Obstacle vs. Opportunity

For many, during the holiday season, presents obstacles. Some would be categorized under financial. Buying or the desire to buy gifts for others becomes rough, due to limitations.

However, there are other obstacles that may come about. Relationships, job, weather, etc. may bring about issues that financial cannot even fix. But what do you do with obstacles, do you allow them to become opportunities? That brings us to this week's quote...

"What is the difference between an obstacle and an opportunity? Our attitude toward it. Every opportunity has a difficulty, and every difficulty has an opportunity." ~ J. Sidlow Baxter

Whether life is in the holiday mode or just going from day-to-day, obstacles present opportunities. Where are the opportunities? Right there! We must open our eyes to see them. The opportunity in a financial situation may not be to cause you to be better off but to learn to do something better in the future.

There are opportunities all around you. Opportunities to smile during a busy holiday season. Opportunities to be patient in a long line. Opportunities to show your faith to those who do not know Christ.

Make the the most opportunities this holiday season! Now it's your turn...how do you feel about the quote?

Christmas Down and Dirty: Dirty Laundry

One of the many reasons I love to stay in a hotel is for the fresh, clean towels one can have each day. Part of the reason for that is that I really like a totally dry towel. Having any sort of moisture in a towel just takes away some of the feeling of cleanliness.

Does anyone share in my preference?

Each person starts off clean. There are some who feel that we start off sinful, but each person is responsible for their own sin (see Ezekiel 18:20, for example). Though we are born into a sinful world, but we are not born sinful.

With that, we start off clean, like the towel. Then, as soon as it is used, it is no longer clean. It is soiled and must be cleaned to be at the point it started. So too, you, were once clean and became dirty at the point when sin came into your life. One side point, I think that there is a distinguishable difference in "sin" and a "mistake" when it comes to a "point" when we become "dirty" - but that's for another time.

Sunday, we looked at Romans 3:23 & 6:23a and Colossians 2:13-15 discussing "Dirty Laundry" in our "Christmas Down and Dirty" holiday sermon series. Here are some ways of application to choose from to use this week...

• See the Past ~ Acknowledging where you've been in the past (or present for some) and realizing you were/are unworthy of being able to commune with God. Even if you have the luxury of having that past as wiped clean, acknowledging it is important to know where you have come or will come.
• Clean, Not Just Smelling Good ~ I remember the first few Febreeze commercials that talked about taking the odor out of clothes or other porous materials. Febreeze may take the odor out of clothes or upholstery, but does not cause it to be clean. Whether one is spraying Febreeze on your soul may make it smell better, but it doesn't make it clean. We must realize there is only one way to make ourselves smelling good and clean!
• Stay Clean! ~ When you have an item you greatly value, you will most likely want to keep it clean. Even if it may get dirty, you will want to make it clean, again. Again, if it becomes dirty another time, the point of the item is to stay clean. With that said, as our soul started off clean, then became dirty we should value our (presumed) cleanliness to keep it that way, even if it has been soiled once, twice, or a few times.

Our laundry is bound to become dirty. From spilling of food, dirt, or some other means. Our spiritual side became dirty, but the fact that we can now be clean. Thank goodness for Jesus to come "down" to a "dirty" earth for our dirty souls to become clean. What an awesome opportunity!

Now it's your turn...What do you appreciate most about Christ coming down to clean us up?

Letting Your Holiday Lights Shine

It is a great time of the year…Christmas. For some it is about Christ. For some it is about gifts. For some it is about family. You may like all three.

This is one of my favorite holidays. I enjoy all that goes along with the holiday. I enjoy building up to “the big day”. I enjoy putting up lights outside on the house and lights on the trees. I enjoy seeing my wife flex her design muscles and transform our house into a winter house of wonder.

As “the big day” is almost upon us, here is an interesting quote of what Christmas should be about…

Christmas is not in tinsel and lights and outward show. The secret lies in an inner glow. It's lighting a fire inside the heart. Good will and joy a vital part. It's higher thought and a greater plan. It's glorious dream in the soul of man."  ~Wilfred A. Peterson (The Art of Living)

One great part of the season is how people tend to be a bit more joyous this time of year. The fire that is inside which brings out a warm joy is very contagious. To think about the greater plan that is found in the holiday will lift many people during the season.

Keep the light shining this holiday season! You never know who will need to see your light to lift them up!

 

The Christian Who Was in a Hurry

Last week I had the privilege of going to a ministry workshop.  It is the highlight of my year. So many great things are packed into that great weekend (Wednesday-Saturday).  I practically look forward to the next year's workshop the moment I leave!

Most of you have probably heard the story about the policeman who stops a lady who was cussing, honking, and doing other rude things when drivers around her weren't "cooperating".  When asked why she was being stopped, the officer responded something like this, "I thought the car was stolen and you were not the owner because of the fact that you had a Jesus-fish decal and a "Honk if you love Jesus" bumper sticker on the back of your car."  In his opinion, she was not reflecting her faith very well.

The other day, when I was checking out, another gentleman came up to be checked out.  He was pretty demanding of a receipt, which due to the circumstances, they couldn't provide one at that time.  They were willing to e-mail it to him.  However, he claimed he had no way of printing it off.  They offered to fax the receipt, the gentlemen began getting a little more testy.  "Do you have a piece of paper that you can just put my total on and sign it?"  "Yes", the clerk replied. "Then just do it and let me get out of here!" was his response.  She obliged.  After he said, "Are you ___?", the name on the card, she nodded.  After he left, she muttered to her coworker, "He was rude".

As it worked out, I saw him at my ministry workshop.  I wonder if he felt justified in his reaction?  Did he realize that the faith that she was seeing was rudeness, not Christ.  I Corinthians 13 describes love as not being rude.  This guy didn't have a passionate love for the clerk that was coming across as unloving.  Rather, he had a Christ-like love that was absent in this situation, so it reflected rude.

I debated about saying something to this guy when I saw him.  However, I never had/took the chance.

My challenge and purpose in writing this is to say that you may be the only Jesus anyone will see that day.  How will you respond to these interactions?  Also, will you be Jesus to everyone so that they will see a Jesus-reflection rather than a "rude" reflection (or worse).

May I take on the responsibility of wanting to reflect Jesus to everyone I meet!

Fullness of Christ - King - Luke 23:2-3

Have you ever anticipated the arrival of someone or something and, upon arrival, you were disappointed? Be it a surprise that wasn't what you expected, a person you pictured differently, or a package that arrived broken. I've been there before in the case when I was expecting a package to give as a gift, and it came, at the nick of time, but wasn't what I expected. It was heartbreaking. I bought it without seeing the actual item and when it came...disappointment.

I wonder if people felt like that at all when Jesus came on the scene? They had anticipated the coming Messiah, royalty. They didn't get a "great" son of a well-known family. Instead, the people received a "carpenter's son". A blue-collared Savior was not what was expected. Disappointed, probably (at least by some). "This is it. I've been looking forward to a Messiah, and he is it?!" Not a very good welcome into the world, would you agree? Yesterday, we looked at Jesus as a King. Here are some applications to choose to use this week...

1. Jesus wasn't a disappointment, after all. We see only what we choose to see. See a forest or an adventure? A mountain or extra time to spend with God? May we recognize Him as the "ruler" that He is and submit to His authority, as "all authority" (Matthew 28:18) has been given to Him.
   
2. Jesus' Kingdom is not bound by earthly limits. Kingdoms bring about a sense of protection and security. Praise Him for setting up His Kingdom and giving us the chance to be a part of it!
   

Christ is the king of many things: truth, salvation, grace, peace, righteousness, glory, saints, the ages, kings, and is eternal. (Matthew 21:5; Zechariah 9:9; Luke 19:38; Hebrews 7:2, 1:8; Matthew 25:31-34; Revelation 19:16, 12)

May we appreciate Him all the more as He is, hopefully, the King of our lives, as well!

Seeing Jesus even "fuller" and letting Him rule...

Monday Mentionings: Empty - Tomb - Luke 24:1-6a

How was your Easter? Even though our son couldn’t appreciate all the fun that kids enjoy on this holiday, it was still a memorable and enjoyable day for my family.

I can’t imagine if, at the time of Christ’s ascension, He knew what was happening or if he was wondering what was going on. Even though I know He was 100% man and God, was He God or man at this time? Was He experiencing something like what we experience when we’re awaken in the middle of our sleep? We’ll never know the answer during our earthly life. Regardless, the empty tomb exhibited power. Power that mesmerizes me. It “wows” me! It is simply unfathomable. Power that makes me preach and share about Him with an unquenchable fire. Do you share in any of those feelings? Regardless, what does the empty tomb do to you? As we look back to yesterday, here are some other applications that I hope you can use in your daily life…

1. We are wired to desire power. Kids try to get power over people – usually their parents. As we grow older, teenagers want power over their own lives, not wanting parents to have any more. Even as adults, we desire power – power over events in life – a job, family, environment, etc. The sad fact is, we can’t “have” power over anything like that. The same goes for the tomb not being able to have power over Christ. When we’re in a situation that is “out of our control”, may we stop, pray, thanking God that He is in control, and be willing to let Him take care of it according to His Will.
2. What would your life be like without Jesus? Jesus taught so many great things – how to look past another’s speck for the log in your eye, how to forgive, how to be examples to the world (salt and light), etc. The list could go on and on. For us to be without Jesus, we’d be lost. For the tomb to be without Jesus, we’ve won! You’ve won a pass to heaven. You’ve won the opportunity to share about Him. You’ve won direct access to God (through prayer). The real question is, how will you let others know about this victory you have? Ask someone how their Easter Sunday was…may that open a door for you to share your faith with them! Be bold!!
3. Christ came to save us from our sins (Matthew 1:21). Sin came into the world in the very beginning and has infected all of us sometime in their life before adulthood. Say a prayer of thanks to Jesus going to the Cross, shedding His blood, and overcoming the conditions of death to be brought up out of that grave! Hallelujah, Christ arose!!! May you have a clear mind as you go to Him to praise Him for these things (among anything else).

I get very excited as I look forward to the opportunities God puts in front of me to go out on to the mission field and share about the victory that comes through the cross and then the resurrection!

Have an “enlarged territory” type week (I Chronicles 4:10) ~

Monday Mentionings: "Empty" - Future - Amos 4:6-8

When you started the day/week, where was your focus at for the week? Maybe it was on one thing or many, we're all different. Try this one on, was what you were focused on something you looked forward to or dreaded? The power of positive thinking affects us greatly. So, if you looked at the week with dread, you are in for a much rougher road. Looking at the week with dread is like seeing the week without something - fun, enjoyment, fulfillment, etc., which means it is empty of those things. This series called "Empty" focuses on different things which we may experience a form of that word. Yesterday, we looked at how a future can seem empty. Try these applications on for size and see if they can help you as you go through your week...

1. Self-esteem is so important to how a person looks to the future. When you have a low self-esteem you may feel like life, or some aspect of it, is without hope. You may have feelings of wanting to get away, but this can have a negative effect as you are just surrounded by negative thoughts. May the words of Paul encourage you, "[You] are God's workmanship"! The idea of workmanship is like a work of art. You are unique and God can do amazing things through you - what will this week bring?

2. I've heard many times about people who wonder why their life wasn't any better after they became a Christian. They're looking for the blessings that come from being a Christian. Blessings are subjective - you may not get health and wealth blessings, but you may get a lot of other tangible blessings that you aren't noticing. Regardless, our most valuable blessing is to have Christ as a Savior. When all the "sugar" runs out of our life and it seems very bitter, God is still around. The next time you're feeling you are emptied of blessings, think about how you can see, hear, type, walk, run, breathe, or any other good thing you take for granted. We also have the opportunity to go to heaven...what a BLESSING!

3. What do you desire to happen when you come together with the family of God? I desire to be surprised by how God shows up. I am hungry each and every day for that. Do you have a desire to connect with Him some way? Have you ever lost that desire or any desire related to this? We've all probably had "valley days" - I have. That is natural, but what God hopes will not happen is that you stay in "Camp Self", that you lose all desire to go to Him. Even if the only source of hunger is where He's at, you are so content to be in "Camp Self" that you'd rather forage in the valley, than go to Him. May you never find yourself at "Camp Self" - or at least staying there! Seek Him!

May God bless you with a great week!

Spring is knocking! I love the transitional seasons!

Blessed by the Blood ~

E-mail Encouragement: Fueled by Curiosity

What a great day to be alive! However, everyday is essentially that - a new day which offers a new start. As, in fact, each day gives opportunities to move forward, read below at what Walt Disney was quoted for saying...

Around here, however, we don't look backwards for very long. We keep moving forward, opening up new doors and doing new things, because we are curious...and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths. ~ Walt Disney

Curiosity is a very energizing feeling. It makes you go forward, rather than backward. May God bless you with great opportunities to move yourself forward in serving Him. Moving toward new people, places, opportunities, open doors, etc.

May we be a church that uses our curiosity to make us movers and not moldy!

What path will you be led down today/tomorrow/next week, etc?

Have a "Hmmm...I wonder what doors will open next" day!

Wondering ~

Monday Mentionings: Appreciating 2007

The day before Christmas – what are you up to? Working, spending time with family, wrapping presents, finishing up baking/preparing for tomorrow’s dinner(s), etc. Each family has different traditions regarding presents, Santa, etc. Both of our families opened gifts on Christmas Eve, so when we got married, it was an easy transition. Santa came on Christmas – in my house it was unwrapped gifts and some candy in the stocking and in Aubrey’s house it was wrapped stocking stuffers (they didn’t have to fit in the stocking). We have adopted Aubrey’s tradition for what Santa brings, which has always led to just as much fun as anything I ever experienced! Our “Christmas” will be after the 25th this year due to awaiting the arrival of family for the eagerly anticipated baby!

Christmas is about appreciating, more than anticipating. It is easy to get wrapped up in the anticipation of “what you will receive”. As I reflect over the year, it has been one of the greatest years to be appreciative. Here’s a small list…

1. My wife’s safe and healthy pregnancy
2. My marriage
3. Great church family
4. The Vision Team
5. The “Love and Respect” group
6. Installing shepherds
7. Open doors for outreach
8. Deepened relationships to those in the community

What does your list look like? I am also appreciative of many other things, but these are some things that pertain to the church family.

Yesterday, we looked at the “wise men” following the star – finding Jesus. As you go to the star, which is Jesus (the light and morning star), may you find comfort, reassurance, hope, and joy to guide you through life, specifically this holiday season.

May God bless you with a safe and joyous holiday season!

Merry Christmas!

Being Appreciative ~

Monday Mentionings: Don't Be a Carl - Nehemiah 3:3-5

I hope your week got started off on the right foot. After my weekly "family reunion" with all of you and then a great Love and Respect class, my week got to a good start. Unfortunately, Sunday evening our blower motor on our AC/heater unit decided to go out - during the hottest part of the summer! We're thankful it will be fixed on Tuesday!

Sunday, we looked at the third chapter in Nehemiah, specifically, verse five. In the whole list of those working for the progression of the wall, here is mention of those who didn't want to do the work. I wonder why they didn't? Did they not like Nehemiah, his ideas, his plans, his leadership? As "nobles", were they "too good" for that work? Were they just lazy? I don't know; but I do know that they didn't help out. Our challenge is to not be a "carl". I mentioned that the name Carl had a meaning that was taken from a word that meant the opposite of noble, that is why this lesson was titled, "Don't Be a Carl". Here are some applications to choose from...

1. I see the church as "under construction" because we can always "build on" to make things better. That is not necessarily numerically or physically. Rather, in some qualitative way, we can always improve somewhere. How will you not be a "carl" and get involved in a work of the church? Ask God where and/or what He wants you to be involved with.

2. Paul tells two different churches that the body is made up of many parts. Likewise, a church is comprised of many different types of people. Brainstorm your talents. Then, decide which ones you would like to see used in the Kingdom to aid in its growth.

3. As we understand that we are just a fragment in the whole Kingdom, we can also be encouraged by understanding that we are very important. Just as a puzzle is disappointing when you find out that a puzzle piece is missing, God also is disappointed when a Christian is "missing" by not aiding in accomplishing one of the "missions" of the Kingdom. Praise God that you are just a fragment and revel in the fact that you get to work with a lot of others to "build a wall"!

4. Our church needs you! We need to work together to "build the wall". Our "qualitative construction project" needs everyone working together "in sync" to accomplish our goal. Let us pray that nothing will cause the "cog of completion" to be jammed and come to a standstill!

5. Nehemiah made sure the work continued. On some occasions, God's "plan to save man" has been down to just one person or His peoples' backs have been "against the wall". Satan tried his best to stop the plan, but God was "supervising" and caused Satan to lose and the plan to prevail. We have many obstacles today in which Satan is working in (i.e. ACLU, relativity, no absolutes, etc.). However, just as God caused His plan to prevail, today, He will cause His will to prevail no matter what Satan does to impede it. Pray that as God supervises us and we will understand that He is the "Great Architect" and enjoy being a part of His "crew" to make great things happen for Him in this area!!!

"Carls" aren't involved, using their talents, humble, working harmoniously with the group, and under the direction of God. So, don't be a "carl" - get involved, use your talents, be a fragment, be in sync, and be able to be supervised!

May God bless you as you enter into your Tuesday!

Teaming Up with God ~

Monday Mentionings: Radiating Glory - II Corinthians 3:12-18

It was one of those Mondays when I couldn't wait to get back to the "drawing board". After a fun-filled week, I was excited to start another one.

Last night, after the Community Worship on the Square, Aubrey and I decided to attend the Rend Lake fireworks show. The fireworks were spectacular! They shot up, made all kinds of shapes and colors, and it reminded me of the sermon yesterday, Radiating Glory...here are some applications to use this week as you "radiate glory" to others...

1. One use of the word radiate is thinking about the warmth of the sun (or other heat source) radiating onto an object. This world is starving for relationships. Try to create a relationship by attempting to radiate Christ to someone by complimenting them, sincerely asking how their day is, or a random act of kindness.
2. Sharing things your interested in is something that should come very easily to you because it's all about you. What caused you to want to have your sins forgiven? Would someone else want theirs forgiven? First, share about simple things you're interested in, then steer the conversation into how Christ has displayed so many awesome things in your life, ask if they've ever experienced the same things. Whether or not they are religious, they will have an answer.
3. “Don’t tell people how to do things; tell them what to do and let them surprise you with their results.” - George Patton. Jesus said, "Go into all the world and make disciples," now surprise Him with your results. No matter how you share, you are still sharing!

Have a great 4th!

Monday Mentinings: Being Christ's Church

Praise Him for the rain! I don't know how much we received, but anything is great! I am glad that it didn't dampen (all pun intended) our picnic plans yesterday! After the clearing it turned out to be a great afternoon.

As a "between series" sermon, yesterday we looked at some of the things it actually means to be a "church" "of" "Christ". As we didn't deal with traditions or what excludes us from others. Here are applications to yesterday's lesson...

1. What is one thing you can do to become less worldly and at the same time, blend in to the world. In other words, taking a stand for something you believe in is not being worldly, but not making it a big ordeal and not making yourself look "fanatical" is blending in. Pray that God gives you a clear area that shows you an area to apply this.
2. Think about what you can do (individually) to make this church feel more connected. Maybe using your talents to organize, greet, host, encourage, or any number of things to help us grow closer together.
3. Daring, caring, unbiased, unprejudiced, sacrificial, unselfish - which of these are your weakest? Jesus was each one of these - as we strive to be more like Christ, we much humble ourselves to understand what areas we are weakest in and pray about them. Praise God for those you are strongest in and ask that you remain strong in them.

Are you ready to "build a wall"? Each one us is going to be needed to create a "stronghold"! We are going to be looking at Nehemiah in a couple of weeks!

God bless you as you continue on in your week! May you be given ample opportunities to connect people closer to Jesus!