Seems Always a Storm.

2020 was a record year for named storms to hit the US mainland. We had 12 named storms which shattered the old record of 9 storms set in 1916. 6 of those storms were hurricane force and did $37 billion in damage. Interestingly, in 1954, meteorologists began naming storms after their girlfriends or wives. (I make no correlation here)! But in 1979, men’s names were added to options for naming storms. In our lives, there always seems to be a storm going on.

In your life, you may be enduring the storm of divorce. You could be battling depression. The storm could look like financial distress or an extended illness. A friend of mine once told me, “You’re either in a storm, coming out of storm, or there’s a storm just around the corner.” In other words, life is a series of storms you must navigate.

However, you never allow the presence of a storm to cause you to doubt the presence of God. God is always with you. That is literally what the name of Jesus means. Matthew 1:23 reads, “They will name him Immanuel which means God is with Us.”

But there are moments when the storm rages. You can loose hope. I’ve sat with many who have said there was no hope for their marriage. They found no hope to ever locate a job. There was no hope to be healthy again. It seemed hopeless to ever conceive a child or climb out of debt.

Sometimes we blame the Devil. That’s appropriate but sometimes our storm is because of things we did. Sometimes, we spent too much money keeping up with the Jones’ and now we are in financial hardship. Sometimes we let our emotions get the best of us. We said things to people we love we can’t take back. Sometimes we procrastinated and now we are between a rock and hard place. Sometimes, it’s our fault.

But there are times we are in the storm when it wasn’t our fault. Our parents divorced and we are in the middle of the family storm through no fault of our own. The company you worked for made poor financial decisions and now you’re out of a job. You trusted someone but they didn’t show up and you were left holding the bag. Sometimes you are enduring a storm that you did not create.

There is an incredible miracle and ministry moment in Mark 4. Jesus has been preaching and teaching. He has been performing miracles and healing the sick. It’s the end of the day and he is exhausted. Jesus and the disciples find themselves at the Sea of Galilee so they get in a boat and push out to the middle. Almost right away, Jesus falls asleep. But in the middle of the night a massive storm blows up. Thunder and lightening. Wind and huge waves. Water is coming into the boat. So finally, the disciples wake up Jesus and ask, “Don’t you care if we drown?”

Jesus asks, “Do you still have no faith?” Then he stands and commands, “Peace be still”. Immediately, the wind dissipates and the waves disappear. The sea is like glass. The stars are shining through. It is still. And the disciples whisper, “Who is this that even the wind and waves obey him?” They found peace because Jesus was with them.

But peace is not found in the absence of a storm. Rather in the presence of Jesus! Jesus said in John’s gospel, “In this world you will have trouble but take heart, I have overcome the world.” My faith isn’t in what I see but in what God says. My faith isn’t in the boat but in who commands the wind and waves. My faith isn’t in the ship but in the one who made trees that made the ship.

You can’t control how big the storm is or the damage it does. You can’t control what people do to you or say about you. You can control what you believe and how to project that belief on those around you.

Psalms 46:1-3 reminds me that God is our refuge and our strength, always ready to help in times of trouble. So even if I loose my job, I believe God. If my relationship falls apart, I trust God. If the economy is shaky, I will trust in God. If I feel isolated and alone, I believe God is with me. Even if a virus runs rampant in the nation, I trust God. If my candidate looses the election, I have faith in my God. I will not be afraid because my God is alive and walks beside me!

You see, peace is not in the absence of the storm but the presence of the King of kings and Lord of lords. “Look! the virgin will conceive and bear a son. They will call him Immanuel which means God is with Us.” God is with you this holiday season and beyond. Feel his presence. Call on him to direct you and defend you. He’s the greatest gift you and I will ever receive. Blessings on the journey.

Big Valley.

The year has been trying and testy. We have been challenged in our work, buying habits, school, homework, travel, church connections…well, just about every facet of “normal” life has been changed. None the less, the Christmas season has arrived! We celebrate Jesus coming to earth to live among us, create among us, die among us, and conquer all among us.

I remember earlier this year when we said, “If we can just make it to December.” Guess what? You made it! The grace of God is good all the time. But how do we experience the thrill of hope when we find ourselves in the valley.

Now, we love the mountaintop experiences with God. It’s easy to feel the presence of God when we bring our first child home from the hospital or deposit our first real paycheck from our first real job or hear from the doctor that we are finally cancer free.

It’s difficult to feel God’s presence when you’re in the valley. Moments when you receive the divorce papers or hear you can’t have children or the doctor says the cancer has returned. Or even years when you find yourself in a pandemic. So, where is God when you are in the valley?

I know this: we enjoy God on the mountain top but we do get to know him intimately in the valley. The Psalmist reminds us of some things in Psalm 84:5-7. Israelites traveled on pilgrimage to Jerusalem off and on all year long. Jerusalem sits on top of a mountain. So to get to the incredible City of David, one had to travel through the valley to reach it.

Sometimes in life to get to a place of true appreciation of God, you have to push through some pain to get to the goodness! The writer reminds us to set our mind on things of God. What you think about matters! Paul knew that and admonished us to do that very thing in Colossians 3:1-2 and Philippians 4:8. Set your minds on heavenly things, not earthly things.

You may be thinking about how you will travel this holiday season with COVID restrictions in place or how to pay for the kid’s gifts since you were downsized at work or maybe you’re facing a past holiday tragedy that you must face every year at this time. Whatever the valley you find yourself in, remember that greater is the one in me than the one who is in the world. Say out loud, “My God is going before me to prepare a place for me.” Rediscover that you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you and solidify that you are more than a conqueror.

But I’m also reminded in our text the we are pilgrims…just passing through. You see, the valley is not our destination! When we find ourselves in a valley moment, remember that God will not leave you. Prepare to meet him in your difficulty. Make provision for his provision. If you prepare it, he will fill it. If you seek him, you will find him. Slow down and seek him out. God rarely reveals himself to hurried people. It’s probably why he said, “Be still and know that I am God.”

Know that God will provide strength on strength for you as you walk through your valley. We do enjoy the mountain top but we get to know God in the valley. When you feel weak he’s your strength. When you find yourself in darkness, he’ll be your light. When you are in trouble, he’ll be your joy. When you are in pain, he’ll be your comfort.

May God reveal himself to you and may you have the courage to embrace him. He’ll never leave you. He’s always with you. He is Immanuel…”God is with Us”. Blessings on the journey.

Sometimes we say we want one thing, but end up doing something different. That’s what happened to McDonald’s (the hamburger giant) in 1991. The public wanted a healthier menu item so they came up with the McLean. It was cheese burger that was 91% fat free and made up of seaweed. The public said they wanted healthy but continued to eat Big Macs. The McLean became the McFlop.

More than we hope, we live in the gap of our intention and action. What we say we want to do we don’t always get done. We want to save money but “life” happens and we spend. We want deep friendships but we don’t make the time for memories. We want a deeper spiritual life but we don’t join a small group or do our daily Bible reading or attend on a Sunday morning.

As we reflect on King Josiah of Judah who reigned about 604BC, we discover he focused on God not moving to the left nor the right. At the end of his life the text says there was not a greater king before him or after him in Judah. His story can be found in 2 Kings 22-23. So, how did he accomplish that?

Like Josiah, we have to understand the power of God’s Word and read it for ourselves. We must allow the words of God to transform us and change us from the heart out. Josiah had a profound respect for God’s Word. We must elevate God’s Word to guide us and coach us on how to live. Josiah looked at culture through the Word of God to see what aligned with how to live. If it didn’t align, Josiah moved it out of the way.

Josiah also went very public with his commitment and conviction about who God was in his life. Some of us live in the gap of wanting to follow God but hesitating. Sometimes, that’s called being on the fence. Well, Satan owns the fence. Josiah tore down all the idols in Judah so the people could worship the one true God. While we don’t bow down to a physical altar, we all have idols in our life that we need to tear down as well. God has a lot of competition.

So, you and I have to deal with the distractions that keep us from fully focusing on God and embracing his Son, Jesus Christ. Sometimes those distractions are innocent. Our kids can be the excuse we are not involved in God’s plan for our life. Not allowing our comfort to be interrupted could be the thing we worship. All the social media and digital media can be the thing that pulls us to the left or right.

Did you know the average person looks at their phone 50 times a day? 40% of smart phone users say they feel lost if they are away from the phone for only an hour. 30% of married couples say their smart phone has taken away intimacy in their marriage. We have a desire to connect to God but there are idols that get in our way.

The opposite of intentional is accidental. Don’t live an accidental life. Live on purpose for Jesus. This holiday season is a perfect opportunity to think about how you can reconnect to the King of kings and the Lord of lords. We too could have a responsive heart, a humbled life, and an outward life style that shows we serve a risen savior and him only.

May you feel the strength of the Spirit in your life. May you embrace the relationship God wants to have with you. May you live on purpose to lift up the Name of Jesus. Blessings on your journey!

On Purpose!

We’ve all had those moments when we intended to do something but never got around to it. We meant to clean up the back yard but it was easier to sit on the couch and watch TV. We meant to send thank you cards but never got to the store to purchase them. We meant to get healthy but it was so easy just to go through the fast-food drive through for dinner.

Psychologists have a phrase for that kind of action. It’s called the intention-action gap. It’s the difference between what we say we will do and what we actually do. And if you are like me, I find myself living in the gap too many times.

There is a story about an eight-year old boy who becomes king of Judah. His name is Josiah. His story is found in 2 Kings 21-23. He had ever opportunity to live in the gap but chose to follow God. His grandfather, Manasseh, created idol worship throughout all of Judah. Then Josiah’s father carries on that ungodly legacy. But we find Josiah decided…intentionally…to follow God. He tore down and obliterated all the idols and idol worship in Judah and brought his people back to God. That kind of action doesn’t happen on accident.

As we live our lives, we may find we really do want to be in God’s Word every day. We really do want to have a meaningful prayer life. We really do want to surround ourselves with good, wholesome people. We really do want to dedicate our income and material possessions back to God. We really do want to serve people like Jesus served people. But all those things will not happen by accident. You and I have to be intentional if we want that kind of life. So what did Josiah do to turn it all around?

Well, one, he had a responsive heart for God. He heard the Word of God read for the first time at age 27. It changed his heart…led him toward God. He allowed God’s Word to sink into his soul. He was a different man almost immediately. That’s called conviction. Being in God’s Word everyday will allow us to be pulled toward God and the life He wants us to live.

But Josiah also humbled himself. That’s probably the hardest thing for any human to do. To de-throne yourself and say that someone else has a better idea than you takes resolve. Jesus says in Luke 18:14, “Those who exalt themselves will be humbled and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” So, if we are to move in this direction how do we get there?

We ask for help. Josiah asked his mentors and friends to go to bat for him. So equally, I have 5 guys in my life who I’ve given permission to ask me hard questions, to kick me in the seat of my pants when I’m not acting like Jesus, to journey with me through the good and hard times. They are men I could call at 2AM and they’d be right there. They don’t judge me but remind me that there’s a better way with Jesus.

Finally, Josiah tore his clothes and wept. That’s a physical representation of a changed heart. So too our lives should represent that we follow a risen Savior. Our lives should look like Jesus in the way we talk, treat other people, honor our spouse, discipline our kids, in our work ethic…the list goes on. The world should be able to look at your life and say, “There is something very different about that person in a great way.”

So get out of the gap and live on purpose. Be intentional about how you live your life, knowing we are here to lift up the name of Jesus. He is our hope and Savior. Blessings on your journey.

What Will Your Legacy Be?

I just started a brand new sermon series looking at the life of King Josiah in 2 Kings 22-23. He came to the throne of Israel when he was eight years old! I remember playing in the jungles of Africa when I was 8 but certainly not running an entire country. The text tells us that Josiah’s dad and grandfather did evil in the eyes of the Lord but Josiah lived an intentional life serving God and his people. He left an incredible legacy for his country and his family. In fact, at the end of his life, the text says, “there has never been another king before nor since like Josiah.” What an impactful legacy!

As you think of the future, what will you leave behind? In terms of inheritance, will it be stocks and bonds? Property? An impressive, investment-worthy art collection? As important as planning for the future is, there is one aspect that so many fail to recognize. Every day, you’re creating a legacy that will live well beyond your death. More than any physical riches you pass onto others, it’s your character that will linger long after your life on earth has ended. So, the question to ask yourself is this: what story will your character tell?

“Unquestionable character” is one of the greatest gifts that we can leave our heirs. And yet, in the focused pursuit of amassing financial wealth, far too many fail to develop honesty, responsibility, compassion, or love for God and their fellow man into the lives of their kids.

If you want to leave behind a legacy of strong character, it starts with you. The way you live is the best example, because character is more easily “caught” than “taught.” You can’t leave a greater gift than teaching the next generation how to live with integrity and unquestionable character.

Wouldn’t you like to know that your life will be remembered for more than money? What a legacy to have our kids reflect on our lives and say, “My Mom and Dad kept God in the center of our family life and it showed. They are the finest people I’ve ever known.”

So may you reflect and be empowered to leave a legacy of a Godly life. May you remove everything that pulls your attention away from God. May you focus on retelling the story of Jesus with you life, using words if necessary. Blessings on your journey.

Who Will Rule?

Global pandemic. Crashed economy. Racial pain. City violence. 2020 has been quite the year. A polarized nation elects a president. 50% of us will be disheartened by the outcome. Are we having fun yet? It often feels like this world is spinning out of control.

Of course, none of this is new. From a political perspective, consider that early Christians withstood 14 years of rule by a cruel and insane Nero who persecuted Christians. Yet they lived in the confidence of the Lordship of Jesus Christ as they faced discrimination and even death. They spent their lives ministering the Gospel to the world, in both word and acts of love, even as they yearned for Jesus’ return.

The early Christians experienced themselves as a “chosen race” and “a people for his own possession.” They were no longer from here but from where Jesus had ascended. Heaven was now their homeland…their nation.

This great sense of belonging also made them strangers on earth. They had to live here while ever looking up. They had to try to avoid settling down and be at home in a world bent on creating it’s own fulfillment. We don’t live here—we live in Christ, for Christ. So, Peter would go on to remind them, “Dear friends, I warn you as temporary residents and foreigners to keep away from worldly desires that wage war against your very souls.” (1 Peter 2:11). The ascended Christ reminds his people that there is no life for us if we make this world our home.

At the same time, we do love here. Peter also named us “a royal priesthood, a holy nation.” He recalled the ancient vocation of Israel . God’s people were called out of the world to be different to show the world who the real king was. So, those who belong to the reigning Jesus can never identify this world as home but we are always sent back into the world to “show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” (1 Peter 2:9). Our mission is to lovingly live the difference between those who have been united to Christ the King and those who still live in darkness. We are odd to the world precisely to offer a distinct way of hope, forgiveness, peace, and life.

The early church reminds us that we don’t live here but we do love here. This truth can help us in these crazy days to know it’s not crazy to think things aren’t right. They’re not! And they won’t be until Christ returns and arrives here to set things back in order. We’re not in control but the world is not out of Christ’s control. We’re not supposed to feel at home. But we are supposed to love with the heart of the reigning King.

May you fully trust in Jesus during these tumultuous times. May you feel secure that God is really in control. May you know God knows you and walks with you during this crazy year. Blessings on your journey.

Our congregation just had it’s “Mission Sunday” this past Sunday. It’s the day we fully acknowledge God’s call to us to be in the world and sharing his story in multiple ways. It’s the day we ask our church to financially back where our leadership team feels we are being called into the story. It’s an incredibly encouraging time to reflect and dream. But how persistent are we ready to be when it comes to retelling the greatest story ever told?

Jesus asks us in Luke 18:8, “…when the Son of Man returns, how many will he find on the earth who have faith?”

This question cuts right to the heart. Jesus is asking: when I come back at the end of time, will I find any faith in the world? The question we have to ask ourselves is what kind of faith is Jesus talking about? Is Jesus simply talking about adhering to a long list of rules? Is he hoping that when he comes back he will find us all being super pious and rigidly religious? I don’t think so. Instead Jesus wants to know if he will find us living in relationship with God. That’s ultimately what faith is all about: living life in relationship with God.

God wants a relationship of love with us. He already has a relationship with us and loves us beyond our wildest imagining. He wants us to enter into this relationship of love with him, and allow it to transform our relationships with everyone — our family, our friends, our coworkers, the sick, the poor, and everyone we meet.Our challenge is to find ways that we can grow in our relationship with God and let that relationship spread into all of our other relationships in life.

How can we do this? Certainly through prayer: talking to God, speaking to him as a friend, as a father who loves us, giving thanks at the end of the day, taking time to go on a walk through nature, maybe even going to church or reading the Bible.

Faith starts in prayer but it doesn’t end there: it sends us out to love in return for God’s love for us. Faith leads us to help out a friend who's in need, to show our love for our family, to take time to help the poor in our community, to talk to a homeless person, to volunteer in the hospital. The question for us is: what concrete steps can we take this week to grow in our relationship of love with God and let it spread throughout our whole life? Then Jesus will surely find faith on the earth when he returns.

May you prayerfully answer the call to live missionally! May you lean into the story of God every day. May you experience the joy of passing on the story of God in your every day story! Blessings on the journey.

Life Remedy

Halloween is approaching. I remember as a young guy getting that bag full of candy, getting back home, sorting out what I really liked and gorging myself. Afterwards I would be sick to my stomach, wishing I had paced myself.

You know in life, we do that don’t we? We see what we think is a good thing and we go after it. We devour it, thinking it’s what we need when in fact, there is something better out there. I may think money is the answer so I work 70 hour weeks. I do get the paycheck but my marriage suffers and I never see the my kids.

I may think it’s about physical relationship so, whether I am married or not, I may seek to fulfill my physical desires and need for psychologically stroking by inviting multiple partners into my life. I may think it’s all about the title on the door so I backstab and hurt people in order to get to the top of that corporate ladder.

We have all made poor decisions in our lives that remind us there is only one way for us to be safe, healthy, relationally rich and family satisfied…it’s in Jesus we find the ability to truly live life and live it to the fullest. Jesus tells us that in John 10:10, “Jesus has come to give us (his disciples) a rich and satisfying life.” But we must believe that it’s life in Him that will be so full and so rich. And we discover some truths along the way when we choose the way of Jesus over our own life decision.

When we choose Jesus, we walk with God as his son or daughter. Paul uses adoption language in Galatians 4:5-7. God loves you more than you love your own children! I love my two boys. I’d do anything for them. It’s hard to believe I serve a God who loves me more than that…but He does! And there is no amount of accomplishment that will make him love you more. He doesn’t base his love of you on your ability to be perfect or study the Bible more or eat certain foods. He just loves you. In Jesus, you’re his son…his daughter.

And when you choose Jesus, we walk with God as part of his family. God never designed us to journey alone. We are meant to be in community. Paul uses adoption language again in Ephesians 1:5. We are adopted into the family of God. That is why the church exists. It’s the family of God. Now, like your family, there are all kinds of characters. And God’s family is the same. As we watch each other, I Iearn what it means to forgive and be inclusive and offer grace and be patient. Hopefully, you’re learning some of that from me as well. In Jesus, your part of the family and not alone in this life.

Finally, when we walk with God we walk like Jesus walked. When we say “yes” to Jesus, we begin the transformation process and become more like him every day. When we choose this life, we bring a little bit of heaven to earth. After all, Paul said in Philippians 2:5, “You MUST have the same attitude of Jesus”. If you are a disciple, there is no choice…it’s what we do. No matter the chaos that might be going on around us: COVID, job loss, relational struggles, sickness, financial hardship…nothing can steal our joy because we have a life centered in Jesus. He changes everything for us!!

So, may you choose a better life. May you say “yes” to Jesus. It’s the best choice possible. Jesus says in Matthew 11:28-30, “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life…” Jesus will give you the best life you’ve ever lived. Blessings on the journey.

No More Chains!

You and I live in a broken world. It ain’t right. The world around us is trying to drag us down with it by telling us that we are not enough, that we are losers, that we are not loved, that we really are worthless. And too many times we believe the world.

So many of us have been diagnosed with a situation that we’ll have the rest of our lives, like my wife, who is deathly allergic to fire ant bites. In 2017 while teaching her fifth grade kids a science lesson outside, she got bitten by fire ants and then taken to the ER because her throat was closing up. She now carries an epipen. She’s stuck with that allergy for life.

We are stuck with sin too. But Jesus is the one thing that can heal us, make us right, help us regain our sense of worth.

Like the story of the healed leper in Matthew 8:1-4, we are in need of Jesus. Leprosy is a horrific disease. I’ve seen it first hand while living in Africa. If you have the disease, you’ll loose your fingers and toes, then a nose maybe your ears. It is a slow way to die. And in Jewish culture, Jesus’ culture, a leper was outside culture and society. They were banished. A leper could not interact in society, with their family…they couldn’t even go to worship. They lived outside the city far from any normalcy.

Maybe you feel like that. You feel isolated and alone, banished from a life you thought you were promised. You are caught up in a life of addiction or adultery. You’ve hurt people your whole life and lied about others to get your way. You have not been loving to your spouse and continually play the blame game. You’re an absentee parent for your children. Satan whispers in your ear that you are pathetic and you believe him.

But Jesus is the remedy for what’s going on in your life!! He can set things right again. Your mess is NOT bigger than God’s miracle. Saying “yes” to Jesus means you’re willing to let go of the script the world has given you and embrace life with Jesus, letting him lead you in every aspect of your life.

Maybe you’re like the woman in Luke 13:10-13 who had been bent over double for eighteen years. Jesus sees her, calls her over, and transforms her life forever. His healing allows the sun on her face again and now she’s looking directly into the face of the Son of God.

You and I have a habit of hanging on to our burdens. Although we’ve been forgiven, we insist keeping them on our back…all those poor decisions we’ve made along the way, bending us over and weighing us down. Jesus has told us, “Come to me all of you who are tired and worn out and I’ll give you rest.” Jesus is calling you over because he wants to take your burden and remind you that you can once more stand up straight.

And know, it will not be perfect the day after you say “yes” to Jesus. Paul, one of the most profound Christians of all time, tells us that very idea in Philippians 3:12-14. “I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead.” Following Jesus is a process that sharpens over time and a life.

Wherever you find yourself, outside community or bend over with burden, know you have a Savor in Jesus who is waiting with open arms to welcome you home. He is our remedy. He has loved us, lifted us, forgiven us, healed us, shed light upon us…He’s there for you right now! Embrace Jesus and find life to be so much more! Blessings on your journey!

Have We Discovered a Remedy Yet?

If you’re like me, you’ve had your share of taking meds. Stomach issues, headaches, body aches…we’ve all had to find the remedy for what ails us. As we work through COVID, we know eventually our scientists and engineers will discover how to defeat this crazy virus. Until then, we have been task with social distancing, washing regularly, wearing face masks, taking appropriate meds, hydrating and getting rest. But we’ve also heard the statement, “Things will never be made right again.”

Even pre-COVID, you might have heard that about a spouse who stepped out on a marriage vow or a adult child who is talking about an absentee parent or a friend who needed someone to stand up for them but found they were alone. We’ve all been in difficult places and made some poor decisions where we realized after it all, things may not be the same.

When we talk about decisions we make that go against how God has called us to live, that’s called sin. And there are moments when we make poor choices we say “I’m not sure I can come back. Things are not going to be the same. I’m too far gone for God to love me.”

But God created a way for us to come back to him through his Son, Jesus Christ. And it’s not just a select few who need Jesus as the remedy for sin. We all need Jesus. Paul reminds us of that in Romans 3:23, “For all have sinned and fallen short of God’s glorious standard.” The beauty is, God’s created a way for us to come home. Paul goes on to say in Romans 6:23, “The wages of sin is death but life can be had through Jesus, God’s Son.”

The story of Lazarus in John 11 reveals some things for us who are following the risen Savior. The abridged version of the story is that Jesus had a friend named Lazarus who died after he became very ill. Lazarus’ sisters sent for Jesus but he waited to go. After Lazarus died, Jesus went to the town and stood at the tomb where Lazarus had been buried four days earlier. Jesus was angry and he cried. I suppose he was angry for what sin does to us and our world. I’m imagining he cried do to the lack of faith those with him had in him. It’s an intriguing story so go read it right now.

But we learn a few things about sin in our lives and how Jesus is the remedy for that sin. No question: sin steals your life. When we get the flu, we are fatigued, sore, have respiratory issues…we just want to sit on the couch and binge Netflix. Sin takes away our desire for life. When we don’t let Jesus rule our life, we buy into the lies of Satan. Lies like “I’m an angry person and that’s just who I am” or “My family is dysfunctional so that’s all I know” or “My dad was an alcoholic so I didn’t have a chance” or “Porn doesn’t hurt my marriage”. These are the kinds of lies that we buy into which absolutely decimate our lives.

The biggest lie we listen to is the one that states, “I’m too far gone.” I’m just a bad person. God doesn’t want anything to do with me. I am beyond help and not redeemable. We tend to think our mess is bigger than God’s miracle. But we must believe God in Isaiah 1:18, “Though your sins are as scarlet, I will make them as white as snow…” Jesus is our remedy.

Ultimately, sin submits to Jesus. In John 11 after the stone at Lazarus’ tomb has been rolled away. Jesus looks intently into the darkness of the tomb and says, “Lazarus, come out”. The crowd that is holding their collective breath can suddenly hear feet shuffle in the darkness. Suddenly, emerging into the light of day is the once-dead Lazarus. Even death must obey the Son of God! He’s just that powerful!

Without Jesus, the remedy, in our lives, we don’t stand a chance against Satan and sin. With Jesus, we can conquer all things. Indeed, we can overcome anything. So say “yes” to Jesus and gain the ability to come out of the darkness, releasing the burden and weight of sin. Jesus has come to give you life and life to the full. Allow Jesus to give you that life by you saying “yes” to the King of kings and Lord of lords. Blessings on the journey.