Don’t Settle for Less

Have you ever heard the admonition: “Don’t settle for less!” Unfortunately, in our day and age, many people do not heed such good advice. Some folks are too willing to find self-satisfaction merely being better than others even if most are better than they are. They generally hold others to a much higher standard than they hold themselves.

This reality even finds its way into the spiritual fabric of many people. Casual Christians have somehow grown accustomed to offering to God nothing more than a “good effort.” Twenty-first century Christians are not the first of God’s people to fall into this lethargy, however. Numbers 32 tells the story of the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and half of the tribe of Manasseh requesting to settle on the east side of the Jordan River rather than the west side, or The Promised Land. Simply put, when it came to God’s plan, they were not “all in.”

Think about that for a moment. The reason the Hebrews fled Egypt was to take residence in the land God had promised them for an inheritance, yet they desired to establish their homes short of that goal. The reasons are various. In some cases, it was self-centeredness. Rather than gamble on the fact that the Promised Land was as fruitful and fertile as reported, these tribes who were rich in livestock wanted to play it safe and remain in a place where they knew what they would get. They valued their herds more than their faith in the promise of God.

Another reason some did not want to leave the east side of the Jordan was fear. These were afraid that their wives and children would perish in a land filled with unknown enemies and elements. They heard the stories the majority bloc of spies had told of giants and other perils in the land. They were not willing to believe that the promise of God would not only be beneficial, but also safe.

Another reason some decided to remain behind was nostalgia. Reading the Old Testament account of dividing the land may seem boring, but one interesting highlight is that many of those clan leaders from the tribes who remained on the east side were men who had led in great conquests over the Edomites and Moabites encountered along the wilderness journey. Undoubtedly, these men still basked in the glow of victory. They continued to live on the emotional high of what they had experienced in their past rather than expecting to experience the power and glory of God in even greater measure.

What about you? What keeps you from being “all in” with your commitment to Christ? Are you more concerned with your own well-being? Do you value your “stuff” more than a radical disciple relationship with Jesus? Do you think for one moment that your plan is better for you than His? Do you doubt that the provision of God would also accompany the plan of God? Are you relishing the emotional highs of past experiences rather than seeking a fresh touch from God today?

Why not turn loose of the ball and chain of mediocrity and follow Christ daily with a radical abandon that motivates you to be ready and willing to do what He says do and go where He says go. The payoff is incomparable. You can have so much more than what you are clutching if you will offer yourself daily as a living sacrifice.

Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his life? Or what shall a man give in return for his life?” – Matthew 16:24-26


Making Tracks

footprintsI once watched a show called America’s Heartland, which featured a unique farm in Utah. A doctor moved his family to Utah to teach his kids the need to get away, slow down, and simplify life. One particular day as the doctor/farmer was leveling a hill with his backhoe, he uncovered something that would that would change his farm forever. He discovered the remains of a dinosaur footprint.

Paleontologists from all over visited the farm and excavations began, which uncovered a number of fossilized footprints, bones, skin impressions, and other items of Paleolithic interest. Rather than turn his unsuccessful farm into a subdivision – as many had done in his area – the farmer spurned the millions of dollars he could have made and donated the land to the city.

The subsequent investigations have shown quite an ecological hub of activity in the prehistory of that farm. Archaeologists have discovered fossils for fish, fowl, flora, and fauna. A fresh water lake once existed at the farm, which was a center of activity for prehistoric wildlife. Their activity is there for us to see and learn from even today. Those creatures were simply carrying on their normal activity, living their lives “in the moment” as we like to say, yet today we can look at what remains from their existence and learn about their world.

Hebrews 11 lists the names of ordinary men and women who made an extraordinary difference in their world. They did not set out to be in the Bible, they simply lived everyday life seeking to follow God and experience Him in the mundane routines of their existence. But what of my life? Am I walking with God in such a way that I will leave a lasting effect on those whose lives I encountered? We find the key to leaving a footprint in the opening verses of the chapter that follows the stories of those men and women of faith:

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. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. – Hebrews 12:1-3

I wonder what kind of footprint I am leaving. Years down the road, will anyone be able to look back at my life and see that God was at work in me? Am I leaving any evidence that God is real and that He makes a difference in my life? Is my normal, everyday existence so impacted by my relationship with God that people will be able to look back at my life and trace His hand? Will they see the greatness of God in the fossils of my existence? Let’s leave a Godly footprint, friends. Future generations are watching.


What To Do When You Are in a Spiritual Slump

Athletes call it a slump. Out of nowhere for no apparent reason, one seemingly loses the ability to do the most basic things that used to come so naturally. A basketball player finds free throws impossible to make. A golfer goes through a spell where even a tap-in putt can be an disaster. A hitter in baseball temporarily loses the ability to put the bat on the ball for solid contact, and when he does, he hits it sharply, but directly to a defender.

No one knows what causes slumps, and even worse, no one knows how to cure them. They appear unannounced and magically disappear just as mysteriously. The protocol for most slumping athletes is to maintain the basics, keep doing the little things – slog – until all of a sudden, a switch flips and once again, the athlete returns to true form.

I think that is sound advice for a spiritual slump as well. When it seems God is silent and we are lacking the spiritual vitality and power we experience at other times, the most beneficial thing we can do is be faithful to the basics – Bible reading and prayer. When you find it difficult to read your Bible, try reading through Psalms. When you find your prayers dry and mechanical use the hymnal as a prayer book, praying through the truths found in the great hymns of the faith.  Eventually, God will reveal His presence again, and you will experience the rich fellowship of the Holy Spirit if you will but remain faithful to exercise the spiritual disciplines all the while patiently waiting on God to bring you through the dry spiritual slump you experience for a season of time. Hang in there, but hang in there actively. God will hear, and He will bring an end to your slump.

I waited patiently for the Lord; He turned to me and heard my cry.
He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire;
He set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.

He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear and put their trust in the Lord. – Psalm 40:1-3


Are You “Small Stepping” into Sin?

My friend, Bobby Simpson, recently passed on to me this most helpful quote: “Small steps consistently taken in the same direction will carry you a long way.” While that point is true, it must come with one caveat: we need to be mindful of the direction in which we are taking even the small steps.

Some pretty famous Biblical characters had some obvious sinful moments. Moses had anger issues and even murdered someone once. David got lazy, didn’t turn from lust, and eventually committed adultery. As physically powerful as was Samson, his pride and moral weakness led him to defeat. Scripture records many others who experienced moments of sin and disobedience, but I do not remember not even ONE person in the Bible waking up one day and saying, “Today I am going to go out and sin and disobey God.” As a matter of fact, their sins, just like mine and yours are the product of a slow, unnoticeable, gradual drift of our hearts away from God.

Small steps taken in the WRONG direction will carry us a long way to sin. None of us while walking closely to the Lord decide to abruptly change course and plunge headlong into sin. Yet, I have witnessed (and to some thankfully small degree experienced) the effects of a life that continues a dangerous and tragic drift away from God. James 1:14 reminds us that each of us is tempted when we are “lured” and “enticed” by our own evil desires. Drift. Small steps. Wrong direction. Spiritual catastrophe.

With that in mind, today, I want to encourage all of us to mind the little things in our lives. Take a daily inventory of where you are in relation to God. Consider a daily examination of the following areas and accompanying verses.

The journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step…even the journey into sin. Watch where you are stepping.


What If Jesus Had an Awards Show?

red carpetLast night, millions of TVs across the country tuned into the Academy Awards (Oscars). It was a reminder that ours is a hero-worshipping culture. Stars and starlets come and go with great frequency, gracing the covers of magazines and filling TV screens one day, then giving way to the newest round the next. You know our culture loves to create and worship heroes when the likes of people such as Paris Hilton and the Kardashians gain notoriety for nothing more than just being famous.

Christians sadly get caught up in the madness as we create our own set of saintly celebs; high profile stars, athletes, and publicly famous men and women who openly profess their faith in Jesus. All too often, we follow our culture’s definition of greatness as opposed to Jesus’ definition of greatness we find in the New Testament. We celebrate men and women of renown and acumen. We laud those who have attained some measure of visibility and notoriety. To contrast, let’s consider Jesus’ definition of greatness:

But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. – Mark 10:43-45

Jesus identified three marks of true greatness and none of them had anything to do with fame or popularity. First, in verse 43 Jesus indicated that the truly great ones serve. The great ones look for ways to invest in others not themselves. They are willing to do for others what most people would never consider.

Second, in verse 44 Jesus reminds us that the great ones are selfless. In God’s eyes greatness does not come to those who high and lifted up, but to those who humble themselves like a lowly slave. Do you see the contrast? The important person is not the truly great one, but the slave who serves the important person.

Then in verse 45, Jesus demonstrates that the great ones make the ultimate sacrifice. No one would argue that Jesus is absolutely THE GREATEST, yet Jesus did not come to be served but to serve and give up His life as a ransom. The truly great ones are not the ones who get all the credit and attention, but rather the ones who are willing to give themselves up for the good of others.

Let’s rethink what it means to be great, strive to be award winners in His eyes, and celebrate the men, women, and young people we know who model His definition of greatness.


Let’s Start a Revolution

“Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of malicious behavior.   Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.”  Ephesians 4:31-32

Jesus said that the world would know we are His disciples by the love we displayed toward each other.  That being the case, it is no wonder we are seeing fewer people converted to Christianity these days.  We are having a hard time living up to that standard.

I have seen an alarming increase in the amount of strife between believers.  We live in a day and age when we need each other.  The enemy is shooting at us enough; we don’t need to be taking shots at each other.

We seem to have lost the ability to disagree without being disagreeable.  I have taken my share of shots lately from those I have been called to love and serve.  I have also observed as others have been belittled, berated, and blasted by those who are “in the family.”  What kind of inferiority complex exists inside a person that they need to somehow make themselves feel better by taking cheap shots at another? Why can we not simply disagree on issues without making personal attacks and being sharp tongued?  Why must we emotionally and spiritually bully and injure brothers and sisters in Christ who see and do things differently than we see and do them?

I am beginning to lose my confidence in the Church to nurture, support, encourage, and edify.  So with my little corner of the internet, I want to see if I can start a mini-movement in the church.  Here is what I am asking you to do:

First, if you have been hurt by the words and actions of others, join me in forgiving.  I am announcing today publicly that all of the hurtful words and actions I have experienced in the last several months are behind me.  I am tired of carrying them so I am putting them down at the foot of the cross.  EVERYONE in my life starts over with a clean slate as of today!  Will you join me in doing the same for others who have hurt you?

Second, will you covenant with me to do our best to speak positive words to everyone we encounter – to build up rather than tear down?  If we see something that is wrong, let’s seek positive and constructive ways to set it right.  In fact, here is what I am going to do, and I challenge you – dare you, even – to join me:  I am going to dish out at least 5 encouragements EVERY DAY.  Some days I may have to look far and wide to find them, but what better way to spend a day than seeking out good going on around me.  Do you think you can do that?

And then, one third thing.  As part of the covenant, let’s cut out of our day all of the nastiness Paul mentioned above – bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of malicious behavior.  And let’s replace it with tender hearts that are quick to forgive.  Let’s be part of the solution rather than part of the problem.

If you will join me in this covenant of encouragement, let me know.  Take a moment and leave a comment.  Email the link to this blog to people you know, and ask them to join the covenant with us.  Let’s start a REVOLUTION OF ENCOURAGEMENT.


Presidential Quotes and the Christian Faith

To celebrate Presidents’ Day, here are some quotes about our Christian faith uttered by past Presidents.  Enjoy.

“It is impossible to rightly govern a nation without God and the Bible.”  ~ George Washington

“We recognize no sovereign but God, and no King but Jesus!”  ~ John Adams

The future and success of America is not in this Constitution, but in the laws of God upon which this Constitution is founded.”  ~ James Madison

“We have forgotten God. We have forgotten the gracious hand, which preserved us in peace and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us, and we have vainly imagined, in the deceitfulness of our hearts, that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own. Intoxicated with unbroken success, we have become too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace, too proud to pray to the God that made us.” ~ Abraham Lincoln

“If we ever forget that we are one nation under God, then we will be a nation gone under.” ~ Ronald Reagan

“My custom is to read four or five chapters of the Bible every morning immediately after rising. It seems to me the most suitable manner of beginning the day. It is an invaluable and inexhaustible mine of knowledge and virtue.”  ~ John Quincy Adams


“I am profitably engaged in reading the Bible. Take all of this Book upon reason that you can, and the balance by faith, and you will live and die a better man.”
~ Abraham Lincoln


“A thorough knowledge of the Bible is worth more than a college education.”
 ~ Theodore Roosevelt


“The foundations of our society and our government rest so much on the teachings of the Bible that it would be difficult to support them if faith in these teachings would cease to be practically universal in our country.”
~ Calvin Coolidge

“The reason that Christianity is the best friend of government is because Christianity is the only religion that changes the heart.”  ~ Thomas Jefferson

“Suppose a nation in some distant Region should take the Bible for their only law Book, and every member should regulate his conduct by the precepts there exhibited! Every member would be obliged in conscience, to temperance, frugality, and industry; to justice, kindness, and charity towards his fellow men; and to piety, love, and reverence toward Almighty God … What a Eutopia, what a Paradise would this region be.” ~ John Adams

“The hope of a Christian is inseparable from his faith. Whoever believes in the divine inspiration of the Holy Scriptures must hope that the religion of Jesus shall prevail throughout the earth. Never since the foundation of the world have the prospects of mankind been more encouraging to that hope than they appear to be at the present time. And may the associated distribution of the Bible proceed and prosper till the Lord shall have made ‘bare His holy arm in the eyes of all the nations, and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God’ (Isaiah 52:10).” ~ John Quincy Adams


“All must admit that the reception of the teachings of Christ results in the purest patriotism, in the most scrupulous fidelity to public trust, and in the best type of citizenship.”
  ~ Grover Cleveland

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The above quotes were gleaned from
http://www.whatchristianswanttoknow.com/christian-presidential-quotes-22-awesome-sayings
and
http://christianity.about.com/od/independenceday/a/foundingfathers.htm


Propped Up

leaningThe following story made the email circuit several times a while back and I see its truth now more than ever:

I heard of an old deacon who always prayed: “Lord, prop us up on our leanin’ side”. After hearing him pray that prayer many times, someone asked him why he prayed that prayer so fervently. He answered, ‘Well sir, you see, it’s like this….I got an old barn out back. It’s been there a long time, it’s withstood a lot of weather, it’s gone through a lot of storms, and it’s stood for many years. It’s still standing, but one day I noticed it was leaning to one side a bit. So I went and got some pine poles and propped it up on its leaning side so it wouldn’t fall. Then I got to thinking about that and how much I was like that old barn. I’ve been around a long time, I’ve withstood a lot of life’s storms, I’ve withstood a lot of bad weather in life, I’ve withstood a lot of hard times, And I’m still standing too. But I find myself leaning to one side from time to time, so I like to ask the Lord to prop us up on our leaning side, cause I figure a lot of us get to leaning, at times. Sometime we get to leaning toward anger, leaning toward bitterness, leaning toward hatred, leaning toward cussing, leaning toward a lot of things that we shouldn’t, so we need to pray, ‘Lord, prop us up on our leaning side,’ so we will stand straight and tall again, to glorify the Lord.

I want to thank all of you who have been our pine polls these last few months. You can never know how much each call, visit, email, text message, or Facebook comment has meant.

All of us need to remember that, next to salvation, we are God’s greatest gifts to each other. Let’s not grow weary in doing well and let’s continue to spur one another on to love and good works.

Two are better than one,
because they have a good return for their work:

If one falls down,
his friend can help him up.
But pity the man who falls
and has no one to help him up!

Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.
But how can one keep warm alone?

Though one may be overpowered,
two can defend themselves.
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. – Ecclesiastes 4:9-12


Jesus’ un-Common Core Math

A new approach to learning, called Common Core, is all the conversation in these parts of late. Plenty of people line up on either pro or con side of the learning method, and I have no intention of wasting precious blog space debating its effectiveness. One thing Andrea and I learned last night while helping Bekah study for a math test, however, is that students do not learn math today the way we learned it in our day. Common Core seems UNCOMMON to our core way of thinking.

As I went to bed last night, I was thinking about how Bekah’s math is like a Biblical teaching God has been dealing with me about over the last four months. God has an UNCOMMON way of doing math as well.

One day after Jesus had finished teaching His disciples about restoration and forgiveness, Peter came to Jesus and asked, “How many times shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Seven times?” Peter was not trying to solve a mathematical word problem, but rather find God’s bottom line in a grace he wished he was not required to extend. He thought maybe after seven extensions of forgiveness, he would no longer be required to forgive.

Jesus replied with UNCOMMON CORE math. “I tell you, not as many as seven, but 70 times seven.” Jesus was not, however, telling Peter that he only had to forgive his brother 490 times, he was teaching him that forgiveness is perpetual. Jesus followed up with a parable about forgiveness in which the main point is that since we have and do daily freely receive forgiveness from God, we also should daily freely forgive others who have hurt us.

One difficult lesson is that if I want to be a stickler about Jesus’ math and only forgive 490 times, then that number is per person, per offense, per day. Forgiveness is a CHOICE and I choose every day to forgive the same offense over and over. Every time the devil brings the hurt to my attention, I heal the hurt by choosing to forgive. Some days I do better on the test than others, but eventually I pray I become a master as Jesus’ lesson on forgiveness and UNCOMMON CORE.

What past hurts are you holding? Let me encourage you to CHOOSE forgiveness… perpetually…daily… until the hurt is not longer a hurt. Eventually the devil will get the message and stop wasting his time bringing the hurt to your attention.

(The conversation between Jesus and Peter and the ensuing parable mentioned above can be found in Matthew 18:15-35.)


Be Still

gold coinIf silence is indeed golden, then most of us are poverty-stricken.

Our lives are full and running over with audible stimulation. Most of the sounds that travel the neuro-highway from our cochlea to our brain insert themselves into our lives without our permission, often drowning out the more pleasant sounds we would rather here.

The cacophony of noises that we hear stands as evidence of our crowded lives, busy schedules, and high-pressure routines. From the annoying sound of the 5:00 a.m. alarm to the anchor’s sign-off on the evening news, sounds invade every moment of our days.

But what of solitude and silence? Although God created us as people in need of fellowship, He also placed within us the need to withdraw and listen. Even Jesus needed time to withdraw and refocus himself. Here are a few examples.

Mark 1:35 – Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed.

Mark 6:46 – And when He had sent them away, He departed to the mountain to pray.

Luke 4:42 – Now when it was day, He departed and went into a deserted place.

John 6:15 – Therefore when Jesus perceived that they were about to come and take Him by force to make Him king, He departed again to the mountain by Himself alone.

We fill our lives so full that we leave little time, or no time at all, to withdraw and be quiet with God. We find ourselves weak because we neglect times of silence and solitude.

For thus says the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel: “In returning and rest you shall be saved; In quietness and confidence shall be your strength.” But you would not. – Isaiah 30:15

We cannot go and go and go without ever stopping. So, log off the computer, turn off the cell phone, hide the TV remote, and leave the iPad on the table for a few minutes each day. Be still and quiet before the Lord. Shut everything down and reduce your existence to nothing but you and God. You cannot afford NOT TO do it.

Be angry, and do not sin. Meditate within your heart on your bed, and be still. – Psalm 4:4

He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. – Psalm 23:2

Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth! – Psalm 46:10