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