Are you the Pilot?

In our day and age, sin is not a word that people like to talk about. To so many it sounds disparaging and negative. People don't like to be told that they have sin in their lives; that they are disposed to sinful behavior. People don't want to believe in moral absolutes, where there is a clear cut right and wrong. So when sin is mentioned, people often respond in rejecting the teaching, or in anger that you would try and put them in the category of "sinner."
I believe this is the evidence of sin at work. Proverbs 16:18 says, "Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall." Because our world likes to deny that sin is a problem, it causes the problem all the more.
I believe this is also an issue of our wanting to be our own pilot. We want to be in control of our lives. We don't want to give this control over to anyone or anything, including God! But that too is the essence of sin. We see this in the story of Adam and Eve and the bringing of sin into the world. When the serpent told Eve that eating the fruit would make her like God, knowing good and evil, the sin was doing what she wanted apart from what God told her not to do. She wanted to make her own decision.
How often in life do I do this; make my own decisions? More than I can count. And how often have my decisions gotten me into trouble? Many times. Talking about sin isn't about putting anyone down. It isn't about shaming anyone. It is about owning up to who I am. And the good news is that God has made provisions for me to overcome my sinfulness.
If I were in an airplane, trying to fly the plane, and I got into trouble beyond what I could handle, and an experienced pilot came to help me, I hope I would accept the help. This is true of life. Our sin creates problems and we need help; guidance; strength to overcome. Let us accept this help from God, starting today. Blessings.

How Do You Handle Conflict?

As I write this blog, I do not claim to be an expert at handling conflict. There have been many times in my life that I have not handled conflict correctly (my wife could confirm this). But through the conflict that I have experienced, and the successes and failures I have experienced, I have learned some good lessons.
First, I have learned that conflict is a part of life. There are going to be times when people have a difference of opinion, and this difference will cause conflict. It is also true that there will be times when people will attack you. Conflict also comes upon when we are wronged, and we have to stand up to the one who wronged us. Regardless of what we think about conflict, it will be a part of our lives.
Second, conflict can actually be an opportunity to solve the frustrations or hurt we are feeling. Because most people want to avoid conflict, when they disagree, or are wronged, or are hurt in some way, they tend to put aside and try not to think about it; they don't want to deal with it. But at some point, there comes a time when it has to be dealt with.
Third, conflict can be resolved when both parties seek to work together. Conflict doesn't have to be a bad thing. If both parties seek reconciliation, the conflict can actually cause a relationship to be strengthened. Sometimes it gives insight into how communication wasn't happening, thus improving the communication.
Fourth, if the other party doesn't want to seek resolution, you can still seek it for yourself. You can do this by following Romans 12:18, "If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone." By seeking to live at peace with others, we can be at peace within ourselves. As we attempt to resolve the conflict, we can know that we have done everything we can possibly do to make things better. The rest is on the other person.
Fifth, getting over conflictual situations might even mean that we have to forgive them; not for the purpose of saying what they have done is okay, but because if we don't forgive, then we will have turmoil and conflict within us until we can forgive and let go. (for more on this you can go to the archives to the right, 2/13/08).
Let me know how you handle conflict so we can learn together.

The Power of Encouragement

There is nothing like getting an encouragement card, note, or letter. When something like this is received, it can really pick you up, no matter how down you are. Because of this I have files where I save the notes and cards that are given to me. I have been keeping these files for at least 15 years now. Sometimes when I am feeling a little down, I will pull out some of these cards and read them. It doesn't take long for me to be smiling and feeling better.
In Hebrews 3:13 we read: "But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness." We are challenged to be encouragers; to encourage each other every day! Why? Because without encouragement, life will beat us down, and we will be deceived into thinking that we aren't good, or talented, or good looking, or wanted, or loved. We will doubt our abilities, and our hearts will become hard.
An encourager is actually like a heater, where you are able to warm someone up. You are able to take their cold, hard, heart, and bless it so that they are on fire for life, on fire for God, on fire to live a wonderful life. Encouragement is powerful. Encouragement can change lives. I hope you will join with me and find ways to be an encourager each and every day!

To Be Blessed

I'm sure you have heard people say, "I am so blessed." But what does it mean to be blessed; what does it feel to be blessed? Is it a warm fuzzy feeling? Is it like eating homemade pie? Is it like sitting in front of a fireplace on a colder winter's day?
I came across some sentiments of blessing that might give some insight:
May the blessing of the rain be on you—
the soft sweet rain.
May it fall upon your spirit
so that all the little flowers may spring up...

May the good earth be soft under you
when you rest upon it,
and may it rest easy over you when,
at the last, you lay out under it...

Dear Lord,
Give me a few friends
who will love me for what I am,
and keep ever burning
before my vagrant steps
the kindly light of hope...
And though I come not within sight
of the castle of my dreams,
teach me to be thankful for life...

In these sentiments we see that blessings come in the form of rain, soft earth, good friends, and a thankfulness for life even if all the dreams are not reached. But is that all that there is to blessing? A little rain, and some good friends? Or is there more?
I venture to say that there is more. I believe in a God who wants to lavish blessing upon His children as a parent lavishes gifts on their child. In Proverbs 10:6 we are told: "Blessings crown the head of the righteous..." The Bible tells us that the righteous are those who put their faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. Those who are in Christ are blessed; blessed in many ways. Blessed in love, as they are filled with the love of God. Blessed in forgiveness, because in Christ all our sins are forgiven. Blessed in joy, because we can know that God will work all things out for the good to those who love the Lord. Blessed in peace, as God helps us to not worry. And on and on it goes. God gives us one blessing after another!
And what does this blessing feel like? It feels like HOPE. What I mean by this is that because we know that God blesses us, we have hope at all times and in all circumstances. No matter what is happening, we know there is hope to find blessing in the midst of it. No matter what mistakes we make, we know that there is hope for redemption, reconciliation, and correction. And it feels like SECURITY. WE can be secure in our knowledge that God is there to care for us, and protect us, and hold us. This is what it feels to be blessed when you know Jesus.
I hope you know Jesus. If you don't, you can by asking Him to forgive you of your sins, and tell Him you want to give Him your life. When you do this, you will be blessed every day of your life!

Jesus is Coming

Think about a time you invited someone over to your house, maybe even for dinner. As the time approached you were excited about them coming, but you were also concerned about having everything ready; the table set, the pot roast prepared, the house clean, getting yourself dressed, etc. It was a joyous, but nerve racking time.
I think the idea of Jesus coming is a similar experience. We are excited at this idea. When Jesus returns it will mean we will get to see him face to face. When Jesus comes we will get to experience His presence. When Jesus comes we will get to ask Him all of our questions. When Jesus comes we will get to learn so much more than we know now!
But, on the other side, we are a little anxious. Am I ready for Jesus to come? Do I have my house in order? I don't mean our literal house, I mean our mind, body, and spirit (the temple of God). Am I ready for Jesus to return? Are you?
This puts the challenge to me; to us. It causes me to reflect on how I am living my life. Will Jesus be please with who I am? With how I am treating others? With the ministry I am doing? And as I think about this I can overall say that I am doing pretty well. Of course there is always room for improvement.
And this area of improvement is exactly what I need to focus on. I want to let this blog challenge me to lift before me the areas where I fall short. Not as a judgment against me, but as an opportunity to be reminded of who God wants me to be. And I hope this blog prods your thinking to do the same.
Tell me what you think.

Learning from our Mistakes

From the time we are born to the time that we die, we will makes mistakes. If you think about it, more often than not, the way we learn is by making mistakes. I remember when I was first learning to play the saxophone. My poor parents had to listen to me make mistake after mistake. Being that a saxophone is made out of metal, it is loud, but it also has a reed, so it is squeaky. Each time I would make a mistake, it would remind me of how I needed to improve and what I needed to work on.
The challenge with making mistakes, is to not let them get us frustrated. This is a real possibility in life. We can either let our mistakes cause us to get frustrated (so much so that sometimes we might want to quit), or they can lead us to determinedly work harder and get better, stronger, or more capable.
Too often we don't learn from our mistakes, only to make those same mistakes again. It would be nice if we had a big mauve eraser that could erase our mistakes away. But this is not reality. The better route is to learn from our mistakes. to ask the important questions that will help us grow and progress so that we might know what God wants us to know and live as God calls us to live!
When I would practice my saxophone, once I made a mistake, I would stop, go back to that place, and work it over slowly again and again until I got it right. This can be a good lesson for life. When the mistake is made, go over it again and again until you figure out how to do it right. If you were unforgiving, then go to the person and forgive them. If you struggle to forgive them, pray about it day after day until God puts forgiveness in your heart for them.
Don't let your mistakes get the best of you. Let them be your teacher. In this way you will become all that God wants you to be.

The Judas Within Us

In the Bible there is a story of a man named Judas, who was a follower of Jesus Christ. Near the end of Jesus' ministry, Judas was not happy with the way Jesus was handling things, and so he decided to help the religious leaders capture Jesus so that Jesus could be put on trial for heresy. For 30 pieces of silver Judas gave up Jesus' whereabouts so that Jesus could be taken into custody. When the guards came to arrest Jesus, Jesus saw Judas there. Let's pick up the story in the gospel of Luke 22:47-48, "While he was still speaking a crowd came up, and the man who was called Judas, one of the Twelve, was leading them. He approached Jesus to kiss him, 48but Jesus asked him, 'Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?'" Not only did Judas betray Jesus, but he did it with a kiss; a sign of affection. An "in your face" betrayal.
If you are like me, you have a tendency to judge Judas for this act of betrayal. And yet, in judging Judas, we forget that we have the same tendencies as well. Meaning that you and I betray Jesus all the time. This idea might flabbergast you, but it is true.
So let's ask ourselves the question: How do we betray Jesus? There is a book called "My Heart, Christ's Home," where our bodies and lives are likened to a house. As a house has many rooms, so does our lives. If Christ is going to take up residence in our house (our lives), then we have to prepare it so that Jesus will feel comfortable. But as we try to "clean it up," we find that it is difficult to do. So ultimately we need to let Jesus do the cleaning up. So, the story goes, that Jesus proceeds to clean up our house.
One day we are going to go out, and Jesus asks if He can go with us. We think for a moment, and then realize that Jesus wouldn't be comfortable going where we are going and doing what we are doing, so we say "no." As we leave the house, we realize that our lives are not what Christ would desire of us. There are many things that we do that Christ would not approve of. There are many times in our lives when we don't lift Christ up, or tell others about Christ. In this way, and many others, we let Christ down and betray Him.
The truth is, we have sin in our lives. We let our sinful desires guide us many times. We struggle to make the "right" decisions. In doing this, we let Christ down, and we can let others down. We all have a "Judas" within us. A thinking and acting that Jesus is holding us back. If we want to get rid of this Judas, then we must give Jesus total control over our minds and actions. Only then can we hope to fully live for Jesus; fully live the life we are called to live.
The choice is yours and mine. Do we sell Jesus out for 30 pieces of silver? Or, do we walk with Jesus in the spiritual battles of life? I hope my life shows my desire to walk with Jesus. Tell me what you think.

The Good Servant

When you think of a servant, you probably think of someone who lacks position, title, or freedom. A servant is often described as someone who is lowly. One who cares for the needs of others. Someone who does the job others don't want to do.
In the Bible, Jesus challenged people to be a servant. But Jesus didn't just talk about it, he did it Himself. In fact, the picture here shows a wonderful story of Jesus being a servant. The story is of Jesus meeting with His disciples on what He knows to be His last night on earth with them. After they have a meal together, Jesus grabs a towel and a basin, and begins to wash their feet. This surprised them, because washing people's feet was the job of the servant of the house. However, since there was no servant where they were at, Jesus chose to do the job. In John 13:12-17 we read: "...'Do you understand what I have done for you?' he asked them. 13"You call me 'Teacher' and 'Lord,' and rightly so, for that is what I am. 14Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. 15I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. 16I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them."
Jesus shows us that it is actually a good thing to be a servant. Why? Because when we serve others, we take away any distinction of class or order, position or power. We learn that we were created to serve one another; to give of ourselves freely. A good servant is not one who is lowly, but one who lovingly and willingly gives of themselves to others. This is Jesus' call to us; this is what makes our life meaningful and gives us purpose.

How to keep your life exciting

There are many things in life that are exciting. A roller coaster ride. Being in love. Winning a game. Watching your favorite show. If this is so, why are so many people struggling with enjoying their lives? Why do so many people get bored so easily? How can we keep our lives exciting?
I believe people get bored easily because they allow their lives to be mundane. They do the same things each day, every day. They have their habits (when they get up, how they get ready, what they eat, etc...). They go to their jobs, do their work, and then go home. So many people live very predictable lives. The older we get, the more we tend to slow down and plan less. Now this isn't true for everyone, but I believe it is true in many ways for those who feel boredom.
How can we keep our lives exciting? I think we can do many things. First, we can learn how be content with what we have. Philippians 4:12, "I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation..." When we are content with our life, even the simplest of activities can be exciting; even cleaning up the dog hair. For me, just being with my kids is exciting; we don't have to do anything special. Second, we should be more proactive in our planning. We don't have to plan something to do every day, but at least once or twice a week would be helpful. If you do this, you have something to look forward to. Maybe it is a lunch with a friend, or a trip to the movies with your spouse, or an outing with your kids. Putting these events regularly in your schedule will bring enjoyment and excitement.
There are many more opportunities. Maybe you can share them with me by clicking on the comments button, and then others can read them as well. Tell me what you think.

Living for an audience of One

If you were to stop and think about it, you would realize that much of life is our trying to please others. As we grow up we try to please our parents, teachers, and coaches. As we get older we continue with this pattern, but then there are our friends who influence us as well. It is difficult to go through life not trying to please others, and not allowing yourself to be influenced.
The truth is, there is only One whom we should try and please, and One whose influence should impact our lives. GOD. The best way to live our lives is to try and please God. If we are doing this, then overall we should be able to live in a way that others should approve of as well. There are a couple of Bible verses that have helped guide me in this:
Hebrews 12:1-2, "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. 2Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." This verse reminds me that there are too many people (witnesses) who surround me and influence me. Often this influence is not helpful. If I stay focused on Jesus, then I can know what God has for me, and I can feel good about the life I live. I AM LIVING FOR AN AUDIENCE OF ONE.
Along with this verse, we are challenged by Colossians 3:17, "And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." If I live according to this verse, then my focus will be on living for God. I believe by doing this, I will be much better able to discover my purpose and be fulfilled in the life I live.
Tell me what you think.

Epiphany

Every year, on the first Sunday of the year, we hand out Epiphany stars. Each star has a word on it. As you receive this star, it is supposed to be your "word" for the year. It is God's encouragement to you for the year. There are many words; words like faith, support, encouragement, surrender, etc...
My word for this year was "opportunity." The fun thing about getting the word in this random manner is to see what God might do in and through me. This year I have seen how God has given me many opportunities. Opportunities for service, opportunities for new friendships, opportunities for mentoring, opportunities to make a difference. I believe because of this word, I have been more aware of the opportunities placed before me.
How about you? If God were to give you a word, what might that word be? How have you felt God prodding you? Leading you? Challenging you? I encourage you to think through these questions. It will help you to know how God has been with you throughout the year.
God bless!

God With Us

When you look around, it doesn’t take long to realize that there are many people who are lonely. They are lonely for several reasons. Some are lonely because they isolate themselves from the world. Others are lonely because they have trouble opening up their heart to others. And still others are lonely because they aren’t loved as they should be. People can be in a crowded room, with many people, and still be lonely, because they are not connecting to others.
In this Christmas season, we have a good reminder that we need not be lonely. In Matthew 1:23 we are told about Mary fulfilling the prophecy from Isaiah 7:14: "Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel." which means 'God with us.' God is with us. Not just 2000 years ago when Jesus was born, but even now.
God is with us. This means that we always have someone walking with us. This means that we always have someone to turn to for help. This means that we have someone who understands us. This means that we have someone who can act on our behalf. God is with us.
This Christmas season I hope you open yourself up to the presence of God through Jesus Christ. But I also hope that you pray that God would bring others to you to love and love you. God is with us in this way as well! God bless.

Does God only love Christians?

We are in the advent season (as it is known in many religious settings), and this current Sunday is to be the Sunday of "love." With this in mind, as we think about love, I wanted to tackle the question "Does God only love Christians?" This is an important question, because people believe Christianity to be so limiting, and the God of Christians to be so narrow and unloving (since He condemns people to hell).
The truth is that God loves everyone. In the book of 1 John, in the New Testament, we are told that "God is love." So the essence of God is love itself. If God's essence is love, then the nature of God is to love. The Bible also tells us that God does not want evil to befall anyone.
The most profound scripture is a very well known one; John 3:16, which says: "For God so loved the WORLD that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." God loves the world; everyone. And because of this life, He allowed His Son, Jesus, to come to this earth and live amongst His people. That is what Christmas is all about; God's love; God's coming to us; and ultimately Jesus dying on the cross so that we might not be penalized for our wrongdoings.
It seems that the world wants to live without accountability. They want a God who loves, but who doesn't punish. If you were to look at families where the children misbehave without any punishment, you see a family in chaos, and children who have no sense of right and wrong. These children not only wreak havoc in their families, but in the world around them.
God doesn't only love Christians, God loves the whole world. God created the world and said that it was good. It is not God who put us in the position we are in, we did that on our own; we got ourselves lost from God and God's love. God's love is there for all to receive, they just have to reach out to God and accept it. As Romans 3:23 says, "For the penalty of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ." Let us grab hold of this gift. The best gift you can have this Christmas!

Materialism: Why does it feel so good?

We are coming into the Christmas (Advent) season, and all the decorations are starting to go up. Christmas season is my favorite season of the year, because I love the decorations and the spirit it brings. And yet, there is a spirit that exists that is not good, and that is the spirit of materialism. The stores are advertising and hoping that people will buy, buy, buy. And we all join along and spend lots of money.
So I want to deal with this question: Why does materialism feel so good? It is always fun to get new things. And it is so easy to get caught up in wanting what is new. Why is this? I believe it is because we get so easily bored. Anytime we work at the same job, or drive the same car for any length of time, we begin to get bored with it. And so we get antsy and begin to want a new car, or a new stereo, or a new job.
But on top of that, the new products usually have upgrades. The new cars have all the new gadgets (GPS, TV screen to see behind the car, etc...) And as we look at these new products, all shiny and fancy, we get that itch to have it. And once we get these "new things" we have to brag about it to others. Then those who don't have the new things want them as well.
I believe at the core of overcoming this desire for materialism is learning how to be happy with what we have and with where we are in life. As the apostle Paul says in Philippians 4:11, "For I have learned to be content with whatever I have." Until we learn how to be content, we will always want something more, something different. We will never be able to enjoy life.
SO, this Christmas season, even in the midst of getting and giving, try to sekk out a bit of contentment for what you have; try to allow yourself to be content. Maybe even give away some of what you already have, because when you give, then you come to appreciate what you already possess. Believe me, contentment is much better than always wanting.
And all the more, receive LOVE Himself; Jesus Christ. This season really is about knowing Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. In Christ, we can be content, and know that love is more important than things!

Having Fun in the Holidays

The holidays are supposed to be fun. There are decorations, and gatherings, and parties, and great meals, and spending time with family. What could be more fun than this?
But the truth is, for many people, the holidays are anything but fun. The decorations mean work (taking down what normally is out, and putting up new decorations). The parties and family gatherings mean spending money for the food, and extra time to get everything ready and cooked. Then there is the shopping for a Christmas tree, and Christmas cards, and presents. Then there is the decorating the tree and wrapping the presents. Holidays can turn into an abundance of work and added busyness. Does this sound like fun?
Another aspect that can make holidays difficult is thinking about the loss of a loved one. Usually during holidays the grief of a lost loved one intensifies. Instead of the holiday bringing joy, it is a reminder that this loved one is no longer there in your life. I was talking to a friend this week, and she was saying how Thanksgiving was going to be hard because her husband (who is working in another country) will not be able to be with them, and she won't be going to see her family (who live in another state). Holidays are not fun for everyone.
So how can we have fun in the holidays? Here's my opinion: don't take the holidays too seriously. What I mean by this is don't work so hard to get the "right" Christmas gift. Don't take hours to do the shopping. Only decorate in a way that will bless you, not make life overwhelming (especially if you don't like the work it takes to decorate). Schedule time with family and friends in a way that will be a blessing to you. If you belong to a church, then you have a "church family" on top of your regular family. Schedule in time with those you love to be with. Don't over schedule. Learn how to say "no" to those things that burden you. Call a friend when you are feeling "down."
Psalm 16:11 tells us, "You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand."
Hopefully, by bringing into your life people you love, and limiting the extra "work" that holidays can bring, and letting God's presence bless you, you will have fun in this holiday season. Blessings.

Busyness

This is a topic of a friend of mine who has been blogging each week on the same topics. It is interesting that she chose this topic because of the week I am having: Monday I wrote my sermon, prepared for the Bible Study, and led the Bible Study; Tuesday I met with a family to prepare for the funeral of their son, and put the funeral and the talk together, and also had 2 night meetings; and today, Wednesday I did the funeral, the gravesite, and had another meeting. BUSY AS A BEE!
The Bible affirms the importance of working hard. Proverbs 6:6 tells us: "Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise!" In other words, don't be a sluggard, one who refuses to work hard. And 1 Thessalonians 5:12 says: "Now we ask you, brothers, to respect those who work hard among you..." Working hard is something that we were created to do.
So if we are meant to work hard, is it bad to be busy? The answer is no, and yet it is also yes. Yes in that we are to told in the Bible to "make the most of our time" (Ephesians 5:16). An important story for us to hear is the story where 2 women are doing very different things. Martha is working hard and preparing for a gathering (as was her duty), but her sister Mary was sister lazily at Jesus' feet. She started to complain to Jesus about this. Jesus answers in Luke 10:41-42, "Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, 42but only one thing is needed.[a] Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her." It is important to balance our busyness with times of reflection and worship and sitting at Jesus' feet. And even God Himself rested on the seventh day and commands us to do the same.
Are you busy? Is your busyness always productive? Do you take time to sit at Jesus' feet? Do you take a Sabbath break? Hopefully you answer yes to all of these. I know I need to do a better job at these break times. Tell me how you do it.

What was it like for God to become human?

Have you ever wondered what it was like for God to become human? We might not be able to understand this, because you don't know what difference it could have been if you don't know that there is more. Jesus knew that there was more because even though He was a human being, He was also God in the flesh. Jesus knew the power He possessed being God. Jesus knew the knowledge He had as God. Jesus knew the love He carried. Jesus knew what it was like to be God.
But He also had the limitations of being human. He had emotions like a human. He had limited physical strength. He got hungry, and angry, and sleepy. He could feel physical pain, and doing miracles drained Him of His energy. I'm sure at times He wanted to get out of that human body and escape the limitations that were put on Him.
So why did He do it? Why would He give up so much? Philippians 2:5-11 tells us:
"Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
6Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
7but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
8And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
9Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
10that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father."
Jesus
It was about understanding and attitude. God understood how we were lost in our sin. God knew we couldn't be saved by our own doing. So God took on human flesh and came to this earth and became Jesus Christ. As "the Christ" He knew that He needed to humble Himself and not worry about his human limitations. He needed to become a servant to bring people to a saving faith. Jesus was willing to suffer so that we wouldn't have to.
What was it like for God to become human? Ultimately, it was victorious, exciting, fulfilling, and purposeful. It was a profound way to share His love. And it was worth everything He went through.
What might God be asking you to do to help someone else? Share this important message of God's salvation? Lift someone out of their depression? Guide someone to understand their purpose? Let me know what you think.

Synchronicity

The definition of synchronicity is: "the experience of two or more events which are causally unrelated occurring together in a meaningful manner." The interesting idea here is that often times events that happen in our life might seem unrelated, but can be related in a way that helps us to understand what we are to know or do.
If we can understand that many events that seem unrelated are actually connected, then it helps us to be more conscious and aware of our situation. Even more, it will help to direct us in our lives. I truly believe that God has a plan for our lives, and that events in our lives come to us to help lead us in this plan. If I am aware of how the events fit together, I will be better prepared to find meaning in them.
For example, a couple of years ago my church and I got involved in a program called "Focused Living." This program helps individuals, and ultimately churches figure out God's vision. Part of this program contains an aspect of mentoring. So, I started mentoring several people in my church. As I did this mentoring, I realized that God has gifted me for this kind of ministry. This has been affirmed lately by God bringing to me other mentoring situations outside of the church! SYNCHRONICITY AT WORK.
A second example: last week I was reading a chapter in the book "Wild Goose Chase," by Mark Batterson. In the chapter I was reading, he talked about needing to set goals for God in a way that would really make a difference for God (i.e. it isn't enough to want to grow the numbers of my church, what would be God's purpose for growing the church?). Then the same day I decided to read an article that someone had given me ("Jesus' Guide to Ministry Success," by J. Oswald Sanders). In this article Sanders talks about how God "wants us to have spiritual ambition so that our lives might really count and bring glory to His name." Again, setting goals to make a difference for the Kingdom of God. SYNCHRONICITY.
I believe synchronicity is all around us, we just have to start looking. And if you start looking you will see that God can truly guide you. Tell me what you think.

Christian or Christ Follower: Is there a difference?

The word "christian" gets thrown around a lot these days. Because of this, many who say they are Christians don't really live a life that is any different than anyone else. So maybe if we want to differentiate ourselves, we should say that we are Christ followers. But is there any difference?
The Greek word for Christian found in the New Testament is Christianos. It is a word that refers to those who were "adherents" to the ways of Jesus. It was actually first applied to the Gentiles (or the non-Jews) in the New Testament. Followers of Christ actually didn't give it to themselves, but it was spoken of them by others. It was a way that others would designate these people who gave themselves over to Christ.
There may be important understanding here. To be a Christian shouldn't be a title we give to ourselves, but what others say of us when they see our behavior. To be a Christian really should be the same as being a "Christ follower." As a Christ follower we should seek to act and live and think as Christ did. Our lives should be different enough from the world that others will notice our example and behavior.
Unfortunately, too many "Christians" are not Christ followers. They say they believe, they go to church, they talk the talk, but their lives do not match their words. They act too much like the world to be Christ followers.
How do you see the difference between those who say they are Christians and those who are truly following Christ? How can we be less concerned with calling ourselves Christians, and acting like Christ followers? I'd like to hear your thoughts.

Gratitude

Gratitude. Grateful. Thankful. Thanksgiving. These are words that are important to think about, and even more, an attitude that is important to display. And yet, how often do we take for granted what we have in our lives? If you are like me, you tend to reflect too much on the negative experiences, instead of the good things of life.
This last Sunday my church celebrated "Pastor's Appreciation" day. It was wonderful to have them show me their love and appreciation. I was given a basket full of cards and gifts. Later, when I went home, it was a joy to go through the basket with my wife and kids and see all the special gifts, read the touching sentiments, and marvel at the time and energy that went into putting this basket together. This should be a memory that does not leave me; a memory of gratitude.
A number of years ago I started an "Encouragement" file. I did this because someone once told me that this file would help me in times of discouragement. So I put into this file (actually I now have files) the encouraging notes and cards I get from people. And sure enough, whenever I pull it out and read some of the thoughts expressed, I became grateful for the time these people put into sharing their loving thoughts with me; grateful for what I mean to them and the impact God has allowed me to have in their life.
If we take the time to notice, we really have much for which to show gratitude. In fact, it might be beneficial if you take a moment and list some of the things in your life for which you are grateful. It really makes a positive difference when we think about this. As Philippians 4:8 says, "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things." We should not only dwell on them, we should be grateful for them!
Tell me what you think.