Thoughts from Great Conversations
Recently, I had a great conversation with a friend that centered around 1Thessalonians 5:14-23 and who we are to be as the Christians and the Church. This conversation has sparked a great "connecting of the dots" and has led to an amazing time with the Lord. As I read through the scripture over and over following our conversation, I kept getting stuck on 3 words: Lazy, Timid, Weak. I am not normally a lazy, timid, or weak person, but have found myself being pulled in so many directions that I can't give my full attention to anything which brings on the appearance of being lazy. This has made me question the decisions that I make and the consequences that may result. The stress of it all has taken it's toll. In steps a trusted brother in Christ to speak truth in love and share a life giving word from Scripture. Knowing that I am not lazy, he helped speak to some to some energy that was being wasted on less than important things. Where there was fear, he brought encouragement. Where there was weakness, he shared the burden. This led to other scripture and helped give perspective to my life as a Christian and my current state of mind. Simply put, I am been blessing by a greater awareness of the profound humility that comes through allowing God to redeem our weakness and make his strength known through them. I am remembering more and more that many times our burdens bring about weakness. At this Jesus says "come to me all who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest for my burden is easy and my yoke is light." We serve a mighty God! In him and through him all things were created. He is the Beginning and the End, the Alpha and Omega. He is doing the work of reconciling us to him and giving us the great honor to reconcile others in the name of Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit. When we do this we are serving as slaves to righteousness being peace makers that will reap a harvest of righteousness, that righteousness being many coming to know Christ as Savior and Lord. Yet we recognize that the peace that comes through Christ is not the peace the world offers. Jesus tells us in Matthew 10:34 that he has "not come to bring peace, but a sword." The peace he is speaking of is not a lack of trouble and hardship or a place where we all get along. It is a peace that results in an assurance that, through his life, death, and resurrection, we are children of God and coheirs with Christ. It is a peace knowing that we serve a faithful God that will complete the good work that he has started in us. It is knowing that God will never leave us or forsake us. It is knowing that our whole life is meant to be light in darkness. So with all of that said, I refer back to 1 Thessalonians 5. If you are lazy, get off you butt. Most likely, you are not lazy, just using your energy on the wrong things. Let others help you refocus. If you are timid, be encouraged. God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power for we are more than conquerors in Christ Jesus. Remember that you are not in this life alone. You have brothers and sisters in Christ, a great cloud of witnesses, and the same power that raised Jesus from the dead. If you are weak, let your friends surround you with compassion and bear your burden with you. Rejoice in the great word that, just like the apostle Paul, in our weakness, he is strong. Where we fall short, his grace is sufficient.
One Thing Leads to Another
Think about the events of your life, the people that you have met, the places you have gone, the struggles you have faced, and the victories you have enjoyed. It's amazing how all of it shapes who you are. You would not be who you are today aside from your experiences of yesterday. It is remarkable when you look back and see how many "chance" events lead to something else. I hope I never take my past for granted. It has made me who I am today and has prepared me for tomorrow. What about you?
What is Radical?
Recent thoughts have lead me to believe that, what I have considered in the past to be radical, is really normal. Let me explain. When I think about friends who are doing great things, it always involves some great sacrifice that leads to an amazing story of influence and impact on those around them. Examples of the this are some friends who moved their whole family to Tanzania to live out the Gospel, or the young lady who accepted the challenge to dig a well, or the guy in my city who is a tremendous artist and has used that gift to start a movement of sorts, or a group of friends that are doing everything in their power to help teach young people what it means to follow Christ.
What makes us see these people as radical? Why do we consider people like this, spiritual rockstars? Why do we think they these people have achieved an impact that is meant only for a few super-spiritual, super gifted, superstars and is not for the less than super, the normal? If I lived in the UK, I would say "rubbish" to such an idea. Shouldn't these examples be considered a normal response to the freedom found through Christ? Aren't these stories a natural fruit of obedience to a God that saved us by his great grace? It seems to me that these few examples, out of thousands that I could have given, fit perfectly in the Bible. The thing about it is that I know these people. They are not superstars. They are not super-spiritual. They are not super gifted. They are normal people who dare to be obedient in the little things. Through their continual following of the Holy Spirit, God uses them in mighty ways. None of these folks have a seminary degree, are rich, or have a public platform. They in their own "normal" way have responded to a need. They have simply said yes. You can say yes too. Don't use the myth that only the super-spiritual can do great things or that you have to measure up before God can do great things in and through you. Respond when prompted and hold on tight. Soon you will be called radical too and wonder how it is that people see you as radical when you know just how normal you are.
I would love to hear examples of "normal radical" events that are happening in your life.
Out of the mouth of babes
Several months ago my wife and I started praying with our son before he went to bed. Before, we had prayed for him. That progressed to us praying with him. Now, he prays with us. Up until the other night, he would mumble through a blessing for food. He would end the prayer with an enthusiastic "amen.". It was very cute and this same series of food blessing followed by amen would be repeated several times before bed.
A couple of nights ago that changed. We asked our son if he would like to pray. He said yes, bowed his head and clasped his hands. He then said this prayer, "Jesus, Amen."
It is the greatest prayer I have ever heard. I am thankful for my son, for that moment, and for God sending his son so that I could have that moment.
Sometimes you gotta hit people!
Several weeks ago I had a great opportunity to travel to South Africa to participate in the Youth For Christ South Africa Summer Camp.
During this trip I had a chance to teach basic American football to about 25-30 guys from South Africa. We created 4 teams of 7 or so. It started out like old school backyard football. Everyone ran to the end zone, turned around then began screaming at the quarterback to throw them the ball because they were open. No one was open!
Twenty minutes of this and people started complaining. This game is lame, boring, and stupid. They said that football was no sport and that the games of soccer and rugby were far superior.
Ultimately I had to agree. What we were doing was lame and to be quite frank, it is because it wasn't football. I told everyone to huddle up. Once I explained what "huddle up" meant, I let them know that their complaints were warranted and we were going make a few changes.
I introduced the concept of an offensive and defensive line, a running back, and linebackers. The others already knew what they were supposed to do. Each person was put in the position that they were most suited for and we began again. This time, however, they could also do one more important thing........hit one another, within the rules of course.
The difference in the game and the excitement that surrounded the rest of our time together was amazing. Football went from being a boring lifeless exercise to, and I quote, "this is the greatest game ever." What was the difference? Well, to put it simply, we were actually playing football instead of some weak version with all the fun, excitement, and teamwork taken out.
Life the same way? Life is boring and lame when not truly lived. Too many times we settle for what kinda looks like life yet somehow it never really measures up. Even if we have never really "lived" we know something just isn't right. It is John 10:10. We let life get stolen from us or destroyed because we forget that Jesus came to give us life. We lose sight of the reality that Jesus is "the way, the truth, and the life."
I don't want to live some ho hum life. I what my life to count. I want my life to have a purpose. I want my life to help bring others into a relationship with God through his son Jesus. I want to see people full of the power of God's Holy Spirit.
I am hope you feel the same way. In what areas of your life do you need to "hit people?" In what areas of your life have you settled for a counterfeit version? Wake Up! There is a whole world out there just waiting for you to get in the game.
Passion
Did you know that the word passion originally meant "to be willing to suffer for what you love?" The word passion was created and used to describe the suffering of Christ on the cross. This gives a much deeper meaning to why Christians call the week before Good Friday, Passion Week. With this new understanding of the word passion, what are you passionate about? What are you willing to suffer for because of your love for it? If you are a Christ follower, is what you are willing to suffer for, the same as what he suffered for. Follow this link to see the history of the word passion. http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=passion
Thankful
I love boats and have been fortunate to own several really nice ones. The boat I have now was a gift. It is old and was unused for 5 years before I received it. It looks like it doesn't float. I find myself looking at other boats much nicer than mine and seeing how my boat is inferior. What a blessing it is to flip that perspective from envy to one of thankfulness. Instead of focusing on what it doesn't have, being thankful for what it does. I does float. It has a motor than runs. I have caught a tremendous amount of fish in it. The time spent in it has given me more memories than i can count. I am so thankful for this great gift and for the person who gave it.
Where do you need to flip your perspective so that in all things, you are thankful?
Sarah’s Well
I love it when people are moved to action as a response to the great love the God has for them. This video is such an example. Sarah, a young lady in high school, felt inspired to dig a well that would provide clean water for a community that doesn't have such a luxury. As she talked about this idea, several other students wanted to help her. Below is the video that came out of them answering the call. Please, if you are so moved, make a donation and help Sarah dig her well. Click here to go to her site.
This is her video.
Every person you will ever meet
I had an amazing thought this morning! It is one that I have had before, but this morning, I was given a powerful reminder.
"Once, having been asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, “The kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation, nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’ because the kingdom of God is within you.” Luke 17:20-21 NIV
The great reminder for me is that Jesus is not saying this to his followers or to his disciples. He says this the Pharisees. These are the guys that in many ways are out to get him. These are the guys that Jesus is most harsh on and most critical. These are the people that are the most dangerous to what God desires for you and me because they, in the name of God and in the presumed authority of God, have turned following God into a collection of rules separate of a relationship. This is the very thing that Jesus came to set us free from.
Again, Jesus says to the Pharisees, "the kingdom of God is within you." It is in even them. No matter how wrong they get it, there is hope for the kingdom of God is in them. No matter how wrong we get it there is hope because the kingdom of God is in us. Any even more amazing thing is that no matter how wrong the people who have wronged us get it, there is hope. That my friends is grace! It is the seed that God uses to draw us in through his prevenient grace.
Every person that you will ever see is someone within whom the kingdom of God resides. It may not be shown in and through their life, but it is there. Everyone that you will ever see is created in the image of God and his kingdom, though it may not be reigning, is in them. That single truth gives me hope because when I was unlovable, God sent his son. He calls us to share that same love to those around us. He calls us to see the kingdom that is within them. Remember that it is the kindness of the Lord that leads to repentance.
How can we keep that truth in the forefront of our mind and how will it effect how we treat and respond to those that need grace?
Gourmet or Leftovers
If given the choice, would you choose a fresh cooked meal using the best ingredients hot out of the oven or that same meal heated up in the microwave the next day?
For the sake of complete clarity let me go ahead and say that soup doesn't count because soup is always better the next day. It seems like a dumb question yet this question keeps coming to mind, only I think about it in a different context.
I picture my family. You see many times I give my best to others and my family gets the left overs. Others get the bulk of my energy, my creativity, and my work ethic. My family gets what is left. This isn't always the case, but it seems like it more often than not. What a tragic thing to admit, yet such honesty demands a response. Such honesty demands action and a change of direction. I can't quit my job so I can be home all day, but I can make sure that, in the rhythm of life, my family doesn't get what's left over.
Honestly, what or who is getting your best?