Created for Greatness

Maybe you’ve heard the name:  Babe Ruth... one of the all-time greatest home run hitters in the history of baseball.  714 to be exact.  What many don’t know is that he had 1330 career strikeouts when he retired.   That’s nearly twice as many failures at the plate!  When asked for the secret of his success, the Babe said “I just keep on swingin’ at ‘em!”  

That’s my challenge for you today... step up to the plate.   You’ll miss a few... but you’re destined to hit your share over the wall.  Galatians 6:9 tells us “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”   Don’t quit.  Don’t give up.  Your home runs are coming... Step boldly out of the dugout, shrug off the strike-outs, and listen to your Coach... He created you for greatness!

The Most Important Decision

Most people think of Thomas Edison as an immediate success.  However, what many don’t realize is that some of his experiments didn’t work... in fact they failed hundreds of times.  As he struggled to perfect the storage battery... a friend sympathized with him over his failures. Edison said, 'But I haven't failed. I've found 10 thousand ways that don't work!”

10,000 may seem like an incredibly large number of attempts... but so many do the exact same thing with their eternity.  They try to be good people... and that doesn’t work.  They give money... and that’s not it.  They make deals with God... and that doesn’t do it.  They follow rules... and that doesn’t get them there.  So how can someone get to Heaven?  Jesus made it clear in John 14:6 “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”   Why waste your life trying 10,000 ways that won’t work... Follow the One Way that does... Allow Christ into your heart as Lord and Savior... it’s the most important decision you’ll ever make.  

First

James 3:13-16 “If you are wise and understand God’s ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you are bitterly jealous and there is selfish ambition in your heart, don’t cover up the truth with boasting and lying. For jealousy and selfishness are not God’s kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly, unspiritual, and demonic. For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind.”

I once heard the story of two men describing a third... “Let me describe him for you,” one of them said... “He’s the kind of guy who follows you into a revolving door and comes out ahead of you... that’s selfish ambition!”

Ever met someone who’s selfish?   A person who lives with a “me first” attitude all the time?    In James 3, the Bible tells us that where there is selfish ambition, there is disorder and evil.   Self-serving people have the wrong priorities... they put themselves above others and disregard Christ’s call to be a servant.  And the evil that the passage describes?  It’s pride.  Self-centeredness.  And scripture tells us that God sets Himself against those that possess that trait.   The antidote to the poison of selfishness?  Generosity, humility, and servanthood... Let’s get out there today and show the world the love of Christ by not living “me first” but “you first”...  Selflessness like that could change the world!

Smile

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!

Truth

I ran across an interesting study in USA Today connecting lying and health.  Each week for 10 weeks, 110 people (aged 18-71) took a lie detector test. The test asked how many lies they had told that week.  Right after, the same group took mental and physical tests to see how healthy they were.  The conclusion?  The more lies a person told during the week... the poorer health they were in compared to the week before.  Shocking? It shouldn’t be.

The Bible tells us in Proverbs 19:9 “...whoever pours out lies will perish.”  Make no mistake, lying hurts us.  It complicates things... forces us to remember which lies go with which situation... and eventually, as the Bible states, causes our health to decline.  Is it worth it?  When we are honest, both with ourselves and others, life gets easier.  In fact, scripture tells us in Proverbs 3 that when we run from things like lying, our condition improves!   Make the decision today to be a truth-teller... you’ll be healthier in mind and body!

Listening

“Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger by the way you treat them. Rather, bring them up with the discipline and instruction that comes from the Lord.”  Ephesians 6:4

Michael Jordan is one of the most beloved sports figures of the modern era.  Many consider him the greatest basketball player to ever play the game. What many don’t know is that before each game, he’d scan the stands in search of his dad.  When asked why, Michael said,  “When he’s there, I know I have at least one fan.”  It didn’t matter if his son scored 50 points... or fouled out early... James Jordan cheered for his son.  

Our children need us in the stands.  They need to know that there is always going to be at least one person that supports them...even when they make a mistake.  The Bible tells us in Ephesians 6 that we are to encourage our children...not constantly ridicule them.  Of course, occasional discipline is necessary...but just knowing that you support them unconditionally will help them have confidence and succeed.  The world may try to boo your child... cheer louder.  They’ll be listening for it.  

More?

“Don’t love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said,

“I will never fail you.
    I will never abandon you.”  Hebrews 13:5 

How many of you like popcorn at the movies?  Most of us, right?  A study of moviegoers in Philadelphia found that people will eat more popcorn if it is in a bigger box.  We see it so we eat it... even when our stomachs tell us we’re full.      

This got me to thinking about contentment.  How many of us live our lives with our eyes instead of our stomachs. We see more so we want more... even when we know we have enough.  The Bible tells us in Hebrews 13:5 that we should be content with what we have... not spend our time trying to have all of our wants satisfied.  Look around you today... are all of your needs met?  Stop reaching into the box.  Instead, focus on giving thanks for the blessings!

When We Don't Understand

Sometimes things happen that don’t make much sense to us... we can’t explain why they’re going on... and we struggle with not having every detail.  It’s in those times that we must live lives of faith. The reason?  

Because God does know why.  In Jeremiah 29:11, the Bible tells us that God has a great plan for our lives... we simply need to trust Him and allow Him to lead us.  Fact is, He sees the finish line when all we might be able to see are the hurdles ahead.  But we have to keep running... knowing that He will use it to grow us, strengthen our faith, and help us reach our God potential.  

A philosopher once said, “ "Life can only be understood backwards: but it must be lived forwards."  I think he was right... we can only understand some things in hindsight... but we must press on, in faith, because we can trust the One who knows what’s best for us.  

Real

In the world of computing, once in awhile you see the acronym WYSIWYG (pronounced: wizz E wig). This stands for "What You See Is What You Get"... The program has been written so that whatever you are typing into an application or document is exactly what someone might see on the screen or out of the printer. No surprises or changes...you know exactly what to expect.

I want you to think about this question... how many real people do you know? How many of your friends and family would you consider to be WYSIWYG?

Jesus is the perfect example of being real. He didn't pretend to be someone He wasn't...He didn't bend the truth to project an image...and He didn't allow the opinions of those around Him to change His way of doing things. Jesus is genuine. He got down on his hands and knees and scrubbed the feet of the men He was pouring His life into. A perfect example of leadership, humility, grace, and servanthood. Why was this so easy for Christ to do? Because it was who He is....

Pretending to act like somebody you aren't requires too much valuable energy. It distorts your thinking, ruins your ability to have authentic relationships, and forces you to remember which persona goes with which group of people. Lies develop...trust breaks...and people begin to attach themselves to the you from your brain rather than the you that's in your heart. 

Dare to be different. Shed the artificial skin and embrace the way Christ created you to be. The Bible calls us "wonderfully made" and a "masterpiece". Why cover up God's handiwork with a cloud of fakery and deceptiveness. It may take some digging to find the real you again...but it's worth it. Discover who God made you to be and live it out...be real.

More Than a Grasshopper

Numbers 13:33 We even saw giants there, the descendants of Anak. Next to them we felt like grasshoppers, and that’s what they thought, too!”

How small do you feel today? There are times when I wake up and feel like I am incredibly strong...filled with the power of the Holy Spirit...like I can take on the world! Unfortunately, there are many mornings when I feel exactly the opposite: powerless, weak, puny, and small. It seems like these are the days when the giants in my life grow about 3 inches. I get smaller...and they get larger. Have you felt this way? Feel like a grasshopper in a land of giants? Here are some of the verses that I turn to when I am feeling small and beatable:

John 16:33 
"I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”

Psalm 139:7-10 
"I can never escape from your Spirit!
I can never get away from your presence!
If I go up to heaven, you are there;
if I go down to the grave, you are there.
If I ride the wings of the morning,
if I dwell by the farthest oceans,
even there your hand will guide me,
and your strength will support me."

2 Corinthians 12:9
"Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.”So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me."

Psalm 37:23-24
"The Lord directs the steps of the godly.
He delights in every detail of their lives.
Though they stumble, they will never fall,
for the Lord holds them by the hand."

Ephesians 3:20
" Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think."

Revelation 19:6
"Then I heard again what sounded like the shout of a vast crowd or the roar of mighty ocean waves or the crash of loud thunder:

'Praise the Lord!
For the Lord our God,the Almighty, reigns.'"

God reigns indeed. Nothing has changed with Him. He has overcome the world...He has healed the sick...raised the dead...heard every prayer you've ever whispered...

He loves you so much that He has given you a purpose and the gifts to accomplish it. You are indeed valuable...and through God's strength you are a giant-killer.  You're more than a grasshopper... you are a child of the King

Planning Ahead

"I am trembling; you have made me as eager for love as a chariot driver is for battle."  Song of Solomon 6:12

The anticipation of an enjoyable time together...today's verse says it all. You're ready...they're ready...it's going to be an amazing night out on the town. You get picked up only to discover that there is really no plan at all. He's in jeans and a t-shirt. He asks you where you want to eat and what you want to do. He tells you that he meant to plan ahead...but things were just too busy...and...he hopes you understand. He didn't take care of the plans...but he meant to.

He meant to...   She was going to...  But is that enough?

A key to romance is finding what needs to be done and doing it. What does this mean? Actually, it's pretty simple. Good intentions are not enough. When it comes to making that special someone feel important...we must actually do those things that we say we are going to do...

Make the reservations in advance...buy the concert tickets...pack the picnic basket...clean your car...get dressed up... and more! Do what you need to do to create a climate of romance! Meant-tos and "It's the thought that counts" just don't work. This is especially important in marriages. We think that our spouse will "understand" if we don't get to it and neglect the details of our relationship. A skipped date night here or a slapped-together experience there are never enough. In fact, over time, these missed details and lack of motivation will actually erode trust and intimacy.  

Do you have any "meant-tos" that you've been neglecting with the person you love? When was the last time you fully committed to making your loved one's experience the best it can be? When was the last time you handled ALL the details of a time together.... 

I know you meant-to... It is my hope that you will... Not only today on Valentine's Day but every opportunity you have to build romance, expectation, and trust.  

The Secret

A group called the Worldwide Marriage Encounter has certified that Wilbur and Teresa Faiss of Las Vegas, married in April 1933, are America’s longest married couple.  As they celebrated their 80th wedding anniversary, the couple was asked the secret to a lasting union. 

What do you think it was?  Love?  Admiration?  Trust?  While all of these are essential in a relationship... they actually said: "It's very simple. It's give and take and compromise."  The Bible tells us in Romans 12:10 to “prefer one another in love.”  To put the other person first... out-serve them... and most of all, be willing to give a little ground so that both sides win.   Remember, relationships are not about being right... they’re about being honoring... and when we seek Godly unity over victory, we’re on track for a long and fulfilling time together.  

Believing

A man once took a tour of Henry Ford’s automobile plants.  Afterward he met with Mr. Ford and told him, “It seems impossible that a man who started with nothing could accomplish all this.”  Ford thought for a moment and replied, “You say that I started with nothing, but you are wrong.  I started with all that I needed.”

So many feel under-equipped to reach their destiny.  They think they’re too young... too old... they feel their bank balance is too low or their contact list is too empty.  Ephesians 2:10 tells us that we were created by God to do good works, “which God prepared in advance for us to do.”   Don’t let what you see in front of you discourage you from going after what you’ve been created for.  You already have everything you need to be what God made you to be.  He wouldn’t put a dream in your heart without giving you the tools to make it happen!   All it takes is the willingness to trust Him and believe (not hope) that it can be accomplished.

Are You Successful?

“Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes.”  Ephesians 1:4

Andy Roddick is a well-known name in the world of tennis...but it wasn’t always that way.  He started playing when he was three and a half years old.  As he got a little older, he never put down his racquet and played tennis in the garage for hours against imaginary opponents.  When he was seven, he was so certain of his future success, he gave his entire family autographed tennis balls for Christmas.  

Andy knew he’d make it in tennis... but so many think they “know” only to find themselves feeling unworthy and unsuccessful.  If that’s you today, I have good news... YOU are already a success where it matters.  In Ephesians 1, Paul tells us that even before He made the world... God loved us.  You are loved by God.  You are His child and He has a plan for your life.   No need to wonder if you’re important... you are.  You may never sign an autograph, but your name is written on God’s heart... and it’s for that reason that you should hold your head up and keep moving forward as the masterpiece you were created to be!

Real Comfort

A man named Dan Chen has created a machine.  A device so outlandish that you will struggle to believe it exists.  What is it?  It’s called an “End of Life Care Machine.”  Essentially it is a robotic arm that gently moves back and forth along the forearm of a patient in a hospital who is dying.  As it does so, it says “Hello [name of patient], I am the last moment robot. I am here to help you and guide you through your last moment on earth. I am sorry that (pause) your family and friends can’t be with you right now, but don’t be afraid. I am here to comfort you. (pause) You are not alone, you are with me. (pause) Your family and friends love you very much, they will remember you after you are gone. (pause).”

It’s hard to come up with the right words for this machine… but for the sake of today’s devotional… We’ll use the word: tragic.

Tragic that whatever person this is used on is left alone in their final moments… and even more tragic that someone thinks a heartless robotic arm can replace the tender touch of another person.  

I was thinking about this device as I read Hebrews 2:17-18 

"For this reason he had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted" 

Hebrews 2:17-18

The truth is… before Christ came…all of us were dying.  Bound for eternal separation from God because of our sin.   Taking the punishment for missing the mark that we deserve.  And then God sent His Son.  His glorious loving Son to pay the price for what we had done.    God didn’t send a note… or a statue… or a robotic arm to comfort us… Jesus put on our flesh.  He became a human being.   A person who we could recognize and One that could suffer pain.  Today as you spend time praying, thank God that He loved us so much that He sent His only Son… His compassionate and merciful Son… so that we would know how valuable we are to Him during our time here on the Earth.  

Daydreaming Believer

An insurance company studied 65,000 fatal crashes over a two-year period.  The results?  One in ten wrecks were the result of distracted driving.   Before you quickly blame texting or talking on the phone… 62% of those accidents where someone died came as the result of…

Daydreaming.  

Staring blankly into space… letting the mind wander… just letting go and mentally coasting.   It was daydreaming that killed 6 out of 10 in those crashes.   Psychologists tell us that when we are in a daydreaming state… our conscious “wanders off” and we let our sub-conscious take the wheel.  Has that ever happened to you?  Have you ever stopped at an intersection and wondered how you got there?  Asked yourself… “did I stop at that stop sign back there?”  Or the ever-popular “Where am I?”

It happens… but it shouldn’t.  Scripture tells us to be alert at all times.  Not just in traffic… but in other things.  Do we let our mind wander as we stare at a co-worker of the opposite sex?  Do we allow our brains to drift as we spend time in church?  Are we completely focused at our job?  In the classroom?  In conversations with our spouse or kids?  But who cares, right?  After all… daydreaming in those situations won’t cause a fatality…   

Well maybe not a physical death… but not focusing can cause a marriage to crumble…grades to fall… faith to be shaken…job loss…and so much more.  Scripture tells us in 1 Peter 5:8 that we should be “sober-minded” and “watchful.”  Why?  Because the enemy is simply pacing back and forth waiting for us to let our guard down… then he pounces like a roaring lion on our lives.   Take a few minutes today and evaluate your ability to pay attention to what’s important.  Pray that God would remove distractions, remind you of why concentrating is in your best interests, and give you the strength to overcome the pull towards lethargy.   You’ll live a safer life… and you’ll get to enjoy the benefits of being fully engaged in every moment of it.  

Non-Fiction

A Costco store in Simi Valley, California had a display table filled with Bibles for sale.  While looking through them, Pastor Caleb Kaltenbach discovered a bright sticker had been placed on every cover… it contained the price… and the word “Fiction” next to it.

Fiction?  As in “not real”?  

At once, the Pastor brought the mistake to the attention of the management and the stickers were removed.  The man in charge chalked it up to “human error” from the warehouse.

This got me to thinking… although our Bibles don’t have “Fiction” stickers on them…do we really believe what they say inside the covers?  Is it possible that what God says inside those words is 100% true?  How can we be a masterpiece when our thought-life is what it is?   How can we be forgiven by the One who created the oceans and calmed the storms?  Is everything REALLY possible through Christ?

Yes.  

What you read in that wonderful love letter from God is absolutely true.  Every syllable of it.  We are sinners.  We are imperfect.  We make mistakes.  But we serve the God who time after time gives chances to return to Him.   We serve the God who hears the cries of the hurting and responds with the love demonstrated by Jesus on the cross.  Be assured… you can count on what you read in the Bible.  It is far from fiction.  It is rock-solid fact that has withstood the test of time and the assault from countless critics.   Hold it boldly and read it with confidence.    It is God’s unshakeable word… and it can be trusted wholeheartedly.  

Truly Free

2013 marked the final year in the life of one of the world’s most influential leaders:  Nelson Mandela.  Held in prison for 27 years, he bravely stood against the oppressive rule of Apartheid.  The day he was released from jail, Mandela was quoted as saying “As I walked out the door toward the gate that would lead to my freedom, I knew if I didn’t leave my bitterness and hatred behind, I’d still be in prison.”

Freedom.  Real freedom.  Have you ever experienced it?  Have you ever been imprisoned by those feelings that could have easily trapped Nelson Mandela?

Bitterness.  Hatred.

Feelings that if left unchecked can place a cage over our life… subjecting us to years of cruel imprisonment.  When we let them overwhelm us, we torture ourselves… poisoned by our own unwillingness to move on.  Ephesians 4:31 tells us to “Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger…”  How do we do that?  Discover the key to the cell…  Forgiveness.  Not forgetfulness.  Not acting like it didn’t happen.  Not pretending that everything is erased.  Just forgiving those that caused the pain… releasing the revengeful heart so that you can walk into the sunlight of the rest of your life.   Forgiveness isn’t for them.  They may not have asked for it or even deserve it.  It’s for you.  It’s your opportunity to get past your past… to learn from the pain… and experience the freedom that comes from following Christ’s example.

Reflected Values

A recent study from the University of Glasgow revealed something quite surprising.  It seems that when photographed, the human eye reflects the person taking the photo very clearly.   Rob Jenkins from the University of New York says that “the pupil of the eye is like a black mirror” and reveals far more than what was first thought.   What usefulness does this have?  Imagine a hostage situation where the kidnapper takes a photo of the person they are holding… computers can digitally zoom into the eyes of the person being held and see a clear picture of the criminal.  

The pupils reflect an image of what’s in front of them.

Our hearts do the same.  So often we put ourselves around people that we shouldn’t… and their influence is reflected in our lives.  We begin to talk like they do… think like they do… and many times slide backwards… away from the life that God has called us to live.   The Bible warns us about staying amongst those that harm our hearts.  Proverbs 22:24-25 says “Make no friendship with a man given to anger, nor go with a wrathful man, lest you learn his ways and entangle yourself in a snare.”  1 Corinthians 15:33 echoes this concept with “Do not be deceived: ‘Bad company ruins good morals.”   Find yourself angry?  Bitter?  Anxious?  Filled with gossip or jealousy?  Check your friends list.   Perhaps it is the reflected influence of a “friend” that is causing you to see the world differently.   Am I saying not to have friends that don’t believe like you do?  No.  You will (and should) hang out with people who are still investigating the claims of Christ.   But if you are a Christ-follower, your closest companions…those that have the greatest influence on your life… should follow and live out the values of Christ as you do.  

Time to Evict

“Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior.”  Ephesians 4:31

A 23 year old man in Boca Raton, Florida is trying to snag a 2.5 million dollar mansion for free.  He has moved into the home and has filed an “adverse possession claim.”  In other words... he’s a squatter.  Someone who moves in like he owns the place and won’t leave.  As upset as the neighbors are at this... they can’t seem to get him out and claim that his being there will ruin the neighborhood.

Unforgiveness is a lot like that squatter.  When we’ve been wronged and choose not to pardon someone, it takes up residence in our hearts and refuses to move.  And it doesn’t come alone.  It invites bitterness, resentment, and anger to live upstairs as well.  The Bible tells us in Ephesians to get rid of all of these if we want to get past our past.  The other person may not deserve it (or even ask for it)... but when we forgive, we begin to move forward and our heart can start to heal.