May 30, 2011 in
Faith, True Stories, Weakness with
Memorial Day weekend was a little different for me. Instead of spending time with my family, I spent time alone. Leah and the kids headed up to Michigan to stay with her parents for the weekend since I had responsibilities at the Summit. Being by myself is fun for a day or so, but it gets a little lonesome. I was glad to see them return home on Monday afternoon and we celebrated by heading out on a bike ride, which ended up with us spending a few minutes in our local park. The kids’ swings have a weight limit so I passed on load testing them but I did agree to push Lexi. Since a very young age, Lexi has always warned me not to push her too high and if she suspects that I’m pushing too hard, she tells me to stop. I’m her father and I know her limits. Although she may fearful in certain circumstances, I always have my eyes on her and know when enough is enough.
Our Heavenly Father also has His eyes on His children and knows exactly when enough is enough. If you think you are being pushed too fast or too high, remember that you are not alone. It is often when we feel weak or scared that God can show Himself strong (2 Corinthians 12:10).
October 18, 2010 in
Attitude, Determination, Failure, Faith, Life, Perspective, Relationship with God, The Church, Thoughts, Transformation with
You left church yesterday with the best of intentions, right? Your Pastor talked about something relevant to your life and you decided to make a change in response to the truth of God’s Word. You really meant it. This week was going to be different…but then you woke up this morning…Monday morning. You already feel horrible because you aren’t sure that you can make a change in your life. Doubt starts creep in and you begin to question if you really meant it. Before you know it, you have given up and rationalized away those feelings of yesterday. That morning after feeling is normal for all of us, including me. So, how do we fight off these feelings and submit to God’s work in our heart?
Feelings must be overtaken by fact. You may not feel as if you can make the necessary change to walk in obedience to Christ, but the fact is that God “…is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us….” (Ephesians 3:20). God’s ability to change you far outweighs your feelings of doubt. If God began a work in your heart yesterday, He is capable of bringing it to pass today.
Yesterday, God laid the foundation. Today, construction begins.
September 30, 2010 in
Faith, Fear, True Stories with
My commute to work this morning was a little unusual. My routine 5 mile trek was complicated by some fog which hadn’t quite cleared out of the area. I snapped a quick picture while sitting at a stoplight and it clearly shows a big patch of fog waiting to swallow my car. When the light turned green, I proceeded with caution into the great unknown. Upon entering the fog, I discovered that as long as I kept moving, the road in front of me opened up. But the moment I stopped, I was engulfed and the road ahead of me was hidden.
Simple observation. Profound application. When our path is unclear we often delay or even stop our forward motion until we are fully aware of what lies ahead. The problem with this thought process is that waiting for a path to become clear wastes valuable time and causes us to miss opportunities to walk in faith. Although walking in faith does not come naturally, God expects it in the life of His followers and He has promised to reward those who walk in it (Hebrews 11:6).
September 22, 2010 in
Communication with God, Disappointment, Faith, Fear, God, Life, Perspective, Relationship with God, Thoughts, Tragedy, Trials with
Why does God feel distant? Why is God remaining silent? Why does it feel like God has abandoned me? These are questions I have asked plenty of times since becoming a follower of Jesus. Typically these questions begin surfacing when an unforeseeable circumstance arises and the outcome cannot be governed by me. I may pray for divine intervention, but when rescue does not arrive quickly I doubt God’s nearness. I may search the Scriptures for peace, but when the answer is not clear I am overcome with confusion and bitterness. I may seek wise counsel for clarity, but when the explanations are unsatisfactory I am filled with uncertainty.
I’ve been contemplating this dilemma lately. Is there a way that these questions can be reconciled? I believe there is a clear answer. My feelings do not determine truth. In other words, the way I feel is not an accurate reflection of reality. David, under inspiration of the Holy Spirit, wrote these words in Psalm 37:25, “Once I was young, and now I am old. Yet I have never seen the godly abandoned….” According to Scripture, God NEVER forsakes or abandons the righteous. Although I may feel alone in my circumstance, the truth is that God will NEVER leave me.
God’s proximity is not measured by my perspective, but by His promise.
August 25, 2010 in
Faith, God, Tragedy, Trials, True Stories with
Sometimes I think my life is hard. I bet you also think life is difficult at certain times. You and your husband are not getting along. The kids are out of control. Bills are piling up. Your health is deteriorating. You feel that the best part of your life is behind you and that the future is bleak. A major crisis has taken over your life.
During hardship, it is easy to allow the circumstance to define you, even consume you until there is no hope of escape. But, what if comfort is found in the embrace and not the escape of suffering? What if the way to healing is not running away from but patiently enduring trials? Maybe that is why James writes to suffering believers, “Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow” (James 1:2-3).
Yesterday, I read these words of Paul in 2 Corinthians 1:8-10 and I think we should read them every time we experience suffering because they capture the essence of a proper perspective. “We think you ought to know, dear brothers and sisters, about the trouble we went through in the province of Asia. We were crushed and overwhelmed beyond our ability to endure, and we thought we would never live through it. In fact, we expected to die. But as a result, we stopped relying on ourselves and learned to rely only on God, who raises the dead. And he did rescue us from mortal danger, and he will rescue us again. We have placed our confidence in him, and he will continue to rescue us.”
Feeling crushed or overwhelmed by life’s circumstances? It may be time to stop running and start relying.
What is your usual reaction to suffering?
November 12, 2009 in
Faith, Leadership, Prayer, Trials with
We all want it, well, I think most of us do. Success, although I’m not talking about the selfish, self-serving type of success. Regardless of how you define success in your particular vocation, success seems to be a term thrown around in our world today – successful businessman, successful parent, successful pastor, successful marriage, successful church, and whatever else you can add. With all this talk about being successful, is there a downside? I believe there can be. There is a great story in the Bible concerning the downside of success found in 1 Kings 18-19. Elijah, the prophet of God during the reign of Ahab (874-853 BC), spoke out against Israel’s worship of false gods, including Baal. Ahab is called the most evil king than all who were before him (1 Kings 16:30) and also the one who angered God more than any other king prior to his rule (16:33). This was spoken of Ahab because he was the one responsible for dragging Israel into the worship of false gods. As a judgment, God caused a three and a half year drought to come upon Israel. Toward the end of the drought, Elijah called for the 450 prophets of Baal to meet him on Mount Carmel where there was a showdown to determine which god was true – Baal or the God of Israel (1 Kings 18:20-40). In a miraculous display of power, Elijah called down fire from heaven and God demonstrated that He was the one and only true God. Elijah then had all 450 prophets of Baal executed for their part in leading Israel into the worship of false gods (1 Kings 18:40). After this monumental event in Elijah’s ministry, God caused it to rain again in response to the prayers of Elijah (1 Kings 18:41-46). Most people would read this and think, success.
However, when you turn the page, Elijah is being threatened by Ahab’s evil wife, who basically promises that she will have Elijah killed as he had killed the prophets of Baal (1 Kings 19:1-2). Forgetting about the supernatural displays of power he had just witnessed, Elijah becomes fearful of Jezebel, runs for his life (19:3), and begs God to kill him (19:4). What happened? I believe two things are clear in this story: 1) success is often followed by an immediate challenge, and, 2) past success does not guarantee future success. Elijah forgot that the God who sent fire from heaven was the same God who could deliver him from his current situation.
I wonder if I’ve forgotten…
November 9, 2009 in
Attitude, Communication with God, Determination, Failure, Faith, Perspective, Prayer, Relationship with God, Spiritual Disciplines, True Stories with
We recently committed “cell phone provider adultery” by leaving Verizon Wireless, whom we have been with almost a decade, and going with their bitter rival, AT&T. The first few months have been an adjustment – new phones, new customer service, and a whole new process to learn. One of the things we did not anticipate in our initial switch was that most of our family still has Verizon as their service provider, so we went over our minutes in our first month because we lost our free mobile to mobile minutes. On the last day of our billing cycle I checked our minute usage and we were already 50 minutes over, which would have incurred more than $20 in overage charges. Maybe that is not a problem for you, but I HATE paying overage charges for anything! On a whim, I contacted AT&T customer service and explained my dilemma and the gentleman was very kind in listening to my predicament. As I was talking, I was thinking, “This guy probably thinks I’m an idiot! There’s no way he is going to respond to my request.” To my surprise, the AT&T customer service representative understood and told me that he would add 200 minutes to my account and that if I didn’t use those extra minutes this month, they would roll over to next month.
I learned something through that process – asking must precede receiving. Without asking, you’ll never receive. Maybe the reason you have not yet received something is because you’ve never asked. “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened” (Matthew 7:7-8).
October 30, 2009 in
Character, Determination, Faith, Impact, Influence, Leadership, Life, Motivation, Readiness, Reputation, The Church, Transition, Wisdom with
The other day I was reading the cover story in the October issue of National Geographic magazine. The article, simply entitled Redwoods: Super Trees, speaks about the value and beauty of redwood trees, which have the potential to be the tallest trees on earth. Although the article addresses issues such as saving the trees and other conservation efforts, the author also writes about a unique process in the forest between the older trees and the second generation trees called
release. The writer, Joel K. Bourne, Jr., describes this phenomenon for the reader by saying, “With their high tolerance for shade and ability to sprout, some redwoods can sit almost dormant in the shade of their elders for decades. Yet as soon as a dominant tree falls or is cut down, breaking the canopy and allowing new light to enter the forest, the suppressed redwood springs up with new growth” (October 2009 issue, p. 38).
As soon as I read this statement I paused and re-read it again; it was one of those moments in which I felt as if God was providing a spiritual application to an earthly illustration. In my lifetime I have seen many “elders” and “dominant” leaders pass off the scene which has opened up the forest to many of the “suppressed” (I don’t mean this in a negative way) leaders. For many years, some of you have stood strong in the shadow of an elder who provided shade and protection, but now it is time for you to step into the light and “spring up with new growth.”
I believe Paul wrote some similar advice to those “suppressed” leaders who were getting ready to assume the place of their elders, “Don’t let anyone think less of you because you are young. Be an example to all believers in what you teach, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity. Until I get there, focus on reading the Scriptures to the church, encouraging the believers, and teaching them. Do not neglect the spiritual gift you received through the prophecies spoken to you when the elders of the church laid their hands on you. Give your complete attention to these matters. Throw yourself into your tasks so that everyone will see your progress. Keep a close watch on yourself and on your teaching. Stay true to what is right, and God will save you and those who hear you (1 Timothy 4:12-16, NLT).
Are you ready to step into the light?
July 24, 2009 in
Determination, Faith, God, Prayer, Relationship with God, The Will of God, Trials with
Not too long ago I began reading Luke’s account of the life and ministry of Jesus Christ and I have not been able to shake some truths I gleaned from the first chapter (Luke 1:5-25, 57-64). A couple named Zacharias (a priest) and Elizabeth were elderly, but felt unfulfilled in their lives because they had never been blessed with a child. It appears that they had prayed for years (1:13) that God would answer their request, but year after year God was silent and no answer was in sight. All hope seemed to be lost for this couple whom Luke describes as “righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless” (1:6). The question of fairness comes into view here because why wouldn’t God answer the desperate prayers of two people who were doing everything right? Little did they know that God was already at work…just not on their timeframe.
God sends an angel to Zacharias in order to reveal that he and Elizabeth were going to be parents, but Zacharias has a hard time believing that a man his age was going to be able to…well, you know. The angel gives Zacharias a sign, which also doubles as a consequence for his disbelief, and he cannot speak until John (the Baptist) is born. In my opinion, Zacharias prayed for God to answer without being fully convinced that He would respond.
When the same angel later appears to Mary, the mother of Jesus and relative of Elizabeth, he reveals to her that Elizabeth is pregnant and will soon give birth. Luke documents the angel’s words to Mary, “Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren. For with God nothing will be impossible” (1:36). Our God specializes in making the impossible possible for those who are righteous and walking in His ways.
Maybe you’re tired of asking? Maybe you are convinced that God is not listening? But maybe tomorrow or the next day is the day God will arrive and make what once seemed impossible a reality.
You can hear more of my unfiltered thoughts on this story at the Summit this coming Sunday at 10:15am!
July 23, 2009 in
Determination, Failure, Faith, Fear, Funny Stories, Motivation, Perspective, True Stories with
Okay. So there are no vampires in this story, but there is a bat. Yesterday, several staff members, including myself, were walking through one of the hallways on the second level of our church (main campus) when all of the sudden our senior pastor stopped and inquired about an object hanging where the wall and ceiling meet. I had walked through the same hallway yesterday and noticed, what I supposed to be, a wire or wires hanging from the ceiling. “That’s a bat!” our senior pastor said. At first, I thought he was seeing things (he is getting older) so I decided to turn on more lights in the hallway. Sure enough, he was right! There hanging from the ceiling in our church was a bat. Although it was a nice call by the pastor, our attention quickly turned to removing this vampire bat from the church building; after all, I’m sure we would get some e-mail complaints if we left it there for Sunday worship.
My first thought was, “The only way to get this bat out of the church is to whack it on the head and kill it.” Don’t get me wrong. I love mammals, but not in confined spaces where there is a risk of me getting bitten. After a few minutes of searching around the custodial closets, we located a broom handle and I was elected to wield it, but the pastor reminded me, “You’ve only got one shot and if you miss, that thing is going to be flying all over the place.” Thank you for that voice of reason. The pastor and another unnamed staff member who works with our middle school students stood at a far distance so they could see the outcome. I’m certain they were rooting for me to miss so they could, as the pastor said, “see me scream like a girl and run.”
As I nervously approached the bat with my weapon of choice, I began thinking about what I would do if I missed. I mentally planned for failure. Many people never try anything because they have already convinced themselves that they will fail. Countless plans, movements, ministries, businesses, and dreams have never been realized because they never escaped from the mind. What would you be willing to try if failure wasn’t an option?
Postscript: Custodians arrived. Bat was removed safely. PETA is happy.
