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I must confess that I often get angry but rarely how the Bible describes in Ephesians 4:26, “Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger.” My anger is usually in response to personal inconveniences not righteous injustice, which is a worthy cause for wrath according to God’s Word.
My tyranny most often flares up when I’m driving and those around me don’t meet up with my selfish standards for automotive etiquette. This kind of rage definitely roars down the road toward sin instead of righteous indignation, which is slow to build as it is tempered by the Father’s heart of grace.
Avoiding anger that leads to sin is really a matter of being angry at the right things, that which maligns God’s goodness and attacks His holiness. When our hearts become filled with concern over the perversion of God’s perfection than our anger will be rightly placed when expressed. In so doing, our focus on personal matters, and the resulting sin that comes from self-centeredness, will diminish as we instead focus on God’s righteousness.
(Prayer): Lord help us to love the things you love, hate the things you hate and express anger only in righteous ways. Let selfish concerns decrease as we focus on your goodness and truth. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.
Tuesday, January 22, 2019
Thursday, January 17, 2019
Redemption
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When I was a kid I used to collect empty soda and beer cans because growing up in Iowa we got five cents for every can recycled. One time, I received over $85 from the redemption center from collecting hundreds of cans that filled up nearly five four-foot tall garbage bags. I rescued cans from the bottom of garbage bins and along ditches beside the road where people carelessly discarded them, unaware of their intrinsic value. Is it any wonder I later became a pastor, practicing redemption from such a young age?
Not that I did the redeeming, that is Jesus department as Ephesians 1:7 says “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace.” Yet, like Christ, I saw value in what the world considered refuse. The word redemption means to “regain possession of (something) in exchange for payment.” Through the payment of Christ’s life we regain our lost possession of an unhindered relationship with God.
The saddest part of our unredeemed condition is we don’t even know what we have lost and that we are lost. We live in ignorance that we once possessed a glorious connection to the God of the universe. It’s only through the Holy Spirit that we become aware of our true condition. John 16:13 proclaims, “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth.” The Holy Spirit shows us that we are not worthless debris to be thrown away, but instead a priced possession to be redeemed. Christ’s primary purpose is revealed in Luke 19:10 which says, “ For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
(Prayer): Thank you Holy Spirit for revealing the truth. Thank you Jesus for loving us, for coming after us, for giving your life for us and paying the price so we could regain possession of our eternal relationship with God the Father. Amen.
When I was a kid I used to collect empty soda and beer cans because growing up in Iowa we got five cents for every can recycled. One time, I received over $85 from the redemption center from collecting hundreds of cans that filled up nearly five four-foot tall garbage bags. I rescued cans from the bottom of garbage bins and along ditches beside the road where people carelessly discarded them, unaware of their intrinsic value. Is it any wonder I later became a pastor, practicing redemption from such a young age?
Not that I did the redeeming, that is Jesus department as Ephesians 1:7 says “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace.” Yet, like Christ, I saw value in what the world considered refuse. The word redemption means to “regain possession of (something) in exchange for payment.” Through the payment of Christ’s life we regain our lost possession of an unhindered relationship with God.
The saddest part of our unredeemed condition is we don’t even know what we have lost and that we are lost. We live in ignorance that we once possessed a glorious connection to the God of the universe. It’s only through the Holy Spirit that we become aware of our true condition. John 16:13 proclaims, “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth.” The Holy Spirit shows us that we are not worthless debris to be thrown away, but instead a priced possession to be redeemed. Christ’s primary purpose is revealed in Luke 19:10 which says, “ For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
(Prayer): Thank you Holy Spirit for revealing the truth. Thank you Jesus for loving us, for coming after us, for giving your life for us and paying the price so we could regain possession of our eternal relationship with God the Father. Amen.
Wednesday, January 16, 2019
The Deaf Shall Hear!
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Jesus performed many miracles, Mark 7:37 records that the “People were overwhelmed with amazement. “He has done everything well,” they said. “He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.” In Jesus day, the crowds were truly astounded when they witnessed his actions.
In our day, we are rarely impressed, however if you do a search on YouTube for “baby hears for the first time” you can watch videos of small children receiving hearing aids and their reactions when they hear the sounds of their loved ones for the very first time. It is truly priceless and evokes a similar response as those who witnessed Jesus perform miracles.
This is not to say that technology has replaced Jesus, it just means that Father continues to bless us through science, medicine as well as modern day miracles. We shouldn’t discount one avenue just because another is utilized to deliver the same gifts of grace.
Jesus performed many miracles, Mark 7:37 records that the “People were overwhelmed with amazement. “He has done everything well,” they said. “He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.” In Jesus day, the crowds were truly astounded when they witnessed his actions.
In our day, we are rarely impressed, however if you do a search on YouTube for “baby hears for the first time” you can watch videos of small children receiving hearing aids and their reactions when they hear the sounds of their loved ones for the very first time. It is truly priceless and evokes a similar response as those who witnessed Jesus perform miracles.
This is not to say that technology has replaced Jesus, it just means that Father continues to bless us through science, medicine as well as modern day miracles. We shouldn’t discount one avenue just because another is utilized to deliver the same gifts of grace.
Mark 7:34-35 recounts the moment of Jesus actual miracle as “He looked up to heaven and with a deep sigh said to him, “Ephphatha!” (which means “Be opened!”). At this, the man’s ears were opened, his tongue was loosened and he began to speak plainly.” Jesus words are simple instructions for us today, “be open to the move of Christ in any way and through any means he chooses to act and we too may excitedly exclaim, “The deaf shall hear!”
(Prayer): Lord, work in my life in any way you desire. Reveal any barriers that have prevented you from moving fully and freely, and help me to remove them. In your mighty name I pray. Amen.
(Prayer): Lord, work in my life in any way you desire. Reveal any barriers that have prevented you from moving fully and freely, and help me to remove them. In your mighty name I pray. Amen.
Tuesday, January 15, 2019
Being Present in the Now
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It is easy to be concerned about tomorrow (how will I pay my bills or when will I meet that special someone?) that sometimes we forget to be present in the now. When our thoughts for the future consume us, concern turns to worry, worry turns to anxiety and anxiety can render us utterly ineffective in being able to address the tasks at hand. I often find my gaze stuck in the forward position, always dreaming of what will be and absent from what actually is. In order to re-align my perspective I latched onto the phrase “being present in the now”.
Matthew 6:33 says, “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” The “all these things” spoken of here concerns “life, body, food and clothes,” the same things we strive after. We are encouraged that our worry for them will diminish when we instead focus on the life of our soul and the purposes of Christ in us. When our priority is kingdom business and walking in obedience to God’s plan, than the blessed by-product is the release of God’s provision for life’s necessities.
Being present in the now is an awareness of what God requires of us today so we can adequately build for tomorrow. Matthew 6 goes on in verse 34 and reminds us: “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” When we focus on the future it’s as though we are inviting the problems of tomorrow to be added to the challenges we are already facing today. This of course, would be silly, a waste of time, and highly unproductive. Let us instead, be fully present in the now and seek only those things that concern what Christ is doing in and through our lives today.
(Prayer): “Lord we ask you to would help us keep our gaze fixed upon you so we don’t miss a single opportunity to walk in your purposes and to partner with the promise of your provisions. Thank you and we pray this in Jesus name. Amen.
Monday, October 15, 2018
I Don't Want to Be a Beatle Anymore
YouTube is a time capsule of amazing conversations from by gone days. Today I saw an interview with George Harrison (lead guitarist for the Beatles) on the Dick Cavett show from years ago. George still had the long hair and a beard so it wasn’t long after his time with the Fab Four. Dick asked George questions like “Why did the Beatles break up?” and “Are you sad that the band is no more?” George said without restraint that there were a lot of problems with the band and he was glad that season of his life was over as it was time to move on.
I found myself pondering George’s answers. It’s easy to look into the lives of others and see only what we want to see. In this instance, I’ve always imagined that all of the Beatles had it all simply because they were a Beatle. They reached pinnacle status as young men and could basically ride this wave for the rest of their lives. In my mind they had it made, the underlying phrase here “in my mind.” I was amazed to hear George utter his words of relief that the band was no more. He rhetorically asked Dick, “What would we do for the rest of our lives if we were still together but just play the same old songs over and over again?” This was not the future George imagined for himself. I could just see a 2018 tour with the Beatles and the Rolling Stones, everyone in their 70’s and 80’s singing their golden oldies with Jagger and Lennon joining together for the big finale compilation “I Can’t Get No Satisfaction/All You Need is Love”!
At the end of the day, the Beatles are still just people with struggles and problems. Apparently, George’s problem was that he was in a band that he thought had run its course. Today I also heard an interview with Emilio Estevez where he said the worst thing you can do is type your name in Google. He said it was very hurtful the things people say about you. Emilio even agreed with some of the statements that said some of his movies were not good but also added that he wished people would remember that he too was a person that had to provide for his family, and sometimes this meant taking the work that came along. It’s so easy to judge those that are in the limelight and forget that underneath it all they too have feelings and emotions like us. As Shakespeare said, “If you prick us, do we not bleed?” In this case we might reword this and ask, “If you post it, will they not read?” We should be mindful that perception is not always reality. The real lives of others are just as fragile and vulnerable as our own and we should exercise care before we share our opinions. As some wise sage once said, “Opinions are like armpits (revised for all audiences), everybody has them and they all stink.”
I found myself pondering George’s answers. It’s easy to look into the lives of others and see only what we want to see. In this instance, I’ve always imagined that all of the Beatles had it all simply because they were a Beatle. They reached pinnacle status as young men and could basically ride this wave for the rest of their lives. In my mind they had it made, the underlying phrase here “in my mind.” I was amazed to hear George utter his words of relief that the band was no more. He rhetorically asked Dick, “What would we do for the rest of our lives if we were still together but just play the same old songs over and over again?” This was not the future George imagined for himself. I could just see a 2018 tour with the Beatles and the Rolling Stones, everyone in their 70’s and 80’s singing their golden oldies with Jagger and Lennon joining together for the big finale compilation “I Can’t Get No Satisfaction/All You Need is Love”!
At the end of the day, the Beatles are still just people with struggles and problems. Apparently, George’s problem was that he was in a band that he thought had run its course. Today I also heard an interview with Emilio Estevez where he said the worst thing you can do is type your name in Google. He said it was very hurtful the things people say about you. Emilio even agreed with some of the statements that said some of his movies were not good but also added that he wished people would remember that he too was a person that had to provide for his family, and sometimes this meant taking the work that came along. It’s so easy to judge those that are in the limelight and forget that underneath it all they too have feelings and emotions like us. As Shakespeare said, “If you prick us, do we not bleed?” In this case we might reword this and ask, “If you post it, will they not read?” We should be mindful that perception is not always reality. The real lives of others are just as fragile and vulnerable as our own and we should exercise care before we share our opinions. As some wise sage once said, “Opinions are like armpits (revised for all audiences), everybody has them and they all stink.”
Wednesday, August 1, 2018
How to Make Your Dreams Come True
First, embrace the truth that you aren’t special and you can’t do whatever you want! If you’re still actually reading this, wow! Good for you. That’s a hard one for most to swallow, but vital to acknowledge if you really want to make your dreams come true.
You see most of us were raised to believe that we are super-duper special and that we can become whatever our little heart’s desire. To this, I say, “HA! What a crock!” It’s just not true. I’m not saying this to be mean or because I’m a pessimist, it’s just a statistical fact. If it were true, we’d all be billionaires living in mansions, married to super models and driving exotic cars. So what does this mean? Do we just throw away our dreams and stop trying? Not exactly, and before I share some suggestions about what we should do, let me first outline what this present path will definitely yield without a little course correction.
First, let’s see why we believe and inevitably try to live our lives according to this inflated and hyped standard. We come from a generation where competition was squashed and everyone was told they were a winner, regardless of the effort they applied. Merit was given where it was not earned so as not to hurt anyone’s feelings. In an effort to safeguard our perceived vulnerable sensibilities, we sent a generation of young people into adulthood unprepared to face the harsh realities of life. This generation polished their image on social media for all too see while they sat at home, alone and friendless. The only thing they knew was that as long as you looked good, you were good. However, they only felt good when others “liked” or cheered them on. In the absence of this praise, no one knew how to function.
When they got jobs, they perceived that the same half-hearted effort they applied as children would yield the same praise. Sorry, Charley, no one congratulates you for doing the job you were hired to do, that’s called a paycheck. When you are taught that competition is bad, difficulties, learning curves and constructive criticism is inferred as a personal attack, instead of an opportunity to stretch and grow.
We were told that our potential is limitless and our opportunities are endless. Reality dictates that we excel in the areas to which we are most inclined. Most of the time the job we secure isn’t necessarily the one we want, it’s the one available at the time we applied. We are taught that desire is our only limiting factor. In truth, our potential is most often explored when we take advantage of the opportunities around us. Opportunities are dictated by the availability of options within your market, which varies depending on location and economic climate. What does this mean? It means that there are walls all around us, limiting our options, without any ill intent. This is not personal. It is reality.
Well, shucks! How then am I to escape the gravity of this world and soar high to achieve my dreams? Adjust your dreams. But they are my dreams (we scream inside)! Are they really your dreams, or just a lot of nonsense you were told to pursue after so you could feel good about yourself? There are a million ways to feel good about yourself that have nothing to do with you achieving your dreams. Your dreams may be the very thing that is causing you so much heartache and disappointment.
You see most of us were raised to believe that we are super-duper special and that we can become whatever our little heart’s desire. To this, I say, “HA! What a crock!” It’s just not true. I’m not saying this to be mean or because I’m a pessimist, it’s just a statistical fact. If it were true, we’d all be billionaires living in mansions, married to super models and driving exotic cars. So what does this mean? Do we just throw away our dreams and stop trying? Not exactly, and before I share some suggestions about what we should do, let me first outline what this present path will definitely yield without a little course correction.
First, let’s see why we believe and inevitably try to live our lives according to this inflated and hyped standard. We come from a generation where competition was squashed and everyone was told they were a winner, regardless of the effort they applied. Merit was given where it was not earned so as not to hurt anyone’s feelings. In an effort to safeguard our perceived vulnerable sensibilities, we sent a generation of young people into adulthood unprepared to face the harsh realities of life. This generation polished their image on social media for all too see while they sat at home, alone and friendless. The only thing they knew was that as long as you looked good, you were good. However, they only felt good when others “liked” or cheered them on. In the absence of this praise, no one knew how to function.
When they got jobs, they perceived that the same half-hearted effort they applied as children would yield the same praise. Sorry, Charley, no one congratulates you for doing the job you were hired to do, that’s called a paycheck. When you are taught that competition is bad, difficulties, learning curves and constructive criticism is inferred as a personal attack, instead of an opportunity to stretch and grow.
We were told that our potential is limitless and our opportunities are endless. Reality dictates that we excel in the areas to which we are most inclined. Most of the time the job we secure isn’t necessarily the one we want, it’s the one available at the time we applied. We are taught that desire is our only limiting factor. In truth, our potential is most often explored when we take advantage of the opportunities around us. Opportunities are dictated by the availability of options within your market, which varies depending on location and economic climate. What does this mean? It means that there are walls all around us, limiting our options, without any ill intent. This is not personal. It is reality.
Well, shucks! How then am I to escape the gravity of this world and soar high to achieve my dreams? Adjust your dreams. But they are my dreams (we scream inside)! Are they really your dreams, or just a lot of nonsense you were told to pursue after so you could feel good about yourself? There are a million ways to feel good about yourself that have nothing to do with you achieving your dreams. Your dreams may be the very thing that is causing you so much heartache and disappointment.
In the Bible, the book of Proverbs 13:12 says, “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a desire fulfilled is a tree of life.” Hoping for what we cannot attain creates anxiety and leaves us with regret. However, fulfilling a simple desire (an achievable goal) is life’s true wisdom. Dreaming is great, but by definition is not real life (it’s a dream, an imagined non-reality). Dream all you want, just make the steps of your life concrete.
Set realistic, measurable and attainable goals. In so doing, every time you meet or surpass a goal, it fuels you to set bigger and higher targets (dare I say, even dreamlike plans). The highest skyscraper ever built was first secured deep in the ground. The same holds true for us, we first must be grounded in reality before we can even measure our actual potential. Only when we know our potential can we begin to push beyond it.
Set realistic, measurable and attainable goals. In so doing, every time you meet or surpass a goal, it fuels you to set bigger and higher targets (dare I say, even dreamlike plans). The highest skyscraper ever built was first secured deep in the ground. The same holds true for us, we first must be grounded in reality before we can even measure our actual potential. Only when we know our potential can we begin to push beyond it.
Thursday, March 22, 2018
Leverage Your Life
Recently, I had to make a difficult career decision between two very good job opportunities. Regardless of which option I chose there would be a sense of regret over the option not selected. I’ve made my decision and am now second-guessing and struggling to find peace with my choice. A part of me is relieved that the decision has been made as I’ve been in limbo between these two jobs for nearly eight months and I’m ready to move on and dig in to what my future has in store.
Tonight as I went to Calvary Chapel’s Expound service with Pastor Skip Heitzig, the Lord gave me a message I’ve entitled: Leverage Your Life. This sermon is a challenge to me (and to anyone that may hear it in the future) to take inventory of my life to see what things can be trimmed and streamlined in order to maximize my effectiveness for God.
Hebrews 12:1 says, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,”
The first thing God challenged me to do was to focus on Him. It is very hard “to run the race set before us” when you aren’t looking at the road in front of you. When I become consumed with my own issues I’m no longer looking to God or His Word as a guide for my life.
Psalm 119:105 reminds us that “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path”.
It’s not that God doesn’t care about my issues or feelings, it’s that He wants me to deal with them as His Word instructs.
1 Peter 5:7 tells us that we ought to be “casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you”.
Now that I’m finally focused on God, it’s time to eliminate distractions. Distractions steal focus from God, requiring me to go back to step one and re-focus. Distractions can be deceptive because they often feel important. In reality we may just need to organize our life better. Terms like “crisis management” and the “tyranny of the urgent” reflect a life that is ruled by chaos. Recently, my wife told me that by simply making the bed in the morning we establish order to our day. On the days I’ve tried this, I can honestly say I am more purposed about the things I do. Creating simple “to do lists” and praying over your day before you rush into it can help you wrangle the busyness that may otherwise overtake you.
Psalm 37:5 reminds us to “commit your way to the Lord; trust also in him, and he will do it.”
The last, like the first, is to simply maintain focus on God. It’s one thing to re-focus our gaze but another thing all together to keep our eyes fixed upon Him.
Proverbs 24:4-6 instructs us to “put away from you crooked speech, and put devious talk far from you. Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you. Ponder the path of your feet; then all your ways will be sure.”
It’s easy to get sloppy and go with the flow around us, especially when it comes to our conversations. It’s natural to want to fit in and without even noticing it we can find ourselves becoming negative and often joining in when others speak sarcastically or even destructively. If we can become more self-aware in how we speak, we will gain the upper hand in controlling the direction of our lives.
James 3:2 says, “for we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body.”
When the police or SWAT tries to open a locked door to arrest a criminal they wedge their pry bars into a small crevice of the doorframe. In so doing, they establish a leverage point from which they can force the entrance open. Likewise, we can also leverage our lives for God by focusing on the little areas the Father reveals to us that need attention. By attending to these small details we slowly gain a foothold over the areas in which we struggle. As they daily become more manageable, we will eventually overcome them and establish victory after victory.
2 Corinthians 3:18 declares, “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.”
If we truly have our focus on the Lord, than like Moses who saw God’s glory, we too will reflect the glory of the Lord in ever increasing degrees as we leverage our lives for the King.
Now that I’m finally focused on God, it’s time to eliminate distractions. Distractions steal focus from God, requiring me to go back to step one and re-focus. Distractions can be deceptive because they often feel important. In reality we may just need to organize our life better. Terms like “crisis management” and the “tyranny of the urgent” reflect a life that is ruled by chaos. Recently, my wife told me that by simply making the bed in the morning we establish order to our day. On the days I’ve tried this, I can honestly say I am more purposed about the things I do. Creating simple “to do lists” and praying over your day before you rush into it can help you wrangle the busyness that may otherwise overtake you.
Psalm 37:5 reminds us to “commit your way to the Lord; trust also in him, and he will do it.”
The last, like the first, is to simply maintain focus on God. It’s one thing to re-focus our gaze but another thing all together to keep our eyes fixed upon Him.
Proverbs 24:4-6 instructs us to “put away from you crooked speech, and put devious talk far from you. Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you. Ponder the path of your feet; then all your ways will be sure.”
It’s easy to get sloppy and go with the flow around us, especially when it comes to our conversations. It’s natural to want to fit in and without even noticing it we can find ourselves becoming negative and often joining in when others speak sarcastically or even destructively. If we can become more self-aware in how we speak, we will gain the upper hand in controlling the direction of our lives.
James 3:2 says, “for we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body.”
When the police or SWAT tries to open a locked door to arrest a criminal they wedge their pry bars into a small crevice of the doorframe. In so doing, they establish a leverage point from which they can force the entrance open. Likewise, we can also leverage our lives for God by focusing on the little areas the Father reveals to us that need attention. By attending to these small details we slowly gain a foothold over the areas in which we struggle. As they daily become more manageable, we will eventually overcome them and establish victory after victory.
2 Corinthians 3:18 declares, “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.”
If we truly have our focus on the Lord, than like Moses who saw God’s glory, we too will reflect the glory of the Lord in ever increasing degrees as we leverage our lives for the King.
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