This Sunday I am starting a new sermon series at the Church I lead. It is entitled “Fix My Marriage.” My approach for the series is to walk through the process I use for counseling people with marital problems. Over the next four weeks, I will look at the basics principles for getting your marriage back on track.

Let me be honest with you; I hate preaching on marriage.

I despise it not because I dislike the topic. It is because during a series like this I feel like a hypocrite. I know I will say things for other people to do that I do not effectively complete in my marriage.

Many years ago, I decided that it was okay to preach sermons on things I have not mastered. If I only speak about topics I am doing; then I can run the risk of making people in my image and not in the image of Jesus. I need to speak on topics that the Bible addresses even when I am not perfect in acting them out in my life.

The next four-week I will be trying to help marriages in our Church and community. If you live nearby, we would love for you to join us. I hope to share with you and some steps to making your marriage work better. My marriage is not perfect, I am working to improve it, and I hope you will join me on this journey.

August 5 “Initial Diagnosis”
August 12 “Doing the Work”
August 19 “Handling the Past”
August 26 “Regular Maintenance”

Insecurity is defined as “being uncertain about oneself; a lack of confidence.”

Everyone has it. There are things in life we are just unsure about or feel a genuine sense of lacking. When these feelings arrive, we usually try to stuff them down inside while showing false confidence to the world.

If I were honest, I mean painfully and embarrassingly frank with you, I would tell you about all my insecurities. I often feel I am failing in my roles. Being a husband and a father is demanding, frequently I feel like a failure. Then there is my job that worries me. I have never achieved all that I dreamed I could when I was younger.

I have a long list of insecurities that I try to cover and hide from the world.

God pushes us in a different direction. The apostle Paul said in his letter to the Church in Corinth.

2 Corinthians 12:9 But he (God) said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.

Did he boast about his weaknesses?

That doesn’t sound right to me. That is not how I was raised. Weaknesses are to be covered and stuffed inside. I should act like I don’t have insecurities. Never let them see you sweat.

Paul says that our weaknesses and insecurities are the places where God works in our lives. Those are the places his power can shine the brightest. God can take my life, even with all that it is lacking, and build a great family and a wonderful Church. He can take my weakness and do something amazing. Not because I am great but because he is all-powerful.

I know you are worn out from trying to hide all your insecurities. You tell stories that make you sound like you have everything figured out. Your social media is an ongoing display of how well you are doing in life. Even your pictures you post are at just the right angle so that everything looks perfect. All the while you are completely unsure of yourself and have a lack of confidence.

What if, like Paul, you embraced your weakness? What if you admitted your insecurities and allowed God to work through those?

I bet if you did you would finally feel a sense of God’s presence in your life. No longer would you have to live behind the façade of your own creation, but you could walk in the power of God.

His grace is sufficient, not only for salvation but to cover your insecurities.

I recently finished a series of sermons on the popular movies of the past year. My last address was on the superhero movie called The Black Panther. It is part of the Marvel universe of films. These movies have become a stable in the cinema during recent years. In fact, four of the top ten highest grossing movies of all time are part of this genre. Their impact on Hollywood cannot be missed from the big screen to the little screen in our homes. Superheroes are everywhere and cannot be ignored.

These movies are all built on a singular premise. Someone is given a unique power in the universe. These powers can range from enormous knowledge and wealth like Iron Man to creature like characteristics of Spiderman. These special people are then given the choice of helping humanity or serving themselves. Frequently, the choice is to save humanity from certain peril by some super villain or avoid getting involved. At that right moment, our hero steps up to save the day.

There are two things I notice about these movies. First, while these characters inspire us with their acts of heroism, they really do nothing to change the world. People still struggle with anger, hurt, pain and ultimately death. They never deal with the issues of the heart that make this world a depraved state where people need saving.

Second, their job is never complete. In the children’s movie, Mr. Incredible has the perfect description. “No matter how many times you save the world. It always manages to get back in jeopardy again. Sometimes I just want it to stay saved. You know, for a little bit. I feel like the maid. ‘I just cleaned up this mess. Can we keep it clean for ten minutes?’”

I ponder these stories frequently as I think about Jesus. His impact on the world is so incredibly different from the movie we would create. He comes with great power, but his goal is not to throw down the forces of Rome and build his own empire. He comes to deal with the heart of humanity and its bent toward evil. His kingdom is not one of flesh and blood instead it is built in the soul of humanity. All this is accomplished through his work on the cross. Scripture underlines to us that his work was done once for all of time. Jesus came that we might be genuinely saved both now and forevermore.

People hand over their money in mass at the latest superhero movie. I suppose it is okay for entertainment purposes and the enjoyment they bring to us. When the chips are down, life gets dark, and I face the final hours. I thank God for sending me a true Savior.