Pure Reflection

The story is told of a group of women that met for Bible study.  While studying in the book of Malachi, chapter three, they came across verse three which says:

“He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver;”  Malachi 3:3a

This verse puzzled the women and they wondered how this statement applied to the character and nature of God.  One of the women offered to find out more about the process of refining silver, and to get back to the group at their next Bible

study.  The following week, the woman called up a silversmith and made an appointment to watch him while at work.  She didn’t mention anything about the reason for her interest, beyond her curiosity about the process of refining silver. 

As she watched the silversmith work, he held a piece of silver over the fire and let it heat up. He explained that in refining silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle of the fire, where the flames were the hottest as to burn away all the impurities. 

The woman thought about God holding us in such a hot spot, then she thought again about the verse, that "He sits as a refiner and purifier of silver." She asked the silversmith if it was true that he had to sit there in front of the fire the entire time the silver was being refined.  The man answered yes, that not only did he have to sit there holding the silver, but he had to keep his eyes on it the entire time it was in the fire. 

If the silver was left even a moment too long in the flames, it would be destroyed. 

The woman was silent for a moment. Then she asked the

silversmith, "But how do you know when the silver is fully refined?" 

He smiled at her and answered, "Oh, that’s easy - when I see my image in it."

Trials bring pain.  No news there...   When things are challenging...when they take us to the breaking point... we hurt.   Many of us wonder if the pain will ever stop.  And when it does, some just sit and wait for it to start again.  

Trial by fire.  Refining fire.  

Why me Lord? It’s easy to ask that when troubles come. We turn our eyes to Heaven and wonder what we’ve done to deserve what we’re going through.  Did we make God angry?  Is our Heavenly Father getting even with us?  Are we so bad that we’re being punished?  No.  Whether we are dealing with consequences from our own poor decisions... or life’s circumstances... or the choices made by someone else... we hurt.     We might not have created the pain... but it’s there and we have to deal with it.

Life gets heated.  Sometimes unbearably so.  

But it’s in that time of intense fire that things are burned away that never belonged.  New discoveries are made.  Our way of thinking changes...

We realize how deep our faith goes.

We see how big our God is.

We conclude that life is meant to be lived with others.

We understand that those other people care...and they’ll walk with us.

We learn what to do next time.

We reset our priorities.

We learn that God’s timing is always perfect.

We discover who runs the universe (and it isn’t us).

We develop patience.

We get stronger.

We have the chance to grow closer to Christ.

We appreciate times of peace in our lives more.

We get mad and shake our fists at the universe.  

But God... our loving God waits patiently with His arms outstretched.  

He understand heartache firsthand.  Intense heartache.  But God allows us to experience pain so that we can accomplish our purpose.  

Those fires in your life...those trials... are making you stronger.  And make no mistake...just like the silversmith...when the heat comes your way, God doesn’t move.   He is there with you while you endure under it.  

Because He knows...

when it seems like you can’t take another minute under the intense flames...

when you feel like throwing in the towel...

It WILL come to an end.  You won’t be under that pain forever.  You will be victorious.  Stronger.   You will have new skills, a deeper faith, and a compelling testimony to help others through the same thing.  I wish there was some other way to grab these skills... but it seems that pain provides the deepest and most lasting lessons.

And when the fire dies out,  Christ will look down on you... with those impurities driven away... and see a pure reflection of Himself in your life.  

Keep Running

“And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.”  Galatians 6:9

On March 6, 1987, Eamon Coghlan, the Irish world record holder at 1500 meters, was running in a qualifying heat at the World Indoor Track Championships in Indianapolis. With two and a half laps left, he was tripped. He fell, but he got up and with great effort managed to catch the leaders. With only 20 yards left in the race, he was in third place -- good enough to qualify for the finals. He looked over his shoulder to the inside, and, seeing no one, he let up. But another runner, charging hard on the outside, passed Coughlan a yard before the finish, thus eliminating him from the finals. Coughlan's great comeback effort was rendered worthless by taking his eyes off the finish line. 

It’s so tempting to let up isn’t it?  Pull back a little... take it easy.

It happened to Eamon Coghlan and it happens to people you know.   Here’s how the trend usually looks:

Something unfavorable happens in life.

We cry, beg, and pray to God to intervene and help us.

We read our Bible, go to church, serve others, etc.

The situation changes.  

God comes through (as He always does)

We say a quick “thanks” to God and move forward with our lives.

We think we don’t need God as much so our bible reading decreases, we go to church every so often, and we stop serving.

Prayer only happens before meals if at all.

Fact is... some people only run with God when they need Him for something.  When times are good... they pull up... they let God run along and depend on themselves.

After all, who needs God when we can do it ourselves right?

That is NOT what God had in mind when we were created.  I say it many times when I teach… each of us are knit together with a specific purpose.  We are to run hard in life’s race.  Sprint through tragedies while leaning on Christ’s strength when ours falls short.  Courageously dash into challenges because we know that greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world.  Shrink back from adversity?  Slow up when it hurts?  Push away when we don’t know what to do?

Not part of the plan. 

If you are a Christ-follower, the moment you accepted Him as your Savior, you were given a brand new pair of track shoes.  Top of the line.  Designed to allow you to run hard your whole life... giving glory to Him along the way.  I love the way Isaiah 40:31 puts it... those that trust God will “run and not grow weary”   Hebrews 12 says “let us run with endurance the race that is set before us...”

Run with endurance.

Run and not grow weary.

Keep running forward... don’t let up... don’t base your relationship with God on the way you feel or the circumstances of your life.  You were created to be in perfect step with your Lord... running toward a Heavenly finish line.  As we talked about last week, the devil’s in good shape and he’s trying to catch up to you... 

Slow down?  Nope.  We were created to finish the race strong.

Feeling tired?  Maybe.  Let God carry you 

Want to stop?  You can’t.  You were given one life to make a difference for Christ.

Keep moving forward... stay connected to God in both the good AND the bad times... and never ever quit.

You... yes you... are a winner.  

Run hard and cross the finish line of life as the champion you were created to be.    

More Important?

An old Scotsman operated a little rowboat for transporting passengers. One day one of the passengers noticed that the good old man had carved on one oar the word "Faith," and on the other oar "Works." Curiosity led him to ask the meaning of this. The old man being a well-balanced Christian and glad of the opportunity for testimony, said, "I will show you." So saying, he dropped one oar and used the other called Works, and they just went around in circles. Then he dropped that oar and plied with the one called Faith, and the little boat went around in circles again---this time the other way around, but still in a circle. After this demonstration the old man picked up Faith and Works, and plying both oars together, sped swiftly over the water, explaining to his inquiring passenger, "You see that is the way it is in the Christian life.”

Faith AND works. Both equally necessary in the life of a Christ-follower that’s moving forward. The Bible states it this way:

“What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone? Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, and you say, “Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well”—but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do?

So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.

Now someone may argue, “Some people have faith; others have good deeds.” But I say, “How can you show me your faith if you don’t have good deeds? I will show you my faith by my good deeds.”

You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror. How foolish! Can’t you see that faith without good deeds is useless?” - James 2:14-20

Faith is a wonderfully powerful thing. It helps us through crisis... it resets our perspectives... it keeps us anchored in the storms of life.

Works are important too... the active component of a life that is honoring God. Our works allow us to be the hands and feet of Christ in the lives of others.

Which is more important?

Both.

According to today’s verse, James tells us that faith must produce good deeds or it is “dead and useless.” What does this mean? Simply believing isn’t enough. God calls us to do so much more. He actively seeks a relationship with us and wants us to trust Him in all things. He also requires us to live an active servant life.... to help those that need it.... be generous with our resources... give, serve, love, help, and sacrifice. He wants us to treat love as a verb... to commit to a life that honors Christ by emulating Him.

It’s important to note that James isn’t talking about earning salvation. Many read this verse and assume that the faith he is referring to is the establishment of a relationship with Christ. Not so. Your commitment to Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior requires only a confession of faith. When we pray to ask Jesus to take over our lives, the scripture says that we secure eternal life. This life can’t be taken from you and you can’t lose it.... that prayer of faith that you prayed is steadfast and you will spend forever in eternity with your Creator.

What James is challenging us with is our day-to-day faith. When crisis comes... is it enough to just say “God’s got it!” or does God want more from us. James tells us that we are to take an active role as the hands and feet of Christ in the lives of those enduring that crisis. We can’t just brush people off and blindly assume that God will handle it. God is more than capable of doing so... but it shows true faith when we dive in, sacrifice, provide, and care for others. When we do so, God uses us to bless others and our faith deepens in the process.

My challenge to you today is to seek opportunities not just to tell others that you believe... demonstrate it for them. Serve...love....give... just like Christ. It’s doing both of these that help us reach our God-potential and change the world.

Seeing the Future

Walt Disney was a remarkable man of vision. He never gave up. Early in his career a newspaper fired him because they thought he had "no good ideas". That just made Disney try harder. When he was starting out in Kansas City he couldn't sell his cartoons. Some hinted that he had no talent but Walt Disney had a dream so he set out to conquer his foes. He found a minister who paid him a small amount to draw advertising pictures for his church. Disney had no place to stay, so that the church let him sleep in the mouse-infested garage. One of those mice which Disney nicknamed Mickey, became famous -- as the world knows. 

When Walt Disney World in Orlando ,FL. opened in 1971, Mrs. Disney was sitting beside Walter Cronkite. Walt Disney has passed away several years earlier. Walter Cronkite wanted to say just the right thing to Mrs. Disney, so he leaned over to her and said, "Wouldn't it be great if Walt were here to see this today." Mrs. Disney wisely replied, "If Walt had not first seen this you would not be seeing it today."

Years before the final brick was put into place...  Walt Disney saw the finished product of Disney World in his mind.  He could mentally walk its streets...hear the sounds of children running to the next attraction... smell the popcorn on Main Street.  

When workers wondered if it could be done, Mr. Disney reassured them that it could.  If people doubted the layout, Walt reassured them it would be the best way to do it.  How could he be so confident?  Why didn’t he worry?  Because he knew what was coming.  He was convinced of what would be.  

He saw ahead of those that couldn’t see it.  

So often we worry.  We fret... become dismayed... feel crushed by the weight of something that has hit our lives with the force of a freight train.  Our reaction typically ranges from tears to tempers... drifting between a feeling of abandonment to agony.  We begin to ask the same questions we’ve asked hundreds of times before...

What if?

When will..?

Who can?

Why try?

Which direction...?

We get scared because we can’t see what’s coming.  We get frustrated because we can’t control the outcome.  We get depressed because we think we’re being paid back for some past failure.  It gets dark and in those shadows we allow the faceless voice of the devil to challenge us with his lies.  

We must know the truth. 

God doesn’t worry.  He doesn’t wonder if you’ll make it through or if you’ll have enough. 

He doesn’t wring His beautiful nail-scarred hands in heaven and doubt your success.

Why?  Because He knows what’s coming.   In fact, He’s prepared to lead you there. 

“‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ says the Lord. ‘They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.’”  Jeremiah 29:11

“And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?”  Matthew 6:30

“So don't worry about these things, saying, 'What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?' These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.”  Matthew 6:31-33

God not only loves and cares for you... He knows what is coming in your life and is preparing your heart for it.  

Your trials?  Strengthening exercises.

Your doubts?  Chances to fortify your faith.

Maybe you can’t see what’s coming in your life like Walt Disney could in his park... but be assured that if you have Jesus Christ as Lord of your life, you don’t have to worry. God stands at the finish line of the road you’re on.   

He’s holding out His hands... waving at you with a message... 

Keep moving forward and trust Me.   I know what’s coming.   

And you’ll be ok.

Waiting?

Getting up early to go to the gym isn’t always easy… but it helps me stay healthy. Prioritizing my family… spending wisely… reading vs. watching TV… quiet time with God… all of these are opportunities for growth that I have to intentionally decide beforehand what I’m going to do or else derail God’s plan for my life.

But many don’t choose the best way for their lives. They tend to delay discipline and embrace passivity.

Life is so much better when we pre-determine those decisions. What will we do when things get inconvenient, tough, unmanageable, or challenging? Why delay doing what’s right?

What are you waiting for?

Are you waiting for God to be generous in your life? Begin the habit of giving with the right heart... Paul said, “You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.” 2 Cor. 9:7

Are you waiting for God to answer your prayer? Remember that His timing is always perfect... He is never late... or early... or forgetful. Sometimes the answer is wait a little longer... I have something better than you can imagine. Jesus said, “Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you.” Matthew 7:7

Are you waiting to have the time? Do you have more duties than daylight? Remember, you have the same 24 hours a day that the disciples had... that Einstein had... that everyone who has ever lived on planet Earth had.. it’s what you do with those precious minutes that matters! Paul said, “Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days.” Ephesians 5:16

The situation may never be perfect. You may never feel adequately prepared. You may think your under equipped, ill-resourced, and the wrong person for the job. You’re in good company:

Jonah, Moses, Gideon, Rahab, Esther... the list goes on...

But today, God has tapped you on the shoulder. He wants you to make that positive change in your life. Share your story with your office. Defuse the situation with your family. Be the husband or wife you were designed to be. Give your child another chance. Move forward...no, leap forward.

Today… refuse to live the life you think you deserve and start living the one you were created for.

The situation may not look perfect... but don’t wait. God’s got your back.

At Bat

Babe Ruth had hit 714 home runs during his baseball career and was playing one of his last full major league games. It was the Braves versus the Reds in Cincinnati. But the great Ruth was no longer as agile as he had once been. He fumbled the ball and threw badly, and in one inning alone his errors were responsible for most of the five runs scored by Cincinnati. As the Babe walked off the field after the third out and headed toward the dugout, a crescendo of yelling and booing reached his ears.*

Some days we strike out.  We make errors.  We take our eyes off the ball or play hurt.  For whatever reason things don’t happen the way they are supposed to or even close to the way they did in times past.  It causes us to doubt our calling, snap at our closest family members, or wonder why God doesn’t seem to care.   

Life seems to be booing at us from all sides.... from the bleachers to the box seats.  

Ever have a day [a month... a year...] like that?  Ever struggled to get out of bed in the morning for fear of rejection, ridicule, or retaliation?   

Even hall of famers have those feelings.  

Even the best have rough days.

Look at Paul... He wrote most of the New Testament... was the greatest Christian missionary the world has ever seen...  and he wrote what happened to him.

“But whatever they dare to boast about—I’m talking like a fool again—I dare to boast about it, too. Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they descendants of Abraham? So am I. Are they servants of Christ? I know I sound like a madman, but I have served him far more! I have worked harder, been put in prison more often, been whipped times without number, and faced death again and again.24 Five different times the Jewish leaders gave me thirty-nine lashes. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. Once I spent a whole night and a day adrift at sea. I have traveled on many long journeys. I have faced danger from rivers and from robbers. I have faced danger from my own people, the Jews, as well as from the Gentiles. I have faced danger in the cities, in the deserts, and on the seas. And I have faced danger from men who claim to be believers but are not.  I have worked hard and long, enduring many sleepless nights. I have been hungry and thirsty and have often gone without food. I have shivered in the cold, without enough clothing to keep me warm.”

All of us (even Paul) have challenges.  Sometimes the world hurts us... and sometimes we miss the ball on our own.  And what are the typical reactions? 

Stop trying.  No risk... no hurt.   

No body cares... so why should I?

No fair.  I’m trying to do the right thing and getting picked on because of it.

Sometimes we just need to be reminded that somebody cares.

Let’s look at the rest of the Babe’s story...

“Just then a boy jumped over the railing onto the playing field. With tears streaming down his face, he threw his arms around the legs of his hero. Ruth didn’t hesitate for one second. He picked up the boy, hugged him, and set him down on his feet, patting his head gently. The noise from the stands came to an abrupt halt. Suddenly there was no more booing. In fact, hush fell over the entire park. In those brief moments, the fans saw two heroes: Ruth, who in spite of his dismal day on the field could still care about a little boy; and the small lad, who cared about the feelings of another human being. Both had melted the hearts of the crowd.” *

Even though what Babe did at the plate was disappointing...

Even though what Paul suffered was crippling...

Even though what you woke up to seems too big to overcome...

Even though failure and pain happen... 

Someone cares.  

God cares.

Psalm 55:22 “Give your burdens to the LORD, and he will take care of you. He will not permit the godly to slip and fall.”

1 Peter 5:7 “Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.”

Isaiah 41:10

“Don’t be afraid, for I am with you.

    Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God.

I will strengthen you and help you.

    I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.”

Philippians 4:7 “Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”

Finally, Jesus tells us:  

John 14:27 “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.”

You are cared about, loved, and watched over every minute of every day.  Thank God for that… keep your head up… and praise Him in the days of the home run AND the strike out.  You’ll be back up at bat soon enough…  

*Ted W. Engstrom, The Pursuit of Excellence, 1982, Zondervan Corporation, pp. 66-67.

The Right Thing

At the end of the Civil War, President Lincoln was asked how he was going to treat Southerners when they returned to the Union. The questioner expected that Lincoln would be bitter... vengeful... certainly he would make them earn their way back in... His answer... "I will treat them as if they had never been away."

An unusual response.  After all, the Southerners that had seceded from the Union had killed thousands of northern soldiers... destroyed property... and seemed to support everything the North had fought to change.  Why wouldn’t Lincoln make them pay?  Why didn’t the president seek to even the score... make them come crawling back... cause them to suffer for what they had done?  History wouldn’t have blamed him, right?

Why didn’t Lincoln do these things?  Because he understood the truth as told in Romans 12:17-21

“Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.’ To the contrary, ‘if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.’ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”

This is one of those passages of scripture that many like to read quickly and move on.  After all, look at the list of what God tells us to do... 

Repay evil with good...

Do what’s honorable when the other person hasn’t been honorable...

Live peaceably with others when they don’t deserve it...

Don’t seek revenge...

Be kind to our enemies...

How?  Why?  Doesn’t seem fair does it.   The world screams to get even... and God says don’t.  Our friends tell us to make them pay... and God says “Trust Me, I’ll take care of it.”  Why would anyone follow these directives?  Why would anybody treat people better than they were treated?  Why would someone give up their right to settle things their own way?

Simple.  Because that’s what Christ did.  Sinless Christ.  The King of Kings.  All man... all God... perfect and unblemished.  He climbed up and let His own creation nail Him to a cross... pierce His side with a spear... put a crown of ragged thorns on His head… And as people mocked and spit at Him.... He was forgiving those doing it before the saliva could even dry.  So much injustice... so much undeserved hatred toward the Son of God...

Met with so much love.  Jesus chose to show compassion and forgive.  Why should we waive our right at revenge?  Because Christ did.  And it’s Christ who we are trying to be like.  Kindness, compassion, love, forgiveness, honor, and peaceful resolution.  It’s easy to live these out with people we get along with.  The true act of worship?  The real indicator as to the depth of our faith?  

Doing the right thing when we’ve been treated the wrong way.  

I can imagine your thoughts as you read this....  Pastor, you don’t know what they did.  If I treat them this way...they win, don’t they?  If I turn the other cheek...they’ll just hit me on that one too....

Jesus didn’t say it would be easy...  But real growth...real faith... real and long lasting change never is.  

Resist the urge to dismiss these verses as impossible.  Don’t give in to the enemy telling you that this doesn’t apply...  doing the Godly thing is rarely popular or easy...

However, it is obedient.  It is blessable.  And it is always the right choice...

Forward

A pilot always looked down intently on a certain valley in the Appalachians. "What’s so interesting about that spot?" Asked a fellow pilot. "See that stream? Well, when I was a kid I used to sit down there on a log and fish. Every time an airplane flew over, I would look up and wish I were flying... Now I look down and wish I were fishing."

Why does it seem that no matter where we are... we want to be somewhere else?

Then when we get there... we either want to go back to where we just came from... or somewhere new.

Never satisfied.

Ever felt that way?  Ever wonder why you are where you are... Ever sit and think about how great it could be if you were in place A or with person B?   Ever have a longing to be someplace...get there...and wish you had never left the first place?  That feeling of dissatisfaction and regret can sting... and if we’re not careful... that simple question “what if” can derail us from a fulfilled life.

The Apostle Paul dealt with that... but he didn’t let it control him.   He figured out a way to be satisfied where he was...

“Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have.  I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.”  Phil. 4:11-13

Paul’s “secret” to living in every situation?  Contentment through Christ.  Commitment not abandonment.   Pushing through not giving up.  Seeing adversity as an opportunity to trust God and not as an obstacle.    

Today you might be facing the giant of dissatisfaction.  You have the choice... sit in neutral, look out the window, and daydream about what it would be like to escape where you find yourself... Or pray and ask God to reveal to you how to make the most of where you currently are.  Contentment doesn’t mean that everything is perfect... it simply means that you realize three things:

1. God is in control. 
2. You won’t be where you are forever.  
3. There is something you will learn in your current situation that you couldn’t get any other way.

The grass isn’t greener on the other side of the fence.  It’s greener where it’s watered.    You have to make the intentional decision to carry the water with you.  The Living Water (John 7:37-39).   Not wait to see if things improve... not grumble when they don’t change right away... but make the best of the situation you’re in.  Learn from it.  Seek God in it.  Dare to rise above your circumstances and praise God in spite of how the world tells you to react.   God has given you an incredible life... don’t waste a second of it wondering “what if”.   Instead... focus on what’s in front of you and keep moving forward.  

Even baby steps will get you to where you need to be eventually.  

Escape

Harry Houdini, the famed escape artist issued a challenge wherever he went. He could be locked in any jail cell in the country, he claimed, and set himself free quickly and easily. Always he kept his promise, but one time something went wrong. Houdini entered the jail in his street clothes; the heavy, metal doors clanged shut behind him. He took from his belt a concealed piece of metal, strong and flexible. He set to work immediately, but something seemed to be unusual about this lock. For 30 minutes he worked and got nowhere. An hour passed, and still he had not opened the door. By now he was bathed in sweat and panting in exasperation, but he still could not pick the lock. 

Harry Houdini was trapped.  The clock was ticking....and he was genuinely scared.

The mind is a powerful thing.  For some of us, we’ve been trying to figure out how to be happy... how to break free... for a long time.  Every time we think we have it solved, we struggle with the lock... and hear the sound... 

click.  

We try something new... we beg God... we act nicer... we treat people a little better... all trying to somehow impress God so He will lift the burden of the prison we’re in.

click.  Still locked.

Anger, frustration, and doubt all begin to replace what little hope we had left.  We are in prison... and it seems that it is where we are bound to stay.  That bad decision, word that was said, past discrepancy... all gatekeepers to a cell that seems permanently sealed.  The lock won’t budge... and whatever happiness we may have once had is a memory. 

Is there a way out?  What will set us free? 

What does God suggest we do about it?  

Before we discover that... let’s go back to our story of Houdini:

Finally, after laboring for 2 hours, Harry Houdini collapsed in frustration and failure against the door he could not unlock. But when he fell against the door, it swung open! It had never been locked at all! But in his mind it was locked and that was all it took to keep him from opening the door and walking out of the jail cell.

Houdini escaped the cell because he stopped struggling with the lock on a door that wasn’t locked to start with.

We do the same thing every day.  Our mind holds us prisoner in a cell that isn’t locked.  

God tells us to handle it this way: 

Psalm 46:1 “He says, ‘Be still, and know that I am God.’”

Be still.  Hardly our first reaction to being locked down...beaten up... or shaken.  

Ever used a finger prison?  Those gags where you put the tips of your index fingers into the ends of a braided paper cylinder.  When you tug on them, you can’t get your fingers loose.  The trick?  Don’t tug.  Relax and slowly remove each finger individually. 

When we quit struggling... when we stop pushing... when we cease trying to force it... when we let God be God... He reveals that what is holding us back isn’t our circumstances, it is our perception of the power of the lock.  

In fact, if you look closely at the lock, you can see the manufacturer.  Can you see it?  It isn’t Master or Yardley or even Black & Decker.

It says Satan on it... and he wants you to think it’s the strongest lock ever made.  What you did is unforgiveable... who you are is unchangeable... what happened is irreversible.  

Not true.  

God wants to be God in our lives.  He wants us to relax...refocus...and realize that He is working ahead of things... that Grace is for us too... and that He is key to our happiness.

When Christ resurrected, the door to every cell in every prison in every mind sprung open.  Don’t focus on the lock of your circumstances... push on the door.  It’s open.  God made sure of it.  If you’ve been bound... stop struggling.   Give those heavy chains to God and gently push against what seems to be permanently holding you in.

Trust me... that door will open and you will be released.

Released from pain, guilt, inadequacy, low self-esteem, past failure... Does the pain go away?  Not immediately, but the only way to start the process...the first step to true freedom from what has held us in... is the release from the unlocked prison.  

I can hear doors swinging open all over the world.  Let the healing begin.  

One Little Sin?

It’s amazing to me how many wild animals are kept as pets.

One man living in a New York apartment raised a tiger from a cub until it got out of control. He eventually moved out of his own apartment and let the tiger take over. He would go once a day and throw in a raw chicken, but authorities learned of the captive tiger when the cat waited by the door and bit his owner. 

Since 1990, at least six adults and two children have been killed by tigers in the United States. More than 60 others have been seriously injured in tiger attacks. There are now three times as many tigers in captivity, and kept as pets, as there are in the wild.

Why do this?  Why invite potential danger into our lives knowing that it could hurt us at any time?

Good question.  

I would ask the same question to the person who watches pornography on their laptop when their spouse goes to bed.... or the family who refuses to talk about problems openly ... or the disloyalty we spread at work because we don’t like our boss... 

It starts simple enough... we invite a tiny sin into our lives.  Just like that cute Tiger cub it sits there purring innocently.  We don’t think anything of it.  We have total control, don’t we?  It’s not long before we realize that it requires more food... more of our attention... and it grows.

Ever had something sinful start innocently in your life start to grow out of control?

Before long, what we felt we had control over begins to take over.  We can’t stop it... we just hope it doesn’t pounce and cause damage.  Sometimes irreparable damage.  

“Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”  1 Peter 5:8

That sin that once seemed so innocent is now fully grown... controlled by the enemy... a big ferocious animal... ready to take you down.  To take your family down.  To take your career down.  

Seem overly dramatic?  I’ve watched one little sin grow and tear apart multiple generations in the same family.   One “easily controllable” little white lie destroy a marriage.  One teeny tiny sinful habit ruin a business.  All the devil needs is a toe in the door and he’ll tear the whole place up.  

How do we avoid it?  Don’t let the sin in.  The Bible calls this self-control.  Restrain yourself when sin seems the easiest way.  Confront what the world tells you is right when you know God says it isn’t.  Repent at the first sign of a crack in your values.  

If you don’t control yourself...and I don’t control me... the world will be glad to do it.  The enemy will be glad to do it.  He’s looking for a chance to gain influence in our lives anyway.  Don’t let him trick you into opening the door (even a little) to the heart that you have given to Christ.  Control yourself, your influences, your habits, and your tongue... and watch God bless your life immeasurably.  

King of the Jungle?

The lion was proud of his mastery of the animal kingdom. One day he decided to make sure all the other animals knew he was the king of the jungle. He was so confident that he by-passed the smaller animals and went straight to the bear. "Who is the king of the jungle?" the lion asked. The bear replied, "Why you are, of course" The lion gave a mighty roar of approval. Next he asked the tiger, "Who is the king of the jungle?" The tiger quickly responded, "Everyone knows that you are, mighty lion " 

Sometimes (even though very few of us admit it),  we feel like that lion... puffed up, boastful, and sure of ourselves.  We move from scenario to situation with our heads held high, chest out, and our arms bent to facilitate patting ourselves on the back...

I did this.

I earned this.

Look at me.

You aren’t as good as I am.

Or maybe it’s more subtle...

Insisting that our name be listed first on a report.

Making sure we always have the last word.

Having to be right all the time.

Talking about ourselves during every conversation.

The Bible is very clear about pride... 

“And all of you, serve each other in humility, for ‘God opposes the proud but favors the humble.’" 1 Peter 5:5b

At first glance, it just looks like God doesn’t like pride.   That it just bothers Him.  Look again.  It says that God OPPOSES the proud.

He stands against them.  Not the pride in their hearts... it says that God opposes THEM. 

And until hearts change, the situation stays that way... and we don’t receive the blessings that He is able and willing to give.  

Our lion’s story continues:

Next on the list was the elephant. The lion faced the elephant and addressed his question, "Who is the king of the jungle?" The elephant immediately grabbed the lion with his trunk, whirled him around in the air five or six times and slammed him into a tree. Then he pounded him onto the ground several times, dunked him under water in a nearby lake, and finally dumped him out on the shore. The lion--beaten, bruised, and battered--struggled to his feet. He looked at the elephant through sad eyes and said, "Look, just because you don’t know the answer is no reason for to get mean about it!"

Pride can make us feel beaten up... but so many of us refuse to believe that a BIG ego has taken over our hearts.  We can only say it isn’t there for so long... and if this is something we struggle with...I pray that we place humility and love where selfishness and self-importance now live.   

How do we defeat pride?  By remembering.

Remembering that God made us... and that we aren’t perfect.

Remembering that we are called to be servants.

Remembering that our goal is to further God’s Kingdom rather than our own agenda.

Remembering that God’s grace for us is meant to be shared with others that hurt us.

Remembering that we aren’t supposed to be anybody’s Savior...Jesus has that covered.

We’re not the king of the jungle... let others boast about us if they choose... but let’s decide to be thankful for our abilities, genuinely humble, and give glory to God for what He has graciously given us the opportunity to have and accomplish.  

The blessings come when we figure out that we don’t have to live like the lion in our story today... is it any wonder why a group of them is called a pride?