Do You Know Him?

Click to watch video “Do You Know Him?”

An Australian evangelist went to India to meet Mother Theresa. He was not expecting a lengthy audience with her, but he did anticipate it would be significant.

He volunteered in her hospice for a period of time and then had the opportunity for a brief encounter. She greeted him, then asked a simple question:

“Do you know Jesus?”

“Well of course, I am an evangelist.”, he replied.

“Do you know Him?”, she repeated.

“Well, yes. As I said, I am an evangelist and I tell people about Jesus all the time.”, he explained with a hint of impatience in his response.

“Do you know Him?”, she asked one more time.

Wisdom then got the best of him and he simply nodded to affirm that he had heard her question. He thanked her for her time.

Her question resonated in his heart over the next number of weeks as he continued to ask himself, “Do I know Him? Do I really know Him?”

This soul searching led him to go deeper in his communion with Jesus; deeper in his desire to know Him in all aspects of Jesus’ heart for him and through him in his ministry to others. His preaching began to take on a different flavor as he passed on the question Mother Theresa had so generously passed onto him.

Through his outreach a biker met Jesus and subsequently surrendered his life to Christ. The biker, based on his new-found experience with Jesus, wrote the following poem:

Do You Really Know Him? By Norm Briddock

“Oh, you say that you know Him, but you don’t know Him at all.

The one that you tell me about lives in a picture on the wall.

He comes from a plastic country where the sun shines all the time.

I don’t know who you worship kid, but He ain’t no friend of mine.

My friend’s eyes are gentle, but they are often filled with pain,

He’s no stranger to the back-street baby, the alley and the lane.

He’s often found at parties with prostitutes and thieves,

He’s always there when you are there, and always last to leave.

When you put your arms around Him you feel the scars beneath His shirt,

And you wonder why He loves you when you give Him so much hurt.

He’s often tired and dirty, but you know that he’s the Boss.

‘Cos when you take His hand you feel the nail marks of the cross.

He knocked around with criminals, He’d give everyone the time.

Women and kids would flock to Him, you know they’d stand in line.

But the churchy types they hated Him, so they hanged him on the cross,

But they hadn’t figured one thing, you just can’t sack the Boss.

I knew as soon as He talked to me He had been where I had been,

He’d seen the knife and felt the wound of every lonely scene.

He had been right alongside of me when I was sleeping on the ground

And when I ride my Harley I know that He’s around.

So don’t say that you know Him When you don’t know Him at all,

The one I love would never live in a picture on the wall.

There is nothing false about Him, there simply is no plastic tack,

You know, this friend I love so well has been to hell and back.”

May Mother Theresa’s question and Norm’s poetic exhortation serve as an encouragement for us to ensure we cultivate a real relationship with Jesus. May we be men marked by an authentic, honest and deep relationship with Christ. May we be men who have journeyed through the difficult and trying times with Jesus in a fashion that drives the roots of our relationship deep into the soil of trust and commitment.

Real relationships are forged in the valleys of life and celebrated on the mountain tops. May we walk with Jesus in the depths and the heights, in the courage and the frights; in the glory and the shame; in wholeness and when we’re lame.

May we really know Him. Because when we do, it changes everything.

Philippians 3:10-11

“I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.

Ephesians 1:17

“I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.”

Ephesians 3:16-19

“I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”

Acts 4:13

”When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.”

Mar 02, 2015 | Categories: Uncategorized | Comments Off on Do You Know Him?

Partners in Life – We’re Better Together

“It’s always better when we’re together.”, sings Jack Johnson

Is that what you believe about your marriage?

Marriage is a true partnership – partners in life. It has been said that if two partners always agree then someone is redundant. That is the sentiment in business, and I think it is somewhat true in marriage too. We don’t always agree in marriage, and that’s a good thing.

We are better together.

We are better together because we complement each other. My wife’s strengths are my weaknesses. My strengths are her weaknesses. I need her perspective, she needs mine.

We all know that opposites attract. That is certainly the case in our marriage. Anne and I seem to be opposites in so many areas. We now synergize – the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. However, it wasn’t always that way…

In the early years I used to think anyone who disagreed with me was wrong, and then I would do my best to convince whoever disagreed with me that they needed to change. Sadly this was most pronounced in our marriage. If Anne disagreed with me she must be wrong. She needed to change. She needed to become more like me.

She wasn’t bold enough, she wasn’t social enough, she wasn’t brave enough, she wasn’t…enough like me. She was too quiet, too introverted, too analytical, too planned, too safe…too different from me. Something needed to change.

That something was me.

We were not true partners. I was the ‘majority’ partner and Anne was here to do what I wanted. She did not have an equal voice. We were total opposites and she needed to change to be like me – that was clearly the error in my thinking.

The Lord had mercy on Anne, and on me, by not-so-gently helping me to realize how wrong I was. “Wrong” can also be substituted with “arrogant”, “selfish”, “self-centered”, “sinful”, “stubborn” and “idiotic”. I was an idiot.

You see, one of the key roles of a husband is to be a “partner” to his wife. A true partner.

True partnerships are founded on mutual respect. True partners respect each other for who they are and the differences they bring. I needed to see Anne, not as being totally opposite to me, but perfectly complementary. I need her perspective. I need the balance she brings to me. And, strangely enough, she needs my perspective and the balance I bring to her.

Anne now jokingly describes our relationship in this way: She is the brake and I am the gas pedal.

Would you like to drive a car with no brakes? I have done it, believe me, it’s no fun! A car with no brakes crashes. Would you like to drive a car with no gas pedal? You can’t, it won’t go anywhere. A car is only useful if it has a gas pedal and brakes. The two complement each other. They can be seen as being in opposition to each other, or being complementary. We all know that we need them both to get anywhere worthwhile.

Likewise in marriage, a great partnership is built on mutual respect. What is seen as opposition, when viewed through the lens of mutual respect, can be seen as complementary. We need each other.

I now recognize how incredibly unbalanced I would be without Anne. I recognize what an incredible gift her ‘difference’ is to me. I need her God-given ‘brakes’ so I don’t crash. Thankfully she loved me enough and trusted God enough to see me through my journey out of independence into interdependence.

The reality is, unless we are partnering with our wives in life we will not apprehend all that for which God apprehended us. Together we become one in Him in a fashion that enables us to love Him, love each other and love others in a way that is impossible if we were not partners in life and love.

Men, your wife is not here to serve you. You are actually called to lay down your life for her. We are called together to become one in Jesus: to partner together in the adventure of journeying with Him in life and love.

We are definitely better together.

Genesis 2:24

“For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.”

Ephesians 5:25 (The Message)

“Husbands, go all out in your love for your wives, exactly as Christ did for the church – a love marked by giving, not getting.”

Ephesians 5:21

“Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.”

Feb 16, 2015 | Categories: Uncategorized | Comments Off on Partners in Life – We’re Better Together

A Covenant of Purpose

I was recently told about the sudden death of a man I knew in Winnipeg. He dropped dead early one morning after completing his treadmill work out. He was in his early 50’s.

He was an elder in his church. He was a business leader. He was a good husband and father. He was a very good man. He was passionately engaged in spending his life, as best he knew, to create the greatest return for the Kingdom of God through his own leadership at home, in his business, in his church and in his community.

At his funeral the following Covenant of Purpose was shared:

“Today, I am stepping across the line.  I’m tired of waffling and I’m finished with wavering.  I’ve made my choice, the verdict is in, and my decision is irrevocable.  I’m going God’s way.  There’s no turning back!

I will live the rest of my life serving God’s purposes with God’s people on God’s planet for God’s glory!  I will use my life to celebrate His presence, cultivate His character, participate in His family, demonstrate His love, and communicate His Word.

Since my past has been forgiven, and I have a purpose for living, and a home awaiting in heaven, I refuse to waste any more time or energy on shallow living, petty thinking, rival taking, thoughtless doing, useless regretting, hurtful resenting, or faithless worrying.  Instead, I will magnify God, grow to maturity, serve in ministry, and fulfill my mission in the membership of His family.

Because this life is in preparation for the next, I will value worship over wealth, “we” over “me”, character over comfort, service ever status, and people over possessions, position and pleasures.  I know what matters most and I’ll give it all I’ve got.  I’ll do the best I can with what I have for Jesus Christ today!

I won’t be captivated by culture, manipulated by critics, motivated by praise, frustrated by problems, debilitated by temptation, or intimidated by the devil.  I’ll keep running my race with my eyes on the goal, not the sidelines or those running by me.  When times get tough, and I get tired, I won’t back up, back off, back down, back out or backslide!  I’ll just keep moving forward by God’s grace.  I’m Spirit-led, purpose-driven, and mission-focused so I cannot be bought, I will not be compromised, and I shall not quit until I have finished the race.

I’m a trophy of God’s amazing grace so I will be gracious to everyone, grateful for every day, and generous with everything that God entrusts to me.

To my Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, I say – However, Whenever, Wherever, and Whatever you ask me to do, my answer in advance is yes!  Wherever you lead and whatever the cost I’m ready.  Anytime.  Anywhere.  Anyway. Whatever it takes, Lord; Whatever it takes!  I want to be used by you in such a way, that on that final day I’ll hear you say, ‘Well done, thou good and faithful one.  Come on in and let the eternal party begin!’”

This was read by the pastor because it was how he saw this man live. He did his best to be a man of purpose, living on purpose each and every day to leave a lasting legacy. May we follow his example and be Men Of Purpose, On Purpose. And, may our purpose be God’s kingdom coming and His will being done on earth, in and through us, as it is in heaven.

I felt very challenged when I read this Covenant. You may know that a Covenant is like a ‘contract’: this is a ‘Contract’ of Purpose. It is a deep pledge, a contract written in blood per se, to walk wholeheartedly with Jesus, knowing that it is only by His Spirit in us that we can walk with Him. He actually makes us willing and able to walk with Him.

I am challenged to make this Covenant of Purpose a daily declaration and a daily prayer. To set my will, by the grace of God, to walk wholeheartedly with God.

We are all going to leave a legacy of some sort. What will your legacy be?

Philippians 2:12-13

“Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.”

Luke 9:23-26

“Then he said to them all: ‘Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.  For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it. What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self? Whoever is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.’”

Feb 09, 2015 | Categories: Uncategorized | Comments Off on A Covenant of Purpose

Spiritual Special Forces

We were surrounded – completely surrounded. We found ourselves deep in the heart of darkness, and on the defensive.

Strip clubs, “gentlemen’s” clubs, street drunkenness, voodoo gardens, voodoo lounges, voodoo marts and occult practitioners were everywhere. The blackness in the spiritual atmosphere was almost tangible. And now we found ourselves, with all the other conference attendees, in the New Orleans House of Blues.

The music was pretty awesome, though overpoweringly loud. Our small band of believers had gathered together to try to connect amidst the cacophony and chaos of the overcrowded club. We were having a good time enjoying some beverages and chowing down on some local delicacies: which included bread pudding with caramel sauce – much to my delight.

Even though we were well watered and well fed, we were still thirsty. So, we spied out another room separate from the main performance area with comfy chairs, its own bar and smorgasbord, and a big screen showing the main stage, but without the overwhelming loudness from which we were seeking shelter.

The four of us settled into a cozy conversation circle of 4 brothers and 1 sister.

And then it happened… Jesus showed up.

Rob began to share how he met Jesus, how Jesus had changed his life. Stu followed suit and shared the miracle of God’s great goodness and His good greatness. John then told the story of how Jesus miraculously broke into his life during a personal development retreat. Patti shared a delightfully feminine perspective on her beloved rescuer. Then I rounded things out with my story of redemption, mercy, grace, love, forgiveness and freedom.

There we were, 5 friends simply trying to stay out of trouble, huddled together for defensive purposes – actually not! Au contraire! When we stood back and looked through the eyes of faith we began to realize that we were actually Spiritual Special Forces. We were on a covert mission in the heart of darkness to bring the light and love of Jesus.

That night as we began to share our Jesus Journeys, our “testimonies”, Jesus entered the room with us. He commanded His angels to surround us as well. Even when we stand alone, we are not alone. The forces of heaven stand with us. That night the House of Blues became the House of The Risen Son.

As John began sharing his Jesus Journey, from my perspective silhouetted by the big screen, the band began to sing The House of the Rising Sun. The song that powerfully depicts a man who lost his life to the debauchery he discovered in New Orleans, ironically became the back drop for the story of a man who was miraculously saved out of darkness into light. And the stories of light and life we shared surrounded us with light and life.

We were now in the House of the Risen Son.

The Lord helped us to see that we were indeed a team of Spiritual Special Forces – Navy SEALS – on a covert mission to bring light and life into the darkness. The simplicity of “testifying” to the goodness of God and the power of the “Blood of the Lamb” changed the atmosphere. We were detonating claymores of light and flash bangs of faith into the spiritual realm.

The Lord revealed the significance of the evening to John early the next morning. Something I love about John is that he is deaf in his right ear. The Lord told John he is deaf in that ear, so the Lord can speak clearly to him through that ear.

We must all learn to hear the inaudible, see the invisible and feel the intangible – that is living by faith!

Let’s recognize who we are in the Spirit. We are beloved children of our heavenly Father, filled with the Spirit of God to be Kingdom ambassadors for the Government of God – the righteousness, peace and joy of our Lord. We are each uniquely gifted and graced to play a key role in God’s covert plans; called to walk as allies in this battle to ‘appropriate’ all the abundant life Jesus has for us, and for others through us.

Yes, we are Spiritual Special Forces called to overcome darkness with the light, life and love of God, walking together as allies to transform Houses of Blues into Houses of the Risen Son.

Revelation 12:11

“They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.”

Matthew 18:20

“For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”

Hebrews 11:1

“Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.”

Feb 02, 2015 | Categories: Uncategorized | Comments Off on Spiritual Special Forces

Let Us Pray!

Click to watch “Let Us Pray” video.

“How many hours a day do you pray?”

The question stopped my friend in his tracks.

“What did he just ask me?”, he thought. What do you mean, “How many hours a day do I pray?” I am a busy guy. I own and operate a number of businesses. I am married with a young family. Do you know how much time that consumes?

Deep down though, he knew the Lord was putting His finger on something…

My friend was a passionate Jesus follower. He often talked about his relationship with Jesus with his customers, suppliers, employees and friends. In fact, he gave out cases of the book Born Again by Charles Colson to these people.

According to Amazon, “Born Again is the autobiography of one of the most influential men of our time.” It is not only a remarkable story of one man’s redemption in Christ, but a fascinating look inside the events of the Watergate scandal, one of our generation’s most riveting sagas. Born Again has brought hope and encouragement to millions in a dozen languages.

My friend wanted to share the profound lifesaving story of Charles Colson with as many people as he could. In fact, he came up with the grandiose idea of inviting Mr. Colson to come to Canada to speak at a BBQ in his back yard to all the people to whom he had given the book Born Again. That is why he was now in Washington DC meeting with Mr. Colson’s Executive Director, along with a number of other men who wanted to connect with Mr. Colson, at a luncheon in an upscale downtown DC hotel.

Prior to this meeting, my friend’s wife has been encouraging him to cultivate his private relationship with Christ; to develop a devotional life. To take time out of his busy schedule to spend alone with Jesus – to pray.

Amidst this group at the upscale hotel in DC, the Lord ambushed my friend through the question posed by Mr. Colson’s Executive Director. He tried to bumble through an animated response of how much time he was devoting to Jesus, but he knew he was busted. He knew the Lord was inviting him to develop a devotional life: to instigate the Holy Habit of spending time alone with Jesus for the sole purpose of communing with Him.

That’s called prayer.

The only way we can follow Jesus deeper into all that He has invited us into is if we choose to set aside time to commune with Him. To listen. To intercede. To worship. To do warfare. To petition. To repent. To be thankful. There are many different ways to pray, but the point remains the same: to commune with Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

It’s been said prayer is like the mooring lines on a boat: they are designed to bring the boat closer to the dock, not to pull the dock closer to the boat. Prayer brings us closer to the heart of God. Prayer changes us. Sure, there are examples in scripture of how prayer appears to sway the will of God, but I believe that primarily prayer shifts our hearts toward God.

And, prayer plays a critical role in setting the purposes of God into play. I don’t understand how or why our omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent and sovereign God enables us to play a role in His purposes through prayer, but He has and He does. It has been said that without God we cannot, and without us God will not.

Prayer is powerful, and prayer has been ordained by God to play a significant role in the outworking of His purposes. If we are serious about being alive in Christ, we must breathe in His life through prayer.

Martin Luther said, “To be a Christian without prayer is no more possible than to be alive without breathing.”

Let us set aside time alone with Jesus to listen; to pour out our hearts to Him; to lift up the needs of others; to fight against our spiritual enemy; to worship God; to express gratitude; to repent, and to breathe in the life of Christ.

Yes, let us pray!

Ephesians 6:18

“And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.”

Colossians 4:12

“Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.”

1 Thessalonians 5:17

“pray continually,”

Matthew 6:6

“But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”

Jan 26, 2015 | Categories: Uncategorized | Comments Off on Let Us Pray!

Whose Money Is It?

“Mover of Men and Mountains”, by R.G. LeTourneau was one of the first Christian books I read as a teenager. I will never forget the occasion…

I was invited by my church youth leader to go down to Lake Samish and waterski for the weekend. He had set up a slalom course on the lake and he was going to take the weekend to show me how to ski a course. I must have been about 15 at the time.

Over the course of the weekend we talked about many things; many of which I have no recollection of. However, he also gave me a copy of LeTourneau’s book with the recommendation that it was an excellent book about a businessman walking with Jesus wholeheartedly.

Why on earth would a youth leader think that was a good book to give to a 15 year old? I don’t know, but it clearly made a positive impression on me.

I remember being struck by LeTourneau’s big thinking and by his radical trust in and obedience to Jesus. He truly was an amazing man. According to Wikipedia:

“Robert Gilmour LeTourneau (November 30, 1888 – June 1, 1969), was born in Richford, Vermont, and was a prolific inventor of earthmoving machinery. His machines represented nearly 70 percent of the earthmoving equipment and engineering vehicles used during World War II, and over the course of his life he secured nearly 300 patents. With the help of his wife, the late Evelyn Peterson (1900-1987), he founded LeTourneau University, a private, Christian institution, in Longview, Texas. LeTourneau was widely known as a devoted Christian and generous philanthropist to Christian causes, including the “LeTourneau Christian Center” camp and conference grounds in Rushville, New York. LeTourneau was often referred to by his contemporaries as ‘God’s businessman.’”

He is remembered for many incredible accomplishments, but there is one of his quotes that has stuck in my psyche over the years,

“It’s not about how much of my money I give to God, but how much of God’s money I keep for myself.”

R.G. LeTourneau knew that everything he had was from God.

The Lord tells us in Deuteronomy 8:18 that He is the one who gives us the ability to produce wealth. LeTourneau knew that. He knew that his or anyone’s ability to produce wealth is from God. He also believed that a man’s faith must impact his wallet.

It’s really all a matter of trust isn’t it? Do we trust that God is the one who gives us the ability to produce wealth; that He is the one who provides for all of our needs, and, therefore, we can freely give of our finances as an act of worship to Him? Or, do we not trust the Lord to provide for us and, therefore, have to provide for ourselves?

I believe that tithing 10% of our gross income (pre-tax) – the Bible calls this our “first fruits” – is the basic responsibility of every follower of Jesus. Gifts and offerings are in addition to that.

It’s all a matter of trust: do I trust the Lord to provide for all my needs? That is why giving of our finances is an act of worship. It’s saying, “Lord I believe you will take care of me.”

I have heard some people say that they cannot afford to tithe. I believe we cannot afford not to tithe. Do you know that tithing is actually a form of spiritual warfare?

Listen to what the Lord says in Malachi 3:9-11,

“’You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing Me, the whole nation of you! Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house, and test Me now in this,’ says the Lord of hosts, ‘if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you a blessing until it overflows. Then I will rebuke the devourer for you, so that it will not destroy the fruits of the ground; nor will your vine in the field cast its grapes,’ says the Lord of hosts.” (NASB)

When we tithe, the Lord “rebukes the devourer”. We can’t afford not to tithe: when we don’t, we’re cursed.

Whose money is it anyway? It’s the Lord’s, and “…it’s not about how much of my money I give to God, but how much of God’s money I keep for myself.”

2 Corinthians 9:2-8

“Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.”

Jan 19, 2015 | Categories: Uncategorized | Comments Off on Whose Money Is It?

Getting In Shape

Eat less, move more. That’s the key to getting in shape – right?

Well no, not really.

I have been endeavoring to ‘get in shape’ over the last 6 months. I recognized that I needed to lose some weight – at least 20 pounds.

The plan was to move more and eat less. A central component to my new lifestyle plan was frequent prayer walks down the mountainside to the lake then back up again.

On one of my earlier prayer walks I sensed the Lord ask me a rhetorical question,

“You know that getting in shape is more than simply losing weight?!”

I began to think back to my university years. One of the few elements of my education I remembered was the 5 aspects of physical fitness:

1. Body composition
2. Cardiovascular capacity
3. Muscular strength
4. Muscular endurance
5. Flexibility

My attempts to lose weight were addressing 2 of the 5 aspects of physical fitness: body composition and cardiovascular capacity. My percent body fat was reducing, and the vigorous and rigorous prayer walks were also increasing my cardiovascular capacity. However, if I really wanted to get in shape I needed to address my muscular strength, muscular endurance and flexibility.

I began to realize this is an interesting glimpse into what it means to get in shape spiritually…

I would like to suggest these are 5 corresponding components to getting in shape spiritually:

Body Composition is the amount of body fat you have, versus the amount of lean muscles, bones and organs. Carrying excess weight is considered one of the most significant contributors to shortening your life span.

Likewise, we need to rid ourselves of “spiritual fat”: sinful habits, wrong beliefs, bitterness, resentment, jealousy, unforgiveness, etc. Carrying this “excess weight” around in our hearts will limit the life we experience in Christ.

“…let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us…” Hebrews 12:1b

Cardiovascular capacity is the ability of the heart and lungs to supply oxygen-rich blood to the working muscle tissues and the ability of the muscles to use oxygen to produce energy for movement.

Our spiritual ‘cardiovascular capacity’ represents the depth of our relationship with Christ. Our capacity to commune with Jesus so it is His life in us, not simply our own: His strength, His love, His Spirit, His heart, His life in and through us.

“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” Galatians 2:20

Muscular strength is the amount of force a muscle can exert in a single effort.

Spiritual strength represents the depth of faith we have in Jesus; our capacity to believe the Truth.

“Be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.” Ephesians 6:10

Muscular endurance is the ability of a muscle to perform a continuous effort without fatiguing.

Spiritual endurance represents our ability to continue in faith; to persevere when the going gets tough.

“Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” James 1:4

Flexibility is the ability of each joint to express its full range of motion. Range of motion is significantly limited by muscles that are unable to ‘be at peace’ and stretch.

Spiritual flexibility is our ability to be stretched and not break; to remain in grace and peace when outside of our comfort zone.

“This trouble you’re in isn’t punishment; it’s training… At the time, discipline isn’t much fun…Later, of course, it pays off handsomely, for it’s the well-trained who find themselves mature in their relationship with God.” Hebrews 12:7, 11 (The Message)

If we really want to increase our spiritual fitness we must grow the depth of our relationship with Jesus; reduce our ‘spiritual fat’; increase our faith in God and His Word; persevere in our faith; and remain in grace and peace when stretched by the trials of life.

It’s time to get in shape – in Jesus.

1 Timothy 4:8 (The Message)

“Exercise daily in God – no spiritual flabbiness, please! Workouts in the gymnasium are useful, but a disciplined life in God is far more so, making you fit both today and forever.”

Jan 12, 2015 | Categories: Uncategorized | Comments Off on Getting In Shape

Accountability is Critical for Change

Is there something in your life you want to change? Something about you, you want to be different? Maybe there is something you have wanted to change for a very long time and you just can’t seem to get on top of it – yes?

The question is: how badly do we want to change? What are we willing to do to create the change?

I have certainly had my fair share of issues I wanted to change over the course of my 50+ years. I have learned a little something about change I want to share with you now, but let me begin with a story…

Have you ever tried to lose weight? Simple, right? Eat less, move more. A while back I bumped into a man I knew many years ago – way back then he was a very large man. When I bumped into him I almost didn’t recognize him because he had lost so much weight. I asked him how he did it:

“I eat less and move more.”

Simple, but not easy.

I was always naturally slim. As ‘soma-types” go I was a “meso-ectomorph” – a muscular slim guy. However, too much travel and ‘the good life’ had turned me into an “endo-ectomorph” – a fat slim guy. If there is such a thing.

Anne and my sons had been on me to do something about my weight and to start exercising, but I just wasn’t that interested. At least, not until I hit 205. I was 165 when we first got married. I realized something needed to be done…

So, I contacted my brother, who is my pastor, and asked him if I could be accountable to him for my eating and moving objectives. I put together a daily spreadsheet of the extra ‘moving’ I wanted to do, my weight objective, and some other behaviors I wanted to stay committed to.

This was what I would call “accountability”. I was ‘initiating’ accountability with Ron to help me stay on track. Here is the key to accountability working well to create change:

It must be self-initiated, not imposed by another.

Here is what I mean by that: the accountability must be something you are initiating. It must be something you are committing to follow through on. It must be something you will be checking in with a trusted friend on. The accountability must be your responsibility.

If accountability is imposed, if it is something you are expecting someone else to provide or to take the responsibility for, it will not be the catalyst for change that self-initiated accountability is. When we create self-initiated accountability with those we trust it is because we want to create change, we realize we need help to create that change, and we are willing to humble ourselves to do so.

When we humble ourselves the Lord pours out His grace. When we are working from within the Lord’s grace, a change in behaviour becomes far easier because He changes our hearts. He actually changes our desires.

In regard to my move more/eat less accountability, I saw something remarkable: the Lord actually changed my desires. His grace enabled me to want to move more, and I began to want to eat differently. All the foods I formerly loved and in which I would over indulge, were not as attractive as they once were. The exercise I formerly did not relish became something I actually want to do.

My program simply involves vigorous, rigorous prayer walks down the mountainside from our house to the lake and back up again. I eat the same breakfast shake every day comprised of water, fruit, nuts, grains and protein powder. And, I do some supplemental exercises and other activities. I have lost 15 pounds over the last 6 months and have 5-10 more to go.

And, I love it.

However, the point is, self-initiated accountability is the key to creating change. When we humble ourselves and willingly submit to someone who can monitor the behavior we want to engage in, the grace of God is evident to change our desires and enable us to become who we desire to be.

So, what do you want to change? To whom will you be accountable?

1 Peter 5:5,6

“In the same way, you who are younger, submit yourselves to your elders. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, ‘God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.’ Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.”

Philippians 2:13

“…for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.”

Jan 05, 2015 | Categories: Uncategorized | Comments Off on Accountability is Critical for Change

Be Assertive!

The Sleeping Giant rises over 1,000 feet from sea level. Looking west from Kapaa on the Island of Kauai this majestic mountain looms over the community as an iconic symbol of the island’s storied past.

The trail up is demanding. Over the course of 2 miles hikers switch back and forth up the mountainside until they weave their way from the feet of the giant, across his chest and up to his neck. The views afforded on the journey up are fabulous. The picnic site located at the giant’s neck provides a satisfying end point for the majority of travelers.

However, the truly adventurous make the “off trail” climb up to his chin.

The chin of the giant is where the money shot is. This rocky precipice affords the courageous climber a 360 degree view of the east coast of Kauai: both the Mauka (mountainside) and the Makai (ocean side).  Surrounded by life-ending cliffs on 3 sides the final scramble up the chin certainly tests your courage.

It is truly adrenalizing.

Anyone who climbs to the top of the chin of the Sleeping Giant has to get a picture to prove their conquest, and to capture the incredible grandeur of this spectacular corner of the globe.

It was on the approach to the Giant’s chin that our encounter happened. In 1985 young and spry Dave and Anne MacLean climbed the Sleeping Giant on their honeymoon. Thirty years later we were back with our sons to relive the experience. The chin was a little crowded this day.

We were third in line to get up on the chin for our photo shoot. There was a group of young people who had monopolized the chin for a lengthy period of time when we arrived. The group of 3 plus a dog had been waiting patiently for their turn, but had not said anything to the young people.  They were just waiting there.

I came up behind them and asked if they were waiting to climb up to the chin. They indicated they were, but the young people had been there quite a long time.

“Hey, could you please make some room for these people who want to get up there for a photo.” I called up to the young people.

“No problem.”, they replied and began to climb down for the group in front of us.

I asked the group of 3 if they wanted me to take a photo of them. They said they would appreciate that. I pointed out where they could stand to get the best scenic shot behind them with the sun still on their faces. I also told them I would put them in the left side of the frame so the photo would display the spectacularly expansive ocean view.

After I handed them back their camera so they could see the photo and give me a thumbs up or thumbs down, one to them said something I have never heard before,

“I love how assertive you are man!”

What he said really got me thinking. He was basically thanking me for being assertive – it helped them get what they were looking for.

I began to think of what Paul said to Timothy in 2 Timothy 1:7:

“For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.”

We are not meant to be timid. We are created to be bold and assertive in life and leadership. To be assertive is to be confident, assured, decisive and bold.

Timidity is diametrically opposed to who we are meant to be in Jesus. We are created, crafted and called to be bold as lions, to be confident and assured in Christ.

Two things will keep us from being assertive and confident in Christ: Sin and Ignorance. The enemy will always leverage our sin to keep us in guilt and shame and out of faith and courage. Ignorance of the Truth of who we are in Christ will always keep us living a small timid life.

Men, we are meant to be assertive and confident in Christ in every aspect of our lives. Let’s be committed to walk in awareness of and obedience to the Truth. May our assertiveness serve others to help them find the life God has for them

Proverbs 28:1

“The wicked flee though no one pursues, but the righteous are as bold as a lion.”

2 Corinthians 2:12

“Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold.”

Psalm 27:3

“Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then I will be confident.”

Jan 05, 2015 | Categories: Uncategorized | Comments Off on Be Assertive!

Man or God – Who Do I Love?

Who do you turn to for validation – man or God? Who do you look to for affirmation and encouragement – man or God?   Who do you draw your life and strength from – man or God? Who do you fear more – man or God?

We all have a choice in regard to where we go for life. Will we go to God for life, or the things of this world? What holds greater sway in our life – the fear of God, or the fear of man? Is Jesus enough for us, or do we need what this world has to offer?

Many years ago the Lord took me on a journey into increasing dependence on Him. He helped me to see how much I drew life from other people and the things of this world. He opened my eyes to see that I was more concerned about what people thought and said about me than what the Lord thought and said about me.

I began to realize the fear of man was greater in me than the fear of God. I sought the approval of men more than the approval of God.

In the midst of this journey I wrote a song:

“Man or God, who do I love?

Praises from men or my Father above?

Vanity will it be my delight?

Can God’s love be my song in the night?

Man or God, who is my hope?

Who is my anchor, my pillar, my rope?

Looking forward what can I see?

Simply today or all eternity?

Man or God, who will I serve?

Which way will I walk and from it not swerve?

Follow the wide or the narrow way?

Will I choose life or death this day?

Man or God, who is my trust?

In worldly treasures that decay and rust?

Will I dwell near the waters or life?

Or in a dry land of sorrow and strife?

Man or God, where is my life?

Sometimes this world can cut like a knife.

Who will heal and care for my wounds?

Man or the power that emptied the tomb?

Man or God, where will I turn?

For love and freedom I desperately yearn.

Fill the void, let the rains fall.

Quench my thirst, quench it all.

God or man, spirit or soul?

To whom will I yield my control?

Keep my life, or count it as loss?

Will I chose life through death at the cross?

I choose God my Father, my Friend

My all in all, my beginning and end

In you God and in You alone

I put my hope and I now bow at your throne

Love everlasting, mercy and grace

Help this weak man to seek your face

Sometimes I falter I doubt and I fear

Please my Father won’t You draw me near”

We have a choice to make: will we go to the spring of living water for life, or try to dig our own wells to find life outside of God? If you find yourself in the midst of a difficult situation considering walking away from the Lord, it means that you still think you can find life apart from God.

I love Peter’s answer when Jesus asked him and the other disciples if they were going to leave:

“Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.” (John 6:68)

Peter knew he had no other option but Jesus. It was Jesus or nothing, so Peter was all in.

So, are you considering your options, or are you all in? There is no life apart from Jesus – He is The Life. Jesus came that we might have life and have it abundantly, but we often try to find life apart from Him.

Man or God – where do you go? We must choose to find our life in Christ; to reject the seduction of life apart from Him. We are made to be grafted into Christ and draw our life from Him. Apart from Him we wither and die.

Like Keith Green said, “He is Divine and we are de branch.”

We are made for life in Christ. We’re made to be all in!

Jeremiah 2:13

“My people have committed two sins: They have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water.”

John 15:5

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”

John 2:24

“But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all people.”

John 14:6

“Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

Dec 22, 2014 | Categories: Uncategorized | Comments Off on Man or God – Who Do I Love?

Man Up and Boy Up!

We hear a lot now-a-days about how men need to “man up”. What exactly does that mean though?

I am not totally sure. What I do know is that we are born male, but we have to choose to be men. With that sentiment I very much agree. Men need to choose to be men.

Sadly our culture is filled with Peter Pans – men who refuse to grow up. It’s been said that boys will be boys and so will middle-aged men. I believe one of the curses of our society is men who are unwilling to be men. Men who are unwilling to take courage and initiative; resist passivity; accept responsibility; press on toward a goal; seek and love God and serve and love others.

Our world is crying out for men who choose to be men of character: men who understand they are meant to be spent for the benefit of others. Our world is hungry for men who are willing to make sacrifices for the greater good in both the grand and the bland: in the extraordinary and the ordinary. Our world is in need of men who truly are choosing to “man up”!

To “man up” is inherently sacrificial. Men spend themselves for the benefit of others; adult ‘boys’ spend others for their own benefit.

A number of years ago I was at a men’s conference in the mountains of Colorado. At the close of one of the sessions we were encouraged to ask the Lord what He was saying to us about how He sees us: “Father, who do you say I am?”

I felt the Lord say to me:

“You are David. I have given you a kingly spirit. I have made you to be a ruler…you are my beloved warrior king…”

I was overwhelmed. And, to be quite frank, I wanted to run from it. I didn’t want to be a ruler. I didn’t want to be a ‘king’. I did not want the responsibility. Deep inside I still wanted to be a boy. I did not want the burden of leadership, of being a ‘man’.

The Lord was gracious with me and began to lead me through His school of manhood and leadership, in the midst of everyday life. It was not easy. It was not fun. Oftentimes it (He) demanded more of me than I believed I was capable of. I wanted to run away so many times. I wanted to escape to a little log cabin in the woods and shut out the world.

However, to do so would be disobedience. To run from my God-given responsibilities would be sin.

Fast forward a few years…I was mountain biking and stopped to spend some time with my Father on a big boulder overlooking the valley. I sheepishly asked God if I could call Him “Dad”. I knew the answer already because we are encouraged in Romans 8 to call Him “Abba” or “Daddy”. However, the reality of that intimacy was still a little foreign to me.

His response broke open my heart:

“May I call you ‘Davie’? You are my beloved son. ‘Davie’ is my term of endearment for you.”

I wasn’t expecting that! To be honest, I just began to cry…

I was a little perplexed however: I thought I was supposed to be a Warrior King, but now I am a Beloved Son. “Davie” is a little boy’s name. Am I a Warrior King or a Beloved Son? Yes. Both/and, not either/or.

We cannot truly “man up” without being a beloved son. We must “boy up” in order to “man up”. The only way we can truly be the men God has created, crafted and called us to be is by first understanding we are His beloved sons in whom He delights.

Real men are also child-like.

Yes, we need to accept responsibility and resist passivity. Yes, we need to take courage and initiative. We need to press on toward goals. We need to seek and love God. And, we need to love and serve others.

However, first and foremost we need to know we are a beloved son of our Heavenly Father.

To “boy up” enables us to “man up”.

1 Corinthians 13:11

“When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me.”

Galatians 4:6

“Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, ‘Abba, Father.’”

2 Corinthians 6:18

“And, ‘I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.’”

Matthew 18:3

“And he said: ‘Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.’”

Dec 15, 2014 | Categories: Uncategorized | Comments Off on Man Up and Boy Up!

How Do We Grow?

How do we grow? That’s the million dollar question. In fact, it’s probably the billion dollar question.

By ‘growth’ I don’t mean physically – I mean spiritually. How do we grow in our faith? How do we grow in Truth? How do we grow in character? How do we grow in our relationship with Jesus?

Basically, how do we become better men?

That’s a big nut to crack. Through our work with Wholehearted Men I have the pleasure of working with hundreds of men who want to become better men – who want to grow. And we see huge growth in many men.  However, in others there is not so much growth.

So why do some men seem to grow, and others do not?

I don’t know exactly, but I do know that Jesus told us there are 3 criteria for growth:

“But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.”

In Luke 8:5-15 Jesus talks about the parable of the sower and the seed. He concludes the parable with that statement about those who produce fruit; the soil in whom the seed grew up into a good crop; the ones who grew in their faith. He outlined the 3 criteria for growth:

1. Hear
2. Retain
3. Persevere

We see this whenever we hold a Wholehearted Men’s conference or boot camp. Everyone in the room has the opportunity to “hear” the Word of God – the Truth. Some truly do hear it. They choose to open their hearts. They choose to humble themselves. They choose to give God permission to work in them. They put aside the distractions of life. They choose to unplug from the matrix and actively listen – expecting to learn.

And subsequently they ‘hear’ the word.

Sadly, others do not unplug. Others do not resist distractions. Others do not embrace humility and grace, get offended by something and end up not hearing the Word of God.

Those who ‘hear’ the Word now have the opportunity to ‘retain’ it. Retaining the Word does not come passively. To retain the Word requires intention and action. Retaining the Word requires remembering it, talking about it, thinking about it, discussing it, studying it and wrestling with it. It’s training in Godliness.

We retain more when we take notes. But the majority of retention takes place after the hearing of the Word. Sure, retention begins during the hearing, but all the heavy lifting is after we have heard the Word.

The current set against us is forgetfulness, so we must intentionally swim upstream against forgetfulness in order to retain the Word. We must spend time in study and prayer asking the Lord to further unfold His Truth to us. We must discuss the Word with others, perhaps at breakfast groups we initiate, or in small groups.  We must meditate on it as we drive, as we walk, as we wait. We must remember it and own it.

We must put it into practice.

We then must ‘persevere’ in the Word. This is hard work because it involves further hearing and retention, but it is primarily about action. It’s about obedience. It’s about surrender and submission. It’s about repenting. It’s about making things right when we mess up and continuing to move forward. It’s about doing good, because faith without deeds is useless.

It’s about not giving up when the going gets tough. It’s about not backing down when we feel overwhelmed. It’s about choosing not to get angry and offended when the Lord cuts across our will – perhaps through someone who rubs us the wrong way. It’s about dying to ourselves so we can live in Christ. Not my will, but yours be done Lord.

This is really about “continuing to work out your salvation with fear and trembling” knowing that it’s “God at work in you to make you both willing and able to work according to His good purpose”. (Philippians 2:12, 13)

The result? Righteous, peace and joy in Jesus; a truly successful life in Christ; becoming the kind of man you want to be – and that God has created, crafted and called you to be.

Hear, retain, and persevere: 3 criteria for great growth in God.

2 Peter 1:5-8

“For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

1 Timothy 4:7b, 8

“…train yourself to be godly. For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.”

James 1:2-4

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”

Dec 12, 2014 | Categories: Uncategorized | Comments Off on How Do We Grow?

No Pain, No Gain

Have you ever heard the expression, “No pain, no gain.”?

It’s a classic exercise axiom used to express the idea that real physical gains do not come without some degree of pain. It really rose to prominence in the public psyche in 1982 with the popularity of Jane Fonda’s aerobics videos. Viewers were reminded that there is no gain without some pain.

I remember in university an exercise physiology prof telling us that good workouts create discomfort, but should not be causing pain. If your exercise is causing pain then you are probably doing more damage than good.

One of our friends during house group one evening brought up a commonly held Christian axiom that got me thinking about Jane Fonda’s sage exercise advice,

“God will never give you what you can’t handle.”

My friend said, in so many words, that she thought this Christian axiom was a lot of bunk. I agree with her.

The truth is that God often gives us what we can’t handle. Or, perhaps more accurately, He gives us what we think we cannot handle. He does this to strengthen us: to push us outside our comfort zone into the realm of uncertainly in regard to our ability to ‘control’ circumstances.

Back to the physiology of exercise: a critical principal of muscle growth is the “overload principle”. In order for a muscle to grow it must be overloaded beyond what it can currently comfortably handle. In fact, according to the University of New Mexico,

“When muscles undergo intense exercise, as from a resistance training bout, there is trauma to the muscle fibers that is referred to as muscle injury or damage in scientific investigations. This disruption to muscle cell organelles activates satellite cells…to proliferate to the injury site. In essence, a biological effort to repair or replace damaged muscle fibers begins with the satellite cells fusing together and to the muscles fibers, often leading to increases in muscle fiber cross-sectional area or hypertrophy. The satellite cells…fuse to muscle fibers to form new muscle protein stands and/or repair damaged fibers. Thus, the muscle cells’ myofibrils will increase in thickness and number.”

In other words, muscle growth does not occur without “trauma” to the muscle fibres. In essence, no pain, no gain.

I believe it is the same for our spiritual growth.

The Lord often stretches us beyond what we think we can handle in order to shift us out of our own strength into His. Don’t you want to live life with a strength beyond what you are naturally capable of? The only way you can do that is to surrender to the Lord’s gym for the Coach to push you outside your comfort zone and into the faith zone.

Is it comfortable? Nope. Do we usually wish we would not have to go through the process of refinement? Absolutely.

Yet those strengthened in the crucible of God could not become who they are by any other means. For precious metals to be refined there needs to be intense heat. For diamonds to be formed there needs to be intense pressure. For muscles to grow there needs to be trauma. For Godly men to be created there needs to be heat, pressure and trauma – there is no other way.

What feels ‘traumatic’ in your life could very well be the training of God refining you into the man He has created, crafted and called you to be.

“God will not give you what you can’t handle” is not accurate.

A truer axiom is, “The will of God will not take you where the grace of God cannot keep you.”

No matter how difficult your situation is, the grace of God is sufficient for you. And, humility releases the grace of God. Call out for grace amidst the “trauma” in order to embrace the growth the Lord has for you. Humble yourself and surrender to the Coach’s training in order to receive the Coach’s strength.

The process from which you are begging God to deliver you may be the very process He has ordained to refine and strengthen you.

Oftentimes there is no gain without some pain, though we wish it weren’t so.

Hebrews 12:11

“No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.”

Romans 5:4

“Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.”

1 Peter 1:6, 7

“In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.”

Dec 01, 2014 | Categories: Uncategorized | Comments Off on No Pain, No Gain

Keep Your Footing

The coach was standing at the entrance to the rugby pitch with a clipboard in his hand. David could see players practicing on the field behind him. The coach looked up and asked David if he wanted to play.

“What do you mean?”, David inquired.

“We need players. If you want to play you can.”, replied the coach.

David responded with an enthusiastic “yes” and was invited onto the field. However, he was immediately ushered to the edge of the field to a steep ravine and was told by the coach to scramble down the steep slope.

When David got a fair ways down the loose dirt and rock incline he looked up only to see the head coach of the New Zealand All Blacks rugby team standing high above him at the top of the slope. Steve Hanson was surrounded by the All Black players watching David.

He then tossed a rugby ball to David.

David scrambled up the hill to get to the ball, but the ground was very loose. He found it extremely difficult to get his footing. He jumped to catch the ball, but he could not create much power in such shifting ground. The ball sailed over David’s outstretched arms.

Coach Hanson looked down at David and said,

“If you want to be on this team and play in this game you better be able to keep your footing.”

David woke up. Wow – what a dream.

When David asked the Lord what the dream meant he sensed the Lord speaking to him about Truth, and the need to stand on Truth.

There is no way we can play on the team in the game into which we are being called if we do not stand on the Truth. It is imperative we believe the Truth and not the lies of the enemy. The only firm foundation upon which we can stand is the Truth. The only way we can generate the power necessary to move forward in victory is by being rooted in the Truth.

Jesus is the Truth. The Word of God is Truth. Jesus has sent us the Spirit of Truth to guide us in all Truth. We must be filled with and rooted in the Logos (written) Word of God, and the Rema (spoken) Word of God.

Jesus said that His sheep listen to His voice – they listen to the leading of the Spirit of God. He also said that Heaven and Earth will pass away, but His Word will last forever. Jesus is the Word of God. Jesus combated the Whisper Campaign of Satan in the wilderness with the Logos Word of God.

We must get the Word of God into our heart. In Joshua 1 we are exhorted to meditate on the Word of God day and night in order for us to be successful in life. The only way we can take our place in this epic “game’ called the Kingdom of God is if we ensure we are meditating on the Truth of the Word of God – which is the constitution of the Kingdom – so that we will live the way we were created, crafted and called to live. So we live as citizens of the Kingdom of Light, not the Kingdom of Darkness.

Daily devotions are not some cute little religious exercise. Our capacity to live in the freedom of the Kingdom – to be on the team and play the game of the Kingdom – is directly proportional to our willingness and commitment to believe the Truth of God and not the lies of the enemy.

Only by standing on the solid rock of Truth will we have the power to be victorious in the game into which we have been drafted by Jesus. Getting our footing solid is imperative for victorious living. If you find yourself falling short of the life you believe Jesus promised you, then perhaps you are not standing in and on the Truth of God in order to overcome the oppositional lies of the enemy.

You want to start winning?  Keep your footing firm in the Truth of God.  Read it.  Memorize it.  Meditate on it.

John 8:31, 32

“To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, ‘If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.’”

John 14:6

“Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”’

John 16:13

“But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.”

Nov 24, 2014 | Categories: Uncategorized | Comments Off on Keep Your Footing

Who’s The Nicest God?

Who do you like better – Father, Son or Holy Spirit? Who’s the ‘nicest’?

Have you ever noticed that each of the ‘persons’ of God seem to have different reputations? Everybody seems to like Jesus – He’s the nice guy. Not many understand the Holy Spirit and, therefore neglect Him – Francis Chan refers to Him as the “Forgotten God”. And, the Father is largely misunderstood as being angry and judgmental.

Hasty generalizations I know, but this can certainly be the widespread perception. The Trinity is 3 in one, right? Three God’s in one? Three personalities in one?

No. One God, not three. Three persons – not three personalities.

I was pondering this thought recently on a prayer walk: the fact that we tend to perceive each person of the Trinity differently. We understand them as three personalities.  God the Father is the one who tends to get angry easily and quickly, Jesus is the great mediator who calms Him down, and the Holy Spirit does something that we are really not too sure of.

We can tend to see Jesus’ coming as some kind of Divine re-branding campaign. God was upset with His brand, with how He was perceived by mankind. Therefore, Jesus came to re-brand God so He wouldn’t be perceived as being so angry and mean.

However, that is not the case at all. The Trinity share one ‘heart’. They are one.

Now, I do not claim to be anything near a theologian, but I do know that Jesus came to reveal the Father. He came declaring that He does nothing unless He sees His Father doing it. He said nothing He didn’t hear His Father saying. He came to reveal the heart of the Father. Mankind did not understand the Heart of God and how He had created us to live – the government of God – so Jesus came to set the record straight.

Jesus came to demonstrate God’s heart to mankind and to set us free from that which kept us from living the way God had created us to live. Who Jesus is – His heart – is the Father’s heart. In fact, scripture tells us that all things in Him, through Him and to Him were created. Jesus was in the beginning. Jesus is throughout the Old Testament as well as the New – He was simply made manifest in the New Testament.

The Heart of Jesus is the heart of the Father and the heart of the Holy Spirit. One is not ‘nicer’ than another. They are one. I believe the Father has gotten a bum rap.

Look at Jesus and you will see the Father. The Father sent the Son to reveal His heart, to set us free from that which kept us outside the family of God, to reconcile us as His beloved children and begin to live the way were created to live. Jesus then sent the Holy Spirit to indwell us to change our spiritual DNA and empower us to live according to the constitution of the Government of God.

God is eternal, righteous, transcendent, immanent, immutable, omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent, one, personal good, holy, truth, love and incomprehensible.  God has had to limit Himself so we can in some small measure understand Him – even in so much as using anthropomorphic language to help us comprehend His incomprehensibleness. i.e the ‘hands’ of God, the ‘face’ of God, etc.

The heart of Jesus we see in scripture is the heart of God the Father. And, the heart of God we see in the Old Testament is the heart of Jesus. Jesus in the old concealed, in the new is revealed.

The Father’s heart toward us is the heart of Jesus. Or perhaps more accurately, the heart of Jesus toward us is the heart of the Father. One is not ‘nicer’ than the other. One is not angry and judgmental. God’s heart toward us is one of delight, not disappointment.

Let’s draw near to God in full assurance that He loves us and has made a way for us to be in right relationship with Him as beloved sons, set free from sin by the blood of Christ and born again into the family of God by the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit.

Colossians 1:16

“For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him.”

Hebrews 4:16

“Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”

John 1:1-4

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.”

Nov 17, 2014 | Categories: Uncategorized | Comments Off on Who’s The Nicest God?

Our Father Will Father Our Children

My son David is a big rugby fan. More specifically, he is a huge New Zealand All-Blacks fan. He has followed in the footsteps of his grandpa who has passed on his love for this great game and this legendary team.

David watches the All-Blacks games online and has demonstrated an amazing capacity to acquire an overwhelming amount of knowledge about the players, the team and the league. He has succeeded in infusing me with an interest in and admiration for the legendary All-Blacks.

He has also developed a bucket list item around the All-Blacks: he wants to one day see them play live, and preferably at Twickenham Stadium in England. Twickenham is arguably the most storied rugby stadium in the world, and home to the English team.

David is currently doing a university semester in Spain at Granada University and discovered that the All-Blacks would be touring Europe and playing the English at Twickenham when he would be in Spain. He immediately went about trying to figure out how he could get to the game. He discovered that tickets online were $750 – way outside his student budget.

I contacted a few people I thought might be able to help us get hold of a ticket, but all my efforts were unsuccessful. David was trying to figure out any means possible to attend the game, but nothing seemed to be working out.

David had one last connection that seemed weakly promising. David’s girl-friend worked in the summer with a big rugby fan whose brother lived in England and was part of rugby culture there. As the time drew closer for the game, and David had yet to secure a ticket, he upped his determination and contacted this distant connection to see if he could somehow secure a ticket.

During this entire process I found myself praying that God, my Heavenly Father, would make a way for David. That somehow God would come through in a way that showed David how much He loves and delights in him. “Father, would you father David well.”

Have you ever found yourself wondering if God will father your children the way you want Him to? Will He be as good a father as you have tried to be?

I know that sounds terrible. I am embarrassed to write it, but I have found myself thinking this way. And, I know other men who have shared the same thoughts with me. I know I am not alone in this. Why is it we can grow to trust the Lord to Father us, but it seems like a whole different story when we have to trust Him to father our children?

So what happened with David’s attempts to get to the All-Blacks game? How did God father him in regard to this desire in David’s heart? Well, thankfully David trusted our Father and His great goodness and good greatness, and he worked diligently to participate with God in this casual adventure.

And wouldn’t you know it? That distant connection through his girl-friend came through. That guy’s brother in England was able to come up with a ticket for David. David took the bus from Granada to Madrid. He flew from Madrid to London. He took trains and buses through London to rendezvous with the ticket holder and then off to Twickenham for the game.

He said it was the best weekend of his life. When he walked into Twickenham Stadium he was moved to tears. He was overwhelmed by his Father’s great goodness, and His good greatness. When David sent me an email describing his revel in the weekend, along with a photo of him in the stands with a smile the width of the Grand Canyon, I was so relieved.

It was looking at my relief that I realized I hadn’t really trusted in my Father to father my son. I felt a little ashamed. “Father, forgive me for not trusting you to father my son well…”

Men, we can trust God to Father us well. And, we can trust our Father to father our children well. He loves and delights in them more than we do. Let’s move our faith to the next level and choose to trust God to Father our children well.

Matthew 7:11

“If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!”

James 1:17

“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.”

Nov 10, 2014 | Categories: Uncategorized | Comments Off on Our Father Will Father Our Children

“Why?” is the Wrong Question

He’s dead.

What? What do you mean he’s dead? He can’t be. We have been praying. Everybody has been praying.

This can’t be. This wasn’t supposed to happen. He is called. He is anointed. He was one of the original disciples: handpicked by Jesus. He’s one of the sons of thunder – James and John the sons of Zebedee.

No! This is wrong!

Why would God let this happen?

The very next verse in Acts 12 Peter is arrested as well. I am sure the church was thinking, “Not again. James was already executed, now it’s Peter’s turn.”

What happens next is a very different story from James’ story. An angel turns up in prison with Peter. There is a bright light, Peter gets woken up and his chains fall off his wrists. The angel then busts Peter out of prison. He escorts him right past two guards, the iron gates miraculously open right in front of them, the angel leads Peter up the street into freedom, and then disappears.

Peter shows up at the church prayer meeting to let everyone know he is free. They don’t believe it. He relays the miraculous story of God’s goodness, and then goes into hiding.

Two disciples – two different stories. Both were chosen by Jesus. Both were loved by Jesus. Both were loved by the church. Both were walking with Jesus in the epic adventure of the Kingdom. Both loved Jesus. They were very similar in many respects, but both suffered very different fates.

Peter experienced what we all hope and pray would happen in every difficult situation: God miraculously comes through and makes it all right. Yes! That’s the way God is supposed to move. Miraculously, powerfully, completely, quickly – everything we want to see and experience.

James, on the other hand, is exactly what we don’t want to see. No miracle. No divine deliverance. No angelic visitation. He’s dead. Where is God in the midst of this? What went wrong?

Why?

Why is James dead and Peter delivered? Did Jesus love Peter more? Did the church not pray enough for James? Did James not have as much faith as Peter?

We don’t know.

And that’s just it – we don’t know. We may never know the answer to questions like this until we can sit down with Jesus in heaven. “Why?” is not a helpful question to ask in the midst of difficult or tragic situations. Asking “why?” can keep us trapped in an unsurrendered heart. It can keep us trapped in pride, demanding an answer from the Lord, and, therefore, missing the grace of God.

Why did my mom have to die when I was 9 years old? I don’t know.

Why did our friend have to die of cancer when we had been diligently praying for him for months? I don’t know.

Why didn’t I get that job that was perfect for me? I don’t know.

Why isn’t our office selling and is now causing a heavy financial burden to us? I don’t know?

Demanding to know “why?” insulates us from the grace of God.   A truly surrendered heart does not demand or need to know why. A surrendered heart asks different questions,

“Lord, what do you want to say to me in this situation?” “Lord, what do you want to teach me in this situation?” “Lord, this really hurts. Please help me to find your heart in the midst of the pain.” “Lord, I am really angry at you right now. Please help me to find you in the pain and brokenness. Help me to trust you.”

Insisting on knowing why inhibits healing. Surrendering our need to know why releases the grace of God we need for our healing.

I have no doubt that many of the believers in the early church had to get hold of this truth when they lived through James’ execution and Peter’s extrication.

You may find yourself in the midst of a very difficult situation and trapped in the need to know why. Surrender your “why?” to Jesus and receive the grace of God you need to make it through to discover God’s heart.

His ways are not our ways. His thoughts are not our thoughts. He is God and we are not. Surrender your “why?” to His sovereignty.

Isaiah 55:8, 9

“’For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the Lord. ‘As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.’”

2 Corinthians 12:9a

“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”

Acts 12:2, 3, 6, 7

“He had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword. When he saw that this met with approval among the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also… The night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries stood guard at the entrance. Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up. “Quick, get up!” he said, and the chains fell off Peter’s wrists.”

Nov 03, 2014 | Categories: Uncategorized | Comments Off on “Why?” is the Wrong Question

Conviction versus Condemnation

Have you ever done something you wish you hadn’t? Or, not done something you wish you had? Of course you have – we all have. It’s part of the human condition. We mess up. We sin.

When you have messed up did you feel conviction or condemnation? They are worlds apart, but we often cannot tell the difference between the two. In order to live in the life Jesus has for us it is imperative we learn to discern between the two, and reject one altogether.

So what’s the difference? Well, one is from the enemy, one is from the Spirit of God. One leads to death, the other to life. As I said, worlds apart.

When a building is condemned it is deemed to be uninhabitable and irreparable. It must be torn down. There is no hope for the building. When a man is condemned to die there is no recourse, he will be executed. Condemnation is all about death. It is hopeless. There are no options.

When we mess up: when we do or say something we shouldn’t have, or when we don’t do or say something we should have, the enemy attempts to bring condemnation. Condemnation revolves around this kind of “whisper campaign”:

“You are a total loser. All you do is screw up. There is no hope for you. You should know better. You will never change. You are pathetic and always will be.”

Or, you can substitute “you” for “I”. Often the whisper campaign is in the first person: “I am such a loser. I will never change.”, etc.

Condemnation brings shame which leads to death. We live in a constant state of guilt and shame and are, therefore, powerless, faithless and lifeless.

Condemnation – Regret – Shame – Death

However, scripture tells us that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ. Jesus took the penalty for us. Our sin in which we were condemned to die has been wiped away by the death and resurrection of Christ. The wages of our sin is death, but the free gift of God is life in Christ.

The Spirit of God brings conviction. Conviction involves a recognition of our sin and brings with it contrition. Contrition leads to repentance. Repentance leads to life. Contrition is feeling remorse for our actions and determining to make amendments, to make it right.

Conviction – Contrition – Repentance – Life

The key to all of this is humility. In humility we recognize we make mistakes. We don’t put ourselves under the pressure to be perfect. We empathize with the impact of our sin on others and feel their pain. We recognize that the only hope for real change and forgiveness is in Jesus through the work of the cross. Therefore, we repent of our wrongdoing with God and those we have hurt. We receive God’s forgiveness, forgive ourselves and experience the regenerating work of the Spirit of God to change our hearts and make us better men.

Living in a constant state of guilt and shame is really the result of pride. Pride keeps us under the pressure to be perfect. In pride we beat ourselves up because we “should” be better. Pride does not receive the grace and mercy of God because we don’t deserve it. We have to earn it somehow by beating ourselves up. In pride we refuse to repent and live in guilt and shame.

What a terrible way to live! Yet many of us live that way…

If you live in guilt and shame you have bought into the condemnation of the enemy whisper campaign. Jesus paid the price to set us free from the condemnation of the enemy. Sure, feel the pain your sin causes God and others, but then humble yourself and repent to receive the forgiveness, freedom, life, love, faith, hope, and strength God has for you.

The key to doing this is to believe what God says is true. Don’t believe the lies of the enemy, believe the Truth of God. The men God esteems are not perfect men. They are not the men who never mess up. Scripture tells us God esteems those who have a humble and contrite heart, and who believe what God says in true.

No, there is no condemnation for those in Christ. Conviction yes, condemnation no!

Romans 8:1

“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,”

John 3:18

“Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.”

Hebrews 12:1-2a

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.”

Isaiah 66:2b

“This is the one I esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word.”

Oct 27, 2014 | Categories: Uncategorized | Comments Off on Conviction versus Condemnation

All it Takes is All You’ve Got

All the contestants were obese. They all needed to lose over 100 pounds.

They had each reached the point of realizing they could not do this alone. They could not lead themselves into their new self. They needed the help of another.

One young man was committed to follow the lead of his personal trainer and do what needed to be done to drop the weight he wanted to drop. His trainer was passionately engaged to help this man accomplish his goal. The trainer would lead his large trainee in numerous creative activities to keep the regimen alive with variety. But no matter how creative the program, it was still a discouragingly difficult process.

On this particular show the trainer decided to up the motivation level and arranged a training time with 2 NFL players. These professional athletes were intent on helping this man push through his limitations to accomplish more than he thought he could. His limitations were more mental than physical. Sure, his size created some limitations, but they were not nearly as mountainous as the mental limitations he put on himself.

As the NFL players did everything they could to motivate this man to push himself beyond his self-imposed limitations, one of them said something I will not soon forget:

“All it takes is all you’ve got.”

This was his exhortation to be wholehearted. Give the task at hand everything you’ve got.

That can be a very tough thing to do when our self-imposed limitations have kept us from realizing all that we’ve got. In actuality we probably have no idea all we’ve got. If we are leading ourselves we will always stop short of all we’ve got, because we don’t have anyone pushing us beyond what we believe we are capable of.

The only way we will ever discover “all we’ve got” is if we trust someone else to lead us further than we think possible. When we are at the end of our rope we need the voice of another to help us see we can go further.

Someone on our Band of Brothers Boot Camp team asked the question this week if we were doing everything we could to promote the boot camp in November. My first thought was to list off in my mind all that I had done to promote the camp – basically to justify myself:

“Sure, I’ve done a lot. I’ve been doing this for 10 years. You have no idea all I’ve done. It’s tough leading men…”

However, if a crazed madman took my family hostage and threatened to kill them all if we didn’t have 200 men at the camp, I guarantee I would work far more diligently to promote the event.

So what does that say?

I believe to give all that we have to give, we need the input of another, someone to push us on. (Hopefully not a crazed madman.)  We need the voice of another encouraging, exhorting and cajoling us onward. And the only way we will experience that is if we choose to submit to the input of another: if we choose humility.

Again, we don’t know what we are capable of until someone pushes us beyond our self-imposed limitations. And that can be very uncomfortable, yet very liberating at the same time. We break free into new freedom, new faith, new hope, new life, new strength.

In Nehemiah, the people were able to do far more than they ever expected because they followed God’s lead through Nehemiah and worked with “all their heart”. That’s wholeheartedness.

If you feel stuck; if you feel like you are at the end of your rope; even if you feel like you are doing OK and tracking well; I believe you are capable of far more. And God wants to do more in you and through you. However, you will never know all you’ve got until you invite someone to help you give all you’ve got.

We have what it takes, but it takes all we’ve got. We have 3 choices: give up, give in, or give it all we’ve got.

To appropriate God’s best in us and through us takes wholehearted commitment and the input of another. Yes, all it takes is all we’ve got.

He is worth our effort.

Nehemiah 4:6

“So we rebuilt the wall till all of it reached half its height, for the people worked with all their heart.”

2 Peter 1:5-7

“For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love.”

Philippians 3:12-14

“Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”

Oct 20, 2014 | Categories: Uncategorized | Comments Off on All it Takes is All You’ve Got

Who’s Got Your Six?

Picture yourself at the center of a clock. Directly ahead of you is your 12. To your right is your 3. To your left is your 9. Directly behind you is your 6.

On a battlefield your most vulnerable position is your 6. It’s your back. When someone says to you they have your 6, it means they have your back. They are looking out for you in those places you may not be that aware of, places where you are vulnerable, places you have a blind spot.

Sometimes we are not aware of our vulnerabilities and when a friend steps up to ask us some tough questions or tries to point some things out, we get ticked off. If you have a friend who is willing to ask you some tough questions thank God you have someone who cares enough about you to risk your wrath. He’s looking out for your 6.

The reality is, we all need someone looking out for our 6. We need friends in our life who have our back. Not to cover up our tracks, our deception, our sin, our pride or let us fade away into isolation. No, we need brothers in our life who will help us see our areas of vulnerability, our blind spots, and will fight for us against our spiritual enemy who wants to steal, kill and destroy us.

Everybody needs this. We all need someone who has our 6. And we need to have someone’s 6.

In Nehemiah 4 we learn about the men who worked alongside Nehemiah to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. Their work was not unopposed. Sure they knew this was what God had called them to. Sure, they knew they were not alone in the work. Sure, they had a strong, anointed leader in Nehemiah who had a plan for the entire initiative. This entire endeavor was God’s initiative. God’s anointing was all over it.

And so was the enemy.

The objective of the enemy was to get them to stop working. Stop doing the good work God had called them to.

The tactics of the enemy are simple: intimidation, insults, threats, and inciting fear.

Sound familiar? The spiritual opposition set against you is no different – the enemy whispers into your heart and mind, and even shouts sometimes, to intimidate you, to insult and demean you, and to threaten you.

Why? To make you afraid so you lose heart and quit working.

It could be to get you to quit working on your marriage, on fathering your kids, on your relationship with Jesus, on your health, on stepping into your gifting, on serving others, on humbling yourself, on that good work God has put into your hands that seems impossible unless He works in you and through you.

The objective of the enemy is simply to get you to lose heart and stop working according to God’s purposes.

In Nehemiah 4 we learn about the tactics of the enemy to demean and insult:

“What are those feeble Jews doing? Will they restore their wall? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they finish in a day? Can they bring the stones back to life from those heaps of rubble—burned as they are?…What they are building—even a fox climbing up on it would break down their wall of stones!”

Forget it! You can’t do this! Don’t even bother trying! Give up! Sit down! Shut up!

Then they upped the opposition:

“Before they know it or see us, we will be right there among them and will kill them and put an end to the work.”

The Jews had to find their hope and their strength in God. And they worked within Nehemiah’s system of protection. While men worked, others stood guard with weapons. Those who were carrying materials carried a weapon. Those needing two hands to work always had a weapon at their side.

Nehemiah organized a system of sixes – you guard my back while I work, and I’ll guard your back when you work.

We need to do the same. Ask a brother to have your 6, and offer to protect his 6 as well. We need to walk in humility with each other, and fight fiercely for each other. We all need someone to have our 6.

Who has your 6, and whose 6 do you have?

Nehemiah 4:14

“After I looked things over, I stood up and said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, ‘Don’t be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your families, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes.’”

Nehemiah 4:16-18

“From that day on, half of my men did the work, while the other half were equipped with spears, shields, bows and armor. The officers posted themselves behind all the people of Judah who were building the wall. Those who carried materials did their work with one hand and held a weapon in the other, and each of the builders wore his sword at his side as he worked.”

Oct 13, 2014 | Categories: Uncategorized | Comments Off on Who’s Got Your Six?

God’s Not Asleep – Are You?

We stood in front of the Shinto Temple marveling at the elaborate architecture and carvings adorning the structure. The grounds were majestically created, meticulously cared for and considered an integral part of the worship experience.

We had been brought here by our host to introduce us to an important aspect of Japanese culture. As President of our Chamber of Commerce I was being hosted by our Japanese sister city’s Chamber President while on a trade mission of sorts to Japan.

My host did his best to explain to me what I was seeing, while the interpreter did his best to translate the communication into English. We were now standing in front of the Shinto Shrine where worshipers would pray.

We were looking at an open altar of sorts that was separated from us by a large box with open slats on the top. This was the offertory box. Above the box was a bell with a rope or ribbon hanging down. There were bulletin boards located adjacent to the altar upon which the Japanese faithful would pin their prayer requests.

What happened next was what astounded me: my host clapped three times very loudly, rang the bell and threw money into the offertory box. He bowed, prayed, and then repeated his earlier actions.

I asked him what he was doing and why he was doing it…

His answer was simple: “I clap and ring the bell to wake up a god. There are millions of gods so I need to make sure someone is awake to listen to my prayer. I throw money in the box to win favour.”

I had never heard anything like that before.

When my host goes to pray he does his best to get a god’s attention to listen to his request and then win its favour by throwing money in a box. What a contrast to our relationship with Jesus.

This experience caused me to reflect on the nature of our relationship with Our Father, the Son and Holy Spirit. Myriad thoughts were rolling through my mind: the fact that God pursues relationship with me, He never sleeps, He is not unconcerned with my life, I cannot earn His favour by throwing money at Him – He imparted His favour on me through the work of Jesus, and so much more…

Our story is diametrically opposed to the nature of this Shinto prayer offering.

God never sleeps, He never slumbers – you never need to be concerned that He is not aware of and engaged in your life. He knows you and wants you to know Him and the depth of His love for you. He is pursuing you. Any desire you have to pursue Him is a result of the work of the Holy Spirit stirring your heart to create a Divine Dissatisfaction.

He is One. There are not millions of gods to plead to for favour. We have one God who knows us, loves us, pursues us and that we can know intimately. He invites us into relationship with Him. He has bestowed His favour upon us in Christ. He has made a way for us to be favoured and beloved sons in the family of God. Our God is not a complacent, distant, uninvolved, demanding, impersonal, dormant, divine dictator.

No, He is awake, alive, engaged, and benevolent. He continues to invite us deeper into His heart for us and through us to others. He has made a way for us, in spite of our sin and shortcomings, to partner with Him in the epic adventure known as the Kingdom of God in us and through us. He is very much alive and well!

Sadly, we tend to be the ones who are asleep. Asleep to all that God has for us and all that He wants to do through us. How often has God attempted to wake us up and we have preferred to stay asleep in our ignorance?

The Lord is not unaware of or uninvolved in our needs. Perhaps though, we are unaware of His plans and purposes in our lives? Perhaps we need to wake up to the heart of God in new ways?

God’s not asleep – are you?

Isaiah 40:28

“Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom.”

Psalm 121:2-4

“My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip – he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.”

1 Thessalonians 5:6

“So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be awake and sober.”

Oct 06, 2014 | Categories: Uncategorized | Comments Off on God’s Not Asleep – Are You?

See Your Depravity

“Bummer man!  That’s a total drag!”

I left the meeting totally bummed out.  The youth leader had given a message he meant to be encouraging, but it had the opposite reaction in me.  I was discouraged.  I had wanted to follow Jesus wholeheartedly, but after this message I figured that was not an option.  I felt disqualified.

I was a teenager struggling to figure out what it meant to walk with Jesus.  I knew I wanted to live my life for Jesus – I had already given Him my life and asked Him to be my Lord and savior.  But now I wondered if this was somehow a one-sided relationship.  I wanted Him, but He didn’t want me…

The youth leader had shared from 1 Corinthians 1:27-29:

“But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him.”

He wanted all of us to know that Jesus isn’t looking for the super stars.  He chooses the weak and the foolish, the lowly and the despised to know Him.  Sounds like great news right?  Not if you think you are a super star who wants to walk with Jesus.

I know, I know, you are thinking I must have been a kid who was full of himself – and you would be right.  But the reality was that I really wanted to walk with Jesus, but I now truly believed I did not qualify to be called by Him because I wasn’t weak, foolish, lowly or despised.  Of course I was in error; I just didn’t know it at the time.

The reality is, all of us are weak, foolish, lowly and despised, but there are some who see it and some who don’t.  We must see our depravity before we can truly taste the grace of God.  Recognition and admission of our brokenness is the perquisite for our healing.  Recognition and admission of our weakness is the perquisite for true strength.   Recognition and admission of our depravity – bondage to sin – is the prerequisite for true freedom.

There came a point in my life when the Lord confronted me in a very public fashion with my sin and depravity.  I had subtlety believed for many years that God was lucky to have me on His team.  I was a great guy and a big contributor.  I was totally blind to the depth of my sin nature.  Until I really saw the depth of my sin, lostness, brokenness and helplessness I would never wholeheartedly experience the grace and mercy of God and the God-breathed freedom, strength and life He had for me.

I remember a very painful period of time when it literally felt like the Lord had His hand on the back of my head and was forcing me to look in the mirror at my depravity: the very sin nature inherent in me from which He wanted to set me free.  And all of this was taking place after I had been a Christian and a leader for years.

At some point we must all have a profoundly painful encounter with the depth of our sin nature in order for us to powerfully live in the grace, mercy and love of Jesus.  Remember, it is not our sin that disqualifies us, it is our pride.  In our pride we refuse to repent or even to acknowledge our sin, our need, our weakness, our lostness, and our helplessness to help ourselves – and that disqualifies us from the grace of God.

Jesus tells us that those who have been forgiven little love little, but those who have been forgiven much love much.  The truth is, we have all been forgiven much, but only some truly understand that.  We must be willing to face the depth of our depravity – the depth of our need for forgiveness – in order to experience the exhilarating freedom of the grace of God.  And then be able to wholeheartedly love God and others.

Be willing to see your depravity in order to be catapulted by the grace of God into the life and love of God.

Luke 7:47

“… But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.”

Colossians 2:13

“When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross.”

Isaiah 66:2b

“This is the one I esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit, and trembles at my word.”

Sep 29, 2014 | Categories: Uncategorized | Comments Off on See Your Depravity