The "Haves" vs The "Wants"

What you already have is usually better than what you think you want. I tried out a Blackberry yesterday to see how it compared to my 1st generation Iphone. After just a couple of hours I could see that my Iphone is better for me. Now I have to go down and get out of a contract that would lock me in for two years. That is how it often occurs in life. The grass looks greener until you are standing in it. What you have is not always valued because you are so familiar with it. Don't make the mistake that I made with the phone when it comes to what matters most. Treasure and nurture what you have. The Apostle Paul said something that is quite instructive. "I have learned to be content in whatever state I am in..." An attitude adjustment might be the only adjustment that is needed. Work it out!

Obey God's Word

Whether we call it higher ground, deeper depths, or another level there are places in life that are beyond us that we can reach. It is not as complicated as all the formula gurus try to make it. I really don't think it takes 7 habits, 5 steps, sowing 3 seeds or any of the popular trails that seem to multiply before us on a regular basis. All we have to do to find a greater life experience is read God's Word and do what it says. Joshua 1:8 puts it like this, "Be sure that the book of the Law is always read in your worship. Study it day and night, and make sure that you obey everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful." Make a commitment to obey God today. Work it out!

The Lost Art of Saying No

It is usually not a good idea to do something based on the motivation of guilt. The responsibilities we have, which are genuine, should be taken care of. The duties toward our families should be carried out. However, there are always a few nagging little things that really don't have much to do with what we are truly responsible for. There are duties that call us simply because of the expectations of others. When we are faced with those kinds of things we need to be careful. Expectations can form an inexhaustible list. An honest question to ask, in cases like that, is why should I do it? If the only thing that rings back to you is the guilt of failing to meet somebody's expectations, you may want to consider ignoring the task. We would probably be surprised at the number of things that people can do themselves, or have done another way if we were to say no. Don't be somebody's crutch just because they expect it. Jesus Christ died, was buried and rose from the grave to be the savior. He is qualified to be all things so you don't have to be. Work it out!

Not a perfect world

In a perfect world we could do right and expect to get right in return. Whenever we did something good we would know that good things would also come our way. We would expect that everyone we treated with kindness would give us kindness back. Isn't it obvious that we are not in a perfect world. This world we live in has fallen. We can do everything right and still at times receive results that are poor. It is a stubborn, frustrating reality. The beauty in all of this of course, are the promises of God. The Psalmist declared, "Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivereth him out of them all." (Psalm 34:19) We cannot expect to have a trouble free existence, but we can expect the faithfulness of a loving God to carry us through. Work it out!

To Thine Own Self Be True

Are you pulling inspiration from your true self, or are you chasing the idea of somebody else? In a group of pre-middle to early high school students, I was impressed to hear their dreams. Future scientists, artists, law enforcers, & animal lovers were all in the house. As usual, there were also a large number of dreamers looking to be athletes. I just can't help but to wonder if these NFL, MLB & NBA dreamers are expressing true heart level dreams. In fact it really makes me wonder if many of us are truly in touch with what makes us tick. Satisfaction does not come from chasing money. We cannot be fulfilled by doing what somebody else has projected upon us. We will be disappointed if we are trying to follow a path that will impress our friends. Knowing what we are truly passionate about, matching that with our skills, and putting in hard work is a sure fire formula for a life that pops. It's not too late. Follow your heart and use your skills. Work it out!

Fragile, Handle With Care!

I have preached two funerals in a week and another one will be at our church this weekend. One person that was at the second funeral shedding tears for her brother, died a few days later. Another person that looked marvelous at the service, was hospitalized the next day. We tend to think we have plenty of time to do what we wish to do. We may even put off the things we know we should take care of, having no sense of urgency. I would like to suggest to everyone reading this, to take care of the little things regularly. Life is too fragile to take anything for granted. We need to make sure our lives are at peace with God each day. We cannot be sloppy, and nonchalant with our spiritual lives. Don't allow sins to go without confession made and forgiveness received. Then we must take care of our human relationships. Let's not just assume that the people close to us know that we love them. Say it and show it often. That hug, smile, kind word, or loving gesture may be just what one of your dear ones desperately needs today. We don't know how much time we have in the future. We do know that we have right now. We can show that we care today. James 4:14 GNB says, "You don't even know what your life tomorrow will be! You are like a puff of smoke, which appears for a moment and then disappears." Think about that.

Loving Life

Had a great Birthday yesterday. Dinner with my wife and daughter, my two favorite girls. Then me and the wifey went out to the beach and just waded in the surf for an hour or so. The older I get the more I appreciate the simple things. Good health, family and friends are ultra valuable. The love of God and the love of some key people make life worth living. Thank God for 52 great years. I don't know how many more I have left so I'll enjoy moment by moment whatever I have left. Whether it's 50 minutes or 50 years, God has given us the privilege to freely enjoy the things He has made.

Joy

Don't underestimate the power of joy. It is a virtue that has enough strength to keep us moving. We are not always in a place that we would consider happy, but joy is a choice. We can decide we are going to walk in joy even though our circumstances may not dictate that kind of response. A joyous disposition will help us rise above our condition. Really, there is always something we can celebrate. Likewise, there is probably some stuff we can be gloomy about. It is a matter of perspective. You can choose to celebrate if you want. Today, I choose joy!

A Happy Time To Be Sad

It's a beautiful thing to see a dedicated child of God go home. Heaven awaits the people of God. In a strange way, many Christians have stopped talking about our ultimate hope. As many things as God does for us in terms of bringing abundant life on earth, these temporary blessings do not compare with our heavenly hope. Celebrating that hope realized brings mixed emotions. There is beauty in the transfer that has happened for the person going to heaven. There is pain that must be managed in the lives of those that remain on earth. We said goodbye to a beloved deacon, William Bryant, today. He openly loved the Lord, his family, and the church. We rejoice in the fact that heavenly blessings are now his. We feel sympathy for the family members that are in pain. Whether we describe it as a sad time for a person to receive a happy blessing, or a happy time for a person while others struggle with tears, the feelings at a home going service are always mixed. We know how we should feel mentally, but our hearts do not always keep pace with our heads. Rest in peace "Bear," you will be missed!

What do you know?

We can live based on what we know. So many people make the mistake of conducting their lives based upon the mysteries that exists. We do not understand all the ins and outs of death. We cannot always reconcile the effects of God's power and man's freedom to make choices. We do not understand when bad things happen to good people. We do not know how much room the devil has to act, or why the Lord gives him any room at all. We have a hard time with starvation, joblessness, homelessness, disasters and all kinds of suffering. We can choose to live based on the darkness that covers these mysteries, or we can go from day to day based on what we know. God is love. The Word of God is light. The Holy Spirit is our helper. Leaning on the Lord brings healing and hope. Some mysteries will be cleared up with time, so why should we torture ourselves trying to figure them out beforehand? Other things that happen will never be understood by us. We don't like that, but it's just the way it is. "...Walk in the light as HE is in the light..." Our experience of life is just better that way.

Creative Space

Is it wise to take renewed energy and sink it into the same routines? There seems to be a need to get involved with something fresh. It does not mean abandoning the major things that are already a part of your life. Along with your current commitments, it is always wise to leave a little space for creativity to run. If our lives are too full to ever try anything new, than they are just too full. The genius that is waiting to be released in you may not have an outlet from the thing that you must do to pay the bills. We all know that survival is a necessity. The thing is, God has made us for more than just survival. Make a little room in your life today for the dreamer. Do a little prayerful dreaming. God is able to do more than we can ask or think!

Grind it out.

That's a phrase that was often repeated by Ray Croc the man behind the world renown McDonald's corporation. He was a paper cup salesman. He stepped up to begin selling milk shake machines. He was fascinated by a little hamburger stand that needed multiple milk shake machines. To satisfy his curiosity, he went out to meet the McDonald brothers. He was so amazed by their system for selling burgers and fries that he bought their operation and multiplied it. His story, is a story of all the things that went wrong and his "stick to it" lifestyle that caused him to overcome every obstacle. We are familiar with what is now a multi-billion dollar success story. What many of us do not know is that it all came about because a man named Ray was willing to grind it out. The Bible calls that perseverance. In our journey we must remember that "...the race is not given to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favor to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all." (Ecclesiastes 9:11) We are all plagued with ups and downs in life. The distinguishing factor is some endure while others quit. I want to encourage you to grind it out!

Ordinary Days

It is almost natural for us to gear up for the extraordinary. We can buckle up for harsh times and prepare to give the storms of life our best shot. We can easily slide into significant good times. Proms, weddings, graduations, reunions can all be times of excitement for us. However, what do we do with the ordinary, run of the mill, nothing to write home about kind of day? How do we prevent a series of ordinary days from sliding by without getting something out of them? Of course, most of our days will be ordinary. Maximizing ordinary days has allot to do with our expectations. We have to tap into our faith. We can get closer to God on an ordinary day. We can do something to improve ourselves on an ordinary day. We can enhance our family relationships on an ordinary day. We just have to believe there are opportunities out here for us everyday. There are! "Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation." (Psalm 68:19) You and I have an opportunity for growth today. I plan on finding mine.

Maintaining Freedom

We have freedom in the United States of America. At the same time our troops are fighting in two ongoing wars. They are positioned to defend our freedom in other parts of the world also. That demonstrates the fact that freedom has to be maintained. The same thing is true with our spiritual freedom. We have had freedom handed to us through the work that Jesus Christ has done on the cross. "He whom the Son has set free, is free indeed." Yet, just as our troops are still fighting to keep our freedom in the natural realm, we have to fight to keep our freedom in the spirit too. There are all kinds of things at work trying to entangle us. We can be bound by substances. We can be bound by habits. We can be bound by unhealthy relationships. Even church duties and routines can be binding when they are shifted out of their proper place. Our identity is not tied to a church title, position, or perceived success. Freedom is experienced because of our conscious effort in two specific areas. We are free based upon the nearness of our relationship to Jesus. We are free because of the power of the Holy Spirit. "Wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty." Knowing we should be free and actually experiencing freedom is two different things. Living in freedom must be actively maintained.

Stop trying to be something other than human.

Realizing the limitations that we have is a real freeing thing. The feelings of guilt could haunt us if we let them. Sometimes we can be tempted to wonder why we have done some of the dumb stuff we have done. Sometimes we can wish we were able to go back and do things differently. There are times we may wonder why our impact has not been greater than it has been. If we listen to the hype, we are made to believe that our strategies and plans are where the real hope lies. The truth is we cannot do much about our human failures except receive forgiveness from God. We cannot do much about the future that lies before us except for trusting in the providence of our Heavenly Father day by day. Regrets and wishes are wasted energy exercises. Most of the messes we have made just fall under the category of being human beings anyway. The sin nature inside of us is much more decrepit than most of us think. The blood of Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit are the true fountains of blessing. We have to work with the Lord, as people in process, everyday. Stop stressing and start trusting! He is not surprised by anything that we have done. He knows us through and through and loves us anyway. You and I are no better or worse than anyone on the planet. We are just humans that mess up in a variety of ways and need grace from God to make it.

Getting The Most Out of Our Pain

God brings blessings out of our brokenness. He brings life out of death. The power of God is made perfect in our weakness. When we run into highly negative situations and know how to lean on God, those situations can be the best things that could ever happen to us. The truth about our human nature is troubling. We just don't seem to trust in the Lord the same way when everything is sunshine and roses. We depend on Him most when we are in difficult places. The less we have, the more we need from Him. The more limited our options are, the greater our dependence on Him. When we feel like we can do it ourselves, that is exactly what we do. Just look at the most horrific thing that has ever happened in history and you will see the principle. Jesus Christ crucified is the worst crime that has ever occurred on this earth. The Son of God beaten and killed dwarfs every other human failure by a long way. However, the power of what that event has done for us is the best thing that could have ever happened. Resurrection came out of death. Because of God's involvement in the worst thing man has ever done, salvation is now available to all. This principle is not automatic. If we want to just suffer and wallow in our misery, God will allow us to do just that. The key is taking ourselves to Him for strength when we are in painful places. God making the best out of the worst is nothing new. He specializes in it. Try him and see!