Eating Your Elephant

elephantThere is an old adage that says, “The only way to eat an elephant is one bite at a time.” Of course, no one wants to eat an elephant literally, but the adage reminds us that even the most daunting of tasks can be whittled away in smaller increments.

You may be facing some daunting challenges in your life. Maybe you are in over your head financially. Maybe your marriage is less than ideal, or your relationship with your kids is strained. Maybe you have a work project that seems impossible to accomplish. Maybe your spiritual journey has somehow stalled or gotten off-track and you feel more distant from Jesus than ever.

Let me suggest some small bites you might take out of the elephants in your life.

  1. Honestly assess where you are in the most important areas of your life. You can employ an matrix you wish to assess yourself, but be honest. You can’t get to where you want to be until you honestly come to grips with where you are.
  1. Ask God where He wants to move you in this area. We can set goals and standards for ourselves, but unless we are moving toward Him, we will always find ourselves unfulfilled and overwhelmed. Spend several days in prayer over the important areas, asking God to give you His vision for your life.
  1. Pick out ONE SMALL STEP that will lead you closer to where God wants you. Be specific. Maybe it is a prayer and Bible reading plan, or a date night with your spouse. Maybe it is breaking down a project at work into manageable sections. Whatever the case, start with just ONE STEP and take it.
  1. Once you complete that step, take another. Then another. And another. Each step of the way, take a moment to reassess. Make sure that step moved you closer to the goal, and then prepare for the next step.

Even after writing this, I look back and it seems overly simplistic. But if it so simple, then why aren’t we doing it? Why do we choke trying to swallow a whole elephant? Begin your small steps TODAY.

 

 

 

 

When A Church Got a Pastor at a Yard Sale

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I’m not much of a yard sale person, although I readily admit one can find some tremendous deals at a yard sale. I remember the last yard sale we had; the temp was below freezing and the chill factor below zero. We advertised to begin at 7:00am and at 5:30am when I raised the garage door to move the stuff out, people were already standing in line. By the end of the day we offered everything on tables for “one low, low price.” I never realized someone could find a useful purpose for the stuff that had become “clutter” in my house. The old saying is true, “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.”

Last week marked my one-year anniversary as pastor at Bellevue Baptist Church in Macon. What does that have to do with a yard sale? Read on.

I left my last church in what would be considered a “forced termination.” I wrote about how that felt back in a couple of October blogs. Suffice it to say, I felt I had been thrown out with the trash and that ministry would no longer be an option for me. Thankfully, by the grace of God, I was wrong.

I am thankful for the support, unconditional love, and encouragement that came from my family, both immediate and extended. I also realized how blessed I was with a great number of friends. Looking back, I am most overwhelmed by the providence and plan of an intentional God. Things panned out the way they did because HE had HIS PLAN.

The brave people of Bellevue took a chance on me when other churches passed me over due to my circumstances. I guess those other churches weren’t willing to bring home a “yard sale pastor.” I am thankful that God brought my family and me into the Bellevue family. We have a wonderful church family whom we love dearly. I am so glad they were willing to find treasure in another church’s trash.

I share this with you because I hope it will be an encouragement to you. No matter how difficult a blow life has delivered you, nothing can snatch you from God’s hand and His plan for your life. In fact, He may have allowed that painful circumstance in your life for the sole purpose of moving you on to something better He has in store for you. So don’t lose heart. God is not finished with you. In God’s eyes you are NEVER trash and you are always His TREASURE.

I recommend the following Bible verse for your reading and meditation. You need to know just how God feels about you and what He promises for your life.

Zephaniah 3:17

Romans 8:28, 31-39

Philippians 1:6

Sunday Sermon – The Hope of Easter

What if the Resurrection had not actually happened?  What if Jesus was a hoax?  What if the story was actually fiction?  We considered that Easter Sunday.  Take a look for yourself.

 

The Hope of Easter
1 Corinthians 15:12-20

 

If the resurrection had not happened:

  • God is not who we say He is (v 14-15)
  • Life is pointless. (v 17a)
  • We are helplessly sinful. (vs 17b)
  • There is no hope for the afterlife (vs 18-19)

 

BUT!!!!!

  • Jesus IS alive
  • Life has purpose
  • Forgiveness is available
  • Heaven is obtainable

Friday Flashback – March 25

Articles and Blogs

4 Ways to Cling to the Lord – Sam Storms on Crossway.org

7 Simple Steps to Refresh Your Prayer Life – John Piper

Cohabitation and Church Attendance Factor into Likelihood of Divorce – Aaron Earls

Worth Repeating

“Faith is acting like something is so even when it is not so in order that it might be so simply because God said so.” – Dr. Tony Evans  @drtonyevans

“God’s ultimate purpose for you is not limited by today’s present reality.” – Louie Giglio @louiegiglio

“A pessimist is somebody who complains about the noise when opportunity knocks!”
— Oscar Wilde      (from Twitter feed of @ikereighard )

“Until I learn to master myself, I cannot learn to be a servant of others. Lord, teach me how to do both.” @DrDavidLAllen

“You will never meet a pessimist who regularly spends time with God…because connecting with our Creator always changes our perspective.” @BenWallis79

 

Another Look

 

No Leftovers This Easter

During a Tuesday visit to the Temple, Jesus observed a magnanimous display of sacrifice.

As He looked up, Jesus saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. “I tell you the truth,” He said, “this poor widow has put in more than all the others. All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.” – Luke 21:1-4

Jesus watched lots of people parade past the offering box that Tuesday. Some left large, substantial donations, others brought what they thought to be a sufficient amount to assuage their conscience and help them feel good about themselves for fulfilling their religious duty.

A dear woman obviously of meager means offered what seemed to some a pittance, to others one so insignificant that she shouldn’t have bothered, and to still others an embarrassment. However, of all the worshipers that day, she caught Jesus’ attention, not for the size of her gift, but for the size of her sacrifice. Everyone else that day brought what they could spare, but she brought all that she had.

What do we bring to Jesus? Our spare time? Our left over money? What is left of our brain at the end of a day? Whatever open spots we might find on our calendar? We have mastered the skill of giving up just enough to look good to others and feel good about ourselves, but Jesus knows what of our treasures (possessions, time, talents, relationships, attitudes, among others) we hold back for ourselves.

Let’s reassess our priorities this Easter season. After all, Jesus said, “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:21) Let’s give Him “all we have to live on” from every area of our lives.

Sunday Sermon Flashback – Good News for a Change

Yesterday at Bellevue Baptist Church, our choir and worship team presented a wonderful worship experience through our Easter cantata.  Unfortunately, due to copyright restrictions, we are unable to post the music here, so please enjoy this encore presentation of Last Year’s Easter Sermon – my first sermon as Pastor of Bellevue Baptist Church.

Plan to join us next Sunday, Easter Sunday 2016, as we celebrate our risen Savior.  Our theme is The Hope of Easter.  I hope to see you there.  Sunrise service is at 7:30 a.m. followed by breakfast.  Sunday school is at 9:15, and our Easter Worship Celebration is at 10:30.

Flashback Friday – March 18

Articles and Blogs

 

A Call for “Drive-by” Praying – Chuck Lawless

3 Ways Disrespect Poisons the Presidential Race – Michael Hyatt

 

Worth Repeating

“If you sacrifice principle trying to please everyone, you end up pleasing no one.” – John Wooden from @SportsMotto

“If ‘whosoever will’ can’t come to your church & be welcomed into the family, you don’t have a church, you have a society of Pharisees.” – Michael Catt from @MichaelCatt

“Take heart! You are just one encounter with God away from an entirely different life!” – Richard Blackaby @richardblackaby

“Character matters because you bring who you are into everything you do.” – Carey Nieuwhof

 

Another Look

shut up

Ps16@2