Mark 9: 28-29 James 5:16 12/27/2016

"After Jesus had gone into the house, His disciples asked Him privately, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?” Jesus answered, “This kind cannot come out, except by prayer.”

This is a critical truth to begin a new year...  To be powerful, you must learn to pray.

The Disciples had been casting out demons and healing people successfully, until they met this boy. Then they learned that some demons are harder to deal with than others... there are degrees of maliciousness to sin.

They encountered a demon that had been with the boy for a very long time.  It controlled him, endangered him, it even tried to kill him .... and those who loved him, could do nothing. 

That situation sounds familiar to all of us.  We have all had circumstances like this in our lives, and the lives of those we love.  Jesus was clear...learn to pray!

But when Jesus says pray, He is not referring to the "now I lay me down to sleep" type prayer,  He is referring to the  "in the garden of Gethsemane, bleeding because of the intensity" type prayer.  He is talking about falling in front of God in faith, and calling out for His help, with no intention of stopping until something happens.  It is powerful, exhilarating, and exhausting.

When Christians kneel we are going to DEFCON 1... we are putting in the nuclear codes, and there is no plan for retreat.  There is no plan B. When all else fails, even what has worked in the past...when it seems you have no hope for the fight ahead.... remember these words... “This kind cannot come out, except by prayer.”...so commit to prayer.

When we get to Heaven the names of those who changed the world will not be those we expect.
It will be the grandmothers, and grandfathers...the solitary people with calluses on their knees that swayed the battles here on earth. These are the quiet soldiers whose prayers broke the chains of countless prisoners. Enlist ... become a prayer warrior and help those you love go free.

This year can be different if we learn to pray.

"The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much."
- God
James 5:16

John 19:30 12/20/2016*9*

 “…Jesus said “It is finished.” With that, He bowed His head and gave up His Spirit.”

We discussed this verse last Easter, but it deserves consideration at Christmas. 
What was finished at Calvary, began 33 years earlier in Jerusalem. What Christ finished on the Cross, God had begun in a manger.  

In November of 1992 my first child was born.  That December was the first time I understood Christmas.  It was the first time I got an inkling of what we celebrate.  Holding my son in my arms made God's gift seem incomprehensible, and I began to see Christmas in a new light. There was no joy in Heaven that first Christmas…That was the deployment of a rescue mission ...the joy came at Easter when it was finished. 

This Christmas season we need to consider the agonizing, choice an all-knowing God made for us.

Beginning the process of redemption, knowing full well, it would end at the Cross is an act of unequaled love.  Joy to the world, was heartbreak to the Father...if you ever questioned your value in God's eyes, Christmas is His answer.

This holiday season, fall to your knees and worship a God who on that first Christmas, knowing the cost, chose to give His only begotten son … whom He loves…so you and I would not perish but live with Him forever.  What an amazing God…what amazing grace.

That was the “good news of great joy” the angels proclaimed
… and it is the only Christmas gift that matters.

"The difference between Christianity and other religions. Is the difference between Works and Grace, or Do and Done."
Rick Warren

Luke 5:18-20 12/13/2016

"Just then, some men came carrying a paralyzed man on a mat. They tried to bring him inside to set him before Jesus, but they could not find a way through the crowd. So 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."

Do you have friends like that?...more importantly, are you that kind of friend?  

Are you willing to damage property, interrupt a meeting, and risk public ridicule, to get your friend in front of Jesus? ... We can't carry people to Jesus on a mat today,  but we can put them there by getting on our knees.  Are your prayers placing your friends "in front of Jesus"?

Scripture doesn't record it, but when they lowered their buddy, I bet Jesus looked up at their faces staring down from the hole in the ceiling, and smiled and gave them a wink.  I believe that, because the next verse says "When Jesus saw their faith, He said, 'Friend, your sins are forgiven.'” ... "   Did you notice it said "THEIR faith", not only the paralyzed man's faith, but that of his friends as well. 

That elevates the importance of friendship to a new level.   Social media has minimized the word "friend" but these verses makes being a friend serious business.  It means if you have friends who are struggling with physical, spiritual, or emotional paralysis ... your faith can play a part in Jesus telling them to get up and walk.

It will impact you as well...the paralytic was not the only one whose life was changed that day. 

This holiday season more people need friends than gifts. And if you're going to be a friend, be one like these guys.  

Be the friend that says "Hey, what if we dug a hole in the roof ? ..." Be the friend willing to do whatever it takes.  Be a prayer warrior for your buddies.  Let the people you love, know they are more important than your schedule, your reputation, or your list of things to do today.

True friends are life altering ...  Love big, pray hard, and do something extravagant for someone ... it will change their life, and it will also change yours. 

"Love is blind; friendship closes its eyes."
- Friedrich Nietzsche

Matthew 13:7 Matthew 13:22 12/6/2016

Matthew 13:7 - "Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants."

Since Jesus is teaching about the impact the Word of God has in our lives, we should ask what He means by thorns that render it ineffective.

The Apostles had the same question, so a few verses later Jesus explains.  "The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful." (Matthew 13:22 ) 

So the obvious question is, what thorns do you allow in your garden?...Apparently they fall into two categories....worries about problems...and confidence that your wealth can solve those problems. Both distract from God, and choke the work you are doing for His Kingdom.

Both of these types of thorns destroy by stealing nutrients, and they share a common trait... they take the focus off of God and put it squarely on you.  Lack of confidence, and over confidence, are two sides of the same coin called self-centeredness.  Whether you are wrapped up in your ability, or your inability to control your life  -  the results are  the same.

The problem with thorns and weeds is that they multiply if they are not removed. 

This week evaluate your garden.  What is taking your focus off of God?  What is stealing nutrients from your walk with Christ?  Is there anything you tolerate in your heart that moves the spotlight from Jesus, to you?...If there is - rip it out by the roots. 

Be intentional about what is planted in your heart, and militant about what you allow to grow there.  If it doesn't put your eyes on Christ, it is a "thorn".  It is choking the power of your faith and making it ineffective...eliminate it.

"Satan is not fighting churches; he is joining them. He does more harm by sowing tares than by pulling up wheat.". - Vance Havner

2 Corinthians 3:3 11/29/2016

2 Corinthians 3:3  "Clearly, you are a letter from Christ showing the result of our ministry among you. This letter is written not with pen and ink, but with the Spirit of the living God. It is carved not on tablets of stone, but on human hearts."

Where are your people?...Who is your letter?

If you can't answer that question you have some work to do. 

The great commission says to make disciples, and that takes action.  You have to do that on purpose. It may be one, or it may be one million,  but you should have people you pray for, counsel with, and minister to, in order to facilitate God writing on their hearts.  

You can start today.  

There are hospitals, retirement homes, and shelters full of hearts ready to be written on...God may have people in your home, neighborhood, at your office, or in your social circle, that have hearts in need of a letter from Christ...but it won't happen by accident. You have to love them, and love means action.

This holiday season look around as you give gifts ....make sure you find people to whom you can pass on the greatest gift ever given.  Let the result of your ministry be hearts that are changed by the grace, forgiveness, and joy that Christ gave when he redeemed us from sin.

That is the reason you are here.....Let God use you to change the world...one heart at a time
...that should be the result of your ministry, so get busy. 

“Strategy without execution is hallucination.”
― Mike Roach

1 Samuel 17:34 11/22/2016

1 Samuel 17:34-35  - "But David said to Saul, “Your servant has been keeping his father’s sheep. When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock,  I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth."

This is seldom the verse we start with when we are discussing David's encounter with Goliath, but this is where the story begins.

As a young man David spent countless hours, by himself in the wilderness watching his fathers sheep. This lonely job was without status, or glamour, and yet God used it to prepare David for one of the greatest military victories ever recorded.

Unbeknownst to David his solitary hours of practice with a slingshot would one day be used to set in motion events that would transform him from a shepherd boy to a King.

What boring, mundane job is God using to prepare you for service in His Kingdom?....Like David, you don't know.  What you consider incidental may be the very thing God uses to bring glory to Himself.

Live your life aware that it is in bigger hands than yours.  Understand that there are no accidents, and no minor projects.  If God brings a job to you, do it with all your might.  Never question its worth or importance.  You have no idea what God may be planning to do with it.    The job you can't stand, or the nucense project you are so frustrated with, may be the thing God uses to change the very trajectory of your life.

Just do it well, and trust God with the results.

"Spectacular achievement is always preceded by unspectacular preparation."
Robert H. Schuller

Philippians 2:14-15 11/15/2016

Philippians 2:14-15 ^"Do everything without grumbling or arguing,  so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky" 

What an important verse for us today.

Sometimes as Christians, we get on our high horse, and start loudly pointing out the unfairness, and filth in our culture.

The problem is, we are never heard...why would we be heard among all the grumbling and complaining from every other sector of society?

This verse tells us to be different.   This verse says that if we will stop feeling sorry for ourselves, and start reflecting the calm, confidence of our Father, the world will take notice.

What would happen if today your eliminated anything that could be considered negative from your conversations.  What if instead of being cynical and edgy, you were positive and uplifting. What if you did EVERYTHING without grumbling or arguing?

According to this scripture people would notice.  This verse says that you would shine like a beautiful star in a cold, dark, winters night.

You will never lead someone to a saving faith in Christ by bludgeoning them with your self-righteousness. They will not hear a single word until you show them you are different....so be different.

Remove grumbling and arguing from your repertoire, and replace it with a purity and blamelessness. That will make you different, and allow you to cut through the darkness and shine a light on the Cross.

"Waste no more time arguing about what a good man should be. Be one."
- Marcus Aurelius

Phil 3:13-14 11/8/2016

Phil 3:13-14  "But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead. I press on toward the goal to win the prize of God’s heavenly calling in Christ Jesus"

God says we should have a short memory.  Our energy should be focused on what's in front of us.

Whether you just dropped the ball, or caught the touchdown...forget it.
It doesn't define you either way, and what lies behind is not your focus.

Many of us waste precious time hashing over the mistakes we have made in life.  Yet the best soldiers come from the most terrible battles. God says He "comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled,..."(2 Cor 1:4)  Those mistakes you made that the enemy wanted to destroy you with,  have been turned into tools.  You can use them to pull your fallen brother up, as you were pulled up. Failures only give us empathy for others, and deep appreciation for amazing grace.

The other side of the coin is true as well. If you have been blessed enough recently to succeed...forget it.  The enemy is still prowling around like a lion waiting to steal, kill, and destroy. The landscape is littered with ministries that were "taken out" in their prime. You stay focused.  You lean into the tape...You strain toward the goal.

Forget what lies behind. As Christians we are to be forward thinkers.  We don't have time to worry about the past, when our God has plans to give us a "future and a hope" Jer. 29:11.

Your goal this week is to focus on that future. Your goal is to live out that hope.  There will be many distractions but you press on toward the goal...nothing matters but what God has for you to do today...get it done with a heart that directs the world to Christ.

"The only difference between the saint and the sinner is that every saint has a past, and every sinner has a future."
Oscar Wilde

Matthew 9:36 11/1/2016

Matthew 9:36 "When He saw the crowds, He had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd."

The crowds that came to see Jesus were comprised of various types of people.  Some who supported Him, some who didn't.  Some were apathetic and some were hostile towards Him.  Yet His heart hurt for them all because He knew they were harassed and helpless.

Are we that confident and perceptive?  Do we have compassion on the crowds because we know they are lost?  Or do we have contempt for them because they oppose us?   

Jesus' view came from a position of strength.  He was not threatened or intimidated by their opposition because He was confident in the truth.  Are we?  Are we secure enough in our faith to be more concerned about someones eternity, than our reputation?  Does our heart break for the things that break God's heart? Or do we become angry and defensive when we are disrespected?

Are we reacting to people, or responding to God?

As Christians we sometimes feel the need to "protect" our faith, when in reality it can defend itself. Your faith is like a pet lion...if you let it out of it's cage, it will have no need of protection.

Jesus was able to focus on the needs of others without fear because He was confident in the Love of His Father.

The Crowd will always be like a Chihuahua barking at a doberman... trying to give the impression that they are brave and secure...when in reality, like the little dog, they are scared to death. Have compassion on them. They are harassed and helpless, and you have the only truth powerful enough to set them free.

"Biblical orthodoxy without compassion is surely the ugliest thing in the world."
Francis Schaeffer

Galatians 5:22-23 10/26/2016

Galatians 5:22  "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control..."

When we accept Christ,  we receive the Holy Spirit of God and become His children. This is what rescues us from the "body of death" Paul refers to in Romans, and it is what changes us
.... in this verse God defines what that change should look like.

This is your spiritual thermometer.  It doesn't matter how much you give to the church, how often you attend, or how hard you work...these attributes are what is expected and what gives your life power.

So let's take our temperature.  Let's assume we are all eager to attain  love, joy and peace, but what about the last seven?

Patience?  We are a society of instant gratification with little to no attention span.

Kindness?  Mention the political candidate your voting for and see how that goes.

Goodness? We can't even define it, as there is no accepted moral code.

Faithfulness?  that has been "missing in action"  from the boardroom to the bedroom for years.

And if you want to see the opposite of gentleness and self-control - try merging onto the freeway.

That's the bad news ... The good news is  - a price was paid to make this fruit available to you. You can live differently than the world .. You have been GIVEN the ability to live out the fruit of the Spirit in your life.

I dare you to access that ability for one week.

Start today with Patience.  Set your phone to remind you  throughout the day to deliberately work on being patient with your family, friends, and co-workers. Tomorrow is Kindness, won't that surprise a few people?  Next is goodness...and continue through the week.

If you will  intentionally pursue the fruit of the Spirit each day for just one week.  I assure you, you will never be satisfied with a small, powerless, self centered life again.

"The fruit of the Spirit is not push, drive, climb, grasp and trample. Life is more than a climb to the top of the heap."
- Richard Foster

2 Samuel 23: 16 1 John 4:8 John 13:35 10/18/2016

2 Samuel 23: 15-16 "... ¹⁵ David longed for water and said, “Oh, that someone would get me a drink of water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem!” ¹⁶ So the three mighty warriors broke through the Philistine lines, drew water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem and carried it back to David.."

That is what love looks like.

The Philistines had captured Bethlehem and pushed David and his army to a cave outside of town. Three of David's men heard their King, probably under his breath, wish for a drink from the well of  his youth.

They  didn't call a meeting, they didn't form a committee, they sought no reward for good intentions. Their love for David demanded action, so they saddled up, broke through enemy lines, and risked their lives to get that water.

Love is something you do, not something you talk about.

Maybe we use the word "love" too much.  We say we love ice cream, and sunsets..... Perhaps we water down the only word we have for the most powerful force in the universe.  Love is epic. It is sacrificial.  It never fails.   It is the pinnacle of all emotion ... There are no degrees of Love. If it is not glorious, then it is not love.

It's important we understand the word.  It defines us. "Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love."(1 John 4:8).

Does your love spur you to action?  Would people say it defines you?  When you say you love someone one, it should change everything.  Don't accept, or practice some passive, discounted, version of the greatest power ever known.

Let me challenge you  this week to "get some water" for someone you love.  It shouldn't be reasonable, necessary, or expected.  Do something outlandish.  Decide to be a "mighty warrior" and recklessly live out extravagant love ....The world cannot argue against this, and it will brand you a Christian.

"By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."
- Jesus
John 13:35

Galatians 6:1 10/11/2016

Galatians 6:1  "Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted."

Two clear instructions here. Help your brother when he falls.  Watch yourself. 

The first one seems simple enough. If we live by the Spirit we should be in the restoration business.  Instead often we find ourselves in the condemning, and avoiding business.

If a brother or sister is caught in a sin...and let's assume that sin is outside your "acceptable sin circle".  What is your response?  Do you avoid them?  Do you gossip?   Do you use the "who am I to judge" phrase as an excuse to do nothing?

This verse would say we should address the problem.  That with hearts full of mercy, we should pick up the phone and call.  Stop by their house in an attempt to help.  

This is the messy, uncomfortable, and inconvenient part of Christianity.  This is not scheduled Sunday Morning worship, it is being a soldier of Christ on the battlefield helping the wounded, and it is what we are called to do.  

The second point is important as well...be careful.  In this fallen world there is constant conflict between the Spirit and the Flesh. The same enemy that has tripped up your brother is looking to destroy you.  It may be the same sin your comrade has succumbed to, or it may be self righteousness ..but rest assured the attack will come. Keep your eyes open.  

Your life is not meant to be a sterile, safe existence....If you "live by the Spirit" you are one of God's "first responders".  You run toward the gun fire, and look to restore those who have been overcome...it's dangerous business and you should stay alert.

If God has placed someone on your heart this week...call them, go to them...put your earthly schedule on hold, and live by the Spirit.  Boldly and prayerfully help restore a fellow soldier back into the battle, it is why we are here.

"The ones who disappoint you need you the most"
Jack Hyles

Romans 8: 7- 8 Ephesians 1:13 Romans 10:13 10/4/2016

Romans 8: 7 " because the mind of the flesh is hostile to God: It does not submit to God’s Law, nor can it do so. Those controlled by the flesh cannot please God"

We spend a lot of time discussing how the Christian life should look.  But it can only look that way through the power of the Spirit of God.   If you're applying these studies,  but have not accepted Christ, you are in essence, taking sky diving lessons without a parachute.

You can learn techniques to make you look like you are in a controlled fall...but you are still falling. 

This verse makes it clear that if you haven't "come to the end of yourself" and had that moment when you have given your life to Christ, it is impossible for you to change your course.  You are a slave to sin and there is only one key that will release you from it's power. 

If this was not the case, and there was a way to "work hard enough", the Cross would have not been necessary.

If you are constantly discouraged and unable to change your life, make sure you have received the one gift that makes change and renewal possible.  

"... you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in Him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit" (Ephesians 1:13)

Be sure you have believed in Him and are sealed with the spirit of God ... That is what frees you. That is what makes you new...without it, everything else is useless details.

If you're not sure, don't waste another minute not knowing.  Call me, talk to your pastor, find someone who can help you through the process.

God made it simple  "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."
(Romans 10:13).  The change is instant, and eternal,  and it can happen now.  Then, and only then, are you free to begin a lifetime of growth.

No lesson in this series is more important.

"The greatest enemy to human souls is the self-righteous spirit which makes men look to themselves for salvation."
- Charles Spurgeon

1 Peter 5:6-7 Mark 10:5 9/27/2016

1 Peter 5:6-7 "Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.  Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you."

We lost something in the garden, and need to get it back.

Living in a constant state of anxiety is not what we were created to do, and it has negative consequences physically and spiritually.

We are electronically connected 24/7 to our "busyness", and have completely lost the concept of "downtime". Having achieved a perpetual state of work and worry, going to bed connected and waking up unrested, just to reconnect.

We have become so busy and sophisticated that the act of faithfully being "still" seems childish...and that is what it is...in fact Jesus was very clear on the subject. "I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn't receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it." (Mark 10:5) 

When is the last time you approached God like a child?  With no instructions for Him, only the realization that you need Him?   Without demands or negotiations...just trusting that your Heavenly Father can deliver you?

What would it take to "cast all your anxiety on Him?  This verse says it takes humility, trusting in His timing, and knowing that He cares about you. 

This week stop.  Change your life, by intentionally unplugging and being "still" - before you start your day.  Humbly realize that you are loved.  Rely on God's protection, trust His heart and His timing ... and relax.

Anxiety can be deadly... cast it on Him, and walk free of fear...like a child holding their father's hand.

That is how we walked in the Garden, and He paid a great price so we can walk like that today. 

"Every tomorrow has two handles. We can take hold of it with the handle of anxiety or the handle of faith."
- Henry Ward Beecher

Exodus 3:14 9/13/2016*30*

God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites:
'I AM has sent me to you.'"

Last week we established that we are important to God. Today, let's discuss why that matters.

If I grab a pencil and a napkin and sketch a picture, it would not be worth the value of the paper it was drawn on...but if I find a sketch on a napkin with the name Picasso on the bottom, it would be worth a fortune....Why? ...  Because the value of the art is derived from the value of the artist.

I am not valuable because of who I am...I am valuable because of whose I am. 

So whose are we? ... How do we describe God to the world?  God answered the question of who He is, the only way He could.  "I AM".  Nothing describes God but God.  Nothing compares to God but God.  "I AM" is the only possible answer.  Anything else diminishes His Glory.

That is your pedigree...He is the artist that created you, and He is the reason you are valuable. Like a planet that reflects the light of the sun, our value is a reflection of his brilliance.  

Moses wanted to explain who God is...but you cannot explain the in-explainable. There are no words to describe His glory. 

When the world questions "who sent you" and attempts to devalue your message...show them.
Don't just speak of love - love. Don't just talk about forgiveness - forgive.   If you can be at least a dim mirror of the Great "I AM" it will impact people and change the world.

... your job is not to explain Him...but to reflect Him. 

“There is no knowing that does not begin with knowing God.”
- John Calvin

Psalms 8:4 9/20/2016

Psalms 8:4 -
"What is man that you are mindful of him...?"

This is a fair question. Obviously the rest of the passage speaks to the awesomeness of God, but what about this question? Why would a Being so magnificent even be aware of something so insignificant?

The answer is our lineage.

I am a child of God, and that fact alone, means I am cherished.

When my children were born I loved them instantly.  From birth, they were immeasurably valuable to me. Before they did anything good or bad. Before they succeeded or failed, prospered or struggled ... they were loved.  Instantly, this small helpless being, became a permanent part of my heart, that has never, nor will ever have to do anything to gain my love.

If I, as an imperfect earthly father, can so easily feel that kind of Love, just imagine what
God, who IS Love, feels for you.  Stop for a moment and contemplate the depth of importance God has placed on you. Consider the incomprehensible cost He paid to deliver you from sin, and allow you to be "born again" as His.

The ramifications of being a child of God are staggering. You are never absent from God's thoughts....
it is not only that He is aware of you ... you are constantly on His mind.  He created you in His image, is aware of your every activity,  and loves you more deeply than any earthly father could.

If you have accepted God's offer of Grace and Redemption, you need not struggle for importance any longer. On the Cross He said "it is finished" - you are His child, you have a glorious inheritance, and you are cherished.

Live in the freedom of being valuable to God, and use that freedom to love others, and lead them to the same reconciliation you have experienced.

No other opinion matters...you are important to God.

“The mystery of seeking God is that HE is the One who finds you.”
― Kingsley Manuel

Matthew 7:22-23 9/6/2016

Matthew 7:22-23  "Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you workers of lawlessness."

These are some of the scariest verses in the bible.

Once you get over the shock of their content, there is an observation to consider.  When confronted with the fact that they were not qualified for salvation, this group immediately recited a list of their accomplishments.  They had apparently pinned their hopes on their "religious busyness" to earn eternal life.

What about us?  If our Christianity was questioned would we recite all we have done for God?  Would we tell Him how busy we have been for Him.  Would we argue that we hosted bible studies, or taught Sunday school, or that we were deacons at the church?  Would we assume our qualification is based on our religious effort?

The heart breaking response to their argument was simple...."I never knew you." Not that they hadn't done enough, but that they had missed the point completely. It is not about what you have done, it is about all He has done for you.  And once you realize that - the natural response is to "be still and know".  To fellowship with God. To worship the God that loves you.

The great gift of God is that we now have a true best friend.  We can enter the throne room. The veil has been torn, the sin has been removed and we can now have a relationship with our Creator. Not based on what we have done - base on what He did.

This week, make sure your service to God comes from a heart full of gratitude for your Savior. Spend time alone getting to know God.  Meditate on His word, spend time in prayer.
....Not so you will be saved, but because He already saved you.

"A rule I have had for years is: to treat the Lord Jesus Christ as a personal friend. His is not a creed, a mere doctrine, but it is He Himself we have."
- D.L. Moody

Revelation 4:4-5 8/30/2016

Revelation 4:4-5 " Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. Consider how far you have fallen!"

Interesting comment to a church that appeared to be dong well.  

The Church at Ephesus had just been commended for hard work, perseverance, not tolerating sin, and enduring persecution and hardship. Many would say that is a vibrant, healthy church.

Yet even after acknowledging their work, God had a problem with them.  It wasn't "what" they were doing - it was "why"... They were serving with their heads, and not their hearts.  They had fallen into the trap of religion.

God's response to this was direct and forceful..." I will remove your lamp stand"... in other words, I can't use you to illuminate the world, if your heart doesn't burn for me.

So the obvious question to us is - why do we do what we do?  Is it from an overflow of our heart?...or have we been tripped up by religion as well?

God wants you to remember how if felt when you first understood what Christ had done for you.
He wants you to spend time reminiscing about the moment you first realized that God actually loves you. Re-kindle the amazement you had at His grace, and make sure your heart still glows with it's "first love".

Your lamp stand can only be effective if the lamp it holds burns true and bright with the gospel and the love of God.  He has no need for the light of religion and tradition.

"Consider how far you have fallen". Abandon your rituals and traditions and set out today to serve God with a heart re-ignited by the love and gratitude you have for what He did on The Cross. Do the things you did before, share your love for Christ and the amazing grace that pulled you from the darkness of sin.  This is the light God will elevate to illuminate the world.

“Light yourself on fire with passion and people will come from miles to watch you burn.”
- John Wesley

1 Corinthians 8:12 8/23/2016

1 Corinthians 8:12  "When you sin against them in this way and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ."

The interesting thing about this verse is Paul is referring to eating meat sacrificed to an idol. An activity that he has already stated was not a sin... Sacrificing an animal to an inanimate object has no impact on the meat....Paul even states that those offended by this, are weaker in their faith.

As a society, we focus on our rights so much that it may seem to us that we should press forward in the exercise of our freedom, and let the weak learn to be stronger.

However this verse says pressing on in an apporved activity, in spite of the negative consequences to a brother,  changes it to a sin ... and a sin against Christ.

So an action that by itself is allowed, can become a sin if it wounds a brother.

That is a huge concept and it should dramatically impact our thoughts and actions.

I am free in Christ, and that freedom should be cherished as it came at a great price.

However if my freedom causes a child of God to stumble I must willingly abdicate that freedom for the preservation of my brother.  This requires a change in my mindset,  and a redefinition of the concept of liberty.

I now must consider my language, what movies I attend, what I eat and drink, the jokes I tell...everything - to be sure it doesn't place a stumbling block in front of a weaker brother.

Not because I am not free ... but because in my freedom, I have chosen to serve the law of Love.

Jesus made it clear that if my actions offend His child...then my actions offended Him.

The paradox of the Christian faith is that our freedom allows us to be a slave to Christ, and our liberty allows us to serve others.

Evaluate your activities today.  Not in an effort to defend your actions, but in an effort to make sure nothing you do hinders the ultimate goal of leading others to Christ.

"It is our duty and our privilege to exhaust our lives for Jesus. We are not to be living specimens of men in fine preservation, but living sacrifices, whose lot is to be consumed"

-Charles Spurgeon

Psalm 118:24 8/16/2016

Psalm 118:24
  "This is the day the Lord has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it."

This verse tells us two things:

1. Today is not an accident.  It was created by God, who loves you.
2.  How you handle today, is your decision.

There is no "if" after this proclamation that "we will rejoice".  It is a definitive statement and it relies on nothing except the fact that God is in control and has designed this day. It doesn't say I will rejoice if things go my way, or if I don't have to suffer.  It simply states that I have decided to rejoice and be glad based on my knowledge of who is in control.

An athlete can rejoice in his pain, trusting his coach and knowing he is improving.  A patient can rejoice trusting his doctor and knowing the treatment is making him better.  Even in our darkest days, we can rejoice knowing God has created this day, is in control, and ultimately will use it to our benefit.

Everyone is fighting battles.  We all have a list of things we can worry about, and a list of blessing we can rejoice in... our attitude will reflect which list we focus on....the choice is yours.
And it is a choice.

Choose today to recklessly trust God.  Make the decision to rejoice and be glad today based on the promise that He loves you, and in due time will deliver you.

Someday you will see the plan, today you must trust the planner.

"The only disability in life is a bad attitude."
Scott Hamilton

Matthew 6:24 8/9/2016

Matthew 6:24  “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money."

Jesus is clear that we all serve something ...like it or not we all have a master.
You decide what...and the danger lies in not making a choice.

Many of us live a confusing, disconnected life trying to pursue two masters whose plans are diametrically opposed. Trying to please God while frantically chasing money produces conflicting emotions. Christ says you will gravitate one direction or the other. You will eventually hate one and love the other one. Perhaps this explains why some who claim God does not exist, can still harbor such animosity toward Him.  Or how some who pursue Christ can be so indifferent about the treasures of this world.

The question is who do your serve?   God or money?... There is no middle ground.  God says you can't fluctuate ...You have to choose.

The fact is, nothing in this world will satisfy you except a relationship with Christ... If you don't believe that try it...see if what the world offers will quench your thirst.  Look at those who have what you think you need and see if they are content.

You will soon realize that pursuing the purpose for which you were created is the only thing that will give you contentment,  and clarify your life.

Then you can stop being double minded, and go out in this dark, confused, world, and be the light you were created to be.

Choose whom you will serve,  and then do something about it.

"Conversion is a change of masters. Will we not do as much for our new master, the Lord Jesus, as we did once for our old tyrant lusts?"
- Charles Spurgeon

Titus 3:3,4 8/2/2016

Titus 3:3 "At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another."


The old saying "there but for the grace of God go I" should actually say "There but for the grace of God am I"...because we've all gone there....if you're not there now, it is because He moved you.

All of us were once slaves to sin.

This is an important point because it should impact how you view others. If you look with disdain on another person because their offense falls outside of your accepted sinfulness, you only prove that you are a hypocrite with a  short memory.

All sin carries the death penalty, and is overpowering.  We have all been enslaved by it before. The next verse in Titus says "But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, He saved us, not by the righteous deeds we had done, but according to His mercy."

That changes things.  We have been granted the ultimate mercy - not because of - but in spite of - our deeds...only the blood of Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit can break those chains.

Our world is full of people "being hated and hating each other".  Sin is the reason.  We can't accept or condone that sin, but we can love the slave that is being destroyed by it.

Never stop standing against sin...not because you're too good for it, but because you know all too well it's destructive power. When you see people who openly embrace sin, or who openly embrace hate...remember that is your past...and you have been freed by God's grace.

Never lower the bar, but never ridicule those who can't clear it yet.  They already know how to hate and be hated,  we should show them another way.

“You contribute nothing to your salvation except the sin that made it necessary.”
― Jonathan Edwards

1 Tim 4:16 7/26/2016

1 Tim 4:16 "¹⁶ Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers."

How much time do you spend thinking about what you believe, and how you live it out?

First Timothy says it matters.  And not just for you, but for your family, friends, and anyone who's watching.  It is dangerous to let the urgent push out the important, and evaluating what you believe and how you walk is important.

Are you deliberate?   Do you have a plan?   Is it written down?  How often is it evaluated?
My guess is we spend more time researching big purchases then we do our theology.

We would never run a team, or a business without a mission statement,  but we tend to live life one escape after another, going from one crisis to the next, just trying to survive until the weekend. The tyranny of the urgent robs us of real progress, and suddenly it's New Years Eve and we realize we haven't moved forward.

 Like Peter -  when God has called us to walk on water - our shortsightedness causes us to be distracted by a wave...and the inevitable result is we sink.

Let's make a change.  Write down some goals and a plan.  You can start small but write it down. Then the first of every month spend some time praying, evaluating, tweaking,  and recommitting to your goals.  If you're really serious, involve a friend and hold each other accountable.

Whatever you do, commit to it.  Stop treading water, and start making progress, and that starts with examining what you believe - and what you're doing about it.  It will impact your life, and the lives God has placed around you.

"We are called to live this way and it will impact others for the Kingdom of God. Now that it's all over, what did you really do yesterday that's worth mentioning?"
 ~Coleman Cox

Matthew 6:34 7/19/2016

Matthew 6:34 "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own"

For some reason when there is trouble we all either become historians or prophets. Invariably when something goes wrong we say "it has always been this way" or " it's never going to change".

Neither statement is true, and in this verse, Jesus says we should live in the present.

Doesn't it make sense to simply deal with the problem at hand instead of magnifying it with some imaginary prediction, of exaggerated observation? Each day has enough to do ... we don't need to worry about the past, or the future.

Fight the battle at hand. Rest, relax and fight again tomorrow.

As players in a football game your job is to run the next play. The coach will deal with the scoreboard and strategy. When the play is sent in, you run it to the best of your ability. When it's over you forget it, re-huddle and get ready to give your best effort on the next play. Any other attitude will disrupt you concentration and reduce your performance. The same applies to your spiritual life.

There is a peace and positiveness that comes from faith and contentment. It is produced from the knowledge that your Heavenly Father has been where you are going, and He will provide you with strength as you need it. This will give you the ability to rejoice in your position as a child of God, and not let imaginary future or past events wash over you with negativity.

So "run to the battle" mindful of what it takes to perform the play that has been called. Don't complain, don't second guess, focus on today. Tomorrow will worry about it's self.

"You can't make it tough enough for me to complain" Keith Chancey

Mark 5:30-32 7/12/2016

Mark 5:^{30  "}At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who touched my clothes?” ³¹ “You see the people crowding against you,” his disciples answered, “and yet you can ask, ‘Who touched me?’ ” ³² But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it"

Are you part of the curious crowd around Jesus, or did you come here to be healed? 

To actually access the power of Christ you must reach out.  It is a deliberate act,  born of the awareness that you are sick, and He can heal you.  As Jesus pressed through the curious onlookers and paparazzi of the day, someone desperate for change, reached out and  grazed his cloak, and something happened.

Immediately He asks "who touched my clothes?"...  then He ignores His disciples since they clearly didn't understand the question.

Hanging around Jesus, bumping into Jesus, being curious about Jesus, is very different than reaching out in your uncleanness, and hoping to touch His garments because you know it will change you.

One woman in a crowd of hundreds was there to do business with God.  She was painfully aware that the span between His righteousness and her sin was so wide that even approaching Him seemed presumptuous. So she grazed his garment with her hand ... the smallest act of faith, and everything changed.

God Himself stopped in His tracks ...and commended her belief.

So again, are you curious or are you hear to be changed?

Have you realized your need and come to the only place you know you can be healed?
The smallest act of faith born from the realization that you need redemption is all it takes.  Your tiny belief will get God's attention, and that is all you need.

She touched His garment .. He did the rest.

Evaluate why you approach God. Don't come to be in the audience.  But dare to reach out and in faith and touch the hem of His garment ... and like this woman , you too can be changed.


“I have a great need for Christ: I have a great Christ for my need.”
― Charles Haddon Spurgeon

Proverbs 26:17 7/5/2016

Proverbs 26:17  "Whoever meddles in a quarrel not his own is like one who takes a passing dog by the ears."

Have we completely forgotten how to mind our own business?

This verse says it is a sign of  foolishness to rush into other peoples issues. It is a foolishness born from pride. Apparently sticking a keyboard and a monitor in front of someone, suddenly makes them an expert in every topic known to man.

Some kid gets away from his mom for twenty seconds at the zoo and we all become parenting experts..

A family mistakenly tries to help a baby buffalo -  and suddenly we are all Jack Hana.

Some lady gets rich for laughing with a Chewbacca mask on, and we pummel her like Simon Cowell

 ... and the list goes on and on.

Is that necessary?...We take a slanted "snip-it" of a news story and suddenly think we have all the answers, and the world needs to hear it.

Have we become so arrogant that we cannot hold our tongues?  We have no empathy and no desire to acquire any. And every topic needs our input .. We vent our opinions and defend our position without a hint of decorum or politeness.

The greatest commandment of all contains the phrase  "love your neighbor as yourself".  Perhaps we should re-focus. Maybe empathy and compassion have become endangered species.  It's time to re-introduce manners and common kindness.

Let's start this week by being quick to listen, and slow to speak, and even slower to type...and let's reevaluate the virtue of minding our own business.

"Never miss a good chance to shut up.”
- Will Rogers

Hebrews 10:25 6/28/2016

Hebrews 10:25   "Let us not neglect meeting together, as some have made a habit, but let us encourage one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching."

Apparently people have been "sleeping in" for 2000 years.

Approximately 70% of Americans claim to be Christians, yet only about 20% show up for church. God says we need to go.  We need to be encouraged, and encourage others, especially as the world spirals farther, and farther away from His truth.

Up front, let me address two standard excuses for not attending:
First -  There are no perfect churches. In fact if you find one don't join it, because you will mess it up.
Secondly -   I too, can find God while fishing, hiking and being in nature.
But neither of these are reasons not to get involved with a local body of believers.
"Let us encourage one another"...It's not just about you ...it is at least equally about your fellow members.

This verse is not pushing attendance, it's pushing involvement.   As I have mentioned before, some churches are like a football game - 50,000 people in need of exercise watching 22 people in need of rest -   Don't just observe  ... get on the field.  Work in the nursery, greet people, help with Sunday School ... contribute.

If Sunday morning is impossible,  commit to Sunday night, or Wednesday, or a weekday bible study ... but find a way to plug in, and meet together with your church consistently.

This verse says not to "neglect" it.  Make it a discipline in your life, and your family's life. If God says it's important, it should not be optional.  When you join a team, you show up for meetings.

How much good would it do if you just lifted weights Christmas and Easter?   The same applies to church.  If you just go to church this Sunday it may not change much ... but if you go every Sunday the rest of this year,  you will see a definite difference in your spiritual physique.

Sometimes it's hard to know the right thing to do ... sometimes its just hard to do it.

"Church attendance is as vital to a disciple as a transfusion of rich, healthy blood to a sick man."
Dwight L. Moody

1 Peter 1:14-15 Romans 12: 2 Rev 4:8 6/21/2016

1 Peter 1:14-15   "As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior"

You have to choose a team.

Teams wear uniforms ... yours is Holiness.  It means "set apart" and it confirms you as a follower of Christ.

Holiness is a symptom of your salvation.  If you tell me you have the measles I would expect to see red splotches on your skin.  The splotches don't make you sick, they just show that you are.  It's the same with holiness.  It identifies us as a people "set apart" on a different team.

We cannot afford to conform anymore to the things we did in ignorance, because we now have a higher purpose.

The realization of what God has done for you should change the way you think.
"Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind." (Romans 12:2)

So if Holiness starts with  the renewal of your mind, what are you allowing to influence your thoughts?.... Music, internet, movies, conversations... does what you allow renew your mind, or pollute it?

Just like getting in shape physically - spiritual health is all about inputs and activities.

Can you live perfectly?... not yet ... that will come when Christ returns.  Until then strive for holiness, and cling to the grace that covers your failures.

This week, focus on renewal.  Remove the things that make you ineffective, and increase the things that focus your mind on Christ.  As Christ is holy...we must strive to be holy.

If we believe what we say we believe, how can we do anything less?

 “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty...!”
-  Seraphims around the Throne (Rev 4:8)

2 Thessalonians 3:16 John 14:27 6/14/2016

2 Thessalonians 3:16 - "Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way..."

Would you describe your life as peaceful?

"Panicked", might be a better description for most of us.  Between our hectic schedules, political questions, tragic news stories, and constant social media saturation  - we hardly have a chance at anything remotely resembling peace.   We move from one crises to the next, constantly shaking our heads in disbelief at the world in which we live.

Yet this verse describes God as the Lord of Peace. It also says He can provide it constantly for us.  How did we miss that?  How can we need something so badly, have it offered to us freely, and yet somehow we don't have it?

Can you imagine a more dramatic change in your life than the arrival of perfect peace?

You don't have to imagine it, Jesus says it can be yours:  "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid." John 14:27

The word peace occurs in the bible over 400 times.  God wants you to know it is available.  And while the world can only offer distractions,  Jesus offers true, permanent peace.

What if this week you made a commitment to turn your mind toward God every time you felt anxious?   God wants you to relax....He's got this.  The key is focus.  Don't let your heart be troubled or afraid, instead set your gaze steadfastly on the Lord.

Peace is a choice...No matter what you face today, God is not pacing the floor...He is still on the Thrown, and His love for you is unfathomable ... Focus ... be steadfast ... Trust God to do what He said He would do.

Peace changes everything, and Your Father paid a enormous price for you to have it.

"A quiet mind cureth all."
Robert Burton

2 Timothy 3:16 John 15:16 Heb 4:12 6/7/2016

2 Timothy 3:16 - "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness",

What do you use for training in your life?  What do you use for a playbook?

The problem is, if you don't have an objective, you don't need a playbook or a plan on how to get there.

Unfortunately for many of us, each weekday consist of one escape after another....just hoping to make it to Friday. Much like a quarterback in the huddle saying let's just snap the ball and see what happens, this seldom results in  progress.

This verse says your bible is your playbook, with an objective and a plan.  Not just a relic to sit by your bed, but a tool that, like a great coach, has the ability,  to teach, rebuke, correct, and train. Think about that.  What if instead of being firmly planted in mid air...you had a solid foundation and direction.

That is how you were created to live.  With purpose.  God picked you for a specific reason ...."You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit..."  (John 15:16)   What an honor to be chosen by the King and given work to further His Kingdom.  

Scripture is God, actively speaking to you ... and to ignore it, is to rob your life of power and direction. Start giving the bible the authority it deserves. It is a book of commands, not suggestions, and it flows from the very mouth of God ..."For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword.." (Heb 4:12). 

Live life on purpose.  Immerse yourself in the Word of God, and let the teaching and direction of scripture make you an effective ambassador for Christ.  You will not accidentally stumble into being a great man of God.  You need a game plan ... and God "breathed" one so you would know the way.  Put it to use.

“The man on top of the mountain didn't fall there.”
― Vince Lombardi 

Ephesians 4:15 5/31/2016

 " Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ."

Great instructions on how to become the body of Christ,  unless you start using only parts of the verse. When not used in it's entirety, this verse can offer us license, and provide cover for our agendas.  Partial adherence can lead to either speaking the truth with no love, or not speaking the truth and using love as an excuse.

Typically there are three camps:

1. Those who can't wait to point out their brothers mistakes.  This group will ignore the love requirement and are more than willing to "speak the truth"  and claim this verse as license to judge

2. Those whose only goal is popularity and peace for themselves... When there is a truth that their brother needs to hear, they abdicate that responsibility in the name of  "only speaking love".

3. Those who love their friends enough to tell them the truth.

In reality.....If you don't love your friend more than your friendship - then you really don't have either one.  You have to care so much about another person that offending them is preferable to not helping them.

If the people around you don't know your weaknesses...if they can't provide accountability.  If they never challenge you, or sharpen you -  then those people are acquaintances not friends.

If there is a person around you who loves you enough to tell you the truth even when you don't want to hear it. If they encourage you, and push you to be your best.  Then that person is a friend and is exceedingly rare and incredibly valuable.

Real Friendship is not for sissy's...you have to be willing to speak and hear the truth...neither of which is easy.

The best way to find a good friend -  is to be one. This week, talk about stuff that matters with those you love. Try a little transparency and depth....Most important, don't let either requirement in this verse slip through the cracks. ..."Speak the Truth...and speak it in Love."

"Rare as is true love, true friendship is rarer."
Jean de La Fontaine

1 Corinthians 6:11 5/24/2016

^"11 And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God."

This verse flies in the face of today's social mantra. Some of the sins referred to are considered permanent conditions today. Our culture's response to difficult temptation is to simply lower the bar, label the condition, and make the sin acceptable.

God, however, is in the business of changing people.

The early church was a collection of immoral sinners. The list included adulterers, homosexuals, thieves, drunkards, and more.  But this verse states that those sins did not describe them any longer.

The verse does not say "that is what you ARE", it says
"that is what you WERE"... Past tense ... Changed by the blood of Christ.

That is the Gospel. That is the good news.  No matter what you were, no matter what you've done, regardless of what the world thinks of your past... it does not define you.  You have been washed by the Spirit of God.  Your acceptance of the sacrifice Christ made, means you stand spotless before the Throne, and the only label you bear is "Child of The King".

The enemy would have you surrender, and accept that you are controlled by sin...and maybe you were. But not now... The Cross has set you free and literally changed your identity.

That is the essence of amazing grace.  That your sins are as far from you,  as the east is from the west. You are a new creation, no longer a slave to sin.  That is not who you are anymore.

Live in victory, and cherish the freedom that Christ's blood purchased for you. By God's amazing grace you have been set free...Intentionally live in that grace, and offer it to everyone you meet.

"Amazing grace! how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me! I once was lost but now am found, was blind but now I see."

- John Newton

1 Cor 6:18 5/17/2016

"Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body."

When this verse was written sexual sin had become so common place in Corinth that some believers had begun thinking it was acceptable. Today we face the same problem.  There is a litany of "acceptable" sexual sins in our society, and we have become so confused with sexuality that we argue over points that should be self evident.

God makes it clear that there is something different about this sin ... It is more dangerous than others.

Today, pornography is readily available, promiscuity seems to be the norm, and perversion is legislated .. It is interesting to note that evil's playbook has not changed much in the last 2000 years. This is still the enemy's favorite weapon. Broken families destroyed by sexual sin are common place, and numerous ministries have been reduced to  "spiritual roadkill" -  dead and useless on the roadway for all to see.

We are given a clear directive when confronted with sexual sin... Run.

Some temptation you fight... this one you flee.  Your natural reaction to a rattle snake is to immediately get away....spiritually this should be your reaction to immorality.  It defiles you in ways that other sin does not and will destroy the sanctity of your soul.

Let's rip off the callouses that our culture has created  regarding this sin, and view it as the rattlesnake it is.  Guard your eyes and your thoughts.  The enemy comes to" kill steal and destroy" and this sin is what he uses to do it.

Do not allow the poison of sexual sin to invade your soul, and you will protect your heart, your family, and your legacy.

"Regardless of what society says, we can't go on much longer in the sea of immorality without judgment coming."
-  Billy Graham

Matthew 28:19 Luke 10:2 5/10/2016

Matthew 28:19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

If you're bored with your life it's your own fault.  If it's not fulfilling maybe it is because you are not doing it right.

Jesus gives us very specific instructions in what is called the "Great Commission"... "make disciples".....it is why you are here.  You will not be fulfilled until you are doing what you were created to do.

The "big lie"  is that you need more stuff to be happy....this delusion occupies people for their entire lives. In fact you often see the rich, who have achieved what others are chasing, turn to drugs and alcohol because they realize the goal was hollow.

You don't need 400 more TV channels, you don't need faster Wi-fi , or more followers, you don't need a bigger house, or a nicer car...you need to go and do what you were made to do.

You want excitement and fulfillment?  Be about the business of eternity.

Live each day sharing the gospel with others. There are opportunities everywhere...your office, your neighborhood, your friends ... you just have to open your eyes, and grasp the importance of your assignment.  "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few" (Luke 10:2)

We are birds walking on the ground,  of course we are not fulfilled.  Spread your wings and do what God created you to do and you will experience life as you never have before.  The world is full of broken souls and you have the cure...go give it to them.

This week live deliberately. Ask God to open your eyes to opportunities and then be ready to love those that God puts in your path...you will experience many different things...but boredom isn't one of them.

“One faithful witness is worth a thousand mute professors of religion . . . Our faith grows by expression . . . we must share it—we must witness.”
― Billy Graham

John 16:33 Romans 8:18 5/3/2016

John 16:33  “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Some define Peace as the absence of problems.  This has confused and disappointed many, and it is not what God said.

 In the verse above Jesus offers us peace, right before assuring us, we will have trouble.

He makes it clear that peace if found not in the absence of problems, but in the absence of worrying about them. This is not accomplished by minimizing your problems, but by maximizing your God.

Peace is a choice .  Jesus tells us it is available "in Him", and even assures us that when the storm is raging,  we can "take heart" in knowing He has already overcome the storm.

Paul talks about the Christian life as a "fight, or a race"  (2 Tim 4:7).  Neither are easy, and they are not supposed to be.

In Track, one of the hardest races is the Mile relay.  It is both excruciating, and exhilarating.  It is the last event, and winning or losing the meet often depends on it.  So even though you know pain is certain, you grab the baton and run.  Because the joy of victory with your brothers, is greater than the temporary pain it cost.

That is the Christian life.

Paul said it this way:  I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. (Romans 8:18)  In other words ... Run the race! ..fight the fight! ...it is well worth it.

A life with Jesus provides joy.  And the Christian life is sweeter because of the Peace we have in Him, and the love we have for each other.

But when trouble comes, we don't panic, and we don't worry. We crawl up in our Father's lap, face the problem and "take heart"...because He Loves us dearly, and He has overcome the world.


“Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow, it empties today of its strength.”
― Corrie ten Boon

2 Kings 6:17 4/25/16

2 Kings 6:17  "And Elisha prayed, "Open his eyes, LORD, so that he may see." Then the LORD opened the servant's eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha."

It has been a tough week.  There has been heartbreaking pain that will take some time to heal. Sometimes it feels like the world is falling apart and all you see is pain and problems much like Elisha's servant did. 

But Elisha prays an interesting prayer for his servant.  He did not pray for God to change anything...he just asked that his servant could see the plan and reinforcements God had provided.

Pain is real, and it is a big part of life...everybody experiences it. The only choice you have is how you see it.  Do you only see the pain, or are your eyes open to also see the provision God has made to comfort and protect you? 

Sometime God does not remove the pain. Sometimes He carries you through it.  But, whether you see them or not, there are always chariots of fire on the hills all around you.  You are never alone, and you are never exposed.  The angels of heaven stand watch over you.

Like Elisha, I pray that God will "open our eyes, so we may see".  And that we will not fear, because we do not view the world with earthly eyes, but with spiritual ones.  Though we see the storm clouds, we also see the love and grace our Heavenly Father has for us, and that will be our anchor in our time of need. 

“If you can't see His way past the tears, trust His heart.”
― Charles Haddon Spurgeon

Matthew 20:26 4/19/2016

Matthew 20:26  "Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant"

Yesterday morning I held my Moms hand as Jesus took her home.  As I thought about this Tuesday's bible study,  I didn't want to write one. But it's a ministry, and Mom frowns on us not serving well, so I picked a verse she has modeled for me.

Jesus told His disciples that what the world considers great is actually the opposite of greatness. It is not about power and getting your way.  It is about being so satisfied with Christ that your needs are already met, and you are free to love, and serve other people.

My mom was Great.  Not because she was a talented musician who played in University bands, and professional orchestras. Not because she was an amazing English teacher. Not because she was a talented artist. Those made her outstanding, but they did not make her great.

What made her great is that she spent her life showing me, and countless others, how to put hands and feet on love and make it come alive.

As I grew up,  our house was full of people being served. Whether Mom was tutoring students, or hosting church parties, she was always ministering to others.

When my sisters and I where young, the whole Youth Department of First Baptist Church Houston would regularly come to our house on Sunday nights for fellowships.

Once the entire Baylor football team had tamales at our house on short notice, and she never mentioned it...

I had friends who, when they needed a place to stay, lived in our house until they got situated .... I thought this was normal.  Serving was so natural to her that I never even noticed it until I got older.

Even during this final hospital stay she was more concerned that I wasn't getting enough sleep than she was for herself.  She never retired from being a good and faithful servant.

I have learned by watching.  I have seen greatness..and though I have not achieved it, I have a clear understanding of what it looks like.

By God's own definition, this world has now lost some of it's greatness. My request is that you honor my mom by carrying on her work, and bring a little greatness back into this world by becoming a servant to someone else.

"The measure of a man’s greatness is not the number of servants he has, but the number of people he serves"  - J. Hagee

Matthew 26: 40-41 James 5:16 1 Thes 5:16 4/12/2016

Matthew 26 :40   "Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. ...”

Christ was in the Garden of Gethsemane facing His toughest trial.  As He often did, He went off to pray,  and this time He asked His friends for help. 

They failed.  They didn't take the job seriously, fell asleep,  and left Jesus to fight alone. 
How many times have you said "I'm praying for you" and figuratively gone to sleep in the garden? 

This happens because our opinion of prayer has been watered down.  None of us would fall asleep performing physical CPR, yet we drift off in the midst of far more critical spiritual work. 

We must upgrade our view of intercession. As Christians, we should never say "All we can do is pray".  It is the equivalent of a General saying "all we can do is drop a Nuclear weapon".  It shows that we don't understanding the power of prayer. 

The ability to communicate with God is an amazing and expensive gift.  "...The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective."(James 5:16) Never discount the importance, or potency of talking to your Creator.

Let's change our tone when we say "I will pray for you".  It should not be a last ditch effort, or some sympathetic consolation prize.  It is a battle cry that should shake the gates of hell with dread, and the realization that a fight is coming.

The veil has been torn and we have complete access to the King...let's use it.

Imagine the strength we would have in our lives if we  "prayed without ceasing" (1 Thes 5:16) and fully utilized the power made available to us as children of God?

“I would rather teach one man to pray than ten men to preach"
- Charles Spurgeon 

Luke 21: 1-3 Matt. 28:19 4/5/2016

Luke 21: 1-3 "And He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury,  and He saw also a certain poor widow putting in two mites.  So He said, “Truly I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all..."

God doesn't need your money. Nor does He need your talent.  He gave you both.  Giving to God, is a little like my children giving money I have given them, back to me.   It's a nice gesture but it doesn't impact my finances.

The act of giving to God is for our benefit.  We are only truly free - when what we own - does not own us. The only way to achieve that freedom is to realize that everything you have belongs to, and comes from God.

He has given you what you need to carry out His explicit instructions...."go and make disciples" (Matt. 28:19).  Sometimes, like this Widow, you may be asked to give an amount that the world considers foolish.  Give it anyway.

God is not impressed with calculating Christians.  Yes, He calls us to be good stewards, but he also calls us to walk on water, charge into battle with giants, and change the world...Sometimes, following His call cannot be achieved without passionate, and deliberate abandonment of what the world considers wise.

Where is God calling you to trust Him?  What area of your life does He want more time than you have to give?...or more money than you can spare?....or more strength than you have to offer?
Trust Him...Go do it... and make disciples.

True wealth is found in what you give away, and has nothing to do with possessions.  Be free...and use what He has given you, to change the world around you.

No one has ever become poor by giving.  - Anne Frank

John 19:30 3/29/2016

 John 19:30 "When he had received the drink, Jesus said, "It is finished." With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit."

Those were the last words Jesus spoke on Friday afternoon.

His first words Sunday morning are not recorded, but they may have been something like ... "It has begun".

What was "finished" Friday was the Old Covenant.  The arrangement between a sinful people and a Holy God, that partially restored a relationship that had been fractured by our sin.

What "began" Sunday morning was the New Covenant...which fully restored our relationship, and has since been called the Gospel, which translated means the "Good news"...and that is the ultimate understatement.

What happened Sunday morning, means nothing will ever be the same. We are no longer slaves to sin.  We now have the power to defeat sin because His Spirit lives within us.  If we stumble, the sin does not stick because His blood is on us.  We have gone from being subjects, to children.  Instead of servants, he calls us friends.  And for the fist time since The Garden, we have the ability to freely fellowship with God.

This explains why the most horrific day in all of history is now called "Good Friday".  Nothing short of Salvation, and the restoration of God's children to Himself, could cause such a abhorrent day to be referred to as "good".

"It is finished" means the price has been paid in full...And that is the "Good News"..that through His death and resurrection we have been offered a new, beautiful and unimpaired relationship with our Heavenly Father.

"He drained the cup of God's wrath bone dry, leaving not a drop for us to drink."
- Richard Allen Bodey

Luke 24: 3-5 3/22/16

Luke 24: 3-5  "but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.  While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them.  In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead?"

I think the question the Angels asked that first Easter morning, is still being asked of us today.

 It must be difficult for Angels to comprehend how those of us who know the Savior, continue to search for meaning, in empty and lifeless pursuits.  They must wonder why we focus on decaying, inanimate objects instead of pursuing a living God. 

I imagine the Hosts of Heaven are astonished that we can be so far off-course.  Did we not hear what Jesus said?   Did He not leave His Word, and His Spirit to show us the way? Yet here we stand in the graveyard, baffled that we can't find what we seek.

To celebrate Easter this year, let's leave the cemetery.  Let's stop wasting our time looking for Christ in a tomb.

As we observe the most important holiday of all, let's determine to stop chasing money, lust, power, and all the things our dying flesh has to offer ... and  instead seek the God who gave His Son, so we could truly live.  

Look around ...What are you pursuing?  What have you collected?  What have you pinned your hopes on?

 If you're standing in a graveyard, Easter provides you the key to get out.
 Use it to leave death behind - and find abundant life. 

"Why do you seek the living among the dead?"

- Two Bewildered Angels

Exodus 17:12 Matthew 6:3 3/15/16

Exodus 17:12 "So it came about when Moses held his hand up, that Israel prevailed, and when he let his hand down, Amalek prevailed. 12 But Moses' hands were heavy. Then they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it; and Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side and one on the other."

We've all heard of Moses, the leader of Israel ...but probably heard less about Aaron and Hur. However they were both instrumental in Israel surviving the battle against Amalek.

Aaron and Hur were the offensive lineman in this battle, and Moses was the Quarterback...Aaron and Hur provided critical, behind the scenes support.  They were willing to anonymously do their job to advance God's cause, even while knowing the credit would go to Moses.

How about us?  Are we willing to toil in the shadows without acknowledgment?   The church today has too many quarterbacks, and not enough lineman.  We need more servants who are willing to battle in the trenches, with no expectation or need of recognition.

Every sermon you have ever heard required dozens and dozens of people to make it happen.  Each one, every bit as important as the preacher.  Someone had to set up chairs, others had to work the sound system, some helped with parking, etc.  Numerous unnamed people, all essential to the gospel being spread. They are in every church, and they are indispensable....but by definition, you don't know their name.

This week let's look for opportunities to be linemen. Sweep a floor, Stack some chairs, help in the nursery.  Do something behind the scenes that advances the cause of Jesus..."and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you." (Matt. 6:3).   

Be so in love with Christ that the honor of serving His children is all the spotlight you need.

“It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit.”
― Harry S. Truman

Luke 15:28-30 3/8/2016

Luke 15: "28 The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. ²⁹ But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. ³⁰ But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’

So far we have discussed the Prodigal Son, and the Father...now lets talk about the only one who missed the party...The older brother.

The fatal flaw for the older brother was a self-centerdness, which produced self pity.  It is ironic that the one who presumably obeyed the father out of love and respect, could not find the love or respect necessary to follow the fathers heart.  Apparently his service was not a product of love, but instead he had been "slaving" for years in order to get what he felt he deserved.

What about you?  What does the Father owe you?   Are you lovingly serving God, or have you been "slaving" out of some Pharisaical sense of duty, and a desire to get what you consider yours?  If so then like this young man, you may be lost in the shadow of the fathers house.

Selfishness and self pity are two of the most dangerous and destructive forces on earth.  They destroy everything they touch...and once you allow them into your life they will take control. They produce powerful deceptions that overwhelm facts, and common sense.

You won't find self pity in nature. It is exclusively a human emotion, and we have produced a generation which specializes in entitlement, and feeling sorry for themselves.  This must change. Open your eyes and realize how undeservedly blessed you are. Examine your heart. If you find any hint of self -centerdness or self-pity rip it out before it becomes entrenched.

 If you allow it to remain in your life, you are guaranteed to miss the party.

"A man wrapped up in himself is the smallest of packages."
Benjamin Franklin