The Family That Soars Together

"Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one’s youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them!"
{Psalm 127:4-5}

For my last blog entry of the week I want to challenge the way we think about parenting. I want us to recapture the joy and blessings of what it means to sow into the lives of our own children. My purpose? I want us to fly!!!

Our kids are out of school today. This is typically an easy thing for me to handle since I'm not obligated to go to an office, attend meetings, or punch a time clock. It is a blessing and I'm grateful to own it. Since school was called off for today, I was able to take my time this morning. I turned on the television to find that one of my favorite movies was playing. "Hook" - the story of Peter Pan as a father, husband, and business man who has to return to Neverland to rescue his children. I've share some of my own insights into this movie with the PBC Voice followers. I love the emphasis on identity - remembering who you are. What I took away today was just as powerful.

One of the great moments in the movie is when Peter remembers how to fly. For those of you who know the story of Peter Pan then you will remember that it only takes one happy thought along with some Pixie dust to fly. Peter's happy thoughts? The day that he became a father. He remembered the joy of being called "Daddy". Peter was able to fly when his children became his happy thoughts. As I watched this scene unfold, the thought came to me that all of us as parents can soar when we recapture the joy what it means to be a father or mother. We can truly fly when our children are our happy thoughts.

You may be saying that this is too simplistic. There's just way too much pressure, too many responsibilities, and too much conflict in your family to make this possible. I would disagree. I think the problem is that we have made it way too complicated. Don't get me wrong. I realize that there are a lot of struggles. But I have a choice in how I enter into those struggles. I have a choice to remember that they call me "Daddy" and I have one of the greatest privileges in life.

Allow me to share with you some quotes from the movie and then I'll comment.

Moira (Peter's wife): "Your children love you, they want to play with you. How long do you think that lasts? Soon Jack may not even want you to come to his games. We have a few special years with our children, when they're the ones that want us around. After that you're going to be running after them for a bit of attention. It's so fast Peter. It's a few years, and it's over. And you are not being careful. And you are missing it."

- I love the statement that Peter's wife make here: "We have a few special years with our children, when they're the ones that want us around." This is so true. There are so many parents out there living with regret because they allowed the pressures of parenting, providing for the family, marriage, career, etc. to get in the way. I understand the challenge. I know what it means to want everything for your family. The problem is that we sometimes get caught thinking that we can't have it all. And the reality is that we can have provision, we can have a good job, we can have our needs met, and we can have quality families. It's all possible because I believe it is in the heart of God for us.

Peter Pan: "Jack, Maggie, all you have to do is think one happy thought, and you'll fly like me."
Maggie: "Mommy."
Jack: "My dad, Peter Pan."

- This is the scene where I typically get wrecked. I'm not ashamed to admit it. Peter is demonstrating to his children that if you will follow my lead then you can do what I do. Unfortunately, too many parents are saying "Do what I say not what I do." Bad Form!!! Children always seem to do what we do, say what we say, and follow us into the good, bad, or ugly. So much behavior is learned behavior. As parents we have an opportunity to create an environment where our whole family can soar. A place where we can all reach our potential. A place where love, safety, and honor is present. In the end, it is my hope, that when it comes time for our children to fly that we will be their happy thoughts.

Take This Home With You (Literally!):

The Scripture that I posted at the beginning is a great reminder for each of us. We are typically blessed with children in our youth. They come at a time when we have energy, excitement, and plenty of creativity. They come to us at a time when we can still tap into our imagination.

Notice the imagery of this verse. "Like arrows in the hands of a warrior..." Arrows are carefully crafted because it is important that they fly true. Any slight bend in the arrow shaft, any damage to the fletching, or any mishandling can cause an arrow to miss its target. If you are in a fight, it can cost you greatly. The care in which we raise our kids, the attention to the details, these are all important aspects to what will take place when we release them.

While all of this is important, I want you to remember one word in particular - "BLESSED".
When you walk into that door and your kids want to hang all over you - You are blessed.
When you have that child who keeps trying to get your attention, wants to interrupt your conversations, or wants to play - You are blessed.
When you have to take the time to teach, correct, and instruct them in the ways of life - you are blessed.
Happy is the man whose quiver is full of these blessings. Happy is the family who learns how to soar together. Generation after generation can bask in the glory of former generations when we learn how to keep each other in our happy thoughts. May we never allow the weight of family to overtake us. May we always remember the joy that is our and the blessing that we get to live in. These CAN be the greatest days. These CAN be the most wonderful memories you make.

Enjoy the journey. AND...enjoy the flight!!!

Keeping Christ in CHRISTian

I'm going to share a link with you that I hope you will read. It is something tangible that will express my point so much clearer than I could through my own words. Simply copy the link, paste it in your browser, and get ready to be challenged: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/shane-l-windmeyer/dan-cathy-chick-fil-a_b_2564379.html

This article brought out a whole range of emotions. I was...
Moved by one man's character
Blown away by the fact that so many do not expect Christlike character to come out of Christians
And Challenged in my own life to ensure that I am a genuine reflection of the nature of Christ

Galatians 2:20 says it all. It has been my life verse since I knew anything about life verses. I have the Scripture reference tattooed on my body. It has been stored in my memory for about 17 years. The question I have always asked myself is whether or not it has been stored in my heart. How often have I lived in such a way that it was not "I" but "Christ in me"? Have I really shown myself to be "crucified with Christ"? Has the life "I lived in the flesh" been lived "by the faith of the Son of God"?

Dan Cathy (Chick-fil-A) has challenged me to look deeper. Not at my own shortcomings but at the height, length, depth, and width of the love of God that I can walk in. I'm not going to give away the article so you will have to go read it. Just get ready to be challenged at the core of your beliefs. Be ready to question how you have expressed the nature of Christ in your own life. The truth for me is this - there's more that I can experience, there's more that I can allow to be manifested in my life, and there's more areas of my life where I need to allow Him to be Lord.

What I am discovering about the nature of Christ through this whole process is nothing short of life changing. Since He is in me and I am in Him then His nature isn't second nature - it's first. The Bible clearly teaches us that "As He is so are we in this world." Everything that is in Christ right now is in me: All of His attributes, all of His glory, all of His character, all of His love, and all of His grace. Jesus has imparted His life and nature to me. The more I learn how to tap into His life the more I am able to express that nature.

I believe that the true nature of a follower of Christ is...
Love not hate
Compassion not complacency
Responsibility not indifference
Mercy not judgement
This is true in us because it is true in the nature of Christ. If we are hidden in Him (and we are) then His nature will be found in us.

It needs to be our joy in life to represent and express the nature of Christ to everyone we come in contact with and every situation where we may find ourselves. This is part of the journey. Let's do what we can do to keep Christ in CHRISTian.

Listen To The Teacher

I'm going to share something with you that has been on my mind all weekend. I don't have plans to go real deep with this subject but would rather stir up you thinking. I'm a HUGE fan of believers thinking for themselves and trusting the Lord to bring understanding. Listen to Jesus' words concerning the Holy Spirit: "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you." {John 14:26}

The Bible makes it pretty clear that the Holy Spirit is our primary teacher. This doesn't negate the need to have men and women in our lives who can bring instruction. It just means that we need live in a sensitivity to the presence of God within us. I'm afraid that much discipleship in today's church is simply a mass reproduction of thought rather than lifestyle. In other words, as long as you think like we do then your are a disciples. As long as you can spout out the same beliefs as we do then you are a disciple. AND as long as you don't disagree with what we believe then you will always be in good standings with us. Any of this sound familiar?

John wrote to the early church to say that "the anointing (Holy Spirit) you received from Him remains in you and you do not need anyone to teach you..." {1 John 2:27}. He then goes on to say that the Holy Spirit teaches us about all things. That sounds vaguely familiar doesn't it? Sounds as though John took the words of Jesus literally. He honestly believed that Holy Spirit would teach us and bring to remembrance all that Jesus had spoken. Where is that today?

I made a statement to PBC this past Sunday about how we have allowed the Bible to interpret the Holy Spirit rather than allowing the Holy Spirit to interpret the Bible. While this sounds a little odd to people (maybe even offensive) it's the truth. Let me explain. Some denominations teach that the Holy Spirit no longer operates today the way He does in Scripture. Those who teach this use Bible verses to explain their stance. Therefore, you are pre-conditioned to believe that the Bible teaches this nonsense even though their is no biblical basis for it at all. If you have been immersed in this type of teaching then it is hard to accept anything different. Believe it or not, I have actually heard people say that if tongues is no longer a gift of the Spirit then those who operate in this gift are demon possessed. YIKES!!!

My point in this discussion is not about the gifts but rather our relationship with the Spirit of God. We are either going to allow Him to teach us or we will simply allow others to teach us. We can live in such relationship with the Spirit of God that He can give us everything we need to understand Scripture or we can become a puppet that mimics everything that has been passed down to us. Please understand that I am more than willing to sit under a teacher. I listen to a variety of people who minister the Word of God. But I do not eat only one flavor of Christianity.

I was sharing some of these thoughts with a friend the other day and I'm always amazed at how scared people have become in listening to the Holy Spirit. We automatically believe that we are flawed in our ability to hear from Him. We automatically assume that we will "get it wrong." But the reality is that in Christ we hear just fine. In Christ we should be more sensitive to Him than any other voice. He's way more powerful than any deception.

Let me challenge you this week: DO NOT READ YOUR BIBLE WITHOUT FIRST ASKING THE HOLY SPIRIT TO SPEAK TO YOU. Ask Him to reveal to you the nature of Christ in what you are reading. Ask Him to teach you the truths you find in the Word. I think you will find that He is an awesome teacher and that you are a much better listener than you realize.

Staying On Track...

"Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you by prophecy when the council of elders laid their hands on you. Practice these things, immerse yourself in them, so that all may see your progress." {1 Timothy 4:14-15}.

Allow me to share with you my thoughts about staying on track.

First of all, let me say that I understand how easy it is to get off track in the Christian life. Rather than building up a foundation of faith, we can get distracted with what others are experiencing. We hear these amazing messages about people who moved in great faith, had an incredible encounter with the Spirit of God, or share a testimony about something miraculous; and we immediately step off of the track that we were on and begin to follow after someone else's experiences.

The truth is that I believe the church cannot handle 52 life changing messages in a year. What we can handle, and what we should be encouraging, is building on the right foundation. Discovering the goodness of God, immersing ourselves in our identity in Christ, and recognizing our destiny in Him will keep us moving forward. Far too many Christians are trying to move into encounters without establishing the right foundation. It's a faulty approach to a lasting spiritual life.

Paul's words to Timothy should give us great encouragement. In the midst of his ministry, Paul reminds his young disciple of the encounter he had with the elders of the church. He reminds him of the grace that was imparted into his life. And he makes sure that Timothy understands that the way to move forward is to not neglect the gifts that are in him but to practice them - be immersed in them - and to grow in them. What a word for us today! In a culture that loves to hear new things and move into new arenas of faith, it's easy to get sidetracked or to get ahead of our own progress. I've done it in my own life. I have sought to move in things that I wasn't ready to experience. The reason I wasn't ready is because I had neglected what had already been passed on to me. I was trying to reach the pinnacle of faith without establishing the base of the mountain.

A good "rule" to remember is that we cannot build from the top down. While I am challenged and encouraged to hear the stories of great faith in others, I realize that it took them a while to get where they are now. They too had to build upon the foundation that others had left them. They too had to learn through trial and error. And they too had to be built up. Jesus' words to His disciples need to ring true into our lives today: “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock." {Matthew 7:24}. We cannot allow these words to be tucked away into a child's story. They are a great principle for life.

Do Not Neglect The Gift That Is Within You
- While many Christians never say it, they often feel that their particular gifting is inferior to the gifting of others. Rather than focus in on what they already possess, they simply want to move in the gifting of another. This is critical...don't neglect what you already have. Learn everything you can about the gifts you possess. Learn what they can do in the life of others. Learn how to appropriate the grace that is necessary to function in them. Then...

Practice These Things
- Once you have discovered the gift (or gifts) that you possess and learn all that is possible with them, put them into practice. Don't despise it, USE it! If you have the gift of service then serve. If you have a gift of encouragement then encourage. If you have a gift of ministry then minister. Paul puts it this way in his letter to the church of Rome: "We have different gifts, according to the grace given us...use it in proportion to (your) faith." {Romans 12:6}. Peter also talked about the necessity of using what we have: "As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace" {1 Peter 4:10}. The Bible makes it clear to us that even though we pursue the gifts of God that we practice what we already possess. We learn to use what God has given us. Then the parable of the talents becomes true in our experience - we receive more to work with.

Immerse Yourself In Them
- Here's where we get an even greater understanding of the gifts. Think of it this way: If you wanted to enter into a particular trade then it's important that you learn everything you can possibly learn. Most people will spend a great deal of time and money to educate themselves. I'm not saying that you have to go to a specialized school to learn how to operate in your gifts. I am saying that you need to take your gift and sit at the feet of the Master. Allow Him to teach you. Allow the Spirit of God to take you to new levels in the gift(s). Allow yourself to become a "specialist". Kris Vallotton talks about this principle in his own life as it relates to the prophetic. When the Lord shared a word with him about functioning in this type of ministry, he read everything he could get his hands on. He immersed himself into that type of teaching. He watched, listened, and learned everything he could. Today, he is one of the most prophetic people you will ever meet.

So That All May See Your Progress
- The result of caring for you gift(s), practice, and immersing yourself into it will create a life where others recognize what God has placed within you. You won't have to run around saying "I'm gifted in _____________" because they will automatically see it. They will experience it through your life. And it will bring glory to God.

WHAT'S THE POINT?
- The point is that you possess a gift that brings an aspect of the nature of Christ into the life of someone else. It may seem small in the beginning but God will bring the increase. Don't neglect it. Instead...allow yourself to be built up in your faith. Learn about who you are in Christ. Identity is so crucial. Learn all you can about the goodness of God. Learn what it means to be conformed into the image of His Son because that is your destiny. What you will discover in the process is that you will be able to stay on track. While you may go through seasons where you don't see the growth or you may feel behind, at least you won't be running ahead of where you need to be because that is much more dangerous.

Always remember that God is with you in the journey. Don't lose heart.

Be Back Tomorrow...

Sorry...
No blog entry today. I plan to be back with you all tomorrow.

Be Blessed!

A Lifestyle of Trust

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart,
and do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make straight your paths." {Proverbs 3:5-6}

The wisdom found in Proverbs 3:5-6 is so simple that it can often be missed. Our society seems to thrive on figuring things out for ourselves. We celebrate good planning, strategies, and establishing goals. What we miss is a lifestyle of trust.

Let me break it down for you:

TRUST IN THE LORD - to be confident, sure, and secure in the self-existent One.
This seems like a "no-brainer" until you realize how many followers of Christ do not live in faith. We know what we are capable of and we tend to leave the rest up to God. This verse in Proverbs is teaching us to leave it all to God. Be sure of Him. Have confidence in Him. Find your security in Him.

WITH ALL YOUR HEART - Every fiber of your being, every emotion, all of your intellect.
In other words, remove all of your doubt. Trust God with a complete abandonment. That's why I titled this blog entry as a lifestyle of trust. This isn't something we can do half-hearted. It's an "ALL IN" relationship where I learn to trust Him in everything.

DO NOT LEAN ON YOUR OWN UNDERSTANDING - Do not rely upon or support yourself on your own wisdom.
One of the things we need to learn about faith is that it is not settled in what we can see. It is not based upon our own experiences. We cannot have a faith that is simply settled in what we know or what we can accomplish. This is a faulty approach to faith in God. It's quite the opposite of genuine trust in the Lord. It may sound redundant but we need to hear it. Trust in the Lord rather than your own thinking.

IN ALL YOUR WAYS ACKNOWLEDGE HIM - "Ways" literally means road but figuratively it is a course of life. "Acknowledge Him" means to observe, recognize, and designate.
Here's what the Lord is saying through Solomon: Make me a part of every decision, every action, and every course of life. Leave nothing to yourself. This is Lordship in every area regardless of how big or small.

HE WILL MAKE YOUR PATHS STRAIGHT - He will prosper you on the journey. He will direct you in the right paths.
This point is very simple. There are many "ways" that we can travel. There are many "roads" in life that we can take. However, the best path for us are the ones that the Lord leads us in. They are the most prosperous. They are the most peaceful. They are the best paths we could take.

Fleshing it out:
Here's what it looks like folks. Every day of my life is lived with a constant awareness of the Lord. I seek His direction and His guidance. I acknowledge His Lordship over my family, my career, my spiritual life, etc. There isn't a part of me that I keep to myself. It all belongs to Him. My faith and trust in Him keeps me connected to His heart.

This doesn't mean that the Lord will not bless me when I make choices apart from Him. It simply means that the abundant life that Jesus promised is found in the relationship. Personally, for me, it means that I don't have a "spiritual life" and a "natural life". It means that I don't have a "sacred" portion of life and a "private" portion of life. He's got it all. He is Lord over all of me.

I hope that you never read these blogs and think I have it all together. Nothing could be further from the truth. I simply want to encourage you with what I'm experiencing and what I'm trying to do in my relationship with Him. I want nothing less than a real, organic, and experiential relationship with God. I want more than a "Sunday Morning" Christianity. I want a relationship with Him that flows into my relationship with my wife, my children, etc. I'm learning to acknowledge Him in how I respond to my feelings, my circumstances, and my opportunities in life. I'm acknowledging Him in my finances, my ministry, and even my leisure times. AND I'm finding that God is constant with me. He is true to His Word - He will never leave and He will never forsake.

May you find peace and contentment in the path that He lays out for you as well. Enjoy the journey!!!

Grace Upon Grace For Life

"The LORD is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love." {Psalm 145:8 NLT} There's some good news on this Thursday morning! I don't care what your week has been like. You have compassion, mercy, hope, and love on your side. You may not be ranking this week as the best one of your existence but God's got you covered.

If there is a verse that you need to log into your memory it's John 1:16, "And from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace." This is important because when we understand that the grace of God is the operating power of God then we have everything we need.

I'm learning that sensitivity to the Spirit of God within me takes time and practice. I, like many of you, wish the process was much quicker. I would love to be able to get it right all the time. I would love to know that I will always access the love, joy, peace, etc. of the Spirit immediately and in every situation. However, that's not always true in my life. It's in those moments that I am truly grateful for the mercy of God when I get it "wrong" and the grace of God to get it right.

Grace on the "Fly":
The reality for each of us is that we have to learn how to use grace as we move through life. Not every situation allows us to spend 30 minutes in prayer to respond. We aren't guaranteed to have moments of solitude to "work up" our faith so that we know what is available. This is where we have to learn to use our faith to access what God has given to us. That means in every situation and every relationship I'm aware of what is available in the Spirit. Rather than reacting to the people in my life, I'm having to learn how to respond through the Spirit of God. I cannot allow their anger, their disappointment, or their failures to control me. They don't get to push my buttons. Instead, I respond through the work of Holy Spirit. I tap into the nature of Christ that is within me.

That sounds like a good plan doesn't it? But sometimes the best laid plans don't work out. Sometimes we get caught in our emotions. Sometimes we will have to bank on the mercy of God for our mistakes and use the grace of God to pick up the pieces. The key for each of us is to never allow our "failures" to define us. We don't stop because it seems too hard. It's in this moment that we understand just how powerful the grace of God is in our lives.

Do this with me: Settle in your heart once and for all that God is good, God's love will never fail you, God is compassionate and merciful in your life, and that God is for you. When you can establish your heart in these truths then you will be able to get out of the mire of your own thinking. You will be able to overcome the disappointment that you just created. And you will be able to enjoy the peace and joy of God much quicker. At least that is my experience.

I hope to encourage you today. We are all learning how to walk with the Lord. We are all learning how to incorporate this faith into our every day lives. We are learning how to manifest the nature of Christ in our relationships. It may take a lot of grace and mercy (at least in our mind). But God knows our hearts and longs for us to be conformed to the image of His Son. This is our destiny and it will be worked out in our lives as we continue to partner with Him. It's a journey. Don't stumble over your mistakes - learn from them. Don't quit over your failures - be strengthened by them. In the end, you will learn a lot about yourself and you will learn a lot about the nature of God.

A Kingdom Mindset for the Church

"...on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." {Matthew 16:18}. Much has been made about Jesus' statement to Peter in Matthew. One thing is for sure, Jesus intends to build His church upon an immovable and unshakable foundation. His goal is for the church to be a victorious fellowship of believers. The question then is never about the foundation but what we build on the foundation He has already provided.

Several years ago Rick Warren introduced a new way of thinking into church life. In particular, he was one of the first to implement a purpose driven strategy. Warren identified the 5 main purposes of the church in this way: Worship, Evangelism, Ministry, Discipleship, & Fellowship. While I haven't sold out to the rest of his ideas, these 5 purposes have become a major theme for PBC. This isn't only true for our fellowship but there are many more who have a "purpose driven" structure. What makes each church community unique is how they fulfill these purposes.

Over the last few weeks I have been thinking a lot about these 5 purposes. You see, it's not enough to have them in place. It doesn't do any good to call yourself a purpose driven church if in the end you aren't doing anything. It's like having "Missionary" in your church name but never doing missions.

Here are a few ideas for creating a Kingdom Mindset for the Church:

#1 - Create a mentality in worship of hosting the presence of God rather than singing our favorite songs. Unfortunately, people tie the idea of what moves them to what moves God. While your favorite might help move you to a greater sensitivity in worship, the question needs to become "What is moving the heart of God?". This means we may have to throw out the song list in the midst of worship. We may have to "camp out" for a while in a chorus, a bridge, or just let the musicians play. Regardless of what it looks like, those who lead in worship need to be okay with abandoning the script and grabbing hold of the Spirit.

#2 - Evangelism needs to become good news again. This is another area where we have lost great focus. This is typically a result of latching onto a method of evangelism rather than a sensitivity to the Spirit of God. It's time to put the good back into the Good News. The Bible teaches us that it is the kindness of God that leads to repentance. I'm not saying that we can never talk about hell. I'm simply saying that the love of God has a greater impact upon the heart of man than we have been willing to believe.

#3 - Make ministry about people rather than projects. This is a difficult mindset to break. There are a lot of churches who think that because they have a lot of projects or sending out a lot of mission teams that they are doing ministry. However, people are not projects and we must change our focus. One of the simplest definitions of ministry that I have ever heard is that it is "meeting needs with love." Therefore, we must ask the serious questions when it comes to ministry. What are the needs around us? AND...what can we do to meet those needs?

#4 - Ask yourself this question: How can we make fellowship about imparting life rather than just hanging out? I realize that in even asking that question that some people are wondering "How do I impart life?" To impart something means to communicate and/or bestow. What we are learning about the Kingdom of God is that we are aware of we get to release. Fellowship then moves into a new environment when the people who enter into it become sensitive to what the Spirit of God is doing. We are learning how to bestow and communicate grace, bestow and communicate love, bestow and communicate joy. The list goes on an on. I want more than just bringing people into a fellowship. I want to impart something to them. I want to share what God has done in me.

#5 - When it comes to discipleship, we need to lead people in a journey rather than through a study. It seems like most people in the church today, when they hear the word discipleship, immediately think of a classroom setting. This is not the New Testament approach to making disciples. Discipleship in the Bible was always relational, always walking alongside someone, and always mentoring. It's a lot of "on the job training" and a lot of question and answer. Look at how Jesus trained His followers. He walked with them, lived among them, modeled for them, and released them. Should we be any different? Just like fellowship, discipleship becomes a way of imparting Kingdom life into those around us. We are learning how to Walk in the Spirit together. We are learning what it means to be sons/daughters of the most High God.

I hope by now you have recognized that in each of these points I continued to refer to the Spirit of God. The reason why is very simple: You cannot have a Kingdom mindset apart from the Holy Spirit. One of the glaring problems in many churches today is that you can do at least 90% of what they are doing apart from the Holy Spirit. I don't find that model in the New Testament. What I see in the Bible makes it clear that every purpose we are trying to fulfill requires the power of the Holy Spirit. We worship in spirit and truth. We share the Gospel and minister to needs through His gifts, His power, and His leadership. Even those being added to the fellowship and learning how to live as disciples of Christ are led by the Spirit of God. In this way, church life isn't reduced to a formula. Church life is all about creating a mindset that revolves around what the Holy Spirit is doing in our day. It's a Kingdom mindset.

Moving Out of the "Bless Me" Mentality

Are you ready for a change in your thinking? Are you discovering that simply doing what has always been done isn't working? Have you ever considered that asking God to bless what we are doing rather than doing what He is blessing isn't getting the job done? What I want to share with you today applies in so many areas of life. And the only way to get there is to move out of the "Bless Me" mentality.

God has greater designs on life, relationships, ministry, church, etc. than we could ever hope to possess. One of the struggles of humanity is thinking that we have to come up with our own strategies, our own solutions, and our own systematic way of doing things. The truth of the matter is, when we learn to listen to the Lord, He has a way of giving us exactly what we need.

Many of you know that I pastor a local fellowship of believers. Over the years I have encountered many conferences, listened to many speakers, sat in on a number of meetings that were designed to help us think outside of the box. The problem that I have seen is that the box keeps getting bigger and bigger. It used to be that the box was labeled traditional/religious thinking. Now the box has other labels: denominational thinking, cultural acceptance, social norms, etc. The danger in all of this is that we can find ourselves taking ideas, strategies, and even structures that are not designed for our specific needs as a body. The reason this happens is quite simple. We are asking God to bless what we are doing rather than doing what He is blessing. The latter requires us to hear from Him.

I'm also a husband and a father. Trust me when I say that there are PLENTY of resources for both. The relationship of marriage and parenting can be reduced to a checklist that came from the latest study, devotional, book, or conference rather than the true intimate relationship that it is designed to be. Have you ever heard the phrase "I raised them by the book"? The only question is "Which book did you use?" Don't get me wrong...I'm all for educating ourselves about relationships and approaches to situations. I just think that the Lord can teach us far more about our spouses, our children, and ourselves than we can learn from other sources. Of course, this requires us allowing the Lord to speak to us. It also requires us to stop asking God to bless what we are doing and to begin doing what He is blessing.

I could go on and on. I could show you how we have been shaped to think in several key areas of life. I could show you how our cultural background, our religious affiliation, and our traditional thinking have allowed us to put God in a box along with our spouse, our children, other relationships, and our every day lives. The label on this box is "control" and we love to be in control of our environments. We love to be in control of every factor of life. And in the midst of all of this, if we are not careful, we will never allow these areas of life to grow into anything real and lasting. We will also find ourselves continually asking God to bless what we are doing rather than do what He is blessing.

Ask yourself these questions:
- What is God blessing in my relationship with Him?
- What is God blessing in my relationship with my spouse?
- What is God blessing in my relationship with my children?
- What is God blessing in __________________________ ?

I think you will be surprised by the answer (or the lack of one). What I am discovering in my personal walk with the Lord is that He is blessing in areas that no one mentioned in those early discipleship days. He still honors Bible reading, prayer, and other basic areas. However, at least for me, the greatest blessings are coming through authenticity. It's just me being real with God and Him being real with me. Over the last few years I have discovered a reality of relationship with Him that I did not think possible. And through this discovery I'm recognizing that in Christ there is no pressure to perform or conform. There is only an invitation to transform by renewing my mind. (EXHALE...Aaaahhhhh....)

Not only is this true in my walk with the Lord but it is true in other relationships as well. It's learning to live without the pressure. Learning to live without a performance or conformity mentality keeps me from placing undue expectations on myself, on my spouse, and on my children. And since I'm living outside the pressure cooker I can allow myself to be myself, allow my wife and children to be who they are created to be, and I can allow God to speak life into these relationships.

This may sound too simplistic for some of you. I'm okay with that. This might sound too complex for others because it does require an intimacy with God that quite frankly religion can never pass down to you. This is where the change needs to happen. It needs to take place in the way we think - the way we perceive God and others...HECK...even the way we see ourselves. We have to stop thinking that if I do "this" that God will bless me and start asking God "Where are the areas that He wants to bless."

It's a life of partnership with Him. And when you choose to live that partnership in every area of life I can guarantee that you will enjoy the journey. May you be blessed to live authentically within your relationship with God and everyone else.

The Process...

I'll admit that I didn't have much to write about this morning. I've been thinking through a lot of different stuff but nothing hit me. That is...that is until I hear a brief clip of a Graham Cooke teaching. It was perfect for what I was dealing with and thought it would make a great topic of discussion. So let's talk about "The Process."

There is something that each of us must discover about life in general: It's a Process. There's no such thing as being born into the world and all of a sudden you are a mature adult. It requires time. It requires learning. It requires making choices. In other words, it requires a process.

What is true in the natural is true in the spiritual. What we become in the Kingdom of God doesn't happen through a snap of the fingers or the laying on of hands. The Christian life is filled with processes. We will not become spiritually mature by accident. It doesn't happen overnight. Don't misunderstand what I'm saying. God in His power and in His grace quickens many of the processes. But to become who we are meant to be in the Kingdom will take time. It will mean going through the process.

This is a lesson that I must continually learn. Church bodies go through process. Ministries go through process. Leaders go through process. Who I am today as a parent is due to how I have responded to the process of parenting. Who I am as a husband has come through the process of marriage. The willingness on my part to recognize who I am in each situation, learn through the lessons of life, and being willing to grow has brought me to where I am today. There was some initiative on my part and a LOT of grace on God's part. I'm not where I want to be but thankfully I'm not where I used to be. Where am I? I'm still in the process.

I used the picture of a drop of water to provide some imagery to the process. Each drop of water creates a ripple effect. Ask yourself the question: What is God trying to drop into my life that will create such a ripple effect that it will transform me into the person He wants me to be? Where are you in the process?

Enjoy the journey...& Enjoy the process!!!

Every Day God

I'm convinced (as Pearl Bailey is quoted as saying) that "People see God every day, they just don't recognize Him." I'm convinced of this because Jesus teaches His followers that when they love Him, it produces a life that goes after the things that are close to His heart and that He will manifest Himself to them (see John 14:21). At least that is my understanding of the verse. It is also my understanding of this relationship.

Far too many "believers" have regulated experiencing God to a religious service/event, a study, or some kind of experience that only happens when something "holy" is happening. What I mean by that is that we have kept God in a box labeled "Christian Experiences" rather than allowing Him to be a part of every day life. It's time for the church as a whole, and we as individual believers, to change this mindset. It's time for us to look for God to show up in any given situation, any given relationship, and at any moment.

Here's where I'm going...I just hope you can follow:
When my heart is set on going after God in my every day life then every day experiences will allow me to watch Him move, hear His voice, or learn something of His Spirit. I can be watching a movie, having a conversation around the coffee maker at work, or simply going through the motions of life in my home and all of a sudden the Lord is there. I hear Him speak. I see Him working in the heart of my wife. I witness Him doing a work in the life of my child. Or something is said that instantly sends a quickening to my spirit that brings joy, peace, love, or a sense of reverence. It is in those moments where it becomes abundantly clear that God doesn't need a set time during the week on a particular holy day to show up. He longs to manifest Himself within the lives of His children.

Then there may be days where my heart isn't as in tune as other days. It doesn't mean that God doesn't show up but it may mean that I miss it. I might miss the smile He sent my way. I might miss the laughter that He wanted me to be a part of. I might miss the opportunity to feel His embrace through someone else. The condition of my heart doesn't keep God from moving but it will keep me from experiencing it.

I want you to think this thought with me today. If Adam & Eve could encounter the manifest presence of God on a daily basis then why not you? Some may argue that sin is the issue but it is not a valid argument with God. When Adam & Eve fell in the Garden we don't see God keeping Himself away. No...we actually find them running from His presence. The issue wasn't sin (in particular) but the condition in their heart that was caused by sin. The GREAT NEWS about God is that He has taken care of the sin issue in His heart. Remember that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself - not counting their trespasses against them. AND since God has taken care of the sin issue then what will keep Him from showing up in our every day life?

Why is this important? It's important because so many people only look for God through religious activity. They never look for God on the street, in the grocery store, or in the mundane. Just like the religious leaders on the day of Jesus' birth did not go out to a stable to find a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes, we never expect God to show up in our secluded dirty places. But this is the Glorious Good News of the Gospel.

I encourage you to find where the Lord is working around you. Listen intently for His voice. Be sensitive to your surroundings. I believe that you will find Him much more at work than you expected. I also believe that you will discover a great secret: that God is at work in your every day life.

Enjoy the journey!!!

Father Heart of God

Being a parent has many different "moments". Personally, I believe parenting can teach us many things about the "Father Heart" of God. I have worked hard to realize that not everything I feel in my relationship with my children can be ascribed to God. However, there are moments...moments where I know that I'm tapping into His heart.

My son recently had to learn a very difficult lesson about personal responsibility. He learned that actions have consequences. In that moment, the light came on and he recognized his choices were not the best choices available. As his Father I had choice as well. I could have chosen to control his life or I could allow him to weight out the decisions. I chose the latter. In the end...I wasn't happy to see him struggle with his decision. Instead...I found myself hurting for him. My heart was heavy - not with disappointment - with pain. I hurt for him. I hated seeing him feel the weight of his decisions. However, in this moment came another moment where I gladly partnered with him in the right decisions. I was able to walk alongside him when he faced the consequences, repented of his former decisions, and resolved to take the appropriate actions.

Now...before you start speculating what my son could have possibly done, or questioning my judgment as a parent, I want to ask you a question: What do you do in the lives of your children to prepare them for life? How do you handle the possibility that they may get it wrong? Some people out of fear make sure they control every environment, every decision, and every consequence. In other words, we don't give them the option. Instead of creating a safe place for them to make mistakes...we make sure they never make them. As a parent who is following the Lord, it was my decision to give my kids grace - to give them the opportunity to succeed or the opportunity to fail. If they get it wrong I am able to come alongside them and show them a better path. For my son (in this particular instance) it means taking greater responsibility. I didn't take the responsibility away because he didn't handle it properly. NO...he felt the weight of his poor choices and he learned a lesson that he will never forget.

What does this have to do with the Father heart of God? God told Israel that He had set before them life and death/blessing and cursing. He encouraged them to choose life. What we know of the history of Israel is that they did not always partner with life. They made a lot of poor choices. However, God never took His love off of His people. He made sure that they would continue to have the opportunity to partner with His life giving Spirit. In the end, He sent His Son into the world to carry the weight and punishment of sin for them. They would be forgiven because of the sacrifice of His Son. Not only them but the entire world would come under this one act of love. In this way, God doesn't need to punish sin anymore because sin carries its own punishment.

As I was thinking about this, I was reminded of a conversation from "The Shack": "I don't need to punish people for sin. Sin is its own punishment, devouring you from the inside. It's not my purpose to punish it; it's my joy to cure it." {p.120} God in His infinite grace and mercy has allowed us to live in such a relationship with Him that we are F-R-E-E. We are free to get it right. We are free to get it wrong. We are free to run away. We are free to return. God does not take His love off of us because we fail. In fact, I believe in those moments, God's heart hurts for us when we hurt. He has experienced the weight of our poor choices and he hates seeing that weight come upon us. And when we return to Him, He doesn't gloat, He joyfully walks beside us so that we can partner together in things that bring life.

The greatest example of this is found in Luke 15:11-32 - the story typically termed the "Prodigal Son." In this story we find a Father who was willing to allow his children to make choices. Even though these choices had serious consequences, he never took his love off of them. He rejoiced to see the "lost" son return home. He made sure that his son was well aware of his love. When he had to deal with the envy and jealousy of the son who stayed home it became a moment to remind him of his love as well.

My prayer for you today is that you come into an experience of the Father heart of God. I pray that you will find His love, His joy, His contentment, and His peace in your life. And in the process, remember that His love is greater than any love you have experienced.

Happy New Year!!!

May your year be filled with love, peace, and the goodness of God. Looking forward to catching up with you all in the next few days.