...& Raised on the 3rd Day!!!

The greatest day in history, Death is beaten
You have rescued me
Sing it out Jesus is alive

The empty cross, The empty grave
Life eternal You have won the day
Shout it out Jesus is alive
He's alive!!!

Buried...

Low in the grave He lay, Jesus my Savior,
Waiting the coming day, Jesus my Lord!

...Waiting for the coming day!!!

Crucified...

Were you there when they crucified my Lord?
Were you there when they crucified my Lord?
Oh! Sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.
Were you there when they crucified my Lord?

Were you there when they nailed Him to the tree?
Were you there when they nailed Him to the tree?
Oh! Sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.
Were you there when they nailed Him to the tree?

Resurrection Hope

1 Peter 1:3 "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead..." (NIV)

On Sunday we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. The reality of our faith hinges upon this one event in history. Your challenge: Don't allow the hope of the resurrection to get lost in the familiarity of the story.

Make EVERY DAY a Celebration!!!
- Don't wait until resurrection Sunday to celebrate the resurrection of Christ. Every day provides an opportunity to rejoice in what the Lord has done. Take time to worship. Take time to be amazed. Take time to give thanks. The resurrection of Christ was never meant to be a holy day but lead to a continual rejoicing in our lives.

Walk in the NEWNESS of LIFE!!!
- One of the greatest expression of thanksgiving that we can give to God is to walk in the newness of life that is ours through the resurrection of Jesus. This is the hope that we carry - that God makes all things NEW. We aren't regulated to walking in our past. We don't have to do what has always been done. NEWNESS is our every day. NEW opportunities. NEW hope. NEW experiences. NEW revelation.

REFRESH yourself in the resurrection of Christ!!!
- Take some time this week to read through the "passion" of Christ in the Gospels. See the determination in His face as He prepares to go to the Cross. Embrace the sadness of the punishment. Weep over the lifeless body being placed in the tomb. Be amazed at the word "He is not here. He is RISEN!" And be overcome with joy as Mary realizes that IT IS her Lord that speaks to her in the garden. Tremble at His entrance into the upper room with His disciples. Feel the burning in your heart as He talks with the disciples on the road to Emmaus.

As you go through these experiences, allow the Lord to speak through you. Write a song, a poem, or your testimony. Draw or paint a picture. Share the death, burial, and resurrection story with those around you. Pray, Confess your faith in Him anew, share in the Lord's Supper, and establish your heart in the resurrection. Allow your imagination to take you on a journey to the dusty roads of Jerusalem. Walk the path that has been referred to as the "Via Dolorosa". Go into the empty tomb - feel the coldness of death - and rejoice over it's vacancy.

We have been birthed into a living hope. In other words, we have a confident expectation that is alive and well. The resurrection of Jesus is more than a one day event but an opportunity to experience resurrection life every day. This is your hope. This is the hope of the entire world. If you have a firsthand account of the salvation that comes through the resurrection then share it with someone else. If you have never experienced the abundant life of Christ then there is no better time than now. The Bible tells us that if we believe that Jesus is raised from the dead and confess Him as Lord that we shall be saved. Place your faith in Him today. Begin walking in the newness, the hope, and the joy that is the resurrection of Christ.

The Balance of Grace

I had a thought this morning that I would like to develop with you. Yes...it has to do with grace and how we apply it to our lives. It's a simple concept, but I think it is profound. Romans 6:1-2 says, "What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?"

Most people respond to sin and grace primarily in two ways:
Legalism - over-emphasis on discipline of conduct
License - basically takes freedom to the nth degree
What I am coming to understand about the grace of God is that it creates a balance in life. It allows me to walk in freedom while keeping me under the Lordship of Christ. Grace has a way of shaping my life so that I am continually conformed to the image of the Son of God but doesn't require that I am rigid in my discipline. As I thought about these two approaches, it occurred to me that Legalism creates rebellion while License creates humanism. I'll do my best to explain.

Legalism doesn't give room for grace. It is typically displayed in a "my way or the highway" attitude. These are the rules and you must obey them. Legalism requires that we have an answer for everything that we do and those answers must agree. Legalism embraces a form of godliness/conduct rather than allow for people to "work out their own salvation". It was predominate in the religious community of Jesus' day. In so much that there was a rule for everything. Is it any wonder that we see so many who were unwilling to live out their Jewish faith?

License on the other hand takes the approach that we see in 1 Corinthians. Paul addresses this mindset by quoting someone in the church: "'All things are lawful,' but not all things are helpful. 'All things are lawful,' but not all things build up." {1 Corinthians 10:23). While Paul doesn't argue the thought process of "all things are lawful", he does address the need for balance. Yes, you can walk in freedom but be sure that what you do is helpful and edifying. Why did I say that "license" leads to humanism? It's quite simple really. Humanism (by definition) is a group of philosophies and ethical perspectives which emphasis the value and agency of human beings, individually & collectively. It generally prefers individual thought & evidence over established doctrine or faith. When we take the approach toward sin and grace that says I'm free to do whatever I please because I live under grace then we are valuing our individual freedom over established doctrines or faith. It's a dangerous place to live. What gets lost in this mindset is the idea of boundaries that are in place to ensure safety.

The grace of God (as I said earlier) allows us to walk in freedom while keeping us under the Lordship of Christ. It keeps us away from the things that can never produce holiness and the things that can cause our destruction. The funny thing about these two different mindsets is that each group thinks they are closer to the Lord. One group flaunts their "holiness" while the other struts their "freedom". Where is the balance? It's found in the grace of God.

Paul warned of the things that people would do to "ensure" their holiness: "These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh." {Colossians 2:23} In essence he says that IT DOES NOT WORK!!! Then we find in Romans 6 that we should not live in sin so that grace may about in our lives. Why? BECAUSE WE HAVE DIED TO IT!!!

You and I have the opportunity to display to the world that the grace of God provides a better way. They will marvel at your freedom in Christ because it looks so different from what they have seen out of other Christians. And they will be touched by your submission to Jesus as Lord of your life. They will see the balance and find you as a comfort to their weary soul. They will know that there is no judgement in you but will also appreciate the spiritual aspect of your life. I'm not saying that they will just run to you and ask how they can live the way you live. I'm simply saying that you will get their attention.

Learn what it means to allow the grace of God to shape your life. Find the balance of a grace ruled life. And by all means, enjoy the journey!!!

Worship Through Creativity

Creativity is one of our most basic expressions of the nature of God. I honestly believe that it is a great testimony to the fact that we have a Creator and that we were made in His image. It is my hope that one day the Church will be on the cutting edge of creativity as it relates to our worship of God.

I have spent the majority of my life in the Church. I grew up in a traditional Disciples of Christ Church but often went to fellowship with the Baptist in my hometown. Other than a few differences in worship practices, much of what we did in one was done in the other. In fact, I found this to be true in the majority of churches that I visited over the years as well.

Up until a few years ago I didn't understand how powerful creativity was as it relates to worship. I had never been exposed to dance, prophetic painting, or spontaneous worship. All I had ever encountered was routine, tradition, and normal practice. That being said, I have watched the church as a whole struggle to keep up with the times. The music seemed outdated and the environment seemed out of touch with the culture. I'm not trying to be critical, it's just an honest assessment of what I experienced.

While I recognize the need for some traditions and believe that the church alone gets to determine their practices...whatever happened to creative expression? When did we move away from spontaneity and embrace routine? Paul described the church in Corinth this way: "Well, my brothers and sisters, let's summarize. When you meet together, one will sing, another will teach, another will tell some special revelation God has given, one will speak in tongues, and another will interpret what is said. But everything that is done must strengthen all of you." {1 Corinthians 14:26 NLT}

Some have chosen to view this section of Paul's letter as a complete rebuke. I don't. I think Paul recognized that when the Body of Christ gathered together that each of us would be able to flow in the nature of Christ. Whatever expression of Christ was in us needed to come out. It could come as a song of worship, a word of encouragement, a unique revelation from the Lord, and an exercise in the gifts of the Spirit. Of course, he talks about things being done decently and in order but that's to ensure that people are edified in the process. He didn't want chaos to rule their time together and so he put some boundaries in place to make sure brothers and sisters could share whatever God was doing in them.

Due to the negative approach most people take to the Corinthian letter, it's easy to understand how we have become liturgical even in the most contemporary environments. We have decided what was decent and in order. We have determined what was proper expression and what was not. Unfortunately, we have shut a lot of people down in the process. Dance in many church gatherings is forbidden. Spontaneous worship has been regulated to what happens on the stage. The Arts in general have been placed on a wall by the selective few rather than a normal expression within the Body of Christ. This needs to change.

It's my opinion that we are most like God when we are creative. There are poems and stories inside writers that could bring an incredible amount of worship to God. There are songs lying dormant in many singers & musicians because they have never been given an opportunity to share what God has shared in them. Paintings, sculptures, etc. that could minister to the people in our midst tend to be restricted to what we see in a museum rather than within the Body of Christ. And what happens as a result of such a closed environment is that many of these people look for a place to express their gifts which typically places them in the "world" rather than in our midst.

I honestly believe that every person has a song to sing
I believe every person has something unique to bring to the worship table
I believe it's up to the church to create the atmosphere that says we want to hear from you, we want to see what God is doing in you, and we want to experience the nature of Christ flowing from you

Why are we so surprised that the guys from Sherwood Baptist Church in GA are able to be successful in filmmaking?
Why are we shocked at the market for incredible artists within the Christian Music scene?
Why are we mesmerized by Christian writers who spend weeks on top of the best-sellers list?
Why are we not more amazed that this isn't the norm?

I have been blessed through the years to know some very creative people who just happened to be followers of Christ. They want nothing more than to use the gifts God placed inside of them to bring glory and honor to God. What they lack is the opportunity. What they need is an environment where their expression can be received. May we learn the art of worshiping God through creativity and may we embrace it as a natural expression of every follower of Christ.

"Knowing" the Truth that Sets You Free

Veritaz vos Liberabit - Latin phrase which translated means "the truth shall set you free".

John 8:32 is one of the most recited verses of the entire New Testament. Jesus spoke these words to the Jews who had believed on Him. It was an encouragement for them to continue to hold to His teachings and to walk in the Truth that He would reveal.

I think what can often get lost in translation is "how" the truth sets us free. If truth (for instance) is only a set of theological ideas, doctrinal statements, or personal beliefs - then it cannot set us free. I'm a fan of theology, I believe in having doctrinal statements, and beliefs are important. However, these things alone cannot bring about the freedom that Jesus is communicating. Freedom comes to us when we hold to His Word, come into the knowledge of truth, and experience the truth for ourselves.

Maybe this will help you understand:
The word translated as KNOW is "ginōskō". Reading from Thayer's Greek Definitions...
1) to learn to know, come to know, get a knowledge of perceive, feel
1a) to become known
2) to know, understand, perceive, have knowledge of
2a) to understand
2b) to know
3) Jewish idiom for sexual intercourse between a man and a woman
4) to become acquainted with, to know

Did you notice #3? Get ready because this can change your life. The knowledge that Jesus is speaking of in this verse is more than just a head knowledge. In other words it's not enough to know about the truth. You really, REALLY, need to know it. There must be an intimate encounter with the truth for it to create the freedom that we want to enjoy. It's not enough that we gain knowledge to build up our belief system. It's not enough that we make ourselves smarter in regards to our theology. Jesus is referring to that which can only come through relational experience. There may be people that know my wife but I'm the only one who truly "knows" her.

It makes perfect sense. Jesus never looked for people who would casually regard Him as Lord. He was always looking for those who were willing to be His disciples. In the Great Commission, He told His disciples to go and make more of the same kind. Casual Christianity knows nothing of the cost of discipleship, nothing of experiential theology, and nothing of intimate relationship. What is experiential theology? It's that which comes through experience. While experience doesn't get to set all my beliefs, it is important that I experience what I believe.

Theology by definition is the study of the nature of God and religious belief. It is also religious beliefs and theory when systematically developed. There is only one problem with systematic theology: It doesn't leave room for experience. Systematic theology is helpful when we lack experience. However, when we encounter what the Bible says is True then we must be willing to change our theology. It is my belief that what we read about in Scripture can and should be experienced. It's the mark of a disciple - someone who walks in relationship with the one from whom he is learning. Jesus had a lot of fans during His triumphal entry but not many followers on the day of His trial. Those who had an intimate encounter with Him remained faithful. They "knew" the truth and they were the ones to carry that truth after His death, burial, and resurrection.

I think this is why there are so many people in our churches that never encounter true freedom in Christ. They have an affirmation of what they believe. They feel good about being a part of a community of believers. They grow in knowledge and are devoted to the religious exercise of their faith. They just aren't experiencing freedom. Many of them are still plagued by the same things that plagued them before they got saved. They struggle to walk in the Truth of Scripture in their marriage or other relationships because they have never really experienced the grace of God. They may know about it but do they really "know" it?

When I was a young believer, people would tell me to know what you believe and why you believe it. Those were good words. I carry them in my life to this day. We just need to be careful that we do not become so comfortable with being able to quote Scripture, espouse our beliefs, and argue our point of view that we miss out on the reality of the Christian life. Jesus promised a freedom that could be felt, experienced, and believed. "Knowing" the truth must move beyond the realm of reason and enter the arena of relationship. Then, and only then, will we walk in FREEDOM.

It's time for believers to become followers. It's time for those devoted to their beliefs to become disciplined learner of Christ. It's time for those steeped in religion to discover the joy of relationship. It's time to allow the TRUTH of what you believe to bring you into the freedom that Jesus promised. It's time!!!

Is There Not A Cause?

1 Corinthians 2:4, "...my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power". Should today's messages and preaching be any different?

The Greek mindset, which permeated much of the church culture in Paul's day, liked their preachers to be skilled orators. In fact, the way the viewed a "good message" isn't very different from what we see in the American church. We like eloquent speakers and moving messages. What we rarely see (and I'm being nice here - I promise) is the approach that Paul used where we communicate the Gospel plainly and demonstrate the Gospel powerfully.

Let me explain. I'm not saying that there is never a time for the type of preaching that we typically encounter. Many people learn in that environment. I'm also not saying that the communication of the Gospel must always be accompanied by outward signs and wonders. What I am saying is that we tend to lean toward the communication aspect of the message rather than the demonstration.

Now...that demonstration can come in various forms. There may be times that we see someone exercise the gifts of the Spirit. That means there may be a prophetic word, someone may be healed of a disease, or there could be a word of knowledge. Regardless of the expression of the gift, the point is that God will often demonstrate the power of the Gospel in a way that could never be communicated. Another form of demonstration can be the impact the message has upon the people listening. I think of Billy Graham and how his message is so simple and when it comes time to invite people to Christ they come by the thousands. Why? The reason is simple: Billy is operating in his gifting as an evangelist. He is quite confident in the drawing power of the Holy Spirit. He know that all he has to do is communicate the Gospel and God will do the rest. And if you have ever been in that setting you cannot deny the power of God upon the lives of the people.

The challenge that I want to issue today is this: "Is there not a cause?"
When David stood before his brothers while Goliath was issuing his threats to the children of Israel, he was blown away by the fact that no one would step forward. "Is there not a cause?" was the question he asked. The need in his mind was that someone needs to step out and face the challenge of their day. The need for our day isn't any different. There is a giant of unbelief that needs to be taken down. Unfortunately, much of the training that people have received in communicating the Gospel is no different that David trying to wear Saul's armor - it just will not work. But when you and I are confident to step out in the testimony of what God has done in our life (for David it was how he defeated the lion and the bear through the power of God) and are willing to become a demonstration of the power, we can watch that giant fall to the ground.

David's confidence wasn't in what he could do for God but what God could do through Him. He couldn't rely upon Saul's armor to make it happen. However, he knew how to use the sling and he knew the power of God. His life was already a demonstration of that reality. What God had done in the past he could do in the present. And one man standing in faith willing to be a demonstration of the power of God gained victory over the enemies of Israel.

Is there not a cause? Should the church of Jesus Christ look any different today? Should we not be willing to be a demonstration of the Spirit and power rather than just a means of communication? Should not our lives back up what we preach? Should we not give place to the work of the Holy Spirit in our midst? I believe the answer is a resounding "YES!" Yes - we should preach the Gospel. Yes - we should also have a demonstration of the power of the Gospel. This isn't an either/or thing. We must have both. We need both. And the world should experience both through the church.

I'm a firm believer in authentic and biblical Christianity. What I see in the Bible I believe we can see today. The message that is preached in the Bible should be preached today and the demonstration of the Spirit in the Bible is what we need to see today. In this way we are following in the footsteps of our Lord. We are to be a message rather than just those proclaiming a message. The reality of the Gospel needs to go much deeper than our ability to communicate. It should permeate our entire being. Paul realized this and penned these words: "For the kingdom of God does not consist in talk but in power." {1 Cor. 4:20}

I think it's time we joined him.

Learning Some Valuable Lessons...

Found in the midst of 1 Peter 5:5 are these words: "...Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another..." Let me take some time to share with you some valuable lessons that I have recently learned.

For those of you who have read my blog in the past, you know that I don't mind going after religious mindsets. I mean...I love to see them broken. Whenever I'm able to help someone come out of that into true freedom in Christ - it exhilarates me. With that being said, I discovered something about myself this past week. I realized how easy it was for me to judge people based upon their "lack" of freedom rather than seeing where a particular person was in their journey. My judgement would lead me to criticism rather than love. Through this discovery I realized that my judgment and criticism of others was more defining of where I was in my journey rather than where they were in theirs. OUCH!

I'm sure that I will still go after religious mindsets. I just want to be sure that people understand that I'm not going after them. In my relentless pursuit of relationship with Jesus over religious mindsets I have found myself pounding on people rather than pouring into their lives. When they couldn't grasp what I was after, I could easily categorize them as "religious". And what I have seen in myself is that I was doing to many of them what they were doing to me (or "vice versa") - I was labeling. When I became aware of this my heart was immediately softened to see the people that I was hurting rather than helping. I realized was creating animosity rather than relationships built upon love. I was creating division rather than unity.

What did I miss in all of this? How was it possible to create something that wasn't in my heart? While I do not have all the answers to these questions, I think I have discovered what was lacking: HUMILITY. I had honestly forgotten what it was like to approach my relationship with God from a religious mindset. I forgot how difficult it was for me to embrace the same message that I now share with others. I forgot to respect the journey that each of us are on in our relationship with God and how we are all in different places. It was a hard lesson to swallow but a valuable one nonetheless.

When we learn how to clothe ourselves with humility toward one another, we can achieve so much more in our relationships. Humility allows us to love unconditionally, forgive frequently, and work through anything. It will allow us to see people based upon who they are in Christ rather than labeling them through their actions. It will help us to respect each other's journey with the Lord. While I may not do the same things they do, I recognize that this is where they are in the walk. We may dress differently when we go to church, we may believe some different things as it relates to godliness/holiness, and we may view worship through a different lens but most of it is due to where we are in the relationship.

Think about your own life. What are some areas of your belief system where you have grown? Are any of these areas ideas that you once refuted? Have you found yourself on the other side of the issue wondering how in the world you ever believed "that"? If you have answered "YES" to any of these questions then you are now on the road to seeing other people in their journey with the Lord. Their spiritual development must go through many of the same processes that yours had to go through. They will have to wrestle with their own questions. What we cannot do is become critical of them. They should find in us a safe place to discuss, ask questions, and maybe even debate. All the while keeping our love on them. Never allowing judgment or criticism to enter our thinking. Clothing ourselves in humility.

These are the types of relationships that I'm after. I hope to one day get to a place where judgment of others cannot even enter into my mind. I long to be clothed with humility, seasoned in the grace of God, and walking in the love of God with everyone. I want them to experience Christ in and through me. Do I believe it's possible? I most definitely do believe it's possible. I see it in the life of Jesus. I see it in the person of God: "...He gives more grace. Therefore it says, 'God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.'" {James 4:6} We can do this because in Christ all things are possible.

Let's enjoy the journey AND respect the journey of others.

Worship...

Psalms 29:2, "Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; worship the LORD in the splendor of holiness."

I love how the Lord reminds me of things. This week has brought with it several challenges and obstacles. However, right in the midst of it - as I turn my heart toward the Lord - I experience His presence. Worship has once again changed my environment.

Without taking a lot of time I simply want to remind you (as the Lord reminded me) that worship always has the potential to bring you into an experience of Him. Worship is not just a duty to fulfill but an experience to enter into and a relationship to enjoy. The psalms of the Old Testament teach us that God is enthroned upon the praises of Israel. It is my belief that when I turn my heart toward Him and begin to express my love and devotion that He brings the reality of His presence into my situation.

I don't know what you are encountering today but worship can alter the environment. Just like turning a light on in a dark room brings a greater perspective, worship will change yours. It's one of the joys that we have as followers of Christ. Don't miss it.

Take some time today to turn on some of your favorite worship music.
Or simply sing a song from your heart to Him.
Allow your focus to be upon the God who created you, loves you, and has given you life.
Watch the things that are trying to get your attention fade away.
Enjoy the peace and serenity that will envelope your soul.
Be still and know that He is God!!!

God can affect where you are today more than anything that I could write. Trust me.

Encounter His presence regardless of where you are in the journey. My prayer is that your experience of Him will help you gain a greater perspective of your situation AND a greater appreciation for how immediate God is in your life.

Go ahead...get your praise on!!!

God Still Heals!!!

"And he said to her, 'Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.'” Mark 5:34 ESV

Before posting today's blog I decided to do an image search on healing. I was shocked to find that almost every image listed under "Healing" was associated with "New Age" thought. It saddens me when I think that we have allowed other people to set the agenda in the area of healing. It's also unfortunate that many followers of Christ simply do not know where to stand in this area. My purpose in sharing all of this with you today is to bring you the testimony of a lady in our PBC Family. I pray that you will be encouraged to stand fast in your faith and to not be so quick to believe the opinion of others.

The lady that I am speaking of was recently diagnosed with cancer. Her unwillingness to accept one doctors diagnosis led her to ask for prayer and to seek out another opinion. Our church family anointed her with oil, laid hands on her, and prayed the prayer of faith (James 5). Her first trip to a hospital in Texas revealed that there was "something" there but they could not confidently say that it was cancer. The faith of our friend was unshakable. She simply did not believe she had cancer and that if she did that God had healed her.

Her faith journey led her on several return trips to the hospital in Texas. Test after test was run that left doctors shaking their heads. I'm not saying that they were trying to find cancer. I simply believe that they were trying to make sure that it wasn't there. Bone marrow tests, scans, and eventually biopsies were done to determine whether or not the cancer was gone. You have to understand that many of these tests were run because they kept thinking something was wrong. They thought it was in her blood. They thought that it was there but had moved. Regardless of the reason, our friend had many opportunities to lose faith. The doctors and nurses were continually surprised and encouraged by her faith and joy through the process.

Just yesterday our dear friend received confirmation that she DOES NOT have cancer!!! And it is our firm belief that the words spoken by Jesus over the woman with the issue of blood rang true in her life: "Your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed..."

Let me just say that regardless of where you stand on the issue of healing that God is still alive and well. God still heals and God still restores. There was no magic potion. There was no medicine that helped in the process. Her testimony of who Christ is for her is that He is HEALER. He alone deserves the praise. Her continued belief that she was healed has been confirmed and we rejoice with her.

Along this journey she had many reason to doubt. She had several "well meaning" people who tried to console her, comfort her, etc. but they were always met with the same reply: "I'm good. I don't have cancer. I'm healed." Her willingness to believe and her refusal to be discouraged is a testimony to us on how to approach life's difficulties. She displayed an unwavering faith in the goodness, love, and healing power of God.

I'm not hear to question your belief system. I'm not hear to convince you to believe in healing the way that I do. I'm simply here to offer up praise to the God who still intervenes in the lives of men and women. I'm hear to boost your confidence in a God who responds to our faith. I'm here to magnify the suffering of Christ for our benefit. And it is through testimonies such as this one that He receives the reward of His suffering.

Today I join with Isaiah to declare: "But He [Jesus] was wounded for our transgressions; He was crushed for our iniquities; upon Him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with His stripes we are healed." Isaiah 53:5

Wisdom for the Wise

Proverbs 1:5, "A wise man will hear and increase in learning, And a man of understanding will acquire wise counsel". How's that for a Proverb?

I think I've told you before that the book of Proverbs is one of my favorites in all of Scripture. It is full of simple (yet profound) wisdom that can be applied to everyday life.

Let me start off by saying that a proverb is different from a promise. We know from Scripture that all of the promises of God are "yes and amen" in Christ. The results of a proverb are tied to application. In other words, how we apply the proverb coupled with how others apply it determine the result. I have heard many people say "Well...I trained my child in the way they should go but they are not following through with it." That's because each person has a choice. The proverb is intended to give direction to those leading the child. It's not an open-ended promise or we would never see our children go in an opposite direction. However, can you imagine the life of a child who is never given guidance?

The particular proverb that I mentioned at the beginning has come back to me several times. It's not been verbatim but I have continually heard in different scenarios that "a wise man receives instruction." What's the point? The point is that only the arrogant refuse to listen and only the fool disregards the counsel of others. When we neglect our God-given opportunity to listen to the people around us then there is a good chance that we will fail. I'm not saying that what everyone says to me is right or that there counsel has to be applied to my life. What I am saying is that we would do well to listen.

The wise remain wise because they are willing to receive wisdom. Solomon was given the opportunity to have whatever he asked from the Lord. He chose wisdom. He didn't seek fame, fortune, or the extension of his Kingdom. He simply understood that to do what needed to be done as the King of Israel he needed the wisdom of God. God's response was to give him wisdom plus the things he did not ask for. WISE MOVE!!! Solomon was regarded as the wisest man in all the land. His wisdom continues with us to this day. The instructions that he left for his son, the judgments that he made as king, all of these things have been passed down through Scripture.

The tragedy of Solomon's life is that in all of his wisdom, he ended up making some pretty poor choices. In the end, I think he missed out on some of the wise counsel that others could have provided. This is true for any of us. In fact, it is typically the area of our greatest strengths that we can fail. That's right! Even in our wisdom we can lose our perspective. Which is why we would do well to have people in our lives that can speak into us. People who can help us become the greatest us that we can be.

I have been fortunate throughout my life to have Kingdom minded people around me. I know they love me, pray for me, encourage me, and at times correct me. These people challenge me in almost every area of life. They provide wisdom for marriage, my walk with Christ, my relationships with others, etc. These people have become invaluable to me and my family. I'm grateful for their contributions. I have no doubt that I would not be where I am today if these people had not been willing to sow into my life and had I not been willing to listen.

Allow me to encourage you to surround yourself with godly people. They don't have to believe everything the same way you do. In fact, sometimes it is better to have different opinions. What you can gain from them is perspective, understanding, and wisdom that you need to help you become all that God has created you to be. The truth that I have discovered is that not only do I gain wisdom from them but I glean from their gifting in Christ. Hanging around prophetic people has allowed me to be more prophetic. Fellowship with people who are strong in encouragement has allowed me to become more encouraging. Regardless of their gifts, our relationships can become mutually beneficial. AND that is what Kingdom life is all about.

I heard an African proverb that speaks well to this area of life:
"If you want to go quickly, go alone.
If you want to go far, go together."
Enjoy the journey!!!

Stepping Away For a Few Days...

It's that time of year again...
Time to take a trip to Florida and do some Hog Hunting with my son and other family members.

One of the fun things that I have been able to share with my son over the past few years is hunting. The time outdoors, the teachable moments, the thrill of the hunt - it's all good.

I'll be back with you all next week. Praying that you have an wonderful week while I'm away. For some of you - enjoy the snow.

Take time this week to grow in your understanding of the love of God. To quote the Apostle Paul:
"...may you have the power to understand, as all God's people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is.
May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God." {Ephesians 3:18-19 NLT}