Here are some of the best articles I have read over the past few weeks. I hope you enjoy them too.
Eve’s Nakedness and Your Broken Body
Why I Wish We Hadn’t Lived Together Before Marriage
3 REASONS WANDERING FROM THE FAITH BEGINS WITH WANDERING FROM THE CHURCH
What we’re missing about mass shootings
Want More Christian Influence? Get Off Facebook And Talk To Actual People
Once I dreamed of standing before thousands of people and sharing my thoughts with them. They would be in awe of my wisdom and would then change their lives to my way of thinking. My platform for ministry would be huge. I would influence world leaders, celebrities, and politicians through my selfless leadership, in-depth spiritual knowledge, and charisma. I was going to change the world.
Now I lead a Church of a couple of hundred people, write a blog that about 65 people read each day and I am a father of four. My circle of influence is far smaller than I dreamed. I still haven’t finished my book, and when I do, I am sure it will not be a best seller. I receive no calls to speak at conferences or big events anymore. I am not a rising start among the young ministers in our brotherhood of Churches. Instead, I am a lamp which keeps shining a tiny light in my small community.
One day I looked in the mirror and made a realization. I am not going to change the world.
What do you do when you come to this moment in your life? I once read the quote that says many men have planned to build a tower into the stars only to settle on building a shed in their backyard. Grand dreams sometimes give way to simple realities. One day I realized I could no longer change the world, but I could make an impact in MY world.
I can be the best husband I can be with God’s help. I can love my wife and lead her in the name of Jesus. I can strive to raise Godly children who will have a positive impact on their world. I may not preach to thousands, but those who show up to hear me will get my very best. I may not write for millions to read, but I will strive to help those in their faith who do read.
God gave me a smaller circle of influence, but I still have areas where I can make an impact for God. I do have a circle, and I will not take it for granted. Just because you do not lead a massive ministry with global influence does not make your life is worthless. There are still lives to touch, and they are the ones that matter.
Tonight is going to hurt.
In a few hours, we are dropping off one more of my children at a university dorm.
Moments like this are bittersweet. I love my son, and I am proud of the man he has become, but it has been a long journey to this day. We have struggled, prayed, cried, shouted, and worried as I am sure most parents will admit. Being a good parent does not come easily, and some children are more challenging than others, and that is what makes this day so bittersweet. It was a long road, but we are here and filled with joy for him.
One lesson God is teaching me over the past few months is simple and probably sounds elemental to many people. I still want to share it today. At some point, we must unleash our hands and give our children entirely over to God.
When they were tiny, it felt like we had no control. They cry and scream, but eventually, they grow out of that phase. You start to feel like everything depends on you. You provide, you instruct, you set limits, and you are the authority. Then they begin to move away from your control through those teenage years. Finally, today comes. All power is gone, and God takes over completely. Honestly, he was in charge the whole time. Our authority was an illusion, and now I see it clearly. God somehow got us here, and I am sure he will bring to completion the good work he started in my son.
Faith is not just some mental ascent to a set of ideas. It is about letting go of your child, kissing them on the cheek, telling them you love them and then turning to walk away. At least that is what it means for me today.
They say the third time is the charm. They say things will get easier. They are lying. I am dying inside, but I will approach this day like every other. I will ask for God’s guidance and pray from his strength. Then I will walk boldly into the future totally dependent on my creator and sustainer for myself, and my children.
One of my mentors in preaching used to tell the story of George Gobel on the old game show called Hollywood Squares. The host asked George how he was doing, and George gave this classic response, “Have you ever felt like the world was a black tuxedo, and you were a brown pair of shoes?”
Sometimes you feel like you don’t fit in with everyone else. The world is black, and I am brown.
As a Christian, an introvert, and a unique personality, I have often felt the weight of this struggle. There have been seasons where I tried to be fake and act like someone else to connect more with people. Honestly, there have been times I have compromised my faith in an effort to feel like I fit in with others. If I could rub some black shoe polish over myself, then I will match the outfit others are wearing.
It didn’t work. I felt more alone and ashamed than I felt loved.
Then one day, I made a discovery that changed my perspective. I realized that most of the time, God wants me to stand out and not fit in with everyone else.
God made me unique. He did not make a mistake with my unique characteristics. Those parts of me still needed to be molded and shaped by his will, but my essential personality didn’t change. God not only made me as a one of a kind, but he is also remaking me in Jesus to be his special new creation. He is using my personality, my past, my experiences, and mixing in his Spirit to serve him as only I am able. As a believer, my mindset is different than those around me. Not only that, but my actions are molded by God’s will. I am not called to go with the flow but rather to find live for God in my own way.
Nowadays, I feel less alone. I am embracing my identity in God. I may be different, but I am different by design. And here is the amazing part, you are too.
As a Christian and pastor, I have realized that most of the things that bless the world for Jesus are simple and easy to do.
Jesus, in Matthew chapter 25, speaks of the separation of the sheep and the goats. It is a parable about the judgment of humanity by God as king. The sheep represent those who have done as God desires, and the goats are those who did not. Both groups are surprised at the decisions that were made and question the king as to what allowed them to be labeled this way. The king responds, “For I was hungry, and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty, and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger, and you invited me in, (36) I needed clothes, and you clothed me, I was sick, and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.” (Matthew 25:35-36 – NIV 2011)
The difference between those people who are pleasing to God and those who were not was serving food, providing water, welcoming someone, giving clothes, helping the sick and prison visitation.
I have looked over that list so many times in my life that I can repeat it in my sleep, but one day I noticed something new to me. Each one of the items listed requires no skill. The only exception might be cooking, but it does not mean we have to provide a gourmet dinner. Instead, each one is so basic in nature. They require little talent and very little money. They do all demand that we give up our time.
Being a blessing to the world does not mean I need to have millions of dollars to give away or some unique skill set. Being a blessing simply means that I am willing to give up my time for the benefit of others in the name of Jesus.
Every Monday, I think about how God has given me another week to live. I can use this week to further my own kingdom or to be a blessing for the kingdom of God. The choice is up to me … and you.
The chances are high that you are waiting to do something. You have been debating internally. You are weighing the pros and cons. The costs are being counted. It is a frequent topic of conversation. You replay every possible scenario in your head.
And yet, you wait.
So often I speak with people who describe their season of waiting to me about things for which they should not wait. They wait to visit that parent and offer forgiveness for the hurts of their youth. They wait to go to counseling to heal their marriage. They wait to have a conversation with their child about their destructive behavior. They wait to make that change.
The list of excuses is long. The timing was not right. The topic did not come up. I am afraid it will do more harm than good. There is an endless list of reasons you have not done it and might never do it.
What would happen today if you stopped waiting for the right moment and situation and made it happen?
Sure, it might not go the way you hope, but at least the anxiety of unknown results will be gone. You will start a conversation and actually know how it ends, giving you something on which to build. You will have detailed knowledge of what you have replayed in your head a thousand times.
Who knows, it might go far better than you imagined. You might bring an end to an ugly chapter of your life. You might find healing for your soul and relationships. Things might end up far better than you ever imagined.
One thing is for sure; you will never resolve your issues if you keep waiting.
Make today a day of action. Pick up the phone and make the call. Stop by their house and have the conversation. Stop waiting and do something.
Your action today is the key to a better tomorrow.
They are free. They are easy to say. Most people have an idea of something they could say on a moments notice. And yet, they are the words we say the least.
It’s a compliment: words of praise and admiration spoken to another person.
A compliment is different than gratitude. Gratitude is an expression of thanks for something you did, especially for me. Compliments are words that politely congratulate positive attributes.
The Biblical writers tell believers to build up one another, encourage one another, and love one another. There is no more straightforward way to do that than to compliment someone on something.
Mark Twain is credited as saying, “I could live for two months on a good compliment.” There is power not only in words but in positive statements. Today could be the day that you add sunshine to someone’s life. You could say something that will help, encourage, and demonstrate the love of Jesus to another person.
May your words today be full of grace. May they also offer Christlike praise to other people.
And might I add, you are a wonderful person for even considering doing it. You are God’s unique creation and a power for him in the world by being so kind.
Didn’t that feel good?
The preacher said, “The difference between an idol and God is that an idol doesn’t surprise you.”
If you flip that idea over, that means that the loving God is full of surprises. He does things in ways that are unpredictable and unexpected. He moves through people I would not choose. His work is mysterious and surprising.
I know this to be true because I read my Bible. God uses a shepherd boy to defeat and warrior. He tells Gideon to reduce the size of his army to win. God chooses a murderer to be his special chosen messenger. He even uses a cross, a place of torture, to redeem the world. The scriptures are filled with stories where God does the unexpected.
I also know this to be true experientially. God has shown up in my life ways I never would have predicted. He provided finances at the last minute. He used my ministry to reach lost people when I was a mess, or the Church was less than perfect. He has led me on a winding path toward a greater commitment to him. I could spend hours telling stories of the times God has moved, and I was completely caught off guard.
The great confession of faith that Peter made in Matthew 16:16, and I have people repeat at their baptism states that Jesus is the son of the “living” God. God is working. His word is active. His Spirit is alive in me and the world. Because of those simple truths, God is unpredictable.
To me, this is what makes faith so exciting. You never know what God is going to do today. Sometimes it scares me because his way might lead me through the valley of the shadow of death. His movements can be through discipline and pain. Most days it invigorates me because I am never sure what exciting thing might happen. Today might be the day he brings a miracle to my life, blesses me in an unbelievable way, or simply allows me to see something inspiring.
Christians worship a God who still surprises us. This day might be the day he shows up in my life and yours and does something amazing. We are called to live in faith, knowing that he is at work and will do what is best for you and me. I can’t wait to see what that might mean. Go ahead and surprise us God.
I believe most people are terrible listeners. The words move across our eardrums with no issues, but they rarely penetrate our brain. Very few words then make it from our mind to our heart.
There are lots of reasons for this ranging from the distractions brought on by technology, our overloaded lifestyles, and go clear to personal issues that I am processing internally. We all have a long list of excuses that prevent us from truly listening to what others are saying to us.
There is a small amount of comfort in knowing this is not a new problem. Jesus sends a series of letters to seven Churches scattered across Asia Minor in the book of Revelation. When the words of the letters are read aloud, there follows this interesting statement, “Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”
The phrasing is unique as it says, “whoever has ears,” because almost every single person has ears. But the words have to be taken at more than face value. It is not a matter of whether or not we have these silly-looking pieces of cartilage on the side of our head. It is about whether we let the words penetrate the ear, into the brain and down into our heart and soul. The question is more directly stated, “Will you listen to what was said and allow it to change your actions?”
These words do not just apply to the Churches of Revelation, but also to every follower of Jesus scattered across time. Will we listen to his word? Will we focus in on what he is telling us? Then will we allow it to direct our actions?
The problem with our faith is not a lack of communication from God; it is more of a listening problem.
Over the years, I was led to believe that I need to be my best at everything. With extra effort, I can be this awesome Christian, amazing man, incredible husband, an outstanding father, a great pastor, and best friend to all. If I would apply myself, I could do more than I ever imagined possible.
Then one day I read about the Apostle Paul. He tells the Church in the city of Corinth that he had this thorn in his flesh that made him weak. There are numerous theories on what this mysterious issue might be, but no one is sure. I am convinced it was something to do with his eyes. When converted, he had scales on his eyes that might have impacted his vision. Then he would be beaten and stoned, which could have further affected his eyesight. On top of all that he was getting older and with age comes failing vision. He mentions to the Church in Galatia about how he writes with large letters (Gal 6:11), and in the same message, he says that if it were possible, they would have torn out their eyes and given them to him (Gal 4:15). Can you imagine what life would be like as a writer if you had limited vision? Your primary ministry in Jesus’ name slowly slipping out of sight, and there was nothing you could do to stop it.
Paul went to the Lord and pleaded for this thorn in his flesh to be removed. At this point, God gives him this fascinating response, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9)
God tells Paul that his inadequacies are the place where he can do his most significant work. Our weakness, plus God, equals greatness.
Many times, the encouragement of others, including my peers, is a form of self-trust. If I do more, then I will achieve more. If I overcame my flaws and shortcomings, then God will do great things through me.
If I understand Paul correctly, I need to give my best effort, and God will overcome all my inadequacies. His power is shown in my weakness. Maybe the secret to having a significant impact for the kingdom of God is more faith in him and less work on myself. I don’t have to be amazing, and neither do you, God is enough for us all.
Second Chance Pastor 