Making Sweet Tea and Observations

I like sweet tea.  No I am not from the South.
Glad that is out in the open!
I have been in the office all day prepping for Sunday, cleaning up my desk, tying off all the loose ends for this weekend and getting graphics ready for next weekend... which just reminded me of another thing I need to do!

So I am a little tired after the trip to Emporia last night to listen to my son, Trevor's, last Jazz Band concert of his freshman year at Emporia State University.  I need a little pick me up so I brewed some tea and in preparation for the hot elixir I dumped some sugar in the bottom of the gallon canister I keep it in.  When the tea was ready I poured it in and noticed something interesting.  The very hot tea which easily melted the sugar hadn't got to the bottom of the pitcher.

When I poured the hot tea in it melted a layer of the sugar on top which became like a sweet shield that kept the hot tea on top and let the rest of the sugar underneath intact.  I had to actually get a large spoon and puncture that shell in order to let the hot tea completely mix with the rest of the sugar so that it liquefied and and became "part" of the tea.

While sitting here I have been thinking about that sugar and how it protected itself from the hot tea.  I think I have acted like that sugar.  When presented with an "opponent" that threatens to destroy me I form a shield.  I let just enough of me get exposed so that the shell hardens and protects what is underneath.  I think I do that in my Spiritual walk too.  I have been burned by people, by trust, by my faith.

The problem is that this shell I have formed keeps me from becoming something better.  I insulate my self from the heat and then also from growth.  James 1 says that trials actually produce something good in us.  Like sweet tea, if I don't let the heat in I'm no good!  When the heat comes and I embrace it I can become something better than I would have without it.

So here's to a BIG cup of sweet tea and a little personal growth to boot.

AWAKEN - message links

Not sure what you did Easter weekend but here at the links to Real Life's Easter weekend service called AWAKEN, at the Civic Center on April 8,
http://rlccmsgs.blogspot.com/2012/04/awaken-part-1-easter-2012.html

and part 3 of the AWAKEN series on April 22, 2012.
http://rlccmsgs.blogspot.com/2012/04/awaken-part-3.html

God's best to you in your life as you follow Him!

Jesus Didn't Pray

I suppose the first thing that I should do is clarify the title of this post.  Jesus didn't pray... like we do.  In fact, Jesus prayers seem really strange to me.  So today I thought I'd work through His prayers and see what we might learn about prayer from the greatest pray-er of all time.

In Matthew 15 Jesus feeds the 5,000 + with just a small meal.  He does this by praying, well, to be precise the text says, "after He had given thanks..." So, we know He thanked God for what He had provided.  But I wonder how He prayed that prayer?  If it would have been you or me we might have prayed something like, "Heavenly Father, You know these people need to eat and You have provided only a small meal for one person.  There is not enough for everyone but I know You can do all things.  If it be Your will that these people eat please increase this meal somehow so that we could all eat and be filled.  In Jesus Name, Amen."

But did Jesus ever pray a prayer like that?  Did He ever question what God's will was?  Did He ever ask for things like we do?

Jesus did pray concerning God's will once.  It was the night He was to be betrayed.  He prayed that His Father find another way to pay the price for the sins of the world, but that ultimately the Father's will would be carried out.  He was basically saying, Father, this is going to be really hard.  If there is another way that would be wonderful, but I know that You brought me to this moment and that it has to be this way.  May I always do what You will.

Now, You may ask about the passage where Jesus was teaching His disciples to pray.  He instructs them to pray about God's will being freely accomplished here on earth as His will and reign are in Heaven.  That we ask God to provide for our daily needs out of His abundance.  That we remember to confess our sins and seek forgiveness for them even as we are given the strength to forgive others that harm us.  And that God help us to avoid temptations in our daily life and deliver us from evil or from the evil one (that's about protection).

But when Peter and John are on their way to the Temple to "pray" they meet a lame man on the way.  And here there is no record of Peter or John praying that God would heal this man.  Peter just says, we don't have money to give you but, get up and walk.  So even Peter doesn't seem to pray before He healed someone.

The fact is, Jesus was always doing the will of His Father.  Perhaps that is why we don't see Him praying like we would in these situations.  We are not told of His prayers before He healed someone.  When presented with a need Jesus simply touched, spoke, made mud or gave instructions and the person was healed.  We don't hear of Jesus praying that God's will would be accomplished or asking God what He wanted to happen in this situation.

In John 11 Jesus performs an incredible miracle, He actually brings Lazarus back from the dead after four days.  It was a shining moment for Jesus and the disciples as this event has to increase their faith in Him as the Messiah and Son of God.  And on this rare and special occasion Jesus prays.  Again we might expect to hear, "if it be Your will bring Lazarus back from the dead."  or "God what is impossible with man is possible with You."  But in this strange and wonderful moment Jesus prays His most awkward prayer.  "Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.”

Then, in a breath He simply says, "Lazarus!  Come out!"

So here's my prayer and my conclusion (to this point - I reserve the right to change my mind).  Heavenly Father, give me the boldness of faith to speak.  To put Your reputation and Your power and Your love on the line for the benefit of someone else that I do not have the power to help except to invoke Your Name and speak on Your behalf.  Do not let me be content any longer to pray in my home or office that You heal someone, but boldly speak to their illness or disease like You have already decided to heal them.  To put myself and Your power out in plain view so that when it is discovered that You had already healed them Your Name is honored and glorified among us.  God may You Name be praised and may you make us bold so that the whole world may know that You are God.

Even Starbucks Can't Make People Happy

Female Cochineal insects are flat and wingless

I wasted time while eating a salad for lunch by reading an article from Starbucks that popped up on Facebook about something called Cochineal Extract.  If you are so inclined to wasting time you can read the article for yourself here.  Anyway, turns out Starbucks has used this Cochineal Extract to color stuff they serve red.  It is a natural food colorant that is used pretty much everywhere.  Seen a red velvet cake?  You've seen Cochineal Extract at work.  Here's where it gets a bit interesting... only a bit, (pun intended and you'll see why in a second).  Cochineal extract comes from an insect by the same name.  The Cochineal insect is dried and then mashed to get the red coloring.  Now, before you get grossed out you need to think about all the other things that you eat and where they came from or what was crawling on them before it got to you.

Anyway, this is not about the bugs that color things so well.  Apparently some vegetarians were upset with Starbucks for using this cute little bug to color about four food items and two drinks.  And instead of simply not ordering the bug-colored offerings they launched an attack against Starbucks to force them to stop using this extract so they could enjoy the offered items without the guilty conscience that comes from bug consumption.

Well, Starbucks caved and is now implementing a plan to use another food and human-consumption-safe extract made from tomatoes - which are apparently fine to kill and mash because, after all, they have no feelings.  Anyway!  This is not what peaked my interest either...

No, what I was interested in was the fact that no matter what Starbucks (or any of us) tries to do someone will be upset.  See, I read the comments section of the post (which was far more interesting) to see how the general audience at Starbucks felt.  You guessed it.  Some of them loved it!  Yeah!  No more insect consumption!  And some of them thought it was just pandering to the vocal minority, Birkenstock wearing hip Seattle crowd.

So here's what I've decided.  I will never make everyone happy, nor with the church I lead.  So, I want to make decisions based on what I believe God is doing and the direction He is leading, as well as what the intended result is.  I want to be able to say that I did what I did because it was where/what God was leading me to.  The same for the church.  Our music is loud.  We offer free custom coffees.  We wear jeans and t-shirts.  Not because we think its the only way, but because we want to use whatever means we can to connect with people who are far from God so that we might have opportunity to connect them with their Savior who will absolutely change their lives.

I do what I do as a leader in Christ's church to connect with as many people as possible in order to share the Gospel with as many as possible.

You've Got Mail

Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan - what a fantastic movie pair... I guess that's why my wife moved You've Got Mail to the top of our queue on Netflix.  Well, she also wanted out daughter to see it.  I supposes she's also put Sleepless in Seattle and Joe vs the Volcano on there too.  Anyway, we watched this movie the other night and aside from having to explain to our 16 year old daughter what AOL was and what life was like back in the "olden days" it was a pretty good evening.

It was so funny to see the two characters waiting expectantly for their computers to "connect" so they could log into AOL and check their mail.  Who would have thought we'd soon have always-on, high-speed connections to the internet and do nearly everything from our computers, online?  So fun to remember 56k dial up modems as I sit here at my desk at Real Life with my Cox Business High-Speed wireless connection.  That dial up noise is one thing I do not miss!

Well, back to the reason I brought all this up.  In the movie the two main characters are always waiting for their connection.  And in once scene Meg's character is waiting at a restaurant for Tom's character to show up only she doesn't know it's him she's waiting for.  And when he shows up she's mad at him.  Now, you'll just have to go rent the movie and watch it again, but it's really quite interesting - including the part where they finally meet in AOL chat and it's this really big deal.  Which is funny because my kids don't know what it's like to NOT have instant chat on the computer or their cell phones wherever they are.

Okay, so let's get to the point of all this.  I was reading today in John 11, you might know that as the chapter where Jesus brings Lazarus back to life after he's been dead for four days.  This was actually the chapter and story I taught on for our Easter services at the Civic Center that kicked off our AWAKEN message series.  But there is some other stuff going on in this passage that has to do with the religious leaders that caught my eye.

Jesus has just healed Lazarus and everyone knows it.  But the Jewish leaders have been looking for a way and time to kill Jesus.  So when they get the news that He's just brought a dead guy back to life they are furious.  In fact, they said to each other, "What do we do now" (verse 47) which is interesting in and of itself. What would YOU do if someone you knew just came back to life after four days dead?  I think I'd believe whatever the life-bringer said about who He was or what He was doing!  But that's not all just nine verses later as they talked they ask, "Do you think He'll show up at the feast or not?"

That last one got me thinking.  How often do I, or you, ask this question in our hearts?  Will He show up?  Every time we get into a difficult situation we wonder, will He show up this time?  Maybe He's come to your rescue before and so you wonder if He'll show up this time because you've done the same dumb thing He had to rescue you from earlier.  Do you think He'll show up when the doctor gives you the bad news?  Will He be there when the bottom drops out of your world?  What about when your kid gets in trouble and you don't know what else to do or threaten?  Will He be there then?  Will He show up when you're alone in your room, in the dark, and there is no one to stop you from carrying out your plan?  Do you think He'll show up in the middle of YOUR life and do something incredible?

You don't have to wait for your prayer to upload.  You don't have to worry if your phone has connection.  And God will never play games with you.  The Bible tells us He's there, always, like a super-high-speed connection that is never interrupted by the storms of life or power failures.  He's always there.  He will ALWAYS show up because He's NEVER left you.  Trust in the Lord with all your heart and don't rely on your own understanding or wisdom or even eye sight, in all that you do acknowledge that He's God and He'll direct your paths.  He'll show up.  He'll help you.

You've got mail.  It's a message from God sent through His Son Jesus Christ that simply says, "Here I am, right where I've always been, waiting for you to open the door and let me in."  He will never leave you or forsake you, you'll never have to ask, "Will He show up?"

Changes Are Coming! Join Us!

I was reading today in John 9 about Jesus healing a man who had been blind since birth.  The interesting thing about this particular healing is that the man doesn't see his healer.  Jesus makes some clay on the ground and puts it on the mans eyes and then tells him to go and wash his eyes in a specific pool of water.  The blind man makes his way to the pool and begins to wash off his face and when the mud comes off his eyes he can see.  But since he could not see Jesus and is now not near Jesus is not aware of who healed him.  Later, he and Jesus meet up, and Jesus asks him if he believe in Him?  The man, still not knowing he was talking to his healer, says, "Point Him out to me so that I may believe in Him."  

It occurred to me that, like the man born blind, we all have had some experience with the Savior.  The problem is, most of us don't recognize Him, don't sense Him, don't know Him.  We receive blessing from Him, but aren't aware who the blessing is coming from because the Bible says we are all spiritually blind.  We are ever seeing, but never perceiving.  We can see the blessing, the miracle, the help, but we just aren't able to see where it comes from - that every blessing comes from the hand of God.

I think that passage, John 9:36 speaks directly to our role here at Real Life.  We simply want to point Jesus out to those who haven't recognized Him yet, so that they might believe.  And we want to do this over and over again.  Because His blessings are wonderful, but your life doesn't really begin to change until you recognize the healer - and believe in Him.  

So here is how we say we're, "pointing Him out."  We're helping every person possible find real life through a relationship with Jesus Christ.  That's it.  We're not about a certain agenda or social activists, we want people to know Jesus.  When they do, the Holy Spirit will begin to convict and restructure their lives in obedience to Christ.  

And God is working and bringing those He chooses to hear the message of hope and real life in Jesus.  That's why we've decided to live up to one of our own ideals, to try anything and risk everything to win anyone to the One who can change everyone!   So beginning April 22nd Real Life will hold two morning worship services in an effort to be able to better accommodate the people that God is bringing and to see Him change even more lives!  

So join us this Sunday at either 9 or 11am and we'll worship the God who changes everything together!

"But He..."

I'm prepping for the message this Sunday and have decided to use Luke 8 as the main text for the message.  Specifically verses 49-56 which is where Jesus brings the dead daughter of Jairus back to life.  We'll also be looking at another passage in Luke 8 and one in Luke 7 both where the people involved thought there was no hope for their lives/situations.

In the Luke 8:54 passage Luke talks about how Jesus... wait, I don't want to give the whole thing away so I'll be a little vague... let's just say the people are laughing at Jesus because of what He said.  And Luke starts verse 54 with "But He" and it just struck me with such force.

But He.  If what followed those two little words was something like, "but He was wrong..." we wouldn't probably give it another thought.  But he doesn't.  What follows is something incredible.  I found another passage with those very words.  In Luke 4:30 Jesus has been preaching and the crowd becomes furious with Him and begins to press in and pick up stones to kill Him, "But He" walked right through them to safety.

Amazing isn't it.  You could add those two words to anything and completely change how you feel about the situation.  When the disciples where in the boat and it was sinking in the squall and they finally went to Jesus and said, "Don't you care that we are going to die?"  But He wasn't scared.  He spoke to the wind and waves and they calmed.

Maybe today you are worried about the storms that are being predicted for our area this weekend.  But He isn't worried.  There's never been a storm yet Jesus couldn't calm with a word.

Maybe you're scared because your marriage is on rocky ground and you don't know what the future holds.  But He holds the future.

Your job or car or kids are giving you all kinds of problems... But He is always steady and never shaken.

Whatever you're going through there's a "But He..." at the end.

Your spouse may walk out on you.  But He will never leave you or forsake you.
You may be facing a serious illness.  But He made our bodies and heals the sick.
You may think you'll never experience joy or peace in your life.  But He gives them freely to those who believe.
You may have had a horrible father who abused you and treated you terribly.  But He is kind and loving and always does what is best for you.
You don't know where you next meal is coming from.  But He does.
You don't know if you can make it to your next paycheck.  But He's already made a way.
You don't know what's gonna happen tomorrow.  But He holds your past, present and future in His hands.
You don't think you can ever be forgiven or accepted or loved.  But He already died for YOU.  But He already paid your price.  But He knew you and loved you in the middle of your sin... binge... abuse... addiction... pain... hate... fear...

You may not know what to do.  But He's got this.

Reflections on AWAKEN and the Future

Been trying to process last weekends services at the Civic as Real Life celebrated Easter and kicked off a new message series called AWAKEN.  It's funny how a moment or two can completely change your perspective and completely change how you view the future.  I thought AWAKEN could be a big weekend for us but I had no idea God wanted to bless it in such an incredible way.  I figured that we might have a total attendance for the weekend of maybe 150, boy was I wrong.

Some might say I didn't have much faith.  Maybe.  I feel better about saying I just didn't have a great expectation.  I thought we'd have more than normal but I was unprepared for the number of people who just continued to pour into the Civic Center Saturday and Sunday.  When it was all said and done we had counted 260 people between the two services and estimated about 60 of those Sunday had attended Saturday night.  So we had a total of 200 different individuals celebrate Easter weekend with us.

On top of that we were able to baptize nine people into Jesus Christ and who knows how many others God has been working on during the week!  I heard from so many different people, statements like, "If I would have known church could be like this I would have come a long time ago."  or "This is not what I expected church to  be like, I will definitely be back next week."  It was also amazing to me that people both nights hung around after the service was over and talked and ate and got drinks, like they didn't really want to leave!  What a grace soaked, Holy Spirit involved weekend!

Real Life exists to help every person possible find real life through a relationship with Jesus Christ.  And since He is the only way to eternal life, real life, we want to make sure that everybody knows how to enter into that relationship.  See, it's not about us.  It's not about comfort.  It's not about getting our church quota in for the week or month.  Life is about connecting with people so we can have the opportunity to connect them with Jesus.  AWAKEN was just that, an opportunity to connect with people, but our ultimate goal is to help them see what life could really be like with Jesus.

So, aside from the things I could have done better, that will have to be improved on in the coming weeks and certainly if we do that again, here's what I think God was saying to me over and over again last weekend.  "Look at what could be.  See what I see."

I've been here since the beginning when less than a dozen people met in my living room.  We had big dreams.  But life and difficulties have a way of pounding some of those dreams down into more "realistic" hopes.  I thought God was telling me the possibilities are bigger than I have thought possible.  One of our Elders, Bob, said to me yesterday as we talked about the number of people who were there for AWAKEN, "...and there are a lot more people in El Dorado who aren't connected to Jesus."  The field is indeed large.  The harvest within that field could fill the Civic Center multiple times each weekend.  There is lots more to do.  And bigger dreams to be dreamed.

I was reading in John 7 today and the Holy Spirit just kept pounding me with the idea that God's time is always right.  He is never late.  He is never early.  When we try to rush Him we mess things up and end up falling on our faces.  When we are too late we miss out the full measure of His plan.  But when He acts and we respond on time He brings together our willingness and faith with His blessing and plan and the results are more and better than we ever imagined.

So here's the bottom line.  God's got a bigger plan for Real Life to continue to connect with the disconnected and share the hope of real life in Christ with those who are trying to find some meaning and hope in this life.  And when we wait and watch and pray, He will show us the right time and way to respond to all that He wants to accomplish through us for His glory.

Are you ready?  God's got more coming...

Opportunity Knocks

One of the great movies of my youth was The Last Starfighter.  I have watched it many times and it's always exciting when I find it on Netflix and watch it again.  In one scene Alex Rogan is trying to make a decision when the trailer park manager gives him some sage advice, telling him essentially that when opportunity knocks you got to "grab it with both hands and hold on tight."  

Jesus was one of those opportunistic people.  Henry Blackaby says that Jesus only ever did what He saw His Father doing.  That's easy to figure out when a short, stuffed shirt tax collector climbs a tree to see you.  But what about when you're just taking a break?  

In John 4 Jesus has been walking and He sits down by a well in the afternoon while His disciples go into the town to buy some food.  While Jesus is sitting there a woman comes out to draw water.  Coincidence?  She didn't climb a tree.  She didn't ask Him to heal her or to be His follower.  Actually, she was quite shocked that He would even talk to her.  So how did Jesus know that His Father had appointed this meeting and that her heart was ripe for salvation?

Well, I'm not a super-scholar but it seems to me a pretty simple answer.  He asked.

Jesus should have sat by that well all afternoon and not seen another person.  History tells us that the women of the day would have gone early in the morning to get water, before it got hot.  So when she showed up to get water Jesus surely was intrigued (although He already knew what was going to happen).  But the women didn't ask Him anything.  She was probably very shocked to see Him.  It would have been strange enough seeing a man at the well, but the fact that He was a Jew made it even more odd.  So she keeps her distance and gets her water quietly.  

Jesus then asks her to get Him water.  Strange again.  By engaging with the woman, asking her questions He is able to get her to ask Him for the living water.  The opportunity presented itself and Jesus took advantage of it.  

It wasn't rocket science or some super-spiritual understanding.  He had a moment with a woman in a strange situation and He led her to the Truth.  She in turn led nearly the whole town to faith in Christ.  When opportunity knocks you've got to grab it with both hands and watch the Holy Spirit do what only He can do.  

AWAKEN this Easter with Real Life at the Civic Center

On Easter Christians around the world will be celebrating the life of Jesus - risen and new.  But did you know that Jesus wasn't the only one to raise from the dead?  There were many people Jesus raised from the dead in different circumstances and situations.  Can you imagine that moment when life and breath once again entered your body?  Your eyes burst open and your lungs filled with life-giving air, like coming up out of the water!  Did you know that dead bodies are not the only things that Jesus can AWAKEN?  Imagine that moment when you realize that your hopes are NOT dead yet.  Your dreams CAN come true.  New life can come to your relationships and you can AWAKEN to a life you always dreamed of but never knew you wanted.

Join us this Saturday, April 7th at 6pm and Sunday, April 8th at 10am for AWAKEN and see what God wants to bring back to life for YOU!

AWAKEN happens on Saturday and Sunday at the El Dorado Civic Center - 201 E. Central.

Don't Waste Your Time Dumping Perfume on the Dead

Have you ever said something like, "God, if you would just tell me what your plan is I would... (believe, follow, trust, obey)."  We think that if we knew what God was up to we would just follow Him and go along our merry way and everything would be roses.  But is that really the case?  Does knowing the truth actually make it any easier to follow?  To obey?  To trust?

Let me play this scenario for you.  A young lady is in love and her boyfriend beats her up.  He comes back later and apologizes and says he loves her and would NEVER hurt her and just wants to be with her again and so she lets him back in. Repeat the process.  Often, even though we know the truth, we chose to live as though it were NOT true.

This hit home with me this morning as I read in Luke 24 the story of the group of women who went to the tomb early Sunday morning.  Sometime between the setting of the sun on Saturday and it's rising on Sunday morning the women had mixed (prepared) a large amount of spices with which to pour over the decomposing body of Jesus.  They would have done this prior to His burial but it was so close to the beginning of the Sabbath that they could not risk it.  It was against the law to do any work on the Sabbath, let alone the fact that had they come in contact with Jesus dead body they would have been ceremonially unclean and so unable to celebrate the Passover, though I doubt that would have had much impact on their decision.  There was not much to celebrate on this Sabbath.

Probably, by candle light, either late Saturday night or very early Sunday they mixed the spices together, perhaps with water or olive oil and put the mixture in jugs to get it to the tomb.  But something very unexpected happens when they get there.  Not only are the soldiers who had been stationed there under penalty of death gone missing, but the stone had been rolled away and when they looked inside the body of Jesus was gone - only the linen wrappings that had encased His body had been left.  The wrappings, which they were going to use to hold the spices next to His body were laying, folded in on themselves as though whatever they had been wrapped around had disappeared, like popping a balloon encased in plaster.

If all this was not enough for them to take in they suddenly saw a man, glowing who talked to them about Jesus.  He asked them why they were looking for the living One among the tombs of a cemetery and then said in Luke 24:6 (MSG), "Remember how He told you when you were still back in Galilee that he had to be handed over to sinners, be killed on a cross, and in three days rise up?"  Then verse 8 tells us, "Then they remembered Jesus' words."

Jesus had been painfully clear on this point to both the women and the disciples and everyone else.  He would suffer.  He would be beaten and killed on a cross.  He would be buried and three days later rise from the dead.  He told them exactly what was going to happen, more than once.  And if that wasn't enough the disciples had all the prophecies of the Old Testament Scriptures which clearly pointed to the same set of events.  They knew the truth, but didn't live like it.

Jesus said that the words He spoke were truth.  I wonder how many other true things have been told us that we refuse to live our lives by?  For instance, the Bible says that we are MORE than over-comers - but we often act more like the overcome.  The Bible says we are FREE in Christ - but we live confined and condemned.  Jesus said we would have POWER through the Holy Spirit's presence in our lives - but we are weak.

What TRUTH have you set aside as you live your life?  Don't waste your time preparing spices to cover the stench of your dying dreams, hopes, relationships, walk in the truth of Real Life through Jesus Christ who forgives sin and restores hope and brings dead stuff back to life.

Is it Ever Right to Judge Someone?

I know, I know, you think the answer to this question is obvious.  Surely you've heard all the comebacks.
Don't judge me.
Only God can judge me.
Don't judge or you'll be judged.
Even the Bible says not to judge other people.
Let the one who has never sinned cast the first stone.

We've heard them all.  But are they true? When one of these arguments is made what is usually going on?  Someone is being told that what they are doing is wrong.  This tends to make people angry.  And don't think it just happens between some left wing activist and a right wing big brother.  This kind of argument crops up in the church among people of faith all the time.

But I want to know if it is an appropriate argument?  Are we really supposed to just let anybody do anything because we are told NOT to judge?  Can we take no moral stand against anything?

Let me just be really straight-forward.  I am convinced that 99% of the time this arguments is used there is some sort of sin at the heart of it.  And the person saying, "don't judge me" is really saying, "don't tell me what to do."  Or, "I know I shouldn't be doing this but I don't want to stop."  The "don't judge me" card is just the easiest way to get out of the conversation.

So here's the low-down, nitty-gritty about judging others, straight from God's Word.
Paul said, "I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people - not all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters.  In that case you would have to leave this world.  But now I am writing to you that you must not associate with anyone who claims to be a brother or sister but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or slanderer, a drunkard or swindler. Do not even eat with such people" (1 Corinthians 5:9-11).

Paul then says, "What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church?  Are we not to judge those inside?"  He then commands the church in Corinth to, "expel the wicked person from among you" (1 Corinthians 5:12,13).

So here's the answer to the question, is it ever right to judge someone?  Yes ... and, No .
Yes.  If the person IS a believer in Jesus Christ we are OBLIGATED to judge their behaviors and take corrective action when necessary.  Not based on our own judgment but on the judgement of God's Holy Word.
No.  If the person is NOT a believer in Jesus Christ we are not working from the same play book and therefore have no right to judge them.  Paul says we must leave the judging in that situation to God.

As a pastor this issue irritates me to no end.  When Christians complain about having their actions judged or get angry with other believers for "judging" them I start to get upset.  If you are actively involved in sin it is every other Christians right and duty to call you out.  And the Bible says that the desired response is one of repentance and restoration (see Matthew 18:15-17).

Look at it this way.  Let's say that I'm the quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys.  Would I have any right to got to a Giants training camp and start telling their receivers they were running the wrong routes?  Zagging when they should have zigged?  NO!  We're not on the same team!  We don't use the same play book or listen to the same coach.  They would have every right to kick me out of their camp.  But with my own team, if someone turns left when they were supposed to go right, now I can stop them and correct the issue, both for their benefit, my benefit and the benefit of the whole team.

No Christian (an individual who claims Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior) should EVER use the, don't judge me, argument.  It is unbiblical to pretend to be autonomous when you are so closely connected to other believers through the Holy Spirit.

Now, before you start throwing stones at me, there is something else we need to look at.  It is true that, "with the measure you use it will be measured back to you" (Matthew 7:2). So we must be careful not to be overly critical in judgement.  No one is perfect - but that doesn't give someone else a get-out-of-jail-free card.  My sin does not nullify God's Word for your life.  Yes I sin, but that doesn't mean I can't point out your sin.  It just means I should be as loving and merciful in dealing with your sin as I would hope you would be in dealing with mine.

Being a judgmental person is no fun for you or for anyone else.  But for the sake of holiness among us we MUST judge those who are fellow Christians so that we might keep Satan at bay.  Tolerance is Satan's joy ride and, "don't judge me" is the ticket.

If we love God we will address sin when it is obvious.  If we love others will we address that sin with as much grace and mercy as Jesus Christ showed to us on the cross, seeking repentance and restoration, not condemnation.  If we keep our mouths closed I guess that means we don't love God or others...

Now, if you're going to get angry with me about this post remember, don't judge me if you don't want to be judged.

A Good Run Will Clear Your Head

Went for a run today - it's beautiful outside today after all the rain we've had.  While I was running I was thinking and praying as I often do... in between the cries of pain.  I was thinking about some of the mistakes I've made recently.  Financial mistakes.  Interpersonal mistakes.  Leadership mistakes.  I was just thinking that I hoped God could forgive me and help me not make them in the future.  I was feeling a little bad about it because the mistakes we make always have consequences and most of the time we would rather not have to endure those.  Anyway, while I was running the Holy Spirit spoke a verse to my heart.

God works all things together for good, to those who love Him and all called according to His purpose.

I had to ask myself a question.  Do I believe in God and what the Bible says or not?  If I don't really believe it then I could just by-pass that passage and go on to something else and continue asking God to forgive and help.  If I DO believe then I must trust that God spoke that verse into existence and that He meant it.

Since I do believe the Bible is God's Word to mankind I have to adjust m life to His Word, not the other way around.  God works ALL things together for good.  So here's what I was thinking...

• God works.  He is always working.  He has never stopped working since creations fall.  He is working to reconcile mankind to Himself through Jesus Christ.  He is forgiving. Merciful.  Just. And Loving beyond measure.  And He works.  Always.
• All Things are under His control.  God is not limited to my successes.  He can work through my failures as well.  If the only thing God could was take good and make it better He would have a LOT of free time on His hands.  The Bible says that there is no one good - not even one.  And I mess up WAY more than  I succeed.  But God is not limited.  He works through the things I do well and the things I totally bomb!  He can work ALL things.  Good, bad and ugly.
• He works all things for the good.  God is not sitting in heaven keeping track of my failures and counting them against me so that He can watch me suffer through the consequences.  He is constantly working in my life and yours to bring about the best good for His Kingdom and for us through our triumphs and our tragedies.  He is never working for evil in our lives, He is ALWAYS working for good.

I got home feeling much better.  A good run will clear your head and help you to think about things you'd forgotten or maybe never realized.  With a clear head the Holy Spirit can speak directly to your need.  I needed to be reminded that it's not about me, it's about Him.  What He's doing and what He wants.  

God is always working in and through and around my life in the positive things that happen and the negative things to bring about His ultimate good.  I can trust that my successes He can use. I can trust that my failures He can use just as well.  And because I love Him He has a plan and purpose for my life that is not sidetracked by failures but only by my lack of trust and faith.

Thank You God for being a limitless God who is always working in my life AND in every other life.

I Should Have Known

Does your perspective ever change?

I was waiting for something the other day and it didn't come.  So I was talking to God about it.  God, I really need this.  Please cause it to show up today.  I thought it was supposed to be here and it wasn't so I was concerned.  I wanted God to know that I needed it and that I was trusting Him to get it to me.  Then my wife shows up.  I mention to her that I hadn't got the thing I was waiting for and that I was nervous and she says, "It's not supposed to be here for another couple days" she says.  "Oh..."  In a split second my perspective changed.

I had been praying and all concerned because what I thought was supposed to happen, hadn't.  Then I learn that it was never supposed to happen the way I thought it was.

I don't know about you but this happens all the time to me.  I think one thing and worry and stew and get upset only to learn that the plan had changed or I just didn't know all the facts.  So what I thought, was not.

Unfortunately I'm this way with God a lot too.  I think He is going to do something or that he "ought" to do something and He doesn't.  Do you want to know the harsh truth?  That is NEVER His fault.  Like the line in the very first Lord Of The Rings movies from Gandalf, "A wizard is never late.  He arrives precisely when he means to."

God is never late.  He never misses an appointment.  He never forgets about a meeting.  Nothing ever gets lost in the mail with God.  So if I am worried about something, He never is.  He knows exactly what the plan is.

I guess that is why the Bible encourages us to, never worry about anything, because God has got it all under control.  Instead we are told to pray and petition God with thanksgiving.  Honestly, I haven't got this part figured out yet.  I still worry.  I still get upset when things don't work out the way I think they should.  But I'm recognizing more and more that God never needs my permission or my reminders.  In everything I am to simply pray with faith that God will do what He has planned when He has planned to do it.

I should have known the other day that there was no need to worry.  My God's got this.

It's Time to Stop the Bleeding

Life hurts.  At least sometimes.  Anybody who tells you life is always wonderful or great is lying to you.  The Bible says that the sun shines on the good and the bad.  Which means the rain pours on both at times too.  At some point in your life you become the solitary person standing under the rain cloud while life dumps on you.

I've been there.  I know the feeling.  When we thought our baby boy was deaf... only to learn he could hear just fine.  He simply didn't care that we were banging pots inches from his head.  We'd later learn he had classic or severe autism.  At about nearly four the fights would begin.  I remember being in the room when our youngest was born and the Dr. called in the Neo-Natal crash team.  That was a scary few minutes.  And I remember just last year when the Dr. told us he had O.C.D., among other things.  When you get bad news, over and over, it feels like you're bleeding out.  Slowly the life-blood is leaving your body.  And without that blood you can't function.  You get weaker not stronger.  You lose interest in life.  And soon what you have isn't a life - it's just survival.

There's a story in Luke 8 about a woman in this very situation.  Literally.  She was bleeding out and no one could stop it.  Most agree she probably suffered from a menstrual cycle that never stopped.  She was at best anemic but probably suffered from low blood pressure and low blood sugar as well.  And besides the incredible physical toll this took on her body there was an even bigger spiritual toll.  As a Jew who was constantly bleeding she was in a continual state of uncleanness.  She would have been cut off from her people, from worship, from society.  In fact, her very presence that day in the midst of the crowd could have gotten her killed.  If others recognized her... well, every person she touched was now ceremonially unclean.

And it's not like she hadn't tried to better her situation.  She wasn't sitting around waiting for some miracle.  No, she had used every last penny she had seeing one doctor after another who promised a cure but delivered disappointment.

Until the day she risked her life and her illness to find hope and healing.  She pushed through the crowd with one thought, just touch his jacket and you'll be cured.  She barely had the energy to make her way through the crowd.  Several times she thought she would miss Him as she had to stop and catch her breath.  She expended every last ounce of energy to get close enough to touch Him.  But as soon as she did the bleeding stopped.  She knew it.  She could feel it.  It was all she could do to keep from screaming out in happiness but in the middle of the crowd - she was still too tired and scared to be discovered.  She may have been healed but that didn't take away the stains the blood and illness had left - that was enough to make her and everyone around her unclean, unworthy.  But the bleeding had stopped.  Energy would return.  Focus and strength would soon follow.  She was going to experience life like she had only dreamed she would.

What are you bleeding from?  Abuse?  Those who were supposed to love you treated you like dirt until you began to believe that's all you were.  Someone took your innocence, or you gave it away and the guilt and pain you carry just acts like an open wound that won't close.  Your spouse left.  Said they never really loved you.  Your child is sick and not getting better.  You lost your job and can't find another one.  Your car keeps breaking down and you can't afford the mechanic.  Every one a cut that takes a little more out of you.

It's time to stop the bleeding.  It's time to realize that the only thing you're truly risking is the life you so desperately want.  There's a man named Jesus who can stop the bleeding.  Can heal the wound and give you hope and life.  And more than that, He wants to!  He wants to help you but He won't force you.  Are you willing to risk the life you have for real life through Him?

Send us a message here at Real Life and we'll get you information on how to stop the bleeding and begin to experience real life.

Breaking The Rules

There are lots of quips about rules.  Here's a couple.
Rules were made to be broken.
Women often fall for the bad boys - rule breakers.
Rule followers are called, "teacher's pet."

Rules are necessary.  But rules without common sense and purpose lead to legalism in every area of life.  Find rules without a moral or ethical guide and you'll find orderly chaos.  Rules are about order.  Without rules things would be pretty difficult.  And yet even Jesus- the Son of the Great Rule Maker - knew there had to be balance (He learned this from His Father of course).

See the pharisees and religious teachers were all about the rules.  Obey the Sabbath.  You can't rub wheat in your hand on the Sabbath because that would be "threshing" the grain and that is work.   You can't heal someone of a disease on the Sabbath because that is work (how they came to that conclusion I have no idea).  They had rules for everything!  You had to wash your hands, no not that way, not that way either... there was a certain way you had to wash your hands in order to be ritually clean - or a rule follower.  They had rules about where they could walk and what they were allowed to touch.

Here's a bit of truth that might hurt a little.  You can obey EVERY rule in the Bible and still miss connecting with Jesus in a way that leads to salvation.

The religious teachers obeyed every rule.  But they were, as Jesus indicated, the farthest from the Kingdom of God.  In contrast, Jesus said that the prostitutes and tax collectors were close to the Kingdom of God.  Why?  Let's let Jesus explain.  In Luke 18 Jesus has an encounter with a young man who wants to know what he still needs to do to get to heaven.  Jesus tells him, "obey the commands."  Which he promptly says he has done since he was a child.  STOP HERE.  If Christianity or religion was about rules wouldn't Jesus have put aside whatever He was doing and patted that young man on the back and said, "well done good and faithful servant!"  Wouldn't He?!  But instead He points out that obedience to rules is NOT what Christianity is all about.  It's more about relationship the rules.  The relationship with God through His Son Jesus Christ and the relationship with other people whom God loves.  That's why instead of a commendation Jesus tells him, "there is something you still lack.  Go and sell your possessions and give them to the poor."

Wait a minute.  Selling everything you have and giving the proceeds to the poor is not a rule.  I have not seen that rule in the Bible anywhere.  So why did Jesus say it?  Because the young man was so focused on obeying the rules that he missed the fact that the rules were created to help maintain a proper relationship with others and with God.  If you obey the rules but miss the purpose for the rules you've gained nothing!  Just a miserable life of trying to earn something that can't be earned.

You cannot get to God by following rules.  You can only get there by following the Risen Lord.  The rules you find in the Bible will help you follow Him.  They will foster your relationship with Him and make it better but they will not earn you any special favor or place with God.  I want to be a Christ follower.  I want to obey the rules because they help me follow Christ more closely but it's not about the rules, it's about the relationship with Him.

A Straight Shooter

I've heard this saying a time or two.  Honestly, probably just on television.  But I'll bet you can figure out what it means with no clues at all.  Really there are not too many options.  Either you're talking about someone who is shooting at something... and hitting it.  Or you're using it to describe a person who is honest and direct.  A straight shooter with the truth, like a bullet, or an arrow screaming toward the bulls-eye.

Bullets and arrows don't typically get off-target.  They generally hit exactly what they were aimed at.  Wait, you didn't hit your target last time you tried?  Well, either your sights were off or you aimed at the wrong thing.  Bullets and arrows are designed for one thing and one thing only to move as quickly as possible with as little drag as possible toward whatever they are aimed at.  Nobody invents a bullet that intentionally elevates or skews to one side or another.  Bullets are fine-tuned to go as straight as possible for as long as possible.  I've never seen an arrow that looked like a "C".

The only time an arrow or bullet stops is when it is moved off target by something else.  A branch for instance can change the trajectory. Even the wind can drive a bullet off course unless you compensated for it.

Think about your life as an arrow.  You're moving through the air headed right for something.  You're always moving straight-ahead in whatever direction you've been aimed.  There are some things that distract or can begin to move you off course - but then you're never really "off" course, you're just off a particular course.  Headed straight for whatever is in front of you.

The writer of Psalm 25 asks a question.  "What are God-worshipers like?"  And the answer he comes up with is, "Arrows aimed at God's bulls-eye."

The straightness of the arrow, it's aerodynamic properties and flight properties are only half the equation.  What the arrow is aimed at is as important as how good an arrow it is.  A straight arrow, a fast bullet, aimed at the wrong thing is still going to be wasted.

What kind of an arrow are you?  Do you get distracted, off-target easily?  Have you hit a few sin-branches or been blown off course by the wind of deception?  You are speeding toward something, do you know what it is that your aiming for?

As a follower of Jesus Christ I want to be a straight shooter- not perfect in my life - but purposeful.  I want to be the best arrow I can be and then I want to aim for perfection through the Holy Spirit.  A straight shooter has to have a straight arrow and a clear target.

Are you aiming for God's bulls-eye?

Sin Gets A Name

It's hard to watch some stories on television or read about them in the paper.  My wife likes to watch Law and Order: SVU but I can't take it, too much senseless violence, especially against children.  Stories of terror or destruction can be very difficult to see or hear.  A friend of mine told me the other day of a relative that was just diagnosed with stage III cancer who has three little girls.  Heart-breaking.  But knowing of someone who is hurting is not nearly as bad as knowing someone who is hurting.  When that illness or hurt or problem has a name that we know it changes everything.

I think that same can be said for sin.  I know that there is sin all around me.  Marriages falling apart, infidelity, stubbornness, adultery.  I run into people using course or foul language  nearly every day, in the grocery store or on the street.  Addictions run rampant in our lives and there seems no end to the lengths people will go to in order to plunge headlong into sin and destructive lifestyles.  But it's different when I don't know the person.  When a friend or a church partner's marriage is falling apart it's a whole new level of hurt.  When partners at Real Life are struggling with addictions, sexual immorality or other sinful lifestyles then it gets personal.  Then that sin has a name that I know.

In Mark 14:21,22 Jesus said, "In one sense, it turns out that the Son of Man is entering into a way of treachery well-marked by the Scriptures - no surprises here.  In another sense, the man who turns Him in, turns traitor to the Son of Man - better never to have been born than do this!" (MSG).

The way that Jesus was going to be betrayed had been well documented in the Old Testament Scriptures, it was going to be someone who was close to Him, from His own number someone would rise up to betray.  This had been known for many years.  But now that sin of betrayal has a name, Judas.  It's more difficult when it's someone you know.

We know that Satan is behind every sin.  He's the father of lies.  His desire is to steal, kill and destroy.  So in a sense every sin already has a name, Satan.  But that's just generic.  It doesn't mean much to us.  Saying sin is from Satan is like watching the starving children in third-world countries on TV.  We know it's there, we feel bad about it, but for most it doesn't inspire or require anything of us.  We're not personally involved.  But when Satan capitalizes on the thoughts of someone close to you so that they act on their sinful desire, now that sin has a name that means something to us.

We sin when we are dragged away by our own evil desires and enticed (James 1:14).  When I sin it starts with me, not Satan.  My sin has a name, it's Corey.  We each give sin a name, ours, when we give in to desire and give birth to sin.  Then it's personal.  Then it means something.  Adultery is not just adultery, it's John.  Or Mark. Or Tonya.  Gossip is now, James.  Betty.  Samantha.

Jesus said the sin is going to come, but woe to the person through whom it comes.  Sin always manifests itself through a PERSON and gets a name.

Genesis 4:7 - Sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.

Help me walk in Your ways

As Christians we talk about walking with God, about following Christ and most of us have a much more difficult time doing it then we would like.  Honestly, our desire to follow is constantly challenged by our desire for so many other things.  We pray to follow God more closely, to walk this life with Jesus but life gets in the way, bills, children, family, careers.  A few verses from Psalm 25 may help us on our walk with Jesus.

David gives four statements that will progressively help us in our walk.

1.  Show me how You work.  God is the same yesterday, today and forever.  The God of David is the same God today and His plan is the same plan.  When we see how God works we begin to trust Him more and the more we trust the closer we can follow.  The more you trust your father, the higher you will climb before you jump.  As you see how God works in your life the more you will trust, the more you trust the higher you are willing to go, the more you are willing to suffer.  God show me how you work so that I might trust you even when I don't understand what you are doing.

2.  School me in Your ways.  David was a student of God, a learner.  I want to go to God's school, to learn from Him what He requires of my life.  A life of faith is easy to start but hard to maintain.  Only by constant instruction can we learn what to watch out for and what God requires.  Teachers have already learned what they are teaching but God knows it all, every mystery and every secret and He is willing to teach anyone who is disciplined enough to be his student.  Take me to God school and teach me your ways.

3.  Take me by the hand.  God is not asking you to go where He is unwilling to go.  He will not ask you to do what He is unwilling to do.  He doesn't ask that you go on your own or take the first step.  Instead He will go with you wherever He asks you to go.  God will take you by the hand and take the journey with you.  I will go anywhere You will go with me.  David didn't want to follow behind and miss the works of God and he certainly didn't want to go ahead and fail on his own.  God will take you by the hand and walk through this life with you.

4.  Lead me down the path of Truth.  There are many roads to travel in this life, I want the one that leads to Truth.  I don't want to be sidetracked.  I want to know the Truth that will set me free.  Jesus said, I am The Way, The Truth and The Life, no one comes to the Father except through me.  I want to know the Truth, the path that  leads to life eternal.  I don't want to waste my time going in a direction that doesn't get me where I truly want to be.

Show me how You work, School me in Your ways, take me by the hand and lead me down the path of Truth.

Cultivating Fertile Soil (from parking lot to parking your seat)

I was reading in Mark 4 the other day and was thinking about the parable (story with a point/message) Jesus told about the different soils.  Jesus said a farmer was scattering seed by hand and observed that some of the seed fell on rocky soil, some on hard packed soil, some fell among soil that had not been worked (weeds) and some on the good cultivated soil.

The seed is the message of hope and help in Jesus Christ, we call it the Gospel (it means Good News).  And the different soils represent different life points.  Some people are like the rocky soil - there is something for the seed to grab onto but the roots soon have no place to grow and the seedling dies.  Some are like the hard packed soil - never even letting the seed in so that it can germinate.  Some are like the soil with weeds that had not been cultivated - the seedling took hold but the weeds soon choked out the light, nutrients and available soil.  But some people are the cultivated, weeded and tended soil - the seed not only takes hold but has all that it needs to grow and produce a crop greater than the single seed that was sown.

Here's what is going through my mind today (among other things...haha)

Everybody is in a different place in their life.  Some people have so much baggage that while they hear and get excited about Jesus there is just not enough room for Him and they quickly fizzle in their young faith.  Some people have been so beat down by the world, abuse, their own sin, addictions, hurts, failures, etc., that when they hear about hope, joy, peace and real life through Jesus, it just bounces off, it can't soak in and take hold.  They walk away wondering what the big deal was - they just don't get it.  Some people are quick to jump on the Jesus wagon but their own lives, schedules, plans, obligations, civic or religious duties, bills, jobs or kids soon crowd Jesus out.  But some people are at a point in their lives where they are ready to hear, ready to respond and ready to produce a crop for Jesus that far exceeds their own life.

 So, in order for the Gospel to take hold and grow strong, to produce a crop in someone's life, the soil must be cultivated and taken care of.  Here's my questions:

1. How do we intentionally prepare the soil of a person's life so that when they hear the message of hope and help in Jesus, forgiveness and freedom through His sacrifice, they respond and hold on tight?  
2. Are there ways in which we can do that from a person parking their car on Sunday morning to parking their seat in a chair as the service starts?  
3. How can we prepare them to receive the message with joy BEFORE it is delivered?  

If you have any insight I'd love to hear from you!  Especially if you are NOT a regular church attender, I want to know!  Comment and share this post I want to know how we can be more effective!

A First Century Intervention

In Mark chapter two Jesus heals a man who is paralyzed after some friends lower him through the roof of the house Jesus had been speaking in.  It was quite a scene as the thatched roof began to be removed and certainly the people underneath were a bit concerned about what was coming down on top of their heads.  But the craziness of the moment is quickly forgotten as Jesus begins to intervene in this man's life.

The first thing Jesus notices is the faith of the paralyzed man's friends.  It was strange for someone with a disability in that culture to have friends that were not also disabled  (see note below).  But the length that these able-bodied men go to on behalf of their friend inspires Jesus and He intervenes in this man's life to an incredible end.  He notices their great desire for their friend to be restored, perhaps both physically and emotionally, but also (because He's Jesus) wants to take advantage of the opportunity that is provided to teach about who He is - God in the flesh.

So Jesus first order of business is to forgive the sins of the paralyzed man.  This spiritual healing had no immediate physical effect but was a paradigm shift where eternity is concerned.  Jesus just made this man pure, blameless, forgiven.  That's huge!  Remember when Jesus said, if your eye causes you to sin, cut it out and throw it away - it is better to enter eternity with one eye then go to hell with both.  Jesus is much more concerned about the man's spiritual standing then him being able to stand physically.

But before much else is done the religious leaders begin to complain because, only God can forgive sins.  So Jesus, knowing their thoughts, poses this question.  Is it easier to say, "your sins are forgiven," which can't be  proven or argued with this side of heaven.  Or is it easier to say, "get up, take your mat and leave"?  Which would really put you on the spot ('cause if he didn't get up you'd be proven a fraud).  So Jesus turns to the man and says, "get up, take your mat and go home."

Well, the man gets up, rolls up his mat and leaves.  Incredible!  A miracle right there in front of everyone!  Wow!

Have you ever thought about the man's mat?  What it represents?  What it was used for?  This man would have lived on that mat.  From the point of the accident or illness that caused his paralysis this mat was probably the man's only personal possession.  It probably wasn't in great shape.  It probably smelled.  He spend the entire day on that mat - every day.  It wasn't changed out by a nurse and he didn't get a new one every few days or when it got dirty.  He just laid on it.  He also slept on it.  He ate on it, when he ate.  It was with him all the time.  He was never without it.

Do you have anything in your life like his mat?  Perhaps an addiction that you carry around with you.  A "vice" you might call it, but it's really an addiction.  Something you go back to for comfort.  Something that makes you feel secure.  Something that you might really want to get rid of, but aren't willing to let go of.  That mat was both his comfort and his curse.  It never left him.  All day, all night it was right there with him.  Do you have something like that?  It's always with you.  You can't get rid of it.

Jesus offers not only forgiveness but freedom.  Jesus healed the man spiritually first.  But he was still on the mat.  Still addicted.  Still stuck.  Still in the same situation.  But then Jesus says, "get up."  He frees him from his mat!  He doesn't have to rely on it to keep him out of the dirt any longer.  Jesus has become His his mat, the one to rely on and trust and go everywhere with.  But notice Jesus also says, "take up your mat and go home."  You may be free from your addiction, your past, your sin, your vice.  You may not have to rely on it any longer but you will carry the reminder of where you once were forever.

What's your mat?  Are you ready to get up?  Are you tired of relying on your crutch?  Are you ready to rely on Jesus?  Ask Him to forgive your sin, to free you from your addiction, your baggage, your past, get up from your stinky, rotten, self-pitied life and start over in His strength and with Him as your crutch.  He will never let you down.  You will never forget where you once were but you never have to go back.  You can be free both spiritually and physically.  Forgiven and Freed.


NOTE:    People with disabilities in the first century were often outcasts.  Other than family no one really wanted anything to do with them.  Their only friends were others with disabilities.  For this man to have four friends may indicate that he had not been paralyzed for very long.  Perhaps a fall or an accident of some kind put him in this condition and maybe even his friends were with him when it happened, maybe even felt responsible.  That could account for their involvement in this mans life.  Typically you would expect these friends to be out working to support themselves and their families.  Had this man been paralyzed from birth he may not have had any friends at all since at a young age his family would have put him to work begging to earn his keep. Just my opinion - I could be wrong.

Get Moving

Been moving since the first of February.  It's a pain to move.  Incredible to me how much stuff I crammed into a hole and forgot about.  I once heard that every five years you should rent a U-Haul truck - one truck - and load everything up like you're going to move.  Whatever doesn't fit in the truck gets hauled off or sold.  Then you clean and unpack back into your same house.  Probably some good advice.

Packing is kind of fun, at least at first.  We were doing an excellent job starting out.  All the boxes were organized, marked and the contents were specific to the space/room they were going to.  But near the end of the process stuff just got thrown in, didn't matter where it came from or where it was going, just get it in a box so it can be moved.  Now we have stacks of things that have to be sorted through before they can be put away.

And once we got the majority of the "stuff" out of the house, furniture and trinkets that take up so much space, we realized how incredibly dirty things had gotten.  You don't notice it when there is life going on and stuff in the way, but when everything is gone and the house is bare the dust, cobwebs and dog hair really stand out.

Seems to me that life is a lot like the moving process.  It's sure easy to get comfortable in your situation, no matter how bad it is, it's still home.  You know where stuff is, the creaks and slants.  Which window to go through if you lock yourself out.  You know where to hide and where to find.  Life may be full of pain, slavery to addictions, abuse, even self-inflicted - but you're comfortable with it, it's home.

It's even kind of fun to make changes, or talk about making changes.  New Year's resolutions, get you motivated for a few weeks.  You pack up all the stuff you want to get rid of and all the stuff you want to keep and mark it plainly.  But if you keep digging, keep packing, to get your whole life cleaned up there's a point where it gets messy.  You even reach a point where you have to decide if it's worth it.  Packing your old hangups and hurts and pains into a new place isn't gonna help you at all.

You get down to it and you quickly realize that your life was a lot messier then you thought it was.  With all the other stuff out of the way the dirt really stands out.  We have a way of focusing on kids, spouse, job, honey-do lists, cars, sports events, television, friends.  We fill our lives with so much that it gets easy to look over the junk, the dirt, the sin.  We can even begin to blame our hangups on the "other stuff" in our lives.  If only the kids were older.  If only my spouse was nicer or did more to help.  If only my job paid more... then I wouldn't need to (fill in the blank).

What needs to move in your life?  What have you been hiding that needs to come out in the open?  Moving is painful at times but if you stay where you are you'll continue in the same patterns, same sins, same problems.  You need to clean your life out and move on.  Pack up the stuff, clean out the junk, sweep and make a new start.

Ephesians 4:30-32
And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.  Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.  Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Google Privacy Policies Forcing Biblical Ideals?

So I read through an article on Gizmodo that discussed Google's new privacy policy which basically force links all your accounts on Google (Google+, Gmail, Google Maps and YouTube).  What that means plainly is that if you look up a place on Google Maps that info may show up when you're on your Google+ account or an email you send or read in Gmail that contains a name or song or comedian, may show up the next time you log onto YouTube as a suggestion.  Google will essentially store all your activity from every method you access so they can further tailor your user experience to the things you like or are interested in.  It basically means it's harder for you and I to be anonymous when using Google.

Now, don't freak out.  If you're a Facebook user or really, do anything online, your activity is followed, stored and available to someone, somewhere at sometime.

The Bible teaches that what a person does in their private life and what they do in their public life should be the same.  There are some who want to hide their lives from others and so probably would not like this new privacy policy.  Honestly, I don't want everyone knowing the things I've viewed online.  But it is a reminder to us that if we wouldn't want anyone to know what we're looking at or saying or doing on any given sight then we probably shouldn't be there in the first place.

Christians are often called hypocrites for this very reason -  being one person out in the open and another person when the doors are closed.  While this is damaging and has damaged the reputation of Christ over the years it is not the reason we should strive to be the same in every situation.  We should seek to be the same because God is watching us and the Holy Spirit lives in us, so whether we are walking in the light or at home or the office in the darkness, we should seek to live the same life.

So, bring on the new Google policies, maybe they will actually help us to live by this Biblical ideal.

Pushing a Nice Paint Job.

I like cars.  I've had more than a few - don't get excited none of them were "good" cars.  I had a '71 VW Square-back once, I liked that one.  When I was younger I remember spending hours washing and waxing on a warm summer day.  I would clean the wheels and tires and carefully apply Armour All and make everything sparkle and look shiny and new.  Then I would push the car out of the grass and back into the driveway.

Do you treat areas of your life like I treated my car?  Have you spent time polishing and shining something that just didn't work?  I recall a not-too-old episode of Mythbusters where the co-hosts tried to polish dung.  And it worked! But guess what, it was still dung!  It had a nice shine to it but I wouldn't use it as a table decoration!

We can spend so much energy, both physically and mentally, trying to shine areas of our lives so we look like everything is okay.  My car looked really nice, but it was a fraud.  A fake.  And after awhile someone wanted to see under the hood.  And the outward show I had worked so hard to maintain was proven to be worthless.

And we don't just do this with our lives.  We do it in our churches as well.  There was a day when the goal of nearly every Christian (at least that I knew) was to make everyone "think" that their lives were perfect.  They pretended that God was providing for them and giving them the "desires of their hearts."  Somehow they thought no one would listen to their Gospel presentation unless they thought that slapping the name "Christian" on their lives would make all their dreams come true.  So they polished up their messed-up lives real good.  But they were still a mess.  And out of that culture we get statistics like 50% of all Christian marriages end in divorce.

Guess what.  Marriage isn't about what everyone sees; a clean home a well behaved child, a spouse who laughs at all your jokes, it IS about what happens when the door is shut.  Christianity isn't just about what people see "Christians" doing, it's about what happens when no one is looking.  It's about how treat our family.  Our children's teachers at school.  How we handle the person who cuts us off in traffic.  It's how we talk to our co-workers and what place Jesus Christ holds in our hearts.

Jesus tells the story of a gnat and a camel as it relates to the religion of his day (Matthew 23:23-25).  He says that there are religious people who work so hard to rid their lives of a sin or a problem that He represents as a gnat that they end up neglecting the sin/problem He represents as a camel.  And I think we do the same.  How we look on the outside (to others) is the gnat.  What is going on in our hearts and private lives is the camel.  Jesus tells us that our outside should match our inside.  He says it this way, you don't get good fruit from a bad tree. You can fake it for awhile, shiny and new looking, but eventually you're gonna have to turn the key.

A car with a fancy paint-job and tailored interior sitting in your driveway without an engine is not worth nearly as much as a piece of junk that gets you to work every day.  Don't spend your life polishing the paint when you need to rebuild the engine.

And Jesus wasn't just a carpenter, He's a mechanic as well, really a handyman, if it's broke, He can fix it.

Check out this post (Think Napoleon NOT Uncle Rico) if you want some help getting your life right with God or if you think you're beyond help!

Welcome readers from El Dorado Times!

Let me say Welcome to anyone who might be reading this blog through the El Dorado Times blog pages.  I am happy to be sharing, through this new expanded audience, what God is showing me in everyday life and through His Word.  I hope that you are blessed and encouraged by what you find here and that ultimately it either strengthens your relationship with Jesus Christ or that you begin a relationship with Jesus.  I believe that Real Life happens when enter into relationship with Jesus - not with a certain church or certain group or even belief structure - but when you encounter Jesus and begin to know Him as He knows you.
You won't find super-spiritual dogma here, I'm just another guy on the journey who has found the Light to help me along.  I hope that God uses me to share that Light with you!

Does God Owe Us Blessing?

As I was thinking through a verse in Exodus 15 a strange thought came to my mind.  I wondered why the Israelites had complained to Moses and God about the waters at Marah being bitter.  After all, the word Marah means bitter.  So why would the people of God get upset that the waters at Marah (bitter) were bitter?  They apparently knew that the place was called Marah.  Moses grazed his father-in-law's sheep in this area, surely he or some of those with him knew of this spot and that the water here was unsuitable to drink. I wondered why they would be upset.

At first it seemed to me that the Israelites had simply not yet learned to trust God completely.  Surely not too much time had passed since God turned the water in Egypt to blood.  The Israelites knew God could do that, no problem.  And it was just three days ago that He did the impossible and pushed back the waters on either side so the Israelites could walk on dry ground.  But this was a small body of water in the middle of the desert!  There was no need for God to part these waters.  The Israelites had experienced God doing some pretty amazing stuff with water, but not turning salty water fresh.  This would be a whole new miracle they hadn't seen and because they hadn't seen it they questioned whether or not He could do it.

But maybe there's even something more to this then just a new miracle.  If they knew the place was called Marah and that the water was bitter and they STILL complained that may mean that they were already beginning to think they were something special.  And because they were special they expected God to make the water sweet just because of who they were!  Because God had rescued them from Egypt and delivered them from Pharaoh's army through the water they assumed He was just going to do everything for them.  Make their lives a bed of roses.  So they didn't even ask Him to change the water, they just assumed He would!

Some believers today live like this.  They expect that just because they go to church, put a few dollars in the tray or "believe" that all their hopes and dreams will come true that God is just walking in front of them organizing the events and circumstances of their life to be just the way they want so they never have to suffer.  They expect that God owes them somehow.  And there are quite a few preachers who foster this belief, though maybe not intentionally, by telling us over and over how special we are to God and how His greatest desire is to show His love to us by meeting our needs and fulfilling our lives with all the wonderful things we can imagine.

But have ever heard or talked to a believer from a third-world country?  Hungry.  Persecuted.  Broke.  Without hope for a better tomorrow.  But with a hope in eternity that will not die and a thirst for more of God that can not be quenched.  We sometimes whine to God because we ONLY have 1/4 tank of gas in the car.  They walk for days just to share or to hear the Word of God.  We get upset if we have to chose which bill to pay the cable tv or the heating bill.  They sleep on the dirt floor with no heat or entertainment and read their bibles for hours at a time.

Paul had every terrible thing happen to him you could think of and he considered himself blessed.  So before I complain to God because He didn't do something I expected Him to do I think I'll remember the Israelites and the bitter water.  And I'll thank God for putting me in a position to see His glory.

Come to Know, So You Can Learn to Trust

Have you ever felt like God got it wrong?
You thought He was working things out (and you were excited)  but they fell apart and left you wondering what in the world He was up to.  Maybe you've asked God, "Wasn't I following/doing/saying what You wanted me to?  Why did this happen?"
Ever been there?

The Israelites were in that exact spot three days after they walked through the water on dry ground.  Exodus 15:22 says that for three days the Israelites followed the pillar of cloud/fire, that represented God's presence with them, into the desert without finding water.  When they finally saw water at a place called *Marah they thought they were saved, but the water was bitter/salty and they couldn't drink it.

I think one of the greatest challenges to faith is unmet expectations.  You think God is going to do something and He doesn't meet your expectation and leaves you questioning His presence or effectiveness or interest in your situation.

But let's take a deeper look.

For 430 years the Israelites had been a captive forced labor work-force for the Egyptians.  Then Moses shows up and they get a front-row-seat to God's power as He "motivates" the Egyptian government to let His people go.  The Israelites began to understand that God cared for them but they didn't really know Him first hand and their faith was only in it's infancy.  They watched God do things, but you don't develop faith from the safety of your living room or front porch.  So God sets them free and they leave Egypt.  Now they get to know God a little better, after all, He's personally leading them out of Egypt in a "pillar" of cloud during the day and fire at night - pretty impressive.  So they know that He is personally involved in their release.  But He leads them to the sea where they soon realize there is no escape from the approaching Egyptian army (um, they changed their minds about their free-labor friends).  They expected God to deliver them but it looked like they were going to be killed.  So they question God.  Then God parts the waters and the Israelites get away from the Egyptians!  They come to know God as a protector and they begin to trust Him more.

Every step of the way God had to help them know Him a little more so they could trust Him a little more.  Knowledge and trust are close friends.

So the Israelites are now passed the point of no return.  They will be held responsible for the death of hundreds or maybe thousands of Egyptian military personnel if they return to their forced labor duties.  And, they are three days out in the desert without enough water to make it home even if they wanted to go back.  And waters of Marah, which they thought would allow them to refill their jugs and water their animals is unsuitable for drink.  What to do now?

What would you do in a situation like that?  They complained.  They expected God to meet their impending water need.  But He didn't.  So they complained.  Then God tells Moses to take a stick and throw it in the water.  When Moses obeys (obedience is the part we play in coming to know God and trust Him) the water turns sweet.  A fresh water source from a salt-water pond.  That's called a miracle.  God did it (not the stick or Moses) and the people came to know Him a little better.

You can't learn faith from the comfort of your front porch or even from down the street.  You have got to be three days out with too little water and no hope.  That's a whole new level of trust.

The next time you think God has got it wrong, consider the alternative.  He knows exactly what He's doing getting you farther from home so that you come to know Him in a new way so that you can trust Him at a new level.

Pack your bags.

*Marah means bitter - fitting isn't it.

Is God's Will Revealed In Circumstances

I've been watching comments on Facebook and blogs and listening to conversations about how God works in our lives lately.  Many people talk about God opening doors or closing windows as a way for us to determine His will.  You've heard it, I'm sure.  I was going to do this or that but God closed the door.  Or perhaps it works out this way.  This must be God's will because it worked out.  I was talking to someone the other day who said that they were sure God wanted them to make a big move because He worked out all the circumstances.

I'm wondering if circumstances are a good way for us to determine what God's will is for us in any given situation.

Look at it this way.  If Noah would have considered his circumstances would he have followed through with the Ark?  Or what about Moses?  Or Joseph?  Surely had he considered his circumstances he would have determined God had abandoned him!  After being sold into slavery by his brothers.  Thrown in jail for doing nothing and then after accurately interpreting the dreams of two other prisoners he's forgotten about.  Or consider Paul.  Here's his list from 2 Corinthians 11:
Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one.  Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea,  I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers.  I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked.  Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches.


Do you think that after all this Paul would have concluded that He was doing what God wanted?  Would he have considered the doors in his life to be open or shut?  If you would have faced this same set of circumstances would you have given up?  


Here's what 1 Thessalonians 5:18 says, "Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."  


Regardless of your circumstances if you are loving God and loving others you are accomplishing God's will.  Don't ever think that your circumstances determine whether or not you are on the right path with Christ.

Get A New Calendar - If You Want A New Life

Well it's the first few days of 2012 and that means it's time for many people to get started on their list of New Year's resolutions.  I hear the gym is more crowded than usual and people are showing up to work on time.  It seems like more people are reading their Bible, three days in to the New Year and I'm guessing that prayers are on the rise.  The New Year is always a time of hope, expectation and even excitement!  At least for the first few days.  Then it seems our schedules get the better of us.  Time gets tight and we get lazy.  By March the good parking spots at the gym will once again abound and Bibles will again become dust collectors.

But maybe that isn't our fault.  I mean, I would be much more willing to go to the gym if every time I finished another 5k on the treadmill the scale proved that I had actually done something!  And Bible reading would be much easier to accomplish if God did something incredible every day that I read.  But that's not reality is it.  Physical training and spiritual training both utilize delayed gratification.  If you really want your gym membership to pay off you need to reorganize your calendar to maximize your efforts.  You have to make your workout time a priority and plan your meals so they benefit your goals instead of your waistline.  And the same is true for your spiritual health.  You need a new calendar that puts God in control.  Instead heading out every day letting someone else, your boss, spouse, kids, bills, control your schedule you need to plan your days around God.  When you do, He begins to organize your daily events on His timeline.

Here's how it worked for the Israelites.  For 430 years Pharaoh kept their calendar full with his plans and desires.  So every day, 7x365, they got up and made bricks.  Now, they needed to make bricks to support their lifestyle.  If they didn't go to work they were not given food.  Worse yet, they might get punished, lose their job or even their life!  Making bricks provided them with lots of good things, food, shelter, clothing.  So when God called them to something new He knew He had to get a hold of their calendar first.  He needed to reorient their lives to His timing and schedule, instead of Pharaoh's or even their own.

In Exodus 12:1,2 God talks to Moses and does something that hadn't happened since the beginning of time and wouldn't happen again until the birth of Jesus, He gave them a brand new calendar.

Because of what God was preparing to do with the Israelites He needed them to be on His time and following His schedule instead of Pharaoh's.  So God gives them a new calendar to follow.  Nothing changed immediately, few things do, but God needed the people to be on His schedule so they could see that He not only knew what He was doing, but would Himself see that it was accomplished.

So for the first 10 days on God's schedule the Israelites got up and made bricks.  Everything seemed to be exactly the same, except that now they were told in advance what was coming and to be ready.  On the 10th day they were to pick out a perfect yearling lamb.  Then back to brick making.  On the 14th day they killed the lamb, made up some bread without yeast and painted their doorposts and lintels with some of the lamb's blood.  And on the morning of day 15 they walked out of Egypt - free.  Free to follow God on His schedule and in His time.  

The Israelites needed to have a new calendar because they were going to have a new life.  They needed to be following God's timeline and schedule because, let's face it, their old one just wasn't working for them.  And once they Got on God's time they were able to see His plan unfold and they were able to join Him because He had cleared their calendar, made room for Himself and created space for them to grow into their new life.

Maybe this year what you need, instead of a bunch of new items added to your old calendar, is a brand new calendar.  I'm not talking about a new 2012 kitten calendar.  I'm talking about a calendar that gives space and precedent to God.  A calendar that allows Him to organize and schedule your days around His perfect plan for your life.  You could continue to make bricks every day.  Or you could begin to see what a life lived on God's time for God's purpose really looks like.  Once the Israelites got on God's calendar He was able to use them to glorify Himself and prove to the Egyptians (and others) that He was the One True God.

If you want to change your life, start with your calendar.  God has to get you using His calendar BEFORE you get to see His plan.