Enjoy Your Freedom!!!

May you enjoy the freedom that comes from knowing Christ. Happy Independence Day!!!

Sharing from my heart...

1 Peter 3:15, "...in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense (give an answer) to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect". As you set the Lord apart in your heart and begin to live in the hope that He gives, you'll have to be ready to give answers. Are you ready?

Let me start by saying that this will be my last blog entry until September. I'm taking the remainder of the summer off and looking forward to how the Lord will speak to me personally during this time. July is full of events and a vacation. In August I'm actually taking a month off from preaching at PBC. While I will be in attendance for the majority of those Sunday services, the sabbatical provides an opportunity to enjoy the Lord for my own personal growth. I'm finally going to take those 40 days that I shared about a couple of months ago.

Since this is my last blog entry for a while, I thought hard about what I could share with you. I wanted to ensure that I could give you something that would bring encouragement and possibly challenge you to go deeper with the Lord. The verse above provides just that.

Other translations of 1 Peter 3:15 tell us to "sanctify" the Lord in your heart. In other words, set Him apart. It's an encouragement to always keep Jesus as Lord of your heart. There are so many things that would pull our heart in different directions. However, as we establish His Lordship in our lives we are able to live according to His definition of us, follow His leadership in every area, and keep Him the "main thing" in all that we do. Jesus doesn't seek to be 1 of many priorities. He longs to be the #1 priority in your life. In this way we are able to walk in the abundant life that He provides. We are also able to display to the world what devotion to Him looks like, acts like, and feels like.

The second admonition of this verse is to "always be prepared to give an answer (or make a defense). Living with a heart that is purely devoted to the Lordship of Christ will always provide opportunities to give an answer. You life will look much different than the rest of the world (and even some in the church). People will want to know what the secret is to the hope that you carry. How is it that you are able to have peace in the midst of difficulty, joy in the midst of sorrow, and love in the midst of tribulations. When Jesus is Lord of your life then you will be walking in the love, joy, and peace that is found in the Kingdom of God. So be ready to answer those people with "gentleness" and "respect." They don't need you to preach to them. They simply want an answer.

Think about it:
Your children will have questions about the change in your nature.
Your spouse will long to know more about the "presence" you carry.
Your co-workers will want to experience what is going on in your life.
This was true in the life of Jesus and it will be true in your life as well. Have you ever noticed how comfortable the common people were with Jesus. They didn't have any problems approaching Him or being in His presence. Why? The didn't have any issues because Jesus lived within the peace and joy of the Kingdom. He was always aware of who He was and Whose He was. This type of life keeps us from living in judgement and condemnation. And the world is always amazed when the followers of Christ don't seem "religious." I don't blame them.

Not only do you need to think about where the questions will come from, you need to think about how you are going to answer them. This is where you will need to move from knowledge to experience. Don't get me wrong. You will need to know what you believe and why you believe it. However, too many people have taking this verse and increased in apologetics rather than application. In other words, they like to give a good argument but they don't have an experience to back it up. As you set the Lord apart in your heart then you will move into a realm of experience like never before. The sabbatical that I'm going into isn't about increasing in knowledge. It's about increasing in an experiential relationship. I'm looking to experiencing the Lord. The people that come to you are not looking for knowledge alone. They will want to know how to move into the lifestyle that you have put on display. They will want to know what makes your relationship with your family work. They will want to know how to walk in joy. They will want to know the hope that is in you.

I pray that over these next few weeks that you will experience that hope. I trust that the Holy Spirit in you will spring up like a fountain that not only brings refreshment to your soul but also flows out like rivers of living water. You have the opportunity to bring peace and healing to every person you come in contact with. So don't wait - go ahead and set the Lord apart in your heart, begin to experience Him daily, and release what He gives to you to others.

I hope your summer is filled with wonderful experiences in Him. I also look forward to sharing with you the incredible bounty the Lord shares with me during my time away. These are exciting days. Don't miss out on this leg of the journey. It promises to be amazing!

The God of Hope

God is committed to helping you live in hope. Hope in the Bible is more than a fantasy. It is a concrete expectation or confidence. It is filled with a pleasurable anticipation. Allow the God of all hope to fill you with joy and peace in believing.

I have often used Romans 15:13 to bring encouragement to other believers. "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope." Unfortunately, for many believers, waiting in faith is considered stressful. Believing God for something seems to bring a greater anxiety to their lives than if they had to do it on their own. However, it is God's intention to fill you with joy and peace in believing. Why not let Him?

You can be filled with JOY in believing:
- Joy is a grace of God that is freely given to those who are in relationship with Him. This is the "calm delight" of God that was present in the life of Jesus. This joy allows us to be cheerful rather than concerned. We get to be happy rather than anxious. The fruit of the Spirit is joy. Let Him encourage you as you trust in God.

You can be filled with PEACE in believing:
- This is another wonderful attribute of God that we get to experience. The peace of God brings a quietness to our spirit, a stillness to our soul, and allows us to function out of rest. The peace of God keeps us out of a place of striving. We become totally secure in the heart of God for us. Regardless of the situation or circumstance, we can enjoy the peace of God.

In this way you are able to abound in HOPE:
- The Holy Spirit providing peace and joy to your life allows the hope that is in you (which is Christ in you the hope of glory) to increase. You can become the most hopeful individual in the world. Living with a sense of hopefulness keeps you from operating out of helplessness. Allow the Lord to be your all in all. He is the God of all hope. You are actually able to partake of His nature when you live in faith.

Today is a perfect day to be reminded of the hope that we have in our Heavenly Father. I thought about blogging about the recent Supreme Court ruling on "Obamacare" but didn't want to depress you. I wanted to turn your attention away from every earthly model of government and place your attention upon God's government of goodness and love. He is the one who will sustain you. He is the one who is able to fill you with joy and peace in believing. He is committed to enabling you to walk in the same faith that His Son enjoyed while on this earth. That's right...you get the same ABUNDANT LIFE, the same JOY, and the same PEACE.

Draw from Him today and every day. Never allow your circumstances to dictate how you feel. Allow your faith in God to rule and reign in your heart. You will be glad you did.

Created in Christ...

Ephesians 2:10 declares that "We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." Have you ever wondered if you are walking in all that God has prepared for you to walk in? Have you ever took the time to understand how God created you in Christ? Today is your opportunity to step into the reality of who you are and to know that you have been created for more than you are currently experiencing.

Isn't just like our Creator to take the opportunity of the Cross and Resurrection to make something new? What was originally created in the Garden was "GOOD" according to our Creator. However, when Adam fell, all of humanity fell under a curse. In Jesus we have the Last Adam that restored humanity. It is through His sacrifice that the curse of sin was broken, and in His resurrection that all of humanity is free to live the life that God had created them for. We have become the sons and daughters of God and it is time for us to realize who we are and what we were designed to become.

Is it any wonder that Paul declared to the Church at Corinth that "if anyone is in Christ he is a new creation..." The difficulty for many of us is seeing people as being new. The challenge is even more difficult because unlike other metamorphosis' in the world - we change from the inside out. The change that God brings about in our life is only seen as we walk in the good works He has prepared. Then...and only then...do we finally reveal to a waiting creation that we are the sons and daughters of God.

The change that is brought about into our lives through salvation is a remarkable change. While we trust in the finished work of Christ, we realize that we go through continual change. One of the sad tragedies of modern Christianity is that we seem to stop with salvation and fail to recognize that their is more of God to encounter, more of His goodness to experience, and more of His purposes to fulfill. The prayer of faith that brought about this wholeness in Christ needs to be followed up with a life that is devoted to encountering Him more and more. Don't stop short. Continually step into all that God has for you.

While you are pressing in I want to encourage you to never discount what God is doing in you now. Don't get so focused on who you are becoming to where you neglect who you are in Him now. God is working all around you, in your family, through your church, and in your community. He is constantly opening up greater opportunities for you to shine with Him. Just like a work of art has different facets, different brush strokes, and different colors; God is working in multiple ways to put you on display for His glory. You are a living, breathing, work of art that has been created in Jesus Christ. You are continually being conformed into the image of His son. And God is dedicated to seeing this purpose fulfilled in your life.

Live every day with the understanding of who you are in Christ.
Take every moment to be in the presence of God because in those moments He continues to transform your life.
Soak in God's Word, be sensitive to His Spirit, and enjoy the journey.
Learn what it means to draw from the wells of salvation.
Rejoice over the creative work of God in your life. He is doing a good thing and you get to walk in it.

Rejoicing in the "Small Things"

In Zechariah 4:10 the Lord encourages us to not despise the day of small things (or small beginnings). What often looks like something small or insignificant to us can actually bring great delight to the heart of God. Remember...He sees things from beginning to end. And we need to know that every destiny has a starting point.

I have seen people walk away from their dreams because when things got started they couldn't get past the feelings of insignificance. Ministries that have been laid aside, business ventures that never got off the ground, plans for the family that were never finished, and dreams that were never realized are often grounded in our unwillingness to see them through. If we cannot develop an attitude that keeps us from despising those beginning stages then we will rarely step into all that God has for us.

What I love about this verse from Zechariah is that it states that the Lord rejoiced to see the plumb line in Zerubbabel's hand. Why is that significant? It's significant because the work was beginning and our Lord will not relent in bringing His work to completion. Laying the foundation often seems like tedious work but if we can rejoice over it (as the Lord does) then we can see the end in sight.

The work of laying a foundation isn't easy, it isn't glorious, but it is necessary. Most people who endeavor to build a house rarely rejoice when the footers are poured or the foundation is completed. They seem to get really happy once the walls start going up or the house begins to take shape. What we often fail to realize is that without the proper foundation that house will fall to ruin. Please hear what I'm saying: If you are in the day of small beginnings know that you are laying the foundation for a great work. Whether you are starting a new ministry, going out in a new business adventure, or stepping into your dreams for your family, the Lord rejoices with you in these days.

Learn to find joy and contentment in the now. Recognize the fact that God is with you even in the foundation work. Commit yourself to seeing His hand in every facet of the work. The joy of the Lord will then become your strength to carry out every dream. This is especially true when you know that the calling or dream comes from the Lord. He will partner with you to see the completion. Rejoice over Paul's admonition to the Philippians, "And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue His work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns."

Every fulfilled dream has a humble beginning.
Every fulfilled destiny has a starting point.
Every fulfilled calling has a moment of inspiration.
The day of "small things" has the potential to become the days of greatness. Keep pressing toward the mark and (as I like to say) enjoy the journey!