What's Your Worldview?

As a pastor one of the most painful things to watch is when someone begins to struggle with and question their faith. This is especially difficult when it is a young person making the transition into adulthood. As a parent my GREATEST hope for my children isn’t for them to be successful, rich or even happy. My greatest hope is for them to know and love God.

One of the things that I have noticed over the years is that there has been a radical shift in perspective. My generation largely viewed ‘truth’ as something existent outside of self. It was absolute, unchanging and not subject to personal opinion. For instance the ‘truth’ of gravity really doesn’t care if you believe it or not. It just is.

Today many view ‘truth’ as something personal, internal and malleable. What is ‘true’ for one may or may not be ‘true’ for another. What is ‘true’ today may not be tomorrow. Herein lies the million dollar question…

Do we view God through the eyes of our worldview or do we view the world through God’s eyes?

If God must fit within my worldview then he/she/it is really no god at all; no bigger than my understanding or imagination and no more powerful than I am. This was the realization I had at the age of 18. I had an epiphany that if there was truly a God then He was at the center of everything and I was not. He was not subject to the whims of my emotions or limited to the finite capacity of my mind. If there really was an eternal being that held time and space in His hand then He was the author of ‘Truth’. More accurately He is TRUTH.

“As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” - Isaiah 55:9 NIV

I recently met a young man, newly saved, who had attended church as a teen. Since God didn’t fit within his worldview he admittedly embraced a pagan lifestyle to the extent of serving as a pagan priest. In his desire to break with all things Christian he set up a meeting with a pastor to vent and share his ‘truth’. In that meeting he found love, and more importantly found LOVE. When we stop trying to force God into our worldview and make Him Lord of our lives everything else comes into focus.

I am so thankful that it is not my place to judge God, or anyone else for that matter. I am grateful that ‘Truth’ is constant, because He is constant.

“Do not be deceived, my dear friends! Every good gift and every perfect present comes from heaven; it comes down from God, the Creator of the heavenly lights, who does not change or cause darkness by turning. By his own will he brought us into being through the word of truth, so that we should have first place among all his creatures.” – James 1:16-18 GNT

A Word Please.

One Word from God can change everything.

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” - John 1:1-5 NIV

It can create the heavens and the earth. It can calm the fiercest storm. It can even bring the dead to life.

“… and the darkness has not overcome it.”

Last year I asked God for a word for 2019 and He spoke 3 things. The Holy Spirit said that 2019 would be a year of miracles, breakthrough and long awaited harvest. I know it was a word for me, my family and our church. I also believe that if you are reading this then it is a word for you as well. I am not a believer in coincidence, but I am trust absolutely in God’s sovereign guidance.

“For with God nothing is ever impossible and no word from God shall be without power or impossible of fulfillment.” - Luke 1:37 AMPC

So now begins the journey of asking God what that means specifically for each of us and for all of us. If we are willing to ask I know that God is ready to speak.

New Year's Resolutions.

The first day of the New Year.

A gogillion people are going to make a resolution. Read more, eat healthier, exercise regularly, start school, stop smoking and the list goes on and on and on… By the end of January the vast majority of those people will have slipped back into the same old habits. The only difference is the disappointment and guilt. It eventually subsides until we start the whole process over again next year. Wash, rinse, repeat.

It reminds me of a story from the Bible. The Ninevites were supremely wicked and God’s judgment was imminent. In His grace he sent the prophet Jonah to warn them and give them a chance to change. Now most of the time we focus on Jonah, who fled from God, got tossed into the ocean, eaten by a fish, puked up on shore and finally did what God requested. But I want to look at the people from Nineveh today. To put it mildly they definitely had room for personal improvement. When confronted with their shortcomings there were a couple of things that they did AND a couple of things they didn’t do.

Here is what they didn’t do –

1. They didn’t make excuses and justify their actions.
2. They didn’t pass the buck and blame others.

Here is what they did do –

1. They accepted responsibility for themselves.
2. They enacted a plan to make lasting changes.

“Jonah obeyed the word of the Lord and went to Nineveh. Now Nineveh was a very large city; it took three days to go through it. Jonah began by going a day’s journey into the city, proclaiming, “Forty more days and Nineveh will be overthrown.” The Ninevites believed God. A fast was proclaimed, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth. When Jonah’s warning reached the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne, took off his royal robes, covered himself with sackcloth and sat down in the dust. This is the proclamation he issued in Nineveh: “By the decree of the king and his nobles: “Do not let people or animals, herds or flocks, taste anything; do not let them eat or drink. But let people and animals be covered with sackcloth. Let everyone call urgently on God. Let them give up their evil ways and their violence. Who knows? God may yet relent and with compassion turn from his fierce anger so that we will not perish.”” – Jonah 3:3-9 NIV

The Ninevites didn’t start well but they sure did finish well which brings me to my point –

“The end of a matter is better than its beginning, and patience is better than pride.” – Ecclesiastes 7:8 NIV

I want to encourage you to be the best possible you that you can be. God has put so much inside of you and has great plans for your life. Look for an area to improve, set a goal, make a plan and gather some people around you to make it happen. Starting is important, but it’s how we finish that really matters.

2019 IS YOUR YEAR!!!

Who loves 80's music?!

In 1984 Deniece Williams released the song "Let's Hear It For The Boy" featured on the soundtrack to the movie "Footloose". For some of us just the thought of that song transports us right back to the time of neon shirts, pegged pants and leg warmers. It was an instant hit and rose to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 music chart. It was a catchy tune but when you stopped to actually listen to the lyrics... Let's take a quick look -

• He can’t express his emotions verbally.
• He has poor taste in clothes.
• He isn't romantic.
• He's broke.
• And he can't sing.

That about sums it up. When we jump to the chorus we're told to – 

• "Let's hear it for the boy" because apparently he isn't a man.
• "Let's give the boy a hand" he obviously needs help.
• "Let's hear it for my baby" again not a man.
• You know you gotta understand" because clearly he doesn't!

That leaves us with only one rational conclusion... GIRL DUMP THAT CHILD, YOU CAN DO SO MUCH BETTER!!!

So what's my point? This poor girl has deceived herself into believing that she has found something special when in fact she has settled for so much less than what she deserves. The questions is I wonder where we have done the same?

"This is what the LORD says: “Those who survive the coming destruction will find blessings even in the barren land, for I will give rest to the people of Israel.” Long ago the LORD said to Israel: “I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love. With unfailing love I have drawn you to myself.”” - Jeremiah 31:2-3 NLT

The 3rd chapter of Galatians teaches us that our faith in Jesus makes us God’s children and heirs of ALL of His blessings. That doesn’t mean that we don’t periodically walk through challenges but it absolutely means that our loving Father has purposed in His heart to bless us. We should expect favor, open doors and opportunity. Always. Not with arrogance but with confidence. When we do encounter an obstacle we should do it knowing that God is with us and He is for us and nothing can stand in the way of His everlasting love.

So let’s not settle for anything less than his best in our lives. Let's grab on to EVERY SINGLE THING that God has for us!

$5 Oakleys

There is a market in Managua, Nicaragua where you can get Oakley sunglasses for about 5 bucks. We’ve sent several teams down there over the years and our teens affectionately refer to them as FOakleys (Fake Oakleys). From 10 feet away they look pretty good but when you get up close it’s a different story. In your hand they just don’t feel right and of course when one of the lenses pops out they don’t look right either!

The devil is a master of the counterfeit. Just like the guy on the street corner in New York selling knockoff Rolaxes he peddles his merchandise claiming it’s the real deal. It’s not. He tried it with Jesus in the wilderness and he’ll try it with you. Here are just a few of his forgeries –

• Arrogance vs. Confidence.
• Tolerance vs. Love.
• Psychics vs. Prophecy.
• Happiness vs. Joy.
• Security vs. Peace.
• Being Right vs. Being Righteous.
• Success vs. Significance.
• Religion vs. Relationship.

I'm sure you can think of a few more examples. From a distance they look pretty good but upon closer inspection you begin to see the not so subtle differences.

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” – Matthew 7:24-27 NIV

Other than the foundation both houses were identical. The walls, the roof, the tile, the countertops, the furniture – right up until the storm came and revealed what was underneath. The fake stuff just doesn’t hold up. We all want the nice stuff but sometimes we’re not willing to pay the price. You can’t touch real Oakleys for under $100. You can’t get a real Rolex for $15 (or 2 for $20). Here’s the deal though… Jesus covers the cost. All we have to do is let go of the counterfeits and trust Him for the goods. Let’s commit to trading our trash for God’s treasures today.

A beautiful setting, a family reunion and a pair of brand new white shoes.

A couple of weeks ago we had some family visiting from out of town and so we took a trip to our favorite BBQ place. How can I describe this place? Well I guess I would have to say that it’s on the edge of the middle of nowhere. You turn off a two lane road out in the country. This place is so rural that they didn’t even bother to paint lines on the road. Just before the pavement turns to dirt you turn off into a gravel driveway between a couple of small farms. You can eat inside or sit under the covered porch next to the stream behind the restaurant.

Here is where my story begins - a beautiful setting, a family reunion and a pair of brand new white shoes. My niece was so proud of her newest purchase and wanted to show them off. But the moms were in full force with their cameras determined to get everyone huddled together for a barrage of ‘candid’ photos. As people jockeyed for position you can guess what happened. Someone stepped on the shoes. The perfectly white shoes. Someone who had recently been wading in the creek. Oh snap!

In the New Testament we have an account of Jesus sending out disciples on a ministry trip. He gives them some specific instructions on what to do, what to bring and how to act. He also said this –

“If people do not welcome you, leave their town and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.” – Luke 9:5 NIV

The original word that was translated into English as ‘against’ could also be translated ‘before’. Let me explain. This world has a way of messing up your new shoes but we have to choose how we will respond. You could see the look on my niece’s face. She was not happy but fortunately she is a gracious young lady. They were after all just a pair of shoes and the perpetrator was her cousin that she loved and rarely gets to see. She chose what was most important.

I think the lesson here is to not let other people’s mistakes, offense and sin transfer to you. Dust it off. Right away. If we aren’t careful dirt on our shoes can quickly become a smudge on our heart.

“Who may ascend the mountain of the Lord? Who may stand in His Holy place? The one who has clean hands and a pure heart…” – Psalm 24:3-4b NIV

… and white shoes.

How I Sprained My Brain.

Four weeks ago I had an ‘Exertion Headache’ while working out. If you don’t know what that is it’s okay because neither did I. The affects are similar to a concussion and it’s caused by a spike in blood pressure in your brain. Basically I stretched the blood vessels in my head beyond their normal operating capacity. I was on my last rep when what felt like a grenade went off in my head so I dumped the bar and collapsed on the ground. Honestly I thought I blew a gasket in my brain and was seriously considered having someone call 911. After a few minutes the intense pain subsided and left me with a dull, persistent pain in my temples, a stiff neck, sore jaw and an aversion to loud noises. I’m still dealing with the residual effects.

So I did what any normal person would do and diagnosed myself with the medical degree I got from GU (Google University). There were 6 factors listed that can contribute to an Exertion Headache. I think I had 7 of them. The list included Dehydration, Big Movements, Heavy Weight, High Reps, Compromised Blood Flow and Not Breathing. So I was fasting and hadn’t had anything to drink before class, we were doing a bunch of front squats with as much weight as possible, the bar was pushing up against my throat cutting off circulation and I held my breathe on the last two reps. I will say that our coaches stress the importance of hydration and breathing ALL the time. I knew better.

I’ve worked out this hard before, even harder and been perfectly fine. It was just the combination that pushed me and my blood pressure over the edge. It got me thinking that these ‘factors’ might apply to areas of our lives beyond our physical health. Like maybe our marriages, our money, our emotional well-being, our walk with the Lord, etc. 

“For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.” – 1 Timothy 4:8 NIV

Let’s take a look at those 6 factors from a different point of view –

1. Dehydration – We need to be constantly pouring into our lives because we are constantly pouring out of them. God has called us to be rivers not reservoirs of His grace and life.
2. Big Movements – Life ebbs and flows and so do our priorities. If we are not putting the right amount of effort into the right places at the right time we won’t get the right results.
3. Heavy Weight – When we are dealing with a crisis in our life we often see things only from that perspective. Some people seem to live in crisis, going from one to the next. If they don’t have one of their own at the moment they will attach to somebody else’s. Not a healthy way to live. We need to remember this is just a season and God has brought us here for a reason.
4. High Reps – Sometime we don’t appreciate the wear and tear of the daily grind. If we’re not careful our routine becomes a rut and we’re crazy busy but not making any headway. If something isn’t working more of it might not be the answer.
5. Compromised Blood Flow – Blood flows from the heart, carrying life giving oxygen and food to every cell of our body and carrying away all the junk that needs to go. When we lose heart it’s not long before we lose hope.
6. Not Breathing – Speaking of hope sometimes we hold our breath hoping that something will pass. Hope should produce faith and faith should move us to action. Ultimately action is what will get us to our goal.

Very rarely do we make one decision that’s so bad it causes catastrophic results. Usually it’s a combination of things, over a period of time that is our undoing. My advice is to listen to your coaches (people that are winning), watch for warning signs along the way and take preventative measures so you don’t end up sidelined with a Marriage/Money/Anything Else Exertion Headache.

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.” – 2 Timothy 4:7-8 NIV

Out of Gas

If you have ever run out of gas then you know the feeling. And it’s not a great one. I’ve run out of gas twice in my life. The first time I had just bought a ‘new’ 1967 Camaro project car. My wife and I headed out for a short drive with what I thought was a quarter tank of gas. I thought wrong, or at least the gauge lied. The best part of the story is that my wife was pregnant with our first child. So I had to leave her with the car, jog back to our other car, drive home to get a gas can, drive to the gas station and then back to the car. It wasn’t one of my best moments!

The next time was legit though. My wife and I were headed home from a conference that was on an island just off the coast of South Carolina. We had enough in the tank to get a ways down the road where fuel would be significantly less expensive. We set the cruise control and headed inland. When we drive we talk; about everything and nothing and this trip was no different. We got involved in some deep conversation and the next thing I knew the cruise control kicked off, the car sputtered once and then we coasted to the side of the road. At least she wasn’t pregnant this time! Fortunately we made it to the shade of an underpass but there was no running to the nearest gas station. I climbed the embankment to see what was around and the only thing I found was some barbed wire hidden under some vines. So back to the car I retreated with a hole in my pants and a matching one in my thigh. We called roadside assistance and waited an hour or so before we were back on our way.

So here is the lesson. The lower the level in your tank the greater the chance you will run out. Obvious right? I know people who seem to perpetually drive around with the gas light on. I also know people who start looking for the nearest station as soon as they get below a half of a tank. Running out of gas is more than a minor inconvenience. It costs time, energy, money (yours and sometimes others) and has the potential to cause greater damage. When you run a tank down to the last drop you often suck up trash that can clog filters, lines, injectors, etc. And that costs LOTS more time, energy and money.

You might be getting the idea that what I’m getting to isn’t just about cars. See we have all kinds of tanks in our lives. Health tanks, love tanks, relational tanks, emotional tanks, financial tanks, spiritual tanks and that’s just scratching the surface. And when one of those tanks runs out bad things happen. And often they don’t just affect us.

Just like cars we have to fill those tanks up on a regular basis to keep running. And we have to fill them up with the right fuel! So let’s take a minute today and look at the levels in our tanks. Some may be full which is great, some may be running a little low so let’s make sure to get those filled up and some may be completely dry (which is called a crisis). Not all crises are avoidable, but some are. And when our tanks are full we are definitely better able to handle them when they do come our way.

One last quick thought – Did you know that you can fill other people’s tanks? That’s right! Some of what God has given you doesn’t belong to you. It belongs to Him and He has entrusted you with the responsibility and privilege of passing it along to someone else. 

Too Many Tomatoes!

I was talking with a good friend this past week about sowing and reaping.

“Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. – Galatians 6:7-10 NIV

He began to ask me questions.

“What do you get if you plant tomatoes?“

“Tomatoes.”

“What do you get if you plant corn?“

“Corn.”

“What do you get if you plant a little tomatoes?“

“A little tomatoes.”

“What do you get if you so plant a lot of tomatoes?“

“A lot of tomatoes.”

“What do you get if you plant nothing?”

“Nothing.”

“WRONG. You get weeds!”

Let me share another passage of Scripture with you.

“Jesus told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared. “The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’ “‘An enemy did this,’ he replied.” – Matthew 13:24-28 NIV

You don’t have to do anything to grow weeds! And that applies to every area of our life. That is one of the things I really appreciate about what Paul said in Galatians. God’s law of sowing and reaping applies to natural things and spiritual things. It applies to relationships and money. It applies to this life and eternity.

Farmers plant every year so they can harvest every year.  And we need to keep sowing faithfully. We need to invest in our families, in our health, in God’s Kingdom, in friendships and in our walk with God. My friend also pointed out that we need to sow the most in our areas of need, not our areas of abundance. See if you have more tomatoes than you know what to do with maybe you should focus on something else like corn.

And that’s a sacrifice. When there is an area of need in your life it takes an act of faith to let it go. But faith is the real seed that moves God’s heart. When you plant that seed of love, of compassion, of forgiveness or of generosity you are putting it into God’s hands where it can truly begin to grow.

“So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.” - 1 Corinthians 3:7 NIV

All God asks is that you trust Him with your seed. You will reap what you sow IF you don't give up! I used to see that as waiting patiently, but then I noticed the 'therefore'. Not giving up isn't sitting around, it's getting up and sowing some more, "as we have opportunity."

When The Worship Train Came Off The Tracks.

Periodically I am blessed with the opportunity to help lead worship. It is something I enjoy very much and feel quite honored to do. I was playing the drums and the worship team and I practiced our transition from one song to the next several times before service. We wanted to make sure that we didn’t interrupt the ‘flow’ of worship and so we worked until we had it down.

Except that we didn’t. Things didn’t go as planned and honestly the song got off to a rocky start. At one point I was pretty certain that the worship train was so far off the tracks we were going to have to stop and start again. But the team pulled it together and by the chorus things were steaming ahead. As a matter of fact the presence of God showed up in a powerful way through that song.

Afterwards I commended our worship leader for pressing through. God showed up in spite of our hiccup and at the end of the day, or the set list, that is the goal. God’s ability to perform does not depend on our ability to perform. Worship isn’t a performance. Worship after all is first and foremost a matter of the heart.

The whole situation got me thinking about the difference between perfection and excellence. First let me say that there is only one who is perfect and it’s NOT me! Perfectionism is a cruel task master and I believe the enemy’s counterfeit to excellence. My definition of excellence is, ‘doing the very best we can with the resources and training we have currently available with a heart to grow better in the future’. That is attainable. Perfection is not. We didn’t go into worship half-hearted and unprepared. On the contrary, we were giving God our very best.

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.” – Colossians 3:23-24 NIV

See with perfection everything depends on us. With excellence we have left room for the Holy Spirit to move. God is worthy of our best in everything that we do. But excellence gives us room to grow, to mature and even to fail. Because excellence leaves room for His grace! And that is what we experienced that day. Maybe that is what the apostle Paul was talking about.

“But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”” – 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 NIV

So be your very best but make sure to leave room for Him to be His very best!

Why I shaved my legs.

No I’m not trying to get in touch with my feminine side. The truth is I injured myself training for a race I ran last weekend. I’ve been pushing pretty hard building up my mileage to get ready for an 8+ mile obstacle course race. I didn’t warm up and stretch properly and pulled a muscle in my calf. I was about 100 yards into my run when it happened and instead of turning around I kept going… for 8 long miles. It wasn’t the best life choice I’ve ever made. It was painful to walk on and turned a cool rainbow of colors.

So I was nursing it and doing everything I could think of to hasten the healing process. Hence this story. I purchased some Kinesiology Tape hoping it would help. For those who are unaware this product is basically a next level ace bandage. Physical therapists swear by the stuff. Endurance athletes cover themselves with the neon strips like it is a badge of honor. I figured I’d give it a try. I went online to watch the ‘how to’ video and the first thing they say is to apply it to clean, dry skin. They went on to say for ‘best results’ you should ‘remove all hair from the affected area’ before using the product. Wait? What?! Now I’ve had some friends who were serious about cycling or swam competitively who shaved their legs. Now let me be clear. I HAVE MADE FUN OF EVERY SINGLE LAST ONE OF THEM!!!

But I was desperate. So much to the chagrin of my daughter I borrowed her razor and asked if she had any pointers. She said, ‘Try not to cut yourself.’ Gee thanks.

Here is my point. I was desperate. I had trained for almost a year for this race. I had spent real money registering for this event. So I was willing to go to take drastic actions to make this happen. And that is what it takes. We have to get to the point that we are so appalled with where we are at that we are willing to do whatever is necessary to move forward. Maybe it’s a recurring sin in our life. Maybe it’s a destructive behavior or addiction or even a toxic relationship. It’s time we got sick and tired of being so sick and tired. It’s time to break the pattern of being broke every month. It’s time to get so fed up that we are willing to swallow our pride, get the help that we need and make the changes that will finally set us FREE! Although hell stands ready to resist our efforts all of Heaven is cheering us on and God is on our side!

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” – John 10:10 NIV

“What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?” - Romans 8: 31 NIV

““…no weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and this is their vindication from me,” declares the Lord.”- Isaiah 54:17 NIV

“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” – Galatians 5:1 NIV

“…and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.” – Matthew 16:18b NIV

By the way - my calf did great, I finished my race and now I'm ready to tackle the next challenge. 12-14 miles, 30-35 obstacles, November 4th. Who is with me?

Making A Difference.

Yesterday I had the honor of attending the ribbon cutting for the ‘Little Pantry’ in Sylva. If you haven’t heard about the ‘Little Pantry’ it’s a small box that was recently placed at our Sylva Campus where anyone can come and get food and personal items, anytime, for any reason. If you want to check out the article the Sylva Herald wrote about it just CLICK HERE.

Today I had the honor of seeing it at work. I was taking care of a few odds and ends at the office when I happened to see a minivan park out front. A woman stepped out of the passenger seat, walked over to the ‘Little Pantry’, picked out an armload of necessities and headed back to the car. I don’t know her name or her situation but God does. Today I witnessed someone being loved and God alone getting the glory.

Fourteen years after his encounter with Jesus on the way to Damascus Paul traveled to Jerusalem. He met with the Apostles to discuss his message to the Gentiles because He wanted to make sure that he was on track. They had one encouragement for him -

“All they asked was that we should continue to remember the poor, the very thing I had been eager to do all along.” - Galatians 2:10 NIV

James said it this way -

“Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” - James 1:27 NIV

We have a list of 16 Core Values that make LifeWay well… LifeWay. The first is an Outward Focus. Jesus came to seek and save the lost. He also came to serve not to be served. Another Core Value is Gracious Generosity – see ‘God so loved the world that He gave…’ We give because we can, not because we have to. We are gracious because it is who He is and it is who we are! The final Core Value I want to mention is Personal Responsibility. She may fuss but I want to thank Ruby Peoples for making this happen. Ruby attends our Sylva Campus and works with our Children’s Ministry. A few weeks back she came to me with this idea. She had the vision, took personal responsibility and made it happen. Well done Ruby!

Don't wait for someone else to do something that God has called you to do. Focus outward, be graciously generous and take personal responsibility. It will change your life, it will change someone else's life (and maybe their forever) and God will get the glory!

Over the years we have had the opportunity to help launch several ministries that serve those in need including The Community Table, God’s Abundance Soup Kitchen and the Jackson Neighbors’ in Need Homeless Shelter. I am proud to pastor such an amazing church! Well done LifeWay! This month we celebrate 20 years of God's faithfulness as a church and from what I have seen today I am absolutely convinced that He is just getting started here at LifeWay.

That was quick!

I assume that most of the people reading this post are Jesus followers. Therefore I assume that most of us believe in the power of prayer. Now that that’s settled –

I usually begin my day by reading the Bible and praying. First things first right? I pray for all kinds of things, whatever is on my heart. But yesterday I had a burden to pray for very specific people in very specific ways. And so I did.

On the ride to take the kids to school we prayed together for the day ahead. As we do most days. Then I asked my girls if they thought that prayer made a difference. I got the right response but maybe lacking a bit of the whole-hearted conviction I had hoped for. It was after all morning and they were on their way to school so I’ll cut them a little slack. So I said, ‘If prayer makes a difference then let’s ask God to put someone in our path today that we can pray for specifically.’ So we did.

No joke we didn’t even get to the drop off at the school and God answered our request. Less than 2 minutes after we prayed someone we knew was walking through the parking lot so we jumped at the chance. We stopped the car, rolled down the windows and just prayed a simple blessing over her day ahead. On a side note she was getting ready to substitute teach at an elementary school so you know she needed prayer! We no sooner said amen to which she heartily replied, “I’ll receive that!!!”

Two things happened in that moment –

1. God answered our prayer by specifically placing someone in our path to pray for which built up our faith.
2. A sister in the Lord was strengthened and encouraged unexpectedly just as her day was getting started. You could see in her face and hear in her voice how much that little encounter meant to her.

So here is where the rubber meets the road. If you are a Christian then you are a minister of Christ. So ask God TODAY to specifically put someone in your path TODAY that you can pray for TODAY. Then do it. Right there, right then, out loud. You never know. God just might show up because after all prayer makes a difference right?

“The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” – James 5:16b NIV

That's your prayer!

Help is closer than you think.

I'm getting ready to run my first Spartan Race this weekend near Atlanta. It's basically a 4 mile long obstacle course with water, mud, ropes, walls, fire, etc. I've been training for 6 months and I'm really looking forward to conquering a new challenge. In addition to the physical preparation I've done I'm making sure that I have all the right equipment to succeed - trail shoes, running socks, quick drying clothes, a hydration pack and fuel. I've done a good bit of research since I'm new to all this and most people recommend energy gel packs to keep your body fueled and blood sugar up during the strenuous exercise. They're small, light and quick to consume so it makes sense. However in the little town I call home they are apparently not easy to find. 

My friend, who is racing with me, and I went out looking for them this week. We tried GNC. Then Walmart. Then the local backpacking store in town. Nothing. As we were walking around, in the bitter cold mind you, my friend has a great thought, "What about the bike store?!" We walked to the end of the block, down the hill, across the street and into the shop. Not only did they have EXACTLY what we were looking for but they had two displays full of them!

The funny thing is that the bike store is literally right across the street from where we work. I mean there isn't another building physically closer to ours than theirs. We spent all that time running around and the whole time what we needed was less than 100 feet from where we started. It took us 3 days, several miles and multiple trips to find it. 

I think life is like that sometimes. We forget just how close and how good God is. We spend more time worrying about things than we do praying about them. The more time we spend praising Jesus the less time we have left to stress.

“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.” – Psalm 46:1 NIV

Prayer shouldn't be our last resort; it should be our first response. Whatever it is that we need God has more than enough. He has aisle and aisle of displays full of physical healing, financial provision, emotional support, spiritual transformation and so much more. And God has given us brothers and sisters to wait with us and to pray for us. Our church family is there to share life together with all its ups and downs and unexpected turns along the way. Sometimes we just have to walk across the street. And sometime we just have to be willing to reach out. Who knows? Maybe we’ll find exactly what we need!

Resolutions

As we reflect upon 2016 and look forward to 2017 all I can say is that my heart is full with expectation. I am fully convinced that our best days lie ahead and not behind. You might call me an optimist, but I really think that I am a realist. See I know who my Father is and He delights in giving good things to His kids (Matt. 7:11).

I recently heard someone say that 'if you want something to change then you must first change something.' As we celebrate the New Year many people will make resolutions. Resolutions to lose weight, to spend more time with family, to read the Bible daily, etc. If I may be so bold I'd like to suggest the most important resolution you can make in the coming year -

"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." - Matthew 6:33 NIV

Wherever we are at in our relationship with God there is always room for growth! The Greek word used here for 'first' is Protos and Strong's defines it as, "first in time or place; in any succession of things or persons; first in rank; influence, honour; chief, principal."

Make a decision to put Jesus first in your life in 2017. If He already is then make Him firster! If we will I am convinced that God has great things in store for us!

What I learned while teaching my teenager to drive.

I’ve recently enjoyed one of parenting’s greatest experiences… teaching a teenager to drive! Let me just say that it does wonders for your prayer life. Actually my girl did great, especially considering she had little to no experience driving any motorized vehicle before getting behind the wheel. But there were a few things that occurred to me during our adventures that I think may have broader application.

One of the things I encouraged her to do was to focus on doing everything purposely smooth. Let me explain. Jack rabbit starts, abrupt turns and sudden stops do not make for an enjoyable ride. It also causes unnecessary wear and tear on your vehicle. Gas mileage suffers, tires and brakes need replaced more frequently and other components endure excessive strain. Beyond all that it increases the probability that you will have an accident.

You know the same thing applies to life. I’ve observed hundreds if not thousands of people over the course of more than two decades in ministry. I’ve noticed that people who take thoughtful and intentional actions do better than those who make rash decisions.

“Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple. And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you, saying, ‘This person began to build and wasn’t able to finish.’ “Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Won’t he first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace. In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples. “Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is fit neither for the soil nor for the manure pile; it is thrown out. “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.”” - Luke 14:25-35 NIV

In other words slow and steady wins the race… and saves wear and tear on the vehicle… and avoids accidents… and makes for a more enjoyable ride. Cars are meant to be driven just like lives are meant to be lived. A follower of Jesus who does not serve their brothers and sisters in Christ and their community is like an un-driven car. But a disciple who tries to do everything only to burn out and quit is like car that has been driven into the ditch. Both are going nowhere and both have lost their saltiness.

Do something, do it well and do it consistently. It works when it comes to driving. It also works when it comes to your health, your family, your finances, the Kingdom and well just about everything else. Small adjustments over the course of time make huge differences and keep us on the road and moving forward.

Be safe out there and just one more thing… don’t forget to use your signals!

Distressed or De-Stressed?!

I shared a message recently at LifeWay Community Church that seemed to hit home for several people so I thought I would give you a quick Cliff Notes version -

There are many sources of stress in our lives but today I want to narrow it down to two of the majors -

1. Not accepting responsibility for obligations that belong to us.
2. Accepting responsibility for obligations that don't belong to us.

The story of Jonah is a perfect example of both. In Chapter 1 God gives him a responsibility that he decides to shirk. It ends up costing him greatly. While the storm rages he is fast asleep in the hold of the ship. Here is the takeaway - ignoring the responsibilities in our lives doesn't make them go away. On the contrary. Ignored responsibilities eventually become problems. More often than not the sooner you deal with a situation the better. Don't let that mole hill become a mountain! One of the ways we ignore the problem is by wasting time placing blame. At the end of the day your life is your responsibility and no one else's. Quit giving control away to everyone else, take responsibility and empower yourself to change your life. Your marriage, your family, your health, your wealth, your career, your retirement, your church and your relationship with God are your responsibility! The consequence of Jonah's refusal was of course he was viciously consumed by a great white shark. We know this because Scripture tells us that he was swallowed by a great fish. First a whale is not a fish and second there are only a couple of sharks (which are fish) big enough to eat a man whole (and whale sharks are not man eaters). This is not just my irrational shark phobia talking, it's Bible truth!

Now in Chapter 2 he comes to his senses and prays for God's salvation. God then causes that perfect killing machine to 'deposit' him on the shore. In Chapter 3 he begrudgingly goes to the city of Ninevah to warn them of the impending judgment. They repent and God relents but that isn't the end of the story. In Chapter 4 we see Jonah perched on a hill waiting to see the Ninevites get theirs. When they don't he becomes angry because, and get this, God is compassionate and slow to anger. Of all the things to get mad about?!? To teach him a lesson God makes a plant to grow to provide shade for Jonah. Later God kills the plant and Jonah pitches a fit worthy of a 2 year old in Walmart. The problem is now Jonah is trying to take upon himself the responsibility that belongs to God. God is mankind's judge, not Jonah. We worry so much about things that aren't ours to worry about. We become so critical of people for decisions that are not ours to make. At the end of the day it is really an issue of trust. Do we trust a perfect God to take care of us and work through imperfect people?

I want to leave you with 2 thoughts -

1. Whatever you are facing you don't have to do it alone. If you are willing God is faithful every step of the way.
2. Others are depending on you. Jonah's choices affected both his fellow passengers and the 120,000 residents of Ninevah.

...and 2 questions -

1.  What is that one thing that needs to be done to move you forward in your family, your career and/or your relationship with God?
2. What responsibilities are you carrying right now that don’t belong to you?

 It's your life and you are in charge!

Lessons I've Learned While Mowing My Lawn.

I recently asked our ministry team a question -

“What’s the difference between maintenance, momentum and moving forward?”

I received several great responses. Here are the highlights -

• Maintenance - the ongoing energy required to keep things functioning at the current levels.
• Momentum - the residual energy from previous efforts.
• Moving Forward - the intentional energy needed to raise the bar to a higher level.

The 2nd Law of Thermodynamics basically states that things left unattended tend to degrade. That means that we have to work just to keep the status quo. Let’s look at a simple example -

I mow my lawn 2-3 times each month in the summer. After a couple of weeks you can’t tell that I did anything. A couple of weeks later the place looks like a jungle. Let it go any longer and kids start to go missing. You have to work just to stay were you are at. It’s called ‘maintenance’. Now the first cut of the year always seems to take a little longer. I have to pick up branches that fell over the winter, spread fresh mulch and fertilizer and just to be honest I put off that first cut as long as possible. After that initial cut it gets easier as long as I stay on top of it. That’s called ‘momentum’. You are riding the wave of your past work. Momentum is a funny thing - it makes you look better than you really are when it is headed the right direction and worse than you really are when it’s against you. Here’s the deal, you can only ride it for so long before it starts to lose its effectiveness. Now if I want to get my yard ‘moving forward’ that’s a whole different deal altogether. I’ve got to come up with a plan, round up the troops, invest in some additional resources and get to work. A nice fire pit in the backyard would be a great addition to our home and a wonderful place to hang out with family and friends. No amount of maintenance or momentum is going to make that happen.

If we want to get our lives moving forward then it is going to take an intentional and additional effort compared to what we are currently doing. It’s the old adage, ‘you get out of life what you put into it.’ After I received all the responses I shot back a follow up email -

So which are you doing in -

Your walk with God?
Your marriage?
Your family?
Your ministry?
Your health?
Your wealth?

No response necessary but I would highly encourage you to wrestle with the answers for yourself.

You may find it to be a worthwhile exercise. I believe that God has great things in store for you. Jacob had to wrestle for his blessing (Genesis 32) and you might have to as well.

“The reason most people do not recognize an opportunity when they meet it is because it usually goes around wearing overalls and looking like Hard Work.” - Henry Dodd

Parenting 101

First let me state for the record that I am not an expert when it comes to parenting. I have made my fair share of mistakes and am so thankful for God's (and my kids') grace. I do however have some personal experience and as a former youth pastor years of observing what works and what doesn't.

# 1 - Quit raising kids and start raising adults. I’m not suggesting that we rob them of their childhood and expect 6 year olds to act like 60 year olds. We do, however, keep our eyes on the goal which is to prepare them to be successful members of society. If they can’t make good and Godly decisions on their own by the time they are 17-18 we have failed them. That doesn’t mean that they don’t appreciate our wisdom and experience it just means we have trained them well and instilled in them the confidence that they need to succeed. That means we need to let them make mistakes (within reason) and accept responsibility for the outcomes. If you will be their parent when they are children then you get to be their friend when they are adults. If you choose to be their friend when they are children then you have to be their parent when they are adults.

# 2 - Invest in their walk with God. Get them involved in church - not just attending but participating and serving. Studies indicate that 80% of church going kids walk away from God when they move out of the house. But for kids who had a meaningful role in the church 80% of them remained. Get them serving somehow, somewhere and the sooner the better. Teens need to find own relationship with God and not just their parents. Send them to conferences, on mission trips, etc. and PLEASE don’t punish them by grounding them from church.

# 3 - Help them to discover their calling in Christ. God has a plan and a purpose for every person, not just those in professional ministry. We need Christian doctors and teachers and mechanics and business owners just as we need pastors, missionaries, etc. They need to know that success in life is fulfilling what God created them to be and to do.

# 4 - Teach them that the world doesn’t revolve around them. Because it doesn’t. If they have to discover that after 18 years of being told otherwise it’s going to hurt. I’ve seen too many kids blindsided by college professors and first bosses with the harsh reality of life. Get them volunteering in their church and community on a regular basis.

# 5 - Train them to fight their own battles. Obviously they need to know that we are there for them and we need to intervene at age appropriate moments. You won’t always be there for them and if they can’t stand up for what is right on their own they are in trouble. If we step in or let them quit at the first sign of trouble how are they ever going to make a marriage work?

# 6 - Be the person you want them to become. ‘Do as I say not as I do’ just doesn’t work. Model the attitudes and actions you want them to have. Let me say it another way. Deal with your own issues so they don’t have to. Blond hair, blue eyes and high cholesterol aren’t the only things we pass along.

# 7 - Finally, pray, pray and pray some more. I believe that God can and does make all the difference in the world.

“Train up a child in the way he should go, even when he is old he will not depart from it.” - Proverbs 22:6 NASB