Space Invaders

Have you ever known someone who was a close talker? The person that just gets too close for comfort every time you try and have a conversation? The kind of person that invades your personal bubble whenever you’re just trying to have a cordial chat? The space invader… as some would call them. I would never, because that would be rude… but, I’m also a very sarcastic person. 

I have some bad news, however. If you don’t know this kind of space invader, you might be the space invader. There is a remedy to this particularly peculiar public plague… keep everyone at arm’s length. It’s hard to breach someone’s personal bubble when you keep everyone at arm’s length. 

This is a really good tactic to keep people at a distance from you, but it comes with a downside… it keeps people distant. For some, this may seem like welcoming and over-joyous news, but let’s think about this just a little bit. Human beings were not created nor ever meant to keep each other at a distance. 

Space is great, but too much is a gap. Space is great, but too much is costly. 
Space is great, but too much is emptiness. 
Space is great, but too much is isolation. And in my experience, there’s nothing the devil wants more than to isolate you - so he can attack you. Humans were created for community… and there’s a certain safety in numbers. 

And when it comes to community, the community you have is the community you created - or allowed to be created. You have a choice in who you hang around. You have a choice in who influences you. You have a choice in who you let invade your space, and the spaces of your life. 

Pastor Craig Groeschel says this, “show me your friends and I’ll show you your future.” He’s exactly right and that’s exactly true, but I’ll say it this way - you become who you hang around. Who you allow to influence you is who you will become. And yes, I mean allow because it is as much a choice as it is an invitation. You choose the people in your inner circle because you invited or were invited into it. 

When you spend enough time with people, you become like them because you begin to think like them, act like them, pick up their traits, mannerisms, speech patterns, interests and hobbies, and so much more. Your patterns begin to change and before long, your life begins to change. This can be positive, but it can also be negative. 

If who you allow in is who you become, then who are you allowing in? Proverbs 18:24 says that a man with too many friends comes to ruin. That’s the first part of the verse. Why does someone with too many friends come to ruin? I thought we were supposed to have a lot of friends…? No, not really. Why? Too many influences will pull you in many directions and in all the wrong ways. Too many influences will lead you off the path of righteousness. Jesus only had three friends in His inner circle that got to see and experience more than the others. Jesus kept His crew tight. There’s wisdom in that. 

But that’s not all of Provers 18:24. The rest of the verse says that there is one friend who sticks closer than a brother. That word for friend refers to an affectionate friendship type of love. A strong bond of friendship. We have with us an affectionate friend that will be with us no matter what - closer than even a brother. And since we choose our friends but not our family, that word for brother encompasses either - chosen brothers or biologically born brothers.

The Holy Spirit is the One that Jesus promised would be sent. This is also who the writer of Proverbs 18 was talking about as well. And the Holy Spirit has already chosen you. That’s why He was sent - to you. But are you choosing Him? Are you inviting Him into your daily life? Or are you expecting Him to invade your space?

You see, God is the ultimate gentleman. He will never force you - that’s why you (we) have free will. You choose to. We all do. You must choose to invite Him and give Him the space He asks for. That is how we become more like Him. The Holy Spirit will not invade you; you must invite Him. 

You become who you hang around. 
You become who you allow to influence you. 
If you don’t influence others, they will influence you. 
So, who’s in your sphere of influence? 
Who do you need to remove, and Who do you need to invite?

Body Building

It doesn’t take a person long to figure out I’m not a body builder. Nor am I much of a gym guy. It’s a pretty obvious characteristic to see about me. Not that brawn is all bad, but the brain needs a workout too. In fact, Paul says it this way in his first letter to Timothy, “physical exercise is of some value.”

These later years of my thirties got me thinking about the physical body and how I want to change. Which, of course, led me to the thoughts about growing the body of Christ and the correlation between the two. There are several similarities that I’d like to discuss in hopes of challenging us all to grow ourselves so that we can, in turn, grow the Kingdom. 

Internet and social media are flooded with fitness nuts and gurus. All of them preach their own thoughts, plans, workouts, diets, successes, and failures. Each one has their own wisdom as to why they are right and others are not. Sounds an awful lot like the church world doesn’t it?

One thing that I will say about the body building community (and other fitness communities) is their emphasis on exactly that - community. They really do stick together. And for that, I think they should be celebrated. They are all in different places on their fitness journey; yet they challenge and encourage each other to push past and press on. Also sounds a lot like the church world. 

And for many, the gym state-of-mind is one that stays with them. For example, there’s a popular saying among those in fitness that “you can’t outwork a bad diet.” Body building is a mindset and an approach to life in every aspect of life. Sounds a lot like the church world should be. 

Every part of what we do impacts how and if we grow - including the Kingdom. “You can’t outwork a bad diet” also works in the church world. What you consume you become. The content that you consume will consume you. The Bible says that out of the abundance or overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. If you want to know what content a person is consuming, listen to what they are saying. What you consume will eventually come out. Why? Because you can’t outwork a bad diet. You can’t out-spiritualize a poor spiritual diet. 

Body builders meticulously measure every ounce and gram of what they consume and put into their bodies. This is exactly how I think the Christian community should approach content. I know I need to. Taking Paul’s thoughts in 1 Corinthians 10:23 about all things being permissible but not all things are beneficial may be justified but unproductive. I think oftentimes we focus too heavily on the “all things are permissible” and not nearly enough on the “but not all things are beneficial.” Just because we can doesn’t mean we should. 

Interestingly enough, there are three similarities between building the body and building the body of Christ. And in both circumstances, it requires intense intentionality. Nothing is done without intention. Nothing is done without purpose. It’s deliberate on purpose, for purpose, with purpose. That’s how the success is created - dedication with intentionality. 

Every interaction is intentional. 
Every conversation is intentional. 
Every altercation is intentional. 

Everything we do is intentional, with purpose, for a purpose. Every interaction we have with others should be to show the love of Christ just as much or more than we speak the love of Christ. Every interaction will leave with a positive or negative reaction. Every interaction is an opportunity if we take it. 

Every conversation we have with others should be intentional. Every word we speak should be intentional and thought out. They shouldn’t be idle or lifeless or loveless. They should have movement and power and passion. 

Every altercation we have with others could bring the alteration they need in their lives. Just because someone else loses their cool and raises their voice because they disagree with you doesn’t mean you have to give it back. Yes, I think it’s a shame that culturally we are losing the ability to disagree well - to disagree with civility. No one wins an argument but the truth spoken in love will always prevail. 

So go and do and speak and show, but do it all in love. Not what you think is love but what He says is love. The kind of love that He applies towards us. Give the kind of grace you wish to receive the next time you fail at perfectionism. 

The world needs truth. Absolutely. But the world needs truth wrapped in grace and love. And sometimes it’s a long process. Just like growing muscle and getting stronger for the body builder. Body building is not without growing pains. Growing pains gets the gains. 

There’s growing pains in the body of Christ as well. We won’t always agree on everything simply because we all agree on a Savior. And that’s ok - as long as it is done with the grace and love that Christ poured out for us - while we were yet sinners. Saints are just sinners who found the Savior. Just like you… and me…

Loving Judas 

To be honest, I’ve been avoiding this blog topic for a bit. I really don’t know why other than timing. In our current cultural season, I think this topic of loving Judas is extremely important. Why? Because Judas could be anybody. 

In fact, Judas is everybody. We all have some Judas inside of us. We were all born into a fleshly sinful world. Born as enemies of God. The only ones who chose sin instead of being born into it was Adam and Eve. So, for the rest of us, we’ve all got some Judas tendencies… if we’re honest with ourselves. 

And by the way, Judas doesn’t have to represent betrayal. Judas can represent a falling out. Judas can represent a differing of opinion. Judas can represent opposing ideologies. Judas can represent opposite political isles and arenas. 

We all know a Judas or two… and many of us have probably even been a Judas to one or two. 

The hardest part about Christianity isn’t loving Jesus… it’s loving Judas. Everyone loves Jesus. Everyone wants and needs a savior. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever heard anyone say that Jesus was a bad guy. That His teachings were bad or immoral. Even if they don’t believe in Jesus, who doesn’t love the idea of Him?

Christianity is about loving Jesus, yes; but one measure of Christianity isn’t loving Jesus, it’s loving Judas. Even Mahatma Gandhi understood this when he said, “I like your Christ. I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.” Even from Gandhi, that one stings pretty good. 

It isn’t Christ that people have a problem with, it’s Christians. But why? Maybe because we could really stand to do a better job with love. We could really stand to do a better job loving the Judas in our life. Jesus did. Why should we get exempt?

Think about this… Jesus handpicked Judas to follow Him. Jesus handpicked Judas to be called one of His disciples. Jesus handpicked Judas to be in His ministry. 

Everything Jesus did Judas witnessed. 
Everything Jesus did Judas experienced. 
Everything Jesus did Judas partook in. 
Jesus knew all along and still allowed Judas to follow along. 

So where does that leave us with the Judases that reside in our daily lives? Perhaps it’s worth considering that they maybe have been placed there for a purpose. Maybe that purpose is for you. Maybe that purpose is for them. 

The Judas in your life just might bring the opportunity to be Jesus that the world around you needs to see. People who think differently than you need the Jesus within you. People who live different lives need Him. People who disagree, vote differently, act differently, and believe differently need Jesus too. The Judas around you needs the Jesus within you. 

The Judases you know also present an opportunity for you to see within yourself. It is when we are faced with opposition that our true selves come to the surface. Or, hopefully, the Holy Spirit within us comes to the surface. 

It takes a very strong person to practice love perfectly. It is difficult, to say the least, to apply perfectly all of the attributes of love found in 1 Corinthians 13 to those around us. Especially to those that we may consider our enemy. But one thing Jesus did to His enemies was serve them. 

In the night He was betrayed, Jesus humbled Himself in one final but powerful act of servanthood - He washed all 12 of His disciples’ feet. Only after the foot washing did Judas leave to sell out his Savior. 

And Judas betrayed Jesus with clean feet. Dirty hands, but clean feet. And in a unique twist of irony, Judas fulfilled the prophesy in Isaiah 52 that says, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news.” Now I’m not saying that Judas was innocent or had beautiful feet, but I am saying that the beautiful news of our redemption and salvation through Christ came swiftly from a man with clean feet as he sold out his Savior. 

The measure of your Christianity may not be how much you love Jesus, but by how much you love Judas. To be Christian is to be Christ-like. To be Christ-like is to like Christ. To be like Christ is to do what He did. 

Honestly, I think oftentimes I relate to Judas more than to Jesus. I certainly haven’t saved anyone or died for anyone’s sins. I haven’t lived in perfection. I haven’t performed miracles. Those things are so amazing, and maybe one day I will. But I’ll tell you… I’ve betrayed my Savior. I’ve nailed Him to that old rugged cross. I’ve turned my back on Him. I’ve made mistake after mistake. 

So why should we love Judas? Because we all have been him one time or another… and Jesus loved us anyway.

Lethal Legalism 

Is legalism too pervasive in Christian culture these days? Or is there not enough legalism which then turns into too much liberalism in Christian life? Is there such a thing as a healthy balance between legalism and liberalism? I’m not sure that I can give totally definitive answers to any of these questions. Maybe someone out there can, but I’ve got some thoughts about legalism, liberalism, and what might happen when each are taken too far. 

Let’s talk about liberalism first. And no, I do not mean liberalism in any political way or ideology. I mean it in the way of all freedom and no discipline - all grace and no correction. Legalism doesn’t give enough grace. Liberalism gives too much. 

I definitely think there can be an abuse of grace - that’s liberalism. Where is that line? I’m not sure. But if you sin because you know there’s grace and forgiveness that can and will come, I’d say that’s the line. 

Liberalism not only throws caution to the wind; it also throws grace in the mud. It uses grace as a doormat to wipe the mess off your shoes that you stepped in of your own volition. It uses grace as a rag to wipe the filth off your hands that you willingly took hold of. Liberalism makes a mockery of grace… and then uses it anyway. 

But grace is a safety net in case you fall - not a tightrope to make you fall. 

This is where legalism hides and lies. To think that God is waiting for you to slip up so He can banish you to eternal punishment. This is the legalistic approach to grace. That God only extends love and grace to those who perfectly obey every law and rule. They dot every “i” and cross every “t.” 

If there’s any character in the Bible that truly understands legalism, it’s Saul. No, not king Saul - Saul of Tarsus. The same guy who authored most of the New Testament. Yeah, that guy was a legalist through and through. 

In his letter to the Philippians, he makes his claims of being among the elites of the Hebrew people, a Pharisee, zealous for the law, and even blameless under the law. It was his legalism that made him persecute the church. And yet after his life-altering encounter with Jesus, he counts all his fleshly “accolades” as loss for the sake of Christ. 

Saul knew the Law, but Paul knew Christ. 
Saul knew the Torah, but Paul knew the Messiah. 
Saul knew legalism, but Paul knew freedom. 
Saul was a legalist, but Paul was an evangelist. 

So how does one know or find out if they are too legalistic? Well, first, you ask the Holy Spirit. Second, here’s a little quiz. If you put your personal convictions onto other people and hold them to your personal standard, then there’s a good chance you’ve got some legalistic tendencies. 

The Bible certainly covers many topics directly, but it doesn’t cover all of them directly. With some wisdom I think that people can come to a God-honoring conclusion about ambiguous topics that aren’t directly covered. But I also think that some personal convictions are exactly that - personal. 

Both legalism and liberalism operate from a position of love but from very different places. Legalism operates from love of rules and works. Liberalism operates from a love of self. Neither operates from an agape God-like love. Neither please God. 

A religion that exalts works, deeds, and actions is exactly that: a religion. And it was a religion that sacrificed the only sinless Lamb for mankind. A religion exalts doing over being. But a relationship will humble self and exalt others over self. That’s what Jesus did. And He never pushed His perfection onto anyone else. Even when He could. Sure, He challenged many to change and to go and sin no more, but He never pushed. 

All have sinned and fallen short of the Glory of God. All like sheep have gone astray. Rules and laws won’t get you to relationship. Abusing grace won’t either. In the middle is where the healthy mix is found. That’s where Jesus is found. 

The Law exposes our need for a Savior and even points to Him. And Jesus always gave a healthy dose of grace to those who need it. 

The legalist needs freedom. And the liberalist needs discipline. Both need Jesus. Both push people away from Him in their own respects. Don’t be one or the other but be in the middle giving a healthy mix of both. For Jesus is still standing in the middle. With His arms stretched out for all.

Thou Shalt Be Judge-mental

“Only God can judge me” just might be the motto of the Christian who has no idea what they are talking about. Or maybe it’s the cry of the non-religious person to get all the religious people off their backs. Either way, it’s not biblically accurate. And if it was, it should scare you to your very core. Why? Because man’s judgement may be uncomfortable, but it isn’t final. God’s judgement is final and I assure you it will be uncomfortable. 

Christians certainly don’t make the rules (although many of us love to act like we do), but we sure do love to point them out to everyone. And when I say everyone, I mean everyone. And while I’m not making a stance against morality, I think morality is different from outright judgement. 

Morality is telling or explaining to people what the “rules” are. Again, the Bible isn’t a rule book of do’s and don’ts, it’s a love letter on what’s the best way for you to live your life for the best outcome of life. And if morality is explaining the “rules,” judgement is telling someone what is going to happen to them because they broke the rules. And forget about grace. The judgement is going to happen to them no matter what (sarcasm, obviously).

What’s always been interesting to me is that these “rules” some Christians place onto others never apply to the person placing them. Or, there’s many we just don’t talk about. Like gluttony, for example. How many sermons have you heard on that topic? This is most certainly why Jesus wisely told us to remove the giant log out of our own eye before we remove the tiniest speck from our neighbors. I like to think that a reason why He said that was because after all that work of taking the log out of your own eye, the speck in your neighbor’s might not be such a big deal after all. Or maybe their speck was your log from your perspective. 

I think we also live in a society that loves judgement. We’re enamored with it. We have countless tv shows with judges judging contestants in them, shows about judges, shows about judges judging judges… It’s an endless list. Everyone has an opinion. Everyone has a final judgement. 

And for everyone who ever reads this, please understand, just because you have the right to an opinion doesn’t mean you have the right to give that opinion. Yes, you should have an opinion. In fact, the Bible says in 1 Peter 3:15 to always be ready to give an answer for the hope that is within you. Meaning always have an opinion about society from a biblical perspective, but don’t always give that opinion. That’s what the Hold Spirit’s job is, to tell you when to give your answer/opinion.  

And by the way, your opinion isn’t always right. Opinions are not facts. That’s why we call them opinions. 

So then why is our society so obsessed with judgement? Well, I think it’s because judgement equals control to some degree. And if it’s not that, it’s certainly a level of superiority that one can feel during or after the judgement against someone else. I think we are a society that loves control and superiority. Why? Because it makes us feel we are more like God. Or that we are gods to ourselves. 

So then why did Jesus tell us not to judge others? Well, He didn’t tell us not to judge as much as He warned us not to. He gave us the information, and also gave us the decision. Towards the end of the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7), Jesus teaches about judging others. This is where He teaches about removing the log out of your own eye so you can see clearly to remove the speck from your neighbor’s. 

In verse 2 of Matthew 7, Jesus states, “For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the same measure you use, it will be measured to you.” This is the warning that Jesus gives if or when we choose to judge others. The measure you use will be measured against you. To me, this is both sobering and challenging. 

And to take it a step further, Paul gives more clarity about judging in 1 Corinthians 5:12: “What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? God will judge those outside.”So while many people say “only God can judge me” to avoid responsibility, I think that  right there at the end of the chapter Paul clearly tells us to judge those inside the church but not outside. 

The trick here is understanding the meaning of the word “judge.” It’s not to condemn with finality, but to hold others to the standard that they claim. It doesn’t condone, but it holds people responsible. It really goes along with the scripture in Proverbs 27:17 about iron sharpening iron. That’s holding a standard. That’s “judging” those who claim Christ. Which we are called to do. We are called to hold each other up, yes, but we are also called to hold each other accountable. 

So is it biblical to judge? I’d say that it sure is. Just be very careful who you judge and how you judge. Make sure you hold a biblical standard. But make sure you also show and give grace when and where it is needed. And if what goes around comes around, then make sure it’s grace. You never know when you might need some to come around to you. 

Hasten the Day

Russia is the world’s largest country by square miles, but it’s only the 9th largest by population. Most Americans aren’t Russian, but most Americans are always rushin’ around (see what I did there??). It truly is a cultural problem how hurried we seem to be all the time. Too hurried for interruptions. Too hurried to slow down. Rushin’ from one place to another - always on the go. Rushin’ now so we aren’t rushin’ later (ok I’m done with the Russian thing I promise).

Everyone seems to be in a hurry. Especially Christians. And when we’re too “busy” to be inconvenienced with ministry, we’ve got a major problem. When we’re too “busy” to stop and help people around us who are in need, we’ve got a problem. When we can’t stop to help someone because we might be late for church, we’ve got a problem. 

This is really quite ironic because of all the things we read about in scripture that Jesus did, you won’t find this one thing… In fact, I’m so confident that you can’t find it that I’ll pay you $1,000,000 that I don’t have if you did find it. The one thing Jesus never did… was run. Jesus never ran. Ever. He never ran, and He never rushed. He never ran, yet He was always on time. 

This blog isn’t all about time, or Russians (last one I promise), but it is about haste - it is about hurry. It’s about the cultural epidemic of expeditiousness (I had to look that up). It’s about being so busy in the bustle that we lose the business. His business. The same work that Jesus did. The same work that made Jesus tell His own parents, “I must be about my Father’s business” in Luke 2. And His business isn’t busyness. 

Hurry and haste may not be completely devoid of purpose and intentionality, but I will say that I don’t think it aligns with His purpose and intentionality. If it did, wouldn’t we see Jesus running and rushing, hastening and hurrying? And since we don’t see any evidence in scripture to support such a claim, we err on the side that running, rushing, hastening, and hurrying are not a part of our Father’s business. It’s just busyness. 

And what better tactic for the enemy to use to remove you from the field of play than to give you busyness and get you thinking that it’s meaningful work. Menial isn’t meaningful. Like in school when you finished an assignment, and the teacher just gave you another sheet of the same thing. They even stopped hiding it and started calling it for what it is - busy work. It’s really just a distraction to keep you thinking you’re doing something productive. 

And hurried doesn’t always equate to productivity. Just because you’re busy doesn’t automatically mean you’re productive. Just because you’re hurried doesn’t mean you’re pressed and polished. Just because you’re hurrying doesn’t mean you’re hustling. The difference between hurry and hustle is the mindset of excellence in the end result. 

Hurry is more about finish than it is about done. You can cook the outside to look finished, but the inside isn’t done. Hustle isn’t hurried, but hustle is hurry with the mindset of excellence in the end result. And God doesn’t hurry but He sure does hustle. It’s just not on the same time frame that we’re on. That’s the problem - we gotta get on His, not expect Him to get on ours. 

A mindset of hurry will keep you on a timeline that doesn’t align with His. A hurried pace is a brisk walking speed. Let’s say around 5-6 miles an hour. If you were walking with God, you’d be way ahead of Him with that pace. Why? Because God walks at a conversational pace, not a hurried pace. Not a hastened pace. 

To switch analogies but keep the flow of our walk and work with God, I think God loves to cook. He’d probably have the greatest cooking show of all time too. But God cooks in a crockpot not a microwave. Crock pots and slow cookers work exactly like that - slowly. Because the best food takes time. Fast meals also usually aren’t healthy or good for us too. And done right now doesn’t mean done the right way. Deep things take time. Strength and endurance take time. Even the fruit of the Spirit can take time to better develop. The things of God - good things - take time. 

Here’s the gist of this entire blog. Here’s the summed-up point. Here’s the simple version… slow down.  

Haste makes waste. 
Hustle isn’t hurry. 
Hurried is worried.  

Hurry creates its own blinders. We block out everything except the limited view of what we choose to see. That includes people. That includes opportunities. That includes ministry. So slow down so you can see them all when God brings them along. 

Lord, hasten the day of Your coming, not the days of our goings. Why? There’s still so much work to be done. 

Hope is Dope

Hope seems to be in short supply in our culture as of late. It can easily penetrate and navigate its way into the church and Christians if we aren’t careful. If we don’t actively fight against it, it might passively slip by us. 

The idea of hope being in short supply is very interesting to me because the One who gives it is never short on supply. In fact, it’s not one who gives it, but One who is it. God never runs out of hope because He never runs out of Himself. There’s no end to Him. There’s no end to His hope. 

So if there’s no end to His hope, then why is it seemingly in short supply? Why do so many people seem to have so little if any? Why does it seem so hopeless? Because at the end of the day, it’s a choice. Like in my previous blog about perspective (which you should go read), you’re gonna see a lot of what you focus on. Or miss a lot of what you don’t focus on. Either way, perspective is powerful. 

Hope isn’t something you handle - it’s something you wield. It’s not mythical or magical like some wizard or warlock; it is the “power of God unto salvation” like Romans 1:16 says. And that power of God is the gospel of Christ. The gospel is the good news. The good news is the hope of humanity. And the hope of humanity isn’t a what - it’s a who and His name is Jesus. 

Colossians 1 verses 5 and 27 both state this fact that Jesus is our hope of glory. Jesus is our hope. And since Jesus is our hope, it’s imperative to keep our eyes on Him - on hope. It’s imperative that we hold out for hope. It’s imperative that we hold on to hope. 

Why is hope so imperative? Because it’s seemingly in short supply. Maybe that’s because it’s so misunderstood. Hope isn’t an uncertainty like in today’s culture, but a certainly. Previously stated, the Bible calls Jesus Christ our hope of glory. Romans 12:12 tells us to rejoice in hope. How can we rejoice in an uncertainty? We can’t. That’s because hope is a certainty. And we can hope in a certainty. 

So why hold on to hope? When we lose hope we lose out. When we lose hope fear wins. And it’s not that we lose hope - it’s that we give it up. If we’re supposed to hold onto it, it’s a choice to let our grip slip and give it up. We hold on to hope so we have something, or Someone, anchoring us when then inevitable storms of like come and rage and wage war against our peace. 

Hope brings peace. Hope heals. Hope restores. Hope gives life. Hope makes tomorrow’s potential worth today’s problems. Hope helps us forge through to the future that tomorrow is and brings. Hope isn’t a drag. Hope isn’t a dream. Hope is a Dealer and His name is Jesus. All of this is made possible because Christ is our hope. As the old saying goes, “I may not know what tomorrow holds, but I know Who holds tomorrow.”

One final thought about hope. Don’t just hold on to hope - hand it out. Be insanely generous with it. Why hold onto something that’s for everyone? Why hold onto something that everyone needs - now more than ever. Don’t hoard it - hand it out. Fling it out like a card dealer in a casino. 

If you’ve got enough for yourself, you’ve got enough for everyone else. If you don’t, go to the cross and get some. I’ll warn you, though, it comes with a cost. You’re gonna have to lay down your worries, anxieties, problems, burdens, focus, and everything else that is fighting for your attention. But I’ll also tell you that it’s worth the exchange. 

Hope is dope. Be a dealer. 

You Choose Your Shoes

So I’ve been thinking about perspective a lot lately. Perspective is a funny thing. No matter what, it is a subjective choice that we each make with every situation. Perspective isn’t given - it’s taken. 

We’ve all heard the phrase, “perception is reality.” And while this is mostly true, it’s not completely true. I’d like to add just one little word to make it more correct. Perception is your reality. You see, your perception doesn’t get to determine, dictate, or define someone else’s reality. Or at least their perceived reality. Perception is your reality; not the reality. 

Now I’m not talking about truth or facts. This can easily be misguided. Even the same data can be skewed this way or that way. Facts and truth can still be argued over validity or application, but the argument’s side is still based off someone’s perception. Every court case has the same facts on display. The same exhibits can bring a guilty or innocent verdict - through perception. 

Two truths about perspective - we all have one. It is simultaneously immutable and flexible. We will always have a perspective - that makes it immutable. But we have the ability to change our perspective. Which brings the second truth - from perspective comes perception. 

How you see is how you think. Perspective  and perception are very much interrelated, but they are not the same. And they absolutely both influence the other. How you see is how you think. And how you think is how you see. 

Here’s an example… how you perceive is how you receive. Through perception, you can infer what was never implied. You can see something that was never there. You can walk in something that was never put down. Glasses are a perspective that you choose to view through. 

Another example I’d like to give is God’s ability to fail. If we believe that God is infallible and incapable of failing, do we keep that perspective when situations go a different way than we wanted them to go? If God can’t fail then he can’t fail us. But we can choose a perspective of disappointment because He didn’t give us either what we wanted, or when, or how. 

Because, if we’re being honest here, we often times confuse what we walk through with what we walk in. Glasses are a perspective - but so are shoes. And what you wear wears you - it wears you down if you let it. Perspective is exactly that. 

The psalmist wrote that “Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” The Word of God shows both where you are and where you’re going. But no matter what, you choose your shoes. You choose how you perceive the lamp to your feet and the light to your path. Perspective says it’s not bright enough or you can’t see far enough - or that it’s just enough. 

Another point about perception is this: make your percept a precept. Make His precept your percept. The Word of God should be the lens through which you view the world, society, and culture. Culture should not be the lens through which you view the Word of God. 

We’ve all heard the old phrase that the glass is half full or half empty. Either way, no matter what, the glass is half of its potential. 

You choose what you walk in, not what you walk through. You may not always choose what you walk through, but you always choose what you walk in. You don’t walk through victory, you walk in victory. You don’t walk through love, you walk in love. 
You choose your shoes. 

No matter the situation, you choose how you view it. Choose carefully. Choose wisely. 

Consult Your Calendar

Recently I got a calendar. Actually, that’s only half true. Recently my wife ordered me a calendar. I used to write dates and events on a small white notepad and just kept adding or scratching out the new or old dates accordingly. It was a mess, to say the least. I’m probably a mess too, to say the least. 

The calendar has really been beneficial, and now I carry it with me 5 days a week. It makes me think, “how did I get this far in life without it?” The truth is, I’m still not really a calendar kind of guy, but I want to better myself and this is a way to keep myself more organized and also informed. It’s amazing how much information you can put and keep in a calendar. 

This, of course, led me to think and consider how I use the most precious and expensive resource we have, have been given, will ever have, or will ever be given: time. I say expensive but many of us treat it as expansive. Many of us treat it like we have tons of it in no small or short supply. Many of us act like it’s not valuable or vulnerable, but it is. 

It’s being used and simultaneously attacked every single day. Everything and everyone is vying for it. Not your money - your time. And if your time is money, how much extra do you have lying around? In a way, time is a currency, but it’s not how much you have, it’s how are you using it.

Time is the most precious of commodities. We all have it. We all get the same amount each and every day - until we don’t. This commodity can’t be collected, or multiplied, or bought, or even sold. It can only be used… or wasted. 

Time is one of the (if not the) greatest resources on this earth that we have. The problem is, we don’t own it - we loan it. The Bible references in Proverbs 27:1 and James 4:13-15 that were not promised tomorrow. I’d like to take it one step further and say it this way - yesterday is worthless, tomorrow is pointless, don’t let today be useless. 

Now I say that more to get our focus on today and off yesterday or tomorrow. The best place you can be to affect your future is in the present. You can’t affect it in the past - it’s already gone. You can’t affect it in the future - it isn’t here yet. But you certainly can affect your future in the present. So be very careful with your time. 

Your time is your greatest asset or liability. It depends on how and where and with whom you use it. Yes, what you do is also important. But if you’re around the right people, in the right place, at the right time, you’re far less likely to do the wrong thing. 

Time is your greatest investment. It tells a lot about you. Where you put your time speaks volumes. People used to say, you can tell what’s important by how you spend your money. And I don’t disagree with this, but I think something even more telling that you spend your money is where you spend your time. Time is proof of what you value. 

For example, it’s hard to get to know someone that you don’t spend time with. You can say you know things about them, but it’s hard to know them if you don’t spend time with them. Plenty of people know about God, but that’s not the same thing as knowing what God’s about. 

The truth is, we all have more time than excuses, but somehow we always give more excuses than we do time. And don’t take time - make time. You prioritize what is important to you. You spend your time on things you deem important. Not with your words, but with your actions - with your time. 

So how do you create more time in your schedule? I’ll show you. “Yes” negates margin; “No” creates margin. The more you say yes to, the less time you have. The more you say no to, the more time you have. If you’re “too busy” you might be saying yes to too much. 

So… want to know what you prioritize? Want to know what you value? Want to know what you think is important? Want to know what you treasure? Just look at where you spend your time. And then use it - don’t waste it. 

Nicety is Not Necessarily a Necessity

We live in a culture where most people don’t want to offend. Most people don’t want to say the “wrong” thing. Most people don’t want to upset others. Most people don’t want to hurt someone’s feelings. I’m not saying these are all “bad,” but I’m also not going to say they are all good either. 

Evil can certainly masquerade as offended, wronged, upset, and hurt feelings. And if evil isn’t confronted - and even attacked - then it will keep on going and growing. Like most things in this life, it isn’t what we do or say, but it’s how we do it or say it. 

To be honest, confrontation is inevitable when you live around people. People aren’t always going to have the same views, ideas, and opinions as you. And that’s ok. The difference and exchange of opinion, view, information, and ideas is how we learn and grow. 

To be Christian is to face opposition. Like I said, it’s inevitable to disagree with people. I’m not saying we should always welcome it - but we definitely shouldn’t avoid it. Jesus never went looking for it, but He certainly never avoided it. He called it out whenever He needed to. 

And there definitely were times when Jesus wasn’t nice about it. Calling the Pharisees a “brood of vipers” ruffled some feathers in His day, and would have hurt some feelings in ours. He wasn’t always nice, but He certainly was always kind. Because the truth is… the truth is kind, but it’s not always nice. From your perception, you may not see the truth as nice, but it certainly is kind. 

So then what’s the difference? I’m so glad you asked. Some may say these two are synonymous, but I would implore there is a strong difference. To start, nice avoids while kind confronts. This is a major difference. Nice avoids confrontation at all costs. And if it doesn’t avoid it, nice certainly tries to neutralize it. Kind isn’t afraid of confrontation and disagreements, but does it with love and respect. 

Here’s another major difference that’s worth pointing out… niceness is not a fruit of the Spirit, but kindness is. Niceness isn’t cultivated in your life by the Holy Spirit working in you, but kindness is. 

And to be honest, I think we have plenty (maybe even too much) niceness in this world, and not nearly enough kindness. We have enough avoiding difficult conversations because of a difference of opinion. We have enough avoiding confrontation that may need to be had. 

Difficult conversations and confrontations aren’t any less difficult when you approach them in kindness. They aren’t less difficult, but they are more productive. They aren’t less difficult, but it’s challenge that brings change. You can challenge in love and still disagree with someone. 

Don’t avoid the difficult things of life. Approach them with wisdom and love. This is the only way and it’s the exact way that Jesus approached them. Don’t shoot for nice. Don’t always be nice. Love isn’t always nice. Shoot for kind. Always be kind. Love is always kind. 

A harsh truth spoken in love is a kind word. 

Superficial ain’t Sacrificial

Many people don’t know this, but I actually have my diver’s certification. It’s been a very long time, but when I was younger, I took the classes, studied, took the test, passed, and received my diver’s certification. And only went a few times. I really regret not going more because life under the surface is truly a different world. I guess Sebastian really had it right when he sang his now classic solo “Under the Sea” in The Little Mermaid. 

I’ve always been envious (I know it’s a sin, get off my back) of those divers who have gone on deep dives, explored reefs, found boats of antiquity, and so much more. They say we know more about the surface of the moon than we do about the depths of the sea. I’ve never been to either, but I know it’s a little easier to get into the water than onto the moon. 

There really is this interesting connection and dichotomy to life in the deep and going deeper within your relationship with God. Respectively, there’s more and less pressure the deeper you go, and it becomes harder and easier to breathe too. 

The one thing you have to give up to reach deeper levels… is oxygen. Yes, it is necessary for life. But if our breath simply comes from oxygen alone, then the words of Acts 17:28 will ring less true that “in Him we live and move and have our being.” To live and move is to require higher amounts of oxygen. It is not our breath that enables this but His breath in us. 

The ancient Israelites believed that with every breath we take we speak God’s name. We inhale Yah and we exhale weh. So with every breath we speak Yahweh.  We were designed to have deep community and relationship with God. 

So where and when did things change? Why are there so many superficial and surface level Christians? Why isn’t sacrifice talked about more in Christian culture and circles? Where along the line did sacrifice become sacrilege? 

I couldn’t begin to answer those questions, but I do have some thoughts to offer. I think a lot of it comes back to the comforts that our society has created. And with comforts comes the expectation to keep comforts. For example, many churches around the world have no electricity let alone AC. Would we here in our culture come to our home church on a Sunday if we knew the AC wasn’t working and/or was turned off? Some would. Some wouldn’t. I wonder how many. 

Somewhere along the line we lost the ability to suffer and sacrifice for the cause of Christ. Somewhere along the line maybe we even lost the desire. Somewhere along the line maybe we even outright reject it because we had to give up some comforts that would really make us… uncomfortable. 

So maybe these “comforts” keep us on the surface with the false sense of safety and security. Maybe these “comforts” have actually driven us like the current of a lazy river into the arena of complacent and idle. And this keeps us on the surface. 

Superficial is shallow. Superficial is surface level. This isn’t just a figurative definition; this is literal. The first definition according to the dictionary app on my phone is “being at, on, or near the surface.” And superficial will never bring depth because it keeps us in the shallows of our faith and relationships. And the depth of your relationship with God is solely dependent upon you. God will get as serious with you as you get with Him. He will always ALWAYS match the depth at which you pursue. 

That’s superficial. But sacrificial? Sacrificial will always bring depth because it costs you something. And if it doesn’t cost you anything, is it really worth anything? I mean, at the very minimum every relationship requires some level of time, right? And the deeper the relationship becomes, the more time is needed to get there. So why do some think they can read a few verses or chapters and think they are going to have a deep relationship with God? Somehow, those people have been fooled… or fooled themselves. 

Christ never called us to a superficial relationship with Him, but a sacrificial one because that’s exactly what He did for us first. This is the dichotomy of the cross - it begins as a flotation device to save us, then slowly turns into an anchor to pull us into the depths of a deeper relationship with Him. Another dichotomy is that the cross saves you - then the Savior asks you to pick up your own. 

Christianity isn’t asking so much of “what are you willing to take up” as much as “what are you willing to give up?”

If I’m being honest, there’s a scripture that I’ve been wrestling with lately. In Luke 14:26 the words of Jesus are in red and He says, “if anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sister- yes, even their own life- such a person cannot be my disciple.” 

These words are harsh at the surface. But when we really think about it, it begins to make a little more sense. In comparison - if we are able to compare side by side - we should love Jesus SO much that it looks like we hate our own family. And if we don’t love Him that much, we cannot truly be His disciple because we won’t be able to say yes to the possible sufferings and sacrifices that may come. 

And how is it that Jesus could even ask such a thing of us? Because He did it first. He will never ask anything of us that He hasn’t already done or given up Himself. Jesus willingly chose to give up His glory to take up our depravity. Jesus willingly chose to clothe His divinity in our humanity. So I think it’s a reasonable request that He asks us to love Him so much it looks like we hate everyone else. Because maybe then we might be able to have a small inkling of the love He has for us. 

Superficial won’t bring monumental. Sacrificial will. 

Just as in Psalm 42:7, deep cries out to deep. God is calling us deeper. Are you ready to leave the surface?

Helpless vs Hopeless

Throughout my years of being a father, I can’t say I’ve ever truly felt hopeless. I’ve felt helpless countless times. I’ve sat in hospital rooms for hours upon hours upon hours with my girls and have felt absolutely helpless so many times. When both of my girls were born, I’ve felt helpless in a way I never have before. I can encourage and support, but, in that moment, I was helpless in birthing my babies. 

After our first daughter was born, she spent five days in the NICU. Talk about a helpless feeling. It’s an extremely difficult thing to have to leave the hospital without your baby. Yet God was in control. We had nurses that held and even prayed over her. 

With our second daughter, we’ve been through asthma that flares up every now and then and some pretty nasty viruses and ear infections. I could probably get some college credit hours in pediatrics with all the info I’ve collected over the years. We’ve been through a lot medically; yet God has always been in control.

Feeling helpless comes often when we paddle into storms that seem difficult and almost overtake us. Feeling helpless can make you struggle with trust, or at least challenge it. Feeling helpless is natural when things are out of your control. That’s the exact difference between helpless and hopeless. 

Helpless says it’s beyond your control. 
Hopeless says it’s beyond God’s control.  

Helpless can make you run to the Father. 
Hopeless can make you run from Him. 

When you get to the point of helpless it makes you reach out to others. When you get to the point of hopeless there’s no point in reaching out to anyone or anything for help. Because if you’ve lost hope, you’ve given up. And if you’ve given up it’s impossible to make progress because you’ve chosen to refuse to move forward. 

In life, we are often times faced with adversity, but that adversity doesn’t get to choose helpless or hopeless for us - we do. Helpless is a perspective, but hopeless is a position. And perspectives can be changed easier than positions can. 

The Bible talks an awful lot about hope. There are many examples in Scripture that we could use or pull from, but I want to look at one specifically. Colossians 1:27 talk about the glorious mystery “which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” If we have Christ in us, we have confidence (hope) that we will one day be with Him in glory. 

Here’s the issue with that word hope. Our culture has watered down how it’s applied. Nowadays, we use the word hope as an uncertainly - as a wish. We say things like “I hope it rains today my grass needs it.” This is not how the Bible uses hope. The Bible uses the word hope as a certainly - as with confidence on a sure thing. Because hope with and in God is a sure thing. 

When the Bible uses the word hope in Colossians 1:27, the Greek word used is elpis. It literally translates to hope, expectation, trust, and confidence. Our hope in God through Christ brings an expectation. It brings confidence. So if we’ve “lost all hope” then we’ve lost all trust, confidence, and expectation in God. That’s essentially saying that God is no longer in control. That the situation we are in is even outside of His control. 

If left unchecked, helpless can turn hopeless. That’s why it’s so important to hang around like-minded people who can help when you’re feeling helpless. But this is also why it’s so important to speak up and tell someone when you’re feeling helpless. We all need some help every now and then. 

I think if things are just outside our control, that can be a good thing. It leaves room for God to work. It makes us lean on Him that much more. Think about it - if you could do everything on your own why would you need God? You would never be helpless because you could do it on your own. Although, I will say, it’s possible to live this life totally on your own and for yourself, virtually never helpless, and be completely hopeless. 

Helpfulness keeps our hearts connected to one another. Hopefulness keeps our hearts connected to our Father’s. One of the best exercises for your heart is helping someone that feels helpless or even hopeless. And just maybe, your helpfulness to someone else is the antidote for your own helplessness. And the hope you have in Christ is the antidote for someone else who is feeling hopeless. 

And no one is beyond hope, but some are beyond help. Because they don’t want it. They don’t want help. That’s where the Holy Spirit has to work and do what only He can. 

So will you reach out and offer hope and help to the world around you that needs it? 
I sure hope so. 

Don’t Get Too Comfortable 

It’s pretty simple to see that our culture loves comfort. A vast array of the products we consume are made with that very thought in mind - our comfort. We buy our shoes with it. We buy our clothes with it. Our mattresses. Our vehicles. Politicians campaign with promises to make policies that will, in turn, make our lives more… comfortable. 

But where is our comfort when it comes to Christianity? Where is that promise made in Scripture? Where are the Christian campaigns preaching comfort in Christ? Where are the theological ideas that will lead to comfort? If we’re seriously wondering where comfort is in Christianity, then we’ve seriously got Christianity all wrong. 

Jesus didn’t die to make you comfortable, but He did die so He could send you the Comforter. In fact, one of the last things He tells his disciples before He ascends is that He has to go so that the Helper and Comforter can be sent. And we need the Comforter because we’re called to carry a cross, and that’s not very comfortable. 

And I must say, carrying one (a cross) is easier than laying yourself down on one, and allowing people you love to drive massive nails into your wrists and feet just to give them the opportunity of eternity in heaven. 

If you love comfort more than you love the cross, do you love Christ? Jesus said pick up your cross daily and follow me. Every day is a new cross to bear. A new burden to endure. A new suffering that will strengthen. Christ told us to carry our cross… not get hung up on it. 

Maybe we have difficulty understanding comfort vs discomfort because we don’t understand suffering. Suffering has a way of hardening your beliefs. If you believe working out and lifting weights is beneficial for your health, then you’ll endure the workouts that hurt and make you suffer… or you’ll do CrossFit. If you believe in some existential threat to our planet or our liberties and you’re willing to get arrested by protesting such a position, you may harden your stance even further or even dig your heels in further because of the suffering you endured for it. And if you believe in your heart that Christ died and rose again, then to live is Christ and to die is gain. Therefore, the suffering that is endured is worth it in the end. 

Christ calls us to the Great Commission, and that cannot be accomplished on the couch. It is accomplished by backpacking our cross for the cause of Christ. And no one understood this more (possibly) than Paul. Not only was he acquainted with suffering, he often welcomed it because he knew his mission in reaching the lost for Christ. He knew that suffering and persecution and hardship was part of the price that is paid to ascend the hill of Calvary. 

So why is comfort such a bad thing? I’m glad you asked. Comfort creates complacency. Comfort keeps you on the sidelines instead of in the game. Complacency keeps you in the stands instead of on the sidelines. Both keep you out of the game. Both render you useless for the game. Christianity isn’t for spectators (somewhere in there is a pun about couch potatoes putting the “taters” in “spec-taters”).

Conforming creates comfort. Comfort creates complacency. Complacency is a silent, slow killer. You can have/choose comfort or you can have/choose growth. Most times, you don’t get both because complacency is a killer of growth. And, as Christians, we’re called to be transformed, not conformed. Which is interesting because either way, we are being formed. We just get to choose how and who we are being formed. 

One final thought on this… God can’t stretch you in your comfort zone.

We weren’t called to comfort, but we were promised a Comforter.

Everybody Want to Rule the World

One of my favorite bands and songs from the 80’s is “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” by Tears for Fears. The truth expressed by this title has existed throughout humanity. In fact, it stems from a conversation in the garden of Eden when God tells Adam and Eve to subdue the earth. Since then, everyone has been wanting to rule this world in one way, shape, form, or another. And we’ve had no shortage of ideas on just how to do that. 

People have been overtaking other people since people figured out that they could overtake other people and make those people do what the overtaking people wanted them to do! I hope you followed that. I was confused myself while writing it. But the point is still true; world domination has been in the hearts and minds of humanity since its infancy. 

As a matter of fact, dominion was given to humanity by God in the garden. Domination, however, was not part of the divine instructions. And when we deviate from divine instruction we’re only left with destruction. 

Domination and dominion seem the same, but a closer look illuminates a stark difference. Dominion is the right to rule and govern. If you have the right then it was given by fair election or power bestowed by one higher or greater than you, the one given dominion. It’s just that - given. Domination, however, isn’t given. It’s taken. And usually by force. Usually by brutal force. Usually by brutal and unfair force that hurts the innocent and causes destruction and devastation in its wake. 

Domination will cause uncertainty, panic, unrest, chaos, rebelling, and a host of other bad things. Proverbs calls them groans. In Proverbs 29:2 it says that “when a wicked man rules, the people groan.” The Hebrew word for wicked also means criminal. It’s almost like God knew about America’s  congress or something… 

And the word for groan also means to sigh in a token of grief or the groan of cattle. Either way, when criminals are in charge, the people let out a big billowing sigh. Whether of disdain or grief or frustration, everyone feels it. Everyone fears it. 

Sometimes fear comes with change, but it certainly shows itself with control or a lack of control. When people take control, domination, they use fear as the driving force of their control. And when people have a lack of control, or are out of control, fear is also the driving force in that (more on control later). And it’s hard to have peace when you’re fearing the wrong thing. 

Fear is natural to some degree. It keeps us safe. Keeps us from doing stupid things that can hurt us…sometimes. But left off its leash it can cause devastating harm. In the right place fear is good. When we fear God, we have no need to fear anything else. When we don’t fear God, we will fear everything else. It’s not a perfect or flawless statement, but it covers most of the bases. 

Fearing the right things can be good. Fearing the wrong things can be bad. Take your future for example. If you’re fearful of the future let me offer a little thought for peace… nothing that has ever happened has taken God by surprise. Nothing that will ever happen will take Him by surprise either. He has a plan and everything that has and will happen is part of it. 

Back to that thing about control… you absolutely have 100% of it. But there’s a difference between having control and being in control. God created inside all of us, the ability to take control… but also the ability to give control. And I don’t think God is going to take control over certain situations in your life. But I definitely think that there will be times that He asks for control. Then you have a choice, because He’s given you that. Control is something that God gives that you have to choose to give back. 

No government has ever been established that wasn’t allowed by God. Romans tells us this in chapter 13 verse 1. God promises King David that his kingdom would be established forever. This came through Christ. And if you have a kingdom, you’re a king. And if you’re a king, you’re in control. 

Believe it or not, there’s a whole world outside of the United States. And God is in control of all of it. 

Everybody wants to rule the world, but they will have to contend with the Ruler of the world. 

Jesus Ain’t No Superhero 

It’s no secret that our culture, both in America and the world, has an affinity with superheroes. In 2009, Disney bought Marvel Entertainment (essentially the Marvel universe… its characters, ideas, movie franchise, merchandise, and anything else that comes with it) for about $4 billion. While that seems like a lot of money, the return on investment has paid off. Literally. 

As of summer of 2023, the Marvel universe movie franchise has grossed just under $30 billion worldwide. So again, it’s safe to say that both America and the world have an affection and fascination with superheroes. I won’t call it a fetish, but it’s certainly some kind of love. 

Throughout the lifetime of the cinema, there have always been stories surrounding saving. That’s what superheroes do. The iconic, and greatly overdone, damsel in distress, the heroine who is saved by the valiant and handsome hero. And also the slightly unrealistic superhero chic who weighs about 120 pounds with rocks in her pockets, yet somehow is able to completely knock out a grown man that is twice her height and weight with a single right hook and never breaks a sweat… yeah… our culture might have a fetish for unrealistic superheroes after all.

And to be honest, I wonder if many people take this same approach and expectation when it comes to Jesus. Maybe we want a Jesus who flies in on a Pegasus and saves us from a dreadful and impending doom unless the superhero intercedes. Maybe we want a Jesus that we can call on when we want. He comes to save the day then goes back whence He came. Or maybe we don’t want a superhero at all. 

Maybe we actually want Janitorial Jesus. Someone we call on to clean up the disastrous mess we just made on aisle three on our lives. Yeah, superheroes may wear capes, but janitors wear jumpsuits. And I imagine jumpsuits choke you a lot less than capes do. 

And maybe that’s exactly it. Maybe that’s what our culture wants. We want Janitorial Jesus so He can clean up the messes, leave the superhero-ing to us, and we never have to change. After all, janitors don’t get much recognition or glory, and superheroes get it in no short supply.

One of the other issues of personifying Jesus through the lens of a superhero is their limited capacities. One being that they are all (mostly) still somewhat human. They still think through humanity. And Isaiah 55:8-9 says that His thoughts are not ours, and His ways are not ours. Meaning, He doesn’t think like we do, and He doesn’t do what, when, where, or how we do. 

Another limitation is location. They can only be one place at one time. Even as fast as the Flash is, he is still limited by location. He can still only be one place at one time. No, we’re not getting into the multiverse with different versions of the same person. That’s much too complicated for this very simple blog (and writer).

And really, when it comes down to it, equating our Savior to a simple superhero is to actually degrade and downgrade Him. It also allows an open door for disappointment. Superheroes may have super-cool and super-human powers, but they still leave, forsake, and let-down. Jesus promises to never leave, never forsake, and He can’t let you down. He also can’t fail. If he could fail then He couldn’t be God. 

The truth is, it’s our perspective or expectation of Him and/or what He chooses to do and/or allow that causes this disappointment. We didn’t agree with His what, when, where, or how, so we chose to get disappointed and chalk it up as “He failed us," when in reality we chose to take a different perspective or side.

Superheroes may save the world but they certainly don’t save souls. Superheroes may be sent out in a search party to find the lost, but they can’t redeem the lost. You see, Jesus doesn’t just save you, He redeems you. And after He redeems you, He restores you. Superheroes can’t do that. 

So how is it that you choose to see your Savior? Does He only save you from things? Maybe He only saves you from yourself? If Jesus only saves you from your situations and circumstances, He’s not your Savior, He’s your superhero. And if He is only called on to save you physically then He’s just your sidekick. He’s just your genie. 

Is Jesus your Savior or your sidekick? You are free to make your own decision, but you are not free to make your own salvation. Salvation doesn’t come through a superhero, but it did come through a superhuman Son of the Most High God. 

Gold Meddle-ists 

What an interesting month July has been. From Parisian Olympics to power-hungry politics, it’s unclear as to who has the best dives, jumps, flips, flops, tumbles, backflips, strokes, chokes, and everything in between. We’ve seen bold acts declaring faith in God, and we’ve seen bold acts mocking Him. We’ve just about seen it all. 

There’s plenty of people, both Christians and non-Christians, that believe Christians shouldn’t have anything to do with or in politics. Now, as Americans, we have political rights so I think we have the obligation to practice those rights. All of this, however, must be done through the lens of Scripture. I’m not telling anyone who to vote for, but I am telling everyone to be an informed voter according to the principles we profess through Christ. 

When it comes to politics, don’t vote politicians or preferences - vote policies and principles. Policies and principles according to the Word of God. If we confess with our mouths that Jesus is Lord, then we should profess with our voter’s voice the principles that we believe and see in Scripture. 

I realize that this may be a hot topic, but I also realize that all topics seem to be particularly polarizing in today’s political climate. All the more reason to vote according to the Word of God, and not according to the feelings of man. It is the feelings of man that got us to the place we are at today. But it is the principles of God that established this one nation under God. 

And as for this one nation, if we choose to no longer be under God, then we are choosing to step out from under His protection and provision. We’ve seen this played out in other countries around the world already. Now, I’m not saying that if we turn our backs on God as a nation that He will completely turn His back on us. I’m saying He may give us what we “want,” and action have consequences. 

We’ve also seen throughout history (and scripture) that when nations turn from God and persecution happens, there is also an awakening that happens. There is revival that happens. There is a pouring out of the Holy Spirit due to the desperation of God’s people through that persecution. Persecution brings desperation. And desperation brings alteration. 

So for those that believe that Christians shouldn’t meddle in politics, or should leave religion out of it, or that there’s a “separation of church and state” for a reason, I say weren’t not meddling - we’re exercising. The definition of meddling is involving one’s self in an affair to which that person was not invited (my definition). When I turned 18 I was invited to register - with my principles and all - and therefore by definition I’m not meddling because I was invited. I’m exercising because I was invited - just as much as the next fellow. 

But I will say, we’re meddling when we take on the roll and responsibilities of the Holy Spirit. You’re not the Assistant Holy Spirit. In fact, I think often times, if you want to assist the Holy Spirit, it’s better to just get out of His way. This can sometimes feel like a very fine line between making our voices heard and being Holy Spirit junior. He was giving the rights and power to convict in a way that only He can. 

Sometimes we just have to say our peace and let Him do His job in a way that only He can. And it’s our job to get out of the way so He can. Yes, speak and stand up according to the Word of God, but do so in the most loving way possible. How do you know if this has been done? If you’re able to have a conversation with that person after, then yes. 

Always remember, no one wins an argument. At best, you just break down the relationship. At worst, you’re destroying it. It’s the relationship that gives you the right to speak into people’s lives. So if you don’t have a relationship, you don’t have a right. And if you don’t have a right and haven’t been invited, you’re meddling. And we have enough gold meddle-ists. 

Everyone that Jesus spoke to or spoke into He had a relationship with. Except those He condemned which, funny enough, were the religious ones. The “worst of the worst” loved Him while the “best of the best” hated Him. Not because He condoned them but because He didn’t condemn them. 

True love doesn’t accept harmful behavior, but it doesn’t condemn it either. True love speaks truth boldly while loving powerfully. The truth may be harsh, but it doesn’t have to be spoken harshly. The truth might hurt in the moment, but when spoken in love it will heal. 

So don’t be a meddle-ist of any kind. Speak truth in love. No one wins an argument. And the relationship gives the right. It’s never been more important than right now. 

Time is of the Press-ence

Time is a funny thing. Always ticking, never giving. A resource we all share, but are reluctant to give away. One that seems endless in amounts. Yet cannot be captured, manufactured, or stored up. It comes and goes at various speeds (perception) and constantly ticks away at the same pace it always has since, well, time began. Constant, like the waves of the ocean, yet fleeting. 

It is a resource that can only be used or wasted; shared or lost. It may be the most precious and valuable resource that we have. Children seem to have it in endless supply, and that is the envy of us all as we age. 

There’s definitely moments in time that we wish would stand still. That we wish we could live in and be in forever. Moments when my beautiful girls were babies… I wish I could live in and stay in forever. But that time came and went and remains a memory. 

In Exodus 3 at the burning bush, God tells Moses that before time began, “I Am.” This tells us that time was a part of creation when God spoke those four unfathomable words, “Let there be light.” In that moment, time began, and we’ve been trying to catch it ever since. 

There is an example in history that records when time actually stood still. The Bible records this in Joshua 10:12-15 when Joshua asked God to give him more time to defeat his foes. This is an interesting example of perspective. From an ancient human standpoint, it is the sun and moon, the heavenly bodes, that move in our sky. When in actuality we know that it is the earth that rotates and revolves around the sun. So God probably slowed down the rotation of the earth to give Joshua the extra time he was asking for. For Joshua, the sun stood still… and so did time. 

Now, I’m not saying that if you ask God to make the sun stand still that He will grant your request. I’m also not saying that He won’t do it either. He’s God. He does what He wants and what is best for us. To better illustrate this, there’s an old saying I want to juxtapose: “Youth is wasted on the young” 

That saying may be more adequately stated that time is wasted on the young. I would simply like to point out that it isn’t youth or time that is wasted on them - it is wasted by them. They waste just as much time as you. They just waste it in different ways - ways you probably disagree with. They use a phone - you use a tv. Both are screens. 

The simple fact is time is wasted on those who waste it. Time is used by those who use it. And time spent waiting isn’t always time wasted. Here’s three things to think about when it comes to waiting…

Wait on the Lord. 
Wait for the Lord. 
Wait with the Lord.

If we’ve learned anything from the first several verses of Ecclesiastes 3 it should be this… there is a time for everything… except to waste time. 

The problems we humans seem to have with time is timeline more than time itself. We realize that time ticks away at the same monotonous and continuous pace it always has. We don’t struggle with having 24-hour days. We struggle with how to use 24 hours given in each day. We struggle with punctuality of our own practices, but also of our perspectives of others… and of God. 

To infer that God is late is to imply that He does not have control of time. Which is to also imply that He is controlled and constrained by time. Which is to imply that He could not have created it when He created the universe, or that He created the universe. Which is to imply that He is not, in fact, God. Therefore God is not late, because He is God, who is always on time. 
And, by direct effect, He cannot be early either. He is always on time. 

The truth is, we’re not living on borrowed time, we’re living with given time. We’ve been given all the time we’re going to get - we just don’t know exactly how much that is like He does. You’re not living on borrowed time, but you’re not promised tomorrow either. 

So what is it that you are doing with this funny thing we call time? Are you using it? Are you wasting it? Are you losing track of it? Or just losing it?

Time is a pressing essence. Time is of the essence. It is absolutely essential, critical, and crucial. So press in and press on. You may not be promised tomorrow, but you’ve been given today. Use it. Don’t waste it. Time is a gift. That’s why it’s called the present.

Stupid is as Stupid Does

Have you ever done something stupid? Stupid question - of course you have. You’re human. Stupidity is as inherent to humans as any other adjective we could attribute to our actions. Doing stupid stuff doesn’t make you stupid; it makes you human. 

Many of our mistakes could be (and probably should be) filed away as stupid. Mistakes with money. Mistakes with words. Mistakes with actions. We’ve all bought things we didn’t need, said things we shouldn’t have said, and done things we shouldn’t have done. Life is full of lessons, and the longer we live the more we should learn. 

The reality is, stupidity isn’t used to describe or challenge our intellect, but our actions - our decisions. “You are what you do” is defining in the sense of the moment. It is defining in the sense of looking back at past actions or decisions or words or conversations or ideologies, and realizing that mistakes were made. 

Luckily, God often times will offer us retakes on our mistakes. And the funny thing about both mistakes and retakes is they both require “takes.” They both require action. You have a choice in how you apply both words to your life. You can be defined by mistakes, or you can be refined by them. 

Being defined by past mistakes will make you continue down that path and keep repeating…as history so often does. Being refined by past mistakes means we saw or see the error we made in that moment and choose to change and grow so that if or when the situation happens again, we get a retake and change the mistake. 

That’s growth. And that’s what life is all about - growth. Jesus grew in stature before God and man. Yes, He was perfect. Yes, He was all wise and all knowing. But… He grew. He learned. He applied. And we can and should too. 

It’s smart to learn from your own mistakes. It’s wise to learn from someone else’s. It’s stupid to not learn at all. This isn’t just cute, it’s biblical. Proverbs 20:11 says, “Even a child is known by what they do.” 

I don’t think that verse is about children at all. Solomon was writing to his sons but also to all the sons of Israel. He’s talking to adults about adults. If even kids are known and labeled by what they do, how much more are adults?

And the verse goes on to imply that it is not just action, but intention that matters too. Why you did or said something is just as important as what you did. Because if you don’t change the “why,” it’s gonna be really difficult to change the “what.” If you don’t change the intention, it’s gonna be really difficult to change the action. 

This is why Paul talks about the renewing of your mind in Romans 12:2. Transformation comes from the word that we use to get metamorphosis. Yes, like a caterpillar into a butterfly. But this only happens in us through the renewing of the mind. Change from the inside out. To renew your thoughts brings this transformation. 

Your motives and intentions lie in the heart, but it’s your head that will lie to your heart. This is why we take every thought captive and make it obedient to Christ. Because if we don’t, we will be obedient to self - to the flesh. And as we’ve already discussed, it’s that old flesh that acts in stupidity. 

Actions influence (if not determine) outcomes. So, if you don’t like what you’re getting out, check what you’re putting in. 

Let’s leave stupid in the past. Let it refine us as we move forward in becoming more like Christ. Transformation is a process. Metamorphosis can be a painful process. Learning from our stupidity can also be a painful process. But none of those are as painful as regret. 

Directionally Challenged

A few days ago my youngest daughter wanted to go play in the front yard. So, like every perfect father would do on a sweltering July afternoon, I went outside with a smile on my face, joy in my heart, and covered in sweat. Okay, only the last part is true… I was covered in sweat and I didn’t have a smile or joy. 

The truth is, I really didn’t want to go out in the front yard. I wanted her to go play in the back yard by herself so that I could get a workout in real quick before dinner. I didn’t get what I wanted (she did), but I got something I needed. 

She played with this and then played with that -  then she wanted to ride her bike. Now, when I say ride her bike what she really wanted was for me to push her around while she sorta pedals. It was much closer to piddling than pedaling. It’s interesting what a difference in perspective will bring, isn’t it? What I saw as piddling she saw as pedaling. 

Then, quickly after, a short, cute, and powerful conversation took place. I said, “Ada, I’m doing all the work for you.” She quickly said, “Yeah, because you’re my dad and I need help.” And while this was cute, true, and a dagger to my heart, it’s not exactly the best thing for her. Me doing all the work of pushing her as she rides her bike doesn’t really help her develop the skills she needs to do it on her own. It’s interesting that she wanted to do all the steering while I did all the pushing. She wanted to be in control of the direction, but wanted me to do all the exertion. 

She also has a tendency of keeping her eyes on her feet and not on where she’s going. Being in control of steering and direction is great, but if you drop your attention you just might end up in the ditch with frustration. And no I didn’t let her go into the ditch of frustration. All direction with little to no attention will certainly bring frustration. 

This real life example is such a perfect analogy, to me, of how God walks along this path of life with us. Sometimes we’re looking at our feet. Sometimes we just want the exertion so we can have the direction. Sometimes we lack the necessary attention. Sometimes we want to take it all, do it ourselves, and just let God sit back and be proud of us. Which, by the way, He always is. He can be amazingly proud of you while still disagreeing with your directional choice. 

And yet still, sometimes I think we can become more focused on speed than we are direction. Even if we don’t know where we are going, we wanna get there fast. Or at least faster. Why wait on God when He’s clearly taking too long?… The problem with that is, when you turn around to see where He is, you’re probably running right into that ditch. And direction has turned into frustration. 

They say it’s easier to pull something than to push it, but I think sometimes God is pushing us ever so slightly in the direction that we need to go. Whether you’re riding a bike or driving a car, the purpose of the analogy remains the same. The best way to get it right is to focus and listen for the directives that He gives. 

If you expect God to do all the work, you’re gonna stay disappointed. Part of learning and growing is developing the spiritual muscle needed to continue. And the way we do that is through pedaling our part. Hills and troughs are a part of life. We need a little help sometimes getting up the hills, but we also need to use the breaks sometimes when we’re headed downhill too fast. Sometimes too much speed will get us too far out in front of where He is.  

The direction is in the directive. God’s direction can be found in His directives. If you can’t take the direction, you might miss the destination. And destination doesn’t always have to mean heaven. It could be a stopping point on this beautiful scenic road of life where He just wants to park and sit with you to rest a minute and experience the beauty of the scenery. 

So maybe you’re comfortable with where you and God are in the labor division of this analogy. Maybe you’ve got the right speed, the right steering, going the right way, and everything is lining up. Maybe you’re listening for the next directive on where to go or turn, but it’s just not coming. Maybe you start thinking He has stopped speaking to you or telling you where to go… which direction or road to take. If you do, He may be waiting on you to complete the last directive He gave you. Or… He’s simply giving you options to exercise your free will with the knowledge that He will be with you whatever you choose and wherever you go. 

I think a lot of times He’s direct with His direction, and other times He gives you options because He’s promised to be with you wherever you choose to go. As long as it lines up with His word. For example, should you start a business and work for yourself?  Or should you work at a business and work for someone else? The answer may be yes. Whichever you choose, He promised His presence.  

The promise of “I will be with you” comes with the responsibility of where you are leading God. Which is something interesting to think about. God isn’t going to force you to obey or to follow where He is gently pushing you to go, but in spite of that, He promises to be with you wherever you go. King David writes about it this way in Psalm 139, “If I go up to the heavens, You are there; if I make my bed in the depths, You are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me…”

What a beautiful way to articulate that His promise to follow us still requires our responsibility to lead. “If I go” and “if I make” are examples of this. And sometimes God makes His directives obvious. If you could ask Jonah and his great fish, he’d probably tell you. And sometimes He makes His directives subtle, like a still small voice or a gentle whisper. Just ask Elijah. 

If God wants to yell He’s got a big outside voice. But He just might prefer the gentle whisper to make you lean in, focus, and pay attention. Why? Maybe because it’s that kind of subtlety that both maintains and develops deeper intimacy. 

God is a relational God. He wants relationship with us. He wants intimacy with us. He doesn’t want us too far ahead or behind. He wants us right there with Him because that is the perfect place to be. And when we are, we will always arrive perfectly safe and on time because God is never late or early. He’s always right on time. 

Woes Into Woahs

Have you ever struggled with perspective? Have you ever struggled with outlook? Have you ever struggled with positivity? I won’t say that everyone has, because I haven’t asked everyone, but I will definitely say that most of us have. One time or another… some time or another… these struggles have hit us all. Maybe it’s been about your situation, or your career, or the economy, or the government, or your family, or maybe something else entirely. The mind is a battlefield, and perspective is the battlefront. 

If I’m being brutally honest, which we all need at times, it’s really easy to take a pessimistic approach. Seeing things from a place of lack takes less work. Seeing what you don’t have is so much easier than seeing what you do. Especially in a world of social media where everyone puts their haves in full view of those who are the have nots.

A critical spirit starts in the critical mind. And everyone’s a critic. And if we’re not careful, the critic can turn into the cynic before they even know what hit them. This is why perspective is so important. 

If the devil had it his way, he would love for us to play his game of comparison. It’s comparison that leads to the critical that leads to the cynical. It’s the focus on the lack over the abundance. It’s the focus on what has or is happening to you instead of seeing it as something that has or is happening for you. 

Much of life is really all about perspective. How you view yourself often times determines how you view your situation. And if it doesn't determine it, it certainly influences it. Victim mentality is always easier than victor mentality. 

Mentality, mindset, perspective, and lenses really are all one in the same. How you see things affects how you think about things. How you think about things affects how you flip things or even what you do. And what you do affects your future and even affects who you are or who you are becoming. Proverbs says that even a child is known by what they do, and so if a child is know by what they do, how much more does that ring true for adults?

Your perspective may be the problem, but the great news is… it’s definitely the solution. Your perspective is based off your spectacles - the lenses you choose to put on.  And we all get to choose what pair of glasses we put on. Every day. Every morning. Just like His mercies are new every morning, so is the opportunity for the glasses you choose. 

And don’t get cute with me and put old lenses into new frames. The prescription is still the same (regardless of the lenses) - take every thought captive and make it obedient to Christ. Our thoughts aren’t going to subject themselves to Christ on their own. You gotta make them. You gotta force them. 

You may not be able to change what you see but you certainly can change how you see it - how you view it. It’s not your obstacles, but your spectacles, that may be the problem… but they also may be the solution. 

If you want to, you will have plenty of opportunities to use the woe-is-me lenses. There’s no shortage of those opportunities. Especially in America, the land of opportunity. And the pessimistic mindset takes less work than the optimistic mindset. But both are persistent mindsets. 

Perspective is a powerful place, but it’s a place that you choose. It’s not the perspective that you have, it’s the perspective that you take. That makes all the difference. So be persistently looking through the correct lenses. 

Only when we truly understand the love of God and being made in His image, can we begin to turn the woe-is-me mentality into the woah-it’s-me mentality. This isn’t just about us, but also about our situations, our outlook on the world, the economy, and all the opportunities we have every day. If God is your Father (and He is), and He only wants good things for you, then everything you have either is good, or can become good when placed in His hands. 

But that doesn’t mean it’s all on Him. You have your job. You have to put on the spectacles. You have to take the thoughts captive. You have to put on the helmet of salvation to protect the mind. I bet if Paul lived in a time period that had glasses, he totally would have added it to the armor of God. Because it’s that important. 

So choose today which spectacles you will put on. Because honestly, no situation mindset is woe-is-me… all situations are woah-it’s-me. You’re the one choosing the perspective. Both positive and negative. Both optimistic and pessimistic. Both good and bad. You are choosing. 

So what choice do you have? 

No… what choice will you make?

In-Dependence For All

There’s a difference between living with independence and living within dependence.  The grammar is subtle but the gravity of it couldn’t be further from subtle. 

We’ve all been there. Sixteen and itching for independence. Got our first job and car. That sweet taste of freedom on our lips and a little cash in our pockets. So much knowledge in our head that we’re too smart for wisdom and have no need for guidance. At least that’s my experience. 

Freedom is an interesting thing. We want it. We fight for it. We cherish it. We keep it. We give it away. We exchange it. We lose it. But ultimately, it’s been given to all humanity by God regardless of nationality or century. We have free-will, the greatest and scariest freedom of all. The free right to choose. 

If you’ve lived long enough, you’ve probably made a poor choice. Maybe in a relationship. Maybe in your finances. Maybe in your business. Maybe in your fast-food lunch choices (we’ve all ran to Taco Bell then ran from Taco Bell, then Taco Bell ran through us. You know who you are). And if you live a little bit longer you’ll probably make a poor choice in the future. Maybe with your word choices. Maybe with your clothing choices. Maybe with your health choices. 

The right and freedom to choose can be a tricky one. Every decision gets a vote. Every decision is a vote towards the kind of person you are and want to become. Every input choice has an output trajectory on your life. We can choose to live with independence void of God in our life, or we can choose to live within dependence on God and all He has and wants for us. 

In the end, there’s really only two paths in life. You either become like God, or you become god. You either choose to become more like Christ and the new creation He has made you, or you choose to reject Him and choose to make decisions for yourself with your own morality and ultimately your own eternity. 

See, the “beauty” in the fallacy of becoming god to yourself is you get to choose morality of what is right or wrong, but you also get to choose the consequences (if any) of this morality in which you chose. So, ultimately, you get to choose what happens after death. The only problem with this is… it’s still a fallacy. This is a life lived independently from the One who created and sustains it. 

Proverbs 14:12 warns of this fallacy by telling us “there is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.” Oh you don’t like the Old Testament? Ok, how about James 1 that says that “after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.” You see, it may be fun for a season but in the end it brings destruction. Sin may be a joyride, but it’s on a dead-end road. 

So we choose to live within dependence instead of with independence. All of life requires dependence on someone or something. Dependence is inescapable. Even if you live in the wilderness by yourself with no one around for a hundred miles, you’re still dependent on the land and water. You may be self-sufficient but you’re still dependent. 

The examples of living within dependence on others is inexhaustible. When we are babies we are totally dependent on our parents. When in school, we are dependent on teachers to give us the knowledge that we lack. When we drive anywhere, we are dependent on other people with staying in their lanes or out of our way. Again, this inexhaustible list could go on forever. 

If you don’t live within dependence you’re left with indifference. If we live our lives totally for ourselves we can very easily begin to care less about those around us… until we are totally careless about them. 

Jesus was totally dependent upon the Father and even stated multiple times that everything He said or did came from the Father. That He did and said nothing without Him. And because of this, He who knew know sin became sin so that through Him we may become the righteousness of God. Jesus’ dependence on the Father led Him to the cross so that our dependence on Him can lead us to the Father. After all, Jesus is seated at the right hand of the Father waiting to intercede for the believers. 

Dependency isn’t important, it’s vital. It’s life. And our lives depend on our dependence upon Him. Not just for eternity, but for every moment between now and eternity. In Him we live and move and breathe and have our being. 

So are you living with independence or within dependence? Well, the answer to that is… that depends…

Whether the Storm

Welcome to hurricane season. It’s that time of the year for us in the south. From Texas to North Carolina, we’re all now subject to the possibility of hurricanes through November. I’ve lived in Florida my whole life and as strange as it sounds, I’ve been through thunderstorms that were worse than hurricanes. I’m not taking hurricanes lightly, but I have lived through this phenomenon a few times. 

There’s just something helpless and hopeful about these storms. Helpless in the fact that you really can’t do anything about it. You can’t control the weather like Jesus (unless you have faith of a mustard seed). But there’s something hopeful in knowing that the storm isn’t here to stay. It will run its course, dump its wind and rain, then dissipate. 

Sometimes life is similar to hurricane season  and thunderstorms in this way. You know they’re coming. You know you can’t really control them. You know they can be unpredictable. You know they may cause damage. But you also know you can prepare for them. And sometimes you can’t…

In the end of the book of Acts, chapter 27 more specifically, we find a truly incredible storm story. Paul, as a prisoner, is being taken to Rome to await trial. It will be the last trip he takes. 

He urges the Romans in charge not to leave, but they don’t listen. After a short time, a huge storm comes upon them. They eventually throw just about everything on the boat that isn’t a human into the sea. The storm rages for fourteen days. Yes, that’s right. Fourteen days on a boat through a storm. 

One interesting point about this story is that God chooses to save all lives on the boat, but not the boat itself. Paul had work that God wanted him to do on the island to which they would be shipwrecked. There’s a few things that come to mind while thinking about that. 

Here’s the first: God is still God whether He saves you from or protects you through the storm. 

However God chooses to use the storm is completely up to Him. He is sovereign. His thoughts and ways are higher than ours. This is where trust and faith come in handy. 

Paul had divine appointments that he had to keep so God made sure he kept them. Divine appointments require divine intervention, and divine intervention often times looks very unconventional. Here’s a few examples: Moses was sent away so he could deliver… Saul (later Paul) was blinded so he could see… the Savior was crucified so He could save. The list goes on. 

Sometimes a shipwreck can be a sign of grace or mercy. Sometimes God saves us from, sometimes He saves us for, and sometimes He saves us through. And by through I don’t just mean beyond the storm; I also mean by way of the storm. Jonah is an example of that. And the people of Malta that Paul ministers to in Acts 28 are another example, because divine intervention is often times unconventional. 

The second thing that comes to mind with this story is this: just because He sinks your ship doesn’t mean He won’t save you. Maybe, just maybe, the saving is IN the sinking. Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 11:25 that prior to this trip to Rome, he has been shipwrecked on three separate occasions and once a day and night in the open sea. One may choose to chalk this up to bad luck or poor seamanship, but I choose to see protection, provision, and divine appointments being kept. 

Storms of life come for all of us. In the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5) Jesus tells us that the sun shines on the evil and the good, and that it rains on the just and unjust. And John 16:33 records Him telling us that we will have troubles or trials, or tribulations. Pick whichever word you like. 

We all have to deal with storms. The main question isn’t if or even when. The main question is how. How do we weather the storm? By standing on the firm foundation, the solid rock that is Christ Jesus. How do you whether the storm? That one is on you. The perspective you choose will determine that.
   
Strength isn’t just to weather the storm, strength is for whether the storm. Whether He saves you or sinks your ship. Whether He protects you from or protects you through. Whether He provides an escape or provides the endurance. He is still God. 

The quickest way beyond a storm is through it. The easiest way is around it. There’s strength that is built through the storm that sometimes cannot be built any other way. Don’t despise the storm. It may be there to strengthen you. 

He’s still God. Whether He saves you or tests your swimming skills, He’s still God. Whether the storm or weather the storm. We need Him for both. 

Life Below See Level

A couple weeks ago our church put on a very successful VBS. We had tons of volunteers. Tons of kids. Tons of fun. It was an absolutely wonderful time. And to make it even better, the theme of VBS was SCUBA, so it was all underwater. 

This theme, of course, got me thinking about Disney’s The Little Mermaid, and you can’t think about that movie without thinking about Sebastian’s famous Under the Sea song. If you’re unaware of the lyrics, it’s basically a song that glorifies life in open ocean and how it’s better than life on land. Life on land is the dream of the young mermaid, and her struggle is how to get there. 

This isn’t a synopsis or analysis of the famous animated film, but it is a really good example and analogy. Life below the surface may have certain problems, but it also avoids others. I think this a great example of faith. Faith is living life below see level. 

Faith has the ability to produce peace in our life because we’re placing our trust in the Prince of Peace. Hebrews 11:1 says it this way: “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see” (NIV). Faith is confidence in hope. And I think nowadays we are using hope all wrong. 

These days, we are using hope as an uncertainty. Like this: I hope it rains today. We aren’t sure. We aren’t certain. But we’re hopeful. This couldn’t be more opposite than the way the Bible uses the word hope. Hope is a certainty, not an uncertainty. Colossians 1:27 tells us that if Christ is in us, HE is our hope of glory. HE is our certainty of salvation. Our certainty of heaven. It’s a certainty and it’s also an expectation. And the writer of Hebrews and Colossians (some suspect Paul wrote both) used the same root word in Greek when using the word hope. 

“I hope it rains” is a phrase I’ve been telling myself and others here lately because my grass needs it and I’m not a meteorologist. Who, by the way, may be one of few people in an industry that can be completely dead wrong and still keep their job. And any meteorologist in Florida is probably going to be wrong more often than not because our weather changes so much. 

When I lived in south Florida for a couple years the weather was slightly more predictable. In the summer time it was almost a guarantee for a couple months that it would rain at 4pm every day. Almost on the nose. 

But back to under the sea-life, I can remember being a kid and my parents would sometimes let us swim if it was raining and no lightning. As a kid, I thought it was the coolest thing to be able to do that. With your head above water you could feel the driving rain hitting and stinging your skin. But the moment you dipped down below the surface, it was all gone. There was no stinging or driving rain. There was no chill on your skin from the rain. It was calm. 

This is exactly what I mean when I talk about life below see level by putting our faith in the Prince of Peace. It doesn’t mean the storms won’t come. They will. They will rage violently and chaos will crash and break… but only on the surface. 

Storms are only surface level. When we choose to dip our sights below the surface and out of reach - out of touch - from the storms going on all around us, that is where we find peace. And it’s not that they aren’t there - it’s not that the storms aren’t raging - it’s that we’re choosing where we place our perspective. 

I don’t think it’s any coincidence that the Bible links water to the Holy Spirit. When we choose to submerse ourselves in the water - in the baptizing - of the Holy Spirit, we are choosing to link our perspective with His. And when we link our perspective with His, we are choosing to look through or beyond, or under the current storm that is raging and screaming for our attention. 

I encourage you to find a place of peace like this. No, unfortunately, we can’t live life below the surface just yet. Plus I think excessive pruning of the hands would become a problem very quickly. But we can find this place to get along with God and get alone with His Holy Spirit so we can let the storms of this world just float above us.  

Peace isn’t always something you have, but it is something you can take. It is something you can exchange with Christ. Every day, He is offering us this exchange of problems for peace. Peace just might be a place as well. A place where you feel at peace. Where you can connect better in order to make that exchange with Christ. 

So take what the world gives you, and exchange it for His peace. 

Hit the Waits

Anyone who has ever looked at me can clearly tell… I don’t workout much. In the last year or so I’ve been getting a lot better and a lot more consistent, but I still have a long way to go. One thing I’ve learned is that consistency is key. I’ve learned that it takes three months before you begin to see signs of change and growth. That’s twelve weeks before change and growth. If you work out for an hour a day, six days a week, that’s 72 hours of work before a shred of success might be seen. 

I’ve also learned comparison is a killer. Comparison is the great enemy of consistency. Comparison kills consistency because it can make you look at people who are further ahead than you are, and makes you doubt the growth you’ve made and give up on possible future gains. 

Another thing I’ve learned is that compromise is also a killer. Compromise is a thief of growth. Compromise tells you that things are “good enough.” And in my limited experience, “good enough” is rarely that - it’s rarely good or enough. Compromise will get you to settle on your goals, and that will make you settle on your growth. 

I’ve learned that consistency is a key. It’s not just that consistency is key like an important point or system or method. Consistency is A key. Keys unlock doors and give access to places. Keys are answers to problems. 

Another way of saying the same thing is that repetition is the key to success. In reality, repetition is the only key to success. If you do something enough times, eventually you will get good at it. Good or really good. Everyone has their limits and limitations, but consistency is what helps to overcome what we think are limitations. 

So why aren’t we all more consistent in our lives? More consistent in the things we deem important? Everyone has to answer that for themselves, but I think a major factor in current culture is distractions. We have so many things that are vying for our time and attention. And I’ve found that my time follows my attention. Anywhere I put my attention, that’s where my time goes. Which is a double-edged sword… where I put my time can be great and beneficial; but it can also become a thief. 

In a culture of instant everything, it is really easy to apply our inability to delay gratification to our spiritual life as well. If patience is a virtue then waiting is massively implied. And the secret with patience isn’t in how long you wait, but how you wait. Like waiting for muscle gains or fat losses from workouts. 

God is an instant God when He chooses to be. He’s God. He’s allowed to do whatever He wants. Miracles are an example of how instant He can work. But I don’t think He always works like this. In fact, I think most of the time He doesn’t. Because there’s just something in the waiting that you can’t get with the instant. Like food. Microwave meals may be great, but the really good stuff takes some time to prepare. 

And isn’t that what faith is? Trusting in God that He knows better for me than I know for me? Which comes with a time element, by the way. God in control isn’t just with the what, but it’s also with the when and the how and the where. 

We build spiritual strength by our faith in God. And we build our faith in God not only with obedience, but with how we wait. And how you wait is much more important than how long you wait. Just ask the Israelites that wandered the desert for forty years. 

1 Corinthians 13 explains to us what love is - and what love isn’t. The first attribute of love is patience. When we love God we will have patience. We will apply patience. With others, but also with God, and what He’s cooking up for us (see what I did there?). 

Patience is a condition more than an action. Patience is an attitude more than an action. Patience is an overflow from a heart full of love. But patience is also a process and a practice. Some people are born better at it than others. Some people need to develop and work at it more than others. 

When it comes to waiting (for many things in our lives), it is important to remember that the condition of your wait is more important than the length of your wait. Instant things are rarely better than eventual things. And instant things are infinitely inferior to eternal things. And eternal things just take time. 

If you want instant results from an eternal God, you may wind up very disappointed. So be consistent. Be patient. For it is there that the good growth happens in our lives. 

Love Is a Four Letter Word

I’m not old enough to remember the decade of “free” love (as if love doesn’t come with a cost…), but I am old enough to see both the definition and the application of the word continuously change. Simply put, it doesn’t mean what it used to anymore. It is ever changing, and ever complex.

It also doesn’t help that in the language we speak we only have one word to apply to massively different groupings of situations and relationships. For example, I love my kids and I love my wife, but I do not love them in the same way. I love my siblings and their spouses and children, and I love my parents; but I also don’t love them in the same way. I love my friends and I love food, but I don’t love them in the same way. The list could go on and on almost endlessly.

To be honest, this is definitely a situation where I give a nod to the language of the New Testament. Most of it was written in Greek. An ancient language that actually has seven different words to apply to the different relationships or situations for the one word that we have and use in English: love.

Somehow, this word has even become a buzz word or a hot topic word. Many in our society are trying to change, distort, manipulate, and weaponize the definition of love. Which is sort of difficult in our language because, again, we only have one word to describe this massively multifaceted  collection of relationships and situations.

Blatantly put, we’ve turned love into a four-letter word. Our culture - our world - is in a war of words because if you can change the definition, you can change the application. An example of that statement is this: love isn’t what you want it to be - love is what God says it is.

According to 1 Corinthians 13, love is a noun. It gives us a list of both what love is and what love isn’t according to the nature of God Himself. Love is described as a noun but applied as a verb. That’s because God IS love but He applies His love to us in action as a verb. And if God is love, and we are made in His image, then we are love as well. And we are known BY our love just as He is. For while we were still sinners Christ applied His love for us on the cross of Calvary for our sins.

Love is a base for any and every relationship, no matter what it is. So if the base is changed (definition and application) then anything built on top of that will not be sturdy enough to withstand and weather any storm. For example, only God’s love can weather and withstand a storm of hate. Only His love can be kind to unkindness. Only His love captivates and frees captives. Only His love accepts and doesn’t condemn.

And while we’re on the hot topic of acceptance, here are a couple of statements to think about and apply:
You can accept the person and not the behavior. Jesus did.
You can love and not affirm. You can affirm the person, and not the behavior. Jesus did.
You can love and disagree, and not argue. Jesus did.
You can love and not condone. And true love does not condemn.
Jesus never condoned the practice, but He also never condemned the person.

True love is not acceptance and affirmation of the behavior, but it is acceptance and affirmation of the person stuck in the behavior. The world wants us all to be tied to our actions - what I do is who I am and who I am is what I do. The Bible teaches us pretty much the opposite. You are a child of God - that is who you are. What we do as children of God will then bring us closer or take us further from Him.

But a closer look at the “sinners” statement above will actually reveal that children of God operate the same way just in reverse. What I do is to glorify God because of who I am - His child. And because I am His child, what I do is to glorify Him. In reality, we aren’t so different at all, we just choose to look at love in a different way. And that perspective changes our position and our practices. Because we love God, we choose to live our lives the way Jesus did instead of choosing to live for ourselves and live our lives to please the flesh nature.

The greatest attribute of love is not acceptance or affirmation, but correction and discipline. If left to our own devices, a life of selfishness and self-serving is the only inevitable outcome. Which is why we discipline ourselves. Paul talks about this in 1 Corinthians 9 and how he disciplines his body to bring it into subjection to Christ.

In the same way that a parent disciplines a child for the betterment of the child, God also disciplines His children for their good. This is love. This is true love. Hebrews 12:6 says that God “disciplines those He LOVES.” That Greek word for disciplines means to correct, train, and educate. Yes, sometimes it means actual discipline like a spanking, but it is to correct, train, and educate us for our good.

So I have found, in my own life (and I’m still very much working on it), that the more I discipline myself with self-control, the less God has to do it for me. And the less I discipline myself, the more He has to - for my good. This is what love is. This is how love is applied.

If parents only ever accepted and affirmed everything their child wanted and wanted to do from the time they were born, what kind of adult would be produced? If there was no correction or training or educating, what kind of adult would be produced? Probably ones similar to some that we have in society today.

So don’t let society determine what the definition of love is. Don’t let society distort what the definition of love is. When we do that, it is only detrimental. Emphasis on mental… Humans have never been good at defining and applying love on our own. God has already given us THE definition. It’s our job to make the application.

Love IS a four letter word, but a better spelling is W-O-R-K. Love comes with a cost, but so does regret.

Don’t be greedy with your love, only with His definition of it.