i’m ticked

As I write this post I have just had my devotion and I found myself telling God how much I hate sin.  I have just seen lately the damage it does to people’s lives one after another.  I am beginning to see more and more what Paul in the Bible wrote when he said the product that sin produces is death.

Romans 6:23 (NIV)   For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

I think we forget that God, in his word, put boundaries so we will not hurt ourselves and the people around us through sin.  Sin is doing those things that God tells us not to do in his word.  I have just been with one family after another the last few weeks and seen the evidence of the effects of sin’s destructive power.  You know, the sad thing about sin is that good people start to accept it the more common it becomes even though the results are still the same… death.  It’s death to a marriage when the husband or wife cheats, it’s death to a child who has been abused, it is death to relationships when lies are told.  It is death when we trust money over God.  It reminds me of the statement our children make when they want to do something that we as parents don’t want them to do.  It is this, “Well Jorden’s parents let him do it, or Lisa’s parents let her do it.”  To which I reply, “Too bad I am your dad and today that may make you sad, but one day you will be glad!”

One thing I have learned is that the joy’s of sin only lasts a short time, but the price we pay for that short time lasts a lifetime in the form of regret and shame.  LET ME BE VERY CLEAR, “YOUR SIN DOESN’T JUST HURT YOU IT AFFECTS THE PEOPLE AROUND YOU!”  Children are dying because of the sins of parents.  The hurt and pain lives a lifetime in them.  There is a likely possibility that they themselves will repeat the sins of their parents.

I have heard many people at their time of death say how many things they regret because of the sin they were involved in and they or their children paid the price.  I have never heard a person at their time of death say, I regret living a godly clean life and I regret the blessing that my godly life left over my children.”

God offered to you and me forgiveness no matter where we are in life.  I encourage you to take this offer today. 

1 John 1:9 (CEV)   But if we confess our sins to God, he can always be trusted to forgive us and take our sins away.

come on over

Yesterday I talk about the power of accountability and the need for everyone to insure what is important to them.  One of the ways to do this is by men by having an accountability partner.  If you were not here you can go here and listen to the message.  I also talked about how small groups were so important in finding friends.  That is what makes small groups so unique.

Last night we had our small group meeting and part of our meeting is watching a video and answering a few discussion questions together.  The author of the small group study we are using shared a story about how he was invited to be a part of a movie and he had to do his own stunts.   One of those stunts meant jumping through a high rise building window.  He shared the window was too strong to break by just running into it.  He had to trust someone to blow up the window at the same time he ran through it.  He said it was very difficult to trust the guy who was blowing the window up that he would get the timing just right.  It was a battle of faith in the set team and fear they could not do what needed to be done at the time it was needed.

So our group talked about having faith when all you see is a wall in front of you that is covered with fear.  Our question was, “What do you do?”  To be honest with you, I have always fought fear with fear.  It has always been the fear of what would happen if I did nothing that has driven me to act many times.  Which I would not recommend because fear only produces more fear and you can’t have any peace making every major decision with fear.  It may get you so far, but eventually you will come to an impasse and fear will lead you every direction but the right one.

I shared my struggle of handling fear with fear and some one in our group gave the greatest advice.  He said whenever you have something that you are afraid to face you, should always believe that there is something good on the other side.  Would that change everything of we could just trust that what is best for me is on the other side of that wall of fear?  I challenge you to walk with me in this new confidence in God and attack your fear with the expectation of good waiting on you.

Romans 8:28 (NIV)   And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose

So go get that check up from the doctor expecting something good, go have the talk with the person you need to talk to and expect something good, go ahead and sign up for the financial peace class in August.  Believe that wall of fear is blocking you from the goodness of God.  If we can just quiet our heart, I know we will hear a small voice of God on the inside of us saying, “come on over.”

Psalm 46:10 (NIV)   ”Be still, and know that I am God;

Man’s greatest ally

I finished my notes for Sunday’s message and the title is, “Man’s Greatest Ally.”  I have come to the conclusion that outside of God’s spirit living in us, our greatest ally is the people closest to us.  It is the people that are closest to us that shape who we are.  The Bible is very clear about this.

1 Cor. 15:33 (NIV)   Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.”

We are to have friends that are sinners because you don’t win them to Christ by being their enemies.  But, I would give this warning; choose your closest friends wisely because you will be influenced by them.  You need a good friend that you can share the real you with. By real you I mean your struggles and your victories. 

When people come in to see me most of the time, they just need to get something off their chest.  They just need to tell someone what is going on inside them.  I think how sad that this person had to carry the load so long because they didn’t have a close friend to share with.

It all goes back to what the Bible says in James. This verse just keeps coming alive to me as I have learned it’s power and benefited from it’s wisdom.

James 5:16 (NIV)   Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.

Most of us just need someone to talk to on a deeper level and when we do we find that kind of relationship brings healing to our hearts and minds.  I can tell you this last year I have been building a relationship with a man that I respect and can tell you it takes a while to get to the point of total transparency.

This is what church is all about. Building relationships and serving together. A good place for you to find a close friend is in a church small group.  If you will commit to going and not stop, you will find someone who you can build a close relationship with and enjoy a Godly Ally.

plastic people

I want to continue on the thought I had yesterday about being authentic.  After writing  yesterday’s post, I continued to think about a phrase Bob shared with me.  “Plastic People.”  He shared with me that in the sixties with the hippy movement, the phrase plastic people was used to describe people who were fake or not authentic.

That is what we have become, “Plastic People” in its truest sense.  If you don’t think that is true, look in your wallet.  What do you find? Plastic.  Most of the plastic allows people to live a life of hypocrisy or a lie.  That plastic in the form of a credit card says I am wealthier than I really am.  I am more together than I really am.  I can make people like me.  I am more in control than I really am.  That last statement is probably the most deceiving of all. My plastic doesn’t put me in control.  That is a lie. The real bill comes due.  That is what has happened to our country financially. The bill has come due.

The only problem with plastic is that it is only a substitute for something real and when the heat gets on plastic, it melts.  God want us to be people who are authentic and admit our faults and failures.  We should also say to ourselves, “I am not in control of everything only God is.”  I am learning to be patient and trust God to provide for me whatever I need.  I never want my master to be a card.  I want my master to be my faith in God.

The Bible compares our faith in God to gold, not plastic because the more gold is heated the more pure or authentic it becomes.  Here is the challenge you and I face here in the real world.  Will I be a plastic person and have my trust in Master Card or will I be a person who is authentic and have my trust in my Master, the Lord God.  It is our choice. What will it be?

Dave Ramsey’s Program to Financial Peace is a great place to start learning how to change masters.

1 Peter 1:7 (KJV)   That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:

for real?

Last Friday after I left youth camp I had a chance to get together with a man who I met when I was the youth pastor in Toccoa, GA.  This man and his wife were friends to me and Rhonda when we really need one.  He is 20 years older than me, but some how we hit it off way back then and have remained friends even though we may go years without talking.  His wife passed away a few months ago and it brought us back together.  One thing I have always loved about Bob is his deep thinking, yet his simple views of life and his very sincere heart.

We met Friday at a golf course and played 18 holes that afternoon, then went to Zaxby’s for dinner.  While we were sitting there, we began to share what God was doing deep in our lives.  We shared our trials, past mistakes, and all the lessons we had learned from the experiences we’d had.  While we were talking the phrase came up about being authentic. We talked about how the world is so hungry for people to be real.  At that point in our conversation, my friend Bob said something that really was true.

He said he had been around a lot of people in his life and in his line of work. Many were rich and many were poor, but the one thing both of these people had in common was the fact that they knew who they were and didn’t try to put on masks.  They were authentic.  He said it is the people that want others to think that they are something they are not, that lack authenticity.  It is the poor and the rich who have a lot in common, not the person trying to act like they are one or the other.

As I thought about what he said I began to think how I had grown up all my life with people who had tried to get others to think they had more than they really did have.  I think this is part of the financial crisis in our country.  Most people have lived off credit to act like they were wealthy by acquiring things.  I have seen this way too much in the church where people come to church and act like everything is just fine and be on the edge of divorce.  I think it all comes back to that word, PRIDE.  No wonder God’s Word says, “Pride comes before a fall.”  Let me say this, being authentic doesn’t mean you are rebellious, it means you admit your faults and short comings and get help.  Help always starts with God and most of the time he uses a person to bring it.  Remember, God gives grace or his power to the humble, the authentic.

James 4:6 (NIV)  ”God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

Mexican food and prayer

This morning came earlier than normal mornings.  I would like to tell you it was because God woke me up and gave me some great spiritual truth.  No, it was Mexican Food that sounded the alarm at 4:30am with heartburn.  I don’t know how you handle those times of waking up and being tired and your mind is going, but your body is saying, “stay in the bed, you need more sleep.”  I guess my mind always wins over my body because I get up.  Sunday nights are hard for me anyway because I am thinking about the message and the conversations that I had that day.  I truly love the people of SCC and believe in every person.  When I hear of someone’s struggle it doesn’t just roll off my back. No, I think about them for days and pray that God would help them.  Like last week, a man who was very close to his stepfather asked me tearfully to pray for him because his stepfather was dying and his wife was having some tests.  He was broken on the inside.  I could feel his pain and fear of wondering what the next few days or weeks would hold.

People matter to me because people matter to God.  So, this morning Mexican may have awakened me up, but being concerned for my children and the people of SCC kept me up praying, asking God to help them.  Prayer is always the best thing to do when you can’t sleep.  It soothes the spirit and releases the power of heaven to do what only God can do.  If you really want to share someone’s burden the way to do it is through prayer and care.  Ask God to do what you can’t to help that person in need and then do what you can to help.  That is carrying one another’s burdens.

 

Galatians 6:2 (NIV)   Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

Laughter…It’s not just for kids

Well, today has been much calmer than yesterday here at church camp.  It is very hot and humid, which is just a part of Georgia summers.  You know what is the best part of this camp outside of seeing all the kids have a great time?  It is watching all the adults act like kids.  It is so fun to just laugh and there is plenty to go around here.  We are all carrying around radios and you would not believe all the humorous things people say on them.  I wish you could just hear this good, clean fun.  We are all tired and we just tend to get sillier as the day goes on.  I have said this before, but it is worth repeating.  Laugh, Laugh, Laugh.  It just brings people together.  I am with some people that I have just met for the first time this week, but laughing together has built a bond that will last many days after this camp is over.

Will you plan something fun with some friends or family?  You can play a game of cards or go to a movie.  Laughing is good.  It is like milk.  It does the body good.

Proverbs 17:22 (NCV)  A happy heart is like good medicine, but a broken spirit drains your strength.

 

Homesickness, lice, and life

Today I am making this entry from Homer, Ga. which is about 10 miles north of Commerce, Ga.  Rhonda, Ricky and I with few teens from our church, are working church camp this week.  We have about 500 middle school students here and 12 of them are from SCC.  Rhonda and I have the responsibility to oversee all the cabin leaders that are with the kids and to take care of any discipline problems or emergencies that happen.  Boy, if today is a sign as to what the rest of the week holds we are in trouble.  So far today we have had to deal with a young man busting his knee wide open and going to the hospital.  We have had to deal with lice in a cabin and no, moms of SCC, it was not in any of your children’s rooms.  We have sent a child home for being home sick and one home for pink eye.  As I just sit down for a few minutes to write this entry I was interrupted by a call out over the radio for the nurse and a back board.  So after checking it out, we have an ambulance on the way just for precaution.  How has your week started?

The director of the camp looked at me as we were on our way to check on the girl that hurt her neck on the soccer field, and said, “It is going to be one of those weeks.” 

You know, God is in control and we must remind ourselves of that especially when bad things are happening.  The sad thing that happens when you have the “Job” kind of day (the man from the Bible, not the place you attend work) is we forget to see the hundreds of good things that are happening.  Like here, there are another 490 kids having the time of their life and spiritually being renewed.  So, I guess for you and I to not let the few bad things keep our attention, let’s remind ourselves of all the many good things that are happening now.  Like health, friends, family, and life.

The Bible reminds us of this truth in Philippians 4:8 (Living) …Fix your thoughts on what is true and good and right. Think about things that are pure and lovely, and dwell on the fine, good things in others. Think about all you can praise God for and be glad about.

 

speak a blessing

Yesterday I finished my sermon prep for Sunday.  We are doing a series called, “Man 2 Man.”  At the end of my notes I ask the question of every man, “If you don’t like what you are getting from your wife, then you must ask, ‘what am I giving her?’”  I think every man wants to give his wife the best, I just think most men are like me and think that women want what I as man want.  Boy did I ever get this wrong.  After almost 22 years of marriage, I am continuing to learn what makes my wife tick.

I want to tell you a mistake that most of us make with our families, male or female.  We often talk our spouse or children into being what we don’t want them to be.  Let me explain.  When we see a behavior or attitude in our husband, wife, or children we don’t like, most of us say things like this, “You’re a nag.   You’re a big mouth.  You’re a lazy butt. You’re not romantic.  You’re a spending freak.  You’re not an affectionate person.”   When we keep telling someone that you are a _____________,  then we become a prophet.  Most of the time people will become what they are constantly told they are.

So, why don’t you try something called, the power of the blessing?  Instead of beating them down with sarcasm, and by the way, how is that working for you?  Build them up with a blessing by saying, “thank you for speaking to me in a nice tone.  You are a sexy woman. You are a very romantic man.”

I am just saying if you are going to speak the future over you family, why not let it be  the one you would like to see instead of encouraging the bad behavior that is already present?

Proverbs 18:21 (NIV)   The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.

One question. Does your word bring life or death?  Remember you have to eat the fruit of what you encourage.

heart tattoos

I want to pick up where I left off yesterday about seeing yourself differently.  We can do this by looking into God’s Word and believing what it says about you.  Instead of looking in the mirror and remembering all the bad things you have done.  You know tattoos are the “in thing.”  I have been watching the NBA playoff and I have noticed all the athletes are covered with tattoos.  The question that I have when I see that is I wonder what inspired each picture or word tattooed on them.

I find that most people have tattoos as a way of expressing outwardly an inward emotion that they are feeling.  The only problem with that is, if the experience they are going through is bad and they get a tattoo to symbolize it, then they have given themselves a permanent, daily reminder of the horrible experience.   I remember a story John Maxwell told in one of his book on leadership about a man walking into a tattoo shop and seeing a list of tattoos you could get and one of them said this, “Born to lose.”  He asked the little Chinese man if people really had that tattooed on their body and the little Chinese man said, “Tattooed on mind, before tattooed on body”.

Too many of us have an image of failure and self defeat tattooed on our minds and hearts.  The sad thing is that it was the words of a parent or teacher or friend or even classmates or coworker that put it there.  They said something negative about us and we keep playing those words over and over in our minds, until we believe it and start living out what someone said about us.

The only way to get a tattoo removed from your body is to have it surgically removed. And the only way to get one removed from your heart is through accepting Jesus into your life and replacing the recording of what others have said about you with what God says about you through His Word.  That is why you must read the BIBLE.  By doing so, it erases the old you and imputes and new you.

Hebrews 4:12 (Msg)   God means what he says. What he says goes. His powerful Word is sharp as a surgeon’s scalpel, cutting through everything, whether doubt or defense, laying us open to listen and obey. Nothing and no one is impervious to God’s Word. We can’t get away from it—no matter what.