Learning to Drive

When I was first starting to learn how to drive, I was nervous.  Hands at 10 and 2 o’clock… feet on the brakes… mirrors adjusted to the right position.  I studied the handbook and knew the proper following distances and sign shapes.  Yes… I was ready… but one thing kept me uneasy… the speed limit.  After all, how was I supposed to look down at the speedometer and up at the traffic at the same time?  What if I wasn’t looking down and started to go too fast… and got pulled over for speeding… or I was looking down to check my speed and rammed into the car in front of me?  I couldn’t keep my eyes on BOTH places at the same time… so what was I to do?

So many times in our walk with Christ we get nervous for the same reason.  I want to keep my eyes on Him… but what if something needs my attention in life?  What if I’m looking to Him for guidance and bump right into a crisis?  The Bible tells us that our eyes are to be in one position only:  Hebrews 12:2 says, “"Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith ..."  Unlike driving,  we only have to look in one place to stay safe… and that’s facing God.   Life swerving?  Look and pray to God.  A bad diagnosis?  High tax bill?  Failing in school?  Look up.  Marriage trouble?  Losing your authority over your kids?  Don’t stare at the dashboard of your life trying to figure out your speed… look to the One that knows how to steer through the danger!   It’s when we take our eyes off of Christ and put them on our troubles… that the real trouble begins.   

Dark Glasses

Comedian Fred Allen once quipped: “A celebrity is a person who works all his life to become well-known, then wears dark glasses to avoid being recognized.”

While we may chuckle at this remark, many of us live our lives the same way.  We work hard to get somewhere…only to realize that it isn’t all it’s cracked up to be and try to change it.  Why does this happen?  I contend that the biggest mistakes we make in this area are in the very first steps.  We don’t consult God.  We don’t let Him in on the decision making process or ask Him to point us in the right initial direction.  And when our Creator is left out of the loop… we find ourselves careening off in the wrong direction… all the while thinking we are on our way to the top of the ladder of success.  

We may reach the top of that ladder… only to find that it’s leaning against the wrong wall.  And then what?  Do we blame ourselves for poor choices?  Sadly, many times we blame God.  The only way to correct this is to go to God first in prayer… asking Him what’s best… and then having the maturity and courage to follow His lead.  He will make sure that once we get to where we’re going… we’ll be glad we’re there!

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas everyone!  It’s my prayer that you are spending today with family and friends… enjoying this celebration of the birth of Christ!   

I remember growing up in Arkansas… Christmas morning was an event at our house.  We would get up early and open some presents… and it never failed.  The one toy that I wanted to play with most had to wait because it was missing batteries.  Those three words:  “batteries not included” were so heartbreaking.  We’d dig through the junk drawer and would inevitably come up empty.  The disappointment was very real… after all, a toy with no power is just a piece of plastic.  But put those cells in… and you’ve got a remote controlled car that could race down the driveway!     

As I sit and think about Christmas… and more specifically, Christ as a baby… I wonder how many thought that God’s plan didn’t include batteries.  After all, how could the Savior of the world be so meek… so tiny… so seemingly powerless?  How would this little baby rise up to be king?  How could this small boy from this tiny insignificant city overthrow the Roman government and restore God’s people?  But the people missed it.  God’s Christmas plan… His rescue mission… was powerful beyond measure.  Jesus Christ, the most significant human being to ever walk this planet… was mighty.  Even as a tiny baby, His mere presence changed the course of history.  At the mention of His name, kings kneeled… wise men gathered gifts… and prophecies were fulfilled.   God knew exactly what His earth needed… a Savior… a loving, serving, giving, sustaining, providing, merciful, power source that would allow repentant people to have a relationship with their Creator.

So spend part of your day thanking God for the majesty and power of His Son… thank Him for His provision and His presence in your life.    He is all that you need… all you could ever want… all powerful… all-knowing… and everywhere at one time.  He is the Alpha and Omega… the Beginning and the End… He is Almighty Lord and Everlasting Savior.  Jesus is glorious… and His love for you knows no bounds.  You are His masterpiece… and your presence on this planet is purposeful and specific.  Never forget that.  You matter.  How do you know?  Because over two-thousand years ago, God sent His Son… as a baby.    And that baby would one day grow up to sacrifice Himself on a cross and be resurrected three days later… 

For you.   For your eternity.  

Christ did that so you could live power-filled lives… confident that you don’t have to do it all on your own.   Hold your heads up today… pray and give thanks… and celebrate the greatest gift this world has ever known.  

In Plain Sight

I read a story of a man who played the violin in the Washington DC subway.   On this particular cold and blustery morning, very few people noticed the man on the platform… playing skillfully on his instrument.  They were scurrying to make their next train… looking over their newspapers… pressing their faces close to their phones while they checked Twitter.  After a little while, a lady stopped and placed a one dollar tip in his violin case.   But the recognitions were few and far between.  After about 45 minutes of playing, the man had made $32.00.   After finishing his last piece, to the deafening silence of no applause, the man placed his violin back in its case and headed home.

What the people passing didn’t know… this was Joshua Bell.  Violin virtuoso.  One of the most talented players in the world.  In fact, just two days before, Joshua had played to a sold-out concert crowd in Boston… where the average ticket price exceeded $100. 

Sometimes greatness is right in front of us and if we aren’t careful, we’ll miss it. 

Tonight we celebrate Christmas Eve… the night before the birth of Jesus Christ.   The night where Mary and Joseph walked the streets looking for a place to rest… and the innkeeper turned them away to the caves…   The night when angels prepared to sing, shepherds stared into the starry sky in anticipation, and God smiled knowing that His plan for salvation was about to be unveiled.  It was the night when greatness and perfection lay waiting as a human child in the womb of a young virgin… eager to open His beautiful eyes in a world desperate for His presence. 

Greatness was about to appear to the world.  Yet many would miss it.   To some it was just another night… just another star in the sky… just another young boy. 

To some it was just another birthday.  

This Christmas… don’t miss it.  Don’t allow the busyness to get in the way of the beauty of His birth.   Don’t miss the chance to worship Him… giving your greatest gifts to Him… sharing His story with those that might otherwise walk on by.  He is the greatest single human being ever born… and, at the same time, every bit God.   His knowledge is as vast as the sands on the beach… and His compassion is unequalled.   He IS God.  He is greatness personified.   He is our Savior.  And tonight… on Christmas Eve… let’s celebrate knowing that He was born with the ultimate purpose….  saving the world!

Traveling Heavy

In 2007, England’s Queen Elizabeth II decided to make a short 6-day visit to the United States.   While most people would pack a couple of suitcases… the queen travelled much heavier.  In fact, it was estimated that her gear weighed in at two to three tons!    What could she possibly have brought that weighed so much?  The list included clothes, a diamond tiara, her gowns, her crown, gifts, paperwork, and up to 50 pairs of white gloves.  In addition, her personal affects included several framed photos of her family, her favorite tea and teapot, large quantities of favorite brand of water, and special medicines that she required.  Planning and packing took eight months. 

All for a six day visit.

But not all royalty travels with such fanfare.  Over 2000 years ago, a little child entered the world that would forever change it.  He would grow up, heal the sick, raise the dead, teach the masses about God’s love, serve those He created, allow Himself to be crucified, and resurrect back to glorious life.  All while maintaining very few possessions, keeping a selectively small circle of close confidantes, and having a low profile.   Jesus Christ, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, came out of Heaven that Christmas morning…  not weighed down with stuff… but burdened with the sins of the world.   In a couple of days we will celebrate Christ’s royal arrival… and as we observe Christmas.. let us never forget that Jesus travelled light for a reason.   It was so that He could spend His time intentionally… not worried about bringing everything with him… but making sure He didn’t leave without us.

Merry Christmas!

No Need For Flowers

Biblical scholar Howard Hendricks once told his son Bob, “Be so dependable that if you say you will be somewhere and don’t show up, they send flowers.”

Are you thought of as reliable?  Are the commitments that you make as good as done?  If you don’t fulfill a vow to be somewhere… will those you’ve made a promise to think a bad thing has happened?  If this doesn’t sound like you… I’ve got good news:  today is a new day.  Making our word our bond requires a steadfast commitment.   Scripture echoes the importance of being good on our words in Matthew 5:37.  It says,  “Just say a simple, ‘Yes, I will,’ or ‘No, I won’t.’ Anything beyond this is from the evil one.”  If you’re given the opportunity to make a commitment…stop and think about it.  Are you really going to honor it?  Will you really show up?  If so, great!  If not, remember, it’s better not to make a vow, than to make one and break it later.  Be a person of integrity… someone that people can trust… and when you say “yes” or “no” in the future, those around you will know exactly where they stand and what’s going to happen as a result of your decision.  

Seatbelt

Then heavyweight champion of the world Mohammed Ali was sitting on a plane getting ready to take off.  The flight attendant recognized him and gently walked over to ask him to put on his seat belt.  His response?  “Superman don’t need no seat belt.”   The attendant stopped a second looked the formidable man squarely in the face and replied, “Superman don’t need no airplane either!”

There are many who treat God the same way.  God asks something of them… and they tell Him they don’t need to do it.  He gives them instruction through His word… and they shrug it off.  Pride makes them believe that they are self-sufficient… that they are in complete control of their direction with little need for restraint.  Psalm 10:4 tells us “In his pride, the wicked man does not seek him;  in all his thoughts there is no room for God”

Ali couldn’t fly on his own… and neither can we.  God is in control.  He knows best.  And when He tells us that it’s going to get a little bumpy…we need to put on that seatbelt… sit back… and thank Him for the ability to fly.  

The Vault

Below the Federal Reserve Bank in New York City sits five stories of priceless gold.  Locked behind a 90 ton steel door… in a maze of over 100 vaults… the precious metal sits protected and safe.  It is said that each vault can house 100,000 bricks of gold… and the total value of the stash?  Tens of billions of dollars per compartment… several hundred billion overall.

It would seem to most people that this gold is very safe.  After all, who could get down there let alone get anything back up.  But no matter how many steel doors you put on a structure, there is still a chance of something turning up missing or stolen.  The Bible talks about our inability to protect our treasure in Matthew 6:19-20 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.  But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.”  Truth is… no matter how secure, put away, taken care of, or protected our stuff on this planet is… it’s still isn’t 100% theft-proof.  Want to have eternal treasure?  Something that lasts forever?  Start building a stockpile in Heaven!  Talk to others about Jesus… invest your resources in the local church…. spend time serving others and taking care of those in need.  It is then that you are generating eternal wealth.  And while it may not glimmer like gold… it is far more valuable.  

Serving Up Happiness

There’s an old Chinese proverb that says: “If you want happiness for an hour, take a nap.  If you want happiness for a day, go fishing.  If you want happiness for a year, inherit a fortune.  If you want happiness for a lifetime, help somebody.”

If you’ve ever come to the aid of someone in need you know the truth in that statement.  There’s something about being there for a person that gives us a sense of fulfillment… a feeling of greater purpose.  This shouldn’t be surprising if you are a Christ-follower.  Scripture tells us in Acts 20:35 that “It is more blessed to give than to receive”  In Proverbs 11:25 we read “Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered.”  Loving others…serving them… is something that God Himself has instructed us to do.  And when we stay obedient in this, the Bible tells us time and time again that we will be blessed. Want more blessing in your life?  Make the decision to reach out.  The world may try to convince you to look out only for yourself… but the example that Christ left us was quite the opposite.  Serving others is part of our calling…our purpose here on Earth… and there’s nothing that makes us resemble Jesus more than when we are putting others first.  

Ears

According to Prevention magazine, our ears continue to grow throughout the course of our lifetime.  When we are very young, they are proportional to our body size.  After age 10, the growth slows down but continues steadily until we die.  So using this logic, we should have better hearing as we get older… larger ears means better sound processing right?  Not really.  In fact, as we age, our hearing ability actually decreases.  

Sad but true.  

But there is one aspect of our hearing that should improve as we get older… hearing from God.  Why?  Because if we’re doing it right when we’re young… we should be getting to know Him more and more!  Spending time in His word… hearing messages in His church… writing about Him in our journals… telling others about Him when the opportunity comes…  We should be growing closer to Him… and His voice should be getting louder as the shadows grow longer.  2 Corinthians 4 tells us that although we are physically failing over time… we are actually being “renewed day by day” by God.  Want to know what God sounds like?  Spend time with Him.  Pray.  Ask Him to tell you and teach you what you need to know.  And as the years pass… your ability to hear physically may fade… but your capacity to hear from the One that matters will sharpen. 

Hide and Go Seek

Do you remember playing hide and go seek? I do. My brothers and I would play it when we were little… and I was pretty good. I remember being hidden and hearing their voices as they’d get closer… the butterflies in my stomach as I got nervous they’d find me… the sound of their feet getting louder against the wood floor… all part of the game. Sometimes they’d discover me, but many times they wouldn’t. I was good at hiding from them and enjoyed knowing that I could fool them at will.

Many feel that way about God. Over time, they become quite good at hiding from Him. Or, if not physically, they hide things about themselves from Him. I guess they figure that if they don’t say it out loud.. He doesn’t know. Maybe if they avoid accountability, God never finds them or discovers what they’ve done. The Bible sets it straight in Psalm 139. In it, David says that no matter where he goes… God is there. He is all-knowing… all-powerful… and everywhere at one time. It may be tempting to hide… but there are far greater results when we step out into the light and reveal what God already knows. When we talk to Him and tell Him what’s inside us… He can begin the healing process in our hearts. Find yourself in the shadows today? Spend some time talking with the One who already knows what put you there and wants to guide you back into the sunlight.

Keep Going

Mary Fasano’s parents pulled her out of eighth grade so she could work in a cotton mill in Rhode Island.  Fifty-five years later, she made a major decision.  She decided that she was going to go back to school to complete her education.  At 71, she completed her coursework and received her high school diploma… but she wasn’t done yet!  She signed up for Harvard University’s extension program and took one class at a time.  Week after week, she drove the twenty miles to the school… and did so for seventeen years!  In June of 2003, Mary Fasano graduated from Harvard at the age of 89.

Many called her crazy.

Many would have told her that her dream was impossible.

But what they forgot…?  Something is impossible ONLY until it is accomplished.

Mary lived her life by this truth from Matthew 19:26 “For nothing is impossible with God”

Today you may be facing something that nobody else believes in but you.   It’s a mountain that’s never been climbed… and achievement the world’s never seen… a way of doing something that’s never been done.  Be bold.  Read that verse above over and over until it weaves its way into the fabric of your heart.  You have been created for greatness… and your greatest competition is the status quo.  The odds of success mean nothing when you have God on your side.  He sets the odds.  He gets you through.  And He will equip you with everything you need to push onward.  Seize the day.  Take your dreams back from the critics because someday you will be dancing in victory while the doubters stand silent.  

Making the Right Call

At the start of the 2012 football season, the league was forced to put replacement referees on the field as a result of a contract dispute with the real crew.  The fill-ins worked throughout the first part of the season… and made many mistakes.  Maybe no bigger than the ending of the Green Bay Packers vs. Seattle Seahawks game.  In it, the Seattle quarterback threw a desperation pass toward the end zone in the closing seconds of the game.  A Green Bay defensive player intercepted the ball, but the stand-in ref called it a touchdown for Seattle…costing the Packers the game.   When interviewed afterward, the confused referee said that he would not have changed the call even though every replay showed he was clearly in error.

Many of us are just like that referee.  

Sometimes we don’t want to admit when we’ve made a mistake.  Even when it’s obvious.  The crowd points and we turn a blind eye.  The replay shows it… and we turn off the tv.  We blow it… drop it… miscall it… and mess it up.  But why is it so hard to admit our mistakes and make them right?  It’s simple.  Pride.  James 4:6 tells us that “God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”   Find yourself in a situation where you’ve missed the mark?  Made a mistake?  Humble yourself.  First admit to God how you’ve blown it… then make it right with those you’ve hurt.  God will bless your obedience and you will begin to heal immediately.  Admitting there’s an issue is one thing… making it right, while not always easy, is the always the correct call.  

Video Fireplace

Pastor Stephen Kingsley walked into a restaurant to have a warm bowl of chili.  It was freezing outside… the snow piling up just outside the front door.  He walked to the counter, ordered his food and coffee, and waited patiently.  In the corner of the room, an image on the television caught his eye.  It was a closeup of a fireplace… it’s flames dancing randomly across the screen.  He says that maybe it was just because it was cold outside… but he couldn’t take his eyes off the video fireplace.

Have you ever seen anything like that?  A fake fireplace?  All image but no heat?  Maybe not, but you might have known someone like that.  All commitment, no execution.  All talk, no action.  All carrying on, but no carrying out.  The Bible tells us not to be like that phony fireplace on the screen in James 1:22 “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves.  Do what it says.”  James tells us… don’t just look the part… don’t just say the words… don’t just promise yourself you’ll change… actually do it!  Be the real deal!  The world isn’t looking for fake fireplaces… they are looking for genuine believers fired up to be the light in this dark world.  

10K

In 1990, Georgene Johnson turned 42.    Unhappy and out-of-shape… she committed to make some changes in her life to make the second half better than the first.  Her first act of improvement… running.  Georgene decided to enter a 10K race that was coming up in her community.  She prepared herself and when race day came, she was ready to run the 6 mile course.  The race started… and about 4 miles in, she turned to a fellow runner and asked when they were going to make the turn and head back.  The fellow runner looked at her with a puzzled glance and kept running.   Why the odd look?  Turns out, Georgene wasn’t running the 10K she had signed up for… that started at a later time… instead, she was running the Cleveland Marathon!  And 26 miles later, she crossed the finish line.  She had never run that far or that long… but she just kept going.  When asked why she didn’t stop she said, “This is not the race I trained for.  This is not the race I entered.  But for better or worse, this is the race that I am in.”

Have you ever felt like that?  Prepared for one test but given another much larger one?  Underequipped?  Overwhelmed?  Pushed right past your comfort zone into the land of “why me?”  If so, you aren’t alone.  Many find themselves in a much longer challenge than they ever thought they’d get through… faced with the choice of stopping or running… pushing on or shutting down.  The Bible tells us in Hebrews 12 that we should keep going… to run the race that has been marked out for us… even when we feel like we can’t pick up our feet.  How?  The verse tells us to keep our eyes on Jesus.  Look to Him when it hurts… turn to Him when we don’t understand.. lean on Him when we struggle… and trust in Him when the course seems never-ending.   You may not see the finish line but Christ does.   He knows you can do it.  And with every bend in the road, He’s there not only cheering you on but strengthening you every step of the way.   

The Speed of Life

The other day I read that the earth spins 1000 times faster at the equator than it does at either one of the poles.  In fact, that’s why rockets are launched closer to the Earth’s midline than further away.  When a spacecraft is launched from around the equator, it is already traveling at a considerably faster speed… thus making it more fuel efficient and quicker to enter orbit.  

Isn’t that true in our lives as well?  The closer we are to the center of things…the faster paced life is.  Some thrive in the environment… while others do whatever they can to retreat to the slower pace of the poles.  But what speed does God want us to live?  

Galatians 6:9 tells us: “So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.”  We have to remember that It’s not about the speed of life…it’s about staying at it and not quitting.   There will be times in our lives where we’ll sprint…and others where we’ll jog.  What God is concerned about is our priorities and our perseverance.  At whatever speed you’re living… are we putting Him first?  Are we loving and serving others?  If so… run on.  Don’t give up on the dream that He’s put in your heart long before you were born.  And whatever you do… in whatever season you find yourself in… at whatever speed life is coming at you…. don’t quit.   Breakthrough is coming… and God has big things planned for you!

The Power of Pain

Isaac Brown looks like any other five year old boy.   He’s learning to read, do basic math, and all of the other things a boy his age would do.  But all is not what it seems…  because Isaac lacks what so many of us take for granted… the ability to feel pain.  He can unflinchingly touch a hot stove, break a bone without knowing it, or step on broken glass.  He knows that when he sees blood, it’s not a good thing… and he needs to seek help.   This extremely rare genetic condition, if not kept under watchful eye, could lead to accidental death or disfigurement due to the lack of a built-in survival mechanism.

Ironically, many in the world envy his circumstances…. they would love to go 24 hours without a single bit of pain.  And not just physical pain… people want to block out emotional and relational hurt as well.  What they fail to realize is that pain is useful.  When we touch a hot stove, the nerve endings signal the brain to remove the hand… thus preserving the skin and our health.  That pain has a purpose.   And no matter how badly you hurt today… yours does too.  Maybe you find yourself going through some other type of pain… a breakup… a loss… a memory of someone who used to abuse you… I want to challenge you to think of that pain differently today. James tells us in Chapter 1, verse 2, that our pain should be a source of joy.  Joy?  We should be happy when things hurt?  Why?  Because we know three things:  God will walk with us through that pain, we will grow as a result of hurting, and that our experience will help others in similar situations in the future.  So today, don’t just wish for the pain to subside… ask God to help you leverage it for growth… knowing that it is through our deepest hurts that our greatest and most life-changing lessons are learned.

Tree

Nature enthusiast, Ilan Shamir wrote a wonderful passage called “Advice from a Tree.”

Stand up tall and proud.  Sink your roots into the earth.

Be content with your natural beauty.  Go out on a limb.

Drink plenty of water. Remember your roots.

Enjoy the view!

Looking through these words of wisdom, I can’t help but see the Biblical parallels.  God has called each of us to live confident lives.. to stand tall in Him.  And as we read His word and begin to grow deeper roots in the truth... we begin to see ourselves in a new light.  We are masterpieces already...right now... the best God can do.  We’ve been created intentionally...to live confidently...to see life as a series of learning experiences even in times of trial and failure.  He is the Living Water... and when we drink in the magnitude of His perfection...and accept His sacrifice on our behalf... our eternity is secure.  We were put here to give glory to Him.  To honor Him.  And when we accomplish what we’ve been sent here for... we’ll prayerfully hear the words from the One who sent us... “Well done, my good and faithful servant.”  

I don’t know what you are going through as you listen to this... but I know God does.   He cares.  And He’s never going to leave your side through a second of it.  Stay strong as an oak, as flexible as a palm, and know that your best days are just ahead.  I’m praying for you..  

Battle Plan

According to the UK Mail... heir to the throne Prince William prepared for the birth of his son in a unique way.   While most dads thumb through simple parenting books, the Prince turned to a book written by former Commando and father of three, Neil Sinclair.  The title?  Commando Dad - Basic Training, a handbook in the style of Basic Battle Skills .  The contents of the book read like guidelines given to new army recruits... it’s pages filled with survival techniques and strategies for soldiers on the front lines.  

While parenting can seem like a battle sometimes, there is a far more effective book to get us started... the Bible.  God’s word instructs like no other... it’s wisdom, clarity, and insight is all we need to raise children that will grow up to be God-honoring adults.  Deuteronomy 6:6-7 tells us "And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up.”   Parenting isn’t about being perfect... or battle-ready... it’s about being intentional.  Teach children who God says they are... tell them how loving and graceful He is... share with them why obedience is important to Him... and great things will happen!  We may not know what to expect when we’re expecting... but by turning to and following God’s handbook... we’ll be ready to equip our children for anything.  

The Scarecrow

There’s a great scene in the classic film “The Wizard of Oz” between Dorothy and her straw-filled friend, the Scarecrow.  As they meet for the first time, the Scarecrow confesses, “I haven’t got a brain... only straw!”  Dorothy thinks for a moment and asks, “How can you talk if you haven’t got a brain?”  He replies, “I don’t know... But some people without brains do an awful log of talking... don’t they?”

There’s a very short distance between our mind and our mouth... and all too often, if we aren’t careful, we engage the latter before using the former.  Speaking without thinking is not only foolish... but unbiblical.  In Ecclesiastes 5:2 it says “Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God...”  Everything we share should be intentional and well-thought through... encouraging, uplifting, God-honoring, and purposeful.  Once they come out of our mouths, we can’t take our words back... so let’s think about each one... and use the brain God gave us to brighten the world.  

Giving Thanks

      What does it take for us to say we have enough?  Many who struggle with this answer the question of “enough?” with “just one more.”  But where does it stop?  When does thankfulness begin?

To those that struggle with contentment... there will never be enough.  It will always lie one arms length beyond their ability to sleep at night.   Those that live in this camp wonder when the next one will be and never cherish what is.  Their entire existence is based on what they might miss out on by not having more. 

Today’s verses help with this.  

“Yet true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth.”  1 Timothy 6:6

“Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have.”   Philippians 4:11 (Paul)

Godliness with contentment, Paul says, is of great value.  In fact, he goes on to tell the churches in Philipi that he has “learned how to be content with whatever I have.” [sic].  

What was Paul’s secret?  What helped him move from greedy to grateful?  It’s simple.  Perspective.  Paul saw that his needs were met and that was enough.  He probably had wants...things that he’d like to have in his life... but he realized that these were superfluous to his mission.   Paul was sent to spread the Gospel... and help those around him find Christ as Lord.  He knew that God would provide whatever he needed to fulfill his calling.  

What’s your calling?  To grow, learn, love, support, partner, develop, share Christ, and become the person God created you to be?  Great!  I promise you… to do all of those things.. God will give you exactly what you need exactly when you need it.  All the other stuff that ties up your heart in the bonds of dissatisfaction are unnecessary… and only lead to stress, sadness, and the false feeling that you are missing out on something.  

Ready to move from greedy to grateful?  From wanting to worshiping?   From pouting to praise?  Make the commitment today to do so.   Maybe you’re sitting down around a table of food with friends and family… or maybe your gearing up to go shopping… or maybe none of that has started yet and you have a few minutes to spend talking with God.  Before you pray, make a list of all of the things God has done for you and provided for you this year.  It won’t take long before you realize that Paul had it right… It’s not about having stuff…it’s about knowing it’s enough.  And thanking God for his graciousness in allowing us to hold onto it for awhile.  

Happy Thanksgiving my friends… let’s celebrate His goodness all year long!

Self-Help

Throughout history, people have tried thousands of ways to improve themselves. Some are philosophical, some religious, and others scientific. After 2000 years of self-help, those ways can be boiled down to three common themes. The first.. if we want to change... we have to alter our surroundings. Just being in a different space can improve our outlook about ourselves and others. The next is to watch ourselves carefully. When we keep track of what we say and do, we increase awareness of what’s not working and can make the necessary shifts. Finally, the third most commonly used self-help tactic is accountability. When we partner with others, and ask them to point out what needs fixing, we are more likely to make the adjustments and improve our lives.

It’s no wonder why these seem to be the ways that work the best... they are Biblical! Proverbs 4:14 tells us to watch where we hang out... “Do not set foot on the path of the wicked or walk in the way of evil men”. Lamentations 3:4 challenges us to watch ourselves at all times...”Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the LORD” Finally, Galatians 6:1 tells us to set up accountability so that we can become self-aware. “Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted” Feeling the need to make some positive changes? Don’t turn to the huge self-help section in your local bookstore... open the cover of the book you spend time with each morning...the Bible! God’s word is filled with wisdom to help us keep good company, see ourselves accurately, and include others in our walk as we work at becoming who God created us to be.

Everything Matters

Author Philip Yancey wrote about a television show he watched about survivors from World War II.  On the show, soldiers talked about how they spent a particular day in the foxhole.  They described it as ordinary... a German tank drove by and they shot at it... they played cards... a few got involved in some firefights... just a typical day.  Later, they learned that they had just participated in one of the most decisive engagements of the war, the Battle of the Bulge.  To them, it didn’t feel decisive... they were doing what they always did.  But because they held down their position...just miles away, their fellow countrymen could take new ground.

Maybe today started out a lot like those soldiers.  You hit the alarm clock, dressed, ate breakfast, and went to work.  Just an ordinary day.   But your day is far from ordinary.  God’s is in this day... and He’s making things happen.  You may not see the big picture...your position may seem inconsequential to you... but have no doubt... you play a critical role on this planet.  What you are doing matters.  You matter.  There are no small responsibilities when it comes to serving God and all of our efforts add up... no matter what we’re doing for Him.

Yancey finishes that chapter with this statement “Great victories are won when ordinary people execute their assigned tasks...”  Winning this world for Christ is a team effort.  Be the best you that you can be, honor God with your words and actions, and remember... everything matters...even the things that seem ordinary.  When we live that out, before long, the victory over the enemy of this world will be complete.