RESTORE: Restored From Within

Whether it is the first of the year or maybe a life changing birthday, people have a tendency to want to make a change in their life. Sometimes that change can come easy, where other times it is much more difficult. On occasion the change agent will be like an asteroid hitting the earth; creating a huge reason for change.

To change your body weight/figure in order to fit into a certain size clothes may only be enough motivation to achieve the goal. However, if the reason for the change is to create a healthier lifestyle, then the change will be more likely to stay and the pounds will likely come off, naturally.

Regardless of the change that will take place, it must come from within. The "mind" or "heart" is the anchor for which the change must stem from to have a greater effect.

Sunday, we looked at Romans 12:2 as a means to transform our minds, not wanting to conform to this world. Being something different than the world is as much of a challenge as it is a reward. Here are some applications to choose from to use this week...  

• Draw Closer ~ When you spend time with people and become closer to them you start to understand them more. The closer you draw to God you will start to understand Him more. The text describes the principle of being able to recognize what God wants and you will respond quickly. I think this is spot on. I can remember the times in my life which I was closer to God and it seemed to spill over into other areas. It was exciting!
• Rid of the Old ~ A few years ago I was restoring our bathroom. It needed it because there had been a leak in the shower area. This was a first for me and the project presented itself with plenty of challenges. There was more damage than I had planned on. I needed to rid the project of the mold and dry rot that was behind the wall. To start to restore/transform, we must rid ourselves of that which is the old and found deeper than the surface. May your process of riddance be successful!
• Opened Eyes ~ We must be able to see the need for change before we can change effectively. With closed eyes we will not be as likely to see God being active in their life. We will overlook things that come into our life as "not from God" when, they likely could have been from Him. I love to see where God is at in my life; how He is directing me to people who need to know of Him. May you keep your eyes opened to see the possibilities!

Are these types of things a challenge for you? For many it can definitely be a challenge, but the outcomes can be awesome. The great part is that God will present you with an overflowing amount of examples that show He is working with you in your life. I either go to bed or wake up (or sometimes both) looking forward to what is going to come forth in the next day. I look forward to today!

Now, it's your turn...what will you be open to? or How has God been working?

The Perfect Hero

Why is it that heroes and role models inevitably seem to not be able to live up to their responsibilities?  One could argue that "they are just human".  Another argument could be that they are under so much pressure that they will probably crack, eventually.  Whatever the argument it seems that as long as people rise, they tend to fall.  I am not going to generalize, but the couple that I am going to focus on is athletes.

A few months ago a well-known athlete had a car accident.  He had been out that night, under the influence, and lost control, causing him to wreck his car.  That well-known athlete has set all kinds of records and has gained the attention and fan base of thousands, maybe millions.  His name, Tiger Woods.  He has wowed people since he stepped into the spotlight, including me.  He's come back from final-round deficits to make people's jaws drop.  He's overcome injuries.  He was sponsored by a lot of major companies.  However, after the night of his crash it was more than his car that crashed.  His past came out and his infidelity quickly rose to the surface.  His life has come crashing down.  He may have his talent, but because of his choices, he will have a heavy load to carry around.  This heavy load is something that he brought on himself.  Maybe you, too, have brought about something like this in your life.  Have you "crashed" in life?  Made choices you regretted?  Most all of us have and the best thing is that there's hope.

Then, there is a guy that is known by the number "70", not because of his jersey, but because of the feat that he accomplished.  Others may call him "Mac".  He was very well-known in Oakland and St. Louis. He was one that I enjoyed imitating when I stepped up to the plate.  He was able to crush the baseball.  He had huge forearms and a seemingly effortless swing.  He is Mark McGwire.  He came on the scene when he played for the Oakland A's.  He brought life into those green and yellow uniforms. He, along with Jose Conseco and Ricky Henderson, made that era of the A's a force to be reckoned with.  Later, he went to the St. Louis Cardinals. A few years ago, he was brought before people to be questioned on use of steroids.  "No" was his answer, under oath.  Trying to escape trouble.  Now, he admits to using the drugs. He says that using them was a "mistake".  He says that hitting the home runs were no reflection of the steroids.  That argument I understand because steroids will not cause someone to connect with the ball better. However, he made the choice to put the drugs into his body.  He was educated, sometime in his life, as to the effects that would be as a result of the use of steroids.  Also, Major League Baseball does not allow the use of sports enhancing drugs, such as steroids, to be used. Drugs are often used to "escape reality".  The escape is brief, to say the least.  Steroids must be continually used to make sure they have the same affect. Were the pressures of major league baseball too high for Mr. McGwire?  Did the people expect more than what they saw?

These two men are not alone in their mistakes, they are just recent. I could have used men in a different profession or women of various professions.  These men are human, not "just" human, as to water down their offense.  Humans make mistakes.  You also are not alone in the mistakes you've made. However, that doesn't excuse your mistakes, just like it doesn't excuse their mistakes. We all fail, but we're not failures.

There is one role model and hero that made no mistakes.  He was in the spotlight.  He was tempted. He was under constant pressure. He made it out clean. You probably know Him.  His name is Jesus.  It may seem obvious to conclude by talking about Him, but some may not realize how He stood the tests without giving in.  When I'm looking for a good role model, I want someone who I can know will not make a mistake.  I want someone my kids can look to for an example.  Whether we've failed, stumbled, or given up, there's always someone left to emulate, that's Him.  He's the example for resisting pressure (Hebrews 4:15) and for giving up your life for others (John 15:13).

Though I'm guilty of messing up in life, He's not. May we see the reality of looking to Jesus for everyday life, not just on "church" days.





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Learning to Fly

Superman, the original 70's movie, is one of the first movies I ever went to that I still remember (Benji and Bambi were the other two). It remains one of my favorites. Along with Superman being my favorite superhero.

In the movie, Superman's planet is about to be ruined. He is less than a year old, not able to do any type of mobility on his own. His parents decide to send him away, so as to protect him. As it works out he lands on earth, now being about a 3-4 year old boy. He gets out, starts to walk, is "adopted" by a couple who raise him. He then learns to run and climb. And we all know he can run..."faster than a speeding bullet". However, he doesn't know that he can defy gravity, that doesn't come for a good while in the movie. That brings us to this week's quote...

He who would learn to fly one day must first learn to stand and walk and run and climb and dance; one cannot fly into flying. ~ Friedrich Nietzsche

I'm sure, barring any physical obstacles, you've learned to walk and run and climb and dance. But have you learned to fly? Do you have any reason to fly? We can get practically anywhere with the other means of mobility, but to be able to fly, that is the next step.

Some described Michael Jordan as "flying" as he could leap and glide in the air to put that ball in the hoop. Flying is special. Flying is fun. Flying is freeing. Flying is exhilarating. But you can't learn it until you've learned some of the others, first.

In understanding the Christian lifestyle one must learn the others before they can understand flying. Gravity keeps us on the ground. Legalism (feeling like you have to earn/work your way to heaven) is the religious gravity that keeps us from flying. As you learn to team up with God and not try to "work" your way to get close to Him, you will start to experience what it means to fly - defying "gravity". When you are using your gifts for His glory, you will start to experience what it means to fly. When you are with people and are constantly thinking about how you can influence their life for Christ, you will start to experience what it means to fly.

However, you have to learn the others first, they are important, but learning to fly...that's something to strive for!

Learning to "fly"...