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 Is there an outdated method in your life?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/

Lack of Worry

When the angels brought the message of Christ’s arrival to Earth, the world was far from peaceful.  There was political tension, people taken prisoner for their faith, famine, border conflicts, and the like.   Yet they talked about peace anyway… why?  

Simply because (as Jesus would later echo) peace and joy come from God.  They are held within the heart… where famine or wars or threats of terrorism can’t affect them.  That message of peace being declared angelically that first Christmas was a harbinger… letting the people know that from that moment forward, the enemy would lose his power over the hearts of the world.  Jesus had come.  And the peace that He brought would be complete.  Love, grace, forgiveness, mercy, and strength would overtake chaos… and the planet would never be the same.  

Today’s world may look like it’s slowly pulling apart at the seams… but the same God who sent His Son that first Christmas day still reigns.  His joy is overwhelming and all-powerful.  The peace He gives is not only all we need but attainable.  

Were the angels naïve, not realizing what this world would become?  No.  They were messengers delivering the new definition of what real peace was… and Who was bringing it.  

The world says peace is a lack of war.  

Jesus says peace is a lack of worry.  

And there’s no need to worry.  God is in control.  He’s still good all the time.  And that peace that was declared over 2000 years ago can and will win out over the chaos that we see in front of us.  The words on the headlines may change, but Jesus’ commitment to be there with us in the storms of life never will.    

Real Competition

A former chaplain of the US Senate, Richard Halverson once said... "Want to be a winner? Compete against yourself, not somebody else. Outrunning your rival doesn’t mean you ran your best race. You can win over another and still not fulfill your potential. It’s true in all of life. To be your best, you must compete with yourself. It’s life’s biggest contest.”

In Galatians 6, the Bible says, "If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. Each one should test his own actions.".   One of the biggest barriers to personal success is the comparison of ourselves to others.  You are the only one qualified to be you... and that’s what God made you to do!    Are you ready to move forward and improve?  Stay in your lane, check your own motives, work on improving yourself, and remember... your only real competition is the you of yesterday.  Keep moving forward!

After the Rope

After church one Sunday afternoon, a four-year-old boy said, very seriously, "Daddy, will you let me baptize you?" The father laughed it off as a joke but then realized that his son was serious, because he kept asking him, "Daddy, will you let me baptize you?" Finally, not knowing if his son even knew what "baptism" meant, the father said, "Okay son. You can baptize me." The son then came very close to his father, looked intently into his eyes, and said, "You're getting sleepy. You're getting sleepy. . . " 

So many are confused by what baptism is.  The boy in our story thought is was a form of hypnosis…  Others see it as a way to wash off a sinful weekend… still others as a method to get to heaven.  So what is it?   None of these.  

Instead, baptism is an outward expression of an inward decision.  It’s what comes after you pray the prayer of salvation.   Steph and I often refer to it as putting on your “God jersey”… showing the world that you are on God’s team.  We do it by immersion (dunking underwater) because that’s what they did in the Bible… and any believer can do it (or do it again).  It doesn’t get you to heaven… it doesn’t wash off a bunch of bad choices… it’s simply a chance to express the decision you’ve already made to follow Christ with your life.  It’s showing the world that you belong to Jesus… in a very public way.

Many ask me if Christening counts….  They want to know if the baptism that happened to them as little babies still holds up.  Yes.  Baptism as an adult by no means negates the Christening that your parents did for you when you were too young to remember.  In fact, it completes it.  When they had you sprinkled as a baby, they were committing to raising you in a way that honored God.  And now, as an adult, you are confirming their intent.   When you enter the waters of baptism by your own decision, you are telling them… yes… you wanted me to follow God in my life… and I have… and now I’m telling the world.  

If you have yet to be baptized, and grabbed the rope over the Christmas weekend…. what are you waiting for?  Jesus Himself did it.  And why?  Because He wanted us to follow in His beautiful footsteps and be baptized as well.  Ready to follow Him in obedience?  Ready to put on your God jersey?  Let me know in the comments below.  

Missing

I once read a quote from a 6 year old girl named Emma.  She said, “Love is when you’re missing some of your teeth but you’re not afraid to smile because your friends will still love you even though some of you is missing.”  That quote made me think of a passage of scripture I read in Romans 5... “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this:  While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”  

So many of us feel like something’s missing... we don’t measure up...we’ve blown it... we don’t feel worthy of Jesus’ love... But this passage assures us that Jesus doesn’t love us because we’re perfect... He loves us because He chooses to.  He loves us so much that He died for us while we were still broken, hurting, and incomplete.  Now, that’s a reason to smile!

Christmas Celebration

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 Christmas season 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 … pray and give thanks… and this Christmas, celebrate the greatest gift this world has ever known.   

Walk On

It didn’t matter what the weather was in Detroit… financially-challenged James Robertson did what he did every other day.  He hit the alarm clock and went to work.  But James’ story was a little bit different.   You see, James didn’t have a car.  No problem… take the bus, right?  Nope.  No bus routes were even close.   So Mr. Robertson did the unthinkable…. he walked.  Every single day… regardless of the weather… James Robertson traveled the 21 miles round trip on foot.   For 10 years, James did whatever it took to get him to his job… in fact, he had perfect attendance!

One day, financial executive Blake Pollack had seen enough.  He had passed James every day on his way into the city and made the decision to do something to help him.  He started picking him up and taking him to his job each day.  Pollack shared the story with a friend of his, Evan Leedy… and together they started a GoFundMe page on Robertson’s behalf.  Hoping to raise the $5000 needed for a used car… the result surpassed even their wildest dreams.  They didn’t raise five thousand to help James… they raised $300,000!  Just recently they presented the car of James Robertson’s dreams to him… a 2015 Ford Taurus.   James said he loved that car because it was “plain on the outside and tough on the inside…just like him.”  The rest of the raised money was given to Robertson as a reward for his decade of diligence and great work ethic.  

Total strangers reaching out to reward the faithful diligence of someone they didn’t know.  

Now take a minute today and imagine your situation.  You may feel like James Robertson.  You’ve been working hard… plugging away… staying faithful when those around you have quit.  You spend your weekends serving and your nights making ends meet at a second job.  Your month seems to last longer than your money… your children are draining your patience and your health isn’t what it used to be.  Yet you keep on walking.  You keep getting it done.   You won’t accept not having something as an excuse to not get where you need to get in life.  

If that’s you… keep going.  God’s got you.  Steph and I have been there and know that it’s hard.  But you can do it.  

Keep honoring God with your resources… keep sacrificing temporary comfort for long-term gain.  Keep pouring out love and forgiveness to others when they haven’t earned it or deserve it.  

Keep going.  Regardless of the weather… keep going.  I can promise you this… someone is noticing your efforts.  Someone has been driving by and sees you climbing yet another mountain on your way to your destiny.  Someone has been walking by you and taking notes.  Someone sees the tears of frustration and lifts you up.   Someone you already may know. 

It’s God.

God knows.  He sees you.  He will provide a way.   He will provide reward.  He will make things right.

You just can’t give up.  

"Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up" (Galatians 6:9)

James Robertson walked to work for 10 long years.  That’s 54,600 miles before his situation changed… 

Every day wondering if it was worth it.  Each footstep crying out for him to turn back.  But he kept on.   It’s time for you to keep going too.  You may be facing the blizzard of divorce… or the flood of financial instability…. or the hailstorm of bad relationships… or the blistering heat of loneliness and isolation.   

Keep on.  One foot in front of the other.  

God is sending a driver to pick you up soon.  

His blessings are on the way.  

Breakthrough is coming.  

You just can’t quit.   

Walk on friend.  Walk on.  For someday the journey will shorten but the character built by the trials will last forever.