A Lesson in Humility

The other night I was at my Taekwondo school, sitting and waiting for my class to begin.  That's when I noticed the school's owner outside the window.

Before I explain what he was doing, I think it's important to first see what he has accomplished in his lifetime so far.

He graduated from the Korea National Sport University,  #1 in his graduating class, and is currently a 7th Degree Black Belt.  He was awarded many commendations from the President's Council of the United States, the  WTF (World Taekwondo Federation)  and the Korean Olympic Committee. 

With this list of credentials, he is clearly at the top of his field. 

Yet I saw him outside, with a small bag and paper towel, picking up cigarette butts that had been carelessly tossed aside.  There was a peaceful look on his face as he did this.  No frustration, no anger, he was just calmly doing something that needed to be done.

This lesson on humility came to me by observing his life. 

I could not help but think of Jesus' teaching, "The greatest among you will be your servant.  For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted." Matthew 23:11-12 (NIV)

In Philippians 2:3-11, Paul tells us,

"Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves,  not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:

 Who, being in very nature God,

    did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;

rather, he made himself nothing

    by taking the very nature of a servant,

    being made in human likeness.

 And being found in appearance as a man,

    he humbled himself

    by becoming obedient to death—

        even death on a cross!

Therefore God exalted him to the highest place

    and gave him the name that is above every name,

 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,

    in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,

    to the glory of God the Father.

I'm humbled and challenged by this. 

Do we seek to have others serve us rather than serve them?  Oh, we may not ask them to do tasks for us, but we might be expecting them to serve our egos, present us with praise, treat us as we expect, desire, or often demand to be treated.

Something to think about.

Small, Insignificant Sin?

This morning when I was putting in my contact lens I did not notice there was a tiny speck of something on it.

For those of you who wear contacts, you know the instant reaction to this!

My eye clamped shut and I Immediately took the contact back out again.  Then I rinsed it and placed it back in.

ah... much better!

I got thinking about that.  The speck was tiny, in the big scheme of things it was insignificant, but I rejected the contact until I could clean it.  There was no way I could wear it that way.

In Isaiah, the bible says,  "All of us have become like one who is unclean,and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away." Isaiah 64:6 (NIV)

We tend to think that there are degrees to our sin.  Small ones, and big ones.  But to a Holy God, even what we'd see as a small thing, a "speck" on the lens, is too much.  What we see as no big deal because we compare ourselves to others, is highly offensive to him.

Fortunately, he has provided a way of cleansing us of our sins through the blood of his son.

Let's pray to see our sin as he does, as this prayer will help us to repent and be much more grateful that he has provided a way for us to be clean.

Light up the Darkness

Some days it's difficult for me to read the news, or even be on social media.  It appears that darkness abounds.  The darkness of hate, ignorance, well, just evil.

This reminds me of the movie "I am Legend" when one character, talking about Bob Marley says, "He had this idea. It was kind of a virologist idea. He believed that you could cure racism and hate... literally cure it, by injecting music and love into people's lives. When he was scheduled to perform at a peace rally, a gunman came to his house and shot him down. Two days later he walked out on that stage and sang. When they asked him why - he said, 'The people, who were trying to make this world worse...  are not taking a day off. How can I? Light up the darkness'"

Reading Matthew 5:14-16 (NIV) today.

"You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.  Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.  In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven."

So today, I would ask you to pray a simple prayer with me.  Let's ask the Lord how we can shine light in the darkness today.  We may not be able to influence the world, but perhaps we can influence those around us, that small part of the world that God has placed us in, to be that light.

May we fulfill our role, and light up the darkness.

A Joyful Life

Psalm 119:2 reads, "Joyful are those who obey his laws and search for him with all their hearts." (NLT)

Today there are so many things that promise us joy.  Some of those are instantaneous, some of them cost time or money, but one thing they all have in common is they are temporary.

Yet true lasting joy is experienced when we focus our life on obeying God and searching for him with all of our hearts. 

A joyful life is not void of sorrow, Jesus himself was known as a man of sorrows and familiar with suffering (from Isaiah 53).  Yet... even the cross wasn't too high of a price to pay for the joy that would come after, (as the writer of Hebrews explains)  "For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God (from Hebrews 12:2, NIV, emphasis mine)

However, a joyful life of obeying God and searching for him starts with the decision to do just that.  There comes a time in our lives when we simply need to decide. 

I remember being at that crossroads, at the lowest point of my life, I knew I had a choice before me.  Serve God completely, or serve myself. 

I have to say that the years that followed that dark time have been seasoned with times of great joy.  Joy even in the midst of dealing with the consequences of my own sin.  I had a joy that strengthened me when I needed it.

Have you ever chosen to live for him, totally and completely?  Not perfectly, for we all  have times of stumbling, but have you set off on that road determined to stay on it?

Have you experienced his joy?

Agendas...

I have been reading through Philippians lately, and it just blows me away how Paul looked at his life here on earth. 

At times, Paul almost seems to have an overwhelmingly positive attitude.  He constantly finds  reasons to rejoice. 

Then it struck me, he is writing this letter with his hands in chains.  Paul is in prison!

Yet he does not appear to focus on the difficulty of his situation.  His heart burns for one thing, the kingdom of God.  He wants to advance the kingdom by preaching and teaching the Gospel.  And nothing appears to matter to him as much as this mission.

When our life goals are focused on ourselves, our happiness, or dare I say our freedom, can easily get tossed back and forth like a leaf in the wind.  But when we align our agenda  with that of the Holy Spirit, wanting only the kingdom to advance, our whole perspective can change. 

And that is what I see with Paul, his mind is on building God's kingdom, not his own, and certainly not any man's kingdom.

Paul's perspective is clear, even his imprisonment is being used for the Gospel and he's good with that.

"Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters,that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel.  As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. And because of my chains, most of the brothers and sisters have become confident in the Lord and dare all the more to proclaim the gospel without fear." 1:12-14 (NIV)

What is our agenda?  Where do we focus our efforts on? 

Maybe the below shows an answer to how Paul focuses his mind, and how he encourages us to do the same.

"Finally, believers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable and worthy of respect, whatever is right and confirmed by God's word, whatever is pure and wholesome, whatever is lovely and brings peace, whatever is admirable and of good repute; if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think continually on these things [center your mind on them, and implant them in your heart].  The things which you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things [in daily life], and the God [who is the source] of peace and well-being will be with you." Phil 4:8-9 (AMP)

Where are your thoughts today?

Being Prepared

Riding home from church yesterday, I was thinking about a habit that I have developed while riding my motorcycle.

Early on, I developed the habit of avoiding riding over things in the road, just to practice "aiming" the bike.  For example, riding over a crosswalk, I ride between the painted marks.  Or coming to a stop, I avoid the big turning arrows.  There's a manhole cover, come close to it, but don't go over it.

My thinking is this, if I get used to that kind of precision when it doesn't really matter, those skills can come in handy in more serious situations. 

The same can be said about how we handle the word of God. 

Reading 2 Timothy 2:15 (NIV)

"Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth."

One of the things I love about the Bible is that it speaks on how to handle every day life.  That in itself is awesome.  And it also teaches us who Jesus Christ is, as he defines himself.  In a day like today, when everyone out there has an opinion,, it is good to have a firm knowledge of the Bible to be sure of the things we believe about Jesus Christ, like who he is and how he saved us. 

Knowing the scriptures that form our doctrine will aide us in a better understanding of Christ and will also come in handy when we are discussing our beliefs with others. 

As Peter exhorts us, "But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect," 1 Peter 3:15 (NIV)

Being able to correctly handle my motorcycle at the right time can save a life, correctly handling the word of God can save a soul.

Are you ready?

How To Live A Holy Life

Psalm 119 has 176 verses; there is so much there to absorb.

When reading 9-16 today, It jumped out at me, what a great illustration this is for the partnership between us and the Lord!  

How can we live a Holy life?  The question is simple, how do we stay on the path of purity?  

"9 How can a young person stay on the path of purity?

    By living according to your word.

10 I seek you with all my heart;

    do not let me stray from your commands.

11 I have hidden your word in my heart 

    that I might not sin against you.

12 Praise be to you, Lord;

    teach me your decrees.

13 With my lips I recount

    all the laws that come from your mouth.

14 I rejoice in following your statutes

    as one rejoices in great riches.

15 I meditate on your precepts

    and consider your ways.

16 I delight in your decrees;

    I will not neglect your word. (NIV)

 

Notice how many references there are to spending time in God's word (vv 9,11,15, 16,) along with reliance on God to accomplish the end results (10,12.)

We can pray this prayer today, that's simple enough, but will we follow up with the actual commitment not to neglect his word?

Moving on...

When my sons were teenagers, they had the unfortunate experience of a father who was a morning person. 

Most times I wouldn't pay too much attention to when they got up, but if we had some place to go (and the clock was ticking) then they pretty much got one warning to get out of bed. If they did not,  I would come in their room and in one swoop, yank the warm covers off of them and out of reach.

Essentially I had to make it less comfortable for them to stay in bed in order for them to move. 

A pan of water was next, if that didn't work...

Reading Hebrews today, Chapter 12:7-11 (NIV)

"Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father?  If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all.  Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live!  They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness.  No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it."

Are you feeling a bit uncomfortable lately?  Perhaps seeing something in yourself that you were not aware was as bad as you now can see it is?

Sometimes the Lord simply makes us uncomfortable with a sinful habit because he's telling us it's time to repent and move on.

Abundant Life - 2

So yesterday I asked you two questions.

First, are you experiencing the abundant life?  And second, are you spending daily time in the word?

Jesus said, "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." John 10:10 (NIV)

That's a very powerful verse, but how does it look in our life, exactly?

The Bible says, "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will." Romans 12:2 (NIV)

There are basically two ways to live our life, God's way and the world's way.  Now, the world's way is being "advertised" to us daily.  We see it in the news and especially in our media entertainment.  There is always a subtle message being given. 

So, we don't have to seek out ways to have the world's message present itself to us.  It's everywhere.

However, God's way is primarily found in the Bible.  Reading God's word, studying it, meditating on it, attending church or bible studies, this is the way "God's way" presents itself to us. 

Eventually we become aware of the choices we make and we notice that there is a clear line between God's way, and the world's way. 

When we choose to walk in God's way, we choose the abundant life.  When we choose the world, we may gain temporary pleasures, but it will not lead to overall abundant life. 

The problem is that our flesh will come up with dozens of reasons not to get into God's word.  That is why the majority of Christians say they "should read the Bible more..." but don't.

And the majority of Christians are not experiencing the abundant life.

Now there are other factors involved.  But it starts with a commitment to get into God's word.

Abundant Life

Brother Bobby mentioned a certain scripture in his sermon this past Sunday.

This scripture's been rolling around in my mind ever since.  I've learned over the years that when you keep remembering a particular bible verse, it's worth praying about it to understand why.

The verse was, 

"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." John 10:10 (NIV)

It seems like, as we go through our day, there are many choices that come along.  Some of these choices bring life, and with some of them we end up with a loss.

The problem is, how do we tell the difference?  Something that seems enjoyable may appear to bring life, but in the end it could easily end up stealing our life instead.  Those who have ever struggled with any kind of addiction understand this all too well.

Proverbs 14:12 says,  (NIV)

"There is a way that appears to be right, 

but in the end it leads to death."

We've all been there, haven't we?  We start out on a path, a path that normally we have to talk ourselves into , and then end up with regrets.

For this blog, I have two questions to ask before we continue this thought tomorrow.

First, are you experiencing the abundant life?  And second, are you spending daily time in the word?

Think about those two questions, actually take time and even write down your answers.  We'll continue on this thought tomorrow.

Reading That Challenges Us

This past Sunday our brother Bobby Austin preached.  He asked, a few times, if we believed the Bible was really God's word, God's word to us?

The Bible will challenge us because it reveals the mind of God.  We are seeing his perspective on things, so it shouldn't surprise us when it clashes with the way we see life, or how we want to behave.

Reading Romans 12 today.  I'm leaving the verse numbers in, because I include two different versions.  The first reading is from the NIV, the next is from the Amplified Bible.  I add the Amplified version because it gives a more complete view of what the passage really says.  It's a version that can be a little more complicated to read, but it's a great tool for understanding what a certain passage means.

9 Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. 11 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. 12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. 13 Share with the Lord's people who are in need. Practice hospitality.

14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. 16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.

17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. 18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. 19 Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord. 20 On the contrary:

"If your enemy is hungry, feed him;

    if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.

In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head."

21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.. Romans 12:9-21 (NIV)

And now the Amplified Bible

9 Love is to be sincere and active [the real thing—without guile and hypocrisy]. Hate what is evil [detest all ungodliness, do not tolerate wickedness]; hold on tightly to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one another with [authentic] brotherly affection [as members of one family], give preference to one another in honor; 11 never lagging behind in diligence; aglow in the Spirit, enthusiastically serving the Lord; 12 constantly rejoicing in hope [because of our confidence in Christ], steadfast and patient in distress, devoted to prayer [continually seeking wisdom, guidance, and strength], 13 contributing to the needs of God's people, pursuing [the practice of] hospitality.

14 Bless those who persecute you [who cause you harm or hardship]; bless and do not curse [them]. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice [sharing others' joy], and weep with those who weep [sharing others' grief]. 16 Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty [conceited, self-important, exclusive], but associate with humble people [those with a realistic self-view]. Do not overestimate yourself. 17 Never repay anyone evil for evil. Take thought for what is right and gracious and proper in the sight of everyone. 18 If possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. 19 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave the way open for God's wrath [and His judicial righteousness]; for it is written [in Scripture], "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay," says the Lord. 20 But if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for by doing this you will heap [e]burning coals on his head." 21 Do not be overcome and conquered by evil, but overcome evil with good.

There is a lot of talk today on how to handle evil in our world.  But the Bible is pretty clear. 

Where Are Your Eyes Going?

As most bikers know, there is a big difference between operating a motorcycle and a car.

For one, you turn a motorcycle primarily by leaning.  Even the turn of your head can cause the bike to automatically go in the direction you are looking.  This causes what we call "object fixation" and can be hazardous to new riders.  What happens is, if you stare at an object in the road, you often unintentionally ride the motorcycle right at it. 

Reading Matthew 14:22-31 (NIV)

"Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd.  After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone,  and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.

Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake.  When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. "It's a ghost," they said, and cried out in fear.

But Jesus immediately said to them: "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid."

 "Lord, if it's you," Peter replied, "tell me to come to you on the water."

"Come," he said.

Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus.  But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, "Lord, save me!"

Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. "You of little faith," he said, "why did you doubt?"

Peter was doing the impossible, he was walking on the water with Jesus!  Living a victorious life can also feel like doing the impossible.  And if we take our eyes off Jesus, and look only at the situation we are in, we fix our eyes on that object and begin to sink.

Therefore, as the writer of Hebrews tells us, let's fix our eyes on Jesus.

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us,  fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith." Heb 12:1-2 (NIV)

What better way than to be daily in his word?

Doing Good

Yesterday as I was driving to work, I noticed a woman in the car behind me as I stopped at a light.

What drew my attention was just how frantically she was brushing her hair and then moved on to fixing her makeup.  The light turned green and I watched to see if her car would move.

Sure enough, she pulled forward into the intersection, eyes still in her mirror, hairbrush in hand.

And I had this thought; I'll bet she was just like the rest of us when she first started to learn to drive.  Hands properly on the steering wheel, 10 to 2, carefully watching everything around her.

But then as weeks turn into months turn into years of no accidents, we can get into a comfort zone and bad habits flourish.  We stop doing the things we need to do in order to stay a safe driver.

The same could be said of our walk with the Lord.  In the beginning we are full of love and zeal.  But then, in time, we can get a bit weary and sink into bad habits.  More "sins of omission."  We know we should do X, but we put it off to another day, a day that often never comes.

Paul said, 

"Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers." Gal 6:9-10 (NIV)

Let's us pray that we will keep our zeal for God and for those around us.

Love God, love people, and do something about it.

The Right Way

Shifting gears for a biker is as natural as breathing.  We don't think about what gear we need to be in, we simply feel the bike beneath us, observe the road ahead of us, and shift appropriately.

But someone new to riding may not have this down very well.  If you shift in the wrong way, you can create some serious problems for the bike and for you as a rider.

Imagine riding 70 MPH on the highway, engaging the clutch, then downshifting 2 gears.

Click click... then you reengage the clutch.

I don't even like to think about it!  And, I'm sure those of you who ride are saying to yourselves, "why would you do that???"

Knowing how to properly shift is part of correctly riding a motorcycle.  With care, we learned how, until it was natural. 

How much more care should we give to learning the word of God?

Pulling a scripture out of it's proper context can be even more disastrous than being in the wrong gear at the wrong time. 

That is why Paul tells Timothy, "Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth." - 2 Timothy 2:15 (NIV)

If we are going to ride, we need to ride correctly, and if we are going to walk with Christ, we need to understand his word correctly as well.

Representing Jesus

The other day I was merging onto the highway in my cage, heading into a sea of morning commuters going to work.

Like most bikers, I have that "sixth sense" to see motorcycles all around me.  Every dog knows their own, because we ride, we see each other.

But don't get me started on that!

Anyway, I noticed this bike merging in just behind me.  He quickly sped up into the rapidly disappearing lane.  Next, he sped ahead of me (I gave him room) and then I watched as he "frogger style" weaved in and out of the traffic, (posted speed was 70) and finally disappeared from my field of vision. 

Now remember this is commuter traffic.  It's thick with people.

As I watched this fellow rider cutting people off, I became very much aware of the fact that to this group of cages he was the only motorcycle in sight.  And as our representative, he showed himself to be everything people dislike about motorcycles.  His riding displayed a lack of respect for those around him.

I felt very much misrepresented. 

Reading Romans 2 today,

"if you are convinced that you are a guide for the blind, a light for those who are in the dark,  an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of little children, because you have in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth—  you, then, who teach others, do you not teach yourself? You who preach against stealing, do you steal?  You who say that people should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples?  You who boast in the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law?  As it is written: "God's name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you." Romans 2:19-24 (NIV)

We need to be very mindful of how our own lives represent the Living God we serve.  Not all bikers are like the rider I saw, but to those who saw what I saw, that is the impression of all of us that they were left with. 

I find this an all too painful reminder for myself.

Is God's name glorified or blasphemed because of the life I live?

Our lives, how we live, what we say and do, will speak louder than anything else to the world around us.

How are you representing Jesus today?

Straight and Narrow

I have been working on my different kicks for Taekwondo.  These kicks are very exact when it comes to the stances, the position your knee takes, etc.  So it's good to work in front of a mirror.

Now here is the interesting thing.  I have been doing some kicks slowly to develop strength and technique.  In these exercises, it is good to use a pole to lean on so you can focus everything on your legs.

I have an old broomstick that I use for this.  That's when I noticed how off-center both my stance and my knee position actually were.

See, as long as I had only my reflection to look at, I could correct the kick some.  But as soon as I brought the broomstick into view, I could see that compared to that straight stick, something was off, way off.

And it wasn't the broom stick. 

That' brings us to Hebrews 4:12(NIV)

"For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart."

As long as we judge ourselves by our own standard, we cannot tell if we are off track.  However, when we hold our life next to the word of God, it is easy to see what adjustments we need to make.

There is no substitute for being daily in the word.  That is how we stay on the straight and narrow path.

Loving Our Neighbors

"Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question:  "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?"

Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." Matthew 22:34-40 (NIV)

As Preacher Mike often says, "It' simple... but it's hard."

But what does this love look like?  How do we love our neighbor?

Paul summed it up in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (NIV), I'm putting in extra breaks so we can read it, slowly, and simply add the concept of "toward others" to bring the focus to how this relates to Jesus teaching.

"Love is patient, "toward others"

love is kind. "toward others"

It does not envy, "others"

it does not boast,"toward others"

it is not proud. "toward others"

It does not dishonor others, 

it is not self-seeking, "but thinks of others"

it is not easily angered,"toward others"

it keeps no record of wrongs. "by others"

Love does not delight in evil "toward others"

but rejoices with the truth."toward others"

It always protects "others"

always trusts, "others"

always hopes, "with others"

always perseveres."with others"

It's so easy these days to get caught up, and swept away, in a river of anger and hate.  We forget what it means to love.

Storms

As we were leaving Freedom Biker Church in Clayton Friday night, my wife and I knew that we were racing against time.  Earlier, hard rain pounded the metal roof of the church and the sound almost drowned out a person giving their testimony as a storm cloud passed by, leaving as quickly as it came.

It was night time, and another thunderstorm threatened to arrive at any moment. 

The roads were clear when we headed out, but I could hear a rumbling of thunder in the distance.  The flashes of lightning that lit up the sky were easy to see, they were right in front of us, the direction we were headed.

Now I'm not too keen on riding at night in a storm so my heart was pumping just a little bit as we raced on.  I found myself focused on the storm ahead and my body tensed up. 

I prayed that the Lord would hold off the storm until  we got home.  It's about a twenty-mile ride, roughly 30 minutes.

But about half way through, I realized that whether the storm hit or not, the Lord was with me.  And because of that, I could handle anything that came.  That's not a guarantee that nothing bad would happen, but that if it did, he'd see us through it.

Once I had that revelation of his presence, I felt my whole body relax.  The ride went from stressful to exhilarating.  Thunder still roared and the sky still lit up with lightning, but I had peace in my heart and began to enjoy the ride.

As we got nearer to home, crossing the last traffic light, I laughed out loud.  I heard the voice of the Lord in my head say, "Come on, admit it that was fun!"

The sky opened up a few minutes after I pulled the bikes into the garage.

We serve an untamed God!

In Luke 8: 22-25 (NIV) we read, "One day Jesus said to his disciples, "Let us go over to the other side of the lake." So they got into a boat and set out.  As they sailed, he fell asleep. A squall came down on the lake, so that the boat was being swamped, and they were in great danger.

The disciples went and woke him, saying, "Master, Master, we're going to drown!"

He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm.  "Where is your faith?" he asked his disciples.

In fear and amazement they asked one another, "Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him."

When Jesus is the Lord of our lives, there is never a reason to fear.  And when we choose to trust him, then we can handle any storms that come our way.

Comfort Zone

What is outside your comfort zone? 

Has the Lord ever pressed on you to go to a place, or talk to a person, you would rather avoid?

Jesus said, "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." Acts 1:8 (NIV)

This is a rather well-known verse, especially with regard to missions.  I must admit, I used to just kinda skip over the first three places in my mind until I get to "the ends of the earth."  Because, well, I don't see myself as going to Jerusalem, Judea or Samaria.  I just took this as an ever-widening circle.

But then it hit me... Samaria.  Jesus was calling his disciples to be a witness for him in Samaria.

Samaria as in "Jews do not associate with Samaritans" (see John 4.)  In fact, it's noted that there was such hatred between Jews and Samaritans that many Jews would avoid even traveling through Samaria just to avoid contact with them.

The Lord often requires us to act outside of our comfort zone.  Naturally we don't find that very comfortable!  But, if we are to be obedient to Christ, we need to be open to go wherever he commands and speak to whomever he desires us to speak to.  It's just that simple.

Suggestion or Command?

Every once in a while, a bible verse feels as if it jumps off the page and smacks me in the head.

This is one of those times. 

Reading Luke 23, the chapter in Luke that records the crucifixion.

"Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed.  When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left.  Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." vv 32-34 (NIV) emphasis mine.

Jesus Christ is fully God, but he is also fully man.  A man who was just nailed to a cross.

I have to take a step back from this verse for a moment, I have to think about the kind of man who is capable of this kind of forgiveness.  He was in physical agony.  The people he had come to gather to himself, those he loved, had just beaten him and nailed him to a cross.  At best I figure he would silently take this kind of abuse with a strong resolve to do his father's will. 

But Jesus prayed for the people who were killing him.  He asked his father to forgive them.  His response was to pray for them.

Now, maybe I can easily dismiss this kind of love in my own life?  After all, this is the sinless son of God right?  This kind of love is not possible for us to have.  Is it?

Yet... in Acts 7:54-60 we read about Stephen's bloody death.

"When the members of the Sanhedrin heard this, they were furious and gnashed their teeth at him.  But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.  "Look," he said, "I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God."

At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him,  dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul.

While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit."  Then he fell on his knees and cried out, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." 

Jesus said, "But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,  bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. " Luke 6:28 (NIV)

It convicts me as I realize this isn't a suggestion, it's a command.  

This is the hight standard of the Kingdom of God.

Protection

From time to time, as I prayerfully look through the word for something to share, I run across a scripture I feel I should share without any comments of my own added.

This is one of those times, so please take a moment to pray and see what the Lord may be saying to you in his word today.

"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.  Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes.  For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.  Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place,  and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.  In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.  Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord's people.  Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should." Eph 6:10-20 (NIV)

A New Song

Psalm 96 tells us...

Sing to the Lord a new song;

    sing to the Lord, all the earth.

Sing to the Lord, praise his name;

    proclaim his salvation day after day.

Declare his glory among the nations,

    his marvelous deeds among all peoples. (Psalm 96:1-3 NIV, emphasis added)

And Psalm 33 also says, 

"Sing joyfully to the Lord, you righteous;

    it is fitting for the upright to praise him.

Praise the Lord with the harp;

    make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre.

Sing to him a new song;

    play skillfully, and shout for joy." (Psalm 33:1-3 NIV, emphasis added)

How can we sing a new song to the Lord?

Every day brings new things.  Some are struggles and some blessings.  And if we focus on the blessings the Lord gives with each and every day, we can easily sing him a new song.

I'm not saying times won't be tough, but where is our focus?  Where is our joy?  If we look for our reason for singing in this life around us, we will often be disappointed. 

But if our new song is in and for, the Lord, if he is our reason for joy, then we will surely praise him for new things every day.

Lamentations, whose very name expresses sorrow encourages us,

"Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed,

    for his compassions never fail.

"They are new every morning;

    great is your faithfulness. " Lam 3:22-23(NIV)

Truly every day brings reasons for praise.

Endurance

Recently I found out that one of my martial arts "heroes," Bill Wallace, is still teaching and kicking at seventy!

As I have mentioned before, I returned to martial arts when I turned 50 last year.  It's been a great experience.  And seeing Bill Wallace, still strong at seventy, is very encouraging indeed!

This inspired a YouTube search where I found  a video of Wallace teaching, giving some great exercises for endurance.  I watched as he made the students in the class lift their leg, leave it up and kick, over and over again. 

Building endurance is not a pleasant experience.  It basically takes pushing yourself beyond what you can endure, so that you grow stronger and can endure more.  Although you make progress, often slowly, you always need the pain and discomfort in order to move forward.

The same can be said of walking with the Lord.  James tells us.

"Dear brothers and sisters,when troubles of any kind 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.  So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing." James 1:2-4 (NLT)

Or, in the words of the Christian author Jerry Bridges, "Just as our physical muscles will not grow in strength without exercise, so our spiritual life will not grow apart from circumstances that challenge us." 

Bill Wallace is still kicking at seventy, because he did the work his entire career.

May we be walking stronger each day in the Lord as we mature in him.

Interruptions

So the three-day weekend is here and my wife and I were planning to take a nice ride Saturday morning.

We are fortunate enough to have a garage to park our bikes in.  When we get ready to ride, I normally pull both bikes out into the driveway.

I sat on her Bonnie and immediately felt something was off as I tried to roll it backwards.  I hopped off and checked the back tire, sure enough, it was a little low.  A quick inspection and I found the culprit.  Just what you might have guessed, a nail stared defiantly up at me.

Fortunately we are a four bike family!  I pulled out her Royal Enfield instead and out we rode.  That afternoon we talked to our mechanic and the Bonnie will get fixed this week.

Since we own a compressor, I often check the tire pressure on all four motorcycles.  They are always at the correct psi.  That's why I knew right away something was off.  Keep your machine working on the mark, you notice even the slightest change. 

Had I not noticed the change in pressure, we would have headed down the road with that nail in the tire.  This could have led to anything from an abrupt halt, to a life-threatening loss of control of the motorcycle.

Our walk with the Lord is the same way.  Reading Galatians 5:16-25 (NIV) today,

"So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery;  idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,  gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.  Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit."

Walking by the spirit is living right before the Lord, essentially avoiding sin.  When we live right, even the slightest change in our heart or actions will be glaringly obvious.  At those times, we are able to correct the attitude or action, ask forgiveness, and move on.

But when we make it a regular habit of living by the flesh, what is harmful to our lives with the Lord becomes less and less obvious.  Before we know it, we are way off course in our life with him.

And more than an interrupted ride is at stake here, our eternal life is.

A Different Perspective

Sometimes it's good to read different Bible versions.  As the original text of the Bible was Hebrew or Greek, often there is not an exact word that can be translated to English.

That's why I appreciate the Amplified version sometimes, as it often makes use of many words that can paint a clearer picture of what was originally written.

For example, with Philippians 4:8, a very familiar passage, the Amplified Bible can give us more to think on as we read these familiar words.

"Finally, believers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable and worthy of respect, whatever is right and confirmed by God's word, whatever is pure and wholesome, whatever is lovely and brings peace, whatever is admirable and of good repute; if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think continually on these things [center your mind on them, and implant them in your heart.]"

What stood out to me was instead of just saying, "whatever is right" but "whatever is right and confirmed by God's word." This reminds me that I should not choose what is right in my eyes to think on, but what is right in God's eyes.

So what version do you read?  Sometimes, it's a good idea to have more than one on hand.  

Identity

As I have mentioned before, I have been studying Taekwondo for about a year now.  The main reason for starting Taekwondo was an effort to keep my body healthy.  In order to continue living in a healthy way, I have decided to stop drinking coffee (3-5 cups) during my work day.

Yeah.. that can be a lot I know!

So, I was discussing this with a co-worker who also happens to be a former NFL football player.  He told me, "When I was playing football, I only drank water. You're an athlete, you have to watch what you put into your body."

His words carried weight because of his own background as a professional athlete.  He said it in such a matter-of-fact way that it actually helped me see myself that way as well. 

A revelation of that identity , "athlete," made a light go off inside my head.  The obvious conclusion was, "This is who you are (identity) this is how you should behave (take care of your body)."

I walked back to my desk and thought about 1 Peter.

"But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.  Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul.  Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us." 1 Peter 2:9-12 (NIV)

Knowing our true identity, should lead to a change in our daily behavior.