What a Jerk!

So the other day I’m driving through the Nantahala Gorge on my way to my parent’s house. For those of you who don’t have the privilege of calling Western North Carolina home let me paint a picture for you. The two lane road winds through the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains along the banks of the Nantahala River. In the summer months both the road and the river are full of tourists and locals alike eager to experience the adventure the white water has to offer. It’s not uncommon to see skillful anglers waiting for a wary rainbow trout to hit their expertly presented fly. One of the best ways to take in the sights and the sounds is in an open air passenger car aboard the Great Smoky Mountains Railway. Needless to say it is a beautiful drive, but not the best route if you need to get somewhere in a hurry.

So as I’m navigating the twists and turns I notice a vehicle quickly approaching in my rear view mirror. There are several places to pull off to let others pass and I’m inclined to use them (and so should everyone else). I will state for the record that I was driving the speed limit plus 5. After all this is ‘Merica! Apparently this guy fancies himself a budding NASCAR driver because he was drafting me like Talladega Nights. Before I came to a place to let him pass he crossed the double yellow line and blasted by. What a knucklehead.

Of course since I’m a pastor my immediate response was to pray for him, speak blessings over his family and extend unconditional forgiveness… or not. I felt my blood pressure rising. Where did he need to go in such a hurry?! Who was he to put me and everyone else on the road in danger?! Why did he think that he was above the law?! NC’s finest often patrol this stretch of road. I could picture him pulled over, blue lights flashing, the bead of sweat forming on his brow as he calculated the cost as ‘the man’ handed him his well-deserved ticket. I should probably call *HP and get this menace to society off of the streets. After all it’s my civic duty. I owe it to every other law abiding citizen out there.

Except that I was speeding too. And it’s not my job to enforce the law. And I’m sure the guy in the other car hasn’t given it another thought. I’m the one wound up. I’m the one frustrated. What a jerk. Not him - ME! I let someone else into my head, into my heart and gave him the power to determine my state of being. So I had this thought… what if I didn’t care anymore? I’m not talking about people or important things but stuff that I have absolutely no control over. In reality this guy didn’t do anything to me. I wasn’t delayed, I didn’t wreck, we didn’t exchange communiqué via sign language.

What if I focused ONLY on the things that God has given me responsibility for and COMPLETELY trusted Him with EVERYTHING else? My guess is I’d definitely enjoy life’s scenic drives a lot more. I suppose you would too.

Why I quit going to church.

God’s presence has been incredible lately at LifeWay. I’m not talking about better than usual, but like at a whole new level. Worship is amazing, lives are being changed and people are getting saved every week. I love it! I’m not saying that to brag on us but rather to brag on Him and to ask a question…

What changed?

I think we changed. Scripture clearly states that God didn’t.

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” - Hebrews 13:8 NIV

We started this year by calling our church to a 21 day fast and many people responded in faith. I believe that with our physical hunger came a deeper spiritual hunger for God. We came to church expectant and I believe placed a greater demand on the Holy Spirit.

“Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own town, among his relatives and in his own home.” He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them. He was amazed at their lack of faith.” - Mark 6:4-6 NIV

It absolutely amazes me that the Bible states that the very Son of God could not (COULD NOT!) do many miracles because of their lack of faith. I think a lot of people show up at church on Sunday because that’s what they do every Sunday (which is not a bad thing). The rub is that our focus is on what we do rather than who we are. Heart always trumps habit. We can either wake up and go through our routine OR we can stop, recognize that we are getting ready to gather together with the Body of Christ (the hope of glory) in the very presence of the Creator of heaven and earth. Anything and everything is possible! How we approach Him makes all the difference in how He approaches us.

Dollars & Sense

Most people have more month than they do money. Every year they fall just a little further behind, working harder and longer and still not making any headway. Without a plan for life’s emergencies they make it from paycheck to paycheck with a little help from their plastic ‘friend’. They delude themselves into thinking that things are going to change (without making a change) and their plans for the future involve little more than wishful thinking. If it’s not working for most people then maybe we should consider a different approach.

Sound fiscal management isn’t rocket science but it does require a purposeful approach. In a nutshell here is God’s plan to win with money -

1. Measure - You have to know what’s coming in, what’s going out and where from/to. Every dollar needs to be accounted for.

“Be sure you know the condition of your flocks, give careful attention to your herds; for riches do not endure forever, and a crown is not secure for all generations.” - Proverbs 27:23 NIV

2. Manage - You need to give every dollar an assignment. Instead of asking ‘where your money went?’ it’s time to tell it ‘where to go’. This is where the tide turns. This is where you take control of your financial future and make a change that makes a change. If you don’t want to be like everyone else then you can’t do like everyone else. You must choose to go against the grain, live beneath your means and free yourself from the bondage of debt.

“The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender.” - Proverbs 22:7 NIV

3. Multiply - You’ve worked hard for your money. Now it’s time for it to work just as hard for you. There are a number of different ways to invest (business, stocks, real estate, etc.) but the first investment you should make is in educating yourself. This is not about making a quick buck but about systematic sowing and reaping.

“Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.” - 2 Corinthians 9:10-11 NIV

The reason most people struggle with money is not an issue of education or even economics, the real issue is Lordship. See money has a way of getting its hooks in our hearts like few other things.

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness! No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” - Matthew 6:19-24 NIV

The best advice I can give you in keeping a right relationship with money is to actively cultivate your own generosity.

“One person gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty. A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.” - Proverbs 11:24-25 NIV

Making your money count for more than just yourself is a great investment and pays dividends in both this life and the next. After all, ‘what comes around goes around’.

The Anatomy of an Apology

Last time I checked there has only ever been exactly one single solitary individual to walk the face of this earth without sinning. I promise it isn't me and I'm fairly certain it's not you either. We drop the ball, we miss the mark, we make mistakes. Face it, we sin. It's part of living in a fallen world. But that isn't an excuse and doesn't absolve us of the responsibility of our actions and/or inactions. We should own up, fess up when we mess up, and apologize. It's interesting how most people mentally agree that everyone fails but the same people who claim to 'not be perfect' act as though they are. They make excuses, rationalize why the behavior of others or the situation justifies them and flat refuse to admit their guilt. It's' crazy.

"Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." - Romans 12:17-21

I think as Christians we ought to be the first to step up, humble ourselves, accept responsibility and ask for forgiveness. When we have come up short so to speak, unintentionally or otherwise, this is how we should respond -

1. Recognize that you have wronged, offended and/or hurt someone else. That's all that matters at this point. This is where being sensitive to the voice of the Holy Spirit is vital. Guilt is good because it leads us back to God, shame is bad because it causes us to withdraw and hide.
2. Repent before God. The sooner the better! Many view repentance only in terms of our initial salvation experience. I believe it should be a hallmark of our lives as believers. God says IF we will confess our sins He WILL forgive them.
3. Pray for peace. In impossible situations God can do amazing things. He can soften the hardest heart and open the door for difficult discussions.
4. Ask for forgiveness. It may be semantics but I rarely if ever say 'I'm sorry'. If you look at the true meaning of the word you are literally saying 'I am a worthless' and regardless of how bad I've screwed up I'm not worthless. My recommendation is that you say, "I apologize for ???, will you forgive me?" One is a statement and the other a question. It requires a response and empowers the other person in the situation. If you don't think it matters just see which one is harder to say.
5. Make amends if possible. If our heart is truly grieved for hurting someone else it is appropriate and right for us to fix what we can. As for what we can't... thank God for grace! For instance - 'I accidentally ran over your mailbox repeatedly. Will you forgive me? Can I replace it for you?'

I think it's safe to say that forgiveness is a BIG DEAL with God so it should be a big deal to us as well. If God cares about something we should too.

 “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift." - Matthew 5:23-24

Attaboy!

As I have grown in my walk with the Lord I have matured in my expectations and perspective. I appreciate the input that my pastor has had in my life. Early in ministry when I encountered a 'word' from the Lord or had some fresh revelation I assumed that if God was speaking to me then He must be speaking to everyone. With much grace and good advice he was able to temper my enthusiasm. See just like infants progress into toddlers, into children, into adolescents, into teenagers into young adults we as Christians go through (or at least we should) a similar spiritual progression.

For instance I used to long for the day when I hear God say, "well done good and faithful servant" (Matthew 25) but now after a couple of decades of following Christ I've raised my expectations. When all is said and done, when I have finished the race that God has given me to run I hope to hear Him say, "This is my son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased" (Matthew 17).

There are a few questions in life that must be answered and how we answer them impacts everything.

1. Who is God?
2. How does God see me?
3. Who am I living to please?

There was a time in my life when I only saw myself as a servant, but now I see myself as a son. Makes sense when you read the following passage -

“Now I say, as long as the heir is a child, he does not differ at all from a slave although he is owner of everything, but he is under guardians and managers until the date set by the father. So also we, while we were children, were held in bondage under the elemental things of the world. But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God.” - Galatians 4:1-7

See both a servant and a son desire to do well and be commended, but each work from a different motivation. One from a sense of duty or obligation and the other because of relationship. It is different working for a company than it is in the family business. When it comes to the Kingdom we are more than just people punching a clock, we are fully invested stakeholders!

"For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends." - 2 Corinthians 10:18

My prayer is that you are able to see yourself as God sees you, not with arrogance but with humble confidence!

In Victory and Defeat.

So I watched a great football game last night. Both teams came to play and fought tooth and nail until the very end. I love watching games that keep you on the edge of your seat and come down to the last few plays. Down by 6 points and in possession of the ball the QB hurled what could have been the game winning pass into the end zone. As the ball hung in the air the cornerback leaped and spun just in time to get a single hand on it. It proved to be just enough to deflect the pass into the hands of a nearby teammate. Game over. Done. Finished. He had single handedly sealed the fate of two teams. His team headed for the Super Bowl and their opponents to the locker room. He was a hero.

But in the heat of the moment he felt the need to antagonize the other player. After incurring a personal foul he kept digging during a post-game interview. It was pitiful to watch. In what should have been a moment of triumph he suffered personal defeat. He rose to the occasion as an athlete, but sank in the moment as a man.

It reminds me of another account of pride found in Scripture -

^“Uzziah was sixteen years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem fifty-two years. His mother’s name was Jekoliah; she was from Jerusalem. He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, just as his father Amaziah had done. He sought God during the days of Zechariah, who instructed him in the fear of God. As long as he sought the Lord, God gave him success… But after Uzziah became powerful, his pride led to his downfall. He was unfaithful to the Lord his God, and entered the temple of the Lord to burn incense on the altar of incense… Uzziah, who had a censer in his hand ready to burn incense, became angry. While he was raging at the priests in their presence before the incense altar in the Lord’s temple, leprosy broke out on his forehead… King Uzziah had leprosy until the day he died. He lived in a separate house—leprous, and banned from the temple of the Lord. Jotham his son had charge of the palace and governed the people of the land.” - 2 Chronicles 26:3-21 (NIV)

Pride is like leprosy of the soul. Humility is not a sign of weakness, but rather of inner strength and character. True humility is being secure in who you are and compassionate to those around you. God wants us to be confident, not arrogant, in both victory and defeat.

A Fast To Put God First

Our church is in the middle of a 21 day Fast To Put God First in 2014. Fasting is a mostly misunderstood and often underutilized tool in our Christian journey and I wanted to share a few thoughts regarding the subject -

1. First it is not a diet because the primary goal is spiritual and not physical.
2. It is not strong-arming or manipulating God. Cut to the two year old throwing a tantrum in the Walmart checkout because he wants a candy bar.
3. It is not punishing ourselves or even sacrificing for the sake of sacrificing. You need to fast with wisdom and people with medical conditions or taking certain medications should talk with their doctor (sounds like a pharmaceutical commercial). Remember that God is not asking you to hurt yourself.
4. Fasting is a conscious choice to sacrifice something for a specific period of time in order to focus on something else.
5. It is aligning our spirit, soul and body in the right priority and choosing to put God first - see Matthew 6:33.
6. Fasting is not about bondage, it's about freedom.
7. A true fast is not just about what you don't do, it is just as much about what you do. Take a look at Isaiah 58 for more details.

If you've never fasted you really ought to try it. You might have a bunch of questions like 'What do I fast?', 'For how long?', 'When should I start?'. Why don't you just ask God? Start small, start where you are at but the most important thing is just starting. After all Jesus said "When you fast..." not if you fast (Matthew 6:16-18).

If you want more info there are some great books available and Campus Crusade for Christ has some really helpful online resources HERE.