Listen and Pray.

I have found lately that I’m stressed and tired and weak and distracted. It comes from a current scenario in my life that I’ve been walking through for about a year. And we all have those difficult moments in life when we tell ourselves we just need to grab the bootstraps and get on with it.

You and I have had moments when there seems no end to the pressure…no solving the problem…your thorn in the flesh is so imbedded, you’re not sure if you will ever be able to remove yourself from it. You wake up thinking about the issue and it’s the last thing you think about before you finally drift away at night. You and I have had questions about endings and new beginnings.

In those moments, I tend to pray a lot. I tend to have detailed conversations with God. I ask questions about the longevity of the situation and horizons of brighter sunlight. I know you have as well. Those moments create some vulnerability in your life. You depend on family and your inner circle of friends like you never have before.

One place I go repeated to gain strength is God’s Word. He reminds me that I’m his child and he has not forgotten me. I’m reminded he is my strength and my advocate. I’m reminded when I’m weak, he’s strong. He reminds me that he is in control.

I love Psalms 86. It is an open, vulnerable prayer. I read it and feel the connection to my Heavenly Father. It reads like this:

“Bend down, O Lord, and hear my prayer; answer me, for I need your help. Protect me, for I am devoted to you. Save me, for I serve you and trust you. You are my God. Be merciful to me, O Lord, for I am calling on you constantly. Give me happiness, O Lord, for I give myself to you.”

“O Lord, you are so good, so ready to forgive, so full of unfailing love for all who ask for your help. Listen closely to my prayer, O Lord; hear my urgent cry. I will call to you whenever I’m in trouble, and you will answer me. No pagan god is like you, O Lord. None can do what you do! All the nations you made will come and bow before you, Lord; they will praise your holy name. For you are great and perform wonderful deeds. You alone are God.” (New Living Translation)

So, where ever you are in your journey, know you have a Father that will listen. He’s a whisper away. Talk to him today and enjoy the refreshing conversation. He’s waiting for you. Blessings on the journey.

Rediscovering Joy.

My guess is that most of us have had joyful moments. Those that made our hearts leap and smile. Like when she said “yes”; or you held your first born child in the delivery room. Maybe it was when you achieved some monumental task like graduating college or paying off the student loan debt.

But in Psalms 16, David is going to remind us, no matter your life experience, there’s only one place to find real joy.

I know every time I put faith in my own abilities, I come up short. I know David did that too. He says in verses 1-2 that joy cannot be found in yourself. God has got to be the thing you trust in, put your faith in, find joy in. In just 2 verses, David uses 3 different words for God, each one getting closer in relationship. He says the generic name for God (El) but then uses the very personal, covenantal name of God (YWHW). But finally ending with the Hebrew word, Adonai, which means “Master”. Joy is found not in yourself but in an almighty God. The closer you get to God, the happier you will become.

Secondly, David reminds us joy isn’t found in your troubled companions. See, some of us can’t find real joy in life because you have some friendships that do not care much for God. So if you want to find joy, get rid of the people in your life that are pulling you down. If you want to be more godly, then hang out with Godly people.

Third, joy can’t be found in worldly possessions. Too many times, we fill our lives with material stuff like the house, car, job titles, money…all of which will not get us closer to God. Instead of longing for more stuff, David says long for God and his presence. A sign of mature faith is when you realize that God is all you have and you decide God is all you want. Check out what Paul says in 1 Timothy 6:6-8.

Finally, David reveals real joy is found in God’s presence. When we consciously seek God in our every day life, God will even instruct us when we are sleeping. I’m reminded that God knows my story and will always be with me (see Isaiah 41:10). I can rest safely because of God’s presence. I can rejoice because of God’s presence. My heart is glad because of God’s presence. Finding God is finding joy.

Consider David, a guy who had everything and did everything. He was king of his country and led armies. He conquered other countries and had untold wealth. His relationships were many. After all he accomplished in life…after all of his experiences, David said real joy is found only in God. So do what you need to in order to pull God closer to your life and when you do, you’ll realize in him is where you will be most happy. Blessings on the journey.

What to Do When Life is Chaotic.

The Psalms are beautiful outreaches to God about where we are in our journey. Sometimes it’s celebratory and rejoicing. Sometimes it’s full of angst and anxiety. Sometimes it’s moments of outright anger and frustration. When you read through the Psalms, you see the spectrum of human emotions.

I know I’ve had moments when life seemed chaotic. There have been moments when you are asking, “Why God?” There have been moments of sudden loss when a family member is here one day, gone the next. There have been moments of financial ruin. There have been moments when a relationship fell apart and seemed irreparable. There have been moments when we’ve all had health scares.

In Psalms 16, David reminds us that when our life is overwhelming, keep a proper perspective with God and take it to God in prayer. See, prayer is not about getting what you want but getting closer to the one you need.

David reminds us in Psalms 16 to take our complaints to God and a small accountability group. Keep silent in front of non-believers because you don’t want to distort their view of an almighty God. See, others can tell how authentic your faith is when troubles come your way. We should not broadcast to the world what needs to be laid before God.

David also reminds us to keep everything in the right perspective. Life is short…too short to be consumed with trivial issues. I mean, we worry about dumb things: price of gas, price of eggs, things not organized in the workplace like we want them to be, the songs we sing on Sunday, etc. But David reminds us that life is short so lean into the important things.

David has an incredible hope in God. David says that he doesn’t trust anything of this world but his hope is only in God. He trusts God for his life and any plans he makes. He knows that whatever the situation, God’s plan is better than anything he could have discovered. We do get distracted at times trying to find out if God is doing this thing to me, or is it Satan trying to distract me or is it the natural consequence of my actions. I don’t know what it might be in your story but I do know as people who follow Jesus, we are called to be faithful.

David closes this Psalm with a prayer. He recognizes he’s just a traveler passing through this earth. His home is in heaven. I think David is saying, “God, remove this issue from me because I know my time is short here on earth and I want to spend the rest of my days living for your glory.”

So, what could you pray for God to do in your life right now that has eternal implications? Know that God loves you and he knows you…you wants the very best for you. Live like life is short and give God the glory in the process. Blessings on your journey.

Share Your Spiritual Story.

“But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect” — 1 Peter 3:15, NIV

Christians have something that is very valuable in today’s world: hope. As Christians, our hope is found in Jesus Christ and his redemptive sacrifice for us. 1 Peter 3:15 tells us to “always be prepared to … give a reason for the hope that you have.”

Sharing your faith story might not always be an easy task, especially if you are afraid of being judged or looked at differently because of what you believe. It may seem intimidating at times, however, sharing your faith story is a worthwhile endeavor that can lead to eternal life for those who you tell.

How do you share the Gospel?

“Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples.” — Psalms 96:3, NIV

Sharing the Gospel does not have to be a source of stress, rather it can be an exciting chance to share your passion. There are various ways individuals learn how to share the Gospel. Some may try to use tools or visuals. Others may use resources such as the Romans Road, which explores different verses about salvation.

These can be useful if you don’t know what to say, but you do not need anything other than a willing spirit to share with others. The Holy Spirit will touch people’s hearts; your words don’t have to be elaborate or scholarly to teach others. Always remember you can turn to Scripture or a friend if the person you are talking to has questions that you are unsure about.

It is important to show kindness and respect while sharing about Jesus. Not everyone wants to hear about your faith, so try not to take it personally if they are unwilling to listen. Make sure not to be forceful while sharing your story as this does not make for a good witness. What you can do is pray that other people will come along who are more willing to listen to what you have to say.

Share Your Story.

Another good way to share your faith is by sharing your story or testimony. When you share your story one-on-one or in a small group, you form a personal connection. You can tell others about how Jesus has personally impacted you or why you are a Christian. This is also a way to work Christ into a conversation without it being too awkward, because you are sharing your own experience.

For example, if you invite some of your friends over for breakfast, they might bring up a topic that relates to your personal experiences and story, and this gives you a chance to share what Jesus has done for you.

Different people may share their testimonies in different ways. Some individuals may give their testimony in front of a large audience. Others may use their social media influence to spread the Gospel message. Some people may lead Bible study to share God’s word.

No matter how you share the Gospel, know that you are helping plant seeds of hope.

Some people may travel all the way across the world because they want all people groups to know the message of the Gospel. However, you do not have to travel to another continent to share Jesus with others.

Look at the people around you. Have you ever told your family or friends about the wonderful things of God? If not, this can be the perfect opportunity to share your faith. You never know the difference you may make, not only in someone’s life but in their eternity. Blessings on the journey.

Live and Give Like You Never Have Before.

Rivalries exist in all of our lives. It could be as simple as, “do I work out or eat Blue Bell ice cream”. We have football rivalries and political rivalries. Most of use have had rivalries over a girlfriend or boyfriend.

Jesus makes a unique statement found nowhere else in the New Testament. He lets us know what his chief competitor is by telling us “You can’t serve God and “mammon” in Matthew 6:24. So what is mammon?

Most Bibles use the word “money” but it’s much more than just that. Mammon is a false god that promises how you can trust money/resources to give you what only God can give you. Mammon is huge liar.

See, mammon falsely promises to give you security. You and I think, “If I just had $_____________.00, I’d be set for life.” It lies to us about our significance. “If I had enough money to buy a lot of stuff, people would listen to me and finally believe I’m important.” It gives us a false sense of an ideal marriage. We say, “If we had enough money, we wouldn’t fight anymore and she/he’d be happy.” It promises peace and joy in life.

But the truth is, the only person or thing that can give us security, significance, a great marriage, joy or peace is God Almighty. It’s only in and through him that you and I will ever have all those things.

Jesus goes on to say in Matthew 6:21, “Where your treasure is, there is your heart also.” In other words, your heart follows what you treasure. We end up spending our money on things we don’t need or spending too much money on someone we might need. We spend money on our kids as if that 8 year old needs the latest iPhone. Now, I’m not saying to tell your family no or to sell everything you have.

But God does put a biblical principle in place that will help you release the grip of mammon in your life. The principle of tithing reminds you where your heart belongs and it lets God know you recognize who supplies your daily needs.

The principle is simple: take whatever you bring home for your pay and give God the first ten percent. On your home budget, the first line item should be “giving”, and it’s 10% of what you make. God is the first check that you write. Then you learn to live on the other 90% of your income. God calls us to give sacrificially and in doing so you share your blessings with those around you.

Some of you don’t give at all and you’re wandering, “How could I give anything? Everything I bring home is spoken for.” If that’s you then just start giving something, even if it’s $10 a week. It may not be 10% initially but you’ll start instilling the principle a little at a time. If you've set your giving at some point in the past, my guess is, you’ve received a raise between then and now. It might be time to reevaluate how much you're giving.

Robin (my wife) and I made a commitment when we married to three things concerning giving to God. One, we are always going to give every week back to God. Two, we are going to work hard on becoming debt-free. Finally, we are going to help people whenever the opportunity arises. I challenge you to incorporate that way of thinking into your giving spirit.

I know God promises that he can and will do more with the 90% than you could ever do with the 100% on your own. It takes trust and a heart for God to move in this direction. Don’t you want to live and give like you’ve never done before? Trusting God will allow you to do exactly that. Blessings on the journey.

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.