In pursuit...

I have been studying the book of James in my personal studies. I never cease to be amazed at how God speaks to me in my moments of studies. For those who say God doesn't speak to you I would respond that you are not listening. It seems almost every time I read my Bible and spend time in prayer God is speaking to me and showing me things I need to be reminded of.

James was trying to help us understand that our goal as followers of Christ is a life long journey. We are to spend our life in pursuit of becoming more like Christ. God helps shape us and refine us into Christ's image through the trials we face in life. Through temptation we learn to trust in God more to help deliver us from evil. Their are character traits and attitudes in our life we must learn to surrender to the power of His Holy Spirit so we can become that example of Christ to a world that needs to see and hear. We can't allow our words and actions to be controlled by our desires. We must learn to live and operate under the power of God. There are areas in our spiritual life like prayer that could be stronger and more effective.

Really, it is all about maturity. Am I in pursuit of growing in my relationship with God? Or, do I feel like I have already arrived at a place of perfection? Those who feel like they have already arrived are the ones who fall short. I'm not there yet. I don't look as much like Christ as I should. I have areas I need to improve in; that I need to grow in. Today, I choose to turn these areas over to God and ask for His help. Not so I can be some great and mighty Christian or more holy than you. I do it because I recognize the need in my life to continue to grow and become more like Christ. Do you?

It's all about me?

I think the more I see society today the more I realize we as people tend to get stuck on ourselves. Our lives become all about us. We do what we can for more fame and attention. Just look at all the videos posted on Youtube or the ones who try out on American Idol who have no idea what it means to sing in tune or on key. They are out for the attention. All eyes on them. I am about to use a huge word here, but we as a society are struggling with narcissism. It's a self-love. It's vanity. If we aren't careful, it can creep into our relationship with God.
John the Baptist got it right in John 3:30. He said "He must increase, but I must decrease." My life isn't all about me. Church isn't all about me and what I want. My life isn't about how much wealth, materials, or attention I can gain for myself. My life isn't about me at all. It's all about Jesus. It's all about living in a way that the love and hope of Jesus Christ shines through me in such a way that people don't see me, but instead see Him. Our life is not our own to live how we want and please.
It's not all about me. It's all about Jesus. I have to remind myself of that daily because I try to get in the way. I can't allow myself to get in the way of Christ's reflection in my life.
So how about you? Is your life all about you, or are you living for Someone greater?

Stubborn or Responsive...

I am not a doctor by a long shot, but I think I've come to understand a little about how a heart works. If we aren't careful with what we eat and take into our body we can do damage to our heart and arteries. The main arteries feeding into and out of the heart can become hardened, narrower, or even blocked. With these things going unchecked and undealt with, it can cause us a lot of trouble. We need our arteries to be open and allowing a constant flow of blood in and out.

In Ezekiel 11:19 it says "I will take the heart of stone out of their flesh, and I give them a heart of flesh." The NLT says that God will take away our stony, stubborn heart and give us a tender, responsive one in return. If we aren't careful, we can place ourselves in danger of having a spiritual heart attack. We can let sin and the things of this world into our life until our heart becomes hard, our arteries narrowed, and the life giving blood of Christ can quit flowing until we find ourselves unresponsive. You cannot afford to be stubborn and reject what God is wanting to do. But, if we have a healthy dose of time with God and time in His word each day our heart can remain healthy and responsive to what God is wanting to do in our life.

Where do you fall; a heart stubborn and refusing what God is wanting to do in you and through you? Or, do you find yourself responding to the work of God on your life?

Your spiritual well-being is dependent on it!

Jealousy...

Jealousy is one of those topics that seems to leave us thinking it's such a negative thing. If we allow jealousy to affect us in a negative way where we are never satisfied with what we have it can be devastating. If all we think is what we have isn't good enough and what others have is better, than jealousy can consume and destroy us. But, is it possible that jealousy could actually have a positive affect on our life? I mean, in Exodus 20:5 God describes Himself as a jealous God.

We as followers of Christ are often referred to in the Bible as the bride of Christ. Now in a marriage trust and faithfulness have to exist otherwise a marriage will crumble. So if Christ views are relationship as a marriage the question is do we remain faithful to Him? Have we allowed other things or people to creep into our lives and take His rightful place as our #1? In a marriage we would never tolerate that. We expect a committed faithfulness from our spouse and we in turn remain committed to our spouse. Adultery will destroy a marriage. With Jesus it is no different. We cannot allow the momentary pleasures of this world become our #1. We are married to Jesus, and as we expect Him to remain faithful to us and His promises, so He expects the same from us.

Don't be guilty of committing spiritual adultery. If God is jealous for you, are you remaining faithful to Him?

Your reputation precedes you...

There's a lot of truth in that statement "Your reputation precedes you." As a Christian, our reputation is one of the greatest tools we can have to be a witness to a world in need. If we aren't careful, we can do damage to our reputation and in the process damage our ability to be an effective witness for God.

Genesis 23 records the death of Abraham's wife, Sarah. As Abraham is looking for a place to bury his wife he approaches the Hittite elders. He asks if he can buy a piece of land to bury Sarah on. Their response speaks volumes as to the reputation that preceded Abraham. Vs. 6 "Listen, my lord, you are an honored prince among us. Choose the finest of our tombs and bury here there. No one here will refuse to help you in this way." Abraham was a foreigner. An outsider. Yet the Hittites thought so highly of him they called him an honored prince. Abraham's godly character had created a positive influence on the people around him.

As Christians we are often seen as outsiders to the rest of the world. The way we do things or see things seems foreign to those around us. The question is what impression do you leave on those around you? Do they see you as difficult to deal with? Someone who is easily angered? Someone who is over-bearing and pushy? Another Christian hypocrite? Or do they see you as someone who adds value and brings quality into their life? Do they see someone who reflects the love and grace of God?

How is your reputation positively influencing the world around you for Christ?

When they just won't listen...

Ever had those moments when you feel like God is calling you to reach out to someone? Or maybe God laid something on your heart to share with someone and you're just not sure how well it will be received? I think we all have had those occurrences in our life. Or maybe you did share with them what God told you and they just simply blew it off and didn't listen to a word you said. That can be even more gut wrenching. How can a person hear a message from God and refuse to listen? Should we just simply give up and quit trying to reach those who will not respond?
Ezekiel was just one of the O.T. prophets that knew exactly what this was like. He experienced a people who rejected God's word on a daily basis. You know what God told him to do? God said in Ezekiel 2:7 "You must give them my messages whether they listen or not..." It's up to us to share God's message of hope and salvation whether people choose to listen to it or reject it. People even rejected the message that Jesus himself proclaimed. So if they failed to listen to the Son of God I think some people are going to ignore us to. The Bible also says the road that leads to eternal life is a narrow one that few will be willing to follow. The majority are going to follow the wide road that's easier to navigate. That doesn't excuse us from our duty of trying to get them on the right path.
Our job today is the exact same mission that God gave Ezekiel way back in the day. We must give them the message of God and it's up to them to receive it or refuse it. But, if we don't share it than they will never hear it. I want to encourage you today to keep on sharing the message of hope God has placed inside of you! I know I will.

The best made plans...

So many times in life I have come up with this great set of plans. Some of them have worked out perfect. Really, better than I could have ever hoped for. Others have absolutely blown up in my face. They have gone on to cause me a lot of heart ache and pain. Why do some plans seem so great and than fail?

The Living Bible says this in Psalm 1:6. "For the Lord watches over all the plans and paths of godly men, but the paths of the godless lead to doom." God is watching over my life. He's watching over the plans I make and the paths I choose to walk down. As long as I am doing my best to remain faithful to Him, than all the thoughts and plans for my life are being watched over by God. He's watching me to assist me and help my plans succeed. So what about the ones that fail?

Well, the Word also says "A man's mind plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps and makes them sure." in Proverbs 16:9 of the Amplified Version. So I can make my plans, but I need to keep in mind God is trying to direct my steps and keep me on the path He wants me on. So maybe the next time things don't pan out the way I think they should maybe I should evaluate from God's perspective. Planning is good, but following God is best. Sometimes our best made plans aren't always the ones God has in store for us. So maybe failure isn't as much about failure as it is God trying to keep us on track with where He wants us.
Just a thought!

The Power of Christ

I was doing my morning studies and came across this verse in Hebrews. 1:2-3 - ...God promised everything to the Son as an inheritance, and through the Son he created the universe. The Son radiates God's own glory and expresses the very character of God, and he sustains everything by the mighty power of his command.
To think about the power that Christ possesses makes my life and all its problems seem so small. Things I once thought unconquerable, now look like they can be defeated. Look at what the writer of Hebrews is saying. He points out 4 things about just how powerful my Savior is.

1. That all creation is His inheritance. Everything in this world we can see or imagine all belongs to Christ. So if I find myself in need, I have a God who is more than adequately equipped to meet those needs.

2. The universe was created through the Son. If Jesus was able to create this beautiful universe we live in, than He can create something marvelous with my life if I will simply allow Him to.

3. The Son radiates with the glory and character of God. If I want my life to be a reflection of God, than I need to get my life in a position where I can soak up the Son. The moon has no power to light itself. It is dependent on the sun. I have no power to look like God or live the way I should. But, the power of Christ at work in me and through me gives me the ability to radiate the love of God into a dark world.

4. He sustains everything with His powerful command. This world is subject to the power and command of God. Nothing happens that surprises God. I don't have to try to run my world. Christ can sustain it. I just have to try to follow Him, and allow Him to lead.

No matter where you find yourself today, I know my God is able to prove more powerful than anything you will face today or in the days to come!

Be the Example!

I have been gone for the past week to Youth Camp with my middle school peeps. It was so much fun, and God did some pretty amazing things during the services. I believe young people were touched and forever changed by the God who can do more than we could ever imagine.

Really, after the great week of camp we had I am left with this one thought on my heart - Be the Example! We are to be an example of Jesus to a world that is in need. We should be a living example of Jesus. That is such a simple statement to make and yet at times can be one the most difficult things to live. We must come to understand our life is the only thing about God some people will ever see. The way we treat others. How we choose to talk to people and about people. The way we decide to build people up or tear them down. The choices we make to stand up for what is right or to compromise our beliefs once again. Somebody is always watching. Being the example however popular or unpopular it may be is difficult. There is a world that needs to see what is means to have a real relationship with God, and not just to be a part of a church or religious organization. They want something real, and many will never accept Christ until they see He is real in the way we live our life.

The speaker at camp, Garland Owensby, put it this way. He compared our relationship with God to sponsors in Nascar. People know who sponsors someone in Nascar because they see their logo's plastered all over their cars. When someone looks at you, who do they see you sponsoring? Without saying a word, can a person look at your life and see that Jesus is your sponsor? Matthew 5:14 says "You are the light of the world - like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden." Is Jesus the sponsor in your life that cannot be hidden? We are either pointing people towards Christ or leading them away. When the world looks at your life, is it evident who your sponsor is?

Under Construction

In the past, I used to work in the construction industry. I have helped to frame houses. I have done some remodeling to older houses. I have also installed siding and soffit. Kind of a jack of all trades, but a master of none. It's always obvious when there's something under construction. The old is being torn off so new can be put on. Or, maybe it's brand new construction so you see all the dirt work and construction going on. In the end, the finished product is to have something new and improved upon from what you had before. You are trying to upgrade the old or provide yourself with a bigger and better house.

The Apostle Paul said our life is very much like this. In Colossians 3:10 he said, "Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him." That word renewed is what I want to focus on. That word in the Greek can be translated as renovate. Isn't that really what God's work in our life should be about. Our life should be full of the evidence of God's renovating process. There should places where our old ways are being torn down and replaced with His new and improved ways. The foundation our life was once built on is now being constructed on the foundation of Jesus Christ and His Word.

But really, our life should always be in the process of renovation. The work of God in our life is never complete until we pass from this earth and find ourselves standing face to face with the One who created us.

Is there evidence in my life that God is at work here? Is the a spiritual "Under Construction" sign hanging in my life? Am I allowing God to rid me of all the old and worn down and broken down parts of my life, and replace it with His best for me? Am I trying to become like the One who Created me? Or am I just trying to be who I want to be?

Are you? Is there evidence in your life that God's renovating you so you can become like His Son?

The entire Cross.

Ask any Christian how they feel about the cross and what kind of response do you think you will get? They are passionate about the cross. The cross is to Christians what the flag is to us Americans. It's a symbol of our hope and freedom. When we look at the cross we are reminded of Christ's shed blood that ransomed our lives from the grips of sin. It is the cross that brought about our healing from sickness and disease. But, what about the other statement Jesus makes about the cross.

Jesus said in Matthew 16:24 "If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me." You see, most of us want the salvation and healing that Jesus has to offer. Very few of us really want to give anything up to follow him though. I have a hard time with that. It's easy to accept His sacrifice, but it is difficult for me to make a sacrifice for Him in return. We are selfish by nature. It's hard for us to give up those habits we had before we were saved. God will understand, won't He? We struggle to give away our hard earned money when He asks us to. It's mine anyway, besides someone else will probably give, right? We won't commit to investing in the lives of other people because we are just too busy and don't have enough time. God's a busy man, He understands doesn't He?

If we want to take the cross we are going to have to accept all the cross stands for. We can't take the pieces we want and discard the rest. It is either all or nothing. The cross is a symbol of hope. It does represent our freedom from sin and sickness. But, it also represents the sacrifice and selflessness Christ showed as He died in our place. It is a symbol of giving up certain things to gain even greater things. It represents our life. We must crucify our wants and desires and seek to please the One who died on it for us. It was Jesus prayer, "Not my will but your will be done Father."

What is there in my life that I am holding on to? What is there that I need to let go of, and let God have? What are some of the "selfish" things that I am pursuing that are keeping me from growing even more in Christ? Jesus offered the greatest sacrifice that anyone could give for me and you. So what can I offer Him in return? What can offer Him in return?

To live is what?

To really live life means to really do what? Is a high-paying job and 2 story house really living life? Is owning all the toys we can, or providing ourselves with the most luxurious things we can? I mean we all go through life. We have are ups and we have are downs. There is always the good times, and yet there always seems to be bad times too. So what is our purpose here on earth? What is the motivation behind why we exist in this life?

I'm a husband to an amazing wife. I'm a father to 2 of the most incredible kids I have ever known. I might be a little biased there, but that's what dad's are for! I'm lucky to be a friend to some pretty awesome individuals. If you're ready this, than I'm probably talking about you. I'm a son to my parents. These are all great things, but they are all hardly worth justifying a person's existence on earth.

I guess what I'm getting at is this. I was reading in Philippians today and came across this passage. "For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain." 1:21 NKJV. I love how the NLT puts it though, "living means living for Christ, and dying is even better." What passion must have been behind that pen as the Apostle Paul inked those words. That was the motivation of his life. Jesus was the very reason he existed. To share that hope with the world was the purpose of his life. And he lived it. He was beaten, whipped, imprisoned, ship-wrecked, cold, hungry, and the list could go on and on. Yet, he endured all those things, because the beat of his heart was to share Jesus with the world.

I feel just like Paul. I'm here to share this message of freedom and hope with the world. If that fails to be my most important priority, than I have failed to the very task for which I was created. How could I be a better father or husband or friend, than to let those around me see me live out my passion for Jesus. No matter what I have to endure, I pray that passion remains inside of me. I pray it consumes my entire life. If I can't say the Christ is my one consuming passion than I pray God removes whatever has taken Jesus rightful place in my life.

Is Christ the number one passion in your life right now? If not, what has taken the place of where He belongs?

The potter or the clay?

I can remember once in a middle school art class we had to make a bowl out of clay on a potter's wheel. It was fun getting my hands all dirty and squishing the clay around. I found out soon enough that it was definitely harder than it looks. My bowl would end up to thin in parts and too thick in others. I never could seem to figure out how to make it balanced all the way around. It always seemed uneven and out of shape. I learned I'm better off leaving it up to a real potter to make my bowls for me. Or at least just going to Walmart to buy a set when I need them!

I think sometimes I tend to forget that in my relationship with God. I was reading in Isaiah today and got a fresh reminder from the Lord. "What sorrow awaits those who argue with their Creator. Does a clay pot argue with its maker? Does the clay dispute with the one who shapes it, saying, 'Stop, you're doing it wrong!" Isaiah 45:9 NLT How often do I question God in what He is doing in my life? Bad things happen. Tough times fall on me, and I find myself complaining and questioning God about what is going on here. I tell Him that He's doing it wrong here, so I am going to try to do things my way. The way I think is right. Then my life ends up a little too thin in certain areas, and others areas end up with way too much. My life ends up feeling lop-sided and out of balance. Than I realize I'm not quite the potter I thought I was.

God fashioned the earth. He formed man out of dust into His own image. He designed a plan for mankind way before man ever existed. I do not think He really needs my help now in how to run things in my life. I need help learning to submit to Him. I need to learn to follow God where He is leading me. I must allow God to be the Master Potter of my lump of clay I call my life. I should let Him do His job and shape my life the way He knows best. Lord grant me the strength and patience to allow you to what you know is best.

Are you allowing God to shape your life, or are you trying to tell Him what He needs to do?

Live it loud!

As I was doing my studies today I came across this scripture.

"O Zion, messenger of good news, shout it from the mountaintops! Shout it louder, O Jerusalem. Shout, and do not be afraid. Tell the towns of Judah, "Your God is coming!" Isaiah 40:9 NLT

It really got me thinking about the way we worship God and live for Him. Here God is telling His people you've got some good news. You need to get excited and shout about it. Don't be afraid to tell others or get excited about me.

I went to watch my sons baseball game last night. They lost 11-8. You know even though we lost, people were still getting excited during the game. They were cheering the players on. They would shout out directions for the kids to follow. Some even stood up and gave a loud cheer and clapped their hands. I find it interesting that we can get so excited over a baseball game, but struggle to find that same excitement in our relationship with God. Or, worse yet, at church when we are in the very place we meet to worship God.

"Your God is coming." What if Jesus himself showed up in a real physical way that we could touch and see? What if we saw Jesus the next time we were in church? How would we worship differently? How much more energy and excitement would there be in a Sunday service? If you knew for sure that today was the last day before Jesus was coming back for His church, how would you live differently? We would be more passionate and more direct in our appeal for men to get saved. We would not be afraid to share the good news with others. We would have this since of urgency to get this message of hope out to those who need it most, regardless of what others may think or say.

We need to make sure we live each day that way. We all should walk around with that excitement and anticipation in our life. Worship isn't just something we sing or say. Really it is the way we choose to live our life. Today I choose to live my life out loud. I want to shout it from the mountaintops that my God is alive and has saved me from my sins. He can do the same for everyone who is walking around lost and hurting in this world today. I challenge you to live your life for Christ out loud today so others can see and hear it! You serve a great big God that can do above and beyond anything we could hope for or imagine. Let's get excited about it!

When bad news comes

"Set your affairs in order, for you are going to die. You will not recover from this illness." Isaiah 38:1 NLT.

Talk about bad news. How would you like someone to have that conversation with you? Perhaps some of you who might read this have been in that exact situation. Everyone experiences hardship and bad times. No one can escape it. Maybe it's not news that you are going to die. Maybe you have lost your job. Maybe your financial situation is a mess and you can't seem to find a way out of debt. For some, your marriage may be falling apart or your kids seem to hate you. We cannot change the fact that we all have to face difficult times.

One thing we can change is how we respond. Hezekiah responded by crying out to God for help. "When Hezekiah heard this, he turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord." Vs. 2. We can get angry or upset in these moments. Some people become afraid and fall apart. Others just complain about the hand they are dealt, and eventually are consumed by bitterness. The Apostle Paul tells us how we as Christians should respond in moments like these. It's one of my favorite scriptures. "Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done." Philippians 4:6 NLT. Prayer is the one thing that can change our circumstances! Even if our circumstances aren't changed, prayer can change our attitude and outlook in these trying times.

Prayer worked for Hezekiah. God promised to extend his life 15 years. How about giving it a try and just see how pray can change your circumstance today!

If I could make a wish for the world it would be...

My son finished the 1st Grade today. Yesterday he brought home his paper work from this past school year. It's so much fun to read through all he has done over the course of the year. There was one particular piece of work that caught my attention. His teacher had them put together a bio of themselves. They shared these with the other kids to get to know them better. In this bio there were some questions he had to answer. One was "If I could be any person in the world I would be"...His response was "A Ninja Turtle." Another was "If I could be an animal I would...A dog." This next question was the one that got me. "If I could make a wish for the world it would be...For everyone to know Jesus."

I have to confess the moment I read that tears welled up in my eyes, much like they are now. To think that if a 7 year old boy could have one wish come true it would be for the world to know Jesus. I don't know many adults who claim to be Christians that would respond to that question in that manner. Luke 18:17 came to my mind. "I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn't receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it." Sometimes we complicate our relationship with God a little too much. Often we get so busy with what we think is important we loose sight of what truly is.

Thank you, Nate, for reminding me about the truly important things in my life. I am so proud of you.