Ordinary People, doing Extraordinary Things

Often, God works through ordinary people who are available and have submitted their lives to Him. He takes the common work that we do and transforms it into something extraordinary. In our daily walk, you never know when God will use you to bring glory to Himself.

Let me challenge you with this question--in your life, where do you desire the spotlight to be focused? On the surface, for most of us, the answer is an easy one. We say, of course, on someone else other than me--God, others, etc. But when we truly tested and a choice needs to be made (that maybe no one else will know about), does our selfish, fleshly nature raise its ugly head. For me, it can.

But then I try to remember, whose I am. He has created me to do good works. (Ephesians 2:10 NIV). Works that He intended to bring glory to Himself, not me. That certainly does not mean I am worthless to God. It simply means that it is not about me. And that is truly freeing. None of us are the most important piece of God's puzzle, but each of us is significant and are necessary to what God wants to accomplish through each of our lives.

Power Under Control

As I open God's word and allow the truth to sink deep into my heart and mind, I pray that I am a different person--a person who continually desires to grow closer in my personal relationship with the Creator of the universe. And I pray that He changes and refreshes you also with His amazing truth. I encourage you to take the time every day to spend quiet time with God.

Today, I am taking a look at a portion of Jesus' wonderful sermon called the Sermon on the Mount. In this message, among many other things, He notes "[b]lessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth." (Matthew 5:5 NIV). What is your concept of the word meek? On the surface, when I think about this word, images of a cowering mouse in the corner come to my mind. I compare meekness with cowardice. But after digging into the true meaning here, my thoughts are far, far from accurate.

The Greek translation of the word is "power under control." Many times, in the culture of the time, it was used to describe a war stallion that is under the control of its owner. Did you hear that--a war stallion! A war stallion out of control kills and destroys. But one under control is an amazing tool of its owner to serve the owner's purpose. It denotes a servant's humble attitude, which is a focus on God-first, rather than me-first.

A focus on God-first characterizes people in His kingdom. They are not in this life for themselves. They are not running around seeking their own good, but are instead looking for the opportunity to further His kingdom. This focus casts aside selfishness, and strives for selflessness.

So, how does this look in your life? Meekness is not lying down like a doormat to be walked upon. It is knowing whose you are and being comfortable with the fact that it is not about you, but about Him. What you do is rest in Him, and commit your way to Him. And allow Him to do the rest. Sound to simple? Remember, we don't have to make our walk with Him so complicated. Allow Him to live through you--experience His amazing strength.

Stay Strong.

A Taste of God's Love

The apostle Paul, in 1 Corinthians 13, talks about love. "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no records of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres." (1 Corinthians 13:4-7 NIV). This is the scripture of choice at many weddings, including mine--which was nearly 16 years ago. What an awesome day! But I still remember thinking, "how can I do this, how can I love like these verses describe?"

Guess what--I can't. And neither can you. In our own strength, it is impossible to love like this. And that is exactly where God wants us--realizing that we cannot do it. So, rather than relying upon our own strength to love like this, we allow Him to do it through us. I cannot love my wife like this unless I am allowing God to love Wendy through me. Likewise, I cannot love my kids this way, unless I have stepped aside and allow God to use me as a tool of His love for them.

I thank God daily that I do not have to function in my own strength. Because I know what I am capable of in my own strength--NOTHING. I know apart from Him I can do nothing. (John 15:5(b)NIV). But I also know, that "I can do everything through Him who gives me strength." (Philppians 4:13 NIV).

If you have truly placed your faith and trust in Jesus Christ, you have within you the Holy Spirit. In fact, scripture describes our bodies as the "temple of the Holy Spirit". (1 Corinthians 6: 19 NIV). The Holy Spirit guides us, strengthens us, teaches us, equips us, and empowers us not to live for ourselves, but to live our lives for Him and for His glory.

The love Paul describes above is the type of love that God has for us and is the kind of love that He desires we show to each other. Since God desires we show such love, don't you think that He has prepared and equipped us to love that way.

Stay Strong.

Doing the Impossible

I hope each of you had a joyous and restful Easter. This time of year is a wonderful time of renewal and newness of life all around. Take some time just to enjoy all that God is doing around you.

Do you ever feel overwhelmed with the challenges that you are facing? Do the deadlines, uncertainties, and frustrations, at times, seem to encompass all of your thoughts? If so, you are not alone. We do face trials--we do face tough times. But, please know we are not walking this path alone.

Not surprisingly, Jesus addressed challenges in His word. In Mark 3, Jesus again entered the synagogue, and a man with a withered hand was there. He asked the man to step forward and to "stretch out his hand." The man may have been thinking "stretch out my hand, what do you mean. I can't do that--I've never been able to do that. My hand doesn't work." But look at what the man does in v. 5, "he stretched it out." And immediately, Jesus healed him. As this man put forth the effort, God then did the rest.

Faith disregards impossibilities. This man placed his faith in the fact that God can do the impossible. What seems impossible to man is completely possible with God. (Luke 18:27 NIV). Do you believe that God can heal your "withered hand"? Please know, He can.

Place your trust in the fact that He has a plan for all the challenges we face. When we place our cares in His hands, we open the door for a peace which defies understanding to take the place of fear and frustration. Are you willing to give up the fear and frustration for that kind of peace?

Stay Strong.

An Easter You Will Never Forget

Jesus Christ has risen from the dead. And because of this, you and I live fully alive also. Not just with our eyes open and with air in our lunds, but also with a heart and soul that are full of Him. Jesus came not just to give us life, but to give it to each of us to the full. (John 10:10 NIV).

Some of you do not know the power of the risen Christ. You have never knelt at the foot of the cross and had all of your sins forgiven. On that first Good Friday, Jesus Christ willingly died on the cross taking your place. He took the judgment that was yours and made it His. (2 Corinthians 5:21 NIV). On the third day (what we celebrate as "Easter"), Jesus was raised from the dead. That fact is a guarantee that the work of Christ as your substitute on the cross was acceptable to God.

So, what does this mean to me you may ask. This means that from this point forward, your life may never be the same again. You life can be one of joy, love, self-control, and a peace which cannot be explained. To receive this--all you need to do is believe and accept. Nothing else. Believe that the work of Christ on the cross removed the barrier of sin from your life. And accept His unconditional love and forgiveness. When you do this, God says that He will clothe you in His righteousness. Everyone, no matter where you have been or what you have done, can know the power of the resurrected Christ. If you will put your trust in Him by faith, Jesus Christ will go with you through the disappointments, the tragedies and the trials. He promises to never leave you or forsake you.

What a glorious thing it would be this Easter to give your life to Christ. He is waiting to let the resurrected Christ come to dwell in your heart and give you His power to meet the challenges and the problems of your day! Today, many people are confused, lonely, and discouraged. Their "gods" have let them down. Give your life to Christ--who will never let you down. Give Him a chance--let Him transform your life. Will you give Him that chance today?

Stay Strong.

God's Amazing Love

Easter is my favorite time of year. It is a time of freshness and renewal. Spring is here. And soon all that has been dormant through the winter will come back to life.

As a believer in Jesus Christ, Easter is also a time of spiritual renewal and freshness. For me, Easter is a time of amazing celebration of God's love. "God showed His great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners." (Romans 5:8 NLT). God does not just say that He loves us--He showed it. He showed His great love without the need for us to show that we deserved it. He showed it "while we were still sinners." Isn't that amazing! We did nothing to earn it. His love is completely unconditional.

Take some time to just bask in God's amazing and unconditonal love as we celebrate Easter this weekend. Just come to Him just as you are--He loves you and completely accepts you.

I wish you and your family a wonderful Easter. I hope you find a bible-believeing church this weekend to celebrate this wonderful time of year.

Stay strong.

The Sin of Passivity

Recently, a leader in a national ministry to men proclaimed that a major challenge facing many men today is: passivity. So, what does this look like? There are many types of passivity. Here, I would like to focus on what this looks like a man's #1 ministry--at home with his wife and children.

At home, it is a man who is withdrawn, inactive, and self-centered. He is distant from his wife and children. He allows what is happening around him to just happen without any participation, guidance, or input from him. This inactivity, guys, is sin.

"The husband provides leadership to his wife the way Christ does to His church, not by domineering but by cherishing." (Ephesians 5: 23 MSG). Bibically, guys we are commanded to lead. Leadership does not just happen. It is not conveyed by bearing a title. Leaders are active participants in what and who they are leading. Leaders give--they are not takers. "Husbands, go all out in your love for your wives, exactly as Christ did for the church--a love marked by giving, not getting." (Ephesians 5: 25 MSG). Passivity denotes taking and giving little or nothing.

Passivity is a learned behavior. Numerous, and sometimes complex, reasons stand behind this (in)action. But please understand, what I am referring to here is a pattern of passivity. It is not the periodic event where we may be a bit distant. We all get tired periodically. We do have a lot on our plates. As men, sometimes we just want to be left alone. Absent a consistent pattern of this type, this attitude is not the sin I am referring to. Passivity is an ongoing, consistent disengagement from your family.

As with any learned behavior, it can be un-learned. But, you have to first recognize that passivity is not a good thing. That is not how God created you. So, allow God to take that inactivity away. Ask Him to strengthen you to re-engage. Doesn't your family deserve a husband and dad that is engaged and pro-active in leading the family relationship? I think they do.

Stay Strong.

God's Grace to the Humble

Humility is the key to successful relationships. In a world gone mad with pride, it is easy to see why so many relationships fall apart over time. Humility is tough to comprehend and even tougher to fully absorb into our lives. The apostle Peter writes, "[c]lothe yourself with humility toward one another, because, God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore, under God's mighty hand that He may lift you up in due time." (1 Peter 5:5-6 NIV).

Peter's words here sharply contradict the focus on self, and the attitude of what's in it for me. The extortation to be "clothed in humility" is not a simple suggestion, it is a command. Being clothed in such a way begins and ends with your attitude. Here are some comparisons to think about:

1. Do you root for the success of others, or do you cheer (even secretely) for their failure?


2. Is it ok if others are right sometimes, or do you have to prove something everytime?


3. Are you ok when plans change, or do you get frustrated that YOUR plan is now not working?

How you answered these questions may shed some light on whether you are suffereing from a prideful attitude. Pride kills relationships. When you think about it, how often do people want to truly help a prideful person? And Peter tells us that "God opposes the proud." When we allow pride to stay in our hearts, the resistance of God begins.

Humility is: thinking of others better than yourself, placing others interests before our own, not thinking to highly of YOUR accomplishments, and, most importantly, in our relationsjip with our Heavenly Father, having the attitude like Jesus, when He said, "yet not my will, but that yours be done." (Luke 22: 42 NIV).

This does not mean that to be humble you must be a doormat. Quite the contrary, in fact. Truly, it is about allowing the Holy Spirit that lives in you to truly live through you. It is allowing the Holy Spirit to rid you of instances and footholds of pride. It is about having a heart like David when he said, "[s]earch me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." (Psalm 139: 23-24 NIV).

When we are truly clothed in humility, people take notice and God ends his resistance.

Stay Strong.

Keeping Your Word with Your Kids

Here's an awesome article from Jim Burns of Homeward. How many of you have just thought that you could say something to your kids--and they will just forget. Guess what--they won't forget. They will hold you to your word--as they should. How will it make you look if you do not follow through. And as the Article says, when you do miss up--confess your error and ask for their forgiveness.

Check out the article below. Stay Strong.



"Let Your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes’: Keeping Your Word with Your Kids"
by Jim Burns, Ph.D.
"You promised that you would come to my game! Where were you?"
"Mom, you said you would pick me up at 9:30 – and it’s 10:30! Why do I always have to be the last one to get picked up? You’re always late!"
"Honey I had a bad day at work! I’m sorry, I know I promised, but I don’t want your friend to come over to our house tonight. Just call her and tell her that she can’t come over because I’m sick."
"Dad, what do you mean I can’t get my driver’s license? You said I could get it if I passed my biology class and I passed it!"
Do any of these comments sound familiar? Too often, parents have resorted to not keeping their word with their kids. Parents may not intentionally try to hurt their kids, but when moms and dads don’t keep their word, they cause damage to relationships and trust – sometimes creating lifelong negative consequences – in kids’ lives. Someone has said, "Things are never quite the same somehow after you have to lie to a person." While I don’t agree with the "have to lie" part of the quote, I do agree that lying damages relationships – even in parent-child relationships.
Jesus commands his followers, "Simply let your ‘yes’ be ‘yes,’ and your ‘no’ be ‘no’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one." (Matthew 5:37.) Let’s face facts – no parent is perfect. Still, as parents we are called to live our lives with integrity. Because we serve as our children’s role models for life and faith, we need to be very careful in how we live our lives before our kids.
The spirituality of your kids is very dependent on the examples they see you setting at home. Kids need your integrity! If you desire your children to have vibrant spiritual lives, then they need to see an authentic faith lived out in your life. No one expects perfection, but a "do as I say, not as I do" attitude is not likely to produce a vital Christian lifestyle in your teenager’s life either. Kids have a highly tuned "hypocrisy" detector and they are all too aware of the promises their parents have made and not kept. Your kids don’t need your perfection. They need your honesty – and if you fail, they need to see how you follow Christ despite your struggles and failures along the way – in order to display an authentic example of Christianity lived out in the real world.
So what can you do to work on making sure your ‘yes’ is ‘yes’ and your ‘no’ is ‘no’? Here are some tips:
1. Think before you promise. Ask yourself, "If I make this promise, can I keep my word?"
2. If you can’t keep your word, don’t promise. It’s much better to say, "I’m going to try my hardest to get to your game tomorrow, but I can’t promise you I’ll make it" – and not make it – than to say, "I’ll be there for sure!" and not show up.
3. Think before you act. When it comes to your behaviors around home, ask yourself, "If I say or do this, what example will that set for my child?"
4. Ask for your child’s forgiveness when you fail to keep your word. Don’t sweep your failures under the carpet. Face them head on. Apologize and ask for forgiveness.
5. Realign your priorities. If you find that you regularly can’t keep your word to your kids, it’s time to reassess and realign your priorities. Keeping your family healthy and your kids on track to grow into mature and responsible adults requires that you make decisions to be involved and connected in their lives. Your presence in your children’s lives makes an incredible difference! You may not make as much money if you leave work early every week to show up at your daughter’s soccer games, but it will be more than worth the effort in the long run!
www.HomeWord.

You are Not Your Own

Paul encourages us when he says, "[d]o you not know that you body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, whom you have received from God? You not your own; you were bought at a price." (1 Corinthians 6:19-20 NIV). This passage of scripture generally refers to sexual immorality. But, I think it can also be equally applied to other areas of our life.

As the temple which houses His Holy Spirit, God did not design you to be short with your children. God did not design you to share harsh words with your wife. God did not design you to be the employee that take shortcuts to just "get the job done." Instead, God took great care to design you to be a tool of His righteousness. He designed you to be an ambassador of His amazing grace and love to others. (2 Corinthians 5:20 NIV).

But what gets in the way of how He designed us. I think it is selfishness. When things do not go our way--what is our attitude? Do we get frustrated? Do we get angry and start to force "our" way? I admit--sometimes I do. But that is not how God created me to function. And that is not how He created you to function!

He bought each of us at a great price. We are no longer our own. Allow the Holy Spirit to live through you. Allow Him to take control of your attitudes, emotions, and feelings. Paul finishes his extortion with, "[t]herefore, honor God with your body." (1 Corinthians 6: 20(b)NIV). How are you honoring God? But remember, it's not you doing it. Allow Him to live through you.

Stay Strong.