Speak Boldly

The times when our kids speak out can be embarrassing. Once while standing near a man with an artificial limb, our youngest son asked him if he was a robot. Innocent I know but still. I feel sometimes we, as followers of Jesus, are a little embarrassed to talk about Jesus.

We’ll say things like, “I’ll just let my life be my witness.” While that’s an important part of following Jesus, our spoken words about His greatness are equally important. See, our behavior is born out of belief. We speak boldly about what we believe deeply. Case in point…

Peter and John are on the way to the Temple in Jerusalem in Acts 3 when they stop and heal a crippled beggar. Once he’s on his feet, they all three go into the Temple and a crowd gathers because they recognize the man who has been begging for years but he’s on his feet. Peter uses this opportunity to share the story of Jesus. He vocalizes the importance of knowing Jesus. It creates such a commotion, Peter and John are arrested and placed in jail overnight.

The next morning, the authorities begin to question Peter and John and admonish them to never speak in the Name of Jesus again. But Peter replies, “We cannot stop telling about everything we have seen and heard.”

As we live out and tell of the greatness of Jesus, there are four things I want to encourage you to do. Because I believe so deeply in Jesus, I can’t help but speak boldly to myself. Isaiah said in Isaiah 61:1, that “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me and I have a message to tell.” You have the Spirit of God within you so use his strength to share the story of Jesus. Remind yourself that you are a “preacher” and didn’t know it.

Because I believe so deeply in Jesus, I can’t help but encourage you. We should be the most encouraging people on the planet. We have an incredible life in Jesus. He blessed us in so many ways. So be an encourager of people. Paul says in Galatians to not give up doing good. Everyday, look for ways you can share Jesus and encourage people on their journey.

Because I believe so deeply in Jesus, I can’t help but lovingly correct you. There are times that I believe God’s mandate so strongly that I must come along side and speak boldly. But speak the truth in love. Don’t be a jerk about it. Matthew 18 is where Jesus gives us the formula for helping people live a better life. Go one on one first. If that doesn’t work, then take a friend with you. If there is still no difference, take your observation to the shepherds at your church. Our goal is to encourage folks to come home, not “be right” and condescending.

Finally, because I believe so deeply, I can’t help but lead you toward Christ. That should be everyone of our goals. Peter and John knew that when they said they could not stop telling about what they know concerning Jesus. My guess would be if you don’t speak boldly, maybe it’s because you don’t believe deeply.

Use every opportunity to speak life into the people that cross your path everyday. I believe we have those chances everyday but make decisions to move past them. May the Holy Spirit give you courage to speak for and about Jesus. May your life be a light on the hill for those searching for a better way. May God guide your steps each time you leave the house. Blessings on the journey.

Be the Light.

My two sons and I were in Boy Scouts together when we lived in Kansas City. I was the troop chaplain and an assistant Scout master. One of the trips we took was to south Missouri to go caving. Once the tents were set up, we donned our hard hats, head lamps and gloves and journeyed into the darkness. Our lights were absolutely necessary in order to see our way around once inside. Without light, we couldn’t see the hand in front of our face. Having light showed us the path to walk. Without, we’d plunge into the water or down the slippery rocks. With the light, everything was illuminated.

Jesus calls us to be certain things as his disciples and followers. He does so at the front end of the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5:13-16. Jesus says, “You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless. “You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.”

Jesus’ audience knew the value of salt. Behind the sun and water, it was a most important commodity to survival. Some scholars believe that early Roman army personnel in remote posts were paid with salt. The Latin word, Salarium (salt money), is where we get our English word, “Salary”. You’ve heard the phrase, “He isn’t worth his salt.”

Today, a salt of the earth person is a really good person. Jesus is saying, “You were a bad person because of sin who has been transformed by a good God so now you will be an influencer for Jesus.” See salt preserves and purifies. Salt living also creates thirst. A dark world sees your life and Jesus and craves the good life you have. Salt living melts hard hearts. Like salt on top of ice while making ice cream, salt living melts difficult hearts.

Jesus is saying you can be that influencer who effects people who’ve been hurt by the world or religion or others.

But Jesus also calls us to let our light shine for others. In Jesus’ day, small clay pitchers were filled with oil then lit at the mouth of that pitcher to create a lamp. If it was windy, you might put a wicker basket over it so the flame would not be snuffed out. Inside the house though, you’d had several lamps around without any baskets over them so the whole house would be well lit.

Jesus is telling us disciples, don’t hide your light. Be light for a dark world. Don’t cover up your light as a follower. Let your light shine so that others living in darkness know where to go…where to step.

So in your office space, be the kind of employee who has great work ethic and who’s the kind of coworker others trust and go to for leadership. In your home, be the kind of house on your block that all the kids come to…the house all the other parents respect and trust with their kids. In your family, be the spiritual leader who is showing your kids how to pray and daily being in God’s Word. At your church, don’t just be a consumer, be a follower who is actively involved in serving others. In your neighborhood, be the neighbor is offering to help where ever you can.

Jesus called us to be salt and light. This world is full of darkness and so many are exhausted and tired of groping around in the darkness. Help others see the light of Jesus and the better way of living that is available to everyone who follows him. Blessings on your journey.

He Must Increase.

Living in a me-first world is tough. At times it seems no one is following Jesus call to life except you. A picture of our culture can be found on an airplane. You’re in the middle seat and the other two passengers are taking up all the armrests. Or the guy in front of you reclines his seat back as far as it will go leaving your tray in your gut. In America, we live for ourselves. It’s a me-first culture.

But Jesus told us, “You must lose your life if you want to find it.” Life cannot be about you in Jesus’ upside down kingdom. John the Baptist had a driving motto and it’s one I’ve adopted, although I drop the ball every single week. John says in John 3:30, “Jesus must become greater and greater; I must become less and less.” That’s a kingdom heart and the same heart Jesus wants all his followers to possess.

Jesus actually pointed at John the Baptist in Matthew 11:11, saying there had never been anyone greater than John. Why? Because John’s heart was a kingdom heart. His attitude was about self last and others first, indeed the King of kings was in the priority position in his life. So what were the things in John’s life that give us a better understanding of what it means to follow the risen Savior?

First, John’s parents were sold out for God. They created a rich heritage within the home that lived out Kingdom mentality. They served others and God with their Temple service. They had done that their entire life. So, moms and dads, grandma and grandpa…you have the opportunity to predecide you will live for Jesus and your life will be centered on serving him. Make a decision, no matter where you are in your family life that your house will be centered on Jesus by servicing others, regularly interacting with a local faith group and making your house scream you love Jesus with decor and scripture on the walls.

Secondly, practice NOT being #1. John did. He says in John 1:26-27, “I’m not worthy of being the slave of Jesus nor untying this shoes. John was humble and did not seek to be known. His only desire was to make Jesus known at whatever the cost. So many of us seek the spotlight and what the applause. But those of us in life, when we get the applause, acknowledge Jesus during the recognition. God is the one who put you in that position so let the world know it’s not about you but about Jesus.

Finally, when you have doubt, take it to Jesus. That’s what John the Baptist did when he found himself in prison because he was speaking truth about King Herod and his wife Herodias. We don’t know how long John was in prison but it was long enough for him to start asking some questions. He was alone, isolated, tired, cold. In Luke 7:19-22, he is asking Jesus, “I think…I believe you’re the Messiah but in this moment, I’m not 100% sure.” It’s a good story for us to read.

Each of us have moments when things are dark, negative, and stormy. We can’t feel God or see him working in our life and we ask, “Are you real?” The story, your story, will not always turn out as you had planned. But in a be-last kingdom, we are called to trust the Savior and realize, it’s not about me. It’s about exalting Jesus and letting the world see our faith and trust in Jesus, especially during the valley moments of our life.

So Jesus reminds us in Matthew 10:39, “If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give up your life for me, you will find it.” So the challenge is to live the mantra of John, “Jesus must increase and I must decrease.” In this way, you will develop the Kingdom heart that says you belong to the Savior. Blessings on the journey.

Greatness Defined

At least once a year, I watch “Band of Brothers” created by HBO. The show follows a company of US soldiers during WWII through Europe. It reminds me of the sacrifices of men and women who were part of the greatest generation and makes me appreciate all that I have. But how does greatness get defined in the Kingdom of Jesus?

In Mark 9, the disciples are arguing over who is the greatest in Jesus’ kingdom. Jesus doesn’t discourage greatness but does redefine it for us saying, “The first will be last and the last will be first”. In Matthew 20, the disciples are again arguing over who’s the greatest among the disciples. Jesus says look, I have an upside down kingdom. If you want to be great, you’ll need to be the servant and slave of all.

In Luke 22 as Jesus celebrates Passover with the disciples one last time before he’s killed, he redefines the Passover meal into what Christians celebrate today as the Lord’s supper or Eucharist. After Jesus breaks bread with them and drinks the watered wine, the disciples begin to argue over who’s the greatest! But Jesus says, “I’ve told you I want you to experience the best life possible and the path to that greatness is not pushing people around but serving those you encounter.”

In Matthew 25, Jesus tells the story of a land owner who went on a trip but before he left, he gave 5 bags of silver to one servant, 2 bags of silver to another servant and 1 bag to the last servant. Upon his return, the 5-bag servant had earned 5 more bags and the 2-bag servant earned 2 more. The master said well done! Let’s celebrate and I’ll give you more because of how you used the resources to gain more.

But the 1-bag servant was afraid of the master so he hid his silver and did nothing with it. Upon the master’s return, the master took away what the last servant had and gave it to the 5-bag servant. So, what’s the moral of the story and how does it relate to greatness in Jesus’ kingdom?

Well, we notice the 5-bag servant put his resources to work immediately…he didn’t wait. Some of us make plans to work in the kingdom but after our kids graduate and leave home or after I get my nest egg built up or when I get different working hours. But Jesus reminds us it’s a mindset. We all have been given “gifts”. Gifts could be time, talents or resources. The point is, whatever we have, if you follow Jesus, start today using that for kingdom.

We also have to realize that all the resources you have (time, talent, physical resources) are entrusted to us and don’t belong to us. Everything we have was given to us by Jesus and while we have it, it’s used for His glory and for his kingdom.

Too many of us have adopted the American mentality of entitlement and owning, using what we have been blessed with for our own purposes. If this is your spirit, your joy and peace will be wrapped up in the stock market and your bank account. But if you realize what you have is really not yours, your joy and peace will be wrapped up in Jesus.

Finally, if you follow Jesus, serve others as one who will give an account of your life one day. The Bible mentions that we are allotted 70 years on earth. The current US average for life is just under 79 years. In the moment, we think we have all the time in the world to live into the life we have but the truth is, it is a very small window to make a kingdom difference.

Jesus is coming back and when he does, he will not say good job my good and faithful social media influencer or good job my good and faithful public school teach. King Jesus will recognize me by the way I stepped into kingdom life and served those around me. I look forward to the day when my Savior looks at me and says, “Well done my good and faithful SERVANT.”

As we live into the greatness of the kingdom of Jesus, we want to be like him which means we serve those around us and recognize, others are more important than we are. Blessings on the journey.

"You Deserve to be Happy"

Forbes Magazine wrote an article a few years ago about unhappy habits. In other words, things we do that we believe will make us happy but actually do not make us happy. Things like: waiting on the future, acquiring stuff, avoiding people and staying home, complaining and seeing yourself as a victim.

The whisper we hear from the enemy, Satan, is that you deserve to be happy. And that is a ubiquitous theme throughout our American culture. But if you make happiness the central point of your life, you’ll notice it’s always an arm length away. It will always allude you.

So, you’re telling me God doesn’t want me to be happy? Somehow, my desire to be happy gets morphed into “God wants me to be happy.” What I think will make me happy somehow becomes what God wants. God is a loving father and his desire is for his children to experience joy in their life. The issue is we take what culture says will make us happy and assume that’s God’s version of our happiness.

You see, culture tells us the pursuit of pleasure will bring us happiness. When you read through the book of Ecclesiastes, written by King Solomon, we find that chasing all the money, all the fame, all the sex, all the relationships and the fortune this life can offer is like chasing the wind. Solomon, who did all that, says it’s meaningless.

God tells us pursuing holiness is what will bring you happiness. The Psalmist writes in Psalm 1:1-3, “Happy is the person who doesn’t follow the world but delights in mediating on God and His ways” (paraphrased). God defines happiness different than culture.

But the world goes on to say happiness is based on your circumstances or what’s happening around you. You look at any commercial on TV or social media. Every one of them are saying you’d be happier if you buy this product or act this way or have this lifestyle. 2024 Gallup Poll measured the happiness of countries around the world. America came in at #23. With all we have in America, 22 countries are happier than we are.

It’s a reminder that happiness is based on Christ. Paul knew this as he states in Philippians 4:11-12. He was happy or joyful in any circumstance because it didn’t matter what was going on in life as long as he was connected to Jesus. And he wrote that from a prison cell. See, happiness is based on happenings; joy is based on Jesus.

Culture says our happiness is based on comparisons. All of us look at social media. And all of us post only the best pics on media. As we scroll through those, we see we aren’t as pretty or fit or popular or fun. So we try to do more and keep up with the Joneses.

But God says our happiness is fueled by gratitude. Paul says in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, “Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in every situation…” Our demeanor as a believer is to find the things that are praiseworthy and focus on the life we have in Christ. It doesn’t mean we will always have smiles and life will always be a bowl of cherries. But it does mean our focus is on Jesus and what He’s done for us.

Finally, culture tells us life is about you, look out for #1, I’m in it for me. Currently, we live in an incredibly entitled culture. “I have everything coming to me and I’m going to get it no matter the cost.” That’s how our culture thinks. Everyone exclaims they have rights and are owed something. Even if I have to step on you to get, I’m going to claim what’s mine.

But God says happiness is actually when you focus on others and live as second. When we decide to humble ourselves is when we actually find joy. It’s when we find the peace in life we truly want. Serving others will ultimately bring you happiness. Try it and see if this doesn’t change your spirit.

Jesus said in Matthew 10:39, “If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give up your life for me, you will find it.” As believers, we want to imitate Jesus. He served others and laid down his life for us. If we are truly disciples, we’ll have the same mindset. Happiness is found in Jesus. Follow him closely. Do what He did. Blessings on the journey.

Don't Miss Your Calling.

In the 8th grade, I got my first job…washing and waxing cars across the street from my house. I gave it my best shot but within 2 weeks, the owner told my dad it wasn’t working out. I found out quickly my calling was not in the car industry in any shape or form.

The Apostle Paul tells us in Ephesians chapters 1-3 how much Jesus has done for us. Because of Jesus’ sacrifice, we have been adopted into God’s family. We co-heirs with Christ. We are sons and daughters of the Most High God. We have so much to be grateful for in Christ Jesus.

So Paul tells us in Ephesians 4:1, “I beg you to live a life worthy of your calling because you have been called by God.” Now, in America we get caught up in what we are called to do. Am I called to be a lawyer or work in retail? Am I called to be an electrician or a movie producer? Am I called to be a spouse or live single? Am I called to get this college degree or that one?

But Paul is reminding us that calling is about who you are before what you do. Our calling is our identity. We are called to be holy, set apart from the world. We are not driven by the things of this world but called by God, infused by Jesus and empowered by the Holy Spirit to live a holy life.

See, I know I am called to be a minister/pastor at the local church. I know I’ve been called to be a father and husband. But I can be those things and not living a holy life. If that happens, then I am not living into my calling. It’s a who before you do. Paul tells us in Colossians 3:17, “In everything you do, do it to the glory of God.” It’s a call to holy living. It’s not about what I do but who I am as I do those things.

We get caught up in titles and positions…in the amount of money we have…in the kind of job we have. Paul is telling us in doesn’t matter about any of those things but about how you do them. You see, the size of your assignment never determines the significance of your impact.

Just like that little shepherd boy who was taking lunch to his brothers. He got to the camp and heard the local bully cussing out God Almighty. So the little boy picked up 5 smooth stones and ended that ridiculous episode. Or the little boy who went to hear Jesus speak one day in the middle of nowhere. He was the only smart one to bring something to eat. Late in the day, it was his small lunch that Jesus broke apart to feed thousands of people.

The size of your assignment never determines the significance of your impact.

As you live everyday with the spirit of “less of you and more of Jesus”, when you live where it’s not your name you care about but the Name of Jesus, when the focus is about how you are living for Jesus and not the dollar…you won’t need to find your calling because your calling with find you.

So one day you realize there’s someone in need, you’re called to meet that need. You’ll see someone who’s hurting and you’re called to listen, to cry with them, to help bear their burden. You might be in a space where you’re called to love a spouse that’s difficult to love or pray for an adult child who keeps running away from God. Maybe it’s a call to confess sin that’s been holding you back. And you hear Paul’s voice, “Whatever you do, honor Jesus.”

What am I called to do? It starts with who. You are a child of God, coheir with Jesus, empowered by the Holy Spirit. So live a life worthy of your calling. Jesus has done so much for you. Won’t you live for him? Blessings on your journey.

Ways I Have Learned to Trust God This past 12 months.

This past year I have gone through a number of difficult situations in my life. I stepped into new areas of leadership, I gave up some areas of leadership and I began new directions on some relationships in my life.

See, each of these transitions took me out of my comfort zone. I love getting to lead at the church level. I love having the privilege of preaching the Gospel. I love the relationships I have in my life and I love cultivating new relationships.

I full-heartedly believe that these transitory moments in our lives prepare us for all of the big and sometimes uncomfortable moments that happen in our lives. In each of these moments, I learned a new level of trust with God, but it wasn’t always easy.

I can’t say that I’m an expert at trusting God, but I can say that there are three ways of trusting God that have helped me to not only know but also believe that I serve a trustworthy God.

Develop a childlike trust. In Matthew 18, Jesus reminds his disciples that, “Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” We often use the first few verses of Matthew 18 to describe a childlike faith, but I want to talk about a childlike trust. Whether we call Him Papa, Abba, Father, or just Dad, many Christians know and understand that He is a nurturing and paternal God.

I believe that learning how to trust the Father in a childlike way is understanding our desperation for the Father, trusting Him without questions, and following Him because He knows how to do His job. I am helpless on my own but I am loved, led, and protected by my Father.

This is a very blind trust. From the world’s perspective, blindly trusting someone is scary and foolish. We need people to prove themselves trustworthy- sometimes over and over and over again- and even then, their actions may not be enough for them to earn our trust. This isn’t the way a child trusts their dad. As a child, I trust my Dad because I need to.

Grown trust. I believe that a grown trust represents our understanding that we serve a good God and a sovereign God. This kind of trust takes a bit of maturity and depth to understand. Much like a childlike trust or a blind trust, I don’t always know what God is doing, but I can trust Him because he tells me that I can. Even when I don’t understand what is happening in my current circumstances, I can see the good in what God is doing in, around, and beyond those circumstances.

I know that I follow a God who is Lord of all things and works to make all things work together for my good. This helps me to have a grown trust that says, I know that God is good, I know that God is sovereign, and because of these two things, I believe that I can trust God.

Aged trust. Philippians 4:17, And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

When I think about people who are much older and wiser than I am, I know that their number of life experiences far outweigh mine. I know that they have seen the ups and downs of life and that they probably understand that everything will work itself out eventually.

I think that part of having an aged trust is knowing that everything is going to be okay. Life isn’t perfect this side of Heaven, there are high seasons and low seasons, but understanding that one day the storm will pass makes it easier to get through those low seasons.This type of trust goes deeper than simply thinking everything is going to be okay, because honestly, there may be times where it isn’t okay or it won’t be okay.

In John 16:33, Jesus says, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” Jesus doesn’t say, “But take heart! Everything will be okay!” He says, ”But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

I know that I will have trouble in this world, but I know that Jesus is bigger than my trouble. I know that regardless of how messy this life gets, I can have a peace that surpasses all understanding because Jesus has overcome the world. This is a trust that says, “everything is going to be okay, even when it isn’t.” Blessings on the journey.

Was Blind But Now I See.

I know there have been moments in your life when you didn’t see something that was right in front of you. You were looking for your kiddo and they were just there by your side. You might have been looking for the ketchup which was right in front of your plate. Or looking for your glasses which were on top of your head.

At the end of the chapter in Mark 10, there is a story about opening eyes and opportunity. I believe God puts opportunities in front of us for Kingdom story every single day. Sometimes we see the story and participate. Other times we breeze right past a moment to be Jesus to someone.

Mark 10 reminds us that when we choose to interact with Jesus, our lives will be different, transformed, changed. And the change for a better life is there for you, you just need to ask Jesus for it.

In our story, Bartimaeus is a blind beggar on the side of road when Jesus comes along and heals him. Although Bart couldn’t see, he could hear and when he heard Jesus, the great miracle worker, coming on the road in front of him, he pleaded with Jesus to be healed.

It reminds me we often gripe about what we don’t have (sight) and forget about the things we do have (hearing). Paul reminds us in Romans 12 of the gifts that we have been given. He admonishes us to use those gifts for God’s glory. He tells us we all have a place in the family of God and all of us bring a gift to use in that family.

Bart asked Jesus to restore his sight. What would you ask for if you were standing in front of Jesus? Maybe that your kids would grow up healthy and believe in an almighty God; maybe you’d ask for a strong, healthy marriage; it could be you’d ask for purpose in life. Or maybe you’d ask for what’s already been given to you: forgiveness and redemption.

You know, if you focus this year on who you are are in Christ, redeemed and forgiven, and follow Jesus closely, you’d probably get all the rest. Your kids would look at your example and be rooted in following Jesus. Your marriage would be the kind of union drenched in love and respect. You’d have renewed purpose for your calling here on earth.

Like Bartimaeus, ask Jesus for the miracle in your life you need. Allow him to change you. Find your way forward through Jesus. Move from calling him “Jesus, Son of David” to “Master and Lord”. Pray that Jesus would open your eyes to the world around you and discover how he’s called you to follow him on the road. Blessings on your journey this year.

Be an Influencer.

Country music has been in my family for a very long time. My grandparents wrote songs, cut records, and played on the Louisiana Hayride with Elvis back in the day. They influenced me to pursue singing country music in the early ‘90s. I cut two albums, played several township festivals, and went to Nashville once when I was invited by Charlie Daniels to be on his TV show. We have all been influenced in positive ways.

Jesus calls us to do just that. He wants us to go into the world and make disciples, loving on those around us like He loved us (John 13:34-35). And God showed us how to love close up and personal. He didn’t love us from a distance but came to earth and “moved into our neighborhood” (John 1 MSG).

Jesus also called everyone to an inclusive table. His Kingdom is not exclusive but anyone who will, can follow him. They are invited to the celebration feast. In Luke 14, Jesus is invited to a well-known church leader’s house for a party. Once Jesus is inside and looks around, he notices all the big names in town are present but there is no one there who isn’t popular or has a lot of money.

Jesus looks around and tells a story to the host of the party, reminding the host of what God is looking for in his followers. So in the story, the host invites everyone in town and everyone out in the countryside. The party becomes inclusive rather than exclusive. If you want to be an influencer for the Kingdom, you can’t pick and choose who you tell about Jesus or who you invite to the celebration. So being an influencer brings 2-3 things to mind.

One, being an influencer means being fully present. In other words, put down you phone and loosen up your calendar. You’ll be intentional with the folks around you and engage the people right in front of you. But to do that, you’ll need to be intentional and go into every day with your eyes wide open.

Secondly, being an influencer means loving uninvited and overlooked people. It means no matter the socioeconomic background, your skin color, your bank account, your political preference, or your theological bent, you love people for the cause of Christ. The people you might not normally pay attention to or you avoid are now on your radar.

Finally, being an influencer means going to unfamiliar and uncomfortable places. It’s hard to have a story to share when you decide to live inside your small, comfortable bubble. Jesus calls us to go far and wide to share our lives with others who need to know Jesus.

So, become an influencer for Jesus by stepping out. Remember we’ve been called to tell the greatest story ever. So many feel no value or purpose and we know Jesus can and will change all of that. You know what to do. Be an influencer. Lean into those right in front of you. Blessings on the journey.

Principles of Calling.

Most of us feel called to a certain career or work. We can feel called to date and then marry a certain person. We can also feel called to a specific philanthropic work. While there is no doubt each of us have specific areas where we are talented and perform well, God has called us to some things even higher.

You see, you have been called to salvation in Christ Jesus. God ultimately wants every single person to be in a relationship with him. Just read John 3:16-17 to discover that. Through Jesus, God’s son, there was a bridge built so that God and we could have a relationship.

You have also been called to sanctification. That’s a second semester word that simply means “set apart” or “holy unto God”. Paul tells us in Romans 12 that we, as followers of Jesus, are not be conformed to this world but transformed by the renewing of our mind. In other words, we have been set apart to live differently than the world around us. Our lifestyle is called to be holy…to look more like Jesus every day.

And you have been called to serve. As we imitate Jesus, we realize whether it was his Father or the people he interacted with daily, Jesus served. Paul says in Colossians 3:17, “Whatever you do, do it for Jesus…” And we don’t have to have it all together to do this. God actually calls those who are imperfect and untrained (see 1 Corinthians 1:26). God doesn’t call the prepared, he prepares the called.

However, when you answer God’s call for you life, know there will be a cost. When you say “yes” to Jesus, there is a price to pay. Many of you have discovered this. You are the only Christian in your work place. As you try to live for Jesus, you get criticized and experience isolation. As you represent Jesus in the PTA or the neighborhood watch group, you get called crazy for wanting to look like Jesus.

I have also noticed in my own life, God will often use your deepest pain for your greatest calling. I’ve realized that over the last 10 years. I have some personal pain in my life and I have found God wants to publicly use that to point other’s to him.

But even so, I realize that your calling will sustain you. It carries you forward in your story and the story of God. Look at Paul. He endured so much for Jesus’ cause. How did he stay passionate and moving forward? It was not because he was competent but because he was called. In Philippians 4, Paul says “He presses on for the heavenly prize…” And we should as well. Our goal is to lift the Name of Jesus and move forward knowing we will get to live with our Creator forever.

So don’t let the world talk you out of your calling. Don’t let them hinder your giftedness. God offers you salvation. He calls you to a transformed life. He wants you to serve this world through His story. Blessings on your journey.