? I have nowhere to go. I have no one to turn to. Give me peace Lord. Forgive me for denying you. I am sorry for what you faced alone. I am sorry for falling asleep last night as you prayed. Forgive me, O Lord please forgive me.

You said this had to happen, but I still don’t understand. You said three days, so I will wait here. Jesus, where else can I go but where you are?

I will get up tomorrow, on the third day, and find the others. Together, if they will have me, we will try to carry on…

I am Peter. I am yours.

The Thief and The Savior

2010-04-02T18:52:00.001-04:00

The thief on the cross has always fascinated me. Not the one that ridiculed Jesus, but the one that recognized Him for what He was. I don’t know why but he is one of the first people I want to see when I get to heaven. All of our accounts of Jesus, in particular on the Friday he died, are from his disciples or those close to the disciples. The thief witnessed Jesus in a different way from the others.

Up until that day, they presumably had no contact with one another. In fact if not for Jesus, the thief would have been one of hundreds of other unnamed people crucified at the hands of the Romans. However on this day, the thief and his brief conversation with the Lord became etched forever in the Bible and the implications ring true to this day.

Picture the thief, hanging in agony next to Jesus. He managed to see through the man that was beaten and bleeding, torn and hanging by the nails in His hands and feet, not resembling anything human, much less anything holy. He saw past the mocking sign, “Here is Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews.” He ignored the taunts, “Save yourself, if you are truly the Son of God, come down off that cross.” He even engaged the taunts of the other criminal although he was finished and knew it really didn’t matter.

This man, this criminal, whose life had been lived solely for himself, saw through what was left of the man to glimpse the Son of God.

Several things come to mind. First, this man gave us an example that it is never too late to turn to the Lord. I don’t say this as an admonition to wait until the last minute, but rather to show that God has almost limitless patience for us to turn to Him. Second, the thief’s “deathbed conversion” shows us that there is only one way to God and that is by faith in His Son, Jesus Christ. At this point, the thief was past his ability to do “good works” to earn his way into heaven. He simply realized who he was and realized who was hanging next to him. He acknowledged who Jesus was and asked to be remembered.

Those next words probably even shocked the thief a little bit. Presumably, with the Pharisees and Sadducees hung up on the Law and keeping every bit of it, this thief knew he had no chance to be saved. How sweet those words must have been to his ears, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in Paradise!”

This dying man must have felt the sweet release that comes from surrendering your life to God. He must have been at peace, even knowing that his life on earth was ending, while recognizing that his eternity in the presence of the Lord was just beginning.

What joy! What peace! What hope in Him!

Good Friday?

2010-04-01T23:33:00.002-04:00

Have you ever really thought about how much God loves you?

Sometimes it is easy to get discouraged and down. In this world it is easy to feel insignificant and unimportant. As we struggle with the day-to-day matters, we see that there are people around us who seem to have everything we wish we had. It is easy to feel lost in the midst of it all.

Yesterday was one of those perfect days. The sun was shining, the sky was bright blue, the birds were chirping. It morphed into a beautiful starry night. I was outside with my four year old son when he said, “Let’s look at the stars together Dad.” So I got a blanket and laid it down and he and I lay on our backs and looked up. As I watched the tiny pinpricks of light emerge on the midnight blue canvas of the sky, I suddenly realized how small I was.

Yet in spite of that, I am worth so much to God.

Today is Good Friday. It is an interesting name for a day when so much pain and suffering took place. Today is the day that Jesus gave his life for YOU. That’s right, you. As I looked up at the stars that God hung in the sky, I realized that the very hands that placed them there are the hands that stretched out on the cross and took the nails that were meant for me. It is a staggering thought, really. I know the kind of man that I would be without Christ.

Yet in spite of that, I am worth so much to God.

When Jesus was marched up the hill of Calvary on that Good Friday almost 2000 years ago, it was not a random chance that put him there. Nor was it just the end to his three-year ministry. He was fulfilling a plan that God the Father had since the fall of Adam. Allow me some artistic license here. After Adam sinned, perhaps the conversation went like this:

God: “Son, Adam took the fruit, and I am going to have to cast

them out of Eden.”

Jesus: “Yes, Father.”

God: “We are going to have to get them back.”

Jesus: “I know Dad.”

God: “It is going to be costly and painful.”

Jesus: “…Not my will but yours be done, Father.”

So began a journey that would take Jesus from his place of glory, holding the stars in the sky, to his place of agony on a Roman cross with nails piercing those hands.

Why did he do it? Because he loves you that much.

Every child in Sunday school learns John 3:16. For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whosoever believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.

That verse could just as well state “God loves me so much, that he gave up Jesus so that if I believe in Jesus, I won’t die, but will live with him forever.”

Never let anything around you make you feel worthless. You are a treasure to God. He loves you so much that he gave his Son, the one he valued most, to purchase you and redeem you back. This day above any other should convince you that your life is worth everything to God.

Father, on this most precious of days for believers, help us to remember the great cost it took for you to win us back. Help us to take a moment this afternoon to remember what you went through for us. Help us to remember that you chose us even though it was so difficult and painful for you. Let us never forget that we are your children and you love us so. In Jesus name, Amen.

Extravagant Worship

2010-04-01T23:32:00.000-04:00

“Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus' feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume." John 12:3

As we examine this passage in the last week of Jesus’ life, this verse is clearly pointed to as a way that Mary chose to worship Jesus. Judas is rebuked for his false concern about where the money could be spent and Jesus tells Judas in verse 8, “Leave her alone…you will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me.”

I can imagine how this played out: everyone was probably milling about, waiting for the meal to be served. Maybe Jesus was talking or relaxing. Suddenly a strong pleasant smell filled the room. Before anyone could stop her, Mary had poured out a perfume that would have been worth a year’s wages. As Mary wiped the excess perfume with her hair, the people in the room would have begun to look and realized what had been done. Most people would have had the same reaction, that she wasted a lot of expensive perfume. Only Judas was bold enough to say it, because he was looking out for himself.

There is a point that we should take from this though. It involves the way we choose to worship our Lord. Mary chose to worship extravagantly. She thought nothing of the cost to herself or her family. She only knew that she loved Jesus and she may have realized that her times to worship him at his feet were coming quickly to an end. She reacted to this opportunity by giving him all that she had at great cost to herself.

So, what is the application to our own lives? Perhaps it is to reflect on the way we worship. I am not talking here about what we give financially, although there is a lesson there too. Rather, I am talking about the way we worship with our lives. We don’t have the opportunity to sit at the feet of Jesus. So we must worship him in different ways. We worship him with our time. The way we spend our time says a lot about the way we worship. How much time do you give to Jesus each week? Is it the few hours you make it to church each week or is it more? The way we treat others around us can be an opportunity to worship. Notice how Jesus treated the weary and downtrodden. How do you treat those around you? Do you even see them or do you pass them by in too much of a hurry to notice? Finally, do you worship, as Mary did, without regard to cost? Again, not the monetary cost, but maybe it costs you in other ways. Did you miss out on a promotion at work because you were not like everyone else? Do you get funny stares at restaurants when you pray before your meal? Have you given up something that you may have enjoyed because you knew it wasn’t what God would have you do?

If so, then continue to worship extravagantly. I promise you, He is worth the cost of whatever you have to give.

Lord Jesus, help me to worship you extravagantly! Give me a desire for the things that please you and an ability to worship you in a way that is as pleasing and fragrant as the perfume that Mary poured on your feet. Thank you for loving us so much even when we don’t worship you as we should. In your name, Amen.

The Easy-Going Life of the American Christian

2010-03-09T22:36:00.002-05:00

Machete Attacks On Christian Villages Kill 500+ In Nigeria

This was the headline that grabbed my attention last night as I logged on to Yahoo to check my email. As I read the article it detailed the attacks by the Muslim north on the Christian south. For anyone who doesn’t know, a machete is a long bladed knife that is used primarily for clearing brush or thick growth primarily in tropical areas. The article spoke of the killings without regard of age--children and adults--or gender--men and women. The killers were indiscriminate---they killed Christians, regardless of who they were.

So it struck me. What an easy-going life we American Christians have. As I write, I am sitting in my pajamas, on the floor of my bedroom. I just had a glass of chocolate milk (gets the creative juices flowing!) Earlier I took a hot shower after work and had a nice hot meal that my wife fixed. The kids are in bed and I am warm and safe in my house. I have no fear that my door will be kicked in and my family will be dragged out into the street and killed.

It’s not a pleasant thought, is it? Somehow, we are able to not think about these things as we go on with our lives here in comfort and peace. We take for granted the freedom we have to worship the way we want. We even take for granted the God we worship, because there is very little cost for us to follow Him.

I listened to a Francis Chan sermon this week. His church supports a pastor in India. The Indian Christians there just recently faced the same persecution, with machetes, this time from militant Hindus. What in the world is going on?

I believe the New Testament paints a clear picture that following Christ is not easy to do. Indeed, it comes with a high cost. For the first century Christians who were persecuted by Rome and unable to fit in with their Jewish heritage, Christianity was costly. For those who follow Him in Nigeria and India, Christianity was costly.

What has Christianity cost you lately? Does anyone even know that you are a Christian? Ouch. The fact is it doesn't cost us much in America to be a Christian. If we are doing it right, we should at least be experiencing a little discomfort. Maybe we don’t swear when everyone around us does. Maybe we have to explain why we aren’t drinking at the office party, when everyone else is. Maybe we wonder if everyone is looking when we are at a restaurant and our 4 year old, sings, quite loudly, Father we thank you, Father we thank you, for our food, for our food, now we say the blessing, now we say the blessing, Amen. Amen. Following Christ is a sacrifice. Remember when He said, “If anyone wants to follow me, he must take up his cross…”

That cross is a burden, it is difficult to bear. Somehow though I think that the ones in Nigeria and India that lost their lives in a horrific way are now standing face to face with Jesus. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but the day will come when we must stand up and admit that we are a Christian or deny it for our own sake. I hope when that day comes, we will be ready to do what is necessary, for the One who did what was necessary to make us His own.

Do You See What God Sees?

2010-03-09T00:57:00.000-05:00

Are you living up to your potential? I would venture a guess that the large majority of us would have to say that we are not. Potential is defined as “qualities or abilities that may be developed and lead to future success or usefulness.” Another definition is “having or showing the capacity to become or develop into something in the future.” Very few of us set out to be unsuccessful or unable to attain that which God has for us. Yet somehow we have an incorrect view of ourselves. We have allowed others to paint a picture of ourselves that taints our potential.

We have allowed ourselves to settle for good enough, when God wants to give us the extraordinary. He has promised us that He has plans for each of us. (Jeremiah 29:11) The last part of this verse states that these plans are for a “hope and a future.”

This must mean that God sees us as worthwhile. By that I mean that He sees something in us worth planning and preparing for. If something has no future, it is discarded and cast aside. We are far from cast aside by God; in fact quite the opposite is true. God sees value and worth in us. He sees us as capable and important. He has chosen us for a purpose. Most importantly, He sees us as unique individuals perfectly created and cast for our role in His drama.

So the question becomes, do you see yourself as God sees you?

If not, you are going to continue to live below your potential. Good enough will continue to be good enough. It will be sufficient to just get by with our minimum duty as Christians, because when we don’t see ourselves the way God sees us, just getting by is all right. Furthermore, the world only expects us to be successful in worldly ways; it knows nothing of obedience to God and success as a Christian.

I have it written in my Bible, “Success in God’s eyes is obedience.”

When we see ourselves as God sees us, we strongly desire to obey Him. We want to follow Him down the adventure He leads us on. Following Him, we know we are capable and filled with His power and Spirit. Going where He sends us, although sometimes fraught with spiritual danger, is always worth it in the long run. And when we take the path that He puts us on, there is no doubt that He will place us exactly where we ought to be.

Father, create in me a clear vision of myself. Help me to strip off the lenses that hinder my vision of myself. Help me to realize that in You, I am a new creation. In you, I have power and strength. I have been created for a purpose. I am made for a reason. Help me see the talents and abilities that I have been given as the gift from you that they are. Help me use them for your glory and your honor so that I reach my full potential in this world as I prepare for the next.

Will God Really Provide For My Needs?

2010-03-09T00:55:00.001-05:00

This week the third point in the sermon was to, “pray that God would provide for your needs.” I would imagine that this point hit home with many of you this week as it did for me. For many people, myself included, the year 2009 was an incredibly trying year in many regards. I spent most of my time this past year with not enough work, not enough money, struggling to make ends meet and barely getting by. However, in the midst of the “barely getting by,” I found God consistently meeting my needs. Written on an index card above the place that I hang my car keys is Proverbs 30:8---Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. I would see this statement everyday before I walked out the door in survival mode for the days and weeks ahead. Many times I prayed that Scripture asking God to provide for my needs.

The interesting thing here is that tough times--like the ones we find ourselves in now-- have a way of clarifying what our needs really are. And our Father in Heaven who knows us better than we know ourselves sometimes reminds us of those needs by stripping away the things we hold dear. He places us directly at the intersection of poverty and riches and there we find our daily bread. It is something to ponder that when we find ourselves at our lowest point, all we have left to do is cry out to Jesus.

Unfortunately for most of us, we don’t want to be patient and wait for Him to work; we simply need peace right now! Just last Friday we received an answer to a prayer that we had been praying since the middle of last year. This was an amazing exercise in diligence and trust for me. Somehow through it all we knew that whatever the answer to this prayer, whether it is the one we hoped for or the one that we dreaded, God’s amazing peace carried us through.

So asking God to provide for our needs doesn’t always mean that you will get exactly what you think you need. In fact, more often than not we get something totally different as God brings us back to our true needs. And through the struggle and the difficulty we grow in a closer and more intimate relationship with Him as He takes away all the things that we lean on that actually hinder our Christian walk. Last year, I learned exactly what I could do without, but the one thing we cannot do without is a vital connection to God.

Consistently turn to Him to meet your needs. Continually align your priorities with those God deems important. I recently heard this statement in a sermon: “God cannot pour his riches into hands already full.” It has helped to remind me to be willing to let go of some things that tie me down and reach for the One that lifts me up.

Father, in these difficult days when so many are just trying to survive, remind us that you hold the world in your hands. Help us to remember that you watch over us all the days of our lives and that some of the things we cling to the most are the most unnecessary in the Kingdom to come. Give us what we need to get through this day and help us to see you as our Provider and our source of strength.

Prayer---The Intimate Language

2010-03-09T00:54:00.000-05:00

We look upon prayer as a means of getting things for ourselves; the Bible idea of prayer is that we may get to know God Himself. Oswald Chambers

“Prayer is an intimate language.”

Does this statement surprise you? Perhaps you have never thought of prayer in this way. I would ask you, why not? If you look at the type of relationship that God wants to have with us it is an intimate one. The word intimate means, “closely connected, involving very close connection, private and personal.” Isn’t this an adequate description of the type of relationship God wants with us? So it stands to reason that the way we can communicate with God is through an intimate language called prayer.

The amazing thing about prayer is that for it to be truly effective it strips us of all falsehood, pretenses and presumptions. To truly communicate with God our souls must be laid bare. For me to stand in His presence I have to have a clear conscience (meaning free from sin) and an earnest desire to hear His voice. I have to take a step away from the world and my life and all that ties me down there in order to be free to hear Him speak.

In addition, I have to be completely honest with myself and about my walk in order to speak to Him intimately. Perhaps this is why it is difficult for many of us to have an excellent prayer life. We are unwilling to be honest with ourselves about where we stand compared to where we should be standing. Many Christians would rather be “good enough” than attempt to make lasting changes in their lives and their Christian walk. True, intimate prayer with the Father lays us bare.

The amazing thing is that once we learn to pray intimately with Him, oh how it changes us! Deep intimate prayer is cleansing and cathartic. It helps wash away the filth and drudgery that weighs us down. It brings us to a closer and fuller relationship with God. It allows us to become closer and more intimate with our spouses, friends and other believers. It ignites a change in us that enables us to walk with renewed strength and vigor. It becomes a place of refuge in times of trouble and a place to celebrate our victories in times of triumph.

Meaningful prayer changes Christians. It is the intimate closeness of the Heavenly Father to his children. It is the still small voice that carries us on. It is the voice of the One who created you for just such a conversation as this.

Father, speak to my heart today. Create in me a desire for intimate conversation with you. Help me to clearly hear your voice and to respond in kind. Take away everything that hinders me from hearing your words and give me a thirst for more of you, this day and every day. Help me to speak this intimate language that you have created because you love me that much. In Jesus name, Amen.

The Battle Over You

2009-12-16T23:34:00.000-05:00

Do you believe in spiritual warfare? Do you realize that right now, a battle rages all around us with the Angel Armies of the Lord battling the Fallen Forces of the Angel of Light? It seems surreal to say the least, doesn’t it? You may even be tempted to discount it as myth or a little bit old fashioned. But I assure you; there are battles all around you.

Two of my favorite books I have read are This Present Darkness and Piercing the Darkness by Frank Peretti. In them, Peretti takes a look at one mans struggle with his life and elements therein, but he portrays with dazzling clarity the spiritual realm as well. He describes the angels---mighty warriors all---as guardians and protectors of believers. As a side note, these angels aren’t the little guardian angel types the world is enamored by; these angels are Navy Seals and Delta Force all rolled into one. And they have to be, because on the other side is the opposition. The demons that taunt and torment us are as vile and nasty and disgusting as you could possibly imagine. Beady eyes, leathery skin, sulfurous breath and any other fear you could imagine. I like this book because in it we see a Christian’s life as it really is—a battle for your soul.

So why do we get so surprised when life is a struggle? Furthermore, why do we look to everything else but the spiritual realm as the reason for the way we feel? I am not saying that every down moment you have is because of the Devil, but isn’t it possible that some of them are?

Peter says in the Bible, “Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8) Paul says, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Ephesians 6:12)

I know what it feels like to wrestle or struggle with these things. Just recently I have struggled against Doubt, Uncertainty, Fear, Anxiety, just to name a few. Why are these things capitalized? Because I believe that although each one of these is an emotion it can also be a specific demon that tries to torment us. If you have ever felt hounded by these feelings or others then you know what I mean. It is like a mosquito buzzing around your ear. Little nagging voices in your head telling you that you aren’t good enough or you won’t succeed or reminding you of all the bills you can’t pay or appointments to keep or any other concern that weighs you down. All of these things are ways the enemy seeks to devour you. Think about it, when you are so burdened with worry or doubt or fear, you aren’t much use to yourself let alone anyone else. The devil has effectively taken you out of commission for the Kingdom.

I mention all this, because I was under attack this weekend and have been all week. Like a fly buzzing around me, these same struggles keep coming back to me. Sometimes it’s just a fuzziness that keeps me from feeling effective at anything other times it is outright attacks. In every case, there is only one way to combat this---the name of Jesus Christ.

Look through the Gospels at all the times Jesus encountered demons or even Satan. All it took was the voice of Jesus and the demons would flee. Now of course we don’t have a recording of Jesus voice to play, but can wield the name of Jesus like a sword. This is what the Apostles did when Jesus wasn’t there. When we belong to Him, the forces of evil have no claim on us. But sometimes they have to be reminded of that. For me, I had to remind the demon named Uncertainty that he had no place in my life and my future is secure. I had to send Fear away as well. Doubt and Anxiety were reminded that I am a child of God’s. Therefore, they have no stake on me. I am not talking about being possessed or anything like that, merely an attack on me personally.

Now I realize that this isn’t how many people talk, and it sounds a little crazy, but it shouldn’t if you read the New Testament. This world is a spiritual place and therefore there are spiritual beings in it. C.S. Lewis, in the preface to The Screwtape Letters made the following statement, “There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about the devils. One is to disbelieve in their existence. The other is to believe, and to feel an excessive and unhealthy interest in them.” My point is this: we shouldn’t look to every bad thing that happens to us as an attack by a demon, nor should be blindly assume that the cause of everything we deal with is rooted to something here on earth. The truth is somewhere in the middle and if we recognize that once we enter into the Christian faith we enter into a battle.

No matter how long you have been a Christian you will struggle with these forces and you will be attacked. The question is, will you know how to deal with and defeat the attacks and arise victoriously?

THE INNKEEPERS TALE--A Different Kind of Christmas Story

2009-12-05T23:18:00.001-05:00

It’s amazing to think how a night so seemingly ordinary could be filled with such wonder and adoration. How could the most magnificent and important birth in all of human history take place in such meager and drab surroundings? I was there, I know the story. I saw them when they came into Bethlehem. He was tired and worried about her. She was weary and yet her eyes held a knowing expectation of the glory that was to come.

So who am I? I am the innkeeper. You have heard of me in the Bible. I was the one that turned them away that night, having no rooms available. All I could offer was my stable and so that’s what I did. I knew that the woman was ready to deliver the child at any time so I gave them what I had. So sit back and relax, let’s take a journey back to Bethlehem. It is a night that almost everyone has heard of. It is the story of the very first Christmas. Here is my tale. It is my brush with the SAVIOR. It is the day that heaven came down to my inn.

That time in Bethlehem was busy to say the least. When the decree came that all men would have to go to their place of birth to be registered, the buzz immediately began about the money to be made. The shopkeepers, the innkeepers and the tax collectors were ready to make some extra money. I had been booked solid for weeks when the young couple came to town.

There were many weary travelers that had come into town but there was something about this couple. I have never seen a man so gentle and so caring towards his wife. And the way she looked at him, like he was her protector and yet she was also taking care of him. And the sparkle they had in their eyes, like they held some sort of huge secret. It all makes more sense now looking back.

When they showed up at my door, I was tired and a little irritated at the travelers seeking a place to stay. When the knock came, I threw open the door and before me stood a very pregnant young girl and her betrothed. When they asked for a room I quickly snapped that there were none left here. Then she looked up at me with those eyes that touched my soul and stirred my compassion. I myself am a father of two girls and I would not have wanted my very pregnant daughter to have no place to sleep at night. So I gave them all I had left, the stable where the animals slept.

The stable was small and smelled, well, like a stable, but it was dry and warmer than the Bethlehem streets. The girl turned as they left and met my eyes with hers and smiled a smile of thanks that gave me chills.

So the young couple took their donkey and made way to the stable. I watched them from the door between the inn and the stable. He made her a warm place in the straw with some extra blankets he had brought and his own cloak. The love and protection that this man felt for his wife and child was like none I had ever seen before.

I closed the door and went on about my business in the inn, tending to the guests, making sure there was wood for the fire and food for in the morning. Little did I know what the morning would bring.

It would later come to my mind what the Scriptures foretold from the prophet Micah, “But you Bethlehem, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, Yet out of you shall come forth to Me The One to be Ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting.” (5:2) Every God-fearing Hebrew in Bethlehem was familiar with that verse. We were all waiting for Messiah to come and deliver us from the Romans and re-establish our kingdom. I still can’t believe the way He came and how He lived and how He died.

I awoke that night to a bright light streaming into my window. I quickly woke my wife to show her this glorious light. I pulled back the curtain and looked outside. It was the dead of night and yet the sky was filled with a light brighter than a thousand suns. Peering out further and looking up I could see a magnificent star high in the sky. I ran outside and looked up; it looked like it was directly over the stable where the young couple was. I ran to the door of the stable and pushed it open to see what was causing this light...

When I looked inside, it was the most beautiful sight I had seen and right then I knew. The young girl was holding a precious infant in her arms. Her betrothed was beside her and all around was that heavenly light. The animals were quietly gazing at the baby. It seemed as if all heaven was singing at this little ones birth. Indeed, as I would soon find out, it was.

Not long after that, a group of shepherds that had been out in the fields surrounding the city came to my stable after following the star. They too had seen it from the fields. What they told me next though sent chills down my spine.

For them what was a normal night watching over the flocks turned extraordinary when an angel of the Lord burst out of the sky. The glory of the Lord was all around them and they fell to their faces afraid for their lives. What had seemed to be several hundred years of silence from the Lord, since the days of the prophets, was to all of the sudden end with this proclamation: “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is today in the city of David a Savior, who is CHRIST the Lord. And there will be a sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.” As soon as the angel had finished speaking, hundreds of angelic voices burst forth in a joyous noise, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men.”

I could scarcely believe that the Lord would come to these men, these shepherds, first to proclaim the arrival of the Savior. Yet here this baby was in a manger, the manger in my stable!

As the shepherds crowded around the baby, the wonder and adulation was evident on their faces. They knew they were in the presence of God. They realized that they could only bow before Him in wonder, for when you are in the midst of holiness; all you can manage is to fall on your knees and lift up your hands in praise.

I stood up and peered down at the sleeping infant. Was He the one that would be the deliverer of Israel? Was I standing in the presence of my King?

I could not have known then what I know now. That those hands and feet and body would be pierced for my sins. That he would die and spend three agonizing days separated by our sins from the presence and love of His father. And most importantly that He would forever conquer the chains of death by rising up on the third day.

The wise men came from far away, following the star and finding the child. They brought gifts for Him, gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. Most importantly though, they brought the gift of worship. It seemed so unfitting that the King of Kings was only welcomed by us--an innkeeper in a small town, a ragtag band of shepherds, and wise men from the east. Even as an innocent baby, we knew He deserved so much more than these humble beginnings.

They stayed with me for a while and then the father was told to take his wife and young son and flee to Egypt from the wrath of Herod. I was forever touched by this encounter with Jesus. It truly changed my heart and my life.

I followed His life and His ministry for the next thirty years. I heard of the miracles and the compassion showed to the multitudes. I saw Him pick his band of disciples from the fishermen, tax collectors and tent makers. I watched as He preached amongst the outcasts and the Pharisees. I took His words to heart and His call to follow Him seriously. I watched at the Passover as He was led up the hill with the cross on His battered shoulder. I heard Him cry out to the Father on the cross in agony. I cried as His lifeless body was lifted down and placed in a tomb. I waited in anticipation those three days to see if what He said was true. I stood astonished at the tomb where the stone was rolled away and the body was gone. I rejoiced when I found out that He was alive.

I am a very old man now and my days are coming to a close. I can’t wait to see Him again. My God who came as a baby and lived perfectly as a man, died a criminals death and will come back as a conquering King. I am thankful for that night in the manger, where I gave Him my best, all that I could give. I know He knows me and will call my name when I get to Heaven. I am forgiven and justified. I am a simple Innkeeper. You have heard my story of my brush with the Savior.

What is your story?

God Knows Me?

2009-11-24T00:07:00.002-05:00

You probably won’t be surprised to note that according to a July 2008 Gallup poll, 78% of Americans believe in God. Other less stringent polls put that number closer to 90%. If one believes in something then chances are they know something about that thing. So it is safe to say that 78% of Americans probably would say they know God or at least know something about God.

But what if I told you that God knows you?

What would you say to that? Read that statement again.

God. Knows. You.

In Galatians 4:9, Paul writes, “So now that you know God (or should I say, now that God knows you)…” Read the 139^th Psalm. The fact that God knows us permeates this passage. Most of us, though, haven’t taken comfort of the fact that God knows us. Rather, it scares us to death. You mean God knows about what I am watching on TV or looking at on the Internet? God knows the way I talk to my wife and kids behind closed doors? God knows that I am only faking it on Sunday mornings for all my church friends? Yes, He does know all that, but that is a discussion of a whole other nature and I think we misunderstand what these verses are really referring to. God has been misconstrued as this spiteful old man waiting to take us out when we slip up. Sure there is sin to deal with and consequences of that sin, but nothing could be further from the truth.

These verses refer to the amazing fact that the Maker of all things created, the One who placed all the stars in the sky and formed everything we know, has a personal interest in you. He wants to love you the way you have never been loved. He wants to share with you all of the riches and fullness of Himself. He knows you, intimately, personally and passionately. This is what it means to be known by God. It means that you are so important to Him that He thinks about you constantly. Psalm 139 verse 17 states, “How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered!” What thoughts consume you? What do you think about all the time? God thinks about you even more than you think about that.

Maybe an analogy will help. When I think of God, I think of the most awesome, amazing, supreme being that there is. He is all-powerful, all knowing, and totally self-existent. He doesn’t need me at all. If I try to think of a comparison here on earth all I can come up with is an earthly king or president. I know who the President of the United States is. He knows that I am one of the 308,003,000 people that make up this country. But he doesn’t know me. He doesn’t know that I like old cars, gumbo, The Princess Bride, blue jeans and hiking boots. He doesn’t know that I married the only girl I’ve ever kissed, honeymooned in Vancouver, broken my arm and played trumpet in middle school. He doesn’t know that I love to write, wrestle with my kids and make great French toast. He doesn’t know I want a log cabin in the woods someday and a place on the beach. God knows all of that about me, and so much more. God knows things about me that I don’t even know. He knows the number of days I will live on this earth. He knows His purpose for me. He knows who will read the words I write and the impact they will have on you. He knows my heart, my soul, my needs, my desires, my weaknesses and my future. God knows me.

Somehow, I take great comfort in that. Do you know the difference between Christianity and every other major worldview? In Christianity, I am known by God. God is a living and vital entity. Every other religion worships or reveres someone who is dead. That relationship is a one-way street. I could find lots of great dead men to worship, but they wouldn’t know me. They would be nothing more than a picture or a statue. God knows me.

By having a God who knows me, I can walk confidently in this world. I can rest assured that I have purpose. I have significance. I am known and loved by the One who is Love. Psalm 139:16 says, “You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.” God has left nothing to chance. He knows you and He loves you.

God. Knows. You.

Do You Have The “Jesus Spirit?"

2009-11-23T23:00:00.001-05:00

So the other day I was riding with my daughter and son in my truck. I have a little truck so we were all riding together with my daughter in the middle and my son beside her. We pulled into a fast food restaurant to grab some breakfast on the way to where we were going. After I ordered I pulled around to the second window as instructed. When the window opened and the total was announced, I handed my cash to the lady inside. There she promptly handed me my change and then I heard my daughters voice in my right ear. “She doesn’t have the Jesus Spirit, Dad.” I turned to look at her and said, “What?” My daughter says, “That lady in there doesn’t have the Jesus Spirit.” Insightful, clever guy that I am, I had an idea of what she was referring to, but I asked, “How can you tell?”

Gracie replied, “You can just see by the look on her face, she doesn’t have Jesus in her life.”

Wow. Out of the mouths of babes.

We pulled away with a fresh order of French toast sticks, sticky syrup and chocolate milk in hand, and my mind started working.

You see sometimes it takes the untainted and unjaded vision of a child to notice the obvious. Now I’ve never worked at a fast food drive through window, so I have no idea what this ladies story was. But I do know that she looked like she wasn’t particularly excited with her station in life.

We all know people that walk around with an expression that is a cross between sucking on a lemon and smelling a really foul odor. You know the ones I am talking about. People they write country songs about. If you asked they would tell you everything that is wrong with their life, their truck, their dog, their job, etc. (No offense country musicians and listeners, I like country music, really, I do.) Maybe they are like Eeyore, the sad donkey from Winnie the Pooh. His catch phrase is “Oh bother.” He shuffles about with his head down, moving as if carrying a tremendous burden and with a general acceptance that nothing good will ever come his way and that’s just the way it is. I believe you could say that people like this just don’t have the Jesus Spirit.

So my question to you is this: “Do you have the Jesus Spirit?” I ask that question of myself too, although I ask myself do I show Jesus to others with my spirit?

I will be the first to admit that this world is a tough place. This past year in particular has been tremendously trying for a lot of people. The economy is down; unemployment is up, a new type of potentially deadly flu epidemic lurks, sweeping changes in government, just to name a few. However, should any of that cause us to not radiate Christ from within?

No matter what happens on the outside of me,

I still have Jesus living inside of me.

No matter what this world throws at me,

I still have a future that is secure.

No matter what gets taken away from me,

I know that I am storing up treasures in heaven

that cannot be wrestled from the grasp

of the One who holds them there for me.

So why should my face show anything else? If I am called to be different, to be salt and light to this world, then my face and demeanor better show it. Like I said before, your life should demand an explanation. Your face tells a story for all to read. It is an open book every single day. Whether you mean to or not you reflect what is inside of you by the way you look and carry yourself.

So I ask you again, “Do you have the Jesus Spirit written on your face?

If not, think about what you have been given by Him and put it there!

How Are You Praying?

2009-11-14T23:57:00.000-05:00

So here is my latest question: Are you praying for other people, as you would like to have them pray for you? It is kind of like the Golden Rule, except for praying. I would imagine that if we were honest with ourselves, we would admit that we don’t intercede on behalf of others as sincerely, frequently or deliberately, as we know we should.

Steven Curtis Chapman has a song “Let Us Pray” that illustrates my point:

I hear you say your heart is aching

You’ve got trouble in the making

And you ask if I’ll be praying for you please

And in keeping with conviction

I’ll say yes with good intentions

To pray later, making mention of your needs.

But since we have this moment

Here at Heaven’s door

We should start knocking now,

What are we waiting for?

This song has always stuck in my head for the simple reason that it is so easy to have the best of intentions to pray for someone only to either forget or just mention the request in passing. Please watch out for Joe. Strengthen Sue’s marriage. Protect my kids at school today. While this type of conversational prayer is not always bad, it begs the question, “If I was in trouble, how would I want to be prayed for?"

In just the past week, I can think of a friend who is having very unexpected brain surgery next week, another who lost her father unexpectedly to a heart attack, another who has to leave her family indefinitely for medical treatment, and another who is having marriage problems. When I imagine myself in their shoes for just a moment it drastically changes the kind of prayers I offer up for them. Suddenly, the murmurings of “keep her safe” “be with her in her grief” and “protect their family” seem woefully inadequate. If it were me, I would want to know that someone is on their knees, crying out to Jesus on my behalf. If I am undergoing surgery, I want someone praying for me, my healing, my nerves, my wife and kids, my doctor, the nurses, and everything in between.

Here is the point. As Christians, we are called to intercede for others. Now a part of the benefit of that is for those we are praying for, but perhaps a larger part is for ourselves. You see, when I am committed to praying for others wholeheartedly, I experience the benefit of fellowship with God. I enter into that place of intimacy with Him, where He senses my heart and my burden for these people. As I come before Him in prayer, I must have a clean conscience and be rid of any sin. Have you ever prayed for something very specific for another person and then seen that prayer answered in precisely the way you prayed it? That is a pretty amazing feeling and adds to that connection with God. Finally, when I am interceding on another’s behalf, I cannot help but do it out of love. And anytime that I love another person so genuinely and completely as in this type of prayer, it can’t help but overflow into my life.

So I would encourage you this week to take just a moment to think about what you are doing when you commit to pray for another. Put yourself in their shoes and ask what you would want if you were in their place.

Then pray those things.

Be specific. Be bold. Be confident that He will answer. Approach the Throne of Grace with confidence. I guarantee that Jesus will meet you there and take your prayers to the Father.

Does Your Life Need An Explanation?

2009-11-11T16:35:00.001-05:00

“As Christians, we need to live our lives in a way that demands explanation.”

Let that statement sink in for a moment. It comes with several implications. The first is that other people pay close attention to how we live our lives. Why do you think reality TV shows are so popular? We are curious about other people. You can bet that you are being watched. Anyone who has been a Christian for a while can attest to this. One of the main reasons people are reluctant to even say they are Christians is because most people think that Christians are hypocrites. The second implication is that we should be different from everyone else; so different in fact that it causes people to take a second look at us. Maybe their jaws drop and they do a double take.

So does your life demand an explanation? Are there things about you that cause people to question you? Are you so radically different from everyone and everything around you that it causes others to wonder why? Do you go against the flow? Or do you simply blend in with the crowd, wear your cross necklace, maybe try and be kind to everyone you meet and say “God Bless America?” Are you mired in mediocrity? Does anyone even know you are a Christian?

We are called to be different. Romans 12:2 says “do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed…” Jesus says we are to be salt and light adding flavor and illuminating the truth. Peter says we are aliens and strangers here. Hebrews says this world is not our permanent home; we are looking forward to a home yet to come. We should be different for although we live here on earth our citizenship is in Heaven.

Think about this: If you were dropped off in the middle of a country to which you had never traveled, you had no idea of the language, customs or culture, you had never tasted the food and didn’t know where anything is, would you need to explain some things to the people there? They would notice something different about you. So it should be with us.

We seem to have this misconception about what the Christian life should be. We mistakenly think that because we live in America, a “Christian” nation where most people profess a belief in God, that we are living as we should be. I propose to you that there is a huge difference between being a Christian and being one who follows Christ. Many of the Christians I know are content to be merely saved from hell. They know just enough to get them in the door of heaven. And yet their lives are virtually indistinguishable from the world around them. Christians are merely saved from Hell; Christ-followers enter into a world at war. Christians may get by; Christ-followers must sacrifice, take up their cross and follow Him. And when we follow Him, He will lead us to do some strange things and make some crazy choices.

Therein lies the demand for an explanation. When we follow Jesus as He commands us to, we tend to stick out from the crowd. We have to make crazy choices that tend to brand us as different. We make sacrifices that affect our personal comfort for the well being of others. We look at things from an eternal perspective rather than a temporal one. We change from the selfish position of “what can this world do for me?” to “what impact can I make on this world?” We look at people not as a means to an end, but as individuals desperate for a loving touch, the voice of hope, and a genuine sincerity. We show them through our lives that there is something different within us, something that has been placed there by God alone. We are new creations, we are transformed, and we are different.

It may be painful and difficult at times, this explaining and defending yourself. It may seem to be too hard or not worth it. But as for me, I will joyfully explain myself here to the people I meet, rather than have to attempt to defend myself before the Throne of God. I know that I will hear Him say, “Well done, good and faithful servant!” not “Depart from Me, for I never knew you.”

When it is all said and done, I want my life and my legacy to speak louder than any words I have spoken, or any words I have written. I want to be different and thereby make a difference in the lives of others. I want to point people to Jesus, not be a stumbling block to their faith.

In the end, I want to have lived a life that demanded an explanation, because without Christ, it will have made no sense.

To Rejoice is a Command!

2009-11-02T15:39:00.002-05:00

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Philippians 4:4

Don’t let the word “rejoice” which is a happy sounding word, or the exclamation point fool you. This verse is a command. It is an order. It is not a suggestion or a guideline. It was meant to be followed. Just as God doesn’t suggest that we don’t steal, don’t murder, don’t commit adultery, he doesn’t suggest that we rejoice. It is so important, Paul writes it twice.

So why is it that most of the Christians that you and I are around are beaten down, harried, frustrated, grumpy people? In fact they rarely look any different from anyone else we meet. How would you characterize yourself? Does the light of Jesus shine from within you and resonate out to others? Or do you wear a scowl and a frown and carry the burdens of life firmly attached to your back?

One of my favorite features on my wife is her radiant face. She has a beautiful smile that can light up a room. Have you ever seen someone whose smile transforms his or her whole countenance? That is my wife. When she smiles you can see it from ear to ear and forehead to chin. She positively lights up. This is also her default mode. More times than not this is how she looks. She radiates Christ’s love for her from the inside out. As believers, that is what we are all called to do.

A good definition for rejoice, is to feel or show great joy or delight. Let me ask you this dear child of God, has He given you anything to be joyful about or delight in? If so then to rejoice is to think on those things.

Why does God command us to rejoice? I believe the answer can be found in the name we go by. Christians. What is a Christian? It is one who follows Christ. To take it one step further, it is someone who has traded in his or her old self for a new self that resembles Christ. When Jesus redeems us, we begin a transformation process. This process starts to change us so that we become like Him. I had a textbook called Conformed to His Image. That is what we should strive for. We should try to do everything we can to become more and more like Jesus. You are what the world sees when they see Jesus. This is your witness.

So think about this for a minute. Right now in heaven, what do you think Jesus is doing? Is He weighed down because of everything going wrong here on earth? Is He worried because He has that big showdown coming up with Satan and wishes He could just get it over with? Maybe He is anxious because only the Father knows when Jesus is returning and Jesus just doesn’t like that, He wants to be able to plan for that day. Do any of these scenarios seem “Christlike” to you? They don’t to me. I picture Jesus as radiant, full of joy, rejoicing in the Father’s presence. I think He is the embodiment of rejoicing. So if I am to be like Jesus, then why don’t I rejoice?

I think like so much of the Christian walk, the command to rejoice comes down to us making a choice. Either we will obey Him and rejoice, or we will not. Those are the options. Now I realize that life is hard. There are things going on in your life that I don’t even know about. Guess what, I have those things too. I struggle with things that could overwhelm me if I let them. But I also have been bought and paid for by a great big God. In fact, the things He has done for me and the promise of the future that I have in Him makes my little problems now pale in comparison.

So getting back to the original question of why worry is so much a part of our makeup, the answer is because we haven’t let go of who we were and embraced who we are meant to be. We are not called to be consumed with worry and anxiousness over this world. We are called to show this world who we are now and what we have become. We are called to show others why we are able to handle this world and that is because we are merely getting ready for the one to come. Everything we do here has a lasting eternal impact, both for ourselves and for those around us. We are called to be an impact to the world as imitators of Christ. We are called to be different, changed and to point others to what we have found.

We are called to rejoice, because we have much to rejoice over.

Leaving it All to the Lord

2009-10-31T23:11:00.002-04:00

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7

So how exactly do you go about “leaving it all to the Lord?” The verse above gives us a three-step process in delivering your cares and worries to God.

The first step is to change your attitude. I call this “giving up your anxious ways.” When Paul tells us in verse 6 to “be anxious for nothing,” you have to look closely at the four words that precede this command in verse 5. They say, “The Lord is near.” Paul almost seems to throw those words in there so subtly that if you aren’t paying attention you will probably miss it. You see, those four words are key to the rest of the passage. The reason that we can be anxious for nothing is because our God is near. He is not far off, on His throne, looking down to see if we can fend for ourselves.

That is not my God! My God is right beside me. He’s got my back. His nearness should be the end of my anxiousness. Did you catch that? Because He is near we don’t have to worry or be afraid.

Think for a minute about a bully. Maybe he is the biggest kid on the playground that always gets what he wants. A bully gets away with bullying because there is usually no one around who can or will stand up to him. On the playground, no bully is going to pound on the smaller kid when the teacher is right there. This world and all of the worries and cares that it brings on us is like that bully sometimes. It pushes us around and knocks us down and on our own, we are anxious and worried and fearful and alone. But the Bible says, “THE LORD IS NEAR!” All of a sudden we aren’t so easy to bully. We have Almighty God in our corner. So the first step is to recognize that the Lord is near and change your attitude accordingly.

The second step is to change your action. I call this “abandoning your prayer-less ways.” The second step is to change your action and in order to do this, you need to learn how to pray the way Paul describes in verse 6. Notice the four key words found here: prayer, supplication, thanksgiving, and requests. Prayer is simply quiet, personal communication with God. A good definition for supplication is “a humble request for help from someone in authority” or more simply “to beg.” I find it ironic that many of the prayers God hears from us are impersonal cries for help when you have gotten yourself into a bind and need His help to get you out of the jam. Although Paul commands supplication here, we will see that that is not exactly what he had in mind. The next word that is important is thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is just what is implied, to give thanks to someone. We don’t usually give thanks unless someone has done something to deserve it. In this case we get back to verse 5: the Lord is near. There are many reasons to give thanks to God, but I believe in this context it is because we realize that God is near and it is His presence that causes us to be thankful. The fourth key word is requests. Requests are the desires we present to God when we ask for help. They are generally heartfelt because we are burdened in some way. We bring someone a request when we have done everything we can and there is still no resolution.

Here is the point. As long as we are in good standing with Him (that is, free from sin,) God will hear us when we pray. But what Paul is instructing the Phillipian church and what I am conveying to you goes deeper than that. Here is the vital truth to walking in peace: A Christian who maintains a constant attitude of prayer is able to bring his humble requests for help before the God that he is thankful to know personally with full assurance that God IS near and WILL hear your prayers and DOES ACT in accordance to His good and perfect will.

The person in constant communication with God that I just described is like a person who picks up a cell phone, dials a number, presses send and the phone call goes through. This is contrasted with the person who gets the cell phone out of a drawer, turns it on but the battery is dead, plugs it into the charger and sees that she has no signal, gets in her car, drives until she has signal, dials the number, presses send, and finally the call goes through. Now both were able to make the call but the one that stayed connected had much better results. Which one do you feel like?

So am I saying that if you pray a lot that God will make everything turn out exactly how you want it to? Absolutely not! It is not so much about the quantity of your prayers but rather the content and quality of them. Let me repeat that. Paul says, “In everything” we are to pray. In Ephesians Paul says to pray, “without ceasing.” What he means is, God didn’t create us to fly solo. He wants to hear from us with what we consider to be big things and small things and then to speak back to us. Perhaps one thing to consider is whether the things that stress us out actually drive us to Him. When we pray, we grow in our relationship with Him.

Finally, the third step is to change your approach. I call it “basking in God’s peaceful ways.” When we have a change in attitude (by giving up our anxious ways) and we add to that a change in action (by abandoning our prayer-less days) we begin to have a change in our approach (as we bask in God’s peaceful ways.) Do you remember the song you sang as a kid? “I’ve got the peace that passes understanding way down in the depths of my heart! As a kid it was fun to sing, but until you become an adult and are desperately searching for peace, you don’t realize the truth of that song. You see, when we are constantly communicating with the “Lord who is near” it is only natural to give our worries and cares to God and because he knows we are fully relying on Him, He is all too happy to give us His peace. This is like a bulletproof vest for your hearts and minds, and these are the two places you are most vulnerable for attack. Paul says this peace “surpasses all comprehension” and when you feel it come over you, you will know exactly what the apostle was talking about.

So in order to deliver all our worries and cares to God, we must change our attitude, change our action and change our approach. The next post is going to explore that “Rejoicing is a Command.”

Life is More Than This!

2009-10-25T23:40:00.001-04:00

So here is something that has been bouncing around in my head for the last couple weeks. I am sure that you may have struggled with this as well. The question I keep asking is this, “Why are anxiety and worry such a large part of our makeup?” I guess more specifically, as believers, we have been commanded by Jesus and later on by Paul, not to worry about anything. So if our hearts know this, why do our heads still worry?

This may turn out to be several postings, but I will give you the verses and passages that I have been led to that got me thinking. The first is Matthew 6:25-34. You will remember this as Jesus’ commands to not worry about your life and seek the kingdom of God. Second is the passage in Philippians 4:6-9. This is where Paul tells us “Don’t worry about anything.” Keep in mind that at this point Paul is in prison in Rome awaiting his likely sentence of death. Finally, the verse in Philippians 4:4, “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” I know that isn’t a verse about worry, but we will get to that later.

Now I have been a believer for a long time. I have a graduate degree from seminary. I can probably turn to most of the passages in the Bible where it speaks on worry. I understand that I am not to worry. Furthermore, I have a pretty solid prayer life. I communicate with the Father daily about anything and everything. I know that once I leave my burdens at the Throne of God, He has things covered. He doesn’t need my help carrying the load. So why is it that as soon as I set the burden down, I feel compelled to pick it back up again?

I think the answer lies in several parts. The first part comes from the passage in Matthew 6:25-34. I like to try and look at things from all angles and see what I may have been missing. So as I read this passage for the umpteenth time, I got to thinking. In verse 25 Jesus says, “This is why I tell you: Don’t worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will wear. Isn’t life more than food and the body more than clothing?” Now you must remember the last verse before this one. Jesus has just explained that you cannot serve both God and money and that we must collect treasures in Heaven rather than here on earth.

I believe that God did not make us to be worriers, but he did create us to be problem solvers and thinkers. Think about it. Your mind will naturally focus on a problem to be solved or a solution to be found or a way to make things better. Look at history: this is how we got the wheel, the telephone, electricity, the iPod, toilet paper, plywood and the Lamborghini. We are always trying to make things easier, better, faster, smaller, lighter, more fun and more efficient. Where do you think that comes from? It comes from your Creator. He gave you a brain and wants you to use it. But here is the kicker. If we use this God given ability in the way it was intended, we come up with the things listed above; we focus on the right things. However, if we neglect to use it in that way, we tend to find problems to fix that perhaps we should leave alone. We tend to worry over things that God says he will provide for us if only we will let go of the burden. We even create worries and burdens where none needed to be. Do you see the parallel with verse 25? Jesus says, isn’t life more than food and the body more than clothing?

For the most part, we are seeking just that. We work to be able to afford to feed our appetites (whether our physical hunger or a host of other not so simple things.) We strive to wrap our bodies in nice clothes and to wrap our nicely clothed bodies in nice cars and to park our nice cars in nice garages attached to nice houses. Before long, we have a nice bunch of not so easy payments and the subsequent worry and anxiety to go with them.

So I got to thinking, if I am created to be a thinker and a problem solver, how do I avoid the trap of worry? And what should I be thinking about in the place of food and clothing?

Perhaps the point Jesus was making is this: …of course you need clothes and food and shelter to survive, but let me provide those things for you and you go “worry” about things that matter. Worry about the things you can actually control, the things that make you like Me and will last for eternity.

So what things can we control? What things will make us more like Jesus? I think the answer in this lies within us with a little introspection. First, make a mental list of all the things you worry about on a daily basis. For most of us it is paying the bills or something to do with money. Maybe it is the health of a loved one. Maybe it is the path your child is on. For some it could be a marriage relationship. Whatever it is, it is a load of heavy stones on your back. Now imagine setting that weight down. Don’t pick it back up! I know it is tempting. Now what will you do with that weight off your back?

I think what Jesus was saying is that if we will give our burdens to Him it will free us up to seek the things that matter in the long run and will build up those treasures in eternity. I am talking about things like character, integrity, good morals, kindness and gentleness, every other fruit of the Spirit. Any intangible that deep down you know you need to work on but just don’t have it in you because of the weight of worry that pushes you down. These are the things that will make us more Christ-like and less world-like.

Now prayerfully make a list of those things. I know I need to work on giving up control of certain things. I need to work on managing my time better to do the important stuff. I need to trust God to provide for my needs. Yours may be these or they could be a host of others. The fact is each one is a sin. It is not trusting in God, but trusting in ourselves. I don’t know about you, but I could use some help with my burdens.

Work on your list of things you need to let go and things you need to seek. The next post will look at “Leaving it All to the Lord.” We will look at what happens when you can leave your burdens with God and how that will make you feel.

Sorry For the Delay!

2009-10-25T23:33:00.002-04:00

Well you know you must be doing something right, when everything goes wrong! I have been trying to write more for a while, but have had sick kids, a sick wife, a bad migraine and been just plain tired. But I am back! So thanks for your patience. I am working on a three part piece about why we worry and what to do about it. So stay tuned!

What Are You Clinging To?

2009-10-13T22:35:00.003-04:00

“God cannot pour his riches into hands already full.”

I heard this little nugget of wisdom as I drove down the road the other night. I was listening to the last part of a Chuck Swindoll sermon titled “When God Says No.” Something about it resonated within me, so I grabbed a pen and scribbled it on a file folder sitting on the seat next to me.

When I think of the words “hands already full” I get a visual in my head of my son. He is three years old and his favorite toys are his trucks. “Trucks” is an all-encompassing term for trucks, cars, motorcycles, planes, and anything else big or small with wheels. We don’t go anywhere without at least a few trucks, more likely we have a backpack full of them. You can never have too many trucks; at least that’s what Joel thinks. The image I have comes from my son’s two small hands. Even though they are small, he still manages to somehow carry as many as ten trucks at a time. Wheels in the palm, bumpers perched on trunks, big ones and little ones, he keeps stacking in his hands until no more can fit. Then he begins the precarious move from his room to the den to the hall to the garage to the car. It is something to see. One wrong move and they all come tumbling down. Sometimes I need Joel to grab a hat or something to bring with us, but there is no more room in his little hands.

I wonder if God feels like that with me?

What are the things that you latch on to with both hands and are unwilling to let go? I know I can think of a few. Perhaps it is a job that brings you comfort. Maybe it is a dream that you have held forever. Or maybe it is a relationship you keep coming back to. Whatever it is, your hands are aching from the strain of holding on to it. Have you ever gripped something so tightly and for so long that when you finally let go your knuckles ache and your hands are tired. That is how we get sometimes with our wants and desires and even our things. We stubbornly hang on tight, refusing to let go. Just like a child who won’t share a toy, we will not be denied.

But what if that keeps us from something better? What if in seeking what we want, we miss out on what God wants for us? This is what I got to thinking about when I heard the statement, “God cannot pour his riches into hands already full.” I almost looked down to see what my hands were clinging tightly to. In my mind, I know that I cling to financial security even though I have never found it. I cling to my relationships with others, even though they don’t provide for all my needs the way God can. Sometimes, I cling to my pride and the desire to be recognized for what I do. For all the ones I can think of there must be countless others that I am unwilling or unable to recognize.

My question then becomes this, do I want to hang on tightly to what I think is important (and will most likely slip away or at the very least not make it through to eternity) or do I want God’s riches, the ones that last forever. Matthew 6:20 says, store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy… These are the riches I want. Riches that last.

I think there is a more important lesson to be learned here, however. I think the bigger picture here is that God desires a relationship with us where we rely on Him first and foremost. He desires that we come to Him, not just to be blessed, but because we recognize the futility of going it alone. This is the story of the Bible---God calling out to His people, patiently desiring a real relationship with each of us. I wonder how many of us would be honest and admit that we cling to things out of fear. We fear what will happen if we let go. Like a life preserver to a man adrift in the ocean we hang on. But what invariably happens is that the rope on the end of the life preserver is not attached to anything firmly. So we drift and we float and we are never pulled to safety. We anxiously wait for the next financial crisis, or the next relationship to end or the next business deal to fall through and we are shaken when it happens, but don’t let go. Here is a thought. Maybe each thing that we cling to and lose is merely God removing it so He can replace it with something better. Perhaps instead of scrambling to recover what was lost, we should pause and see what comes next. Even better, maybe we should ask God to fill us with the blessings and riches that He thinks we need. This may sound hard to do, but one way or another, He is going to get your attention.

I’ve tried it my own way and held on to things that were not right for me. I have also lost things that I held dear. But that is just it: they are only THINGS. They are nothing compared to the relationship I have with my Lord and my Savior. They will not last forever. The riches of God will. So I am raising my now empty hands to Him. Asking for His blessings in whatever form He sees fit. I am waiting for my hands to be filled with the treasures of Heaven. I think I am going to like this…

A Little Bit of Poetry

2009-10-04T23:30:00.003-04:00

THE LEAST OF THESE

Matthew 25:40

The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of

the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'

How can we serve Jesus our Lord?

By taking care of the ‘least of these.’

The least of these are in our midst.

We see them every day.

We pass them by, but they aren’t like us.

And then we walk away.

We never see their hurting hearts; their open wounds don’t show.

We are much too busy, too much to do; we cannot stop or slow.

But Jesus said the least of these are those we should tend to.

With food or drink or clothes and love, we should show them Jesus

through what we do.

We can wipe their tears and ease their pain.

We teach them, love them and make it plain.

That it is not because of who we are that we offer them this care.

It’s because of the Jesus that we know that we are even there.

Our desire is that they know Him--- just like we do.

And experience His love, forgiveness and transformation,

That washes us clean and makes us new.

So when we see the least of these and look them in the eyes;

Remember Jesus’ words to us, that on that final day, when

The King will reply,

“Whatever you did for the least of these brothers of mine,

you did for me.”

INSPIRED FOR THE LOGANVILLE COMMUNITY MINISTRY VILLAGE

Are You Living On Purpose? (Part 2)

2009-10-02T23:11:00.003-04:00

I have been reading a book by John Eldredge called “Wild At Heart.” It is interesting to me how God places things in our path that parallel what we are going through at the time. This book is doing that for me right now. It isn’t a how to book for finding a job or career, nor is it a book about relationships. What it is is a book about finding what it means to be a man. Or more directly what it means to be a man of God. One who seeks to live life fully and abundantly, wildly and passionately, just as we were called to do. Often times a sentence or a passage will speak to me. Here is one such sentence and it got to me today, especially in light of last nights post on “living on purpose.”

“Don’t ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and go do that, because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” (From a book by Gil Bailie)

So this sentence really hit home with me. It smacked me right between the eyes because I have been trying to find out what the world needs from me. What I mean is that I have been trying to match the particular skills and abilities that God has placed in me with the jobs out there waiting to be filled. There is nothing wrong with that in and of itself, but there is a danger of missing out on what God has called you to do.

Think of it this way in regards to the discussion on leaving a legacy. For those of you reading who have children, which would you rather they say about you:

That my dad (or mom) radiated an inner joy and contentment from doing what made them come alive or that my dad (or mom) was really skilled and successful in whatever career path you have chosen? Which of the two do you think the world can understand better? Probably the second one: that you are really good at the job you do. Is there any wonder that most of us buy into that mentality and seek to be the best or most educated or most esteemed at what we do even though it does nothing for us on the inside? We are surrounded with a society in America that pushes the “American Dream.” Again, there is nothing wrong with that. But what you have to ask yourself is this, Am I a citizen of America first or a citizen of Heaven first? The answer will be reflected in the path you choose and therefore the legacy you leave.

All my life I have known that I was a citizen of Heaven first. The Bible tells us we are “aliens” here. That explains a lot about how different I have felt in the past. The choices I have made that brought me to where I am are not easily understood by the world. But they make perfect sense to me.

So if this world is not my home, then asking, “what the world needs” is an exercise in futility. What this world needs is for me to be true to myself, to be unashamedly Christian in all that I do, to be “salt and light,” to love them like Jesus loves me and to follow the path that He has set forth for me.

So for the past few weeks, without knowing that’s what I was doing, I have been trying to determine what “makes me come alive.” The resounding response within my heart and on this page is writing. I don’t know how I could have missed it thus far. It took God removing all of my distractions to bring it clearly to light. So in a way, this epiphany has helped chart the course of my direction. In a sense it will be a concrete way to help define and leave my legacy. Not because my words are special in and of themselves, but rather because the light that is in me that has come alive will be reflected on the pages that you read before you. You don’t even have to know me to know that I am sincere in the words I write. But hopefully for those of you who do know me, and especially for my wife and children, I am establishing a legacy that will long outlast me and certainly outlast the things of this world. You see I am working on a legacy that I will one day be able to look down from heaven and see its effects on the ones who succeed me.

That is my hope and my dream. That is my desire. To be a brick in the wall, like those who have gone before me. To be used to help build the Kingdom of God in whatever way the Master Builder sees fit. That is my purpose. That is my calling. That is my legacy.

Are You Living On Purpose?

2009-10-02T00:19:00.002-04:00

Words like legacy, heritage, and inheritance all have a nice ring to them, don’t they? They imply that what you are doing and who you are matters. They speak to our hearts because they give us purpose and direction. They cause us to focus on taking the necessary steps to leave something behind for those that follow us.

However, have you ever really thought about your legacy? Have you thought about what you are leaving behind? More importantly, do you have a plan in place to leave something behind?

This is something that I have been thinking a lot about lately. The actual definition of legacy is this: “an amount of money or property left to someone in a will.” If that is all my legacy will consist of then my poor kids are in big trouble! I don’t focus on the material legacy that I will leave to my kids. I am concerned about the legacy that lasts. I want to know that what I have left my kids and anyone else who knows me is something that they can learn from and live by.

The problem is this. If I do not know exactly what kind of legacy I want to leave behind, how will I know the steps to take to put it in place and how will I know if I have succeeded once I reach the end? It is a little like setting out on the road to take a trip and getting to Kansas City and not knowing if you were supposed to head that way or go to Portland Maine or San Diego California or Savannah GA. So we just keep driving, because that is what we think we ought to do. We cannot expect to get anywhere on purpose when we don’t even know where we want to go.

So the question then becomes, are you living on purpose? By that I mean do you know where you are going? Or like so many of us do you just wake up, put one foot in front of the other all day long, come home and collapse only to do it all again tomorrow. Its no wonder we are tired and frustrated and feel insignificant and helpless.

So now that I have bummed you out, what exactly is the answer?

This is what I have been focusing on for myself lately. Right now I have been asking more questions than finding answers, but that is not necessarily a bad thing. If you ask questions then at least you are seeking to get on the right path and not just blindly plod along like an old mule. I am currently seeking a job. My difficulty lies in what I want to do for a living and what I should be doing to serve God. I believe I am called into vocational ministry. However, my first go round with it ended rather abruptly and frustratingly. (Is that even a word?) So now I feel like my slate is clean and I can go in any direction.

That is another aside and some of you may be in the same boat. Thanks to our economic situation, have you noticed that some of the comforts you have relied on may have been taken from you. I sure do in my family. Clark Howard would be proud. We have pared out every non-necessity we can think of. Gone are the nice new car, high-speed Internet and fancy (oh so clear) channels on cable. Now we are left with food, utilities, rabbit ears and a house payment. Funny how that sort of simplifies life and gives you time to think. Its almost as if that’s what God intended for us to get our attention.

So back to the job thing. I have realized that I am not just seeking a job; I am seeking a way to live my life according the calling that God has placed in me. I am seeking to align my God-given passions, talents and abilities with my need as a man to provide for my family. I am seeking to have God provide for my needs daily, because that is all we are told to focus on. But most of all, I am seeking to leave a legacy to my family and friends that is not based on my successes and the things I leave behind, but on my character, integrity, relationships and my humility and gentleness. That is where I stand.

In a word, I am seeking to live life on purpose. Whatever that may be, I am trying to pin down and clarify. Thanks for following on the journey with me and listening to me ramble…

Stay tuned for what it means to live life on purpose and how to do it, bear with me and we will figure it out together!

Indiana Jones, Me and A Big Step of Faith

2009-09-30T15:19:00.002-04:00

All right, I am not afraid to say it… I wish I could be Indiana Jones. For those of you in the Sunday school class I teach, you can flash back to “the hat” and laugh. It’s true. To me, you can’t get much cooler than a guy who is a professor by day and a gun-toting, whip-slinging, dapper fedora wearing, bad-guy defeating adventurer any other time. And I seem to get myself into just as many scrapes, but I don’t have the cool music to play in the background.

But anyway, I digress…

Today I got to be Indiana Jones, just a little bit. If you have seen Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade, yes the one with Sean Connery, then you will remember this scene. Towards the end of the movie, after Indy and of course the Nazis have been searching for the Holy Grail, Indy’s father has been shot. The only thing that will help him is the Holy Grail filled with water from “the Holy Grail filling trough.” So of course, dashing and dapper Indy must go through the booby traps to get it. The last challenge is to cross a seemingly impossible chasm by faith alone. As Indy looks down (which you are never supposed to do by the way!) and then looks across the divide at the other side, where he must go to save his father, he faces a choice. Step out in faith and believe that something will be there to catch you or stand frozen in place unwilling and unable to move. Our hero boldly lifts his foot, hesitates only briefly, and then steps out in faith. Instantly a path that looks very much like the bottom of the chasm appears and he is able to cross to the other side.

How does that relate to me? I am glad you asked.

Today, I faced a similar situation. Not over priceless artifacts that belong in museums, but with my life and my job. I have been in a bit of a sticky situation with my work; where my work ethic, my character, and my integrity have all been unfairly judged and questioned. Over the past few weeks, I have tried to stick to the high road and I have refused to sling the mud back that was slung at me. Last night I received an email that was the straw that broke the camels back. I knew that I had to leave my job. By staying it was only adding fuel to my fire that I didn’t want to burn. The problem is that this is a pretty scary time to be leaving a job no matter how miserable it is.

Enter my Indiana Jones moment. This morning I faced the chasm of uncertainty and had the choice to step out and live by the faith I profess to have or to stand there unwilling and unable to move. I chose the former. I am now without a job and yet I am at complete peace that I did the right thing. As I struggled and prayed about this decision, I came to the following conclusion: God doesn’t always reveal the next step to you while you stand in comfort on the step you are on. Sometimes you are forced to take a step FIRST before knowing where your foot will land.

With that thought in my mind I, like Indiana Jones (but without the hat and whip—I thought that would be too confrontational) stepped out on faith. I turned in my keys, gave my resignation, and walked away with my head held high. I have absolutely no idea where my foot will land. But I know the One who built the next step in my life long before I would make the decision to step out towards it. Somehow, I am able to rest content in that knowledge.

So my words to you are this: God requires us to trust Him. How many of us really do? How willing are we to let go of the things that we think comfort us and give us peace? What is waiting on the other side of that step of faith? Could it be that He has something even better for us than what we have for ourselves? I think deep down you probably know the answer to that question.

So pick up your whip, don your fedora and step out with me. I don’t know where we are going, but I know we will love the view when we get there.

What Am I Talking About Anyway?

2009-09-28T12:55:00.001-04:00

Welcome All!

So here it is in a nutshell. I am at a precipice, the edge, and the start of something new… I have reached that jumping off point in my life where everything around me is changing, yet I am at peace. I guess I am in the eye of the storm.

Anyway, the story behind this blog is this. I have a passion and a gift for writing. It is something I have always enjoyed. The ability to craft letters into words and words into sentences and sentences into paragraphs and paragraphs into something more intrigues me. I enjoy writing things down the Spirit of God places on my heart and watching to see whom it can impact. Therein lies the problem.

You see, up until recently, I haven’t been focused on writing. I have been focused on everything else, because the “everything else” demanded so much of my attention. I guess that got God’s attention because He has begun removing things from my life to get my attention. Ironically enough, I am ok with that. So today is where it begins. I have no idea what God has in store for me. Part of me wishes I did, but most of me is content to just hang on for the ride.

So now I have created this “Words For The Kingdom” blog. Even the title has a story. It refers to my need to write, not for my own glory but for His. And to write, not for the day-to-day incidentals that we all face, but for how to make it through those “incidentals” and leave a lasting impact on His Kingdom, on the things Eternal.

So that is to be the aim of this blog. Nothing more than one man with a passion for words, (as anyone who knows me can attest to!) who hopes to share with you some things that God has blessed me with an ability to share. If there is anything in this that touches you or helps you, I give all credit to the One who has created in me anything that is good. I am just the conduit; He is the Message giver.

One last thing…I liken my writing to a pitcher of water being tipped over and poured out. I sometimes get inspired to write and just follow where the Spirit leads me. So if things seem a little random, that is why!