The Fear Factor!

When life changes at 2013 speed it is easy for fear to grip us in numerous ways.  If you take a step back from your busy life and list the many things that are specific to your life, the things that are changing with which you have no control, it can be frightening to see the fear factor.  Fear is found in every life.  And of late, fear is the leading emotion used by many to base decisions and reactions.


How can we live a life without fear?

The month of September found us studying this subject with our children's ministry and their parents.  Each week highlighted a moment in time from the Bible where God's people overcame the damaging emotion of fear and allowed God to bring about victory in their lives.  Such moments were seen with events unfolding that NO human being could ever do.  Things like the walls of Jericho falling flat.  The bravery of Joseph.  Moses being brave when the atmosphere was not conducive to such. 

The situations may change but the same God who has worked for hundreds of years is the same God who works today! 

Jehovah God is full of power and might.  He is all knowing.  He is caring, kind and loving.  No matter our situations, He is God, and He will bring His children through whatever struggle is before them.  God is God and will always be! 

In a recent sermon I made the statement "stop worrying, I have read the end of the book and we WIN!"  It is a statement that I have said hundreds of times in my ministry.  But this time it seemed to hit home more.  That got me to realizing something.  I began to see the depth of fear in the lives of many.  Is our constant siege producing such fear that we miss the foundational truth needed to press on in difficult times?

Living as a winner requires more than words.  But in the words "...we WIN" are found a truth that sits as a foundation for our lives, if we allow it.  The foundation is that God through Jesus paid for our victory.  In Him, we can overcome the reach of fear.  In Him we WIN!

Take some time to look at the following verses:
Isa 41:10; Isa 41: 13; Isa 43:1; John 12:15; II Tim 1:7

These are but a few of the many exhortations Biblically given to guide us through the fear factor in our lives. 

Though often people prey on our fears to manipulate and control us, God says we are to fear Him alone, and thus allow Him to defeat all other areas of fear in our lives.  Ironically, the one fear we are to have and do not, is the only weapon to defeat the grip of Satan and his use of fear in weighing us down.

Fear nothing but God Himself, and watch fear depart.  Fear God alone, and watch Him bring your life the victory that He has paid for! 

Living in America - today! Part 1

There is a song from the old Rocky movies that I love.  I do not agree with the singer famous for singing the song, but this song leads into this series extremely well.  It is the James Brown song "Living In America".   For many, just the title triggers the words and music rolling through our brain.  At the end of the song, there is a dramatic closing that highlights the theme of the writers intent.  Sing it with me - "living in America...I feel good!"  I can just picture all you doing your best James Brown "I feel good!"  Scary picture indeed!

Today it is next to impossible from a patriotic standpoint to say that we "feel good" about America.  With multiple issues being magnified recently, no one can now doubt that America has changed greatly.  Fear, sadness, and frustration are the most common emotions expressed once this new reality is grasped.  And this new reality begs the question, "how are we Christians suppose to live in America today?"

I have more than hinted in this past on this blog that I think the best picture of how we Christians should live in the current American culture can be seen in the life of Daniel.  The story of Daniel has been taught in many Bible Study classes and groups for years.  The lions den and his unwillingness to bow to anyone but God are clearly etched in our minds.  Daniels story is a great one.  And yet there is more to the story than what we might think.

We begin by looking at:

His Commitment
Daniel was committed with all he had to God.  His commitment was much different than what we may understand it to be today.  When one reads of how God had brought him into favor with chief of the eunuchs in chapter 1, we see that Daniel was respectful and always seeking to help those around him learn.  His commitment was not for dogma, but for the sharing of the awesomeness of God.  Instead of demanding, Daniel was willing to be tested so that proof of God and His glory would be revealed.  How was this possible?  Chapter 1 reveals in verse 8 that he had PURPOSED in his HEART to NOT defile himself.  The commitment of Daniel was more than a mental decision.  The decision that Daniel had made was more than convenience and self rights.  Daniel looked within his life and had made the decision that God was his God.  He was determined to be used in whatever way God would choose.  The commitment of Daniel began with his own surrendering of his life to God in his heart.

Applying Daniels Commitment
Many in our nation today have experienced commitment from the background of mere convenience.  Just as America has slowly changed over the years, the idea of what a commitment looks like has also changed.  It is extremely difficult for us to realize what it means to get to the core of our commitment.  Priorities are numerous.  But what priority is at the top of our list.  This is where we must begin.  For Daniel, it was God.  For us, only each one can answer.  Can we say that God is number 1 on our priority list?  And if we say that, what does it look like?  We like to add the word "but" when discussing our priorities.  We will say something is number 1- BUT then will give importance to several other things at the same time.

Getting to the core of God being our priority in every aspect of life cannot be over stated.  Understanding the depth of making that decision is vital.  For once we determine as Daniel did, we will never have to make that decision again.  It is a decision that helps in making other decisions down the road.  As it was for Daniel, it will be settled once and for all in our lives.  Only in making this decision is God then allowed to do His best work in our lives.

The results in Chapter 1 for Daniel spread beyond himself to those who were also willing to follow his lead.  The first test of food resulted in Daniel and his men being found 10 times better than others who had eaten more completely.  Daniel and his men sacrificed so that God and God alone could get all the glory in what would occur.  Daniels commitment led him to put God to the test.

This is no small example of commitment.  The life lesson from Daniel Chapter 1 reveals struggle and risk.  Faithfulness and trust were immediately required.  And do not overlook that Daniels commitment is highlighted by sacrifice.  Commitment is not as easy as we Americans have been conditioned to think.  Biblical commitment is tough!

Can we make Daniels type of commitment today?  God says yes.  The question for each one of us is will we?

Our commitment cannot be made to a way of life.  Nothing Biblically nor nationally can guarantee a way of life.  Our commitment can only have as the object the person of God!  His glory and His glory alone must be the basis and focus of our commitment.

It was for Daniel, will it be for us?

Part 2 will deal with Daniels self marketing.

A tractor, chef, and markers!

Today I was called and told that one of the ladies in our church was out at our church property on the tractor mowing.  This was a big deal for this lady is our church chef!  I flew out of my desk chair with my phone in pocket to drive out and get a picture of this event.  She can cook!  And I learned today that, even with it being her first time, she can mow with a trim mower on a tractor.  I have been driving tractors for over 40 years.  I was blown away with her new discovered ability to cut grass - and even get the corners!

After I took the picture, we talked for a while and she said something that really got me thinking.  I mentioned how she was cutting even the grass on the corners.  She described her quickly learned lesson.  She lined the ornament on the front of the tractor to outside of the yet to be cut area and thus, she cut all the grass.  Nothing was left standing.  You need to realize that she was doing this with a trim mower - smaller than a bush hog.  Once she realized that grass was being missed, she adjusted!

Is this not the way markers work in our lives.  We track along in our journey looking back to see what we missed.  If only we would realize that it is the markers in front of us that must be lined up.  They prevent and thus help to avoid the need to look back.  When our markers are right, our lives are on the path with nothing left out.  We experience the full reality with no turning around and going back to get something we missed.

Peter said it this way:

2 Pet 3:11-18
11    Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness,
12    looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat?
13    Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.
14    Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless;
15    and account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation-- as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you,
16    as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures.
17    You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked;
18    but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.
(NKJ)

We need markers in our lives.  Have you lined your markers up recently.  The things we are reminded of when a church chef gets on a tractor!

Speaking the TRUTH in todays America (Series)

Part 1

Over the past week I have made clear my perception of today's America - it is not pretty.  In noting this, the simple fact that the change we are seeing did not occur overnight was also front and center.  So now we must ask the question as Christians trying to reach people in this new era of "neo-anything can be truth" culture, HOW?

American Christians have perfected the speech approach to teaching.  Even in our social media use can be found the clear and often blunt ugly use of this method in telling people what is wrong with their ideology and where they will go because of it.  We make our points well yet we are failing to impress or influence even a few.  It is time we seek to understand the needed approach required if we are to really make a difference today.

And for many Christians, this is going to be a tough road to travel!

Our learning begins with some simple facts.  People without Jesus, do not have a foundation that we can build upon.  People without Jesus, need Jesus first!  Never should we compromise the truth with anyone.  But understanding that only in a relationship with Jesus is the foundation upon which truth is built can we expect any glimmer of accomplishing lasting life change.  This is Biblical truth.  Hard to realize that we Christians must first accept a truth before we expect others to do the same.  But this is a must.  The journey begins with this hurdle at the starting line.

Many American churches are facilitating this hurdle by abandoning Evangelistic outreach endeavors.  We talk much about reaching the nations.  Preaching to the nations is the new modern day battle cry!  A simple analysis of our current trends in methods and thoughts on evangelism reveal that we are doing little to reach individual people regardless of the intent of the battle cry.  The popular growth of Reformed Theology and the New Calvinism of our day are not helping either.  The more this spreads the fewer people that will be reached.  Sharing Jesus is the beginning.  It is more than preaching/teaching.  Sharing Jesus is more than telling someone to turn or burn.  Sharing Jesus is sharing Jesus story and what He did for all of us.  It is making it clear that Jesus offers a free gift called salvation to all who will receive.  The gift is offered, but we each must chose to accept or reject. 

Rom 6:23

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
(NKJ)

Rom 5:8
8    But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
(NKJ)

Sharing truth requires each of us who know Christ to begin sharing His truth.  It is not turn or burn.  It is begging and pleading with people to see what God did for them in His Son Jesus.  It is sharing the love of God for all people regardless of where they have been or what they have done!  It is leaving the judging to God while living as one changed so as not to cause anyone to stumble so that the message of Gods love in Christ, can be seen and thus received.

This is the starting point!  No moral or political change is possible of lasting value without Jesus first!

Is "to the Nations" really missions?

There I was last week on a lake and in a boat listening to my old (according to my two sons) music and driving the family crazy with it while doing some reflection of ministry and missions.  You see, I have this problem of not being able to shut the mind off just because I am on vacation.  I like to use that time to sfocus on key thoughts etc..  And this year it was missions and ministry.

 In particular, what are we really doing and can we do more.

In this thought process the whole terminology thing came kept coming up.  Having been in SBC churches all of my life, missions strategy is all too familiar.  GO, REACH, and now The Nations are terms used to motivate and remind us that there is something BIG we are suppose to be doing.  But lets really look at the current lingo.

Reach the nations!

What does that mean?

Do we know what it really means?

Is the meaning the same from one person to the next?

Tough questions that produce answers describing a major issue in our mission efforts.  Is it possible that the term we are currently hearing over and over again is ushering in an actual opposite effect of little real missions?

Now grant it that I may be accused of being picky or crazy.  But think with me for just a moment. 

What does it mean?  Are we to reach whole countries?  Sure!  But how?  If we do a humanitarian effort in a country, have we taken the Gospel to the Nations?  If we hold a few worship services in this country, does that fulfill the mandate?

What does it really mean?  Have we been told by those who coined the phrase?  Are we told by those who use it in sermons and lectures on missions? 

When I hear the term, I think I know what it means but I am not sure.  Where is this term defined? 

A clear missions strategy must have a clear common understanding.  Every Pastor and staff member must be in sync with every entity leader in knowing what the term means.  But then it dawned on me, we live in a time when taking up an offering for xyz material need in some country is praised as reaching the nations.  Is it?

But today, I will allow for contemplation on this initial post about this subject while praising the members of our church for raising over $3,500 with just two weeks notice to send my traditional worship leader to India for two weeks to train Pastors in evangelism and the teaching of the Word of God so they can reach their home country residents. 

We will continue this thought later this week...

Times R Changing

From weather to finances, church to education, change is in the air. Change is not always bad nor is it always good. Organizations that experience change will often promote the new way as "the best" way. Only problem is they said the same thing last time change was promoted.

Personally there is a sense that some of the change we see coming these days deals with where we are on Gods timetable and the return of Christ. This is true when see the changes occurring around the world and even here at home in politics. But more important to me is the change that is taking place in REAL Christianity compared to the "form" of that has been so prevalent over the past few decades.

What change are you seeing in your life? What changes are you seeing in the hearts of people around you? Embracing Gods change of the heart and life is one that should excite us. Either we will be part of Gods final push or we will be part of the great falling away. There is NO middle ground. Change will be found in every life.

Are you changing for the better? Take a long look and listen to the sweet voice of the Holy Spirit. He longs to change us. He longs to bring about His will in our lives for His glory.

Is your life changing?