When Good Is Bad

The devil is not stupid.

Most followers of Jesus that I know would never fall for the devil’s temptation to do something really bad. At least not at first. The devil’s usual strategy is to DISTRACT us by getting us so busy doing GOOD things that we have little time or energy left for the BEST things. Then when we have neglected the BEST things long enough, we begin to tire of doing the GOOD things and before we know it, we have slipped and done a BAD thing.

In his letter to the Philippian church, Paul began with the prayer that he had been praying for them. He prayed that they would grow in their discernment so that they would be able to determine what was not merely good, but EXCELLENT. (Philippians 1:9-10)

In a recent video blog, I shared a story from a book by John Avant about a General during Operation Desert Storm who had to choose to do something excellent over something good. You can view the vlog here.

Let me encourage you to regularly take the time to evaluate both your priorities and your pursuits. Do you let the urgent crowd out the important? Do you spend an inordinate amount of time greasing squeaky wheels?

My prayer for you is the same as Paul’s prayer for the Philippian Christians, and it is the same prayer I regularly pray for myself. I pray that God will cause our knowledge and power of discernment to grow so that we can be more intentional about doing the EXCELLENT things in life.

I get tired of chasing jelly jars, putting out fires, greasing squeaky wheels…whatever euphemism you wish to employ. May God grant us an ever-increasing ability to intentionally and passionately pursue what is EXCELLENT.

REFLECT:

With what activities and priorities does the devil distract you so that you miss out on the most EXCELLENT pursuits?

Specifically, what is one thing you will do TODAY to be more INTENTIONAL about growing in your knowledge and discernment?

Sunday Sermon – One Year Later

Looking back at the sermon I preached when called to be pastor at Bellevue, March 22, 2015 and considering where we’ve come in the last year.

 

“The BEST is YET to COME!”  Why can we believe that for our church?

We can believe God will do greater works because…

  1. The PRESENCE of God is with us (vs 4-5)
  1. The POWER of God is working for us (vs 6-8)
  1. The PLAN of God is guiding us (vs 9)

 

What is OUR ROLE? (vs 4-5)

  • COMMITMENT – Be strong
  • PARTICIPATION – Work
  • FAITH – Fear Not

Faith looks:

            UPWARD not self-ward

            FORWARD not backward

            OUTWARD not inward

“If you’re going to pray for RAIN, you better take an UMBRELLA.”

3 Positives:
strong core leadership
exciting atmosphere
effectively inviting others

3 Challenges:
don’t panic
look FORWARD
stay focused on the mission

MP9

My challenge to you today:  take ONE STEP FORWARD

 

 

Flashback Friday – March 11

Articles and Blogs

Inject Your Prayer List with Life – P.J. Tibayan on www.desiringgod.org

4 Reasons to Remember Your Creator in the Days of Your Youth – David Murray

Why It’s Wrong to Take the Lord’s Name in Vain – from Crossway Publishers

Your Single Most Important Habit – David Mathis at www.desiringgod.org

10 Misconceptions About the Church – Brad Bridges

Reading the Bible to Meet God – Barnabas Piper

 

Worth Repeating

“If you would support the teachings of Jesus, make certain that in the process you also reflect the character of Jesus.” – Richard Blackaby  @richardblackaby

” Your most important work is always ahead of you, never behind you.” -Stephen Covey seen on Twitter @davidjeremiah

“Lord, paint upon the eyeballs of my soul the image of thy Son.” Charles Haddon Spurgeon

“Don’t mistake a crowd for a church. You can build a crowd by personality. But you can only build a church by the Word.” – Tony Merida – from Twitter his account @tonymerida

 

Another Look

faith-feet

What March Madness Teaches Us About Intentional Living

NCAA BB TrophyMarch Madness has begun. Most college basketball teams are playing in their conference tournaments determining which teams will move on to the national “dance” – The NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament. College basketball is a big deal…and even bigger deal in March. All of the “hoop”-la to win that big ol’ trophy.

No NCAA Championship team began the season without a vision of how they would win enough regular season games, win the conference championship, and win their way through the national tourney to be crowned champions. No championship is won accidentally; champions win on purpose. No team just shows up to play, tosses the ball around, and plays to “make the best” of each game as it comes. Champions work hard for their championship, and they play a full season with (here comes my word again)…intentionality. From the opening practice until the buzzer of the final game they work hard with a singular goal: win the trophy.

Sadly many believers drift through life without a game plan for a successful spiritual journey. Consider the sense of purpose Paul had in mind when he wrote to the Corinthian church:

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified. – 1 Corinthians 9:24-27

“So run,” he says. “I do not run aimlessly,” he testifies. “I discipline my body,” he demonstrates. Purpose. Intentionality. Vision.

What is your game plan? What are you doing to win in the important areas of your life? Your spiritual development? Your marriage? Your relationship with your kids? Other important facets of you life? What is the game plan?

Let me encourage you to answer four questions for yourself today.

  1. What are the most important relationships in my life?
  2. What would “winning” look like in each of those relationships?
  3. What’s the score right now in each of those relationships?
  4. What are one or two things I can do today to start running better in those areas?

Ask God to give you honest insight into your own life and ask Him to give you wisdom and strength to make the necessary changes to begin living intentionally in those areas. Run to win. Run with purpose. Run with self-control.

Did You Do That on Purpose?

Whether in our Christian development, our marriage, our relationship with our kids, our jobs, or any other facet of life, we live in one of two ways. Either we react to things as they come or we proactively live with intention in these important life areas. We either respond to what life throws at us, or we approach life with purpose and intention. Consider a lesson from a Bible hero named Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego.

But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the king’s food, or with the wine that he drank. Therefore he asked the chief of the eunuchs to allow him not to defile himself. And God gave Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the chief of the eunuchs… Daniel 1:8-9

When faced with a decision to capitulate and conform to others around him, Daniel “resolved” to maintain his character. The word translated into the singular word “resolved” is actually a Hebrew phrase literally rendered “set his heart.” Some translations render the phrase “purpose.” I like that.

Daniel would be challenged by the threat of the lions’ den and his three friends by the threat of a fiery furnace. All four at their moments of decision resolutely chose character over capitulation. Why? Not because they took a moment to pray about and weight the pros and cons, but because they had made the decision long ago – well before the pressure moment. They had a plan; they lived INTENTIONALLY.

Intentional living worked out really well for Daniel. He went from the lions’ den to Vice-Emperor. His three friends found favor among their leaders and rose to positions of responsibility in the kingdom. They did it not by chance or luck, but by intentionality in the Hand of God’s providence.

How are you living the most important accounts in your life? Do you have an intentional plan to grow spiritually? To enhance your marriage? To lead your children? To use your job and other activities for God’s glory? Or…do you just leave it all up to chance, trying to “keep the plates spinning,” “tread water,” “take it one day at a time as life comes,” or any number of other reaction-centered clichés? Things do not improve accidentally. You can’t wait on someone else to do “their part.” You must choose to take the necessary steps to live intentionally.

Here is my challenge to you for today.

Choose 1 thing you will begin doing immediately and intentionally…

  • to delve into deeper intimacy with Jesus,
  • to enhance your marriage,
  • to positively affect your kids.

That’s a pretty good start right there. Do it… INTENTIONALLY.

“Do. Or do not. There is no try.” – Jedi Yoda

Sunday Sermon – When It All Comes Together

What does the church look like when she functions the way Jesus designed?  Here is a look at four “snapshots.”

 

  1. Members are involved in ministry – vs 11-12
  1. Members are growing in more like Jesus – vs 13
  1. Members are grounded in sound doctrine – vs 14
  1. Members living Christ-centered lives – vs 15-16

 

 

Flashback Friday – March 4

Articles and Blogs

7 Reasons We Old People in Church Need to Be Willing to Change – Chuck Lawless

Gotta Serve Somebody – Brian Hedges of Life Action Ministries

Embracing Truth – R.C. Sproul

Why We Must Earnestly Desire Spiritual Gifts – Jon Bloom

 

Worth Repeating

“Character is much easier kept than recovered.” – Thomas Paine from @GregPotts

“People lose their way when they lose their why.” – Living Forward by Michael Hyatt and Daniel Harkavy

“It is not enough to believe the Gospel with your head. It must become operational in your heart.” – Tim Keller @timkellernyc

“The benefits of the word of God are greater than the benefits of anything else in the world.” – @JohnPiper

“As God is exalted to the right place in our lives, a thousand problems are solved all at once.” AW Tozer  Twitter feed @TozerAW

“Racism isn’t a bad habit; it’s not a mistake; it’s a sin. The answer is not sociology; it’s theology.” – Tony Evans from the Twitter feed of @EricGeiger

“To be right with God has often meant to be in trouble with men.” A. W. Tozer

 

Another Look

TheBibleWillChangeYourLife

 

The Way and the Why

I started reading a new book this past week titled Living Forward: A Proven Plan to Stop Drifting and Get the Life You Want by Michael Hyatt and Daniel Harkavy. (Click here to read about the book and its authors). In chapter three I came across a quote that has captured my attention since I first read it.

“People lose their way when they lose their why.”

I also read a book sometime back by Simon Sinek titled Start with Why (here on Amazon) in which the author’s premise was that understanding the “why” of the things we do most of the time produces more inspired effort to a task. The authors of both books recognize that people will be more committed to those things in which they sense a greater purpose.

For the believer, our lives should be lived for the greatest purpose of all. Consider the following Bible verses:

For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be glory forever. Amen. – Romans 11:36

So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. – 1 Corinthians 10:31

Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ. – Colossians 3:23-24

What great purpose in life, what greater “why,” than to draw attention to the Lord Jesus. Our family roles and responsibilities take on greater significance when we realize that we can make God look good by the way we fulfill those roles and discharge those responsibilities. Our jobs become less mundane and more missional when we recognize we are strategically placed in that position to serve God’s greater purposes, not just draw a paycheck. We can view shopping, waiting in lines, traveling, vacations, civic duties, etc. in a different light when we consider that we are God’s representatives in those situations.

Living Intentionally means that we recognize that God establishes our daily steps, and, therefore, we take delight in them (Psalm 37:23). You are where you are now and you will go where you will go today so that God can – THROUGH you – make Himself known to others.

Meditate to today on the greater “why” of your life – God’s glory. If you maintain your WHY, chances are you will maintain your WAY.

The Tool Box

Often, we use what we DON’T have as an excuse not to offer what we DO have for God’s use.  God has already given us everything He needs us to have for Him to use us.

 

Don’t Be Fooled by the Illusion of Time

3 Comments

Monday marked a unique occurrence in our keeping of time; it was Leap Day. Many people do not realize that we have the extra day because our standard calendar only accounts for 365 of the 365¼ days the Earth revolves around the sun. So to even things out, we tack on a day at the end of the already shortest month.

In reality, our calendars present an illusion of time to us. Cosmologically speaking, we do not actually have an “extra day.” Similarly, we celebrate the New Year on January 1st when in reality that day on any given year is nothing more than the day that followed the day before it. We reset our calendars, and make resolutions to live the next 365 days (or in this year’s case, the next 366) differently; seemingly “better.”

Our measurement of time within our days can also be illusory as well. In 13 days we will begin a standard of time measurement we call “Daylight Saving Time.” (Pet peeve alert: the word “saving” is not meant to be plural. It is not Daylight Savings time, as in a Savings account). I once heard a prominent Atlanta radio personality explain that we observe DST so that we can give the farmers an extra hour of daylight. Apparently, he never worked on a farm. Farm work is pre-dawn to post-dusk regardless of where the hands on the clock are positioned.

As we think about the supposed “extra day” we were given, let me present a question for your consideration.

For the most part, did you SPEND the day or INVEST the day?

All of this “extra day” and “extra hour” talk has stoked the burden in my heart for intentional living. Life is precious. At any moment any of our lives could be snuffed out. I choose not to live in fear of my life suddenly and unexpectedly ending, but I do, however, choose to live what days I have with purpose, meaning, and intentionality.

Consider the wise words of Moses and Paul:

So teach us to number our days, that we may get a heart of wisdom. – Psalm 90:12

…making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. – Ephesians 5:16

Not just on leap day and not just during DST, but EVERY DAY and in EVERY SEASON, are you living with intentionality toward the things that matter for eternity? Do you devote your heart to spending time with God? Do you invest the best of yourself in your family? Are you building your life out of the proverbial gold, silver, and precious stones that will withstand eternity’s testing fire?

Or… are you living your life as a consumer? Spending your time and energy making money to accumulate more of Earth’s transient offerings? Do you spend your days (frustratingly so) trying to make things come out to suit you, go your way, or benefit you?

I challenge you today to take a fresh look at your priorities, aspirations, and ambitions. Even if you achieve all you are seeking here on Earth, what will be of it when you are gone? The most important investment of time and resources are in those priorities that matter for eternity.