Walking The Line Between Control and Accountability

Somewhere inside each and every one of us there’s a feeling, a notion, a sense that somehow EVERYTHING is about us. I’m sure, had I been alive during the Renaissance, I would have argued that the Sun revolved around ME! If you’re shaking your head in disbelief or thinking I’m crazy or self-centered, you need to get a grip and stop lying to yourself. We are ALL selfish. See if these ring a bell:

I want…
That’s mine…
Give me…
Can I…

Ever think you’re always right? Ever feel like you know what’s best? Ever ask yourself, “Why didn’t they just listen to me?”

I’ve been thinking about this a LOT lately. I’ve been thinking about the people I know, the struggles they share, the decisions they regret…and I convince myself that I can change them, that I have some tidbit of control over their life. What?!? Are you serious?!?

That’s a lot of POWER to wield and I’m glad I don’t actually have it. I can’t change someone. I have no control. I am POWERLESS over my own life, let alone someone else’s. I am POWERLESS. Someone needs to just shout that out today, “I AM POWERLESS!” I mean seriously, when I thought I was in control, when I believed I had the power to control my tendency to do the wrong thing, I failed and failed miserably.

It’s time to stop worrying about what someone ELSE is going through, the decisions someone ELSE is making, the life someone ELSE is living, and start making a difference in YOUR life. AND, hold on, realize that you CAN’T DO IT ALONE! You might be able to catch momentary glimpses of sanity, but any lasting change will remain just outside your reach. That’s where Jesus steps in to the picture. He is the catalyst that will kick start the REST of your life! He is the ONLY one save you, rescue you, radically change and transform you. Here’s the catch, as long as you believe you have control over your life, as long as you think you have power, your heart will remain closed to a relationship with Jesus.

The moment you admit you are POWERLESS is the moment you open yourself to a relationship with Jesus.

Remember, there’s a difference between CONTROLLING someone else’s life, FIXING someone else’s life, and holding someone ACCOUNTABLE. Call people out on their attitudes. Call people out on their habits. Don’t think you can change them. Leave that to Jesus.

Have you been trying to FIX people or have you been holding them ACCOUNTABLE? Are you in CONTROL or are you POWERLESS?

Self Help Is An Oxymoron

Probably the single greatest realization that I’ve come to in my life is that I am POWERLESS. I am POWERLESS to control my tendency to do the wrong thing. I am POWERLESS to do the right thing. When you struggle with pride, this slaps you in the face.

And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I want to do what is right, but I can’t. I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway.
Roman 7:18-19 NLT

What you need to understand is that you absolutely have the ability to make your own decisions. You have the ability to choose between what you perceive to be right and wrong, good and bad. What I had to realize is that my perception of right, what I deem to be good, does not necessarily line up with God’s views. There was always some ulterior motive, some selfish desire, some self-serving purpose behind each and every decision I made. I was willing to do the “right thing” so long as it was of benefit to me. That’s not doing the RIGHT thing, that’s doing MY thing.

I wasn’t trying to help someone; I was trying to help myself.

I wasn’t trying to give; I was trying to get.

There was nothing in me that wanted it to be any other way. Here’s what we ALL need to understand, it’s not that we DON’T want to do what is good, we CAN’T. We are selfish by nature. We are self-preserving by nature. We are sinners by nature.

How do we break free from this curse? Jesus.

The past few years, as I’ve been a part of the Celebrate Recovery program, I’ve seen people freed from their hurts, habits, and hang-ups. BUT, I’ve also seen people relapse, backslide, disappear, and even die. That SUCKS! It HURTS! I’ve shed tears of joy. I’ve shed tears of sadness. I’ve wept for my friends, with my friends…my family. I ask myself, “Why isn’t EVERYONE being freed? Why aren’t ALL these people enjoying newness of life? What’s keeping them from finding hope?”

That’s just it. That’s the answer. Jesus.

It wasn’t until I turned my life over, that I surrendered my past, my present, my future, my EVERYTHING to the Savior of the world, that I found FREEDOM…NEWNESS…HOPE. What I’ve come to realize is that so many people are NOT grabbing a hold of God’s promises. It seems nice and cozy on the surface, but come to find out it’s freakin’ HARD to live for Jesus! We say the right things. We look the right way. We carry the appearance that we want our lives to be different.

All the while we secretly give up hope. All the while we turn away from His truth. We shut the door and hide from the light. I wanted to do what was right, I wanted to do what was good, but I couldn’t because I didn’t BELIEVE in a God that would redeem me, restore me, rescue me.

If we’re going to see a difference, not only in OUR lives, but in the lives of OTHERS, we’ve gotta get the message out and be crystal clear: JESUS IS THE ANSWER! Until Jesus is your everything, you’ll be stuck with nothing.

On my own I was POWERLESS. It’s the power of Jesus that has shattered the chains that once held me in place. It’s the power of Jesus that has shined a beacon of hope in my life. It’s the power of Jesus that brought down the walls around my heart so I could experience joy.

Jesus will set you free.

Do you believe?

Pain From The Past Distorts Love In The Present

Some people have gone their entire lives without hearing the words “I love you.” Maybe you so desperately wanted the love, affection, and attention of a mother or father and regardless of how hard you tried or what you did, you never got it.

Some people have been hurt so much by the ones they love those words have lost their meaning. All your life, all you’ve known is physical, sexual, or verbal abuse from the people you were supposed to be able to trust, the people you were closest to.

Some people have experienced such an incredible outpouring of love that it’s come to be expected, not appreciated. Your parents loved you. Your spouse loves you. Your friends and co-workers love you. But you don’t care because you haven’t experienced any else.

Whatever category you find yourself in, whatever group you can relate to, it seems like most of us, if not ALL of us, struggle with love. We don’t know how to accept it. We don’t know how to give it. We don’t know how to show it. Our concept of love has been so skewed by our pasts that we can’t bear the thought of experiencing REAL love.

The only love we’ve ever known has conditions.

The only love we’ve ever known causes pain.

The only love we’ve ever known left us bruised.

The only love we’ve ever known destroyed our trust.

The only love we’ve ever known broke our spirits.

The only love we’ve ever known has left us a shadow of our former selves.

How you can POSSIBLY expect me to accept the love of God?!? I don’t want His love! I don’t want His affection! He’s just going to hurt me! He’s going to leave me! Father?!? Do you KNOW what my father did to me?

Hear me, God doesn’t want something FROM you, He wants something FOR you.

The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.
John 10:10 NLT

His love has no conditions.

His love releases your pain.

His love heals your bruises.

His love builds your trust.

His love gives you His Spirit.

His love makes you whole.

Don’t allow the pain of your past steal the JOY of your present and the HOPE of your future! Your joy starts TODAY! If all you’ve known is darkness, it’s time to turn a light on. It’s time to experience the life that God has intended for you to enjoy from before you entered this world. No longer do you have to remain a victim. You have an opportunity to stand VICTORIOUS!

It’s all about Jesus.

It’s all about relationship.

His love never fails.

POWERLESS: Our King Has Come

Experiencing Fullness of Life

I woke up this morning with an overwhelming sense of fulfillment, like I had experienced something amazing last night and would again today. I woke up this morning believing that I have more than enough; that my hunger, my thirst, my needs, my wants, are ALL satisfied in God’s sufficient grace. God, please help me to sustain and grow this sensation with such intensity that it can only be described as radiance. I want to shine for my God. I want His goodness, faithfulness, mercy, grace, forgiveness…His salvation, to be known throughout the world.

That’s just it Celebrate; in Christ we find HOPE for a new life, a fresh start! It’s through the power of a blood-stained cross and empty tomb we find POWER to overcome our hurts, hang-ups, and habits. It’s in Jesus that we find this overwhelming sense of FULFILLMENT! God didn’t create us with the intent that we’d live in the muck and mire of our struggles; He created us to for HIS glory. That means He created each and every one of us with the best of intentions. That means He created each and every one of us to experience an abundant life, an EVERLASTING life!

For years I thought I was freed from my addictions, freed from my compulsive behaviors, simply because I was sober. Sobriety isn’t recovery. Let me say that again, sobriety isn’t recovery. Sobriety merely masked my hurts on a surface level; however, sobriety didn’t address my deep-rooted hurts. Too often we celebrate what we perceive to be a victory, when in reality it’s merely a start. God wants to help you, to help ALL OF US, overcome our struggles and He’s willing to see it through to the VERY END! He will radically TRANSFORM your life, or better stated, He will GIVE YOU LIFE!

And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins
Ephesians 2:1 NKJV

You’ll never experience fullness of life or freedom from your hurts, hang-ups, or habits until you step out of DENIAL and step into a relationship with Jesus. AND, here’s the best part…others find this same HOPE, this same POWER, this same FULFILLMENT, this same EVERLASTING life through your story. YES! God turns your mess into a message. That’s the Gospel. That’s the Good News. That’s how we are able to shine for God; we become His ambassadors and share our testimony of grace, mercy, and forgiveness.

Jesus is the answer.
Jesus is the path to recovery.

I don’t know about you, but I want this sense of fulfillment to be experience by everyone I know. Actually, I want it to be experience by everyone in this world!

If you HAVEN’T experienced freedom from your hurts, habits, or hang-ups it’s probably because you’ve yet to surrender your life to Jesus…to say “I’m ALL IN!” What are you waiting for?

If you HAVE experienced freedom through a relationship with Jesus, yet haven’t shared your story, I’m here to tell you that have yet to experience the fullness of life God desires for you. What are you waiting for?

I want to shine.
I want you with me.

Don't Let Your Joy Be Stolen

Wow! I’m freakin’ PUMPED about what God has in store for us at New Life. Yesterday’s message was, I don’t know how to say this exactly…um…necessary, challenging, in-your-face, full of truth, pointing to blessings. It was AWESOME!

I walked away thinking I LOVE MY CHURCH!
I woke up thinking OH CRAP!

Allow me to explain. It’s entirely too easy to get all excited, all charged, all pumped up, in the moment and quite difficult to find a way to sustain that same feeling. And that’s just it; we cannot be a church that defines our walk with Jesus or our commitment to the local church, according to how we FEEL. Feelings are inconsistent. Feelings are fleeting. We have to figure out how to transfer our feelings to our desires, our dreams, our goals, and then pursue them with a ferocious passion.

Read 2 Corinthians 4:8-9
We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed

I read this and wonder how many of us left full of EXCITEMENT about what God’s gonna do here at New Life, only to go home and fight with your spouse or open a nasty message on Facebook or receive news of someone growing ill or even dying. I wonder how many of us had our JOY STOLEN before it fully manifested in our lives. You gotta know something, Satan doesn’t want ANYTHING good in your life, at least nothing that reaps eternal glory, I mean, he’s totally cool with you wallowing in immediate gratification, but NOTHING that honors God. Good in our eyes is not good in God’s eyes.
So, what do we do when we feel hard-pressed, when we feel crushed, perplexed, persecuted, or even struck down? I believe the answer lies within the two verses that sandwich what we read above.

But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us…always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.

2 Corinthians 4:7,10

We have to move away from relying and trusting in our feelings and start relying on and trusting in the power of God that dwells within us. Once we realize that it’s God that wants this for us, that He wants to bless us, that He wants to do something amazing through us, we’ll be able to maneuver around our feelings and keep the fire burning. THAT’S zeal! THAT’S passion! When your desires, dreams, and goals grow out of faith, that is, are birthed from the work of Christ in you, they are difficult to shake. Knowing and believing that Jesus lives in me, that his Spirit dwells in me, it’s easy to LOVE MY CHURCH, because HE loves HIS bride!

Do you desires intersect God’s call on your life? Do your dreams align with God’s will? Do your goals seek to bring Him glory? It’s not about me, but what God wants to do THROUGH me.

I can’t wait to see what God has in store for us. I can’t wait to see lives radically changed for Christ. I can’t wait to see as person after person crosses over from death into life. I can’t wait to see people identify with Jesus through baptism. I can’t wait to see God bless this church. I can’t wait to see God bless you.

I LOVE MY CHURCH!

I'm An Owner

Hey New Life, it’s time to take OWNERSHIP.

Let me start by stating that I love my church. I don’t know about you, but I LOVE my church. I believe New Life is a church that is passionate about seeing people far from God find life and hope in Jesus. That’s something I can get behind. That’s something that gets me FIRED UP!

Hold on, there’s a bit of a problem…many of us want to SEE people come to know Jesus, but DO LITTLE to make it happen. It blows my mind to think of how many people show up, fill a seat, and then go home. Really?!? Where’s the investment? Where’s the OWNERSHIP? We’ve gotta find a way to talk LESS and do MORE. We’ve gotta find a way to change the mentality of church being about ME and all about OTHERS. Church is not about CONSUMING, it’s about SERVING. New Life, will you be an OWNER?

I want to see this church grow. I want to see this church grow because that means lives are CHANGING! I want to see this church make an eternal difference in this community. I want to see this church CELEBRATING decisions made for Christ! I want to see this church GOING NUTS over baptisms! I want to see this church sold out to Jesus and serving.

But here’s the deal, I don’t see New Life growing, at least not to its God-potential, until we are filled with people that are passionate about putting their gifts and talents to use in the church and serving. God didn’t bless the dude who buried and hid the talent. God blessed the one who used it, reproduced it, invested it. What’s that look like for us?

Get involved in the kid’s area and help our children grow in their knowledge of God and His plan for redemption. Get involved in our youth ministry and mentor our students, sharing your life experiences and guiding them in their walk with Jesus. Get involved in the First Impressions Team and welcome people as they walk through those doors for the first time and give them a tour of the building and maybe even help them find a seat! Get involved in Celebrate Recovery and come alongside the hopeless as they search for the hope you already have. Get involved…

You can’t call New Life your home and yet have nothing to do with it. You can’t call New Life your home and not prepare the way for guests. You can’t call New Life your home and not invest time and energy to make things happen. You can’t call New Life your home and refer to it as their church or his church or her church or your church…it’s MY church! OWN IT!

Let’s change our mentality. Let’s no longer be a church that groans and complains about how things ARE being done or SHOULD be done. Let’s be a church that jumps in and MAKES IT HAPPEN! Don’t just say it’s broken; FIX IT!

New Life, I LOVE my church. I see crazy potential every Friday night and Sunday morning. We are a church that is filled with unbelievable talent. We are a church that is filled with world changers. Let’s take OWNERSHIP of this church, let’s do our part, and let’s unleash the potential and experience blessing like never before! I’m getting FIRED UP just thinking about it! Let’s see our vision lived out as we come together, united, to make a difference in the lives of others.

I’m an OWNER.
You?

Experiencing Freedom From Abuse

Some of us, well, probably MOST of us, have endured some form of abuse in our lives. We’ve been verbally blasted. We’ve been physically overwhelmed. We’ve been sexually assaulted. There’s a great deal of anguish that sets in as the result of these horrendous acts. For some, we experience guilt and shame as we accept fault and blame for what has occurred. For others, we close ourselves off and shut out the world.

In either case, we choose to ISOLATE.

I say “we” not because I want you to feel as if I somehow relate to your hurts; I say “we” because I too have experienced abuse. I was the victim of verbal, physical, and sexual abuse as a child. Hear me on this, I WAS the victim. Let me say that again, I WAS the victim.

WAS.

This word refers to something that is no longer here. It refers to the former. It’s past tense. It’s gone…not FORGOTTEN, but no longer in control. The trap of victimization is inevitable, it’s inescapable, it’s going to happen. I was there. I was trapped. I was lonely. I was angry. I was depressed. I was anxious. I was unforgiving. I was untrusting. I was unhappy.

I WAS.

I’ve played the role of the victim for the majority of my life. I’ve spent more years swimming in bitterness and resentment than not. It was a dark, nasty place to live. I shielded myself from forming relationships, from trusting others, from allowing myself to become vulnerable. Even after I supposedly gave my life over to Jesus, I still held on to my hurts, I still clung to my pain. I desired his salvation, but not his help.

I write these words, I share my story as someone who now lives in freedom from my past hurts, freedom from the abuse I experienced. I don’t simply live in freedom because of my relationship with Jesus. I didn’t magically wake up and somehow feel whole. I found freedom, I found joy, I found happiness, because I found FORGIVENESS. I was able to let it go, to release my trespassers from my unforgiveness.

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.Romans 5:8 NKJV

It was through Jesus that God modeled forgiveness. He didn’t wait until I did something. He didn’t wait until I asked for forgiveness. I didn’t wait until I tried to make amends. He didn’t wait until I cleaned up. He simply forgave me.

Breaking free from the shackles of victimization was something I had to do. I had to let it go.

What are you holding on to? What have you yet to let go? Is your heart filled with unforgiveness? It’s time to let it go and free up some space for God to invade your life.

FOLLOW-UP: Denial

Who Doesn't Like Free Stuff?

Let’s talk about GRACE.

What is it? How would you describe it? I have a feeling that most of us, well at least those who proclaim faith in Jesus, can in some way or another explain GRACE. I say those who have proclaimed faith in Jesus, because these are your people that have been SAVED. They’ve been REDEEMED. They’ve been RESCUED. It’s difficult to paint a clear picture of grace unless you’ve experienced it firsthand.

As a side note, if you claim to have a relationship with Jesus yet cannot explain grace, then you need to write out your testimony, tell the story of your life—all the bad, along with the good—and see exactly what it was that God saved you from. You CANNOT know Jesus and NOT know grace. One comes with the other. There’s no way around it. It’s a two for one sale.

Ok. Back on task.

The most frequent definition of grace that I’ve heard is: “unmerited favor.” What’s that? Well, it basically means you’ve been given something AWESOME that you totally do not deserve. Like, someone stopped by your house and gave you a suitcase full of $100 bills. You didn’t do anything to earn it. You didn’t do anything to deserve it. It was simply given to you.

Allow me to backtrack a little here. God’s grace is freely given, but we have to ASK for it. You see, God sent His son, Jesus, to die on the cross for my sins, for your sins, basically for the sins of the world. We didn’t deserve it, but He did it anyways. We do not get to experience this grace, we do not have the opportunity to embrace this notion of eternal life, grace, and forgiveness, until we ASK for it. In the example I gave above you didn’t ask for the suitcase, someone just dropped it off, BUT you had to make the CHOICE to open the door…or not. That ladies and gentlemen is faith.

Now here’s the crazy thing. Some people WON’T open their door because of fear and doubt. Some people will look in the briefcase, see the $100 bills, and TURN IT AWAY because of fear and doubt. Fear and doubt lead us to question motives…What do you want? What’s the catch? Again, that’s faith. When it comes to God’s grace, there is no catch. He doesn’t want something FROM you, He wants something FOR you.

Grace played itself out in my life like this: I was a drug addicted, alcoholic, porn-viewing, prideful, angry dude that had been kicked out of the military and hurt those closest to him. God said it’s not what you’ve done in your life, but what I WILL DO IN YOUR LIFE THAT MATTERS. He forgave me. He freed me from the guilt and shame of those dark times. He now uses my story, my struggles, to share HOPE with others. THAT’S grace! I didn’t earn it. I didn’t deserve it. He GAVE it to me and I’m SO grateful.

What about you?

How do you define grace in your life? What has He given you that you didn’t deserve? What are some of the things you’ve done in the past that He’s been able to look passed because He sees what you can do through Him? When was the last time you were grateful for all that He’s done in your life and not fussy about what you think He should be doing?

Don’t allow fear and doubt to keep you back from the greatest gift ever offered.

You Can't Afford Compromise

Compromise. This is a word that I believe we have all struggled with from time to time and some reading this may be struggling with it in this very moment. We allow little things to sneak into our daily life; we allow little things to sneak into our relationships, our jobs, our thoughts…even our relationship with Jesus.

Little things matter.

It doesn’t take much for your life to start spiraling out of control. It doesn’t take much for your marriage to fall apart. It doesn’t take much for your relationships to break. It doesn’t take much for dishonesty and mistrust to invade your job. Listen to me when I say this, IT DOESN’T MAKE MUCH!

One look at another, one thought entertained, one click of your mouse and BOOM! Your marriage is ending. One lie, one time not paying back the money you borrowed, one word spoken out of turn (gossip) and BAM! Your friendship is nonexistent. One excuse, one fudging of the numbers, one too many days called in sick and WHAM! Your job is over.

Little things add up to a BIG thing! Each compromise we make compiles upon our previous compromises. Pretty soon there’s a mound, a hill, a mountain of compromises to overcome. We can’t turn back because that would mean addressing it, that would mean admitting our wrongs, that would mean starting over. DENIAL enables compromise. Compromise masks DENIAL. Each leads to and thrives in complacency.
I love the challenge and warning Paul writes in Romans:

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Romans 12:1-2 NIV

My mind plays out Paul’s reading of these verses with different inflection. I can hear him shouting it, almost like battle call. I can hear him speaking it softly, with sincerity, emphasizing its sensitive nature. Either way, we need to listen and apply.

The WARNING:
Do not conform to the pattern of this world

The ACTION:
Be transformed by the renewing of your mind

Allowing Jesus to invade your life leads to RADICAL life transformation. You cannot be the SAME! It just doesn’t happen. If it’s been 5 years and you’re still the same, you haven’t surrendered to Jesus…it’s just that simple. He CHANGES us. He TRANSFORMS us by RENEWING our minds…our hearts. We no longer have to do whatever everyone else is doing simply because everyone else is doing it.

Compromise means I choose to do what I want, not what God wants. Compromise means I choose the shorter route, the easier way. God’s way, God’s will is FAR FROM EASY. It’s tough. It’s difficult. BUT, it’s good! God’s ways don’t make sense, won’t make sense. But knowing that His ways are just and good is more than enough for me. I know that what He would have me do might be rough, it might flat out suck, but in the end I know that He has my best interests at heart. I know that in the end He receives honor. I know that in the end He gets the glory.

No compromises.
No DENIAL.
No complacency.

What needs to change in your life? What compromises have you been making? What areas of your life have you been living in DENIAL? In what areas of your life have you grown complacent? What areas of your life are simply doing what you want?

It’s time for a change.

It's Time For A Change

Hey New Life,

What a weekend! For the first time in a LONG time I was able to wake up on Saturday morning and NOT have to go somewhere. I was able to enjoy my wife. I was able to hang with my kids. I was able to relax. I needed that. It helped put things in perspective.

How many of us simply go through the daily routines of our day, possibly routines of our week, paying little to no attention to our physical needs, emotional needs, spiritual needs…let alone the needs of those around us? How many of us are so wrapped up in what we doing that we neglect to acknowledge who we’re around? It’s easy to go to work, come home tired, sit down to relax for a minute…or 30, eat dinner, and then get ready to climb in bed and start all over again. BUT! There are kids that want to spend time with you. There’s a spouse that wants to know you. It’s not about me.

How many of us are living in DENIAL over our schedules? How many of us are making unnecessary sacrifices in the name of…money, goals, dreams, ambition…or even Jesus? How many of us log more hours at work than home? How many of us spend more time watching TV than playing with our kids or helping them with their homework? How many of us spend more time talking on the phone than talking to our spouse?

It’s time to make some changes.

As we talked about this past weekend, it’s all about the UPGRADE! What does this look like for you? No more maintenance. It’s time for a complete overhaul! We’ve allowed ourselves, as a culture, to become so busy, so preoccupied, so absent, that to slow down might seem like we’re falling behind. The question is…falling behind WHAT?

What are you chasing after?
What’s got you running all the time?
What’s driving you?

Lately I’ve felt so spread out, so stretched, that my effectiveness has deteriorated. I don’t want to be good at a lot of things; I want to be the BEST at what I do. This is a rather subjective statement, after all, who determines what is best? Here’s the deal, YOU know what your best is. YOU know what you should be doing. YOU know who you should be spending time with. YOU know, not me.

Each of us has an idea of what our best effort looks like. We know when we’re slacking. We know when we’re doing enough to get by. We KNOW! And that’s my point. YOU KNOW. I KNOW. It’s time to break free from the trap of complacency; it’s time to step out of DENIAL and start living.

For me, this means I must be intentional about my parenting and start spending time WITH my kids, not just BE AROUND them. For me, this means I must be intentional about my marriage and start LISTENING to my wife, not just TALK AT her. For me, this means I must be intentional about my job and start PLANNING for the future, not just addressing IMMEDIATE needs.

It’s time to make some changes. It’s time for an UPGRADE.

What’s this look like in your life? Maybe it’s time to shuffle around your schedule to make sure you’re home more. Maybe it’s time to turn off the TV or Facebook to make sure your attention is not divided. Whatever it is, it’s time for a change.

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.2 Corinthians 5:17 NKJV

Change Isn't Easy, It's Necessary

What are your thoughts on change? Do you LIKE change? Do you SEEK change? I can’t speak for you, nor would I try, but I actually DO like change…well, maybe to an extent.

There are times in my life when I get so settled, so comfortable, that I grow complacent. Ambitions are non-existent. Goals are tossed aside. In times like these I NEED change. I need something to happen. I need my eyes to be opened. I need a fire lit under my butt to get me moving. In this case, change is GOOD.

Then there are times in my life when I’m so amped up, so charged up, so excited, that I sorta lose focus. My mind is pulled in a hundred different directions. I’m here. I’m there. I’m doing and doing and going and going. I’m OVERLY ambitious! I sprint towards my goals! I entertain new ideas in a rapid-fire fashion and pray everyone will simply catch up. In this case, change is BAD…or at least poorly implemented.

Sound familiar?
Ever been there?

Change in itself is NOT BAD! I say this because it’s true. My God is a god of change; granted, HE doesn’t change, He changes us. He’s constantly at work within us. He’s shaping us. He’s opening our eyes to the things that we’ve gotta let go. He’s softening our hearts to the things we were created to champion—the poor, the needy, the widows, the orphans. Once we realize our need for Jesus…BAM!

Jesus is THE game changer. Our calendar, the way we measure time and record history, stopped and was reset simply because HE WAS (and IS and IS TO COME). If that doesn’t say something to you, I don’t know what will.

Change alone is just change.
God change is AWESOME!

Here’s the catch, there’s ALWAYS A CATCH, you won’t experience this change until you step out of DENIAL. Denial is our way of fighting change. Denial is the cover pulled over our eyes. Denial is the wall built up around our heart. Denial is a MAJOR stumbling block.

Denial says you don’t have a problem with drinking.
Denial says it’s your kids that make you angry.
Denial says your wife deserved it; she shouldn’t talk to you that way.
Denial says the church just wants your money.
Denial says it’s their fault.
Denial says you’re only hurting yourself.
Denial says you can do it on your own.
Denial says you can’t…
Denial says you won’t…
Denial says you don’t…

God says He ALREADY HAS.
God says He WILL.
God says He’s GOING TO.

God wants to do something AMAZING in your life today. God wants to see your life RADICALLY CHANGED. God wants to bless you! I’m not saying change it easy, but I am saying change is NECESSARY. I say this because God is an agent of change. He transforms us from the inside out. He turns takes what is death and gives it life. THAT’S CHANGE!

Don’t allow your insecurities block God’s blessings. Don’t allow your fears divert God’s plans for your life. Don’t run from the changes He desires in your life.

Where you go, I’ll go. Where you move, I’ll move.

What changes is He trying to make in your life RIGHT NOW?

Do Not Be So Quick To Forget

I really enjoyed my quiet time this morning. I’m currently shifting my schedule around. I’m searching for a routine that works, a routine that allows me to address both my spiritual and physical health. I’ve toyed around with exercising in the morning and studying in the afternoon…and didn’t like it. I’m now flipping it around to go back to studying in the morning and exercising in the afternoon (my OLD routine). I’ll keep you posted on how it all works out…

Isn’t it funny how we tend to go back to our old ways, back to what is familiar? Have you ever left behind some old habit, not necessarily a bad one, but made some sort of change in your schedule and absolutely NEVER thought of or gone back to your old ways?

I find it interesting how the Bible tends to speak into my current situation. It’s almost as if God inspired these particular words and phrases to be written so that I may read them on a given day to address a specific situation. That happened this morning.

I was reading the book of Luke and found myself marveling at a story that I’ve read numerous times because I saw something for the first time…or at least acknowledged it for the first time. It’s the story of the empty tomb and all that immediately followed. As Jesus appeared to the apostles on the Road to Emmaus he found them struggling with fear, doubt, and uncertainty. With the recent crucifixion of Jesus their lives had been drastically changed…their friend and teacher, whom they had spent so much time with, was gone.

Here’s how Jesus answered their doubt:

Then He said to them, O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory? And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.Luke 24:25-27

Now what struck me here, as things relate to my current situation, is how Jesus points to the Old Testament, he reintroduces the apostles to the teachings they ALREADY KNEW. He didn’t present them with something new. He revisited knowledge they ALREADY HAD. Jesus’ death, the brutality he endured on the cross, and the grief of losing someone close, was so intense that his apostles were blinded to the truth handed down from generation to generation to generation.

That’s crazy! After 1 week…1 WEEK…I decided to go back to my old routine, my old schedule, what I ALREADY HAD, what I ALREADY KNEW. These guys, his apostles, were so blinded by the current situation they lost focus on what they already knew. They lost hope. WOW!

So, here’s what we can and should learn from this. Regardless of the situation you’re facing, regardless of the immediate pain, suffering, frustration, angst, whatever, don’t lose sight of what God has already give you…EVERLASTING LIFE! Rest in the assurance of his promises. Find peace in his grace. Bask in his mercy. Know he is with you.

FOLLOW-UP: Happy New Year

I'm One of THOSE People

One of my favorite phrases, slogans, names, or even categories that I’ve heard attributed to a specific group of people has to be: THOSE PEOPLE. Yes, this phrase is typically accompanied by rolling of the eyes and an odd sound emitting from the mouth that can only be related to something heard in a Lamaze class. I don’t know. Now that I’ve mentioned it, you’ll hear it.

You hear this saying when speaking about a group of people that you and I do not feel as if we relate. We separate them from us. We create categories. We segregate. If you’re reading this and are trying to convince yourself that you’ve never done, STOP, you’re only lying to yourself. I often find myself grouped alongside THOSE PEOPLE.

When it comes to worship…I’m one of THOSE PEOPLE.
When it comes to recovery…I’m one of THOSE PEOPLE.

You get the picture.

I’d like to take the next few moments to focus on one of these in particular: RECOVERY. I’ve now been involved in the 12 Step Christ-centered Recovery Program known as Celebrate Recovery for a little over 2 years. It has been probably the most uplifting, life changing, and challenging ministries or programs or groups that I’ve EVER been a part of. I cannot speak for others, but I have experienced RADICAL life change and transformation through simple, practical, everyday steps.

Here’s the part I don’t fully grasp or understand. People in recovery are looked upon as THOSE PEOPLE. Why? Did you know that we’ve ALL either been hurt or hurt somebody? Did you know that God himself said we’ve ALL fallen short and sinned (Romans 3:23)? Did you know that we ALL need recovery? Yes, I said it…we ALL NEED RECOVERY.

I spent a few years thinking I had my struggles all figured out. I thought sobriety from alcohol, drugs, pornography, _________ (insert your struggle here) meant I was…well, OK. I was seemingly healthy. I wasn’t causing trouble. I was growing as both husband and father. I was active in the church. I thought I had left behind all that once held me back…

WRONG!

Just because you’ve been able to move beyond a specific hurt, habit, or hang-up doesn’t mean you’ve somehow arrived. Sobriety is not recovery! There are reasons, some deep-rooted, some surface level, behind our struggles. Drinking is not the problem, so much as WHY you are drinking. Anger is not the problem, so much as WHY you are angry. Unforgiveness is not the problem, so much as WHY you cannot forgive.

Celebrate Recovery is a program designed to get to the root of the perceived problem and, once it’s been identified, turn it over to God. We learn to release our hurts, our habits, our hang-ups…we are FREED from the burdens we choose to bear. That’s right, I said CHOOSE. If you don’t address the problem, you’re choosing to live with it and in it. You have a choice.

I’m proud to be one of THOSE PEOPLE. THOSE PEOPLE are no longer living in denial. THOSE PEOPLE desire to be changed by Jesus. THOSE PEOPLE want to grow. THOSE PEOPLE desire life and life to its absolute fullest!

For you church people, yes, those of you who smirk at the word recovery, those of you who deny any relation to the subject, allow me to share a bit of insight that has made a world of difference in the way I view Celebrate Recovery or recovery in general…recovery is just another word for DISCIPLESHIP. That’s right! Let that sink in. Marinate in that thought for a while.

I don’t know about you, but I want to receive healing. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to have any secrets. I don’t know about you, but I want to become more like Jesus.

4 Things I Want To Share With You

Hello New Life, here are four things I’d LOVE to share with you today…

#1 I’m freakin’ PUMPED for this Sunday! We are launching a new series that’s going to change the face of New Life Community Church: UPGRADE. I cannot begin to express to you the amount of excitement I have simply because of the potential for life change and transformation…RADICAL life change and transformation this series presents. I see God reshaping how we do things around here, how we approach ministry and relationships and discipleship…EVERYTHING! Post a word of encouragement on Pastor Jim’s Facebook timeline. WOW! Can you imagine? A church that’s ALL IN! I hope Berkeley country is ready to be invaded!

#2 It’s not about YOU! I’ve had this phrase echoing in my head for the past few weeks; just wreckin’ me. Now listen good, do NOT use this phrase to point your finger at others…let it be a PERSONAL statement, “It’s not about ME.” Our vision at New Life is to REACH this generation with the gospel, TEACH them to become fully-devoted followers of Christ, and SEND them out to reproduce their faith in others. Each part of the vision is about OTHERS. We need to evaluate how we spend our time, our money, and our effort—are we giving all we can to reach as many people as we can with the gospel of Jesus? Which part of Mark 4:25 would you like to see apply to New Life?

#3 Get ready for a FLOOD! As we become more and more intentional about discipleship and building leaders, OH MY DANG! be ready for what God’s gonna do! I believe we’re going to see God swing our doors wide open and entrust us with MORE of His people (Read Matthew 25:14-30). Growth is healthy. Growth is good. Growth is a sign that we, as the church, are fulfilling our purpose and aligning with His plan. So, the question is: what role will you play? Will you lead a Life Group? Will you disciple a new believer? Will you pray with those who receive Christ on Sunday mornings? Will you park cars? Will you teach our children about the God who created them? Will you lead worship? Will you set up chairs? (I wrote more about this back in December, here, if you want to read it!)

#4 It’s a NEW YEAR! What’s different? Has anything changed? Remember, in Christ you can do ANYTHING. There’s no obstacle to great, no burden too heavy...NOTHING HE CAN’T DO! You don’t have to do the same ol’ thing you’ve always done. You’re not stuck! There’s hope for a better tomorrow, there’s hope for a brighter future IN CHRIST! Will you allow Jesus, in 2012, to truly make all things new in your life? Let’s celebrate a truly NEW year!

When Something is Actually Nothing

Have you ever had that moment when you said or thought, “Today, I’m giving my all, my EVERYTHING, to Jesus,”? Have you ever had the desire to surrender, to completely turn over your life, and all that comes along with it, to Jesus? If you’re anything like me you’ve probably said something similar numerous times. In fact, you probably think about it once a month or maybe even a week. You hear a great, challenging message on Sunday or read a convicting word from the Bible and determine that today will be different…for the rest of your life.

Then SOMETHING comes up. Then SOMETHING happens. There’s always SOMETHING.

I believe part of the problem, probably MOST of the problem, can be summed up in the fact that we say we want to give it all over to Jesus, we want to surrender, we want to let go, yet, at the same time, we continue ASKING FOR MORE and MORE.  

We’re willing to give, but only if we GET in return.

Something’s gotta change.

Read Matthew 26:6-13. Read how the woman came and poured out her flask of oil onto Jesus’ head. Read how the woman gave, what was probably her most valuable possession, as a sacrifice to Jesus. She GAVE. She SACRIFICED. She wasn’t like me, like you, she didn’t just say she wanted to change, she DID IT! She didn’t ask for anything in return.

If you’re feeling like you’re stuck in a spiritual wasteland maybe it’s time to evaluate where your heart is, or rather, what or who has your heart. Is there SOMETHING that’s holding you back from becoming the man or woman God intends for you to become? Is there SOMETHING that’s keeping you from reaching God’s potential in your life? Is there SOMETHING that’s blocking the fulfillment of God’s purpose for your life?

I’m tired of talking. I can talk all day long. I want to pour out my fragrant offering. I want to forsake my SOMETHING and give Jesus my EVERYTHING. I, no, WE need to become a people that realizes our something is actually NOTHING. That Jesus is EVERYTHING. That Jesus is ALL WE NEED.

That oil may have had a high market value attached to it, but it was worth NOTHING until it was used to fulfill God’s purpose, until it was used for Jesus’ glory.

What do you need to pour out today? What do you need to sacrifice upon the altar?

Remember, your SOMETHING remains NOTHING until Jesus enters the equation and then and only then can you experience what it means to have EVERYTHING.

Everything – Jesus = Nothing
Jesus + Nothing = Everything

Can't Enjoy What You've Never Had

I’ll probably be continuing with my recent theme of posts related to the New Year, related to NEWNESS in general, simply because that’s what is going on right now in my life in a big BIG way! I can’t shake this feeling. I can’t shake this notion that God has something REALLY BIG in store for me this year and I can’t wait to share it with you.

As I was reading this morning a verse from Matthew just about leapt of the page of my virtual Bible and smacked me in the face…

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
Matthew 13:44 NKJV

How cool is that? I spent the majority of my life absolutely clueless to the promises, to the power, and to the presence of God. I had NO CLUE! I didn’t know He who He was. I didn’t know He loved me. I didn’t know He desired a relationship with me. I didn’t know I was separated from Him…because I DIDN’T KNOW HIM!

Some of you right now are thinking “DUH!” and I know you are because I’m thinking the same thing even as I’m writing this.

I get it now. It makes sense to me. Hear me on this; I didn’t know what I was missing until the day I realized I had a need. And that need, ladies and gentlemen, was a Savior. I have read this verse numerous times before, but today it simply struck me in a NEW way…like I had NEW eyes…a NEW perspective.

Jesus said it right there, crystal clear, translated into English, “the kingdom of heaven is like treasure HIDDEN in a field,” (emphasis mine). It’s hidden. We gotta FIND it. You may think pizza is the greatest food in the world (which it is), but if it was given to you every single day of your life, maybe for every single meal of your day, eventually you’d grow indifferent to it, maybe reject it, maybe start looking for something else to eat…it becomes less of a treasure and more of an entitlement.

The relationship I currently have with Jesus was not forced upon me. I CHOSE to say yes. I CHOSE to surrender my heart. I CHOSE to accept his grace and forgiveness. The gratitude I have for this relationship stems from the realization that I’m lost, that I’m hopeless and the discovery of a God who’s willing to look beyond that and rescue me and give me hope.

I always caught the part about the joy and selling all that he had to buy the field, but I always glanced over the fact that the treasure was hidden. He found it. I FOUND it!

Maybe you’ve got friends and family that just don’t seem to get it. Maybe for some reason you’ve failed to really grasp the idea of a God who loves you enough to die for you. Maybe you simply haven’t found it. Maybe somewhere along the way you stopped digging, you stopped searching, you stopped.

Maybe you found it, but walked away and left it there in the field.

Like I said, I believe God wants to do something INCREDIBLE in my life this year and I KNOW with 100% certainty that He desires to do the SAME in YOUR life too! Let’s revisit that field. Let’s unearth that treasure. Let’s experience the joy NEW EVERY MORNING!

I’m all in. I’ve gotten rid of all my stuff and I bought the field. Will you join me?

Plans for an AWESOME 2012

Morning New Life! I cannot shake EXCITEMENT I have for the New Year. I am so PUMPED about what God has in store for my life, my family, my church, my EVERYTHING! I have decided that this year I am going to be more intentional than ever about chasing after the newness of my salvation.

I want every day to be like the first time I realized I needed Jesus.
I want every day to be like the moment I realized my eternal life begun.
I want every day to be like the moment I said YES.

You might be asking yourself, “That’s a GREAT idea, but how in the heck do you plan on actually DOING IT?” Don’t worry, I have the same questions, the same doubts, the same struggle to grasp even the remotest possibility of it happening, BUT here’s the deal, I serve a God that is BIGGER and GREATER than my doubts…I know that in Him and through Him I can and will breathe fresh air and newness of life each and every day.

This is the year I learn how to count it all joy.

Don’t get me wrong, it won’t be easy. There are going to be days that I fail to even recognize God as God. There will be moments when I’m ungrateful for the work that He is doing in my life. Knowing this, I’m devising a plan of attack to counter my inevitable struggle. Here’s my plan so far:

#1 Get in His WORD every day. This seems like a no brainer, but when it comes to actually implementing it…my actions speak otherwise. I have a tendency to start strong and falter in the end. I must constantly remember that I NEED to hear from God. Crazy right? How could I possibly need reminders for this? Easy, I’m human. I’m selfish. I’m distracted. I’m…full of EXCUSES! So, to combat this I’ve set up my YouVersion account to email me my daily reading AND send notifications to accountability reports to people who will hold me accountable. If I want to experience the BEST year of my life in 2012, I need to consume God’s word and allow Him to lead me—His plans are FAR GREATER than any I can create. Read 2 Timothy 3:14-17.

#2 Get in His FACE every day. It’s difficult to have a healthy relationship with ANYBODY without some sort of interaction, some sort of dialogue, some sort of personal engagement. If you don’t get around somebody, how can you really get to know them or them to know you? I need to pray. I cannot argue with 1 Thessalonians 5:17, no questions asked. I don’t think it’s just because I’m a man, but sometimes I convince myself that I can supply my every need. I’ll pray for OTHERS, but fail to present my hurts, my needs, my desires to God. This needs to change.

#3 Get in a LIFE GROUP. This is how the early church met…from home to home (Acts 2:41-47). They studied God’s word together. They prayed together. They ate together. They existed as a community, as a family…TOGETHER. Life Groups are the most prominent way of measuring the health of the local church. Want to go deeper? Get in a Life Group. Want accountability? Get in a Life Group. Want to grow lasting friendships? Get in a Life Group. Want to know what’s happening at New Life? Get in a Life Group. Want to grow in your relationship with Jesus? Get in a Life Group.

#4 Serve in His CHURCH every week. There’s no way you can read through the Bible and NOT see the importance God placed upon the church. Jesus DIED for the church. Jesus refers to the church as his BRIDE. Don’t get me wrong, I totally understand the church is not a building, but you and I, BUT we gather together in a building AS the church. Unified. Family. We need to become a people that stop treating the church like a buffet. Stop sampling. Stop filing your plate, making a mess, and rolling out. IT’S NOT ABOUT YOU! It’s all about Jesus. It’s all about that person who walks through the front doors for the FIRST TIME and experiences…Jesus. Wherever you’re attending, wherever you call home, don’t settle for being a member…be an OWNER. Let us be a people that are willing to give our money, our time, and our effort to see the name of Jesus be made known in an environment that can only be labeled as AWESOME! Jesus was willing to die FOR the church. We should be willing to serve IN the church.

I can’t say it enough…I’m lovin’ this New Year. I’m giddy with the anticipation of seeing God pour out His blessings on the people of New Life. Will you join us?

Newness in the New Year

HAPPY New Year New Life! That’s right! I said, “HAPPY!” I want you right here, right now, in this moment, for this ENTIRE year, to experience happiness and joy like you’ve never experienced before.

I’ve experienced my fair share of New Year’s celebrations. I’ve declared my resolutions. I’ve given up on or forgotten my resolutions (time and time again). I’ve smiled with the anticipation of the NEWNESS of the year and what it has in store for me…

This year is DIFFERENT.

For the first time I’m anticipating NEWNESS in Christ. For the first time I’m excited about the NEW God has in store for me this year. For the first time I’m freakin’ pumped about growing closer to God, about rekindling the NEWNESS of the most important relationship in my life as if it had just begun. For the first time I’m making New Year about God and not myself. I’ve come to the realization that it’s in Jesus, it’s in the process of knowing him more, it’s in the process of following him, it’s in the process of becoming like him, that each and every resolution I’ve EVER written or spoken can and will be fulfilled!

The problem is that I have typically made resolutions believing that it was up to me to make it happen…as if I could do it by sheer willpower, as if I could somehow exact some sort of change in my life. Let’s be honest with each other, I am POWERLESS to create any sort of lasting positive change. Thank you God that I finally understand this!

There is a desperation growing inside of me; desperation to give up, to let go, to relinquish any sense of control that I have foolishly convinced myself that I have. I cannot do it alone. I’ve stumbled. I’ve fallen. I’ve tripped. I’ve landed flat on my face. I know what I’ve had to go through, I know what my bad choices of led to, but what will it take for you to TRUST God in 2012?

Here’s what I know:

#1 I CANNOT do it alone.
#2 I cannot do it ALONE.

And…

#3 I cannot do it alone.

I have an anticipation, an eagerness like I’ve never felt before. I KNOW that God is going to bless me in ways that I cannot fathom. I BELIEVE this will truly be the best year of my life. Hands down the BEST IS YET TO COME!

I want this for YOU! I want you to JOIN ME and experience joy and happiness!

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.2 Corinthians 5:17 NKJV

Are you ready to live 2012 in way that shows the world you BELIEVE God’s word is true? Are you ready to finally experience NEWNESS and not the same ol’thing? Are you ready for an UPGRADE?