THE LINK Devotional

A Generous Life

2012-02-09T17:09:00.001-05:00

"But since you excel in everything - in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in the love we have kindled in you - see that you also excel in this grace of giving"

(2 Corinthians 8:7).

A friend of mine's wife was once battling cancer and had chosen to take a more natural and holistic approach to treatment. Her therapies included vast amounts of juicing several times a day. My friend, who had taken time off from to take care of his wife, eventually had to go back to work. Immediately, there was a woman named Sally that stepped into the picture. Sally committed her time, her energy, and her heart to helping my friend's wife. Like clockwork, Sally would come over to the house, juice the fruits and vegetables, take her to the grocery store, and liberally give from the heart of love that God had given to her. Her compensation? Gratitude, and the refreshing satisfaction that generous living brings.

Paul's writing in this part of his letter epitomizes the very life of Jesus. Jesus lived to put others first. He modeled the virtue of showing love, selflessness, and generosity. Paul speaks of those who were facing their own seasons of struggle, yet were still passionate about being a part of blessing others. Paul challenges them in their commitment to excellence in all areas, including in the area of living a generous life.

The greatest temptation in life is to think, whether you'll admit to it or not, that the entire universe and all that it holds revolves around you. Perhaps you don't buy into that fully, but as you take an honest look back, you will find it easy to see all of the decisions that have been made that first revolved around you. Taking care of yourself is not wrong. However, resist the strong currents of popular culture to look out for only you. The life you have been given is a gift from God. How you choose to live it and share it is your gift back to God.

Purpose to make generosity a priority in your life. Be generous, not just in a financial sense, but in every way and with every part of who you are. Be generous with your words. Encourage someone. Let someone know that they matter, that you appreciate them, that you were thinking of them. Be generous with your time. Don't allow your "busy-ness" to rob you from the opportunity of showing up in the lives of those around. Choose to connect. Be generous with your money. Do something nice for someone. Do something anonymously nice for someone. Pay for someone's gas, someone's coffee, or pay for the meal for the people in the car behind you in the drive-through that you've frequented more than you probably should have. The point? Let generosity be one of the key identifiers of your life. Be generous as God has been generous to you.

Cards on the Table

2012-02-08T13:50:00.001-05:00

"Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God"

(1 Corinthians 7:1).

I'm not much of a card player, but I'm very interested in watching other people play. I like to watch their faces and how they strain to keep them from looking strained. Their goal is that there opponent never knows which cards are actually in their hands. The thought behind is that if the "other side doesn't know which cards I'm holding, or not holding, then I might have a chance to pull this off as a win."

How much of life is lived with the same mentality before God. We hold back cards for fear of what those cards might cost us. We are so focused on "winning" on our terms, that we put on our poker face, attempt to bluff our way through with the hopes that we might have a chance to pull this off as a win. What we lose sight of, is that in Christ, we've already won. He already knows where we have fallen short. He sees the cards we have in our hands. We fool ourselves into thinking we're holding back the truth of our lives from Him. In fact, we hold ourselves back from the healing and restoration He desires to bring to our lives. But, we must be willing to lay the cards on the table.

God's desire is to take us through ever circumstance, challenge, and conflict that we face. When Jesus came to die for our sins, He knew the risks that many would chose to reject Him. He calculated that with those He knew would receive Him and deemed it to be worth the cost. However, for us to fully receive what He has to offer, we must be willing to recognize that we are incomplete with out it, and surrender to Him all that has been standing in the way.

The choice to be on the right path with God is left to other person but you. Are you willing to see the areas in your life that are less than God's best for you? Have you been playing a hand that is less than winnable, but attempting to bluff your way through with a poker face that longs for peace, but it so busy trying to hide the pain? Don't fall into the trap of trying to hide what is so painfully obvious. Recognize it. Surrender it. Deal with it. Learn from it. Move on past it. Purpose to let every word, thought, and action bring glory and honor to God. Let it be a reflection of the awesome reverence you have for Him.

Who Do You Follow?

2012-02-01T10:40:00.003-05:00

"'Do what you think is best,' the youth replied. 'I'm with you heart and soul'" (1 Samuel 14:7).

In 1995, I was on a ministry trip with our youth group from our small rural town in northeast Texas to the big city of Dallas. How exciting. 17. A driver's license. A car. No idea where I was going. These were the ingredients that made up for one incredibly long and interesting night.

Our team was going to be ministering in a church that weekend through music and drama, and we were at the church that evening to practice for the next morning's services. The idea after the practice, was that we would all caravan back to the house that we were to stay. Being from a small country spot on the map, I was to follow the lead car for our safe and quick return. However, I got distracted with friends in the car, forgot that I was following and was driving like I was leading. When exit after exit began to pass me by, I realized that I was on a major 5 lane freeway, at night, with no idea where I was, no idea where I was going, and no cell phone. I was lost.

Though this makes for a humorous story at my expense, there is a great truth to be learned. It matters who you follow. In addition to who we follow, it matters how consistently we follow. The power of this verse is rooted in its context. This was the story of Jonathan, the prince of Israel, passionately in pursuit of God, and to see His victory achieved in the lives of the people of his nation. Enter the armor bearer. He was committed heart and soul to one who was committed heart and soul to the One. It mattered who he followed. It mattered that he trusted his leader. His own course and destination rested in who he followed, where he followed, and how he followed.

You are called to and created for living life surrendered to God in Jesus Christ. Like the importance of following someone who knows where they are going in a large city at night, you are to follow Christ. He will lead you through the twists and turns, the exits and the on ramps, through the night and the traffic, because He knows the way. He's traveled the road. Don't give into the popular mindset of your culture that beckons you to make your own way or to follow your own dream. Lean on Him. Trust in Him. Follow Him heart and soul, from the core of your being, and with all that is within you.

Let today be a day of rest, reflection, repentance, and restart. Rest - slow down the pace and check your GPS. Are they His coordinates or yours? Reflect - who's trying to lead who? Is He leading you or are you trying to lead yourself? Repent - ask for forgiveness for not living in the total surrender that He calls for. Repent for trying to do it your own way, in your own time, and based on your own limited understanding. Restart - get moving. He's not done with you. He desires to lead you in a direction that will take your farther than you've ever known before.

Deep Roots

2012-01-26T16:53:00.003-05:00

"...through honor and dishonor, through slander and praise. We are treated as imposters., and yet are true" (2 Corinthians 6:8).

A. Parnell Bailey tells of a story of being given a tour by a farmer of an orange grove during a season of serious drought. En route to the trees of his grove, they passed a grove belonging to a neighboring farmer. The trees were dry, fruitless, and effected greatly by the overbearing sun and the deprivation of much needed water. When they arrived at the right grove, Bailey remembers seeing orange trees that were lively, leafy, and loaded with fruit. "How can this be?" was the question that was asked. The answer was profound. He was told of how when the trees were just young saplings, they were given water in small incremental amounts. Thirsting for more, the roots of the trees pushed further into the hardening ground in search of ground water. Having found that well of nourishment, his trees had survived because they learned what to do in the toughest of their trials. While other trees were wilting and dying under the pressure, his trees were thriving due the life-sustaining reservoir discovered in the depths.

As Paul continues to write this letter in the midst of great trial of personal attack, he expresses his great confidence in and dependence on God. In spite of the external circumstances, he still felt commended by God. He still believed he was approved by God. His goal had been, since the day of his surrender to Christ, to determine his life to be lived to honor Him, to dig deep in relationship with Him, and to depend upon Him through every moment of his life. There is a great temptation in our lives to give up during the most trying of times. We are encouraged to not give up, but press in, dig deep, and continue on. By the grace of God, we can come through the fires of our trials without even the hint, let alone the stench, of smoke.

Have you ever had a tough week that's brought you to the very end of your rope? Sure you have. Don't be discouraged. Don't give into the heat of the sun, the drought of the season, or the disappointment of the situation. Dig deep. Root deep. Commit to being rock solid and deep rooted in Jesus. You will continue to face seasons and situations that will surely put your faith to a test. Though this may seem unfair, uncalled for, unwarranted, and certainly unwanted, this is part of God's gift to you. No, it's not his desire to cause difficult in your life, but he will use it as an opportunity to strengthen you, stretch you, and show you more of Him than you've ever known. Through it all, remember who He is and who you are in Him. Dig deep, tap into Him as the Living Water. You may go through a drought, but you will never run dry!

The Goal is the Same

2012-01-25T12:24:00.000-05:00

"So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please Him" (1 Corinthians 5:9).

The story has been told, read, and retold of one night when one of the generals of Alexander the Great had a soldier who was undisciplined and always causing trouble. The officers had tried many ways and for a long time to whip the unruly soldier into shape. On one occasion Alexander was examining his troops. The unruly soldier was pointed out to him and Alexander asked the soldier his name. The soldier responded, “my name is Alexander.” Alexander the Great exclaimed; “Soldier, either change your name or change your behavior.” The point of timeless truth the general intended to make was that where you are does not matter. Where you are may change and inevitably will change. Who you are, or rather who God intended you to be, is never to change.

As children, I'm sure most of us can remember of times being exciting to go on field trips, overnights or just visiting a change of location. One of the common denominators of key advice was always, "don't forget that you represent this family." The goal of obedience, respect, unity, and good character, though not always flawless, was the expectation both at home and elsewhere. The location was changeable, but the expectation remained the same.

Paul, in this passage, is speaking of the difference in serving God here on earth of in heaven for eternity. He makes the bold and sobering claim of truth that there is no difference. We are to please Him: to live and to have hearts that are acceptable, agreeable, and extremely satisfying to Him. This is who we will be and what we do for eternity. It's been often said that life on earth is "Heaven Practice." What is done on the game field is a reflection of what has been done on the practice field. The spectators change but the expectations remain.

The truth is plain and simple. Live for Jesus in all that you do here. Let this be your heart's aim and your life's daily anthem. Live for Him now as you will live for Him there. Yes, you will fall short, but knowledge of that should not give license not to live to please Him in all that you think, say, and do. Reality check: Are you actions, thoughts, words, and attitudes in full agreement with Him? Are they congruent with His character, His will, and with His Word? This is to be the standard by which you measure yourself. And when you find that you fall short, rely on the power of His grace and love to pick you up, dust yourself off, and to set you back on the track that leads to the best that He has for you. No matter where you are, the goal is the same: to love Him, to trust Him, to repent before Him, and to walk in the way He is leading.

Strength Through Struggle

2012-01-24T17:15:00.002-05:00

"Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart" (2 Corinthians 4:1).

Push ups. Yes, I do them. I've done them for years. While in the US Army, they were as regular a part of my everyday life as the less than delicious food served in the local mess hall. Periodically, we were required to undergo a battery of physical fitness tests in order to track and gauge our physical fitness so that we would maintain proper readiness and effectiveness. During the push-up part of the tests, I would pound out a decent number in the first half of the two-minute trial. That second minute was spent focusing on getting as many as I could in order to maintain or beat the previous mark. Once hands or feet came off of the floor or knees came to the ground, the opportunity to continue was concluded. The last ten seconds for me was complete with excessive sweat, focus, and loud grunting. Though my arms burned and felt as though they had transformed from muscle to mush, I was determined that I would struggle through the pain, not give up before it was over, and gain strength through the process.

Paul, as he writes in 2 Corinthians, endured pain and many personal attacks to both his character and his calling. His suffering was public and gave much opportunity for dissenters to assert reason for him not being an apostle. The attacks were baseless, without substantiated evidence, yet were hurtful all the same. Paul's confidence did not come from his own achievements, accomplishments, or accolades. His confidence came from God's mercy in calling him to do this work. As long as he pleased God, pursued fulfillment from God, his strength would be perfected and he would persevere because God through Jesus Christ.

You will face moments or seasons of personal attacks. There will be days where you may feel that the harder you try, the harder it seems to persevere. Don't lose heart. When you seek to pleasure the expectations of people over God, the struggle will get the better of you. When you purpose to please God, you will find that struggle overcome by the strength that He gives you. Your purpose is found in Him. You don't need to be so quick to defend yourself, argue your efforts, or justify who you are. When your life is founded on loving Jesus, listening to His voice, and living according to HIS Truth, you will be led in a strength that will overwhelm the struggle you find yourself in. Never forget the words that were penned through the struggles of Paul's life: "His strength is made perfect in my weakness...When I am weak, then I am strong" (2 Corinthians 12:9-10).

Removing the Lens Cap

2012-01-20T10:21:00.000-05:00

"And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit" (2 Corinthians 3:18).

She went through half of the performance of her child's first Christmas program at his preschool before she realized her great gaffe. The pictures had all been snapped with great joy that spilled over from the smiles that shown like a brightly lit marquee. Then she realized. The lens was still on. No matter how beautiful the image would have been, she would never see again. She would never be able to show anyone of this great moment. It was there. She missed seeing the "greater picture" because she never got passed the lens cap.

How true this story is in our lives. God longs for us to see who He is and where He's leading us, and what He wants to show us at any given eyes. Without a relationship with Jesus, we are seeing life through a camera that still sports the cap. With "unveiled face" speak of God, through Jesus Christ, having made a way for us to more fully see, know, and understand the purposes for which we were created. He has provided access and clarity for us to more clearly see the hope we can have, in Him, as we journey in reaching that purpose.

What a knowledge you have access to. In Christ, you have the challenging, yet rewarding opportunity to be changed from degree of glory to another. He sees the potential worth in you so much, that He is constantly working on purging you, purifying you, and polishing you so that He can present you with the highest value possible. He's not done working on you. Open your eyes and see that He is passionate for you, perfecting you, and preparing you for the greatness of what He has in store for you. Don't become so distracted with what you see here and now that causes you to miss what He really wants you to see. You don't ever have to give into discouragement, doubt, or depression. He's still there. You're still being transformed. Take the lens of your understanding off, and begin to view your path through the eyes of faith in Jesus. His amazing grace has never lost its power. "For I was blind...but now I see."

Sour to Sweet

2012-01-19T12:33:00.001-05:00

"But thanks be to God, who in Christ, always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us, spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of Him everywhere"

(2 Corinthians 2:14).

When life offers you lemons, make lemonade! How cute. How proverbial. How cliche. How annoying! Sure, we've all heard the phrase, perhaps have been encouraged by its folksy charm and optimistic sentiment. Perhaps further still, some of us might even be willing to admit that we've used that phrase...or at least have thought about it, when speaking to others about the bombardment of less than ideal situations they might be facing. What intrigues me, is not the "what" to with taking the proverbial lemons and conjuring up a drink that is both satisfying and refreshing, but "who" supplies the other ingredients.

We don't have to look far to locate and identify struggles, trials, and heartaches. Their are plenty of them in the present, not to mention the ones that so many hold on to from the past as though they were some treasured memento never to be forgotten. Though we face them and must face them, we are not obligated to fear them. Paul reminds the reader that we serve a God who always is leading us towards triumph. Even the disappointments can bring glory to God. Does that sound so foreign, unrealistic, or even heretical? It's not the disappointment itself, but rather, how we respond. Those times bring to the surface of our lives the true fragrance of who we are.

Allow every situation in your life to bring out the very best fragrance that the reflects the knowledge of Him everywhere and at all times. Just like the sugar, when added to the lemons and the water, brings about a very different and positive perspective and takes it from sour to sweet, so desires the Lord to work similar in your life. He takes the sour - the struggles, the disappointments, the fears and regrets of your past and present. He adds to them the sweet - His love, His grace, peace, and joy, and His promise to walk with you regardless. He adds what you cannot and what you have not. If you open your heart and all that's in it to Him, He will turn your mourning to dancing, your sorrow to joy, and He can transform something so sour and bitter into something so sweet and blessed.

Sweat & Strength

2012-01-18T11:43:00.001-05:00

"Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves, but on God who raises the dead"

(2 Corinthians 1:9).

Basic Training. Summertime in South Carolina. Humid, hot, and harsh. It was the best of times and oh, it was the worst of times. Waking at four o'clock during a time that I never realized was on the clock twice in one day, to assemble in a formation for the purpose of running took me way past fun. It was supposed to. Basic training was a process of breaking me down until all of "me" and who I thought I was into who they believed I could be. I remember writing home one evening half-way through training. I wrote words that resembled the following thought: "There are so many that have given up. It can be discouraging. At times, I've considered calling it quits, too. But not now. It's not that it has gotten any easier. It's just that I have gotten stronger. God has helped me to do what I never thought was possible. And by myself, it wasn't. I can do this. I'm going to do this. Make sure you're at graduation. I'm going to come through this with flying colors."

We've all been there. There are times when we feel as though we might not actually get through. But, for the grace of God. Paul begins his second letter to Corinthian church by encouraging and expressing. He encourages them to endure though they face trials, attacks, temptations, and hardships. He expresses his unity and understanding, for he, at the time of his writing, his experiencing them, too. Who Paul was did not exempt him from the challenges and adversities of life. It was how Paul saw them and responded to them that made the difference.

Former United States Attorney General John Ashcroft once said that you can never have a resurrection unless first there is a crucifixion. He wrote of rises and falls in his public and political adventures. When there was a defeat, there was also a deliverance. Each loss opened the door for a n opportunity that would take him further than what he had foreseen. This is the principle of sweat and strength. God allows us to experience the pain of the stretching and strengthening, because He is preparing us for what are yet able to fully see.

This may be a challenge for you. If so, don't be discouraged. You are not alone. Continue to rely on Him. Realize that it is not by your strength alone that will see you through. Know that He is with you. Rest in His strength. Allow His peace to comfort you during the times where you begin to feel as though you're all alone. Trust Him. Depend on Him. He is the God of all faithfulness. He is the one who can raise you from the hardships and struggles, and He is longing to turn the sweat that forms in the heat of your situation into a strength that is perfected by His power.

Walking Through the Open Door

2012-01-12T14:48:00.001-05:00

"...for a wide door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many adversaries" (1 Corinthians 16:9).

Twenty-four years old, just married, graduated from college with a degree in theology, and ready to conquer the world for Jesus! Though it was years ago, I easily recall that period of my life. It was full of great expectations that were all fulfilled, but in ways that did not expect, nor in ways that I had always dreamed. I had been serving as a youth pastor at a small church plant in a community that was struggling, both economically and spiritually. I was a volunteer, single, and was putting my whole heart and soul in to what I was doing, who I was serving, and really love most every minute of it. In college, I had always dreamed of graduating and going to some large church that was full of people, grand salary packages, and benefits! Shortly before my wife and I were married, the Lord began to show some things that did not compute in the calculations that I had already decided. I felt as though God was leading us from where we were, but thought and was hoping that He was leading us to one of those places that fit what I desired, and quite frankly, thought I deserved. God saw it differently.

What God did do, was presented me with an open door. It led to another small church, a weekly stipend that wouldn't equate taking care of a new wife who was still a full time college student, and an hour-long one way commute that would cost tolls and over a hundred miles at a time. I was to begin a youth program and assist the pastor with other duties. A year into it, I tried to leave. I tried to find another open door, one that God, in His grace and wisdom, would not allow it to open. I stayed. There were challenges, struggles, and at times, the struggle was within me and my desire to be there. But THIS was the door that God had opened. I began to embrace it. I was able to see what GOD could when I fully walked through the door He had opened. Lives were changed. My life was changed. Though He would lead me through another open door a few years later, I am forever grateful for what God did in my life then and there.

Paul wrote to the church at Corinth challenging and encouraging them to persevere in the work that God had called them. He was living out the same call. He was open with them concerning the reality there will be challenges when we are living out the call of God. Not everyone will like it. Paul, however, did not look the other way when an opportunity presented itself, though it was clear that it would include great opposition. Instead, he stayed. He remained. He endured. He saw opposition as an opportunity. He refused to give up and quit.

There will be opportunities in your life that are disguised as oppositions. Don't be alarmed and don't be fooled. Within each of those oppositions is an open door where God will do amazing things beyond what you can possible imagine. It's so easy to label people and things as this or that and move on. With this attitude, we miss out on the discovering of what God may have wanted us to see and to learn. Take time today to seek God and ask Him what it is He wants you to do. And while you're at it, ask Him what He desires for you to learn. Ask Him to show you the open door. Don't judge it based on its looks. Judge it based on the One who is leading you to it, through it, and beyond it.

Running Uphill

2012-01-10T08:17:00.001-05:00

"But thanks be to God, who gives the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore...be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord , your labor is not in vain" (1 Corinthians 15:57-58).

Running is not something that I have always enjoyed doing. Now, I do enjoying beginning a run and I definitely enjoy finishing a run. It's all the running in between the start and the stop that begins to wear me down! One of the areas within running that is a struggle to me, and most people I'm sure, is running on an incline. When I was stationed outside of Washington, DC in the United States Army, we would routinely run through the historic Arlington National Cemetery, which was attached to our base. We would run early and the run would be a minimum of four miles. There were hills that went up and those that took us back down. It was very solemn and in many ways, enjoyable.

As we reentered the base, we found ourselves at the very bottom of a very large hill. The hill was daunting. We had already run almost four miles, and we were tired. I was tired! Quitting was the most attractive ideas I could come up with at the time. Being in a military unit, we ran as a unit in formation and repeated a cadence that was called by the platoon sergeant. As we approached the hill, he spoke words that would prove to be vital in my reaching the top of that hill. He would say, "Don't look at the hill. Stay focused on what's right ahead of you. Breathe. Don't repeat cadence. Be silent and listen to my voice. As he called cadence, he would include encouragement. "You can do this 2, 3, 4. Pick it up 2, 3, 4. Don't give up 2, 3, 4. Almost there 2, 3, 4." Before I realized it, the run became easier because I was now at the top of the hill. I had made it. I didn't give into my feelings or to the voices running rampant in my mind. I listened to the voice of my leader. He didn't fail me.

How easy it is to get side-tracked on the journey we travel. We become distracted with the nagging thoughts that remind us how hard it is, or how much easier it would be to do something else. There is a strategy by the enemy of our souls to use whatever mechanism available to knock us off the straight and narrow. He uses our emotions, our mind, our disappointments, and our discouragement. But through Him who gives victory, we can endure. Victory does not have to be a specific time, place, or even. We are intended do live victory in everyday life, and applying victory-sustaining principles to every part of life.

Never forget. You have victory in Jesus and through the powerful work that Jesus completed on the cross. You are not who your thoughts try to convince you that you are. You are not a quitter. You are not useless. You are not beyond hope. In Christ, you are more than a conqueror, steadfast, immovable, and abounding in the work He has called you to. There will be many days where the uphill climb is all you seem to face. Don't become discouraged by the hill in front of you. Listen to God. He's speaking a cadence of encouragement over your life. Focus on His voice. He will lead you. By the grace of God, you will live in the victory that He has already purchased. You will begin to know that you are what you are - you are His.

Building with Purpose

2012-01-06T11:27:00.001-05:00

"...let all things be done for building up" (1 Corinthians 14:26).

When I was living life in the midst of thriving youth ministry, I came into contact with teenagers that found a place on all ends of the spectrum. There were those that were intelligent, creative, musical, dramatic, great speakers, incredible athletes, remarkable thinkers, funny, random, and anything and everything else in between. I will never forget one young man in particular.

Though he didn't like to be in front of big crowds, he enjoyed showing off his creative and colorful personality in other ways. In one instance, he though of himself as the next world class chef. He invited a group of friends to his home one weekend, and as they awoke on Saturday morning, he chose to wow his comrades with his culinary arts by preparing for them his "famous scrambled eggs." He started with eggs, added milk, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and then begin to throw in a little bit of "this" and maybe some of "that," and to top it all off, adding a cup (or so) of orange juice for that "little extra." Believe it or not, the eggs were actually...well...terrible! I remember as the story was told to me amidst all of the hysteria, how the sight and the smell turned the stomach before the taste ever could. The randomness of all the ingredients never produced what was hoped for. Random never does.

In 1 Corinthians 14, Paul writes in regard to order in the church. He is teaching of the various spiritual gifts that may operate, but provides both instruction and caution in the motivation of those gifts. Paul speaks of everyone bringing in something that edifies, adds to, and strengthens the overall health and effectiveness of the church. The right ingredients at the wrong time and with the wrong motivation doesn't increase the effectiveness of positive influence. It creates a mess. Let all things build up. He's saying not to focus on one area, but in how all areas are connected and built upon in order to strengthen the greater structure.

This is a challenge for many. Are you focusing and zeroing in on one area of your life at the expense of the health of other areas? It is so easy for good intentions to be misguided or misinterpreted. Whether it involves spiritual gifts in the church or spiritual growth in your own life, ask God to work a balance in your life. Allow Him to show you areas, even good areas, that are receiving more focus than is healthy for the overall health of your balance. Surrender your day, your life, your family, your job, your dreams, and your every concern to Him. Choose to think, speak, focus, and act upon that which will be more of a "building up" than a "halting," or a "tearing down." Without balance, whatever you build will not last.

Love is Strong

2012-01-04T10:47:00.000-05:00

"...or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful" (1 Corinthians 13:5).

Love. It is something we all long for, believe in, have been changed by, and hope to live by. There are movies that are classified as romantic comedies, novels that have been penned as romance, and late night radio music shows that have been stamped with the title of "love songs." However, the strength of love and its effects are not found in movies, manuscripts, or melodies. It is found in our ability to recognize love not as a result of strength, but as a strength.

This verse is a snapshot glimpse of the definition of not just "what" love is, but also "who" love is. 1 John 4 reminds us that "God is love." If God is love, then anywhere that the Bible speaks of love in a positive light also refers to God. Love is more than emotional "warm and fuzzies." It is more than a pit that one "falls into." It is not something that is to be based on another human being that bares the same imperfections and inconsistencies that we do. It is both a choice and an action lived out in everyday life. It surpasses our emotions. Love is not controlled by our emotions, but is in control over our emotions.

Rudeness is epidemic. It comes naturally. It is based on an emotion. It is a result of not getting our way. It is a defense and attack mechanism that seeks to make it known that we are NOT happy. Love is not rude. Rudeness is not love. Rudeness and irritability are emotions and effects that we all deal with, but do not have to determine the decisions that we make in our relationships with each other.

We can all be rude. We have all have a tendency to insist our own way. We can all be irritable, and at times, hold on to things that foster that emotion. Be reminded that this is not love. Today, ask God to help you to monitor every word out of your mouth and every attitude that you portray. Depend on Him for the strength to resist, refuse, and refute anything to come from you that would be marked by the label of "rude." If you find yourself irritable, deal with. If you need to confront someone, do so, but do it in love. Don't allow rudeness to justify your irritability. Love is a strength that showcases a power greater than that of our will, our words, or our own ways. Choose to practice patience and deference, and realize that most things we battle over are really not "worth the fight." Remember this: it was the love of Jesus that led Him through the greatest pain that granted us the greatest gain.

Strategically Designed

2012-01-03T09:51:00.002-05:00

"But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as He chose"

(1 Corinthians 12:18).

Men and women think very differently. Shocked? I'm sure this comes to no surprise for anyone. Of course, being married reminds me of this all-to-true, universal, since-time-began truth. There is an order to how I do things. To some it appears very random, chaotic, neurotic, and perhaps even psychotic (that's for another time). But to me, there is a particular reason, rhyme, and design to my way of thinking. For instance, there is a bookshelf in my home where books that belong to my wife and books that belonged to me all converged upon the same shelf. My wife is one, that when she finishes a book, it's finished, completed, and retired, never to be looked at again (for the most part). For me, whether or not I plan on reading again (assuming I read it the first time), I like to know exactly where it is.

When we married, the books on our shelf opened us up to an education that reached beyond the pages between their covers. I ordered all of the books by author and/or by subject. This made sense to me, and it would provide greater ease and efficiency when looking for the right book at the right time. My wife thought it would all look better if they were ordered by size. It "looked" right to her, but caused great confusion for me. I memorize titles and authors, but I could care less about the size or color of a book. Have you ever been to a library? There is nothing about size that is considered when organizing the order of books. Dewey's decimal system never considered size and the Library of Congress is no different. Perhaps they never consulted with my wife! Books have been ordered by a design that strategically places them so that they may be accessed in a way that is both efficient and effective.

Paul addresses a similar concept in 1 Corinthians 12. He emphasizes the concept of unity, belonging, and functioning according to design, not desire. He uses the analogy of the order of the human body. No one has ever been tasked to redesign the human body, at least not in the sense of the placement of its parts (both inside and out). They were all strategically placed on purpose and with a purpose by God. Before the beginning of time, He saw what we would never be able to see or understand fully, and He knows now what we can still not wrap our minds around. His placement is both divine and sovereign.

What confidence this should bring! You are here because God placed you here. You were not a mistake. You did not miss your decade, and you were not some cosmic accident that just happen to land on planet earth. You are part of God's placement and God's preference. Choose to live this day with a confident dependence upon He who called you here and holds you near. Don't become discouraged because you don't understand. Resist the temptation to try to redesign your own destiny. Before you were a twinkle the eyes of those that conceived you, you were conceived in the mind of God. He has a purpose for you. He has placed you in the time you are in, the family you are in, the surroundings you are in, and has a purpose. He is the great artist who is painting on the canvas of your life. Thank Him for His divine placement, for He knows all things well.

Just for Fun...

2011-12-22T13:06:00.000-05:00

On December 11, 2011, members of my leadership team and I decided to poke fun at ourselves with common misconceptions of what church leaders "do all day." I hope this will put a smile on your face today! Merry Christmas!

Not Just On Sunday

2011-12-20T09:53:00.000-05:00

"If anyone is hungry, let him eat at home - so that when you come together it will not be for judgement..."

(1 Corinthians 11:34).

God bless "Sister Betty." She was a dear woman that attended a small country church in a rural Texas town. On one Wednesday evening that I had been asked to speak during their service, Sister Betty had been asked to introduce me. She began by welcoming all those who had ventured out on this "middle of the week" night. As she was speaking, she told the small congregation how much she needed to be there herself. "I need to be in church on Wednesday to get my blessin' to hold me over 'til Sunday."

I've never forgotten those words. Not for a minute do I think that dear sweet Ms. Betty was the only one to ever entertain such a though. "...to hold me over 'til Sunday." I'm certain you understand what she is referring to. There are those who's entire relationship with God hinges on their attendance to church on Sunday mornings. Their entire communication with God unfairly rests on the pastor. They depend entirely on him to meet all of their spiritual needs, to be the voice of God, and resolve all of life's confusion all in less than an hour and a half on one day a week. Wow!

In 1 Corinthians 11, Paul is addressing the issue of communion. There are those who have come to worship and to break bread, but have come hungry, literally hungry. They begin to eat the communion bread to satisfy a hunger, to use it for a purpose it was never intended. Communion was to celebrate what Jesus had done and for them to remember both the sacrifice He gave and the surrender that they had returned. Paul told them to eat at home. What they were to be doing together was to be a culmination and confirmation of what they had been depending upon God for at home.

Imagine if you ate a meal only on one day a week. If your entire week depended upon the nourishment you received one day a week, you would become weak, unhealthy, and ineffective. Making times to spend with God and to "eat" of His Word, the Daily Bread of Life, will make such a difference in your life. Make time in His Word and in His presence a priority in your everyday life. Don't rely on a pastor, a teacher, an evangelist, or even the spiritual maturity of a good friend. Be nourished on the goodness of God everyday. Psalm 34:8 reminds you to "...taste and see that the Lord is good...blessed are you who take refuge in Him." There is great health, successful effectiveness, and much blessing when are making our dwelling place in the presence of the Lord. Let Sunday be the day where you celebrate all that God has been doing in your life all week, and allow the preached Word confirm what He's already been speaking to you. God desires to be an active voice in your everyday life. Not just on Sunday.

Straight Ahead

2011-12-19T16:48:00.001-05:00

"Are we trying to arouse the Lord's Jealousy? Are we stronger than He?" (1 Corinthians 10:22).

Have you ever noticed that the word "player" has culturally evolved into something to proud of? It has become a badge of honor. For a man to cheat and to be with more women than he is able to count is seen, in many circles, to be something to honor, look up to, and respect. In the year 2002 I made a covenant to the woman who was and still is my very best friend. I vowed to her before God that I would honor her and cherish her, keeping myself only for her as long as we both shall live.

What I vowed to my wife did not lose its potency or relevancy at the conclusion of the honeymoon, or during the times that we may have been at odds with one another. It was a vow that surpasses emotions, desires, frustrations, hurts, and temptations. If I falter in a way that I veer off the course that I vowed to journey with my wife, I am both breaking that vow, and provoking her heart to jealousy. I made a promise. I entered into covenant. I did so before God. For our marriage to be successful, we must, together, keep our eyes on Jesus and focus life straight ahead. No turning back, no turning around, and no turning away.

So it is in our relationship with Jesus. It is not uncommon to see people who call themselves "Christians," yet choose to live in a way that reflects little regard to Him. They don't honor Him with the choices they make, the words they speak, or the direction they travel. They worship the idols of self-interest, self-preservation, and self-centeredness.

Paul sought to hit a home-run with this message to his audience. Each moment you live is to be lived as an act of worship to God. You life is to be a living sacrifice - given in total surrender and humility. Every aspect of your existence is to be a song of passionate worship, intimately expressing your love, commitment, and dedication to Him. When you choose not to spend time with the Creator of time, then you are choosing to worship your will at a greater level than the heart of God. He is greater than anything you can possibly seek to understand. He desires to be your all-in-all. Let your life reflect a heart that beats passionately for Him. Resist the distractions. Focus on Him. Walk with Him straight ahead.

Running to Win

2011-12-13T09:29:00.002-05:00

"Do you not know that in a race all the runners compete, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it" (1 Corinthians 9:24).

One of my favorite and inspiring football movies of all time is the sports classic, Rudy. It's the story of an undersized, middle class young man of meager means, but great ambition. Competitive as a high school football player, he was clear that he was more gifted with heart and passion than with size and skill. His dream was to play with the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame. He was turned down at every twist and turn, only to find himself serving on their practice squad. By the end of the movie, you find that Rudy gets a once-in-a-college-career shot of playing on the field with the team of his dreams. With determination in his eyes and passion in his heart, he is triumphant in succeeding to bring down the offensive player with the football. The crowd erupts! The cheering was not so much for one who would be famous for his skill, but for one who would not give up, but who would fix his eyes on the prize, endure through the pains and disappointments, and purpose to obtain it.

Though life is more complicated than a sporting event, it is a competition. Paul likened it to a race, invoking the imagery of the Olympic games of his time. We are not in competition with each other. We do, however, face an everyday battle with those things that would seek to hold us back from the obtaining the prize that God has for us. Victory in our lives will not just happen. Spiritual growth is not random. It is strategic, on purpose, and with great determination. Jesus did all that needed to be done to make it available to us. He has given us the ability. We have to use it. We cannot live as though our choices don't matter, our thinking doesn't matter, or that we don't matter. We are to run as though we intend and expect to receive all that Christ has desired for and made available to us.

Each day you are running a race against your desires, against time distractions, against negative feelings, emotions, and insecurities. God has placed an aim, a passion, a vision, a dream in your heart. He desires you to run victoriously in this life, a winner, successful, and blessed. There is nothing you can do to earn or deserve such a prize. He has already won it and has now placed it before you. The question you must answer is this: "How bad do you want it?" Are you willing to live a life of discipline, passion, and endurance? Are you willing to let go of everything that would seek to pull you back? Are you willing to rise above the pain, the weariness, and the fear; to trust Him for what you don't have, and to focus on Him who is calling you to a greater prize than you can fathom? Run to win. You don't run alone.

Arrogance

2011-12-08T16:45:00.001-05:00

"Now concerning food offered to idols: we know that 'all of us possess knowledge.' This knowledge puffs up, but love builds up"

(1 Corinthians 8:1).

Paul, in this section of his letter to the church at Corinth, was addressing the problem of legalism and spiritual pride. There are those that love to showcase what they know and how much they know to the point of becoming critical and judgmental. As Christians, we are called to be advocates of the truth, while at the same time, living in honor of Him who is the Truth. We were never called to arrogance, but to love.

Later on in this transformation letter, Paul gives greater definition to what love is. In one of the most often recited passages on love, Paul writes that love is "patient, kind, not rude, not self-seeking, does not boast..." Unfortunately, the way most people argue has become synonymous with arrogance. It becomes arguing for argument sake, seeking to prove right and prove wrong, and about winning a debate, rather than living in a way that reflects the love that we claim to be changed by. Our adoration for Jesus will always be a better argument than our arrogance, intended or perceived.

"Knowledge" puffs up. It makes us feel bigger than we were ever designed or intended to be. Love builds up. It is focused on others more than ourselves. We are called to teach, not trample. We are meant to disciple, not destroy. We are to reflect the love of Jesus, not the legalism of arrogance. Yes, we are to speak the "truth in love." However, let's not twist that scripture to become the blank check that allows us to say what we want to. Let us remember what and Who love is.

Allow this to be a reminder in your life. It is not about you, but about building up others in their faith, and in their relationship with others around them. If you build up yourself, then you're not lifting up Jesus. Exalt Him, and He will lift you up. If others are not persuaded by the truth you are presenting, don't result to futile and volatile arguments. Live out the truth. Let the love of Jesus be more persuasive than your ability for words. He is truth. He is love. Love is more persuasive than arrogance.

Resolve.

2011-12-05T11:41:00.001-05:00

"Each one should remain in the situation which he was in when God called him" (1 Corinthians 7:20).

Years ago I had learned of a man who had struggled greatly with lust and become grossly entrenched in the bondage of pornography. Longing desperately to be separated from this long-time struggle, he mistakenly assumed that getting married would set him free. Not only did he find that he was in error in his thinking, he found that the fight would continue. There would be no "easy way out." He would have to engage with the power of God and depend upon that strength to endure. And that, he did.

Like this man who found the freedom he desired in Christ, yet found it through the process of dependance and endurance, so are many. Paul addresses an issue here in the context of many things. He's addressing marriage, slavery, ceremonial obligations and traditions. The point he makes is clear and applicable both then and now. When someone comes to Christ, there is NO GUARANTEE of immediate resolution of all struggle. The fight will continue. However, the source of your fight will change. It is no longer you, your will, or your strength. Rather, it is your surrender unto Jesus. He, then, gives you the resources you need and the resolve you will depend on in your quest to see that freedom realized.

It was for freedom that Christ has set you free. This is true. What is also true, is that everything you need for that freedom is found in Christ and is finished in Christ. But what is further true, is that you have to daily walk it out and work it out in fear and trembling. You have to take captive every thought and imagination that would attempt to exalt itself over the knowledge of Jesus Christ. You have to depend upon Him and lock-eyes with Him as the author and perfecter of your faith. Don't be afraid of the struggle. You are free in Him. Though you may continue to feel the barrage of that struggle and the temptation to return, rely upon the strength of God, and He will not only give you the resolve, but be the resolve that you need.

Re:Defined

2011-12-02T10:24:00.001-05:00

"And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of the our God" (1 Corinthians 6:11).

Hypocrisy. It's cited as one of the leading reasons that many people have either walked away from God, the church, or both, or either have steered clear from either/or altogether. It's easier to judge than it is to be judged. It's easier to hold the gavel than to hear it being slammed down, unjustly sentencing you based on opinions, ideas, ideals, expectations, and standards that the "sentencer" doesn't hold themselves to. Of course, it is also easy to become overwhelmed with cynicism that we, too, decide to check out, criticize, and allow bitterness have a fighting chance at overtaking our mind. So, where does that leave us?

"And such were some of you..." Paul is referencing statements he has just made concerning the types of people who will not inherit the kingdom of Heaven. He even mentions some of the "hot button" sins that we like to capitalize on, separating ourselves from the same responsibility to God over our "lesser" offenses. He lists them and says, "...and such were some of you..." None of us are without a past, without sin, without stains upon the fabric of our hearts. Without God at the forefront of our lives, we are all tainted. God doesn't level and categorize sin in the same manner that we do. He condemns it all. Yet, He has made away to remove the stain from our lives in a way that leaves all of the power of "oxy clean" wanting! We each have struggled, failed, and failed again, but God, through the power of the blood of Jesus Christ, has washed us, made us new, and has redefined us by His grace so amazing.

There are areas that you have undoubtedly struggled and failed. But, those areas no longer have to define you. Why? Because, you have had the opportunity to be redefined by the power of the Spirit of God. You are a child of God. In Him, you can be made new, clean, pure. Restoration can be more than an ideal. It can become a reality in your life. You, however, must choose to receive the grace and mercy, each day, that He has for you. Choose today to live each day with the knowledge and confidence of who you are in Christ Jesus. Don't judge yourself by who you've been or by how you feel, but by who you are in Him. You are made new. You are forgiven. You were created in His image. You are His. And while you're at it, allow that grace that you are desperate to receive from Him also flow through to others. After all, "...and such were some of you." Oh, but for the grace of God!

Small Things Matter

2011-11-30T14:44:00.001-05:00

"...Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump?"

(1 Corinthians 5:6).

Let's get something straight right off the bat. I am a big baby! I am a wimp when it comes to pain. God blessed me with a variety qualities, but a tolerance for pain was not in the package. A few years back, my wife and I owned a small house in a town where we were in ministry that had a deck on the back. This deck, like many decks made of wood that has been around a few years, baking under the son, and enduring the various elements of the seasons, was complete with its share of splinters. I am one who enjoys being barefoot and going where my feet take me outside. I love the grass in between my toes, and my toes take advantage of the opportunity to breathe!

Let me bring it home: old decks plus bare feet equal splinters! You might not think much of a splinter to look at it. It's small, skinny, and bends; nothing to be so concerned about. However, when this foreign object makes its way into my foot, my entire body eventually responds. It may take time, but infection attempts to set in. How important it is for me, regardless of the pain that may be involved, to deal with what may seem "small." It's the small things, when ignored, that wreak the greatest havoc in our lives.

In 1 Corinthians 5. Paul is making the point that a "little bit" really does matter. It is so commonly easy to think that just a small amount of something is OK. Perhaps it is not even a "bad" something. But, what effect is it having on the most important things in our lives. Sometimes it is the small things IN our lives, and other times it's the small things that we're leaving out of our lives.

This is the question you should ask, answer, and apply in your life. Ask :What are the "little things" that are making their way noticeably into other areas of my life? What am I choosing to ignore? Answer: __________________________________________. Apply: Choose to be strategic and purposeful in your response to the answer to the question you've asked. When you begin to realize that the small things matter, and deal with the small things, you will find greater success in the big things. You can't focus on the big things when you're having to deal with small things that have now become big things. Ask God to give you the understanding to see what needs to be seen, the wisdom to know what to do, and the strength to follow though and do it.

Reflections

2011-11-29T11:31:00.001-05:00

"I urge you then, be imitators of me" (1 Corinthians 4:16).

One night after dinner as my wife and I were cleaning the kitchen together (and yes, I do help clean the kitchen), I turned around and looked at my oldest son, who was six at the time. I asked him, "what are you doing?" He said, "Hi, I'm Pastor Chris!" He was wearing my suit jacket, a tie of mine he found in the closet (those rare occasions that I do wear a tie), and was in my size twelve dress shoes. He said, "I want to be like Daddy." Now that we've had our 'awwwwe...how cute moment,' let's allow the powerful truths of such an impacting moment to set in. No matter what we do, there are people that are watching us, learning from us, and imitating us. What they see is a reflection of who we are.

It is essential and key to have good examples in our lives, and in turn, to be an example that is worthy of being followed. Popular Christian leadership author, John Maxwell, packages this idea in a 'must-remember' simple definition of leadership. "Leadership is influence - nothing more, nothing less." Everyone is a leader. Everyone influences someone. The question everyone has to answer is whether or not they are leading by and leaving an example worth following.

Each morning you wake up, stumble to the bathroom, and at some point in time, you brave yourself enough to look into the mirror. Who is looking back at you? Quickly we respond with, "well, of course it's me looking back." If you are satisfied with that answer, then the focus of your influence on others will be that they look like you. We must understand that we are inadequate, but there is One who is greater, One in which will only increase in our lives as we decrease. You were not called to be the best looking "you" that you can be. You were called to be a reflection of Jesus. It's not you that is to live, but Christ that lives within you.

This is a pledge that we must faithfully make each day. A pledge that declares: "I will live in a way that will honor God as someone else follows my example." Our desire is to be able to, with great integrity, speak loud with our everyday lives to "be imitators of me." "Follow me in my work ethic, my marriage, my parenting, and most importantly, my relationship with Jesus." So, when you look in the mirror, are you seeing less of you and more of Him?

Exposed

2011-11-23T09:38:00.001-05:00

"...their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person's work"

(1 Corinthians 3:13).

As a teenager, I succumbed to the great curse of the runaway zit! I know. Gross. Please. You have no idea! I used to think that perhaps I could make some extra money by renting out my face to parties as a portable rock-climbing wall. Either that, or traveling topographical map of the Rocky Mountain region of Colorado! Because I was so focused on becoming one of those smooth-faced guys that seemed to have faces that were perfectly chiseled from a rock, I tried everything to hide and to "fix" my face. I discovered a skin colored cream that I would use to try to mask what was there. It seemed to work for a while. But then, I tried one of my Grandmother's "cures." Before bed one night, I covered my face in toothpaste! Try sleeping with fluoride all over your face. Not sure what it was supposed to do for my complexion, but it did wonders for my pores being minty fresh! The next morning I was HORRIFIED! It brought everything that I had been trying to hide to the surface. There was no hiding. However, because it all came to the surface, it was now able to be confronted, cleansed, and cured.

Paul speaks of a fire that exposes all that is hidden. Fire will test the strength, the durability, and the purity of whatever element it comes into contact with. Paul was encouraging the church to take notice of their own "work." What was the condition, the foundation, the results of all they put their hands to? How easy it would have been, and unarguably still is, to mask what we are doing, what we are saying, and what we are thinking, with what we actually do. But, God knows all, and all will be tested to show it for what it is, so that it might become the pure and valuable element He desires it to be.

Is this a tough one for you? Many people have come to closeness with the reality of this truth. The fact is, there are a lot of things in most of our lives that would not stand the heat of the fire. Although the situations that God allows in your life may be uncomfortable, allow Him to use them to reveal what has been beneath the surface, deal with it, and begin again to live in the purity and strength of Jesus in your everyday life.

Let me offer a prayer that, in different ways, has become a constant in my life. "Lord, My God. I ask you to purify my heart. Remove from me all that is standing in the way of Your love for me. All I want is You."

Things I Really Know

2011-11-22T10:49:00.001-05:00

"For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified" (1 Corinthians 2:2).

November 9, 2011 will be a day that many people will forget. November what? Exactly. However, there is at least one man with great ambition that will continue to relive an "oops" moment in his mind for what at times may seem like an eternity. It was the Republican primary debate in Rochester, Michigan. Texas Governor and presidential hopeful Rick Perry began to try to astound his audience with his bold and quick answer of what three government agencies he would seek to eliminate upon being sworn into the chief leadership role of the United States government. He rattled off one, then, two, but by the time he attempted to relay number three, his mind went blank. He tried again. He could not remember. No matter how hard he tried, he received a harsh reminder in humility.

What do we really know? We quote statistics, rattle off information, debate various arguments, but how will that really change you? Not that there is not an element of relative importance, but how will it effect eternity. All that we know in this life and on this earth will pass away. There will be a moment in our existence where we will come face to face with the reality of the futility of all that we thought was so important.

For Paul, it wasn't about how he could "wow" those who were in his "audience" with his words, his speaking skills, or his lack thereof. In fact, he wasn't a good public speaker at all. But, he knew Jesus personally and intimately. He had made it his passion to be intimately familiar and connected with the crucifixion of Jesus. This is what knew. This is what mattered. This is what he preached, and it was this that would change the hearts and the lives of many.

Whatever it is that you know, it's inadequate. Don't allow yourself to get tied up and sucked into to useless arguments and debates where you try to win with your knowledge. The only thing that matters is that you breathe, speak, and live a life that is evidence of being changed by the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Is He the main subject of your life? Your daily target is to not be right in the eyes of people, but to live right before God, to live crucified with Christ, that the life you live is His life living through you. This will be the greatest sermon, the most influential argument, and the most relational invitation the world will ever see.

Trophies & Tales

2011-11-17T10:16:00.001-05:00

"Therefore, as it is written, 'Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord'"

(1 Corinthians 1:31).

Trophies, medals, ribbons, awards, and certificates. We like to win them, display them, talk about how we got them, and what it means to us. Have you ever watched the Oscars, the Emmies, the Grammies, or number of Prime-Time award shows? They are filled with speeches that more times than not, speak of their accomplishments, how they deserve this, how they've worked hard for this. Sure, there have been those that have said they didn't deserve it. Did they give it back?

Of course, there is nothing wrong with winning achievements and sharing the story of the journey that led you there. I'd like to think I have a few stories to share along the path of my own walk through life to this point. The question, however, is whose glory is it for? It is very true that God chooses and uses people to accomplish great things in our world. Let's not forget the key truth. It is God. He uses the abilities, talents, gifts, and skills that we have at the very grace of His own hand.

He is the source of life. Let all boasting begin, end, and be filled with giving glory, credit, and honor to Him who is above all things, who brings us through, over and in spite of so much. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from the Father. Every breath that we breathe is a testament of His strength to get us through another day. In spite of a economic woes, political woes, emotional woes, and hardships that are more plentiful than a spread at your favorite Chinese buffet, His faithfulness endures, His love endures, and peace is all that gives us rest.

There are times of temptation to say, "I did this." "Look at me." But, what can you really do on your own aside from Him? It is possible to have good things and success without God, but equally without true and complete fulfillment. If you are successful, know that it is by the hand of God. If you have not yet reached the level of success that you aspire, stop looking at yourself as the source or means of that success. Look to Him. He is the author and the perfecter of your faith and all things good. He has purposed a plan for your life. Don't get caught up in the plan or the results and rewards of the plan. Focus and seek first the One who is the Author of that plan.

Skeptical Faith?

2011-11-16T01:30:00.000-05:00

"They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus" (Luke 24:2).

I believe in Jesus. I believe He is the savior of the world, the Son of God, and IS God (a lot of theology here, save for another time). I believe He healed the sick, walked on water, raised the dead, and showed the great power of His own Deity in conquering the grave by rising from the dead and ascending into Heaven. I believe it.

I doubt. Though I say I believe, when faced with a trial that challenges that belief, I respond in ways that contradict my faith. With my attitudes, I rewrite the premise and definition of faith from believing and hoping in that which cannot be seen, to faith is substance of what I want and believed upon the evidence of what I see. As a Christian, the two ideas are incompatible. If I say I believe, and I doubt, how can I really believe? My faith is tested by that which attacks my belief. Faith is when I can celebrate even when what I see is less than what I believe.

The disciples and followers of Jesus came to the tomb and found exactly what gave the evidence to what Jesus had spoken. He said He would rise again. The stone was rolled away. He was gone! They did not believe. They entered out of doubt, not out of celebration. They found Him not to be there. The word found is a word that signifies seeking. They saw the open tomb and expected to find Him there...still dead. He was gone. It was as though they still didn't believe what Jesus had said.

When you see God begin to do the amazing things that He's promised for your life, believe Him. Don't get distracted by what you do see or what you don't see. Keep your eyes lifted to Him. Stay focused on His eyes. When all you see is Jesus, everything else begins to fade into its proper place. It is not up to you to prove it right or wrong, check it out, or to give it your stamp of approval. It is up to you to believe and to celebrate by faith all that He's promised. Remember, faith is when you can celebrate even when what you see is less than what you believe.

The Power to Forgive

2011-11-15T01:30:00.000-05:00

"Jesus said, 'Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing...'" (Luke 23:34).

It has been said that to forgive is to serve eviction notice on one who has been living rent-free in your mind. It's not so much that it frees them, but that it frees you. As anyone who has lived in this world for longer than a day, it is complete with a roller-coaster array of trials and troubles and people who can be both the trial and the trouble! It is inevitable that we will face times of hurt, rejection, betrayal, discouragement, and disappointment at the hands of those we hold or have held with close regard. Of course the common sentiment in our culture is to get even, or "get first before you get got!"

How interesting it is that we are so quick to dismiss psychics and clairvoyants as scam artist, yet we accuse those who have hurt us of knowing exactly what they've done to hurt us, how bad it hurt us, how they should have known what we'd think even though we haven't spoken, or or better yet, we assume what they know, what they did, and why. We desire and are desperate to be forgiven for what we have done and how we have hurt others with the hopes that it can be let go and we can all move on, yet we, in return, hold on until we are certain that the offender is experiencing as much pain as they have inflicted, and with interest.

Think about this. Jesus had been mutilated, humiliated, and was in the midst of being executed like that of a common criminal. He had done exactly as the Father had asked. He never once veered from the great plan that was essential for the redemption of all those that would seek it. He had been the source of great truth, healing, provision, and life to many. Instead of appreciation, He had received attitude, agony, and attack. Now on the cross, Jesus had a choice to make. Forgiveness isn't so much about what happens to you, but how you respond to what happens to you. Rather than spewing "justified" curses down upon these offensive and obscene people, He pronounced forgiveness. He declared that they did not fully understand what they were doing, thus clearing them with a pardon that would open the door for the redemption He was came to give.

How often have you allowed a bad moment turn into a bitter season? How many times have you held a grudge, even if only for a minute because you were certain that someone else knew exactly what they were doing? Have you ever been so sure as to accuse another, even within the secrecy of your own heart, of their premeditation in attacking you, offending you, or causing hurt to you? Jesus forgave. He didn't argue with them based on why they said what they said or did what they did. The details that belabor conflict and controversy within relationships today didn't matter to Him. He chose to forgive. Choose today to forgive, to cast your hurts, cares, and offenses on Him who understands. Ask Him to give you the strength to forgive, a strength that only exists in full surrender of all of our concerns to Him. He is able. His forgiveness with unleash a great power in you, and through you to forgive.

Held in the Hard Times

2011-11-14T11:51:00.001-05:00

"'Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.' An angel from heaven appeared to Him and strengthened Him"

(Luke 22:42-43).

Faith in God, in Jesus, can feel the toughest during times that challenge that very faith. Recently I was able to walk at the beginning of a journey with a family that has and will continue to challenge them and attempt to shake them to their core. The hopes and dreams that are a part of bringing in the first born seem to vanish before them as quick light bulb that has burned out, leaving nothing but darkness that the eyes have yet to adjust to. As we gathered together, there were many questions that surfaced. "Why?" It's a question that has universally plagued the world many times over as people, good people, God-fearing people, have faced such a place of challenge. Even during that time, there were prayers, many prayers that were lifted up to the Creator of the Universe; prayers of healing, restoration, and even resurrection! To no avail? It would appear that way. But wait. There is so much more to God and to the plans of God that we just cannot understand. And when we come face to face with these twists, turns, and pitfalls on the journey, He is there. He comforts. He holds us. He holds us together.

Jesus poured Himself out before the Father. he knew what needed to be done, and He knew what it would fully entail. And, in His humanity, He asked God if there might be any other way. It wasn't His desire to encounter the weight of the sins of the world, to experience the full force of the humiliation, the mockery, and the ultimate betrayal and rejection that was surely to come. However, He did not beg or complain. He vowed His own faithfulness to the purpose and plan of the Father. He surrendered His will - His choice, determination, preference, purpose, desire, pleasure and inclinations for that of the Father. This had not been the perfect plan of the Father. Sin was never to be a part of the existence of creation, but choice was. Choice brought pain. Pain brought consequences. Jesus came to bring restoration and redemption. But, it would cost Him. He surrendered to the journey that God had called Him to. And, at that moment, God sent an angel from Heaven to strengthen Him - to revitalize, to reinvigorate, to prepare Him to stand up and persevere the path He was to travel.

There are times when we ask God for another way. We pray and ask Him to make ways, open doors, close doors, and perform miraculous works of breakthrough. Never-the-less, it is not our inclinations, pleasures, preferences, or purposes that's going to lead us. It's surrendering to God, through Jesus Christ, in spite of all that hurt and don't understand, knowing that His love is greater, will comfort us, hold us close and together, and, in time, bring the restoration and healing that we are increasingly desperate to receive.

The Value of "ALL"

2011-11-10T11:19:00.001-05:00

"All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on" (Luke 21:4).

The rich gave out of what they had. It didn't really cost anything. They didn't have to assess it, and they didn't really miss it. This woman gave out of her poverty- out of her deficiency, her failure, her suffering, her lack and her want. She gave out of the essentials of her existence and well being. She gave her all. She was all in. She held nothing back. Nothing else mattered than living in total surrender, complete trust and uncompromising obedience.

Nothing valuable will ever mean more to you than what you're willing to pay. Salvation is a "free gift" from God the Father through Jesus Christ. However, how we receive that and live the fruit of that gift determines the effectiveness that gift will have in our lives. Giving out of our plenty is doing what we can, still being in control, not really feeling the effects of that cost. Giving out of our poverty, our deficiency, our lack, is to give out of our desperation. It's to say, "I'm giving it all to You, because I need all from You. I am nothing without you!"

This is how God has called you to live your life. You can't try to analyze- just accept! You can't over think- only trust! Living for Jesus will cost you everything. If you don't give everything you haven't really given anything. Choose to be ALL- IN! This is for keeps!

Integrity: Acting In Line With Your Beliefs

2011-11-09T08:42:00.001-05:00

"They were unable to trap Him in what He said there in public. And astonished by His answer, they became silent" (Luke 20:26).

Have you ever noticed that for some, arguing is like the very air that they depend on for breathing. If they couldn't argue, they couldn't live. I lived much of my growing up life in the same way. It was once said of me that I would argue with a fence post! Of course, I immediately developed a well thought out opposition detailing how I would never, nor could ever, argue with a fence post. OK. I proved THEIR point.

Turn on the TV, watch a presidential debate, listen to an afternoon radio talk show, or any one of the panel shows that have become synonymous with daytime television. Arguing has become a way of life. Its entertainment. It sells. However, the "payoff" comes at a great cost, "arguably" a cost that can't come close to reconciling what is "gained" with what is lost. Relationships are weakened, humility is sacrificed, integrity is forfeited, and credibility put out to pasture.

From the time Jesus walked the terrain of this earth in human form, there had been those who whose very goal in life was to seek out and find contradictions in Him. To disprove Him would somehow eradicate themselves of personal responsibility in regards to what His teaching represented. They tried. They failed. They could never formulate an argument, regardless of the attraction of its fabrication, that could trap Him. He didn't argue in the way that our current culture understands the concept of argument. He didn't become defensive. He didn't counter with a verbal assault. He spoke Truth. He lived Truth. He was Truth. Truth will always stand, will always endure, and will always serve as the best argument and the most worth while defense.

Believe it or not, you do not have to argue in a competitive, defensive, or aggressive fashion concerning any area of your life. So many people make an argument over their politics, their morals, or even "arguing" about who Jesus is. Your best argument will always be the life of integrity that you live before Christ. That will speak louder than any word that ever escapes the boundaries of your lips. That is the argument that will be the most believable. Your best effort in "arguing" this truth is to live it out and to all that TRUTH to be evident in you.

Loving My Community

2011-11-07T12:35:00.004-05:00

"As He approached Jerusalem and saw the city, He wept over it"

(Luke 19:41).

Compassion is a powerful thing. We are moved by stories and pictures that open our eyes to an awareness of human struggle and suffering. Our heart strings are connected to our purse strings and we give because we connect with a need that is greater than who we are.

Recently, I led a team into the second largest city in the United Kingdom. We partnered with an incredible and growing church who has such a heart of compassion for their city. We themed our joint venture "LovingBirmingham." The entire time together was about a heart for a city filled with people that need the love of Jesus. The week was powerfully filled with instances that were fulfillment of the joint goal we had set. But, as I was there, and as I have been to other countries and other places since then, I began to think of something that continues to transform my heart and my thinking. Do I ache for my own community as I do for those around the world? Have I grown so use to the routine of my American culture of materialism, instant gratification, and the "american dream" that I am only affected by that which is in places unfamiliar to me? Yes, we are to have a heart for the world around us, but never at the cost of ignoring the world right in front of us.

The closer Jesus got to the city that was overwhelming with potential, purpose, prophecy, and promise, He was overwhelmed with great emotion. He was who they were now, and what they had become, but also who they could have been and were still yet to be. He wept over the city. He poured His heart out in regards to the people. He cried aloud. His passion and burden for this city was not secret, nor was it silent. He refused to hold it in. His love was loud.

When you drive in your city or in your community, or when you pull into your own neighborhood, are you ever overwhelmed with emotion for its potential, its purpose, or its people? Do you have vision for what God can do in your own neighborhood? Begin, even more than ever, to ask God for a greater vision and passion for your city, your community, your workplace, or your school. Cry aloud! Make your heart known and continue to be a presence of His presence, and an influence for the purpose of God. If you want to see a change, be willing to be a part of that change. Now, that's loving your community!

Honestly Aware

2011-11-03T10:59:00.004-04:00

"But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, 'God have mercy on me, a sinner'" (Luke 18:13).

In stark contrast to the Pharisee who spoke of himself in comparison to others, this tax collector prayed with great humility, self-awareness and recognizing himself, his shortage, and his source.

He knew who he was. He was a inner. He wasn't trying to defend, justify, or compare. He knew what he needed. He needed mercy. What he deserved was condemnation - nothing more, nothing less. And, he knew who could supply all that he needed. He approached God. He called on God. He surrendered and humbled himself before God.

We can never think that we are greater than who we really are. It is so much easier to compare ourselves to others in order to either feel better about ourselves, or to not have to focus on our own realities. On our own, there is nothing great about us, about who we are, or even what we are capable of doing. We must be aware of who we are, and who we are not. Aside from the grace and the purpose of God, we are nothing. But because of His grace and purpose, we are children of God, planned by God, and called by God. All that we are and all that we do is because of who HE is.

Regardless of any title, occupation, or success that you may achieve in life, you are a sinner. We all are. You are in need of the grace, mercy, and love of Almighty God. Recognize that it is Jesus who is the source of all you are lacking in your life. Depend on Him. Rely on Him. When you are honestly aware of who you are, you can truly appreciate who He is.

Choose to Praise

2011-10-25T02:00:00.000-04:00

"One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice" (Luke 17:15).

"Every blessing you pour out I'll, turn back to praise. When the darkness closes in, Lord, still I will praise...Blessed be the Name of the Lord!" It's become a very popular song. It can be heard in the car on the radio, in more than a few mp3 players, and in many churches across the globe. But, is it more than a song? Is it as quick to be lived out as it is to be sung? Unfortunately, there are many, and I am sure that if we allow honesty to prevail, we will find ourselves guilty of the same, that are quick to ask God for a breakthrough, but not as quick to give Him thanks when His faithfulness comes to pass. In everyday of our lives we choose to praise or to hold back our praise.

Ten lepers were cleansed, but only one came back to give thanks to God. Have you ever thought about what happened to the other 9? But the one - He recognized what God had done in his life. He returned - he approached the presence of Jesus. He rejoiced - shouting and praising Jesus for the great things He had done in his "all-but-doomed" life.

Each day, you have the opportunity to commit to being like this one. Choose to recognize what Jesus has done in you and is continuing to do in your life. Choose to be the one who "returns." Approach Jesus in His awesome presence. Rejoice! Give Him praise! Shout with Joy for the great things He has done and for the great God that He is! Choose to praise!

Trusted?

2011-10-24T02:00:00.000-04:00

"Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much" (Luke 16:10).

Jesus nails it! So many people have great desire for the big things in life, yet they struggle deeply in their responsibility of what they do have now. Jesus is saying that how you handle the little we do have now is a fairly accurate indicator as to how more would be handled later.

With this idea in mind, what does that say about you? It's important to realize that every little thing in regards to who you are and what you do matters. It really does matter. How you handle hwere you are now is key as to whether or not God can trust you with even more. Your daily goal and committment is to leave each day and each moment, and with each hour, making hte most of the time and opportunity God has given to you.

As God sees the faithfulness you live out with however much you do have, He will bless you. This doesn't just apply to money, but certainly it includes it. Why would God bless anyone with more of what they don't show to be able to handle? More never makes a problem go away. It only enhances it, like gasoline poured over a fire trying to put it out! For one who struggles with time management, it's not more time that they need, but better use of the time they have. It applies to time, money, responsibility, relationships, and the list goes on.

What are you doing with what God has given you thus far? Would you trust you with more?

Authentic Attraction

2011-10-21T07:52:00.003-04:00

"Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus" (Luke 15:1).

The Pharisees seemed to attack Jesus and use against Him the very reason He came. They confronted and challenged His living example of what they had failed to follow. The "sinners," the ones rejected and reviled were drawn to Him. Jesus was a magnet to people, not because He condemned them, but because He loved them. He was more interested in getting to know them than pushing Himself onto them for them to know Him. The Pharisees wanted to be seen. Jesus wanted to see them, for them to know that He cared, that He could look past all they had done and all the places they had been. He saw, not who they were, but who they could be.

He was sincere. This was His attraction. He represented something so different than the lives they were living, and different from the lives of those who were more concerned in judging them. He loved them. He was complete, secure, fulfilled, and they desired it. They were attracted.

Oh, to be more like Jesus. Is this your daily goal? This is to be your heart's desire. Ask Jesus to help you to become more like Him. Those that Jesus loved were drawn to Him. Ask Him to enlarge your heart and breathe on the fires of your passion for Him, that others would be drawn to the love of Jesus in you. Resist the temptation to be judgmental, condemning, and assuming. Choose not to surround yourself with people who serve to further your own comfort or convenience. Be one who, because of the light of Christ shining within you, becomes a beacon of that light draws, attracts, and connects to those who are longing for that light. Let your life be that which reflects a peace and fulfillment that you have found and continuing to discover in Him, that they, too, are hungry for.

Selfless: When Love Becomes Our Only Motivation

2011-10-19T09:01:00.002-04:00

"But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed"

(Luke 14:13a).

It was Christmas time. My family was in a season enjoying the red and green colors of a holiday that involves, trees, gifts, family, and reflections and focus on the coming of Christ. As we were preparing for our annual Christmas Eve service, I began to sense God speaking to my heart to include and invite someone in our church to be a part of our Christmas Eve tradition. Oh, it's nothing fancy, but one that I have quite enjoyed over the years, taking me back to my days in high school. It's simple. I go home after the service (of course now, I have children, so it's getting them to bed), setting out some wonderful food that I shouldn't be eating, taking out the gifts that have yet to be wrapped (all of them), and sitting down in front of the television to watch It's A Wonderful Life for the upteenth time!

But, there was this man, this quiet man. He didn't look the same as everyone else. He kept to himself, and wasn't one for many words, yet God was speaking to me. I invited him to our home after Christmas Eve service. He accepted. He came. The time we spent together was an education and blessing. I learned so much about his life, what God had brought him through, what God was teaching him now, and how happy he was just to be alive. I was blessed by this refreshing approach to so many things that, in the busyness of life, and especially during that season, is so easy to lose sight of.

In Luke 14. Jesus was taking on a cultural attitude that has stubbornly held on throughout the generations. Jesus challenged, not so much the "who" of their invitation, but the "why." They were given to inviting people with the hope and selfish expectation of being invited in return. It wasn't so much of what they could give of themselves in a particular banquet or occasion, but what they might profit or benefit from in return at a later time. One who was seen as "lesser" in society would have nothing to offer, thus truly exposing the motivation of the heart. Jesus called them to see beneath the surface of what one physically has to offer. The blessings and the benefits that we miss out on because of our selfish motivation is great. Jesus called them to look at those who have also been hand crafted by God in the image of God.

Don't forget that you have nothing offer Him who has invited you into His presence. His motivation was not based on what He could get out of you. Romans 5:8 says, that while you were still a sinner, Christ died for you. This was His demonstration of love. His demonstration what His motivation. You are called to the same. He saw in your what others would not see and what you could not see. You are worth it. Purpose to love others in the same way. As you see in them what Jesus sees in you, you will be blessed (supremely blessed; by extension of the One from whom all blessing originate!).

Don't Miss an Opportunity

2011-10-17T11:12:00.000-04:00

"Then Jesus went through the towns and villages, teaching as He made His way to Jerusalem" (Luke 13:22).

"I just don't have time!" Ever said that? It has become our trump card excuse for just about, well, everything. It applies to housework, taking time off, doing something extra with the kids, volunteering at church, or even spending time with God. It is also an all-time favorite when it comes to reaching out to people and sharing part of our faith-story - how we came to know Christ, what God's done in our lives, or just about the peace that we can now live in. It seems that instead of falling off into the quick-sand frustrations of reinventing the wheel, we should look at what is already in existence. Jesus didn't have to make time and "find" opportunities to share the love of the Father, He opened His eyes and took advantage of the ones that were right in front of Him.

Jesus had a goal, a destination in mind, but He wasn't so focused on that goal that He missed all the opportunities leading up to it. It is so easy to get so focused on what is in our sights that we get tunnel vision, neglecting everyone and everything else. We miss the fact that God may have placed us in the path of someone else for a specific reason and at a specific time.

Don't miss anything on the path He's called you to walk. It is great to be a person of excellence, to be highly motivated, and to be purpose-driving and goal-oriented, but don't limit God to "that" goal. There are so many lessons to be learned and lives to be loved along the journey. Don't get so focused on yours that you miss what God wants to do in you and through you in the life of someone else that God has placed right in front of you. Where ever you may be, the coffee shop, the office, in the line at the grocery store, or walking to your car after work, open your heart to God, open your eyes to see, and open your life to others. Life is busy, but don't miss an opportunity to bless the lives of others. At the same time, you, too, will be changed!

Learning to Rely

2011-10-13T16:33:00.003-04:00

"For the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say"

(Luke 12:12).

There was a time when I received a call from a close friend of mine who works a job in "Corporate America." He asked for prayer. He was to give a presentation to a large group in the company that he worked with. This man is intelligent, wise, and very talented in many areas. However, public speaking, like many people, makes him nervous. As we prayed together, we prayed that the Holy Spirit of God would speak to him and through him. Yes, even in the workplace, if we rely on Him, He can calm our nerves, speak to our soul, and enable us to speak with boldness in any situation. This applies to all aspects of our lives whether it's at work, addressing a tough issue with a friend, or reaching out to others and sharing your faith. You don't have to do it alone. Rely on Him.

Jesus is speaking in Luke 12 of giving an answer when facing persecution. But, the even greater truth He is emphasizing is the dependance upon the holy Spirit. We were never intended, nor expected, to konw it all, have it all, or do it all. We are dependant beings. We are to rely upon the Holy Spirit, His wisdom, and guidance. At the right time, in the instant we need it, He will give it to us.

Even if you're quick-witted and unafraid of speaking in most any situation, your gift is inadequate. It can never replace the need you have for relying on His guidance. The moment you begin to rely on your talent alone is the moment you begin to decrease your openness to Him, to His voice, and to His direction in your life. Be open to learning to wait, to listen, receive by faith, and to apply with immediate obedience. Grab hold of this truth and you will see the pressures of fear and anxiety melt away.

Followed: Know Where You're Leading?

2011-10-12T13:59:00.001-04:00

"Woe to you experts in the law, because you have taken away the key to knowledge. You yourselves have not entered, and you have hindered those who were entering"

(Luke 11:52).

John C. Maxwell, well known author and speaker on the concepts and precepts of all things leadership, once penned this sobering truth: "You teach what you know, you reproduce who you are." This phrase connects hand in hand with another short quip that hangs on the walls of my mind. "Leadership is influence. Nothing more. Nothing less." The long and the short of it is this: we are watched and observed, and the example we set is the model that is learned. What we do in our private life affects those we influence in our public life. If we are not open to seeking the face of God, open to being challenged to live according to His righteousness, and not open receiving the Word and Truth of God, then we are depending upon our own selves, logic, and understanding to be the basis of our influence. God help us.

These "experts" were being charged, not with being experts on who God is or what God was saying, but on their own misguided interpretations that were based on preference, tradition, and personal agenda. Because they shut themselves off from receiving life-changing revelation, they "locked-up" that opportunity, thus robbing it from others in whom they influenced. And, for this, they would be held accountable.

"Seek the Lord." It's a phrase you can't escape in Scripture. "Seek Him while He may be found." "Seek the Lord with all of your heart, soul, mind, and strength." "Seek first the Kingdom of God..." If you're not seeking the Lord, and in the fear of the Lord, you will be held accountable by the Lord. He has a purpose and plan for you that is dependent upon a continual and consistent connection with Him. Continue to seek the Lord and be intimate with the knowledge of who He is. This is the key, the foundational principle by which you can truly be an effective influencer, allowing others to enter into that same level of knowledge and understanding.

Commissioned

2011-10-06T12:39:00.002-04:00

"'Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves...'"

(Luke 10:3).

I'll never forget standing at the altar on my wedding day. The doors opened and in walked the most incredible display of beauty I had ever laid eyes on, dressed in white, and walking straight towards me. My excitement was also mixed with nerves and determination. The nerves, in addition to the normal feelings and desires to make her happy for the rest of her life, were a result an awareness that the statistics were against us. My wife and I both come from divorced families. The thoughts and the fears of repeating history had made their attempts to crash against the strength of the hopes and dreams that I had for a marriage that would maintain its integrity on the foundation of the words, "til death do us part."

Of course, we were aware that there would be challenges. We knew there would be days when the feelings would run as high as they did low. We knew that there might even be temptation in our minds to give up if or when situations became more than what we thought we had bargained for. But, I don't put my trust in statistics, thoughts, or imaginations. I knew on that day with determination, that God had commissioned me to marry this woman. And if I believed that, then I was confident that God would provide everything and always for every situation and scenario we might face. If we would be committed to Him, then He would also be committed to our success.

Jesus prepared His disciples well for the divine task He was giving them. He had told them what to do. He said "Go!" - depart, get to it, lead yourself under the authority that I lead you. He told them what to expect. He told them they'd be like "lambs among wolves" - it would appear intimidating at times, pointless at others, and sometimes illusion of inevitable defeat. But, He also told them what to rely upon. He assured them, "I am sending you" - they weren't going on their own. They were sent - commissioned on purpose by and with His authority and all the power, presence, protection and provision that would come with it.

Be encouraged! Right where you are in your life, He is with you! God has commissioned you. He's told you what to do. The only response that results in the accompanying blessings is to do it. He's told you what to expect. Embrace it. There will be moments that appeal to a trace of uncertainty that may try to surface, but be confident in Him. If you are facing what He said you'd face, then be sure that He has a plan to bring you to victory through it! He's told you what to rely upon. TRUST HIM. He is right there with you, and with Him, all things are possible!

Prayer Changes Things: Starting with the One Who Prays

2011-10-05T09:23:00.001-04:00

"As He was praying, the appearance of His face changed, and His clothes became as bright as a flash of lightening" (Luke 9:29).

There are many people in the world who have become incredibly disillusioned in regards to the subject of prayer. They've prayed their hearts out, cried their eyes out, and believed their guts out for situations to be changed, jobs to be saved, sicknesses to be healed, loved ones to be changed by the power of Jesus. And many times, there is no change seen. So, why pray? If there are is no seemingly evident power to prayer in what we see, why pray?

When Jesus prayed, He wasn't merely reciting words. He wasn't speaking aimlessly or without purpose. His purposed goal wasn't even to see life-changing results regarding those He prayed for. His purpose was to connect with the Majesty of Heaven. All else would be a by-product of that connection. And as He prayed, what was seen in the natural was being changed and transformed by the Supernatural...starting with Himself. His being in prayer was noticed, because prayer was changing Him.

Isn't it true, that when you pray, sometimes if not many times, the focus is in prayer is on changing others, changing your circumstances, or even changing God's plan that seems to contradict your own preferences? Yes, you are to pray for others, and yes you should pray for God to intervene in the situations and things that matter to you. But, are you changed when you pray? Is your purpose to see change or to be changed? If your heart's focus is on connecting with Jesus when you pray, you will always see change, starting in you. When there is change in you, then there lies the evidence of the power in prayer to see change in others. When you pray, as you seek to connect with the heart of God, there is power to change. It starts within you!

Seeing Past Where Others Just Stop

2011-10-04T12:21:00.003-04:00

"Jesus asked him, 'What is your name?' 'Legion,' he replied, because many demons had gone into him"

(Luke 8:30).

Here was a man who had become a great factor of intimidation and inconvenience to all those who came across him and who knew of him. His appearance was grotesque, his behavior was erratic, and his behavior was that of a barbarian. He had lived chained, guarded, and condemned to live among the dead in the tombs.

Jesus asked him his name. He looked past all that had become of him. He didn't recoil at his look. He didn't cower at the smell. He wasn't shocked by his behavior. He could still see the original heart and the purposed and destined identity that had been designed and created in the image of the Father. Jesus looked past where others just stopped. He didn't judge him. He loved him. He didn't offer him condemnation and rejection. By asking his name, he offered him a dignity that he had long given up on. It was the beginning of a moment that change the rest of his life.

Though it's not always easy, don't give into the intimidation that seems to rise from certain people based on their past, background, current behaviors and lifestyles. Be like Jesus who extended that personal touch by connecting with one's identity. He didn't condone. He loved. He didn't embrace the behavior, but He did embrace the heart. Never forget that we have been saved by Jesus, the same Jesus who looked past the demonic possession of one who had been left to the dead and saw who he really was, the one created in the image of God, is the same Jesus we are called to represent. Don't be quick to judge. Don't be quick to react at the lifestyle choices of others to the point where you distance yourself where the love of Jesus wants to close that gap. Judgement doesn't bring people to repentance and the life-changing power of God. But, love does. It did for me.

People Matter

2011-10-03T15:25:00.000-04:00

"There was a centurion's servant, whom his master valued highly, was sick and about to die" (Luke 7:2).

It's not always in our own contemporary culture of corporate hierarchy that those in authority reflect a heart that values those who serve them. It's not often that you see people show honor, deference, and overall loving kindness to others without it somehow being calculated in regards to how it will benefit them. We live in a world where it's about do what it takes to make "me" matter the most. We've become too quick to give into what has become the proverbial cliche of throwing one "under the bus" if that's what it will take to help us to rise to the "top."

This centurion regarded his servant as valuable, which is a Greek word that means precious, dear, and worth a great price. This servant was as good as dead, yet his master was moved and showed great concern, care, and compassion. He honored his servant in the presence of Jesus. To the centurion, his servant's value was based on more than what he could do, but of who he was. He valued his worth more than his work. More than a servant, he was a person...and he mattered.

Don't give into the quick-sand trap of selfishness. Don't allow your concern for yourself to desensitize you to the feelings and the hearts of those around you. Be sure to understand that people matter more than what they can do for you or what you can get out of them. They are precious, valuable, and worth great price because they, just like you, have been made, fashioned and purposed in the image of God.

Are you living as though people matter to you, or are you striving to matter to people? God honors those who are humble in heart, seeking to honor others over themselves, and who don't allow their own pride to become the motivation for the choices they make. Ask God to show you who, in your life, that perhaps you haven't shown them that they matter. Give them a call. Shoot them an email. Tell them you appreciate them, that you're thankful for them. Let them know that you value them, even if you haven't shown it. We usually share our criticism more than our care, and our grief more than our gratitude. Make the choice today to make an impact on the people that God has placed in your life. Because, people do matter.

Becoming A Traitor

2011-09-29T17:01:00.002-04:00

"Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor"

(Luke 6:16).

Have you ever noticed that we live in a society that gravitates toward the frightful? Think about, horror films are still made. Why? Because people keep going to see them. Video games that instill fear continue to be produced, stocked, sold, and new orders put in for more. And, that traffic that you can't understand where it began, is many times passersby who absolutely must slow down and see the results of some undoubtedly untimely circumstance.

What's scarier than anything Hollywood, Nintendo, or the interstate closest to you can produce or host, is when we, perhaps as Christians, live in such a way as though what we have in Christ really doesn't matter. A dangerous road we travel when we being to take our eyes off of Jesus, slip into "cruise control," veer off from time to time to indulge the pleasure of the moment, and check the map from time to time to see if we're still headed somewhat in the right direction. Scary.

Judas became a traitor because that is who he was, or at least it is who he chose to be. He remained with Jesus and the other eleven disciples, sat under the academics of Jesus, participated in the activities of Jesus, but never really engaged in the application of Jesus into his heart and everyday life. He buckled under the weight of his own pride and pleasure. He was right there, and yet was so far away. Why? Because, it was of his own refusal to surrender fully and to abide in the presence of God.

Choosing, regardless of what "season" you find yourself in, to abide in the presence of Christ, will continue to be the to success in your personal spiritual growth. Be diligent with the academics - study, be in the Word, learn what it means to really be a disciple of Jesus. Stay committed to the activity - be an active part of what God is doing, as an overflow from what He's showing you. And, be diligent to apply it - live it out. As you draw closer to Him, and He to you, you will find yourself being blessed day after day by the power of His presence and the faithfulness of grace, mercy, and love. As you abide in Him, becoming a traitor will not be scary. It will become non-existent.

Going Deep!

2011-09-28T08:47:00.001-04:00

"When He had finished speaking, He said to Simon, 'Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch'" (Luke 5:4).

Jesus had been sitting in the boat with Simon in shallow waters. Even there, Simon saw Jesus do amazing things, speaking to such a large and spontaneous crowd. And then He challenged Simon to go out into the deep for a catch. He called Him out into the "mystery" of the unknown, a place that seemed so vast where uncertainty was the only thing that was certain.

It's not so hard to hold back and tread water where you know you can closely touch, but God called you to put out into the deep, to trust Him in the mystery of the unknown. When He calls, your uncertainty is irrelevant because you can be certain that He is faithful and you can trust Him. Therefore, you cannot allow fear and intimidation of deep places to keep you trapped in shallow water!

Developed in the Desert

2011-09-27T12:50:00.000-04:00

"Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness" (Luke 4:1).

Sometimes I really find Christians a humorous lot! Yes, I place myself in the midst of that generalization. I think of some of the things that we think, say, and do, all in the "name of" or for the "glory of." We believe gluttony is wrong, so we don't do that. Of course, we are of no shortage for church dinners where we eat more than our fair share. But it's not gluttony. It's "fellowship." And, we believe gossip is a sin and would never get caught up into something so destructively evil. But, we don't mind sharing everyone's business with everyone else. But, it's not gossip. We call it "sharing the truth in love." Or, better yet, "prayer requests!" And of course, one of our most popular one, is how we love to "rebuke the devil" over everything in our lives that is not in line with our preference, comfort, or desires. The truth that we have to allow God to speak into the depths of our shallow understanding is that it's not always the devil.

Jesus proves in Luke 4:1 that everyone faces a desert season in their lives. Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness - a place that was desolate, deserted, and solitary. It was dry and it was lonely. Jesus wasn't being punished, for He was the One who was without sin and knew no sin. Yet, He was being led into a season of testing. His response in the midst of this testing would be the supreme example to the world.

It wasn't the devil that initiated this season of struggle. It was the Holy Spirit. God had a plan, but the humanity of Jesus needed to be tested so the plan of God could be promoted. It was during this season that He faced the poster child or evil, Satan, for forty days, though we are only given record of three temptations. Each time, Jesus responds by quoting the Truth of God's Word, and when it was all said and done, the evil one left, and the angels ministered to Him. The Spirit had shown Him the way there, supplied Him with all He needed, and sustained Him.

You face testing in your life. It's a given. It is for a lifetime. Testing is not just for punishment. It is also for promotion. If God's desire for your life is to take you beyond where you are, then you must be prepared for testing. Don't fight it. Embrace it. Depend upon Him through the process, and He will lead you into the place of victory that is only possible by being led to and through the desert. The desert is not meant to demote you. It's to develop you!

Even in the Desert Places

2011-09-22T15:02:00.002-04:00

"...during the high-priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness" (Luke 3:2).

It was in the wilderness that John received the revealed word from the mouth of God. It was in the desolate place, the desert season. It was in a period of aloneness and aparent isolation that he heard this revelation from God.

We should never discount, detour from, or be discouraged by the wilderness times in our lives. It is there that we are brought to the end of ourselves. It is there that we have a greater opportunity for dependence, openness, and revelation. It is there that we are prepared to receive all that God wants to show and do in our lives.

No, it doesn't make the desert seasons and the wilderness periods more enjoyable, but it reminds us of two great things. One, the desert doesn't disqualify us from being able to hear from God or to be used of God. And two, sometimes it takes the desert for us to be able to be alone enough to hear what He wants to speak! So, how do you approach and appreciate the wilderness moments that are inevitable in life? Thank God for them! Open your eyes and heart to the opportunity to root deep in the waters of His presence. God hasn't called you to live in loneliness, but to "aloneness" with Him, embraced by the peace, the power, and the preparation of His presence! Only there can you get past the distractions of a busy life, a busy mind, and a busy past, and truly hear the voice of the Lord for the answers and directions that you are desperate to receive.

Don't underestimate the grace of God in the desert! Just listen...He's speaking!

Excited?

2011-09-21T09:19:00.002-04:00

"The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told"

(Luke 2:20).

The shepherds had been told some incredible, even unbelievable things by these heavenly beings that had startled them, completely taking them by surprise! Imagine hearing a choir singing like angels, and really being angels! And, they were told of this promised Messiah that had been born that very night, and where He was. The angels were excited. They had something to shout about, to sing about, to declare at the tops of their lungs! The excitement was contagious!

The shepherds went beyond their natural and limited comprehension, exercising a faith and a hope in what they had heard. They saw for themselves not only the awesomeness of God, but the God of all awesomeness! This led to their own rejoicing, praising, and declaring. They were excited that they had encountered the God of all creation who had entered their world. What love they had never before encountered. He was here. They, too, had something to shout about!

This is how it should be! Are you aware of the love that Jesus has for you? Do you live in the knowledge of what He has done for you, entering into your world, saving you unto His? Do you realize that you do have something to shout about, to be excited about, to jump up and down about? You have a hope in Jesus! You have a peace that passes all understanding in HIM! You have a freedom that is only found in Him! He gave His life so that you could LIVE! He rose from the dead so that you would know that in Him all things ARE possible! Excited yet?

Of course, though all of these truths are without question, you must choose whether or no to live in the reality of such incredible blessings. It's too hard? You can't? You've tried? Well, it's time to get excited again, because the Apostle Paul declared it with gusto, "His strength is made perfect in my weakness. When I am weak, then I am strong." You can do all things through Christ! Be excited! Tell somebody what Jesus has done in your life! Your world will never be the same!

Expect to Encounter God

2011-09-20T09:16:00.001-04:00

"When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear"

(Luke 1:12).

Zechariah had been chose to offer incense before the Lord. It was his appointed time. It was an honor and an opportunity not to be taken lightly. There was something gravely exciting about approaching the holiness of God in this way. As he was behind the curtain, he encountered the supernatural presence of heaven in a way he had never known. He was startled.

It is startling how easy it can be to have a good heart, but low expectations, surrendering more to the ceremonial traditions of religion. In various parts of our world there is no shortage of churches, people who call themselves "Christians," or other institutions of religion. What there is a shortage of is a people who live in great expectation of who God is and what He desires to do in their lives.

There are so many people who live lives of low spiritual expectancy. They "believe" in God, but don't necessarily believe that He's going to do anything in their lives. When Zechariah went behind that curtain, though he should always have had a fear of the Lord, should not have been startled that the presence of the Lord was there. He should have expected something out of the ordinary, something so much greater than he could possibly accomplish on his own. We, too, should approach God with great expectation. He's able. He's more than able.

Don't hope for an experience. Choose to live, abide in the everyday expectation that your God is alive, that He's aware, alert, and that He is always around you. Know that He is active in your life. The question for you, is whether or not you will activate the faith you profess to have, and apply that expectation. Take Him at His Word. Believe that when you approach Him, He is there. Be confident that when you are crying out to Him, He hears you, and He will answer you.

Be reminded of the humble, yet passionately expectant words that David prayed to the Lord: "I pray to You, because I know you will answer, O God" (Psalm 17:6).

Love Reaches Beyond Familiar

2011-09-19T11:15:00.000-04:00

"Dear friend, you are faithful in what you are doing for the brothers and sisters, even though they are strangers to you"
(3 John 1:5).

One of the worst feelings when you are in a group of people is feeling as though you don't belong. You don't get the inside jokes, are not being engaged in the conversations, and you begin to feel like a Dallas Cowboys fan in a room full of Pittsburgh Steelers (believe me, I know!).

Of course, it's no secret that is our nature to gravitate to that which is most familiar to us. We instinctively move closer to those we recognize, talk more with those we have more in common with, and spend time with those we most enjoy being around. The danger, especially when it involves Christian community, is that we are magnates to what is common and comfortable in what is familiar and we shy away from what, and who, we don't know. Thus, we give the impression that we don't care, aren't interested, and those who don't fit in our circles, well...they just don't belong.

At some point, as John points out in this short letter, it should not matter who we know and who we don't know. As believers, we should be faithful at opening ourselves up to each other, encouraging, supporting, and going the extra mile for each other. It should be based on the measure of how well we know them, but upon the relationship we share with Christ and in Christ.

Yes, we tell our children to "never talk to strangers." However, in the family and community that we have and are in Christ, love reaches beyond familiar. There are no strangers, only opportunities to discover and uncover the gift of relationship that God has placed before us.

Be challenged to look beyond the familiar, to get to know those around you, especially those who have identified themselves as lovers and followers of Jesus. Purpose in your heart to do what you know you can do to break down the walls that divide us. Love reaches beyond the familiar. Do you?

Never Going Back that Way Again

2011-09-15T09:18:00.000-04:00

"Watch out that you don't lose what you have worked for, but that you may be rewarded fully" (2 John 1:8).

Progress can be a tricky thing within the caverns of our minds. We tend to look at the distance and the challenges that are a head. This can sometimes be both daunting and discouraging. But, it's the flip side of that journey that doesn't get the attention that is so richly deserves: the distance on the journey already traveled. There are so many that never take that first step to embark on the challenge of a new dream, a new habit, breaking an old destructive cycle, or a a renewed mindset in life. The challenge with this perspective is that while we celebrate the journey we have traveled, that we are closer to where we are heading than we were before we started, is that we purpose in our hearts to never return to that place we were so desperate to overcome.

In this very short letter, John is speaking to a woman who has become a pillar of faith, yet is seemingly surrounded by those who are deceivers and seek to mislead. John encourages her with the truth that she has come too far to back now; and that there is still more that God would desire to bless her with both now and in eternity.

The same is true for you. No matter where you have been, you have the choice to move beyond. This is true in both matters of faith and in every day living. It takes great pains and commitment to establish disciplines in life. Do not allow old habits or resurrected desires to take you back to a place that had kept you away from God's best for your life. You must choose to stay focused on Him, stay on your guard, and continue in the disciplines that He is and longs to develop in you. Choose to get off of the roller coaster of life's purposeless and destructive cycles; always moving up and down, in loops, upside down and right side up, but always getting off in the same place you got on. Purpose to move forward. Ask Jesus for the strength, the direction, and the grace to walk in the path that He has already made way just for you!

Praying the Will of God

2011-09-13T11:52:00.003-04:00

"This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us" (1 John 5:14).

Parenting is such a joy full and overflowing with teachable moments! And no, I'm not just referring to the children. There are so many things that I learn as a parent, and that I learn about God through me being a parent. Case and point: we are constantly trying to teach our children to be polite and to ask for things nicely, rather than coming across in a way that is demanding, unrealistically expectant, and rude. We teach them to be patient, kind, gentle and polite as they are asking of things from siblings, mom and dad, or anyone. Not too long ago, one of my children began to cry out in great emotion. I asked this precious child of mine what was wrong. The response was this: "I asked very politely for this toy and they said, 'no,' and I still want it. You said all I had to do was ask politely!"

In that moment, God began to reveal to me how we, at times, approach prayer. We want, we pray, and if we ask nice enough, or "humble" enough, then we should get what we've asked for. What a challenge and a blessing John gives here in this verse. We are not to pray and ask for things at random, or to merely fulfill our own desires. But rather, we are to continue to desire to always be in the center of God's will. The word "will" is a word that means inclination, desire, pleasure, determination, and purpose. When we pray according to our will, our inclinations, and determined to fulfill our desires and pleasures, but trying to do it nicely, we are praying according to coercion, not exaltation.

But, when we pray according to what brings Him pleasure; when we are purposing to be intimately connected to what His heart is inclined to, He hears us and is more attentive to us. His heart's desire is for His will to be lived out in our lives. "Your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven."

Here's the challenge. How do you pray the will of God if you are not in in the will of God? Choose to live so close to Him that you are living congruently in His will. Purpose day by day and moment by moment to submit to Him in all things through your obedience. As you commit to this being the seal upon your life, it will forever change how you pray, and the results when you pray.

LOVE: He Showed Me How

2011-09-12T12:42:00.000-04:00

"We love because He first loved us" (1 John 4:19).

"It's just so hard to love some people." Have you ever heard that said? Have you ever thought that before, or maybe even allowed it to escape guard of your own lips? How do you love difficult people: people who are rude, cruel, unloving, unresponding? What about people who always seem to be out to get you, have done you wrong, have hurt you more than you can even bear to imagine without giving into oceanic amounts of tears, anger, or rage? And, what about this: How do you love when love has diminished into a feeling that you are no longer able to detect in your heart? In short, Jesus showed us how. He loved us first.

John, in this passage, is not referring to our ability to love God, but rather the example that He has shown in Jesus to love others. Our ability is in the example. We can love others, regardless of who they are or what they have done with a love that is by choice, of the will, and unconditional. It is the love that He love us with and gave us the example in how to love others.

John was the disciple that stayed at the cross and saw what they had done to Jesus. He had beheld the results of great mutilation, humiliation, and crucifixion. He saw the indescribable contrast of love and evil. It was evil that took Jesus to the cross, but it was love that held Him there. There on that cross, Jesus loved them still. Now, John reminds us all that we can love others in that same manner, because it is the same way He has loved and continues to love us. He loves us past our faults, our struggles, our sins, our betrayals, and in spite of our own "un-lovliness."

Think about His love for you, and how patient He is with you, how kind He is towards you, and how forgiving He is to you and in spite of you. Pretty amazing and overwhelming, isn't it? Does the love that He has shown you spill over into your own choice to love? Never can you, in all sincerity, declare, "but I can't love like that." Truth is: you can. He did it. He has shown you, so that you won't be intimidated or convinced otherwise. And, because you can, you should. Think of the people in your life. No, not just the people you love to love, or that seem easier to love. Think of the people you are in conflict with, the ones that have hurt you, the ones that you'd rather just avoid altogether. Choose today to allow the love of an awesome God that has invaded the life of someone so undeserving (you), to spill over into the lives of those. He showed you how.

The Choice Matters

2011-09-08T11:11:00.000-04:00

"No one who lives in Him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has wither seen Him or known Him" (1 John 3:6).

I will never forget the summer of 1996. It was a balmy July and August in the humidity of Fort Jackson, South Carolina. I was in basic training in the US Army, a recent high school graduate, and a professing believer in Jesus Christ. However, deep inside of me I had always had an insecurity that in itself was motivated by desiring to being accepted and belonging. Instead of being who I knew God made me to be, I always assessed my value based on the acceptance of others. In high school, I never really found myself belonging to any particular group, feeling in someways "not good enough" for any of them. Of course this was fueled in large part by insecurities in my life based on growing up in a broken and dysfunctional setting.

But, here I was on this new leg of the journey of my life. I decided within the first few days that I was going to blend in. I wasn't going to stand out. I wanted to be liked, accepted, and to belong. So, for the first half of my time there, I did just that. I blended in with my conversations, my actions, and my attitudes, though knowing I was beginning to walk a path that wasn't really meeting my deepest expectations. There was one evening as we had some "free time" that I walked around our institutional-like sleeping quarters, that I noticed one fellow recruit reading a Bible. I remarked to him that I, too, was a Christian. His response completely took the air right out of my lungs. "Oh," he replied. "I couldn't tell." That was all he said. That was all I needed to hear. The path that I would choose would matter. It mattered to me, to God, and to others that would observe me.

"No one who continues to sin has either seen Him or known Him." What a strong statement that is sure to challenge the faith and commitment of anyone who says they believe in Jesus. Though we may still fall short, we cannot willfully choose to walk down paths that Christ has already setup, in plain sight, easy to read "Do Not Enter" signs. We cannot share a truly intimate relationship with Him when we are living in ways that trade intimacy for enmity.

Take a moment and really consider every element of your day-to-day life. Are you doing, thinking or saying things that are interrupting your pursuit for intimacy with Jesus? It's either intimacy or enmity with Him. It's either intimacy with Jesus, or intimacy with yourself - your own thoughts, plans, passions, or pursuits, which will undoubtedly and inevitably lead to great enmity with Him, and others around you. If your choice is for greater intimacy with Jesus, choose to walk in the course that will lead you there. Choose to live in total obedience and complete surrender to Him. Because, the choice...it really does matter!

A Love Divided

2011-09-06T09:35:00.002-04:00

"Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them"

(1 John 2:15).

It is one thing to have a Godly passion for the people of the world, and we very much should and are called by God to do so. However, it is clearly another thing to desire the passions of the world. We cannot love the Father while still trying to live out a love for worldly desires. Love, in all sincerity and integrity, cannot be split or divided. Love for God can not be shared with that which is in conflict with the character of God. To love Him is to love out that love for Him. Love is not just a response, but it is an initiated choice that we have, made possible by the initiated choice of Jesus Christ to first love us. It is a choice of sacrifice and surrender, clearly defining the affections of one's heart.

Who does your heart belong for? If your heart belongs to Jesus, because you have surrendered it fully to Him, then you must be purposeful and strategic in what you expose your heart to. The Bible calls you to "guard your heart" and to do it "...above all else." Pray that God "searches your heart," and as He reveals areas in your life that contradict who He is and His best for you, ask Him to "create with in you a clean heart." Your loyalties and love cannot be shared by God, with God, or by that which contradicts God. His love for you is so great that it overwhelms any false fulfillment that you could ever find elsewhere! How great is the Father's love!! How undivided ours must be!

Walking the Fence

2011-09-01T11:01:00.001-04:00

"If we claim to have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth"

(1 John 1:6).

In 1996, I was 18 years old, fresh out of high school, basic training, and technical school. I had just arrived at the location in the Washington, DC area where I would spend the next few years serving my country in the US Army. Those first few weeks were a roller coaster ride for me in just about every way imaginable. I was living on my own, no longer a trainee, and spiritually, I was responsible for making choices that would prove to mark the path I would choose to journey. For those first few weeks, I decided to walk the fence. I enjoyed the new found quick acceptance from the guys in the barracks and was finding enjoyment in all that seemed to come with it. However, God brought me to a place one weekend, after I had spent Saturday night in the club and Sunday morning in the church, that I needed to choose. I could not continue to walk the fence and expect Him to be an active part in my life. I had to choose. I chose Him.

It is undeniable that actions speak louder than words, but actions must also speak at least as loud as words. To have fellowship with Jesus, to be a partner with Him, we have to be willing to trust Him enough to walk in His path. We cannot partner with Him and still choose to walk in our own ways, preferences, understanding, or for seeking our own pleasure. If we're still walking in darkness, then there's a greater distance between where we are and who He is.

Not only does your moral behavior need to fall in line with your partnering with Jesus, but also your trust and following through on that trust. If you trust Him, then worry, anxiety, vain imagination, and insecurities can not be allowed to hold a place in your life. Don't walk the fence with the darkness that seeks to crowd you out of the best God has for your life. Choose to walk in the light of His presence. The evidence of choosing to walk in that light will be shown in all aspects of your life: your marriage, your job, with your children, and in the secret places that are then reflected in your character. Choose to walk in His light only, in His blessing only, and for Him only each day! Your life will be blessed, victorious, and at peace when walking the fence is no longer an option.

Contagious Intimacy

2011-08-31T10:36:00.001-04:00

"While Ezra was praying and confessing, weeping, and throwing himself down before the house of God, a large crowd of Israelites - men, women, and children - gathered around him. They too wept bitterly" (Ezra 10:1).

One of the cheesiest and catchiest musicals I have ever seen was the first installment of High School Musical. Though I enjoyed it, I've never been able to bring myself to watch any of the later productions! The one scene that really intrigued me, although I am perfectly aware that it was theatrics and not reality, was the last musical scene of the movie. They are all in the gym, the drums begin play, the music starts, they begin chant, and the two stars perform their solos. And then..."We're all in this together..." Each time the chorus of the song is sung, more and more people come out onto the gym floor, to sing, clap, and dance to this "spontaneous" song! It was, well, contagious. And, sitting in my living room watching this movie, I had such an urge to get up and join them. I'll leave it to your imagination! The question that really began to burn in my own thinking was this: "What if we prayed, worshiped, and lived out-loud for Jesus Christ in the same way that is depicted in this film?" Perhaps they wouldn't quickly join in, but they would know the passion, the unity, and the love that we have with Jesus, in Jesus, and because of Jesus.

Ezra's act of repentance, prayer, and worship wasn't just between him and God. It was noticed. It was obvious - out loud and on purpose. It was contagious. It was caught. It wasn't just a few people that came to peek in at what was going on, but it was a large crowd. Not only did they come to see, but they joined him. They saw the intensity and the determination of his passion for God. They didn't have that, and they wanted it.

When we are unafraid of the crowd and focused on Jesus, people take notice and begin to long for that kind of connection.

The everyday challenge is to answer the question: "Do people see you get intimate with God?" No, it's not about you showing off and trying to be noticed. But, it is about a commitment to live for Jesus in such a way that is not hidden, secret, or private. Jesus called you the "light of the world." You have been called a light, and a light shines! Refuse to be so private that it would allow people to question where God is in your life. Desire and determine your passion to be an example in worship, prayer, confession, and repentance. Let people see your love for Jesus! You may be the only one they're seeing it in.

Don't Stay Mad, Start Praying!

2011-08-30T09:33:00.001-04:00

"Then, at the evening sacrifice, I rose from my self-abasement, with my tunic and cloak torn, and fell on my knees with my hands spread out to the LORD my God...and prayed..."

(Ezra 9:5).

It is so easy a temptation to give into boiling anger, frustration, and hurt when people you pour yourselves out for "just don't seem to get it." You've tried everything you know. You've bent over backwards. You've gone the extra mile, and sometimes, the extra mile upon the extra mile! At times it feels that nothing you seem to do is making any difference, and that all of your effort, your heart, and you passion has been rejected. And you get mad. You get mad at them for not listening. You get mad yourself for not doing enough, or perhaps for doing too much. And, how many time do you allow your emotions to direct your next efforts to complaining and giving in to an angry, negative mindset that is nothing more than a venomous trap that keeps you bound up from experiencing the joy and the blessings of God?

Ezra, too, had experienced much of the same thing. He had heard disturbing reports about the sin of the people. In spite of all that God had done in them, for them, and even in spite of them, they had persisted in their disobedience. They continued to marry across the lines that had been permitted by the Law of God. More than a matter of race, it was a matter of intertwining their passion for the One True God and their lusts for those who followed other "gods."

The emotion that Ezra inevitably encountered upon this news moved him to brokenness and to cry out to God for intervention. He didn't just get angry. He allowed his anger to motivated him to reach out to God for his people and for his nation. He resisted the temptation to resort to name-calling, temper-tantrums, and "cut and run." He fell on his knees, spread himself out, and cried out to God.

It is easy, too easy, to get mad when you see people living in contradiction to what you know is best, or at least better, for their lives. It can become very angering whey you know that they know, but that they are choosing to live out of alignment with the will of God for their lives. But, how much time do you spend staying mad? Complaining? Becoming bitter? Rather, how much time do you spend really crying out for them in brokenness? Not just a prayer, but really crying out, and regardless of whether or not you see any change? Challenge yourself today to commit to crying out to God for those in your life, relationships, families, your job, your nation, your leaders. God's intervention will always be more beneficial than our anger!

Speak God, I'm Listening!

2011-08-29T09:47:00.001-04:00

"There, by the Ahava Canal, I proclaimed a fast, so that we might humble ourselves before our God and ask Him for a safe journey for us and our children with all our possessions" Ezra 8:21).

Ezra recognized that what they needed in this pivotal moment in their journey was much bigger than what they could do in the natural. They needed revelation from God. He called a fast in order that they might come to the end of who they were and become more open to hearing the voice of God.

They sought the face of God for three main areas in their lives. They sought Him for direction on their journey, for their family, and for the physical details of their lives. They longed for God's revelation in regards to His presence, His protection, and His provision.

Your life and your needs are not much different than those spoken of here in Ezra. You, too, are on a journey. God is constantly desiring to take you further and further, deeper and deeper, and closer and closer to the destiny, the promise, the future, and the plans He has for you. This is why Jesus came, died, was resurrected, and lives and reigns today! And, you, too, have the opportunity to seek the face of God, in the mighty name of Jesus, for these pivotal moments in your life. Seek His face for His direction for Your life. He knows the plans He has for you, so...get to know Him, cry out to Him, and wait and listen to Him. Pray for your family, your children, and those that are closest to you. Pray for their safety and for God's hand of guidance upon their lives. And, pray for the details of every day life. God is your provider. He is your sustainer. Call upon the name of Jesus. He is right there with you. Seek His face, be still and silent, and listen.

Digging Deep

2011-08-24T21:30:00.000-04:00

"For Ezra had devoted himself to the study and observance of the Law of the LORD, and to teaching its decrees and laws in Israel" (Ezra 7:10).

For instant peace and quiet for myself and hours of entertainment for my children, I have learned the secret. They don't give you this good stuff in seminars. You won't read it in a book, and Dr. Phil has never revealed this truth on any of his programs...or at least, so I've heard. Give a child a bucket, a shovel, and place them in a pile of sand, dirt, gravel, or mud, and you are set! They instantly become pirates earnestly digging for buried treasure. They will dig tunnels, build castles, bury dad...yes, yes...bury dad. As long as they are digging, they are happy, content, and feel accomplished.

Ezra was faithfully committed to the call God had placed upon his life. He was devoted to digging also - studying, tunneling through all of the Law of God - searching it out, inquiring of its meaning, wringing out all the truth that he could. He was committed to observing the Law - doing it, living it out, putting feet to his faith and method to his mouth. And, his dedication followed up with his commitment to teaching the Law. It wasn't just about him, for he had a responsibility to teach what he knew and to reproduce who he was. This wasn't just his job. This was what he was called to, dedicated to, and committed to living out.

This is what you are called to, as well. Grab hold of the realization that you need to study; to dig deep into His Word, to receive the revelation that He so much desires to speak into your life. This truth will remind you that He is with you and will shine the light on areas that He is calling you out on and to deal with. Follow it up by doing it. Don't settle for just knowing His truth. DO IT! Live it out. The blessing of His Word is not just in the collection of information, but in the intimate knowledge of interaction! Then, allow your life to be a living example to others that are desperate to know the life-changing power of the love of Jesus. Let it be real within you! No, you may not be perfect, but as you continue to dig deep, you will awaken a desire in others to do the same!

Dedicated to the Presence of God

2011-08-24T10:02:00.004-04:00

"For the dedication of this house of God they offered a hundred bulls, two hundred rams, four hundred male lambs and, as a sin offering for all Israel, twelve male goats, one for each of the tribes of Israel"

(Ezra 6:17).

When my wife and I were both single people, seeking the face of God over the future of our relationship with each other we had the opportunity to board a ship in the Baltimore harbor for her college's spring banquet. She was majoring in elementary education at a small college between Baltimore and Washington, DC, and I was completing my Biblical Studies degree outside of Philadelphia. I made the almost 3 hour journey on a Friday afternoon and stood outside her dormitory building awaiting the descent from her second floor room.

As I stood there, there were other guys that joined me as we all waited patiently for our dates to grace us with the beauty of their presence. One by one, these guys that had come to the landing well after me departed with great joy as the doors opened, and the gleam in their eyes were met by the smile of their significant other. I waited. And I waited. And I waited some more until I was standing as I had begun, alone. As my patience was beginning to tire, the door opened, the sun shown even brighter as this picture of Heaven's glory strolled into the cathedral of creation! All of the time she had spent in preparation for this moment was not lost. It was worth it. I was thrilled!

Ezra also speaks of great detail being taken as the Jews endured great passion, preparation, and perseverance in sacrifice in the dedication of the temple they had believed for and were now seeing with their very eyes. It wasn't an after-thought, a routine ceremony, or a mere tradition. They didn't just "go through the motions." It was worth so much more to them than that. They desired this temple to be a place where the presence of the LORD would one day inhabit. It meant something to them, and they followed that up with their lives.

The Bible says that we (you and I) are the temples of the Holy Spirit. Let this challenge you and provoke the question of how do you measure up to this kind of dedication. How is your passion? Your passion for God can't stop at an emotion. When the emotions are low, on empty, or non-existent, the passion must remain. Does your passion lead to preparation? Are you willing to let something in your life die - be killed even? What is it in you, that God is calling you to lay down at His altar of sacrifice. And, what about when it seems so tiring and overwhelming? He never promised it would be easy. But you are His temple. Are you willing to keep going, keeping in mind that this is part of your dedication of this temple, your life, unto Him?

Standing Firm

2011-08-22T14:51:00.000-04:00

"But the eye of their God was watching over the elders of the Jews, and they were not stopped until a report could go to Darius and his written reply be received" (Ezra 5:5).

The Jews, who had been given permission build the temple of God were, again, facing opposition. They were receiving threats, accusations, and baseless rumors reported about them. They were notified of a letter that was being sent by a governor of a neighboring province to the king of the realm.

God, however, was not taken by surprise by this opposition they would face, but now was the time that God's plan would be carried out. The elders did not have the responsibility of trying to figure it out. They didn't have to help God or become overwhelmed with how or why this was now happening. They stood on the promises of God, that this restoration effort would succeed, and they would not back down. Their only responsibility was to trust God that He, in His strength and sovereignty, would handle the rest.

There are and will be times that God will call you to do something that will challenge you at the core of your faith, and it will involve great opposition. It is not your calling or your responsibility to figure it all out. Take a deep breath and relax. You don't have to be God. You only need to stand firm on the promises of His word and trust Him to watch over you as you live out your obedience to Him. Oh, and don't forget this very essential truth. He will give you the strength to stand.

Interruption

2011-08-17T10:55:00.001-04:00

"Thus the work on the house of God in Jerusalem came to a standstill until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia" (Ezra 4:24).

It was the end of summer in 2008. I had recently taken a position as the senior pastor of a church about 45 minutes from where we had lived the last 3 years. As excited I was about making this move into a new area of ministry, I was somewhat caught in a paradox of balancing my faith to believe in spite of what seemed impossible and the fact of what seemed impossible. We needed desperately to sell our house and purchase a house within the community that we believed God had called us to. Many had told us to just wait it out until the economy recovered, as the housing market was in the process of tanking and houses just weren't selling quickly, at least not in a way that would give us the finances we needed.

At the end of that summer, with our house on the market for about five months, many lookers, no offers, and building discouragement, I had a moment with God I will never forget! I saw the house I wanted, and believed in my heart that it was the one God had for us. The house was in short sale and would be going into foreclosure in a weeks time. Once in foreclosure, I was told it could take upwards of 2 years before becoming available. I was convinced that my house would go under contract within that week, we'd submit an offer on the "new" house, and the house would be ours. I walked around that property many times that week praying, and believing in my heart that this was the house. That week passed quickly without even a call to come and look at the house we still owned. I was disappointed and more than a bit confused. But, I had surrendered to God. Thirty days later, I received a call from my agent advising me to drop the selling price of my home, because the house we had looked at was coming back on the market priced down nearly $30,000! We lowered it, bid on the other one, and both houses went under contract within ONE WEEK!! What seemed like an interruption was an opportunity for me to see a God who was still at work, regardless of what things appeared to be!

So, what happens when there is an "interruption" to the plan and promise of God? Why would God start something, only to allow it be stalled? God's people have faced this crossroads since the beginning. Even within the truth of this verse, you can see the great fulfillment of the promise of God. "It came to a standstill until..." Whenever there is an "interruption" in the plan of God, there's always an "until." God's not finished. In fact, it would seem the interruption isn't that at all, but rather a test designed to assess our ability to persevere, be patient, and trust.

Are you trusting God in spite of what may appear as an interruption to what He's already promised you? Be reassured in the great purpose that God has for your life. His plan, though it may seem interrupted, has not been terminated. He may be allowing a time in your life for testing, seeing how ready you are to continue on the journey He as planned that holds His promises for you. Your praise, perseverance, and passion should not be any less during the interruption. Hold on and have faith that your God preparing you for your "until!"

Focus On What's Ahead

2011-08-16T10:14:00.000-04:00

"But many of the older priests and Levites and family heads, who had seen the former temple, wept aloud when they saw the foundation of this temple being laid, while many others shouted for joy" (Ezra 3:12).

One morning while taking a drive through the winding road of Facebook, I took a little pit stop at the page of one man who quoted this on his page: "...when a defining moment comes along, you either define the moment, or the moment defines you." As I allowed that thought to simmer in my mind like a thick steak in a marinade, I began to think of the life-changing power that this simple truth holds.

There are so many people that live life through the rear-view mirror. There are moments of mistake, failure, regret, missed opportunities, and bad decisions that changed the course of what could have been our futures. These are all defining moments. The choice we have is whether we will be defined by those moments, or if we'll allow God, in His loving forgiveness and restorative power to define those moments in our lives as moments of strength in His weakness, forgiveness in His grace, and 2nd chances in His redemption.

Ezra 3 recalls a similar story in the lives of those who remembered greatly the rear-view mirror of success in days gone by. The elders of the community had seen the great days of God's blessing in the former temple and were hanging on tightly to the old memories and present-day regrets. Others saw it as a new opportunity to get back on track, viewing God's grace and His restoring of their purpose in the windshield of their future. Haggai, the prophet, would speak that the former temple they mourned over would pale in comparison to the latter temple not yet built. This foundation for the "present" temple would also outshine the former, because Jesus would walk within its courts. The time for mourning and regrets was past-being over. It was time to embrace what God was doing NOW!

Choose not to live in the past. The past regrets and mistakes seek to rob you of the future and its blessings that God has for you. It seeks to define you by your shortcomings, your trials and errors, your repeated failures, and your insecurities. Know that you can't drive forward while staring into the rear-view mirror. God will use your past to shape your future, but He will not direct you forward by focusing on the former. Don't revel in what "could have been." This is a new day. Rejoice in what God is doing in your life now. Look forward, gaze in awe of the journey and the purpose that God has for you today!

Holding on to the Promises

2011-08-12T07:24:00.007-04:00

"Now these are the people of the province who came up from the captivity of the exiles, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had taken captive to Babylon (they returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each tot heir own town)" (Ezra 2:1).

It had been promised of God that the Jewish people would be a nation and have a land. It was even prophesied that the Jews would be exiled, but also prophesied was their return. When promises something, He always comes through. No amount of destruction or devastation is enough to prove God a liar. He always and always will come through as He stand firm on the foundation of His own Word. Our response is not to try to figure out the "how's" and the "when's." Our call is to trust and to hold on to His promises.

As a young boy growing up, being raised by a single mom, I longed for what so many other boys had. I desired a dad. And, even at a young age, I begin to pray and believe that God had given me a promise that was based on His Word, but that He was making personal to me. I sensed that God was speaking to me that He would "turn the heart of the father to his children." So, I prayed that promise and believed that promise. However, year after year, I saw that promise go unfulfilled. The disappointment of rejection seemed almost unbearable, and most definitely unfair. No matter how hard I tried in my efforts to reach out to my dad, all I ever got was unreturned phone calls, birthdays that never went acknowledged, and the constant reminder in my heart that I was a kid without a dad.

But, God had made me a promise. He didn't promise when, but He promised what. I hung on to that promise. I believed that promise. I endured and persevered during the desert moments of that promise unfulfilled. Then, there was a day when that promise began to come to pass! The last six years of my dad's life were spent getting to know each other, reconciling, and rebuilding what was lost! On the day I preached my father's funeral, I was reminded of the promise that God made me as a young boy, and was reminded still, of the faithfulness of God to fulfill when we hold on to His promises.

There will be times in your life when there is a gap in between the promises of God and the fulfillment of those promises. Don't underestimate what God can and is doing in the midst of that gap. He is in the process of preparing you. He's preparing every detail surrounding the fulfillment of that promise, and He's preparing you to receive it. Don't tamper with God's preparation process! Continue to hold on to His promise, and trust Him!

God Still Touches Hearts

2011-08-11T11:55:00.001-04:00

"In the first year of Cyrus, King of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the LORD spoken by Jeremiah, the LORD moved the heart of Cyrus king of Persia to make proclamation throughout his realm and also to put it in writing..." (Ezra 1:1).

How awesome and powerful is the sovereign hand of God that He can touch and turn the heart of a king. Cyrus, a king that was open to the universality of all religions, was moved by the hand of God, thus fulfilling a prophecy spoken before his reign.

Never should we underestimate the power of prayer and the power of God when concerning the lives of leaders and of others in our lives. Instead of becoming or remaining in anger or bitterness, we should allow that passion to be turned to praying for their hearts to be turned. This is not accomplished by our own agenda, but the be the mighty hand of a loving God.

Rather than becoming discouraged by the decisions and directions of those around you, pray for them. Be confident that the God who creates hearts is the God who touches hearts. Though there is still the responsibility of personal choice, God, in His loving power, can still use the situations, people, places, and things around them, to touch the heart. Resist the temptation to give up on people. Remember how God has touched you. Pray for your family. Pray for your leaders. Pray for those around you. God still touches hearts!

Confidence in Contentment

2011-08-09T08:26:00.002-04:00

"And my God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:19).

In the first year of marriage, my wife and I decided it was necessary to purchase a second car, one in which she would drive. This was quite a decision, as she was a full-time college student and I was working part-time as a youth pastor in a church an hour away, while driving school buses part-time to help make ends meet. We had saved up enough money to pay $3000 cash for a black 1996 Chrysler Concord. It had leather seats and my wife LOVED it! However, paying for it in cash meant that we had less than $10 to get us through an entire week.

As the week drew to a close and Sunday morning was upon us, I realized that we didn't have enough money to get ourselves to church and back. To understand this better, you must remember the one hour commute, but realize that commute took us about 30 miles east on the Pennsylvania turnpike, costing us, at the time, $2.25 one way. We had enough change to get us there, but not back. We prayed and knew that we couldn't just not go to church. I was on staff and had youth ministry responsibilities that night as well. We trusted God, allowed no fear, worry, or anxiety to rob us from the privilege of worshiping Him, got in our "new to us" and fully paid for car, and drove to church, spending the last of the money we had to our name at that time! After the morning service and before being treated to lunch, one of the sweetest and most humble women I have ever met came over, hugged me with a loving embrace like that of a grandmother, shook my hand while slipping in a $20 bill! In our contentment, God has provided, doubling what we had had to get us through the week!

In this last part of this letter Paul wrote to the Philippian church while he was still in prison, he spoke faith, but also by fact. He testified of his seeing how God had come through in his life in tough circumstances. He had learned the power of contentment, being confident and at peace, konwing that His God would meet all his needs. Paul had come to know this as a result of the passionate intimacy he shared with God. He gave of himself without worrying and giving into concern of his own needs. God not only would be His provider, but also His provision.

Be reminded and confident that God is more than able to meet all of your needs. When you are living in obedience to His, which also leads to a deep and loving intimacy, you do not have to worry, fret, or be anxious. He is your God and you are His. He will take care of you. Trust Him and take Him at His Word. Be content and celebrate what He has done for you, what He is doing now, and that He is and wants to be your peace.

Celebrating the "Thus Far" Moments

2011-08-05T08:07:00.003-04:00

"Only let us live up to what we have already attained" (Philippians 3:16).

"Perfection," at least as we understand it in our cutthroat culture of corporate competition, high-stress pressure, a zero-tolerance for mistakes of any kind, has become an infectious cancer to the spirit of true success. No, I'm not suggesting that there are "no losers," that "everyone's a winner," or that "it doesn't matter whether you win or lose, but how you play the game." Nor am I suggesting that you have to "win at all cost," that "there's no such thing as second place, only 1st loser," or that "if you're not on top, then you don't really matter."

Life is stuffed complete with challenges, roller-coaster ups and downs, and chock-full of successes, failures, achievements, and disappointments. Paul, writing from the confines of imprisonment, speaks about things yet to be achieved, not looking back to the past (good, bad, or indifferent), but pressing on towards the goal of what lies ahead. He gives a grand caution in this short, but powerful, one-liner: "don't lose sight of how far you have come and the victories that you have taken hold of. The phrasing he uses is equivalent to saying, "you need to keep in step within the boundaries you have already come - don't lose sight of where you are."

If we let down our guard in the victories we've already moved into, we risk "going back" - keeping further away from where God wants us to be. We can't begin a race in which we desire to win, but have already been defeated within our mind. Winning in losing is fulfilled in our actions, but it begins with our thoughts. There are lessons to be learned in our victories and in our defeats. Rather than becoming discouraged with how far we still have to go, we can celebrate to where we have come "thus far."

Let this be a challenging, yet encouraging reminder to you to hold on to where God has brought you thus far. Don't become so relaxed and comfortable that you being to ease up and move backwards. Celebrate the victories. But, understand the truth the iron-clad that God still has more for you and desires to move you forward. The question you are challenged to ask yourself is, "am I marching in lock-step with Him right where I am?" "Am I living up to where He has brought me?" Ask God to show you whether or not you are in alignment with His desire and will for your life. And, if not, ask Him to show you what needs to change in your life to get you back on track. Celebrate the "thus far," but know that God desires to you advance you "further still."

Living Out the Lessons Learned

2011-08-04T15:31:00.000-04:00

"If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from His love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete, by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose" (Philippians 2:1-2).

I remember a few years ago my wife and I were traveling through Dallas, Texas and decided to have lunch at a national chain diner where someone we knew was working. As we were searching through the menu, my mouth began to do what has become second nature...watering over the visual appeal of the foods that I have grown to love! It didn't take long before I saw one of my favorites...NACHOS! This heaping mound of tortilla chips was loaded with shredded cheddar, topped with tomatoes, jalapenos, onions, black olives, guacamole and sour cream. As soon as I laid eyes on it my stomach had spoken and I knew what I would order. I was so excited when the waitress brought me the plate that would hold this treasured pleasure...until it actually got there. It looking nothing like what I had seen in the menu. The picture and the delivered entree looked as though it was from two distinctively different establishments. What a disappointment.

The greatest proof for anything we believe is in how we live it out. Paul made this point crystal clear. "If you've gotten anything out your encounter with the life-changing power of Jesus, then live it out!" Hearing about it is not enough. Knowledge, though essential, is grossly inadequate when not coupled with the application. God has called us to more than just to receive from Him, but to reflect what we've received with action.

Are you as quick to live out what you believe as you are to speak what you believe? This is a truth worth getting hold of. When you believe it, and allow this truth to root deep with in you, it will dynamically transform how you interact with people. Are you reflecting and representing the what you say you have received? This is a daily challenge, but it's one that has the potential of making a "forever" difference! So, what has God shown you, taught you, blessed you with, or brought you through? Live it out!

Winning In Spite of the "Why's"

2011-08-03T12:00:00.002-04:00

"Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel" (Philippians 1:12).

"Why does this always happen to me?" Honestly, most of us have either said this or felt this during the midst of some moment of the crisis. It's during those seasons where we are overwhelmed with the "why's" of life. "Why do bad things happen to good people?" "Why does trouble always find me?" "Why does God keep letting things happen to me?" "I'm trying to do the right things, but the wrong things keep coming. Why?"

You are not alone! Paul was in prison when he wrote these unlikely words of inspiration. He wasn't complaining or whining about the "why's" and the woes. And, if anybody had any reasonable justification for doing so, he sure did! Imprisoned for standing up and doing exactly what God had called him to do, he could have chosen to sulk, complain, and wallow in his own swamp of self-centered pride and pity. Notice that he didn't try to explain why this was happening, only to say that God was using this circumstance in his life in order to advance the message of the life-changing power of Jesus!

The enemy of his soul must have been rejoicing. Paul was in prison. He was unable to get the message out. He was isolated. He was immobile. But, he was inspired, impassioned, and ignited with a purpose to perseveringly stand up and live out who He was in Jesus! Satan thought he was winning only to find out that it would have been better for him and his devious plan to have never messed with Paul in the first place. God was using Satan's plan that was intended and fashioned for devastation and destruction, as a tool and a cause for celebration!

In your life, are you going through something and unsuccessfully searching aimlessly for the reason of "why?" Though it surely weighs down your heart with great discouragement, you have landed upon a divine opportunity to place your trust and hope, in the midst of this season of being tried and tested, upon Him. This is when you need to throw your hands up and say, "Lord, though I don't understand why, I trust You. I ask You to use me and this situation to reveal who You are to others that are observing me now." In spite of the prison that you may feel you are unjustly in, look to Jesus, that He might use this for your good, but for His glory, that those around you might see Him IN YOU.

A Quiet Mind

2011-08-01T00:02:00.000-04:00

"The LORD your God is with you, He is mighty to save. he will take great delight in you. He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing" (Zephaniah 3:17).

Have you ever had one of those days that was filled with such a variety of stresses, struggles, conflicts, and situations it felt like more like an overstuffed Stromboli that's unable to contain all that's inside? You go to bed at night, physically tired, but your mind is racing faster than Lance Armstrong on the last mile of the Tour de France.

Even in the midst of trial and turmoil, God is with those who are faithful to Him. What a great reminder during those times, God's power, favor, His peace, and His love is very much still with us. When we begin to change our focus from what has overtaken our day to He who has created our day and has a purpose for our tomorrow, realizing that it is He who holds us in the palm of His strong, capable, and tireless hands, we can rest.

There are times when your mind feels stretched and stressed and races at high speeds, yet goes nowhere at all...at least no where good. However, that it your opportunity to remember the love of God is more than enough to quiet your mind. Let it remind you to be still and to know and remember that He is, always has been, and always will be God. He is in control. When you grab hold of that truth, and apply it, your mind, no matter what you're facing, will be have quiet, peaceful rest.

He Watches Over Me

2011-07-29T00:09:00.000-04:00

"I have heard the insults of Moab and the taunts of the Ammonites, who insulted my people and made threats against their land" (Zephaniah 2:8).

Growing up in a less than perfect world has been some of the most fertile ground to be raised in. The richness of the soil of trial and struggle, though unappreciated at the time of experience, has been proven most invaluable in my life. Growing up in a single-parent home was complete with challenges that go beyond the struggles of the "average" everyday life. I remember go to bed at night, nestling in the security of the blankets in my twin-sized bed in a room that was the buffer in between my mom and my sister's rooms. So many nights, the quiet of the starry sky Texas nights were disturbed by the passionate cries of a young and broken single mom that shared a wall with a very much awake and impressionable young boy. I would listen intently as she cried out to the Creator of the universe about how she didn't know how He would provide, but trusted Him to do so; how she needed His divine assistance in raising two young children; and how she desired for those children to learn what it meant to trust Him for everything, though they had, too, experienced much hurt, rejection, and fear. That lesson was well learned. From that point on, and as I have seen in the more than 20 years since then, that God is not ignorant, but observant. He watches over me!

When we think that what we're going through is only noticed by us, we are wrong. God sees. He knows. He cares. There is nothing He misses. And when there are those who are being abused, taken advantaged of, unappreciated, overlooked, and rejected, it does not escape the attention of an ever-present and all-knowing God.

Yes, there are days when it feels like you may be a human target for everything! The one things you need to always remember is that He is still YOUR GOD. You are His child! A gather knows how to take care of His children. Continue to trust in Him. Continue to find your security in Him. When you begin to feel as though you're losing control, losing your peace, and losing faith, trust Him. He knows the amount of hairs upon your head. He knows your name. He hasn't forgotten how to use pain for a purpose that is so great that it's unexplainable. His eye is on the sparrow, and He watches over you!

To Settle is to Stagnate

2011-07-28T00:06:00.000-04:00

"At that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps and punish those who are complacent, who are like wine left on its dregs, who think, 'The LORD will do nothing, either good or bad'" (Zephaniah 1:12).

"Good enough." It's a phrase that has imprisoned all of humanity since the time of creation. For some it represents a fear and insecurity of trying to be good enough. For so many others, whether we realize it or not, this phrase has become our modus operandi, simply put, the way we do things. We coast, we get comfortable, and then we settle, doing just enough to get by. We apply this destructive mindset in daily habits, how we eat, sleep, spend time with our family. It effects our jobs, our finances, and our spiritual relationship with God.

The prophet is addressing a spiritual issue that has not become lost through the generations. God is not and never will be satisfied, nor will He settle for our complacency. He uses the analogy of wine left on its dregs, developing a crust on the surface because it hasn't been disturbed for some time, thus become worthless and without good use.

Our comfort comes at a great cost. Jesus promised that serving Him would bring great peace, blessing, joy, and victory in our lives. He never promised comfort as the our culture would define comfort. We have lived out our own definition of comfort. Laziness. Mediocrity. Satisfaction. Stagnation. Spiritual growth and vibrancy, revival even, comes when we allow God to stir up the pot of our lives, to disturb our every day norm. We can never believe the lie that 'if we're OK with how things are, then God's OK, too.' Laziness and complacency, and settling for the status quo has never been His standard.

Let this be your challenge today. Choose not to get comfortable in the areas of your life that matter the most. Don't settle for what you've always done just because you've always done it. Especially when it's not yielding you the progress and blessing you really desire! Be passionate about wanting to see the greatness that God has for your life. Long for God to disturb everything you think is normal. Then, get out of the way and let Him do it. Listen to Him as He speaks to you about the areas in your life that need to change. Trust and obey when He calls you beyond what has become your norm. Choose not to settle. Pray. Read. Apply. Receive.

Do You Believe?

2011-07-27T09:41:00.001-04:00

"Later Jesus appeared to the eleven as they were eating; He rebuked them for their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen Him after He had risen" (Mark 16:14).

He had spoken into their lives. He had shown His power to them - and through them. They had professed their own faith in Him. But now, faith and what seemed like fact were in a battle that was overwhelming this once 'overwhelming' faith. Jesus, now obviously risen, rebukes them for not believing Him. They believed in Him, but did not believe Him. Yet, He'd done exactly what He had said.

For so many, it's not so uncommon to identify as a Christian, as one who has 'faith', or as one who believes in Jesus. Churches are filled with professors of faith. Cars jam the highways with bumper stickers that declare "Real Men Love Jesus," "Honk if You Love Jesus" or "WWJD." T-shirts, hats, and other tokens of faith advertisement are great and help to enable to someone to stand up and out for their faith, but the real test and evidence of faith is not what one wears, sports, or has affixed on the outside, but what is blazing on the inside.

Believing in Jesus is very important, but the greatest testimony of believing in Him is to BELIEVE HIM...PERIOD. When He speaks, do you take Him at His word? Have you cast your cares upon Him because He cares for you...yet you pick them back up again and worry about them some more? That's not believing Him. Do you know that His Word says that He'll never leave you nor forsake you, yet you struggle feeling down, discouraged, depressed, dejected, and alone? That's not believing Him. Are you holding on to the past, the hurts, the pains, and the baggage of days gone by, yet you say that you're "giving it all to Jesus"? That's not believing Him.

Be challenged today to believe Him. When He speaks, believe Him. When He shows you His power, believe Him. When you don't see what you want or anything at all, still believe Him. Continue to trust Him, believe Him, and be fueled by the faith that is found in Him.

Just Motions

2011-07-22T00:23:00.000-04:00

"And when they had mocked Him, they took off the purple robe and put His own clothes on Him. Then they led Him out to crucify Him" (Mark 15:20).

One of the most interesting, yet semi disturbing acts I have ever seen is that of a mime. They are so serious about what they do. Their precision is crisp, their timing is incredible, and they can make it look so real. But, what it all comes down to is a man or a woman going through a whole heap of motions, looking like they're doing something, but really, doing nothing. It's all an act. It's a show.

Mark 15:20 reveals a very similar act that was portrayed during the final hours of the life of Jesus before His crucifixion, yet has persisted all through time since. What they had done on the outside, clothing Him in majestic attire, was contradicted by what was on the inside. Their actions contradicted their motivation. It was unsustainable. Therefore, their original intentions were eventually exposed and carried out. They had no real intentions of honoring Him. They were going through the motions, appeasing Him, and essentially, mocking Him.

How often do people, perhaps even ourselves if we're honest, do the very same thing? Going through the motions can become infectious and catastrophic when it comes to our relationship with Jesus. We mock, play, sometimes even make sport about showing Him honor, but then we remove the purple robe of honor and authority, and again assume "control" over our situations.

God will not be mocked. He gets the final word. We have the opportunity now, right now, to choose whether our worship is real or whether it some crafty, skilled work of dramatic pantomime. We may be able to fool so many others, including ourselves. But, God looks passed the motions and into the heart. When He does, what does He see in you? Take some time today and ask God to search your heart. Don't be led by feelings and traditions. Be genuine and authentic about Jesus being Lord, Savior, and King of your life.

God Provides

2011-07-19T00:10:00.001-04:00

"The disciples left, went into the city and found things just as Jesus had told them. So they prepared the passover" (Mark 14:16).

When Jesus speaks, we should listen, hold on to every word that is strategically uttered from His lips. As I am writing this, I am reminded, yet again, at the amazing provision of God. My wife, currently, is serving on a short term missions campaign in Bolivia. When we heard about this possibility of this opportunity, we began to think of all the reasons why this might not work. First of all, I was booked for the week of the trip to speak at a junior high youth camp. You see, we have three kids, and there was no way I'd be able to take care of them all by myself!! Then, there was the issue of the incredibly large amount of money in a relatively short amount of time. Now, of course, we could right a check. I can write a check for any amount. But, I was pretty sure that writing a hot check to the church for a missions trip probably wouldn't make the "top 10 best decisions ever made" list!

So...we prayed. We both believed that God wanted her to go on that trip. In a wildly
short amount of time, God provided every penny that she needed, plus a few hundred to spare! It was "just as Jesus had told" us. We trusted Him. He provided.

Jesus had told the disciples something that might not have made a lot of sense concerning His provision, but they trusted Him. It happened just as He had told them. When He speaks, do we trust Him? It's not a matter of how much. We either do or we don't. There really is no in between. If we trust Him, in spite of what we see, know, or understand, we will, at some point, find out that it will be just as Jesus has said.

Do you trust Him? Do you trust Him to provide for you? Someone told me recently of a personal revelation from God that they had had. It was simply this: Jesus doesn't just want to be your provider. He longs to be your Provision. Let Him be everything you need. And when He is, trust Him to be so. Learn to hear His voice. Read His word. Trust Him. He will provide!

Watch!

2011-07-18T00:05:00.000-04:00

"'What I say to you, I say to everyone: "Watch!"'" (Mark 13:37).

This was a warning to each of us from Jesus. He told them to "watch" - to be alert, to stay awake. Basically, He was exhorting them not to fall asleep, get lazy, or to become complacent. We are to rely on Him and to go full force towards Him and all He has for us. This will be fueled by faith and not by feelings. But, We must stay alert and vigilant.

"Don't get lazy!" This was we have to remember for ourselves. God has done some great things in our lives, and has spoken some great promises to us. But, we can't become complacent. We can't become normal or routine with the things of God. He has called us each new day to seek Him. We need Him each day. We should wake up and realize that we are, in fact, desperate for Him each new day. We can't wait for tomorrow. What God has given us to do, we must do - or begin to do - and do it today!

As you begin or continue this day, ask God to help you to open your eyes...to see what it is He is trying to show you. It's not that He's hiding Himself or His promises from us. It's usually that we have fallen asleep at the wheel, still driving, still going in a direction, but we just can't see what's right in front of us. No matter who you are, where you've been, or what you've been through; regardless of what condition you life is in, whether it be good, bad, or ugly; open up your eyes, be alert, on guard, and watch!

For Lease ONLY

2011-07-15T08:02:00.001-04:00

"Jesus then began to speak in parables: 'A man planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a pit for the winepress and built a watchtower. Then he rented the vineyard to some farmers and moved to another pace'"

(Mark 12:1).

Have you ever thought about the differences between owning and renting. As much as I love owning a home, and am very thankful to God for this amazing blessing, there are some advantages that I remember about the concept of renting. When I rented an apartment, it was not mine. It was leased to me. I was allowed to live there, but I never bore the responsibilities of ownership. If there was something wrong, I was to call the landlord. If I wanted to make any changes to my abode, I had to call the landlord. I could not live as though I owned it. To do so would be arrogant, disrespectful, and wrong.

The farmers in this parable regarded the vineyard as though the "man" had given it to them. They acted as thought they owned it, rather than it being leased to them. It was still owned by another. How often we live our lives as though we "own" it. This life is a gift that has been lent to us. It's on lease. We are the occupiers, not the owners. Everything we reflects back on the owner, and should be seen as a credit to His glory and honor.

This is life is not your own. We you live as thought it is, you are both squandering an opportunity, stealing from the owner of all life. Rather than squander and steal, choose to surrender: all that you have and all that you are to the One who created you and who holds you up and holds you together. Take time today to spend with the One who loves you the most - the One who has the greatest purpose for your life.

Hands Off!

2011-07-13T23:15:00.001-04:00

"When they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks on it, He sat on it" (Mark 11:14).

Have you ever noticed that people like to be right? Sure you have, and I'm sure you've been one of those people. We like to be in control. We like to get the last word. And, when things feel as though they are spinning out of control, we like to grip hard and take control ourselves. However, that mindset doesn't mesh so well with the idea of trusting God. The Bible calls us to self-control, which is really another way of calling us to "self-surrender."

Jesus told His disciples precisely what to do in order to facilitate His entry into Jerusalem. No matter how much sense it did or didn't make, or what kind of ideas they may have had, they did it. They brought it to Him and gave it to Him without questioning His motives or His authority, and even threw their own cloaks, part of their identity, on it. His response? He sat on it. He took over. It wasn't about their accomplishment. It was about Him.

We can't bake what we do for God about us. It's not about us. It's not about getting our way, or having to make sense of something before we submit and obey. We must give it, everything, to Him with the sole of purpose of Him take it, and taking it over.

We must embrace a life-changing truth that can very well be life-destroying if we choose to live in a state of stubborn control. Life is not about "me." It's not about me looking good. It's not about how I am seen in the eyes of the masses. It's not about my accomplishments, even when it's exactly what God has asked me to do.

You and I are never to cease giving it all to Him. We are to allow Him to take that dream, that accomplishment, that situation, that circumstance, and that major life decision, and let Him sit on it. It's about lifting Him up. It can be no other way. If I am in control, I deserve all that comes my way. If He is in control, I will receive more than I can ever deserve.

Former second baseman for the New York Yankees from the 50's and 60's prayed one of the simplest, yet most profound and powerful prayers. Our challenge today, is to pray this prayer with conviction, confession, and commitment, that it may truly be the cry of our hearts. "Dear God. Your will. Nothing more. Nothing less. Nothing else. Amen."

As Was His Custom

2011-07-12T09:19:00.001-04:00

"Jesus then left that place and went into the region of Judea and across the Jordan. Again crowds of people came to Him, and as was His custom, He taught them" (Mark 1:1).

Jesus did not waste an opportunity. When He found Himself around a number of people, He took advantage of the time and used it to teach them, to instruct them, to impart to them, and to mentor them. This was His custom. He didn't need a special event, another reason, or a cause. He was there. They were there. This wasn't by chance. This was His custom. It was His mindset to teach and to share His life with those who God had placed around Him.

While walking over to a local McDonald's from the hotel I was staying at in Birmingham, UK, I was met by a man in the parking lot. He looked tired, and his face spoke volumes of stories of discouragement and the feelings of great disappointment. He began to tell me of how he was just two pounds away from having the money needed to take a train to where he needed to be. His car at broken down, he had run out of money, and his day had been spent hearing the discouraging rants and insults by any passerby he came in contact with. All I had in my pocket was a 10 pound note. I thought about giving it all, but felt God speak otherwise. I told him that I would give him the 2 pounds, but needed change, and that I was going in to buy myself a cup of coffee and would like to buy him one as well. He was stunned, but accepted. The man by the way, was Muslim. As we were standing in line, he mentioned his appreciation for giving him the benefit of the doubt. I looked at him and told him that my faith teaches me that very truth. I told him that I am a Christian and believe that Jesus loved me so much, that He gave me the "benefit of the doubt," and that I should be willing to the do the same, and to love people as Christ has loved me. Well...you could have knocked the guy over with a feather! We received our drinks, I gave him the 2 pounds, and wished him well.

Sharing the truth about Jesus should never be something we leave completely to scheduling and to Sunday mornings. Opportunities to share what Jesus has done or is doing in our lives should never be left to calendars or chance, but to choice. Choose to open your eyes to see the hearts and lives of people around you. Choose to look at those that God has surrounded you with. Choose to make it your mindset, your way of life, you custom to teach and to share your life, a life that has been touched and blessed by God, with others.

Salted With Fire

2011-07-08T01:38:00.002-04:00

"Everyone will be salted with fire" (Mark 9:49).

Everyone is gonig to go through trials that will seem like it takes them to a place that appears to be unbearable. And this is good. It seasons you. It gives you a flavor. The flavor will either be bitter with contempt for life, or it will be seasoned with dependence on God and perseverance through strength in God.

The choice is ours. If we want to be the "salt of the earth" as Jesus declared we would be, we are going to have to go through the fire. And, He promised that He would go with us, and be with us, and that we wouldn't even adopt the stench of the smoke. Of course, the choice to depend upon Him is ours. That will be the key that will deliver us from the prison of discontentment, complaining, and bitterness that comes from the need to be in control.

Are you facing challenges today? Does the road seems a bit long, unfair, or increasingly meaningless? Allow God to use this in your life! His desire is to stretch you and to break you, so that He can form you into the man or woman that He has destined you to be. Your seasoning will give the flavor of God's love during the times of unloveliness, peace during the seasons when life seems out of control, grace when you feel out of control, and strength to persevere through it all.

The Process of Faith

2011-07-07T01:06:00.003-04:00

"He looked up and said, 'I see people. The look like trees walking around.' Once more Jesus put His hands on the man's eyes. Then his eyes were opened, his sight restored, and he saw everything clearly" (Mark 8:24-25).

When Jesus touched the man, the outward manifestation of his healing was not yet complete, but it had begun. It was a process of consistent and personal communication. Jesus touched him. Jesus spoke to him. The man responded to Jesus. Then Jesus touched him again. And then the man saw much more clearly than ever before.

It was a process of both faith and intimacy. The man didn't stop or settle with just one touch. It was better than it had ever been before, but he wanted more of the touch of Jesus in his life. Never settle for just the beginning of what God has for you. Desire the continual touch and personal communication and intimacy with Jesus in your life. He has begun a good work in you, and He is faithful to complete it. Do not get discouraged when you don't feel completed or when you fail. You just need to talk with Jesus and allow Him to touch you again by His powerful, yet loving hand. Then, you will begin to have clear and unclouded revelation from God.

The Inside Counts!

2011-07-06T07:06:00.000-04:00

"'Are you so dull?' He asked. 'Don't you see that nothing that enters a person from the outside can defile them?'" (Mark 7:18).

I have a pool! It's one of the highlights of the summer season. Seeing my children jump, splash, laugh and giggle in and around the water floods my heart with joy. Recently, however, the pump that is connected to the pool's filter stopped working. Although the problem ended up being an electrical problem, it prompted me to do something I have never done in the two and a half seasons that I've run the pool. I opened up the filter and took out the cartridge. It was disgusting. Outside looking at the tank, you'd never guess what was going on on the inside. It was dark brown, slimy and grimy. It would never effectively provide for the pool all it was created and designed for until I dedicated some care and attention to that which may not be seen, but is definitely noticed by what it can and cannot do. So it is with the inside of our lives.

There was so much attention placed on the outward appearance and the acceptance of what everyone else saw. Jesus pointed out this apparent ignorance among His team. It wasn't about how well you could dress the outside. If the inside didn't change, the outside could only serve as a temporary mask that would eventually be removed, exposing that which was never dealt with.

What do people see in you? What do they think of you? Who do you feel that you need to impress? These inevitable, almost unavoidable thoughts and questions, can not serve as the GPS for your life. You must take a constant inventory of what is going on in your heart. The inside will affect the outside. The outside will pass away, as the inside will press on.

What does the inside of your heart look like? Like pool pumps, cars, and the inside of a refrigerator filled with leftovers, it needs regular maintenance and upkeep. Ask God, as David did in Psalm 139, to search your heart and to reveal to you what may be standing in the way between where you are and the more complete greatness that He has for you!

Walking In the Authority of God

2011-07-01T08:07:00.000-04:00

"Calling the twelve to Him, He sent them out two by two and gave them authority over evil" (Mark 6:7).

Recently on a missions trip to the UK, God revealed this passage to our team in ways that only He could. We traveled from the US to the one of the larger cities in the UK to partner with an awesome church in reaching the city. We were ready for anything. Bring on the ministry! Bring on the people that need Jesus! Bring on the challenges of reaching the lost! Bring on the hostel?? Yes. The place we stayed, for many, was a challenge. It wasn't horrible (at least not in my opinion), but it did take us to the core of why we were there and what God really wanted to do. So the rooms weren't ideal, and so we couldn't easily wash our clothes for 10 days we were to be there. So the agenda wasn't what we had exactly planned. We had a choice to complain about the accommodations, the arrangements, and our attire, or we could embrace the opportunity to walk in the authority of God.

Jesus had spent time investing in His disciples and now it was time to send them out. It wasn't about the accommodations. They had no place to stay. It wasn't about arrangements. They had no scheduled events, no planned agenda. It wasn't about their attire. They had no changes of clothes. It was about the authority they had in the One who sent them. It was a delegated influence that they were empowered with over all powers of darkness. He had given it, but they had to choose to walk in it.

We can choose to get lost in the details, or in the lack of details in any given circumstance. But, what we have to remember is, the calling that God has placed in our lives to send us out to affect the world and to be a catalyst of His love. It's not in the accommodations, arrangements, or attire. Those things can not ever become more important than the authority He has given us over evil thoughts, imaginations and spirits. So really, the choice is yours today. Do you choose to accept and walk and live in the delegated influence of Jesus Christ?

Back from the "Dead"

2011-06-30T16:46:00.000-04:00

"While Jesus was still speaking, some people came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue leader. 'Your daughter is dead,' they said. 'Why bother the teacher anymore?' (Mark 5:35).

It was on the evening of November 2, 1948 that one of the grandest gaffes in presidential election reporting was made. Certain of what all the polls had been predicting and what the early returns were foretelling, a defeat of incumbent president, Harry Truman, was all but guaranteed. So much so, that 150,000 first edition copies of the Chicago Tribune were printed with the now notorious headline, "Dewey Defeats Truman." There were two big problems with this. The headlines were printed based on prediction and not on what really would happen. It was based on what seemed like the inevitable death of the current presidency. Problem number two, at least for the Tribune, and Mr. Dewey, Truman was reelected, and took great pride in showcasing, forever to be remembered in print, the headline that proved it was possible to come back from the dead, to never be counted out just because of the way things look.

So has been the case many times in our own lives. Right? Because this "thing" that is so precious that you've been praying for now seems dead, there's no reason to continue to bother Jesus anymore about it. You've prayed and believed, but nothing seems to be happening. I must just not be meant to be. This seems to be our mindset so many times. But, the thing we miss, is that unless God Himself has closed the door, that is exactly when we should be "bothering" Jesus. Because, that's when our faith is required for a supernatural miracle that we could not do on our own, nor take credit for on our own.

Our faith must be tested, or it's not faith. This is how we know, and how God knows how sincere we are about what we say we're believing for. We must be determined to be motivated by, convinced by, persuaded by, and confident in Him without seeing, verses a feeling that is inconsistent and based on circumstances. Sometimes, there are going to be some special things that God wants for us in our lives, that He's going to allow to "die" in order to see how bad we want them, and how passionate we are to pursue Him, and believe Him, in spite of what we may or may not be seeing. Trust Him and be confident, that even if He allows something to die in your life, He will reveal to you that His promise for you is not bound by death. He is life, and in Him, you will have life to the fullest!

Perfect Rest

2011-06-29T09:34:00.000-04:00

"Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke Him and said to Him, 'Teacher, don't you care if we drown?'" (Mark 4:38).

One of the greatest things I love to do as a dad, is to go into their rooms sometimes at night and watch them sleep. Sometimes they're propped up in weird positions, maybe sleeping on the wrong side of the bed, and at times, even sleeping on the floor because they rolled off the bed. But even still, they are asleep. What blesses me the most, is how unaware they are of the concerns and pressures of the world around them. They don't know about the economy, or the rising gas prices. They aren't trying to figure out the stock market, gold prices, or the latest political argument. They are sleeping. Perfectly. Why? Because they know that Daddy and Mommy are there.

Imagine being with Jesus in the storm on that dark night. The winds are howling, the seas are raging, waves are crashing up against the boat. You're feeling anxious, uncomfortable, confused, and afraid. As you're looking around and see everyone else as frantic and panicked as you, you see Jesus. He's not performing miracles. He's not walking on water. He's not even preaching about how to stand in the storm. He's asleep. You know He can rescue you...that He should rescue you, but He's asleep.

The disciples woke Him. They even chastised Him. But, they were with Jesus. They should have had the same peace as Jesus and enjoyed the same perfect rest as He. The storm wasn't what they expected or desired, but they were with Jesus, and that should have been enough.

There are so many thing that I, too, face that are completely unexpected, that haven't gone according to plan, or at least not completely the way I had desired. What God is continuing to teach me, however, is that as long as I am with Jesus, I can be at peace. I can rest...even in the midst of the storm. Even when there is not peace around me, there can always be peace within me.

Do you sometimes worry or even get upset with God because it seems like the storm around you are overtaking you? Do you ever feel as though Jesus is no where to be found? Perhaps, today, you need to look around that boat a little more carefully. He's there. Yes, the Bible says that He is a God that neither sleeps nor slumbers, but He is the Prince of Peace and shows us how possible, as long as we are with Him, to have perfect rest in the midst of any storm. Rest in Him today. He's right there with you. As long as you have Jesus in the boat of your life...you have nothing to fear!

Selfless

2011-06-28T09:58:00.000-04:00

"Another time Jesus went into the synagogue, and a man with a shriveled hand was there"

(Mark 3:1).

Over the years that I have been a part of church life, I have heard a similar phrase spoken in different ways. "I just don't get anything out of the worship." "That church just doesn't meet my needs." "I go when I need it." "I just don't prefer what they offer at that one." Of course, there are some churches that are not either as healthy as they could or should be, or are not pursuing to be as healthy as they should be. However, many times, we face this mindset of a consumer rather than a worshiper. Plain and simple: it's not about me! It's not about what I can get, because I am not the object of worship...at least I shouldn't be!

Jesus wasn't about getting something when He went into a house of worship. That was never the focus. He sought out the opportunity, and was open to seeing opportunities before Him. He was there to be a blessing to others, not just to seek His own blessing.

So many times we miss out on the bigger picture because we become self-focused instead of God-focused when engaging in an atmosphere of corporate worship. Think about it. When you go to church, or gather around other believers in a group setting for worship, is it about you? Is it more about what you can get from it, or what you can give to it? It's about exalting the name of Jesus. It's about expecting to be used of God to be a blessing to those He brings you in contact with.

Don't underestimate the sovereign work of God to place you right where He wants you to be. And, it may not be just for what He can do for you, but maybe what He can do for someone else through you. Worship is about being selfless. It's about Him. And in the process...He blesses!

Beyond the Walls

2011-06-27T09:07:00.000-04:00

"On hearing this, Jesus said to them, 'It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous but sinners'" (Mark 2:17).

Recently, I spent some time in the UK with a great team of people that attend the church that I pastor. We were there partnering with another great church in reaching out and loving the community "beyond the walls" of their church building. What became so incredible for the those that accompanied me from our hometown, was the awakening that began to happen in their hearts. How easy it is, at times, to become so familiar with what has become the "norm" of "everyday church." We can get so used to coming to the same building, seeing the same people, singing the same songs, eating the same chicken at the same church picnics, and become satisfied. But, there IS a world beyond the walls of what has become familiar. Jesus addresses the same need for awareness.

This was the response of Jesus when He overheard the "church people" of the day questioning His disciples about hanging out with the sinners and the outcasts. Jesus came for people like this. And, it would be people "like this" that He would use to change the world. He showed an example, that we are not to isolate ourselves from the ones He came to reach. They will be ones, too, that He will use to reflect the life changing power of the love of God.

If we isolate myself in our spiritual "refuge," we forfeit the opportunity to be used of God and to effect change in the lives of others just as Jesus did. We must be open to seeing past the exteriors, the pasts, the mistakes, the sins and the struggles, and see a heart that God longs to hold, and realize that we could be the one God desires to use.

It's not that we should forgo being a part of the local church. On the contrary, the local church should be the hub, the center, of where a heart for reaching all people is birthed, developed, mentored, and then commissioned. What are you doing to reach beyond the walls? What are you allowing God to do that might, as it should, be stretching you beyond what is both comfortable and familiar? Ask God to give you a heart that beats passionately for the people He loves, even though they might not yet know it.

Desert Seasons

2011-06-23T10:49:00.001-04:00

"At once the Spirit sent Him out into the desert..." (Mark 1:12).

Have you ever had one of those moments with God that seemed so powerful that it was almost "electric?" Perhaps you've had an encounter with God so incredible that it seemed like nothing could possibly go wrong as long as you kept on doing what you were doing. And then...it happened. One thing after another and all of a sudden you find yourself not "feeling it" anymore. What happened? Why did God let me have such an incredible season in His presence to then send me off in the desert??

Jesus had just spent an amazing moment with God. It was the great showing of the Trinity of God at the Baptism of Jesus. The voice of the Father God who spoke of His Son; the Son of God being baptized; and the Holy Spirit descending upon Jesus in the form of a dove. WOW!! Immediately following this unmistakably incredible God-encounter, Jesus was sent out into the desert.

So many people get disillusioned when, after hearing from God, and experiencing times of His favor, that they then have to through a season in the desert. Maybe that's exactly where you find yourself today! Be encouraged! The "experience" with God prepares you, but the desert produces in you that which allows the experience, the favor, and the blessings of God, to persevere in your life.

No, we don't always like the desert, but we must remember that it is a time of testing, developing, and maturing things that God has already placed within us. The desert isn't to punish, but to produce. If getting all that God wants for us means enduring and persevering through the desert, then we should be "all in!" Because, we know, that even there, He's right there with us!

Willing to Serve Him

2011-06-22T09:40:00.000-04:00

"Be shepherds of God's flock that is under your care, watching over them - not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve..." (1 Peter 5:2).

The attitude we have about something has the power to radically alter both our perspective and how we affect change in that area. Even when it seems as though we have no choice, we do. Sometimes we feel forced to perform in a situation and we begrudge the effort we have to expend. Instead, we should see it as another way of bringing honor to God. In spite of feeling like we have to, we become willing, not because it's easy, but because we are eager to serve both God and those created in His image.

Are you willing to serve? I know we say we are, but what about when those opportunities come and take a twist and a turn like an unexpected bend and detour in a road, and it's not exactly what we thought or even wanted? Are we still willing? Is our willingness contingent on our control in the direction? Sometimes it does feel like a series of routines and as though our choices have all been taken away. But, we still choose how we respond.

Each day, we have a choice to make. It's more than just an attitude, but a commitment to total surrender unto God. Are you willing to serve? Are you willing to convey an attitude in all things and at all times that validates that commitment to willingness to serve? Never forget, that it's not because you must, but an answer to the even greater question of are you willing. For me...I am willing.

Perseverance!

2011-06-14T18:54:00.000-04:00

"Therefore, since Christ suffered in His body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because whosoever suffers in the body is done with sin" (1 Peter 4:1).

There are some days when pushing through is the furthest thing from our mind. When it get's tough, why keep going? Why continue to push on when you don't think there will be any change?

Jesus could have given in to the pressure of His struggle. He faced hunger. He faced temptation. He faced rejection and betrayal. He faced weariness and anxiety. He could have surrendered to any of these physical or emotional obstacles. But instead, He depended upon the strength of the Father, and persevered victoriously. We are to have that same attitude of dependence and perseverance.

The fact is, we are going to experience seasons of suffering. In basic training, it was often said that "pain is nothing more than weakness leaving the body." Each day, we have the choice not give into the physical, emotional or spiritual pains that I experience in our day to day life.

Choose to use those tough seasons as reminders to depend upon His strength and persevere in the victory He has already ordered.

He is Lord, Part 2

2011-06-09T08:42:00.000-04:00

"But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord" (1 Peter 3:15).

There are many who call Jesus Lord with their mouths in a certain setting, but do not present evidence of it being true with the conversations, tones, attitudes, motivations, actions, or thoughts. Peter brings home the fact that we are going to face both trying periods and trying people, and through it all, we must continue to revere Him in our hearts.

At very core of who we are, we should live pure, holy, reflection of who He is. THIS, in return, should be the life-source by which all manifestations of our lives are produced.

Even now, in our own moments of frustration and disagreement, we must purpose to honor God, and seek to be holy before Him in our hearts. Out of our hearts, pure or otherwise, will produce the fruits by which we will be identified. No matter the emotions that may exist on any particular day, the choice to be made is whether or not we will choose to honor God in our hearts. This will be the deciding factor in producing that fruit that will serve as evidence of that choice.

Is He Lord in your life? Is He your authority? Are you living in obedience to Him? In every way? If the answer is "yes," then the fruits that are being produced in your life will show evidence that He is, in fact, Lord. If the answer is, "Maybe some areas of my life, but not all," then He is not Lord. But don't lose heart. Surrender and repentance are the access codes that enable Him to be what He's always desired to be in your life. Lord

Respect: A Matter of Honoring God

2011-06-08T08:27:00.000-04:00

"Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king, as the supreme authority, or to the governors, who are sent by Him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right" (1 Peter 2:13-14).

Ever since I was a young child, I grew up with very keen interest in two main areas: God & government. I was raised to know Jesus as my personal Lord and Savior at an early age. I loved going to church. I loved singing songs of worship to God. I love sharing my faith and talking about what God has done in my life. I also grew up reading every book on American presidents that I could find. I have read research on every presidential campaign and election since the very first one that elected our very first chief executive.

As I have grown, I have observed two very distinct extremes when one attempts to combine these two areas of interest. One is that they become totally and completely separate. "Never the two shall meet." You've heard it said before, that there are two things you never talk about outside your close circle of friends: "religion & politics." The other extreme is that as they combine they morph into something that is rude, obnoxious, disrespectful, dishonoring, and so many other ideas that contradict the character of God.

This is what I believe God has and is showing me. And, as I read 1 Peter 2:13 and other verses like it, I am convinced of this: All leaders are ordained and placed by God. As a Christian, what does this mean to me? In short, I have a choice when I go to the ballot box to place my vote for who I'd like to see in leadership. After that vote has been placed, all votes counted, and a winner declared, my preference is now replaced by my responsibility.

We all have a responsibility to submit (which is to also respect) our leaders. It doesn't mean we have to agree. It doesn't mean that we can't oppose or campaign to replace. But what a travesty it is for Christians, those who proclaim to love and to honor God, to dishonor, disrespect, and disregard those who God has called us to submit to "for [His] sake."

How do I reconcile this with my views and beliefs? I pray for my leaders. I pray for my president. I encourage you to be cautious of the words that come out of your mouth and the attitudes that arise from your hearts in regards to the leaders God has placed over you. Whether it's your boss, your pastor, a councilman, or the president, we are called to respect and honor, as though we are honoring the Lord.

Days Like These

2011-06-07T08:05:00.001-04:00

"In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you have to suffer grief in all kinds of trials" (1 Peter 1:6).

"Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness..." It's the most famous line in the Declaration of Independence. It's often quoted and even misquoted in order to try to make a point. But notice something about it. It says that we have the right to life. There's great debate on that and what it means, but there it is written in the black & white. It also says that we have a right to be free. That, too, has been fought over since the day those words were penned, but we have made great strides in this nation to assure freedom to every American.

But, it's the next phrase that gets people mixed up and confused. We have the right to "pursue happiness." Dolly Parton, in the starring role as "Dr." Shirley Kinyon n the movie, Straight Talk, had this to say to a woman who was demanding her happiness in life. "The Declaration of Independence says you have the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. You don't even have a right to be happy, only to pursue it!" So it is in our lives. Happiness may not always be there every moment of every day, but we can still rejoice!!

For those that seek Christ as Lord and Savior, there are so many blessings and reasons to rejoice and to be looked forward to. There will, however, be times in the present that we will encounter seasons where it feels as though the weight of the world is on our shoulders. There will be days of sadness, heaviness, temptation, and trial. But, we must never get so focused on something as though it is permanent. God never intended it to be more than temporary. Peter was saying, "Live in the present, but do it with an eternal perspective."

The best days are before you, not behind you. As a follower of Jesus, you can know this for sure! No matter what you face today, or what faced you, you can know that you will spend eternity with Jesus; walking and dancing on streets of gold, forever worshiping Him. Because of this confidence you can have in that truth, you can live NOW and EACH DAY with a peace unexplainable. What you face is for NOW, but seeing Him face to face makes it all a little more bearable when you face "days like these."

He Is Lord

2011-06-06T10:31:00.000-04:00

"Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, 'It is the Lord!'" (John 21:17).

We are stubborn people, aren't we? We have our own way of thinking how things should go. We organize, plan, strategize, and execute. We have logic and our understanding, and anything that conflicts with that, we quickly excuse it and move on. After all, we've thought about everything already and have come up with the best possible plan!

However much sense this makes to us in our natural thinking, it does not give room for Jesus to be Lord in our lives. When He is Lord, we don't call the shots. The disciples had been in the boat all night fishing, doing what it is that they were experts at. They were tired, worn out from being up around the clock on an unsuccessful fishing expedition. They were discouraged, facing great confusion and uncertainty. The Jesus that had served and believed in was gone and now what they thought they were good at wasn't even panning out! Jesus speak out from the shore. They don't recognize Him from the distance, nor do they recognize His voice. He gives them an instruction that renders them an immediate and miraculous return. Instantly, John declares..."It is the Lord!"

There are times that we do get discouraged and begin to look inwardly at our situation. But, even during those times, we must recognize when God is working on our behalf. It won't always mesh with our logic and many times will contradict our limited understanding. But, we must be willing to surrender to Him, not just at savior, but also as Lord. "Lord" means "authority," "ruler," and "one who has control." When we give Him ALL control, we will see some amazing results that we would have never been able to accomplish on our own. Their is great fruitfulness in surrender and in obedience, and when we live with HIM as Lord!

Disbelief

2011-06-02T00:03:00.001-04:00

"He asked her, 'Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?' Thinking He was the gardener, she said, 'Sir, if you have carried Him away, tell me where you have put Him , and I will get Him'" (John 20:15).

Mary was talking to Jesus. She was so overwhelmed in grief and disbelief that she was blind as to whom she was speaking. Jesus had done exactly what He had said He would do. He had never lied. They had seen Him do some amazingly miraculous things that could not be explained, reasoned, or rationalized. They had believed Him to be the Messiah, and yet when their faith was tested, they didn't believe.

Here, they acted as though He was only a very close friend that had passed away and not as they Son of God who was One with the Father. He had already declared on more than one occasion that His body would be destroyed, and that three days later would be resurrected. They believed Him when He said it, but now when it really counted and seemed to be an unpopular concept, they doubted.

How often do we do the same thing? We hear Him, but when we are in the midst of exactly what He said, we live and act as though we never believed in Him. When God speaks a promise into your life, you can stand on it, trust in it, expect from it, and hold on to it. He is faithful, eternal, big enough, strong enough, and just plain GOD enough to come through! He may not, and many times will not come through in the timing you had hoped for or were counting on. The enemy can NOT change what God is up to, but he can seek to pervert how you see what God is up to.

Take some time right where you are, and began to thank God for His faithfulness and be reminded of His promises in your life. He will not fail you. He will not reject you. He will not abandon you. So, don't you abandon Him. Don't give up on Him. Don't turn away as though you've never believed. He is faithful and true. He is God. Trust Him.

Checkmate

2011-06-01T09:39:00.000-04:00

"The Jewish leaders insisted, 'We have a law, and according to that law, He must die, because He claimed to be the Son of God'"

(John 19:7).

Because I am not too keen on boardgames and strategy games, unless of course it's Candy Land or Chutes & Ladders (ok, I know there's not much strategy in those, but I'm GOOD!), all of my deep insights and knowledge concerning chess can be summed up in one line: Checkmate means, "IT IS OVER!" The entire game is not built around meaningless and random moves, but on carefully calculated strategies that are designed to put the opposition into a "checkmate" position. And, at that point, it's GAME OVER.

According to the Law, only a spotless lamb was acceptable as a sin offering. Jesus was that pure and spotless lamb. They had condemned Him to die. Without realizing it, the Jewish leaders helped to prove everything that had ever been said concerning Jesus: who He was and why He had come.

The Law had condemned us all. Therefore, for our redemption, He had to die. This was all possible because of the power and the love of this One who claimed to be, who was and who is, the Son of God. And, at that moment, He put the opposition into a "checkmate" position. The pure and spotless lamb was to die...just as the Law had said.

As believers in Jesus Christ, we are redeemed! We are saved! We are changed! He did for us what we could have never done on our own. The Son of God loves us. But, it all leads us to daily answer this question: How will that truth change me or affect me today? Will I live as though I am changed? Will I walk and talk like one who has been redeemed? Is being "saved" just a word to identify me as a closed-minded hypocrite, or does it truly define me by what I've come through and where He's leading me? Today, you and I have another opportunity to live out our recognition of all He is, and all He has done in our lives, for our lives, and through our lives.

Original Idea

2011-05-31T06:49:00.000-04:00

"Caiaphas was the one who had advised the Jewish leaders that it would be good if one man died for the people" (John 18:14).

How funny it is, when we think we have come up with an original idea when it involves the plans and will of God. Caiaphas was the high priest at the time of the life of Jesus, and was ever so eager to find a way that would see to it that Jesus was destroyed, and that he wouldn't be blamed for wrong doing. Caiaphas, thinking himself so clever, suggested the benefit of having one man die for the people. Though his motivation was devious, his idea wasn't quite as original as he would have liked to have taken credit for.

Before Caiaphas thought it was a good idea for his reasons, the Father had chosen Jesus to come and die for the people long before time had begun. God had a plan. He thought of it first! And, He though it all the way through! He set things in motion in order that Jesus would do exactly what He came to do. It didn't matter that Caiaphas though he was calling the shots. He, though he knew it not at the time, was actually being used as a part of God's plan! He was only playing into the hand of the One who was holding it all together.

You can trust that God's got it all under control on your behalf as well. When the enemy of your soul attacks, he's only playing into God's sovereign plan. No, it's not God's plan for the tragedies and troubles to be a part of your life, but He will use everyone of them for your good and for His glory. No weapon formed against you will prosper! What the enemy would use to destroy you, God will turn it for you good, because God work all things together for your good. God thought of it first!

Equipped

2011-05-30T11:01:00.000-04:00

"Sanctify them by the truth; Your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world" (John 17:17-18).

As a veteran in the United States Army, I have a deep appreciation for all of our men and women who have served and who are serving now in our armed forces. I remember very clearly in 1996 when I enlisted in the US Army. I traveled to South Carolina to engage in the "best of times and worst of times" of basic training in the mugginess of basic training in the summer. Of the many lessons that were "drilled" in us, one continues to resonate withing the caverns of my mind: "Always remember the equipment you have been given. Being well-equipped could mean the difference between life and death." That lesson far surpasses serving in the military. It is a lesson that helps us in our everyday lives. It's also a lesson with great spiritual connotations and significance.

In the same way, God never sends us out to do anything without making sure He has equipped us with everything we need. Before He sends out His disciples to carry on the mission He has begun, He asks the Father to sanctify them - to purify, consecrate, and to make them holy - with the Word of Truth. Jesus understood that the disciples would never be ready to "go" if they first weren't "going" to the Word - to be challenged, convicted, cleansed, and changed!

The same is true with you an I. If we're not in the Word of God on a consistent basis, then we are too ill-equipped and unprepared, and will be ineffective to be sent on the mission that is closest to God's heart. It is important that we don't allow this truth to escape us. Busyness is not excuse for not being consistent in maintaining a daily, healthy appetite for the truth of God's Word. Everything God has called us to do and everywhere He has called us to go will only ever be effective if we remain diligent in studying the applicable truth of the Bible. His Word is "a lamp" for our feet, and a "light" to our path.

As you begin or continue your day today, take some time to read again the truth of God's Word. The Bible says that we are to hide His word in our hearts, that we might not sin against Him. Life is a journey with a path that leads to the will of God. But understand this: we can go where He sends when we know what He says. In His Word, we are equipped.