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.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
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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