Your Life Matters

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This is true whether you feel like it's true or not. I have to remind myself of that often.

Life can sometimes wear you down, frustrate you and even make you a little crazy. That's normal from time to time to feel that way, I'm pretty sure we all have those feelings (days) on occasion; some more than others. But the question is; What do we do about it?

Should we just roll around in that fog, or give into the fear, the depression? I don't think so ... I don't think that does us any good, and it definitely doesn't help those around us. Now, don't get me wrong - don't lie about it, or hide. Here is the best way I've learned to handle those feelings:

1) Seek COUNSEL - Talk to a trusted friend. Of course talk to God about it! You got to be careful here that you don't just seem like a whiner-complainer-always-down-and-outer ... no one likes to be around those people ... unless they are one of them. I think it's important to be honest about how you feel.

2) TALK positive - Some people are weird here, feeling that they must always say ONLY positive stuff. Those people annoy me, and I am a pretty positive guy. Sometimes it just seem fake, but I am willing to say that I am wrong in my judgment and that's just how they are ... God bless them. I do believe in the power of "positive talk" or what some call "positive confession." There is nothing worse than a "Negative talker," everything is always doom and gloom, end of the world as we know it type people. There is a balance here we should find. I do not believe in ignoring the issue and just making empty positive confessions, but when we are faced with negative emotions I encourage positive words to combat those emotions.

3) DO things that make you feel good - The opposite is true here as well; Don't do things that make you feel bad. This actually brings up an issue I teach on a lot and am passionate about and that is RIGHT LIVING. Nothing depresses us more than living wrong, doing wrong, living sinful lives. This, especially for a Christian, messes us up big time. I know when I have done wrong, told a lie, or looked at something I shouldn't have looked at, I feel terrible and I condemn myself, which I then feel even worse knowing that I have not measured up to God's standard.

4) KNOW that your life does matter - it doesn't matter how or what you feel. Know the truth: YOUR LIFE MATTERS! IT doesn't only matter to God (of course) but your life matters to those around you, and even those you don't know and haven't even met yet. Has anyone brought you comfort, joy, laughter, hope, love, a tear, passion, or forgiveness? Than tell them!

There are many voices out there today; our parent's voice, our boss' voice, our child's voice, our neighbor's voice, television's voice, computer's voice, pastor's voice, our friend's voice ... the voice that matters most is GOD'S VOICE and He doesn't make any mistakes; YOUR LIFE MATTERS!

Only White Republicans Go to Heaven

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When did we become so ridiculously stupid as Christians to believe that only white, heterosexual, evangelical, republicans, who listen to Christian music (except the artists who sinned like Amy Grant, Sandy Patti and Michael English), who completely agree with everything James Dobson says, and have read the entire Left Behind Book series (and think it's anointed and inspired just like the Bible), and think that *Kirk Cameron is a good actor and finally those who have prayed the "Sinner's Prayer" are the only ones going to Heaven?

*Let's be honest here; if there was a show like American Idol for Actors, Kirk Cameron would be the guy they would have on one of the few first episodes. No offense, he is probably a super nice guy, I'm just sayin.

FYI - Jesus would NOT be *Republican or Democrat ... He would be a reformer, an activist, and probably be a registered Independent and if He lived in Kansas City He would attend Mercy Church. (Okay, so the last part is just a funny ... He would be in all the churches where He is being preached.)

*Furthermore, I have nothing against either party ... and I certainly feel we as Christians should be involved, have a voice, but when we start acting like "our" party (which is whatever one "we" are in, of course!) is "God's Party" then we are being a little stupid and off track.

John 3:16 "For God so LOVED THE WORLD that He gave His only Son that WHOSOEVER believes in HIM should NOT perish, but have everlasting LIFE."

Roll With It

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I just returned home from my 2nd Annual Motorcycle Ride to Eureka Springs, Arkansas with 3 of my good friends (Brandon Hollis, Scott Sidebottom and Orin Borgelt.) We had an awesome time, though not without mishaps (no one hurt!)

Thankfully we didn't get rained on, amazing we just so happen to be either ahead of the rain, or behind it at all times ... crazy actually with all the clouds in the sky this week, but it all worked out.

Nothing in life is without incident though, the throttle cable on Brandon's bike actually snapped, but thankfully we were not in a remote part of Arkansas when it happened, and thank God for AAA. His bike ended up being towed to a great motorcycle repair shop YOUNG BLOOD'S MOTORCYCLE REPAIR in Harrison, Arkansas just off 7 HWY (870) 688-5381 ... which was only 18 miles from where we broke down, they fixed it and we were on our way in about an hour.

We made it back to our little lodging place in Eureka for a great night sleep and a great movie True Lies, the star is non-other than the Governor of California. Great acting ... cough, cough! Then woke up the next day for the ride home.

The ride home was beautiful, the roads were curvy, the weather was amazing! We stop in Baxter Springs, Kansas to eat at the Cafe on the Route and had the famous Nut Crusted Catfish with Fried Potato Salad and for dessert Fried Cheesecake ... wow! Amazing.

So we are just 30 minutes from home when my bike started choking on my, coughing and sputtering and spitting. Pulled off in the turnabouts Highway Patrol uses to radar ya ... and noticed that my External Air-filter had blown off, so air, and dust was flying right into my carburetor which isn't good. I couldn't get it started. We went back up the road a mile or two to see if we could find the filter ... no luck, it's like finding a needle in a hay stack essentially. Long story short my Dad came and picked me up, and I had Brandon and Orin go on, no point in waiting with me.

While I sat there just south of Louisburg on 69 HWY another Biker driving by stopped to hang out with me until me Dad arrive with the truck to tow me home. It was fun! My bike is fine, just needed carb cleaned out and a new filter put on.

Lesson Learned:

Life doesn't always go as planned, and when it doesn't just roll with it. The trip wasn't ruined just because we had some mishaps. Actually the mishaps have made for great conversations and memories. I also learned to make sure the air filter is on tight!

Gracious Theology

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I, like many pastors and religious teachers, have a theological position; which is what we believe about God, the Bible and Religious Faith in general. And we all differ a bit here and there.

Augustine of Hippo defined the Latin equivalent, theologia, as "reasoning or discussion concerning the Deity."

In my 20 years of ministry I have become more and more gracious in my Theology (study of God.) I would say that GOD crawled out of the BOX that I had Him in years ago.

I find it strange that we humans have God all figured out. I think we should be a bit uncomfortable when we think we’ve got God and his ways confined to a humanly derived theological system of thinking. We have constructed a systematic theology that we feel good about, or can defend rather then allowing ourselves to follow a mysterious, frustrating, seemingly contradictory God who “sent us His spirit” to lead us into the knowledge of truth ... and we do this by living by faith. Mind you, I love theology, I love to study, debate, ask questions ... I guess over the years I haven't had to have all the answers anymore.

I will be honest, I have an answer to most questions because I am opinionated (my wife can tell ya!) But my heart always speaks up within me and reminds me that I am not all-knowing!

So, there you go ... I am not God, nor are you.

Contentment

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1 Timothy 6:6 "But godliness with contentment is great gain."

Dictionary: Contentment is the experience of satisfaction and being at ease in one's situation.

This is probably the hardest thing for me, to be content. I feel it is okay to "not be satisfied" but we should be content. And I often feel the tension of what I want, or where I want to be vs where I am, which isn't where I want to be ... at least how I had it in my mind. Then there is that famous quote "Enjoy the journey on your way to your destination" that rings in my head often, as it should.

Where we get it wrong is in a few areas I believe; 1) Our definition of "success" and 2) Knowing what really is important and then 3) Realizing that the journey is going to suck even when you arrive to your destination if you don't decide to enjoy it. And finally 4) Comparing ourselves with others.

1) Success - What is success in your mind? What does it look like, feel like, etc. This is what I really had to work on; deciding, or knowing, what is "success" for me ... I then realized, I was and am very successful. For me, loving God, having a wonderful wife, wonderful kids, our health, food to eat, roof over my head, a career I loved, and friends to share it all with ... that was and is success for me. All the other stuff are side issues.

2) Important - Once I defined this for me ... made all the difference.

3) Journey - what is the point if I am only going to be happy, or content "when I get there" wherever that is? The journey is the longest portion of life ... the destination is what we spend our life heading toward. So to enjoy the journey is to enjoy all of life.

4) Comparing - The thing is, I am not on "their" journey. I am on "my" journey ... so it doesn't matter about them, what they got, what they did, or where they are - it's about being where God wants me, doing what He wants me doing. I compare WAY TOO much!

Enjoy the Journey ... those around you will appreciate that so much more!

Bitter vs. Better

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Proverbs 4:23 "Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life."

For the entire month of May I have been speaking about heart issues in our series Heart Surgery. I truly believe that just as the condition of our physical heart determines the quality of our natural life, so also the condition of our spiritual heart determines the quality of our emotional and spiritual life. And this is why we are encouraged to "guard it, or look after it with all diligence".

BITTER vs. BETTER

  • When life doesn't go the way you planned it, do you grow Bitter or Better?
  • Are you Bitter or Better as a result of going through that loss?
  • Are you Bitter or Better now that she/he left you?
  • Are you Bitter or Better as a result of the suffering you have endured?
  • Are you Bitter or Better at your father for abandoning you?
  • Are you Bitter or Better as a result of what your uncle did to you?
  • Are you Bitter or Better as a result of how your mother treated you?
How have you responded to life's issues; Have you grown Bitter or Better?

If I am honest, I have grown Bitter far too many times when life hasn't gone as planned. I have allowed the pain, the hurt, the disappointment to drive a thorn into my flesh more than I care to admit. And it's usually very subtle and can be hidden pretty easily, especially if you are good at covering it up.

So, what about you ... have you allowed your heart to become Bitter at times rather than Better?

THE CURE

I believe it starts with being HONEST with yourself, others and God. And saying, "I'm bitter, help me not be!" Then I believe that REPENTANCE is necessary. True repentance, not just "I'm sorry, please let me off the hook!" But, true repentance, which is a Godly sorry that leads to real change. Then ultimately it's DOING what you would do if you weren't Bitter ... whatever that would be in a given situation. (i.e. You send a letter or make a phone call to the relative that hurt you and say, "I forgive you!" Or if that isn't possible, then just right a letter and drop it in the mailbox addressed to that person with no address on it.)

Taking this step isn't saying to that person, "what you did was okay," or "let's be best buddies now," or "everything is fine now." But what it does do is release YOU from the Bitterness that is killing you.

I say all that, when most of the time growing Bitter has nothing to do with the other person at all ... it's about you and it is just something that you need to take to God ... just between you and Him.

I encourage you to grow BETTER not BITTER when life throws you a curve ball.

My Graduation Day

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I remember Graduation Day like it was yesterday, though it was 23 years ago. The friends, the parties, the girls, the freedom, the joy, the excitement, the nervousness, the confusion, the thrill, the dreams ... and the sadness I felt that day.

In between all the joy and excitement was a sadness that I remember feeling, a sadness that "this high school life" was over. I loved high school and it was changing and knowing I couldn't stay in high school another year, though my grades almost made that happen for me, was very sad. That feeling came and went for the next 12 months as I searched my soul for WHAT NEXT. And that is what matters most ... what happens next, not what happened yesterday. Yesterday is gone, so now what are you going to do?

If you are a graduate reading this (if you know a graduate please forward to them) I hope life brings you all the best it has to offer! I really do! But can I just tell you a six simple things to live by as you venture out on your own to insure that the best does come your way? Thanks!

1) MAKE GOOD DECISIONS! (always ask yourself, "Is this a good decision?")

2) LOVE YOUR FAMILY! (typically they are who you can always trust!)

3) STUDY HARD and/or WORK HARD! (you'll never regret this)

4) MARRY THE RIGHT PERSON! (You get this wrong and you will regret it forever!)

5) READ LOTS OF BOOKS! (leaders are readers)

6) LOVE JESUS & ATTEND CHURCH (most important!)

Life is Like Chess

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"The more good decisions you make, the better your life will be." - Donald Miller (Father Fiction)

Making good decisions doesn't mean that your life will be always (all the time) good. This statement is "generally" true. I guess what I am saying is YES, this is a true statement, but life is life and life isn't always full of good stuff even when you are good. But I can tell you from experience life is way more complicated (bad) when I am making bad decisions. I am sure you will confirm!

Life is a lot like the game of Chess ... when you make a lot of good decisions in Chess it leads to victory, or at least a real good game of Chess. If the other guy is making better decisions than you, then he comes out on top, but if you are making the better decisions you come out on top. But life is not about the "other guy," it's about you. So for you it imperative that you make good decisions as much as you can to insure you do not add insult to injury.

Recommendation:

Read God's Wisdom, the wisdom of Solomon by reading a Proverb a day, everyday!