On the Back

There's an old baseball saying, "You are the ballplayer it says you are on the back of your baseball card."  Baseball players (like everyone else) tend to make up excuses for bad play.  They exaggerate the truth and sometimes blame it on others.  But no matter what they say... the stats don’t lie.  Hits... runs... errors... all there in black and white.  No matter what the front of the card might look like... the real player and his ability (or lack thereof) is revealed on the reverse.

Many of us are just like those ball players.  We choose poorly and blame our environment.  We become disobedient in our giving and blame the economy.  We stop praying and blame God when we struggle with faith.   The Bible says in Galatians 6, “For we are each responsible for our own conduct”  God says... we ARE the player on the back of the card.  He wants us to admit our faults... learn from them... make the changes we need to... and work toward becoming the all-star that He has created us to be! 

What Has Changed?

Time has passed.  Things have happened...some good and some bad.  

You slept a few times... eaten lunch... talked on the phone... emailed a client... dealt with a headache... and driven your child to karate....

Lots of different things have happened...

But I say that maybe nothing has changed.  

If you’ve worried... nothing has changed.

If you’ve stressed...nothing has changed.

If you’ve felt like giving up... nothing has changed.

In these daily devotionals,  we read promise after promise from God’s word about how He feels about you, what you mean to Him, how He wants you to live your life, and how important you are.

But then the next day came.  And perhaps nothing changed.  Same worries...same stresses...same feeling of hopelessness...same pit... same clouds... same life.

You were made for more.   

As your Pastor, I want to take a few minutes with you today... and give you some more scripture.  More promises.  A gentle reminder that God never changes... no matter how we feel, He stays consistent... and loving... and with us.  

The first part of this week may not have seen change.. but today you’ve got a fresh set of 24 hours to believe these promises.  Not believe they are great for only the flawless... but true and relevant to the flawed.  To me.  To you.  

Ready?

God will NEVER leave you
 

“So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the Lord your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you.”   Deuteronomy 31:6

God will ALWAYS watch over you 

“The Lord keeps you from all harm
    and watches over your life.

The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go,
    both now and forever.”  Psalm 121:7-8

God will give you POWER when you need it.

“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”  Isaiah 41:10

God will GUIDE you

The Lord will guide you continually,
    giving you water when you are dry
    and restoring your strength.
You will be like a well-watered garden,
    like an ever-flowing spring.  Isaiah 58:11

God will give you REST

“Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.”  Matthew 11:28

God will CLEANSE us from what we’ve done.

“But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.”  1 John 1:9

God will be GOOD to those who do what is right.

“For the Lord God is our sun and our shield.
    He gives us grace and glory.
The Lord will withhold no good thing
    from those who do what is right.”  Psalm 84:11

God will NOT allow you to be defeated.

“But the Lord stands beside me like a great warrior.
    Before him my persecutors will stumble.
    They cannot defeat me.
They will fail and be thoroughly humiliated.”  Jeremiah 20:11

These promises aren’t just words on a page.  They weren’t just meant for people in the Bible.  

They are yours.  Every last holy syllable... written for you.  Re-read these verses... and put your name in them.  Every time you see “us” or “me” ... put your name there.  

They are powerful and true... and yours. 

Let’s stop living defeated lives and really believe that God means what He says.  He has such a plan for your life...far more than you might ever imagine.  It’s my prayer today that you would claim these promises for your own amazing life... and face each day as it comes with the strength that His word provides.  

Time For Something New

For years, Rob Goodhue watched his wife cut grapes one at a time… laboriously slicing them individually. Some slipping from her fingers and others falling onto the floor. He knew that there had to be another way. Rob was an executive chef for many years at a country club and had developed a method that he now chose to pass along to his beloved. He told her to take a plate and place it onto the plate of grapes she was trying to slice. Then simply slip a knife between the plates and pull it across. Voila! Sliced grapes! No mess, no injury, and very little effort. Rob’s method has since gone viral across the internet leading one commenter to call him “the most genius husband in the universe.”

Maybe not the “most genius” but certainly willing to think differently.

What is it in your life that needs a little different way of looking at it? What hasn’t been working that could with a little thought and prayer? Is there an outdated method in your life? Have you been doing it the same way for so long that you’ve concluded that it’s the only way it can be done? If so, God has a word for you today… It’s found in the book of Isaiah 43:19. God said:

“Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.”

I love that passage. Whenever I get discouraged, I turn to that verse and it reminds me that just because I don’t see it… doesn’t mean that it isn’t going to happen. God is working ahead of me, Steph, and our kids. He will make a way… a new way… when the world tries to convince us that things are impossible.

God is the God of new… of growth… of change. He wants us to pursue His ways with everything we have… to see the desert as opportunity and not a burden. Feeling stuck today? Not making any progress? Turn to God who wants to reignite the creativity and passion in your life! Don’t settle for the way things are if they aren’t the best they can be.

Take a minute… grab a plate… and ask the question “What if? What if the way I’ve been doing it isn’t the way God wants it done?” Accept the challenge of God’s “new” over your “routine” Refuse to settle for mediocre and chase magnificent. He has a new thing for your life…a new way of thinking or doing… that if you are bold enough to embrace it will change your forever.

Soon enough you’ll find yourself doing more than just painlessly slicing grapes… you’ll be reaching your God potential.

2017 is coming this weekend... and there's no better time to make changes then the start of a new calendar. I invite you to join us at one of our campuses as we ring in the new year together! Service times and locations can be found on our website:http://potentialchurch.com/locations/

God Doesn't Change

Doesn’t it sometimes seem that the only consistent thing we have in the world is change?  Things are always shifting, getting new flavor, realigning position... generally disrupting the everyday “normalness” of our lives.  I once read that the only person who likes change is a baby with a dirty diaper.

  Change is good in some cases.  It helps us grow and stretch, forces us to see life differently, and allows us to not get too comfortable.  Embracing change helps us to navigate life’s curves better... and if we stay out in front of it... can actually be a blessing rather than a perceived curse.  

But what about our spiritual lives?

What about change when it comes to God?

-  Can I please Him one day and disappoint Him the next (even though I’m doing the exact same thing?)

• Does He still get fired up about the things I read about in the Old Testament?
• Will He love me more if I obey Him?
• Will He get mad at me if I don’t?
• Is the same God who sent the rainbow... the same God who sends them today?
• Does God get mood swings like I do?
• Can something make God weaker?

If you’ve ever asked a question like these... you aren’t alone.  If you’ve ever wondered about God in this way... I have good news for you.

God does NOT change.  His is divinely consistent.  

“I am the Lord, and I do not change.”  Malachi 3:6a

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.”  Hebrews 13:8

“Whatever is good and perfect comes down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.”  James 1:17

God’s plan does not change.  

“But the Lord’s plans stand firm forever;
    his intentions can never be shaken.”  Psalm 33:11

He made the world intentionally... and He created you with a consistent purpose.  What happens to you may look different day to day... but what He wants to do through you is the same as when you were born.   Just know... if people have hurt you in the past... if you’ve made bad decisions... if you feel as though you are useless to God... You aren’t.  You were made for a reason and there was no mistake in your blueprint.  You are part of His unchanging and perfect plan for an imperfect world.  

God’s ways do not change

“God’s way is perfect.
    All the Lord’s promises prove true.
    He is a shield for all who look to him for protection.”  Psalm 18:30

Every single promise in scripture is as true for you today as when it was written.  

God promises:

He wants what’s best for you (Jeremiah 29:11)

He will give you rest when you are weary (Matthew 11:28-29)

He will strengthen you when you hurt (Isaiah 40:29-31)

He will give you what you need (Philippians 4:19)

He will always love you (Romans 8:37-39)

He will give you peace (Proverbs 1:33)

He wants you to spend eternity with Him. (Romans 6:23)

These promises from God will never change... and their consistency should bring us joy that the world can never take away.  

God’s commitment never changes

He is committed to you.  Unflinchingly and unapologetically consistent in His dedication to your growth and protection.  

He is committed to your forever.  If you have trusted Christ as Lord... your eternity is secure.  That will never change and it can’t be taken from you.  

He is committed to your growth... He is much more concerned about your character than your comfort... so much in fact that He allows challenging things to happen to you so that you can develop perseverance and stronger faith as a result.  

A lot is going to happen to you today.  Unexpected things.  Other people’s decisions will alter your trajectory and cause you to wonder and worry.  Instead... choose to worship.  Draw closer to God who never varies... who never waivers... who never gets caught by surprise or has no plan.   No matter what changes may come... you can count on His consistency.

What Changes?

Have you ever stopped to pick up a shell at the beach?  There are so many beautiful shapes and colors...it’s hard to resist not bringing one home.  Have you ever thought about how they got there?  Shells begin their journey in the ocean... far from the shoreline.  They are carried for many miles in the surf and washed up unceremoniously on the beach for us to discover.  We don’t always see the wave that brought them... just the beauty that stays ... It got me thinking about things that get left behind... about legacy... about what remains...  

Let’s look at an example from scripture:

“The apostles were performing many miraculous signs and wonders among the people. And all the believers were meeting regularly at the Temple in the area known as Solomon’s Colonnade. But no one else dared to join them, even though all the people had high regard for them. Yet more and more people believed and were brought to the Lord—crowds of both men and women. As a result of the apostles’ work, sick people were brought out into the streets on beds and mats so that Peter’s shadow might fall across some of them as he went by. Crowds came from the villages around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those possessed by evil spirits, and they were all healed.”  Acts 5:12-16

The disciples left behind whole, healed bodies and souls.  Where they went they brought miracles and hope.  

What about us?  When we encounter people... what are we leaving behind?

Are we healing more than we hurt?  I’m not just talking about physically.... emotionally, relationally, and spiritually as well.  Are we more concerned about being right than being restorative?  Do we dedicate our time to healing and helping... or breaking up and bowing out?  While we may not be able to cure like the disciples... we can spend much more of our time as peacemakers, heart-healers, and hope-bringers.   What you and I leave behind in this area will be remembered long after what we thought was important.  Trophies tarnish... raises get spent... but a legacy of kindness, servanthood, and benevolence will affect generations of our families far more.  

I want to leave you today with a challenge.  For the next 24 hours...  keep that in the forefront of your mind.  Ask yourself the question “when I leave a situation... what will remain?”  

Have I... 

Changed the climate from hostile to God-honoring?

Brought joy where there was despair?

Reflected Christ’s character?

Healed a heart or made it worse?

Improved the morale of the team?

When the door closes behind me... are they happy I left or wish I’d stayed longer?  Did I make the most of that last conversation?  When people see me do they think world-changer or whiner?

What we leave behind us matters.  We have a limited time on this Earth to make an impact for God.  Seize each day... make the most of every opportunity to help and serve...  And you will leave a legacy that honors the One who created you. 

Change of Plans?

Doesn’t it sometimes seem that the only consistent thing we have in the world is change?  Things are always shifting, getting new flavor, realigning position... generally disrupting the everyday “normalness” of our lives.  I once read that the only person who likes change is a baby with a dirty diaper.

  Change is good in some cases.  It helps us grow and stretch, forces us to see life differently, and allows us to not get too comfortable.  Embracing change helps us to navigate life’s curves better... and if we stay out in front of it... can actually be a blessing rather than a perceived curse.  

But what about our spiritual lives?

What about change when it comes to God?

-  Can I please Him one day and disappoint Him the next (even though I’m doing the exact same thing?)

 Does He still get fired up about the things I read about in the Old Testament?

 Will He love me more if I obey Him?

 Will He get mad at me if I don’t?

 Is the same God who sent the rainbow... the same God who sends them today?

 Does God get mood swings like I do?

 Can something make God weaker?

If you’ve ever asked a question like these... you aren’t alone.  If you’ve ever wondered about God in this way... I have good news for you.

God does NOT change.  His is divinely consistent.  

“I am the Lord, and I do not change.”  Malachi 3:6a

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.”  Hebrews 13:8

“Whatever is good and perfect comes down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.”  James 1:17

God’s plan does not change.  

“But the Lord’s plans stand firm forever;
    his intentions can never be shaken.”  Psalm 33:11

He made the world intentionally... and He created you with a consistent purpose.  What happens to you may look different day to day... but what He wants to do through you is the same as when you were born.   Just know... if people have hurt you in the past... if you’ve made bad decisions... if you feel as though you are useless to God... You aren’t.  You were made for a reason and there was no mistake in your blueprint.  You are part of His unchanging and perfect plan for an imperfect world.  

God’s ways do not change

“God’s way is perfect.
    All the Lord’s promises prove true.
    He is a shield for all who look to him for protection.”  Psalm 18:30

Every single promise in scripture is as true for you today as when it was written.  

God promises:

He wants what’s best for you (Jeremiah 29:11)

He will give you rest when you are weary (Matthew 11:28-29)

He will strengthen you when you hurt (Isaiah 40:29-31)

He will give you what you need (Philippians 4:19)

He will always love you (Romans 8:37-39)

He will give you peace (Proverbs 1:33)

He wants you to spend eternity with Him. (Romans 6:23)

These promises from God will never change... and their consistency should bring us joy that the world can never take away.  

God’s commitment never changes

He is committed to you.  Unflinchingly and unapologetically consistent in His dedication to your growth and protection.  

He is committed to your forever.  If you have trusted Christ as Lord... your eternity is secure.  That will never change and it can’t be taken from you.  

He is committed to your growth... He is much more concerned about your character than your comfort... so much in fact that He allows challenging things to happen to you so that you can develop perseverance and stronger faith as a result.  

A lot is going to happen to you today.  Unexpected things.  Other people’s decisions will alter your trajectory and cause you to wonder and worry.  Instead... choose to worship.  Draw closer to God who never varies... who never waivers... who never gets caught by surprise or has no plan.   No matter what changes may come... you can count on His consistency.

Surgery

A surgeon by the name of Dr. Kane was looking for a candidate for a very routine surgery.  He wanted to prove that an appendectomy could be performed under local anesthetic...and that a patient didn’t need to be asleep during the process.  After finding his volunteer, Dr. Kane numbed the area and skillfully removed the appendix.  During the surgery, the patient was wide awake... even able to talk with the nurses the entire time.    Recovery was over after a couple of days and the patient was released from the hospital.   That brave patient’s name?  Dr. Kane.  He had removed his own appendix.  

Self-surgery seems absurd.  What would drive someone to cut into and remove something from themselves?  But the Bible talks about one such surgery in Ephesians 4:31.  It says “All bitterness, anger and wrath, shouting and slander must be removed from you, along with all malice.”  Here’s the truth... only you can remove these things from your life.  Only you can eliminate your bitterness and anger... and every great sermon, every self-help book, and every deep breath can only calm you down temporarily.  Scripture tells us these things must be cut out completely from our everyday behavior.  How do we do it?  Decide to.  And when you feel like being bitter or angry... dwell on today’s verse.  Remind yourself that God has a plan for your life... He’s given you a destiny that anger, bitterness, malice, and slander will just sidetrack.  Ready to make lasting change?  Scrub up and get ready doctor... your patient awaits!

Any Way You Slice It

For years, Rob Goodhue watched his wife cut grapes one at a time… laboriously slicing them individually.  Some slipping from her fingers and others falling onto the floor.  He knew that there had to be another way.  Rob was an executive chef for many years at a country club and had developed a method that he now chose to pass along to his beloved.  He told her to take a plate and place it onto the plate of grapes she was trying to slice.  Then simply slip a knife between the plates and pull it across.  Voila!  Sliced grapes!  No mess, no injury, and very little effort.  Rob’s method has since gone viral across the internet leading one commenter to call him “the most genius husband in the universe.”

Maybe not the “most genius” but certainly willing to think differently.

What is it in your life that needs a little different way of looking at it?  What hasn’t been working that could with a little thought and prayer?  Is there an outdated method in your life?  Have you been doing it the same way for so long that you’ve concluded that it’s the only way it can be done?  If so, God has a word for you today… It’s found in the book of Isaiah 43:19.  God said: 

“Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.”  

God is the God of new… of growth… of change.  He wants us to pursue His ways with everything we have… to see the desert as opportunity and not a burden.   Feeling stuck today?  Not making any progress?  Turn to God who wants to reignite the creativity and passion in your life!  Don’t settle for the way things are if they aren’t the best they can be.  

Take a minute… grab a plate… and ask the question “What if?  What if the way I’ve been doing it isn’t the way God wants it done?”  Accept the challenge of God’s “new” over your “routine”  Refuse to settle for mediocre and chase magnificent.   He has a new thing for your life…a new way of thinking or doing… that if you are bold enough to embrace it will change your forever.  

Soon enough you’ll find yourself doing more than just painlessly slicing grapes… you’ll be reaching your God potential.  

Time to Change

In 2005, former Apple CEO, Steve Jobs shared this thought at Stanford University’s graduation ceremony:  "For the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: 'If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?' And whenever the answer has been 'No' for too many days in a row, I knew I needed to change something."  

It’s been said that the only person who likes change is a baby with a dirty diaper.  Some avoid it because it makes them feel uncomfortable...others fear it because they get used to a routine.  Fact is, change is sometimes necessary. Feel like you aren’t using your God-given gifts?  Make a change.  Doing something good instead of something great?  Change your priorities.  Ecclesiastes 3 says that there’s a season for everything... but those seasons don’t last forever.  Find yourself doing something unfulfilling?  Feel like you’re time could be better spent for God?  Ask Him to reveal what isn’t working... and be bold enough to make the necessary changes to help you reach your destiny.

Stuck Keys

What do the letters QWERTYUIOP mean? They are the letters on the top row of most modern keyboards... and why they exist might surprise you. When the typewriter was first invented, the keys were in alphabetical order. Typists could write letters quickly and efficiently. They were so fast, in fact, that the typewriter keys were sticking together and jamming. In an attempt to remedy the problem, it was decided to place the keys in uncomfortable and challenging positions. The result? Slower typing and fewer stuck keys.

The problem with this theory is that people figured out how to quickly type with the new configuration. Yet, I find it interesting that the keyboard never changed back. What we type on today is an old format and is less effective than it could be. If we’re not careful, we’ll do the same things in our own lives. We will create rules for ourselves that may work for a season... but before long we get stuck doing things a certain way when better methods come along. That’s why it’s so important to follow God’s guidelines for our lives rather than creating our own. His ways are consistent, have held up to the test of time, and are designed with our well-being in mind. Today, if you find yourself doing things the old way... maybe it’s time to do things God’s way. It may not be a simple transition, but it will be one that you will never regret.

The Great Commitment

Christian author, Lee Strobel, in his book The Case for Faith, talks about a sign on the door of his office. It’s a picture of two turtles. One says, “Sometimes I’d like to ask why God allows poverty, famine, and injustice when He could do something about it.” Next to him, the other turtle replies, “I’m afraid God might ask me the same question.”

So many question God’s motives... and silently they sit and wait on Him to do something about the problems in the world. They tweet about God’s apathy... and post Instagram photos depicting starving children with the caption “Where’s God?” All the while, the situation could be that He is waiting for us to act. Time and time again in scripture, we are told to go out and change the world... to make a difference... to be the salt and light in the darkness. We are charged to live unselfishly with convicted hearts filled with love and generosity. We are knitted together to be world-changers not critics... difference-makers and not judges. And all the while God promises to equip us with opportunity, wisdom, and the right words at the right time without fail. Let’s commit to spend less time complaining about the world and more time living out God’s commission for it.