Seek What Is Good

What do you see?

I bet we would be amazed by what some people first notice in this picture. For some, it will be a sunrise, for others, a sunset. Someone will notice the clouds, someone else the blue sky. One person will key in on the birds on the right, another will pick out the people standing on the hill to the left. You may perceive an empty road, or a path to unknown opportunities. The guardrail, the town in the background, the bare rock, the vegetation . . . There's much to see here.

What's amazing is that we all see the same thing, but many of use will focus on different aspects. That's the difference between what we see and what we perceive, and much of that depends on what we're looking for.

You may not even know, consciously, what you're looking for. Your perceptions are influenced by a myriad of factors. For example, how you feel is often going to dictate what you see. In a good mood, you'll probably see the sun. Day not going so well? Those clouds could be bringing in a storm. Where the road ends might be a cliff, or perhaps a gentle descent into a glorious villa lit by the sun.

Each of us can look at the same picture and see something different. And believe it or not, we can choose to see what we want.

Life is the same way.

We could each have the same experience, and perceive it a different way. It happens every day. I could have one person say something negative and ruin my whole day. On the other hand, you might brush off that comment as no big deal and instead focus on 10 other things that person or someone else said, and call it a great day. It depends, in large part, on what we're looking for.

That is a choice. We cannot always choose what we see or what we experience, but we can choose how we perceive it. We can choose what we focus on. We can decide what's really important to us.

Here's what the Bible says.

Philippians 4:8 reads, Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

Read that again. Paul says that we should think about the good things in life. That's all about picking through everything we see and experience and focusing on the positive. Whatever is true. Whatever is honorable. Whatever is pure, lovely, commendable, excellent, worthy of praise. These are the things we are to look for in life. These are the things we are to focus on. These are the things we are to see.

There is a conscious effort involved here. Paul is telling us to choose. In this life, we will see good and bad. He tells us to choose to dwell on what is good. And the bad? It's not worth thinking about. Let. It. Go.

Paul tells us that as we go through our days we shouldn't focus on the negative. Don't fret about things which are not true. Don't stew over what is dishonorable. Don't mull over injustice, or obsess over impurity. Do not let what is unlovely block out what is lovely, nor allow the contemptible to push aside the commendable. Never allow the inferior to outweigh the excellent, or permit something unworthy of praise to occupy your mind. Do not waste your energy on these things. Let them go. They're not worth your time.

Seek what is good.

Choose to see beauty rather than ugliness. Focus on what is positive, not the downside. Live your life thinking about those things which are worth thinking about, and leave the rest to rot like the garbage it is. Life is full of those things which are true and honorable and just and pure and lovely and so on. All you have to do is look, and you will find them.

Today, seek what is good. In the verse that follows the one above, Paul says, Do what you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you.

Seek what is good, and the God of peace will be with you. That's sure to change your day.

That's worth remembering!

 

Perspective Matters

What is perspective?

Imagine you look out the window and everything is a blur. Objects move by so quickly they become indistinct blobs. Your eyes don't have time to focus, to pick out one object distinctly before it is gone, replaced by another. From your point of view, the world is rushing by at breakneck speed.

Now imagine standing by a train track as a train races past. Again, your eyes don't have time to focus on one object distinctly before it is gone, replaced by another. Your point of view tells you, once again, that the world is rushing by at breakneck speed.

From both points of view, your immediate environment is still as the world rushes past. Whether seated on the train or standing on the road, you don't seem to be moving, but are you? Your perspective tells you that you're still in both, but in reality in one case you're moving through the world, in the other the world is moving by you.

Our perspective doesn't always give us the whole picture.

Everything we experience, we experience from the perspective of who and where we are. Our perspective is influenced by our life experiences, our understanding of our environment, our biases, our preferences, our mood, our health, our . . . In short, my perspective of the world is my point of view, how I see things. And just like the example above, my point of view doesn't always give me the full picture.

Just think about the many conflicts going on in the world around us. From the perspective of one group, they see the situation clearly. But the group on the other side feels the same. In most cases, both groups cannot be right, and in many cases, neither are completely right. Their perspective is skewed by who and where they are.

On an individual level, the same is true. When I disagree with my wife, she is right. (Just kidding). In reality, we both think we are right. We both have reasons for believing what we believe, for wanting what we want, for saying what we say. Our perspective tells us both we are right, even if we have come to completely opposite conclusions. From my point of view, I am right, and from hers, she is.

What to do?

I don't want to write a blog on conflict resolution. That's not my forte. It'd be easier if everyone just agreed with me, and I bet most of you feel the same (the "me" being you). The problem is, I, and you, are not always right.  

Gasp!

In truth, none of us see the world clearly. Paul says it this way in I Corinthians 13:12:  For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. In our humanness, in our selfish mortal state, we really cannot see clearly. It is, in part, a problem of perspective.

We all wear glasses, whether rose-tinted or otherwise. We all see the world from the perspective of "me." We have no other choice. If I'm on the train, that's my perspective. If I'm standing by the tracks, that's my perspective. I can't change it. It is what it is.

What I can do is be aware of my perspective. I can know whether I am on the train or standing by the tracks. I can know if I'm seeing something a certain way because I want a certain outcome. I can know that I'm particularly quarrelsome or irritable today, that I'm biased by my past experiences, that I tend to see certain situations in a certain light. I can understand my perspective, and that will help me to interpret what I am experiencing.

Our perspective matters. It influences not only what we perceive, but how we perceive it. That's huge. Knowing why we see things the way we see them is one step closer to seeing things for how they truly are. And once we see more clearly, we can act more appropriately.

And that is worth thinking about!

With Him--Anything. Without Him-Nothing

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13

What an empowering verse. I can do all things--anything, everything--through the power of Christ. The God of the universe enables me to achieve the impossible. Nothing in His will is beyond my reach. No mountain too high, no valley too low. No challenge too hard, no burden too heavy. Anything. Through Christ.

Sometimes we do, and should, wield that verse like a sword in battle. It is truly the power of God in our hands, at our disposal. It is the sword of the Spirit (Ephesians 6:18). It is the sword with which Christ slays His enemies (Revelation 20:15). It is the word of God, living and active, sharper than any double edged sword (Hebrews 4:12).

And it is, itself, double edged.

Apart from me, you can do nothing. John 15:5

This is the double-edge of God's word, the edge we sometimes seem to forget. We can do all things, but not of ourselves. According to Christ in the verse above, on our own we can do nothing. Not a single thing. Not of value at least.

Sure, on our own we can accomplish much. Much sin. Much hurt. Much damage. But we cannot do a solitary act worthy of God's glory without His help. Isaiah says in 64:6 that all our righteous acts are like filthy rags when done apart from God. On our own, that's the best we can do.

With Him I can do anything. Without Him I can do nothing.

I like the first part of that. I grasp onto that promise when times are hard, when the battle is fierce, when the path is steep. When my confidence wanes, I remember. When my strength fails, I recall. When I don't know, I pray. And He answers.


That's the part I like.

The other side of the sword though? Not so much. You see, I like to accomplish. I like to overcome. I like to do. I love the thought of being able to do anything God wills me to do. I thrill at the prospect of defeating the impossible. I rejoice in victory over "you can't."

My problem, often, is too many "I's." I like. I love. I thrill. I rejoice. I do. I can. I will . . . You get the point. "I" gets in my way of I can do all things because I forget the most important part of that verse--through Christ who strengthens me. I remember that Christ said with Me you will bear much fruit. I far too often skip over the part about without me you can do nothing. I get in the way, and nothing of any good consequence comes of it.

Whatever you face today or in the days to come, remember that you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you, but without Him, you can do nothing. With Him, anything is possible. Without Him, your best efforts will come to nothing.

That's worth remembering.

 

How Great Is Our God!

I have been doing some studying lately on something called the incommunicable attributes of God getting ready for a sermon series I have the opportunity to participate in. To understand that word incommunicable, it helps to to think about things I know. Being in the healthcare field, I know that a communicable disease is one that can be passed on, or is contagious--like the flu. An incommunicable (really non-communicable) disease is not contagious--like diabetes. In the same way, the incommunicable attributes of God are those things which are unique to Himself, which cannot be passed on or shared with anyone or anything else.

For example, God is infinite--no beginning and no end. We (our souls) are immortal, but that is not the same as infinite. God's infinity is not only outside time, but outside space as well. God cannot be measured in any way. That is an incommunicable attribute of God. It is impossible for us to be like Him, for we are finite, or limited, in that we all had a beginning, even if we will never know an end, and we are limited to one place at one time.  Make sense?

God does have attributes which are communicable, or can be passed on. For example, God is merciful. We, also, can be merciful through the grace of God. God is Holy. We, also, can share in God's holiness through Christ Jesus. God shares those attributes of Himself with us.

What I want us to consider are some of these attributes of God which make Him so great.

I already mentioned one: infinitude. God is not limited by time or space. God exists outside of time. God was not. God is. God is present today. God is present tomorrow. God is present yesterday. Simultaneously. Right now, God is present at Creation, at the Cross, and at the Second Coming of Christ. Make your head spin? Me too. But here is why it matters.

That God exists outside of time should provide us great comfort. We say that God is with us, but I don't know that we think about God being with us--already--in the future. We are going to get some bad news. That doctor's report. That letter from a lawyer. That statement from the bank. A phone call. A visit. A grade report. Whatever. We're going to hit rough times.

God is not only ready to deal with it, He already is dealing with it. God is already there, at our side, even though we, in our time-limited existence, aren't there yet. God is there, providing for us, sheltering us, strengthening us, and He is also already on the other side of it. Whatever the outcome, God knows. He knows, because He is there, and He is beyond it, and He is with us preparing us for what is coming. That's amazing. That's empowering. That's how great our God is.

Then there is the infinitude of God in relation to space. God cannot be confined to a spatial limitation. God is omnipresent, meaning He is present everywhere. He is in heaven and on earth, right now. He is at my house, and yours, right now. He is in your car, at your work, at school, in the prisons, in the bars--He is everywhere, at the same time, equally. There is no place you can go or be taken where you are hidden from Him. He will never leave you, for you cannot go anywhere where He is not. That's pretty cool.

Now, let's go a little bigger. Our Solar System extends out about 2 light years from the sun. That's about 12 trillion miles. Want to know how much 12 trillion is? Think of the pictures of Houston after the recent Hurricane Harvey. It is estimated that 9 trillion gallons of rain fell on Houston/Harris County, Texas (33 trillion gallons storm total Texas and Louisiana). That's how much a trillion is. My point? God fills that entire space. He is not just present--He fills it.

That's just our solar system. Our galaxy is about 100,000 light years across, or about six hundred thousand trillion miles, and our galaxy isn't a big one. Some are more than a million light years across. God fills that space. Completely. Our universe is thought to contain around 100 billion galaxies. God fills them all.

Speaking of our universe, current science says that our universe is expanding outward at an unbelievable rate. That area beyond where our universe currently is? God is there. He has been since the beginning. Our God is great!

I've only scratched the surface of God's infinitude. Then there is His immutability (God never changes), His immanence (power, sovereignty), His independence (God needs no-thing and no-one to exist), and His immensity, which encompasses all the others.

What I want to realize, and hope that you realize with me, is that our God is great. He is greater than we can possibly fathom. His power, His presence, His being have no limits. He is immeasurable and indefinable.

And yet.

And yet He chooses to care about me. And you. Not just generally, but specifically. So special are you that He keeps track of the hairs on your head. And that's just the beginning. He numbers each one of the 20-30 trillion red blood cells circulating through your body right now. They are renewed about every 100 days, or 2.4 million every second. He keeps track. For 7 billion people.

And just as our solar system is only the beginning of God's immensity, so tracking every physical detail of our existence is just the beginning of how much God cares about you. This infinite, limitless being cares even more about your inner self, and so He listens to you. Not just to what you say, but those silent thoughts, the ones you cannot even formulate into coherent words. He listens, and He cares. No thought escapes Him, no matter how great or insignificant it may be to you. Your hopes. Your dreams. Your fears. Your victories. Your defeats. He cares. He cares with the fullness of His infinite existence, and is prepared to act on your behalf with the fullness of His infinite power.

Now, how big are those problems of yesterday, today, tomorrow?

How great is our God? So great that it's not even a question we can ask. It's a statement. A praise. An awe-inspired, fear-filled, wondrous gasp from the depth of our soul. Our God is great. Our God is great!

Holier Than Thou

It's an insult now-a-days to be told you have a "holier than thou" attitude. If that means you go around acting like you're better than everyone else, looking down your nose at everyone around you like your stuff doesn't stink, then yea, it's an insult. A fitting one. Because that's not holiness. That's acting like the rest of the world. Kind of ironic.

A lot of people don't even know what the word holy means. A common definition of the word holy is set apart. It has the connotation of being distinct, sacred, special. Something reserved for special, not common, purposes. To be holy means to be different.

And guess what--we as Christians are supposed to be just that. We are supposed to be set apart from the rest of the world. We are supposed to be distinct, sacred, special in what we do, how we act, what we say. God has reserved us for special, not common, purposes. We are supposed to be different. In comparison to the world, we are supposed to be holier than thou.

Peter tells us this in I Peter 1:15, 16 when he says, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written,"You shall be holy, for I am holy." The reference Peter uses is from Leviticus 11:44.

Paul tells us in Romans 12:2 to no longer be conformed to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind . . ." That's another way of saying, "be holy." Be distinct. Be set apart. Be different.

That's not easy in the world today. Being different in this age may earn you the title of being a radical, a zealot, intolerant, or even--the shame!--holier than thou. You know what? That's what the world said (and still says) about Jesus. If the unbelieving world sees you in the same light as they see our Lord and Savior, I'd say you're doing something right.

When Jesus told us that we are salt and light (Matthew 5:13, 14), and in 5:16, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven, that was a call to be different. To be holy. In those same verses, Jesus said that if salt loses it's taste, or a light is placed under a basket, they are of no good use. If we are not set apart, if we are no different from the rest of the world, if we indeed are not holier than thou, of what good use are we?

Holiness is not haughtiness, arrogance, pride, condescension. To be holy does not mean to consider yourself better than others. To be holy means to strive to be different from the sinful world and similar to our holy God and His Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus is God, reflects God in all He does, says, and is, and Jesus had some pretty strong opinions and ways of interacting with others. Jesus was most certainly different, and in the end it cost Him. It cost Him popularity. It cost Him comfort. It cost Him acceptance, friends, and even family. In the end it cost Him His life. Being holy isn't easy, and it comes with a price.

But it also comes with a reward. Over and over in the Bible, God rewards those who are different, who strive to be holy. Think of Joseph. Think of Daniel, Meshach, Shadrach, and Abednego. Think of Noah, Ruth, Mary Magdalene. The Apostles. Paul. Zaccheus. They dared to be different, they dared to be holier than thou and each was rewarded--some in this life but, more importantly, all received their reward for eternity, even if it cost them temporary loss.

Here's the point: We are supposed to be holy. This is more than a calling, it is a command. We are supposed to be different from the world, to stand out, be noticed not because we think we are better, but because we reflect the One who is better than all.

 But as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written,"You shall be holy, for I am holy."

What Is Your Worldview?

Do you have your glasses? Are you getting out of work/school/  whatever to watch it? The eclipse to happen today has been all the rage lately. When it's not politics on the news it's a new warning about not looking directly at the sun (that's good advice, by the way).

Everyone seems caught up in the wonder and majesty of this celestial event, and I get it. It's really cool. My home is fairly close to the path of totality (who remembered that term from science class until the last few months?) so we will be treated to a 93-97% coverage of the sun by the moon from what I have read. Cool. I'll probably even look outside (not directly at the sun!). But it's not going to change my life.

I don't think it will change yours, either. Sure, it's an awesome event to witness, but it's not life changing. It's not even rare. Some quick research tells me that a total solar eclipse is visible from somewhere on earth about every 18 months, while the average time between such events being visible from any particular place, like your home, is 400 years (thank you Space.com). So seeing one is cool, but probably not life changing.

Too many people have grabbed on to this event as though it were the most important thing in the world--until it's over. Then it'll be the next great thing. Then something else. Then something else. Their worldview is that what is most important is what's in front of them right now. They rush about day to day, focused on whatever triumph or tragedy they're experiencing, whatever great or awful circumstance they find themselves in. Their worldview--their philosophy or conception of the world--centers around the immediate vicinity of themselves. In other words, they're self centered.

Now don't get me wrong. I'm not saying that if you're excited about the eclipse you're a self-centered and selfish drama queen. I'm excited about the eclipse, and I don't do drama well. What I'm saying is we have to look beyond the daily events in life--no matter how unusual or exceptional they are--to something greater.

I think a total solar eclipse is cool because it makes me think about God--His majesty, His sovereignty, His power, His creativity. Because that's my worldview. My conception of the world is that God is what matters. Whenever something happens, or may happen, or doesn't happen, my experience of that passes through the filter of "God is what matters." I know creation isn't about me. I know even my own life isn't about me. All things which are, are for the glory of God (Romans 11:36).

This coming eclipse is about the glory of God. If I witness it, the purpose of my witnessing it is for the glory of God. If I wake up tomorrow, or if I don't, and whatever I do and whatever happens or doesn't happen--let it be for the glory of God. That's my worldview. That's my philosophy. That's my conception of the world. I, and what's happening around me, really don't matter at all except as it pertains to God's glory.

So as you (safely) view the eclipse, or choose not to, do so for the glory of God. Marvel at His wonder and power. Praise Him for His creation and creativity. Take the opportunity to tell someone else about Him, because while witnessing the eclipse probably won't change anyone's life, witnessing the God behind it absolutely can!

Reset

Ever wish there was a button you could push to start things over? One easy switch you could flip to restart your day? That'd be handy, alright. You could be halfway through a project, decide you didn't like where it was headed, so . . . hit the button and voila! A brand new start. Don't like the turn your relationship all the sudden took? Flip the switch. Presto! Back to first date. Bad day at work? Rough day at home? Life in general headed downhill? Just push the reset. Easy-peasy.

Wouldn't that be nice?

Unfortunately, life doesn't work that way.

Or does it?

In reality, some things can be restarted from scratch, while others cannot. Most knots can be untied, but once cooked, a goose cannot be unroasted. If you dig a hole, it can be filled back in; time past, on the other hand, will never be returned.

My point is, there is a difference between restarting and resetting. Knots and holes can be restarted. When it comes to a cooked goose or yesterday gone, you have to pick up where you are. The good news is, you can pick up where you are. You can reset, even if you cannot restart.

God reset things several times. He started with Adam and Eve in the Garden, and then reset things outside the Garden after Man sinned. Then there was Noah. That was a big reset. There was the Tower of Babel, there was Abram and Sarai who became Abraham and Sarah.There was Israel united, Israel divided; Israel free, Israel in slavery, then free again. Eventually came Christ, the biggest reset thus far. There are more to come. Eventually, God will make all things new, but even then, we will be carried over.

Over and over again, God reset. He didn't restart by creating something new, He picked up where things were.

He does that in our lives as well. At salvation, we are made new. We cast off the hold and put on the new. Each day is a new day to be rejoiced over. Every day God's mercies are renewed. Each time we sin, confess, and repent, we are forgiven. Reset. Pick up where you are and go.

So maybe life does work that way. Maybe, just maybe, there is a reset button. Maybe, just maybe, that reset button is called Faith. Belief that, indeed, each day is a new day. Belief that, indeed, I am a new creation. Belief that, indeed, I am forgiven. I have been reset. I can pick up and go on.

In fact, today is one of those days.

Time to get started.

Joy At All Times

Consider it pure  joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds (James 1:2)

 What in the world is James talking about?

Consider it joy when times are tough, when everything seems to be against me, when I am struggling? What is that all about? It sounds like some kind of masochistic mantra from a back alley fight club. Paul had the same thought in Romans 5:3 (we also rejoice in our sufferings . . .). Who were these guys and just what were they smoking? How am I supposed to be happy in the midst of pain?

I'm not. Neither are you.

Joy is not happiness.

Happiness is about living in the moment. It is a response to the current environment and situation. Being happy is a reactive emotion--it's all about what I'm feeling now. Happiness is narrow minded--it takes into consideration neither the past nor the future. Being happy lasts only as long as the right conditions are there; once things go south, happiness goes bye-bye.

Joy isn't like that. Joy is an acquired emotion, not a reactive one. Joy doesn't depend on the environment or the situation--joy is all about attitude. It looks beyond the present into both the past and the future and anticipates something great and wonderful--even in the midst of despair. Joy can exist in the middle of the worst situations because joy isn't only about the now. Happiness dissolves in the face of trial like the sun burns away fog; joy doesn't.

Let James and Paul explain.

Both of these guys understood the difference between joy and happiness. James said we should consider it joy when we face trials because . . . Because we know that the testing of our faith develops perseverance, and it is through that perseverance that we mature in our faith.

Paul and his companions could say they rejoiced in their sufferings because they knew that suffering produces perseverance, which leads to character, which leads to hope.

Both of these men understood that, unlike happiness, joy is not about instant gratification. Happiness is an island; joy is a river. An island is a fixed point, affected by what is around it. Joy flows and affects everything it touches. Happiness cannot go with you; joy can take you where you want to be.

Joy is a gift and a choice.

Joy is one of the fruits of the spirit (Galatians 5:22). It is something that comes from God as the result of living by faith. Joy is the result, not of our immediate circumstances, but rather our relationship with God. Because joy looks forward, it sees beyond the immediate. If we truly have our eyes fixed upon Jesus, we will have joy. It is a product of a Spirit filled life.

Joy is also a choice in that how we live determines if we live by the Spirit, or our sinful natures (Galatians 5:17). Depending on which we choose, we will either reap the fruits of the Spirit, or the fruits of the sinful nature. Read Galatians 5:19-21 and then 22-23. Which list sounds better to you?

How can you consider it joy when life is hard? It's pretty easy, really. Live for God. Set your mind on things above, not on earthly things. Look forward, beyond whatever you're going through right now. This life is temporary; there is eternity to come. If that eternity is with God, the worst this world has to offer is nothing in comparison.

It's up to you.

You get to decide. You can live your life hopping from island of happiness to island of happiness, with depths of despair in between, or you can ride the river of joy, looking forward and over the swells and valleys this world will send your way.

I know which I choose.

I choose joy.

I Am Blessed

I don't mean to brag--unless you would allow me to brag upon the One from whom all blessings flow--but I am blessed. With life, with joy, with health. Security. Salvation. Family. Friends. Provision. There is no end to my blessings, to my reasons to give thanks.

To simply be given the breath of life is a blessing. What an honor, a privilege it is that God chose to give me life. That He carefully and purposefully willed me into existence. Where there was nothing, He brought me forth. A miracle. Me. From an infinite well of possibilities, He chose me. Incredible.

Not being satisfied with that, God gave me joy. He allows me to experience the wonders of His creation, to share it with other miracles I love, and who love me. To give me eyes which see, ears which hear the joys of what He has made. The crisp smell of the air after a rain is mine to enjoy. The soft caress of the wind I freely enjoy. The fruits of His bounty please my tongue. He has given me love to receive and return. Joy. That is a blessing.

Not stopping at bringing me to be, nor providing me with joy, He has given me health. Not only has He created me, He sustains me. With care and kindness, He gives me strength, vitality, and the spirit of life. My body is strong, and works in such perfect harmony we will never fully understand it, but He does. He is there--here--orchestrating every breath, every pulse, to give me health.

To keep me from being distracted from His other blessings, God has granted me security. From the place I live to the people who surround me, He has seen to it that I am safe. Protecting me from harm, guiding my paths, He leads me by a lighted path lest I fall into a pit. Like the shepherd He is, He watches over me as one of His flock, guarding me with His strong right hand.

So that I may enjoy His pleasures for all of eternity, He gave of Himself that I might be saved from my sins. Of all my blessings, none can be greater than the salvation I have through Jesus Christ. I need have no fear, no trepidation of the future, for my portion is Christ, and my life through Him. This blessing, among all the others, will never end. It can never be taken from me, nor I from Him. He has saved me. I am truly blessed.

Blessings upon blessings, He has given me family. To be raised and nurtured among those who love me, and then to experience it once more through my own wife and children is to better understand the love God has for me. I understand all the more God as Father, having children of my own. I better perceive the love of Christ through the eyes of marriage. With the blessings of family has the love of God been only more clear.

In my friends I have those ones who are closer than brothers. Those who stand beside me, who lift me up, who bring me alongside to share in the blessings God has given them. A blessing themselves, they multiply the blessings God showers down. To share life with friends is to live life to the fullest.

Day after day, God provides. He blesses. He never fails to give to me all I need and more. I truly see that my cup overflows, and yet His fountains never stop. From the richness of His storehouses, He gives, and gives, then gives some more.

I am blessed. Not because I deserve it, nor earn it. My blessings are gifts, given to me from above.

God is good. All the time.

Showing The Way To Christ

How do I explain salvation?

This is a common question. Many people are hesitant to talk about Christ because they're not confident in explaining the path to salvation. Years in church, which should make this opportunity a welcome one, often instead shroud the answer in layers of theological mystery and human tradition. We hear pastors and teachers talking about justification, sanctification, propitiation, and even transubstantiation and think, "I'll never be able to explain all that to someone!"

The good news is, you don't have to.

Salvation is simple.

The way to Christ is very clear. One of the easiest ways to show someone to Christ is something called the Romans Road. This is a few verses of Scripture from the book of Romans which explain the need for salvation, and how salvation is obtained through faith in Jesus Christ. This will not explain everything about Christianity--an entire lifetime studying God will not reveal everything about Him!--but it tells us what we, and anyone we talk to, needs to know.

These few verses can be marked in your Bible, written down and put in your wallet, or even memorized so you can have them at the ready to help someone understand the way to Christ.

First, everyone needs a Savior.

Some people think they don't need to be saved from anything. They believe they are a good person. They believe their good outweighs their bad. The Bible says that's not how it works.

Romans 3:23, the first step on the Romans Road, says: For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

No one is good enough for God. Everybody has sinned and fallen short of the standard required for God's glory. Sin is one thing we all have in common.

Second, there is a price to be paid for our sin.

Romans 6:23, the next step, says: For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.

The wages, or reward, or price of sin is death. And, since we learned from Romans 3:23 that all have sinned, then all have earned the reward of death. This isn't just mortal death--it is eternal separation from God. That's spiritual death. Eternal existence spent paying for our sins. Hell. That's the price of sin.

The latter part of this verse foreshadows salvation--there is a way out!

 Third, the penalty for our sin has already been paid!

Romans 5:8 reads, But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Christ died for us! That means Christ died to pay the penalty for our sins! Everyone has sinned, the wages of sin is death, but God loves us so much that He sent His Son to pay that price! We can be saved yet!

But how?

Confess and trust Jesus.

Romans 10, 9-10 promises, If you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.

This is how simple salvation is. You believe in Jesus, and then say it. You believe you have sinned, that your sin means you deserve death, that Jesus died in your place. You believe this in your heart, and then say it. You admit it to God and the world.

It really is that simple. 

God accepts everyone.

This is not a limited offer. It doesn't matter what someone has done. All have sinned, and Christ died for all sin. Anyone and everyone can accept Christ.

Romans 10:13 says, For, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."

Everyone. Bar none. All who walk each step of this road will be saved. Acknowledgement of sin. Acceptance that sin leads to death. Understanding that Christ died in our place. Belief in Jesus as Savior. Confession of faith.

That's the way to Christ.

Is it everything? No. Can you save anyone by telling them this? No, that's up to God. Is it your privilege and responsibility to be able to relay the simple Gospel when the opportunity comes? Yes, it is.

Keep these few verses with you, and experience the joy of showing someone the way to Christ by walking down the Romans Road.

Don't Read This!

Did you ignore the warning?

Obviously you did, because here you are, reading. And obviously that's what I wanted you to do. It's a trap of sorts. One to make a point. Or maybe two.

First, it's really tempting to do what we're not supposed to do, isn't it? The saying goes, "Forbidden fruit is much the sweeter." It's a lie, but it's one we fall for all too often. We want that which we're not supposed to have. Why?

Maybe because we don't like to be told no. Probably, for many of us, that's true. We're adults. We've earned the right to make our own decisions. We get to decide what we should, and shouldn't, do. Right? And we don't like for anyone else to tell us what those things are, whether it be the government, our doctor, our pastor, or even--to be honest--God Himself.

We want to do, and have, what we want. When someone tells me I can't have something, then I want it all the more. It's selfishness, I suppose. That and pride. I want it and I deserve it because I'm me. Those two will lead us down some dark and dangerous paths.

Not only is it tempting to do that which we should not do, it is also temporarily fulfilling. It's fun to fly down the road 20 MPH over the speed limit, or more. It makes us feel powerful, free, independent. No one can tell me what I can do. No one can chain me down. If I want to drive fast, I will.

It's a buzz. The fact that it's forbidden makes the buzz all the stronger. I know it's wrong, but I'm getting away with it! I'm above the rules. I can handle the risk. I too smart to get caught. I . . . I . . . I. The problem with "I" is that it feels good for a while, until the truth hits. When the flashing lights appear in the rear view mirror, it doesn't feel good any more. That buzz that felt so good dissolves so very quickly, doesn't it.

My point is, we all to often fall to the temptations of the world not because we don't know right from wrong, but because we chose to do that which we know we should not. Our pride and desire for instant gratification overpower our better senses. We are, in a word, carnal.

And there is a price to be paid. That forbidden fruit, so tempting, is often found to be rotten or poisonous. That buzz that felt so good, when it is over, leaves us drained and empty. Doing wrong will never provide a lasting pleasure. Only right can do that, because true joy comes from God, and God will never lead you down the wrong path.

A Spiritual Check-up

 . . . Train yourself to be godly. For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things . . .               (I Timothy 4:7-8)

Here's the truth--I don't like training. I don't like a 5-day-a-week workout schedule. I don't like regimens, logs, diaries, or journals on what I did or didn't do. I don't like having to do the same thing over and over with infinitesimal improvement day to day or week to week. I do not like being told I can; I do not like it, Sam I Am.

I recently "won" a fitness tracker through work in a, I am sure, totally random drawing from all eligible contestants. I'm sure it had nothing to do with my wellness check-up being--less than than well. Regardless, it's an interesting little gadget. I've worn it a few days and find it intriguing to track my steps, my calories, my sleep, my heart rate and all the other stuff it does. Pretty nifty, really.

Until the new wears off.

Here soon, that little gadget is going to be the bane of my existence. I'm going to get notifications that I'm not getting in enough steps. That my sleep is insufficient. That I didn't exercise enough days this week, or climb enough floors, or earn that Silver Sneaker badge, or whatever it is. It's going to get old. It's going to become training. And that's when that little sucker will suddenly and mysteriously go dead or get lost. Accidentally, of course.

Because I don't like to train! I like to exercise and be active, but on my schedule. If I want to run, or work out, or play soccer or ride my bike or whatever, that's great. But if I don't want to, I don't want to. I don't want to be told I have to, by any one or any thing.

The problem is, if I only do it when I want to, I'll never get any better. Because I don't like to work out regularly. One or twice a week the mood hits me and I go at it. Once or twice a week I feel like I have the time and the motivation simultaneously. That's about it, and that works for me. Except that it doesn't.

Once or twice a week isn't enough. To get myself in shape takes more than that. I know this--I'm a therapist, for goodness sake! I tell people that every day. It just looks different from this side of the fence. So as much as I will grow to hate it, that little contraption on my wrist right now may be just what I need.

All this has got me to thinking--what if I had some kind of godliness fitness tracker? The verses above--I Timothy 4:7-8--came to me as I was figuring out my new toy. Even the Bible says physical training is of some value. It is worthwhile. But it isn't the most important kind of training. Training to be godly is what really matters.

So what would a godliness tracker keep track of? Instead of hours of sleep, it may track minutes of prayer. Instead of minutes of exercise it may track hours of service to God. Instead of floors climbed it may track Bible verses read. Instead of heartbeat, attitude. Instead of calories burnt, words of praise spoken. Not steps taken, but times kneeling.

That's scary. It really is. How many notifications would I get that I was falling behind? How many days would I meet the default goal, let alone a higher standard? How many, Well done, good and faithful servant, messages would I get? My FitBit was proud of me for running last night. What would my godliness tracker say?

And next year, when I go for another annual probing--I mean check-up--what will they find? If I stick to it, my numbers will improve. My health will be the better for it, and all in all, I will be as well. That is of some value. But what about my other check-up? What if I were to be probed a little by God? What would He find?

What would a spiritual wellness checkup look like? My blood pressure was a little high. How is my faith doing? My LDL to HDL cholesterol was just over the precipice of unhealthy--what's my trust in God -vs- trust in the world ratio look like? I'm over-eating. Am I under-worshiping? I don't get enough exercise. Am I training myself to be godly? I consume too much sugar. How about the moral garbage of this world?

Those numbers, too, will only change if I train. If I am diligent. If I work at it not only when I want to, but regularly. Determinedly. Doggedly. That means the days when I'd rather go fishing than prepare for Sunday School, or go to sleep than pray, or watch TV instead of reading God's Word. When I don't feel like writing. When I don't feel like serving. When I don't want to, that's when I really need to.

Then, and only then, will I be ready for my next check-up. Here's the kicker though--I don't get to schedule that one. It'll be a surprise visit from the Great Physician.

I better start training.

Stronger Together

Ecclesiastes 4:12

Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

I often fall into the trap of thinking that I can and should be able to do everything myself. Whether it be fixing something, working on a project, solving a problem--whatever. I'm supposed to be strong, independent, self-sufficient. I should never admit I don't know how to do something or, God forbid, ask for help. We--especially us men--are supposed to be able to do it all. Aren't we?

The passage of Scripture from Ecclesiastes 4:8 through 4:12 gives a different perspective. It starts out with this: Two are better than one. 

This is a passage that is often read at weddings, and indeed it is fitting for that purpose. That is not, however, how it is written. Read verse 10: If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who fall and has no one to help him up! This is about a couple of guys out working; if one of them falls into a hole, the other can help him out. But if that guy is alone . . .

Verse 12, quoted above, is similar. One guy alone can be attacked and overpowered. Two guys together, however, can stand back to back and defend themselves from every direction. Add a third to the mix and they will not be easily taken down.

We are stronger together.

Man or woman, young or old, it doesn't matter. We are stronger together than we are alone. This is not a picture of a chain which, as the saying goes, is only as strong as its weakest link. This is a rope, one whose strands are woven together. If one strand has a weak point, the other two are right there to pick up the load.

Life isn't easy. We all have heavy loads to haul, and we all have our weak points. If we try to go it alone, sooner or later those weak points are going to lead to catastrophic failure--we're gonna snap. With no one beside us to pick up the load, the result won't be pretty. But a cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

We need each other. You may not like to admit it--I don't like to admit it--but it's true. I am stronger with a couple guys by my side than I could ever be by myself. Not just physically, but spiritually. I need the accountability of one or two friends who are going to ask the hard questions, and not let me squirm around the answer. Who are going to hold my heels to the fire when I screw up, and give me the encouragement I need to get back on track. Who will celebrate with me when I succeed, and pick me up out of the dirt when I fall flat on my face.

I need those guys to reach down and pull me out when I fall in a pit of sin, to stand beside me and fight off the attacks of temptation, to work with me to accomplish more than I could possibly do alone. It doesn't matter if I want them or not--I need them. Even if I am strong by myself, I am even stronger with them beside me. And who doesn't want to be stronger, better, more productive?

A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. 

Who is at your side?

How Does God Define Success?

It's Sunday Morning.

God chose Saturday night, of all nights, to bring snow. Doesn't He realize these people don't have a snow removal contract? Doesn't He realize all they have is Joe and his old, rusted-out F250 with a snow blade and no heater to clear the parking lot? Doesn't He know that the pastor had to toil late into the night Saturday to prepare his message, because his 5 day, 40 hour work-week is really 6 and 60? Doesn't He know that same pastor will have to get up two hours earlier to clear the sidewalks and make sure the furnace fires up?

Doesn't God know snow means half the small congregation won't show up? Doesn't He know they're struggling, barely making ends meet? Doesn't He know the pastor is nearly killing himself working his day job and trying to care for the flock when he can? Doesn't He know this man wants, more than anything, to serve Him? Doesn't God know this man, this pastor, wants to see this small church not only live, but thrive?

How are they supposed to do that? How can they? They don't have much. The church is old, and needs a roof. Their small fellowship hall in the basement is dark and sadly outdated. The pews are old, hard, and well worn. The carpet is fraying. The windows are drafty. The utility bill goes up every year. Money isn't tight. It's inadequate. They can't pay a pastor what he needs, what he earns, what he deserves.

Snow means a small attendance. Look close. You can see three cars. Is that all that will show? Maybe more will come. Maybe not. The offering plates will be all too empty. Those there may kick in a little extra, if they can. The pastor will probably have to cover the electric bill--again. That means working a little more during the week, pushing for another sale, another contract. That means another missed dinner with the family.

Is this God's blessing? Is this success?

In town, things are different.

The city plows clear all the streets. A team of shiny new trucks all too gladly show up bright and early to clear the new concrete parking lot, contract pre-paid. The pastor wakes from his parsonage, thankful to leave the car in the garage, and walks to his pulpit. He's thankful for the hours he has been able to devote to the flock God entrusted him with. He's thankful for the children's program, the food pantry ministry, the weekly meal they serve to the needy. It's hard work, but it's worth it. God has blessed them.

What does success look like?


If we were to judge from the outside, which we all too often do, the answer is obvious. But what if a man--failing his marriage, his kids, himself--wakes this frigid morning and realizes he's as cold and dead inside as the snow blowing past his window? What if the only church he knows is that little old country church his grandma took him to as a child. What if this was the day he decided he needed something, and didn't know what it was, but knew where to look? What if today was the day?

What if that country pastor, tired and worn out, had listened to God, and without 20 hours to spend preparing a message through the week trusted the Holy Spirit and prepared a message on John 3:16. What if he preached Romans 3:23, followed with Romans 6:23, and closed with an invitation. What if that man, that lost soul, answered God's call to salvation? What if he found eternal life that cold, snowy day in that little old drafty church and became a new creation. What if everything changed for him, his wife, his kids. If he was the only one for the week, the month, even the year, would that be a success? 

Maybe that church in town welcomed 50 to saving faith in Jesus Christ last year. Would God even notice one?

Yes, He would.  

I believe Heaven would explode with joy.

Angels would sing hallelujah. The cherubim and seraphim, the 24 elders, the entire heavenly host around God's throne would bow their heads in amazement and sing, Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord God Almighty! Another one is saved--Glory be to God!

One eternal soul. Who can put a price on that? How many hours of work, dedication, prayer, sacrifice, and everything else is one soul worth? What could be, should be given up for the sake of one life gaining eternity with Christ? If you are called to serve, what should you be willing to do to answer?  As a pastor. As a Sunday School teacher. As an usher, a greeter, to serve on the worship team, to go on a mission trip, to visit someone, to be in small group . . . To serve God.

Can God really sustain us? Do we really trust Him? Can God give us the strength to work 60 hours a week and serve Him? Can God maintain our health, our wealth, our families when the world says it's impossible? Do we really believe that we can do all things through Him who strengthens us?

Can we dare to work less for the world--to give up the world--for the sake of God's work? Is it worth it to downsize, restructure, to need in order to serve Him if that's what He calls us to do? Can we really afford to give up earthly comfort and security for the sake of faith and obedience? Are we willing to be called crazy, irresponsible, fanatic? Are we willing to face the world's scorn, displeasure, ridicule? Is pleasing God more important to us than pleasing the world?  Is succeeding in God's work worth failing our own worldly expectations?

If you only changed one life this week, would it be worth it? Would God call that success?

Yes. I believe He would.

When Life Gets Hard

Have you ever struggled?

I mean really, truly struggled? Fought the kind of battle that encompasses your heart and soul, your spirit and your will? Have you ever been so tired of fighting, struggling, losing that you want to just give up? Have you been to that place where the best option seems to cut your losses and run? To leave the battle and live to fight another day?

Me too. I've been there. It isn't easy.

Here's where the Bible comes in.

Here's where I bring up the stories of David, or Joseph, or Paul or Peter or John. Esther. Daniel. Stories of people who had tremendous struggles and responded with tremendous faith. They overcame, not in and of themselves, but with and by God.

But I'm no king. God didn't give me a dream of the future to hold on to. Christ has not spoken to me directly, blinded me and then returned my sight. Jesus did not say that I would be the rock for His church, nor give me a vision of things to come. I am not royalty. I cannot interpret dreams and visions.

I am just me. What does the Bible say about that?

It says that what they had, I have.

Not the authority of a king, but the power of the one who sets kings in place and brings them down. Not a dream of the future, but the unbreakable promise of glory to come. Not temporary blindness, but eternal sight and light. Not a position as a rock, but a role as a pillar. Not a vision of what is to come, but peace for when it does. Not earthly royalty, but heavenly adoption. Not an ability to interpret dreams, but a faith to believe them.

The Bible says that what they had was the power of God. I, too, am offered that. They, through their faith, accepted it. Their faith in God is what gave them power, perseverance, strength, stamina, and victory. Every one of them died, but every one of them lives today. Through God. With God.

What they had, so do I.

The old cliche . . .

No one said it would be easy. Actually, a lot of people do say and have said it would be easy, it will be easy, it should be easy. They're wrong. They're wrong, or they're liars. It's not easy. None of it. Life. Church. Faith. Family. Work. Whatever. In all things is struggle, unless you take the easy path of sin. And that path leads to further struggle still.

I feel like that old writer of Ecclesiastes who said, "this, too, is a chasing after the wind."

But even Solomon, in his darkest of days, realized this:

Now all has been heard;
  here is the conclusion of the matter:
Fear God and keep His commandments,
  for this is the whole duty of man. 

When life gets hard . . .

Keep going.  Fear God, and keep His commandments.  I'm not telling you it's going to be easy or even easier, but it is right. And that's what matters.  

The Wonder of Growth

Growth.

So simple, and yet, so complicated. We grow from infant, to child, to adolescent, to adult. A tree transforms from seed, to sapling, to towering oak. We witness it every day, so much so that the wonder of growth is often lost.

The growth of a living thing is, however, a wondrous process. Whatever it is, nutrients have to be absorbed from its environment, incorporated into itself, and added to what is already present. It's extraordinary, really. So many things have to fall in place at just the right time in just the right order.

It's almost miraculous, really.

It goes beyond physical growth.

We grow in other ways as well. We grow in our understanding of our surroundings, our place in our environment, our abilities, our limitations. We learn how to care for ourselves, others, and the very environment in which we live. We learn how to solve problems (and create a few!), consider the future, and apply lessons from the past.

We also grow spiritually. As we experience God through His Word, prayer, fellowship with other believers, and God's working in our lives we grow in our knowledge and understanding of Him. Our faith increases as we mature and realize how truly dependent on Him we really are, and our desire to serve Him expands as we see Him for who He truly is.

Growth is not spontaneous.

Without the proper nutrients, nothing will grow. Withhold water, and that small sapling will wither and die. Denied food, a child's growth will be stunted. Without the Sun, plants become sickly and weak.

So it is with our spiritual growth. Unless properly nurtured and maintained, our spiritual selves will never reach maturity. If we fail to invest, we shall never hope to harvest. Or, if you prefer, we shall indeed reap what we sow.

Grow every day.

To everything, there is a season. Each crop grows in its time, becomes mature, and is harvested for its bounty. Seeds from that harvest are set aside to be planted in their time, and so the wondrous cycle begins anew.

When our season is through, what will our harvest be? What fruit will we have produced? Will we have multiplied threefold, tenfold, a hundredfold? Will our Master's basket be overflowing from the fruit of our labors?

Only if we continue to grow. Only if we take what He gives us, eat what He sets before us, absorb our portion of Him into ourselves, adding to what He has already given us, and continue to grow. Each and every day.  

A Plague of Apathy

What is a plague?

By definition, a plague is a cause of continual trouble or distress. It is something awful, terrible, that just won't go away. It is not short lived, nor easily gotten rid of. It is ongoing. Catastrophic. Deadly.

Pharaoh faced a series of plagues in the book of Exodus. The Nile River turning to blood. Frogs invading his palaces, even into his bedrooms. Lice. Flies. Dead livestock. Festering sores. Devastating hailstorm. Ravenous locusts. Complete darkness. Death of all the firstborn sons of Egypt. Those were plagues of Biblical proportions.

Apathy is a lack of interest, enthusiasm, or concern. It means you really don't give a rip. It's not your problem. It's not worth your most valuable time.

We are in a plague of apathy.

 We, as a world and a nation, just don't seem to care. Oh, we might get temporarily worked up about one event or issue or the other, but lasting concern and interest? Only until the next thing comes along. Until the next Tweet, Facebook post, newscast, or rumor comes our way. Then that once-so-important issue fades in the distance.

If it doesn't matter still, then it never really mattered to us. That's apathy.

Consider the world. Lost souls. Starvation. Human trafficking. Abortion. Sexual immorality. Destruction of the Biblical picture of family. The fading of the Church. The rise of false gods. Idolatry. Hatred. Sin.

Did your blood pressure go up reading those?

If not, that's apathy.

These are also plagues of Biblical proportions.

Nothing is so desperate as the thought of a single lost soul, and there are billions out there. Many of those same billions are starving, being sold into slavery. Millions of unborn children are being murdered, and many of those the result of sexual immorality. God's plan for human interactions is being demonized. The Church is, largely, being pushed into the sunset. False gods are placed on Christ's throne and worshiped, breeding hate and sin.

Are those not plagues? Are those not causes of continual trouble or distress? And they are just the beginning. The list goes on and on. Surely Jesus is weeping.

Are we?

Are we on our knees in prayer, in desperation, crying out to our holy God? Are we wrestling with the destructive forces around us, or shrugging our shoulders? Are we readying ourselves for battle, or turning or backs?

The plague is here. Apathy is rampant.

God broke Pharaoh.

It took the loss of everything, but God finally broke the king of Egypt. I don't want us to be like that. I don't want us to suffer the loss of everything we have been giving before we understand submission to the One who gives all things. I don't want our sons to suffer for our sins.

I want us to be broken. I want us to break ourselves, to throw ourselves before Holy God and confess. I want us to break ourselves so that God doesn't have to.

Apathy is a plague, but there is a cure.

It is faith. It is zeal. It is the love of God, for God, with God.

We may be infected, but God has the cure.

Are you willing to take it?

God Is Bigger

How big is God?

I have been studying the 10 plagues in Exodus chapters 7-11 and one conclusion I have come to is that Pharaoh had no idea how big God is. He seemed to think he could hold on to his slaves because God wasn't big enough to take them away. Man, was he wrong!

So just how big is God? It depends, I guess, on what you mean by "big." In terms of physical size . . . God cannot be defined in such terms. God is spirit. Asking how big God is physically is like asking how big our soul is. It just doesn't work that way. The spiritual cannot be measured by physical means.

So what are some other definitions of "big" we could use.

How about influence?

How big is God's influence? Well, for starters, God is the creator of all things. Nothing is that He did not create (Colossians 1:16). That's influence. All things on earth and in heaven, seen and unseen, physical or otherwise were created by Him and for Him. That's influence.

He controls the times and the seasons, sets kings in place and removes them as He sees fit, and distributes wisdom and knowledge to whom He chooses (Daniel 2:21). Basically, He controls what happens, when. That's influence.

How about knowledge?

God knows everything. He is omniscient. Nothing is known, has ever been known, or ever will be known that He does not know. Nothing is hidden from His sight. Nothing is unsearchable for Him. Nothing is unknown by Him or to Him. That's knowledge. That's big.

God knows what we say, what we do, what we think, how we feel, and why. He knows the deepest secrets we have and the most fleeting of thoughts. He knows things about us we don't even know. He knows the name of every star. He numbers every hairs on our heads. He counts the grains of sand in every sea. Quantum computing has nothing on God.

How about power?

Besides creating all things, God sustains all things, holds it all together (Colossians 1:17). He holds the power of the stars in the palm of His hands. A supernova is controlled by His will. Black holes respond to His desires. The powers of the universe, those we understand and those we don't, are in Him and from Him and at His mercy. That's power.

God is big.

How big? Bigger. Bigger than anything we can compare Him to. Bigger than we could ever imagine. Even the angels don't understand everything about God, and they've been in His presence since creation.

God is big. God is bigger.

Remember that, whatever else you might come up against today.

The Adventure of Life

No one said it would be easy.

Should anything so great as the adventure of life be always easy? Would the rewards be so great, the accomplishments so satisfying, the friendships so meaningful if the challenges of life were simple? Without turmoil, would we recognize peace? Without sorrow, would we acknowledge joy? Without loss, would we know gain?

Life is an adventure. Great adventures have a taste of  uncertainty, a hint of danger, the exhilaration of the unknown. Adventure without challenge would be like summer without the Sun, or a beach without the ocean. It would be incomplete, unfulfilling.

No one said it would be easy, but great things rarely are.

The greatest adventures are shared.

My best adventures have been ones I have shared with my family and friends. I would not climb a mountain, explore the depths of the sea, or fly around the world by myself. I want someone there with me, to share the successes and failures, the joys and the sorrows, the burden and the glory.

I like, and in fact need, my alone time. But I would never want to do life alone. There was a period in my life when I thought that sounded great; not anymore. As I have aged and matured I realize that my greatest joys are shared, not isolated. My greatest accomplishments come as a team, not an individual. My greatest adventures are never lonely, nor would they be so great if they were.

You will need help on this adventure.

No one does life well alone. Yes, you can get through it, but you will never thrive, never succeed, never do and be all you can be on your own. To fully explore, experience, enjoy life you have to walk with God and your fellow man. God did not create us to be alone, islands in our own experiences. He created us for community with Him and each other.

Our relationships with God are described in the Bible as a marriage, as a friendship, as a family. Each of these relates to how we interact with each other as well. We cannot do life as God intended without engaging in relationships. Why? Because we need each other. We will face mountains we cannot climb alone. We will experience storms we cannot weather on our own. We will need a helping hand, not only from God who carries each step of our journey, but from those around us.

If no one is around, who will lift you out of the pits into which you fall?

Life is an adventure.

It can be hard, and it can be beautiful. It can be tortuous, and it can be exhilarating. While we know our destination, the path thereto remains in shadows, waiting to be discovered. Explore it. Enjoy it. Live life to its fullest.

Life truly is the adventure of a lifetime. You only get to do it once.

Do your best to make the most of it.

 

Snitches Get Stitches

What?

You read that right: Snitches get stitches. Maybe you've heard this expression before, maybe not. Depending on the circles you run in, it might mean something to you. If it does, you're probably wondering why I'm writing about it here. Keep reading.

For those who don't know, the phrase snitches get stitches basically means if you go shooting off your mouth about things you shouldn't (a snitch), you're going to get pounded (stitches). It's not meant to be uplifting. You're more likely to see it in graffiti (or a $10 T-shirt) than some motivational poster. It's ugly and obscene and a microcosm of the violence in our world.

It also holds a lot of truth.

The Bible says it a little differently.

Proverbs 21:23 says, He who guards his mouth and tongue keeps himself from calamity.  

Proverbs 13:3 says, He who guards his lips guards his life, but he who speaks rashly will come to ruin.

It almost sounds like Solomon agrees with the word on the street. Of course, Solomon isn't talking about reporting an actual wrong or crime to the authorities. He's talking about not speaking rashly, not saying something you'll regret later, and not speaking those angry thoughts running through your mind. Right?

Sometimes, but not always.

Proverbs 25:23 says, The north wind brings forth rain, and a backbiting tongue, angry looks.

And Proverbs 18:6-7 reads, A fool's lips walk into a fight, and his mouth invites a beating. A fool's mouth is his ruin, and his lips are a snare to his soul. 

Here's my point.

The Bible is full of warnings about the danger of the tongue (read the book of James!). Words have the power of life and death (Solomon said that as well--Proverbs 18:21). What we say, who we say it to, and why we say it matter.

Telling the truth, reporting a crime, protecting the innocent and rightly incriminating the guilty are all certainly supported in the Bible. Doing such things doesn't make you a snitch. It makes you an honest, God-fearing man or woman who cares about the world around you.

The real snitches are those who speak not for the good of others, but for their downfall.

Some of the strongest warnings are to those who spread slander and gossip (both of which are hated by the Lord according to--again--Solomon in Proverbs 6:16-19). These are the kind of snitches who get stitches in God's book. Want to run and tell your friend what you heard about Joe? Better think twice--God is watching. Want to spread a rumor that you know to be false? Not wise, my friend. God frowns on such things.

If you've got some juicy morsel (guess who described gossip as just that in Proverbs 18:8) you're just dying to tell someone, remember this:

The word on the street is that snitches get stitches . . .

And Solomon seems to agree.

The Travails of Fatherhood

Travail: Painfully difficult work; toil

Fatherhood; both incredible gift and heavy burden. For all the pain and sacrifice, I would trade it not for the world. As with nearly all good things, it comes not easily, nor should it. Such a task is not to be taken lightly, nor forfeited for want of ease. 'Tis not for the soft, this joy of fatherhood. Each day I stand in an endless sea faced by a towering mountain.

In this sea of the world, the riptides of culture threaten to rip my children away, ebbing and flowing, swirling and unpredictable. Jagged rocks lurk just below the falsely pristine surface of the waters, neither eager nor reluctant to smash, break, cripple. Tides sneak in, insidious and seemingly innocuous, hidden in plain sight, to overwhelm the careless. Storms brew with gale-force winds. Vicious creatures roam the waters, hungry for prey, eager to slash and bite, tear and rend.

And beyond the sea, the mountain of tomorrow's future looms in front of me. Not my mountain, but theirs. How will they climb it, with it's hidden crevices and treacherous passes?  It's cold, hard cliffs, seamless and unscalable, armed with slides and falls poised to sweep away the unaware. Chilling winds blow hard, unfeeling and uncaring. The peak is impossibly high, the valleys incredibly deep.

And here I stand.

Holding on for all I'm worth, striving to not hold them back. Flailing against waves and wind, rock and stone. Battered and bloodied, cold and tired. Desperate in victory as I realize today's battle against the sea is over, while the mountain of tomorrow looms tall. Today a draw, tomorrow to be hard fought.

I'm not prepared for this.

I am neither seafarer nor Sherpa. I've survived the sea thus far, though not of my own accord. I've scaled many tomorrows, solely by the grace and strength of God. Neither makes me an expert. I've not sailed far enough nor climbed high enough to consider myself either guide nor captain. The journey is long, the way is hard, and ready or not, I am on it. Learning as I go. Through victory and defeat, success and failure, healing and injury.

My only hope is that I am not alone. There is One who sees across the sea, who looks down from atop the mountain. He has overcome the world. He is there in tomorrow, waiting to take my hand. To hold my head above the raging waters. To pluck me safely from slippery shale. My every breath He gives me. My every step He guides.

I am not prepared. But He is.

He has lead the generations before me and shown them the way.  It matters not if I be ill-equipped and poorly trained, for it is not I who shall be in the lead. He shall go before me, a pillar of fire by night, a pillar of smoke by day. Blessed children, follow Him, for He will mark your path. He will hold back the rushing waters, He will lift you up on wings of eagles. For Him the sea is neither wide nor deep, the mountain neither tall nor steep.

We will stand strong.

In His hands we rest. He is our comfort, our shelter, our refuge in the storm. As my fathers before me, from Him shall I gain my strength. Travail it may be, painfully difficult to be sure, but through Him I can do all things. The sea shall not take you. The mountain shall not stop you. I will not let go, for it is my Father's hand over mine in which yours rests. I shall turn my eyes from the perils and gaze upon the Son. For just as the Father guided His Son, so surely shall He guide me, and through me, you.

I fear not the sea. I dread not the mountain. I will be strong and courageous. I will follow the Lord. Together--you and I and He--shall stand. Though the sea may rage, the mountain may roar, we shall stand.

And tomorrow to fight again.

Jesus is a Choice

You have to make a choice.

We had an awesome event at our church this weekend which reached out to a group of people who don't typically set foot in a church. The core message of this event, and indeed the core message of Christianity, was salvation through Jesus and Jesus alone. This salvation, the forgiveness of sin and granting of fellowship with God, is a gift. The only catch is the catch common to all gifts.

You have to accept it.

When a gift is offered, you have a choice. You can accept it, or reject it. A gift can be received or refused. Being offered a gift does not make it yours. It is not yours until you take it and make it yours. Until then, until you make that conscious decision to possess what has been offered, you don't really have it. It doesn't belong to you until you say it does. Until you make that choice.

Salvation through Jesus Christ, the forgiveness of sin and righteousness before God is such a gift. It's there, offered to everyone, but you have a choice to make.

Will you accept it, or not.

Following Jesus is a choice.

Receiving Jesus Christ is the first step, the first, and most important, choice to be made, but it doesn't stop there. Once you have chosen to accept Jesus, then you have to choose to follow Him. While accepting Jesus is a one time thing, following Him isn't. Following Him is a series of choices you will make for the rest of your life. Every day, every hour, you will be presented with choices to make. Will you follow Jesus, or won't you.

How will you respond to the temptations around you? Will you use your time and resources to further God's work, or to satisfy your own desires? How will you treat that person who goads you to anger? Will you forgive when wronged? Will you be merciful? Gracious? Loving? Will you hold your friends accountable, and allow yourself to be held to the same standard?

Accepting Jesus is once for all, an event, a point in time. Following Him is a journey for life. It is a choice you make every waking moment of every day.

Every choice has a consequence.

Following Jesus is always the right choice. The way to follow Jesus is to obey His commands, to do what He, through His Word, says to do. Without fail, doing God's will is always the right choice to make.

We have been led to believe that doing the right thing will always lead to a reward. I believe that is true, but not as we might expect. We have been taught, trained, indoctrinated with the belief that gratification needs to be instantaneous. In other words, when we do the right thing, we expect to be rewarded immediately. As soon as we do what we're supposed to do, we expect a trophy and a pat on the back.

God doesn't work that way.

God's reward system isn't focused on this life. Do I believe that God sometimes rewards us in this life for being obedient? Yes, I do.  Do I believe He always does? No. Our reward is not here. The prize we are to be pursuing, the treasure we are to be storing up, the gratification we are to receive is not here, but there. In heaven. In the presence of our God and Father. It is there we will receive our eternal reward.

Bad choices have consequences as well. That doesn't necessarily mean that if you don't follow God you will fail in this life. Look around. There are a lot of "successful" people who don't have a clue or give a second thought to God. That doesn't mean God is rewarding them. That doesn't mean their disobedience doesn't have consequences. Once again, our reward, and our lack thereof, isn't centered here. This life is temporary. The next is eternal.

We do not, however, always skate away scot-free here, either. God does respond in our lives today according to our behavior. He does reward those who are faithful and punish those who are wicked. We may, or may not, recognize it, but it happens. Those people who succeed in life without God--how successful might they be with Him? Those mishaps in life that seem to come from nowhere--might they not be the very hand of God reprimanding His wayward sheep?

We won't always know, but of this you can be sure: Every choice has a consequence.

What choices will you make today?

Your Story Isn't Done

I don't know what you've done in life.

Maybe you've done great things already. Maybe you've reached all your goals, achieved your ambitions, lived your dreams and completed your bucket list. Maybe you don't know what to do now, having done all you wanted. Maybe life has gotten small for you, with no new challenges, no new goals, no new purpose.

Or maybe you don't think you've done anything. Maybe you don't think you can, or ever will do anything. Every goal seems out of reach, every ambition impossible, every dream nothing more than that, and your bucket list impossibly long. Maybe you don't know what to do because you don't know how to do anything. Maybe life seems too big to you, with too many challenges, too many goals, and no purpose.

Either way, your story isn't done.

As long as you are upright and taking in air, your story isn't over. You haven't done it all. There are still things to be accomplished, places to see, people to touch and change and help. It is an incredibly big world out there; if you can't find anything new to do, you haven't looked hard enough. Your story is still being written. Don't let it get boring at the end.

Some of the best stories start with humble beginnings. The hero who rises unexpectedly from the depths of poverty and despair. The heroine who climbs from the pits of darkness to shine light onto the world. The do-nothing who one day woke up and changed everything. It is an awfully big world out there, but you don't have to conquer it all at once. Your story is still being written. Don't let a slow start keep you from an incredible ending.

Keep writing.

That's the secret to finishing a story. You just keep writing. Some days are easy, others are incredibly hard. Either way, you have to write.

The story of your life is no different. Some days your story will seem to write itself. Everything falls into place just as it should. Plots don't fall apart, characters do what they're supposed to do, and every setting is like a tropical paradise. Other days, nothing works. Plots go haywire, characters go insane, and your once beautiful setting suffers through a hurricane.

Keep writing.

Keep plugging away. Keep living and doing and dreaming and hoping and never, ever give up. Your story isn't over. No matter how much, or how little you think you've done, there is always more. Incredible things can happen, will happen, if you just keep going. You don't stop because you think you're done--you're not. You don't quit because you think it's hopeless--it's not. Your story isn't over until it's over.

And then it's just beginning.

You Can't Fool God

How to tell fake from real.

There are an estimated $70 million worth of counterfeit bills circulating in the world today. They come in a variety of forms, some of them quite convincing, others not so much. Governments fight against this fraud in a variety of ways. One way is to train people to recognize a fake when they see it.

The problem is, there are so many different ways counterfeiters disguise their worthless pieces of paper from the genuine article, no one could possibly recognize them all. New variations arrive every day. So how do the people trained to spot a fake keep up?

They don't have to.

All they have to do is know what the real thing looks and feels like. They study real money so thoroughly, know it so intimately, that anything else stands out like a sore thumb. If you know the real thing, you don't have to know what a fake looks like. Anything that isn't real is fake.

God knows what's real.

God knows when a person is really His follower. He knows who's genuine, and who's counterfeit. No matter how good a fake may look, God is never fooled.

You see, God knows people so well--not just what is on the outside, but what is inside--that He never falls for a ruse. Even if people do such a good job at pretending to follow God that they believe it themselves, He knows the difference. You can't fool God. Ever.

You might fool me.

I bet some people have. I bet--in fact, I'm quite confident--there are people out there whom I've met that have convinced me they are Christians when in fact they are not. They are imposters. Fakes. Counterfeits. They're no more Christian than my dog is human. Sometimes I'm pretty sure my dog thinks he's human, but he's not. He's not even a very good pretender.

Some people are. Some people are really, really good at pretending to be something they're not. So good, in fact, that they fool me and everyone around them. Maybe even a wife, a pastor, their best friend. Maybe even themselves.

But they'll never fool God.

What happens to the fakes?

Fake money, once identified, is destroyed. It's collected, shredded, and repurposed. Some is used as compost, some becomes insulation for houses, some becomes potting soil, and some get turned into fuel pellets and thrown in the fire.

What happens when God identifies a faker? Our merciful God, patient and loving, doesn't immediately remove a counterfeit. He calls them to Himself, giving them a chance to truly accept Jesus Christ as their Savior and become the real thing. He doesn't want any to perish. He desires for all to be His real and genuine sons and daughters.

Those who don't, who resist His call and go on pretending? Their time is limited. One day we all die. Maybe tomorrow, maybe 50 years from now, but it's going to happen. We either cross that threshold bearing the seal of God, or we don't. We're real, or we're fake. We're worthy of eternal life with God, or worthless and fit only for the fire. Not based on what we pretended to be, but based on what we truly are, what God knows to be true. We're saved, or we're damned.

It's that simple.

You can't fool God.

Your good deeds, your shiny exterior, your polished words don't mean squat to God. You can even call out His name every day, pretending to be something you're not. He's not fooled. Matthew 7:21 records these words of Jesus:  Not everyone who says to me, "Lord, Lord," will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only He who does the will of my Father. Many will appeal to Him, and claim all the good deeds they did in His name. His response? Then I will tell them plainly, "I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers."

You can't fool God. You either know Him, and He knows you, or you don't. You do His will--what He wants, when He wants, and most importantly why He wants--or you're faking it. You're a pretender. A fake. Counterfeit.

He knows the difference.

So here's the question: Which one are you?