2008…has been…a rough year. Well, maybe just for me, but I am willing to bet others can say the same. I’ve had this mentality for a while that I just can’t wait to waive goodbye to this rotten year. This morning, however, I got hit in the head by a lightning bolt from God (not literally…but you know). I have been reading through the letters of Paul for my quiet times and instead of starting a new book this morning (as I finished 1 Thessalonians yesterday) I decided to find something in the Red Letters.
Matthew 6:25-34 "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?
And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
I definitely needed to hear that this morning. 2008 has been a year of great adversity in my life, but you know what? 2008 has also been a year of GREATER triumph for me. I had fallen into a funk in my life…emotionally, physically, and spiritually. I became…well…boring. Through a time of hardship I was blessed with an opportunity to spend some Father(God)/son time in the mountains of Colorado. I emerged from that trip a different man. The Lord began to heal the broken things inside of me. It has taken time, but I have witnessed a miracle in my life. My Abba Father, my Daddy has shifted the paradigm. He brought me to a place of restoration with Him. Emotionally, physically, and most importantly spiritually I have changed. With the changes that He has made in my life, why then should I sit and worry about tomorrow? The Lord provided for me in the mountains, He’s provided for me in the valleys, and I trust He will continue to provide for me in the in-betweens.
It hasn’t been easy and the troubles I have faced haven’t come without their fair share of tears being shed, but God has proven time and again that He will provide. All I have needed to do was to rest in Him. If that isn’t proof enough of what God has been trying to tell me, then I submit to you one other example. This morning on the radio as I was nearing work a song came on. The name of the song is “Blessed Be Your Name” by Tree63. I want you to read part of the lyrics and maybe you can see what I see…
Blessed be Your name
When I'm found in the desert place
Though I walk through the wilderness
Blessed be Your name
Every blessing You pour out, I
turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I will say...
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name
Blessed be Your name
On the road marked with suffering
Oh, There's pain in the offering
Blessed be Your name
Every blessing You pour out, I
turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I will say...
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name
You give and take away
You give and take away
My heart will choose to say
Well Blessed be Your name
Blessed be His name. He gives and takes away, but my heart will choose to say blessed be Your name. So yeah, it HAS been a rough year…not particularly one I will want to relive, but with the right attitude I can press forward. God is calling me; He’s calling all of us to live in Him. If other’s around us do not, cannot, or will not…that’s not up to us…that’s on them and the Lord will deal with them accordingly. For me I don’t want to sit back and whine about how much trouble I have seen.
I want to usher in 2009 on a good note. The Lord has given and He has taken away, but you know what? I know that the end result is far better than what I can see. God sees the finish line; I can barely see three feet in front of me. Praise the Lord for that. 2009 is coming and I am ready for it, but I refuse to look back on 2008 with contempt. It was a hard year, but the Lord did a mighty work in me and for that I will not be bitter about 2008. Praise the Lord for 2008 and the adversity faced. It has shaped me into the man I am today and I am better for it. So for you, I challenge each one of you to look at your hardships and look for God in it. God is there...He's never abandonded you or forsaken you. Let go of the bitterness and let God do a work in you. God bless you all and much love to everyone. Happy 2009!
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Monday, December 29, 2008
The Shack
So I thought I would take some time to do a little book review with some talking points about this wonderful treasure of a book called “The Shack.” It was a present from my sister this Christmas. After sitting down and reading it in a span of a few hours I may just say it is the best Christmas present I have received in years. The book was so moving and so touching that quite a few of the pages in my book have tear stains. Never in my years have I read a book quite like it. I can promise you this, if you go into the book with an open mind, knowing that it is fiction, yet still backed by Biblical principles, it will change your life.
“The Shack” is about a man who lost his daughter in a tragic murder. Years later he receives a note in the mail inviting him back to the place of his deepest, darkest sorrows. The letter appears to be from God. Mack wrestles with the idea of whether or not to go back. Of course he decides to go to the shack and there is where it gets interesting. He has a chance encounter with God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. In the span of a weekend Mack’s life changes and he is able to release what has been holding onto him. He releases the hatred of the man who murdered his daughter, he is able to finally forgive himself, and finally is able to forgive God. The book, while no one can truly know how a weekend with God might play out, brings a good lesson to the table. If you are looking for a book that is quote after quote of Scripture, this isn’t the book for you, but if you are looking for a book that will challenge you to the very core of who you are, how you view others, and how you view God…then this IS the book for you.
Many of us have not had to endure what the main character of this book had to endure, but I can say without a doubt that we all carry wounds. We all have a “Great Sadness” in our lives. It is something we don’t like to talk about. Maybe we are in the midst of the “Great Sadness” or maybe we have tried to push it deep down inside so we can pretend to have a normal life. Well, let me tell you, unless it is dealt with it will never go away. One of the lessons I took from this book is that sin happens in this world and that’s why bad things happen to good people. It isn’t God sitting upon His throne, punishing his children. It is God allowing for His children to make decisions and from those decisions good and bad consequences come. Now just because you have a wound, that doesn’t mean it’s of your own doing. God gives all people free will and you may be unfortunate enough to suffer a wound at the hands of someone else’s bad decision.
All this, however, doesn’t mean that you should sit back and sulk. God’s purpose for us is to life FULL lives. As long as we hang onto the shadows in our lives…we will not live full lives. And that is the big challenge. How do we go from the shadow to the light? Well, we let go and lay it before God. God truly does love us. And “The Shack” does a wonderful job of illustrating that. I can’t even begin to describe just how much He loves us. It’s hard to put into words, but what I can say is that He loves us so much He endured the Cross for us. He wants nothing more for us than to live in the freedom that comes from the Blood of Christ. And that really is the main point of the book. Really, it is the main point of the Bible. It isn’t about rules, it is about relationships. I fully believe that if we as Christians focused more on building relationships (aka bridges) instead of rules (aka walls) we’d see the amount of wounded Christians decrease.
I know that in my own life, if I had focused on relationships…I wouldn’t be in the midst of my own “Great Sadness.” But the clincher for me is that I have the ability to let go of my “Great Sadness” and live a full life. My prayer is that it does in fact happen. Hearts will need to be changed, paradigms must be shifted, and perceptions must be checked for change to happen. The author states it like this: “Paradigms power perception and perceptions power emotions. Most emotions are responses to perceptions - what you think about a given situation. If your perception is false, then your emotional response to it will be false, too.” How many times have we let our emotions get the best of us? This to me is what keeps us in the darkness. Acts 17:11 “Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.” Even in the Book of Acts we are shown that we must examine our faith and the Scriptures. May we not sit back and trust our emotions and what we “know” to be “true.” Instead may we each day examine our hearts and rid ourselves of the cancers that will constantly keep us from growing in the Lord.
Overall the book delivers a good message. I would encourage all who read it to remember Acts 17:11 and to not be tripped up on things that seem…out of Scripture. Take the book and use it as a tool to reexamine your own life. What do you have in your life that is a wall? Knock it out so you can knock down the wall. Look to build bridges and develop relationships. God loves you, so let that love overflow.
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
They are who we THOUGHT they were!
Proverbs 23:7 “For as he thinks within himself, so he is.”
Eleanor Roosevelt once said “no one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” How true that is. I am not big into the self help, Stuart Smalley “I’m good enough, I’m smart enough, and doggone it, people like me” mentality. I think that some of that can be incredibly misleading, but there is some truth to it all. As referenced above in Proverbs 23:7, we can change our perception of things, and especially our perception of ourselves, by simply seeing ourselves how we want to be viewed.
I recently met with a very wise man who said that many people are linear in their thinking about themselves and how they relate to others. Many people have an A + B = C mentality. Now let me explain. I am “A” and my friend is “B” and my idea for how our friendship should be is “C.” What ends up happening is that my perception of “B” changes and I begin to feel they’ve let me down because I can’t attain “C.” This is not the way to think. Instead, we must become “C” in spite of “B.”
How does this relate to becoming who you “think within” yourself? Well, we have got to stop leaning on others to define us. We are in charge of our own definition…well us and God. You see; as Eleanor Roosevelt said we can’t be made to feel inferior unless we give others consent, but that is exactly what we do when we give others the power to define us. We have got to start forming a positive mindset about ourselves, with God’s help, and be the person we want to be. No one wants to be miserable, so don’t be. No one wants to be boring, so don’t be. Find definition and submit it to the Lord.
Don’t let others tell you who you are, figure that out on your own. I see far too many people who are distraught, strung out, and mean because they blame others for the way they feel. I speak on this from experience. You see I let others define me for years. I ended up becoming someone I couldn’t even face in the mirror. I didn’t like who I had become, but instead of facing the problem, I grew bitter and blamed others.
That all changed on September 6th, 2008. On that day I arrived in the mountains of Colorado a man in search of his definition. I journaled to the Lord on that day: “I feel so small and insignificant here. I’ve been surrounded by mountains, wildlife, and beautiful scenery all day. Your creation is glorious and perhaps that’s why I feel so small. Am I really created in Your image? It’s hard to fathom that You created the mountains and yet we humans are the one’s created in Your likeness. I’m blown away by that concept. The God of the universe wants to be intimate with me…wow. Lord show me Your glory.” By the end of that week, not only did God show me His glory, but He showed me who He saw me to be. I weep as I write this, but they are tears of joy.
The Lord of creation showed me, Justin, who He saw me as and who He wants me to be. I stopped being so rigid in my time. I show up late to things now…and its ok…just not too late. I started laughing more as well as made it a goal to make others laugh more. I decided to not sit around the house and do nothing. Instead I picked up running, boot camp, and general weight lifting. I lost forty-five pounds and can run three miles in about 21-22 minutes. I started investing in relationships more and looking for ways to serve instead of be served. I don’t say this to brag, but instead I say this to offer hope. I used to have a poor self image. I didn’t like the man I saw, but God opened my eyes to His truth instead of my own jaded version of the truth. I stopped trying to blame others, stopped trying to blame “B” and instead I found my definition and submitted it to the Lord.
Homer Simpson once said “everyone is stupid except me.” That’s the attitude I used to take before I realized that I need to stop worrying about others and instead need to be the man I need to be. “For as he thinks within himself, so he is.” Words to live by my friends. Look at yourself in the mirror today. Are you unhappy? Why is that? Could it be that you aren’t fulfilling your full potential in the Lord? I’d say that’s the very problem. Stop pointing fingers and instead find your definition. God is ready and waiting to help you through your transition. Will you let Him?
Eleanor Roosevelt once said “no one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” How true that is. I am not big into the self help, Stuart Smalley “I’m good enough, I’m smart enough, and doggone it, people like me” mentality. I think that some of that can be incredibly misleading, but there is some truth to it all. As referenced above in Proverbs 23:7, we can change our perception of things, and especially our perception of ourselves, by simply seeing ourselves how we want to be viewed.
I recently met with a very wise man who said that many people are linear in their thinking about themselves and how they relate to others. Many people have an A + B = C mentality. Now let me explain. I am “A” and my friend is “B” and my idea for how our friendship should be is “C.” What ends up happening is that my perception of “B” changes and I begin to feel they’ve let me down because I can’t attain “C.” This is not the way to think. Instead, we must become “C” in spite of “B.”
How does this relate to becoming who you “think within” yourself? Well, we have got to stop leaning on others to define us. We are in charge of our own definition…well us and God. You see; as Eleanor Roosevelt said we can’t be made to feel inferior unless we give others consent, but that is exactly what we do when we give others the power to define us. We have got to start forming a positive mindset about ourselves, with God’s help, and be the person we want to be. No one wants to be miserable, so don’t be. No one wants to be boring, so don’t be. Find definition and submit it to the Lord.
Don’t let others tell you who you are, figure that out on your own. I see far too many people who are distraught, strung out, and mean because they blame others for the way they feel. I speak on this from experience. You see I let others define me for years. I ended up becoming someone I couldn’t even face in the mirror. I didn’t like who I had become, but instead of facing the problem, I grew bitter and blamed others.
That all changed on September 6th, 2008. On that day I arrived in the mountains of Colorado a man in search of his definition. I journaled to the Lord on that day: “I feel so small and insignificant here. I’ve been surrounded by mountains, wildlife, and beautiful scenery all day. Your creation is glorious and perhaps that’s why I feel so small. Am I really created in Your image? It’s hard to fathom that You created the mountains and yet we humans are the one’s created in Your likeness. I’m blown away by that concept. The God of the universe wants to be intimate with me…wow. Lord show me Your glory.” By the end of that week, not only did God show me His glory, but He showed me who He saw me to be. I weep as I write this, but they are tears of joy.
The Lord of creation showed me, Justin, who He saw me as and who He wants me to be. I stopped being so rigid in my time. I show up late to things now…and its ok…just not too late. I started laughing more as well as made it a goal to make others laugh more. I decided to not sit around the house and do nothing. Instead I picked up running, boot camp, and general weight lifting. I lost forty-five pounds and can run three miles in about 21-22 minutes. I started investing in relationships more and looking for ways to serve instead of be served. I don’t say this to brag, but instead I say this to offer hope. I used to have a poor self image. I didn’t like the man I saw, but God opened my eyes to His truth instead of my own jaded version of the truth. I stopped trying to blame others, stopped trying to blame “B” and instead I found my definition and submitted it to the Lord.
Homer Simpson once said “everyone is stupid except me.” That’s the attitude I used to take before I realized that I need to stop worrying about others and instead need to be the man I need to be. “For as he thinks within himself, so he is.” Words to live by my friends. Look at yourself in the mirror today. Are you unhappy? Why is that? Could it be that you aren’t fulfilling your full potential in the Lord? I’d say that’s the very problem. Stop pointing fingers and instead find your definition. God is ready and waiting to help you through your transition. Will you let Him?
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Down but Never Out
I want you to picture a cold, windy, wintry, December night in San Antonio. The date is December 22, 2007 and the Katy Tigers are playing for their fifth state title at the Alamodome. The Tigers start out rough, but finish in style, winning 28-7, finishing the season a perfect 16-0, and adding another trophy to their already crowded trophy case. Now flash forward eight months. It is August in Houston. The air is hot, humid, yet the crowds still flock to see their team open up football season. The 2008 Katy team had the unfortunate privilege of opening up their season against another perennial powerhouse in Houston, North Shore. It was a battle of attrition. The game went back and forth, but unfortunately for the mighty Tigers the Mustangs just outlasted them. The final was 10-6 and the Tigers quest to keep their win streak alive was over. The very next week Katy would again meet defeat, but this time the margin of defeat was greater. The Tigers left The Woodlands as recipients of a 47-0 thrashing. Things did not look good for the Tigers. Over the next few weeks the Katy Tigers reshuffled their team. Young players began to step up, all positions were up for grabs, and lo-and-behold, the Tigers started to win. Katy would finish the season 7-3 and district runner up. Not a bad regular season finish for a team that so many people counted out after starting the season 0-2.
Many thought, myself included, that this team would make it to about the second or third round of the playoffs and then make a quiet exit. It was to be expected for a team that was rebuilding. Now we flash forward from the end of the regular season to today. Katy is now in preparation to play in their second state title game in two years and their eighth trip to the finals in fifteen years. This Tiger team has blown all expectations out of the water. The Tigers have beaten their playoff opponents with an average score of 42.8 to 8.6. So why this big turnaround? Well, this is the best description I can give you. This team has proven that we should NEVER underestimate the heart of a champion. Others may talk of talent, strength of schedule, etc... but where Katy excels is the at intangibles. Heart, desire, hard work, TEAM, etc... that's what makes the Katy Tigers so darn special. It has been an honor getting to watch this team and I cannot wait to watch them put it all out on the field come Saturday. Where these young men excel is in the size of their hearts. They have the right attitude and desire to make this work.
Now of course you know I have to tie this in to some sort of talking point, right? Of course right. You see, the Tigers were down four months ago, but they were not out. We can take a lesson from these young men. When I think of this team I think of 2 Corinthians 4 which says:
“Therefore, since through God's mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart. Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.
But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body. So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.
It is written: ‘I believed; therefore I have spoken.’ With that same spirit of faith we also believe and therefore speak, because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you in his presence. All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.
Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”
Did you catch it friends? You see, we are going to have momentary troubles, but Jesus is interceding on our behalf. We will win. It may take a while to achieve the success we’d like to, but we will win. Let me reiterate that, we WILL win! Let God do a work in you. Like the Tigers, who were willing to reshuffle things, who were willing to go to battle for their starting positions, who never lost heart, we need to take that same attitude. God’s desire is for us to win, but to do so we must be willing to let go of pride and adopt an attitude of humility. If you don’t believe me, look no further than the 2008 Katy Tiger football team. They are winners in my book. To win you must have the right attitude. You will face troubles, but what lies ahead is greater than your suffering. Praise the Lord and go Tigers!
Many thought, myself included, that this team would make it to about the second or third round of the playoffs and then make a quiet exit. It was to be expected for a team that was rebuilding. Now we flash forward from the end of the regular season to today. Katy is now in preparation to play in their second state title game in two years and their eighth trip to the finals in fifteen years. This Tiger team has blown all expectations out of the water. The Tigers have beaten their playoff opponents with an average score of 42.8 to 8.6. So why this big turnaround? Well, this is the best description I can give you. This team has proven that we should NEVER underestimate the heart of a champion. Others may talk of talent, strength of schedule, etc... but where Katy excels is the at intangibles. Heart, desire, hard work, TEAM, etc... that's what makes the Katy Tigers so darn special. It has been an honor getting to watch this team and I cannot wait to watch them put it all out on the field come Saturday. Where these young men excel is in the size of their hearts. They have the right attitude and desire to make this work.
Now of course you know I have to tie this in to some sort of talking point, right? Of course right. You see, the Tigers were down four months ago, but they were not out. We can take a lesson from these young men. When I think of this team I think of 2 Corinthians 4 which says:
“Therefore, since through God's mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart. Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.
But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body. So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.
It is written: ‘I believed; therefore I have spoken.’ With that same spirit of faith we also believe and therefore speak, because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you in his presence. All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.
Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”
Did you catch it friends? You see, we are going to have momentary troubles, but Jesus is interceding on our behalf. We will win. It may take a while to achieve the success we’d like to, but we will win. Let me reiterate that, we WILL win! Let God do a work in you. Like the Tigers, who were willing to reshuffle things, who were willing to go to battle for their starting positions, who never lost heart, we need to take that same attitude. God’s desire is for us to win, but to do so we must be willing to let go of pride and adopt an attitude of humility. If you don’t believe me, look no further than the 2008 Katy Tiger football team. They are winners in my book. To win you must have the right attitude. You will face troubles, but what lies ahead is greater than your suffering. Praise the Lord and go Tigers!
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Learning to Listen to My Own Advice…The Power of the Small Gifts
So a few days ago I wrote about small gifts actually being big blessings. What I didn’t do was listen to my own writing. This week has been a hard week on me. Nothing oppressive has come my way, nothing hard, it has just been a hard week. I watched as bitterness crept in and it affected my attitude with my coworkers, my friends, family, and myself. Today, however, I had a nice kick in the pants.
Yesterday I sat down in my room and just asked God to please help me shake this bad attitude. I was able to recognize it in myself, but for some reason wasn’t able to get rid of it myself. It wasn’t until God opened my eyes to some small blessings that I saw Him working and heard Him talking to me. As many of you know, or don’t know, I absolutely love cold weather. Snow invokes so many powerful memories in me. I remember the mountains, I remember loved ones, I remember precious moments, I remember the power of God, etc… Snow and cold weather have a powerful effect on me. So to check out the weather and see a forecast of snow in Houston…well needless to say, I saw God in that. You can laugh at it or say its no big deal, its just snow…but that’s my point. It is just snow, but yet for me, it is a very big blessing. I walked around the office today with a smile on my face. It was the smile a child had on his or her face when they are opening that prized present on Christmas morning. That was me. I was a kid at Christmas today. It was a nice reminder from God that one, I can’t shake the attitude myself and I need to rely on Him and two, He loves and thinks of me. And you know, the next small gift today may be a bit goofy to you as well, but for those who know me…I am a pumpkin fiend. I can’t get enough of the stuff. I wasn’t able to sneak away from work today for lunch so as I went into the kitchen to get a glass of water, what was on the table for anyone to partake in? A big, round, scrumptious pumpkin pie. Yep, it is goofy, but totally God. God meets us at the point of our need, and what I needed was an attitude adjustment. Remember to keep your eyes and ear open every day to see those small gifts.
Small gifts are God’s way of saying “I’ve got ya.” Sometimes it is very easy to just feel alone, to feel like you’ve got to do it all on your own and then it hits you that you can’t. You see, we aren’t designed to do it on our own. Sure, we CAN try, but we fail ourselves just like others fail us. That’s where faith in Jesus comes in. He’s more than a crutch, He is my sustainer. When I try to do it on my own, well, days like I have had this week are my fruits. Sometimes we can coast and manage to do it alone, but eventually decay takes over and we watch as our kingdoms fall. Don’t believe me? Give it a try, but don’t say I didn’t warn you. Again, this is where Jesus comes into play. You see, we have tried our ways and they aren’t God’s ways.
Isaiah 53:4-6
“Surely he took up our infirmities
and carried our sorrows,
yet we considered him stricken by God,
smitten by him, and afflicted.
But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was upon him,
and by his wounds we are healed.
We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
each of us has turned to his own way;
and the LORD has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.”
Jesus paid it all. The small gift of a child turned into the huge blessing of salvation. Jesus went from the manger to the cross, from the cross to the grave, and then Jesus conquered death. He paid the price for our sins and did it knowing full and well what price He’d have to pay. Jesus loves you and He loves me. Remember that.
Yesterday I sat down in my room and just asked God to please help me shake this bad attitude. I was able to recognize it in myself, but for some reason wasn’t able to get rid of it myself. It wasn’t until God opened my eyes to some small blessings that I saw Him working and heard Him talking to me. As many of you know, or don’t know, I absolutely love cold weather. Snow invokes so many powerful memories in me. I remember the mountains, I remember loved ones, I remember precious moments, I remember the power of God, etc… Snow and cold weather have a powerful effect on me. So to check out the weather and see a forecast of snow in Houston…well needless to say, I saw God in that. You can laugh at it or say its no big deal, its just snow…but that’s my point. It is just snow, but yet for me, it is a very big blessing. I walked around the office today with a smile on my face. It was the smile a child had on his or her face when they are opening that prized present on Christmas morning. That was me. I was a kid at Christmas today. It was a nice reminder from God that one, I can’t shake the attitude myself and I need to rely on Him and two, He loves and thinks of me. And you know, the next small gift today may be a bit goofy to you as well, but for those who know me…I am a pumpkin fiend. I can’t get enough of the stuff. I wasn’t able to sneak away from work today for lunch so as I went into the kitchen to get a glass of water, what was on the table for anyone to partake in? A big, round, scrumptious pumpkin pie. Yep, it is goofy, but totally God. God meets us at the point of our need, and what I needed was an attitude adjustment. Remember to keep your eyes and ear open every day to see those small gifts.
Small gifts are God’s way of saying “I’ve got ya.” Sometimes it is very easy to just feel alone, to feel like you’ve got to do it all on your own and then it hits you that you can’t. You see, we aren’t designed to do it on our own. Sure, we CAN try, but we fail ourselves just like others fail us. That’s where faith in Jesus comes in. He’s more than a crutch, He is my sustainer. When I try to do it on my own, well, days like I have had this week are my fruits. Sometimes we can coast and manage to do it alone, but eventually decay takes over and we watch as our kingdoms fall. Don’t believe me? Give it a try, but don’t say I didn’t warn you. Again, this is where Jesus comes into play. You see, we have tried our ways and they aren’t God’s ways.
Isaiah 53:4-6
“Surely he took up our infirmities
and carried our sorrows,
yet we considered him stricken by God,
smitten by him, and afflicted.
But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was upon him,
and by his wounds we are healed.
We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
each of us has turned to his own way;
and the LORD has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.”
Jesus paid it all. The small gift of a child turned into the huge blessing of salvation. Jesus went from the manger to the cross, from the cross to the grave, and then Jesus conquered death. He paid the price for our sins and did it knowing full and well what price He’d have to pay. Jesus loves you and He loves me. Remember that.
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Small gifts…big blessings
Have you ever noticed that sometimes the biggest blessings come in small sizes? Sometimes the biggest blessings, the biggest joys in our lives come in small packages. Looking back over my life I see so many joyful moments that were ushered in by small sized gifts. I think that’s really how God works. I am not saying He doesn’t give us huge miracles, but I think God is in the details. Throughout the Bible you see evidence of the big and little gifts, but what I notice is that, while the people in the Bible rejoice at the big miracles, they quickly forget them.
It’s the small, yet steady, gifts that bring the people the greater and longer lasting joy. Why is that, I wonder? I think that is one of the reasons Jesus did not send down angels to destroy the people who were crucifying him. They mocked him and taunted him. Matthew 27:41-43 “In the same way the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders mocked him. “He saved others,’ they said, ‘but he can't save himself! He's the King of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. He trusts in God. Let God rescue him now if he wants him, for he said, 'I am the Son of God.'”" Sure, Jesus could have made a huge scene and come down off the cross in all his glory. The angels could have come down and taken care of business. Why didn’t they? Well, I think it’s because of the history of God’s big blessings. The Lord guided the Israelites through the wilderness, he performed great miracles in their sights and yet they forgot them. Jesus had to die. He had to go out the way he did. If not, we’d never have victory over death. The Lord knew how incapable we are to remember the big gifts. If all we had in life were big gifts to hold on to, I believe we’d be in trouble. Notice how Jesus came into the world. He didn’t arrive on a huge flaming cloud from heaven; he came meek and mild as a baby. If that isn’t a small gift that turned into a huge blessing…I don’t know what is. Praise the Lord for small packages, for they turn into the greatest blessings we can receive.
I believe that relationships and/or friendships fall into the category of small yet steady gifts from God. Not that I am trivializing any relationships out there by saying they are a small gift, I am just trying to compare the gift of a friend to let’s say fire from heaven. Sure, the fire coming down from heaven is a huge deal, but what long lasting impact would it have on you? I think the longer lasting impact for us comes through that sturdy friendship. Those good relationships make us better. We have accountability and stability. And being around the right person can make all the difference. You know those types of people, right? The people who can make a rainy day become bright? We all love being around those people. They draw us closer to God and they are joys to be around. I can think of a few people who fit into that category in my life. My wife is one of those people. Those who know her know what a sweet, peaceful, and beautiful disposition she has. I want to be a better man when I am around her and I now realize that I must go to the Lord about that. Because of the relationship I have with her, I am drawn closer to God. Another small package I received six years ago was the gift of my niece. Today, December 4th, is her sixth birthday. I can’t believe it. I remember what I was doing when I received the phone call that little Hailey was born. I couldn’t contain myself…I wept as I walked to class that morning. Such a tiny baby, but such a great joy. I have had the privilege of getting to watch her grow over the years.
And how about those tiny blessings throughout the day? Yesterday I had my patience tested and I passed the test. It was a huge blessing for me. I didn’t react the way I normally do and by the end of the day, the Lord took care of it. I know that many of you can attest to that. That tiny, little blessing helped me to see that God truly is on His throne and He has things in order. He doesn’t need my meddling. What He needs is for me to be faithful to Him. So, even though Thanksgiving has passed, it isn’t too late or too early to be thankful. Be thankful for the tiny gifts in life. God gives us the small gifts and if we are truly thankful for them, if we are truly faithful in the tiny blessings of life, I believe this is His response to us: Matthew 25:21 “"His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'” This is the way I see small gifts…they turn into huge blessings. The Lord wants us to be faithful with the small things in life. Through that we reap the great rewards. Be faithful in the small things.
It’s the small, yet steady, gifts that bring the people the greater and longer lasting joy. Why is that, I wonder? I think that is one of the reasons Jesus did not send down angels to destroy the people who were crucifying him. They mocked him and taunted him. Matthew 27:41-43 “In the same way the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders mocked him. “He saved others,’ they said, ‘but he can't save himself! He's the King of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. He trusts in God. Let God rescue him now if he wants him, for he said, 'I am the Son of God.'”" Sure, Jesus could have made a huge scene and come down off the cross in all his glory. The angels could have come down and taken care of business. Why didn’t they? Well, I think it’s because of the history of God’s big blessings. The Lord guided the Israelites through the wilderness, he performed great miracles in their sights and yet they forgot them. Jesus had to die. He had to go out the way he did. If not, we’d never have victory over death. The Lord knew how incapable we are to remember the big gifts. If all we had in life were big gifts to hold on to, I believe we’d be in trouble. Notice how Jesus came into the world. He didn’t arrive on a huge flaming cloud from heaven; he came meek and mild as a baby. If that isn’t a small gift that turned into a huge blessing…I don’t know what is. Praise the Lord for small packages, for they turn into the greatest blessings we can receive.
I believe that relationships and/or friendships fall into the category of small yet steady gifts from God. Not that I am trivializing any relationships out there by saying they are a small gift, I am just trying to compare the gift of a friend to let’s say fire from heaven. Sure, the fire coming down from heaven is a huge deal, but what long lasting impact would it have on you? I think the longer lasting impact for us comes through that sturdy friendship. Those good relationships make us better. We have accountability and stability. And being around the right person can make all the difference. You know those types of people, right? The people who can make a rainy day become bright? We all love being around those people. They draw us closer to God and they are joys to be around. I can think of a few people who fit into that category in my life. My wife is one of those people. Those who know her know what a sweet, peaceful, and beautiful disposition she has. I want to be a better man when I am around her and I now realize that I must go to the Lord about that. Because of the relationship I have with her, I am drawn closer to God. Another small package I received six years ago was the gift of my niece. Today, December 4th, is her sixth birthday. I can’t believe it. I remember what I was doing when I received the phone call that little Hailey was born. I couldn’t contain myself…I wept as I walked to class that morning. Such a tiny baby, but such a great joy. I have had the privilege of getting to watch her grow over the years.
And how about those tiny blessings throughout the day? Yesterday I had my patience tested and I passed the test. It was a huge blessing for me. I didn’t react the way I normally do and by the end of the day, the Lord took care of it. I know that many of you can attest to that. That tiny, little blessing helped me to see that God truly is on His throne and He has things in order. He doesn’t need my meddling. What He needs is for me to be faithful to Him. So, even though Thanksgiving has passed, it isn’t too late or too early to be thankful. Be thankful for the tiny gifts in life. God gives us the small gifts and if we are truly thankful for them, if we are truly faithful in the tiny blessings of life, I believe this is His response to us: Matthew 25:21 “"His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'” This is the way I see small gifts…they turn into huge blessings. The Lord wants us to be faithful with the small things in life. Through that we reap the great rewards. Be faithful in the small things.
Monday, December 1, 2008
Having a Samwise Attitude in the Storms of Life
So I was watching the Lord of the Rings trilogy this past weekend and this dialogue stuck out at me. I have to admit that it has passed me by the other two dozen times I have seen this movie (and trilogy), but this time around it hit me. Maybe it has to do with where I am in my life, maybe I was paying more attention, or maybe I am just more aware of things like this now. Here is the dialogue:
Frodo: “I can’t do this, Sam.”
Sam: “I know. It’s all wrong. By rights, we shouldn’t even be here. But we are. It’s like in the great stories, Mr. Frodo. The ones that really mattered, full of darkness and danger they were. And sometimes you didn’t want to know the end because how could the end be happy? How could the world go back to the way it was when so much bad had happened? But in the end, it’s only a passing thing — this shadow. Even darkness must pass. A new day will come. And when the sun shines, it will shine out the clearer. Those were the stories that stayed with you…that meant something. Even if you were too small to understand why. But, I think, Mr. Frodo, I do understand…I know now. Folks in those stories had lots of chances of turning back, only they didn’t. They kept going…because they were holding on to something.”
Frodo: “What are we holding on to, Sam?”
Sam: “That there’s some good in this world, Mr. Frodo. And it’s worth fighting for.”
Profound, no? Sam had the right attitude about the journey. Frodo was very fortunate to have someone like him cheering him on.
Sometimes life comes at you hard. The enemy is lurking, waiting for a chance to trip you up, to make you stumble. The intent of the enemy is to throw your life, my life, and all lives out of balance. It is important, at all times but especially when encountering the storms of life, to have the proper perspective. There is some deep theology in Sam’s little speech. I believe that God’s desire is that we take an outlook similar to Sam. James 1:2-4 reads like this: “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” If that isn’t proof enough, let’s examine 1 Peter 1:6-7: In 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 your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.”
Sometimes we believe that we just can’t continue on anymore. The trials that we go through are too much to bear. And, in a way, that’s right. We can’t go through these trials…alone. We must look to the Body of Christ to aid us in our journey. Frodo could have never made it through his journey without Sam. In fact, if you know the story, without Sam, Frodo would have indeed failed. From this I see that we must hold onto our faith in troubled times. In addition, we must reach out to other believers for help. The phrase “iron sharpening iron” is very important to remember. The enemy wants to cut us off and isolate us. In battle, the smart strategist will look to break apart the opposing army. It is much easier to defeat the opponent when they are scattered, confused, and cut off from the main group. The enemy will attack us and try to cut us off from the Body of Christ. I say that you cannot allow this to happen. I have seen this in my own personal walk. When encountering troubled times, the enemy comes at me and attempts to cut me off from wise counsel. Now the enemy will always allow unwise counsel, but when it comes to “iron sharpening iron” well, it becomes a tad more difficult. The best battle plan is to praise God in the midst of the storms of life. The waves may come crashing against you, but we stand upon the solid foundation of Jesus. Hold on to Christ, dear brothers and sisters. In addition, connect with the Body of Christ. Don’t go at it alone. If you do, you will give the devil a foothold. What does God say about this? Proverbs 11:14 “Where there is no guidance the people fall, but in abundance of counselors there is victory.” When going through the storms of life cling to the Rock and surround yourself with wise counsel. God will deliver you in the proper time.
So looking at it, Sam had it right. As Christians, we hold on to hope. While we encounter storms in life, while dark days may approach we must that hope is worth fighting for. Don’t give up and don’t give the enemy a foothold. Persevere in the Lord and the dark storms will pass while a new day dawns.
Frodo: “I can’t do this, Sam.”
Sam: “I know. It’s all wrong. By rights, we shouldn’t even be here. But we are. It’s like in the great stories, Mr. Frodo. The ones that really mattered, full of darkness and danger they were. And sometimes you didn’t want to know the end because how could the end be happy? How could the world go back to the way it was when so much bad had happened? But in the end, it’s only a passing thing — this shadow. Even darkness must pass. A new day will come. And when the sun shines, it will shine out the clearer. Those were the stories that stayed with you…that meant something. Even if you were too small to understand why. But, I think, Mr. Frodo, I do understand…I know now. Folks in those stories had lots of chances of turning back, only they didn’t. They kept going…because they were holding on to something.”
Frodo: “What are we holding on to, Sam?”
Sam: “That there’s some good in this world, Mr. Frodo. And it’s worth fighting for.”
Profound, no? Sam had the right attitude about the journey. Frodo was very fortunate to have someone like him cheering him on.
Sometimes life comes at you hard. The enemy is lurking, waiting for a chance to trip you up, to make you stumble. The intent of the enemy is to throw your life, my life, and all lives out of balance. It is important, at all times but especially when encountering the storms of life, to have the proper perspective. There is some deep theology in Sam’s little speech. I believe that God’s desire is that we take an outlook similar to Sam. James 1:2-4 reads like this: “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” If that isn’t proof enough, let’s examine 1 Peter 1:6-7: In 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 your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.”
Sometimes we believe that we just can’t continue on anymore. The trials that we go through are too much to bear. And, in a way, that’s right. We can’t go through these trials…alone. We must look to the Body of Christ to aid us in our journey. Frodo could have never made it through his journey without Sam. In fact, if you know the story, without Sam, Frodo would have indeed failed. From this I see that we must hold onto our faith in troubled times. In addition, we must reach out to other believers for help. The phrase “iron sharpening iron” is very important to remember. The enemy wants to cut us off and isolate us. In battle, the smart strategist will look to break apart the opposing army. It is much easier to defeat the opponent when they are scattered, confused, and cut off from the main group. The enemy will attack us and try to cut us off from the Body of Christ. I say that you cannot allow this to happen. I have seen this in my own personal walk. When encountering troubled times, the enemy comes at me and attempts to cut me off from wise counsel. Now the enemy will always allow unwise counsel, but when it comes to “iron sharpening iron” well, it becomes a tad more difficult. The best battle plan is to praise God in the midst of the storms of life. The waves may come crashing against you, but we stand upon the solid foundation of Jesus. Hold on to Christ, dear brothers and sisters. In addition, connect with the Body of Christ. Don’t go at it alone. If you do, you will give the devil a foothold. What does God say about this? Proverbs 11:14 “Where there is no guidance the people fall, but in abundance of counselors there is victory.” When going through the storms of life cling to the Rock and surround yourself with wise counsel. God will deliver you in the proper time.
So looking at it, Sam had it right. As Christians, we hold on to hope. While we encounter storms in life, while dark days may approach we must that hope is worth fighting for. Don’t give up and don’t give the enemy a foothold. Persevere in the Lord and the dark storms will pass while a new day dawns.
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