Tuesday, February 28, 2017

DOUBT

I don't know if you're much of a doubter ... like me.

You're probably better with that than I - and that's good.  But I can really be skeptical about a lot of things.

For instance - here's a short list of things I and others are dubious about:

The Government and Politicians
The News
Advertisements
Before & After Pictures
Diet Pills and Plans
Anything that says 'Free'
Big Corporations
Salesmen
Insurance Companies
People who say, 'I can quit whenever I want'
Terrorists
Guys with super long fingernails
Celebrities
Facebook Statuses
People who say they work 80 hours a week
People who smile all the time

There are a lot of things I tend to doubt.

When it comes to God, doubt is a lack of confidence that He's going to do what He said He would do.  It's the mindset that says, 'I don't know if God is going to come through.'

So let's put some things immediately on the table:


God has promised to provide for us.

'I will meet all your needs according to My glorious riches in Christ.'  (Philippians 4:19)

He never told us He would meet our greeds; He said He would meet our needs.

But what if He doesn't come through on that? That's doubt.


God has promised to protect us.

'No weapon formed against you will prevail.'  (Isaiah 54:17a)

But maybe something terrible is going to happen anyway.  That's doubt.


God has promised to prosper our souls.

'I will bestow favor and honor; no good thing will I withhold from those whose walk is blameless.'  (Psalm 84:11)

Your life won't lack one single thing that could increase your joy if you walk with God.


No need to doubt.

And be blessed.

Friday, February 24, 2017

NEED

I'm privileged to be on the Elder Board for the School of Urban Missions based in Oakland, California.  We have an SUM cohort at our church called Journey Ministry College, training students with the full-time call of God on their lives to do ministry.  The college provides an accredited B.A. in Biblical Studies and has a Master's program as well.

This week we're helping host the School of Urban Missions' annual Visionary Leader's Conference in New Orleans with guest, Pastor Tommy Barnett from Phoenix First Church.  

Tommy spoke on NEED a few minutes ago:


'We need more of the right kind of need.

The right kind of need will attract the supernatural power of God.

The bigger the need the bigger the supply.

Some of your miracles are in seed form right now.

Everything you need to build a great church is sitting right there in your house.  The miracle is in the house.

You need to know what your need is.

God knows your need before you ask it.

A needless life is an unproductive and mediocre life.

Find a need and fill it.

We say 'quality over quantity.'  Dumbest statement ever.  If you have quality, you'll have quantity.

Learn to seed your need.

It isn't the seed we keep that sows anything; it's the seed we sow.'


2 Corinthians 2:10 - "He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness."


And be blessed.

Friday, February 17, 2017

KINDNESS

Today is National Random Acts of Kindness Day.

No doubt that should be every day of the year, but today is the actual commemorative day.

Now that you know, this is your official challenge do something randomly kind for another person before the weekend is out.

'Kindness is a language the deaf can hear and the blind can see.'  (Mark Twain)

'No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.'  (Aesop)

'There's no such thing as a small act of kindness.  Every act creates a ripple.'  (Adams)

Go for it.

And be blessed.

Tuesday, February 14, 2017

VALENTINE

Today is Valentine's Day.

Doubtless the first word you think of when I say the word "Valentine" is ... God.

No?

OK.  How about this?  What's the other word you think of when I say the word "Valentine?"

LOVE, by any chance?

Sure.

Now, what do you think of when I say the word 'love?'

Yes ... God.

The same number of us who have a firm belief in God should also have a firm belief in love.

If you believe in God but you don't believe in love, you have a big problem.  Because if God exists and He's all-powerful and all-knowing and all-present and He isn't motivated by love, we're done.

Conversation over.

I mean, if God isn't love, explain the way we get to act toward Him.

Once you understand who God really is you begin to believe in love in the most powerful way.

If He isn't love, do you think for a moment He'd tolerate us saying He doesn't exist?  If He exists and isn't love, do you think He'd tolerate for one second us living so directly in defiance to His will and intention for our lives?  If He isn't love?

In fact, the truth that we can live our lives without Him if we choose is proof that He's love.

And the reason we get one more chance and one more opportunity and one more breath is because His love never stops pursuing us.

Once you understand who God really is you begin to believe in love in the most powerful way.

God so loved the world ... happy Valentine's Day.

And be blessed.

Sunday, February 12, 2017

IDIOT

From the TV show, 'The Office ... "

Michael:  What's the most important thing I ever said to you?

Dwight:  "Don't be an idiot."  Changed my life.  Now, whenever I'm about to do something I think, 'Would an idiot do that?'  And If they would, I don't do that thing.



I'm just saying -- that isn't bad advice.

And be blessed.

Tuesday, February 7, 2017

SUPERHERO

Speaking of heroes -- two days ago here -- my favorite superhero has to be Captain America.  

Let's face it.  Chris Evans has more 'cool' in his right pinkie than I do in all my parts combined.  You know it's true.

Captain America doesn't have any particularly superhuman powers like his superhero friends, but he has amazing strength, incredible agility and endurance, rocket-like speed and finely tuned reflexes.  He is an expert in hand-to-hand combat and is a skilled martial artist.  He's a master strategist, acrobat and pilot.  He speaks Russian, German and English.  He's indestructible when he has his amazing star-studded 12-pound shield in his hand.  And ... he rides a custom-built Harley.

Yeah.  Gotta be Captain America.

I'm fascinated by superheroes.  Wouldn't it be great to be one?

They come to the rescue.  They change the world.  They make a difference.  They never give up.  No obstacle causes them to shy away.  Fearless.

But hold on.

Why can't that be me - or you?

Could you come to someone's rescue who was in need?
Could you take the world you walk in every day and change it by a kind word - a good deed - a helping hand?
Could you make a difference in someone's life that way?

The answer is easy.

You don't need superpowers to be a superhero.  The hero God calls us to be is simply to be a faithful follower of Christ.

When I walk past the early childhood rooms on a Sunday morning and watch a man on his knees helping tie a 3-year old's shoe, that's a hero.

I worked alongside a dozen guys in Cuba last year -- sweating for 10 hours a day while they wheelbarrowed rocks and sand to build a church -- all heroes.

I think about a mom (mine) who worked tirelessly to support us while I was growing up, without a man by her side -- a hero.

A guy who hauls thousands of pounds of food to a gym every month so people in need can get free groceries -- a hero.

The 65-year old lady who holds the door open for guests pouring into the church every weekend, no matter the cold -- a hero.

The mom who packs lunches and drives the gang to school every day -- a hero.

The dad who coaches for his son's soccer team -- a hero.

The group who spends their Monday afternoons at an elementary school reading to and playing with the kids after school -- heroes all.


You don't need superpowers to be a superhero.


Superheroes.

You want to be one?

I'm not stopping you.

And be blessed.

Sunday, February 5, 2017

HERO

Remember story time at your house?

You hop in bed alongside your little son or daughter to read them a bedtime story.  They pick the book.  The same book they've picked the past 30 days.

Sometimes you read that story with great enthusiasm -- you added voices and hand gestures to spice it up a little.

Most nights, that is.

Then there were those other nights you couldn't muster the voices and faces because you were just tired.  You wanted to move the night along, get them to bed, say the prayer, kiss their foreheads, and get on with your life.

But you knew they were never going to sleep unless you read their favorite story.

There was this particular reading technique nobody ever taught you as a parent, it just came naturally at some point.  When you went to turn the page of the book . . . you turned two pages.

I always got caught.

'Hey honey, look over there - there's a huge spider on the wall.'

And when she did, I'd quickly turn three pages at once.

"You skipped a page, Daddy?'

"I did??  How'd that happen?"

She knew the story.  Backward and forward.


There's something about a story that grabs you.


It's interesting that children will sit patiently to hear the same story over and over and over again until they can recite it with you.  Then the next night, they want that same story read again.

There's something about a story that grabs you.  I'm not sure we ever grow out of that.

In fact, if you drill down on your favorite movies - your favorite books, the characters may change a little - the look may change some - but most of them follow the same basic plot.  There may be a different villain, a slightly different adventure, danger or a journey, but ultimately a hero overcomes insurmountable odds or a team of people do what no individual could.

It always goes something like this:  There was a time when things were good - then something terrible happened - evil burst onto the scene - confusion ensued - there was a struggle, a battle, obstacles to be overcome -- and when it seems all is lost, the hero arrives.

Ever wonder why we go back to those stories again and again?  May I submit to you that it's the only story on earth?  That's why it rings to true to us.  There's something universal behind that story.

It's a story written on our own hearts.  It's the story of eternity.  It's the story of the entire Bible.  It's the story of Jesus.

The Hero showed up.

And be blessed.

Friday, February 3, 2017

STORY

I haven't come from the kind of story that would make your eyes get big.  There are people who've been rescued by God from some enormous obstacles.

God spared me from much of that.

Still, I've had health issues -- I've had a father situation
-- I've had family circumstances -- I've had discouragement, even depression -- I understand low self-esteem -- I've struggled financially.

They're all chains.

Maybe yours is anger -- maybe it's doubt -- maybe it's addiction or influence by the world -- maybe it's impatience -- pride -- jealousy -- lack of peace.

Whatever it is, God can use it if you give it to Him.  It's your story.

And be blessed.