More Than - week 2 - devotional thought 1

We talked about patterns our lives follow this last Sunday at Real Life.  Today I was thinking about the different types of patterns there are.

The obvious ones are patterns for building something - perhaps a poll barn or putting together a book shelf or maybe a pattern to make a piece of clothing.  But there are also patterns in the buildings we see.  Shapes and curves and angles form patterns that are often mirrored from one side to the other.  I was looking at the floor of the old Food 4 Less building today and there was a pattern in the tile on the floor - where the freezers and bins used to be created a pattern.  There are shape patterns and number patterns and even musical patterns.  My oldest son Trevor comes home and shares the patters he's learned while studying for his Percussion Performance degree.  My son Trent loves to draw and uses patterns in his art.  There are patterns  to the movement of my daughter on the basketball court and my youngest son, who believes he can fix anything, sees patters in pretty much any mechanical thing.  Patters are all around us.

Maybe you've struggled with a different kind of pattern.  A pattern of abuse.  A pattern of addiction.  You've recognized it.  You do pretty well and everything is going okay and then you fall off the wagon again.  It's a pattern you can't seem to shake.

Yesterday we looked at a couple patterns that the people of Jesus day followed.  Matthew 5 - 7 addresses many of these patterns as Jesus uses them to contrast what He desires for our lives.  But I want to look at something he says before He begins to list the different patters of behavior He discusses.

In Matthew 5 Jesus is teaching the people who have come to listen and He's really rocking their world.  He starts out with a list of people, down and out folks, people who don't usually mean much to others.  He talks about the meek, the mourning, the merciful and the peacemakers, to name a few.  He tells His listeners that these people who have been of little account up until now are actually highly valued by His Father.  And then He starts talking about the kind of pattern that people should be but He uses the commodities of salt and light.

He says, "You are the salt of the earth" and the "Light of the world."

Salt and light each have a dramatic effect on the situations they are introduced into.  My family has always been huge popcorn eaters.  Nearly every night we have popcorn.  Once or twice my wife has forgotten the salt.  Have you ever had popcorn without the salt?  Terrible!  You can tell right away that something is NOT right.  But you add the salt and immediately everything is okay.  I remember playing hide and seek as a kid in the dark of night when someone shined a flashlight on you it was almost paralyzing it was so bright.

Think of salt and light like patterns.  They have a direct and dramatic effect when they are introduced.  There is no comparison between the dark and the light.  Darkness is scary and difficult to maneuver but the light is cheerful and makes everything clear.  Unseasoned food is bland and boring.  But add some salt and your taste buds sing!  That should be the pattern we follow in our lives.  If there were a "cut-out" to trace around for light and salt that is what we should be.  Our lives should have a direct and dramatic effect on the lives of those around us.  Our light should make their path more clear.  Our lives should season their life and add value to it.

Many Christians though need a paradigm shift (pattern shift) in their lives.  Too many of us reproduce a pattern of dullness and darkness so that others are not drawn to our Savior, Jesus Christ, but pushed away from Him by our actions and attitudes.

This week consider your pattern.  Do you add beauty to your surroundings?  Does your life oil the flow of interaction and inter-personal relationships?  Do you bring clarity and focus?  What pattern do you follow?  How can you be salt and light in your situation?

Your Struggles Might Be An Indication of God's Leading

We've been talking all week about persevering in obedience.  If you want to see God move in your life it's going to take some effort on your part.  Every great individual in the Bible who did something BIG with God started by obeying.  Go ahead, look!  You'll find that everyone had something do to BEFORE God moved in their lives.  Even if that something was believing.  Joseph (the step-father of Jesus) was told, "don't be afraid to take Mary as your wife."  And Mary was told, "do not be afraid...for no word from God will ever fail."  And there are countless others who had to go, stay, pray, fight, have faith...

So what is it God has asked you to do?

It might be helpful if you asked yourself this question, What am I having a real struggle with right now?  What Am I having a difficult time doing?  The answer to those questions may just give you insight into what it is God is asking you to do.

Are you having a hard time being still and knowing deep inside that God is God?  Maybe you need to reaffirm your belief that God is in control and that you have absolute faith in Him.  Have you had thoughts of serving in a certain area at church?  Or maybe agreeing to be a part of a study or group?  Have you felt compelled to give financially but are holding back because you don't see how you can survive without that money?  Is there an organization that you've considered volunteering with but something always comes up?  There's a good chance that whatever you're struggling with right now is an indication that there is a spiritual battle going on inside you.

Let me give you a peek at a couple of my struggles and maybe you'll see how it works.

You may have heard us talk about the Pregnancy Resource Center (that has been in Augusta) opening up a new branch in El Dorado soon.  They are working hard to open as soon as possible but need help getting the building prepped and ready to go.  I have been trying to help them for some time but something always comes up.  And then I have this internal battle about doing something good for someone else that is outside my Real Life circle and spending that time doing something else.

My other struggle is one that you'll completely understand if you're in the ministry.  Real Life is growing - fast.  And when a church begins to grow and you start thinking about the future it is really easy to starting thinking that you have something to do with the growth.  Like, if I could just make the next right decision the thing will just explode and be wonderful!  But also, if you make a wrong decision everything will fall apart.  There is a GREAT desire to take the responsibility for growth carefully from Jesus and place it in my own lap.

So these are two of my struggles right now.  Once I recognize them as spiritual battles I can try and handle them in spiritual ways.  The PRC is a great organization doing a great work to help stem the tide of abortions in Butler County.  They are worthy of any and all help and it will stretch me to get involved in this small way and help them out for a day.  So I'll be laying linoleum tomorrow at their new office.  And as I was praying the other day I simply asked Jesus to help me do my best at following Him - being the "first follower" at Real Life and letting the whole church leader thing take care of itself.

What are you struggling with?  The outcome of that struggle could lead you into God's More Than for your life or it could keep you derailed in your spiritual growth.

Remember, God is more concerned with perseverance than perfection.  Don't give up.  Make a decision to step into that thing you've been struggling with and see what God does!  All you have to lose is a little time... but you could gain more than you have imagined!

More Than - week 1 - devotional thought 2

We talked about obedience last Sunday and that obedience always comes before God doing something amazing and More Than you expected.  But we also discussed how it's not about being perfect in obedience (since no one is) but more about perseverance in trying to obey.

But some people may be mistaken that it's perseverance in intention and not action that brings God's More Than.  I've been to plenty of church services in my life and had maybe thousands of good intentions about obeying God... and only a few of them became actions. Maybe you've had that experience where you leave church saying, "things are going to change!"  And you really mean it, but for whatever reason you just don't follow through.  God doesn't expect us to be perfect.  But He does expect us to actually try.

Here's how Romans 2:13 expresses this thought, "For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God’s sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous."

For your meditation today in line with our desire to see God do More Than we ask or imagine this year take a look at the number of times you've intended to obey God and the times you actually have.

More Than Week 1 - devotional thought 1

On Sunday we discussed two important truths about our journey in Christ.

1. Obedience is a prerequisite for God's "More Than" in your life
2. Perseverance is more important to God than perfection.

Every time God called someone in the Bible to something incredible it always followed a first step of obedience.  We looked at Abraham, Moses and the Apostle, Paul, on Sunday.  But there are many others.  Gideon was told to tear down the alter on his father's property before God used him to deliver the Israelites from their enemies.  Joshua and the Israelites, BEFORE the walls fell down, were told to march around the city of Jericho.

Fortunately for us, while stepping out in obedience comes before seeing God do the incredible, being perfect in obedience is not a requirement.  God knows that we will fail and struggle and have times of fear and loss and even a lack of faith.  So what He asks of us is that we keep trying.

Listen to how James, the brother of Jesus and a failure in many respects himself, puts it.
James 1:2-4
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

James doesn't tell us the testing of our faith produces perfection, but that it produces perseverance.  And perseverance is needed because through our continued struggle to be like Christ we become mature in our faith, complete in Christ and not lacking anything for this life and these trials.

Persevering in our struggle to be more and more like Christ produces fruit in our lives.  God uses those who persevere for the incredible, not those who give up.  Failure, at times, is inevitable.  Persevering is optional.

So if you've failed before do not give up.  God doesn't discard you, He defines you through your struggles.

Is there something that God has been placing before you?  Perhaps that you have been unwilling to step into?    If you are looking for God to do More Than you imagine in your life this year it will begin with an act of obedience.  Perhaps He's been prompting you to share your faith.  To serve in an area you haven't before.  To give more of your time, talent or treasure to His work.  Whatever He's placing before you He'll ask that you step into it before He gives you your More Than.  That is called faith.

Misplaced Hope

My family is once again watching The Biggest Loser on NBC this season.  One idea that the trainers try to instill in the contestants is, you've got to want this for you.  It's not about your wife or kids or job it's about getting fit for your own health and well being.  Those other motivations may get you started but they will not carry you through to your goal.

Some of the contestants try to push their success off on their team or on the trainers and blame them if they don't succeed.  It's natural for us to blame our situations, our parents, our upbringing, our families our disabilities or schedules when things don't work out.  It takes the pressure off us.  It makes us feel a little better about ourselves.

Jesus came into Jerusalem and went down to the pool called Bethesda to see what was happening.  While He was walking through the crowds He came to a man who had been at the pool for 38 years.  Jesus stopped and asked him, "do you want to be healed?"  Interesting question since it was believed that at times an angel came and stirred the water and the first person in the water was healed.  So, of course the man wanted to be healed!  He stayed at the pool for 38 years trying to be the first person in the pool.  Talk about determination.  Trying and failing for that long might have gotten a lesser man to give up.

So it seems a little cold-hearted that Jesus would ask this man if he wanted to be healed.  At least, that is what it seems like.

Imagine if you wanted to loose weight and went to the gym every day.  But when you got there you just sat in the lobby and ate a box of Krispy Kreme donuts.  Then one day a trainer came in and saw you sitting there with the empty box and asked, "do you want to get fit?"  It's kind of the same situation.

Here's the reality.  Jumping in to a pool of water isn't going to heal you any more than sitting in the lobby of the YMCA is going to make you fit.  They don't equal.  It's misplaced hope.  So Jesus question is entirely acceptable based on the reality of the situation.

But the man was so sure that his only hope was the pool that he immediately began to make excuses.

• I have no one to help me get in the water.
• And people don't respect the line and they cut in front of me and get in first!

Can you hear him?  It's not my fault!  There's nothing I can do about it!  No one will help me!  

Jesus asked him a simple question.  Do you want to be healed?  It required a simple answer.  Yes or no.  

Have you ever put your hope in something that couldn't provide what you were hoping for?  Like a high school student asking for life advice from another student.  Looking for marriage advice from your single friends. Misplaced hope.

Little did the man know that the true healer, the great physician was standing right in front of him.  What the man had waited 38 years for was seconds away.  Jesus didn't have to wait for water to be stirred, he just said, "get up, take your bed and go."  

So many people are looking for healing, hope, restoration, freedom or peace, but they are looking in the wrong places.  The Bible says that Jesus stands at the door and knocks.  He offers all of these to those who would simply come to him for help.  Stop looking everywhere except the one place that truly offers hope for what you need.  Stop waiting for the water to stir.  Stop sitting in the lobby.  Stop making excuses.  Simply respond to Jesus with a, "YES!  I WANT TO BE HEALED!"

Was Jesus' First Miracle a Mistake?

John 2:1 "On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee..."

Have you ever wondered this?  I mean, God sends His One and Only Son to earth as a baby with the purpose of saving every person ever born, or to be born, from their sins.  Hebrews says He is the creator and sustainer of all things.  Jesus, who healed the lame, gave sight to the blind, cured leprosy and sent demons packing comes to the critical moment of his first miracle and... let down.

Surely He knew that for the rest of time this particular miracle would bring stark disagreement and even violent debate.  This one story, recorded only in John's Gospel has sparked much debate over the centuries. What does the word translated "wine" mean?  It can mean fermented or unfermented, so no conclusive evidence there.  Teetotalers believe it MUST mean grape juice and others assume it means an alcoholic beverage.  Was the "grape juice" saved for the last of the party or the "alcohol"?  I just heard an argument that it MUST have been grape juice they were drinking because how could a drunk person tell if the "wine" was good or not?  Of course, the counterpoint is that if the master of the ceremony was hammered he wouldn't have been very good at his job.

As for me, I try to keep things simple.  I don't believe the Bible indicates that it is a sin to have an alcoholic beverage.  I do believe the Bible clearly say that it is a sin to be out of control of your body - to have a self-induced lapse of judgement.  That being said, if John says the water turned into wine I'm going to assume it had some alcoholic content.  Let's face it, alcohol has been around, well, since the beginning probably.  So if it were grape juice why didn't John just say grape juice - they had that back then too.

But really the issue is this; why would God save up 33 years of Jesus life to begin His public ministry with a controversial "miracle" (seems funny calling wine a miracle since I grew up in a teetotaler household) like water to wine.  I mean, why not the healing of an entire leper colony for the first one?!  Why didn't Jesus reattach a leg or bring someone back from the dead or free a family from an illness or demon possession?  We could all get behind that, right?  We could all clap for Jesus and talk about how wonderful He is and there would be no debate, no argument, no disagreement   Everyone could rally around an actual miracle for Jesus first - this seems like it must have been a mistake.  Like Mary was showing off (though how did she know he could perform miracles at this point?)  Was she punishing Him for coming late?  Jesus even says, "My time has not yet come..." so why does He do this?   

Matthew has Jesus healing the sick first.  Mark shows Jesus casting out an evil spirit.  Luke's Jesus story begins with Him amazing the religious leaders in the Temple at the age of 12!  All of these seem Godly and appropriate.  So what is John's problem?  Did he not know any better?

Actually, I think John got it right.  I just noticed this today as I read this story again in my Youversion Bible reading plan for 2013.  John says this in verse 11, "What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the first of the signs through which he revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him."  I think a better and more fitting ending to this verse would be, and I believed in Him.

Here's why I think John writes about this unbecoming, improper miracle of Jesus.  It's the exact moment when John realizes this guy is who He says He is.  Jesus called John and his brother James from their fishing boat to follow Him.  They did.  They had heard Him say He was the Christ.  But this is the moment it stopped being a fantasy, a head thing, something he had to constantly remind himself of, and started being a matter of fact.  A matter of the heart.  Confirmed by the Spirit and accepted as absolute Truth for John.

This story is important because its your story and mine.  We each (whether you've forgotten it or not) had a moment when what we had been told or read or seen became reality to us.  Became the Truth.  Became the motivator for a changed life.  For John it was in the last days of a common wedding ceremony when he watched a jar of water become in the mouth of the of the host the "best" wine.  For you it may have been in a hotel with the Gideon Bible in your lap.  Or in the back of the church last year or last week.  Or in the car with your folks or when you came up out of the water when you were baptized.

Whenever it was and whatever the spark - it's your story.  It's personal.  It's your first real experience with the Savior and it's as important to you and it was to John.  What may seem like a mistake, or at least a misplaced, misdirected miracle was the most important moment in John's life.

When did you first believe?

Mistaken Identity

James 1:13  "When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone."


Beginning a New Year and restarting a Bible reading plan found me in John 1 this morning as I sat in my living room with a blanket over my legs and prayed.  John 1 starts out with some great theological fodder with verses like, the Word was with God.  The Word was God. He was with God in the beginning.  But this morning my attention was focused on something else.

In verses 19, 20 the Jews send priest and Levites to see if John was the promised Messiah.  He quickly told them no, but that the Messiah was among them and indicated that He would be revealed shortly.  But when Jesus is revealed by John, the guy they thought was the Messiah, no one believes him.

John didn't perform miracles.  Didn't socialize with anyone - priest or sinner.  Didn't heal the lame or free the demon possessed.  He just preached, Prepare the way of the Lord!  For this he is asked if he is the Messiah.  But when Messiah is revealed with signs and wonders, healing and casting out demons.  The Priests and Levites seem to be oblivious to this.  It seems to me to be a willful case of mistaken identity.

And then my mind started going - which often happens - and I jump to something seemingly unrelated.

I have also mistaken God for someone else.

The truth is that I have at times mistaken God for the one causing my problems.  I have blamed Him for everything, from a lack of finances, to broken down cars to struggles in my marriage or with my kids.  It occurred to me that I was pointing at God when I should have been running from Satan.  Mistaken identity.

God does not harm us or bring harm to us.  He teaches.  He instructs.  He disciplines.  But those are completely different from tempting or harming.  Satan uses these tactics to get us to blame God for our problems - but it's misplaced.  Mistaken identity.

In this New Year I will be more aware of Satan's schemes to get me to blame God for a particular situation or challenge.  I will look to God for help, recognizing that Satan wants to harm.

Monte Drenner in his book, Spiritual Breakthroughs says this, "Satan's lies are much easier to believe and to live than the promises of God."

His lie is that God is out to punish you. To harm you.  To pay you back for your sins.  But it is Satan who is tempting you.  Satan who is disrupting your life and causing you pain.  He is a liar and so you can trust that everything that comes out of his mouth is a lie.  He hates you and wants you to die so that you suffer with him.  God loves you and sent His own Son to die in your place so that you wouldn't have to suffer.

Father, help me to see You for who You really are.  Forgive me for the times that I have blamed you for the things that Satan has brought into my life.  Help me to recognize his games and turn to you for help and hope when He is on the attack.

Newton's Law at work in Lives

I've been thinking about the loss of life we've experienced lately as a community-nation.  The massacre in Newtown, CT and the killing of the police officers in Topeka, KS are grim reminders of the incredible evil and hate that we humans are capable of unleashing.

My intention is not to minimize the deaths of any of these people - death is difficult no matter the circumstances or the person involved.  I'm sure the family of the gunman in CT, as sad as they are for the great loss of life, are mourning his death as well.

I have also tried not to trivialize the events as is so easy to do on social media sites.  I've seen tons of posts about how our society/government is to blame because we "kicked God out of school."  I'm not sure which god is being referred to here but my God doesn't listen to men and is everywhere all the time.  So He could not stop being in the schools anymore than He could stop loving you, or stop knowing everything.  Or stop being all-powerful.  Gun control.  Prayer in School.  Metal detectors at the doors.  None of these will stop evil.  None will stop death.  None will stop those who desire to wreak havoc, create fear and destroy lives.

I was reading this morning in Revelation 16 and was struck by something.  I don't want to get into any theological debate about literal or figurative just consider this thought.  The consequences of man's behavior in that chapter have finally been exacted.  But instead of humanity recognizing it's selfishness and expressing it's sorrow.  Humanity curses God for the effects of it's own behavior.

It's like this.  There are times when my children have been defiant.  Instead of an immediate punishment, in an attempt to help them discover a Truth, I allow my children to make their own decisions, warning that if they do what they want it's fine, but they will have to live whatever the effects of their decision are.  This is not about any punishment they might receive from me, but the natural consequences of selfish or negative behaviors.  In the end my kids usually figure out what's going on and decide to do the right thing.  When they don't, they live with the results of their behavior.

At least once, each child who defiantly does their own thing, will also complain when it comes time for the results.  For instance, I might remind my child, they don't have to do their reading if they're tired, but if they do not get it done and reach their goal, they will not get to go on the field trip with the rest of their class that did get their work done.  A few weeks later I've got a sad kid who didn't make their goal and can't go on the field trip.  They then might have a tendency to get mad at me for not making them read, or their teacher for having the rule in the first place.  It is these teachable moments that are both difficult and incredibly rewarding as a parent.  I have had to explain that my child has no right to be mad at anyone but themselves.  They chose not to do the reading.  They knew the criteria for the trip before hand.  There was no conspiracy or ill will toward them they are simply experiencing what it is like to be an adult and have to live with the results of their decisions.

Throughout the Bible and history - up to today - God has been making Himself known.  He does this through various ways and means and through His creation.  And all along He has been expressing the way things work.  House rules if you will.  If you are intimate before marriage you will have to deal with emotional scars and physical scars/diseases that will stay with you the rest of your life and affect not only you but your spouse and perhaps your children.  Worship the Lord your God and serve Him only.  These are just two for example.  So if we, as humanity should chose to disregard His house rules and do our own thing that's fine with Him.  He's a big God - you don't have to listen to Him, He's still God - He can handle it if you go your own way and do your own thing.  But eventually you will have to deal with the result of your decisions.

At that time you have lost the right to complain about the punishment because you knew going in that there would be one.  Look, Newton said that every object, when it comes into contact with another object of mass creates a result that is equal to the initial action but in the opposite direction.  We say, every action has an equal and opposite reaction.

The same is true in our spiritual and emotional lives.  Every decision we make, every choice, every direction change creates an equal and opposite reaction in our lives.  We may not immediately notice it (though we might!) but it's there.

The next time you want to complain to God about a result, consider the event that initiated that result.  And don't complain about the house rules, recognize your own complicity in causing the initial action that resulted in this opposite and equal reaction.  And then learn from it.

Why This Evil?

There is no government policy or political action that can stop evil. Evil exists in this world because Satan is the prince of this world. The only combatant we have to evil is the very One that is being ridiculed and mocked and slandered - Jesus. When we are told not to believe in this "myth" we are told not to hope. Not to dream of something better. Not to appeal to the better nature, the S

piritual nature, of those who have been reborn. If faith is a hoax, it is the greatest and most worthy hoax the world has ever known. What we need now, is Jesus.
Here's some hope:
The face of the LORD is against those who do evil,
to cut off the memory of them from the earth.
When the righteous cry for help, the LORD hears
and delivers them out of all their troubles.
The LORD is near to the brokenhearted
and saves the crushed in spirit.
(Psalm 34:16-18 ESV)

Every Church Has 'Em...

We've heard it before.  And if you're a Christian, you've probably heard it often.  Christians are hypocrites.  Well, I'm going set the record straight once and for all.  Yes, we are.  Christians are hypocrites because Christians are people.  I've been able to spend some time with some individuals who believe that we Christians don't walk the talk and because of that have chosen more rational paths, like Buddhism and Hinduism as more non-hypocritical religious choices.  The problem is that they are just people too.  Which means that those who claim Christianity is full of hypocrites are at the same time hypocritical in their own lives.

Let's face it, we are all hypocritical.  Not all the time, but sometimes.  I will get after my wife because she sometimes shows a lack of will power.  She's got to have that diet Pepsi.  And then I blow off going to the gym.  It's difficult to live out everything you say you believe all the time.  We all (that means everybody) struggle at times and don't do something we know we should or do something we know we shouldn't.  Doesn't matter whether you're a Christian, Mormon, Atheist, Buddhist, Hindu or Sikh, we all have moments when we don't live up to our own talk.  I think it's because the one thing we have in common is our humanity and humanity is messy.

So here's the answer to the question of hypocrisy.  Do not look at a single individual, in any walk of life and from any religious or irreligious stance, and base your understanding of their position solely on their actions alone.  Instead, look at their religion, their belief system and determine if it is sound from the core and if it truly has merit regardless of the individuals ability to follow it 100% of the time.

Here's what I'm saying.  I'm a Christian.  I believe what the Bible says about the person of Jesus.  I believe in His perfect life, His atoning death and His literal resurrection.  Now, the Bible tells me the way I am supposed to life (I don't always live that way - in case you were wondering if I were super-human or something).  The Bible is different from any other religion or faith for several reasons but here's my opinion on a few.

The Bible pushes peace and living in peace and at peace with those around you.  We are told to "turn the other cheek."  But God doesn't forbid war or the protection of property, family or country.  When the Apostle Paul was asked by a couple soldiers what their lives should look like as believers in Jesus his response was that they refrain from extortion (a common practice of the military in that day), not that they give up their jobs as soldiers.  So we have the hope of peace in the reality of war.  It is a beautiful balance that takes into consideration not only the protection of the individual but the salvation of the enemy.  We are told in the Bible that if someone forces us to give them our jacket we should give them a shirt too.  Not for the sake of being a pacifist but so that this undeserved generosity might open the door for repentance and salvation.

The Bible tells us how we ought to live, while leaving room for our inevitable failure.  We are too live like Christ but God recognizes that we will not always live up to that standard.  There is an abundance of grace for the sinner and mercy for the saint.  However, the Bible points to the truth that our behavior (though not always perfect) is exactly what non-believers will be looking at before they make a decision to follow Christ themselves.  So once again there is this beautiful balance an incredibly high standard in Jesus, a recognition that we will not always be able to live up to it (though that is why He sent us His Spirit) and the reality that our behavior is exactly what others will look at when making a personal determination about Jesus.

The Bible is not a book of rules and regulations - yes, there are some - but it's really a book about freedom. See, true freedom comes when you are able to experience all that life has to offer and are not tied down and limited by the consequences for your actions.  For instance, true freedom comes from not having to be afraid every time you see a police officers on the highway because you know you're not breaking any laws.  Those who break the laws of the road live in fear of being caught and anger when they are instead of peace.  Freedom means living with your spouse as the only person you've ever been sexually intimate with.  No fear of disease, not having to take a pill every day to control breakouts, not having to be emotionally tied to others who you loved and left.  Being able to give yourself completely to one person is freedom - not control.  Are you living a free life if you can't enjoy a movie because mid-way through you start craving another cigarette?  Is freedom being so strung out you can't function?  You're always sick and can't hold down a job?  Which means you don't have money to enjoy life and do the things you really want to do because you're tied to something that now has you captive.  That is not freedom, it's captivity.

God wants us to live full lives, to experience real life that's why you find rules and guidelines in the Bible, not to keep you captive, but to help you enjoy freedom!  Whether every believer lives out their faith or not God should not be held responsible for the failures of His people, only their successes.  Horrible things done in the Name of God are not God's fault, they are the manipulations of misguided and at times evil men seeking their own benefit and glory over His.  Experience God for yourself, then make a decision.

A Revelation About What Needs to be Revealed

On Halloween day I was reading in James 1 and wrote this note from verses 2-4, Tests and challenges  reveal what my faith life is really like...

Consider that for a minute.  When you face trials in your life, setbacks, cars that won't start, overdue bills, relationship struggles, problems with your children or parents, temptations and maybe even sin, how you respond to each of these challenges reveals what your faith life is really like.

I remember having a discussion in an Elder's meeting years ago.  There was a gentleman who disagreed with a stance that I took in regards to a biblical issue.  This particular issue had been longstanding in the independent Christian Church so I knew I was on solid ground in my interpretation and the stance I took.  I was not dogmatic or a push-over just firm in my position.  It took only a few minutes into the meeting where this gentleman presented lots of seemingly strong arguments for his case but none of them held water.  Less than 10 minutes into the discussion he pounded the table and yelled at me and everyone else at the table who would allow me to continue to preach there as though we were ignorant and even sinful.  He loudly shouted his resignation and stormed out of the meeting.  Not one other person there - about 10 of us - ever even raised our voice.

Now let me get personal.  A few weeks ago I was in a spiritual black-hole.  It seemed like every car my family owns was broken down and we were really struggling to get everyone where they needed to be when they needed to be there.  And in between those times I was frantically working on one vehicle after another.  Our newest car would not start.  My daughters first car she'd driven about 3 or 4 weeks sat with major engine trouble.  And the one vehicle left drive-able got the worst gas mileage and would not always start.  I was mad at God for putting me in this place and not taking care of me and my family like I thought He should.

Then I read James 1 - Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way.

Under pressure your faith-life is forced into the open and shows it's true colors.

Wow.  I have to say that my faith life was not any better than the man who yelled at me.  We each were lacking in our spiritual connection and how we faced and dealt with challenges in our lives.  What I saw in me was a bit of a whiner who had to have his way.  I spent considerable time seeking forgiveness from my Father.

What I began to see was that these challenges come into our lives to reveal and strengthen.  Like tearing down a muscle so it will rebuild stronger.  When we try to avoid these difficult situations or as James put it, "get out of [them] prematurely" we loose the opportunity for growth.  We must let these challenges do their work.  Their work is not to harm us or tear us down or destroy us but instead to benefit us spiritually, to build us up in the Spirit and make us strong.

Difficulties, challenges and struggles reveal where we're at spiritually so that we can recognize where we need to grow.  Job's trials revealed that he was faithful and mature in many areas, but that He had begun to see himself as better than he actually was.  God used the trials to reveal those last few areas in his life that might prove to be his downfall later.  And because Job didn't try to get out of it he was blessed beyond measure for it.  In my reading today from 1 Peter 4:13 I read that when things get difficult we should be glad because we are in the thick of this life with Jesus and what we face "is a spiritual refining process, with glory just around the corner."

Let the Holy Spirit reveal what is lacking in you through challenges because that is the only way you and I will grow and no matter how difficult things get glory is just around the corner.

Why I Don't Run From Halloween

First let me say that if you're a believer in Jesus and reading this you've probably heard all the reasons why Christians and certainly churches should not celebrate or recognize Halloween.  You've heard horror stories about Satanic rituals and virgin sacrifices many times before.  So please remember that the title isn't Why I Run from Halloween, but Why I Don't Run From Halloween.  If you want another lesson in the reasons to avoid Halloween there is plenty of information on the inter-web for you.

Do you remember a time in your life when you met someone that said they didn't celebrate Halloween?  Do you remember how you responded?  My guess is you did NOT look at them with a sense of reverence for their spiritual superiority.  You didn't gaze at their glowing face in awe of their giant faith.  No, my guess is that you asked a very sarcastic "why?" with a this guys a nut look on your face... or you simply shrugged your shoulders and kept eating your mountain of candy.  My father was a pastor for 35 years and every one of those years we dressed up and begged candy from our neighbors.  But I never remember Halloween being mentioned in church.

Church seems to have a bit of a double standard in this area.  Churches have resigned themselves to the fact that 98.7% of their people will celebrate Halloween but you still can't talk about it.  Drive down the street and look at churches around Halloween and you'll see that we've done everything we can to try and cover up the fact that what we're celebrating is Halloween.  In the last few weeks I've seen big signs in church yards for Fall Festivals and Neewollah parties (this one really gets me) and Harvest parties but not one has dared mention the word Halloween.

Just for fun, set up a little on camera interview with the little costumed creatures on the street next year and ask one question of each child, "Why do you celebrate Halloween?"  I guarantee every child's answer will have something to do with candy.  You won't find a single kid who will go into the dark history of the Holiday.  The fact is, any child raised in a home that recognizes the opportunity for evil in the day will not be going door to door for candy but will be out in a field somewhere with their family dancing under the moon or whatever they do.

To the vast majority of the people in our country Halloween is an excuse to dress up and eat way too much candy.  So instead of running away from Halloween, I acknowledge it (notice I didn't say, "embrace" or "love") and try to leverage it for a Godly purpose.  See, I'm sick of Satan undermining every "Christian" holiday; He's materialized Christmas and made Easter about eggs and fluffy bunnies.  So why not take a day that is supposed to be Satan's and turn it into an opportunity to engage the disconnected with Jesus?

So this year at Real Life we leveraged Halloween like never before.  There was a flash-mob doing Michael Jackson's Thriller Dance to tease the October message series, Walking Dead (capitalizing on the popularity of the AMC television show by the same name).  The first week of the series we took pictures of our people and "zombified" them for use on social media sites like Facebook.   We saw some great conversations start as friends of friends asked questions about the pictures and our people got to tell them - not about Halloween, but about Jesus and what He was doing in their lives at Real Life.   During this series leading up to Halloween we addressed the spiritual issues of those without Christ headed to a literal place called Hell and how in-Christ we believers are to die to ourselves and to sin - become walking dead in order to live for God in Christ.  And we capped it off by handing out 1100 invitations to church, included in stuffed treat bags, that some decorated volunteers handed out during Trick-or-Treat down Main Street on the 31st.  Around 6000 pieces of candy were given out and nearly each one came with an invitation to connect with Jesus.

Here is my opinion.  We in the Christian community are not fooling a single non-believer with our Halloween hypocrisy.  They know that, whatever we call it, we're celebrating Halloween.  If we were really against Halloween we'd pretend it didn't exist.  We wouldn't let our kids dress up.  We'd preach against it and we certainly wouldn't do trunk-or-treats or invite people to our harvest parties or fall festivals and we wouldn't do these large-events on or near Halloween at all!  Instead, by calling it something other than Halloween,  two things occur.  First, we make ourselves "feel" spiritually superior, because we're not calling what we do a Halloween event.  And second we further alienate the very people we claim we're trying to reach with the Gospel.

So I use Halloween and the month of October to express spiritual truths and share the Gospel in a way that might connect with non-believers.  Instead of standing on the corner telling everyone they are going to Hell (don't remember Jesus doing this to anyone...except the religious leaders).  We have fun with it knowing that it simply provides us with an opportunity to have a conversation about Jesus instead of a discussion on the spiritual implications of Halloween. I don't run from Halloween because I see it as too valuable an opportunity to share the light of Christ Jesus with a dark world - and like Paul said, if we tried to get away from the darkness we'd have to leave this world.  Instead, Paul tells us to avoid those who claim to live in the light but walk in darkness, so that we can find a way to connect with those who truly are in the dark about the light and love of Jesus (see 1 Corinthians 5:9-11).

By the way, October 2013's series will be called The Other Side and we'll deal with the often left alone subjects of Satan and how he works, demons, angels, Hell, etc.  I'm sure we'll do it up big and try to once again leverage this opportunity for the glory of Jesus Christ.  And God willing we'll see the light of Christ shine on those in the darkness.

Reality Check

Anything you can do, I can do better.
     I can do anything better than you!

Do you remember that song?  I remember going 'round and 'round with my sister - "no you can't, Yes I can!"

We may not say this much any more but I bet it's still thought, a bunch!

The mistakes of others often cause us to shake our heads and look down our noses and think, I would never be that careless.  Consider this, when reading about the wanderings of the Israelite's many Christians scoff with this, "if God did for me what He did for the people of Israel I would follow Him anywhere!"  We assume that we could "do it better" than they could.

But I wonder if that is true?

The truth is no matter what happens, no matter what is going on in my life, I have the tendency to harden my heart.  It's not like I do it on purpose.  It just happens.  When I go about my life I can get sidetracked with the day to day.  Even if God provided food every day.  Even if He made my shoes and clothes last forever.  Even if He made the sun stand still - I would get used to it.  I would harden my heart and look for something "more."  With food every morning I would complain it wasn't the right food or get tired of it, I'm sure.

The point is we so often miss the things God is doing in our lives.  Not because we aren't paying attention or because what He's doing isn't incredible, but because His work and miracles have become commonplace.  Because we've grown used to His working in our lives we fail to see it any longer.

The writer of Hebrews recalls this,
"Today, please listen;
    don’t turn a deaf ear as in “the bitter uprising,”
    that time of wilderness testing!
Even though they watched me at work for forty years,
    your ancestors refused to let me do it my way;
    over and over they tried my patience..."

My prayer today was that I would NOT be like those who wandered in the desert.  That I would NOT get lost in the commonplace of God's mighty hand at work in my life and church.  That my ears would stay open so that I would hear His voice so that I might obey His command.  And that I wouldn't get sidetracked or lose focus, but would instead make it to my destination.

What are you ignoring today because you've gotten used to God's providence?

If there is food in your home... ANY food then God is providing.  You literally could be like the majority of the people in the world and have NO food in your home.  No refrigerator or freezer to keep food beyond the day.  No cupboards filled with canned stuff you keep until there's a food drive at church or with Scouts and you can unload it.  Got a vehicle to get to work?  Does it work?  Got a job?  Most people walk.

Father, help me to have eyes to see your work and provision in my life and for my family.

Learning from Lance

Lance Armstrong is back in the news but its the same old story.  Doping.  No it doesn't mean that he was smoking dope, weed or Mary Jane.  In the sports world it refers to any number of performance enhancing substances designed to give you a physical edge over your opponents.  This time though the prosecution comes with eye-witness accounts from Armstrong's team-mates and lots and lots of documentation.

Now, I don't want to presume him guilty, I'll let the people who are making the claims do that but the pressure and the evidence are mounting against Lance.  And although he still fiercely maintains his innocence I would imagine that the truth will come out perhaps sooner rather then later.

Here's the deal.  When you beat as many people as he has as much as he has someone is going to cry foul.  They will say things like, "no one can be that good."

So here's the problem in Armstrong's situation.  He denies his guilt.  I imagine that if it's possible, he'll claim innocence to the grave, regardless of what his closest and most trusted "friends" are saying.  And there's the problem.  We'll take honesty over perfection any day.

Many Christians have believed for a very long time that they, like Lance, have needed to claim innocence even in the midst of obvious guilt.  We'll make some excuse or reason why we "had" to do what we did and say things like, "I didn't mean to do it" thinking that motive or mitigating factors lessen our guilt or responsibility.  But the truth is people just want us to be honest.  If you fall.  If you fail.  Own it.

Here's what I tell the folks at Real Life.  If you are trying to live out your walk with Christ and you mess up, you tell a dirty joke (or laugh at one!) or you let some @#%$! words fly, don't just jump back up on your high-horse and blame your co-workers for your failure, go to them and say, "I'm Sorry.  I'm trying to live differently now and I failed.  I'll probably fail again, even though I don't want to."  An apology for not living up to your own expectations - offered out of HUMILITY will go a long way in helping your co-workers, family, friends or neighbors understand that your new life in Christ is a process and that you want to succeed.

The worst thing we do as Christians is pretend like we're perfect and that everyone else is at fault if we fail.

If it turns out that Lance has been involved in the most intricate and covert doping cover-up in sports history he'll look like a fool and honestly, I hope they take away every win he received.  Not as punishment for his win, but as punishment for his lies.  If he's innocent, I'll be the first to cheer him on.

Believers know this, you're not perfect.  You're going to mess up and fall both publicly and privately.  Own it before your friends, family and co-workers and own it before God.  Seek restoration and reconciliation from those around you and from God.  Get out of the saddle and see what it's like to walk in frail honesty for awhile.  You'll find it's a lot more freeing than trying to be perfect and finding someone to blame when you're not.

The Walking Dead Have Taken Over Real Life

What a great Sunday at Real Life to kick off October AND our new message series, Walking Dead!  Had a great morning of music finished off by four baptisms and learned about how Daniel was walking dead because he chose to die to sin and selfishness so that he could live, completely to God.  And that is what this walking dead series is all about!  The truth is we are all walking dead.  In a literal sense we are all headed for death, if you're reading this you haven't died yet, but you and I and everyone else will one day die.  We're walking dead in a spiritual sense in two ways:  First, the Bible tells us that the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23) so without Jesus we're dead in our sins.  But as believers in Jesus we should die to sin and selfishness.  So you are either walking dead IN sin or walking dead TO sin.

The myth is that if we remove the obstacle (God we suppose) to happiness and life-the-way-we-want-it then we will truly be able to live.  But the reality of our lives is that without God nothing really makes sense.  We can pretend it does and talk about morality and doing good to others, but without a God that determines what is moral and good those things become arbitrary and meaningless.  I know a young man who talked about how God probably wants a good moral person who "does no harm" over a Christian who lives at times like a hypocrite.  In this view, he justifies not needing a Savior because he lives his life trying to "do no harm" to others.  The problem with his view is this; while he is kind to most people he can be horribly mean, verbally abusive and physically aggressive toward members of his own family.  So he doesn't even live up to his OWN moral code.

When we live for ourselves based on our own system or code of what life is all about we most often fail and wind up controlled by something that we thought we had control over.  Live your life for yourself, on your own terms and you'll end up looking for something more down the road, something that satisfies your hunger for meaning and passion for life.

Paul, in Titus  chapter 3 gives this testimony, [God] gave us a good bath, and we came out of it new people, washed inside and out by the Holy Spirit. Our Savior Jesus poured out new life so generously. God's gift has restored our relationship with him and given us back our lives. And there's more life to come—an eternity of life! You can count on this.

Work hard for sin your whole life and your pension is death. But God’s gift is real life, eternal life, delivered by Jesus (Romans 6:23 MSG).

If you want to really live you've got to give up your life - I know it sounds backward but it  isn't, it's how it works.  Try to save your life and live for yourself and you'll get trapped by the very things you chose to do to prove your independence!  But give up your life to Jesus and let Him lead you and you'll discover what it's like to truly live.  To be free.  To be more than you though possible.

Welcome, to the walking dead.

Here's a picture of my family taken last Sunday at Real Life Christian Church Worship Center to promote the walking dead series on social media sites.

Thriller Flash Mob at Real Life Sunday!

To increase awareness of the Walking Dead series beginning Sunday October 7th, a few creepy folks from Real Life decided to thrill us with a little taste of zombi-riffic dancing on Sept 30th!  Enjoy!

Walking Dead begins October 7th at Real Life

The walking dead refers to those who appear to be alive but aren’t.  You meet a lot of walking dead every day.  At the grocery store, your school, in the next cubicle at work.  People who appear to be alive but are really just walking dead.  The Bible says that everyone who rejects Jesus as Lord is bound for death, but that in order to truly live we must die to ourselves.  Without Jesus we are dead in our sin – walking, but dead.  With Jesus we must die to self so that we can truly live in Him – dead, but walking.
Join us at Real Life throughout October as we travel a path few have, the Walking Dead.

There will be a special Top Secret surprise this Sunday and then October 7th we'll have a photo booth set up where we'll be taking your picture and then will "zombify" it and post it on Facebook with you tagged.  Then you can grab your pic and put it as your profile picture for the month to help us leverage social media to get the word out about Walking Dead!

The Making of an Extraordinary Day

Facebook can be depressing.

I see so many people nearly overcome with worry, relationship issues, baggage, not being able to let go of their past, haunted by memories, strangled by addictions, tangled in sin.  It's no wonder their posts are depressing and negative.  I remember being told, "show me your checkbook register and calendar and I'll tell you what's important in your life."  Today, all we have to do is look at someone's wall. 

But it doesn't have to be this way.  

Your day can be extraordinary.

Don't you want to wake up excited about the day?  Don't you long to look forward to your future?  Aren't you tired of feeling stuck?

Open your eyes, it's an extraordinary day.

There is something that happens when we get stuck by our past and frustrated with our future.  We stop looking around.  I have this problem.  When I walk or run I often find myself looking straight down at my feet.  Where I am going to step next.  Like I am so worried about falling or stepping on something that I keep my focus six inches in front of my toes.  That's a depressing place.  I start focusing on the gray pavement.  On every... single... step... and monotony begins to set in.  Soon, all I want to do is stop.  But when I look up, to where I'm heading, I get happy.  I'm filled with awe and wonder at the beauty of the trees, the stars (I run at night) and everything God has created.

Some people, maybe you, are so worried about falling again, getting hurt or getting even that they spend all their time looking at life six inches at a time.  What is my very next move?  where will my very next step be?  They get so focused on what's immediately in front of them that they can't see all the different directions and options that are open to them.  Nascar drivers are trained to look at where they want to be when they are driving into a wreck on the track, not where they are.  If you are focused on where you are, six inches at a time, you'll end up headed for an emotional wreck.  But if you focus on where you want to be, where you're headed, what's open to you, you will naturally begin to head in a new and positive direction.  2 Thessalonians 2:15 says, "Take a firm stand,feet on the ground and head high."  God knows you'll never get where He wants you to go if you're worried about how you're going to get there.  Look ahead and you'll make the necessary course corrections.

Here's the first few corrections you can make right now.

1. RECOGNIZE WHO YOU ARE:  2 Thessalonians 1:11,12 says, "God makes you fit for what He's called you to be..."  Can you wrap your head around that truth?  You don't have to be perfect!  You don't have to worry about doing everything just right in order to be who you want to be.  It's God who makes you fit for what He's got in store for you.  And it's not about what you are "doing" for Him it's about who you ARE to Him!  He perfects you according to His plan for you!  Who you ARE not what you do.  You are a child of God and He's got a plan for your life that extends through this life and into the next.  But you'll never see it if you're too busy looking at the ground right in front of your feet.  Trust Him to do the work IN you that will enable you to be what He desires you to be.  He makes you fit for His purpose!  Recognize that He's got a plan for you (and here's an exciting secret - this not just true for Christians... God is calling and fitting every person for His plan and pleasure.  So don't think you're disqualified just because you haven't joined Him yet.  You can right now and experience this new, changed life!)  Today you don't have to be perfect.  You don't have to focus on your life right now.  You can relax and trust that God is working in your life to accomplish what He has laid out just for you.  And what He's begun in your life He will be faithful to complete.  Lift up your head and look at all He's doing!
2. PRAY FOR TODAY:  The fact is that you're going to do stuff today.  You're going to meet people and make choices and work and think and plan and have a pity party and worry.  We all go through a ton of emotions and struggles and joys each and every day.  But these don't have to be single events that come and go.  You can redeem your day and see each choice, each conversation, each moment as pregnant with purpose and possibilities.  Paul says, "pray that [God will] fill your good ideas and acts of faith with his own energy so that it all amounts to something" (2 Thessalonians 1:11,12).  Pray each day that every decision you make, every thing you do and thought you think would be guided by the Holy Spirit.  Every action would be done in His strength.  Every conversation would include Him.  The truth is, if God's not in it it's not going to amount to anything anyway.  Your good ideas and acts of faith, without God's presence and energy to complete them are just ideas and acts.  They are here and gone.  They live six inches in front of you and with the next step you're past them already.  But if they are done in God's energy they can have lasting effects that stretch both in front of you to affect your future and behind you to impact your legacy.
3. HONOR JESUS:  Our role in life is to be a walking talking Jesus.  I want my children's behavior to be a representation of who they are, Landreths.  Their actions reflect not only on them, but me, their mother and their grandparents and extended family.  The reality is that people will judge our whole family on their actions and attitudes.  Like it or not, this is how we function.  When was the last time you saw a stuck-up-rich-girl and didn't immediately make a judgement about her family and life? How we live our lives reflects on every other Christian and even on Christ Jesus Himself!  When a Muslim extremist blows something up every other person everywhere makes a judgement not only about that person, but about their nation and their god.  But when we honor Jesus with our lives something incredible happens.  "If your life honors the name of Jesus, he will honor you" 2 Thessalonians 1:11,12).  Your life can actually impact how others see the King of kings and the Lord of lords.  You. Right now.  Are either causing people to think, "I'd like to experience that kind of life..." or "if that is what being a Christian is like I don't want it."  Every status update, every tweet, is either drawing people to Christ or pushing them farther away.  Honor Jesus with your life and He'll honor you.  That's His promise.

Recognize who you are.  Pray for today and Honor Jesus with your life.  You'll begin to experience the makings of an extraordinary day.

The iPhone 5 and Your Walk with Jesus...

I just watched a YouTube video from Apple on the release of their newest iPhone and I was amazed by two things.  How incredible this phone will be and how little it has changed.  No matter how much they use the words, redesigned, started over and completely new, this new phone does not seem to very different from the iPhone 4S.  Now, please understand that if you bought me one I would thank you and then with a complete lack of spiritual maturity show it off to all my friends.  That moment of honesty aside when you look at the pictures of the new phone it looks incredibly similar to it's iPhone predecessors.

What Apple HAS done, instead of coming out with a completely new looking phone, is get really specific and intentional with the little things.

For example, they took the case - which is virtually the same as the 4 and 4S - and made it fit together even better.  They now take pictures of the front and back of the aluminum shell while on the conveyor belt and mechanically mach the other pieces of the case from over 700 precast options.  Their claim is that they are dealing in nano-meters when it comes to how the case fits together.  They have also come up with ways to slim the case down a little, but have made it longer without making it wider (no, your old 4S otterbox will not fit the new phone).  They had to create a new LTE chip as well make several other advances to the hardware to make this all happen.   In addition they created new ways of polishing and finishing the aluminum so that each chamfered edge, each rounded corner is nearly a mirror image of the others.

But it doesn't look much different.  It is a little smaller a little longer but the screen, the apps, the backgrounds the form and function of the phone is nearly the same.

I wonder what would happen in our spiritual lives if we took the Apple approach to our walk with Christ?  Instead of looking for that next big breakthrough or duty or job that God is just waiting to give us, what if we started focusing on the little things.   You could start with the case.  Are their corners to your personality or demeanor that could stand to be smoothed down and chamfered a little?  Would it be a good thing if you focused on making sure that your personality and attitudes were mirrored so that whether you were at home, the grocery store or church you appeared the same to those around you.  You know, not so rough.  Maybe your language could use a polish.

And what about the inside?  Are there areas that you have simply ignored because they seemed to be working?  What if you started getting specific with your spiritual life?  How much time do you spend in prayer/Bible reading each day?  How can you sandwich that stuff in so it becomes a more consistent and vital part of your life?

Maybe instead of looking for that next BIG spiritual step you and I could start looking inside and outside our lives with a focus on the little things that help us be better prepared for the big things.  Here's to a more efficient and integrated spiritual walk for you and for me.

(and I'd like my new iPhone 5 in black)

Walking Dead

Maybe you've heard of the AMC show Walking Dead, maybe not.  I'm a fan.  So if you've been watching you know what I'm going to share, if you're just starting the series on Netflix or something this is a spoiler alert for you.

In the show, at the end of the second season you learn that the "virus" that turns people into zombies does not come from being bitten or scratched and it is not ingested or airborne.  The virus is in every person already.  Now we don't yet know where it came from (perhaps in season 3) but it is present in every person.

That means that even though you are alive right now, you are walking dead.

I read the other day in Philippians 2 this sentence, Jesus, being God, didn't "claim special privileges.  He lived a selfless, obedient life and died a selfless, obedient death..."

Jesus was (and is and always will be) equal with God.  However, He willingly gave up His POSITION as God refusing the special privileges that came with His deity.  Instead of making the rules (like He made the universe and everything in it) He obeyed them.  Instead of being outside and beyond death (as everlasting and eternal) He obeyed it's physical requirements and offered Himself willingly to the most horrific death of His time.

In my prayer journal I wrote these lines.
-Jesus died to self way before He died for my-self on the cross.
-Jesus died to sin way before He died for sin.

Jesus was a walking dead.
From at the least the age of 12 He knew exactly what He had been born to accomplish.  He knew exactly where He was headed and He followed that path with unwavering commitment to the end.  He was born to die.

In you and me is the potential to live like Christ Jesus.  To die to sin means we MUST die to self because in the end sinfulness is selfishness.
Jesus, thank you for setting the example for me, an example I too often fall WAY short of, so that I might know what the life of a walking dead looks like.  The walking dead are completely alive and vibrant and awake to You and Your power, even though they are dead to themselves and to sin.  Help me to live the real life of the walking dead.

Walking Dead message series begins October 7th 2012 at the  El Dorado Civic Center Sunday's at 10am

Have We Gotten Soft? Think David, Leonidas and YOU!

Maybe it was just where my thoughts went during my prayer time today or maybe it was the fact that I was working a commercial for our upcoming men's group using a scene from the movie 300 about Sparta but I'm thinking we're getting soft.

Here's how my prayer went, "...help us to work through things, instead of working around them."

It occurred to me that in our lives we often look for work-arounds.  You know, another way of doing something that isn't quite avoiding but certainly not a direct attack.  If you are into technology you may look for all kinds of work-arounds for your computer, iPhone, iPad or nook.  I have a nook and wanted to get some apps on it that were not available from Barnes and Noble and found a way to "root" the nook so I could add them.  there are financial work-arounds (ask Bernie Ma doff) and parents often look for discipline work-arounds.  This is actually a huge problem.  Parents who want to have a child and want to see that child grow up to be a good citizen or even a Christian but can't stomach the discipline it takes to discipline.  So they work-around the issue instead of tackling it directly.  We are a nation in love with getting around an obstacle instead of finding a way through it.

Consider a relationship, work or school, in your life and how often you deal directly with a problem or challenge when it arises.  Or do you "sit it out" and "wait for it to blow over."  Do you argue about something and then just not bring it up again until it comes up again?

If you're like most people I know (including myself) you enjoy the work-arounds.

I wonder what would have happened if young David would have sought a work-around?  Instead of frontal assault in the Name and power of God Almighty what would have happened if he walked instead of ran?  What if he tried to sneak up on Goliath instead being in plain view?  And given Clint Eastwood's speech at the RNC last night, what if Dirty Harry would have said, "Let me think about this for a minute..." instead of, "Go ahead.  Make my day."  Would it have had the same impact?

Perhaps we've just gotten soft.  We don't want the fight so we walk away from the battle.  Even if it means we are going to have to face it again tomorrow, or next week or next month.

I think I'm going to try the Leonidas approach and see how that goes.  When there is a problem, no matter how big or insurmountable it may be don't first look for away around it, determine to push right through it.  This will require strength and stamina (they ARE different) and a courage little seen in this day and age. But we might rid ourselves of many a recurring headache if we dealt with our problems and challenges head on instead of always looking for a back door.

Just sayin'.

You Can't Do it on Your Own...

Just heard this sentiment again:  "his parents came to this country with $10 in their pocket and taught their child to rely on himself."  We've heard the now famous line, "if you've got a business, you didn't build that."  Let me speak some Truth into these sentiments.

No matter how much money you've got in your pocket God is the one who put it there.  He is the One who directs your steps, gives you opportunity, provides and protects.  You've got a $1,000 and I've got God - I'm gonna win. Look, you can rely on yourself all you want but in the end the measure of control you actually have over your life is insignificant to the events and situations you cannot control.

Let me give you an example of what I'm talking about.

"The farm of a certain rich man produced a terrific crop. He talked to himself: 'What can I do? My barn isn't big enough for this harvest.' Then he said, 'Here's what I'll do: I'll tear down my barns and build bigger ones. Then I'll gather in all my grain and goods, and I'll say to myself, Self, you've done well! You've got it made and can now retire. Take it easy and have the time of your life!' "Just then God showed up and said, 'Fool! Tonight you die. And your barnful of goods—who gets it?' "That's what happens when you fill your barn with Self and not with God." Luke 12:16-21

When we rely on ourselves, our bank accounts, our smarts and strength we will eventually lose.  What is worth your very life?

As Americans we are probably the number one country in convincing ourselves that we are completely able, within ourselves, to accomplish anything we set our minds to.  The problem?  Our Declaration and Even our National Motto inescapably place our greatness on our God, not on ourselves.  Every nation that has left God and began to build on their own ingenuity and strength has eventually failed.

So the Truth is that if you have a business you should recognize that God has helped you get there.  If you have a strong marriage, God has blessed you.  If you have a good relationship with your children, family, a good job, a nice home or cars, God has been watching over you.

It's not that you haven't done anything, but what you have has come directly from God.  Because if God chose your life could be gone and all you've built will go to someone else.

Instead, we should build our lives and our judgement for success on God.  Build your relationship with God and He'll take care of your business.  Build your relationship with God and He'll watch over your family, He'll work through you to accomplish what you could never do on your own.

Two Sunday's Under our Belt at Real Life's Worship Center

Well, we made it.  Two Sundays under our belt at our new Worship Center, 201 E. Central - The El Dorado Civic Center.  We are so thrilled to have this wonderful space in which to worship.  The city of El Dorado certainly did a great job with this amazing space.  Okay, now that that is out of the way...

Two Sundays down!  We had a great time with a smaller more intimate crowd on the 19th as we remembered the last five years and looked forward to the coming years and God's continued blessing.  Then on the 26th we gathered again to kick off a new message series, had the full band rockin' the house again and was able share the day with 92 of our friends!

Moving forward let me in on what is happening.  We have made arrangements to have more chairs in the worship area so that you won't have to jockey for chairs next Sunday.  We've purchased some large banners to help you get around in the new space and we've stocked up on our guest bag fillers and are working on some children's guest bags!

So come and check out our new (temporary) home at the Civic Center this Sunday at 10am as we hit the second the message in the series Changed - on the book of Philemon.

Inspect Yourself

One of the life complaint I hear all the time as a preacher goes something like, "I just don't know what God wants to do with my life..."  Seems like the vast majority of Christians are just going through the motions waiting for God to dump some incredible, purposeful task in their laps.  I've heard, "I don't know what God is keeping me alive for."  and, "I'm just waiting for God to show me what He wants me to do."

People seem to think, since I'm a preacher, that there must have been this lighting strike moment when God parted the skies and spoke to me A la The Holy Grail.  But it didn't happen like that.  God had been preparing me for preaching my whole life.  I spent some time running from that but God always gets His way.

I think the difficult part is that we all want some great moment when we "know" what it is that God want's us to do with our lives.  But the reality is that what He really wants is you and I to live our lives like Christ, everyday.  Wherever we are and whatever we are doing.

Consider these verses from Galatians 6:4-5.  Make a careful exploration of who you are and the work you have been given, and then sink yourself into that. Don't be impressed with yourself. Don't compare yourself with others. Each of you must take responsibility for doing the creative best you can with your own life.

What a great encouragement!

First, explore your life.  Chances are you are one of few people in your job or school who can reach the group you are with every day for Christ.  Or look at where you volunteer or the friends you hang out with.  These people are YOUR mission field.  Don't look for another job - look for opportunities to be Christ where you are NOW.  Make a careful (I would say that means prayerful) exploration of your life AND the work you HAVE BEEN GIVEN.  When was the last time you thought about your job as the work God had given you?  Have you ever looked at your co-workers as people God had uniquely placed in your path for you to reach?  Sink yourself into your job, your school, your classroom, your organization, your volunteer group, your neighborhood and look at it as your unique field of ministry.  Then be Jesus to those people.  Do your work as though you are doing it directly for God.  Be happy!  Be purposeful!  Be inspired!  Be loving!  Be at peace!  Be consistent!  Be Jesus!

And then work to avoid the pitfalls of working for God.  Don't be too impressed with yourself.  And don't compare yourself with others.  Both of these will lead to failure.  One a failure OF witness and the other a failure TO witness.  Both will keep you from experiencing God's best for you.

Instead, take responsibility for your life.  Be creative as you work, share, love, interact with others.  Don't wait for your preacher to counsel you into some wonderful God work.  Don't wait for God to part the clouds and lead you to your destiny with a pillar of fire.  Chances are, where you are standing in your life right now is exactly where God has placed you to reach people that no one else is quite as capable of reaching.

Inspect yourself, your life, your gifts and talents and then... get to work for God.

Real Life is a Free Life

I have really enjoyed reading in the book of Galatians the last few days as a part of my Bible reading plan for the year.  Especially since I'm reading in the Message version and getting a  fresh perspective on the old truths contained in Paul's letter to the church in Galatia.

Yesterday I was reading chapter five and in verse 16 I was struck by this line, "My counsel is this: Live freely, animated and motivated by God's Spirit."

Those who are not followers of Jesus often think that Christianity is the opposite of freedom.  They think that we believers are governed by this huge rule book that sits on the coffee table collecting dust and spells out every single thing that we can't do and then gives examples of what happens to people when they don't follow the rules.

But that couldn't be farther from the Truth.

It is True that the Bible spells out things that we should avoid, sexual immorality, gossip, slander, drunkenness, fighting, hate, murder, you know, everything that doesn't show love toward someone else.  But think of it this way.  Instead of a rule book listing things to be avoided, it's more like an instruction manual for getting the most out of this life.  The things the Bible says to avoid it says for OUR benefit.  God is not some random fun killer trying to keep us from enjoying life, He's a coach trying to get us to live to our greatest potential!

Think of it this way.  Let's say you just got selected for the 2016 Olympic team.  Your dream is to win the gold for yourself and your country.  A coach who drives you hard in practice but doesn't care about what you do when you leave the gym would not be your best choice if you wanted to win.  But a coach who pushed you hard in practice and then helped you understand what things you needed to avoid in your diet, in your leisure time, etc., would be of great benefit to you.  And although you may not enjoy the "rules" once you won the gold you would be so happy that your coach pushed you so hard.

Or how about this.  My family used to watch The Biggest Loser television show every week.  If the trainers killed the contestants for eight hours a day in the gym and then let them go back to the homes and eat whatever they wanted we would not see the dramatic results that show produced.  We would not see changed lives.  In fact, when Rulon Gardner was on the show he did not do as well as the others, even though he was at one time a world-class athlete, because he was making poor decisions outside the gym.

God has given us the Bible so that we might know how to wring the most out of this life.  When we decide that our "freedom" means we can do whatever we want we find ourselves, addicted, chained to repetition, miserable because of guilt, hopelessly stuck in a sexual vacuum or simply done trying to live beyond our current situation.  But when you are free, from those "freedoms" that actually confine you, life is so much better, hopeful, happy and you're able to enjoy the freedom you have instead of regretting what you've given up.  Would any athlete claim that their life is not free?  No.  Because they have willingly given up a little to gain what they really want.

I want to live freely - not addicted, confined, forever scraping and clawing to get ahead or stuck in an endless cycle of abuse.  But animated and motivated by God's Spirit, who is my personal life coach.  Helping me avoid the things that will keep me from reaching the goal of living this life to the fullest extent and having hope that when this life is over, real life begins.

Look at your own life without Christ.  Are you free?  Really?  Do you have money to have fun or are you spending it all on your addictions?  Are you healthy and happy in your life or are you strung out and waking up in strange places and can't remember how you got there?  If you don't shoot up or take another hit do you feel better or worse?  The fact is you're trapped - not free.

It's time to be free.

Getting Settled in the New Office Space

Well, thanks to the help of the great folks of Real Life we are up and running now at the new office space at 109 N. Main in El Dorado.  I've enclosed a couple pics so you can see the space.  And you'll also see my desk and stuff.  You can't see it but on the floor around my desk and behind those chairs in the background is blue tape on the floor so we'll know where the walls are going.  There's a blank space where the door is going so if you come over make sure you use it.

God is so good and we not only had a great morning of worship Sunday but we also had a 102 in worship and many stayed to help clean up and clean out our original space and get it all packed and moved over to the new space.

Test Yourself…

Two years ago while training for the Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon I followed the directions in a book called, Four Months to a Four Hour Marathon.  In the book were several benchmarks that were designed to help me gauge how well I was progressing in order to reach the goal of a four hour marathon.
 
Every month or so the book said I should be running such-and-such distance at such-and-such pace.  And I tried to keep up.  Having never been a runner it was not an easy task.  I was grateful for the tests spread out in the book to help me judge how well I was progressing and I was amazed at how fast and long I could run.  In the end I finished the Marathon at 5:17, but I was not too disappointed.  It was the worst conditions they had ever had (47 degrees and raining, including some hail) and, as I said before, I am not a runner.

In the book of 2 Corinthians Paul talks a lot about the Corinthian Christians faith.  The church in Corinth was having some problems.  This whole faith in Jesus thing was new to them.   They weren’t used to their new normal yet and were struggling to put their faith to practice in their daily lives.  In the 13th chapter Paul encourages them to “Test” themselves to make sure they were “solid in the faith.”  I think thought that was a good idea but was puzzled on what a good test for solid faith might look like.

If you were going to make a test to help someone determine if they were on solid ground in their faith walk what would you include?  Would you want to see a lack of sin in their lives?  Do you see a lack of sin in your own?  Would you consider an addiction a disqualification for faith?  What about language?  Would you put church attendance or volunteerism on the list?  What about Scripture memory?  How would you gauge the Holy Spirit’s presence in a life?  Before you consider writing such a test it would be beneficial to honestly look at your own life and consider where you might fall on your own test.  My guess is that you and I would probably fail our own solid faith tests.
 
It just occurred to me that the church Paul was addressing didn’t even have “Scriptures” to memorize!
 
How hard must it have been to maintain faith in the first century?  No Bible.  You couldn’t turn the TV on at any hour of the night or day and watch a Sunday sermon or teaching.  They didn’t have the Bible on CD or dramatic readings.  They didn’t have denominations so it was difficult to know who was from where.  And no Bible colleges or seminaries existed to pump out indoctrinated students of their particular brand of theology.
 
Here’s what they did have, every once in a while, an Apostle would come to town.  In between those visits other disciples like Titus or Timothy might stop by.  And they even got a letter once or twice a year from someone important.  But in the case of Corinth (and probably every other place except Jerusalem) they had false teachers and faith abusers who infiltrated their church and tried to stir up trouble or take advantage of grace.

So what would YOUR faith test look like?

Here’s some ideas I’ve come up with…
• Can you say honestly that you believe Jesus is the Son of God and your Savior?
• Would you say that you are improving in the areas of:  Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness and self-control?
• Are you attempting to be in prayer-contact with your Father on a daily and continual basis?
• Are you able to recognize your own sin and seek repentance?
• Would those who don’t know you figure out that you are a Christian if you spent 30min talking with them?

How are you doing?

Moving Is Underway!

Hey folks, we're moving and things are getting put away, thrown away and stowed away in preparation.  I thought I'd upload a few pics of the progress so far - gonna look pretty bare in here Sunday for our last two worship services in our original location.  God is working out the details through His faithful and we are on track and on budget to make this move in just nine days we'll be worship in our new temporary home, the El Dorado Civic Center!

Keep praying and be ready to serve where needed as we take this historic step to see more people find real life through a relationship with Jesus Christ!

I hope that you can make our last worship service at 2405 W. Central at either 9 or 11 but REALLY hope you can join us at our Civic Center launch August 26th!  See you soon!

It Happens on the Inside

Had to be reminded today that God is at work whether we can tell it or not.  I find myself thinking and praying, "God, you promised, why aren't you..." In the midst of working to accomplish what He's called us  to do if He's not working fast enough I tend to get frustrated.  And frustration often leads to asking yourself, "did I misunderstand what God wanted me to do?"  "If you're not going to provide here God I may just give up."

And it feels like our enemy, The Devil has launched a full-on attack.  Personality conflicts, threats, difficult questions, difficult people, difficult situations and there's no easy answer for any of it.  Like Satan has built a wall around us and is only letting that which has destructive possibilities through his blockade.  Whatever God has already planned for us seems to have been hijacked and taken in a different direction.

On the outside it appears that very little is working like it needs to.  And that means that on the inside I am terrified.  Worried.  Second guessing every decision and seeking a way to compensate for God's apparent lack of involvement.

But I came across this little encouragement in my Bible reading this morning, 2 Corinthians 4:16-18; So we're not giving up. How could we! Even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is making new life, not a day goes by without his unfolding grace. These hard times are small potatoes compared to the coming good times, the lavish celebration prepared for us. There's far more here than meets the eye. The things we see now are here today, gone tomorrow. But the things we can't see now will last forever.

We see that even when everything on the outside seems to be falling apart God is always at work!  If it's not visible it's invisible because God's promise is that He will never sleep, so He's always working.  And that work He does is making new life, unfolding grace within us so that we will be able to weather any storm because the troubles and difficulties of this life are insignificant when compared to His abundance.  Good times are coming.  There is hope, even in the midst of trouble so I will NEVER give up and what is unseen now will be what lasts forever.

Here's to hope in the midst of trouble, do you have it?
Only Jesus can provide it.