What's the Deal with Christmas?

A few weeks ago, I posted what I thought would be the beginning of a series of post covering the lead up to Christmas, that most of us call Advent.  Well, that ADVENTure (see what I did there?) fell as flat as that last joke did, with the hustle and bustle of the season and the responsibility of getting settled in our new home.

So seeing as it's Christmas Eve, I thought I'd address a question a lot of people have today....

What's the Deal with Christmas?  (insert Seinfeld theme, here)

So as I've said before.  God had a plan, from the very beginning, of redeeming the world He'd created.  Sin had entered the world and distorted the beautiful, perfect creation that God put together.  He had to make atonement.  The first way this happened was through blood sacrifice by His followers.  The Hebrew people would sacrifice a lamb or other animal in order to cover the sins they'd committed or pay homage to God.  This went on for thousands of years.  This continued through the "400 years of silence" that I alluded to in my last post.

So therein we see one of the main reasons for Christmas.  Jesus Christ had to come to Earth.  He had to come to save the world.  He had to come to be the final blood sacrifice to atone for the sins committed by those who'd come before and those who have come after Him.

I know what you're thinking, "Hold up, He came here to die?"

Yes.  Yes.  Yes.

He came to Earth on a mission with a specific task.  He came to save you from your sin.

Before you tell me that you don't need a Savior, you've got to agree with me that you make mistakes.  We all do.  If you read the Bible you'll see that all sin is equal.

I know that many Christians today do not make it seem that way.

Every sin, in the eyes of God, is the same.  This is a call-out to Christians to begin to treat things that way as well.  That is another post for another day.

Jesus came to die for every sin committed by every person in every moment of history.  He was sent to here, by way of a virgin-birth, to die for these sins.  God sent Him to be born to die.

So there's the deal with Christmas.  Jesus was born to be our Savior.  He came to save you.  If you don't know him, you should!

At The Right Time

God's plan doesn't change.  It was and is the same from the beginning.  Spread His word and glory around the world.  He sets things into motion that affect everything about you and your world, as well as me and my world, and the world itself.  

Donald Trump's election, having surprised most of the country and world, did not surprise God.  World War II did not surprise God.  Nothing catches Him off guard or by surprise.  

Look back with me at an event from one of the earliest days of history. God has just created Adam, He is showing him around the Garden of Eden, and he tells them about the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

 “And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.””(‭Genesis‬ ‭2:16-17‬ ‭NIV‬‬)

So look at the wording here, "...for when you eat from it you will certainly die."  It's as if God knew that something was going to happen, well of course He did!  Anyway, this event had to happen for the rest of HIStory to unfold.  

So the first man and woman sin, which sends the world into a spiral in which they will need a Savior to come out of!  From there, the Bible contains 365 prophecies pertaining to the coming of The Messiah.  The Messiah is the promised Savior of the world.  

We will return to that.  Let's look at the uncanny circumstances that had to take place in order for Jesus' birth to occur at the right time.  

During the time leading up to the birth of Jesus, the world experienced many power shifts.   

Alexander of Macedon, or to us, Alexander the Great, conquered just about the entire known world, about 300 or so years before Jesus' birth.  What's so significant about that? The fact that all the world was now under one umbrella and would soon hold a common language, Greek.  The Hellenization of the world would usher in new schools of thought where people asked questions and sought answers, and a language that was spoken by nearly everyone.  Yes even the Hebrew texts were translated into Greek.  

Following Alexander, the Romans took over the known world.  This created a period of "peace" known as the Pax Romana, or Roman Peace.  The world was under the watchful eye of the Roman Empire.  Rome built roads and connected lands that had previously not been connected.

So what does that have to do with Jesus? 

Well, when Jesus was born and throughout His life, He ushered in a new covenant.  No longer would YHWH be the God of the Hebrews, but He would be the God of all who believe, the one, true God.  His new covenant would be with all believers and open to all.  So, the common language and the ease of travel, access, and peace allowed for the words of Jesus Christ to be spread across the known world.  

So what God did was, He worked out His plan through all of history.  He took steps and action toward a goal, so that it could all happen, at the right time. 

What does that tell us today?  Well, one thing I failed to mention is that, before Jesus' birth, the voice of God and movement of His hand were not felt by his people for nearly 400 years.  Prior to this, prophets delivered messages from the Lord, but 400 years, total silence.  

Maybe you haven't heard from the Lord in 400 days.  Maybe you've prayed and prayed and looked for signs and not seeing anything.  

Maybe you're like me, for the last couple of years, Jenn and I have longed for a child.  The last year or so, we've walked the road of adoption, even more recently we've begun the journey of foster care.  We feel like that's where the Lord has led us.  Here lately though, full disclosure, it's been quiet.  We're waiting.  Nothing's happening. 

Maybe you're like us.  What we needed to be reminded of, at this specific time, Christmastime, is that God works on His clock.  He's not bound by our expectations.  He has a plan and he works it out.  He doesn't rush, He makes sure everything works out in its time.  He controls the wind and the waves, the rulers of the world, and the hairs on my head.  He's there, even when we don't hear Him or feel Him.  

He worked things out in the midst of 400 years of silence.  I know He's working them out in your 400 days.  

He's on His throne.  He's got this, let Him do it! 

Convenience Store Christianity

What has God's church in the United States become?  

That is a question that has been ringing through my mind for the last few months or so.  We, as a church, are at a major crossroad in our history.  

To understand where we may be headed, we need to take a look at our past.  I'm into history, so let's do it!  

If we go all the way back to the beginning, in Acts, the church itself is a group of people.  A relatively small group in relation to what the church is today, the majority of these people had seen Jesus with their own eyes and touched him with their hands!  They sat under the teachings of the men who had walked with Jesus and heard words spoken from his very mouth.  

I'd like to insert a flashback here.  Go back with me to the time, way before Jesus.  Go back and think about how many times the people of God didn't get it right.  Think about the grace God lavished upon them.  Think about how God disciplined them in various ways.  Here we are looking at the Jewish people as a whole.  God led them out of the bondage of Egypt, they turned on Him in the desert, when they'd lost faith.  

They experienced a disconnect.  Not God being disconnected from them, but them disconnecting themselves from God.  

The Bible gives us a number of examples where people traded God for other things. All these things should sound familiar: money, power, sex, pride, position, cultural standing, politics, status, comfort, agenda, and many more.  All that should sound familiar, because it's what the church is trading in for God today.  

When I say the church, I don't mean your individual church or mine, I mean as a whole, we who label ourselves as Christians have in one way or another traded in our God for something.  As the Bible tells us, we have "served the creature rather than the Creator..."(Romans 1:25)

You see it all over.  What has caused this disconnect?  Our time.  To quote most of us, "we don't have enough."  We fill our lives with so many things.  Football, dinners, careers, movies, and on and on.  We rarely have time to "wedge" time with God.  We are in such a "convenience store" world, but we still can't slow down for the one who deserves all our praise. 

We think that two hours on a Sunday is going to get us the refueling we need to get through the next week.  Right then and there is where we have our first issue.  God did not intend for the church to be our "pit stop" on the road of life.  Church is part of our connection to Him.  A vehicle we use to grow and develop.  

But we neglect it.  We neglect time with other believers.  We've become accustomed to podcasts, because "I can listen just long enough, then when I'm convicted, I can cut it off."  We read our Bible App, because it is simple and easy, but we can't recall half of what we read.  We get upset if our pastor goes five minutes over on his sermon, because that puts us behind in getting a seat at the Golden Corral.  

The cure to this issue in our country today is going to be to get away from our "convenience store" Christianity and get back to Biblical, foundational Christ-following.  The Christ-followers in the Bible chased after God, loved on each other, served each other, and sacrificed whatever they had to for the Cause of Christ, even their lives.  

We've got to get back to that.  I've heard a number of times, take America back to what it was before.  I don't think that's where need to be either!  I'd venture to say that even as far back as 1776, the Christian identity of America has not been that of the people of Christ.  That is another post for another day, but it has a lot to do with a certain type of institution that was in America for a good 200 years.  

My point in this post is, in order to get where we need to be, we don't need to go back to where we were.  We've got to go somewhere we may be uncomfortable, some places that may be hard!

When the Wind Doesn't Blow

Football has officially begun.  For the last three or four weeks I've seen more field house than my own house!  

This past week has been the first week that high school football can practice.  As a middle school coach, I'm there throughout the whole practice.  Our middle school staff takes the freshman team outside and practices with them.  Yeah, here in Texas, many schools have indoor practice facilities.  In Henderson, our indoor facility is not air conditioned.  When you get used to it, it's not as bad as you might think.  

So all these mornings out in the Texas heat got me to thinking.  While we are outside, all we hope for is a little breeze or maybe even a big wind to blow through!  When the wind doesn't blow, in Texas, it's sweltering hot.  In East Texas, the humidity and heat index are usually sky high and add to the hotness.  That wind is a hot commodity.

When the wind does blow, it's great.  Usually it cools the sweat that's already on your arms and the rest of your body and creates a quasi-air conditioning.  

This got me to thinking.  When the wind's not there, in our minds, we may freak out a little bit.  "It's so hot, I'm gonna die!"

Don't lie, you've probably said it when you step out into the summer heat.

In our waiting for the wind's deliverance from the heat, I think that we are giving ourselves a real life picture of our life in Christ.  

How many times do we experience "heat" in our lives?  If you answered none, you'll need to read my next post on lying.  If you have seen some tough times or a trial roll through your life, you know the "heat" that I speak of.  

Our lives are just like that football field, even at 7:15 in the morning, it's hot!  Sometimes, you may feel like there's no relief in sight.  You might be like Blue from Remember the Titans. 

Yeah, you remember.  Blue Stanton asks Coach Boone for water.  It's hot, the boys need some water.  Well, they get the water, after they go through some adversity, if you will.  

But no doubt, even in the between times, between the water breaks, the wind could blow.  Some of the time, that wind doesn't blow.  Sometimes you ask God for some rain, or to heal your father's cancer, or perform the great miracle or something else.  What happens when that wind doesn't blow? What happens when God doesn't work things out the way you'd hoped? 

What happens? 

One thing is for sure, God does not go anywhere.  He doesn't, for believers, we are in the palm of His hand all the time.  There are times we don't feel it, but He may be waiting, seeing our reaction.  Do we keep our faith in Him? Or, do we wallow in self-pity and turn away from Him?

Colossians 2 tells us we are to be rooted in Christ and built up by Him.  Our faith has a basis, we should act like it.  The problem is, we haven't rooted ourselves and when the times get rough, or "hot," we lose it.  God calls us to firm up our faith in Him.  

That means, even when we don't feel Him.  

It is, standing out in the sweltering heat,  and waiting for the wind.  Standing in the middle of your trial, holding out for the deliverance of God.  Wandering in the desert for forty years, until finally you're lead to the Promised Land (see Exodus).  Living in bondage in a country that is not your own, until God moves you out (Israel in Babylonian exile).  Sitting in the darkness of a lions' den, waiting to be devoured, but their mouths have been closed (Daniel).Losing your family and everything you own, yet still praising God and awaiting His rescue (Job).  Going into the depths of the worst part of town to find your wife and deliver her from prostitution, because that's what God told you to do (Hosea). 

So what do the scriptures tell us to do when the wind is not blowing?

Wait.

Clanging Cymbals

Today, during my morning Bible reading, I read 1 Corinthians Chapter 13.  As soon as I started reading, the verses reminded me of the current discourse in the USA.  

“If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.”

1 Corinthians 13:1-3 ESV

In these first three verses, Paul lays it out flat.  If we, believers, want to reach people, everyone else, we are going to have to do so with love.  

What is love? Baby don't hurt me, baby don't hurt me, no more... Oh, sorry, I got distracted.  Love is opening your heart.  Love is gentle, but can also be tough. Love tells the truth and doesn't lie.  Love is honest, but not harsh.  

Love is looking at another person, black, white, brown, yellow, or purple, and seeing the Imago Dei (image of God) in them.  

Quick history lesson, we all originated from two people, Adam and Eve.  Through them sin was ushered into the world and Creation suffered.  Men began to smell themselves and thought they were better than God, their Creator.  So they went about doing all kids of destable things, and finally God had enough.  He flooded the entire world and saved one man and his family.  From that family the repels kind of had a bit of a restart.  The world multiplied and man, this time, built a tower to overthrow God.  God, in his wisdom, through the world into turmoil and separated people by language and spread them across the Earth.  

So essentially, that's the beginning point of where we've gotten ourselves to now. We are all descended from these same people I've just spoken about. I've got light skin, you may have dark skin.  But, we share the same ancestors and the same beginnings.  

So where am I going?

It's disappointing for me to turn on the TV or to look at Facebook, Twitter, or IG, and see all people berating each other.  I see our politicians doing it.  In particular, a man who I voted for, expecting him to represent me, calling the Dallas protesters cowards for running away from gunfire.  Uncalled for!  

What's the answer to the question of "What do we do now? How do we heal? How do we fix this?"

First of all, it's time for the church to be about the Bible and to start spreading the love of Jesus and sharing His message.  We are too caught up in being uncomfortable about this or that, that we are so unfocused.  We've taken our eyes off Jesus and put our eyes on some attendance goal or something that in the end won't matter.  We've got to open our doors to EVERYBODY.  Not just the people we are comfortable with.  

We've got to start seeing people for who they are, a picture of the Imago Dei.  Praise God that He doesn't judge us like we judge each other.  (Please note that I continually say "we" in my posts.  It's because I need to hear all this too.) 

Any sort of change in this country can and will probably start when the people of the country, specifically the believers, stand up. Our politicians aren't going to do much, we are going to have to do it.  We have to lead out!  We must love!

What's Going On?

I wrote this post and titled it Every Life Matters.  However, as a white man, I did not realize the implications of such a title. After reading a post from Lecrae, a Christian and hip-hop artist I feels admire, I was convicted (and had been all day yesterday), by God to change the title of this post.  Every life matters is like spitting in the face to black people, because at this point, they don't feel like theirs does. I'd be inclined to feel the same way they do, it looks as though some (mind you, not all) in our country do not value the life of our black citizens.  It's the truth, and if we continue to deny that, what happened to Alton Sterling and Philando Castille is going to happen over and over again.  So as you read this post, keep that in mind.  Every life does matter, but there are those around us who feel as though there's does not.  Are they blaming you? No, they're blaming a system that has crushed them for a long time.  I pray this post speaks to you.

Okay people, here's the deal. I try not to get involved in the all the hubbub that occurs when major things happen in our country, but I feel it's important to address today. 

We just celebrated the 240th "birthday" of our nation.  We've seen violence followed by violence, murder upon murder, the deterioration of our country is happening before our very eyes. 

Just since Monday, a 38 year old man was pinned down by police and shot in the chest multiple times.   There are around 3,000 or more babies aborted on a daily basis in the US.  There have been well over 10,000 murders in the US already this year.  We live in a society that is spinning out of control.  

Well, what do we do?  

I honestly have no idea.  Well, actually I have a couple of thoughts.  

First of all, for my readers that are believers out there, it's time to wake up and get to doing what you're called to do.  "But, I'm called to be a teacher," well of course you were but as part of that callings, you're called to share Jesus.  Our calling is not just to whatever career, but to spread the Word of God in whichever avenue we've chosen for our lives.  Wherever you are, it's time to start talking about Jesus.  And not this "rules-to-follow" Christianity that we've all come to know, but the true Jesus that we see in the Bible.  The One who asks for our whole life, not just a couple of hours on the weekend.  He's the only true way this country and this world is going to change.  

The second thing we all, myself included, need to do is get off our Twitter and Instagram and stop hash tagging and start doing something.  You can sit in a coffee shop on your cell phone and post all you want, but until you out the foot to the pavement and start moving, nothing is going to get done.  And before you start making picket signs and getting your riot clothes together, rethink that too.  

I feel like our generation read the 1st amendment in junior high and really remember that we have the "right to" "assemble".  But what they've forgotten is that pesky little word in there, "peacably."  

Burning down buildings and looting stores is the last thing you need to be doing if you're trying to get something done.  There are ways to get attention that don't involve destroying things.  

We've also got to stop this grouping of everyone into a particular subset based on what they do. 

 In simple terms, stereotyping.  "All cops are out to kill.  All African-Americans are thugs.  The cops killed him? Well he must have been a criminal.  All white people hate African Americans.  All Christians hate everyone.  All Muslims hate America." Do you catch my drift?  

We keep piling these stereotypes up and using them when it's uncomfortable for us, or when we aren't feeling that actually talking stuff out would do any good.  

NEWSFLASH:  White, black, red, yellow, purple, or green, WE ARE ALL THE SAME!  We have different pigments and probably different cultures and lifestyles, but we were created by the same God and for the same purpose, whether that's what you like to hear or not.  

So what is this all about? I'm close to the end, I promise.  

When bad things happen, like what has happened in Baton Rouge, we need to rally with each other.  I've spent a couple hours today looking through Twitter and every five or six tweets, I see somebody who's spewing hate...and it's not just from one side or the other it's both.  

I've come to the realization that my skin is Caucasian, yes, but that doesn't make me any better or any worse than someone whose skin is black or brown.  We were all created in the Imago Dei, the image of God!  Yes, everyone.  

We've got to come together, plain and simple, and go to Jesus.  We just think our country is bad now, let's continue to walk lives away from the will of God, then let's see where we stand.  

All They Need is Love

A little over a year ago, Jenn and I began a journey that we thought was going to be relatively quick and easy.  We'd gotten lined up with a woman who was soon to deliver a child and would give her up for us to adopt.

God had different plans. 

God has led us through many highs and lows.  Our first attempt, as I mentioned earlier, didn't pan out for us.  We had our course all planned out, but it didn't go the way we thought.  God guides our steps.  We knew he was pushing us towards helping children, since the first we've had two more potential adoptions to fall through. 

By this period of time, I had become discouraged and that we weren't really ever going to get this all to come together.  In our hearts we never really saw fostering as an avenue.  But as Proverbs 16:9 says, we plan our course but God guides our steps.  And just a quick FYI, THE STEPS GOD GUIDES MAY NOT BE ON YOUR PLANNED COURSE!

God slowly softened our hearts to the idea of fostering.  It's providing a need for a child, just like adoption, the only thing is they may not stay forever.  

The reason I'd fought the though for so long was because I tend to become super attached and I was afraid of my feelings being ripped to shreds of a kid were pulled from our home.  So I fought God on it.  When you fight God, you either get slapped silly and realize He's right, or you run further away.  

So this back and forth continued for a time.  Then Jenn does her research and finds us an opportunity to attend what Texas calls PRIDE.  It's training for foster parents.  It's a process and can be a little painstaking.  However, what in life that's worthwhile is not?  

"Well, I'm not called to foster or adopt."

That's where I'd beg to differ. I thought the exact same thing.   A couple of instances in the Bible tell us to care for or bring justice to the orphans or the fatherless. (See James 1:27; Isaiah 1:17)  Is this not a calling to us?  At the very least, we could give some time to volunteer with orphans.  Better yet, get the training and open your home and your heart to a child that may not know what home is or what love looks like.  

I mean look at yourself.  Were you not out in a wilderness of sorts and Jesus brought you in? So, why can we not follow our ultimate example? In John 14:18, Jesus tells us He won't leave us as orphans, He will come to us.  

Our process is nearly complete and, hopefully, soon our home will be open to children.  

What can you do?

Pray earnestly and seek God's will for your life in the realm of fostering or adoption. If that's an avenue for you, contact your local CPS office or some other agency which can give you the options for caregiving. Considering I just read two posts from a friend describing the lack of homes for placement and children are sleeping in CPS offices on air mattresses, I'd say there's a great need.  

Seek out families and young people you might mentor.  Model for them what family is. 

We've got to be the ones to lead out in our communities.  All kids need love and need nurturing.  They need people whether for 2 days or 2 years that can step in and show them love and to help them develop.  

Even if you're not a believer, you know good and well that children thrive in loving environments. Provide that for them!  

For those of us believers, it's time to put our money where our mouth is and take this church stuff outside the walls of our churches!  

Creating Culture

A few months ago I wrote a post about being counter-cultural.  That is exactly what Jesus was.

What is interesting, and what we sometimes miss, is that while Jesus was countering the culture He lived in, He was also creating a totally new one.  In our lives, as Christ followers, we are called to do exactly what Jesus did.  

We live in a culture today that is messed up.  We have slowly turned away from God.  In my mind, it's partly our fault.  We've become the types of churches and Christians that just go to church on Sundays, maybe Wednesday's, but outside of those days and outside of the walls of the church, we are no different from the people outside.  We think we've done nothing more than purchase "fire insurance," if we go and sit in church on a percentage of the Sundays and Wednesdays of the year.

This weekend, I started and finished Lecrae's book Unashamed, in a chapter he describes reading Andy Crouch and that he describes four ways Christians interact with culture.  

1) consume

 2) condemn

 3) copy 

4) create

When we consume, we don't filter anything.  We just do everything everyone else is doing and don't pay mind to what God has revealed to us in His Word.  This is not the way to engage the culture.  The world seeing that you're doing the exact same thing they are isn't going to change their heart, they won't see anything different.  

Condemning the culture will not get us anywhere either.  Yes, this is the part where I talk about posting that you're not going to Target anymore because of the transgender bathroom issue. It could also be all sorts of boycotts and on and on to all kinds of different things.  This stance of condemnation does not advance the mission of spreading the love of Jesus Christ.  

Another way we engage the culture is by copying it.  This method really caught on when I was young and impressionable.  You better believe I was on the copy culture bandwagon.  That is still a little evident today in certain areas.  None so evident as the t-shirts of the late 90s and early 00s!

Those are just a couple of examples!  At any rate, the copy of the culture does not prove as an effective strategy either.  

The most effective method of spreading the love of Christ is to create a new culture.  

“And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.”

Acts 2:42-47 ESV

In this passage, we get a glimpse into the early church following the Holy Spirit's arrival into their lives.  It had become evident who they were and that they served the one true God, they were meeting together on a daily basis and learning, praying, and giving.  Total flip around from the way things were for that time.  

"But, we have created our own culture..."

I thought you'd say that.  Yes, we have.  I would venture to say, however, that we have taken our culture into a different realm from where it should be.  We've almost become "subsistence (social studies term) believers," in that we get just enough Jesus, and leave so much more out in the open.  We show up on Wednesday and Sunday, get "fed" and then we go home.  I say we, because I'm as guilty as anyone!  We don't seek the Lord in our every day ventures or in our careers!  

We just go through life, then work the whole system of showing up when we need a refuel.  It's no wonder the world doesn't want any part of what we are doing!  We are doing it the way that works!  We've made it our own and we have tarnished it.  

As Christ-followers, it's time to change what we are doing.  It's time to create a new culture out a culture that we are a part of.  It can't just be a couple of people either, it needs to be all of us.  

If we are going to spread the message and the love of Jesus Christ, we have first got to get back to the original mode of doing so!  Read the Book of Acts for more insight!  

Can I See Some I.D.?

Where do we get our identity from?  Is it from our career? Our family? Our friends? Our life's situations?

If those are the case, I'm a teacher who coaches football, basketball, and track. A Reynolds. A hilarious, soft hearted guy. As well as a middle-class white guy from a small town and that's it.  

People draw their identity from lots of places.  Mostly from a title or from other people.  A lot of times in life we cannot find our own identity without someone giving it to us.  Most of the people we get our identity from aren't worthy of giving us an identity in the first place.  

There's only one person who can give us our identity.  Jesus Christ is the issuer of our identity!  We belong to Him and He is the only giver of our life and true identity! 

So how do we know our identity? Let's look at some scripture.

“For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority.”

Colossians 2:9-10 ESV

We have been fulfilled with the "whole fullness" of who Christ is.  

The Bible also tells us that we, who are believers, are children of God.  

“But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.”

John 1:12-13 ESV

How amazing are these two passages?  First that we are made full with the fullness of Christ! And then, that we are children of God!  If we are His children, as believers, then we are heirs to whatever God has in His possession!  

It is truly amazing. There are many other verses that point to our identity!

So the next time you're searching for who you are, remember that God is the one who assigns your identity.  Remember, no matter what you've done or where you've been, God is looking to use you!  

He has a plan for your life!  Stop looking in other places for your ID! He knows, He'll show you! 

Judge And Jury...

How many times have you heard that statement?  It is a quote from the Bible, however we can get the meaning of it all mixed up in attempting to have it our way. We use it when we don't want criticism, or we don't like what people have to say to us.  

So, what am I getting at? We all have two things in common, we like to tell others how to live, and we don't like when others tell us how to live. 

 Let's take a look at our younger members of humanity.  Toddlers and teenagers.  Let's start with toddlers.  We laugh at them when they shake their finger at us and talk about what we need to do or something of the like, but the instant they're told to do something or change something they don't want to, even the most well-behaved children, turn into selfish individuals.  Teenagers are the exact same way.  They're quick to tell others how to be or how to act, but when it is turned back on them, they become defensive and defiant.  

We humans cannot take any kind of criticism, constructive or not!  We can't handle it.  Even when God, our Creator, brings something to our attention we defend it over and over.  We justify what we are doing and why we did it.

So let's look at this verse we get confused.  

““Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.”

Matthew 7:1-5 ESV

Where is Jesus going with this? 

Looking at the context of the verse, He is speaking of the hypocritical leadership of the Jews at that time in history.  Jesus teaches how to give, pray, and fast without hypocrisy and see things through God's eyes and not our own.  Jesus is showing us, today, that we should not be hypocritical in our dealings with each other.  

Can we, as Christ followers, keep each other accountable and it be biblically aligned with this verse?  

I'd venture to say we can.  Without the judging of others, we would lack Christ-centered leadership in many important areas of our society.  If we were handcuffed to not judging, parents couldn't be parents.  Coaches couldn't be coaches.  Teachers couldn't be teachers. Need I say more? 

The preceding chapter gives us the context explained above.  Verse two through five of chapter seven give us even more evidence of the anti-hypocrite stance of these verses.  Jesus' words threatened the Pharisees' way of religion.  These Jewish leaders had built the Jewish religion around 613 laws and were hypocritical in their practice.  

We can look at this verse this way,  stop judging only by appearances and judge correctly.  

An interesting point that Paul brings out in 1 Corinthians 5:12-13 is for the church to stop trying to judge the people outside of the church.  It is God's place to judge this outside the walls of the church.  

So, Coach, what you're saying is I can "let 'er fly" with my fellow believers?  U didn't say that.  In Galatians 6:1, Paul explains that we are to do something totally different.  We are to facilitate gentle restoration through relationships.  That is the key to judging correctly, a relationship.  If you have a relationship of trust with a brother or sister in Christ, then you could be called to hold them accountable.  Accountability is a soft word that we use to replace the word judgement.  

Let's face it, we hate judgement against ourselves, but we know it is good!  

Use that judgement to make yourself better.  If you judge someone else, make sure that your heart is right and aligned with Jesus Christ!  

Get in the Game or Buy a Ticket!

"Get your head in the game, or buy a ticket and watch!" 

I've probably said or heard this statement a couple hundred times in my years as an athlete and a coach.  It applies in more than just the realm of football or basketball.  Let's take a look of how we can translate a statement like this into our lives as Christ-followers.  

What is a fan?  

According to Google's definition, a fan is "a person who has a strong interest in or admiration for a particular person or thing."  Good definition.  Fans come in different varieties.  You've got your hardcore fans, no matter what the team is the best, even if they haven't won a game in three years.  You've got your fair weather fans.  These are the guys that are high on the team when they're winning but in the midst of a tough season, they're no where to be found.  Then the old bandwagon fans, these guys look for the next big thing or the next big team.  Right now you probably see them wearing Panthers gear or Warriors jerseys!  

So fans are the people in the stands.  The people watching.  They're not in on the action.  They are not active participants.  They don't get the full effect of the game.  Believe me, there's nothing like being down on the field, either the sideline or the actual field.  Being in the middle of the action is an incredible rush! There's simply nothing like it!  

Let me get to where I'm going...

So what does Jesus call us to be?  Are we supposed to be up in the stands, just watching?  Or does He long for us to be actively participating? 

To borrow from Kyle Idleman, we weren't called to be fans.  

Jesus wants us to actively participate with Him in the advancement of His Kingdom!  

“For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end.”

Hebrews 3:14

We are a part of Christ game plan and mission.  We aren't meant to spend life in the stands.  Jesus has called us to simply follow Him.  He asks no more than what I ask my athletes to do.  I ask them to trust me in the calls I make and to execute what I ask them to do.  Jesus asks us to do the exact same thing.  All He asks is to place our trust in Him, and to follow Him.  

He calls us to listen to what He says. I have to wonder how much easier life would be if we'd all recognize our calling to get out of the stands and participate in the game.  Choose today, take the ticket you've got and exchange it for the equipment it takes to participate alongside our coach, Jesus Christ!

Fear

What are we so afraid of?

Death, heights, dogs, cats, losing, being alone, storms, and so much more.  There are tons of things we think are to be feared in this world.  There are even people who legitimately fear the Zombie Apocalypse.  We feel like we have a ton of stuff to fear.  However, the Bible has something totally different to tell those of us who follow Jesus and are in a relationship with Him.

We have nothing to fear!

How are we able to not live in fear? First of all, because of the God we serve.  Multiple times in the Bible, the Lord tells people to not fear, because He is with them.  

"Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."

Isaiah 41:10

"Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.”

Deuteronomy 31:6 

"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Joshua 1:9

The list goes on and on.  The Bible commands us to not be afraid or to not fear, many times.  So what are we supposed to do with that?  We are supposed to obey God's commands!  When something we feel like is overwhelming us happens, we do not have to be afraid! The creator of the universe is on our side!  

Our God is THE God!  He spoke and light appeared.  He told the winds to chill out, and they stopped!   He got up from the dead and walked.  He has defeated everything there needs to be defeated!  Everything He says, He does.  Therefore, if He tells us He will be with us, that is what He's going to do!

The scariest things on earth are nothing to our God.  Anything the world can throw at us, God walks through with us.  Does this mean He keeps us from all of this?  No!  I think that is part of the beauty of our walk with God.  He doesn't shield us from things that make us grow.  If we avoided all that, I don't think we would trust Him as much as we would trust in ourselves.

The scary, tough times and situations in our lives are not meant to be avoided, they are meant to increase our dependence on God.

So what do we do?

Whenever some situation pops up in your life, and you feel fear entering into your brain.  Remind yourself of the power of the promise of God, He will be with you.  Put your faith in Him, lean on His arms, and He will walk with you through whatever you are going through.  He will not make you miss the struggle, but He will walk with you through it! 

Who Will Fight For You?

Have you ever felt surrounded by the pressures of life?  Like you're between a rock and a hard place? Maybe like you're being attacked from every side and there's nothing you can do? 

Well, let me begin by telling you that you're not wrong.  When you feel this way, there's nothing you can do.  

Take the children of Israel for example.  In Exodus, we see that God has sent Moses to bring the Israelites up out of Egypt.  So, abridged version, Moses takes the Israelites out of Egypt.  They leave Egypt and they end up out in the wilderness.  God then sets it in motion for Pharoah, the king of Egypt, to pursue them.  All this is because God is wanting to show off.  

So, the Egyptians are in pursuit.  The Israelites begin to run a way, and then run right into the banks of the Red Sea.  The Israelites looked at the sea ahead of them and the army behind them and became discouraged.  They questioned Moses as to why he would lead them out into the wilderness.  But then Moses spoke up.

“And Moses said to the people, “Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will work for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again. The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.””

Exodus 14:13-14 ESV

So instead of worrying, the Israelites should've been praying!  Hindsight is 20/20 but didn't they just witness God delivering them from slavery in Egypt?  They watched the plagues rage against Israel, they'd seen the mighty hand of God! So then, they'd rested and when they turned around, they saw Pharoah and his army behind them and they want to quit.  

Are we not the exact same?

I know I can be just like them.  God can do miraculous things in my life and has done them and then at the first sign of trouble, I lose all trust in Him.  I go from letting Him take control, to taking control and I just end up screwing it all up! 

So what does God want us to do in these situations?

Look at this portion of the Exodus, He wants us to stop and just be still.  We have to realize that He has our best interest in mind, and that He will also fight for us.  What does that mean, "God will fight for you..."? It means that God will look out for you, God's got your back!  He has what He thinks is best for your life!  Never ever doubt that fact!  God will fight, He will go to bat, He will step in for you!

He did step in for you!  He took your place and died for the sins you have committed and that you will commit!  He did it for the sins of the world.  He did for everyone.  He fought for us on the cross and in the grave!  

So where does that put us?  

When you face a trial, when you're in between a rock and a hard place, put your trust in the Lord!  Give the situation to him and He will work your situation out for your good.  It may not feel good at that moment, but it will be for your good in the long run!  Take comfort in the fact that the Creator of the universe is fighting for you!  

So when you turn around and see whatever enemy pressing in on you, turn around and look to God!  He will take over the fight for you! 

My Strength

When God wants you to realize something he throws it at you all the time.  

Last weekend, Jenn and I accompanied some of our college students and some other leaders to Passion Conference in Houston.This is the third straight year we have been able to take a group from our church to Passion and as usual, AMAZING!   While there, you're exposed to amazing music and amazing speakers, leading you to an awesome encounter with God.  After nearly every session we attended, I hit up iTunes to download a new song I heard.  

If you know much about my taste in music, it is not often that I buy music without first listening to and analyzing it.  We had to leave the conference early, so we missed Sunday's afternoon and evening session and Monday morning.  

When we got home, we watched the Sunday evening session, and I turned it off, thinking that was it.  Until our Bible study on Tuesday, I didn't realize I missed one of my new favorite bands, Rend Collective.  

All that to say, I downloaded a couple of Rend Collective's new songs from their new album, without my usual investigation.  

Here's where I get to my point.  One of their new songs, Joy of the Lord, I chose as my new alarm as I began my week.  

The song echoes Nehemiah 8:10, "the joy of the Lord is your strength."  The song talks about praising God through the best of times and the worst of times. No matter what happens, we are called to rejoice in the Lord.

Let's analyze joy.  

A lot of people equate joy with happiness.  The thing is joy is eternal, happiness is temporary.  Happiness is a feeing, it doesn't last, it's conditional.  There are days, where I wake up and I'm happy.  Then, there are days when I wake up and I'm not.  It comes and goes.  However, there aren't any days where my joy is gone!  There's one thing I know for sure.  The God that I serve holds me in His hands and has a plan for my life.  No matter what I go through, I've got the strength of knowing that God is in control.  My joy is eternal!  

If you're a child of God, you should constantly have the joy of the Lord in you!  

Does that mean that you won't have bad days? Nope!  But that means that even when your days are darkest, you've got to realize that God is for you!  

“No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Romans 8:37-39 ESV

Nothing can seperate us! NOTHING! 

I don't think there's much more that can be said.  But, you know I'm going to try to find it.  

Lucifer is the chief attempting thief of our joy.  The name attributed to him, Satan, literally means "adversary."  The opposition works himself into a frenzy to take our joy.  Some times, he works our circumstances into a frenzy to take us into a spiral to steal our joy.  

Can he take it from us? No! What God has given us, as Paul said, no one can take away!  

That's why I called him the "attempting thief."  He can't take it from us, but he won't stop trying.  He will make us think he has taken it, by bombarding our minds with all sorts of scenarios and cloud our minds from seeing our joy.   

So if you're going through a rough patch, look through the distractions Satan places in your way.  Look through those and see the promise of God!  It doesn't matter how dark it feels, God's light engulfs the darkness!  

If you go through life with no joy, and you know it's because you are not a child of God, I beg you to turn your life to Him.  All it takes is to confess that you need Him in your life, to ask Him to forgive you of your sins, and to ask Him to enter your life.  After that, it is all about living out a relationship with Him.  It won't be just a fire insurance policy, it will be a daily friendship with your Creator!

I implore you to remember this promise...

In the midst of my week of rediscovering God being my strength, my beautiful wife sketched this in her new journaling Bible. 

I told you, when God wants you to realize something, He throws it at you all kind of ways.