Mission Where You Live

I have had the privilege to travel all over the world doing mission work. I’ve lived in Africa and the South Pacific. I been to Croatia, Jamaica, France, Scotland, Honduras, and Mexico. It has been my honor to get to know the folks that live in these areas and bring Jesus with me. But, living missionally is not only about how far you go with the message of Jesus; it’s also right where you live.

Jesus told us to “Go and tell” in Matthew 28 but in Acts 1, Jesus says, “You’ll be my witness in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the earth.” He told his disciples to start right where they were and that means for most of us in our home, with our extended family and our next door neighbor.

So we ask the question, who lives with you? Some of the people who live with you are not believers. When you read John 1, we discover Andrew went to get his brother, Peter, to introduce him to Jesus. Some of us have prodigal children. Some of us have prodigal spouses. You live in your home with these folks that you dearly love. Yet, we believe it might be ineffective to share Jesus with them. I’ve had conversations with people who respond, “But Tim, you don’t know my grandpa or my spouse or my neighbor. They are stubborn and don’t think they need anyone.”

I’d say continue to pray for the right opportunity to share Jesus. Pray for softer hearts. Pray for patience. Pray for boldness as you interact with family and friends. Andrew Murray, a South African pastor and writer in the 1800s says, “Beware of your prayers, above everything of limiting God.” We know, we serve the God of the impossible.

The second question is, who lives near you? I’m reminded research tells me we are more connected than at any other time in human history yet as so lonely. I have 1000s of friends on social media but not many of them are close friends. Our current culture has our porch now in the back yard, surrounded by a fence and the only way to get there is through a garage that I can open and shut with a remote control. In other words, my house is arranged so I don’t have to interact with any of my neighbors.

So, you must be intentional. Get outside. Get to know your neighbors. Bring them home-baked goodies. Help them after a storm to clean up their yard. Know their names. Smile and wave when you see them. As a follower of Jesus, you want them to know, they are welcomed in your space. Be purposeful and create space this year to invite them into your life by doing a cook out for your street in your driveway or a pool party for all the kids in the neighborhood or create the first ever 4th of July parade for all the neighbors to join in.

Now, how will you do either of these things? By asking, who lives in you? If you are a baptized believer then God’s Holy Spirit lives in you and it’s through the power of that Spirit you’ll be bold. That’s what Paul tells us in Romans 8:11. Check it out. Look, Jesus said, “The world will know you are my disciples by the way you love…” So make this year different. Show the love of Jesus starting with your family and your neighbors. You can do it with God’s help. Blessings on your journey.

Advancing in Your Spiritual Life

As I was watching the Super Bowl last night, a thought occurred to me. As I observed the defensive strategy for both the Chiefs and the 49ers, they tend to be more concerned about stripping the ball from the player’s hands even more than tackling them to the ground. In fact, defensive teams are taught to always try to strip the ball from the player while they are taking them down as to cause a fumble (and there were at least two last night). They know that if they can get the ball out of the player’s hands there is a good chance they can recover the ball and cause a turnover.

I think our defensive opponent, the enemy against us, tries to follow the same tactic. He wants to strip us of all the things God wants us to hold near and dear. We know this because the Apostle Peter brought it to our attention thousands of years ago.

1 Peter 5:8 (NIV) “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”

Jesus also tells us about this challenge we all face:

John 10:10 (NIV) “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”

Our enemy wants to steal the dreams, desires, and destiny you and I have. And he is relentless in his pursuit of it. He is constantly trying to strip them out of our hands and cause a turnover in our future. In fact, he is more interested in causing you to fumble than he is in taking you down. What I mean by that is, he works on discouraging you more than deceiving you. Most people that are followers of Christ don’t necessarily struggle with a belief in God, they are not considering being atheist. Rather their struggle is being discouraged, they easily fumble the purpose and promises of God from their heart. And in doing so they are missing out on gaining spiritual yardage in their life. They are not turning their back on God by being deceived, rather, they are turning their attention on their fears by being discouraged.

So how do we, as followers of Christ, keep ourselves guarded against being stripped of God’s purposes?

Hold The Promises of God Tightly

Every football player knows that when you get the ball you hold on for dear life. You tuck it in as close as you can to your body to secure it from being stripped. In the same way, we have to learn how to keep God’s promises close to our heart and not give up on them even when things don’t appear to be going as planned. Remember, we are to walk by faith and not by sight as Paul reminds us all in his writing of first Corinthians.

Surround Yourself With Blockers

One of the best ways to help ensure you don’t get tackled is to surround yourself with people that will block the enemy from you. This means we need to surround ourselves with life-giving people who will be there for us. We were created for community and we operate best in community. It’s vital that you have relationships in your life that will help you, inspire you, challenge you, and encourage you. They are the blockers in your life that help you move down the field.

Be Focused On The Goal Not Your Problems

You can’t score points if you’re only trying not to get tackled. The goal of football is to get the ball in the end zone, not to simply survive from being hurt. If we are only focused on playing it safe we’ll never reach our potential. You have to keep your eyes on the prize as you move down the field of life. Don’t worry about the tacklers and the enemy, keep moving forward. Where your focus goes your energy flows.

So, focus on your spiritual game. Run the race in such a way as to win, throwing off everything that hinders. Focus on Jesus the perfecter of our faith. May God go with you this week and give you multiple opportunities to score for him! And, Go Chiefs! Blessings on your journey.

Starting Anew.

So what’s my new beginning?

After ten+ years at a local church, I’m starting today at a new church in a different part of the metro area.

New beginnings can be fraught with uncertainty but they are also filled with incredible joy and possibility. Think a new job, a new relationship, getting married, new house, new baby. All pretty exciting stuff.

Here are some of my initial thoughts on new beginnings.

You see possibilities and opportunities.

Possibilities and opportunities are everywhere. This is an incredible feeling! The problem is sometimes we just don’t see them either because we are either stuck in a rut, too scared to move out of our comfort zone or feeling pessimistic.

After months of prayer about where God might be leading my wife and I, we realized it was time to help others with Kingdom work. Through the process, the Holy Spirit confirmed over and over, God was still going to use us in Gospel work. We are blessed to be starting this new work today!

New beginnings are all about seeking out new opportunities and truly opening ourselves up to new adventures. Fresh starts allow us to see the world and often ourselves in a new light.

You see a clear path forward.

New beginnings give us a chance to work towards what we really want. They give us a chance to let go of the past, focus firmly on a bright new future, and commit to moving forward in leaps and bounds.

Fresh starts are a great time for reflection but more importantly for planning, goal setting, and for having fun at the moment!

You appreciate the wonderful things already in your life.

I have a lot to be thankful for. Great friends and mentors. So many people who believe in me despite what one or two believe about me. Health and mobility. A dynamic partner in my wife, Robin. Two sons who I couldn’t be more proud of. A new staff who are over-the-top excited about Robin and I joining them on staff. God is good.

Even though I haven’t had a lot of time for blogging lately (due to closing out my ministry and creating space to start a new one) I now have a renewed passion for my blog.

Now thankfully I am ready to learn and reestablish some rhythms. My mind is up and running and fully engaged to possibilities. My creative mind is clicking back into gear and I’m ready to dive back into writing and creating.

Granted new beginnings can be a little scary, but there’s no doubt they can also be magical, exciting, joyous, and thrilling!

Like everything else in life, it all depends on how you choose to look at it. What new beginning are you excited about? Whatever you are anticipating, God has this…He’s got you. So be adventurous and daring. Take the step you’ve been hesitant taking. Know that He has wonderful things in store for you. Blessings on your journey.

Leading with Purpose.

As leaders, we face the dichotomy of leading and being vulnerable. When this happens, we can so quickly forget about trusting God. We feel like we are unable to be vulnerable because we are leaders. The irony! Our self-confidence slowly dwindles and we soon shrink into a state of isolation for fear of being identified as unfit to lead. By not trusting in God to provide for us we decide to honor ourselves rather than our Creator.

Our lack of confidence resides in our inability to trust in God. Our failure to trust Him stems from our fear of losing control. Control gives way to the very nature that leads us to impulsively steward our lives into a direction we often deem appropriate. Many times this course is way off, leading to frustration, doubt, and a misunderstanding of God’s provision and plan.

Our Perceived Purposes Are So Different From What He Intends.

Isaiah 55:9 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

We can lead with utter self-assurance and perceive our success to stem from our own genius. Or we can be attune to His leading, aligning our lives with His purpose and receiving promised assurance of hope and peace as we are a part of leadership. The only way to do this is to stay in close communication with Him, always expecting to find His guidance in one way or another.

Make Your Plans, But Know that Ultimately They Are Futile.

Isaiah 5:10 “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater.”

Leading our congregations or teams should always be accompanied by clear goals and planning. Without a vision, we have no foresight. Without a goal, we have no purpose. Without planning, we inevitably set ourselves up for failure, as unexpected outcomes will arise. That said, our perception of planning should always be based on a desire to include God in it all. In our position of leadership, we have to rely on our Creator, who through His Word can and will show us how to best lead and prepare. Although we cannot predict the outcome, He already knows it!

A Calling With A Purpose.

Isaiah 55:11: “So will my word be that goes out from my mouth; it will not return to me empty, but it will accomplish that which I purpose, and will succeed in the thing for which I sent it.”

Our time as a leader is limited. Whether in church, at home, or at work. When we lose sight of why we were called to this position in the first place, we run the risk of failing to persevere until the end. Along the way, we miss out on countless opportunities to see God’s provision and leading first hand. When we look at our circumstances and get focused on outcomes, we fail to recognize the extent of our calling. By placing us in a leadership position, He also made a promise that his Word will go out and not return empty. He promised that He will accomplish what He set out to do. Leading from this understanding will give us so much perspective and help us to build confidence, not in ourselves, but in His ultimate plan.

So, whether you are leading in your family, in your workplace, in your community or in your church family, do so including God in all your plans. May God bless you on your journey.

The Value of True Friendship.

A lot has been said about friends and friendship over the years: “A true friend is someone who thinks that you are a good egg even though he knows that you are slightly cracked.” (Bernard Meltzer), “Friendship is accepting a person with all their qualities – good and bad,” (Mohanla) and “Friends are those rare people who ask how we are and then wait to hear the answer.” (Ed Cunningham) But perhaps the words that come closest to the truth are those spoken by William Temple: “The greatest medicine is a true friend.”

In all my years of living and doing ministry among families, I found that as people grow older, their friendships play an increasingly greater role in determining their health and wellbeing. You can see it play out with folks who choose to isolate themselves or choose to get involved in the lives of the people they interact with every single day.

As I have considered how important it is to be with people, here are three easy ways to nurture your most valuable friendships.

Put time and energy into them.

It’s very easy in today’s tech-driven world to sit back and let Facebook and other social media platforms manage your friendships for you. But the truth is that no number of likes can exceed the importance of face-to-face time with a friend. So, make it a priority to spend time with your friends whether you decide to meet up for a walk, go out for a meal together, meet up for a cup of coffee or have a regular game night at your house

Listen more than you speak.

While friendships are definitely a two-way street, good friends understand the value of putting others first, so before you rush in and download your long list of news, take the time to listen instead – it’ll build a stronger connection.

Be open and honest.

Honestly is always the best policy and even more so when it comes to your friendships as being honest with someone builds trust and trust is the foundation of all successful relationships. Just remember: When you’re being honest with friends, take a gentle approach – you don’t want to end up causing permanent damage to your friendship.

Being with other people is a part of the Christian walk. You cannot look like Jesus and decide you don’t like people. So get out of your comfort zone. Let those in your life you value know you care about them. Blessings on the 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.

Understanding Discernment.

True discernment is impossible without divine power. We need the true Discerner—the Holy Spirit—to lead us into all truth (John 16:13).

We cannot fully understand what God is saying to us in His Word without the illuminating work of the Holy Spirit. “The thoughts of God no one knows except the Spirit of God.” Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 2:11,

We have received . . . the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God, which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words. But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised. But he who is spiritual appraises all things, yet he himself is appraised by no one.

1 Corinthians 2:12-15

Discernment ultimately depends on the Holy Spirit. As we are filled with and controlled by the Spirit of God, He makes us discerning. He leads us into all truth by granting us hunger for God’s Word and the ability to discern its true meaning—something the “natural human” is incapable of doing. 

The illumination of Scripture through the indwelling Holy Spirit is the fundamental necessity of all discernment. And true discernment requires diligent study of God’s Word and prayer. Every other tool of discernment is contingent on this reality. No one can be truly discerning apart from mastery of the Word of God and prayer. All the desire in the world cannot make you discerning if you don’t study Scripture and pray for discernment. Obedience alone will not suffice. Good role models won’t do it either. If you really want to be discerning, you must diligently study the Word of God and have a consistent prayer life.

And God’s Word is where you will learn the principles for discernment. It is there you will learn the truth. Only there can you follow the path of spiritual maturity.

How? “Be diligent.” Being diligent pictures a worker giving maximum effort in his or her work. It describes someone driven by a commitment to excellence—“Be diligent to present yourself approved to God.” The Greek phrase literally speaks of standing alongside God as a co-laborer worthy of identifying with Him.

So the encouragement today is that we will be people of the Word and people who pray. We want the indwelling of the Spirit of God to guide our daily steps. May you discover a daily habit of being in God’s Word and creating space to pray. Start today so that you will effect tomorrow and the days that lie ahead. Blessings on your journey.

Trust and Obey for a Positive Life.

I learned from an early age the importance of resting in the sovereignty of God and then surrendering to the sovereignty of God. Resting in God’s sovereignty—that’s the trust part—and then surrendering to God’s sovereignty—that’s the obey part. 

 Our family had a high view of God. Most of us today have a high view of self. What matters most to us is our feelings, our thoughts, our ambitions, our plans, our ideas, and our opinions. But what should matter supremely is, “What does God think? What matters to God? What is His opinion?” 

 You see, my mom taught us that God is sovereign, which is a sophisticated way for saying He’s the Boss! He is in control. He is the supreme Ruler of heaven and earth. 

 Joy comes when we acknowledge that He is Lord, when we trust His sovereignty and surrender to it. That means that God has the right to give and He has the right to take away. 

 During my college years, I saw my mom respond to a series of difficult circumstances in a way that profoundly impacted my life. Over the next several years, my mom dealt with a divorce that was unfair. I saw a stay-at-home mom have to enter the work force to make ends meet. About the same time period, my mother went through life-threatening surgery to have breast cancer removed. 

 Through it all, I watched my mom rest in God’s sovereignty; I saw her be as calm and peaceful and devoted to Christ in that season of loss and pain as he had been in previous seasons of gain and ease. She modeled a quiet confidence that God knows what He’s doing, that He is all-wise and doesn’t make mistakes. That is the time period I came to believe at the core of my being that every event in our lives is being watched over by a wise, loving, and good God who really can be trusted. 

 I love that verse in Psalm 135 that says, “For I know that the LORD is great, and that our Lord is above all gods. Whatever the LORD pleases, he does, in heaven and on earth, in the seas and all deeps” (vv. 5–6). 

 You see, God is in control. Whatever He pleases, He does. And if He does it, it’s because it pleases Him. We need to come to the place where we say, “Lord, if it pleases You, it pleases me. If it’s what You want, it’s what I want.” 

 Through my mom’s example and now through many years of personal experience, I’ve learned that we will never be more secure, more safe, more happy, and more satisfied, than when we are trusting and obeying. 

 What circumstances is God asking you to accept as coming from His sovereign hand? Would you take a moment to verbalize or write out a brief prayer in your journal or Bible expressing your desire to “trust and obey”? Blessings on the journey.

Learning to Forgive.

You and I have had moments when we were hurt and betrayed. We have had moments when we were vulnerable and had our heart stepped on. We’ve had moments when we wanted to hide in a corner because of how someone treated us. So in these moments, how do we move forward?

Well, there are some characteristics we will develop if we do not forgive and move forward. These are not the type of people we want to be or want to be around so measure if any of these ring true for you in your relationships.

When we get hurt one of the first things we do is create distance. When we choose not to offer forgiveness, we create space in our relationship. We end up shutting people out. We don’t call them, text them or interact on social media. If not careful, we can become numb to the needs of the people we love.

If we do not deal with the distance, we build walls. We don’t want to hurt anymore so we build walls to block the pain. Walls do keep the negative people out. The issue is, we also keep the positive people out of our life as well. We become so protective we loose the opportunity to build life-giving relationships.

If we leave the walls in place, it moves to a place of escalation. The smallest offense becomes something so grand, it seems impossible to overcome. We end up saying things we don’t really mean.

Ultimately, we reach a place of hostility toward the one who hurt us. We begin to go out of our way to make sure the “enemy” is as hurt as we are. But Paul tells us to act differently in Ephesians 4:31-32. He reminds us to get rid of all anger and rage and forgive others just like Jesus forgave us. If we are to become more like Jesus, it requires us to forgive others who have hurt us and move forward into a more positive place.

We all want a blessed life. Jesus told us if you want a blessed life then be a peace maker. A peace maker is a forgiver (Matthew 5:9). So what should I do if I want a blessed life?

Receive God’s forgiveness. Think about all the things in your own life that would keep you from Jesus and a blessed life. Aren’t you glad for God’s forgiveness? I am! How do I get that? By saying “yes” to Jesus. He gave his life for you and it’s through Jesus’ sacrifice that we find the peace and life we so desperately want.

Secondly, give what you have received. Healed people offer healing and forgiven people forgive people. Now remember that forgiveness doesn’t equal trust. When people hurt you, boundaries may be needed. Trust must be earned again. But start the process by offering forgiveness.

Finally, go first. I always say the most spiritually mature person will go first to listen, say “I’m sorry”, make reparations, and be compassionate. It will take faith on your part to move first but with the power of Jesus, you can do it. After all, Jesus went first in your relationship with him, right? Paul tells us in Romans 5:8 that while you were a sinner, Jesus died for you. He went first. So imitate him.

Look, it’s not easy forgiving those who hurt you but with the power of Jesus, you can (Ephesians 4:32). Forgiving is a powerful remedy to bring healing, peace and positivity to your life. Through the power of the Spirit, you can have all of it. Blessings on your journey.

Pour a Spiritual Footing.

North Texas soil is not the best to build on. In fact, most builders would say we should not build any houses in North Central Texas due to the shifting soil. Eventually, we all see cracks in our walls and ceiling. It’s not unlike our culture. We see the relational and social cracks all around from high divorce rates, to the high percentage of the fatherless. We see many families living at the poverty line and our economic and political system is in disarray.

Jesus calls us to a different life style. All through the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5-7, Jesus tells us if we want to have a blessed life then live how he’s calling us to live. He says, “You have heard it said but now I say.” He tells us the kind of attitude we should have, how we handle our relationships and what worship and prayer should look like. At the end of the sermon, he tells a story about two builders, reminding us if we don’t want cracks in our life and relationships, the foundation on which we build everything in our life is so incredibly important.

When you look at both builders in Matthew 7:24-29, we see both of them had a dream to build something. Both went to the same church. Both heard Jesus speak. Both lived in the same neighborhood. Both endured the same storm. Yet one is called wise and the other a fool. Which is which can only be determined by the foundation on which they build their life and dreams.

You see, wise people act upon the Word of God. Jesus says in Matthew 7:24, wise people hear Jesus and then go and do what he has said. Wise people put into practice how Jesus is calling us to live every day.

Wise people do not compromise the Word. Jesus says in Matthew 15:6, “You cancel the Word of God for the sake of your own traditions.” When we try to mix our way (sand) and God’s way (rock), it’s called being double-minded and God will not bless that kind of life (James 1:7-8).

Wise people anchor their house on the Word of God. Both houses had beautiful curb appeal until the storm hit. The house built on sand came crashing down. For those of us who have decided to build our life on Jesus Christ, the storms will still come. The difference is our house or life will not crumble at the first gust of wind.

What we discover is that our foundation will determine our future. So if you want longevity; if you want a life with purpose; if you want a life that will stand through life’s storms, build on Jesus. Jesus invites us to surrender to him and in doing so, we will have the ability to withstand the storms of life. Blessings on the journey.