AAUGH!!

"It happens so regularly that it’s predictable. The moment I decide to do good, sin is there to trip me up. I truly delight in God’s commands, but it’s pretty obvious that not all of me joins in that delight. Parts of me covertly rebel, and just when I least expect it, they take charge .I’ve tried everything and nothing helps. I’m at the end of my rope. Is there no one who can do anything for me? Isn’t that the real question? The answer, thank God, is that Jesus Christ can and does. He acted to set things right in this life of contradictions where I want to serve God with all my heart and mind, but am pulled by the influence of sin to do something totally different." Romans 7:21-25

Have you ever decided that you're going to do the right thing every time?  What happened?  I foolishly believed that I could, somehow, make up my mind that I would always do what is right and pleasing to Abba. When I failed, the frustration set in and I would beat myself up because, once again, I had failed.  Once again, I had proven how weak I am. In my mind, I could hear the laughter of the whisperer and feel his rancid words to my soul "See? I TOLD you that you were a worthless waste!"

Sadly, for many years, I believed the whisperer because I simply couldn't seem to get it right.  I finally reached the place in my life where I just decided to give up.  After all, why bother if I can never do what's right consistently?  It was then I found a book entitled, "When Being 'Good Enough' Isn't Good Enough."  The title alone sparked my interest.  So I purchased the book, a cup of coffee and began to read.  I finished reading that entire book that afternoon.  I couldn't put it down.  It was as if Abba was talking directly to my very need.  

You see, if it were possible for me, in my own strength, to do what's right all the time, then the whole reason for Jesus coming to pay my debt was simply a wasted effort!  However, because Jesus came, walked among us, taught us, loved us enough to die for us, my debt is paid. I owe Abba EVERYTHING!

Did the whisperer go away?  Nope.  He still hangs around telling me how worthless I am and how I'll never amount to anything.  But we both know he is wrong!  Praise be to Abba for adopting me as HIS child and, thus, securing my eternity!

 

FREEDOM!

 Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as an excuse to do evil. Live as servants of God. 

2 Peter 2:16 

 

My brothers and sisters, God called you to be free, but do not use your freedom as an excuse to do what pleases your sinful self. Serve each other with love.  

Galatians 5:13

Yesterday we celebrated our Freedom.  Freedom is a precious gift that we often take for granted.  Grateful am I for all who have fought to get and keep our freedom.

What To Do?

Are you willing to admit that you have blown it in the past?  If you say that you haven't, you're lying!  We all have made some major blunders, real clunkers, superior stupid moves.  Many of us have done things that cause us to blush just imagining the reaction of others if they found out.

So...what do we do with out past?  Do we parade it about like a banner?  Do we dig the deepest hole and try to hide it?  Do we just ignore it?  Do we deny it?

Take a look at Acts 9:17.  No, go look at it!  Read it!  The Apostle Paul dealt with his horrible past by knowing he had been forgiven.  In fact, God has declared every believer forgiven through the sacrifice of the ONLY True Perfect Sacrifice, Jesus Christ.  Yet we have a habit of wallowing and whining about the guilt we carry around because of our past. Listen, Christ DIED for your past and ANYTHING less than recognition of this fact makes a mockery of His blood!

"I, even I, am the one who wipes out your transgressions for My own sake, And I will not remember your sins." Isaiah 43:25

What do you do when you've blown it?  What do you do when your past creeps into your mind to bring you the shame the deceiver wants you to feel?  Simple, get on your knees and confess if before God!  And guess what? When you ask forgiveness for that a second time, God has no recollection of it because He's FORGIVEN you!

News We Need To Hear

The Lord deserves praise!
Day after day he carries our burden,
the God who delivers us.

Psalm 68:19 

 

Maybe you were like me growing up.  We attended the First Baptist Church of Don't.  SO many rules and regulations about how to look; how to act; what to say; to whom to say it; when to speak; when not to speak; what to read; what not to read; where to go; where not to go; and on and on and on.  

 

I felt, as a teenager, that church was a bunch of rules which was a huge burden.  AND I felt, because God's made them, then God was a burden as well.  The more I grew, the more I resented it.  I was tired of carrying so much guilt and anxiety. Constantly asking for forgiveness from God.  Hardly a day went by that I didn't feel like a complete failure and drug that heavy burden of guilt everywhere.

It wasn't until much later in life that I learned how wrong I was.  God isn't the burden.  God carries our burden.  We have to learn to let our burden go. 

I was watching a National Geographic program and found that in Indonesia, farmers will trap monkeys by putting their favorite food in a jar.  The opening of the jar is just big enough for the monkey to slip his hand inside.  But when the monkey grabs the goodies, he can't get his hand back out and becomes trapped.  One farmer put our struggle so perfectly when he said, "All he has to do to be free is let go of his burden."

Isn't it time for us to let go of our burden and let God set us truly free?

Not From Around Here

Above all, you must live as citizens of heaven, conducting yourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ. Then, whether I come and see you again or only hear about you, I will know that you are standing together with one spirit and one purpose, fighting together for the faith, which is the Good News. Don’t be intimidated in any way by your enemies. This will be a sign to them that they are going to be destroyed, but that you are going to be saved, even by God himself. For you have been given not only the privilege of trusting in Christ but also the privilege of suffering for him. We are in this struggle together. You have seen my struggle in the past, and you know that I am still in the midst of it.

Philippians 1:27-30 

 

Did you know that we are not permanent residents of Earth?  We are merely aliens traveling on a tour for a while (if the Gilligan's Island theme song just hit your brain, stop and sing along).  

 

I remember hearing a story about a man from London who wanted to travel around the American South in the early 1900s.  On one of his ventures, he encountered some difficulty when his car ran out of gas.  He saw a farmer in his field and asked him where the next "petrol" station might be along this road....the farmer scratched his head and thought for several minutes and finally told the man it was about 8 miles up the road.  The Englishman began his trek and after some time later he arrived at a diner with a gas station attached.  To his surprise, his car was already there.  He went inside the diner and asked how his car managed to get to the station when the farmer said the nearest gas station was 8 miles away.  The man behind the counter said, "Ya'll ain't from around here, are you? It's 8 miles when you walk along the road, but when you take the logging trail it's only half a mile."

 

Several years ago, the Doobie Brothers did a song called "Rockin Down The Highway" which describes the freedom of the open road.

 

You see, we aren't from around here.  We are merely passing through.  And here's the main point I want you to remember, when it comes right down to the brass tacks:

 our disagreements don't really matter; 

our anger doesn't matter;

our hurts won't follow us;

our stuff won't go with us;

SO when we keep our eyes on the prize and remember that we are just passing through...we are free to live as Children of God!

"And That's The Way It Was..."

Don’t ask, “Why was life better in the ‘good old days’?”
    It is not wise to ask such questions.

Ecclesiastes 7:10 

 

George Bernard Shaw is credited with saying, "If you cannot get rid of the family skeleton, you may as well make it dance."  Let's face it, every family has skeletons.  Every person in every family has things in their past that they would like to forget, from bad decisions to idiotic actions to embarrassing moments, we all have a past. We've discussed this issue before, but it bears repeating because, quite frankly, the past just keeps popping up and distracting us.  

 

I've heard the "good old days" stories and, I know this will come as quite the shocker, have told a few myself.  Yes, I grew up where we played outside as often as possible.  Yes, I grew up riding my bicycle to the store where I traded glass pop bottles for candy.  Yes, I grew up when bubble gum was only a penny.  Yes, I grew up when we couldn't wait for the Sears Wish Book to arrive (and it weighed several pounds). Yes, I did some really idiotic things and made some REALLY bad decisions.

 

But here's the thing to remember (from our last chat on this topic): everything in your past has helped to shape who you are NOW!  And everything that is happening to you NOW is going to shape who will BECOME! 

 

1.  Learn from the past.  It's a great teacher if you pay attention.

2. Don't dwell in the past.  You can't plow a straight line looking over your shoulder.

 

Responsible Freedom

You are free from the law, but that doesn’t mean you are free to do wrong. 

Live as those who are free to do only God’s will at all times. Show respect for everyone. 
Love Christians everywhere. 
Fear God and honor the government.
1 Peter 2:16-17 

July 4, 1776 was declared Independence Day.  Every year we celebrate being free.  We have more freedoms than most other nations of the world.  Yet every single day, we hear of our freedoms being misused or abused.

As Christians we are to live as free people!  BUT freedom also brings responsibilities, and we don't like that.  You see, freedom does NOT mean we get to do what we want, when we want, and no one can tell us otherwise. Some even believe that freedom means we are not responsible for anything regardless who we hurt or what we damage or destroy, after all, "This is a free country! I can do and say what I want."  

Freedom also includes respecting others! (I heard you gasp).  Freedom also means we love others ("are you KIDDING me?  Have you met ____?").  Freedom also means we humble ourselves before God (He did create us, by the way), and we also honor the government WE put in power (want to change the governing body, then vote).

We have incredible Freedoms that cannot be taken away from us!  Celebrate the freedoms by accepting the responsibility of living in harmony with the rest of us. 

God Is How Big?

And we know that God causes everything to work

 together for the good of those who love God and are 

called according to his purpose for them.

~Romans 8:28

 

 

This verse seems to be unclear for many, so let's take a look at it.  How big is God to you?  Is God only God when you think you need Him?  Is God only God when you find yourself on the horns of a dilemma? Is God the one you say "thank you" to at mealtime?  Is God the one you call to when things are not going according to your plan?  Is God surprised by the things we do, think, or say?  Is God ever taken off guard?  Can we hide from God?

 

Let me be blunt...

     * God is the God who spoke the entirety of everything into creation.  

     * God is the God who took dust, shaped it, and breathed life into it and called his breath bag "Adam."  

     * God is the one who told the sea that they can only come so far and no farther.  

     * God is the one who named every single star.  

     * God is the one who knows exactly how many hairs you have.  

     * God is the one who satan has to report to, and God also has set limits on satan (not to mention has already defeated him). 

     * God is the one who knows everything about everything because He made everything.

     * God is the one who tells us not to worry because He has everything under control.

     * God is the one who reminds us to let Him fight our battles for us.

     * God is the one who has never lied.

     * God is the one who cannot be defeated.

     * God is a LOT smarter than we could ever hope to be.

     * God is ALWAYS with us even when we can't see Him because we are focused on our storms.

     * God is the God who takes our screw-ups, mistakes, blunders, and outright defiant rebellion and works it all for OUR good.

     * God is the one who woke you up this morning (and let you see the world around you).

     * God is the one who created all those amazing place we dream about going to relax.

     * God is the one who put the mountains in their place in such a way as to direct the winds.

     * God is also the one who put beaches at the edge of the ocean to draw us there.

     * God is the one who CALLS US BY NAME and loves us more than we will ever understand or appreciate.  He loves us IN SPITE of ourselves.

 

So let me ask you again, "Just how big is YOUR God?"

No Worry Required!

 Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?

Matthew 6:27 

 

Worry....it is one of the biggest thieves of our lives.  Don't think so?  

• How much time do we waste worrying about what other people think? 
• How much time do we waste worrying about how we look?
• How much time do we waste worrying about how we are going to make it through the month?
• How much time do we waste worrying about our future?
• How much time do we waste worrying about our past (especially the parts we hope no one ever finds out about)?
• How much time do we waste worrying about things we have no control over?

Why do we worry?  If we can do something to fix our situation...do it.  No worry required!

If there is nothing we can do to fix our situation...tuck and roll.  No worry will fix it!

 

Worry leads to stress and anxiety.  Stress and anxiety lead to such things as hives, rashes, insomnia, digestive issues, high blood pressure, mental issues, and even heart attacks.  So....is worrying really worth it?

 

Guess what?  Most of the things we waste time worrying over NEVER happen!  Talk about wasted time and effort!

 

Remember: If you can fix it, do it.  If you can't fix it, accept it.  NO WORRY REQUIRED!  

Come To The Dark Side

Dear friends, don’t be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you. Instead, be very glad—for these trials make you partners with Christ in his suffering, so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing his glory when it is revealed to all the world.

~ 1 Peter 4:12-13

 

I remember seeing a documentary on salmon when I was in grade school (and we had a substitute teacher with no lesson plan).  The thing that struck me about salmon is that when it is time to spawn, they head upstream against the current, fighting to overcome the waterfalls, the bears, the fishermen, and all sorts of challenges just so they can spawn. This made me wonder, would it not have been much simpler to just find some shallow pool along the way to spawn?

 

I asked my Grampa, who was an avid fisherman, why the salmon endured all that just to spawn.  Honestly, I was expecting some of his sage wisdom like "because they are stupid" or "Bears and fishermen have to eat."  Instead, his answer made me thing even more because he said, "They do it to teach us."  I didn't understand that answer no matter how much I pondered it.  It wasn't until I was in college that the simplicity of his wisdom hit me like a speed train.  During chapel one Tuesday, the speaker said "Let's face facts, if sin wasn't easy and fun our enemy would be out of a job.  If you aren't bumping into the enemy, you are walking with the enemy."

 

This made everything pretty clear for me.  I shouldn't be surprised when I am tempted to do wrong because the temptation comes in the fact that doing wrong is easy, popular, and fun.  Doing what is right is often difficult because you are going against the popular opinion, and because it is unpopular doing what is right is not fun.  BUT doing the right thing in spite of popular opinion and personal discomfort is what God has called us to do.  God calls us to be different than the world.  God calls us to be weird like that.  

 

So......HI, My name is Paul and I rather like being weird.  Don't always get it right, but I do try and do try to learn. How about you? 

R.E.S.P.E.C.T.

It is God’s will that your honorable lives should silence 

those ignorant people who make foolish accusations against you.

 For you are free, yet you are God’s slaves, 

so don’t use your freedom as an excuse to do evil. 

Respect everyone, and love the family of believers. 

Fear God, and respect the king.

~1 Peter 2:13-17

Respect...what has happened to it?  As a Chaplain and a Minister, I have duties that are celebratory and duties that are somber, and I get to observe how respect is played out in both instances.  For example, I had the honor of conducting a funeral for a man who was, by all accounts, very respected.  Yet, at the service people arrived dressed as though their day at the lake had been interrupted by having to attend this funeral.  

Brace yourself, my inner 'Old Guy' is being released!  When I was growing up, I was taught (painfully at times) that when one enters a building, men are to remove their hat and sunglasses.  I was taught to stand when a lady comes to sit down at the table.  I was taught that, even though we celebrate the life lived, funerals are serious enough to actually come fully clothed.  I was taught to be the first to show respect to others. And most of all, I was taught to respect the flag of this country I have the privilege to inhabit.

We seem to have taken our "Land of the Free' to mean no one matters except ME! We don't show respect, we DEMAND respect to be shown to us.  And respect for our nation's flag has become more of a joke than an actuality. Does anyone else see the problem?

I was taught "Respect is the gift we give that shows others who we are."