No LIKES for that one...

Facebook is an interesting animal.  Certainly it has created some major advantages for us, allowing families to share experiences with each other around the country or around the world, permitting ideas and expressions to be discussed, publishing stories & events worldwide in seconds, and connecting people of similar (or different) views to have discussions & debates.

But with the good comes the not-so-good.  We see a more self-centered society, where LIKES and VIEWS become the measure of success, and having a following is more important than following what's right.  The pursuit of social power has started to trump our old passions for other accumulations.  The Facebook phenomenon gives us a chance to pause and take a look at ourselves and reflect a little on what we're doing.

I found myself doing just that this week based on ONE POST on Facebook.  For the last several years, I decided that the only post worth publishing on Facebook for me was my SOAP verse & thought.  (SOAPing is a age-old tool of having a personal devotion, by reading a Scripture and finding one verse that speaks to you, Observing what it means, Applying it into your life and Praying about that thought for the day.)  Posting my SOAP verse and thought has been a way of reminding myself each day what I am pondering, and creating a little bit of accountability for myself as well as sharing that idea with friends or people trying to grow their relationship with God.  The verse usually gets read by many people, often gets dozens of "LIKES" or Comments, and sometimes even leads to a discussion with people.

However, one post from earlier this week was the FIRST EVER post that received NO LIKES!  Reading it, you may understand why:

They went up to Jesus saying: "Hail, king of the Jews!" And they slapped him in the face. John 19:3 (Hard reality -- every sin is a slap in the face of God -- don't let your praise be words, but be obedience)



Certainly it is one of the few times I have posted a very negative verse and thought.  And really, who wants to "LIKE" something that talks about slapping Jesus in the face! :(  So it didn't surprise me that people did not want to comment or LIKE my SOAP verse.

However it did cause me to do some self-reflecting on this.   Here's some thoughts:

1.  By FAR... the few times my posts involve family moments, or personal experiences, or something to celebrate - TONs of people LIKE those posts.  I wonder if that speaks to our culture's passion for experiences over wisdom?

2.  Other posts that week were about how God wants to bring PEACE into our lives, and is ready to give us second chances.  Those posts were certainly more LIKED than ones which talk about sin or failure or the judgment we will all face one day.  Does that say we are more interested in what we can GET out of God than what HE wants to change in our lives?  Are we that immature that we don't want to appreciate the hard truths?

3.  I realized even with writing this blog afterwards my own measurement of success has been affected by the Facebook feedback phenomenon.  While feedback is a gift that we should appreciate, it should not be the measure of success - even social success.  My image on Facebook doesn't matter at all --- it's my Face in the mirror and before God that does.

So by Facebook standards... that post wasn't the issue... my reflection of what sin does between me and Jesus IS the issue.  The post was likely missed by some, deeply challenging for others, and difficult to respond to for many.  In the mean time - it was what God used to talk with me all day long about recognizing areas in my life that were slaps in Jesus' face.  And as hard as it is sometimes to face and wrestle with... at the end of the day...

God LIKES it!  :)

You Really Don't Know...

Joshua 9:14 - The Israelites sampled their provisions but did not inquire of The Lord.

A woman thinks she knows what her husband is thinking and starts condemning him for his actions.

A man thinks he knows what the health issue is and doesn't go get checked by a doctor.

A leader thinks he knows what's best for people and decides a direction.

All made the same mistake. They decided without asking. They made the wisest choice in their heads, but without consulting those who have expertise in that answer. Out of an inflated sense of pride, call it arrogance, the made the decision without inquiring.

Inquiring minds want to know...so they ask. If it is arrogant to think we know what others are thinking, it's Extremely Arrogant to decide without asking God.

Too many decisions in our life are answered before we ask God. We choose who to date without asking Him, and end up in troubled relationships. We pick a career or college or location to live and miss out on the purpose He had in mind. And just like Joshua's case, we make a seemingly logical decision and end up in alliances with people that are agains God's wishes.

Learn how to ASK. Matthew 7:7 says: Ask and it will be given
Seek and you will find
Knock and the door will be opened

So ask God in prayer and listen to answers in your conscience. Seek answers in God's Word. Knock on the door of spiritual mentors who can speak His wisdom into your life. Before deciding, A.S.K.

And while we are at it, stop assuming you know what other are thinking, an quit being your own doctor or pastor, and don't decide for others without asking God first. You are not ask well informed as you think.

Learn from Joshua's lesson and inquire from God.. He knows a few things about the future ahead.

Don't quit or fix, come and change

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." Matt 11:28

Often when we feel beaten down, the common response is either to work harder to FIX it or to QUIT and wait for something to change. Neither one are very effective. You can just look around and watch the results of both of this attempts. Marriages that are struggling quit in divorce or try to FIX their spouse by arguing and complaining. Parents push their kids into dozens of activities to fix their kids behavior or quit and leave it up to schools and society to raise their children for them. Adults want more possessions or pleasures and spend more hours working to gain money, or just give up and pay with credit expecting a bailout to save them. Politicians wait for the markets to change or go spend more money to fix what debt and entitlement have created. FIX or QUIT is the common answer to every struggle---an that's not a criticism or blame, it's true for all of us.

So when Jesus addresses that feeling of weariness and burdened lives, He offered a third alternative... Get off the couch or leave the desk and come to me. Instead of FIX or QUIT, COME! To come to Him means humbling ourselves to the truth--that we have messed up and need help. It means recognizing we don't know what to do and submitting to His plan of action instead of our own. And coming means WE have to go to HIM (not Him coming to us).

Burden makes us tired, and often the last thing we want to do is face a God who will change us. Change sounds like more burden. But Jesus says when we get up and go to Him, His change will actually give us rest---less burden! The answer is not to fix it ourselves but let God CHANGE us from our burden. It's not to QUIT but to COME!

Want less struggle and burden, then stop making excuses or justifying behaviors and come to Jesus. Go to church, make the changes that Jesus calls for in His Word, and watch the burdens be lifted. He will do it, He promised!!!

What if marriages started using COME and CHANGE... Or parents... Or even a country? Our burdens would just be bumps in the road of life.

The answer for our struggles is to get up & walk to God, not sit around and wait for change. So get up this week and find you way back to Him, to His body, to His rest.

COME and CHANGE.

A Year of No Worry!

Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Matt 6:34

Some things need to be stopped cold turkey style. There are some things in life that can't be managed or reduced or medicated away. The only answer is to quit immediately.

That's the case with worry. Worry is predicting tomorrow based on possibilities. It's the absence of faith, because it bases outcomes on what a person can know or imagine instead of what is real. Worry makes me into God instead of believing in God's plan.

God's prescription for worry is to STOP immediately!!! Do not do it! He doesn't say we won't be tempted to worry, but tells us when we are tempted to not DO worry. That means quitting cold turkey. Throw away the package, flush it, run from it. Stop it!!! Every time we start to get concerned about tomorrow reroute your mind to what you are doing today.

Mature people realize that worry is a time waster. Worry actually takes energy away from what we can get done today...which then CREATES the worry even more. Instead, put our energy into what needs done today! If we invested an hour into our marriage/family today we wouldn't have to worry about losing them tomorrow. If we worked to put a little money aside today we would be fine with having something in the years ahead. And if we invest a little effort in our relationship with God today, we will lean into Him better for the future that is unpredictable.

Jesus also gives us some help with how to reroute our worry. He tells us to look at how the rest of creation operates. When we see seasons continue faithfully, and animals getting their needs met, and realize how we have been cared for all thru our lives, then we can have a little faith in God to do the same for us in the future too.

Make a commitment today---every time you feel like worrying you will reflect on your blessings and invest in today. Instead of wasting energy on worry, use it for results. What would a year of no worry look like? Let's find out in 2013!!!!

God First Actions lead to God Given Blessings

After this, the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward.” (Genesis 15:1 NIV84)

Abram had just risked his life and family to go rescue Lot, then gave one tenth of the revenue to a high priest named Melchizedek. After that powerful moment, God approached Abram to confirm His covenant promises with three new blessings:

1). Security. Having God as our friend means we have NOTHING to fear! Nothing!! Who can defeat God? Who can hold back His blessings? With God we have security for life. So don't worry or be afraid. Most of our fears in life (including financial) is because we haven't established or maintained that relationship with the God over all fears.

2) Shield. Having just defeated a large enemy there was bound to be revenge on the minds of those kingdoms. Instead, God provides Abram a shield of personal and financial protection to make his enemies stay away. Making income is not that difficult...keeping it from being lost in accidents, thefts, repairs, maintenance, and greed IS difficult. When God is our shield, then our lives and livelihood is protected.

3) Reward. Our measure of reward these days is money. But money is temporary. God gives and He can take it away. But His Love is permanent, and He loves to bless His children with the best He has (including money at times). God is a permanent giver---and offers us eternally lasting rewards.

All of this was because Abram put God first in his life---in obedience AND in giving. Those are three good motives to make God first in our lives as well ... In our calendar and our paychecks.

I wonder what "after this" blessings are awaiting our God First actions?

Prayer is more Powerful than even Polls

I urge that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. 1Tim 2:1-2

America has a rich and blessed heritage where we have the privilege of voting our key leaders into positions of authority. This form of government is quite new to history, since most governments were established as theocracies or monarchies. The blessing is that we have a say in who leads and where our country goes.

But by being a country where our opinions influence policy, it also can distract us from the mission we were given by Jesus. We ARE to participate and be a voice in political issues. But our primary objective is to be an ambassador and witness for the King we swore allegiance to. His mission was for us to go change hearts, not votes.

Sometimes we fall for the trap to think we can change the country by voting for candidates, and to some extent that is true...but it's also temporary. The true way we change our country is to change people's hearts. And the way we change hearts is to bring them to know the Heart-Changer ... King Jesus.

So it's appropriate to remember Paul's instruction on every election---whether your candidate won or lost. We are to pray for our leaders and live in peace, so that we can continue the assignment of bringing people to know Jesus. Prayer is more powerful than polls---because the polls may elect a temporary leader, but prayer empowers an eternal Lord. So pray for your leaders and submit to their authority, and get back to work on the mission we were called to do.

Who knows---God may just use the new leader to bring the change He wants for many people thru our prayers!!

Are we speaking words or a message?

Our gospel came to you not simply with words but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and deep conviction. 1Thess 1:5

Ever heard someone tell you to believe something or do something that they don't practice themselves? Maybe you have done that as well?

Parenting kids can commonly expose these issues. With us, it was most obvious when sarcasm came out of our daughter's mouth ... and we quickly realized telling her to stop being sarcastic was just words. She was only doing what we as parents were also doing. For it to stop, we had to set the example. Telling her to quit was only words---she needed to see that we practiced it too.

Words do not have much power until they are backed by example. When we say words, they come out I our mouth, but when we share our example in words AND action, it becomes a message out of our hearts. And with those words comes power.

The power of God is not in the words on the paper of our Bibles, but in the perfect example He modeled for us both in His creation and in His son. God didn't just give us words--He have us a message. And that message has great power...because it targets our heart, not just our head. That's why the Bible is so living an active---it's the message of God, not just words.

Words backed by example are powerful. The Gospel is Jesus' love backed up by his example & His actions. It is a message, not just words.

Parents---don't give your kids your words, share a message. Leaders---don't boss your employees with rules, set for them the message of your example.

Let your message speak louder than your words.