Here's a Thought

I will go ahead and warn you. Most of these blog posts will probably be about Christmas over the next few days. I take a chance with this approach. Most people are already tired of hearing Christmas Carols. However, I will try to keep a fresh perspective for you.

We see a babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger, and we know we are loved. Is there every any question about that? We hear Jesus talking about God loving the world so much that He sent His Son, we look back into the narrative to see Him being held in His mother's arms, and we believe this wholeheartedly. When does this change? How is it that our view of the love of God gets so distorted by the time Jesus gets to the Cross, then magically readjusts after the resurrection? Am I the only person that ever asks these kinds of question?

Personally, I believe that someone or something has convinced us to look at these events differently. Somehow we swing back and forth in our understanding. We see we are loved, we believe God is angry with us, and then we are loved again. Back and forth. Side to side. We struggle to grasp the understanding that there is nothing that Jesus does or endures that does not proceed from the heart of the Father.
In His birth - you are loved.
In His crucifixion - you are loved.
In His burial - you are loved.
In His resurrection - you are loved.
In His ascension - you are loved.
In His being seated at the right hand of the Father - you are loved.
How is it that we can go through this season thinking anything different? The birth of Jesus was proclaimed as Good News for the entire world. A Savior had come. The Anointed One had arrived. Peace and good tidings will flow.

I really don't want to spend a lot of time focusing on what could have caused us to think differently. I simply want to stir you to think for yourself. I want you to determine that you will not allow anything or anybody to convince you otherwise. You have been, are, and will be loved by your Heavenly Father. The Cross demonstrates, according to Paul, that God loves us. That He was willing to endure the hostility of sinful man. That He humbled Himself, to the point of dying on a Cross, so we would be redeemed, rescued, reconciled, and restored.

The birth of Jesus is a moment in time. Much like many others moments. It points us to a greater reality. It demonstrates the lengths that the Father was willing to go to in order for us to be saved. His birth, His ministry, His death, His resurrection - all ways in which the Father has put Himself on display. All means of convincing us of His heart. All a part of the Father's plan to restore humanity.

Take some time during this season to reflect upon these truths for yourself. Don't allow the story of His birth to become commonplace. His arrival signified the beginning of a new creation. The world would not be the same. Drink in every moment. Bask in the Father's goodness. See the hope of the world lying in a manger. And give thanks to the Father for this indescribable gift.

"God became a man. While the creatures of the earth walked unaware, Divinity arrived. Heaven opened herself and placed her most precious one in a human womb.

The Omnipotent, in one instant, made Himself breakable. He who has been spirit became pierceable. He who was larger than the universe became an embryo. And He who sustains the world with a word chose to be dependent upon the nourishment of a young girl...

God had come near.

He came, not as a flash of light or as an unapproachable conquerer, but as one whose first cries were heard by a peasant girl and a sleepy carpenter. The hands that first held him were unmanicured, calloused, and dirty.

No silk. No ivory. No hype. No party. No hoopla.

Were it not for shepherds, there would have been no reception. And were it not for a group of stargazers, there would have been no gifts."

- God Came Near - Max Lucado

Mankind was my Business...

'Tis the Season. I'm reading Charles Dickens, "A Christmas Carol." I tend to watch at least one of the renditions of this classic. This is my first time actually reading it. This story is full of so many wonderful quotes and statements. Today, I'm sharing one that jumped out of the pages. I pray that your heart will be moved as well.

As you look to the picture to the left you will see the quote that captured my heart this morning. The thought behind such a statement is incredible. Of all the things a departed soul could grieve, how he had mistreated his fellow man weighed heavy upon him. I understand that this is a work of fiction. I realize that many of us don't believe in ghosts and spirits (at least not in the way they are portrayed in this story). However, if we could hear from those who had gone on before us, what would they lament? In the end, what do we want our lives bear witness to?

Immediately my mind went to John's letter to the early church. He basically asks the question: "How can we love God whom we have not seen, and hate our brother whom we have seen?" That's some heavy stuff. We worship an invisible God. We give ourselves to Him. We love and adore Him. We give money in His name. And...yet...there are those all around us each and every day, people made in His image and likeness, that we neglect. What if mankind was our business? What if benevolence, charity, forgiveness, and mercy where the major players in our lives?

When Jesus was asked about the greatest commandment. His response was very simple. In a nutshell: Love God - Love Others. He linked the great thrust of the 10 Commandments. He placed equal value between our love for our Father and love for our fellow man. A radical shift in the way the religious mindset operates. In religion we feel justified in holding contempt toward others. We feel righteous in our judgement. Confident that our separation from the world gives us the right to treat people as we please. Jesus, on the other hand, would disagree. He would say that our love for God is proven through our love for our fellow man. To love one another is the very thing that proves to the world that we really are His disciples. That we would turn our affections for our Heavenly Father into service towards our brothers and sisters. Think about it. When Jesus talks about those positioned at his right and hand and his left, he speaks of those who neglected to provide food when He was hungry, refreshment when He was thirsty, shelter when He was a stranger, clothing when He was naked, care when He was sick, and/or companionship when He was suffering. When they asked when this took place He replied, "When you did it not, to least of these My brethren, you did it not unto Me."

Please understand where I am coming from. I'm not saying that your acts of kindness/service are what gives you merit before the Father. What I am saying is that they demonstrate to the Father that you are walking in the same love that He walked in with us. That we are willing to immerse ourselves into the lives of others. To give without expecting anything in return. To love the "unlovable", to show mercy, and compassion. That we will hear the cries of the desperate, meet the needs of the impoverished, and share of our resources. This is not something that is simply regulated to the rich. Many of the disciples within the early church did not have great possessions. They simply shared what they had, having all things in common.

At the end of the day, what we do in our trades/vocations is of little consequence compared with what we do in the business of mankind. Of course we have the ability to make comfortable lives for ourselves and our families. We have the means to acquire more. We can possess the houses, the vehicles, and the goods that our economy offers. The question remains whether or not we will share the harvest that we have received. Will we take some of the comfort that we have received to comfort others? We will provide a helping hand? We will come alongside the hurting?

As Scrooge watches Marley's spirit disappear in the darkness, he sees others who are in chains themselves. Varying degrees of weights based upon the person who forged them. He heard one of the spirits cry out because he was unable to help a young lady with a toddler below him. So much remorse and regret. So much pain because they didn't take the time to do something that was so simple in this life. And it really is simple.

Personally, I'm grateful that our Father has made it so simple. "Do justly (what is right), love mercy, and walk humbly with your God." He's not looking for grand expressions. It doesn't even have to be seen from the masses. In fact, Jesus taught us that it was better if it was done in secret because that is when we are rewarded openly. No, the reality is that there is an estimated 7.? billion people on this blue/green globe. All made in the image and likeness of our Heavenly Father. All with various needs. Some people are just looking for a friend. Some need financial assistance. Others need someone who can help cut the grass, rake leaves, cut firewood. Many just need a shoulder to lean on and someone to talk to. I'm not here to prescribe the method. I'm simply here to say that we need to open our eyes to the people around us. As we look to our Heavenly Father for wisdom, provision, and guidance; may we also look to Him for the opportunities that walk by us each and every day. Yes, mankind is our business. The common welfare. Charity, mercy, forbearance, benevolence. It's all our business.

This is a season where many of our hearts are open to those around us. We finally see one another as fellow travelers on the same journey. Let us not take for granted the moment in which we live. Give a meal, a hug, a smile, a kind word, and even some money. Allow your kindness to be a drop in the ocean of eternity. See the ripple that it creates. Watch in awe as the Father displays His goodness through you for all the world to see. You may, in fact, give someone the merriest Christmas they have ever experienced. Just don't let it stop here. You can be a gift that keeps on giving the whole year through. And why not? Our Father has chosen to be that gift to us.

Enjoy the journey!

Faith is...

Faith is...

We make this statement with such confidence. We define something that is often hard to define. Faith is a belief to be sure. However, faith is so much deeper, richer, and more intriguing. Many have viewed faith as a creative force. That what you believe comes into existence. But according to what I read in Hebrews 11, and the following chapters, faith believes in what already is. What has already been created. A reality that I am meant to walk in and step into.

I read through these chapters this morning. I was struck by the seamless flow. They are not like the chapters of a book that discuss different themes. They are the flow of a letter that means to bring the reader to a specific place. A place of trust, of rest, and complete confidence. The letter to the Hebrews was written as an encouragement to a persecuted church. A tool to build up the believers. A reminder of the finished work of Christ with all of its accomplishments.

Jesus is the central figure in the letter. His atoning death the main theme. His Lordship our confidence. As we begin to trust in all that Jesus has accomplished, we come into absolute assurance. We are moved by faith into a realm of things that are unseen. A confident expectation that everything the Father had purposed from the beginning will continue to take place. We don't need faith to create better situations. We walk in faith so that we may see the things for which we hope. So we don't give up in the journey. So we will not lose heart.

To be sure, the Early Church had its struggles. The persecution they faced was unreal. Part of the encouragement that we read focuses us upon the faith of those who have gone on before. Those who trusted the will and heart of God despite difficult circumstances. There are those who had no physical reason to hope. Some who had to believe that God could raise the dead. Others who trusted Him in spite of death. They were assured that even though they had not seen it in this lifetime, there was life after this life. A confident expectation that their last breath in this world meant a quickening breath in the next.

Too often our circumstances get the better of us. This is especially true when we have "trusted" for the same thing over and over again. Or maybe we continue to be hurt by people even though we have believed that we are walking with the Father in relationships. Regardless of the situation, I encourage you to change your focus. To fix your gaze, as the writer of Hebrews does, upon Jesus. He is the Author and Finisher of Faith. And what He started in you, He will complete. Look at what He endured. The difficulty that He would have to press through. Why? Because of the joy that was set before Him.

Have you ever considered that Jesus could have given up? Have you ever thought that He could have said at any moment that it wasn't worth it. That we were not worth it? And yet He kept going. He trusted in the Father's love. He believed, wholeheartedly, that what He was doing mattered. That the Father would redeem, rescue, and reconcile. That He would become the firstborn among many brethren. He offered Himself to this mission. He gave Himself for our good. This is Jesus. He is your encouragement through the difficulties. He is your joy in the celebrations. He continually moves you, through His Spirit, into a place of rest in Him. He creates an environment of trust in your heart. A confidence that will not be shaken.

Faith is not an emotion, even though it stirs our emotions. It moves us beyond circumstances. It creates endurance and cultivates discipline. It reminds us to trust in the words the Lord has spoken over our lives. It is the reality in which we dwell. A place where the unseen is tangible. Where Heaven kisses Earth (as Ray Hughes would say) and we get caught in the smack.

It's one thing to say we believe in Jesus in the midst of everything. Faith moves us beyond that and says "I will live in its reality. I will continue to walk towards the Lord in spite of it all. Why? Because my hope is built on nothing less. I trust. I rest. I am confident that He is for me, not against me. There is nothing that can separate me from His love."

This journey (as with any journey) is filled with ups and downs. There will be winding turns and straight paths. There will be moments of exhilaration and exhaustion. Place your anchor beyond the veil of what is seen. Continue to hope. Never lose heart. As Journey would sing, "Don't Stop Believing..."

Refresh

Refresh - give new strength or energy to; reinvigorate.
- an act or function of updating the display on a screen.

Several years ago I read "The Shack" by William P. Young. It was, I believe, a definite God moment in my life. My experience of the Lord during that time was incredible. I often re-read the book. It reminds me of so many simply truths. A way to refresh. A couple of weeks ago, a friend of ours gave us the audio of the book. Listening to the reading brought me back to that place of refreshment. A way of updating what I was seeing. Giving me new strength and energy. Reinvigorating me for the journey.

I listened to an interview that Paul Young did for a radio station. The D.J. made an interesting observation. He said that the reason he wanted to bring Young back onto the program is because he hadn't read anything with such spiritual healing in it in over 15 years. I have to agree. The Lord used this book in the lives of so many people. Healing, Forgiveness, Restoration - all stories associated with what the Lord has done in the lives of those willing to go to The Shack.

My question: Why?
We have the Church. We have the Bible. We have the proclamation of the Gospel so accessible to our lives. What is this need for spiritual healing?

There are so many people who don't want to approach this topic. They would rather give themselves to the system. Continue to go through the rituals. Continue to fight the same battles over and over again. Why? Because they don't know any better. They are ignorant of the light and life of Jesus in a practical sense. They have yet to discover the abundant life that He provides, even though many profess faith in Him. Which makes me want to probe a little deeper. What have we missed along the way? How did Paul Young capture something so beautiful in the relationship of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit?

While I don't have the perfect answer, I can give you my insight. I believe what Young captured was the essence of relationship. A view of the relationship between the Godhead that religion has yet to provide. A relationship that we need to understand, appreciate, and appropriate in our own lives. Much of Western Christianity has missed this. We put our understanding of God into a system. A hierarchy. A view of God that must be satisfied before we can obtain peace. What The Shack presented was a God that was very much at home in relationship. A Father who was completely satisfied with the offering of His Son. An offering that was freely given to redeem humanity. A God that will go to any lengths to reach His creation.

Which brings me to why I am writing this blog today. I needed to refresh. I didn't realize it at the time but my "display" (what I was seeing) needed to be updated. I had allowed so many circumstances, negative emotions and thoughts, to consume me. Pain has a way of doing just that. Almost unexpectedly we get lost in the journey. Find ourselves sinking in the water rather than walking on the waves. Taking our eyes off of Jesus. Focusing upon our doubts and fears. All the while, Jesus stands there patiently. Extending His hand. Ensuring us of His presence. Ready to restore.

What has your attention these days? Do you need to refresh?
I'm not here to get you to "DO" something. I'm simply here to remind you that He is always in the midst of the journey. Good or bad. Fun or difficult. In excitement or enduring. He doesn't step our of the room. He never leaves us or forsakes us. He does require our attention though. We do need the occasional readjustment in our thinking. That is what I hope to accomplish today. To give you a bit of a nudge in the right direction.

"You... were created to be loved. So for you to live as if you were unloved is a limitation, not the other way around... Living unloved is like clipping a bird's wing and removing its ability to fly... A bird is not defined by being grounded but by his ability to fly. Remember this, humans are defined not by their limitations, but by the intentions I have for them; not by what they seem to be, but by everything it means to be created in my image. Love is NOT the limitation; love is the flying. I AM love." - William P. Young - The Shack

Find yourself in Him. Enjoy the awareness of His goodness and love. The journey continues.

Koinonia ~ The Distinguishing Mark

Let's start this morning off with the Amplified Version of 1 John 1:3. I am going to give you the transliterated Greek word for fellowship. I want you to see and hear the beauty of this verse. "What we have seen and heard we also proclaim to you, so that you too may have koinonia [as partners] with us. And indeed our koinonia [which is a distinguishing mark of born-again believers] is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ."

Over the last few days, I have been really focused on relationship. It could be a carry over from the Thanksgiving holiday, but I really believe it's what the Lord is enriching in my life. What does it mean to be in relationship with God? What does it mean to be in relationship with one another? I have talked about koinonia several times within this blog, but I often wonder how many of us understand the wonder of this way of life. How many of us can boldly proclaim with John that our fellowship is with the Father and the Son?

Since we believe that God has always existed as a triune being, this also means that we believe that He has always existed in relationship. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit have always dwelt in a circle of life, a relationship of self-giving, other-centered, love. When they created man in their own image and likeness, they were creating them with this relationship in mind. They wanted to share their life with us. Continually inviting humanity to walk in fellowship. Of course, we know that the first son (Adam) chose independence over relationship. Choosing to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil plunged humanity into darkness. They traded the image of the invisible God (to use a phrase from Paul) for the best images they could come up with. Relationship was replaced with ritual, tradition, and sacrifice. The voice of God reduced to commands. Liberty overtaken by legal requirements. It was until the Father sent another Son, whom Paul referred to as the Last Adam, that we could begin to see the true nature of our Heavenly Father and understand the beauty of relationship. Determined to rescue humanity from a life of missing the mark of their own creation, Jesus submitted Himself to our violence, cruelty, and misunderstanding of the nature of God. He gave His life to redeem, to reconcile, and to restore us back to the image and likeness we carried in the beginning.

Humanity has continued to struggle. We continue to find ourselves looking for a means to regain what was lost. We haven't completely dismissed what Jesus accomplished through His death, burial, resurrection, and ascension. However, we haven't fully appropriated it. We may not live under The Law anymore, but we still carry this image of God as the Great Rule Giver. Ritual, tradition, and sacrifice still play an important role in this. The voice of God has been reduced to a book, and our liberty as sons overtaken by legalism. Although humanity has been set free from this type of life, we have quickly reverted back to the darkened mindset of becoming like God through our own actions. Often falling short of the mark of genuine relationship.

If history has proven anything, it has proven that we like our systems. We like our way of seeing and doing. We easily replace the image of God with the best images we can come up with. And even though we are free to enjoy relationship with our Father, we find ourselves running and hiding from His voice. How do we break free from this vicious cycle? How do we keep from placing God within the confines of our own systems? I mean...we talk about relationship, but are we really experiencing the koinonia of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit?

John's words to the Early Church need to reverberate within our own spirits. We need our focus to be upon the relationship that God carries within Himself so that we may experience this relationship within ourselves. What does it mean to participate in this koinonia? The Amplified Version says that this is "the distinguishing mark" among us. Our fellowship. Our joint-participation. Our shared life with one another. This seemingly insignificant word carries so much weight. It's more than hanging out or having a potluck dinner. This type of fellowship carries with it the very essence of life that the Father enjoys within Himself. A life that we are invited to participate in fully.

It almost sounds too fantastic to be believed, yet it is the very thing that Jesus prayed would come to pass in our lives. "I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me." This fellowship, this koinonia, that John speaks of is the very thing that speaks volumes to an unbelieving world. It is the distinguishing mark that sets us apart. A way of life that invites people to experience self-giving, other-centered, love. The one thing that Jesus said would prove to the world that we really are His disciples.

How can we neglect this and expect the world to trust in the goodness of God? How can we continue to build our systems and structures and hope that they will be good enough? When we begin to experience the authentic life of relationship, share it with those around us, then we will begin to understand what we were created to enjoy all along. A life of unconditional love, unbridled joy, and unbelievable security. It doesn't mean we don't experience problems. It is not void of trials. And there are still a lot of growing pains. However, it is in this relationship with the Father and one another that we are learning the beauty of grace, mercy, forgiveness, and reconciliation. It is here where we discover the work of the Holy Spirit within us. Continually being conformed to the image of the Son. Discovering who He is and who we are in Him. Inviting others to participate with us.

It is my hope, my prayer, that the Church will once again discover the beauty and simplicity of this way of life. That we would rediscover the faith that was centered upon a table where we gather to share in the flesh and blood of Jesus. To know Him, to learn of Him, and to make Him known. That we would stop trying to build our own kingdoms and simply focus upon His. To extend the rule and reign of His dominion. To be fruitful, multiply, and fill the earth. That we would recapture the security of this relationship. That we would learn to enjoy life in Him once again. In Jesus I pray...

Thanksgiving 2015

I want to take a moment to wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving. May you enjoy the love of family and friends. May your heart overflow with thanksgiving for all the blessing you enjoy. May you know the Lord's presence in your gatherings.

Enjoy!

The Lord Your Stability

“I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.” 1 Tim. 2:1-2

I came across these verses (the one above & the one inset) when I was looking up Scripture pertaining to prayers for a nation. To be honest with you, I needed them. I got onto social media this morning and was frustrated with many of the posts that I saw from Christians. Calls for war, death, isolation, and the like flooded my news feed. Over and over again I see that patriotism often overrides the governing force of Holy Spirit in our lives. We often forget that the Lord knows the plans that He has for us.

Notice Paul's admonishment to Timothy. Pray. Pray for everyone. Pray for Kings and all those in authority. Why? So we can live peaceful and quiet lives. I realize that this goes against the American way of doing things. We have a voice and we know it. However, I still believe that the greatest weapon we possess is the power of prayer. Our steadfastness to trust the Lord and those whom we place in His care has always been the greatest testimony of the Church. We realize that everything doesn't always go our way (look at the early church), but we can still have confidence in the Lord's heart for us. We don't have to lead the battle cry against rulers. We don't need to sound the call to arms. We need to pray. We need to seek the Lord's will for our lives and the prosperity of our nation. We need to trust the leadership of the Lord in His model prayer, "On earth as it is in heaven..."

I would also encourage us to remember the verse from Isaiah 33:6, "He (speaking of the LORD) will be the stability of your times..." How quickly we forget that it is the Lord that sustains His creation. While I do not believe He controls everything, I do believe He is in charge. He has turned so much of this world over to us. However, in the end, He has a plan. There is a Kingdom that will manifest. There is a church that will rise up. There are sons yet to be revealed. We are the ones who should walk in unwavering confidence. Our Father does not need to micro-manage the world. In fact, I don't believe He does. He trusts what He has placed inside of us. All of us. And He leads, guides, and prompts us to allow His image and likeness to come forth.

These are difficult times. We do face threats that would have seemed foreign to us 20-30 years ago. However, I'm not ready to resign our nation or the world to the forces of evil in our day. Each generation has its difficulties to overcome. Each generation has a choice to make. While I do see a pendulum swing occurring in our nation, I want us to be careful in how we proceed. Especially when it concerns the church. How we handle things will determine the progress (or lack thereof) of the Kingdom.

I see so many people ready to take their stance. They are all to willing to be heard on one side or the other. Where do we stand concerning refugees? What is our take on ISIS? How do we respond to the tragedies like the one in Paris? So many people are quick to make their judgments based primarily upon their own sense of national pride and political agendas. How often do we actually ask the Lord what His heart is for these situations? I'm serious. Do we not believe that God has a thought or two about these things? Or do we simply believe He is on our side because He believes the same things we believe?

There is so much fear dominating the headlines and the reactions of our day. This is what fear does. It causes a reaction. Faith, on the other hand, creates a response. This is where we get to choose. We can either react to the fear that is going on in our own hearts or we can respond to the faith that we possess. Which will it be? I'm reminded of the story of Joshua drawing near to Jericho. It is here that he encountered a man with a sword in His hand. Joshua asked, "Are you for us or our enemies?" The Man responded, "No..." What an incredible answer. While we discover that Jericho was given to Israel, the Captain of the Hosts of the Lord was not there on behalf of a nation. He was there on the Lord's behalf. In other words, God had something invested in the furtherance of Israel.

What has the Father invested in us? How are we to respond to the current circumstances within our nation and around the world? Where do we find our stability?
In the Old Testament we find that God often revealed Himself in the way that Israel needed: Provision, Healing, Righteousness, Shepherd, etc. In our day, we need to rediscover the Lord Our Stability. The High Tower that we can run to. The Wisdom that we need. The Sure Foundation that we long for. If we are going to take a stance, He should be it. We should cry out with the psalmist, "Some trust in chariots. Others in horses. We trust in the Lord our God."

I don't know how it will all play out. I also realize that this is not a game. However, the Church needs to lead the cause for faith, not fear. We need to be a place of refuge in uncertain times. We don't need to further alienate or isolate. The Healing of the Nations lies within us. Making Disciples of the Nations is our call. We cannot lose our identity in all of this. The Lord has greater plans. He is our stability. We trust in nothing less. We believe that He is for us, not against us. He that began a good work in us will complete it.

This is the faith of our fathers. This is what the early church believed in the midst of severe persecution. This is what we have always trusted in. When the Lord is our stability, we can be stable in unstable times. Let us not lose heart. Let us stand fast in Him and continue to abound in His work in the earth. "May the Lord bless you and keep you. Cause His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you. May the Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace." I bless you in Jesus' name.

Stay Tuned...

If there is one thing that I have learned about trying to keep up a blog it's this: Life often takes over.

With that being said, I do hope to get back to a normal schedule next week. I appreciate those of you who stop by and read my posts. Thank you for your feedback and encouragement. Blogging has been a great way for me to put my thoughts down on virtual paper. A way to express what I think, feel, and what I am experiencing in my own journey. It's an opportunity I don't take lightly. The journey will continue. Until then I hope that you can continue to find some edification through the things that I have already posted. Personally, I revisit these subjects often in my own life.

May the Lord continue to reveal His goodness in your life. Talk with you soon.

The Offense of the Cross

Galatians 5:11, "But if I, brothers, still preach circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been removed."

When I consider the offense of the Cross, you have to understand how I think. The Cross is offensive for several reasons. It's offensive because of its brutality. Many people within Christendom have studied out the physical, mental, and emotional aspects of this type of death. Let's just say that we have nothing to compare it to today. The Cross is offensive because it runs against logical thinking. How could something so brutal, so tragic, and so misconstrued be the very thing that brings salvation to all mankind? The Cross is also offensive because it goes against the religious mindset. It proves once and for all that the hoops we have jumped through, the rituals we have performed, and even the sacrifices people have made were not enough. The Father has chosen once and for all that Jesus would be the perfect sacrifice. That His death upon the Cross would be the very thing that released us from the power of sin. That the Cross would be an enduring symbol of humanities cruelest intentions resulting in the Father's greatest good.

When Paul talks about the offense of the Cross to the church in Galatia, he is referring to the latter. He is letting this group of Gentile believers in on the incredible liberty brought to them through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. Circumcision may not seem like a big deal to us, but in those days (especially among the Jews) circumcision was the sign that you had been set apart. Circumcision was the enduring symbol of your rightness with God. The mark of your separation. The very thing that told the world that you were a true child of Abraham.

Imagine that you were to go to a church today and discover that in order to become a member that you had to be circumcised. Of course this means that you also have to imagine that circumcision wasn't the practice of Western culture. Imagine being 20, 30, 40, or much older and having to go through this ordeal just so you could be considered a true believer. There's a reason why we do this to our sons right after they are born. Much of the Gentile world (if not all of it) did not practice this when they sons came into the world. It would go against their cultural practices. However, there was something much bigger at stake. Jewish zealots, professing to be Christians, with letters from the early church leaders, were coming into the churches that Paul planted and telling these Gentile believers that they needed to do one more thing to be justified. They must be circumcised. This particular letter deals with the subject, and Paul doesn't mince words describing what needs to happen to these men.

Yes. The Cross is offensive in many ways. Especially toward our religious ways of thinking. The Cross lets us know that the Father and Son have done all of the heavy lifting. It reassures us that everything that needed to be done has been done. Tells us that "It Is Finished!" Reminds us that we can add nothing to what Jesus has accomplished, and that we dare not take anything away.

The Cross puts an end to sacrifice.
It puts an end to doing something to be justified.
Puts an end to the traditions of men.
And leads us into a life of faith, trust, and unbridled freedom in the Lord.

The Cross also reminds us of the price our Heavenly Father was willing to pay to redeem us. The demonstration of the Father's love for the world. The proof, if you will, that He would mine any depth, scale any height, and go to the greatest lengths to bring us back to Himself. The Cross also reminds us that we can get it so wrong. That we can absolutely miss what God is doing right in front of us. That we can kill the very thing that God has sent for our good.

While religion today embraces the Cross on the surface, I believe it struggles to accept the full reality of what the Cross has provided. So many believers are still living in a dual covenant. They "trust" in the Cross but lean heavily on the Law. The confess their faith in what Jesus has done, but struggle to live in the liberty that has been provided. We may not circumcise as a means of being justified, but we have our own lists. Many continue to judge on the outward appearance. Continue to hold to dietary restrictions (what you eat or drink). Continue to hold to form of godliness but deny the power thereof. Losing themselves in performance.

Personally, I embrace the offense of the Cross. There are some who will judge my freedom. Others that will judge my confidence in my identity in Christ. There will be people who scrutinize how I live out my relationship with the Father. They will do the same to you. I just wonder why we cannot seem to grasp the beauty of one of our old hymnals, "My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus blood and righteousness..."

Take some time today to reflect on the offense of the Cross. Be in awe of the Father's goodness towards you. Stand amazed at His ability to take one of the ugliest moments in human history and turn into one of the most glorious demonstrations of love. Hear the words, "Father, forgive them, they don't know what they are doing." Tremble in the shout of "IT IS FINISHED!" Feel the weight of the Father's heart for you and the entire world. And remind yourself that your Heavenly Father believed you were worth it.

May the Lord continue to reveal His unfailing love for you. May you experience His peace and presence today. May you trust whole-heartily in His faithfulness. May you never lose your wonder.

The Beauty of Knowing Who You Are

Sonship - relationship of Son To Father.

As we bring this week to a close, I want you to consider the beauty of knowing who you are. The Spirit of adoption that lives inside of us continually cries out "Abba, Father." Always guiding us in relationship. Always bringing our true identity to the surface. Always leading us in triumphal procession. The more we allow this to take root in our lives, our walk with God looks different. The confidence we carry, the awe that we experience, and the joy that we live in is remarkable. It's a wonderful thing.

As I opened the Bible app on my phone this morning, I was greeted with Galatians 5:1, "It was for freedom that Christ set us free, therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery." This is one of my favorite verses in all of Scripture. Today, I heard it just a little different. The Father wanted me to hear it from the perspective of a son.

You see, sons know the difference between servanthood and slavery. They know the difference between Lordship and dictatorship. It's called relationship. They know God as Father, and there is nothing that can be said or done to change that perception. They see themselves in relationship. Not outside looking in. Not wondering what it would be like to have intimacy. They recognize they have been invited to participate in the Trinitarian life. Blessed to be a part of the union.

Fear leads to bondage. Those who live in fear have not been made perfect in love. Scripture is very clear on this. We are called to live as sons because of the Spirit of adoption that dwells inside of us. It's not a spirit that pulls us back into fear. It's not a spirit that wants us to live in bondage. The Holy Spirit relates to the Father in the same way that Jesus related to Him. And we have been invited to participate.

Therefore, stand firm in your sonship. You don't have to submit to someone's misunderstandings about the nature of God. You can honor them, but you never have to surrender your privileges. You don't have to jump through their hoops, follow their traditions and rituals, or fall into their line of thinking. Honor them. Please honor them and where they are. But never forget who you are. Never lose sight of who you are becoming.

Standing firm is the work of grace in your life. You don't do this on your own. The grace of God gives you the confidence to live as a son of your Heavenly Father. You are not a hired servant. You are more than a bond-slave. John said, "Behold what manner of love we have been given that we should be called children of God." Don't underestimate your place in His heart. Enjoy the beauty of knowing who you are in Christ.

Have a wonderful weekend. Talk to you soon.

If You Are Going Through Hell...

Hopefully you have enjoyed the preview of the book I have been working on. "The Day I Stopped Trying" has taken quite a bit more time than I anticipated. There's grace for that. I hope to finalize the draft soon. Thank you for the encouragement to make this dream a reality.

As I was thinking about what I could share today, I was reminded of something I shared with our local high school football team. They have struggled this season. Still winless. A tough schedule ahead of them. And this quote came to mind. "If you are going through hell, keep going." I think this is exactly what the grace of God says to each one of us. Don't Stop! Don't Quit! Don't Give Up! There is more inside of you than you realize. There is no need to bow out now. Fight the good fight. Keep the faith.

One of the reasons people give up is because they only see how far they have to go. They fail to see how far they have come. As I said yesterday, this is a marathon not a sprint. There are some things in life that take time. The question remains if we will endure the process. When it comes to a difficult season in sports, it's hard to say when that first win will come. If you give up before the season is over, you may never experience the thrill of victory. When it comes to life, I cannot point to a mile marker. I cannot give you a predetermined place of success. All I can say is that if you stop reaching forward you will only experience what is in your present circumstances.

The Bible has a lot to say about the intestinal fortitude we need to keep going. Thankfully, this isn't done in our own power. The Lord has provided everything we need to keep going. To keep abounding in the work of the Lord. Think about these statements:
"Be steadfast, immovable, always abounding..."
"In the world you will have tribulation. Be of good cheer. I have overcome..."
"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." (Paul said this after talking about being hungry and full, having plenty and lacking)
"Let us not grow weary in well doing. We will reap if we do not faint."
"He who began a good work in you will complete it..."
"Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial..."
So much encouragement. So many reasons to never give up. Plenty of truth for the grace of God to bring to life in you. Just keep going.

I realize it can be tough. I understand that people will often let you down. Especially when you have determined in your heart to remain faithful to what God has placed within you. Some will reject you. Some will despise you. Is that any different than what Jesus experienced? Despised and rejected by men, He endured. Facing the execution tree, He gave Himself. The Bible actually tells us to consider all that He went through so that we do not lose heart. It was the joy set before Him that kept Him moving forward. Even in the face of death, He embraced the process. Believing that what He was doing would make a difference in the world.

The resurrection of Jesus from the dead gives us incredible hope. The same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead lives inside of you. What can He not resurrect? In what area of life can He not give hope? What could you possibly go through that He would not be able to overcome? You have to remain confident in Him. You have to trust that He is with you and will never forsake you. You have to believe that He's got this.

The world is full of people who gave up somewhere along the way. They allowed their circumstances to win. They tried the faith thing and it just didn't work out. I'm not questioning their hearts or their motives. I'm simply asking the question, "What if?" What if they would have allowed the grace of God to carry them through? What if they, like Paul, determined that the suffering of this present time is not worthy to be compared with the glory that would be revealed in them? I often wonder how close some people were to realizing their dreams before they gave up. If we could stand back and see from the Father's perspective - hear His voice - look at the timeline of life - what would we see. Some of them could have been days, weeks, or months away from what they hoped for. If they only kept moving forward.

This isn't easy. I get it. We just finished a race with our Cross Country team that taught me a lot about determination. The course was brutal. Most of the final times were at least 2 minutes off of a standard course. I'm not even sure that it would be considered a legal course under VHSL standards. The grades were long and steep. Footing was questionable in some places. As I stood at the 1 mile mark, I could see the agony in their faces. Just to get to this point required a lot of work. I told our top runner that he needed to be a warhorse rather than a racehorse. This one would be a battle. As they started the descent into the 2 mile portion of the race, I knew they had to loop back around to where I was standing. I decided to stay. They would need encouragement back up the hill. Some of the guys had to walk portions of that hill but they never gave up. I kept reminding them that the other side of the hill looks better. The finish line wan't far away and the majority of it was downhill. They gave me their best. Determined to never stop.

Several years ago I read the classic "Pilgrim's Progress." There is a scene in the book called the last difficulties. Christian (the main character) and Hopeful can see the Gate of the city. Between them is a river that must be crossed. Wading through the river would prove to be difficult. Christian, in particular, actually believes he will drown in the waters before entering the city. His faith was waning. The difficulty seemed too great. In that moment, Hopeful cries out, "Be of good cheer, my brother; I feel the bottom, and it is good." I love this statement. I feel the life that it produces. I feel the bottom and it is good. Oh, how we need the Hopefuls that will encourage us to keep going. The ones who, even if we are going through Hell, will let us know that it is just a season. That there is a place on the other side for us. Just Don't Quit! Keep Going! Don't Give Up!

"Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of His glory with great joy..." [Jude 1:24] If you are going through Hell, KEEP GOING. There's grace for this.

Preview 8 - "The Day I Stopped Trying"

I type out this blog post the day after doing some mechanical work on my daughter's car. Nothing too serious. I replaces a thermostat. Simple. Right?!? It's been years since I've done this. Like any well-intentioned Father, I looked it up on You Tube. I mean...anything you need to know how to do is on You Tube. Right? Anyway, I got it done. Sort of. Got the heater to working, but could not get the car to stop leaking anti-freeze. I called a friend who is a little more experienced in mechanics than I am. He checked over my work by taking it apart and putting it back together. Same problem. When I called for an update he said, "The good news is that it's not the gasket. The bad news is that the housing is cracked." Long story short, we got it fixed. All is right in the world.

This little event got me to thinking. (Imagine that!) I had the knowledge that I needed to fix the problem. She needed a new thermostat. With all of my effort, I took this knowledge and put it to work. And I sort of fixed the problem. Sort of. If it wasn't for a good friend, I would have spent hundreds of dollars on a mechanic. I needed someone who could look for things I couldn't see. Someone who could get to the root of the problem. Someone with experience.

The whole purpose of this book is not to say that I have all the answers. It's not to simply share with you my knowledge of the grace of God. No, this book is meant to share with you my experience of grace. To show you what life can look like with grace on the front end, rather than needing the grace on the back end. It's meant to change your focus. To understand that grace is meant to empower you, supply your needs, and keep you moving forward in life. Grace is more than just a clean-up crew. Grace is a game changer.

Knowledge isn't enough. It's one thing to know about the grace of God, and quite another to experience His grace in everyday life. There's grace for the mundane, and Grace for the extravagant. Grace for the little things, and Grace for the big stuff. I believe that it is our Father's intention to ensure that you have everything you need for life and godliness. In fact, He has already provided it. But knowing this is not enough. Repeating a bunch of verses will not suffice. At some point we have to put some skin in the game. We have to take action on what we believe. We have to trust the heart of our Father.

The Ability to Endure Hardships
The Apostle Paul discovered the grace of God in his weakness. So much so, that he was willing to boast of his weaknesses. What did he find? He found the strength to keep moving forward. He found the ability to overcome the thorn in the flesh. Rather than seeing the thorn removed, he was able to endure. This is what we find in the grace of God. Not a retreat, but an advancement into a greater existence. Power, life, perseverance, are in full supply.

The Ability to Overcome Temptation
"God will, with each temptation, make a way of escape."
Here's what you need to KNOW: Every temptation comes with an escape route.
This is not the same as enduring hardships. Those we press through. When it comes to temptation, there is a way to not be overtaken. When you settle in your mind and heart that every time you are tempted there is a way of escape, the grace of God will show you the way. While He never forces you, He will guide you. You just need to recognize it. You need to see it. You need to act upon it.

The Ability to Be Victorious
I saw one of those "cute" little church signs the other day that talked about exercise. "Walk with God and run from satan." I find it interesting that we are never told to run. Scripture tells us to resist. This is how grace works.
"Submit to God" - this is the whole of your being committed to Him. This is your thought life and your actions coming under His Lordship.
"Resist the devil" - rather than run, you stand fast. There's grace for this. Remember, you are fighting a defeated foe.
"He will flee" - in the grace of God, you don't run. He does.
Remember the words of John, "Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world." Greatness does not run.

The Ability to Get the Most Out of Life
Peter said that it is His divine power that has given us everything for life and godliness.
Jesus told his followers that they would experience abundant life.
The grace of God does not assure us green meadows, rainbows, and unicorns. However, it does assure us of the presence and power of the Lord in our lives. As we get acclimated to this way of life, we discover that consistency is the norm. We continually find ourselves living out of our identity in Christ.

One Final Word
I have heard people say, "Well...I have tried that and it didn't work." It's amazing to me that these same people fall right back into the vicious cycle of self-empowerment. Believing that they can do it in their own strength. It's this approach that makes the grace of God of no affect in our lives. I'm not saying that you will be perfect. I'm not saying that even with a grace mindset that you will get it right 100% of the time. What I am saying is that every time you trust in the grace of God for you, you will experience the grace of God in you. He never fails. What we often don't see are the cracks in the housing. The areas of our life that knowledge alone could not reveal. The places where self-doubt, self-hatred, and insecurity have held us back. This is where the Holy Spirit does His greatest work. As He continues to speak to you concerning your identity, He also gives you the ability to believe fully in the finished work of Christ in you that is waiting to be revealed. You are in a process of being conformed into the image of Christ. A journey. A lifetime filled with learning, discovery, and realization. This doesn't happen overnight. This is a marathon not a sprint. This is not microwave Christianity. Like many of the great things in life, it takes time.

There is grace for the journey. Enjoy every minute.

Preview 7: "The Day I Stopped Trying"

Rather than give you a straight up preview, I want to summarize the next couple of chapters in the post for today. This will also make up for me missing yesterday. I share about some things that are completely personal for me, but I do believe that it is applicable regardless of your vocation or station in life. We exert so much energy and focus on our jobs and dreams that we sometimes forget that there is grace available. This is where resting in Him is so important.

Psalm 127:1 is considered a song of ascents. In other words, this is what the children of Israel would sing on the way to the Temple. While the words are familiar to most believers, I wonder if the mindset has taken root in our lives. "Unless the LORD builds the house, the builders labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the guards stand watch in vain." What this psalm is not suggesting is that you kick back and do nothing. Instead what this song of ascent does is it forces us to focus on the power and presence of the Lord among us.

In the two chapters of the book that I am summarizing today, I deal with two areas that are very personal. Preaching and building the church. The reason I use Psalm 127 is to help each preacher and pastor to regain their focus. So often we become consumed by what we are doing. We look into the latest models of church success. We catch onto the popular pastor threads and books and use their materials. We try to do an awful lot of stuff that works for others. All in an attempt to advance the Kingdom, build the church, and make a difference.

Thankfully, the Lord knows our hearts. He knows that we want to make a difference. He also knows that we have missed out on the grace He provides to do just that.

Jesus said, "I will build My church..." This tells me that He has this under control. He has laid the foundation, He has provided the laborers, and He will finish the job. We simply partner with Him. When we learn how to rest in our identity, and become secure in this relationship, we will discover that it's not about what we do. It's about who we are in Him and how we partner with what He is already doing.

Henry Blackaby made it so simple in the study "Experiencing God." He said, "Find out what God is doing and join Him." In that one little statement, the Lord brought incredible freedom into my life. I used to be consumed with trying to figure out what I needed to be doing. I placed so much emphasis on my performance. If the church was faltering, it had to be my fault. If we weren't reaching people, I must have been doing something wrong. While there can be some truth to those statements, it is only tied to my unwillingness to partner with the Spirit of God.

How do we find out what God is doing? How do we discover His will in the mist of all of this?

I think the problem is found in the last question and how we apply it. The will of God is not necessarily some THING. The will of God is something that is proved in your life. You discover the will of God within yourself. His will is attached to you. Therefore, it is very important that you learn how to do from your being. And this is where the grace of God comes in. His grace will supply everything you need. In fact, it already has.

While I spend a couple of chapters dealing with "church stuff." I think it's important for us to understand that this applies to every area of life. Keeping our focus on the Lord, and recognizing His ability at work in our lives, is an incredible blueprint for business, family, and relationships. Think about it. Paul said that what ever we do in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord. Even the way that we serve is to be done as unto the Lord. When Jesus becomes the center of attention, then everything will center upon His activity in us.

It is time for us to stop treating the will of God like it is some bulls-eye that we have to it. We need to reconcile within our thinking that we are His will in the Earth. This is what He wanted. Image bearers that would carry His likeness. Although we would all do it through different avenues, the reality of His Kingdom can be found everywhere. You can see His Kingdom in a small business, coaching a team, within our law enforcement, and in the home. It's not about trying to do the will of God as it is becoming the will of God where we live and work.

There is grace to stop trying and to start being. Enjoy the journey!

Preview 6 - "The Day I Stopped Trying"

The hardest part about previewing a book is not wanting to give away too much, but also wanting to present coherent thought. I've always hated going to a movie and realizing that all the best parts were in the trailers. The struggle is real. However, I do hope that what I have shared thus far has been helpful and useful in your life. I also hope that it has stirred up something within you to go deeper into His grace. This is the change you have longed to experience. The life you have believed possible.

I actually believed at one point in my life that part of my calling was to change people. The whole point of sharing my faith, preaching, teaching, and making disciples was meant to make people more like me. Now before you think that sounds egotistical (although it is), is that not the reason we want most people to change? I mean, if they were more like us, the world would be a better place. Right?

The “need” to change people is associated with the “need” to control people. What we don’t realize is that this need is tied directly to our own insecurities. Hopefully, we are dealing with that. Hopefully, we are learning how to be secure in our identity. Hopefully, we are learning to trust in the Father’s heart for us. Therefore, the "need" to control and change others needs to leave.

Here’s something we have to understand: We cannot control people. On your best day, the only person YOU can control is yourself.

The need to control others is a learned behavior. We typically learn it first in the home. Depending on the amount of fear that was the foundation for your parents/guardians determines the amount of control you experienced. Rather than shape you into the man or woman you were to become, they desperately wanted to change you into their own image. A safe image. One that they could handle. Rather than create boundaries they built walls. Rather than provide freedom with responsibility, they chose the path of least resistance (or so they thought). It doesn’t mean that your parents did not love you, or that they did not have a heart for you, it just means that they didn’t know how to handle the things they feared.

Remember, this was a learned behavior for them as well. And even though they fear that you will make the same mistakes they did growing up in this environment, they unknowingly create the same one. Shaping children is no different than making disciples. It takes time, strong relationships, communication, and trust. We have to believe that our kids will learn how to carry and protect our hearts.

The need to control was then reinforced when we entered the school setting. I mean, who doesn’t feel the need to control hundreds of kids? Zero tolerance rules, standards of learning, etc., all played into how we learned the need to control so well. We stopped seeing the individual, forgot what it meant to connect with each person, and generally believed that everyone would thrive through the same approach.

The real kicker in all of this was when we discovered that the church often utilized the same approach. Fear based theology that only reinforced our need to control others. We became consumed with uniformity rather than unity. It starts with the need to control behavior, and moves to the way we think. Even though many people struggle within this environment, we protect the facade. We wear the masks. And we dare not allow anyone to think outside of our boxes. The reality is that freedom scares us. I have often wondered how people would handle "church" if they discovered the freedom they have in Christ. What if we removed fear and the need to control? What if the Body of Christ was made up of people who were absolutely secure in their identity?

Many schools are catching on. Slowly.
Many parents are beginning to learn different approaches to parenting. Painfully.
Some churches are starting to change their structure. Reluctantly.
But progress is being made. And for that I am thankful.

You may be wondering how grace plays into any of this. What does grace have to do with our need to change people? Simple. Grace empowers you to be the best you. YOU don’t need people to change. YOU don’t need to control the behavior and response of others. YOU simply need to keep YOU in check. That’s where grace comes in.

How does someone who is the righteousness of God in Christ respond to situations?
How does one who has everything he needs for life and godliness deal with unwanted behavior?
How does an overcomer deal with obstacles in relationships?
These are all questions that we have to answer. If we don’t, then we will be left with the best we can do based upon how we see ourselves.

Your identity in Christ is meant to give you incredible security. However, it also provides you with an incredible foundation for how you live. KNOWING that you are a son of your Heavenly Father means that you have His attributes at your disposal. KNOWING that He has provided everything you need for life and godliness means that you have access to the nature of Christ because it is in you. Life is no longer ruled by our feelings but fueled by our faith in what He has done.

Therefore, I don’t need to change anyone. I simply give them the best of me. I don’t need to hide. I learn how to shine. I don’t need to run away from them. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. It’s a process to be sure, but I have learned that the greatest amount of discipline we have to evoke is in the area of our thought life. Catching every thought to the obedience of Christ means that I don’t hang onto any thought about myself that did not originate in the heart of the Father. It also means that the way I think about others originates in His heart as well.

The day I stopped trying to change others was the day that I realized I only had the power within me to change myself. The fruit of the Spirit is self-control, not control of others. By the grace of God I can give my best in every situation and relationship. I don't need to change people or control them. I'm learning how to handle myself. Which is a journey in and of itself.

There is grace for this.

Preview 5: "The Day I Stopped Trying"

This chapter deals with a scary subject for the common Christian. Witnessing. You want to see absolute fear set in on a Wednesday night Bible study? Tell them to close their Bibles and tablets because you are going to hit the streets with the Gospel. The reason, I believe, that most people fear verbally sharing the Gospel is because of the way we (the church) have presented this to them. Although the grace of God is completely ready to empower us to do all things for the sake of the Kingdom, many have failed to recognize the potential dwelling inside of them. Not only that, we are asking people to share in ways that are uncomfortable. Here's how I stopped trying to witness.

I will try to handle this subject as delicately as possible. I know a lot of wonderful people who have dedicated their lives to sharing the gospel. They are true evangelists (in the biblical sense of the word), and I want to be sure they know, along with you, that I honor their ministry. What I want to address in this chapter is the concept about witnessing that is often brought out in sermons, books, and workshops. The idea that you are not who you should be if you are not sharing the gospel verbally with someone every day.

If that last statement sounds strong…good. I want to make sure that you understand that your value in life is not tied to anything you do or do not do. Your value is directly tied to who you are in Christ. What I would love for you to take away from all of this, as it relates to being a witness, is that sharing your life with unbelievers is a powerful form of sharing the faith.

Over the years, I have studied various witnessing programs. I looked into the concepts, memorized the diagnostic questions, and stocked up on the best tracts. I have used the various methods, taught classes on them, and even did the door-to-door programs. What I discovered is that you can get “decisions for Christ” through all of them. So I’m not here to tell you to not share your faith. On the contrary, I believe sharing our faith with others is a part of what it means to be a believer. I just want to help alleviate some of the pressure.

A strong witness to the faith is not just the one who stands preaching on a street corner, goes door-to-door, leaves tracts on a urinal in the bathroom, or turns every conversation into an opportunity for someone to accept Christ. I believe that a strong witness is someone who lives out their faith on a day to day basis. They are consistent in their love for all people. They are compassionate, caring, and steadfast in their relationships. They forgive quickly, and are merciful. They treat others the way they want to be treated. There is a lot to be said about the witnesses I have come across in my life who never shared with me personally, but loved me relentlessly.

I came to the faith through the love of a pastor. He reached out to me in a way that I had never experienced. He talked with me about life, family, and relationships. He gave took me out to eat, gave me a Bible, and showed incredible interest in my life. He captured my heart. While I heard him preach many times, in our personal encounters he never felt the need to ask me to accept Jesus every time we were together. He just loved me. And it was through that love that I came to know the Lord personally.

I learned a lot from that experience. He didn’t have to verbally share the Gospel when we were together. His life was a living epistle to me. His concern for me was the very concern of my Heavenly Father. His invitation to do life together became an open door for me to experience the love of God. I will be forever grateful for this man’s impact upon my life, ministry, and family.

One of the biggest issues that I have regarding the way many people handle this area of our faith (along with other areas) is the amount of pressure that gets applied. Making people feel inadequate. Shaming them. Even causing them to question the legitimacy of their relationship with the Lord because they are not doing things the way they think they should be done. I’m here to say that witnessing for the Lord has more to do with your lifestyle than your conversations. While there are definitely times where we should communicate the Gospel, there are more times where we should simply live out the reality of the Gospel.

An unknown author penned these words: “Preach the Gospel at all times. Use words if necessary.” While this quote has often been attributed to Saint Francis, there is no proof that he actually made this statement. However, I do believe this quote to be something we should consider. Jesus taught that we should do our works in such a way as to glorify God in Heaven. I would like to say that just like my experience, the grace of God at work in our lives will empower us to create a platform for the Gospel to come to rest in the hearts of others.

Regardless of how you do it, witnessing needs to come from a place of relationship. Relationship with the Father. Relationship with others. While the Lord often provides us with opportunities to share the Gospel with people we don’t know, the majority of our time is spent with people we actually know. It’s moments like this where we need to figure out the best way to communicate the Good News. This is when our approach needs to become personal. When we need to remove the guilt ridden approach to witnessing and embrace a Gospel lifestyle. Jesus was known as a “friend of sinners and tax collectors.” His life was available to the outcast. He shared the Truth (Himself) through communication, dining with them, and living among them. They heard and visibly witnessed the Gospel before them.

The Kingdom of God, according to Paul, is a matter of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. He also taught that the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. When we start putting all of this together in our thinking, we can envision a Gospel lifestyle. A way of life that points people to the reality of the Father. Think about it this way: WHO YOU ARE can become a platform for people to experience the reality of WHAT YOU BELIEVE. How you carry yourself in life points people to the reality of the Gospel.

This is why we need grace. This is why understanding grace as the divine enablement of God is so important. It’s where the Lord moves us beyond carrying something to actually becoming someone. In the same way that God is love, His Spirit is at work in our lives so that we are love as well. Where we embody who He is in our lives. Where we take seriously the words of John to the early church: “As He is, so are we in this world.” There’s grace for this.

The grace of God empowers you to do it all with the right motive, from the right mindset, and with the right heart. If it is your desire to be a witness for the Lord, then the grace of God will empower you to BE just that. Once again: the emphasis is not on the doing but the being. What the Lord does through you is what He has first created in you.

Preview 4 - "The Day I Stopped Trying"

The chapter we are going to preview today is what I like to call the practical chapter. This one provides specific areas of practice that are conducive to growth. I share them simply because some people need something they can gauge. We like steps, procedures, and plans. We need a place to start. This chapter will provide just that. Remember that grace is an area of life where you can grow. Peter instructed the church to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We cannot leave this to chance.

I wonder how many kids feel pressured to grow. What about flowers? Do you think they feel pressured to grow? Isn’t growth supposed to be natural and normal? Then why is that not true in the church? Why do we approach growth from a standpoint of something that we have to make happen? Why is it that we are never taught to rest in the grace of God and that growth will be the overflow of that relationship?

I have formed my own opinions to answer these questions. I have no plans to share them with you here but rather to let you in on why I stopped trying to grow. That’s right!!! I stopped trying to grow and allowed growth to become the natural process that God designed it to be. I am not saying that I stopped learning. In fact, learning is a part of the natural process. It just means that I realized that growth occurs in the right environment.

Have you ever planted a garden that failed? Put flowers or a plant in a pot only to watch them die? What you discovered is that something wasn’t right. Whether it was a soil issue, lack of sunlight/water, or some other condition – the reason the garden failed or the plant did not grow is because something prevented the growth.

When you and I understand that our heart is the soil, then we can begin the process of ensuring it has everything needed for growth. We will spend less time trying to grow and more time enriching the soil of our heart. This comes through the relationship with God. It’s amazing how much growth can occur naturally simply because of our fellowship with Him.

When my heart is established in the grace of God then growth is as natural as breathing. Establishing my heart comes through things like worship, Bible reading, prayer, meditation, and fellowship with others. I’m no longer forcing things into my life trying to produce growth. I’m simply cultivating the soil, and allowing the Lord to bring the increase.

WORSHIP
Worship is one of the most misunderstood aspects of our faith. It is not a program, it is not a performance, and it is not a prelude to something. Worship is a natural part of life. Singing, dancing, shouting, kneeling, etc. should be normal. Worship is also a way in which we shift our focus. Turning our attention fully to the person and presence of God.

Worship places the Father exactly where He needs to be in our thinking. It also allows us to place ourselves exactly where we need to be. He is enthroned upon our praises, and we are accepted before Him. He is lifted up, and we are able to see ourselves seated in Heavenly places with Him. Worship is not about gaining acceptance. It’s a recognition of our acceptance in the beloved. An opportunity to gather around His presence. Ultimately realizing that we are His temple.

BIBLE READING
In case you haven’t figured it out, I’m not a legalist. I’m not one of those guys who will condemn you for not reading the Bible on a daily basis. However, I would ask this question: Why not?

The Bible is incredibly valuable to our personal growth. It allows us to see the unfolding of the redemption story. It gives us insight into the grace of God that we are experiencing. It reveals to us the struggles of the Early Church, and how they chose to live in the present age. The Scriptures are profitable for doctrine, correction, reproof, and instruction in righteousness. To neglect the Bible is to miss out on Truth that has stood the test of time. It also leads to missing out on the person that is revealed within the pages: Jesus – the living Word of God.

The Holy Spirit is committed to bringing to remembrance the things that Jesus has spoken. Much of what Jesus has spoken is found within these pages. Why would we miss out on this? Why would we not commit Scripture to memory? Within the history, poetry, gospels, and letters of this book is a language that the Holy Spirit will often use to communicate with our hearts.

PRAYER
It should go without saying that prayer is one of the most vital connections we have with our Father. It is communion on one of the most intimate levels. Mishandling prayer, viewing it primarily as a means to bring our lists before the Father, causes us to miss out on the beauty of this relationship.

I don’t know too many relationships that thrive when they are one sided. Communication is more than talking. Just ask your spouse. Communication also requires listening. How many of us have taken time to hear from the Lord in prayer, rather than just give Him our lists?

This doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t share your prayer lists. It doesn’t mean that you cannot ask God for things. In fact, Jesus encourages us to ask with the full understanding that the Father knows the things that we need. However, prayer is also a time of seeking and knocking. A time of going deeper. A time of intimacy. What you don’t want prayer to become is a benchmark of spirituality. Simply allow it to become a time where the Lord can water, fertilize, and bring you into the light.

MEDITATION
This is one of the lost disciplines within the Christian faith. So lost that we don’t even realize we do it. I find that there are a lot of believers who meditate. They just tend to meditate on the wrong things. Consumed with negative thoughts, worries, and self-hatred; the average believer is drowning in emotional turmoil. And much of it is self-inflicted. Imagine what could happen in your heart if you meditated on the goodness of God? Imagine thinking over and over again about your identity in Christ. What if your time in meditation was spent pouring over testimonies of His love and power in your life? Think it would make a difference?

I have more to say about this in the book. Meditation is crucial to establishing your heart and renewing your mind. What the Lord does in our lives, He does inside of us. Give Him this time. You will be amazed at the results.

FELLOWSHIP WITH OTHERS
Sharing life with other believers is what I like to call the greatest form of discipleship. This is where we learn to do life, love people, forgive, and build up one another. Fellowship is necessary for growth.

Fellowship comes to us from the Greek word Koinonia. It describes the shared life, joint participation, and communion of the Early Church. This is what is described in the book of Acts and the culture that was created among the new believers. Here they had all things in common. They recognized the necessity of this community. They would grow together. They would learn what it means to live in honor. They would discover the very life of Jesus among them.

Fellowship is more than a potluck meal. It’s more than just hanging out. Fellowship (koinonia) is the heartbeat of family. While there is much to be said about fellowship with others, I would simply encourage you to find community with other believers. Spend time with those who are growing in their understanding of the Lord. So much can be lost in isolation, and yet so much to be gained from being a part of the family.

IN CLOSING
All of these areas that I’ve mentioned are simply vehicles for the grace of God to do amazing things in your life. You will grow. You will increase in your knowledge of God. But most importantly, you will experience Him.

You were created for relationship. These are all areas where that relationship can be enhanced. They are not hoops to be jumped through. View them as places of rest in the journey. Moments where you get to discover His strength, power, and love.

Enjoy.

Preview 3: "The Day I Stopped Trying"

Struggling to overcome? Maybe this chapter will help. This teaching has had the greatest impact upon my personal life. A key, if you will, to living victoriously. A discovery of God's power that is readily available. May the Lord strengthen you as well.

From my earliest years as a pre-believer to my struggling days as a young believer, the basic understanding of the grace of God that I possessed was that it meant forgiveness (or at least access to forgiveness). Never – not even once – was I told that the grace of God empowered me. It may compel me, even comfort me, but I was never given the key to my victory. I was told that I had the key, but was never told what it was or how to use it. As I have grown into this new understanding of the grace of God, it has been my mission (even my calling) to set at liberty the captives of religious thinking. I long to see the healing of the nations within the Body of Christ. The message of grace provides just that.

You no longer have to struggle with the darkness. You don’t have to wonder if you will ever be set free from the flesh. You don’t have to walk in shame. You can walk in the power of God every day of your life. Then your conversations will change. You will stop worrying whether or not you are forgiven. You will enjoy the ability that God has provided for you through the life, death, burial, resurrection, and ascension of Christ.

The Bible gives us many descriptions of the victory we can walk in:
More than conquerors
Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world
God…gives us the victory through Christ
Christ always leads us in triumphal procession
And of course, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me

If you are anything like me then you have claimed many of those verses over and over. However, even in the claiming we have found ourselves striving and praying for something that is already ours. How is it possible that we could have something as glorious as victory and be so ignorant as to how to access it? The answer is just that – we are ignorant of it. Or we just don’t believe it.

Paul talks about this type of life in Ephesians 4:18. Describing the Gentiles he stated that they were darkened in their understanding and alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to the hardness of their heart. While we may be quick to point to the unbelieving world as it relates to these words, I think if we were honest with ourselves that we would discover these words are true of us as well. In fact, much of the church that I have been exposed to is filled with unbelieving believers. They believe in Jesus but they truly struggle to believe all that He has to say about them.

You need to get a few things straight in your life. You are an overcomer. You are fully loved by God. You are victorious in Christ. If you are not experiencing this reality it may be because you are ignorant of it. Religion has kept most of humanity in a mindset that makes them less than what God created them to be. In particular, religion will say that there are two divisions of man: lost sinners and saved sinners. And while most would say this is a term that would adequately describe their lives, it would fall way short of how the Father describes us.

I have discovered that there is a reality that is true whether you listen to worldly philosophers, clinical psychologists, or Christian counselors. These men and women have come to the same conclusion: What you believe determines how you behave which determines your results. If you struggle in the area of how you believe, then you will struggle in how you behave. While most religions tend to focus on behavior first, they continue to have the same results. God wants you to change the way you think. In this way, you will be truly transformed.

As long as your definition of an overcomer is based upon your performance then you will be let down over and over again. However, if you can base your definition on the finished work of Christ then you will find the victory that God wants you to enjoy. When you realize that you are loved, accepted, and complete in Christ; everything you do will come from the place of rest. You aren't striving - you are being. AND that my friend is a totally different form of existence. Apart from grace we simply have to strive to be the best we can be. Enabling grace to work in our lives means that we get to be the best version of ourselves. Grace empowers us to overcome sin because Jesus already overcame it. Grace enables us to live abundantly because our life is hidden with Christ in God. Grace expands our understanding of God's unconditional love so that we can be settled in our relationship with Him. In essence, grace reminds us that Jesus did it all and we find it all in Him.

Here’s what you need to understand:
Grace empowers you to live the life you were created to live all along.

This life is not foreign to you. Maybe in practice, but not in reality. It’s the life that Adam & Eve lived before the Fall. They easily related to the Father. They walked with Him fully. The idea of separation was foreign to them. It wasn’t until they ate from the tree of knowledge that they began to see themselves in a different light. From that day forward, man would strive to be pleasing, to overcome every obstacle, and to do everything in their power to be like God. Those days are past. In Christ, those who were far off have been brought close. We have been redeemed, reconciled, and restored. This was His mission. This is what Jesus came to accomplish. What we are learning is how to live out our redemption, reconciliation, and restoration.

Can you believe that?
Can you trust that what Jesus did is enough?
Will you live in His victory?

The overcoming life is not something to be obtained but realized. The minute we begin to believe that there is grace for everything that we face, is the moment we will experience victory like never before. Your weakness provides a perfect opportunity for the Lord to demonstrate His strength. What does the Scriptures say? "And they have conquered him (the accuser of the brethren) by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony..."

Enjoy the journey.