Standing Through
We tend to do whatever we can to get out of the way of adversity. We may try to think our way out of the mess, to look for help from others or to pray that God will get us out or make it stop. We also receive continual input and advertising that offer us products that will stop our troubles and give us access to the good life to which we are all entitled. If your difficulty is weight, muscle tone, sickness, finance, loneliness, depression or erectile dysfunction – “We have a product that will take care of that for you.”
However, God’s ways are often very different from ours. He uses the hurdles and stubborn obstacles of life to deepen us and produce lasting fruit in our lives. Wisdom and character are grown through adversity, not through escape. There is no product that you can buy that will give you the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22) or understanding of the ways of God. These are only forged through a mixture of God’s truth and the...
Itβs Time to Grow Up
If you pay attention to media you’ve undoubtedly noticed that there’s a lot of instability in our cities, our country and in the nations. Some people seem to change their opinions like changing their clothes – almost daily. Others lock-in on their perspectives and try to convince everyone to agree and join them. How about you, are you a wobbler, or are you an immovable object?
In Ephesians 4, the apostle Paul helps us see how to develop and grow in healthy stability. As we learn to serve others according to God's unique enablement we all mature. (Verse 12) Those serving mature through the exercise of service – serving strengthens our inner person. Those who are served benefit from the help they receive. Serving well is a win-win for everyone.
As we mature, we become much less likely to fall for people’s schemes and scams. (verse 14) We no longer look for magic or for others to show us the easy way out. Mature people can recognize the wisdom of God, and...
Who Do You Think You Are?
How we view ourselves and the world really matters.
As a person thinks/reckons in their soul, so are they. (Proverbs 23:7)
Some use this line of thinking to fuel daily positive declarations – to help them believe the best about themselves and/or transform their self-image. This can be helpful – if you lean toward the dark side of things; if you tend to live in a world of negative fantasies and scenarios. Positive declarations can help break those haunting patterns.
We need to learn to believe rightly about ourselves, others and our circumstances. The goal, however, is not to always think positively about ourselves or our situations, but to think rightly. The apostle Paul wrote, “Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to you.” (Romans 12:3)
The solid measure of life is God’s Truth. A sober, realistic perspective rooted in our relationship with...
How To Know If You Have Enough Faith
How much faith do we need to have for it to be “enough” in God’s eyes?
What do we need to understand and believe?
Is there a specific body of truth statements or a theological construct we must grasp and affirm?
When Jesus spoke to people He often used images, metaphors and similes. He spoke of intensity and commitment. He said people needed to love Him more than their parents and more than their children. He said they needed to be willing to die for Him to be worthy of Him. (Matthew 10:37-38)
Worthiness here is not a matter of performance or accomplishment, but of treasure and focus. We must prize the Kingdom and focus on (prioritize) our relationship with Jesus above and beyond anything or anyone else. Jesus used strong, direct and bold language - to make a clear, undeniable point: The priority of Jesus and the Kingdom is everything.
The question isn’t how much faith you have, it’s about how...
Learn To Follow Beyond Your Ability
What did you think you were getting into when you decided to follow Jesus?
Did you imagine He would forgive you of everything that needed heavenly forgiveness - past, present and future? He has!
Did you imagine He would help you perceive life, not through the lens of your familial distortions or wounded soul, but instead from God’s Kingdom perspective? He’s doing that even right now!
Did you imagine that He would use you to reveal His glory, grace and truth to others that you were uniquely created to help? This is His plan for you!
When Jesus sent the 70 to go ahead of Him, as recorded in Luke 10, they quickly realized they were in over their heads. Jesus gave them authority to do what was impossible amidst a hostile crowd. He sent them, and they went because they believed He was backing them. They were amazed at what happened. Demons responded to their voice/authority and miracles took place. The 70 disciples...
Don't Be A Goldilocks!
When you hear someone speak or teach, do you consider who they are or just what they say? There can be merit in both approaches. Sometimes it is good to receive a message or an understanding from anyone – the content is critical. At other times it is important to consider the source … Are You Like Goldilocks? Do they know what they are talking about? Do they know how to do what they are teaching? Do they have experience in this area, or is their understanding based solely upon what they have read or heard?
When you really want to make changes or take new steps in life, you usually want to hear from those who have made the change and have walked in the direction you want to go. Their words carry weight.
But, what if their words seem difficult or require more change than you want to make – will you still listen?
Most people I know are like “Goldilocks;” they continue to search for insight until they find instruction that seems to feel just right. In...
What Is Taking Root In You?
What is presently growing in the garden of your soul? Are there weeds that need to be removed – that are choking you deep within? Are there sprouts of life and truth that need to be nurtured inside you?
The Word of God is an incredible and indispensable resource for Kingdom growth. It is a foundational source of spiritual life. God miraculously led the Israelites through the desert for forty years to challenge and teach them that “Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD.” (Deuteronomy 8:3)
Jesus made it clear in the parable of the sower that the word of God is like seed that grows within our souls. (Luke 8:11) It convicts, corrects and transforms us as we intentionally prioritize understanding it and applying it in our lives over time. It sinks deeply into our conscious and subconscious perception of life.
This is not just an intellectual exercise, it is spiritual. It involves turning from things and...
Are You Sending Down Deep Roots?
Most of us tend to do whatever we can to get out of the path of adversity. We will try to think our way out of a mess, look for help from others, or pray that God will just make it stop. Additionally, we all experience the constant inundation of advertisers that offers products to relieve and remove our troubles. They promise to give us access to the good life to which we are all “entitled.” If your difficulty is weight, muscle tone, sickness, finance, loneliness, depression, or erectile dysfunction – “We have a product that will take care of that for you.”
God’s ways are often very different from ours. He uses the hurdles and stubborn obstacles of life to deepen us and produce lasting fruit in our lives. Wisdom and character are grown through adversity, not through escape. There is no product that you can buy that will give you the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22) or understanding of the ways of God. These are only forged...
Are You Holding Back?
Is there anyone who really knows you, who has experienced the big events of your life with you, who knows your feelings and perspectives? You may have a few people who have shared in some (or even most) of the significant happenings of your life, but no one has really been there with you through them all. Even the people who have been with you haven’t really seen and experienced what you have. They have seen things from their own unique perspective. They may have experienced many things with you, but not inside you. Only God knows you like that! Every memory that you have can be shared with God. He was there, not just with you but WITH you. He is the only One with whom you will ever really, really, really be able to share your life. He knows you inside out (literally and figuratively), and He wants to share your life with you.
So, why do we so often keep God at a distance, only sharing “our religious lives” with Him? Is it because we think that if...
Can We Talk?
Many people in our country believe that faith is a personal thing – that it’s not something to talk about or share with others. To believe this, however, is to believe that there is no real, solid, true faith that we must all consider.
The Bible uses the expression “the faith” to describe a solid belief in Jesus Christ that impacts and informs all aspects of life. People are to be strengthened in the faith, encouraged to stand strong in the faith, to examine themselves to make sure they are in the faith, to grow in the unity of the faith and to experience joy in the faith together. Faith is personal. Faith is also corporate. We need to be discuss it so we can grow and progress in our understanding, application and practice of “the faith.”
In Ephesians 4:15 we are instructed to “speak the truth in love” to each other. This is what we all need spiritually and relationally. We need to receive both...
