Many believers could tell you the story of Genesis chapters one through three. God created the universe and world in which we live. He makes plants, animals, and humanity. He has one instruction rooted in obedience to him. Adam and Eve are not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. As you might guess, without even reading it, the man and woman cannot obey, and humanity is kicked out of the garden of Eden.  

Religious people call chapter three of Genesis “the fall” and focus on the exchange between the serpent and the woman. While they are the center of the story, a third character is present but passive. 

“When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.” Genesis 3:6 – NIV 2011

Adam was with her, but he passively watched the events transpire. One fatal flaw of men that keep them from being all God desires is passivity. A man is called to be a leader in his home and with his family. 

The flip side is that men have misunderstood what it means to be a leader. I have talked with women whose husbands demand they respect him. Unfortunately, their leadership amounts to either a dictatorship or a lot of shouting and anger. 

A true Godly man is actively serving in their home – they are servant leaders. They love their wife like Christ loved the Church and gave himself up for her. They are not passively waiting for her to make all the decisions for the family, then they can agree or disagree. Instead, they are out in front with dirty hands doing whatever their family needs. 

The story of Genesis chapter three requires a man to lead his family spiritually by lovingly serving his spouse. Being a Godly man means that whenever evil comes calling, it is better to grab a hoe or rake and rid yourself of the evil than sit back and watch what happens and complain later about the mess others created.

There is a story I heard years ago. It might be a preacher’s story, which means it was made up or exaggerated to prove a point in a sermon. But it might be true. It is at least rooted in history.

In 1666, Sir Christopher Wren submitted a plan to reconstruct St. Paul’s Cathedral. Unfortunately, just six days after he submitted the plan, the great fire of London destroyed the central part of the city and destroyed the cathedral. Over the next 46 years, Wren was to design and supervise the building of 51 churches in London. St. Paul’s Cathedral was his masterpiece.

The story I heard from a preacher goes like this: One morning, Wren, who was not personally known by many of the workers, stopped and asked three different laborers, all engaged in the same task of stonework, what they were doing. He got three different answers.

The first said, “I am cutting this stone.”

The second answered, “I am earning three shillings, sixpence a day.”

The third man straightened up, squared his shoulders, and still holding his mallet and chisel, replied, “I am helping Sir Christopher Wren build this great cathedral.”

They each had three different ways of looking at the same job. Perspective matters. 

Each week people come and serve the Lord in the Church I lead. Some mow grass while others clean the building. Some work in the nursery while others lead worship. Still, others teach small groups while some stand to greet people at the door. 

Every person who serves can see their efforts as volunteer labor. Perhaps they see it as a good deed that shines their light for Jesus. But I would suggest to you that each person is helping to build the kingdom of God on earth. 

Whatever you do to contribute to your local Church is not an insignificant effort touching only a few people. It is the kingdom of God being formed through you. You are making an impact for God in your Church and community. From there, who knows what good it will do. 

You are not just “serving in a ministry.” YOU are a kingdom builder.

The expression, “The Lord helps those who help themselves,” is not found in the Bible. It appears to date back to Greek mythology and the story of “Hercules and the Waggoner.” Then something similar was used by Aristotle. The most popular use of it was by Benjamin Franklin in Poor Richard’s Almanac. 

It is often quoted like scripture, but it is not. 

It does raise an interesting question for me. Where does self-help fit into the Christian life? 

I am a firm believer in the power of God, the working of the Holy Spirit, and that prayer changes things. But does that mean that God does all the work? My job is to pray, trust and let God handle the rest. 

Well, yes … and no. 

There are so many things in this life that are beyond our control. Faith relies on a dependence that God will handle all those things where we have no power.

But some things are within our power. 

I once spoke with a lady, and she told me that she had total faith she was going to find a husband and a great job. Upon further discussion, I discovered that she lived in her parents’ basement. She rarely went out with anyone, let alone a prospective husband. She had not submitted her resume anywhere or filled out an application. She was (in her words) “Living on faith.” 

Now I believe God could move past the barriers in her life and do just what she hoped, but I also know that faith takes effort. The Apostle Paul prayed for open doors to receive the gospel … then he got on a ship and sailed to a nearby city. He started walking around and talking to people. The Lord made the divine connections while he was exerting effort. 

This question is essential for two reasons. I have met some people who have faith but use it to cover laziness. Second, I have met other people who are doing their part, but it hides the fact that they are trusting themselves. 

Neither one is correct. If you want to catch the wind of the Spirit, you must first hoist the sails while praying for the wind to start. 

“I don’t like what they did.” 

This person went on to tell me how they felt devalued and hurt by the actions of another person. 

Then they told me how they were done with this ministry because of the other person’s behavior. They were no longer going to give their time to our Church fellowship because they did not feel appreciated adequately by this person. 

This is not the first time I have encountered this. Through the years, I have had people quit giving their offerings, donating their time and talent, and attending because they were offended somehow. 

I am not minimizing lousy behavior from anyone, but if the Church is the body of Christ as the Bible says it is, then they are not hurting the other person; they are taking it out on Jesus. Therefore, whenever we get upset at someone in our Church community, and we respond by withholding our kindness in any form, it is the kingdom of God that suffers and not that person. 

Somehow, we think it will hurt those who did not appreciate us when we stop supporting their ministry. We genuinely believe it will cause them to feel our judgment and lead them to change.

Honestly, this never happens. Change only occurs when the two people sit down and talk through their issues while asking for and offering forgiveness. 

When you stop doing things in the Church, it makes me sad but be clear; it is not me you are hurting – it’s Jesus. 

Whenever we examine an existing building, we have three possibilities for improvement. 

The first is to rebuild. This means the current structure is unusable. Therefore, it must be torn down and start new from the foundation.

Another option is to remodel. The main structure is good, but the interior needs work. Walls need to come down, systems need an upgrade, and some major work is going to happen. 

The final possibility is to redecorate. This means that the structure is sound, but it needs cosmetic updating. New paint, carpet, and light fixtures will help to improve the appearance drastically. 

These three are all options for buildings, but they are equally valid in other areas of our life. What exactly needs to happen to improve your relationships, work environment, or spiritual life?

Before you know the correct changes, you need to assess the situation thoroughly. 

You might need to rebuild your career entirely. On the other hand, perhaps you need to make minor, redecorating modifications to your marriage. 

Sometimes we do not need to overhaul specific areas of our life. However, other times we do need to make drastic changes. Some places require a little updating, and that is not enough in other areas. 

Many people who want to improve their lives immediately grab their sledgehammer, when maybe a paintbrush will do the trick. 

This is the most crucial question anyone of us can ask.

It shows that we are interested in the other person. We are listening to their life stories and want to know more. We are inviting them to open up and share themselves in a way that will bring greater connection. 

It pushes back against selfish responses. There is a desire in us to share our stories and advice without engaging what someone just told us. We want to speak, and this question forces us to listen longer. 

It is a courageous question in the face of conflict. It invites us to hear more information that might be unpleasant at the moment. 

I challenge you to ask this question more this week. It alone will help you to build stronger relationships and break down barriers. Just know, it sounds easy, but it might also be one of the most challenging things you ever do. 

Today is April first and is also called “April Fool’s Day.” As a child, my older brother would use this day to tell me wild stories and play jokes on me because I was young and gullible. I remember him telling me a crazy story about a train wreck in my town that happened overnight. I was captivated by his tale right up to him saying, “April Fools.”   

Well, a not so funny story that many of us believe is that you can multitask effectively. Study after study has shown that this simply is not true. Unfortunately, it is a lie that many of us believe and live, so today, I want to shout “April Fools.”

I know you think you can have a conversation and do stuff on your phone simultaneously. It is not true. I know you want to believe you can watch TV and build your relationships at the same time. But, again, it is simply not true. I know you have a desire to complete two projects simultaneously when, in reality, you only give both a half effort. 

One of the greatest gifts you can give to the world is being fully present in each situation. When you work, then work. When you are with your children, then focus on them. When you are sharing a meal with friends, put the phone down. When you come to worship, put away all distractions and focus on Jesus. 

A thousand things are vying for your attention. Choose wisely where you are going to give it. And then give it a hundred percent.  

As a preacher, I want to speak for one minute on behalf of all preachers. We are still working on our faith too. 

That means we have not perfected our theology completely. We still have questions and issues, perhaps more than you can imagine. 

That is why I continue to read through the Bible again every year. I know the stories, but I am still figuring out how it all fits together. 

That is why I am always reading something. Books fill my shelves, magazines come to my mailbox, emails fill my inbox, and hundreds of blogs come to my reader. I put something into my mind every single day. 

That is why I listen to sermons, lessons, and lectures. In addition, I have audiobooks, podcasts, and teachings that fill my phone, so I am always able to access more and new information. 

I am not the same preacher I was just five years ago. Hopefully, I am better than I was just a few months ago. My continual education is changing me. I long to become more like Christ. 

Faith is essential to following Jesus, but growth is optional. I hope that your preacher, as I strive to be, is out in front leading the way as a disciple of Jesus. 

The song was initially written in the 1870s, although there is some debate about the exact date. A man named Brewster M. Higley wrote a poem from a small cabin in Smith County, Kansas, near Beaver Creek. It was entitled “My Western Home” and published in the Smith County Pioneer (KS) newspaper. Through the years, the poem was edited and made into a song that we now know as “Home on the Range.” It is called a classic cowboy song and is considered the theme song of the American West. 

Its words begin with a plea, “Oh, give me a home where the buffalo roam, where the deer and antelope play …” The following words say, “Where never is heard a discouraging word.” Mr. Higley’s poem actually says, “Where never is heard a discouraging word.” Finally, the words “And the sky is not clouded all day.”

The writer is clearly taking artistic liberties with his picture. Obviously, some days have clouds, or there would be no rain, which is needed for life. But the idea of never hearing a discouraging word is equally unbelievable. So editors changed the lyrics to reflect a joyful yet honest hope for life. “Where seldom is heard a discouraging word” became the new version. 

What a dream to be in a beautiful location with wildlife nearby, blue skies, and the people around you are not discouraging. Rarely is someone is trying to convince people what they are doing is wrong, prevent them from possible positive action, or say things to make other people lose confidence. What a wonderful place. It is no wonder that so many people love the idea of the American West.

I really wish someone would write a similar song for the Church. That the Church is a place where God’s grace overflows, children play, and seldom is heard a discouraging word. After all, the people who follow Jesus are called not to be discouraging but encouraging. They are not to rob each other of their enthusiasm for the faith; instead, they empower them for more remarkable ministry. 

What would happen if the Church truly was a place “where seldom is heard a discouraging word?” I know people dream of such places because of the popularity of that song. A home like that is built not only by good intention but also by your words and mine. 

The religious world is full of them. 

The other day I was doing research for a sermon illustration. While reading the details of a man’s life, I finally saw a picture of him. I took out my notebook and wrote a simple line:

“Never trust a faith healer who wears eyeglasses.”

I remember reading that somewhere.

The application is simple:  If anyone ever tells you that you can have anything you want if only you believe. They are a fraud. Sometimes their own life betrays their message. 

But before I throw stones, I have to ask, is there anything in my life that doesn’t align with what I am teaching? “Physician, heal thyself” is often excellent advice.