If God Isn't First, Expect The Worst

37Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38This is the first and greatest commandment.
Matthew 22:37-38 NIV

If God isn’t FIRST, expect the WORST.

I believe I would’ve been able to avoid a LOT of hard times in my life had I known this simple, yet profound principle. Unfortunately, I was too stubborn, too stupid, and too selfish to see it. I was too busy doing what I wanted, when I wanted, and how I wanted. Granted, my vision was probably blurred a bit from the pain I was holding onto from past experiences–how could a loving, ALL-POWERFUL God let those horrible things happen to me? Why would I put a God like THAT first in my life?

So, I went through life searching for something to fill a void in my life that only God could fill (believe me I tried EVERYTHING to fill it). I tried alcohol. I tried drugs. I tried sex. I tried drugs again. I tried video games. All the time thinking I was running toward something, chasing after something to give me meaning and satisfaction, when really, I was running FROM something or should I say SOMEONE. I had a God-sized hole that I was trying to fill with things that kept coming up short and leaving me empty.

‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’

That’s just how BIG the hole is. God’s like I want your heart, soul, AND you mind. Basically, I want your EVERYTHING! But God… But…

If God isn’t first, expect the worst.

Nick, my marriage is failing.
Nick, my kids wanting nothing to do with me.
Nick, my job is going nowhere.

My response: where does God fit in the picture? Is He a PRIORITY or an EMERGENCY? Have you left any room for God? Jesus said, “Love the LORD your God…” Is He LORD of your life, relationships, and circumstances?

God wants the BEST for you. You may not FEEL like it at times (typically when you’re so overwhelmed by the stresses of life), but God LOVES you and wants to give the very BEST to you! God is a BIG God. He’s a God of the IMPOSSIBLE, but I don’t think He’s going to spend all His time scrambling around trying to make sure things work out FOR you when you DON’T want it. If God is #2, you might as well be saying, “God, I don’t want it. Thanks, but no thanks.” Something’s gotta change and it’s NOT God.

God, if you’d only try HARDER! Seriously?!? What’s left for Him to do? What’s left for Him to give that He hasn’t already? Stop running FROM Him. Start running TO Him. God’s love satisfies FULLY, relationships only TEMPORARILY. You can spend the rest of your life hopping from bed to bed thinking you’ll find what you’re looking for… OR you can call on the God who CREATED you and calls you His son or daughter. Don’t settle for anything less.

If God isn’t first, expect the worst.

When Something Else Seems Better

Something is going to grab your attention. You’re going to see a faint glimmer or sparkle or shine and your eyes are going to immediately fix on it. It’s going to look like the BEST THING EVER from a distance. In fact, it’s going to look so good you’re going to actually leave everything you have NOW to get it.

Your wife.
Your husband.
Your kids.
Your job.
Your everything.

Gone. And why? You’re not satisfied with what you HAVE. You only focus on the things you DON’T have. You feel cheated. You think you’ve been slighted. You didn’t ask for this. How’d you get in this situation anyway?

It wasn’t your idea to get married (you accidentally said, “I do.”).
You didn’t want a kid (you just wanted to all the fun leading up to one).
You’re stuck in a job you don’t even want (you’re just too lazy to work for something better).
Your life isn’t what you dreamt it would be (you stopped dreaming a long time ago).

When you allow yourself to get into situations like this, when you allow yourself to constantly be looking ELSEWHERE for fulfillment and satisfaction, you completely miss out on everything you actually DO HAVE. It’s called being UNGRATEFUL. Call it what it is. Blame whoever you want. Screw responsibility. Who wants that? You think the grass is greener on the other side, but you quit mowing your lawn a long time ago. You think the grass is greener on the other side, but you haven’t watered your lawn in ages.

Stop complaining.
Stop fussing.
Stop, just stop.

Start working on the things you HAVE before you end up losing EVERYTHING. And then the things you have won’t seem so bad anymore (problem is, they’ll be gone).

Trading Your Marriage For Crap

Life is full of AMAZING combinations…

Peanut butter and jelly
Montana and Rice
Simon and Garfunkel
Pryor and Wilder
Wendy’s Frosty and fries
Chicken wings and _____ sauce
Mario and Luigi
Pizza and my mouth
My wife and I (that’ll score some points)

Ok. I’m sure there’s more, but hopefully you get the idea.

These are GREAT things! Things that make me FEEL good, excited, happy! Yet each and every one of them leaves me momentarily satisfied (which is a nice way of saying UN-satisfied). Each of these things leaves me wanting MORE. Yes, even my wife.

So, I PURSUE her. Husbands, you better chase after your wife like she’s the BEST thing going! She wants to know that you WANT her (as I’m sure you want the same). I don’t stop. I don’t rest. I don’t want to give something or someone an opening to invade my marriage. Men, let’s face it, we ignore our wife’s needs and when some other guy starts paying her attention, making her feel wanted, desired, and she falls for it… we get made at HER! Yes, and it was my friend’s fault when I stuck the fork into the light socket. Right…

When you WANT something (or in this case some-ONE) you chase after it. You chase after her. You PURSUE her until you GET her, until she’s YOURS, and you NEVER stop. Don’t settle. Don’t grow complacent. Don’t take her for granted. CELEBRATE her! Y’all are an AMAZING combination!

Stop spending so much time chasing after stuff that doesn’t matter. Stop turning on the TV. Stop staring at your phone. Stop working out in the garage (do people seriously do this?). Stop worrying so much about your fantasy football league (FANTASY… as in NOT REAL… you wife and kids ARE). Life is full of AMAZING combinations, but none are greater than you and your spouse (except maybe you and Jesus, but I was trying to avoid the Jesus juke). Stop trying to satisfy your dissatisfaction with all that other crap and chase after your wife like you actually love her and appreciate her and want her.

Just because you’re married doesn’t mean you’re done.

Battling The Lie Of "I'm Not Good Enough"

What is it about you that makes you different?
What is it about you that makes you unique?
What is it about you that makes you… you?

Stop trying to measure up to SOMEONE ELSE’S standards. Stop comparing yourself to everyone around you. They are not YOU! YOU are you! And only you can be YOU!

I’m not smart enough… says who?
I’m not skinny enough… says who?
I’m not funny enough… says who?
I’m not strong enough… says who?
I’m not athletic enough… says who?

At some point in your life you stopped trying to be yourself and started trying to be like someone else. Maybe you saw a picture in a magazine or saw something on TV or maybe one of your friends got something or did something you always wanted to do. What happened? Why did you become so dissatisfied with you?

Something needs to change. Something needs to happen. Maybe there’s someone in your life who’s tearing you down day after day after day. Maybe your eyes aren’t able to properly focus, making it difficult to see yourself for who you are. Maybe your mirror is cracked and broken. Maybe the light is turned off. Maybe you experienced pain as a child and haven’t been able to let it go.

God created you for something FAR GREATER than you think you deserve. God doesn’t look at you and see a mistake; God looks at you and sees a potential WORLD CHANGER! God made you to be YOU, not somebody else! He made you ON purpose, WITH purpose, and FOR a purpose!

Let today be different.

Reflect:

• Why are you constantly beating yourself up?
• Have you grown so comfortable in the hurt that you’re willing to life in forever?
• Ask God to help you see you like He sees you.

Stop Beating Yourself Up

Did he just look at me?
What’s she thinking?
Is something wrong with me?
Why are they laughing?
Is there something on me?
What is he smiling for?
Why won’t she talk to me anymore?
Does anyone know I’m even here?
Would anyone miss me if I was gone?

You are worth FAR MORE than your doubts and insecurities will lead you to believe. God created you to do something BIG in this world and here’s the crazy part… only you can be YOU! No one else can be you! No one else gets that privilege!

Reflect:

• Have you already beaten yourself up a little bit this morning?
• Have you already battled with doubt, fear, anxiety, and insecurity?
• Did you know God created you in His image and likeness and He considers you His “masterpiece”?
• How would your day be different if you woke up believing in yourself instead of beating yourself up?

God Is Love

God is love.

What a simple, yet profound statement. Hey, don’t take my word for it. I didn’t make this up. I’m not kidding. John did AND, if you want to get all churchy, GOD did (since he inspired John to write it).

Here, read “John’s” words:

Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.
1 John 4:8 NIV

This verse is what inspired the idea for our current series, “For the Love of Pete.” I read it. And then I read it again. And I quite possibly read it again, but that seems a bit redundant. I started thinking about love. What is it? Where is it? How can I find it? Who gives it? I started thinking about past relationships and how much I love stuff and money and I realized something profound (or at least it seemed that way at the time): my definition of LOVE is messed up!

So, I asked, “What is love?” This took me to 1 Corinthians 13:4-8. Different author, well, sorta, God inspired Paul too. In it Paul describes what love IS and what is NOT. From this block of text I pulled out 2 principles, 2 ideas, and you can read about them here…

#1 Love Isn’t Easy

#2 Love Raises The Bar

But I kept coming back to 1 John 4:8. God is love. So, I set out to define love, not as a relationship, not as a thing, not as financial security… I set out to define love as GOD. God IS love. At the root of many of my struggles growing up was this idea that love was something ELSE, that I could find it in a RELATIONSHIP or in a THING… NO! God is love.

There was a God-sized hole inside me that I was trying to fill on my own, but I kept coming up EMPTY! Satisfied for a moment and left searching and struggling for more (kinda sounds like an addiction? Hmm… interesting). This is the significance of God offering up His son Jesus, of offering up HIMSELF on the cross. Jesus IS God’s LOVE and GRACE and MERCY and FORGIVENESS and GLORY all wrapped up into one. Jesus fills that hole.

God is love.
Do you know God?
Do you know love?
You can’t know one without the other.
They are synonymous. 
Love is not a WHAT, love is a WHO.
Stop chasing after stuff and start chasing after the Savior.
God LOVES you and Jesus is the PROOF!

God is love.

Reflect:

• If God is love and you don’t know God is it possible to love?
• What’s the significance of the statement, “God is love”?
• How has your definition of love differed from God’s?
• If you’ve spent your whole life searching for love you’ve really been searching for God. What’s holding you back from meeting Him?

Love Raises The Bar

Love isn’t easy. It’s not easy to find. It’s not easy to explain. It’s confusing. There’s really nothing that’s easy about it (this was yesterday’s topic; if you missed it, you can read it here), that is, until we understand love is not a WHAT, love is a WHO.

God is love.

Love is not the girl who sat across from you in chemistry. Love is not the boy who scored the winning touchdown at homecoming. Love is not the look she gave. Love is not the text he sent.

These are NICE things. These things will even ENCOURAGE you and make you FEEL good. But they aren’t love. God is love. Love isn’t easy because our view of love is misguided and distorted. We have a tendency to think love is a relationship or a material object or a little bit of attention. That kinda love isn’t easy, because that’s not love, that’s a SHADOW of love. That’s like settling for XJ900’s when you’re really looking for Jordans. Just sayin’.

Once our perspective changes, once our eyes are opened to the fact that GOD IS LOVE and that He’s the one we should be pursuing, love becomes less of a challenge. I’m not saying relationships get EASIER, I’m saying experiencing and understanding LOVE becomes easier as we go from chasing after things to pursuing the MAIN THING: Jesus.

Love raises the bar.

Check out what Paul writes about love…

4Love is patient, love is kind. 7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 8Love never fails.
1 Corinthians 13:4, 7, 8 NIV

Seriously?! THAT’S love? No wonder love isn’t easy. Look what Paul does here. Love is patient? Since when? If patience is the standard by which we are to measure love, I fail every day (like EPIC fail).

Love raises the bar.

Take a moment and think about all the people you love. I’m talking about spouses and kids and friends and family and whoever else makes the list. Think about your relationship with them. Think about your interaction with them. Think about the last thing you said or email you sent or text you sent or message you sent on Facebook… whatever it is, get it in your head.

Now, how do they measure against the following standards?

Love is… patient, kind, protects, trusts, hopes, perseveres, and never fails.
Do these words describe your relationships? Do these words come even remotely close to the way you interact with and talk to others? To the people you say you LOVE? Chances are you’ve made some mistakes. Chances are you’ve said some things you wish you could take back or done some things you’d like to erase. Love isn’t easy. Love raises the bar.

Maybe because of something you’ve experienced in the past, maybe your parents divorced or maybe you’ve been divorced or cheated on or abused or SOMETHING and THAT thing, THAT moment, THAT experience has shaped and molded and twisted your view of love. Life LOWERED the bar. Are you ready for something better? I’m not asking if you think you DESERVE it, because life will often make you feel like you don’t. I’m asking do you WANT something better? Do you WANT to experience the love you’ve always wanted? Do you WANT to know what it means to be accepted AS YOU ARE?

God IS love.
And God loves YOU.
Love raises the bar, but God won’t raise it until you say it’s ok.
Are you ready?

Reflect:

• How have past experiences LOWERED your expectations of love?
• Describe some ways you’ve tried to find EASY love? How’d that work out for you?
• Are you ready to experience love like God always intended?
• Take some time this week to pray and ask God to show you the love you’ve always wanted and have never been able to find.

Love Isn't Easy

Over the next 3 days I'll be discussing the 3 points from Sunday's message, "Love is Not a What, Love is a Who."
 
Love isn’t easy.

That’s an understatement. I almost feel like there’s a hint of sarcasm in writing that. It’s true, but it’s true with a little bit of DUH in the mix. Love isn’t easy. If it was we wouldn’t spend our entire lives looking for it, searching for it, thinking we found it only to realize it was something entirely different. It’s elusive. It’s confusing. It’s stupid (if you’re bitter). Love isn’t easy.

I believe love isn’t easy because we don’t know what love is. We have an idea of what we think love should be and could be, but for the most part we have no freaking clue what love is. Our view of love is shaped by past experiences. Love is what we see at home. Love is what we feel in the presence of those we care about the most. And each and every one of us has a different past, a different upbringing, an entirely different experience altogether, so the culmination of past experiences shape this often misinterpreted, misguided view of love.

Love is angry.
Love is demeaning.
Love is your mom screaming.
Love is your dad fighting.
Love is a physically abusive parent.
Love is a sexually abusive relative.
Love is an affair.
Love is divorce.
Love is a new relationship (or a few new relationships).

Don’t get me wrong, not all of us experience these things, but enough of us do. And it’s these past experiences that shape and mold our ideas and expectations of LOVE. Love is… what you saw, what you heard, and what you felt. For some of us it was a GOOD experience. For others it’s easier to just not talk about it (which is why it CONTINUES hurting you all these years later).

This is why I say, “Love isn’t easy.” We EXPERIENCE one thing and then we’re TOLD another. It’s confusing. It’s unhealthy. Movies make it look so easy, but reality just seems to slap you in the face. And it hurts. And you just want to give up on it. Which is why it was easier to NOT commit to a relationship, but instead hop around from relationship to relationship to relationship seeking temporary satisfaction and fulfillment that always left you feeling EMPTY inside.

Love isn’t easy.

Read this. I pulled a couple statements from the Bible written by a guy named Paul. In these statements he gives us an idea of what love IS by stating what it’s NOT. Disclaimer: I only used half of verse 4.

4It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
1 Corinthians 13:4-6 NIV

I don’t know about you, but when I read that I see all the things I thought love WAS. I READ Paul saying love is NOT, but my past experience says that’s exactly what love IS! I want to call Paul an idiot, a liar, and naïve. I want to fight and argue and ask Paul, “What are you talking about?” You see, my PAST EXPERIENCES have shaped my PRESENT VIEWS of love. I have my own INTERPRETATION based on what I’ve SEEN and HEARD and FELT, but sometimes that stuff is MISLEADING.

This is why I believe so many of us struggle with the idea of a God who rules and reigns in heaven (yes, a place you and I can’t see or even find even though we’ve traveled pretty far out in space), a God who created us and loves us and wants the best for us. If there REALLY is a God, some all-powerful creator who loves me, why would He let all that crap happen to me? Why didn’t He stop that stuff from happening? Why didn’t He stop the fighting? Why didn’t He stop the abuse? Didn’t He hear me crying? Didn’t He hear me begging and pleading for help?

Love isn’t easy.

Love is overcoming the pain from your past through a meaningful encounter with the God who loves you more than you can possibly imagine or fathom. That’s not easy, that’s hard. I need a shift in my perspective. I need to refocus my eyes. I have to look THROUGH my past experience WITH love TO the God who IS love. God IS love. Love isn’t easy because our past experiences with what we perceive to be love distorts our view of the God who IS love.

Reread what Paul wrote. Read and meditate on all the things love is NOT. Evaluate your past and current relationships based on Paul’s words. Have you REALLY experienced love? Have you been looking for love in all the WRONG places? Is your view of love WAY OFF? Have your past experiences led you to push God away?

Love isn’t easy when you’re looking for it everywhere BUT the God who IS love!

Reflect:

• Take some time over the next few days to evaluate past and present relationships. How have they affected your view of love?
• How have your past experiences affected your view of God?
• A meaningful encounter with God is the only way to find freedom from the pain of your past, but the pain of your past can and will hinder your meaningful encounter with God. Are you prepared to work through it?

The Benefits Of Social Media

Like it or not, social media is here to stay…

And it’s everywhere.

Movie trailers direct would-be moviegoers to Facebook and Twitter for updates. ESPN, CNN, Fox News, as well as every other news channel now includes Twitter contact info next to or underneath the name of whoever is speaking (oh, and professional wrestling, as in WWE, does the exact same thing). Seriously, you cannot escape it. Question is: are you trying to?

Maybe you want to remain a little more private.
Maybe you don’t think people should have that kinda access to you.
Maybe you don’t have anything to say.
Maybe you think it’s a too impersonal.
Maybe you’re unfamiliar with how a computer works (or a smartphone… huh?).

I haven’t always been a fan of social media. I was late in creating a profile on MySpace (which I only created to connect with the students I was leading at the time). I was hesitant in jumping to Facebook (but I did because I was the only one left on MySpace). I couldn’t grasp the concept of Twitter (hmmm… public texting…). Blogging? What? I didn’t get it. I didn’t understand it.

Just because you don’t understand it, doesn’t mean it’s a bad thing.

As a leader, I’ve realized the value of social media. Sure, it allows me to connect with old friends and keep up with family on the west coast, but social media offers so much more than that. Social media provides an outlet to lead, guide, and direct all throughout the week. Here’s what’s going coming up. Here’s what happening right now. Here’s where we’re going next. Not only that, but social media provides an outlet to ENCOURAGE others.

Leadership = influence.

Are you doing everything possible to reach as many people possible? It’s not about YOU necessarily; it’s about your CAUSE. What are you doing? Why is it important? Why should I be a part of it? What can I do to help? How can I get involved? Tell somebody about what you’re doing. Tell somebody about what’s going on. Tell somebody about the next big thing.

If Justin Bieber retweets you 40,000,000 people will see it. And if you’re the 1 out of 40,000,000 he picked, you’re going to FEEL special (even if only a little). There’s an immediate connection (arguably an impersonal one, but it’s a connection regardless of how you spin it).

That’s influence.
That’s reaching.
That’s a win.

You might not be a Justin Bieber or Dwayne Johnson, but you are YOU and YOU were meant for something bigger and GREATER than you could possibly imagine! Give yourself some credit! Show yourself some love! Nobody changed the world by doing nothing. Start small. Start somewhere. Do something.

Reflect:

• What’s kept you from joining the social media community?
• Are you doing everything you can to reach as many people as possible?
• How can social media help you and your cause?
• What changes can you make right now?

How Are Those Plans Working Out?

Don't be fools, then, but try to find out what the Lord wants you to do.
Ephesians 5:17 GNT

Ouch.
That hurts.
Not sure there’s anything else that needs to be said.

Reflect:

• Has following your own plans landed you where you’ve always wanted to be?
• Have your plans ever got you in trouble?
• When is the last time you asked God, “What do you want me to do?”
• When God tells you what He wants, will you do it?

2 Things That Just Gotta Go

I don’t like to exercise. I like the RESULTS of exercise, but I don’t like the PROCESS of exercising. And as much as I like the results I don’t quite like them enough to actually DO IT. That requires more time and effort and energy than I’m willing to invest. Ugh… I seriously don’t like admitting that.

Ok. So how the heck can I change this? What needs to happen? Here are two things that gotta go and the one thing that needs to take their place…

The Gotta Goes:

#1 I Can–quite frankly, I don’t care what I CAN do. What good does “I can” do? It’s an idea. It’s not real. It’s not tangible. It’s words. I can do that… did you? I can go there… did you? I can get that… did you?  “I can” is nothing more than a possibility and you and I can get so caught up in possibility that we neglect reality. “I can” has gotta go. Stop saying it.

#2 I Will–oh geez, here’s another good one. I can’t speak for you, but I know that for me personally, “I will” is something I typically say when I know I SHOULD do something, but I have absolutely no intention of doing it. I just say that to shut someone up. It’s the same things as saying “I’m going to” or “I’m about to” or “Let me get to that in a minute.”  I think it would be better stated as, “I will… NOT because I don’t want to.” Again, “I will” points to a hypothetical situation that may or may not happen. I’m not interested in what you may or may not do. Stop saying it.

The Replacement:

I am–it’s that simple. “I am.” Notice, it’s PRESENT tense. It’s not referring to something that MIGHT happen in the near future or some time down the road, it’s pointing to the RIGHT NOW. Too often I talk about what CAN happen or WILL happen, but I don’t DO anything in between. I CAN exercise, but I don’t want to. I WILL exercise, but I’m too busy. I AM exercising, but… I don’t want to? Notice the difference. IF there’s a BUT it’s not stopping the process. I may not want to exercise, but I’m still working toward the desired result. “I am” turns my WORDS into ACTION. Stop SAYING it and start DOING it!

Reflect:

• What are some of the things around the house that you “can” or “will” do, but haven’t?
• What are some of the things you know you should be doing but haven’t because you just don’t want to?
• How has your life been negatively affected by your lack of action?
• How would your life be different if your “I can” and “I will” became “I am”?

Quit Playing Games With My Heart

Today, I’m bringing a close to the 3-part series, “Jesus Always Has Something Better For You.” In case you’ve missed the past few days or just happen to stumble upon the blog this morning, you can read parts 1 & 2 here:

1. It’s My Party And I’ll Cry If I Want To

2. Jesus + Nothing = Everything

I don’t have what I would call a “church background.” I mean, don’t get me wrong, I attended 2 or 3 church services as a child (Easter and Christmas Eve), but that was about it. I remember absolutely LOVING the architecture of the St. James Cathedral in Seattle as well as the sound of the choir singing in the balcony behind us. I had NO CLUE what the guy was talking about or why we had to stand up and sit down and kneel and do it again, but I was just a kid. I was more concerned with getting OUT OF that building and getting home to play. I didn’t CONNECT with God because I didn’t SEE Him, I didn’t RECOGNIZE Him or even remotely know I was supposed to be LOOKING FOR Him. So, instead of running TO Him, I was ready to run AWAY FROM Him.

Recently I read the story below and it made me think of my childhood:

Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment (for he had removed it), and plunged into the sea. But the other disciples came in the little boat (for they were not far from land, but about two hundred cubits), dragging the net with fish. Then, as soon as they had come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid on it, and bread. Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish which you have just caught.”
John 21:7-10 NKJV

Quit playing games with my heart.

So, here’s Peter. I imagine he’s still kinda stressed and worried and struggling with guilt and shame, after all, a few days prior he stood back and watched as his friend and teacher, Jesus, was beaten and murdered and, if that wasn’t enough, he DENIED knowing him while it was happening. I can’t speak FOR Peter, but I know I’D be struggling. Probably the biggest indicator that he’s struggling (at least through MY interpretation of the story) is Peter comes up with the idea to go FISHING. What? Really? Why?

Think of the times when you’ve been struggling the most. You’re depressed. You’re sad. You’re wanting to break free, isolate, and disconnect from everything and everyone. It’s a defense mechanism. And, just in case you were wondering, it’s NOT a healthy one. I believe Peter comes up with the idea to go FISHING because it’s a distraction. He knows it’ll take the focus off of the RIGHT NOW. He won’t have to think about the pain and hurt of his CIRCUMSTANCE. 

Quit playing games with my heart.

God is BIGGER than any obstacle you might be facing. God doesn’t see the VALLEY, He sees the VICTORY! Peter couldn’t see the victory because he couldn’t see Jesus. He was stuck in his mess. He was depressed or whatever he was going through. But once he SAW Jesus, once he RECOGNIZED Jesus, he didn’t STAY WHERE HE WAS! Peter jumped OUT of the boat and swam TO Jesus. There was no question, no doubt WHERE Peter wanted to be and WHO he wanted to see!

When Peter’s focus shifted from Jesus to himself, he was LOST and ALONE, lacking any and all direction. When his eyes found Jesus that all changed. He was immediately filled with HOPE and EXCITEMENT! He couldn’t contain himself or wait to get around him (HELLO! He freakin’ jumped OUT of the boat!).

I think back to that kid in the cathedral and I see Peter. I see a kid who lacked purpose and direction because I lacked RECOGNITION. I didn’t see Jesus. In fact, I didn’t see Jesus for a LONG time. And because I didn’t SEE Jesus I didn’t know where TO GO (unlike Peter who saw Jesus and knew he needed to get in his presence). My heart is fickle. When I SEE Jesus I am PUMPED and EXCITED for life! I have a sense of purpose and direction and believe God can and will do AMAZING things in my life. When I LOSE SIGHT of Jesus I am depressed, anxious, worried, and stressed out. It’s time to quit playing games with my heart and fix my eyes on Jesus.

Reflect:

• If you were to SEE Jesus, would you RECOGNIZE him?
• Do you spend more time running TO Jesus or sprinting AWAY FROM him?
• What changes take place in your heart when you get in God’s presence?
• Are you ready to quit playing games with your heart?

Jesus + Nothing = Everything

Ok. If I’m going to tell this story properly I need to borrow a verse from yesterday’s post, “It’s My Party And I’ll Cry If I Want To” (if you missed it, you can read it here).

Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We are going with you also.” They went out and immediately got into the boat, and that night they caught nothing.
John 21:3 NKJV

There is NOTHING wrong with fishing. I personally LOVE fish. I don’t necessarily want to sit in a boat or stand on a dock all day long, but I’ll pretty much eat fish all day long. There is NOTHING wrong with fishing with your friends. There’s a LOT of downtime while fishing, which means there’s opportunity to chill, hang out, and talk about nothing. So, understand I have NOTHING against fishing and I don’t believe that’s the message of this story. However, there I would like to suggest there is an underlying principle that applies to each and every one of us, regardless of age or location or socio-economic status—God’s plans are GREATER.

It’s not about what you’re DOING, so much as what you’re NOT DOING.

I believe God has created each and every one of us ON purpose, WITH purpose, and FOR a purpose. That’s means you’re no accident! God has a plan for you to do AMAZING, INCREDIBLE things! That’s right. He has a PLAN for you life. A plan He’ll show you if you ask to see it. So, back to this story.

I can’t imagine it was part of God’s plan for these guys to go fishing. No way. Jesus just came back, resurrected from the dead… HELLO! That alone would freakin’ BLOW MY MIND! He comes back. Meets with them a few times. Says, “Hey guys, I’m back.” And these guys go fishing. Again, there’s nothing wrong with fishing, I’m just not so sure it was their NEXT STEP.

“…that night they caught NOTHING,” (emphasis mine).

Jesus + Nothing = Everything

Take a moment and read the next part of John’s story to see what I mean.

But when the morning had now come, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. Then Jesus said to them, “Children, have you any food?” They answered Him, “No.” And He said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast, and now they were not able to draw it in because of the multitude of fish.
John 21:4-6 NKJV

Peter, John, and the rest of the crew head out for the night and catch NOTHING. Who knows, maybe they were distracted. Maybe they were too wrapped up in conversation, talking about Jesus and how he defeated the grave. Maybe some of Thomas’ old doubts crept back into his life and he shared them with his friends. Maybe Peter confessed he was struggling with guilt and shame because he denied Christ. Maybe John reminded every one, “Hey guys, don’t forget I’m the disciple whom Jesus loved.”  Who knows? All I know is they didn’t catch anything. Nada. Zero. Then Jesus enters the picture.

Jesus + Nothing = Everything

Could it be the disciples lost their way? Could it be they were so distracted by life they lost sight of God’s plans? Jesus wasn’t about to leave them there. Jesus knows they’re struggling. Jesus knows they’ve been out all night with nothing to show for it. So what does he do? He offers some help, direction, and guidance. “Hey, I know your plan didn't work out too well last night, but I’m not going to leave you struggling in your mess. LISTEN TO what I’m about to say and DO IT and everything will be ok.”

Without Jesus they had NOTHING.
With Jesus they found EVERYTHING.

Maybe your life has taken a detour. Maybe somewhere along the way you’ve gone off track. That’s ok. I’m sure life sucked for a while, in fact, you might be in it RIGHT NOW as you’re reading this. God is not done with you! He’s offering to HELP! He wants to see you get UNSTUCK! Jesus is willing to give you EVERYTHING in exchange for your NOTHING! Don’t give up. Don’t stop trying. Don't look back. Keep your eyes focused on Jesus and let him lead the way!

Without Jesus you have NOTHING.
With Jesus you’ll find EVERYTHING.

Reflect:

• Explain the phrase, “Jesus + Nothing = Everything.”
• What was your life like when you did what you want when you wanted?
• How has your life changed since trusting Jesus?
• Have you taken the time to ask God for guidance and direction?

It’s My Party And I’ll Cry If I Want To

Blame is easy. Taking responsibility is not. Well, that is, unless I’m taking responsibility for something GOOD then I’m all over that! But when things don’t go well, when things don’t seem to go according to plan (whatever the plan may be), it’s much easier to shift the focus off me and what I’ve done or failed to do and blame someone else. Why?

I don’t like to be wrong. It’s that simple. I think I’m a relatively smart person, so to think that somehow MY plans didn’t work out or I was heading in the wrong direction or whatever, I get frustrated. Ain’t nobody got time for that!

I’m sure you can identify times in your life when you were making decisions that wouldn’t be categorized as SMART. We’ve all been there. Nobody’s exempt from bad decisions. Some people fall into the trap of addiction (drugs, alcohol, pornography, food, relationships, etc.). Some people dig a whole of self-loathing (depression, shame, guilt, self-injury, etc.). Some people lock themselves up in their homes (isolation, detachment, bitterness, resentment, unforgiveness, etc.). Bad decision after bad decision after bad decision. Nobody grows up WANTING to do it, but we do grow up wanting to CONTROL it.

It’s my party and I’ll cry if I want to.

Bad decisions are often masked as GOOD plans. You have wants and needs and dreams and aspirations. You have things you want to do and places you want to see. You have goals you want to reach and things you want to have. How do we get them? We plan. We work. We struggle. We strive. We do what we gotta do to get what we wanna get. It just so happens that our plans (yes, yours and mines) aren’t always the BEST plans.

Here’s a good example taken from the book of John. Take a moment and read it.

After these things Jesus showed Himself again to the disciples at the Sea of Tiberias, and in this way He showed Himself: Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of His disciples were together. Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We are going with you also.” They went out and immediately got into the boat, and that night they caught nothing.
John 21:1-3 NKJV

“I am going fishing.” Seems harmless enough, right? It doesn’t seem like it’s anything too out of the ordinary, especially when you consider they were fishermen by trade. But… was it what they were SUPPOSED to be doing? Was fishing part of the PLAN? And I’m not talking about PETER’S plan (because obviously it was), I’m talking about GOD’S plan for their lives.

There’s your plan and then there’s God’s plan. Your plan might be good, but God’s plans are ALWAYS greater. Your plan might not be all that bad, but God’s plans are ALWAYS good.

It’s my party and I’ll cry if I want to.

I’m not God, so I don’t know what His plans were for these guys, but I do know they went out fishing, all night long I might add, and caught NOTHING. They caught NOTHING! I don’t know how you’d feel, but if I’m out in a boat ALL NIGHT LONG and catch NOTHING, I’m probably going to be frustrated, might even be mad. Chances are I’m going to look at Peter and say, “You idiot. Why’d you come up with this idea?” I’ll fuss. I’ll whine. I’ll blame. But I won’t take responsibility for my own actions and willingness to follow along with the plan.

Maybe you’re in a rut right now. Maybe things just don’t seem to be going like you once imagined. Maybe you don’t have the job you always wanted or you do, but it’s not what you thought it would be. Maybe you’re running in circles. Maybe you’re not moving at all. Chances are you were following a plan; it just wasn’t GOD’S plan. It’s ok. His plans haven’t changed.

God let’s you make bad decisions, but He won’t leave you in them. He’s always there; always available to help you get back on track. His plans haven’t changed; you’ve just gone off course. It’s not too late.

It’s your party, stop crying and ask God for help.

Reflect:

• Do you have regrets from your past? Are there things you wish you could take back?
• Can you identify a time when your plans split off from God’s?
• What happens when you try and wrestle control of your life?
• Have you ever asked God to show you His plans for you life?

What If I Don't Want To?

Where have your plans taken you?
What have your plans gotten you?
How have your plans affected you?

God hasn’t given up on you. You may have messed up in the past, but God doesn’t care. He has plans for you to do extraordinary things! His purpose for your life has NEVER changed! He will heal your wounds and mend your brokenness!

Don’t get so caught up in what you’ve DONE that you miss out on what God is DOING!

God’s plans > your plans (every time without fail).

This Project Won't Go Unfinished

Take a few minutes this morning and walk around your house. Wait; don’t go just yet, I didn’t tell you WHY I want you to do this. Walk around your house and count or write down all the “projects” you can find. I’m not talking about the laundry, I’m talking about the projects you’ve WANTED to do or possibly have STARTED but haven’t finished. I’d be willing to suggest that many of us will find a handful of unfinished projects around the house. Projects that at one time or another we were EXCITED about and couldn’t WAIT until they were done!

But the excitement faded.
The work stopped.
All that’s left is a mess we don’t want to clean up because it’s just easier to walk around it and pretend it doesn’t exist.

This may describe you and I, but it couldn’t be further from who God is. He doesn't just start things. He sees it through to the very end. He completes the task. He finishes His work.

being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;
Philippians 1:6 NKJV

He won’t give up on you.
He won’t walk away from you.
He won’t walk out on you.
He’s always with you.
He’s not done with you.
He’s got something for you.
His excitement for you doesn't fade.
His love for you never fails.
He started it.
He’s gonna finish it.

Reflect:

• What are some of the projects you’ve started in the past, but never finished?
• What’s the significance of God both STARTING and FINISHING the good work within you?
• Do you have the CONFIDENCE mentioned in this verse?
• What can you do to clear up your immediate schedule and make room for your unfinished projects?

Overcoming Your Feelings

What is it about yesterday that’s still bugging you today?
What is it about your past that’s still frustrating you in your present?

Letting stuff go is tough.

It can feel like you’re EXCUSING what he/ she did to you.
It can feel like you’re WEAK.
It can feel like you’re GIVING PERMISSION for it to happen again.

Feelings can be deceptive.

Lie.
Lie.
Lie.

What’s the BENEFIT of holding on to something? Think about it! If it was a GOOD thing, chances are you wouldn’t feel like crap BECAUSE OF IT! You’re still hurting. You’re still frustrated. You’re still bitter. You’re still resentful. You’re still mad. That’s not freedom! That’s called being held CAPTIVE, a prisoner to your past. If you don’t let your past DIE it’ll never let you LIVE!

Reflect:

• What are you still holding on to from your past that’s holding you captive in your present?
• Do you enjoy feeling like you do? Why or why not?
• How would your current relationships changed if you were able to let it go?
• Are you ready to start trusting again?

4 Things I Want to Share With You

Here are 4 things I want to share with you…

#1 Don’t Give Up—today’s a NEW day! If you’re still thinking about yesterday or the day before or some other time from your PAST you’re going to miss out on the PRESENT! Maybe you’ve been set free from your past, but now you can’t stop looking ahead to TOMORROW or next month or 2 years from now. If you’re worried about the FUTURE you’re going to miss out on the PRESENT. The problem with looking behind you and looking ahead is you get lost in between and forget that you have RIGHT NOW! It’s easy to give up when all you’re doing in worrying about things that either already happened (out of your control) or things that haven’t happened yet (still out of your control). You have right now, this moment, and that’s it. You’re not even promised your next breath. Live in the NOW and don’t give up!

#2 Big Things Have Small Beginnings—“Don’t care how, I want it now!” These are the famous words of Veruca Salt, that loveable sweet little girl from Willy Wonka and Chocolate Factory. Isn’t this the way you and I approach life most days? Wait, that doesn’t sound right. I won’t lump you in there with ME… I approach life this way. I see BIG things. I have BIG vision. And I want to get on a plane and fly from point A to point Z, skipping over all the points in between. BIG things have SMALL beginnings. Don’t rush. Don’t skip over the details. There’s a LOT of work that needs to be done and it may be SLOW at first, but the reward in the END will be BIGGER and GREATER than you ever possibly imagined! So, take a deep breath, slow down, and get to work!

#3 People Matter, So Bring’em With You—chances are you can do a LOT on your own. In fact, you might actually believe you do BETTER flying solo. I have ALWAYS felt that way. When I was in school I’d do group projects without the group. The teacher would assign everyone a specific task or whatever (you know, breaking up the workload and responsibility among the TEAM), but I wasn’t havin’ that. I’d meet with the group, tell them I’d take care of it, and complete the project on my own. They’d get an easy A and I’d be satisfied because I knew I’D do a good job. Oh how wrong and dumb and naïve I was (and still am at times). You’ll NEVER know the full potential of what you CAN and WILL accomplish until you surround yourself with a team of people who share the responsibilities with you. We’re better TOGETHER! Don’t sell yourself short. People will drive you and push you to reach the NEXT LEVEL!

#4 Embrace Failure—that just doesn’t sound right. I know what you’re thinking, “Why would I want to EMBRACE failure?” Failure is the result of TRYING! Failure is the opposite of giving up. Giving up means I QUIT. Failure means I’ve TRIED. When you give up you miss out on the possibilities of WHAT COULD BE. You stop before you ever actually try. Failure is the result of chasing after a dream or goal or whatever it might be and simply falling short of the original goal. Plus, when you give up, what the heck do you learn? You just stop. You quit. You walk away. I’ve learned MORE in my failures than my victories and I’ve had a LOT of failures. Now, the FEAR of failure often leads to giving up. Punch fear in the face and keep going, don’t stop, don’t quit, don’t back down, and chase after your dreams and goals and aspirations!!

Don't Forfeit the Game

It was Super Bowl something. I think it was the Bills vs. Cowboys. I don’t remember who won. I don’t remember any details of the game. I only remember one play and one play only (and even this play I don’t remember fully, just one part of it). If I remember correctly, the Bills had the ball and fumbled or it was intercepted or something and this big dude from the Cowboys scooped it up and ran and ran and ran. He was on his way to the endzone. They might as well have put 6 points on the board already. Then…

Don Beebe comes sprinting down the field, passing Cowboy after Cowboy, and just as Leon Lett (THAT’S who it was!) is about to cross the finish line… BOOM! Beebe hits the ball loose and it goes out of bounds. TouchBACK, not touchDOWN. It was crazy. Maybe he got tired. Maybe he thought it was a gimmie. I don’t know, I just know he DIDN’T get in that endzone for a touchdown.

Don Beebe didn’t give up. Don Beebe didn’t throw in the towel. Don Beebe hadn’t had enough.

Don’t forfeit the game.

I believe too many of us give up or stop short before the game is anywhere near ending. We get discouraged. We get disheartened. We lose hope. We stop trying because, “Hey, what’s the point?” Don’t give up. Don’t forfeit the game and miss out on the miracle.

If you’ve been following along the past few days I’ve been walking through John 20:1-10, the story of Peter and John discovering the empty tomb (the place Jesus WAS and no longer IS). Yesterday, we discussed John 20:4-7 and why you shouldn’t “Sweat the Competition.” We read how Peter and John raced to the tomb, but for whatever reason, John stopped short and didn’t go in. Read the following excerpt from John’s book (call the book of John… so original)…

Then the other disciple, who came to the tomb first, went in also; and he saw and believed. For as yet they did not know the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead. Then the disciples went away again to their own homes.
John 20:8-10 NKJV

What did John almost miss out on? What was right in front of him that he nearly walked away from? The miracle. The blessing. It says he WENT IN, SAW, and BELIEVED. He had some steps to take. He had HIS part in experiencing the miracle. Notice how he stayed outside and peeked in and it said NOTHING about a miracle, BUT once he went in and saw for himself, once he experienced it for himself he BELIEVED.

Leon Lett eased up as he neared the endzone. In his mind the touchdown was his. Woulda. Coulda. Shoulda. If only. And he missed out on it. Don Beebe didn’t quit. He didn’t stop. He kept going. He kept running. He gave it everything he had and HE experienced the miracle (or at least stripped the ball).

I would like to suggest that many of us are standing at the door of the tomb. We’re PEEKING in, but we haven’t STEPPED in. We’re too caught up with checking our surroundings and making sure everything’s ok before we take that next step. All the while we’re missing out on EVERYTHING GOD WANTS TO SHOW US AND GIVE TO US simply because we’ve stopped short.

But Nick you don’t know what I’ve done in the past. It’s ok God took care of it.
But Nick you don’t know what I’m going through right now. It’s ok God’s working it out.
But Nick you don’t know what’s about to happen. Worry about RIGHT NOW and let God handle LATER. 

God's not done with you yet.

Don’t forfeit the game.

Reflect:

• Have you already forfeit the game? When have you stopped short in the past?
• What is it you fear or are anxious about that’s keeping you back from experiencing the miracle?
• Are you taking time each morning to ask God for strength and courage to overcome the obstacle?
• Maybe you feel like you’ve already missed out on the miracle, remember God’s plans haven’t changed. Ask Him to help get you back on track.

Don't Sweat the Competition

There’s something to be said about COMPETITION.

P.E. was my favorite subject in elementary school. I was a slightly hyperactive child and P.E. was the only class (outside of recess) that gave me an opportunity to spend my energy. I wasn’t what you’d call a tall child which unfortunately carried over into my adult years, but I was athletic and I was competitive. C-O-M-P-E-T-I-T-I-V-E. I didn’t just WANT to be the best; I was GOING to be the best.

I was going to run faster.
I was going to run further.
I was going to throw faster.
I was going to throw further.
I was going to jump higher.
I was going to jump further.
I wasn’t going to miss.
I wasn’t going to lose.

If there was even a remote chance that you might be better I’d try again and again and again until I KNEW I was going to beat you.

Don’t sweat the competition.

There’s nothing wrong with BEING the best or TRYING TO be the best. Don’t believe me? Read the following story:

So they both ran together, and the other disciple outran Peter and came to the tomb first. And he, stooping down and looking in, saw the linen cloths lying there; yet he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; and he saw the linen cloths lying there, and the handkerchief that had been around His head, not lying with the linen cloths, but folded together in a place by itself.
John 20:4-7 NKJV

Read those first 5 words again, “So they both ran TOGETHER.” We’re better TOGETHER. We push one another. We drive one another. We inspire and motivate one another. We want to climb higher and go further and reach the next level simply because someone else is about to get there, is about to catch up to us, or is right beside us.

Don’t sweat the competition.

Peter and John were sprinting to the tomb. They had just received news that the body of Jesus was missing and they weren’t having that! John doesn’t outright say they were racing, but they did. Peter takes off. He gets a head start. He’s like 1… 2… and John’s waiting to hear the 3, but Peter’s already gone. What does it say happens next? John OUTRAN Peter and came to the tomb FIRST.

Don’t sweat the competition.

A little competition never hurt nobody (grammatically incorrect, but I like how it sounds). A little competition pushes us to reach the NEXT LEVEL. Without competition we’ll settle for what we’ve always had and always done and NEVER try to improve or get better. Don’t SWEAT the competition, EMBRACE it. And while you’re at it, cheer for whoever you’re running against because they’re just tryin’ to get better too!

Reflect:

• How do you respond to competition? Do you settle for just finishing or do you strive for #1?
• Can you recall times in your life when a little competition made you BETTER?
• Have you settled for less simply because you didn’t want to try?
• Do you believe you CAN and WILL accomplish great things because God is WITH you and working THROUGH you?

Don't Take My Word for it

Words have so much power. I think sometimes we neglect to realize just how much power we have through the spoken word. We can build someone up. We can tear someone down. We can make people laugh. We can make people cry. Words have power because we have attached a great deal of meaning to them.

Think of this, when was the last time you heard someone talk about food. Like they’re telling you a story about this fabulous restaurant where the food was nothing short of amazing. They go into such great detail you can actually start to taste the food. It’s as if they flavored their words and stuff’em in your mouth. That’s good stuff (and good storytelling). In the end, were you satisfied?

Did their words somehow make you feel full?
Were you OK with simply HEARING what they had to say?
Were you not enticed to go and check it out for yourself or were you willing to just take their word for it?

I don’t know about you, but I’m packing my family up in the van and heading out to this aforementioned restaurant and treating myself to a mouthwatering smorgasbord (and my family too if they behave).

I don’t want to take YOUR word for it. I want to experience it MYSELF.

Read the following text. John tells us the story of how he and Peter HEARD someone (Mary) tell some crazy story about Jesus and how they responded to the words she shared.

Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. Then she ran and came to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him.” Peter therefore went out, and the other disciple, and were going to the tomb.
John 20:1-3 NKJV

So, here’s Peter and John (who refers to himself as “the other disciple, whom Jesus loved” which I think is awesome!), listening intently to every word, ever syllable uttered by Mary. She has their undivided attention. And she shares with them some news, some BIG news: Jesus is gone. She herself doesn’t know exactly what’s happened; she just knows Jesus is no longer in the tomb. His body is gone. SOMEBODY has taken him SOMEWHERE. Put yourself in their shoes. I can just imagine being overcome with fear and worry and anxiety and anger. How do they respond?

I don’t want to take YOUR word for it to experience. I want to see it MYSELF.

Peter and John left. They rolled out. I’m sure they were grateful Mary said what she said, but they weren’t going to settle for mere words. They weren’t going to simply take her word for it. I’m sure they TRUSTED her, but some things you just gotta see for YOURSELF. And once you see if for YOURSELF there’s no denying it, no excuses, it’s right in your face, clear as crystal.

When you experience it YOURSELF it becomes PERSONAL. Don’t take MY world for it.

Reflect:

• How have you take the “I’ll take your word for it” approach to your faith?
• Are you actively engaging and pursuing a deeper relationship with God?
• What are some areas in your life that you need to PERSONALLY experience?

That's Not Fair!

I don’t like the word “fair”. No, I’m not talking about the place you go to ride rides, I’m referring to what my kids whine about when they say, “Daaaaaaaad, that’s not fair!” There’s no such thing as fair. It’s a myth. It doesn’t exist. They confuse equality with fairness (and they’re not the only ones).

Think about it.

Consider your work place. How many times have you wondered or questioned what someone else was being paid or compensated? Especially when you KNOW you work harder and work more hours. What about when so-and-so received that promotion that you KNOW you deserved? That’s not fair!

Remember that time you were driving and let someone into your lane and THEY got the green light and you had to stop for the red light? That’s not fair!

Oh, and let’s not forget the time you were at the family reunion and uncle so-and-so or cousin so-and-so got the last slice (or slices… especially if you live in America) of __________? I will punch you in the neck for some dessert. No shame in my game. That’s not fair!

Or (and this one goes out to you church people) remember that time when so-and-so was assigned to sing YOUR song at church? That’s MY song! I’VE always sung that song! That’s not fair!

Can I just say… SHUT UP!

I don’t want fairness. Can you imagine if GOD was fair? If God was fair we’d all be going to hell with no hope of EVER seeing even a glimpse of heaven. We rebelled. We ate the fruit. We need to be punished. Hell is that punishment. Oh crap, this sucks, but oh well… it’s only fair.

God is not fair, but at least He’s an equal opportunity kinda God.

God puts people right through their faith in Jesus Christ. God does this to all who believe in Christ, because there is no difference at all: everyone has sinned and is far away from God's saving presence.
Romans 3:22-23 GNT

God doesn't care who you ARE or what you’ve DONE. To Him, there’s no difference at all. We’re ALL in the same boat. We’re ALL bad. We’re ALL far away from His saving presence. We ALL need Jesus. That’s not fair!

It’s ok. He doesn’t have to be fair. He’s God. We WALKED AWAY from Him and He’s been working to BRING US BACK ever since. It's not a matter of FAIRNESS; it’s a matter of CHOICE. If God was fair there’d be no choice because we already made our decision a long time ago.

Reflect:

• When was the last time you wanted to say, “That’s not fair!”
• Would you exchange HOPE for FAIRNESS?
• God looks at everyone the same, do you?
• Have you been made "right through [your] faith in Jesus Christ"?

A Better Life is Just Out of Reach

God is good.
God is ONLY good.
Anything and everything He has in store for you is good.
The blessings He has waiting for you are good.
Even the plans He has for your life are good.
And even though He knows what He has to offer isn’t just good, but BETTER than anything we can do ourselves, He lets us do it anyways.
Again, God is good.
I say He’s good because…

#1 He is

and

#2 He Gives Me a Choice

God KNOWS His plans are BETTER. God KNOWS I’m going to mess up and stumble and fall. God KNOWS that when I fall down I’m going to enjoy it and camp out for a while in my mess. God KNOWS all this and yet He doesn’t force His will on me. He loves me enough to let me make mistakes. He loves me enough to let me wrestle back control of my life. He loves me enough to stand by my side through it all. He loves me enough to help me back up. He loves me enough to show me that His plans NEVER changed and the better life He promised before is STILL within reach.

God is NOT concerned about my PAST. He makes all things new.
God IS relentless in His pursuit of my PRESENT. He’s working all things for my good.
God WANTS to secure my FUTURE. He’ll complete the work He started in me.

Reflect:

• What is it about your past that’s led you to believe God could or would never forgive you?
• What are some of the struggles you’ve faced in life resulting from bad choices you’ve made?
• Do you believe God STILL has plans for your life?
• Are you setting aside quiet time each morning to ask God to show you His plans?

How Can I Be Sure?

And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.
1 John 5:11-13 NKJV

Here are 4 things I want to share with you today…

#1 Your Story Matters—John proves it in this block of text from the Bible. It comes from the book of 1 John, which is written by, well, John. It’s HIS story. He tells of the things HE was an eyewitness to. Hence the beginning, “And this is the testimony…” When was the last time you told YOURS? Somebody needs to hear about what God’s DONE and IS DOING in your life!

#2 There’s Always Hope—And that hope has a name and his name is JESUS! God has GIVEN us eternal life and that life is in His son, Jesus. It’s a GIFT! I’d be willing to suggest it’s the GREATEST gift ever REFUSED! If you KNOW Jesus, you HAVE eternal life. It’s that simple. He gave you HIS life, you give him YOURS. How can you know him? Believe. Believe that he died on a cross for you, as you, bearing the burden of our sins. Then, three days later, he was resurrected, defeating death and overcoming grave. THAT’S why he gives eternal (he rules and reigns OVER death).

#3 You Either Know Him Or You Don’t—And depending on how you answer this determines whether or not you have eternal life. It doesn’t matter how good society says you are or how generous you live, if you don’t know Jesus you won’t see heaven. Jesus says he is the WAY, the TRUTH, and the LIFE and NO ONE gets in God’s presence except through him. Bold, right? Well, he either told a lie, which discredits everything else he said, or he was telling the truth. Do you know him?

#4 Encouragement Goes A Long Way—I LOVE John. He is an encourager. Granted, he might have struggled a little with pride (referring to himself as the “disciple Jesus loved most” and naming all of his books after himself), but, regardless, the words he shared throughout his books inspire me! That’s the POWER in sharing your story! People experience God’s grace through our stories. People who don’t know Jesus want to know why they should. There’s NOTHING wrong with that! Haven’t you ever asked, “What’s in it for me?” Well, John does that here. He writes to confirm what we believe. He says, “Here’s what’s in it for you… in Christ you have eternal life.” Are you living as an encouragement?

Reflect:

• Do you remember the first time you heard someone’s story? What did you think?
• When was the last you shared your story?
• How can your story be an encouragement to someone else?
• Take a few moments this week to write your story, then share it with someone.

The If Then's of God's Promises

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1 John 1:9 NKJV

If… then.
If… then.
If… then.

If (my part)… then (God’s part).

This is probably one of my FAVORITE verses in the Bible. I am incredibly ENCOURAGED by God’s promises. Who doesn’t want a giant helping of forgiveness? I know I do (and if you don’t, let me know because I’ll take your share as well).

We’ve all got a past. We’ve all done things and said things we wish we didn’t do or say. We’ve all fallen short. We’ve all sinned (in Romans 3:23 Paul reminds us that we’re all in this together). Don’t feel bad. It’s not just you. You’re not alone.

Many of us, if not MOST of us, can’t move passed our past. We get stuck; trapped by fear, guilt, and shame. We feel unworthy. We don’t want anyone to find out about it and we sure as heck aren’t going to tell somebody about it.

This is why God’s promise of forgiveness is so flippin’ AWESOME! He doesn’t say, “Shame on you, you’ll never amount to anything with a past like that!” NO!!! He says, “If you CONFESS it, I will FORGIVE it.” Not only will He FORGIVE you, this promise says He’ll CLEANSE you. Think of the last time you spilled something on your pants or shirt and how frantically you tried to get the stain out… why? To CLEAN it! For whatever reason when something is STAINED we consider it RUINED. We toss it to the side. We wear it less. It becomes something we wear when we work on the car or outside in the yard. That’s YOUR life and God doesn’t want you to stay like that!

If you CONFESS…
Then God will FORGIVE and CLEANSE.

Don’t be the dirty shirt. Don’t throw your life aside like it’s meaningless and purposeless. Your past doesn’t dictate your present and it sure as heck doesn’t shape your future! You can and will be made NEW in Christ, through confession. If God says He’ll do it, consider it done.

Reflect:

• You’re only as sick as your secrets. What are the things you need to confess?
• Have you asked God to show you someone you can trust enough to share you secrets?
• If God promises forgiveness and to be made new, why do we avoid it?
• Are you ready to start living an open and honest life?

The Best Possible Response

Remember that time when you did something that really REALLY made your parents mad and, for whatever reason, they didn’t respond in ANGER, but in LOVE?

It’s called GRACE.

It’s not deserved. It’s not earned. It’s freely given.

Grace is the BEST POSSIBLE response to any situation and it’s the MOST DIFFICULT.

Think of a time when you were highly offended (like H-I-G-H-L-Y offended). How did you respond? What did you say? What did you do? Was grace anywhere in the picture?

Grace is God’s gift to us.

He’s not mad at you. He loves you. He wants what’s best for you. He doesn’t want to push you away. He wants to bring you in. He’s not concerned with your PAST, so much as your ETERNITY.

Grace is mercy.
Grace is forgiveness.
Grace is love.
Grace is Jesus.

Reflect:

• How do you typically respond when someone does something you don’t like?
• Can you give grace if you haven’t experienced it yourself?
• Can you think of a time when you did something wrong and weren’t shown grace?
• Are you setting aside time each day to thank God for the grace He freely gives?

It's The Little Things That Mean The Most

There’s something to be said about the “little things.” I always wondered what the “little things” were. I remember hearing, “It’s the little things that mean the most,” and thinking, “What the heck is a little thing?” Is it referring to something small… as in size? Is it speaking metaphorically? It almost sounds like an excuse to not do much. That couldn’t be further from the truth.

I’ve come to realize the “little things” are those things that just don’t mean that much to YOU. You don’t care if you see them or have them or do them or experience them. They don’t grab your attention. They don’t keep you up at night. In your mind they are insignificant. BUT…

The “little things” mean a LOT to the people you LOVE.

My wife loves it when I make her coffee.
My kids love it when I walk them to the bus stop (and wave as the bus passes by).
My dog loves it when I brush him (at least I think he does).

And these “little things” add up to BIG things. It shows you care, that you’re interested, that you pay attention.

The opposite happens when DON’T do the “little things.” In fact, LITTLE problems stack up and pile up and grow into BIG problems. All of the sudden you’re uncaring, disinterested, selfish, a jerk, unloving, and lots of other not-so nice words.

You’ve probably already made a list of the “little things” you DO and DON’T do. You’ve probably even made a list of the “little things” you appreciate that someone else does for you (and the things they don’t do). It’s crazy how something so little can mean so much.

Don’t neglect the “little things.”

Reflect:

• What are some of the “little things” you do for others?
• What are some of the “little things” you neglect to do?
• How do you feel when OTHERS do the “little things” for you?
• What would happen if we ALL spent a little more time focusing on OTHERS (and serving their needs)?

3 Lies About God

What is it about God that makes Him so easy to blame for things? It seems like when times are good and things just happen to be going our way it’s easy to forget God exists and that He’s somehow working things out for my good. On the flipside, it seems like when times are rough and nothing seems to be going our way it’s easy to point a finger at God and ask, “God, why are you letting this happen?” Why is that?

I don’t know. If I knew why I’d write a book. What I do know is that it happens and it happens a LOT. And I’m not pointing a finger; this is something I’ve struggled with (and still do) myself. Here are a few suggestions based on my own experience…

#1 I Don’t Need God—this isn’t true, but I sure do live like it sometimes (more than I’d like to admit). When you’ve got a job, can pay the bills, and have a little bit extra, it’s TOO EASY to fall into the trap of believing you are the provider. The reality is we are the recipients of GOD’s provision. He is the creator of all things. He is the source. It’s all because of Him and belongs to Him. We are merely entrusted with it. When times are good don’t forget to THANK God for what He’s doing, don’t merely pat yourself on the back. When you forget how much you NEED God chances are you’re about to NEED help.

#2 God Is God, But Only When I Want Him To Be—the opposite can be said of God when life kinda hits a rough patch. Maybe you’re going through some marital issues or your kid(s) are acting a bit shady. Maybe you’ve lost your job or someone’s stabbed you in a back. Maybe someone you know was recently diagnosed with some terminal illness or died in an accident. The list goes on and on of all the bad things that CAN and DO happen on a daily basis. And it seems like when our struggles get BIGGER our view of God gets SMALLER. We don’t see Him as the cosmic powerhouse who created the world and parted the waters and brought down fire and healed the sick and raised the dead… no, He’s this little god (notice it’s lowercase) who’s taken by surprise and can’t quite manage to help out. “God, how could you let this happen?” or “God, where are you?” Don’t let your circumstances shape your view of God, but let your view of God shape your circumstances. God is God regardless of how bad things get.

#3 God Is Out To Get Me—here’s where it gets kinda scary. Some of us actually believe God is this vindictive tyrant who’s out to get each and every one of us (or at least you). He WANTS you to experience pain. He WANTS you to suffer. He WANTS to punish you for something you did or didn’t do. Your view of God is shaped more by a belief in luck and karma than grace and forgiveness. God IS out to get you, but it’s not to HARM you, it’s to HELP you. He wants to GIVE you life, not TAKE it. He has something FOR you, He doesn’t want something FROM you. God wants you know what it means to truly LIVE. He wants you to experience FREEDOM and JOY. Guilt and shame are Satan’s tools. Stop blaming God for the bad choices you’ve made and start asking Him to help you through the mess you’ve created.

Reflect:

• When do you typically forget how much you need God?
• Are there times when you fail to recognize God as all-powerful?
• Have you blamed God for stuff that’s happened in your life?
• Do you believe God is in control?

Willpower Will Lead To Relapse

What is it about whatever it is you do that keeps you doing it time and time again? You’ve had those moments of…

This is it…
I’m done…
That’s the last time…
I’m never doing that again…

And yet, if you’re anything like me, those words are nothing more than lies, empty words spoken with a false sense of hope or whatever you want to call it, believing you can somehow WILL yourself to a better life, a life of freedom.

Then it happens again.
And again.
And you make the same promises.
And you break the same promises.

Rinse.
Repeat.

As long as you’re trusting and relying in your OWN strength to overcome whatever it might be this will be all you ever know. We CAN’T do it on our own. We’ve tried and tried and tried. After all, it was OUR plans and OUR attempts that landed us here time and time again.

Freedom begins with Jesus.

Notice I said “begins.” It’s a process, not an instantaneous event. God changes us over time. He is THE source of strength and hope for a BETTER tomorrow! Stop struggling through it alone.

Reflect:

• What thing(s) have you tried to overcome on your own?
• Why is it so difficult to trust God with our everyday stuff?
• Are you taking time each day to turn these things over to Him?