The secret to life, the secret to success, the secret to genuine contentment, the secret to making the most of life happens when we choose gratitude over complaining. Most know the importance of gratitude; however, few actually get to that place.
In Luke 17:11-19 Jesus has compassion on ten lepers and says go show yourself to the priests (who made the call of those healed). It says that as they went they were healed or cleansed. I imagine a discussion was happening, “hey look at you, your complexion is clearing up,” “guys these lesions have gone from me, color is returning.” Their greatest hope was becoming a reality and one of them returned to Jesus and it says loudly glorified God. This wasn’t some solemn “we thank thee, oh Lord,” it wasn’t some shallow “thanks” either. He was fired up, passionate gratitude was happening.
Jesus says “your faith has made you well.” All of them were healed physically, but this Samaritan was healed spiritually, emotionally, salvation had come to him (leprosy affected a lot more then just the physical).
Faith grows in the soil of gratitude. You want stronger faith, start thinking of all the things for which you could give thanks. We are not talking about a shallow thanks your parents made you give when people gave you a gift. Rather heartfelt praise to a gracious God who has done so much. Notice Jesus asks the question “where are the other nine? were there not ten healed.
“I would come back to give thanks,” or would we?
As I look at the generation of Israelites that saw the most dramatic miracles of God…the plagues, the fire by night, pillar of cloud by day, the parting of the red sea, the manna and how was their attitude? I can’t help think these people would be filled with the most gratitude, after all God had taken them out of the bondage of Egypt. I would think they would have the strongest faith because they clearly saw the hand of God. Yet we see a constant whining, complaining, mmmmuuuurrrrrmmmmuuuuurrrrring. Numbers 11:1 says they complained and God HEARD IT, and was displeased.
I am not sure we often think about the fact that God hears our complaining. Imagine your kids whining and complaining to you all the time, you wouldn’t like it….it would grate on you. Replace you, imperfect parent, with perfect God and it is all the more insulting. I heard one minister say the average person complains twenty times a day. The apostle Paul writes that in the last days there is going to be a prominent self centeredness and unthankfulness that will define that time, having a form of godliness but denying its power (2 Timothy 3:1-7). That tells me that we may know we are to live with gratitude but most choose to not walk in it.
We choose our attitudes. As one said “gratitude is the attitude, that sets the altitude for living.” If we can get this truth in our hearts it could revolutionize our life. We could literally reach a greater depth of peace, joy, contentment, and intimacy with God we have yet to attain. Most aren’t going that direction, but how about you….want to make the trek?
I Want to invite you to Cornerstone over this Christmas, we are going to take a fresh look into the Christmas story. I know you are saying “I have heard it a thousand times already.” Like this dead, lifeless tradition we keep. This year is going to be different! Come and join us for our new series “Christmas Alive.” It is a powerful, life transforming story of good news….we need to hear.
Friday, December 4, 2009
Thursday, November 19, 2009
How do I know when it is God speaking to me?
I like the story I heard of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Apparently President Roosevelt got tired of smiling the expected presidential smile and saying the usual expected things at all those White House receptions. So, one evening he decided to find out whether anybody was really listening to what he was saying. As each person came up to him with extended hand, he flashed that big smile and said, "I murdered my grandmother this morning." People would automatically respond with comments like "How lovely!" or "Just continue your great work!"Nobody listened to what he was actually saying, except for one foreign diplomat. When the president said, "I murdered my grandmother this morning," the diplomat responded softly, "I’m sure she had it coming."
Are you taking time to listen? Last week we talked how God gives us Holy Spirit impressions- John 14:26 "The Holy Spirit will be your teacher and will bring to your mind or remembrance [key word] all that I have said to you." "Bring to your mind" means He gives us impressions. He gives us ideas. He gives us these gut feelings.
I am not saying it is easy to always get what the almighty God is saying. It is hard for me to explain to my son why he shouldn’t eat stuff in the garbage or play in the toilet. So it must be hard for God to get through to us…but all I know is that He has done what He can to make a way by destroying the barrier of sin and given the Holy Spirit.
The question is “how do we know that impression is God or just some bad indigestion or something else?”
I gave many ways you can test (as 1 John 4:1 tells us to test the spirit) to determine if that thought, or message, or word is of God or not.
1. Is it biblical? Be assured God is consistent. You as a parent may not be or your parents may not have been, but what God says God’s Word is constant. If a message or word or thought doesn’t line up with scripture you can know that is not of God.
2. Does it make me more like Christ? (Phil 2:5) His goal is to make us more like Christ.
James 3:17 (NCV)
But the wisdom (defined as the best choice in any situation) that comes from God is first of all pure, then peaceful, gentle, and easy to please, considerate, submissive, full of mercy, impartial, sincere. This wisdom is always ready to help those who are troubled and to do good for others.
The ideas that God gives are full of wisdom. Notice the description of what that includes it is peaceful, gentle, considerate, submissive, full of mercy. If you have ever been bowled over by someone speaking for God who demonstrated an arrogance or sense of bragging…this passage would tell you it wasn’t of God. God’s desire is that the quality of our message or the quality of our life point to Christ.
3. When I'm trying to figure out whether I've got this idea from God or not, I need to ask
“Does my church family confirm it?”
Ephesians 3:10 "God’s intent is that through the church the manifold wisdom of God is revealed."
We weren’t created to be island…we were adopted into his family. God speaks through his people. If you have something you believe may be of God, run it by some people of God.
Proverbs 11:9 "The wisdom of the righteous can save you." Save you what? Money, time,
reputation. Be open to council, correction, and guidance. If others mature believers are questioning it…you should too.
4. Is it convicting or condemning? Conviction comes from God and it is very specific and points the way to change. He points out an attitude, behavior, or something in your life that needs changing. You confess, repent, and feelings leave.
On the other hand, condemnation comes from the devil and is very general and just leaves you feeling bad. It is very vague and basically says something like, “You're bad. You're no good. You're worthless. You stink. God could never use you. Forget ever trying to be a Christian."
So if you have this very general sense of guilt that's condemnation and it is not from God.
Satan minimizes your sin before you do it, "It's no big deal!" and after you do it he goes
"Look at what you did!" He wants you to walk around in constant guilt because guilty Christians are worthless in serving God.
Sometimes we are mistaking our low self worth for God speaking…or substituting the past voices of parents that you could never please and put it on your heavenly Father. Need to get truth in you that believes Jesus paid the price for our sin so we could be forgiven and at peace with Him. We don’t need to live in condemnation any longer.
5. Do I sense God’s peace about it?
1 Corinthians 14:33 "God is not the author of confusion."
So if you're feeling confused it isn’t coming from God. If you feel pressured and overwhelmed and driven to make a hasty decision or a major decision fast, you need to question it. Not too many examples where God says “rush” to a major decision. I can think of Jesus talking about counting the cost of following me, that He is patient not wanting any to perish. He gives people time to make the right decision.
The only time you are going to feel stressed out and pressured is when He’s told you something to do and you don’t do it. It creates stress in your life but that is self imposed.
Colossians 3:1 "Let the peace of God rule in your hearts."
If God is genuinely speaking to you and you think this idea is from God, it's going to bring peace to your heart IF you follow it. God's Spirit produces a calm spirit.
May you learn to “test the spirit, to see if they may be of God” (1 John 4:1). These are just a few but using them will help you know if it is or isn’t of God.
Are you taking time to listen? Last week we talked how God gives us Holy Spirit impressions- John 14:26 "The Holy Spirit will be your teacher and will bring to your mind or remembrance [key word] all that I have said to you." "Bring to your mind" means He gives us impressions. He gives us ideas. He gives us these gut feelings.
I am not saying it is easy to always get what the almighty God is saying. It is hard for me to explain to my son why he shouldn’t eat stuff in the garbage or play in the toilet. So it must be hard for God to get through to us…but all I know is that He has done what He can to make a way by destroying the barrier of sin and given the Holy Spirit.
The question is “how do we know that impression is God or just some bad indigestion or something else?”
I gave many ways you can test (as 1 John 4:1 tells us to test the spirit) to determine if that thought, or message, or word is of God or not.
1. Is it biblical? Be assured God is consistent. You as a parent may not be or your parents may not have been, but what God says God’s Word is constant. If a message or word or thought doesn’t line up with scripture you can know that is not of God.
2. Does it make me more like Christ? (Phil 2:5) His goal is to make us more like Christ.
James 3:17 (NCV)
But the wisdom (defined as the best choice in any situation) that comes from God is first of all pure, then peaceful, gentle, and easy to please, considerate, submissive, full of mercy, impartial, sincere. This wisdom is always ready to help those who are troubled and to do good for others.
The ideas that God gives are full of wisdom. Notice the description of what that includes it is peaceful, gentle, considerate, submissive, full of mercy. If you have ever been bowled over by someone speaking for God who demonstrated an arrogance or sense of bragging…this passage would tell you it wasn’t of God. God’s desire is that the quality of our message or the quality of our life point to Christ.
3. When I'm trying to figure out whether I've got this idea from God or not, I need to ask
“Does my church family confirm it?”
Ephesians 3:10 "God’s intent is that through the church the manifold wisdom of God is revealed."
We weren’t created to be island…we were adopted into his family. God speaks through his people. If you have something you believe may be of God, run it by some people of God.
Proverbs 11:9 "The wisdom of the righteous can save you." Save you what? Money, time,
reputation. Be open to council, correction, and guidance. If others mature believers are questioning it…you should too.
4. Is it convicting or condemning? Conviction comes from God and it is very specific and points the way to change. He points out an attitude, behavior, or something in your life that needs changing. You confess, repent, and feelings leave.
On the other hand, condemnation comes from the devil and is very general and just leaves you feeling bad. It is very vague and basically says something like, “You're bad. You're no good. You're worthless. You stink. God could never use you. Forget ever trying to be a Christian."
So if you have this very general sense of guilt that's condemnation and it is not from God.
Satan minimizes your sin before you do it, "It's no big deal!" and after you do it he goes
"Look at what you did!" He wants you to walk around in constant guilt because guilty Christians are worthless in serving God.
Sometimes we are mistaking our low self worth for God speaking…or substituting the past voices of parents that you could never please and put it on your heavenly Father. Need to get truth in you that believes Jesus paid the price for our sin so we could be forgiven and at peace with Him. We don’t need to live in condemnation any longer.
5. Do I sense God’s peace about it?
1 Corinthians 14:33 "God is not the author of confusion."
So if you're feeling confused it isn’t coming from God. If you feel pressured and overwhelmed and driven to make a hasty decision or a major decision fast, you need to question it. Not too many examples where God says “rush” to a major decision. I can think of Jesus talking about counting the cost of following me, that He is patient not wanting any to perish. He gives people time to make the right decision.
The only time you are going to feel stressed out and pressured is when He’s told you something to do and you don’t do it. It creates stress in your life but that is self imposed.
Colossians 3:1 "Let the peace of God rule in your hearts."
If God is genuinely speaking to you and you think this idea is from God, it's going to bring peace to your heart IF you follow it. God's Spirit produces a calm spirit.
May you learn to “test the spirit, to see if they may be of God” (1 John 4:1). These are just a few but using them will help you know if it is or isn’t of God.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Learning to Hear God
One of the most basic claims of Christianity is that God speaks to people. All through the Bible
you see the phrase, "And God said..." This idea is used about 500 times. With the frequency you get the impression God wants to speak to people.
Yet most would say “I hardly ever to never hear God speaking to me.” Is it that He is not speaking or we are not listening or misunderstanding? Come to think of it I often misunderstand my wife, so why would I always “get” God. Apparently the disciples didn’t always get Jesus, in fact there were several places Jesus was saying one thing and the disciples were hearing something totally different.
How do we get to that place we really can begin to connect and dialogue with God? After all there is no relationship with people, even God, without communication.
In Luke 8:4-18 Jesus shares the Parable of the Sower. In a way these soils represent four mental attitudes. I would say from time to time we pass through all these soils. Sometimes we are very open to what God would say and sometimes we’re very closed. But hopefully if we stay in the process we can be those seed that falls on good soil.
The whole point of the parable is about HEARING. He concludes the parable by saying “Therefore, take heed how you hear. For whoever has, to him more will be given; and whoever does not have, even what he seems to have will be taken from him (v. 18).” The word hear is used with every soil type (v.12,13,14,15); emphasizing Jesus point how are you hearing His word?
If you are truly going to hear and communicate you have to cultivate an open mind. One of the reasons I believe many do not hear God speak or sense His presence is that they have never been open to the possibility of it. Maybe you have heard “that was then, this is now…we don’t believe He will or wants to speak.” When you have a close mind, obviously God is not going to get through. We hold on to some pride, bitterness, and even fear and we harden up and the devil comes and takes that word from us.
The second soil reflects a shallow heart. The Middle East only had about 2-3 inches of top soil and during the heat of summer the plant withered. The emphasis is on a shallow hearing. They heard the word with joy but never got beyond that, you have to give time to listen. Try having a rushed conversation with someone, doesn’t work too well when you have a lot to share. The God of the universe longs for relationship, He has much to say and we are saying God I can give you five minutes. His word never gets beyond a nice initial feeling.
In the third soil Jesus shows us that if you are going to hear His Word you are going to have to eliminate or minimize distractions. The reason we can’t hear is because we are preoccupied with worries, acquiring wealth, or pleasure. Jesus says they are like weeds choking the word. My garden has been overridden with weeds the last 3 years. Weeds are a sign of neglect. You want to hear from God? Be proactive, make time to listen and let go of the weeds in your mind.
So how is your listening? The last soil reflects those that not only are listening but are willing to do what He says. Many want to hear and then decide whether they want to do it. We got to be willing to not only listen but also to cooperate with Him. May we be like Samuel as he struggle to understand God speaking simply said “speak, Lord. I am your servant and I am listening” (1 Samuel 3:10)
you see the phrase, "And God said..." This idea is used about 500 times. With the frequency you get the impression God wants to speak to people.
Yet most would say “I hardly ever to never hear God speaking to me.” Is it that He is not speaking or we are not listening or misunderstanding? Come to think of it I often misunderstand my wife, so why would I always “get” God. Apparently the disciples didn’t always get Jesus, in fact there were several places Jesus was saying one thing and the disciples were hearing something totally different.
How do we get to that place we really can begin to connect and dialogue with God? After all there is no relationship with people, even God, without communication.
In Luke 8:4-18 Jesus shares the Parable of the Sower. In a way these soils represent four mental attitudes. I would say from time to time we pass through all these soils. Sometimes we are very open to what God would say and sometimes we’re very closed. But hopefully if we stay in the process we can be those seed that falls on good soil.
The whole point of the parable is about HEARING. He concludes the parable by saying “Therefore, take heed how you hear. For whoever has, to him more will be given; and whoever does not have, even what he seems to have will be taken from him (v. 18).” The word hear is used with every soil type (v.12,13,14,15); emphasizing Jesus point how are you hearing His word?
If you are truly going to hear and communicate you have to cultivate an open mind. One of the reasons I believe many do not hear God speak or sense His presence is that they have never been open to the possibility of it. Maybe you have heard “that was then, this is now…we don’t believe He will or wants to speak.” When you have a close mind, obviously God is not going to get through. We hold on to some pride, bitterness, and even fear and we harden up and the devil comes and takes that word from us.
The second soil reflects a shallow heart. The Middle East only had about 2-3 inches of top soil and during the heat of summer the plant withered. The emphasis is on a shallow hearing. They heard the word with joy but never got beyond that, you have to give time to listen. Try having a rushed conversation with someone, doesn’t work too well when you have a lot to share. The God of the universe longs for relationship, He has much to say and we are saying God I can give you five minutes. His word never gets beyond a nice initial feeling.
In the third soil Jesus shows us that if you are going to hear His Word you are going to have to eliminate or minimize distractions. The reason we can’t hear is because we are preoccupied with worries, acquiring wealth, or pleasure. Jesus says they are like weeds choking the word. My garden has been overridden with weeds the last 3 years. Weeds are a sign of neglect. You want to hear from God? Be proactive, make time to listen and let go of the weeds in your mind.
So how is your listening? The last soil reflects those that not only are listening but are willing to do what He says. Many want to hear and then decide whether they want to do it. We got to be willing to not only listen but also to cooperate with Him. May we be like Samuel as he struggle to understand God speaking simply said “speak, Lord. I am your servant and I am listening” (1 Samuel 3:10)
Saturday, October 31, 2009
The hidden obvious struggle
Ever been in one of those services where the message is just hitting you between the eyes? Last week my friend who is also a missionary was sharing a message that was doing that to me.
I believe God has given us stuff to enjoy, but sometimes I think that stuff becomes like a virus that takes over. Materialism is one of those sins we just kind of overlook (along with gluttony but let’s overlook that one…moving on). I have often heard it is not how much we posses but what posses us that matters…it is a great line and very true (Materialism penetrates all economic levels). It still seems hard to overlook that we have an insatiable desire for wealth and stuff.
PBS did a show called Affluenza.
-They said that the average American shops six hours a week
-by age 20 we have seen one million commercials
-recently more Americans declared bankruptcy then graduate
-90% of divorces, arguments about money play a primary role. (Treasure Principle-p. 52 Randy Alcott)
We are strapped in debt and it is no wonder our priorities seem to slowly suck the passion for God out of us. So when he shared the story of a youth service in Sudan where they were challenging the group in missions. They were casting the vision of raising money to send a team to share the Gospel to a Muslim village. He told of how little money they had over there and yet the challenge to give went out and one of the leaders came to the front took off his shoes and said “these have to be worth at least $8 if sold.” Then others came forward offering belts, shirts, jackets, going home selling furniture, etc. They indeed gave enough to send a team. That is passion for the kingdom of God… that’s generosity!
I was reading in the book of Acts 19:18-20 where the awe of God began to move on the people and it says “And many who had believed came confessing and telling their deeds. 19 Also, many of those who had practiced magic brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted up the value of them, and it totaled fifty thousand pieces of silver. 20 So the word of the Lord grew mightily and prevailed.
One studied that and found that it was equivalent to perhaps six million dollars in today’s economy. The depth of transformation in the lives of the early Christians was most evident in the level of surrender of money and possessions.
Lord help us to do the same…
I believe God has given us stuff to enjoy, but sometimes I think that stuff becomes like a virus that takes over. Materialism is one of those sins we just kind of overlook (along with gluttony but let’s overlook that one…moving on). I have often heard it is not how much we posses but what posses us that matters…it is a great line and very true (Materialism penetrates all economic levels). It still seems hard to overlook that we have an insatiable desire for wealth and stuff.
PBS did a show called Affluenza.
-They said that the average American shops six hours a week
-by age 20 we have seen one million commercials
-recently more Americans declared bankruptcy then graduate
-90% of divorces, arguments about money play a primary role. (Treasure Principle-p. 52 Randy Alcott)
We are strapped in debt and it is no wonder our priorities seem to slowly suck the passion for God out of us. So when he shared the story of a youth service in Sudan where they were challenging the group in missions. They were casting the vision of raising money to send a team to share the Gospel to a Muslim village. He told of how little money they had over there and yet the challenge to give went out and one of the leaders came to the front took off his shoes and said “these have to be worth at least $8 if sold.” Then others came forward offering belts, shirts, jackets, going home selling furniture, etc. They indeed gave enough to send a team. That is passion for the kingdom of God… that’s generosity!
I was reading in the book of Acts 19:18-20 where the awe of God began to move on the people and it says “And many who had believed came confessing and telling their deeds. 19 Also, many of those who had practiced magic brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted up the value of them, and it totaled fifty thousand pieces of silver. 20 So the word of the Lord grew mightily and prevailed.
One studied that and found that it was equivalent to perhaps six million dollars in today’s economy. The depth of transformation in the lives of the early Christians was most evident in the level of surrender of money and possessions.
Lord help us to do the same…
Friday, October 23, 2009
An Action that can change your Reactions, Feelings, and Relationships
If there was one action that could change my feelings and my relationships that one action simply put would be to love. Lots of times I hear people say “I’m not feeling it,” or “I am not in love with them anymore.” The only problem with that is that love is not a feeling, it is a commitment. Jesus told His disciples to love as I have loved you…stay committed to love. If those disciples would have been our disciples we probably would have dumped them or given them the right boot of fellowship. Jesus demonstrates commitment by choosing to love even when it’s hard
George Crane, newspaper columnist and minister, tells of a wife who was full of hatred toward her husband. She came into his office saying, “I not only want to get rid of him, I want to get even.” She went on “before I divorce him, I want to hurt him as much as he has hurt me.”
Crane suggested an ingenious plan: “Go home and act as if you really love your husband. Tell him how much he means to you. Praise him for every decent trait. Go out of your way to be as kind, considerate, and generous as possible. Spare no efforts to please him, to enjoy him. Make him believe you love him. After you’ve convinced him of your undying love and that you cannot live without him, then drop the bomb. Tell him that you’re getting a divorce. That will really hurt him.”
With revenge in her eyes, she smiled and exclaimed, “Beautiful! Beautiful! Will he ever be surprised?”
And she did it with enthusiasm, Acting “as if she loved him” for 2 months, she showed love, kindness, listening, giving, reinforcing, sharing.
When she didn’t return, Crane called her. “Are you ready now to go through with the divorce?”
“Divorce!” she asked “Never! I discovered I really do love him.” (Leadership, 1983)
Her actions had changed her feelings. Motions resulted in emotion. Feelings won’t come back by doing nothing. Those feelings will never return until you start acting in a loving way.
1 Corinthians 13:8 simply says “Love never fails.” Think of the word never…he says choosing to love will work 100% of the time. How many products can give you that kind of guarantee? If you are finding it hard to love… I encourage you to reach out for His grace. He resists the proud, but He will give grace to the humble. As you lean on His power and not your own, He will help you to love even when it is so incredibly difficult.
George Crane, newspaper columnist and minister, tells of a wife who was full of hatred toward her husband. She came into his office saying, “I not only want to get rid of him, I want to get even.” She went on “before I divorce him, I want to hurt him as much as he has hurt me.”
Crane suggested an ingenious plan: “Go home and act as if you really love your husband. Tell him how much he means to you. Praise him for every decent trait. Go out of your way to be as kind, considerate, and generous as possible. Spare no efforts to please him, to enjoy him. Make him believe you love him. After you’ve convinced him of your undying love and that you cannot live without him, then drop the bomb. Tell him that you’re getting a divorce. That will really hurt him.”
With revenge in her eyes, she smiled and exclaimed, “Beautiful! Beautiful! Will he ever be surprised?”
And she did it with enthusiasm, Acting “as if she loved him” for 2 months, she showed love, kindness, listening, giving, reinforcing, sharing.
When she didn’t return, Crane called her. “Are you ready now to go through with the divorce?”
“Divorce!” she asked “Never! I discovered I really do love him.” (Leadership, 1983)
Her actions had changed her feelings. Motions resulted in emotion. Feelings won’t come back by doing nothing. Those feelings will never return until you start acting in a loving way.
1 Corinthians 13:8 simply says “Love never fails.” Think of the word never…he says choosing to love will work 100% of the time. How many products can give you that kind of guarantee? If you are finding it hard to love… I encourage you to reach out for His grace. He resists the proud, but He will give grace to the humble. As you lean on His power and not your own, He will help you to love even when it is so incredibly difficult.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Talking About You
I want to be known for being a selfish jerk.
I want to be known as a quiet, introverted, shy person that no one is let in to my world.
I want to be forgotten.
I want to be remembered for being greedy and ruthless.
I want to be remembered for being lazy.
Obviously no one wants to leave these kinds of legacy. We want to know that somehow our lives mattered, we made the world a better place, we made a difference. The question is how? It is an important question because I don’t know many that get a do over in life.
“The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the Word of our God stands forever.”(Isaiah 40:8)
If you are going to leave a great and godly legacy, you have got to build godly convictions. I grimace at my hair style in high school, the clothes I wore back in the day, and why did we have that orange carpet anyways. Things change…God’s Word never does....cliché however it was true hundreds of years ago and it will be true thousands of years from now. This is what conviction is all about; they are core values that are unchanging and eternal. It is a strong belief that shows up in the way we act.
The problem is too many have what Craig Groeschel calls preferences and not convictions. He describes a preference as a strong desire that you will compromise when the cost becomes too high. It goes like this…
I prefer to be a virgin when I get married until the peer pressure is too much and the moment is just right and then I give away my preference.
I prefer to be generous until I see that new car and then you got to look out for number one.
I prefer to be generous, but it's not the way I always live.
Maybe you would say I prefer to go to church but football season starts next week. Church or football? You can't have both, you've got to make a choice. Football often wins out.
You prefer to be a tither until money gets tight.
You prefer family time; you want that to be important but people demands, work demands, etc.
We want these things but we give them up when the going gets tough.
To leave a great and godly legacy let’s attach convictions to God’s Word that cause us to live it out (James 1:22).
I like the way The Message says Jesus words in Matthew 7:26, “But if you just use My words in Bible studies and don’t work them into your life, you are like a stupid carpenter who built his house on the sandy beach.” You don’t really believe something unless you live it out.
Often are convictions are misguided. Kids know that parents will flex on most things…but don’t move the remote control….
More concerned with the appearance of our kids then their character.
Who cares about commitment, you better not change the church service style.
We are giving off a message we don't want to leave because we have wrong convictions. A godly legacy is going to be directly tied to the convictions we are demonstrating. Remember there will be a day everyone will be gathered together and they will be talking about you, only you won’t be there…what will they say? Will there be awkward silence, a forced niceness to mask what was really true, or a pouring forth of gratitude for your life and the difference you made?
I want to be known as a quiet, introverted, shy person that no one is let in to my world.
I want to be forgotten.
I want to be remembered for being greedy and ruthless.
I want to be remembered for being lazy.
Obviously no one wants to leave these kinds of legacy. We want to know that somehow our lives mattered, we made the world a better place, we made a difference. The question is how? It is an important question because I don’t know many that get a do over in life.
“The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the Word of our God stands forever.”(Isaiah 40:8)
If you are going to leave a great and godly legacy, you have got to build godly convictions. I grimace at my hair style in high school, the clothes I wore back in the day, and why did we have that orange carpet anyways. Things change…God’s Word never does....cliché however it was true hundreds of years ago and it will be true thousands of years from now. This is what conviction is all about; they are core values that are unchanging and eternal. It is a strong belief that shows up in the way we act.
The problem is too many have what Craig Groeschel calls preferences and not convictions. He describes a preference as a strong desire that you will compromise when the cost becomes too high. It goes like this…
I prefer to be a virgin when I get married until the peer pressure is too much and the moment is just right and then I give away my preference.
I prefer to be generous until I see that new car and then you got to look out for number one.
I prefer to be generous, but it's not the way I always live.
Maybe you would say I prefer to go to church but football season starts next week. Church or football? You can't have both, you've got to make a choice. Football often wins out.
You prefer to be a tither until money gets tight.
You prefer family time; you want that to be important but people demands, work demands, etc.
We want these things but we give them up when the going gets tough.
To leave a great and godly legacy let’s attach convictions to God’s Word that cause us to live it out (James 1:22).
I like the way The Message says Jesus words in Matthew 7:26, “But if you just use My words in Bible studies and don’t work them into your life, you are like a stupid carpenter who built his house on the sandy beach.” You don’t really believe something unless you live it out.
Often are convictions are misguided. Kids know that parents will flex on most things…but don’t move the remote control….
More concerned with the appearance of our kids then their character.
Who cares about commitment, you better not change the church service style.
We are giving off a message we don't want to leave because we have wrong convictions. A godly legacy is going to be directly tied to the convictions we are demonstrating. Remember there will be a day everyone will be gathered together and they will be talking about you, only you won’t be there…what will they say? Will there be awkward silence, a forced niceness to mask what was really true, or a pouring forth of gratitude for your life and the difference you made?
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Lots of Facebook Friends, Few Real Relationships
Why are people so committed to growing their stuff, their money, their careers, and settling for average, shallow, even vanilla relationships? Having thousands of Facebook friends does not mean you excel in relationships. I can’t think of a better example of where many are at then John and Kate Gosselin whose shows intro always concluded with “we are in together, it is our life.” So why do we struggle to love others and grow high quality, deep relationships that can stand through time and challenges?
Honestly it isn’t always the big things that cause the biggest problems, sometimes it is the simplest things that cause the greatest annoyance and friction like:
-toothpaste tube squeezed incorrectly
-towels left on the floor
-hair clogging sinks or showers
-checks that did not get logged in the register
-claiming total control of the TV remote
-junk left in the car
-empty salt shakers
-milk container put back in the fridge that are empty
It is a dumb list but have you ever found yourself fussing at one another?
If we had 30 days to live, our priority would definitely be on building a lot more bridges then walls. There is only one place Jesus gives us a new command when he says in John 13:34-35, “I give you a new command: Love each other. You must love each other as I have loved you. All people will know that you are my followers if you love each other.”(John 13:34-35)
I look at that and say what is new about it? Love one another is an Old Testament concept. The difference here is that it isn’t loving how “I want to be loved,” or “how I think you should love,” it is “love as I (Jesus) have loved you.” It is new in its level of sacrifice and other centered focus. The early church of Acts took it very seriously; they were radical in their response to love completely.
So why are we hanging out in the valley rather than climbing the summit by loving completely? There are many roadblocks but one of the biggest ones is misunderstandings. Things were going so smoothly then what happened? Opposites seem to attract, but then most of the time they attack (Kerry Shook). You reached out to help; they thought you were being nosy. You figured you would always understand each other, and now you are in separate corners of the ring. You must realize that differences of opinion are natural and inevitable parts of every relationship. We can’t read other people’s minds, no matter how much alike we may be. We’re all human, so miscommunication and misinterpretations are inevitable. It can spell the death of a relationship.
The roadblocks of selfishness are also just as large a hurdle to overcome. It is human nature to want to meet our own needs before we meet the needs of others. It creates a huge obstacle….my children in small issues parity life as adults. As we have had to set up systems in who gets the front seat in the car, what chair they get for supper, and who gets to play the video game at what time. Me-first attitude is an easy thought pattern to get into that creates a wall to love completely.
Perhaps the largest barricades to overcome are the offenses we have built up in our heart. All of us at one time or another have been hurt by someone’s comments, been cheated, or wronged. It is easy to build a wall. Proverbs tells us “A brother offended is harder to win then a walled city.” It can poison relationships forever. We must learn to channel our anger in the right way or we will find ourselves embittered and hard.
Good news we can overcome all that to love as Christ loved us, by beginning to learn to accept one another. Romans 15:7-8 (NCV) “Christ accepted you, so you should accept each other, which will bring glory to God.” The word accept has the idea of “strong action toward us” God literally came to us and took hold of us while we were yet sinners. By that act of acceptance, he released grace in us and it transforms us, bringing glory to God.
Acceptance by its very meaning means stop trying to change someone and start cherishing them. I can honestly say I spent my first years of marriage trying to change my wife and I can now say it was 100% ineffective. I can’t recommend it. We are not God nor are we the Holy Spirit; and when we try to be, we just don’t do a very good job at it. I have noticed the more I accept the differences, the more I am able to connect with those closest to me. Plus the greater the connection, the greater room we give God to work because we get out of the way.
So how about beginning right now from the heart ask God to help you truly accept those closest to you.
Honestly it isn’t always the big things that cause the biggest problems, sometimes it is the simplest things that cause the greatest annoyance and friction like:
-toothpaste tube squeezed incorrectly
-towels left on the floor
-hair clogging sinks or showers
-checks that did not get logged in the register
-claiming total control of the TV remote
-junk left in the car
-empty salt shakers
-milk container put back in the fridge that are empty
It is a dumb list but have you ever found yourself fussing at one another?
If we had 30 days to live, our priority would definitely be on building a lot more bridges then walls. There is only one place Jesus gives us a new command when he says in John 13:34-35, “I give you a new command: Love each other. You must love each other as I have loved you. All people will know that you are my followers if you love each other.”(John 13:34-35)
I look at that and say what is new about it? Love one another is an Old Testament concept. The difference here is that it isn’t loving how “I want to be loved,” or “how I think you should love,” it is “love as I (Jesus) have loved you.” It is new in its level of sacrifice and other centered focus. The early church of Acts took it very seriously; they were radical in their response to love completely.
So why are we hanging out in the valley rather than climbing the summit by loving completely? There are many roadblocks but one of the biggest ones is misunderstandings. Things were going so smoothly then what happened? Opposites seem to attract, but then most of the time they attack (Kerry Shook). You reached out to help; they thought you were being nosy. You figured you would always understand each other, and now you are in separate corners of the ring. You must realize that differences of opinion are natural and inevitable parts of every relationship. We can’t read other people’s minds, no matter how much alike we may be. We’re all human, so miscommunication and misinterpretations are inevitable. It can spell the death of a relationship.
The roadblocks of selfishness are also just as large a hurdle to overcome. It is human nature to want to meet our own needs before we meet the needs of others. It creates a huge obstacle….my children in small issues parity life as adults. As we have had to set up systems in who gets the front seat in the car, what chair they get for supper, and who gets to play the video game at what time. Me-first attitude is an easy thought pattern to get into that creates a wall to love completely.
Perhaps the largest barricades to overcome are the offenses we have built up in our heart. All of us at one time or another have been hurt by someone’s comments, been cheated, or wronged. It is easy to build a wall. Proverbs tells us “A brother offended is harder to win then a walled city.” It can poison relationships forever. We must learn to channel our anger in the right way or we will find ourselves embittered and hard.
Good news we can overcome all that to love as Christ loved us, by beginning to learn to accept one another. Romans 15:7-8 (NCV) “Christ accepted you, so you should accept each other, which will bring glory to God.” The word accept has the idea of “strong action toward us” God literally came to us and took hold of us while we were yet sinners. By that act of acceptance, he released grace in us and it transforms us, bringing glory to God.
Acceptance by its very meaning means stop trying to change someone and start cherishing them. I can honestly say I spent my first years of marriage trying to change my wife and I can now say it was 100% ineffective. I can’t recommend it. We are not God nor are we the Holy Spirit; and when we try to be, we just don’t do a very good job at it. I have noticed the more I accept the differences, the more I am able to connect with those closest to me. Plus the greater the connection, the greater room we give God to work because we get out of the way.
So how about beginning right now from the heart ask God to help you truly accept those closest to you.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Down on Passion
You have given me only a short life;
my lifetime is like nothing to you.
Everyone’s life is only a breath. (Psalm 39:5)
Are you living with the reality that life is short? Do you see yourself as a pilgrim passing through, or, do you see yourself as a permanent resident?
The psalmist says we have given only a short life…even 100 years in all of history is short. How are you going to use it?
One of the ways Jesus lived His life was by living passionately.
Passion is the driving force behind great art, great music, great business, great anything. It drives athletes to break records and scientists to find cures. Nothing great ever happens without passion.
In the Message version it says “Love the Lord your God with all your passion…” (Mark 12:30)
Later it says “Never be lacking in zeal or passion, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord” (Romans 12:11).
Key word is keep. We have to work at it or we can lose it. And truthfully life’s worries, cares, and problems have a way of pouring water all over our passion.
Do you sometimes feel like the fire has dwindled? You can fire it up again….
Howard Thurman said, “Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” If you are going to rediscover passion you are going to need to do some things.
Take a lesson from the friends trying to get the paralytic to Jesus:
” four men came carrying a paralytic on a mat and tried to take him into the house to lay him before Jesus. When they could not find a way to do this because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on his mat through the tiles into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus. When Jesus saw their faith, He said, ‘Friend, your sins are forgiven … But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins....’ He said to the paralyzed man, ‘I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.’ Immediately he stood up in front of them, took what he had been lying on and went home praising God. Everyone was amazed and gave praise to God. They were filled with awe and said, ‘We have seen remarkable things today.’ ” Luke 5:18-20; 24-26 (NIV)
Randy Pausch in his book “The Last Lecture” writes about road blocks saying “The brick walls are there to stop the people who don’t want it badly enough. They’re there to stop the other people. They give us a chance to see how badly we want something.” It is one of the reasons scriptures teach “never be lacking in passion.”
These guys reflect passion by doing something drastic. The crowd was a road block so they went to the roof and tore a hole in it. This was perhaps their only opportunity to get their friend to Jesus and they weren’t going to be stopped. If we keep asking the question “how would I live if I just had 30 days,” we recognize what is most important. Material things just aren’t that important compared to relationships. These guys tore a hole and put their friend through it. They said it’s just a roof. You can replace a roof, but we’ve got to get our friend to Jesus. They realized what was important. They were passionate about it.
Secondly they created a God space. They set the man down in front of Jesus amidst the crowd. That is an amazing thought, because of their creativity and flexibility they were able to gain front row access to the King of Kings. They created God space. Jesus often modeled this; amidst the crowds and demands he created a God space in His life, by getting alone with Him. He stayed in connection with the Divine to “keep” passion.
Follow His example especially (and very intentionally) when you are overloaded, overstressed, and over-committed. Get alone and wait on Him. God will begin to clarify what is most important in that moment. Prov. 10:27 says “Whoever respects (or reverences) the Lord will have a long life,” God is able to multiply our time as we put Him first.
Lots of times we try to control everything and when things don’t work the way we want we lose passion. Learn to expect the unexpected. His friends are expecting to hear “you are healed.” Jesus instead says “your sins are forgiven,” it was unexpected. In those days physical disease and suffering was strongly linked to personal sin. Rabbis would see a man in his condition and assume he had been very sinful. Jesus saw the inner healing that was needed even before the physical healing. The guilt, shame, and condemnation were probably heavy on him. Jesus in His wisdom first healed him through forgiveness and then healed the physical.
God knows best what we need. I like what the late Ruth Graham, wife of Billy Graham, once said “God has not always answered my prayers. If He had, I would have married the wrong man several times.” We assume we know what’s best….we plan, we prioritize, we control and then life interrupts and we get frustrated and lose passion. At that point we need to trust God and quit trying to control everything (which is just playing God anyways). We weren’t meant to control everything. Learn to expect the unexpected.
Let’s strive to be passionate for the things that matter most…loving God…loving people and living it full out.
my lifetime is like nothing to you.
Everyone’s life is only a breath. (Psalm 39:5)
Are you living with the reality that life is short? Do you see yourself as a pilgrim passing through, or, do you see yourself as a permanent resident?
The psalmist says we have given only a short life…even 100 years in all of history is short. How are you going to use it?
One of the ways Jesus lived His life was by living passionately.
Passion is the driving force behind great art, great music, great business, great anything. It drives athletes to break records and scientists to find cures. Nothing great ever happens without passion.
In the Message version it says “Love the Lord your God with all your passion…” (Mark 12:30)
Later it says “Never be lacking in zeal or passion, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord” (Romans 12:11).
Key word is keep. We have to work at it or we can lose it. And truthfully life’s worries, cares, and problems have a way of pouring water all over our passion.
Do you sometimes feel like the fire has dwindled? You can fire it up again….
Howard Thurman said, “Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” If you are going to rediscover passion you are going to need to do some things.
Take a lesson from the friends trying to get the paralytic to Jesus:
” four men came carrying a paralytic on a mat and tried to take him into the house to lay him before Jesus. When they could not find a way to do this because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on his mat through the tiles into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus. When Jesus saw their faith, He said, ‘Friend, your sins are forgiven … But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins....’ He said to the paralyzed man, ‘I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.’ Immediately he stood up in front of them, took what he had been lying on and went home praising God. Everyone was amazed and gave praise to God. They were filled with awe and said, ‘We have seen remarkable things today.’ ” Luke 5:18-20; 24-26 (NIV)
Randy Pausch in his book “The Last Lecture” writes about road blocks saying “The brick walls are there to stop the people who don’t want it badly enough. They’re there to stop the other people. They give us a chance to see how badly we want something.” It is one of the reasons scriptures teach “never be lacking in passion.”
These guys reflect passion by doing something drastic. The crowd was a road block so they went to the roof and tore a hole in it. This was perhaps their only opportunity to get their friend to Jesus and they weren’t going to be stopped. If we keep asking the question “how would I live if I just had 30 days,” we recognize what is most important. Material things just aren’t that important compared to relationships. These guys tore a hole and put their friend through it. They said it’s just a roof. You can replace a roof, but we’ve got to get our friend to Jesus. They realized what was important. They were passionate about it.
Secondly they created a God space. They set the man down in front of Jesus amidst the crowd. That is an amazing thought, because of their creativity and flexibility they were able to gain front row access to the King of Kings. They created God space. Jesus often modeled this; amidst the crowds and demands he created a God space in His life, by getting alone with Him. He stayed in connection with the Divine to “keep” passion.
Follow His example especially (and very intentionally) when you are overloaded, overstressed, and over-committed. Get alone and wait on Him. God will begin to clarify what is most important in that moment. Prov. 10:27 says “Whoever respects (or reverences) the Lord will have a long life,” God is able to multiply our time as we put Him first.
Lots of times we try to control everything and when things don’t work the way we want we lose passion. Learn to expect the unexpected. His friends are expecting to hear “you are healed.” Jesus instead says “your sins are forgiven,” it was unexpected. In those days physical disease and suffering was strongly linked to personal sin. Rabbis would see a man in his condition and assume he had been very sinful. Jesus saw the inner healing that was needed even before the physical healing. The guilt, shame, and condemnation were probably heavy on him. Jesus in His wisdom first healed him through forgiveness and then healed the physical.
God knows best what we need. I like what the late Ruth Graham, wife of Billy Graham, once said “God has not always answered my prayers. If He had, I would have married the wrong man several times.” We assume we know what’s best….we plan, we prioritize, we control and then life interrupts and we get frustrated and lose passion. At that point we need to trust God and quit trying to control everything (which is just playing God anyways). We weren’t meant to control everything. Learn to expect the unexpected.
Let’s strive to be passionate for the things that matter most…loving God…loving people and living it full out.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
30 Days left to live?
Time is the one thing we can never have back…tick…tock…tick…tock. Morbid thought? It doesn’t have to be. In fact it can be a motivating force to really live. Let me ask you a question, how are you using your time? Some people say they are just “killing time,” others say “I am wasting time,” still others “I am dong my time (before promotion or retirement)”, or “I have no time,” or I am “out of time.” For too many this means they are just SPENDING their time with very little purpose or passion. They are living with bags full of regrets and failures and have found themselves camped in park. Others are living with the “someday” syndrome…some day I will do this or that.
In two weeks we are beginning a new series based on the New York Times Best-selling book “One Month To Live” by Kerry & Chris Shook. It poses the question “how would I live if I only had 30 days left to live.” What would you do? Make some relationships right, spend more time with your family and friends, spend more time with God, or even take a vacation. Just think how your perspective would change. You would move away from just spending your time to making every moment count. This is the thought in Ephesians 5:15-17:
“So be careful how you live, not as fools but as those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity for doing good in these evil days. Don’t act thoughtlessly, but try to understand what the Lord wants you to do” (New Living Translation)
Wisdom is thinking carefully about how you are living life, are you making the most of your time? You can.
Beginning Sunday, September 13th will you please join us as we take the 30 day challenge that thousands already have across the country? Even now begin to pray about what you would do with only 30 days. Let’s quit wasting our time and throw ourselves into becoming the person God intended you to be. There is a huge difference between SPENDING time and INVESTING time. Please come and INVEST your time in coming to this series at church and being a part of a One Month To Live small group. Please invite some friends as the material is so relevant, practical, and life changing. Let’s make the most of our time and really begin to live with no regrets.
In two weeks we are beginning a new series based on the New York Times Best-selling book “One Month To Live” by Kerry & Chris Shook. It poses the question “how would I live if I only had 30 days left to live.” What would you do? Make some relationships right, spend more time with your family and friends, spend more time with God, or even take a vacation. Just think how your perspective would change. You would move away from just spending your time to making every moment count. This is the thought in Ephesians 5:15-17:
“So be careful how you live, not as fools but as those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity for doing good in these evil days. Don’t act thoughtlessly, but try to understand what the Lord wants you to do” (New Living Translation)
Wisdom is thinking carefully about how you are living life, are you making the most of your time? You can.
Beginning Sunday, September 13th will you please join us as we take the 30 day challenge that thousands already have across the country? Even now begin to pray about what you would do with only 30 days. Let’s quit wasting our time and throw ourselves into becoming the person God intended you to be. There is a huge difference between SPENDING time and INVESTING time. Please come and INVEST your time in coming to this series at church and being a part of a One Month To Live small group. Please invite some friends as the material is so relevant, practical, and life changing. Let’s make the most of our time and really begin to live with no regrets.
Saturday, August 15, 2009
No One Is Beyond The Reach Of God
Have you ever prayed for the most hardened atheist to become a Christian? Or looked at a politician or sports figure and thought what if they gave their life to Christ and then thought “like that will ever happen?” Or, perhaps, someone closer to you like a family member, child, or friend that is making a mess of their life and needs the Lord and thought it’s impossible?
Chances are they didn’t think about it, but if they ever did, it would have been impossible to get their head wrapped around the idea of the apostle Paul ever following Christ. After all he was chucking them in prison, having them tortured, even killed. His words and actions proclaimed a hatred for anything associated with Christ. Hard-nosed, stubborn, opinionated, extremely religious, and prideful; the cards were stacked against him for ever changing. Do you know people like that? Privately in your head you think there is no chance of them ever having a heart change.
There are some great encouragements we can learn from Paul’s conversion in Acts 9.
First, we can learn that no one anywhere is beyond the reach of the Gospel. The Gospel can reach anyone, anywhere, under any circumstances…period. It is just that powerful.
Secondly can learn no one is too lost for God. Even on the road going on his way to get those “in the way”. It says suddenly a light from heaven flashed (Acts 9:3). Isn’t that a great word, looks like that child or spouse will never turn to Christ…”suddenly” God steps in.
Imagine what Jesus is going to say to him, “I am Jesus you are persecuting prepare to die (rephrased reference from “the Princess Bride”). Quite the opposite there is a power and self control, even tenderness in His voice, “Saul, Saul why are you persecuting me? (v.4)”
Paul is like “what do you mean “you”? I was just throwing Christians in prison, my beef wasn’t with you. Yet how did Jesus see it? People that don’t think the church is that important or needs to be an important part of their life should consider how important it was to Jesus…Jesus refers to Paul’s persecution of the church as a personal attack of himself.
As only the Lord can do in breaking the stubbornness of a person, Paul realizes he deserves punishment. Instead God gives him this extravagant grace that totally transforms His life. Why? Because no one anywhere is too lost for God.
Third, we can learn that no one is too hard for the Gospel. If even this hardened man could be broken, be encouraged it is not impossible for those people that you love.
Forth, no one anywhere is too evil for God. Let’s be honest there are people that are so offensive and their ways are so evil that we are just repulsed by them. As Paul is blinded and headed to Damascus, the Lord begins to call the prophet Ananias to go there and meet him. The Lord gives Ananias very specific directions, can you imagine listening to the conversation
The Lord: ok go to the street called straight…
Ananias: great I am there, go to house of Judah…no problem,
The Lord: look for a man of tarsus named Saul…
Ananias: What? That is funny I thought you said Saul…
The Lord: I did
Ananias: He’s the guy doing all the harm to us and we have been hiding because that man was coming. We have been hoping he wouldn’t make it.
Can you relate to an Ananias? This man is so evil, look how much trouble he has caused. It was a pretty overwhelming obstacle, yet human obstacles are no barrier to God.
Ananias gives us a great picture of surrender, and God gives us a better picture of grace. “Arise go…he is a chosen instrument of mine. Take down the old label and help him put on the new.” All things are made new, Jesus doesn’t label him a murderer, persecutor, hater, or sinner; instead he is “my chosen instrument.” Thankfully we are not who are past says we are, a great picture of grace. No one is too evil for God.
What banners hang over your past that keeps you from growing in His grace? The cross eliminates our past, Paul said he was the chief of sinners but because of His grace I labor all the more (1 Corinthian 15:10).
What banner have you erected over other people? They can’t change, they are too gone, too evil, too hard, too…. But God sees them in a totally different way.
See the Gospel is not lacking power to transform. The Gospel is failing for lack of faith to believe it has total power to transform. Be renewed today that God’s power is limitless, and no one anywhere, under any circumstances is beyond His reach.
Chances are they didn’t think about it, but if they ever did, it would have been impossible to get their head wrapped around the idea of the apostle Paul ever following Christ. After all he was chucking them in prison, having them tortured, even killed. His words and actions proclaimed a hatred for anything associated with Christ. Hard-nosed, stubborn, opinionated, extremely religious, and prideful; the cards were stacked against him for ever changing. Do you know people like that? Privately in your head you think there is no chance of them ever having a heart change.
There are some great encouragements we can learn from Paul’s conversion in Acts 9.
First, we can learn that no one anywhere is beyond the reach of the Gospel. The Gospel can reach anyone, anywhere, under any circumstances…period. It is just that powerful.
Secondly can learn no one is too lost for God. Even on the road going on his way to get those “in the way”. It says suddenly a light from heaven flashed (Acts 9:3). Isn’t that a great word, looks like that child or spouse will never turn to Christ…”suddenly” God steps in.
Imagine what Jesus is going to say to him, “I am Jesus you are persecuting prepare to die (rephrased reference from “the Princess Bride”). Quite the opposite there is a power and self control, even tenderness in His voice, “Saul, Saul why are you persecuting me? (v.4)”
Paul is like “what do you mean “you”? I was just throwing Christians in prison, my beef wasn’t with you. Yet how did Jesus see it? People that don’t think the church is that important or needs to be an important part of their life should consider how important it was to Jesus…Jesus refers to Paul’s persecution of the church as a personal attack of himself.
As only the Lord can do in breaking the stubbornness of a person, Paul realizes he deserves punishment. Instead God gives him this extravagant grace that totally transforms His life. Why? Because no one anywhere is too lost for God.
Third, we can learn that no one is too hard for the Gospel. If even this hardened man could be broken, be encouraged it is not impossible for those people that you love.
Forth, no one anywhere is too evil for God. Let’s be honest there are people that are so offensive and their ways are so evil that we are just repulsed by them. As Paul is blinded and headed to Damascus, the Lord begins to call the prophet Ananias to go there and meet him. The Lord gives Ananias very specific directions, can you imagine listening to the conversation
The Lord: ok go to the street called straight…
Ananias: great I am there, go to house of Judah…no problem,
The Lord: look for a man of tarsus named Saul…
Ananias: What? That is funny I thought you said Saul…
The Lord: I did
Ananias: He’s the guy doing all the harm to us and we have been hiding because that man was coming. We have been hoping he wouldn’t make it.
Can you relate to an Ananias? This man is so evil, look how much trouble he has caused. It was a pretty overwhelming obstacle, yet human obstacles are no barrier to God.
Ananias gives us a great picture of surrender, and God gives us a better picture of grace. “Arise go…he is a chosen instrument of mine. Take down the old label and help him put on the new.” All things are made new, Jesus doesn’t label him a murderer, persecutor, hater, or sinner; instead he is “my chosen instrument.” Thankfully we are not who are past says we are, a great picture of grace. No one is too evil for God.
What banners hang over your past that keeps you from growing in His grace? The cross eliminates our past, Paul said he was the chief of sinners but because of His grace I labor all the more (1 Corinthian 15:10).
What banner have you erected over other people? They can’t change, they are too gone, too evil, too hard, too…. But God sees them in a totally different way.
See the Gospel is not lacking power to transform. The Gospel is failing for lack of faith to believe it has total power to transform. Be renewed today that God’s power is limitless, and no one anywhere, under any circumstances is beyond His reach.
Friday, August 7, 2009
I don't need this??
I want to be real candid with you. Do you ever say the church is not for “me”? "I love Jesus I just don’t need the church."
All we do is stand up, sit down, sing, listen to a sermon, give money, and shake a few hands anyways. Besides I can sleep in and get a dynamic message from Joel Olsteen, Stanley, Hayford or whatever your flavor is. In fact I can sit in my favorite rocking chair and turn on a good FM station of worship songs and reflect. I would rather connect with God in nature. So why bother with the church, they are just a bunch of hypocrites anyways. I still have my “personal” relationship with the Lord, my “own” spiritual journey. And so people are concluding it is not that relevant to my life and letting it go.
Let me ask you, is that biblical? Seriously is God ok with that thought process? To unplug, disengage, quit the church. Yes I know the church as a whole is to blame for doing some dumb things, however, two wrongs don’t make a right.
The church (as a whole) was not created by man, it was God’s idea. God is passionate about the church; He refers to it as His bride. Paul can’t talk about marriage without referring to the symbolism of Christ’s relationship to the church (Ephesians 5:31-32). The epistles which form a large part of the New Testament were written not to individuals but to the church. When people made Jesus the leader of their life they became a part of the church, and so we comprise His body “in which he speaks and acts, by which he fills everything with his presence (Ephesians 1:23).” If you believe you don’t need the church try this (I don’t recommend it but it will make the point) take your hand and chopped it off, then see how much life is in it on its own. In the same way God created this interconnected body that derives life and health from the head (Christ) as we live in community with His body.
If you are saying or you hear it said “I love Jesus I just don’t need the church….” Rick Warren said it is like standing next to your friend and saying “I like you but I can’t stand your wife, or I like you but can’t stand your body.” Jesus is in love with the church, He died for the church; His plans are unfolded through the church. How can we say we are growing in Christ but moving away from His passion. Too many are letting our fiercely independent culture steal the joy, satisfaction, and purpose He created you for in His body.
Resist the strong current of today’s culture that gives the excuse…
I am just too busy
It’s not worth the risk
I don’t really need anyone
I’ll get burned if I get too close
If I reach out, I will look foolish
Please join us as we continue a new series called “Church Refocused” and get refocused on what God’s purpose is for the church and what your part is.
All we do is stand up, sit down, sing, listen to a sermon, give money, and shake a few hands anyways. Besides I can sleep in and get a dynamic message from Joel Olsteen, Stanley, Hayford or whatever your flavor is. In fact I can sit in my favorite rocking chair and turn on a good FM station of worship songs and reflect. I would rather connect with God in nature. So why bother with the church, they are just a bunch of hypocrites anyways. I still have my “personal” relationship with the Lord, my “own” spiritual journey. And so people are concluding it is not that relevant to my life and letting it go.
Let me ask you, is that biblical? Seriously is God ok with that thought process? To unplug, disengage, quit the church. Yes I know the church as a whole is to blame for doing some dumb things, however, two wrongs don’t make a right.
The church (as a whole) was not created by man, it was God’s idea. God is passionate about the church; He refers to it as His bride. Paul can’t talk about marriage without referring to the symbolism of Christ’s relationship to the church (Ephesians 5:31-32). The epistles which form a large part of the New Testament were written not to individuals but to the church. When people made Jesus the leader of their life they became a part of the church, and so we comprise His body “in which he speaks and acts, by which he fills everything with his presence (Ephesians 1:23).” If you believe you don’t need the church try this (I don’t recommend it but it will make the point) take your hand and chopped it off, then see how much life is in it on its own. In the same way God created this interconnected body that derives life and health from the head (Christ) as we live in community with His body.
If you are saying or you hear it said “I love Jesus I just don’t need the church….” Rick Warren said it is like standing next to your friend and saying “I like you but I can’t stand your wife, or I like you but can’t stand your body.” Jesus is in love with the church, He died for the church; His plans are unfolded through the church. How can we say we are growing in Christ but moving away from His passion. Too many are letting our fiercely independent culture steal the joy, satisfaction, and purpose He created you for in His body.
Resist the strong current of today’s culture that gives the excuse…
I am just too busy
It’s not worth the risk
I don’t really need anyone
I’ll get burned if I get too close
If I reach out, I will look foolish
Please join us as we continue a new series called “Church Refocused” and get refocused on what God’s purpose is for the church and what your part is.
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
The Lies We Continue To Believe...
Have you ever believed this…?
I have to be strong. I mean I have to be emotionally strong for a loved one that is emotionally weak. I have to be there for them, I can help them if I just stay strong.
Or
I have parents that their marriage is struggling and I have to be strong for them…if we work really hard we can help keep their marriage together.”
Or
Perhaps you have a struggling marriage but “you know we got to be strong for our kids.”
I have to be emotionally strong; even though on the inside you feel vulnerable there is no way you are going to let anyone know...why do it? Because we have bought the lie (Inspired by Craig Groeschel)
It could be the feeling you have to keep everything together in your finances, in your career. How about in your faith….I have to stay strong people are looking and I have to look strong to keep up the illusion.
It is a lie we often believe. I've been there; I can put the game face on as good as you can. Sometimes, although, you really can’t fake it….like when I took a weight lifting class in college with a bunch of football players. I put on way more weight than I could really lift (what they did many reps of I did a few of) and did the 1, 2, and then 10 when someone walked by, and would be puking after class. I got pride...I don't want them to see weakness even though it was pretty obvious.
The truth is that our strength is limited. God made us that way so that we might learn to depend more on Him and His unlimited power. It is pretty frustrating doing life out of our own limited strength like cutting with a dull saw. We get worn out, tired, hopeless.
Look deeper in Isaiah 40:30-31- Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall, but those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.
Notice it says “even youth” get faith, young men "utterly fall," in the original language the point is made that these are the best of best. As opposed to those who are past their prime; they are in the strongest part of life and even they get tired and stumble and fall.
However those who wait on the Lord will mount up with wings like eagles. I learned that eagles even though about 12 pounds in weight can carry well over its own body weight even carrying baby lambs. They are able to spot rabbits two miles away and with their 7 foot wing span they reach speeds of over 150 mph and have the ability to dive at speeds of 200 mph. Eagles have been seen almost motionless in hurricane force winds. What amazing strength…God’s Word says we can have that strength but it doesn’t come from us.
The apostle Paul learned this. It wasn’t about him being stronger, trying harder, being better, caring more. At one point he was bothered so much by something he begged God to take it away, yet God did not. Instead God told him “My grace is sufficient for you” and then he learned “my power is made perfect in (can you believe it) weakness.” Paul learned when he is weak, broken, vulnerable, and dependent then he is strong.
He even makes a crazy statement “I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.” He goes on to say he delights in them (2 Corinthians 12:10), the language has the idea of thinking well of it or embracing the weakness. Paul embraced his weakness because he learned that when he did that a powerful strength from God would begin to work in him.
Are you embracing the weakness? Truth is “I don’t have to be strong” rather “when I am weak then I am strong.”
I have heard it said that lifeguards are trained to wait to rescue the drowning person until they quit trying to save themselves and just surrender otherwise they will be resisting the lifeguards help. When they surrender then they are able to give them the help they need. What a great picture of the power we can find as we learn to surrender. Some things you can’t fix, only God is going to be able to do it. His grace is sufficient, it’s exactly enough. His power specifically His explosive miraculous power is made perfect when we quit trying to do it on our own and become broken before Him. Let go of the façade of looking strong and embrace the weakness through brokenness. Reach out for His solutions and see if you won’t be finding a new strength that is not your own (see 2 Corinthians 12:9-10).
I have to be strong. I mean I have to be emotionally strong for a loved one that is emotionally weak. I have to be there for them, I can help them if I just stay strong.
Or
I have parents that their marriage is struggling and I have to be strong for them…if we work really hard we can help keep their marriage together.”
Or
Perhaps you have a struggling marriage but “you know we got to be strong for our kids.”
I have to be emotionally strong; even though on the inside you feel vulnerable there is no way you are going to let anyone know...why do it? Because we have bought the lie (Inspired by Craig Groeschel)
It could be the feeling you have to keep everything together in your finances, in your career. How about in your faith….I have to stay strong people are looking and I have to look strong to keep up the illusion.
It is a lie we often believe. I've been there; I can put the game face on as good as you can. Sometimes, although, you really can’t fake it….like when I took a weight lifting class in college with a bunch of football players. I put on way more weight than I could really lift (what they did many reps of I did a few of) and did the 1, 2, and then 10 when someone walked by, and would be puking after class. I got pride...I don't want them to see weakness even though it was pretty obvious.
The truth is that our strength is limited. God made us that way so that we might learn to depend more on Him and His unlimited power. It is pretty frustrating doing life out of our own limited strength like cutting with a dull saw. We get worn out, tired, hopeless.
Look deeper in Isaiah 40:30-31- Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall, but those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.
Notice it says “even youth” get faith, young men "utterly fall," in the original language the point is made that these are the best of best. As opposed to those who are past their prime; they are in the strongest part of life and even they get tired and stumble and fall.
However those who wait on the Lord will mount up with wings like eagles. I learned that eagles even though about 12 pounds in weight can carry well over its own body weight even carrying baby lambs. They are able to spot rabbits two miles away and with their 7 foot wing span they reach speeds of over 150 mph and have the ability to dive at speeds of 200 mph. Eagles have been seen almost motionless in hurricane force winds. What amazing strength…God’s Word says we can have that strength but it doesn’t come from us.
The apostle Paul learned this. It wasn’t about him being stronger, trying harder, being better, caring more. At one point he was bothered so much by something he begged God to take it away, yet God did not. Instead God told him “My grace is sufficient for you” and then he learned “my power is made perfect in (can you believe it) weakness.” Paul learned when he is weak, broken, vulnerable, and dependent then he is strong.
He even makes a crazy statement “I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.” He goes on to say he delights in them (2 Corinthians 12:10), the language has the idea of thinking well of it or embracing the weakness. Paul embraced his weakness because he learned that when he did that a powerful strength from God would begin to work in him.
Are you embracing the weakness? Truth is “I don’t have to be strong” rather “when I am weak then I am strong.”
I have heard it said that lifeguards are trained to wait to rescue the drowning person until they quit trying to save themselves and just surrender otherwise they will be resisting the lifeguards help. When they surrender then they are able to give them the help they need. What a great picture of the power we can find as we learn to surrender. Some things you can’t fix, only God is going to be able to do it. His grace is sufficient, it’s exactly enough. His power specifically His explosive miraculous power is made perfect when we quit trying to do it on our own and become broken before Him. Let go of the façade of looking strong and embrace the weakness through brokenness. Reach out for His solutions and see if you won’t be finding a new strength that is not your own (see 2 Corinthians 12:9-10).
Friday, July 10, 2009
Lies we believe
Do you ever feel trapped? Feel like there are things in your life pulling you down that you just can’t overcome? Emotions that are hard to control? Money issues that keep recurring no matter how much you make? Relational struggles you see over and over? Addictions that have you bound? Spiritual walls that keep you from developing a closer walk with the Lord?
Craig Groeschel (lifechurchtv) says if we continually believe a lie is true it will affect us as if it were true. Take an elephant it can pick up a one ton load with his huge trunk, but if you have been to a circus it stands quietly tied to a small wooden stake. How does this happen? As a young elephant, they are tied to a heavy chain chained to an immovable iron stake. The young elephant tries to break free but is not able to do it. As the elephant grows, no matter how strong he becomes he continues to believe he can’t move it. It is a great picture of the strongholds that can form in our minds keeping us stuck.
One of the lies of the enemy we so often believe is this, “This is just the way I am…I can’t change.” “I’ve tried it before and it didn’t work out, and so that proves that I can never ever change in this area of my life.”
We think…
“I have always had a bad marriage, I will always have one.” “I will never be able to trust people.”
“I am just not good with money…always in debt no matter how much I make, I have tried budgeting doesn’t work…tried saving, tried giving...always be that way.”
“I gamble all the time..can’t stop, I can’t stop drinking, smoking, watching the tube, eating that food, etc.”
“I have a bad attitude, always have, always will. My parents had one I guess I do to. I am just more of a critical person, negative.”
“Spiritually I get up but then I go back down..I see sincerity in other’s faith but I guess it will not be me”
And the lies go on and on and on….
God’s Word says:
“For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. 4The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” (2 Corinthians 10:3-5)
A stronghold is a castle, fortress or something on which one relies. The person even uses arguments and reasonings to fortify and defend their opinions or conclusion no matter how off based it is. Rick Renner writes that in the original language it came to be the very same Greek word used to describe a prison. In other words strongholds keep people or truth out (a fortress) or it’s like a prison that keeps insiders from getting out.
See in all cases the enemy is ringing out a lie- “this is just the way you are, you can’t change…and after believing it long enough- you are saying basically “God even you can’t change me… it is just the way I am.” What kind of bigger insult could we ever give to the one who made us than to say, “You don’t have the power to change me.” I have become a prisoner, locked by deception.
Good news is that the weapons we fight with are so powerful they are able to completely obliterate all these strongholds we often have. However, we have to build a strategy (the word warfare..actually means strategy). Before armies go out to battle they build a strategy for how they are going to win. The devil certainly has a strategy for deceiving people. So what is your strategy to win the war of chronic strongholds we battle?
Let me give you a cheesy acronym (but hopefully you can remember) to help you W.I.N.
W- Wallop the thoughts-
Remember the video game where you took a mallot and beat all the critters that popped up randomly.
He says you got to take every thought, thoughts you know that are inconsistent with God’s Word got to take it captive… beat it… wallop it. Anything not of God- we demolish it. See thoughts we allow will form the actions or choices we make.
So whenever your mind says, “I cannot overcome this addiction,” capture this thought. “I can’t stop this new habit. I’ve tried before, and I can’t do it, can’t stick with it…” Wallop or beat that thought. “Well, this is just the way …” Capture this thought. Make it obedient to Christ.
“I can do all things through Him, who gives me strength. I’m more than a conqueror through Christ Jesus. I am an over comer. Not by my own power, but by the blood of the lamb and by the words of my testimony. “
We capture every wrong thought. Philippians 4:8, Paul was great at this. From a prison, waiting possible execution, do you think strongholds of discouragement, pessimism, anger might come. He said, “Whatever is true and noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, if anything is excellent or praiseworthy,” what do you do? You think about, you think about such things. We capture all the wrong thoughts. We make them obedient to Christ.
I-Implement right words-
The tongue is powerful. Proverbs 18:21- “The tongue has the power of life and death…”
I am not advocating a name it, claim it or positive confession thing that is built on speaking right words to get what you want and not on the foundations of God’s Word. However, there is a powerful principle of life that can come from the tongue. Self fulfilling prophecies do often happen.
We got to capture the wrong thoughts, but we also need to implement right words built on His Word.
Psalm 19:14- Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you (acceptable in your sight) O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer.”
The idea in this passage is consistency. Is what I am speaking consistent with what is on the inside? Or do I say one thing but on the inside it is totally different? Jesus said out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.
“but, I just can’t change.” You are a prisoner locked in by deception. Jesus Christ came to set us free. He has unlocked the door and he wants to open it up to you. Meditate on the verses that empower- “I can do all through Christ…I am more than a conqueror…etc.”
Lastly…
N-No longer a victim.
Jesus didn’t pay the price so we are just stuck in these old fleshly patterns. He didn’t go through just some of the cross, just some of the suffering. He took all of it and overcame it. He destroyed the power of sin and death.
Often we make a truce with sin or partially deal with it…not Jesus He destroyed it. And the truth is….we are no longer victims, we can overcome strongholds through Christ…period.
David Wilkenson shares the story of a book from Thomas Costain’s history, The Three Edwards, described the life of Raynald III, a fourteenth-century duke in what is now Belgium. Grossly overweight, Raynald was commonly called by his Latin nickname, Crassus, which means “fat.” After a violent quarrel, Raynald’s younger brother Edward led a successful revolt against him. Edward captured Raynald but did not kill him. Instead, he built a room around Raynald in the Nieuwkerk castle and promised him he could regain his title and property as soon as he was able to leave the room. This would not have been difficult for most people since the room had several windows and a door of near-normal size, and none was locked or barred. The problem was Raynald’s size. To regain his freedom, he needed to lose weight. But Edward knew his older brother, and each day he sent a variety of delicious foods. Instead of dieting his way out of prison, Raynald grew fatter. When Duke Edward was accused of cruelty, he had a ready answer: “My brother is not a prisoner. He may leave when he so wills.”
Raynald stayed in that room for ten years and wasn’t released until after Edward died in battle. By then his health was so ruined he died within a year. . . a prisoner of his own appetite.
Paul says “to this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me.”
Paul experienced a power that was beyond him. Avoid two extremes though. The first says “it is all about me…I got to try harder, be better, work harder.” The second is “I prayed about it, now God’s gotta do it.” No effort or labor or struggle on my part. Paul says it is His power working through us. I am doing my part and His strength is doing what I don’t have the ability to do.
I hope today you will refuse to except that you are just a victim. That your issues are impossible to deal with or experience victory. I pray you will draw near to Him and get His truth in you and overcome the lie “it’s just the way I am…can’t do anything about it.”
Craig Groeschel (lifechurchtv) says if we continually believe a lie is true it will affect us as if it were true. Take an elephant it can pick up a one ton load with his huge trunk, but if you have been to a circus it stands quietly tied to a small wooden stake. How does this happen? As a young elephant, they are tied to a heavy chain chained to an immovable iron stake. The young elephant tries to break free but is not able to do it. As the elephant grows, no matter how strong he becomes he continues to believe he can’t move it. It is a great picture of the strongholds that can form in our minds keeping us stuck.
One of the lies of the enemy we so often believe is this, “This is just the way I am…I can’t change.” “I’ve tried it before and it didn’t work out, and so that proves that I can never ever change in this area of my life.”
We think…
“I have always had a bad marriage, I will always have one.” “I will never be able to trust people.”
“I am just not good with money…always in debt no matter how much I make, I have tried budgeting doesn’t work…tried saving, tried giving...always be that way.”
“I gamble all the time..can’t stop, I can’t stop drinking, smoking, watching the tube, eating that food, etc.”
“I have a bad attitude, always have, always will. My parents had one I guess I do to. I am just more of a critical person, negative.”
“Spiritually I get up but then I go back down..I see sincerity in other’s faith but I guess it will not be me”
And the lies go on and on and on….
God’s Word says:
“For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. 4The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” (2 Corinthians 10:3-5)
A stronghold is a castle, fortress or something on which one relies. The person even uses arguments and reasonings to fortify and defend their opinions or conclusion no matter how off based it is. Rick Renner writes that in the original language it came to be the very same Greek word used to describe a prison. In other words strongholds keep people or truth out (a fortress) or it’s like a prison that keeps insiders from getting out.
See in all cases the enemy is ringing out a lie- “this is just the way you are, you can’t change…and after believing it long enough- you are saying basically “God even you can’t change me… it is just the way I am.” What kind of bigger insult could we ever give to the one who made us than to say, “You don’t have the power to change me.” I have become a prisoner, locked by deception.
Good news is that the weapons we fight with are so powerful they are able to completely obliterate all these strongholds we often have. However, we have to build a strategy (the word warfare..actually means strategy). Before armies go out to battle they build a strategy for how they are going to win. The devil certainly has a strategy for deceiving people. So what is your strategy to win the war of chronic strongholds we battle?
Let me give you a cheesy acronym (but hopefully you can remember) to help you W.I.N.
W- Wallop the thoughts-
Remember the video game where you took a mallot and beat all the critters that popped up randomly.
He says you got to take every thought, thoughts you know that are inconsistent with God’s Word got to take it captive… beat it… wallop it. Anything not of God- we demolish it. See thoughts we allow will form the actions or choices we make.
So whenever your mind says, “I cannot overcome this addiction,” capture this thought. “I can’t stop this new habit. I’ve tried before, and I can’t do it, can’t stick with it…” Wallop or beat that thought. “Well, this is just the way …” Capture this thought. Make it obedient to Christ.
“I can do all things through Him, who gives me strength. I’m more than a conqueror through Christ Jesus. I am an over comer. Not by my own power, but by the blood of the lamb and by the words of my testimony. “
We capture every wrong thought. Philippians 4:8, Paul was great at this. From a prison, waiting possible execution, do you think strongholds of discouragement, pessimism, anger might come. He said, “Whatever is true and noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, if anything is excellent or praiseworthy,” what do you do? You think about, you think about such things. We capture all the wrong thoughts. We make them obedient to Christ.
I-Implement right words-
The tongue is powerful. Proverbs 18:21- “The tongue has the power of life and death…”
I am not advocating a name it, claim it or positive confession thing that is built on speaking right words to get what you want and not on the foundations of God’s Word. However, there is a powerful principle of life that can come from the tongue. Self fulfilling prophecies do often happen.
We got to capture the wrong thoughts, but we also need to implement right words built on His Word.
Psalm 19:14- Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you (acceptable in your sight) O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer.”
The idea in this passage is consistency. Is what I am speaking consistent with what is on the inside? Or do I say one thing but on the inside it is totally different? Jesus said out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.
“but, I just can’t change.” You are a prisoner locked in by deception. Jesus Christ came to set us free. He has unlocked the door and he wants to open it up to you. Meditate on the verses that empower- “I can do all through Christ…I am more than a conqueror…etc.”
Lastly…
N-No longer a victim.
Jesus didn’t pay the price so we are just stuck in these old fleshly patterns. He didn’t go through just some of the cross, just some of the suffering. He took all of it and overcame it. He destroyed the power of sin and death.
Often we make a truce with sin or partially deal with it…not Jesus He destroyed it. And the truth is….we are no longer victims, we can overcome strongholds through Christ…period.
David Wilkenson shares the story of a book from Thomas Costain’s history, The Three Edwards, described the life of Raynald III, a fourteenth-century duke in what is now Belgium. Grossly overweight, Raynald was commonly called by his Latin nickname, Crassus, which means “fat.” After a violent quarrel, Raynald’s younger brother Edward led a successful revolt against him. Edward captured Raynald but did not kill him. Instead, he built a room around Raynald in the Nieuwkerk castle and promised him he could regain his title and property as soon as he was able to leave the room. This would not have been difficult for most people since the room had several windows and a door of near-normal size, and none was locked or barred. The problem was Raynald’s size. To regain his freedom, he needed to lose weight. But Edward knew his older brother, and each day he sent a variety of delicious foods. Instead of dieting his way out of prison, Raynald grew fatter. When Duke Edward was accused of cruelty, he had a ready answer: “My brother is not a prisoner. He may leave when he so wills.”
Raynald stayed in that room for ten years and wasn’t released until after Edward died in battle. By then his health was so ruined he died within a year. . . a prisoner of his own appetite.
Paul says “to this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me.”
Paul experienced a power that was beyond him. Avoid two extremes though. The first says “it is all about me…I got to try harder, be better, work harder.” The second is “I prayed about it, now God’s gotta do it.” No effort or labor or struggle on my part. Paul says it is His power working through us. I am doing my part and His strength is doing what I don’t have the ability to do.
I hope today you will refuse to except that you are just a victim. That your issues are impossible to deal with or experience victory. I pray you will draw near to Him and get His truth in you and overcome the lie “it’s just the way I am…can’t do anything about it.”
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Time to build this
How is your faith? Do you have great faith? What does great faith look like? What if your life was like a multiple choice test on faith, would you ace it? Get average grade? Bomb it?
In Matthew 15:21-28 we get a picture of great faith contrasted with not so great faith…who do identify with as you read the passage?
"Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. 22A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, "Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is suffering terribly from demon-possession." Jesus did not answer a word. So his disciples came to him and urged him, "Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us."
He answered, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel."
The woman came and knelt before him. "Lord, help me!" she said.
He replied, "It is not right to take the children's bread and toss it to their dogs."
"Yes, Lord," she said, "but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table."
Then Jesus answered, "Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted." And her daughter was healed from that very hour. (Matthew 15:21-28)
First read of that passage and you think, “Wow! Jesus was a racist.” After all He uses the term “dog” to describe a woman. I haven’t recalled that term being ever used positively and back then it wasn’t… at first read.
At second read we see Jesus as the master teacher who creates experiences for people. Jesus deliberately induces frustration to teach a lesson that the disciples and this woman and hopefully you will never forget.
This is only one of the two times Jesus tells someone they have “great faith.” What makes her faith great and what do the disciples and often times us need to learn?
First, great faith is not indifferent. Can you picture this lady coming to Jesus crying and yelling and Jesus did not respond? Many men do this to their wives; it still doesn’t make it right. To the disciples though it made sense after all she was a Canaanite. The disciples could recall detailed battles Israel had with Canaan coming into the Promised Land. Ignore her, understandable…get her out of here; absolutely…she is not worth their time.
Yet the master teacher Jesus knew this was a fantastic teaching moment, you can feel Him play their game. The disciples fed up finally ask “send her away, she keeps crying out for us." Actually she is crying out for Jesus but they include themselves. They want some “me” time. And even though it seems so cruel Jesus is acting this way not for her sake but for theirs. Notice Jesus doesn’t speak to her until the disciples speak what they are thinking. He is exposing this attitude of indifference. Not one of them pulled her aside and said “we will pray for you, let me see what we can do to get you to Jesus”…pure indifference.
Thank God we are not indifferent to the needs around us. Thank God we don’t get focused on our little world, our clique, our family, our friends, etc. You want to sink a ship, you want to drop a team, you want to let a family just slide apart… just be indifferent. Let’s kick into apathy mode and turn our minds, hearts, and actions into neutral.
Put yourself in the story- would you have reached out to her or been a liaison between her and Jesus? Or would you have shrunk back and hope someone else would take care of it or just get her out of here?
As so often is the case the one you least expect is set up to be the hero in the passage. Her GREAT faith is set as a back drop for the disciple’s indifference.
Contrary to indifference, she knew something had to be done. Rather than just thinking about the problem, her great faith moved her out of apathy, sympathy, and neutrality and moved her to Jesus.
She shows great faith because she is so stinkin’ (used in a good way) persistent. Here she is crying out for Jesus to come heal her daughter and even though He can clearly hear her He ignores her (I guess I do sometimes ignore my kids that cry out to me for this and that but I think my motive may be quite different then Jesus). Ignored by Jesus and rejected by the disciples. With caller id’s we are gracefully able to do it but she was flat out rejected. Most would walk away…leave it alone, but not her. She refuses to be discouraged or quit but keeps on crying out all the more.
Ignored by Jesus but then resisted “I was only sent to the lost sheep of Israel.” Notice the woman persists, “Lord help me.” I wonder if He hoped the disciples would disagree with Him. They still had much to learn.
"But He answered and said, ’It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs." Matthew 15:26. The Greek word employed by Jesus was “kynarion” which is best translated “little dogs” (household pets). What might at first appear as highly derogatory was, in reality, tenderly uttered by our Lord.
With humility and submission she continues, like she knows Jesus is going to honor her request.
Today, people would say that unanswered prayer is a sign of a lack of faith but that is not always true. Faith is not proven true by answered prayer but by unanswered prayer that does not make us waver or give up on God.
See her example points to one thing that Jesus knew all along, but now He makes very public for the disciples to see, "Woman, you have great faith."
I like what one football coach said, “Press on, nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are important.” (Living Above Mediocrity, Charles Swindol)
So who do you relate to in the story? Perhaps some of both. Hope you will continue to pursue a great faith….
In Matthew 15:21-28 we get a picture of great faith contrasted with not so great faith…who do identify with as you read the passage?
"Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. 22A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, "Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is suffering terribly from demon-possession." Jesus did not answer a word. So his disciples came to him and urged him, "Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us."
He answered, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel."
The woman came and knelt before him. "Lord, help me!" she said.
He replied, "It is not right to take the children's bread and toss it to their dogs."
"Yes, Lord," she said, "but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table."
Then Jesus answered, "Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted." And her daughter was healed from that very hour. (Matthew 15:21-28)
First read of that passage and you think, “Wow! Jesus was a racist.” After all He uses the term “dog” to describe a woman. I haven’t recalled that term being ever used positively and back then it wasn’t… at first read.
At second read we see Jesus as the master teacher who creates experiences for people. Jesus deliberately induces frustration to teach a lesson that the disciples and this woman and hopefully you will never forget.
This is only one of the two times Jesus tells someone they have “great faith.” What makes her faith great and what do the disciples and often times us need to learn?
First, great faith is not indifferent. Can you picture this lady coming to Jesus crying and yelling and Jesus did not respond? Many men do this to their wives; it still doesn’t make it right. To the disciples though it made sense after all she was a Canaanite. The disciples could recall detailed battles Israel had with Canaan coming into the Promised Land. Ignore her, understandable…get her out of here; absolutely…she is not worth their time.
Yet the master teacher Jesus knew this was a fantastic teaching moment, you can feel Him play their game. The disciples fed up finally ask “send her away, she keeps crying out for us." Actually she is crying out for Jesus but they include themselves. They want some “me” time. And even though it seems so cruel Jesus is acting this way not for her sake but for theirs. Notice Jesus doesn’t speak to her until the disciples speak what they are thinking. He is exposing this attitude of indifference. Not one of them pulled her aside and said “we will pray for you, let me see what we can do to get you to Jesus”…pure indifference.
Thank God we are not indifferent to the needs around us. Thank God we don’t get focused on our little world, our clique, our family, our friends, etc. You want to sink a ship, you want to drop a team, you want to let a family just slide apart… just be indifferent. Let’s kick into apathy mode and turn our minds, hearts, and actions into neutral.
Put yourself in the story- would you have reached out to her or been a liaison between her and Jesus? Or would you have shrunk back and hope someone else would take care of it or just get her out of here?
As so often is the case the one you least expect is set up to be the hero in the passage. Her GREAT faith is set as a back drop for the disciple’s indifference.
Contrary to indifference, she knew something had to be done. Rather than just thinking about the problem, her great faith moved her out of apathy, sympathy, and neutrality and moved her to Jesus.
She shows great faith because she is so stinkin’ (used in a good way) persistent. Here she is crying out for Jesus to come heal her daughter and even though He can clearly hear her He ignores her (I guess I do sometimes ignore my kids that cry out to me for this and that but I think my motive may be quite different then Jesus). Ignored by Jesus and rejected by the disciples. With caller id’s we are gracefully able to do it but she was flat out rejected. Most would walk away…leave it alone, but not her. She refuses to be discouraged or quit but keeps on crying out all the more.
Ignored by Jesus but then resisted “I was only sent to the lost sheep of Israel.” Notice the woman persists, “Lord help me.” I wonder if He hoped the disciples would disagree with Him. They still had much to learn.
"But He answered and said, ’It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs." Matthew 15:26. The Greek word employed by Jesus was “kynarion” which is best translated “little dogs” (household pets). What might at first appear as highly derogatory was, in reality, tenderly uttered by our Lord.
With humility and submission she continues, like she knows Jesus is going to honor her request.
Today, people would say that unanswered prayer is a sign of a lack of faith but that is not always true. Faith is not proven true by answered prayer but by unanswered prayer that does not make us waver or give up on God.
See her example points to one thing that Jesus knew all along, but now He makes very public for the disciples to see, "Woman, you have great faith."
I like what one football coach said, “Press on, nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are important.” (Living Above Mediocrity, Charles Swindol)
So who do you relate to in the story? Perhaps some of both. Hope you will continue to pursue a great faith….
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
To be a Christian means we have incredible purpose. Unfortunately, many aren't embracing it and instead are finding themselves wandering or pursuing "lesser things". Jesus tells a crowd of ordinary disciples that they were the salt of the earth and the light of the world, that also applies to us. He doesn't make a suggestion or give an option, rather He tells us this is what you are (if we are in Christ).
Like many verses in the Bible it is easy to read things and blow it off or pass the buck thinking "hey I will let those zealous Christians be that, or the super saints, or the government, etc." But Jesus point is clear- You are the salt and the light to the world. He says let your good works shine for all to see....the word good used here in the Greek means winsome, attractive, beautiful works be seen.
This is interesting because as you look forward to chapter six Jesus says:
“Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven.
How do we reconcile that…
I think it challenges us to ask the question why do we do good works?
Some do good works rooted in insecurity….
"I need to do these things to keep the people loving me,"
"to keep people happy," "to win approval"
The religious people in that day did this, whatever would earn them praise.
We do it too. We work extra hard to please that demanding boss. We do those good works to please that unsatisfied spouse.
The problem is when we do good works out of insecurity, we are looking to people to fill a need. We think, "when will that spouse finally give me what I need, when I do all this for them." "That friend I am constantly calling, writing, reaching out to, all they do is take, when are they going to appreciate me." "When is the boss going to finally give me what I deserve."
In the end it is really rooted in selfishness and lots of people are doing good works with this motivation.
Others do good works to feel better about themselves, some do good works to help them earn God’s approval….instead Jesus says do it quietly so your Father will see them.
However, Jesus says we can know we are doing good, winsome, beautiful, attractive works if the work that is done brings glory to God...draws people to Him (Matthew 5:16).
Like many verses in the Bible it is easy to read things and blow it off or pass the buck thinking "hey I will let those zealous Christians be that, or the super saints, or the government, etc." But Jesus point is clear- You are the salt and the light to the world. He says let your good works shine for all to see....the word good used here in the Greek means winsome, attractive, beautiful works be seen.
This is interesting because as you look forward to chapter six Jesus says:
“Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven.
How do we reconcile that…
I think it challenges us to ask the question why do we do good works?
Some do good works rooted in insecurity….
"I need to do these things to keep the people loving me,"
"to keep people happy," "to win approval"
The religious people in that day did this, whatever would earn them praise.
We do it too. We work extra hard to please that demanding boss. We do those good works to please that unsatisfied spouse.
The problem is when we do good works out of insecurity, we are looking to people to fill a need. We think, "when will that spouse finally give me what I need, when I do all this for them." "That friend I am constantly calling, writing, reaching out to, all they do is take, when are they going to appreciate me." "When is the boss going to finally give me what I deserve."
In the end it is really rooted in selfishness and lots of people are doing good works with this motivation.
Others do good works to feel better about themselves, some do good works to help them earn God’s approval….instead Jesus says do it quietly so your Father will see them.
However, Jesus says we can know we are doing good, winsome, beautiful, attractive works if the work that is done brings glory to God...draws people to Him (Matthew 5:16).
End the wandering and embrace and pursue who you are....the salt of the earth (the flavor, creating spiritual thirst, preservative from the onslaught of wickedness) and the light of the world(reflecting the glory of the Lord).
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