This is NOT what you thought it was...

As a pastor I get to hear all about what people are going through and struggling with in their lives. As a by-product of that I hear how they are getting through those difficult times. I can almost guarantee that at some point in your life and struggles you've either told someone, or been told, to remember this verse...

"I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength."

You may have that on your fridge or taped to the mirror in your bathroom. No doubt, you've used that passage to help you through many difficult times. You lost your job. Your car broke down. Your 401K tanked. But have you ever read Philippians 4:10-12? the verses that come right before this beloved scripture text completely define and limit it.

The context of this verse has nothing to do with being able to "get through" rough patches in your life. It was not intended to be used when your dog died, or you had a flat tire on vacation. But we most often use this passage to help us "weather" the storm until we reach solid ground. Until our ship comes back in.

Paul says that he has learned the secret to being content with WHATEVER was going on in his life BY realizing he could ENDURE through Christ's strength.

Now, I'm no Greek scholar, don't know it and can't pronounce more that 5 words, but as near as I can tell the literal translation of verse 13 is this; "individually strong in the Strength" ("the" obviously referring to Christ's).

Paul experienced times of much and little. Full and empty. Having nothing and having enough. the secret is not about getting through; it's about ENDURING in SPITE OF.

Our prayer should not always be, "God get me out of this situation and bless me (rich, happy, full, satisfied)." But, "God, help me to rely on your strength in the situation I'm in (through it, while I'm here). Then, whether your are skinny or fat, rich or poor, happy or sad, lonely or livin' large, you'll be living, individually strong (regardless of your current situation) in Christ's strength.

And that is the goal of the Christian life. Living your life, through Christ, no matter what.

When it comes from Him, It gets done.

Have you ever had the DESIRE to do something but lacked the POWER. Maybe that came in the form of know-how. Time. Required tools. I have the desire to do things but often I lack the power in the form of ability or financial resources. I was just telling Andi yesterday, I would love to spend my evenings working in the yard. I have that desire. But I lack the power. We don't have the money to spend on plants, grass, fertilizer or any of the other hundred projects I would like to do. So the desire is there but the power to actually accomplish the desire is lacking.

My power may be limited but God's is not. Money is never and will never be an issue for God. God has unlimited and uncountable resources. Time is not an issue for the timeless. There is nothing He can not do. He is perfectly Holy and perfectly capable to do anything and everything He desires.

And guess what. God is working in YOU, giving you the DESIRE and the POWER to do what pleases Him. Isn't that incredible?! God first gives the desire. The thought. The DREAM. The vision. He begins to birth the impossible in your heart the minute you receive the Holy Spirit. Things you never thought you'd do, He's preparing you for. Dreams you never dreamed before, He's planting in you. Like a seed in the ground God is planting His desires in your heart.

But he doesn't just give you the desire... No, that's just the beginning of God's involvement.
He gives you the power to carry it out! You don't have to rely on your own strength! Your own ingenuity! Your own resources! Your own abilities! God gives you both the desire and the power!

He doesn't just say, "here's what I want you to do. Now DO IT!" He says, "Here's what I want you to do and here's what you need to accomplish it!

The Bible says that, He who began a good work in you is faithful to see it to completion. Stop relying on your own abilities and ingenuity and finances! If God's given you the desire, He's gonna give you the power!

All He asks is that you "work hard to show the result of your salvation - obedience." When I work at obeying He grows the desire and supplies the power.

Mission Impossible...

Ephesians 5 took me captive today only two words into the chapter. I wasn't ready for it. You know, like when your kid sneaks up on your while your napping on the couch and jumps! Took me by surprise and wouldn't let me go.

The chapter starts with this two word statement, "imitate God."

I know, Right! Crazy! Impossible! Out-of-your-mind! No way, no how! It's like standing at the entrance to the Empire State building and someone says, "jump!" Playing one on five with the 2010 Celtics (go C's!) and people expecting you to win! It would be easier to say, "hey mountain, go through yourself in the ocean!"

It's times like this I wish I could be plugged into the Matrix - at least I could have a hope of figuring out how to "bend the rules" of the computer generated world. Man, I wish I would have studied my Jedi handbook more thoroughly!

To imitate God seems like an incredibly difficult task! How could Paul ask, or expect that we would be able to do this? Let's start the list and see where we get.

1. Create everything out of nothing. Piece-of-cake.
2. Play in the mud and come up with a perfectly balanced and working man. Child's play.
3. Come up with Ten laws that would perfectly control the civilized world. Simple.
4. Send your only son to die the worst death imaginable for people who don't even care...

And all the while, love. Forgive. Extend mercy. Show grace.

I can't do it. Can't be done. It's impossible.

Thank goodness Paul didn't stop with those two words. How do we imitate God?

1. Love. Love even before you are loved. Love first. Love those who don't love you yet. Love even those who you think hate you. Love those who do hate you.
2. No sexual immorality (tough, but doable). No impurity (hard, not impossible). No Greed (only mildly difficult). Obscene stories (done). No foolish talk (does he know I am a Landreth?). No coarse jokes (nearly eradicated).

Instead - be thankful to God. Thankful He is God, and I am not. Thankful that getting an A on my imitating God performance is not required. Thankful that He gave the Holy Spirit to help with the process. Thankful that when I am weak and fail, He is strong and prevails - He set the standard and He lifts me up to meet it.

What a challenge. What a calling. What a task. What a God. What am I waiting for...

It's MY life.

Growing up in a preachers home was okay, no big deal to me and my brother and sisters, it was all we knew. But there was one thing that drove me crazy. No matter where I went there were people who knew that I was a PK (preacher's kid) and even if they didn't really know my dad or go to our church they were quick to inspect every single thing I did or said.

Fortunately for my family (and God) I was a pretty good kid. Never really got in too much trouble, I wasn't immoral (you know the reputation PKs had!).

Then I went off to college. 1700 miles from mom and dad. And even though people knew them where I was I felt like I was finally on my own - my own person. I was just another student. So, I did some stupid things. Still nothing too terrible, but I certainly stepped it up a notch from my high school days.

It seems to me that I just wanted to define MY life. You know, it's like those commercials for that place that will give you a cash pay out in exchange for your monthly payouts from different things. Their commercials have people screaming out their windows, "It's MY money and I want it NOW!" The college years are a time for us to scream, "it's MY life and I want to live it NOW!"

So, we exercise our new found freedom. Maybe you started smoking. You know, cause your parents didn't want you to - but you weren't gonna let them control you anymore. Or maybe it was drinking (before you turned 21 - stupid by the way) or using drugs. I showed who was in control of MY life by swearing a bunch (only for a while).

Maybe you have noticed by now though, that those things you thought were an exercise in your new found freedom have become your master. You have to smoke. You have to have another hit... or another drink. You have to use foul language to express yourself - you can't help it.

Paul says in Galatians 5 that we ought instead to make ourselves slaves to God through the Holy Spirit. That way what we get is greater love, knowledge, better relationships.

Let me ask you. Has your "exercise in freedom" helped you love better? (can second hand smoke and cancer be considered love?). Has your addiction to drugs given you greater knowledge about anything other than which store has the best deals on junk food (munchies). Have your addictions helped build... or destroy... your relationships?

It's MY life - I guess that means I can destroy it, or make it as good as possible. It's up to me.

got out my list...

Just reading some more in Galatians 2 where Paul opposes Peter to his face and in front of a crowd! Wow. That's some intestinal fortitude on Paul's part. But I wonder how Peter felt? He surely knew he was in the wrong before Paul even said a word - then to have Paul point it out so openly... Man, I feel for him.

Truth is, I don't take criticism well. I want to. I know how I ought to feel about it, but that doesn't help me in the moment. I take everything so intensely personal - especially where the church is concerned. Even from my wife I have a hard time hearing (and responding appropriately) to criticism.

We're never told how Peter took it... maybe he got all up in Paul's grill... but probably not. I guess I need to add that to my list of things the Holy Spirit needs to help me work on. He'll do that you know. He wants to make you more like Christ - so He'll help you work on those small (and big) character flaws so that more and more you and I reflect the character of Christ. Who gave His life.

Just so you know, my list is getting really heavy.

Motivation for Ministry

Back at the office this morning and finishing up 2 Corinthians. In chapter 9 Paul is talking a lot about this financial gift that the church in Corinth was supposed to be preparing for the believers in Jerusalem who were in the midst of a famine (if I remember correctly).
If you've been reading along in 1 & 2 Corinthians you know that the church, once they heard of the situation in Jerusalem began talking about ways they could help and they decided that they would take up a collection to help their brothers and sisters in Christ in Jerusalem. Paul urged them to take a collection every week - presumably on Sunday when they had come together for corporate worship. He wanted them to do this so they wouldn't forget and so that when he got there the collection would already be completed - it would not fall to him to make it happen.

In chp 9:13 Paul then reminds the Corinthians why they were giving this gift - what their motivation was. Once the gift was sent to Jerusalem the believers there would "give glory to God." And that my friends, is always the motivation!

What do you do in the church? Clean? Make coffee? Teach children? Play an instrument? Pray? Are you in to technical stuff or like greeting people? Maybe you like it behind-the-scenes where no one sees you but does sees your hard work? Or maybe you get to be the preacher? Whatever your role in the church there is only one worthy motivation - that God would be glorified through the things you do.

How is God glorified? When the lost are found and the blind see. When those who don't know Him find a connection to Him.

Who knows, your work may lead to someone to connect with Jesus - that my friends, is all the motivation we need.

What's important when sharing your faith?

Love this passage in 1 Cor 15; Paul gives us a list of things he says are the most important things when telling others about Christ. It's simple, personal and I like it.

1. Christ died for our sins. This is central to faith - if He didn't die our sins have not been paid for; we are still guilty before God and death is all we can hope for.
2. He was buried. Christ didn't faint or pass out He died. His blood was shed. He was buried and sealed in a tomb. Dead. How can He have victory over death if He never faced it? He was buried because He was dead.
3. He was raised on the third day. He is alive. He paid the price for our sin. He faced death and overcame and now He is alive. If He is not alive then where is our hope? Where is our confidence?
4. He was seen (by "me" Paul says). This is where it gets personal. You want to tell your friends and family about your faith? Start with your changed life. The things you used to do you don't do (right?!). You're happier. Have more joy in the face of trouble. More faith, hope and love. Tell them how you have been changed because you have "seen" Christ work in your own life!

Let me break it down even more for you.

The Bible is true when it talks about Jesus, look at my own life for proof. (but first make sure you are living a new life, firmly established in Christ!)

I was blind but now I see. I was lost but now I'm found. Tell somebody your story today!

It's what I live for...

Motivation. What prompts you to do the things you do? I'm hoping to get to go to the Gulf Coast this summer with the family. Never been there before, a few of the kids have never seen (or don't remember) the ocean. So, I'm back to running. Watching what I eat and even working on the abs again. I'm motivated to lose about 15-20lbs before we go. That possible trip is motivating me to drop some poundage before we get to the shore.

There are things that motivate me spiritually as well. Paul said it this way, "I have become a slave to all people to bring many to Christ" and then, "I try to find common ground with everyone, doing everything I can to save some" (1 cor 9:19,22).

I love two things about these passages. First, Paul's desire is not to save a few but "many" and that's what I want. That's why I fuss over the "little" things at church and talk as though we ought to have unlimited funds - I don't want to reach a few with the Gospel and settle for a couple changed lives, I want to turn El Dorado and the surrounding communities upside down and shake out the lost like I'm looking for loose change! So we work to NOT look like other churches or talk like some of our Christan brothers so that we can say we did everything we could to save some.

It's not about having quality video support for worship - it's about connecting in a way our generation understands and is comfortable with. It's not about having the best worship band - it's about connecting with people who like the worlds music in a way they can relate to so they are open to what is said. It's not about having the best coffee or kids program or the coolest building - it's about doing everything we can to connect with a society that doesn't recognize Christianity as a viable or appealing lifestyle.

It's about changing minds so Jesus can change lives. I'm not satisfied with where we are - I want one more. I'm expecting God to blow the roof of this place. I'm expecting Him to provide financially so we can fix the issues with our video, purchase a new sound system, add some cool stuff for kids.

1 cor 10:33 - "I don't just do what is best for me; I do what is best for others so that they may be saved."

Don't listen to me...

You heard me. Don't listen to me. I've been speaking in front of people my whole life and I can be pretty good at it (I always got A's in speech and public speaking). But if I trust my own wisdom to plan a message or present an argument it will fall. Not because it wasn't well crafted or my audience was not considered - but because it will lack the power that only comes when I speak through the Spirit.

I think I finally see what Paul is talking about in the second half of 1 Corinthians 3. Once a foundation of faith in Jesus Christ has been laid in a persons life lots of people "build" on that faith. Preachers, teachers, guys on television (sometimes) friends who speak into your life the things of God, etc. But what is built on that foundation of faith in Jesus Christ will be tested and the builder proved by God. Some build with mighty talk and deep theology. Some build with plain language. Some get by and some go overboard. But all will be tested. What is built on that foundation is a group of people (we'll call them christians) that become something more than they could be separately (we'll call it the church). If that structure survives the builder will be saved.

So don't listen to me, I'm only a builder. Test what is said. Prove it from God's Word. Listen to me only to the extent that I continue to speak as the Holy Spirit leads and when/if I ever stop (Lord help me never to reach that point) then stop listening to me. Kick me out.

You are not baptized into Corey. I didn't die for your sins. I can't save you (or me!). All I can do is hope to build you up on the foundation of Jesus Christ, to be mature believers in Jesus Christ. And Lord willing, I'll spend the rest of my life doing that, right here at Real Life.

I love those "DUH" moments in the Bible

Call me simple or unspiritual - but I love those plain, no nonsense passages in the Bible. Today I was reading in Romans 13 and came across one of these in verse 3.

The question Paul poses to those in Rome is, "would you like to live without fear of those in authority?" Think about those fears: the fear of being "caught." Many a prank went undone by me because of the risk of capture and punishment. Some I thought were worth it - and paid the price for. Others I just could not justify. The fear of imprisonment is a huge deterrent for me, even though orange looks good on me, I do not like the whole jumpsuit look - very unflattering. There is the fear of being injured or killed... you get the picture. When you are in fear of those in authority you most often are doing something that you should not be doing, otherwise there would be no reason to be in fear!

The rhetorical answer to Paul's question is this, if you don't want to live in fear of those in authority... this is good I hope you're ready... STOP BREAKING THE LAW. Duh, right?!

Instead of gripping about being caught and how the cops are "after you" stop breaking the law or looking for ways to break the law and you wont have to live in fear anymore!

I hope my youngest son learns this lesson quickly. The other day I was driving and he saw a cop car and said, "uh oh, be careful dad there's a cop car they might come after you." I quickly informed him that I was not doing anything wrong so there was no reason to fear that the cop might stop me. I also got to use the opportunity to reinforce that the police are there primarily for our protection. Stopping speeding cars, or suspicious cars, etc. are just some of the ways they protect the rest of us.

There is no fear if you're not doing anything wrong... Duh.

Freedom!

Reading Romans 7 and 8 today. Amazed at all God has done for us in Christ... Particularly, giving us freedom.

Many of our men and women have fought and died to give us the freedoms we have and love here in America. I am grateful for all who have served, are serving and will serve. But the freedom I'm talking about is not political (if there is such a thing) or social.

I'm struck today by the freedom from guilt... from the condemnation that came from my sin.

I'll break it down like Mark Driscol from Mars Hill church.
Christ lived the life I could not live - a life without sin.
Christ died the death I should have died - paying my price for sin.
Christ gives the gift I could not hope to attain - salvation from my sin.

I connected with that life, death and Resurrection gift when I was buried in the waters of baptism. Now, having the Spirit of Jesus living in me:
I can live the life that God has called me to - free to follow the Spirit.
I can live the life that is God has given me - free from the fear of death.
I can give the gift that only I can give - free to give my all back to God.

Sin no longer has control. I'm free.

What is a "work"?

There is nothing you can do to earn heaven. Heaven is not your wage for living a good life, even a moral life, even a perfect life (as if that could be attained).

You work 40 hours and in exchange for all those seconds of your life, away from your spouse, children, hobbies, etc. you earn a wage. You get paid to spend your few years of life doing something that someone else wants done.

Heaven. Eternity. They don't work like that.

Romans 3 tells us that we cannot "boast that we have done ANYTHING to be accepted by God..." There is no "work" that gains a relationship with God. None. Try all you like, it's not possible to earn your salvation. Give to the poor. Build orphanages in foreign countries. Build a million! It doesn't help you get closer to God. You cannot give, live, fight, talk or even welfare your way to God. He doesn't accept that exchange. You see, His gift of eternal life in Heaven is worth so much that NOTHING we can give or do could even come close to earning us Heaven.

What gets us the promise of eternal life? Faith. Our faith that Jesus sacrificed His life and shed His blood for us (Romans 3:25).

God makes people right with Himself only by faith... so:

1. Without faith there is no point in confessing Jesus as your Lord and Savior - so confession is NOT a work because it cannot earn you eternal life by itself.
2. Without faith there is no reason to repent of sin, since it only by faith that you realize what you've done IS sin and would try to not do it anymore - so repentance is NOT a work because it cannot earn you eternal life by itself.
3. Without faith there is no reason to be immersed because immersion (as Rom 6 clearly states) connects us with the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus and if you don't believe He sacrificed His life and shed His blood why would you do something that so clearly represents that sacrificial death and new life? - so baptism is NOT a work because it cannot earn you eternal life by itself.

Now, before you get angry, look at Romans 4:2,3 Abraham believed and it was credited to him as righteousness. It was not the good things he did that got him anywhere with God, but his faith. But does that mean that he stopped doing good? That he stopped obeying? That he stopped working out his salvation? NO! Abraham proved his faith by his actions, but his actions (work) did not EARN him eternal life.

Had Abraham said, "I believe" but I'm not going to obey, follow, speak on your behalf, do you think God would have still used him to become the father of many nations? Heck no!

So why do we think that our obedience in repentance, confession and baptism somehow minimize or take away from our faith? These acts PROVE our belief they do not take the place of it. And if they did... we would not be looking forward to Heaven.

Stepping off the soapbox now. My apologies for even getting up there... just in the mood I guess!

You're a Christian? So what.

Christians have been given lots of names over the years. Self-righteous. Hypocrite. Phony. Poser. And in reality I think we deserve them. Think about it for a minute... there's a reason the hour before church has been called the "unholy hour." Moms and Dads yelling at each other, at the kids, trying to get everybody out the door. I remember how careful I had to be as a child not to get my "church clothes" messed up before church. Church people worked so hard to look the right way and dress the right way and talk the right way, when they were at church. But come Monday you couldn't tell the difference between the people who went to church and the people who spent the weekend at the bar!

In Romans 2 Paul calls out the Christians who thought they were better than everybody else just because they believed in Jesus. He tells them that being born into a certain culture or family doesn't make you better than anybody else. Claiming the name Christian because you say you believe in Jesus doesn't make you a Christian any more than having the name Jesus makes you the Messiah!

In the end, it's not your church attendance, your outfit, making everyone think you have the perfect family for one hour on Sunday morning, or even calling yourself a Christian. What makes you special in God's sight is your actions. Look at Romans 2:6,7 "He will judge everyone according to what they have done. He will give eternal life to those who keep on doing good, seeking after the glory and honor and immortality that God offers."

I would rather see you fail and fall and get up seeking forgiveness. Then claim you never have to get up. Some even talk about they have failed - but then do everything they can to hide those same failures. My mom wrote just today in her post on Psalm 11 from God's perspective, "I do not demand a perfect life from you, but I do demand your allegiance and your efforts to draw near to me so that I can draw near to you." If God doesn't demand a perfect life - why fake it?

I believe what the world is desperately looking for is authenticity where Christianity is concerned. When I can be honest with people about my faults and failures and at the same time point them to my relationship with Jesus as the sustaining part of my life, even with my screw-ups, they begin to see God for who He really is. Not a dictator who demands perfection, but a Father who desires relationship.

See Corey. See Corey run. See Corey fall. See Corey's God help him up, brush off the dirt and encourage him run again.

simple faith

Do you know how I remember the name of the by who fell out of the third story window to his death while Paul preached on into the night? You'd-a-cussed too if you fell out a window. Eutychus, was his actual name and I'm inspired to simple faith today because of his sleepiness.

Fortunately this kind of thing (falling asleep in church) doesn't happen very often but this time it had a beneficial result.

Eutychus falls out of the window to his death (Acts 20). Paul goes downstairs to see him and picks him up in his arms and tells everyone, "don't worry, he's alive!" "Then they all went back up..." That's it. The young man dies. The Holy Spirit heals him through Paul and they all go back to what they were doing. Eating. Communion. More preaching.

What would it be like if the uncommon where so common that we expected it? The Bible says that God calls things that AREN'T as though they ARE. I think I'd like to try that. God is in the business of the uncommon. So I need to familiarize myself with that place - so I like being there and get used to the things I'm not used to.

Faith Works.

What is up with the thousands of "cleansing" adds on the Internet, coming to my email, on face book and every other social media site? I'm reminded of the "colon cleanse" phony commercials SNL used to show (back when it was good).

Their seems to be two steps to the CLEANSE. First you have to decide what you are doing to your body is not healthy and make a mental choice to make a change. Then you have to take the steps necessary to go through what will be a difficult and perhaps disgusting process. But when it's over - you are promised a new you! More vitality. Better health. Happier life... changed life.

The changed life is an amazing thing. Jarrod - the Subway guy knows. So do all those people who have made amazing transformations via programs like the Biggest Looser.

But there is nothing that compares with the life change that happens at the hands of the Holy Spirit. In fact, it's a lot like a cleanse program for the soul.

Paul saw it when he preached in Ephesus, the evidence of changed lives took two major forms.

1. Many who became believers confessed their sinful practices - When God gets a hold on someone the Holy Spirit works and one of His duties is to convict of sin. When that happens confession happens. The status-quo is no longer acceptable. Accountability is sought. Life changed.
2. Some brought their incantation books and burned them in a public fire - the text goes on to say this was upwards of several million dollars. Can you imagine?! Someone so convinced of their sin and God's desire for Holiness that they actually simply burn items they could have sold and got lots of money for!

I'm reminded of a statement John the Baptist I think made often. He told the people to "produce fruit in keeping with repentance." That's what the people of Ephesus did.

Life change begins on the inside as you accept the message - respond in faith and obedience to repent, confess Jesus as YOUR Savior and be immersed according to the Scriptures - but it doesn't end there. As the Holy Spirit works in your life you will have a great desire to toss aside the things that used to control you. the things that will once again drive a wedge between you and your God.

Produce fruit in keeping with repentance - with your new life! Confess your sin and Cleanse your life!

God's got a plan.

So, behind on my Bible reading - the website took more time than I'd like to tell you about - and I'm reading today in Acts 16.

Paul is talking with some Greeks and finds a interesting way to tell them about God. It seems they had a shrine/statue that they worshiped but it was called "an unknown god." They were so careful to not offend the "gods" that they worshiped one they didn't even have a name for (which is kind of silly since all the other names were made up anyway).

Paul tells them about their unknown god, of course, he tells them about the one and only God.

Anyway, Paul says some cool things about God's plans in the passage. Yes, God does have a plan. And he's got some points laid out on how to reach that plan.

God's plan: Get the nations to seek Me.

He is going to do that by helping them to "feel their way toward Him" that happens a number of ways. Let me use you as an example. Why is it that people have to make a conscious decision to be atheist? We are born with a knowledge that there is something beyond ourselves. There are things that have happened in your life (I'll bet) that you could not explain or don't know how/why they happened. These are ways that God helps us to "feel" our way toward Him. Look, we are all spiritually blind, like puppies, we root around and "feel" our way to what will sustain and nourish us.

Secondly God is going to make sure that He is found. Go back to the puppy picture. If momma doesn't come back, if she can't be found the puppies die, right? So, momma has to make sure that she can always be found when her puppies need her. God does the same with us. He is never far from us so that He can be found when we need Him.

And once we seek Him and find Him we realize that IN HIM we live and move and exist!

My prayer today is that:
In God, I live! I dwell. I'm at home. Comfortable in God, safe and secure.
In God I move! He gives me wings to fly and dreams to reach and plans to follow!
In God I exist! I am nothing without Him. Any good I have done - apart from Him is nothing. I find my reason for being in glorifying my Savior Jesus Christ and bringing honor, together with Him, to God our Father.

So today I must seek Him... and find Him...