08/31/18 - Eph 6

Aug 31, 2018

Be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord's people.  Eph 6:18

The power for living comes from our prayers, not from our paycheck.

What does your prayer list look like these days?

We pray for millions of things!  Children pray for their family, their pets, or the latest “ouchie”.  Teens pray for sporting victories, boyfriends/girlfriends, help with grades, and struggles with parents.  Adults pray for a job, more income, fixes to problems, struggles in the family or marriage, health of aging parents, or a fresh start.  The list grows throughout life, and God’s answers continue to pile on with the latest prayers.

When was the last time you prayed for more prayer? 

Yes, that’s an odd request.  Who wants more prayer --- usually we ask for answers from God so that we can “reduce” the amount of prayers we have to make.  In fact, when life is going well is when prayers seem to run dry.  But when life is in turmoil is when prayers skyrocket.  What if we are looking at it all wrong?  What if God gives us the most power for life when we are praying, and the circumstances are the only things that GET us to pray?

So instead, what if we prayed for more prayer, and took more time in prayer?  Instead of bouncing around from problem to problem, we would start finding power in our daily prayers again.   Instead of prayer becoming a pain-killer we use when necessary, it would become a multi-vitamin that empowers our daily lives. 

Paul tells the church to be alert and keep on praying – that’s because the power is in the prayer itself.  Prayer is not the power to fix the problems, Prayer IS THE POWER in spite of the problems.  Even when the problems stay, the power of prayer never goes away. 

Don’t measure your prayer life by your problems.  Measure it by your prayer life’s perseverance.  And instead of constantly looking for the latest fix and being disappointed, pray for more prayers and be empowered.

This week, start a journal for September, and pray for more prayer time with God.  Ask God to help you stay alert and keep on praying.  Look for more prayer moments, write down some of your prayer whispers, watch for the power of your prayer life and ask God to help grow it.

You might just discover more power in your life than you ever knew before.

08/30/18 - Eph 5

Aug 30, 2018

Follow God's example & walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us. Eph 5:1-2

Love sacrifices itself for another--- so love God and love others like Jesus loved you.

Take note for one week on all the things you say you “love”.   Here’s a portion of my list from yesterday.  I said I loved:  my wife, my granddaughter, my daughter, the arrival of a friend, the color of a car, the heat, the air conditioning, the taste of a DQ Ice Cream Blizzard, a song on the radio, a funny joke, and much more.  We say we “love” everything – but the fact is we love what everything does for us.

Sometimes we measure love by how it is received, but God measures love by how it is given.  That’s why the love of Jesus is so powerful!  Jesus CHOSE to sacrifice Himself and give us His love in spite of our lack of love toward Him.  Jesus didn’t wait to see if we loved Him, He chose to love us first.

The human tendency is to love with limits.  We don’t mind sacrificing ourselves when there is a compensatory return.  We are okay with sacrifice that is not too painful.  Or sometimes, we’ll sacrifice our lives for a great cause or very important person.  But few people are willing to fully sacrifice themselves for an ungrateful or selfish person.  And almost nobody would lay down their life for an evil person.

Yet that is what Jesus did for Judas.  That’s what He did for all the disciples, the Jews, the Greeks, the Romans, and the people of the earth.  And that’s what He did for you and me.  His love was boundless, because real love doesn’t set a limit on the sacrifice.  Real love does what is right and best for the person it loves.

Walking in the way of love is choosing to express love to others without reservation.  It means loving your spouse, your kids, your neighbors, your enemies, your world – all because Jesus loves them, not because they loved you back.  It is a life of sacrifice, but one that is greatly admired and highly watched.  The only way to live it out is to fully taste the love Jesus has for us.  Without a full supply of his love, we cannot keep walking in love.

So today, choose to love others by recognizing and filling up on God’s love.  Then you’ll have an endless supply to give away.

08/29/18 - Eph 4

Aug 29, 2018

I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.  Eph 4:1

God’s love and forgiveness calls us to something far greater in life -- offering eternal life to everyone around us.

There are some natural laws in life that are so common we tend to forget about them.

Take the law of gravity.  A man was shooting off his gun in his back yard, celebrating an event, when all of a sudden a bullet came down and grazed him (practically killed him).  Like everyone else, he knew about gravity, but simply forgot about it at the time.  (It could be he was also forgetting about the effects of alcohol on the logic section of our brains.)

One law I tend to forget about is something I will call the law of transfer.  When something is added to a system, there will always be something that eventually exits.  I tend to forget that when drinking a Super-sized ice tea on car trips, or having too much water the hour before I go to sleep.  Sooner or later, those 24+ ounces of fluid are going to transfer out of my body – which tends to lead to road stops or midnight wakeup calls. (And the older I get, the more that happens!)

That law of ‘transfer’ also applies to Forgiveness.  When we come to Jesus and receive forgiveness, it’s like a HUGE glass of pure, fresh water to our souls.  Much like a hot shower can clean off the dirt on our bodies, this water of forgiveness has the power to cleanse our souls of all sin – past, present, and even future!  It fills our spirits with a gift of God that only comes through the saving grace of Jesus on the cross.  There is NOTHING like it in the world.  Drinking from the cup of forgiveness is the most refreshing drink ever tasted.

But with it comes a transfer.  When we were given the cup of forgiveness, it came with a calling… to transfer that forgiveness to others.  Just like water enters and exits the body, forgiveness enters and exits the soul.  Our souls were designed to release forgiveness to others as a way of processing the forgiveness we received. 

The Cup of forgiveness is an endless supply.  It never empties, and is constantly being poured into our lives by Jesus.  Our job is to release that forgiveness onto others, and allow them to have a small taste of the Cup available for them.  By touching our forgiveness, it creates a thirst for God’s forgiveness. 

Don’t try to violate the law of transfer (or whatever name it truly is called).   Offer forgiveness to EVERY person around you, and allow your soul to flow with the saving grace of Jesus.  Live a life worthy of that calling, and watch how God uses it to bring others to the watering fountain of Grace. 

Otherwise, you might find yourself dealing with a lot of road stops and wake up calls. J

08/28/18 - Eph 3

Aug 28, 2018

God's intent was that now, through the church, the wisdom of God should be made known.  Eph 3:10

We all need the church to reveal to US God's word, and we need to BE the church to reveal it to others.

People choose a church for many reasons.

Some choose a church that sings their preferred songs or song styles.  Others choose it for the different types of group options available.  Some select a church based on the children’s or youth ministry programs.  There are many these days that look at building or artistic features.  Many will tell you they chose based on the style and preaching of the senior minister or key leader.  Often, most people stay at a church because of friendships.

But that’s not what Jesus is looking for in a church.  What Jesus wants out of a church is His Word revealed.  Find a church that constantly teaches God’s Word properly, and you have found a good church!  EVEN IF I DON’T LIKE what the teaching means, it is a good church if their teaching is consistent with the Scriptures.  Being a good church has nothing to do with the programming, it has to do with the revealing of God’s Word.

That being said, it really exposes our self-centered concept about church life.  If we’re honest, we can see that churches have turned into competitors for a market more than communities for a Word.  Maybe the worship wars started that … maybe it was the church growth era … or even the mega-church season we are in these days.  Something turned church selection into a market instead of a calling.

If you’re at a church and are tempted to leave because of the programming, or building style, or even lack of friendships … Re-Evaluate!    How is God’s Word being handled?  Is it revealing truth that can transform your life?  Are you hearing truth (even if you’re not trying to listen to it)?   Don’t leave until God calls you away!  Let the Word of God be the deciding factor about your church attendance.

And if you’re not at a church, then find one that handles the Word properly.  That’s not a denomination or style decision, that’s a command of Jesus.  He left the job of revealing the Word of God to the church.  And Jesus is still calling us to come be transformed by His Word.

THEN, go out and be the church to people around you.  Those programs you are looking for… they happen when the CHURCH serves and creates them.  Those friends you are looking for … they form when WE go out and make them.  That larger impact we are wanting … it occurs when the Word sends us out to BE the church and draw people back to His Word.

It’s time to stop being in the market for a church, and start being the church sent to the market.  That happens when we assemble and worship God, and receive His Word.

08/27/18 - Eph 2

Aug 27, 2019

For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.  Eph 2:10

Today was designed & planned for you to do something great for God---so look for how God wants to use you today to love others & serve Him.

Life can seem to become a little routine – we get up, shower, dress, eat breakfast, go to work, work all day (sometimes), come home, eat dinner, do homework or chores, go to bed, and get back up the next day doing the same thing.  Even looking forward to vacations and trips can become a routine, and although different than the standard week, they can still lack adventure.

When routines become ruts, we try to take matters into our own hands and shake it up a bit.  We’ll schedule a different activity, plan a new adventure, or pursue a different dream.  Sometimes people will make more radical changes, including breaking relationships or changing their life pattern completely (even for the bad)!  Yet eventually, the routine returns, and the ruts can form again.

What if God didn’t plan your life like that?  What if instead of US being the determiners of our daily schedules, God had a different schedule already planned that you are not following?  What if EVERY DAY was not a routine, but an adventure… even INSIDE the routines we had been establishing.

Paul says that God’s handiwork was to custom-design every day with a special adventure for each one of us!  He had already planned today, and tomorrow, and every day in our lives with a special opportunity for us to impact the world and enjoy our life.  Certainly, there is room for a routine, and God is the designer of routines (like the sun rising, day & night, seasons, etc), but He is also master of Creativity, and has something planned specifically for us TODAY.  All we have to do is look for it!

So when you are delayed on the road more than normal, pay attention to the people around you, or listen more carefully to the Spirit’s whisper within you.  When buying groceries, let God use that time for holy intersections, and don’t be afraid to make a connection with someone.  Use the soccer or athletic fields as “opportunities” to find the adventure God has you on.  And when given the chance to help someone or serve, jump at it!  That may be the adventure that takes a rut and turns it into a revelation.

There are BIG opportunities that come along once in a while, but the adventure of life is primarily found in the daily activities.  Use today’s moments to find your adventure from God!  And then celebrate that together with your family every day.  Train up your kids to also look for their adventure from God.  You might just discover a new routine that never turns into a rut!

08/24/18 - Eph 1

Aug 24, 2018

God placed all things under Christ's feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is His body.  Eph 1:22

Being a part of the church means coming under His authority & protection---so be careful thinking we don't need the church, because Satan is looking for unprotected people!

During World War I, the British & German fleets engaged in heavy battles on the seas, and during the early days of the war, British ships were hit and sunk quickly.  In one battle, three ships instantly sunk, killing 1000s at sea, and leaving the British nearly defenseless.  It was discovered that although the British ships were heavily armored around their sides, they were using wood planks for the decks, and attacks by artillery from above easily destroyed their hulls.  Once the British armored their decks properly, they were able to fight and win more battles at sea.

Today’s culture has treated the church like it is unnecessary, irrelevant, and without merit.  So more and more people are putting less priority on church attendance and spending time in spiritual contexts, even exiting the church and pursuing their own methods of religious activity.  Yet in the mean time, children grow up without a moral standard, marriage has been changed to accept alternative lifestyles, killing babies and senior citizens has become acceptable practice, and our debt load continues to grow as a country.  We see more people lacking deep relationships and families splintered, and wonder why our lives are such a mess.

Independence has its benefits, but one big drawback that living ‘solo’ brings is a lack of protection.  Like those ships, we don’t realize we have vulnerabilities that cannot be protected alone.  We have blind spots that cannot be guarded by our own methods, and need the help of the Church Body.  Paul says that the church is not about our personal satisfaction, but about helping each other as we together serve the Head --- Jesus!  The church is not about us, it’s about Jesus.  He is the authority and following Him TOGETHER is our protection.  When we attend church, it’s not to be satisfied, it’s to be connected and protected.

Satan is a sly enemy.  He knows our weaknesses, and is targeting people who do not have their armor installed properly.  Don’t open yourself or your family to his deadly artillery, find a church family where God wants you to serve and stay committed to the Body of Christ.  When you do, you will find that His power and protection move your life forward through the attacks and bring you out on the other side.

08/23/18 - Gal 6

Aug 23, 2018

Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. Gal 6:2

Loving people means supporting their development, not fixing all their problems... Help them as they fix their own problems.

The term is “helicopter parents”.  It is a critical term for a parent who is always hovering over their child – picking up their messes, fighting their battles, getting involved in their problems at school or on their team, and over-protecting them in every decision.  Some parents don’t like the term, but consider the behavior an endearing quality, almost proud of their watch care over the children.  The problem isn’t their parental responsibility, it is the child’s growth.  Like a tree that never has to dig deep for water, children who have been hovered over never learn how to deal with the storms and struggles of life.  They grow up immature and selfish, expecting their boss, spouse or government to fix all their problems.  Helicopter parents rob kids of maturity and resolve.

Paul wrote to the Galatians about a different parent – a spiritual one.  He reminded the church that they are not supposed to be helicopter parents for every problem that comes up in the lives of people.  Don’t think you have to swoop in and take over their families, their marriages, or their careers.  People don’t grow strong spiritually by pastors spoon-feeding them.  They grow by learning HOW to feed themselves through God’s Word, and by growing their OWN relationship with Jesus.  Sometimes pastors and church leaders start believing it is their job to hover over the flock and fix all their problems.  But just like Paul, we can be supporters of the church families without having to be physically present.

We are to carry each other’s burdens, but a verse later, Paul says we are each to carry our own.  How can this be?  By praying and supporting each other emotionally.  We don’t have to fix each other’s problems, but we can be encouragers and supporters to give them the strength to fix it themselves.  Can we help?  SURE!  Serving each other is our expression of love – and Jesus said people would know we were believers by serving each other.  But don’t take over.  Be a servant, not a boss. J

The best parents learn how to coach their kids THROUGH their problems instead of always trying to fix it for them.  These amazing parents learn the power of listening, asking questions, praying for their kids, and encouraging their progress.  They don’t see the circumstances as the primary concern, they see learning as primary.  We could also learn to do the same with our friends and family as they go through struggles.  Get involved where it helps them to grow.  Support them in a burden when it supports their own efforts.  Don’t give them a hand out, give them a hand up.

And by the same token, appreciate when others love US enough to do the same – because in doing so, we fulfill the law of Christ – truly loving each other!

08/22/18 - Gal 5

Aug 22, 2018

You were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. Gal 5:13

Sin uses freedom to satisfy itself, righteousness uses freedom to serve God and others.

In the book of Jeremiah, God tells Jeremiah how disappointed He is with the people and their behavior.  He says to Jeremiah: I saved these people and rescued them from Egypt, and brought them into the Promised Land, protecting them and providing for them.  But they go out and start living a corrupt life, living immorally, giving themselves to idols, rejecting my ways, and show up at my temple to get my help so that they can keep on sinning.  Are they trying to turn my temple into a den of robbers? (Jer 7). 

You would think that after seeing or knowing what Jesus endured on the cross for us, we would become much different than that, but Paul had to constantly remind the early church world that our freedom FROM sin does not grant us freedom TO sin!  We were not rescued and cleansed so that we could do whatever WE want, but so that we could do whatever God wants without guilt or regret.

It is very simple to understand, but so hard to teach these days because our culture has turned grace into a license to sin.  Just speaking about Christians (and not trying to judge), we all see people who pray and worship on a Sunday morning but then continue to satisfy themselves with alcohol, sex, or other immoral behaviors later that week.  Many claim to be Christian but don’t want to give to His Kingdom or serve their church family.  So often the behaviors of anger, greed, judgment, bitterness, unforgiveness, and more are discounted as ‘who I am’ instead of viewed as sins to get rid of.  We want God’s blessing and protection, but don’t want the change that freedom calls for.

This is an area that every Christian must wrestle out for themselves.  Is Grace going to be our personal license or personal calling?  Will we allow God’s Grace to reshape our lives into the Grander Vision God has for us, or simply try to use the forgiveness to get away with what we want to do with our life?

Paul spoke and wrote as a Jeremiah of his time, calling people out of their self-indulgent lives and back to total pursuit of God.  He, like Jeremiah, was ridiculed, persecuted, and ostracized by many.  Yet their stories are the ones we look at today and realize were devoted fully to God and others as servants.  Don’t measure life by the amount of pleasure or satisfaction WE get from it, measure life by the satisfaction and pleasure GOD gets from it.  Then we will leverage our freedom for good instead of for our flesh.

08/21/18 - Gal 4

Aug 21, 2018

So you are no longer a slave, but God's child... God has made you also an heir. Gal 4:7

Christianity is not a religion, it is family---we obey because He is now our Father & we have an eternal inheritance coming.

At one point in my technology career, I was asked to take on a national role for a company that had just acquired us.  We were honored with the request, but not sure what we were getting in to.  So like the recent TV show Undercover Boss, I asked to be placed into a few different branch assignments as a “new employee”, trying to learn how the operations worked, and what I could do to help.   I was assigned to a technician, who took me around to different sites and had me learn the ropes with him.  There are many life lessons I can share from that experience, but one that fits well with Galatians 4 is the position I played those days:  I was working the role of a first-line technician, even though my position in the company was an executive.  Knowing that I was returning to my position made it very easy to work and serve in the first-line role with all the energy I had.  It was both educational & inspirational.

Paul reminds all of us that we are Executives now!  Coming to Jesus has elevated our position as part of the family of God.  We are heirs to the eternal Kingdom!  Yet our role on earth is also changed to that of servant and first-line worker.  We already know what we’re returning to that executive position later.  So it gives us the strength and encouragement we need to serve in whatever role we are given now.

A few months later, I was leading a management conference for that region of the country, and that same guy came up to me after he realized who I really was.  He was embarrassed and worried that he may have done something incorrect, but after getting past the awkwardness, we enjoyed the connection those days gave us. 

I think that’s the same way it will feel with Jesus when we reach eternity.  It will start off a little awkward, knowing that we failed in so many ways, but once we get past that, we will come to enjoy the great connection we have with Him as our Savior and our Brother. 

Some view Christianity as another religion, but Jesus is not a religion, He is our family!  We don’t believe in a system, we trust in a Savior who is now our relative & friend.  We don’t obey and serve in these roles on earth to earn anything or prove anything to men, because we already know what our future position is. 

We’re the chosen family of God Most High, and the One who saved us is also the one who serves with us.  Knowing that gives us such great assurance, that serving in any role is no big deal.  Remember the promotion you have received, and enjoy the chance you get to serve Him by riding along with others who have yet to know Him.

08/20/18 - Gal 3

Aug 20, 2018

You are all children of God through faith, for all who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Him. Gal 3:26-27

Faith changes our identity to Jesus and baptism changes our conformity to His likeness.

Being the oldest in my family, I only got hand-me-down clothes from others outside the family.  But my two younger brothers were cursed with having to wear my hand-me-downs.  I’m sure they were ruined for life from that experience!   I do recall, however, a few things that they were not ready to wait for the annual closet cleanout to start wearing.  For some reason, it was open season on my clothes when something I had was considered cool to wear. 

I vaguely remember one shirt that was given to me for Christmas.  It was stylish and had a cowboy look to it, and I wore it the day after receiving it.  But that was the last time!  My brother seemed to always find it (even after trying to hide it), and the shirt was always on him or in the laundry.  Needless to say, it was a bit frustrating for me then, but I gave up trying to wear it because I didn’t want to look like my brother after he had worn it so many times!  (Guess it was his way of rebelling against hand-me-downs!)

When coming to Jesus as our Savior and Lord, He opens His closet for us to wear His clothes!  We get to wear his Royal Robe, try on His shirt of righteousness, fit into his pants of power, and slip into His belt of Truth.  Amazing thing about Jesus’ clothes, in spite of our differences, they form to fit!  We get the chance to wear the holiness of God in spite of our dirty souls and deformed bodies.  Jesus doesn’t mind, because He wants us to be clothed like Him.

Yet SO MANY PEOPLE prefer to reject Christ’s clothing like they are hand-me-downs.  Those clothes look old fashioned in today’s hip culture.  They seem a bit restrictive compared to the so-called freedom of movement our current fads offer.  They are VERY RECOGNIZABLE, and often ridiculed by friends or associates around us.  Yes, we have access to Jesus’ closet, but don’t really care for the clothes.

Friends, isn’t it time to appreciate the blessing God has given us!  He has offered us access to the Royal Wardrobe!  Don’t waste it because of the public opinions of your friends.  Put on the clothing that will permit us to be ushered into the throne room of heaven!   Celebrate that these clothes were given to you and are free of defects.  Put on righteousness, truth and power – and forget those old rags of popularity, selfishness and pride.  Enjoy the hand-me-downs, because they are help-me-ups!

08/17/18 - Gal 2

Aug 17, 2018

We have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law. Gal 2:16

Good works don't save us... Surrendering to Christ in faith saves us and results in good works.

People tend to view work in one of two ways:

1.       Work is necessary to accomplish our dreams or pay for our desires – so I will do what is required to get what I desire.

2.       Work is my purpose – it is the measure of my success in life – so I will work to prove myself.

God didn’t create work to be our identity, or to be our necessity.  Work was created as a gift to be connected with the Creator, and a tool for worshipping God.  Adam was given the assignment of work to not only provide purpose & pleasure, but to help him know the Father and be a part of His Family.  Work was a blessing – but it wasn’t the purpose – it was a method to support man’s purpose: to Worship God.

In spiritual terms, the word work is also what we call religion.  Works are the actions and behaviors we do to serve God and bring Him worship.  Get This: Works are NOT separate from faith, and they should not be absent from our life.  They are the flip side of the same coin called faith – one side is belief, the other is works.  A person saying they are spiritual but not interested in religion is just deceiving themselves and has neither.

Some people want to see works done BEFORE there is acceptance in the Kingdom of God – i.e. Work is necessary for salvation.  (You hear that out of people who want others to change behaviors before being baptized – as if a sick person must be healthy before going to the doctor.)  Works don’t save us, they are a sign of our salvation.

Other people want to throw out works (religion) and dismiss it as manipulative or unnecessary.  However, that goes against everything God said to His people and all that Jesus taught His disciples.  God saved the Israelites, then called them to show their love THROUGH their works.  Jesus taught His followers to show their love BY their obedience.  Works is not manipulation, it is expression.  The best demonstration of our belief is seen in our behavior.

Paul tells the church in Galatia not to put their security in works, because their works always fall short.  Instead, put their hope and security in Jesus, and allow their works to be a growing sign of that faith.  Likewise, we should stop using works as the method of proving salvation, and start showing our works as an offering of love.  The fact is:  the more we choose to show our love to God, the better and more constant our works will be!

You were saved by Grace, so show your love through your works.

08/16/18 - Gal 1

Aug 16, 2018

He gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age. Gal 1:4

We were rescued from this world, so don't go back to participating in its behaviors.

It was the first chance we had to go to the swimming pool that summer.  Our neighbors had invited us along with their kids, and mom allowed us to go with them while she was at work.  We piled in and headed off to the public pool in the next town over, and all of us were so excited.   When we arrived, we checked in and dropped off our stuff by some chairs, and four of us boys headed straight for the diving board!  No shallow end for us, we were going to make a big splash!  Two went off in front of me, and I ran down the board to jump off, only to see my best friend DIRECTLY below me.  I panicked, but somehow by the grace of God missed him, yet the damage was done.  Into the water I sank, sucking in a chunk of the pool with me.  I couldn’t breathe, and found myself disoriented, trying to figure out how to get out of the water.  I thought my life was over, when the strong arms of a lifeguard grabbed me and pulled me up to the edge.  He got me out, and helped me cough out enough water to breathe again.  About 15 minutes later, I was returning to normal, and ready to go back into the pool --- but this time with a bit more care.  Being rescued, I didn’t want to go through that again.

If only being rescued would have the same effect for our lives beyond swimming!

That story is a good metaphor for Christ’s work in us.  He was our lifeguard, jumping in to our pool from heaven, and rescuing us from the sin that had us drowning.  He not only saved us, but gave us a new chance to enjoy life again after being rescued.  Yet instead of using that life for His honor, we often find ourselves jumping right back into the sins that had caused us to drown before.  Somehow – we think being rescued has taught us how to handle sin – when instead the rescue should teach us to avoid sin!

At the next break, the lifeguard came and checked on me, and gave me some safety tips for the next time I would go off the board.  He encouraged me to swim again, just with a bit more attention to safety.  I was glad to comply!

If you follow Jesus, then you have been RESCUED!  Don’t waste it!  Eliminate the behaviors that were drowning your life with God, and pursue a life that obeys your rescuer.  He will let you in the pool again, but this time, swim in obedience to His purposes and ways.  It will be a safer experience and will be a greater joy to your life.

08/15/18 - 2Cor 13

Aug 15, 2018

Jesus is not weak in dealing with you, but is powerful among you. 2Cor 13:3

If He has the power to change our circumstances, then He has the right to expect us to change our behaviors.

Ever prayed with a doubt about whether God will do anything?  (Hint: everyone has.)

The interesting thing is not the doubt, but the fact we prayed anyways!  Somehow, built into just about everyone, is the seed of belief that there MIGHT be a God out there, and there MIGHT be a change in our circumstances if we asked Him to help.  (Some might even argue that is a proof that God actually exists.)  The more you believe in a possibility or reality of God, then the more you may pray for a change in your circumstances.

Then, when the results of our prayers surprise us, or are so miraculous and perfectly timed that it had to be from God, we are energized to pray more for our circumstances.  We start to believe that prayer is about changing our circumstances, and our prayers turn into spiritual shopping lists for God to fill.

But here’s the other side of the equation.  If we believe that God can change our circumstances, then it is also right to expect God wants our behaviors to change.  If He has the power to change our surroundings, He has the authority to rule our lives.  So in addition to asking God to change our situation, we should also be asking God to direct our obedience.

Before Jesus taught the disciples to pray “give us today our daily bread”, He taught them to pray “thy will be done”.  Before pursuing change in circumstances, ask God to change our behaviors.  Seek help to be obedient, and it will ALREADY change your circumstances.  In fact, often the fix to our problems COMES THROUGH a change in obedience. 

Paul tells the Corinthians that Jesus is POWERFUL amoung you.  He is powerful enough to change your circumstances, but He is also powerful enough to change your LIFE!  In fact, the GREATEST POWER OF ALL IS A CHANGED LIFE!  When Jesus changes a person’s life, it shakes the world and defeats the devil’s efforts. 

Pray for Jesus to change your circumstances, but pray EVEN MORE for Jesus to change your life.  He is VERY POWERFUL among you.

08/14/18 - 2Cor 12

Aug 14, 2018

Jesus said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." 2Cor 12:9

The greatest form of power comes from desiring more grace and connection with Jesus.

The secret to power is not in the size of our strength, but in the size of our grace.   Consider the person who has great physical strength but no character.  That person would often leverage his power for selfish interests, making them a bully or worse.  Then consider the one who has the strength, like a martial arts expert, but restrains it and chooses to suffer as if weak.  That person’s restraint would be a greater power than their physical skills. 

The power of God comes through grace instead of strength.  He works through meekness and humility over arrogance and pride.  Jesus delivers the greatest power through His saving grace.  When we tap into grace, we will find the most powerful force on earth. 

The power of grace shows up everywhere.  It is in the forgiveness that helps a marriage stay together after pain or failure.  It’s the power that helps children continue to obey their parents even after being ridiculed or mistreated.  It’s the strength that empowers people to sacrifice themselves for their neighbor.  It’s in the voice of the Spirit that encourages believers to follow a prompting.   

Jesus changed the life of a legalistic non-believer named Saul through the power of grace.   Instead of punishing Saul or ending his life, Jesus spoke to Saul, called him to believe, repaired his eyesight, and sent him forward with a powerful mission.  It wasn’t rule or punishment that changed Saul into Paul, it was grace.

If you’re a parent, it won’t be your threats or conditions that mold your kids properly, it will be the grace you gave.

If you’re a business leader, your effectiveness won’t be through harder work or high demands, but through the grace you give your staff.

If you’re a skeptic of Jesus, you won’t come to know Him personally by following rules, but by embracing His love.  The commands and rules will be your way of giving grace back ONCE YOU HAVE a relationship.

Grace is the power of life, so make an effort to tap into His grace more & more.  Hunger for more connection to Jesus.  Look for the gift of grace Jesus offers you every day.  Then be a giver of grace to others, so that His power can be made perfect in you!

08/13/18 - 2Cor 11

Aug 13, 2018

If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness. 2Cor 11:30

Brag about what God is doing instead of what we’re doing.

It’s amazing what one person can accomplish in life!  Consider the accomplishments of this person:

-          Graduated college, starring in football, swimming, journalism & class president

-          Worked as a radio broadcaster, covering athletic competitions & play-by-play

-          Hired & worked as an actor / movie star in 52 films

-          Served in the Army and Army Reserve, defending our country in World War II

-          Elected as a Governor for the State of California for two terms

-          Elected President of the United States for two terms

You, of course, realize that we are talking about Ronald Reagan.  His list of accomplishments are far greater than that, and show what a life well lived can look like.  Before bragging about our list, we might want to compare it to Ronald Reagan’s (or a number of other amazing people)!

But no matter how long the list is, it doesn’t compare to the list God is credited with: Creation of the Universe, creation and design of everything, created men & women and gave them free will, manages the world and watches over every living being, protects & disciplines, then birthed his Son through a virgin, and used Him to replace humanity’s sin on the cross so that He could save the world.  The list is infinitely long.

Even if we put ALL of our lists of successes together, it would never come close to matching God’s list.  In fact, our list IS A SUBSET OF GOD’S LIST ANYWAYS!  He gets credit for all of our list too, since He created us.

So before we start bragging about our list of successes, we may want to compare them to the list God has.  Before we tell others about the good things we have done, we might want to rethink what God has done.  Compared to Him, our list is quite weak!

Here’s what Paul discovered:  when Paul started bragging about God’s strengths and successes, it made his list look like weaknesses.  Paul found God at work in his list, and that dependence on God became a source of STRENGTH!  It’s when we see God’s Strength at work in our lives that we find more confidence and security to live the life He gave us. 

So forget your list, and boast about God’s List --- your list is His list anyways. J

08/10/18 - 2Cor 10

Aug 12, 2018

We take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 2Cor 10:5

Victory over sin starts by training our mind to think like Jesus.

Moving to California created some changes that we did not expect, including the installation of a home security system.  It was not something we had need for in Ohio where we lived, and certainly not something we had developed a lifestyle pattern for.

That’s why for several months, I periodically forgot that opening the back door instantly triggered the break-in alarm sound.  I would come downstairs in the morning and open the back door to let some cool air in before deactivating the alarm.  The sound instantly woke up everyone in the house (and probably the neighborhood).  The interesting thing to me was that our FRONT DOOR was set to give us 30 seconds to deactivate the alarm, but the back door was instant!  In time, I learned not to open the back door at all, but just open windows or the front door for letting in the breeze.

When it comes to temptation, Jesus wants to be the one who opens the front door for whatever comes knocking.  Unfortunately, temptation tends to visit us at our back porch!  Wouldn’t it be great if we all had a SPIRITUAL ALARM SYSTEM that goes off every time we try to open the back door and let temptation in!  (Not sure the rest of the people around us would like it, but it would help!)

THERE IS A SOLUTION TO THIS – send all temptation around to the front door and let Jesus answer it first.  That’s what Paul is telling the Corinthian church.  If we make Jesus the filter for every decision or idea, we have a much better shot at protecting ourselves and living a victorious life.  Make every so-called opportunity go through the Jesus test of obedience, or don’t let it in the front door!

So before you accept an invitation to something that seems questionable, run it by Jesus.

Before exposing your eyes to something on the screen, bring Jesus in to look.

Before pursuing a career move, deciding who to date, accepting that gift, agreeing with an argument, ask Jesus what He thinks.

Make everything go through the front door of your mind and pass through Jesus to get to you.  It’s the only way to keep sin from entering the home of your heart, and the best way to avoid setting off the spiritual alarm system. J

08/09/18 - 2Cor 9

Aug 09, 2018

Give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 2Cor 9:7 

God loves givers, so plan, proportion, and praise God in our giving.

Van Morris of Kentucky tells this story:  A mother gave her child a one-dollar bill and a quarter.  "Sweetheart," the mother said, "you can place either one in the offering plate. It's entirely up to you."  As they were driving home, the mother asked the daughter what she had decided to give.  "Well, at first I was going to give the dollar," said the daughter. "But the man behind the pulpit said God loves a cheerful giver, so I felt like I would be much more cheerful if I gave the quarter instead."

Somehow I think the child missed the point about giving with a cheerful heart … and maybe we do too.

Too often, we associate cheerful with happy.  Although there is often happiness in a cheerful heart, that is not the whole meaning.  Being cheerful is about encouraging or enjoying the success of another.  Greed can make us temporarily happy, but doesn’t create cheer.   Cheer is created when we GIVE something for another – whether that’s money, time, encouragement, appreciation, support, etc.  Holding may help us feel happy for ourselves, but it is not cheerful.

That’s why Paul reminds us that when we give, it should be thought out, prepared, and with the desire to cheer another on.  When we give for the sake of others, it pleases God.  And SOMEHOW we seem to know that deep in our soul.  Most people DO realize that it is more blessed to give than to receive.  Because when they have given and it met a need or encouraged a needy person, we actually felt the blessing in our soul. 

If we’re holding back on giving to the Kingdom – we’re missing out.  We miss out on a cheerful heart.  We miss out on some of God’s blessings upon our life.  We miss out on eternal rewards.  And we miss out on expanding the Kingdom of God.  GET THIS:  GOD LOVES GIVERS, because God IS a Giver.  That’s who He is, and that’s who He wants us to be.  When we give – we Cheer God On!

Here’s an exercise to do TODAY (if you delay, you won’t likely do it!):

1.       Stop and look at your account(s), and discern what your current plan for giving looks like.  Write down how you give – whether to church, other organizations, relatives, friends.  Consider also the giving you do to support local fundraisers and shopping center collections.

2.       Review that plan – and consider what God wants you to do with it.  What percentage of income do you give on a regular basis?  Is that appropriate?  Should it be more?  Should it be reallocated?

3.       Make a new plan – consider how you can give to more of the functions that God is directing.  Look for how God wants you to create CHEER when you give.  (Not happiness, but cheer.)

If you’re not cheerful when you give, hit the pause button, and review your giving.  Either you’re not giving properly, or not giving with the right spirit.  Give to create CHEER!  Then watch what happens when you obey and follow through on a plan of consistent giving!  (You will find a cheerFULL heart.)

08/08/18 - 2Cor 8

Aug 08, 2018

Since you excel in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in love - see that you also excel in this grace of giving. 2Cor 8:7  

Giving to God is a privilege & grace - to save souls and break the power of sin in us.

Everybody wants to excel at something.  Musicians want to excel at playing or singing.  Athletes want to excel at their sport.  Entrepreneurs want to excel at their businesses.  Politicians want to excel at their governance.  Preachers want to excel at their teaching.  Moms & dads want to excel at their parenting.

Even in a church, we want to excel at something.  But the ONE thing people prefer NOT to excel at is giving.  That doesn’t mean we don’t have generous people in churches or in the world.  There are MANY GENEROUS Givers!!!  In fact, I’m blown away by the depth and commitment of the smaller percentage of people who give to the Kingdom work so faithfully.  It’s simply amazing what 20% of the Kingdom gives to support the other 80% (on average).

But here’s the thing --- who have you ever heard say they want to EXCEL at giving?  I know people who want to improve their giving, or give more, but who is committed to figuring out how to EXCEL at it?

So based on this Scripture, I wrote down some personal convictions about what excelling at giving might look like.

1.       Certainly it means giving God my first-fruits of anything I receive.  That includes gross salary, bonuses, gifts, etc.  If I want to Excel, then honoring him first in my giving is the starting point.

2.       It also means percentage giving, figuring out the percent of my income that qualifies as an excellent gift.  Abraham & the Scriptures look at 10% as the standard to shoot for, but excellent giving is about what God expects from me (maybe less at the moment, maybe more during this season of life).

3.       Excelling in giving would also challenge me to examine how I spend my income in the other areas of my life.  If I wanted to excel at it, then other areas would be minimized or even eliminated.  I would look at how I spend God’s resources, and try to find ways to bless missions & ministries that would generate a better return.

4.       Excelling also would challenge me in other areas of giving – like giving of my time, giving of my wisdom, investing of my character into the next generation. 

5.       To pursue excellence always requires sacrifice, but also generates the pleasure of knowing we fulfilled our goal.  So excelling at giving would also be goal-driven.  We would want a way to know we accomplished our intent, both to hold ourselves accountable and to know our gifts succeeded.  It would raise the bar significantly on wanting to know what people are doing with our gifts (not to the point of control, but to verify our giving was effective).

You might have a much bigger list than that, but the point is that excelling at giving takes thought, planning, and effort.  The reward is a partnership with God that far exceeds what much of the world looks for, and even the possibility of God routing MUCH MORE RESOURCES through us.  Who knows what God might do with us --- so choose to EXCEL in this gift of giving!