Serve Others and Serve God.

Since when are things–like personal agendas–more important than people? Never have been, yet we live that way.

With a wife, 7 team mates, a side business, and a schedule that’s full, there are countless times I’ve ignored the phone, been too busy or just felt too overwhelmed to check in on longtime friends, new acquaintances or even family members.

No matter how good our intentions, it’s pretty selfish to repeatedly fall into a cycle of putting things above people–things like meetings, moods, deadlines, plans, conditions, desires, events and more.

God’s law commands that we love others as we love ourselves. This stresses the value and priority we should place on “other people.” One way to love on others with the love of God is to serve them.

Jesus spent His precious time on the earth loving and serving people. His purpose was the ultimate sacrifice, which was in fact the ultimate act of servanthood.

It’s hard to shut people out and love them at the same time. When we serve others, we serve God.

Here’s a quick list to help keep things in perspective:

Serve Not to be Seen. Check your motives. Serving others is a selfless act, not a self-centered one.

Step Outside the Box. When we think of serving others, the traditional ministry volunteering often comes to mind. But we can also serve people by simply reaching out to express genuine concern and interest in their well-being.

Persevere. There may be times when people you serve are not very receptive, grateful or appreciative. Forego your expectations, continue on, and put emphasis on the act of serving in love, not the recipient.

Set the Tone. Be humble, yet serve with authority and passion. Let God’s love create the atmosphere to be fruitful, productive and effective.

Be Consistent. There’s never been a shortage of people who could use a listening ear, an extra eye or a helping hand. Let your act of service be ongoing, not just for a season.

Accept the Timing. Remain open. Serving others will almost always inconvenience you. Push past yourself and heed the call to help others when it comes.

Don’t Wait. Perfect conditions will never exist. Decide on an act of service and do it today.

“Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.”  1 Peter 4:10. Blessings on the journey.

Worship is Everywhere.

Most of us are good at something. But to get there, it didn’t happen overnight. We typically have spent hours, days and weeks perfecting that thing we love in our life.

Following Jesus is no different. This year, if you want a deeper, more rooted walk with the Savior, you’ll have to invest in ways to grow those roots, changing old habits for new ones and revising your day to day walk.

A great place to start is recognizing that worship is a lifestyle (Romans 12:1-2). Traditionally, we are taught we worship on Sunday. While that is absolutely true, it happens on the other six days of the week as well. So to better define what worship is, we’ll need to tease out three ideas that we all possess.

First, we all have 168 hours in a week. In that time we sleep, eat, play, work, and pick up the laundry. But how much of that time do you spend towards God. A great place to start is giving God 1-3 hours every Sunday to come together with a body of believers to publicly praise the Name of Jesus. We also need a time in our daily routine to pray to our Heavenly Father and read God’s Word to discover what guidance and direction he can give us for our lives.

Second, we need to use our God-given giftedness or talent for the glory of the Kingdom. Any time you use your talent for God, it gives attention to God and you shine for him. The Apostle Peter writes in 1 Peter 4:10-11, that we each have been given gifts by the Spirit and he admonishes us to use those gifts for God’s glory.

Some of us love hospitality. Being a welcoming person at your congregation, holding doors, making the coffee or putting out the donuts are great ways to be hospitable. Some of us love to sing. Being a part of the praise team or band is a wonderful way to give God glory. Some of you love tech so working with the computers or the lighting in the AV booth is a nice way to use your giftedness.

Third, we view our resources as a tool to further the Kingdom story. And it can be scary to release your money or resources back to God when you are not in the habit of doing so. But we grow our faith by trusting God to take care of us when we put him first in our resource category.

In Malachi 3:10, God is speaking to his people and reminding them, you cannot out give God. You make a decision to put God first with your resources and he will bless you in return. Now, we don’t give in order to get but when we trust God, he will take care of us.

Worship is a lifestyle. Worship happens when we work, drive, love our family, or are dining out. It will always cost you something. So whether you are giving God your time during the week or making sure your are using your giftedness for the Kingdom’s benefit or trusting God with your resources, following Jesus will cost you something. Disciples of Jesus are not consumers but givers. This year, may you determine to become a giver and allow God to bless you because of it. 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.

Hope Revealed.

Growing up, my brothers and I would always get the Sears Wishbook in the mail during the holiday season. We would spend hours looking through it and making our lists. My dad would later look at the lists and say something like, “Don’t get your hopes up.” He was just reminding us that we probably would not get everything on our lists.

We’ve had our hopes dashed along the way as well. A reoccurring sickness that doesn’t seem to go away; an unstable financial future; a relationship that went south. There have been many times in life when our hopes were not realized. However, every time you open God’s Word, God only says, “Get your hopes UP!”

What is hope? It’s a joyful expectation for the future and in Jesus, our hopes for a better tomorrow can be realized. Wouldn’t it be incredible to have the kind of hope that changed the way we went to work on Monday or the way we showed love to our spouse or how we interacted with our children?

In John’s gospel (John 1:1-5), the apostle paints four beautiful pictures of how God reminds us that hope can be realized in our lives during this season of hope. First, John says hope is revealed in God’s creation. While Matthew and Luke’s gospel begin at the manger, John goes all the way back to creation. Before there was a world to be saved, there was a Savior who created the world. Everything was created through Jesus and for Jesus.

And hope is revealed in the cradle. Jesus left the splendor of Heaven and was poured into a human body. We find hope in Immanuel, which means God is with us. Indeed, Jesus “moved into our neighborhood”, got his hands dirty and 33 years later, gave us the best gift we could ever hope to have.

Hope is revealed at the cross as well. John the Baptist says in John 1:29 that Jesus is the Lamb of God who will take away the sin of the world. We celebrate the nativity story this time of year but Jesus’ purpose was to die on the cross so that our sin would be removed and we could live with him forever. The Psalmist says in Psalm 103 that God has thrown our sin as far as the east is from the west because of Jesus.

And finally, John makes the connection that Christ is King. Jesus is the long-awaited Messiah that is proclaimed in John 1:41. Jesus is our hope, our Savior, our Redeemer, our Deliverer. And He will be your hope when you crown him King of your life.

The Christmas story is really a story of worship. It’s realizing that Jesus is the Messiah, the Anointed one of God. And this Christmas is the call to make him Lord and King of your life. He is so evident all around us. Accept the greatest gift ever given in Jesus today. Blessings on your journey.

Hope in Darkness.

What do you do with doubt? There are moments we all have when we doubt the story or situation or scenario. Like the first time I spoke to my wife at the time clock in Wal-Mart in Conway, Arkansas. I doubted she would want to have anything to do with me but 31 years of marriage later, my doubts have been removed.

In Matthew 11, John the Baptist is in prison. He is related to Jesus. He grew up playing with Jesus, going to family reunions with Jesus and having sleep overs at Jesus’ house. John baptized Jesus and told his disciples that Jesus was the Lamb of God who would take away the sin of the world. John knew Jesus.

But in Matthew 11, John has a question, “Are you the Messiah?” As close as John and Jesus were, John had questions. It reminds me that even those close to Jesus have questions. People like you and me. We ask things like, “Why is there suffering in the world?”, “Why do evil men rise to power?”, and “Why do children die of starvation in Africa?” But realize, there is a difference between questioning God and asking God questions.

Job, the character in our Old Testament, had some questions for God about all the dark things happening in his life. Job lost everything he owned and his kids while being a very close follower and worshiper of God. Yet the text tells us that Job never sinned against God. We are reminded that when we bring questions to God, it strengthens our relationship with him.

On my best days as a disciple and pastor, I have questions. I don’t have it all figured out but that’s where this word “faith” comes in. I choose to trust God even though I don’t know the answers to “why”.

See, for most of us, hope and doubt exist side by side. But that space in between hope and doubt is where faith grows rampantly. When we are not sure why difficult things are happening in our life, we choose to trust God in spite of it all and our faith is strengthened.

We are reminded in Matthew 11, that while we are waiting, the Messiah is working. While John was waiting in prison, Jesus was working. What are you waiting on right now? Maybe a stronger marriage. You’re waiting on your spouse to enter the conversation so you can get back to where you used to be. Maybe you are waiting on the prolonged illness to end. Maybe you are waiting on your adult children to come back to Jesus.

But remember, between Malachi in our Old Testament and Jesus showing up in the Gospels, Israel had waited 400 years for the Messiah. John’s parents, Zachariah and Elizabeth had waited decades to have a child. John was waiting in prison for Jesus to reassure him he was the Messiah.

So in our own lives as we wait for desired outcomes, remember that just because God is silent doesn’t mean he is absent. Faith grows when we can’t see what God is doing. When we can’t hear his voice, it prompts me to lean in closer to hear his voice through his church, his Word and prayer.

Hope is the ability to keep hanging on so…in this difficult season, hang on. The Messiah is working while you are waiting. Jesus voice is calming you and reminding you, he is present and near. In this season of hope, hang on. Blessings on your journey.

Finding Hope.

Do you remember the Sears Wishbook that came in the mail at Christmas? A catalogue of toys as thick as my Bible. My brothers and I would sit down with it and earmark every page that had a toy we wanted. We hoped Santa would bring us all the toys we circled and labeled. It was fun to dream and hope.

In life, we also have hopes. We started the year hoping we’d find our Mr. or Mrs. Right. We started the year hoping we find a cure for our prolonged illness. We started the year hoping to become financially stable. We started the year hoping to create a more solid marriage. But as the months have rolled on, our hope has turned into hopelessness.

So, what is hope? It’s a joyful expectation for the future. It’s the idea that something better is just around the corner. Hope moves us forward in life. Hope gives us strength and energy. Hope helps us breath during difficult moments.

All through God’s Word, He reminds us there is hope. God consistently points toward the Messiah. Over 300 times in our Old Testament, prophets and kings point forward to a Messiah. In the New Testament, Messiah is translated “Christ”. Both words mean “anointed one, deliverer, Savior”.

This holiday season is a reminder that God has sent us hope. That all along, God has had a plan for our lives. As tough is your situation is in life, as difficult the conversation will be, as anxious as the evening news makes you feel, God has a plan. And that plan has been to send his son, whom we celebrate during the Christmas season.

But the Messiah is also a person and his Name is Jesus the Christ. He’s the Son of God who came to this earth some 2000 years ago. He was foretold in Isaiah 9:6, some 700 years before Jesus was born. The prophet says, “For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

The Messiah is also a presence. The prophet Isaiah says in 7:14 that his Name will be Immanuel which means “God is with us”. Every single day, whether it is a victory or defeat, whether light or dark, whether a lonely minute or a large gathering, He is always there. So during tough times, we fix our eyes on Jesus, the promised gift of hope from God above.

When things seem out of control, he’s in control; when things seem dark, he is light; when things seem to hurt, he’s the healer. When things seem hopeless, he is our hope. So, this season, focus on the gift of hope whose Name is Jesus. Blessings on your journey.

Jesus is the Reason.

For most families, Christmas is a time for traditions. The Hall’s traditions are much like your traditions.Year to year, decorations are brought down from the attic, favorite meals are prepared and family members come together. But, why? What is the reason behind the gifts, the cheery music and the time off of work? What actually happened all those years ago that separated this day from any other?

Christians agree that the birth of Jesus Christ is the “reason for the season,” yet more often than not, this idea is lost in the midst of the holiday craziness. This Christmas, challenge yourself to approach the holiday with fresh eyes. Allow yourself to be awed by the beauty of Mary’s faith, Joseph’s obedience and the miraculous birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

The faith that Mary demonstrated throughout her pregnancy is frequently overlooked during the telling of Jesus’s birth. Mary was a young woman from the town of Nazareth in Galilee, engaged to a man named Joseph. One day, God sent an angel to Mary to deliver the news that she will carry the Son of God. The Bible says that Mary was troubled by the news, and the angel said: “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus” (Luke 1).

Despite Mary’s fear and confusion, she responded by saying, “I am the Lord’s servant, may your word to me be fulfilled”. Mary demonstrated incredible faith by believing and accepting the angel’s message. The doubts and worries Mary was most likely experiencing did not hinder her from living out God’s plan for her life.

Matthew 1:19 tells us that when Mary told Joseph of her pregnancy, he wanted to divorce her, but wanted to do so secretly, sparing her public ridicule and death by stoning. Later on, Joseph was visited by an angel in a dream. The angel said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take your wife Mary home, for what has been conceived in her is by Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1).

No matter what Joseph was feeling, whether he thought Mary was a cheater, a liar or just crazy, he obeyed the Lord. He kept his engagement to Mary, later married her and became the earthly father of Jesus. Joseph’s obedience reminds us that God’s plan is one much bigger than our own and that we must trust exactly what He tell us.

Though Mary and Joseph were devoted followers of God, exercised impressive faith and obedience and contributed to the beauty of the birth of Christ, they do not compare to the significance of who Jesus was and what He would later do for all of the world.

Jesus was born in a manger, foreshadowing the humble and servant-focused life he would live out. Jesus’s birth was the beginning of God’s rescue mission for His children and that is the true meaning of Christmas. He is the reason for the honey hams, the stocking stuffers and the celebration. The day that Jesus entered the Earth, the world was changed forever.

So, this holiday season, enjoy your family traditions. Enjoy time with friends. Enjoy reminding each other how much we love each other through a gift exchange. But always remember, Jesus is the reason we do it all. He is the greatest gift we could ever hope to receive. Blessings on your journey.

The Power of Forgiveness.

One of the things with our emotions is that if we’re in relationships to other people and we have not forgiven them, we can feel emotionally blocked. It stops the free flow of genuine emotion and our ability to interact in a wholesome way with others’ emotions as well as our own. Forgiveness is at the core of healing. When you forgive, it allows your being and heart to heal and it opens the door to physical healing.

Often we think to ourselves, “I don’t want to forgive that person because it gets them off the hook”. The truth is this: that person is unaffected by you forgiving them. Instead, you are the one who receives healing when you forgive and let go.

If you are finding it hard to forgive, you may want to undergo a deep process to help you release the anger, sadness, pain, and blame that you’ve been holding inside of you.

Remember, you must truly let yourself forgive whatever has happened in the past. If you hold onto the blame or betrayal, forgiveness is nothing but a lip service. It’s just words. You need to release all that blame and the hurt. Let it out, even say it out loud: ‘I forgive this.’

Forgiveness is only real if you let go of every aspect of the hurt. Then, the body can start healing.

Do you have relationships in your life where you still may be holding on to that need to punish them for something they’ve done? Do you feel that with yourself?

If so, from this moment on try and let go. Offer real, true forgiveness. Bring them into your soul’s campfire and empty out all of the unspoken words you may be keeping inside. You are not excusing their actions; instead, you are lifting the burden from your own heart.

Healing and forgiveness are necessary for a healthy life. Forgive yourself, forgive others, forgive life itself and move forward with a newfound sense of completion and wholeness. It’s the best way to embrace a new lease on life…a new shift of weight. Blessings on your journey.

Never Give Up!

Galatians 6:9 “So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.”

Tired and feeling like the fight is not worth it? Have you convinced yourself that giving up and calling it quits is the best option for you? Guess what? Giving up is not an option for you becaue you have come too far to turn around now! The race is not given to the swift nor the strong, but to those who endure to the end!

When in doubt and feeling like giving up, pray! We will never know what one prayer will do until we trust God through prayer. See what James says about prayer in James 5:16-18.

I will admit that sometimes life’s strong winds, heavy rain and stormy seas can seem so fierce and unbearable to the point that they make us want to give up and quit, but we can’t! I was talking to a young woman yesterday who lost her husband last December. She expressed she felt God had abandoned her story. I reminded her he has not forgotten her in her pain.

Yes, life circumstances has a way to make us doubt that things will ever change for us and that God Himself has forgotten about us, but, I want to remind you on today that God is still on the throne and in control of ALL the world’s affairs. It does not matter how long we have had a problem, the power of God is still able to turn things around for us.

As God ask Jeremiah, I am asking you all on today “iS THERE ANYTHING TOO HARD FOR THE LORD?” Today is the day to trust God through the pain, knowing that one day when you least expect, it will end and you will find yourself on the other side of through in that situation.

Faith will be tested! 1 Peter 1:7: “These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.”

In the midst of your struggle, you must tell yourself that you will press your way because there is a reward on the other side of weariness. God promises it in His Word!

As a way of encouraging you on today, the Lord your God wants you to know that in due season, you “WILL” reap a harvest if you do not give up and quit! When tested, turn to God!

Believe it or not, the moment you are ready to quit is usually the moment right before the miracle. Your storm is temporary but the blessings of God last forever! NEVER GIVE UP! Trust in God and lean on his power and might. Blessings on the journey.

Lists!

Lists....I will admit that I love a list.  A list keeps me grounded, disciplined and helps to remind me of responsibilities and events on the horizon.  Grocery lists, Christmas card lists, household to-do lists... I always have a list or two in the works.  Whether your lists are on a smartphone, iPad, laptop or just stuck on the front of your refrigerator (old school style), they work to remind us that something needs our attention!  We read, process and prioritize, and then work that task into our lives. 

Paul felt the church in Galatia needed the same type of reminder list.  In his letter to the church , Paul is frustrated and disappointed with the path that the church has taken.  He wants to see them get back on track with the work that he started when he last visited.  Paul states in chapter 5: 7, "You were running a good race.  Who cut in on you and kept you from obeying the truth?"  Like us, when faced with uncertainty and too many choices of our own making, they faltered.  The church had become susceptible to agitators and too many outside influences.  In Chapter 5 of his letter, Paul warns them against biting and devouring each other and indulging in obvious sinful nature.   I like the choice of the word "obvious."  In other words, they know it is sinful behavior and not from God.  Paul then gives a list of the sinful natures in verses 19 through 21, which includes about every form of the worst part of our human nature, including fits of rage, discord, hatred, sexual impurities, factions and the list goes on.  Obviously, this was a Not-To-Do list!!!! 

These acts move us away from a relationship with God and keep us from having loving relationships with each other.  By contrast, Paul gives us, and the church, a list of practices and attributes that God would have us use in our daily lives.  In Chapter 5: 22-23, he names the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control.  These are from the Spirit and will draw us closer in relationship to God and with each other. 

There is no law, Jewish or Gentile, against such practices.  God offers a harvest of plenty when we cultivate and follow the fruit of the Spirit.  Our witness to the world is evident when we follow this to-do list that Paul shares with the church in Galatia. 

This list shows us how to treat each other, show our love for our neighbor and stay in fellowship with God.  Love each other.  Spread Joy with your daily attitude of thanksgiving.  Surround yourself with a presence of Peace.  Have Patience with the things of the world which frustrate you.  Be Kind to everyone.  Show Goodness in your actions.  Hold onto a Faithfulness that God is in control and knows our every need.  Have a nature of Gentleness when caring for each other.  Practice Self Control in your words and actions. 

Keep this reminder list on your heart as we continue to walk together in step with the Spirit. Allow the Spirit to influence your daily life so we represent Jesus well. And don’t get frustrated when you drop the ball. We are a work in progress. We are free in Christ. Blessings on the journey.