The Great Disappointment

There is a reason we are called to follow Christ. Religious people will let you down continually. If I wasn’t following Christ, I would have left the church by now – especially this year. Never in my life have I been so disappointed in the church. We had the perfect opportunity to show the world what heaven looks like, and we failed. We decided it was more important to be some political affiliation or some race or some bastardized form of nationalist.

Who cares if you’re republican or democrat, if you don’t love one another? What difference does it make if you’re a person of color or not, if you can’t support equality for all? What good is it if you wear a mask or not, if you belittle those who think differently than you? The church, in America anyway, looks just like the world. There is no peculiarity; there is no salt and light. There is only saltiness, bitterness and hypocrisy. Religion has made a mockery of us all.

If it appears that I’ve become distant, I have. If you think I’m becoming disconnected, I am. If you’re wondering what is going on with me, don’t. I’ve got my eyes on Jesus, and that’s the only way to live peaceably with all. Imitating Jesus Christ is what I was called to do, and I don’t want to know anything about you but Christ, and Him crucified. Can you imagine what an impact the church could have on the world, if we all imitated Christ instead of our preferred political platform? Religion is being used and abused as some standard of truth, rather than Jesus Christ being the only standard. Bottom line, I’m over it.

Ephesians 5:1-2 NASB – Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.

Romans 12:18 NASB – If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men.

I Corinthians 2:2 NASB – For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.

He's Got You

Philippians 4:19 (NASB) And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

I have started and erased this blog post so many times, it’s crazy. Finding words that are adequate to describe what’s going on in the world right now just isn’t working. We are in the midst of a pandemic, there are race riots and calls for social justice all over the world, and there is political mayhem in this country like nothing I’ve seen before in my lifetime. People are losing jobs and livelihoods by the thousands. Hopelessness and despair are rampant, as mental health issues consume many in the world’s population. With all the death and destruction occurring, combined with the lack of meaningful human interaction, people are struggling. Whatever normal was has been shattered and replaced with sterile knock-off versions.

Yet, my God will supply. I have been blessed to have a job that allowed me to work from home for the past 3 months. That was the longest 3 months of my life, since I hate working from home, but it was still a blessing. God continues to provide – whether financial, physical, mental or emotional needs – God is able to supply ALL of them. It may not look like what you expect, and it may not be in the timing that you want, but God will not fail His children. Ever. There is ultimate peace in knowing that you are safe in His arms. We do what we can in our own strength, but then we’ve got to recognize that it’s all in God’s hands.

Once we accept the fact that we are not in control, we can let go of the frustration and disappointment. It has been extremely difficult adjusting to life after COVID-19 (the pandemic of a highly infectious virus), but it isn’t anything that caught God by surprise. He was prepared to supply our needs through any and everything we will face on this earth. The amazing thing about a sovereign God is that nothing is out of his purview. He can do anything with whatever and whenever He chooses. Everything about you is important to Him, from the number of hairs on your head to your anxiety about whether your job will lay you off. He cares for you, and He wants you to release all your cares to Him. No matter what you’re facing today, He’s got you.

Surrender

Human nature is inherently opposed to submission. We think we’re strongest when we are in control. Like the poem Invictus by William Ernest Henley, we want to be the master of our own destiny. The problem with our human nature is that if we are in control, God cannot be God. Until we submit ourselves under His authority, we are denying His sovereignty.

 

As believers in the one true God, we don’t have any other option but to surrender our will to God’s. We cannot expect all the promises of God to be fulfilled in our lives while we are doing whatever we want rather than what God has commanded. Doing what is right in our own eyes will not put us in right-standing with God anyway.

 

If we don’t allow God to be the captain of our souls, we are doomed to a life of disappointment and hopelessness. Things will never work out for our good the way they do when God is given His rightful place at the head and center of our lives. The world will mock you for entrusting your life to a higher power, but we know that all things work together for good for those who love God and are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28). We know who the higher power is, and we know what He can do.

 

Surrender isn’t a sign of weakness, but a sign of trust. God knows us completely and knew us from before the foundation of the world. When there is trouble with the car, we take it to a mechanic. When there is trouble with the computer, we call the technology people. When there is a problem in our body, we take it to a doctor. We trust the experts with what they’re trained to do. Our soul is no different; we need to give (surrender, yield, submit) it to the One who specializes in the eternal soul.

Chapter 46

I haven’t blogged in quite a while. Since today is my birthday, I decided to get some thoughts down for posterity. It’s good to remember and reflect. It is now my 46^th year, and God has been faithful. Every year hasn’t been great, I don’t have everything I’ve ever wanted, and there are things I could have done differently. Still, I can look over my life and see how God worked all things together for my good – just like He promised He would.

Lamentations 3:20-23 (NASB)

            Surely my soul remembers

            And is bowed down within me.
            This I recall to my mind,
            Therefore I have hope.
            The Lord’s lovingkindnesses indeed never cease,
            For His compassions never fail.
            They are new every morning;
            Great is Your faithfulness.

I can’t help but be thankful when I am thoughtful. I remember all the times God delivered me from evil, even when I invited evil into my life. I think of all the possible ways my life could have and should have ended but didn’t. I consider all the time and resources I wasted on foolish pursuits. God is indeed faithful. I’m still here, I am in good health, and I have what I need. My story encourages me in my faith.

My perspective changes from what God can do to who God is. I no longer worry about if He can. God is definitely able! I have history with Him that tells me He can; the question becomes ‘Is it His will for my life at this time?’ I remember a particularly dark time in my life when the only comfort I had was knowing that God is sovereign. Nothing happens without His approval. He sees my end from the beginning. He exists outside of my timeline, and He knows how my life fits into His divine plan.

Every morning I wake up, I know that my life still has purpose. God doesn’t waste a single moment. He uses everything for His glory. No matter how badly I think I’ve botched something, He can use it. No matter how painful something may have been, He can use it. As a matter of fact, He has used it – all of it. The person I have become because of these experiences is who He wanted me to be at this time of my life. I have found that accepting what God allows builds greater character than any class on earth you could take. No, it isn’t always easy. No, it isn’t always pleasant. But you know what? It always comes with peace.

I have learned that surrendering and submitting to God’s will always come with peace. You will know that God is using it to develop you. You will embrace it as God’s way of making all things work for your good. People won’t understand how you have that peace in the midst of chaos and uncertainty, but your life will lead someone to the Gospel of Christ. The way you consider it joy when you are going through all kinds of adversity will encourage someone else in his/her faith.

 
Don’t despise what God has allowed in your life. That’s what I’ve learned. His compassions never fail. His mercies are new every morning. Great is His faithfulness.

Expecting God to be God

Throughout the Old Testament, there were prophets who just expected God to do what He said He would do. We are so afraid of getting it wrong, that we appear not to even trust God for what He has already declared He will do. Our logic and rationale just will not let us have the faith that is necessary to receive the assurance that God will fulfill all of His promises.

How many times has something turned around for you that made absolutely no sense when you recalled it? Things worked out in a way that you would have never foreseen. Why is it so hard to expect God to move in His infinite power that make no sense to our finite minds? We blame human nature for our lack of faith instead of rebuking our fears and doubt. Our human nature tells us that fire is hot, so we avoid touching it with our bare hands. Why? Experience. Human nature should do the opposite of what we blame it for. All the times God has come through, turned something around, provided for us, and healed us should cause even our human nature to believe that He is able and will do it. Why? Experience.

We live in a fallen world, and things are not perfect. Our plans sometimes have to be scrapped or reworked. That does not mean that God is not God. Bad things happen, innocent people get hurt, babies die. We cannot wrap our minds around a God who allows such suffering, but we aren’t Him. We don’t get to judge Him. Sure, we will have times when we blame Him, reject Him perhaps, are angry with Him, and even do not trust Him. Those times don’t make Him any less God. He still loves us through those times. He still heals us through those times. He still provides for us through those times. And He is still God through those times. Believing in Him doesn’t cause Him to be, just like not believing in Him doesn’t cause Him to cease being.

Sovereignty is what it is. God does whatsoever He chooses to do, but what He WILL NEVER do is break a promise to you, my friend. If He promised never to leave you, He is right there with you – through it all. If He promised to provide for you, that is what He is doing – in His way and His timing. Stop expecting God to do what you would do, and expect Him to be God.

From Weak to Strong

Father, please. Two words. Sometimes the only prayer we can mutter when the weight of our circumstances pushes us to the floor in tears. God, help! Two words. Sometimes we feel as though we are drowning in an ocean of disappointment and despair. The verbose, eloquent public prayers that we pray in our churches are reduced to stammering, barely audible, broken gasps of petition when our need is greatest. When life knocks the wind out of our lungs, all we have is the breath of God to draw upon for survival. When facing a life-threatening illness, not all the words in the world can do more than “Lord, heal.” Two words.

The cry of our heart can be as simple as two words, three words, or maybe even no words. Maybe our souls can only groan what the Holy Spirit interprets for us. The crushing defeat that life can bring is a reminder that we need a Savior. Our hope is in Jesus Christ alone. Our humanity, no matter how grand in our own eyes, will fail. We do not have the ability to save ourselves. We need help, infinite help. As long as mortality exists for us, we will have moments of severe weakness.

The apostle Paul said it best in II Corinthians 12:10, “Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.” Paul understood that Christ shines brightest when our flesh is broken down and burned up at the altar. All of our big words, fancy speeches, grandiose titles and mighty positions mean nothing when we can barely raise our voices above a whisper to say, “Lord, have mercy!” Our weakness is our greatest strength because that is when God can work best in our lives. After we have gotten out of the way with all of our brilliant yet unsuccessful solutions, God can step in with miracles.

It's a Miserable Trap!

Wisdom may not come with age, but it certainly should come with experience. That’s a nice way of saying that I’ve learned a few things over the years. One of the biggest lessons I think I’ve learned in my lifetime is to never compare yourself to anyone else. Never compare what you’ve got with what someone else has. By never, I mean NEVER!

Comparing leads to coveting, and coveting leads to misery. It’s a trap! The enemy wants to keep you focused on what you don’t look like, what you don’t have, and what you aren’t getting. He wants to make you feel ‘less than.’ Satan has no vested interest in you being content. He can’t tempt you with angry outbursts, body shame, or depressed episodes of defeat if he can’t make you miserable. What I have found is that we tend to help him out by focusing on what this world offers instead of what God offers.

In Philippians 4:8, Paul admonishes us to think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. What are you thinking about? Are you thinking about how much money your coworker makes? Are you thinking about that luxury car your neighbor has in the driveway? Are you looking at the model on the magazine cover wondering why you can’t get your clothes to fit like that? STOP. Those things aren’t excellent and worthy of praise. Those things are someone else’s blessings or problems.

You have plenty to be grateful for. You have no idea what someone else has gone through to get what they have. Even if they haven’t gone through anything, it’s still not yours. Be content with what you have. The best tool to fight misery is gratefulness. Start thanking God for the oxygen you inhale and carbon dioxide you exhale. Start thanking God for the ability to blink your eyes and keep them from drying out. Start thanking God for literacy (because you’re reading this). I’m not saying you have to be satisfied with where you are. You can always do and be better, but you can be content on the way to your next level of God’s blessings. Contentment will keep you from comparing and coveting, and therefore keep you out of the miserable trap.

Lord, I thank you for the Holy Spirit that lives in me to help me treasure your Word above everything this world has to offer. I believe what your Word says about me and the promises that You have for me. I know that I don’t have to compare myself to anyone else or covet what anyone else has because You love me just as I am. You know better than I ever could what’s best for me at what time in my life, and I am so grateful that You are God. You created me with my purpose in mind. No one can have better plans for me than You do, and I give You all the praise, honor, and glory in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Philippians 4:6-8 New Living Translation (NLT)

⁶ Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. ⁷ Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

⁸ And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.

Freedom to Live!

John 10:10 (NLT) The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.

Galatians 5:13 (NLT) For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love.

If you know me personally, it’s likely you’ve heard me say that religious bondage is still bondage. There was a time in my life that I followed religion more than Jesus Christ. I followed the church rules; I did what was expected of me. I put church above all else. I was a faithful church member who supported all the functions and happenings at the church building. I was the person that would step in and fill in the gaps when no one else would volunteer. I was contributing to every fundraiser, volunteering at every event, and changing my plans at the last minute to accommodate the church’s schedule. I walked the walk; I talked the talk. I was also the one who was burned completely out.

Jesus never put all that on me. I put all that on me. I took on more and more and more until I resented the day I found a gift to use. There was no one to blame but myself. Satan had stolen my joy, killed my excitement, and destroyed my fervor. I was looking to the wrong things for fulfillment. Jesus came to give me a rich and satisfying life. Serving Him is where I found my purpose. One day I just quit “church” because I realized that there was so much more than the routine I had accepted as faithfulness. The Lord showed me that there were people out there who actually needed me, and not just people who wanted to use me. There are some church people who take advantage when presented with the opportunity. We’re all human; we all have flaws.  

I can live my life in freedom and be fulfilled just by doing what Jesus Christ has asked me to do. That’s my purpose in this life. Following a religious movement, or belonging to a church building is not my purpose. That’s where I receive my training, but my job is in the fields that are ready to harvest. Spending every waking moment doing church stuff is not what God had for me to do, which is why it didn’t last. If you want true freedom and the rich, satisfying life that Christ promised you, follow His plan for you – no one else’s. Spend time listening to what He is asking you to do. Put the brakes on auxiliaries, programs and services for a while. Hear His voice. Serve in the areas that He has gifted you. Just because you’re good at something doesn’t make it your calling or your passion. If you are feeling ‘meh’ about what you’re doing, stop doing it. You aren’t doing anyone any favors, least of all the KINGDOM.

I want all the joy, peace, happiness, love, kindness, and fulfillment that I can get. It begins and ends with Jesus Christ. All that religious stuff is expendable.

A Convenient Faith

Hello, everyone! It’s been a while since I blogged, but I feel compelled today to address this convenient faith that social media makes so attractive. I don’t profess to know what Jesus Christ is thinking, but I’m pretty sure He’s not telling you to fake it until you make it. Being a follower of Christ is a lifelong journey, not an immediate “arrival.” We develop, we grow, and we change as we are molded daily into the image of Christ by the working of the Holy Spirit. Stop pretending!

Blessing and cursing are coming from the same person in the same day. One minute you are more than a conqueror through Jesus Christ, and the next you don’t know how you’re going to make it through a financial dry spell. Today, you’re a super saint because God came through in a pinch, but tomorrow a co-worker is going to make you lose your religion. We suffer through fifteen posts about your pastor’s sermon this Sunday, but you’re mysteriously quiet next Sunday when you don’t go to church at all. Are you feeling guilty that you didn’t go? Why do you think so many people are falling away from the church? A lot has to do with us, the so-called Christians.

We have hindered many people collectively by the way we live, the words we use, our attitudes and behaviors. We expect new converts to automatically achieve perfection, when we are trying to hide our imperfections. We could reach people on a much deeper level if we could be vulnerable enough to show them our true selves. Yes, I’m human too, so we can do this together. If we could spend more time being honest with people instead of putting on these shows for our social media accounts, I think we’d find that people could actually relate to us. Some of us are so deep that we’re drowning in our own self-righteousness … alone. We’ve built our fortresses of lies and false pretense, and we’re dying on the inside.

Let me encourage you. You don’t have to pretend to be something you aren’t yet. If you are allowing the Holy Spirit to move in your life, I promise it will get better. You will have more joy, peace and contentment. We are all being changed; none of us is perfect. Feel comfortable being just who you are on the way to who you’re becoming. Jesus loves you. You should love yourself. Loving yourself doesn’t mean you don’t want to improve, but it should mean that you won’t deny who you are. Admit that you’re a work in progress just like the rest of us. It’s okay.

Our Responsibility with the Word

II Timothy 2:15 (NASB) Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.

Chances are that if you’ve been in the church for a while, you’ve heard some variation of this verse. My concern is that we’ve gotten so accustomed to it, that we don’t really focus on what it’s saying anymore. We’re throwing around opinions and politics like they’re gospel, while the word of truth is being perverted and misunderstood. We have gotten so good at cherry picking the parts of the Bible that we want to beat people over the heads with that we’ve forgotten the pieces that we’re violating on a daily basis.

We are guessing and supposing, rather than seeking God for His divine revelation. The Holy Spirit is available to help us understand and interpret how to apply the verses that we have abused. By reading and studying the Scriptures in context, we gain a better and more thorough understanding of what they mean. We have a responsibility to handle the Word of God accurately. There are people looking to us for spiritual guidance and help with applying the bible to life. We cannot hastily interpret Scripture without properly studying and praying. It doesn’t work that way. There is no magic formula; it takes time in the Word with prayer and meditation.

When you know better, you do better. I am doing better. If I’m not sure, I research, study, pray, and ask questions. Our opinions are not going to hold water at the pearly gates. We have to rightly divide the word of truth (as the King James Version puts it). There are even suspect things being said across sacred pulpits. Preachers and evangelists are humans; mistakes are made. Don’t take anything at face value. Look it up, research, pray, meditate, seek God for the answers. By all means, don’t agree with something if you aren’t sure. Saying “Amen” is your agreement. The last days are approaching, and we need to be diligent about sharing our faith – and sharing it accurately.

I challenge each of us to hold the other accountable. If you catch me using Scripture incorrectly, call me on it. I don’t want to cause anyone else to stumble. We owe it to the Kingdom to do our best to represent it well. We can’t afford to be the reason someone falls away from the Truth. Jesus Christ died for all of us and each of us, and we owe Him our best. Let’s encourage one another to do and be better. 

Follow Directions

Leviticus 10:1-2 (NLT) Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu put coals of fire in their incense burners and sprinkled incense over them. In this way, they disobeyed the LORD by burning before him the wrong kind of fire, different than he had commanded. So fire blazed forth from the LORD’s presence and burned them up, and they died there before the LORD.

Just because something is good in your eyes, doesn’t make it what God asked you to do. Don’t tarnish your anointing with disobedience. When God has anointed you for a certain task, it is yours to perform (not alter, assign, transfer, delegate, etc). Your anointing comes with specific instructions.

Nadab and Abihu had a particular job in the Tabernacle. They took it upon themselves to alter that job, and it cost them their lives. Somehow, we think that God’s instructions don’t apply to us either. We insist on doing things our own way, no matter what God has commanded. Particularly in the church, we do things that are pleasing in our own eyes. We are so consumed with filling seats and offering plates that we don’t always stop and seek God’s will.

We assume that since we are doing good work that God is okay with our methods. That isn’t necessarily true. Every good thing might not be a God thing. John 4:24 states that those who worship God must worship Him in spirit and in truth. In spirit and in truth means God’s way. We can’t just throw anything at God, and expect Him to take it as a worthy offering. God is holy, and He must be approached in the way He has commanded.

We have it so much easier than the Levites. We have Jesus Christ. We can hide ourselves in His righteousness, and allow Him to consume our fleshly faults. We can be holy and acceptable to God through a relationship with His Son. The Holy Spirit is a free gift that we obtain with that relationship, and He helps us daily to fulfill our calling. He will keep us if we choose to allow Him. We don’t have to be guilty of burning the wrong kind of fire before the LORD.

Real Freedom

There are plenty of believers who are enslaved to what they think they have to do to be good Christians. That isn’t why Jesus came. The freedom He died to afford us is absolute. We are not only free from sin, but we are free from religious bondage. Trying to follow a list of rules and acceptable activities for Christians is futile.

When Jesus was asked what the greatest commandment was, what was His answer? It wasn’t a laundry list of do’s and don’ts. His answer was about relationship with God and with each other. Of course, when we love God and others, there are things that we will certainly do or not do based on that love. That might look a little different for each one of us. We can’t judge other people by what we would or wouldn’t do – only by what God said. More often than not, we are judging people based on manmade, religious standards.

Our responsibility is to love. I have never felt so free in my life as when I decided to stop following religion and start following Christ alone. When I chose to love people like Jesus did, I was free of judging them. That, my friends, is real freedom. That’s what will allow you to live more abundantly, as Jesus Christ intended you to live. The organized church has burdened its members with so many rules and taboos that people are leaving in droves. Some denominations are trying to figure out how to recapture whole generations of people that have disappeared.

This is not a new issue. Based on conversations that Jesus had in the Bible, religion has been burdening people for a very long time. Religion cannot offer salvation; only relationship with God through Jesus Christ can do that. If you’re reading this, you have the opportunity to start living in the freedom Jesus died for you to have. You no longer have to be a slave to sin or religion. You don’t have to follow a list of things to do or not do. All you have to do is love God and love people. You love them and love them and continue to love them. Just like Jesus loves you with all your flaws, you love others unconditionally as well. Stop trying to identify their problems, and love them.

It’s time for you to be free of having to be perfect. Because that’s what you do when you point out someone else’s flaws, you pretend to be perfect. Don’t stress yourself trying to hide your struggles from the outside world; show them that you’re in need to a Savior also. Love people all the way to the feet of Jesus. Love them to life! Live in the freedom that Jesus offers you every day by grace through faith.

Matthew 22:36-40 (NLT) “Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?” Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment.  A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.”

John 10:10 (NLT) The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.

On Being Good Enough

Comparison is a beast of a concept when it comes to human beings. Someone else has more mindful children, has a better position at work, lives in a bigger house, has a more luxurious car, wears a smaller size, has less debt, takes longer vacations, and on and on. We are continually comparing ourselves to other people. It gets worse when we compare and think that WE are better than someone else.

When it comes to God, we are all the same. He does not compare us to one another. He does not say that Bob is better than Molly. God does not look at how nicely you clean up compared to your neighbors. Jesus Christ is the standard. How are you lining up with Him these days? Don’t try to compare someone else to Christ; just yourself. Are you following His example? Are you obeying His commandments? Are you living like He did? Are you loving like He does?

If you want to compare yourself to someone else, compare yourself to the you of your past. Have you made any progress compared to who you were last year? Last month? Last week? Yesterday? There is a real war being waged in our minds when we focus more on other people than on being more like Christ. The enemy would have you focused on being good enough to compare with other people. The truth is that you’re already good enough because we are all the same on the level playing field of God’s grace.

You will never be good enough by striving after things. You will never be good enough by being wealthier, skinnier, or stronger. You will only be good enough by accepting Jesus Christ by grace through faith. God only sees you as good enough through the blood of His Son, which blots out all your sin. Stop fooling yourself that you could ever be good enough on your own. There will always be someone else to envy that way. Trust God. Accept Jesus Christ. Live abundantly in that relationship.

Follow Jesus

We don’t need to ask the question, “What would Jesus do?”. We already know what He did from the account we have in the Scriptures. If everyone who claimed to be a Christian, actually followed Christ’s example, we would live in a much different place. Instead we have an abundance of greed, pride, arrogance, and hatred.

If you think about it (read about it, study about it), Jesus is a champion for the underdog, the outcast, the downtrodden, the oppressed, the poor, the neglected, the undervalued, the rejected, the social pariah, the unwanted, the derelict, and the broken. This list is nowhere near exhaustive, but you get the point. Jesus is a champion for us all in whatever state we happen to be. Jesus Christ offers us grace for the journey. Yet, we have a problem extending that grace to people we deem to be unworthy.

If we are believers and followers of Jesus Christ, we should be growing spiritually. We should be reflecting the image of God’s Son in word and deed. Who do you represent? Sometimes we just don’t do a very good job showing the world the love and grace that God has shown us. Take inventory of your attitudes, words, and actions toward other people. Do you treat people like Jesus would? Maybe they don’t deserve grace; neither do you! That’s why it’s called grace.

Jesus did not require that we clean ourselves up and get our acts together before He would love us and save us. Grace is unmerited, unearned, undeserved. That’s the whole point; no one can boast that s/he worked hard to obtain it. Because God is who He is, we are not consumed. Because God is merciful, gracious and loving, He sent His son to die in our place. How we treat others is about who we are, not who they are. Are you grateful for all that God has done for you? Show it. Be more like Jesus Christ.

Strong Enough

If you’re like me, you tend to internalize, compartmentalize, and bury pain, disappointments and problems. We pretend that nothing bothers us, and we are strong enough to endure anything on our own without any help from anyone ever. Eventually the built up pain and suffering gushes out unexpectedly. Sometimes we lash out at other people in anger and frustration; sometimes the pain leaks out through our tear ducts at the most random of times. Other times, we might even just completely shut down and become unable to function. Whatever the reaction, the diagnosis is clear: we are not strong enough.

Ever heard the phrase "God won’t put more on you than you can bear"? That’s a lie from the pit of hell. (The Bible states that God won’t allow you to be TEMPTED beyond what you are able to handle, and then He makes a way of escape.) How will we ever learn to trust Him if we could handle everything without Him? What would be the need of an all-sufficient God if we were all-sufficient humans? We are not omnipotent beings, and we need to recognize our need for a Savior who loves us, cares for us, and offers us rest. We don’t have to do it all. We are physically and emotionally incapable of doing it all. Jesus tells us to come to Him with our weariness. He is our hope and our strength.

Don’t worry if you fall apart because you’re buried under. Bring all your broken pieces to the Master. Maybe bring them sooner rather than later to avoid a complete meltdown. Cast your cares on Him because He cares for you. He will lighten your load when you aren’t strong enough to carry it. He will not only carry your burdens, but He will also carry you through whatever you happen to be facing. He is more than strong enough.

1 Peter 5:7 (NASB) casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.

Matthew 11:28 (NASB) "Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.

Beauty for Ashes

In Greek mythology, the phoenix is a bird that combusts and dies, only to be reborn from its ashes. The bird is decrepit and aged, ugly and pathetic at the end of its life cycle, but when it rises from the ashes it is vigorous, beautiful, and whole. Beauty can arise from destruction. Sometimes we get so caught up in assessing the damage, that we lose sight of the splendor of rebirth and regeneration.

It is God’s natural order that new life springs up after the barrenness of death and decay. Spring follows winter; trees sprout new, green leaves, flowers bud and bloom, and grass once again begins to grow. God will turn your mourning into dancing and give you beauty for the ashes. Your season of decay, destruction, and desolation will give way to new life, magnificent glory, and wholeness. God won’t leave you tattered and broken in the ashes.

Keep your eyes on the One who created you from nothing. He is able to recreate you from the same nothing. Even if your friends or family have left you to rot in a desolate wasteland, God will never give up on you. He makes everything beautiful in its own time (Ecc. 3:11), and He will make you beautiful at the time He has appointed for you. Don’t give up; God’s promises are sure. You will arise from the ashes whole, beautiful, and stronger than you’ve ever been.

Isaiah 61:2-4 (NLT) He has sent me to tell those who mourn that the time of the Lord’s favor has come, and with it, the day of God’s anger against their enemies. To all who mourn in Israel, he will give a crown of beauty for ashes, a joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair. In their righteousness, they will be like great oaks that the Lord has planted for his own glory. They will rebuild the ancient ruins, repairing cities destroyed long ago. They will revive them, though they have been deserted for many generations.

This Is War!

Spiritual battles require spiritual weapons. If you are wondering why you feel so defeated when facing the problems in your life, you should check your weapons cache. Recognize that Satan is real, demons are real, and spiritual warfare is real. You can’t fight spiritual wickedness in high places with earthly weapons and methods. Sometimes we have to fight, and sometimes we have to stand still while the Lord fights our battles. Do you know when to do which?

The Bible is more than just history, parables, and examples. The Word of God contains battle strategy for every situation that we could ever face. We have to understand how our enemy operates in order to recognize and resist. As long as we believe that Satan has horns and a pitchfork, we may not realize that our obstinate co-worker or willful child is being used by the cunning, slick, deceptive, and ultra-intelligent fallen one. We’re bringing slingshots to a war with nuclear missiles.

It is time for us to equip ourselves for the battlefield in the world, our homes, our jobs, and our minds. We have been playing church for far too long. There is a war going on! We have become desensitized to the wiles of the devil, and he is gaining ground all around us. We are calling sin by every name in the book but sin, and our souls are suffering. Take some time to brush up on your battle plans; study God’s Word. I challenge you to go back to memorizing Scripture like we did as children. Hide the Word in your heart, so the Holy Spirit can bring it back to your remembrance when you need it.

Prepare yourself for battle!

Ephesians 6:12 (NASB) For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.

2 Corinthians 10:4 (NASB) for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses.

Perspective on Reality

It’s all about perspective. Everything that happened during 2015 was a blessing, a lesson, or a bit of both. As we approach a brand new year, let us give thanks for all that the LORD has done. If we choose to live in victory, in spite of our circumstances, we will find that God’s promises are true. When we focus on the negative, we lose sight of the marvelous development of character that God is bringing about in us.

Every new day brings brand new mercy and new opportunities. I am not the glass-half-full eternal optimist type of person, but I do know how good God is. I know that if God allows something to happen in my life that it is for my good and for His glory. I have learned that gratefulness will help me get through the rough times by remembering all of His many benefits. I believe that God has a plan for me that will not harm me.

I have to make the choice to be content every day, in every situation. I choose to trust that God has me exactly where He wants me to be to fulfill the purpose that He has for my life. There is no better place that I can be. If that is my perspective, then that will be my reality. I am resting in the will of God for my life, and I will live like I know that God is sovereign.

Romans 8:28 (NLT) And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.

Jeremiah 29:11 (NLT) For I know the plans I have for you, says the LORD. They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.

Philippians 4:11 (NLT) Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have.

The Formula

Psalm 37:4 (NASB) Delight yourself in the LORD; And He will give you the desires of your heart.

One thing I have learned well over the years is that God is not a genie. We cannot "name and claim" whatever we want whenever we want. It just doesn’t work that way. God is the God of decency and order; there is a divine road map that we must follow. God knows all and sees all, and He is well aware of what is good for us and what isn’t at any given point in time.

In this particular verse, the condition is to delight in the LORD. When we make God the LORD of our lives, we will keep His will and His ways at the forefront of our hearts and minds. As a result of walking continuously in God’s will, we are on the perfect path for an abundance of His blessings. God wants nothing but His best for us, and He has a perfect plan for our lives that includes the desires of our hearts.

The lesson here is to walk where the blessings are flowing, not necessarily to expect God to send blessings wherever you are. Don’t get me wrong, God can bless you in whatever situation you find yourself. God is still God, and He is sovereign. He does whatever He pleases. Following after Him and walking in His will are things we do for our benefit. If the desires of our heart line up with His will, it is His pleasure to give them to us.

Conformity and Compromise

Just like believers should not conform to nor compromise with the world, we should also not practice conformity and compromise among ourselves in the church. The church is full of traditionalists who want every church member and every church program to conform to their idea of what is right. The problem is that keeping with traditions leads to legalism. Keeping with traditions is religion.

There are some traditions that need to be abolished. There are things that we do in church buildings that have nothing to do with Jesus Christ. The Son of God came to earth to live as a man to free us from the law; He came to show us how to live in God’s grace. Yet we, like the early church’s critics can’t seem to accept the freedom in Christ. We just can’t seem to be able to grasp that we don’t have to follow a set of rules or live by a religious creed in order to be saved.

Salvation is by grace alone through faith alone in Jesus Christ ALONE. If we had to abide by everything someone has added to that formula, we would all be hell bound. The whole purpose of God sending Jesus Christ was to prove to us that we couldn’t save ourselves through obedience to the Law. We are incapable of keeping all of the Law, so we would be guilty of breaking all the Law.

We are to be one, as God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are one. Being one doesn’t mean being identical; it doesn’t mean being copycats. Being one means that we are on the same page with our purpose of spreading the Gospel. We may have different methods, but we should be unified in the message. Not all traditions are bad, but we need to separate tradition/religion from the work of Jesus Christ.

John 17:11 (NASB)

I am no longer in the world; and yet they themselves are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep them in Your name, the name which You have given Me, that they may be one even as We are.