Living the Life

It’s really easy to think about our priorities and the things important to us. But how often do we question whether our priorities are God’s priorities? How often do we question how we are living our lives and whether we are living up to God’s expectations? Not of our own will and power, but that of the Holy Spirit who lives on the inside of the Christ follower (1 Cor 3:16). 

We know that when we accept Jesus as Lord and Savior, we become a new creature. Old things are put away and all things become new (2 Cor 5:17). Then the question is why do we keep doing the old things. According to Romans, we are to be transformed by the renewing of our minds (Rom 12:2). As our minds are renewed, then our hearts are changed and our actions began to line up with who we are. 

The more time we spend in the presence of God, the better we know Him and the better we know ourselves and who we are in Him. The more we know Him, the more we love Him. Just as we want to please those closest to us, as we draw closer to God and He draws closer to us (Jer 29:12-14), the more we want to please Him as well. We begin to think more of Him and less of ourselves. 

When we put Him first (Matt 6:33), it becomes more about what He wants than what we want. We recognize that He knows what’s best and that He sees what we don’t. We begin to recognize that His will for us is better than anything we can come up with on our own. We begin to understand that doing things His way, is the best way for us and gets the best results. We stop worrying about what others expect of us, because we realize they have no rule and reign over us unless we give it to them. We desire to live a life that reflects Him. We want to live up to His standard. We learn that we don’t control the outcome and that should take the pressure off. 

When we choose to be obedient and live the life God has called us to, a life reflective of the Son of God, we realize we don’t have to worry about the decisions we make or the outcomes (Heb 5:2-8). If we are obedient, God has it and He has us. James tells us to be doers of the word and not just hearers (Jam 1:22-26). God shares Himself with us out of His abundant love for us. He wants us to do well and therefore, He gives us instruction (Psa 32:8; Prov 3:5-6). When we follow the instructions, blessings come (Deut 28:1-14). When we don’t, we get the opposite. We all mess up. But do we put ourselves over God in our hearts? Are you living an obedient life or one of our own choosing? Do we follow God’s leading or that of our own desires? God gives us His Word so we will know Him better, as well as, how to live and obey? Are you living the life? 

The Decision is Yours!

We make decisions every day about where we’ll go and what we’ll do….or not do. Each one of those decisions not only impacts today but tomorrow and the next day. What I eat today will have an impact on whether I can button my pants tomorrow or the next day. Whether I sleep tonight will determine if I’m at my best tomorrow. Whether I give to someone in need today may have an impact on whether I will have next time the opportunity comes around. Everything we do, comes with consequences – some good, some bad.

At church today during the sermon, the pastor said, the decisions we make today will determine our next chapter in life. As he ministered, I realized how true that is. My decision many years ago to study engineering has led me to where I am today. Did I have any idea this is where I’d end up? Absolutely not, but I had a plan to give whatever position my best and represent the Lord well. He has been faithful and opened doors I never could have opened on my own. His providence has worked throughout my life. What is God’s providence? It’s how He directs things in the universe and moves them around for our good. As Pastor Craig said today, God’s providence is best read like the written Hebrew language – backwards. When I look back over my life, I can see God’s hand all over it.

From the opportunity to go to a really good university (two, actually), to my first job while I was in grad school (which I asked one of my professors for out of the blue) to my first real job to the one I have now. God’s hand has worked through out my life and has led me to places I never would have gone on my own. God’s plans for me have always been to give me a future and a hope (Jer 29:11). Even when I couldn’t see His hand, He was there (Psa 16:8). Even when things didn’t look good or like I thought they should, He was there moving pieces around to bring about His purpose and plan.  

We get to decide every day whether we will live to please Him or not. And choosing not to decide, is a decision. If we’re not following Him, we are separated from Him. There is no middle ground with Him. We either are or we aren’t. And even when we aren’t, His mercy still provides us another chance (Lam 2:22-23) until we take our last breath. Our dilemma is that we don’t know when that will be. We don’t know when we’ll be called away from this place (Matt 24:36) and have to give an account of all our deeds – both good and bad (Rom 14:11-12). That’s why we can’t take time for granted, because we don’t control it and we have no say in it.

It behooves us to get it right with God now. And once we accept Jesus and confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive our sins (1 John 1:9) and then the Lord sees us through the blood of Jesus (Heb 7:27). How awesome is that. God’s grace is sufficient for us (2 Cor 12:9). Once we recognize that life doesn’t just happen to us, we have power to influence it. Yes, bad things happen, but we get to decide how we will work through them. It’s always better with God, we just have to decide to let Him lead instead of thinking we know best – WE DON’T. No matter how smart we are, He's smarter. Decide this day, who you will serve. As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord (Josh 24:15). What about you?

Happy Labor Day!

As I was writing a message to my staff leading up to the holiday weekend, I learned something new.  According to the Department of Labor’s history on the day, the holiday is rooted in the late nineteenth century, when labor activists pushed for a federal holiday to recognize the many contributions workers have made to America's strength, prosperity, and well-being. What a nice way to honor the contributions each worker brings to build this imperfect but great country we live in. I wish you an amazing holiday!

As we celebrate, I'd ask you to consider the labor you’ve done for the One and Only Master we serve. While the bible indicates we should not eat if we don’t work (2 Thes 3:10), it also indicates we were given a commission by Christ prior to his ascension to the Father. Jesus told us to go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation (Mark 16:15). So, what have you done to fulfill that commission? Are you preaching the gospel where you are? Are you telling the good news at work? Are you telling the good news at the grocery store? Do you share the good news with those friends you know are heading in an unsafe direction? Do you see them as valuable to Jesus just like you are? 

The bible says the harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few (Matt 9:37-38). Are you a laborer?  Are you trying to remain comfortable in your position or are you willing to be uncomfortable to obey Jesus? I sometimes forget that I’m just passing through this place and it’s not my home (Heb 13:14). And it’s not yours. 

Have you ever wondered why you don’t every really feel comfortable in a hotel? You can bring all the things you need along with you on the trip but it’s never quite right. You have to find the things you need because they are not like you have them in your own space. The bed doesn’t feel like yours. It’s foreign. 

Well, that is the feeling we should have while we’re here during this time. Everything we see is temporary – the job, the house, the car, the pay check, etc (2 Cor 4:18). It’s all temporary and it’s all for God’s glory. None of what we have is just for us. God has placed us in whatever our position so we can bless someone else (Heb 13:16). 

God blesses us and He’s always with us. He knows us and our weaknesses and yet He gives us what we need to grow and learn to be more like Him. Can you imagine how productive we could be if we were more like God – the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit? If we just stayed focused on the One thing – Him.  How do we know God better? How do we gain strength, endurance and patience for the work He has before us? Let’s find time for Him. Let’s make sure we are ready and prepared for the work ahead of us. Remember, the harvest in plentiful and the laborers are few. Are you laboring? 

Don’t Miss Your Moment

Every day the news reports the latest tragedy and hardship available whether a natural event like a hurricane or a shooting. It reminds each of us that we are here walking the earth for a very short time and have only a small window to do something impactful or reach the goals we set in childhood. We are reminded that time is not promised and we are vulnerable to sickness and the happenings of life. 

Those of us who know Jesus are not exempt from the tragedies of life (Jam 1:2-4). We will see and face them, however, we know that God has called us to more. He has a purpose and a plan for our lives, that came to be before we were even born. While we were still in our mothers’ wombs, He planned and knew us (Jer 1:5). While things may come that are scary for us, we must step into the unknown believing God when He said He will never leave nor forsake us (Heb 13:5-6). We have to seize the moment. 

There are no guarantees when it comes to our time on earth (Jam 4:13-15). Last week, three teenagers were in a car accident. They never should have been driving. All three ended up in critical condition because of a few bad choices. None of them walked away unscathed. This is an opportunity to allow the Lord to teach and provide guidance and strength. Will they? Only God knows. But the fact that they are still here says they still have an opportunity to take advantage of this moment and God can show Himself strong and mighty even in the midst of their recovery (Psa 68:28). 

God’s plans for us are always to prosper us and to make us better (Jer 29:11). That doesn’t mean that we won’t face adversity. We will (Psa 22:11). Adversity is a certainty as we move down any path, but with each adverse situation, our faith grows and as we use God’s tactics we become stronger (1 Pet 1:7-9). We have more of a testimony of God’s favor and grace (Psa 77:11). We can speak to what we know about God and how He got us through each situation. It makes us more courageous for the next one. 

Are you missing out on what God called you to? I hope not. His plans are better than ours. Even when they hurt as we go through them, He knows better than we do. Endure. Don’t miss your moment. Don’t miss your calling. Be who God created you to be and see where He takes you. Remember who you are. You are loved (Eph 3:18-19). You are never alone (Josh 1:9). You are chosen (John 15:16). 

Generous Living

How generous are you? That’s really a question only we can answer about ourselves. I like to think that I’m generous and I love to give gifts and not just any gift, but the right gift. The one that will grab someone and make their day. I love that. I believe in paying my tithes and giving offerings (Mal 3:10). I love giving to charity and supporting people less fortunate (Prov 28:27).  It makes my heart glad to give. 

On the other hand, I’m not as generous with my time. I love my alone time. Don’t get me wrong. I love people and spending time with them, but my time is valuable to me. In some cases, I’d much rather give a gift than my time. 

So, I’m working to be more generous with my time and my talents. I have to remember they don’t belong to me (Deut 10:14). Just like God has blessed me to be able to bless others with gifts they will like, he also blessed me with time and talent to bless others (2 Cor 9:10-15). He wants all of me. And He wants me to give all of me away like Jesus did. I have to remember that. I’m to love my brother as I love myself. I’m to think of others before myself. 

Does that mean that I’m not to enjoy what I’ve worked so hard for? Absolutely not (1 Tim 6:17-18). But I always have to remember that I’m only a steward of God’s resources and while He wants me to be content and have joy, I’m also to help my brother or sister when they are in need (1 John 3:17). That doesn’t mean that I’m to step into His place and get into situations where He’s working something out of or into them. It means, I’m to listen to Him and move when He tells me to move, whether financially, physically, or prayerfully. 

While it’s sometimes difficult, it is God’s will that we are generous as He has been generous to us. We follow His example when we are generous givers. He has given us so much, it’s only right that we bless someone else (Heb 13:16). God loves us so much that Christ died for us (John 3:16). We are saved into the body of Christ. We are His hands and feet. If we say we are of Christ and we are not generous, do we not teach the world that Christ really isn’t generous (Prov 11:24-25)? We would be teaching a lie. Our lives wouldn’t be consistent with who God is. If we are of Christ, we have to reconcile ourselves with the fact that generosity must be part of our walk with Him. 

If Jesus is our standard, we need to line up with His sense of giving. Where are you on the scale? I know I have work to do. What about you? 

Miracles, Signs, and Wonders

Who doesn’t want to experience a miracle? Who doesn’t want something turned around in their favor? Who doesn’t want God to intervene on their behalf? We all do. When we are in a bad situation, we all want God to help us. What happens if He doesn’t? Do we lose faith in Him? And, if so why? 

God doesn’t owe us anything. He created us and gave us the tools to live a fulfilling life when we put Him first and give Him credit for who and what He made us. I mean, when we are fulfilling the purpose He gave us before birth, not when we’re leading and guiding ourselves down a path that we like that has nothing to do with God’s purpose and will for our lives. Even then bad times come, and we ask God to fix them, and when He does or doesn’t what do we do? Do we testify about the goodness of God that He would get the glory in either situation or do we stand by quietly and let people believe whatever they are going to believe? Whether he answers our prayer the way we want Him to or not, He is still good and He’s still faithful (Lam 3:22-23). His nature does not change (Mal 3:6). 

When I think back on all the miracles, signs, and wonders performed in the bible, I realize none of them were done for people’s comfort. In all the cases, people had to walk through some things, some of them horrible, and the Lord was on the other side of them, not necessarily for the comfort of that person but that they or others would see the power of God and believe in Him or because people had other work to do (John 2:11; Luke 18:27). In all the cases I remember, the miracles, signs, and wonders were about saving souls and building the kingdom of God (Mark 16:20). It wasn’t about the comfort of those people. It was about God’s glory and lives saved.

It appears we sometimes get it twisted and think God is moving so we will not suffer. I don’t believe that is the case. Jesus suffered and died, so to believe that we will not suffer in doing what is right, we are fooling ourselves. We will suffer through some things, but the question is why? Is it to strengthen our faith or those around us? (Job 5:8-9) God doesn’t just do stuff to be doing it. He’s got a purpose, a plan in mind in everything He does (Heb 2:4). Even the beautiful skies are to remind us of His glory. 

Remember, when you’re asking God to move have faith that He definitely can do whatever we ask Him to do…..but never forget He may choose to go a different way. That’s not doubting, that’s the truth. That should not change our faith walk because again God is still God and He is still good (Deut 3:16-18). 

God is in charge. We are not. Just because we ask doesn’t mean we’ll get. We know He can do the impossible. He is a good parent who will do what is best for us, even if we don’t like His decision. The thing to remember is that regardless of His decision, it’s all grounded in love for us and what’s best for us. So are the miracles, signs, and wonders that point us to the Father – they are grounded in His love for us and His desire that all would be saved. 

Changing Direction

Over the past few weeks, I’ve been attending Life Church instead of attending church remotely. It’s been an awesome experience. While I still don’t know “know” people at church, it’s great being in the room with others gaining insight and learning more about the Lord together. This week, Pastor Craig taught from the Book of Ruth and the lesson got me. Pastor made me think differently about the first chapter of Ruth. 

As the chapter begins, we find that the world was much like we see it today. People were living where everyone did what was right in their own eyes (Jud 21:25). People were living their best life and according to their truth. They were doing what they thought was best even if it was against God’s Word and His ways. During this time, Elimelech took his wife, Naomi, and two sons to Moab, a country God considered his washpot (Psa 60:8). The Moabites were the descendants of Job and his daughter, the product of incest. They also worshiped false Gods, practices sexual immorality and sacrificed to these false Gods. God forbid the Israelites from intermarrying with them. However, Elimelech’s sons married Moabite women. 

Elimelech followed his own direction to Moab when there was famine in the land. Pastor described how Elimelech went to Moab to save his family and all of them died except Naomi. She survived the time in Moab, but she was left alone with her daughters-in-law when her husband and sons died (Ruth 1:1-5). But God’s plan will come to pass, even when we go our own way and take steps according to our thoughts instead of His. 

Ruth, Naomi’s Moabite daughter-in-law, would not leave her alone. She turned for the false Gods of her people and claimed the God of Israel as her God (Ruth 1:6-17). And when she turned and went back to Bethlehem to live among God chosen people, He interceded on her and Naomi’s behalf. Because of the trust placed in God and obedience to His way, both Naomi and Ruth were provided for. Ruth changed her direction and it changed her life. 

In what areas do you need to change direction? What do you need to stop doing or start doing? Do you need to start saving, instead of spending everything you get? Do you need to say “no” to someone? Do you need to remove someone from your life? Do you need to block a phone number? Do you need to step back and give someone to God? Do you need to start walking three days a week? Do you need to take a class? What is the thing you need to do under God’s direction that will change your life for the better? 

Elimelech made some poor choices, but God can use anything for His glory. What choices have you made in the past that you need to change? Don’t wait to do what you can do today! Change direction now.