It is commonly held, and research supports, that it takes doing something for 21 days to form a new habit.
That may not sound like a very long time to add some new routines to your life, but if you have ever had to do something new for 21 days straight, it can be a challenge.
This is especially true if this new habit is not a job, a new love interest, a fresh piece of technology or a really great new restaurant in town.
Most habits we know we need to change or add to our lives are ones that take focus and discipline to make a part of our daily routine. As the old saying goes, "If it were that easy, everyone would be doing it"!
This coming Sunday, our church will begin a corporate season of fasting. For 21 days in the new year, and new decade by the way, we will set aside food, and possibly other necessities to make more time for spiritual pursuits.
Fasting is VERY biblical, and can be VERY powerful.
In Matthew 5:6 Jesus said that those who "hunger and thirst" after righteousness would be filled.
If you have ever been hungry or thirsty, then you know the intensity of desire that can sometimes go with a need for food or drink. Our bodies do some strange and desperate things to get to food and water because our very lives depend on them.
Jesus says that, as believers, this is how intense our desire for righteousness (right standing before God) should be.
I believe fasting is one way our body can teach our spirit how to be hungry and thirsty.
What if our spirit was as hungry for time with God as our bodies often are for a fresh cheese pizza? Have you ever seen someone who is hungry when the food arrives? They hover around the table. They jockey for position. They can hardly contain themselves as they dish out the portions onto their plates.
If you have ever fasted for more than a day or two, then you know the intensity of this desire. Your mind begins to think about the end of the fast and its desire and need for a good, warm meal.
Not long ago, some friends and I were on a 21-day fast together. About day 17, we were intensely hungry. One of our friends is a gourmet chef, and had whipped up some strained soups that fit within the guidelines of our fast.
At first I was a little reluctant because I didn't want to break my fast. But when I was reassured that the soup would not void the fast, I headed over to his house.
I am not sure I have ever tasted anything that amazing in my life!! We all laughed as we crouched over our little cups of soup, savoring every sip.
What if our spirit was trained to desire time with God in this same way? What if the intensity of our desire for God matched the intensity of our desire for a juicy steak, fresh salad, or a small bowl of soup? What if we drank in every word from God in the same way my friends and I appreciated every spoonful of that soup that night?
I can see how, on some level, this is the kind of mentality that Jesus was referring to as he drew a comparison for seeking and desiring God.
What if we opened the Word seeking truth as many times as we opened the fridge seeking something to eat?
When we fast, we are showing our body that it is not in control of our desire. At the same time we can help our spirit get a sense of what it means to really be hungry.
I want to encourage you, even if you are not part of our congregation, to set aside some time to fast in this coming new year. The Bible offers example after example of types of fasts, purposes of fasts and lengths of fasts. There are many great resources on the internet and in bookstores about fasting.
One of the greatest benefits of fasting in my personal opinion, is the closeness one feels with God as a result of a fast. Every time I fast for a significant time and purpose, I walk away feeling stronger in my spirit and more in control of my body and will.
Are you hungry and thirsty for being right before God? Through fasting, let your body teach your spirit how to be hungry again!
Monday, December 28, 2009
Monday, December 7, 2009
Incense, Punks and Stink Bombs
I remember as a kids, whenever our family would travel back to Missouri to visit our cousins (Shout out to everyone in the big MO!!), one of the things I looked forward to the most was buying firecrackers.
We would have hours of fun with those little explosives. Amazing how long we could stay occupied for about $1.50.
One of the things that was free with the purchase was a handful of "Punks" (and no, I don't mean my brothers!). These were incense-like sticks that would burn as a constant ember and is what we would use to light the fuse of our firecrackers.
They didn't smell good enough to be incense, even though they looked a lot like an incense stick.
This season, as I have been thinking about the gifts that the Wise men brought to Christ the child, I have come to understand the significance of incense in a greater way.
Matthew tells us that one of the gifts presented to Jesus that day was Frankincense. Frankincense (which, as a kid always made me think of Frankenstein), is simply a resin that is produced by a scraggly little tree that grows mainly in the Middle-East, and in varying environments.
This resin became valuable for the odor it would emit when burned. It is described as a sweet smell. These incense were burned in the temples of the old testament around the altar of sacrifice.
We read in Exodus, that the incense was to burn continually.
Many reason that the gift of Frankincense was representative of the Deity of Christ. Like the gift of Gold represented Christ's Kingliness, the Frankincense represented Christ's Godliness.
The incense is a type of our relationship to Christ, an example of our worship and praise of Jesus as our God. And like the incense burned in the temple, our praise and our worship should fulfill two objectives:
1 - to be continuous
2 - to smell good
We have to watch that our life, our attitudes, our choices, are something God can enjoy. Sometimes, even though we appear to be an incense, we often act like PUNKS! Our attitudes can light a fuse and cause an explosion of emotion if we're not watchful.
It is even possible to live a life that emits an unpleasant odor, like a stink bomb. So if someone is telling you that your attitude "stinks", now you know what they mean.
Ask yourself this question, "If I were God, would my life smell good to me"?
A simple way to judge our actions and our life is to simply see it this way....If you are not enjoying it, God isn't either.
God does not enjoy misery or sickness, He does not enjoy poverty, He does not enjoy bitterness, envy, strife, confusion, or any of those disgusting smells!!
God does enjoy a life that glorifies and worships Him, sometimes even in the middle of situations that stink! And our praise, our worship, is like a good smelling aroma to Him, and to the world around us.
How does your life smell today? When you walk in the room, does every say "UGH - What's that SMELL?!" or do they say "Ahhhh, what a refreshing scent!"
Live a life that is pleasing to God, like the smell of a great incense, we can bring joy to God and to the world around us!!
Go smell great today!!
We would have hours of fun with those little explosives. Amazing how long we could stay occupied for about $1.50.
One of the things that was free with the purchase was a handful of "Punks" (and no, I don't mean my brothers!). These were incense-like sticks that would burn as a constant ember and is what we would use to light the fuse of our firecrackers.
They didn't smell good enough to be incense, even though they looked a lot like an incense stick.
This season, as I have been thinking about the gifts that the Wise men brought to Christ the child, I have come to understand the significance of incense in a greater way.
Matthew tells us that one of the gifts presented to Jesus that day was Frankincense. Frankincense (which, as a kid always made me think of Frankenstein), is simply a resin that is produced by a scraggly little tree that grows mainly in the Middle-East, and in varying environments.
This resin became valuable for the odor it would emit when burned. It is described as a sweet smell. These incense were burned in the temples of the old testament around the altar of sacrifice.
We read in Exodus, that the incense was to burn continually.
Many reason that the gift of Frankincense was representative of the Deity of Christ. Like the gift of Gold represented Christ's Kingliness, the Frankincense represented Christ's Godliness.
The incense is a type of our relationship to Christ, an example of our worship and praise of Jesus as our God. And like the incense burned in the temple, our praise and our worship should fulfill two objectives:
1 - to be continuous
2 - to smell good
We have to watch that our life, our attitudes, our choices, are something God can enjoy. Sometimes, even though we appear to be an incense, we often act like PUNKS! Our attitudes can light a fuse and cause an explosion of emotion if we're not watchful.
It is even possible to live a life that emits an unpleasant odor, like a stink bomb. So if someone is telling you that your attitude "stinks", now you know what they mean.
Ask yourself this question, "If I were God, would my life smell good to me"?
A simple way to judge our actions and our life is to simply see it this way....If you are not enjoying it, God isn't either.
God does not enjoy misery or sickness, He does not enjoy poverty, He does not enjoy bitterness, envy, strife, confusion, or any of those disgusting smells!!
God does enjoy a life that glorifies and worships Him, sometimes even in the middle of situations that stink! And our praise, our worship, is like a good smelling aroma to Him, and to the world around us.
How does your life smell today? When you walk in the room, does every say "UGH - What's that SMELL?!" or do they say "Ahhhh, what a refreshing scent!"
Live a life that is pleasing to God, like the smell of a great incense, we can bring joy to God and to the world around us!!
Go smell great today!!
Monday, November 30, 2009
Light the Lights
This past Sunday, we officially lit the lights of the Christmas Holiday at our church. As we were cheering and celebrating the coming season, I was reminded of how important light is to our world.
What if when we flipped the switch the lights had not come on? Everyone would have been disappointed and the feel would just not have been the same.
Couldn't we say the same thing about our lives. When we wake up in the morning, shouldn't we begin shining the light of God's Love to the world around us? We can make the difference in someone's day if we will just allow the light of the Love of Christ to shine through everything we do.
But what if we choose to not be "on" today? How many people will walk around in a darker world because we didn't feel like being kind, patient, considerate or like spreading the Good News that God Loves them?
Most times, the difference between being a light in our world and not contributing any light at all is just the flip of a switch.
We switch from thinking about how bad everything is and begin seeing the provision of God all around us. We stop comparing our lives to others whom we believe "have it made", and begin giving thanks for the MANY blessings in our own lives - including LIFE itself.
This season, let's take the opportunity to "Light our World" by turning on the Light of God's Love in our own lives. When we flip the switch we can truly bring light to someone's darkness.
So let the countdown begin and let's turn on the LIGHT!!
5....4....3....2....1......>CLICK<
What if when we flipped the switch the lights had not come on? Everyone would have been disappointed and the feel would just not have been the same.
Couldn't we say the same thing about our lives. When we wake up in the morning, shouldn't we begin shining the light of God's Love to the world around us? We can make the difference in someone's day if we will just allow the light of the Love of Christ to shine through everything we do.
But what if we choose to not be "on" today? How many people will walk around in a darker world because we didn't feel like being kind, patient, considerate or like spreading the Good News that God Loves them?
Most times, the difference between being a light in our world and not contributing any light at all is just the flip of a switch.
We switch from thinking about how bad everything is and begin seeing the provision of God all around us. We stop comparing our lives to others whom we believe "have it made", and begin giving thanks for the MANY blessings in our own lives - including LIFE itself.
This season, let's take the opportunity to "Light our World" by turning on the Light of God's Love in our own lives. When we flip the switch we can truly bring light to someone's darkness.
So let the countdown begin and let's turn on the LIGHT!!
5....4....3....2....1......>CLICK<
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Not By Sight
Have you ever stopped to think that everything that we can see with our eyes is made up of very tiny molecules that we cannot see with our eyes?
In fact, there are several examples in science where what we see with our eyes is really not what we think we are seeing at all.
For instance, did you know that the reason a red scarf is red is not because the actual material is red, but because the material absorbs all the colors of light except for red, which it reflects. That red light then bounces off the material and into our eyes, and we in turn say that the material is red.
In the same way, white objects are ones which reflect all colors of light, and black objects absorb all colors and reflect none. This is also why dark colors are very hot in summer - because they are absorbing all the energy of the sun and along with the colors, the heat also.
So what is the point?
2 Corinthians 5:17 reminds us, "for we walk by faith and not by sight".
Hebrews 11:3 tells us that God created the worlds with His Words and that everything we see was created from things we cannot see.
These two scriptures seem to say that there is both a seen and unseen reality. And that what we see is often in direct conflict with what we do not see.
When it comes to faith, we must be watchful to not allow the things we see around us to separate us from our faith. A downturn in the economy, a pain that continues to get worse, a relationship that is headed south quickly.
When we allow ourselves to fix our eyes on what we see in the world around us, we can easily be distracted from standing strong in our faith.
Hebrews 11:1 teaches us that FAITH is the substance, the very foundation, of things hoped for (confidently expected) and the evidence (title deed) of things not seen.
I LOVE what the Amplified version of the Bible says in Hebrews 11:1 - FAITH perceiving as REAL FACT, what is not evident to the senses.
In other words, there is another reality that is often in direct opposition to what we see in our physical reality. THAT unseen world is where GOD exists. It is the source from which He created all that is, and it is the source from which we can pull a new reality.
God has invited us to live in His world, and to experience the abundance Christ offers in John 10:10, we have to accept that invitation, by FAITH.
Our physical reality presents a compelling case for us to consider, but we can overcome that reality by FAITH.
Be sure to read next week's blog as we talk about overcoming the SEEN with the UNSEEN!
(I encourage you, do not take my word for it, open the Bible and discover truth for yourself. Work it out, exercise your faith, and live out the goodness God has prepared for all of us!)
In fact, there are several examples in science where what we see with our eyes is really not what we think we are seeing at all.
For instance, did you know that the reason a red scarf is red is not because the actual material is red, but because the material absorbs all the colors of light except for red, which it reflects. That red light then bounces off the material and into our eyes, and we in turn say that the material is red.
In the same way, white objects are ones which reflect all colors of light, and black objects absorb all colors and reflect none. This is also why dark colors are very hot in summer - because they are absorbing all the energy of the sun and along with the colors, the heat also.
So what is the point?
2 Corinthians 5:17 reminds us, "for we walk by faith and not by sight".
Hebrews 11:3 tells us that God created the worlds with His Words and that everything we see was created from things we cannot see.
These two scriptures seem to say that there is both a seen and unseen reality. And that what we see is often in direct conflict with what we do not see.
When it comes to faith, we must be watchful to not allow the things we see around us to separate us from our faith. A downturn in the economy, a pain that continues to get worse, a relationship that is headed south quickly.
When we allow ourselves to fix our eyes on what we see in the world around us, we can easily be distracted from standing strong in our faith.
Hebrews 11:1 teaches us that FAITH is the substance, the very foundation, of things hoped for (confidently expected) and the evidence (title deed) of things not seen.
I LOVE what the Amplified version of the Bible says in Hebrews 11:1 - FAITH perceiving as REAL FACT, what is not evident to the senses.
In other words, there is another reality that is often in direct opposition to what we see in our physical reality. THAT unseen world is where GOD exists. It is the source from which He created all that is, and it is the source from which we can pull a new reality.
God has invited us to live in His world, and to experience the abundance Christ offers in John 10:10, we have to accept that invitation, by FAITH.
Our physical reality presents a compelling case for us to consider, but we can overcome that reality by FAITH.
Be sure to read next week's blog as we talk about overcoming the SEEN with the UNSEEN!
(I encourage you, do not take my word for it, open the Bible and discover truth for yourself. Work it out, exercise your faith, and live out the goodness God has prepared for all of us!)
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Poured Out
In the Bible, Paul wrote a book to a young man named Timothy.
Timothy was becoming a leader in the Christian movement. Paul's letter, which we know as the books of 1st and 2nd Timothy, instructs Timothy in how to treat people, how to pray for people and how to be a great leader.
Toward the end of his second book, 2 Timothy 4:6, Paul says something to Timothy that may not make sense to us when we first read it...
"For I am already being poured as a drink offering..."
When I first came across this statement I began to study exactly what Paul was saying. What I discovered was a beautiful picture of a servant of God, and a pretty practical example of what it takes to live our lives for Christ.
The idea of a drink offering goes way back to ancient biblical times when a sacrifice would be made to God in the form of a "Drink Offering".
These Drink Offerings would involve pouring the contents of a vessel out completely as a sacrifice.
It seems to me that Paul may be saying to Timothy, "Here is the best example I can give you. I am completely being emptied out of myself. There is no more 'me' left. This is my offering to God."
John the Baptist said something similar in John 3:30 when speaking of the coming Messiah, Jesus...
"He must increase, but I must decrease."
Think about holding a glass full of grape juice. You decide that you want to actually drink orange juice. What would you do?
Most likely, you would pour the grape juice out of the glass then fill it up with orange juice.
But what if you only poured half the grape juice out, then poured in orange juice until the glass was full? Would the glass then be full of orange juice? No, it would be full of orange juice mixed with grape juice. You would not have pure orange juice in the glass.
In the same way, when we decide to ask Christ to be our example and to "fill our lives", the only way this can truly happen is if we completely pour US out. We must completely remove "Us" from our glass so we can be filled with "Him".
Ephesians 1:23 teaches us that Jesus, "fills ALL in ALL..." (emphasis mine).
But how do we empty us of ourselves so we can be filled with Christ?
One of the greatest ways to empty your life of yourself is to serve! Finding ways to serve others will take the focus of your life off of you, and put it on others. The reality is that when we serve others from a godly heart, we are serving God. (Matt. 22:36-37).
Another way we can empty ourselves of us is to make God's Word our filter. Learning to always ask ourselves, "What does The Word say?" puts us in a place of learning and understanding. The more we know about God, the more wisdom and revelation we have of who we are in Him (Ephesian 1:17).
Rather than just assuming all of the traditions we live by are correct, or just taking someone's word for it, we must dig into The Word for ourselves. Doing this will bring us face-to-face with truth that will challenge any selfishness that may be in our lives.
Lastly, Rather than spending ALL of our free time pursuing things that are pleasurable to our flesh, we begin to pursue things that bring strength to our Spirit and pleasure to God. Learning to make the Kingdom of God and His righteousness our main pursuit will help us pour out the us that remains.
All the while, as we are decreasing, Christ is increasing in us, and soon we can be filled with the Power of Christ - fully and purely HIM in us!
As Ephesians 3:17 - 19 ends by saying "that you may be filled with all the fullness of God".
Pour yourself out as an offering to God and be filled up with the Spirit of God!
Timothy was becoming a leader in the Christian movement. Paul's letter, which we know as the books of 1st and 2nd Timothy, instructs Timothy in how to treat people, how to pray for people and how to be a great leader.
Toward the end of his second book, 2 Timothy 4:6, Paul says something to Timothy that may not make sense to us when we first read it...
"For I am already being poured as a drink offering..."
When I first came across this statement I began to study exactly what Paul was saying. What I discovered was a beautiful picture of a servant of God, and a pretty practical example of what it takes to live our lives for Christ.
The idea of a drink offering goes way back to ancient biblical times when a sacrifice would be made to God in the form of a "Drink Offering".
These Drink Offerings would involve pouring the contents of a vessel out completely as a sacrifice.
It seems to me that Paul may be saying to Timothy, "Here is the best example I can give you. I am completely being emptied out of myself. There is no more 'me' left. This is my offering to God."
John the Baptist said something similar in John 3:30 when speaking of the coming Messiah, Jesus...
"He must increase, but I must decrease."
Think about holding a glass full of grape juice. You decide that you want to actually drink orange juice. What would you do?
Most likely, you would pour the grape juice out of the glass then fill it up with orange juice.
But what if you only poured half the grape juice out, then poured in orange juice until the glass was full? Would the glass then be full of orange juice? No, it would be full of orange juice mixed with grape juice. You would not have pure orange juice in the glass.
In the same way, when we decide to ask Christ to be our example and to "fill our lives", the only way this can truly happen is if we completely pour US out. We must completely remove "Us" from our glass so we can be filled with "Him".
Ephesians 1:23 teaches us that Jesus, "fills ALL in ALL..." (emphasis mine).
But how do we empty us of ourselves so we can be filled with Christ?
One of the greatest ways to empty your life of yourself is to serve! Finding ways to serve others will take the focus of your life off of you, and put it on others. The reality is that when we serve others from a godly heart, we are serving God. (Matt. 22:36-37).
Another way we can empty ourselves of us is to make God's Word our filter. Learning to always ask ourselves, "What does The Word say?" puts us in a place of learning and understanding. The more we know about God, the more wisdom and revelation we have of who we are in Him (Ephesian 1:17).
Rather than just assuming all of the traditions we live by are correct, or just taking someone's word for it, we must dig into The Word for ourselves. Doing this will bring us face-to-face with truth that will challenge any selfishness that may be in our lives.
Lastly, Rather than spending ALL of our free time pursuing things that are pleasurable to our flesh, we begin to pursue things that bring strength to our Spirit and pleasure to God. Learning to make the Kingdom of God and His righteousness our main pursuit will help us pour out the us that remains.
All the while, as we are decreasing, Christ is increasing in us, and soon we can be filled with the Power of Christ - fully and purely HIM in us!
As Ephesians 3:17 - 19 ends by saying "that you may be filled with all the fullness of God".
Pour yourself out as an offering to God and be filled up with the Spirit of God!
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
The Twilight Zone
Years ago, there was a popular sci-fi television show called "The Twilight Zone".
In this series, characters were put into very strange situations over which they had no control. Most usually the main character would have to deal with things that seemed to happen between the lines of reality.
Sometimes people would find they had been granted their wishes only to find out that what they had wished for brought tragedy for others, or isolation for themselves.
It really was a strange show, but there were also some cool episodes that made you think!
There have been times in my life where I have found myself in strange situations and I actually hummed "the Twilight Zone" theme song. I felt like I was smack in the middle of one of those crazy episodes!
Have you ever felt that way? Here you are, just cruising along in life, then all the sudden, strange things start happening. Before you know it, everything is upside down and nothing seems to make much sense.
You expect Rod Serling to step out and say, "You've just entered in the Twilight Zone".
These are the times where our faith becomes more important than ever. This is when we run TO God and NOT away!
You see, there are two ways to see our Twilight Zone experience.
1. We can focus on the strange, unexplained, painful, inconvenient, unusual, ridiculous, unfair things that are happening to us....or....
2. We can recognize that twilight happens just before DAYBREAK!
For the Believer, the Twilight Zone is a time of celebration! It means that LIGHT is TWI (or really close!) That the darknes, the weirdness, the craziness, the out-of-controlness is almost over! Victory is close!
It may seem like all hell is breaking loose around us - but the Power of God is about to BREAK loose and all hell will run scared!
Maybe you are experiencing a sort of Twilight Zone right now. Let me encourage you to not give up. Don't let the unexplained steal your faith, your confidence in God. Keep the FAITH and keep BELIEVING!
The LIGHT is about to break, and with it is Victory!
Psalms 30:5 encourages us, "...Weeping may endure for a night, but Joy comes in the morning."
I like the Message Bible version, "The nights of crying your eyes out give way to days of laughter."
Yeh, it might be weird right now, but hang in, keep the faith and soon the Twilight Zone will give way to the Full Light of God's Goodness and Really Amazing Blessings ZONE!
In this series, characters were put into very strange situations over which they had no control. Most usually the main character would have to deal with things that seemed to happen between the lines of reality.
Sometimes people would find they had been granted their wishes only to find out that what they had wished for brought tragedy for others, or isolation for themselves.
It really was a strange show, but there were also some cool episodes that made you think!
There have been times in my life where I have found myself in strange situations and I actually hummed "the Twilight Zone" theme song. I felt like I was smack in the middle of one of those crazy episodes!
Have you ever felt that way? Here you are, just cruising along in life, then all the sudden, strange things start happening. Before you know it, everything is upside down and nothing seems to make much sense.
You expect Rod Serling to step out and say, "You've just entered in the Twilight Zone".
These are the times where our faith becomes more important than ever. This is when we run TO God and NOT away!
You see, there are two ways to see our Twilight Zone experience.
1. We can focus on the strange, unexplained, painful, inconvenient, unusual, ridiculous, unfair things that are happening to us....or....
2. We can recognize that twilight happens just before DAYBREAK!
For the Believer, the Twilight Zone is a time of celebration! It means that LIGHT is TWI (or really close!) That the darknes, the weirdness, the craziness, the out-of-controlness is almost over! Victory is close!
It may seem like all hell is breaking loose around us - but the Power of God is about to BREAK loose and all hell will run scared!
Maybe you are experiencing a sort of Twilight Zone right now. Let me encourage you to not give up. Don't let the unexplained steal your faith, your confidence in God. Keep the FAITH and keep BELIEVING!
The LIGHT is about to break, and with it is Victory!
Psalms 30:5 encourages us, "...Weeping may endure for a night, but Joy comes in the morning."
I like the Message Bible version, "The nights of crying your eyes out give way to days of laughter."
Yeh, it might be weird right now, but hang in, keep the faith and soon the Twilight Zone will give way to the Full Light of God's Goodness and Really Amazing Blessings ZONE!
Monday, September 28, 2009
King of the HILL: Final Ascent!
I was reading a very interesting book this morning. I was into what was being said and looking forward to the pages to come. Then something interesting happened.
As I turned the next page, I noticed I was nearing the end of the chapter. I could see the last page-and-a-half and the title of the next chapter on the following page.
Suddenly, I felt myself getting anxious about finishing the current chapter. I started reading faster, even skipping some words. I had to literally make myself finish the chapter.
What is it about "The End" that causes us to start getting impatient? Why is it that so often, when we can see the finish line that we feel like quitting?
You may not think this describes you, but I would challenge you to go home and look for signs of "unfinished business". Paint on the walls that is still missing that one little spot. Clothes that are folded but not put away. Letters that are written, but still sitting on the counter waiting to be mailed.
There are plenty of signs all around is in our everyday lives that remind us of just how much effort it takes to complete a task.
It is no different as we climb the hills we face in our quest to become King of the Hill.
I believe it is this thought, this obstacle we face, that could be at the heart of what the writer coaches us to do in Hebrews 12:2...
"Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith..."
As we get closer to the top of our hill, closer to overcoming the mountain we have faced, it may be a challenge to stick with it.
Sometimes, just seeing the top can feel like we have arrived, but there is still more climbing to be done. We cannot give up now, we are almost there.
And having someone who is at the top saying, "come on up" will give us that extra courage to keep moving!
Who is that someone? Jesus. He has already conquered the hill. His hill was Calvary. He climbed to the top and never came down! He is, always has been, and will always be our King of the Hill.
And it is His life, His example and His Word from which we draw the strength to stay in faith and leg-it-out for those last few yards, until we reach the top and become King of the Hill.
Don't give up. You are almost there. You can see the top. Now do what the NIV version of Hebrews 12:2 says...
"FIX you eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith..."
Let's go to the TOP!
As I turned the next page, I noticed I was nearing the end of the chapter. I could see the last page-and-a-half and the title of the next chapter on the following page.
Suddenly, I felt myself getting anxious about finishing the current chapter. I started reading faster, even skipping some words. I had to literally make myself finish the chapter.
What is it about "The End" that causes us to start getting impatient? Why is it that so often, when we can see the finish line that we feel like quitting?
You may not think this describes you, but I would challenge you to go home and look for signs of "unfinished business". Paint on the walls that is still missing that one little spot. Clothes that are folded but not put away. Letters that are written, but still sitting on the counter waiting to be mailed.
There are plenty of signs all around is in our everyday lives that remind us of just how much effort it takes to complete a task.
It is no different as we climb the hills we face in our quest to become King of the Hill.
I believe it is this thought, this obstacle we face, that could be at the heart of what the writer coaches us to do in Hebrews 12:2...
"Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith..."
As we get closer to the top of our hill, closer to overcoming the mountain we have faced, it may be a challenge to stick with it.
Sometimes, just seeing the top can feel like we have arrived, but there is still more climbing to be done. We cannot give up now, we are almost there.
And having someone who is at the top saying, "come on up" will give us that extra courage to keep moving!
Who is that someone? Jesus. He has already conquered the hill. His hill was Calvary. He climbed to the top and never came down! He is, always has been, and will always be our King of the Hill.
And it is His life, His example and His Word from which we draw the strength to stay in faith and leg-it-out for those last few yards, until we reach the top and become King of the Hill.
Don't give up. You are almost there. You can see the top. Now do what the NIV version of Hebrews 12:2 says...
"FIX you eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith..."
Let's go to the TOP!
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
King of the Hill: Get the DOUBT OUT!
So you're standing in your front yard walking your dog. You notice a small strange light out of the corner of your eye. You turn to see a bush has caught fire. You run to see how bad it is and notice that the bush is not burning up even though it is on fire.
Then, as you stare at the bush in awe, a voice speaks to you!
That is pretty much the way it went for Moses.
He would soon learn that God had an amazing task for him to do, and this is where we find the next step for us on the way up our hill.
As you climb the hill you face, one of the obstacles you will encounter is the same obstacle that Moses encountered at the burning bush (that did not burn). That obstacle is doubt.
As God commissioned Moses to set His people free, Moses began to doubt, on many levels.
First, Moses doubted himself. Then he doubted the message. Then he doubted the plan would work. Then Moses doubted his ability to deliver the message.
Doubt now stood between Moses and the deliverance of 3 million Israelite people.
But Moses overcame his doubt as he put his trust in God.
On your way up your hill, you will have to overcome doubt. There will be times when you say to yourself, "I don't know...", "I can't make it", "Is this really worth it?"
Doubt can rob you of energy and excitement. It can rob you of peace. But most importantly, doubt will rob you of faith.
Without faith, we will not continue. Without faith, we cannot please God. Without faith, we will begin DEscending our hill instead of moving UPward!
Don't come down now, you have come too far! Don't give up! Don't doubt, have faith!
Faith in what, you might ask? Faith in the same thing that got Moses past doubt...God!
Matthew 21:21 tells us that, "if you ave faith and do not doubt...you can say to this mountain 'Go throw yourself into the sea' and it will be done."
Have faith - don't doubt! Get the DOUBT OUT!
How do we get the doubt out?
1. We read God's Word and get to know God!
2. We go to church so we can be around other people of faith
3. We change the way we think and begin believing God instead of blaming God!
And we do all those things over and over and over again!
Yes, you will encounter doubt, but don't let it stay. Get the DOUBT OUT, and you will soon find that you are King of the Hill!
Then, as you stare at the bush in awe, a voice speaks to you!
That is pretty much the way it went for Moses.
He would soon learn that God had an amazing task for him to do, and this is where we find the next step for us on the way up our hill.
As you climb the hill you face, one of the obstacles you will encounter is the same obstacle that Moses encountered at the burning bush (that did not burn). That obstacle is doubt.
As God commissioned Moses to set His people free, Moses began to doubt, on many levels.
First, Moses doubted himself. Then he doubted the message. Then he doubted the plan would work. Then Moses doubted his ability to deliver the message.
Doubt now stood between Moses and the deliverance of 3 million Israelite people.
But Moses overcame his doubt as he put his trust in God.
On your way up your hill, you will have to overcome doubt. There will be times when you say to yourself, "I don't know...", "I can't make it", "Is this really worth it?"
Doubt can rob you of energy and excitement. It can rob you of peace. But most importantly, doubt will rob you of faith.
Without faith, we will not continue. Without faith, we cannot please God. Without faith, we will begin DEscending our hill instead of moving UPward!
Don't come down now, you have come too far! Don't give up! Don't doubt, have faith!
Faith in what, you might ask? Faith in the same thing that got Moses past doubt...God!
Matthew 21:21 tells us that, "if you ave faith and do not doubt...you can say to this mountain 'Go throw yourself into the sea' and it will be done."
Have faith - don't doubt! Get the DOUBT OUT!
How do we get the doubt out?
1. We read God's Word and get to know God!
2. We go to church so we can be around other people of faith
3. We change the way we think and begin believing God instead of blaming God!
And we do all those things over and over and over again!
Yes, you will encounter doubt, but don't let it stay. Get the DOUBT OUT, and you will soon find that you are King of the Hill!
Monday, September 14, 2009
King of the Hill: The Next Step
Have you ever had to give something up that was very important to you for the sake of progress?
A job, a routine, an important possession?
Sometimes, on our journey up the hills in our lives, we face tough decisions about things that must be given up.
Sometimes these things can weigh us down, and we find that we have to lighten our load if we are going to make it to the top.
Sometimes we may even find that the thing we love so much is keeping us from moving upward.
Paul said, in Hebrews 12:1 that we should "lay aside every weight, and sin" that stops us from completing our race, or in this case, our climb.
Notice he said "every weight, and sin". If the weights in our lives were only bad things, he would not have needed to add, "AND sin". So it must be possible that the things that keep us from climbing to the top of our hill can also be "good" things.
This is what we find in the life of this week's "King of the Hill"...Abraham.
God had promised Abraham that he would be the "Father of many nations", but Abraham had no son.
God blessed Abraham and Sarah with a son named Isaac, even though they were very old, and Sarah was barren.
After Isaac had grown to a certain age, God came to Abraham and told him to take Isaac to the region of Moriah, a mountainess region, and sacrifice him to God.
That is hard for us to wrap our minds around in our world today. Even in Abraham's time when animal sacrifices to God were common, the idea of sacrificing a child probably seemed extreme.
But when we read the story, what we hear Abraham saying are words of faith that would lead us to think that he believed all along that God would spare his son Isaac.
Abraham took Isaac to Moriah and was following God's command and was about to offer Isaac as a sacrifice when God again spoke to Abraham and told him to stop! Do not lay a hand on the boy, God said.
And the Lord provided a ram for the sacrifice in place of Isaac. In fact, Abraham named that spot Jehovajireh, The Lord Provides.
When we trust God with our most precious possessions, our dreams and our plans, He will always give us something greater in return.
It was because of the obedience of Abraham that God made a covenant with man, the same covenant we live in today, only now it's better.
Like Abraham and Isaac, God gave his only son Jesus to be a sacrifice for us, and it is through the life of Jesus that we enjoy an even better covenant today.
On the way up your hill, you will encounter a time of personal sacrifice, a time when something precious will be required of you if you are going to make it to the top.
Let me encourage you, as hard as it may be, as impossible as it may sound, when that time comes, be willing to let go of whatever it is you are asked to release and trust that God will give you something greater in return.
We all have to give up to go up, and when we do, we can become King of the Hill.
A job, a routine, an important possession?
Sometimes, on our journey up the hills in our lives, we face tough decisions about things that must be given up.
Sometimes these things can weigh us down, and we find that we have to lighten our load if we are going to make it to the top.
Sometimes we may even find that the thing we love so much is keeping us from moving upward.
Paul said, in Hebrews 12:1 that we should "lay aside every weight, and sin" that stops us from completing our race, or in this case, our climb.
Notice he said "every weight, and sin". If the weights in our lives were only bad things, he would not have needed to add, "AND sin". So it must be possible that the things that keep us from climbing to the top of our hill can also be "good" things.
This is what we find in the life of this week's "King of the Hill"...Abraham.
God had promised Abraham that he would be the "Father of many nations", but Abraham had no son.
God blessed Abraham and Sarah with a son named Isaac, even though they were very old, and Sarah was barren.
After Isaac had grown to a certain age, God came to Abraham and told him to take Isaac to the region of Moriah, a mountainess region, and sacrifice him to God.
That is hard for us to wrap our minds around in our world today. Even in Abraham's time when animal sacrifices to God were common, the idea of sacrificing a child probably seemed extreme.
But when we read the story, what we hear Abraham saying are words of faith that would lead us to think that he believed all along that God would spare his son Isaac.
Abraham took Isaac to Moriah and was following God's command and was about to offer Isaac as a sacrifice when God again spoke to Abraham and told him to stop! Do not lay a hand on the boy, God said.
And the Lord provided a ram for the sacrifice in place of Isaac. In fact, Abraham named that spot Jehovajireh, The Lord Provides.
When we trust God with our most precious possessions, our dreams and our plans, He will always give us something greater in return.
It was because of the obedience of Abraham that God made a covenant with man, the same covenant we live in today, only now it's better.
Like Abraham and Isaac, God gave his only son Jesus to be a sacrifice for us, and it is through the life of Jesus that we enjoy an even better covenant today.
On the way up your hill, you will encounter a time of personal sacrifice, a time when something precious will be required of you if you are going to make it to the top.
Let me encourage you, as hard as it may be, as impossible as it may sound, when that time comes, be willing to let go of whatever it is you are asked to release and trust that God will give you something greater in return.
We all have to give up to go up, and when we do, we can become King of the Hill.
Monday, September 7, 2009
King of the Hill - Part 1
There's a great game I used to play when I was little. Me and my friends would find a small hill and then try to be the one who stood at the top as King of the Hill.
During the game, we would wrestle and push each other in an attempt to keep them from making it to the top. All the while, we were trying to get there ourselves.
Sometimes in life we face hills, seemingly insurmountable challenges that would keep us from the top of our hill, from the best life.
These hills can be large, even mountain-like at times.
Maybe the hill you are facing is a physical issue, a sickness or chronic pain.
Maybe your hill is a struggling relationship or a financial crisis.
Sometimes when we face hills, we can wonder what we have done wrong, or why we may find ourselves in a valley again.
But it may give you some relief to know that everyone faces hills. In fact, Jesus tells us in John 16:33 "...in this world, you will have trouble..."
So if you find yourself in a valley, facing a giant hill, let me encourage you with these few thoughts.
1. Valleys are unavoidable!
As we just saw in John 16:33, Jesus told us that we would have trouble, that we would experience valleys.
But the fact that you may be in a valley does not mean that you are less of a Christian or that God is mad at you. We have an enemy who wants to keep us down. His plan is for us to never experience the hill-top.
But in the same verse that Jesus told us we would experience valleys, He also told us to "...take heart, I have already overcome the world."
2. God is still with us in the valley!
In Psalm 23, David said, "though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, FOR YOU ARE WITH ME."
A great attribute of God is faithfulness. Even when everyone around us may stop believing or even abandon us in times of trouble, God does not!
In fact, Jesus said..."I will never leave you nor forsake you..." YES! God is here, in the valley, in the low times, in the bad times, GOD is WITH US!
3. The Valley is NOT our final destination!
Davis reminds us in Psalms 30:5 "…weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning."
We may experience valleys, but we don't have to live in them. Remember the words of David from Psalm 23, "...though I walk THROUGH the valley..."
Let's not stay in the valley, let's begin our ascent to the top of our circumstance, our challenge and be KING of the HILL!
In the coming weeks we will look at four obstacles we must overcome on our way to the top. We will look at great men of faith who, in spite of unimaginable challenges, ascended to become King of the Hill.
During the game, we would wrestle and push each other in an attempt to keep them from making it to the top. All the while, we were trying to get there ourselves.
Sometimes in life we face hills, seemingly insurmountable challenges that would keep us from the top of our hill, from the best life.
These hills can be large, even mountain-like at times.
Maybe the hill you are facing is a physical issue, a sickness or chronic pain.
Maybe your hill is a struggling relationship or a financial crisis.
Sometimes when we face hills, we can wonder what we have done wrong, or why we may find ourselves in a valley again.
But it may give you some relief to know that everyone faces hills. In fact, Jesus tells us in John 16:33 "...in this world, you will have trouble..."
So if you find yourself in a valley, facing a giant hill, let me encourage you with these few thoughts.
1. Valleys are unavoidable!
As we just saw in John 16:33, Jesus told us that we would have trouble, that we would experience valleys.
But the fact that you may be in a valley does not mean that you are less of a Christian or that God is mad at you. We have an enemy who wants to keep us down. His plan is for us to never experience the hill-top.
But in the same verse that Jesus told us we would experience valleys, He also told us to "...take heart, I have already overcome the world."
2. God is still with us in the valley!
In Psalm 23, David said, "though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, FOR YOU ARE WITH ME."
A great attribute of God is faithfulness. Even when everyone around us may stop believing or even abandon us in times of trouble, God does not!
In fact, Jesus said..."I will never leave you nor forsake you..." YES! God is here, in the valley, in the low times, in the bad times, GOD is WITH US!
3. The Valley is NOT our final destination!
Davis reminds us in Psalms 30:5 "…weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning."
We may experience valleys, but we don't have to live in them. Remember the words of David from Psalm 23, "...though I walk THROUGH the valley..."
Let's not stay in the valley, let's begin our ascent to the top of our circumstance, our challenge and be KING of the HILL!
In the coming weeks we will look at four obstacles we must overcome on our way to the top. We will look at great men of faith who, in spite of unimaginable challenges, ascended to become King of the Hill.
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Responding to God
Often in life, we equate a response to a nodding of the head, or a voiced agreement.
But truly responding is so much more than a verbal affirmation or a visual suggestion that one is listening.
In fact, when we look into what it really means to respond, we find that listening is truly only half of the equation.
Just because someone listens does not mean they are responding. A true response requires action. A true response results in activity, something getting done.
In 2 Timothy 4, Paul is instructing Timothy in how to lead people, and in verse 6 he says something that sounds a little strange at first:
2Timothy 4:6 For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure.
Paul says I am being POURED OUT like a drink offering. By saying this phrase, Paul is actually giving us a visual description of the word RESPOND.
The root meaning of the word RESPOND means to make a covenant, to give ones self as an offering, to be poured out!
WOW!Paul is actually showing us that a Response to God is a pouring out of ourselves.
John the Baptist said it this way, "I must decrease so that He may increase".
Romans 12:1 encourages us "...in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—THIS is your spiritual act of worship."
Our response to God is not just an "Amen" on a Sunday morning, or hands lifted as we sing, it is a daily pouring out of our own desires and goals so that we can be filled with His desires and goals for us.
It is a daily sacrifice of self for the sake of God's purpose through us.
We see this idea as Jesus prayed in Luke 22:42 “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.”
Jesus poured himself out so that He could be filled with God's purpose and plan.
How are you responding to God today? Have you emptied yourself of your dreams so that God can fill you with His? Have you released control of your situation so that God can bring Wisdom and Peace?
Let me encourage you today to Respond to God, not just in words, but in action, in love and in deeds!
But truly responding is so much more than a verbal affirmation or a visual suggestion that one is listening.
In fact, when we look into what it really means to respond, we find that listening is truly only half of the equation.
Just because someone listens does not mean they are responding. A true response requires action. A true response results in activity, something getting done.
In 2 Timothy 4, Paul is instructing Timothy in how to lead people, and in verse 6 he says something that sounds a little strange at first:
2Timothy 4:6 For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure.
Paul says I am being POURED OUT like a drink offering. By saying this phrase, Paul is actually giving us a visual description of the word RESPOND.
The root meaning of the word RESPOND means to make a covenant, to give ones self as an offering, to be poured out!
WOW!Paul is actually showing us that a Response to God is a pouring out of ourselves.
John the Baptist said it this way, "I must decrease so that He may increase".
Romans 12:1 encourages us "...in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—THIS is your spiritual act of worship."
Our response to God is not just an "Amen" on a Sunday morning, or hands lifted as we sing, it is a daily pouring out of our own desires and goals so that we can be filled with His desires and goals for us.
It is a daily sacrifice of self for the sake of God's purpose through us.
We see this idea as Jesus prayed in Luke 22:42 “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.”
Jesus poured himself out so that He could be filled with God's purpose and plan.
How are you responding to God today? Have you emptied yourself of your dreams so that God can fill you with His? Have you released control of your situation so that God can bring Wisdom and Peace?
Let me encourage you today to Respond to God, not just in words, but in action, in love and in deeds!
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Breaking the Cycle
Several years ago, Kathy and I were driving through the town we lived in on our way to work.
There had been storms in the area and many roads were closed off because of high water levels.
As we continued down our familiar route to our jobs, road after road was blocked off with high water. On several occasions I had to reverse out of a street after we found out it was blocked off.
After about three times of turning down roads that were impassible, we approached another street. Without even looking, I turned our car down the next street, once again to find it was closed off with high water.
We had no more than turned the corner when Kathy asked me a simple yet profound question: "Don't you look before you turn?"
I guess the other turns onto blocked streets had led her to believe this may be a pattern that needed to be addressed. We both laughed. And still today we will ask that questions in jest when faced with a similar situation.
So many people today find themselves facing obstacles they did not expect. It seems like every turn they take leads them to yet another dead end. It is not their intention to end up in these places, it just seems like "that's the way it is" for them.
It's funny, but almost every time I come to a turn that I am not familiar with I hear those words ringing in my ears and think, "have you looked yet?"
It's a simple yet practical habit to form in our lives. Looking before we turn. Looking before we leap. Thinking before we speak. You get the idea.
So often, roadblocks and inconveniences, frustrations and delays could be avoided if we would just take the time to look before we turn. If we would take the time to consider, "is this the right choice?", "is this the right response?", "Is this the way I am supposed to go?"
I'm not talking about second-guessing ourselves as much as I am saying maybe we should "first think" ourselves. Doing that may eliminate some second guessing, and some backing up, in our lives.
Breaking away from those old habits of talking before you think, or going before you consider, may take some work, but in the end they may be exactly what we need to help us get where we are going much quicker and with much less frustration.
Come on, let's recognize the need for healthy choices in our lives, commit our ways to God and break the cycle! Success is just around the right corner!
There had been storms in the area and many roads were closed off because of high water levels.
As we continued down our familiar route to our jobs, road after road was blocked off with high water. On several occasions I had to reverse out of a street after we found out it was blocked off.
After about three times of turning down roads that were impassible, we approached another street. Without even looking, I turned our car down the next street, once again to find it was closed off with high water.
We had no more than turned the corner when Kathy asked me a simple yet profound question: "Don't you look before you turn?"
I guess the other turns onto blocked streets had led her to believe this may be a pattern that needed to be addressed. We both laughed. And still today we will ask that questions in jest when faced with a similar situation.
So many people today find themselves facing obstacles they did not expect. It seems like every turn they take leads them to yet another dead end. It is not their intention to end up in these places, it just seems like "that's the way it is" for them.
It's funny, but almost every time I come to a turn that I am not familiar with I hear those words ringing in my ears and think, "have you looked yet?"
It's a simple yet practical habit to form in our lives. Looking before we turn. Looking before we leap. Thinking before we speak. You get the idea.
So often, roadblocks and inconveniences, frustrations and delays could be avoided if we would just take the time to look before we turn. If we would take the time to consider, "is this the right choice?", "is this the right response?", "Is this the way I am supposed to go?"
I'm not talking about second-guessing ourselves as much as I am saying maybe we should "first think" ourselves. Doing that may eliminate some second guessing, and some backing up, in our lives.
Breaking away from those old habits of talking before you think, or going before you consider, may take some work, but in the end they may be exactly what we need to help us get where we are going much quicker and with much less frustration.
Come on, let's recognize the need for healthy choices in our lives, commit our ways to God and break the cycle! Success is just around the right corner!
Saturday, August 8, 2009
DWELL
Where do you live? Where is your dwelling? Probably the first thing you think of when you read those questions is your physical address. City, State and Zip...right?
Certainly this is one aspect of dwelling, but when we look at dwelling from God's eyes, we see a much broader and richer perspective.
We read in Numbers that God instructed his people to "cross the Jordan and DWELL in the land" that He had given them. To be obedient to this command, they could not just pass through - they had to build homes, take up residence and stay in that place.
In our transient world today, very few people stay in one spot for very long. We are a moving, fast-paced world full of options and unlimited possibilities.
In our own lives, Kathy and I have moved nearly 8 times in our 18 years together. Three of those moves were relocations across several states. That's roughly once every two years. WOW! I'm tired just thinking about it.
But think about how comforting those words had to sound to those who had left Egypt. They had been wondering in the desert for 40 years, and now they were going to be able to stay in one place....forever.
Psalm 91:1 tells us that "He who dwells int he secret place of the Most High will abide under the shadow of the almighty".
There is something about dwelling, living in one place that brings confidence and comfort. What better place than under God's providing power?
Where do you live your life? Are you under the shadow of the Almighty?
Some people lives their lives in chaos. Some live their lives in confusion and worry. Others live under the shadow of debt and financial crisis. Where do you live?
Does it feel like you have setup camp in the desert? If it does let me encourage you that this is not where God wants you to dwell!
The place he has for you is better than this, it is better than lack and conflict. it is better than depression and anxiety. It is a place of joy, abundance, generosity and love.
If you are not there yet - KEEP MOVING FORWARD! The place you desire is just ahead. And once you arrive - DWELL! Live there! Take up residence and let the world know - I AM NOT LEAVING THIS PLACE!!
Where do you live? Where is your dwelling? What are you dwelling on? Who are you dwelling with? Is that the life God has for you? The good life? The blessed life?
If it is then DWELL - live there! Otherwise - keep moving until you reach the land of promise in which God wants you to DWELL!
Certainly this is one aspect of dwelling, but when we look at dwelling from God's eyes, we see a much broader and richer perspective.
We read in Numbers that God instructed his people to "cross the Jordan and DWELL in the land" that He had given them. To be obedient to this command, they could not just pass through - they had to build homes, take up residence and stay in that place.
In our transient world today, very few people stay in one spot for very long. We are a moving, fast-paced world full of options and unlimited possibilities.
In our own lives, Kathy and I have moved nearly 8 times in our 18 years together. Three of those moves were relocations across several states. That's roughly once every two years. WOW! I'm tired just thinking about it.
But think about how comforting those words had to sound to those who had left Egypt. They had been wondering in the desert for 40 years, and now they were going to be able to stay in one place....forever.
Psalm 91:1 tells us that "He who dwells int he secret place of the Most High will abide under the shadow of the almighty".
There is something about dwelling, living in one place that brings confidence and comfort. What better place than under God's providing power?
Where do you live your life? Are you under the shadow of the Almighty?
Some people lives their lives in chaos. Some live their lives in confusion and worry. Others live under the shadow of debt and financial crisis. Where do you live?
Does it feel like you have setup camp in the desert? If it does let me encourage you that this is not where God wants you to dwell!
The place he has for you is better than this, it is better than lack and conflict. it is better than depression and anxiety. It is a place of joy, abundance, generosity and love.
If you are not there yet - KEEP MOVING FORWARD! The place you desire is just ahead. And once you arrive - DWELL! Live there! Take up residence and let the world know - I AM NOT LEAVING THIS PLACE!!
Where do you live? Where is your dwelling? What are you dwelling on? Who are you dwelling with? Is that the life God has for you? The good life? The blessed life?
If it is then DWELL - live there! Otherwise - keep moving until you reach the land of promise in which God wants you to DWELL!
Sunday, July 26, 2009
DELAY
Have you ever had to wait on something? A train? A meal? A vacation?
One of the hardest things to deal with in life is delay. The time between when we begin and see the result can often feel like decades.
Think about trying to shed a few pounds. FOREVER!
What about the days between paychecks? ENDLESS!
What about how long it is taking for your prayers to be answered?
Sometimes things can be delayed so long that we choose to give up. Think about the last time you stood in a long line, anticipating making it to the end. There were probably times when you thought about getting out of the line.
But what if you had? What if you had given up on waiting, moving three inches every 5 minutes? What if you had not found a way to overcome the delay?
You would have missed the prize that was waiting for you at the end.
There have been times in my life when I have given up on an event because the wait was just too long. Or I left a game early because I thought I knew what the result would be. Only to find out later that amazing things happened, or I missed the performance of a life-time.
It is in those moments that I say, "Man, if I only I had stayed! If I could have just waited a little longer!"
Galatians 6:9 encourages us, "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up."
Overcoming DELAY may be difficult. It may take extraordinary patience. But in the end, it will be worth the wait!
Are you trying to stand in faith for something in your life? Are you feeling like you want to give up or quit? Don't do it. Hang in there. Keep enduring. If you can make it just a little longer you will find yourself with the answer, the reward in your hand!
Don't Give Up!!
One of the hardest things to deal with in life is delay. The time between when we begin and see the result can often feel like decades.
Think about trying to shed a few pounds. FOREVER!
What about the days between paychecks? ENDLESS!
What about how long it is taking for your prayers to be answered?
Sometimes things can be delayed so long that we choose to give up. Think about the last time you stood in a long line, anticipating making it to the end. There were probably times when you thought about getting out of the line.
But what if you had? What if you had given up on waiting, moving three inches every 5 minutes? What if you had not found a way to overcome the delay?
You would have missed the prize that was waiting for you at the end.
There have been times in my life when I have given up on an event because the wait was just too long. Or I left a game early because I thought I knew what the result would be. Only to find out later that amazing things happened, or I missed the performance of a life-time.
It is in those moments that I say, "Man, if I only I had stayed! If I could have just waited a little longer!"
Galatians 6:9 encourages us, "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up."
Overcoming DELAY may be difficult. It may take extraordinary patience. But in the end, it will be worth the wait!
Are you trying to stand in faith for something in your life? Are you feeling like you want to give up or quit? Don't do it. Hang in there. Keep enduring. If you can make it just a little longer you will find yourself with the answer, the reward in your hand!
Don't Give Up!!
Friday, July 10, 2009
MAKE THE TURN
Take two magnets and hold them close together.
If you have the polarity right, they will attract one another and stick together. Try pulling the magnets apart. Takes a little effort doesn't it?
Now hold the magnets about 1/4" apart and let one go! See how they come together again? That is because of the magnetic pull of one on the other.
Now put the two together again. Pull them apart to about 1/4" again. Now turn one of them around and let it go. See how the forces between them actually pushed one away?
That is the same idea of what happens to us when we "repent" or turn away from things that are holding us back.
So many people believe that repenting means asking forgiveness - but this is not all of the story. To repent means to "turn the other way". And just like our magnet, when we turn away from the things that have been holding us back, we will actually begin to be repelled from them. They will eventually become repulsive to us.
Whether it is a bad habit, a bad relationship or a troubled past, we must turn away.
So often, many people will go through the hard work of breaking away from the things that hold them back, but they never make the turn away from those things. Because of that, when they lose their grip on pulling away, they are drawn back into the old ways.
One reason this is true is because we must keep making the choice to turn away until it becomes a new habit. We replace our old thoughts with new ones, we replace our old relationships with new ones, we replace the places we used to go with new ones, until "old things have passed away and all things have become new".
This process is INSTANT in Christ. The moment we ask forgiveness and accept him as our savior, everything is NEW, but we must walk that out.
It's not so much that falling back into old habits will condemn us to an eternal hell as much as it will keep us from enjoying the fullness of life that Christ purchased for us.
What do you need to turn away from today? Do you need to turn your back on a habit that keeps you from being all that you can be in Christ? Do you need to turn your back on some relationships that continually drag you into sin and failure?
Yes, those can be tough decisions and require much effort on our part, but in the end, they are worth every ounce of energy we pour into them. And with God's daily-renewed Mercy, and His limitless Grace, we can MAKE THE TURN!
If you have the polarity right, they will attract one another and stick together. Try pulling the magnets apart. Takes a little effort doesn't it?
Now hold the magnets about 1/4" apart and let one go! See how they come together again? That is because of the magnetic pull of one on the other.
Now put the two together again. Pull them apart to about 1/4" again. Now turn one of them around and let it go. See how the forces between them actually pushed one away?
That is the same idea of what happens to us when we "repent" or turn away from things that are holding us back.
So many people believe that repenting means asking forgiveness - but this is not all of the story. To repent means to "turn the other way". And just like our magnet, when we turn away from the things that have been holding us back, we will actually begin to be repelled from them. They will eventually become repulsive to us.
Whether it is a bad habit, a bad relationship or a troubled past, we must turn away.
So often, many people will go through the hard work of breaking away from the things that hold them back, but they never make the turn away from those things. Because of that, when they lose their grip on pulling away, they are drawn back into the old ways.
One reason this is true is because we must keep making the choice to turn away until it becomes a new habit. We replace our old thoughts with new ones, we replace our old relationships with new ones, we replace the places we used to go with new ones, until "old things have passed away and all things have become new".
This process is INSTANT in Christ. The moment we ask forgiveness and accept him as our savior, everything is NEW, but we must walk that out.
It's not so much that falling back into old habits will condemn us to an eternal hell as much as it will keep us from enjoying the fullness of life that Christ purchased for us.
What do you need to turn away from today? Do you need to turn your back on a habit that keeps you from being all that you can be in Christ? Do you need to turn your back on some relationships that continually drag you into sin and failure?
Yes, those can be tough decisions and require much effort on our part, but in the end, they are worth every ounce of energy we pour into them. And with God's daily-renewed Mercy, and His limitless Grace, we can MAKE THE TURN!
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Magnetic
Have you ever put to powerful magnets together? If they are big enough, they are almost impossible to pull apart.
Once you do have them separated though, you can physically feel the pull of one on the other.
As you continue to pull them further apart, the strength of the attraction is less and less. If you were to drop one magnet during this process, the two would go back together.
But once you have gotten beyond the magnetic field, then the two will not go back together on their own.
This is a picture of what it is like for us to break away from old habits.
When we first begin the process of changing an area of our lives it is difficult to break free from its pull. We know we have to give up the fatty foods that are high in sugar, but they taste so good.
We know we cannot continue to depend on credit for the things we cannot afford, but the desire to have is so powerful.
We know we need to make a clean break from a bad relationship, but the pull of routine, or even physical connection makes it hard to follow through.
If we can just find a way to make that initial detachment we know it will be easier. But as long as we stay close to the thing we are wanting to get away from, the harder it will be to break free.
Sometimes we even make the break, only to find that a few days later, we stumble, we drop the ball, and go right back to where we were. We were not quite out of the field of pull, the influence of that habit, or relationship, and we fall back into the old routine.
But if we can stick with it and keep distancing ourselves from the things that hold us back, eventually we will break free completely from its influence, and we will truly be free!
Just like with the magnets, we can take courage in the fact that there is a place where we can be free from the pull of our old ways.
But there is one more idea in this that I think is an important tool we can use to help us along in this process. Repentance.
The word "repent" means to make a turn. It is the idea of turning our backs on something, or turning to go the other way.
What do we know about magnets? When you turn a magnet around, you reverse the poles and you reverse the magnetic field.
Take two magnets that are attracting one another, and turn one in the opposite direction. What happens? Suddenly, the two forces that were pulling toward each other are now repelling each other.
In fact, it is nearly impossible to overcome that force and bring the two magnets together.
That is why the idea of "repenting" is so powerful in our lives. In fact, the Bible encourages us to "turn from our evil ways".
When we repent, we put a whole new force at work in our lives, a force that will help to keep us from returning to old habits, bad relationships, or negative environments that keep us from living the successful Christian life we desire.
So the next time you feel yourself being drawn back to an undesirable lifestyle, just stop and repent, turn the other way, and let the freeing power of God's Spirit help you draw closer to Him!
Once you do have them separated though, you can physically feel the pull of one on the other.
As you continue to pull them further apart, the strength of the attraction is less and less. If you were to drop one magnet during this process, the two would go back together.
But once you have gotten beyond the magnetic field, then the two will not go back together on their own.
This is a picture of what it is like for us to break away from old habits.
When we first begin the process of changing an area of our lives it is difficult to break free from its pull. We know we have to give up the fatty foods that are high in sugar, but they taste so good.
We know we cannot continue to depend on credit for the things we cannot afford, but the desire to have is so powerful.
We know we need to make a clean break from a bad relationship, but the pull of routine, or even physical connection makes it hard to follow through.
If we can just find a way to make that initial detachment we know it will be easier. But as long as we stay close to the thing we are wanting to get away from, the harder it will be to break free.
Sometimes we even make the break, only to find that a few days later, we stumble, we drop the ball, and go right back to where we were. We were not quite out of the field of pull, the influence of that habit, or relationship, and we fall back into the old routine.
But if we can stick with it and keep distancing ourselves from the things that hold us back, eventually we will break free completely from its influence, and we will truly be free!
Just like with the magnets, we can take courage in the fact that there is a place where we can be free from the pull of our old ways.
But there is one more idea in this that I think is an important tool we can use to help us along in this process. Repentance.
The word "repent" means to make a turn. It is the idea of turning our backs on something, or turning to go the other way.
What do we know about magnets? When you turn a magnet around, you reverse the poles and you reverse the magnetic field.
Take two magnets that are attracting one another, and turn one in the opposite direction. What happens? Suddenly, the two forces that were pulling toward each other are now repelling each other.
In fact, it is nearly impossible to overcome that force and bring the two magnets together.
That is why the idea of "repenting" is so powerful in our lives. In fact, the Bible encourages us to "turn from our evil ways".
When we repent, we put a whole new force at work in our lives, a force that will help to keep us from returning to old habits, bad relationships, or negative environments that keep us from living the successful Christian life we desire.
So the next time you feel yourself being drawn back to an undesirable lifestyle, just stop and repent, turn the other way, and let the freeing power of God's Spirit help you draw closer to Him!
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
P.I.G.
Every play a game called PIG?
It's a basketball game in which each player takes turns shooting shots in order. If the person in front of you makes their shot, you have to make the same shot they made.
If you miss the shot, you get a letter...like "P". If you miss another shot the person in front of you made, you get another letter..."I", and so on until you spell "PIG", then you are out.
The last person to not have spelled "PIG" wins.
My son and I like to play this game, and he is pretty good for being just 7-years-old. It beats playing one-on-one with a kid who has enough energy for the entire block.
One of the funnest things about the game is that you can get very tricky with the shots you take. You can even describe exactly how the shot is supposed to be done, and if you make it, the person behind you has to make the shot exactly as described.
"Off the garage door, off the tree limb, hit the backboard, nothing but net". These are always a blast, especially if you make it. But there is one other rule that, most likely, someone who lost the game alot made up. It's called "Prove it".
What happens is that when you make a shot and the person behind you misses the shot, if that miss gave them the last letter of the word, "PIG", then you are obligated to make the shot again, proving it was not just luck that caused them to lose. You have to "Prove It".
There have been many LONG games of PIG because we could never prove the "off the garage, off the limb, off the backboard, nothing but net" shots, and the loser would get a second life. In fact, I have witnessed someone who was on the verge of losing come all the way back to win after getting a second life with the "Prove It".
But in a way, this is a picture of how we can get the victory over the devil in life.
So many times we are just plodding along and everything is going well. We are making all the shots. Job is going well, relationships seem healthy. Body is functioning well. And then all the sudden we become a victim of a downsizing, and the Devil says "P".
We think, "it's ok, I can get through this". We find work, not quite as good as before, but we can manage. Then we wake up one morning, and our marriage seems a little sideways. Just not on the same page...then things escalate and we're wondering, how did we get here? And the devil smirks and says, "P-I".
We patch it up with a kind gesture. Things seem to be back to normal, or at least less volitile for the moment.
Then we get the news. The report from the tests we had run at the Doctors Office, and we find oursleves starring off into space faced with the prospect of a whole new kind of life, and not one we had hoped to live.
As we sit in silence thinking about this new reality, a small voice whispers sarcastially, "P-I-G!"
We are about to walk away from the game. We've been beat. We missed on all the important stuff and now the game is over. But then we realize...
He pulled one out of the closet for that last shot. A real, "off the garage, off the limb, off the backboard, nothing but net" kind of shot. And we remember, this game ain't over yet!!
Confident, we stand up in the face of the medical report, the strife in the relationship and the disappointment of the job and say, "PROVE IT!"
But what he and we both realize is that there is no way he can! He has no basis to stand on. He has no authority to draw from. He's all LUCK! And there is no LUCK in our game - it's all GRACE!
We battle the report and through faith the sicknesses goes away! ..."P"! devil...
We apologize to our spouse, genuinely repent of selfishness, repair the hurts and the marriage is better than ever! ... "I"! devil...
We dig in and work on our resume. Go back to school to finish that education and find a job twice as good as the one we lost. Or we start that business and things take off! "G"!...devil...
Now he's the one facing elimination, and he cowardly says, "prove it?"
Grabbing the ball from his gnarly little hands we loft up the shot...."If God is for me, WHO can be against me!?" SWISH! Game over.........PIG!
When the devil tries to make you think he's won the game, just stir your faith, stand on the Word and say, "PROVE IT!"
It's a basketball game in which each player takes turns shooting shots in order. If the person in front of you makes their shot, you have to make the same shot they made.
If you miss the shot, you get a letter...like "P". If you miss another shot the person in front of you made, you get another letter..."I", and so on until you spell "PIG", then you are out.
The last person to not have spelled "PIG" wins.
My son and I like to play this game, and he is pretty good for being just 7-years-old. It beats playing one-on-one with a kid who has enough energy for the entire block.
One of the funnest things about the game is that you can get very tricky with the shots you take. You can even describe exactly how the shot is supposed to be done, and if you make it, the person behind you has to make the shot exactly as described.
"Off the garage door, off the tree limb, hit the backboard, nothing but net". These are always a blast, especially if you make it. But there is one other rule that, most likely, someone who lost the game alot made up. It's called "Prove it".
What happens is that when you make a shot and the person behind you misses the shot, if that miss gave them the last letter of the word, "PIG", then you are obligated to make the shot again, proving it was not just luck that caused them to lose. You have to "Prove It".
There have been many LONG games of PIG because we could never prove the "off the garage, off the limb, off the backboard, nothing but net" shots, and the loser would get a second life. In fact, I have witnessed someone who was on the verge of losing come all the way back to win after getting a second life with the "Prove It".
But in a way, this is a picture of how we can get the victory over the devil in life.
So many times we are just plodding along and everything is going well. We are making all the shots. Job is going well, relationships seem healthy. Body is functioning well. And then all the sudden we become a victim of a downsizing, and the Devil says "P".
We think, "it's ok, I can get through this". We find work, not quite as good as before, but we can manage. Then we wake up one morning, and our marriage seems a little sideways. Just not on the same page...then things escalate and we're wondering, how did we get here? And the devil smirks and says, "P-I".
We patch it up with a kind gesture. Things seem to be back to normal, or at least less volitile for the moment.
Then we get the news. The report from the tests we had run at the Doctors Office, and we find oursleves starring off into space faced with the prospect of a whole new kind of life, and not one we had hoped to live.
As we sit in silence thinking about this new reality, a small voice whispers sarcastially, "P-I-G!"
We are about to walk away from the game. We've been beat. We missed on all the important stuff and now the game is over. But then we realize...
He pulled one out of the closet for that last shot. A real, "off the garage, off the limb, off the backboard, nothing but net" kind of shot. And we remember, this game ain't over yet!!
Confident, we stand up in the face of the medical report, the strife in the relationship and the disappointment of the job and say, "PROVE IT!"
But what he and we both realize is that there is no way he can! He has no basis to stand on. He has no authority to draw from. He's all LUCK! And there is no LUCK in our game - it's all GRACE!
We battle the report and through faith the sicknesses goes away! ..."P"! devil...
We apologize to our spouse, genuinely repent of selfishness, repair the hurts and the marriage is better than ever! ... "I"! devil...
We dig in and work on our resume. Go back to school to finish that education and find a job twice as good as the one we lost. Or we start that business and things take off! "G"!...devil...
Now he's the one facing elimination, and he cowardly says, "prove it?"
Grabbing the ball from his gnarly little hands we loft up the shot...."If God is for me, WHO can be against me!?" SWISH! Game over.........PIG!
When the devil tries to make you think he's won the game, just stir your faith, stand on the Word and say, "PROVE IT!"
Sunday, May 17, 2009
For the Birds
In Mark 4, Jesus tells the story of a farmer who is planting seed. He describes where the farmer spreads the seed, the kind of ground the seed falls on and what kind of crop that seed produces.
In one part of the story, Jesus says that some of the seed falls on a pathway, where it was immediately eaten by birds. The seed didn't even have a chance to grow.
Later He explains that the seed represents God's Word, and that the seed that fell on the pathway is like when the Word of God is spoken but the people who are listening never connect to what is being taught.
It's as though birds came in and took the seed of the Word before it ever got into the ears of those that were listening.
Isn't it true that we can be sitting, listening to someone speak the Word, and yet never hear any of it? Today, it is so easy to be distracted. We have so many voices vying for our attention, yet the Bible tells us to "Pay Attention" to God's Word.
It makes a difference whether or not we listen to God's Word. If we allow ourselves to get distracted, we may miss what God has for us. In the 10 seconds it took for you to drift off into another thought, you may have missed the very Word you needed to hear.
"God will say it again if he really wants me to hear it!" someone might say. That may be true, but will you be listening the next time?
In Matthew 23:37, Jesus talks about how He wanted to gather Jerusalem together and protect them under His arms, but they refused. even though he desired to protect them time and time again, they missed every chance.
We may not just out-right refuse God, but unless we cultivate an attitude of paying attention we could certainly miss his Word by being distracted, too busy, or even bored with the messenger.
Our enemy DOES NOT want us to hear God's Word because He knows how powerful it is if we can get it in our hearts.
But if we will "shoe" the birds away from the seed, then we can receive it, cultivate it in our hearts and enjoy the harvest of abundance that God's Word promises for those who hear and obey.
In one part of the story, Jesus says that some of the seed falls on a pathway, where it was immediately eaten by birds. The seed didn't even have a chance to grow.
Later He explains that the seed represents God's Word, and that the seed that fell on the pathway is like when the Word of God is spoken but the people who are listening never connect to what is being taught.
It's as though birds came in and took the seed of the Word before it ever got into the ears of those that were listening.
Isn't it true that we can be sitting, listening to someone speak the Word, and yet never hear any of it? Today, it is so easy to be distracted. We have so many voices vying for our attention, yet the Bible tells us to "Pay Attention" to God's Word.
It makes a difference whether or not we listen to God's Word. If we allow ourselves to get distracted, we may miss what God has for us. In the 10 seconds it took for you to drift off into another thought, you may have missed the very Word you needed to hear.
"God will say it again if he really wants me to hear it!" someone might say. That may be true, but will you be listening the next time?
In Matthew 23:37, Jesus talks about how He wanted to gather Jerusalem together and protect them under His arms, but they refused. even though he desired to protect them time and time again, they missed every chance.
We may not just out-right refuse God, but unless we cultivate an attitude of paying attention we could certainly miss his Word by being distracted, too busy, or even bored with the messenger.
Our enemy DOES NOT want us to hear God's Word because He knows how powerful it is if we can get it in our hearts.
But if we will "shoe" the birds away from the seed, then we can receive it, cultivate it in our hearts and enjoy the harvest of abundance that God's Word promises for those who hear and obey.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
The light is getting brighter!
Kathy and I were sitting on our deck last evening after the kids were asleep. It was a beautiful night and the sky was a perfect indigo blue.
Around our deck we have four tiki torches that add light and the calming effect of fire.
We had been sitting there for about 15 minutes or so when I asked, "does it look like the torches are getting brighter?" She thought for a moment then responded, "Yes, it does".
What was happening is that as the night sky grew darker, the light from the fires grew brighter.
Isn't that a perfect picture of how our lives should be in Christ? As the world around us grows more dim, more dismal, more dark, our light should shine brighter than ever before.
Proverbs 4:18 says, "The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn,
shining ever brighter till the full light of day. "
In today's reality, our lives should be ever increasing in light. Whether we are blessed against the grain in a weak economy, or we are protected from sickness and disease in the midst of an epidemic, when darkness sets in, our light grows brighter.
Maybe that has not been your reality though. Maybe you have experienced the light growing darker rather than lighter in your life. Take courage in the words of Jesus:
John 8:12 When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
In our church, we have been receiving reports from people several times a week about how God is increasing them in every way. We asked everyone to share their stories of increase even if they simply received a coupon for a free ice-cream cone.
Hey, when you are at zero, 1 is increase!
And who better to give glory for the increase than God? When we magnify what God is doing in our lives, we increase the light. And, in the end, light ALWAYS overcomes darkness!!
So take heart, there is hope because the light is getting brighter!
To read stories of how God is increasing His people, go to www.yourfamilylife.org and click on the tiki torch!
If you have a story to tell, you can also click our "Tell Your Story" link and send us an email with your story. Or call the church office at 740-387-7778 and leave us your story on voice-mail.
Your words of encouragement are going to help brighten everyone's path!
Shining Brightly,
Pastor Tom
Around our deck we have four tiki torches that add light and the calming effect of fire.
We had been sitting there for about 15 minutes or so when I asked, "does it look like the torches are getting brighter?" She thought for a moment then responded, "Yes, it does".
What was happening is that as the night sky grew darker, the light from the fires grew brighter.
Isn't that a perfect picture of how our lives should be in Christ? As the world around us grows more dim, more dismal, more dark, our light should shine brighter than ever before.
Proverbs 4:18 says, "The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn,
shining ever brighter till the full light of day. "
In today's reality, our lives should be ever increasing in light. Whether we are blessed against the grain in a weak economy, or we are protected from sickness and disease in the midst of an epidemic, when darkness sets in, our light grows brighter.
Maybe that has not been your reality though. Maybe you have experienced the light growing darker rather than lighter in your life. Take courage in the words of Jesus:
John 8:12 When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
In our church, we have been receiving reports from people several times a week about how God is increasing them in every way. We asked everyone to share their stories of increase even if they simply received a coupon for a free ice-cream cone.
Hey, when you are at zero, 1 is increase!
And who better to give glory for the increase than God? When we magnify what God is doing in our lives, we increase the light. And, in the end, light ALWAYS overcomes darkness!!
So take heart, there is hope because the light is getting brighter!
To read stories of how God is increasing His people, go to www.yourfamilylife.org and click on the tiki torch!
If you have a story to tell, you can also click our "Tell Your Story" link and send us an email with your story. Or call the church office at 740-387-7778 and leave us your story on voice-mail.
Your words of encouragement are going to help brighten everyone's path!
Shining Brightly,
Pastor Tom
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Success is for Everyone
I love to see people succeed. You know, do something they may have at one time thought was impossible.
This weekend, I had the honor of witnessing three people succeeding.
First, there was my good friend Michael. Michael is a classic over-achiever (in a good way). He graduated from high school at the head of his class. He was the captain of his debate team, and served congressmen while he was still a Senior.
And this weekend, he graduated from college a year early. And to top it off, he was asked to give a speech as representative of the student body. By the way, the school is Oral Roberts University.
Then there is my nephew. He's pursuing his dream of playing music. He's a great vocalist, guitarist and songwriter. His band, Theatre Breaks Loose, released their first CD this past weekend, and it hit iTunes just today (I just bought it from there...so cool!).
Then there is my son. He played his first baseball game of the season last night and made a spectacular play. The batter had just fouled of a pitch that Grant ran over from first base and picked up. He had the ball in his hand ready to throw it back to the coach, who was pitching, but the coach didn't see him.
While Grant was standing there, the coach pitched another ball to the batter, who popped it up out of bounds by first base. Grant instinctively ran over, while holding the first foul ball and caught the second foul ball at the same time. A pretty awesome play for a seven-year-old.
The cheer from the crowd (and his parents) brought the biggest smile I think I have ever seen on his face! He was beaming!
Each of these experiences has one encouraging thing in common: Achievement is something everyone can do!
It doesn't take someone that is far more talented, or far more intelligent, or far more athletic to succeed in life - we all can. And in so many ways, we all do, we just have to learn to see it.
When we learn to find successes to celebrate, even in the small things, we will find ourselves living a more fulfilling life, and enjoying the journey that much more.
What is it that you would like to succeed at doing? Begin today seeing yourself as a success and some day there will be others around watching you succeed!
This weekend, I had the honor of witnessing three people succeeding.
First, there was my good friend Michael. Michael is a classic over-achiever (in a good way). He graduated from high school at the head of his class. He was the captain of his debate team, and served congressmen while he was still a Senior.
And this weekend, he graduated from college a year early. And to top it off, he was asked to give a speech as representative of the student body. By the way, the school is Oral Roberts University.
Then there is my nephew. He's pursuing his dream of playing music. He's a great vocalist, guitarist and songwriter. His band, Theatre Breaks Loose, released their first CD this past weekend, and it hit iTunes just today (I just bought it from there...so cool!).
Then there is my son. He played his first baseball game of the season last night and made a spectacular play. The batter had just fouled of a pitch that Grant ran over from first base and picked up. He had the ball in his hand ready to throw it back to the coach, who was pitching, but the coach didn't see him.
While Grant was standing there, the coach pitched another ball to the batter, who popped it up out of bounds by first base. Grant instinctively ran over, while holding the first foul ball and caught the second foul ball at the same time. A pretty awesome play for a seven-year-old.
The cheer from the crowd (and his parents) brought the biggest smile I think I have ever seen on his face! He was beaming!
Each of these experiences has one encouraging thing in common: Achievement is something everyone can do!
It doesn't take someone that is far more talented, or far more intelligent, or far more athletic to succeed in life - we all can. And in so many ways, we all do, we just have to learn to see it.
When we learn to find successes to celebrate, even in the small things, we will find ourselves living a more fulfilling life, and enjoying the journey that much more.
What is it that you would like to succeed at doing? Begin today seeing yourself as a success and some day there will be others around watching you succeed!
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Cooperate for Health
When we read the book of Genesis, we get a glimpse into the way God designs. One thing we see is that He creates systems. More than just creating the earth, grass, animals and so on, God put systems for re-birth and re-generation within each of those things.
For instance, God made apple trees and placed within those apple trees the seeds for more apple trees. Apples grow on apple trees and have apple seeds inside them. Those apples fall to the ground, decay and the seeds plant themselves into the soil. From those seeds grow new apple trees. It is an endless cycle, a system for the creation of apple trees.
If God had not made this system for reproducing apple trees, he would have had to come down to earth every day and say, "Let there be apple trees".
In the same way, God put systems in place for our bodies to be healthy and to heal themselves. Think about how many times you fell down and scraped your knee as a kid. Yet, if you looked at your knee today, you probably would see no sign of those minor cuts and scrapes you sustained as a child.
That is because the body is designed to heal itself.
When we learn to cooperate with our bodies built-in systems for healing, we will experience a much better quality and quantity of life.
Simple habits like drinking enough water and getting good rest. Proper nutrition and exercise play a HUGE role in releasing the bodies power for healing.
Prayer, when backed by a faith-filled lifestyle, is a powerful tool for healing. In fact, it is the most powerful tool for healing when applied through faith in God and faithfulness to God's Word. Which includes the nutrition, rest and exercise mentioned before.
To live the best life, we must cooperate with God, His Word and with our bodies in a healthy way to experience the abundant life Christ has for us.
How are you participating in your healing today? Are you waiting for God to heal your body? Or are you putting action to your faith by making the best possible choices you could make for your healing?
Maybe you can see the importance of cooperating with God, and with the natural systems for healing he placed within us, and begin today!
Be Healthy,
Pastor Tom
For instance, God made apple trees and placed within those apple trees the seeds for more apple trees. Apples grow on apple trees and have apple seeds inside them. Those apples fall to the ground, decay and the seeds plant themselves into the soil. From those seeds grow new apple trees. It is an endless cycle, a system for the creation of apple trees.
If God had not made this system for reproducing apple trees, he would have had to come down to earth every day and say, "Let there be apple trees".
In the same way, God put systems in place for our bodies to be healthy and to heal themselves. Think about how many times you fell down and scraped your knee as a kid. Yet, if you looked at your knee today, you probably would see no sign of those minor cuts and scrapes you sustained as a child.
That is because the body is designed to heal itself.
When we learn to cooperate with our bodies built-in systems for healing, we will experience a much better quality and quantity of life.
Simple habits like drinking enough water and getting good rest. Proper nutrition and exercise play a HUGE role in releasing the bodies power for healing.
Prayer, when backed by a faith-filled lifestyle, is a powerful tool for healing. In fact, it is the most powerful tool for healing when applied through faith in God and faithfulness to God's Word. Which includes the nutrition, rest and exercise mentioned before.
To live the best life, we must cooperate with God, His Word and with our bodies in a healthy way to experience the abundant life Christ has for us.
How are you participating in your healing today? Are you waiting for God to heal your body? Or are you putting action to your faith by making the best possible choices you could make for your healing?
Maybe you can see the importance of cooperating with God, and with the natural systems for healing he placed within us, and begin today!
Be Healthy,
Pastor Tom
Monday, April 20, 2009
Fit for the Kingdom
Yesterday we enjoyed a great session with Brock Meadows, certified fitness and nutrition coach. Brock had some great things to say about the choices we make concerning our health.
It is true that sickness, disease and an overall lack of good health robs kids of their parents, spouses of their partners and all of us of friends and family.
Yet there are so many simple things we can do to maintain a healthier lifestyle, and live fuller, longer lives.
Jesus said in John 10:10, that he "came to give life and life more abundantly". In my humble opinion, a life lived battling weight, depression and symptoms is not the "abundant" life.
I realize that there are issues many people face that diet and exercise alone cannot fix. However, it is believed that many of the most chronic diseases and ailments could be prevented by simply following a healthier regimen.
I read recently about the amazing effects of drinking an adequate amount of water daily. Many people today are walking around dehydrated and are not even aware....yet.
Our bodies are designed to repair themselves, to regenerate life and to live much longer than the average life-span today. But we have to cooperate with our bodies. Think about that word: CO (meaning together) OPERATE (meaning to function).
The truth is that when we make unhealthy choices (fast foods, lack of sleep and exercise) we are operating AGAINST our bodies instead of WITH our bodies. Continuing to live in those kinds of choices will lead to the complications that none of us want to face.
BUT...simply making some minor adjustments can make a big difference.
Some experts believe that simply getting enough water daily (drink half your body weight in OZ's), could stave off or even reverse some chronic diseases and mental disorders.
For example, in some cases, constipation can be directly linked to dehydration, and when the bowels are functioning properly, the door is opened to a myriad of issues.
The point of all this is simply to encourage you that being healthier does not have to be intimidating, but to encourage you that there are practical ways in which you can begin today to build a healthier tomorrow.
If you are facing health issues, or just desire to get in better health, find a local expert who can help you get on track. There are a lot of resources from credible authorities that can help you begin making wise and practical decisions about your health today!
And never overlook the power of prayer! Jesus gave his Life so that we could walk in health and forgiveness. As you make adjustments in your diet and exercise, pour on the Word! God's Word in your heart will help to keep you on target! (Psalm 119:11)
Be sure to join us this week as we continue talking about our spiritual, physical and mental health in our series: "Fit for the Kingdom"
Be Healthy,
Pastor Tom
It is true that sickness, disease and an overall lack of good health robs kids of their parents, spouses of their partners and all of us of friends and family.
Yet there are so many simple things we can do to maintain a healthier lifestyle, and live fuller, longer lives.
Jesus said in John 10:10, that he "came to give life and life more abundantly". In my humble opinion, a life lived battling weight, depression and symptoms is not the "abundant" life.
I realize that there are issues many people face that diet and exercise alone cannot fix. However, it is believed that many of the most chronic diseases and ailments could be prevented by simply following a healthier regimen.
I read recently about the amazing effects of drinking an adequate amount of water daily. Many people today are walking around dehydrated and are not even aware....yet.
Our bodies are designed to repair themselves, to regenerate life and to live much longer than the average life-span today. But we have to cooperate with our bodies. Think about that word: CO (meaning together) OPERATE (meaning to function).
The truth is that when we make unhealthy choices (fast foods, lack of sleep and exercise) we are operating AGAINST our bodies instead of WITH our bodies. Continuing to live in those kinds of choices will lead to the complications that none of us want to face.
BUT...simply making some minor adjustments can make a big difference.
Some experts believe that simply getting enough water daily (drink half your body weight in OZ's), could stave off or even reverse some chronic diseases and mental disorders.
For example, in some cases, constipation can be directly linked to dehydration, and when the bowels are functioning properly, the door is opened to a myriad of issues.
The point of all this is simply to encourage you that being healthier does not have to be intimidating, but to encourage you that there are practical ways in which you can begin today to build a healthier tomorrow.
If you are facing health issues, or just desire to get in better health, find a local expert who can help you get on track. There are a lot of resources from credible authorities that can help you begin making wise and practical decisions about your health today!
And never overlook the power of prayer! Jesus gave his Life so that we could walk in health and forgiveness. As you make adjustments in your diet and exercise, pour on the Word! God's Word in your heart will help to keep you on target! (Psalm 119:11)
Be sure to join us this week as we continue talking about our spiritual, physical and mental health in our series: "Fit for the Kingdom"
Be Healthy,
Pastor Tom
Welcome to the Family Life Church BLOG
Hey everyone,
Welcome to the first installment of our new family.life.church weekly BLOG.
You can check here every Monday Morning for a new blog to help keep you going for the week!
So grab your cup'-o-joe (coffee), go to www.yourfamilylife.org and click BLOG! It's cool and current!
See you right here!
Pastor Tom
Welcome to the first installment of our new family.life.church weekly BLOG.
You can check here every Monday Morning for a new blog to help keep you going for the week!
So grab your cup'-o-joe (coffee), go to www.yourfamilylife.org and click BLOG! It's cool and current!
See you right here!
Pastor Tom
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