But if I accept Christ, I'll have to stop doing all the fun stuff ...

We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea.  We are far too easily pleased."   

-- C.S. Lewis

Leave it to C.S. Lewis to tell it exactly as it is.  Here is another great anecdote, taken from John Tolson's and Larry Kreider's book, The Four Priorities:

Ira Yates owned a sheep ranch in West Texas, but wasn't able to make enough on his ranching operation to pay the principal and interest on the mortgage.  As time passed, he risked losing his ranch.  Eventually, he had to live on a government subsidy.  Day after day, as the sheep grazed on the rolling West Texas hills, he wondered how he would pay the bills.  Then a seismographic crew from an oil company came into the area and told him there might be oil on his land.  They asked permission to drill a well and he signed a contract. 

At 1,115 feet they struck oil - big time!  The first well came in at 80,000 barrels a day.  Many subsequent wells produced twice as much.  In fact, 30 years after the discovery, a government test on one of the wells showed that it still had the potential to yield 125,000 barrels of oil a day.  And Yates owned it all!  Actually, he owned it all on the day he purchased the land.  Yet he had been living on government relief.  A multimillionaire living in poverty!  The problem?  He didn't know about the riches lying beneath his feet and he lacked the ability to get to it.  

In the Holy Spirit, you have more energy for living the Christian life than you could possibly imagine.  It's as if you are sitting on an undiscovered oil well.  Sadly, too many followers of Christ are living below the poverty level when they have unbelievable resources available to them.  Just imagine the impact we could have if only we would allow the spirit of God to fill us and flow through us!  

Now that you know about the abundant life available to you (see John 10:10*), don't overlook the huge reservoir of spiritual riches waiting to be tapped.  God stands ready to help you reach the incredible wealth that is yours.

* "... I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." John 10:10

Look at a banana ...

I'm here on my back porch ... early morning time with God to read his word ... and I'm starting the day with a cup of coffee and a banana.

And I just took a moment to really think about something so simple as a banana ... something we take for granted because it is so commonplace.

But it's pretty miraculous, and is yet another indication the God is good, God is real, that He loves us, and that He is an incredible architect and engineer.

Think about the banana for a sec:
○ It's perfectly engineered, with simplicity and elegance.
○ It is easily manageable and accessible by us and the animal kingdom.
○ It is aesthetically pleasing, with a nice color and texture.
○ It is nutritious.  It is good for us.
○ And it is absolutely delicious! Heck, my favorite candy is banana flavored!

God help me to never be lured in by the silly, basic theories and "educated guesses" of this world about how this all came to be. Let me simply rest in the fact that You are sovereign, that You are the Great Creator, Architect, and Engineer of all of this. 

I am weak, and can be easily swayed. I need Your help. Let me simply rest on Your wisdom, Your logic, and Your reason, and not on the ever-changing sands of this world's thoughts and perspectives. I ask this in Jesus' heavenly and precious and beautiful name. Amen.

How do you view God?

Many in the world today see God as He is not. Many see him as some cruel, controlling dictator waiting for them to mess up.  They see Him as an enforcer of some crazy rules that just don't matter. Those who have this perspective do not know the one true God.

The following inspirational piece by an unknown author illustrates this fact:

At first, I saw God as my observer, my judge keeping track of the things I did wrong, so as to know whether I married in heaven or hell when I die. He was out there so does like a president. I recognize this picture when I saw it, but I really didn't know him. But later on, when I met Christ, it seemed as though life or rather like a bike ride, but it was a tandem bike, & I noticed that Christ was in the back helping me pedal.

I don't know just when it was that he suggested we change places, but life has not been the same since! When I had control, I knew the way. It was rather boring, but predictable ... it was the shortest distance between two points. But when He took the lead, He knew delightful long cuts, up mountains and through rocky places at breakneck speeds. It was all I could do to just hang on! Even though it looked like madness, He said "Pedal!"

I worried and was anxious and asked, "Where are you taking me?" He laughed and didn't answer, and I started to learn to trust. I forgot my boring life and entered into the adventure. And when I'd say, "I'm scared!", He leaned back and touch my hand. He took me to people with gifts that I needed. Gifts of healing, acceptance, enjoy. They gave us gifts to take on my journey, my Lords and mine. And we were off again. He said, "Give the gifts away; there extra baggage, too much weight." So I did, to the people we met; and I found that in giving I received, and still our burden was light.

I did not trust Him, at first, in control of my life. I thought He'd wreck it; but He knows bike secrets, knows how to make it bend to take sharp corners, knows how to jump to clear high rocks, knows how to try to shorten scary passages. And I am learning to shut up and pedal in the strangest places, and I'm beginning to enjoy the view and the cool breeze on my face with my delightful companion, Jesus Christ. And when I'm sure I just can't do anymore, He just smiles and says, "Pedal!"

God is good. First and foremost, he is the Creator of all things, but he is also our Father. And a good Father wants what's best for his children, so he creates rules to protect them, and to point them in the direction of where they should be ... what they were created to be. He is also an extremely patient and forgiving Father, knowing that we will continue to mess up along the way. He does not care to count our mess ups. He simply wants a heart that trust Him and loves Him.

Thank God for that. :-)

God, I thank you ...

God I thank you for a list of things too long to mention in one sitting. The list would fill reams of paper, if I really sat and thought about it. 

I thank you for allowing me to wake up this morning and spend another day in your incredible creation.

I thank you for the breath in my lungs. I thank you for a beating heart, eyes that see, ears that hear, fingers that touch, a tongue that tastes.  I thank you for legs that carry me, and arms that can show love through a hug, or a hand up, or an act of service.

I thank you for the beauty of the sky, of clouds, trees, flowers, of fields of wheat, of the reflective nature of a still lake.

I thank you for the inner and outer beauty of my wife, of my kids, of my parents, of my sister, of my cousins, aunts and uncles, of my close friends, of my brothers and sisters in Christ.

I thank you for the opportunity to live a life that praises you, that worships you, that shows your love and your light to this world.

I thank you for waking me up, God, and showing me the light. I thank you that, despite my sin and the fact that I continue to sin, that you loved me so much that you sent your only begotten Son to die for me ... and if I were the only person on earth, in your glorious creation, he still would have died for me. Just me.

God, I pray that I live a life of thanks, of appreciation for the avalanche of blessings that you have showered upon me and my family.

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good. His love endures forever.

Happy Thanksgiving all.

Just be a good person, right?

"I figure, if you just try to lead a good life and do more good things than bad things in general, you should be okay." -- Many People I Know

David was quoted in Psalm 101 saying, "I will be careful to lead a blameless life ..."  But who has ever led a blameless life?  David certainly didn't. 

Seriously, think about it. Who can say they haven't ever lied, even if it was only a "little white lie"? Who can say they've never gossiped or slandered someone or held a grudge or looked at someone lustfully?  Not even Mother Teresa can say that.  So where do you and I stand?

In our minds, it seems reasonable to think that God would weigh our good and bad, then let us in as long as we have a C average or greater.  But what leads us to believe that?  Seems like a nice thing to believe, but there is no objective reason to believe it at all. In fact, the only objective evidence we have is Scripture, which says something very different.

Scripture says that no one is without sin. Paul was so aware of this that he called himself the chief of sinners. Comparing him to a Hitler or Stalin or a Pol Pot, and you may want to argue with him on that. But what he was pointing out was his hyper-awareness of sin as God sees it. To God, sin is sin, even a little white lie is too much to be near God.

So now what? Should we just stop doing good things, knowing that we have no chance at all?  Perhaps.  I mean, if there was no other hope, perhaps. But there is another, better option for us ... one that God provided for us out of His unending grace and His infinite love for us.

"For God so loved the world that He sent His only begotten Son ..." to die for us and for our sins. You see, Jesus is the only human in all of human history to live a blameless, sinless, perfect life.  His death on the cross was to wipe all of our sins away, past and future. This is why he said "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." He was not being arrogant. He was stating the Truth:  that we, by ourselves and by our actions, aren't enough to be near God and to spend eternity with Him in heaven.  We need to be saved from the repercussions and the slavery of our sins.

Can someone be a good person without believing in God? The answer to that is yes.  But there is absolutely no objective reason for them to be good, and however they define "good" is, frankly, a reflection of the Christian value system. Someone who is being "good", is simply acting like a true Christian (emphasis on the word true there).  Conversely, someone claiming to be a Christian, but then continuing to sin without shame, needs to check their heart as to whether they truly are a Christian.  Christianity is a heart change that results in a behavioral change, not the other way around.

God isn't looking for good works: clean and pretty on the outside, but gross and rotting on the inside. God is looking for a heart change. And that heart change, and nothing else, will result in good fruit. That HEART change will result in a trust and hope in God and his commandments and his promises. A heart change makes a person realize that God's commandments are nothing more then a good father showing his beloved children the way to live life as he designed it. And that is the best, most freeand fulfilling way to live it.

So it burdens me, and saddens me to convey the truth, that a person who is "good" without Jesus is nothing more than an actor.  And that being good most of the time if not virtually all the time is simply not enough.

We need Jesus. NEED Him.

Please seek Him. I beg you. I do not want anyone to be away from God, nor does God himself want to lose any of His creations. But He does love us enough to give us free will, to choose to love Him or reject Him.  This is the only way a relationship can work, where buy both choose to love one another.

It's up to you.  And you do not have plenty of time on this. Please be urgent.

Much love, and God bless.

One Church, please!

I spent a wonderful weekend with my Dad at a Catholic Men's Retreat called ACTS.  Catholics will know what I'm talking about - if you haven't taken part in an ACTS retreat, get on it.  Life changing and - as my Dad said:

"It was a very humbling experience.  One of the highlights of my entire Christian life."

This from a Catholic of 70+ years.  Incredible.  I saw young men with hyper-bravado and a certain swagger of over-confidence speak humbly of how the Holy Spirit had affected them throughout the retreat weekend.  And no, I can't tell you anything about it.  That's the rule.  You don't talk about Fight Club ;).

Here's the thing:  I'm not a "Catholic".  I am a part of the holy catholic church - the body of Christ - but I don't label myself a Catholic (note the big C).  Technically, I go to a "Protestant" church.  More specifically, a Baptist church.  Although I don't consider myself a Protestant or a Baptist necessarily either.

Question:  Who cares?  Answer:  Apparently hundreds of years of Christians on both sides.  Oy.

Consider this:  Do you think Jesus is sitting at the right hand of God the Father Almighty, looking upon us thinking, "I'm so glad they've divided themselves into 758 denominations.  That's exactly what I was going for."?  I'm guessing ... no?  In fact, Paul spoke about this tendency we have to "take our ball and go home".  The Christians in Corinth were arguing about whether to follow Paul's teachings or Apollos' teachings or some other source of teachings ...

"NO!  For the love of Pete!  Christ's teachings and Christ's alone!"  -- Paul (I might be paraphrasing just a tad)

In any church there will be disagreements, some quite substantial.  We need to talk about them humbly and align them with what God seems to be saying through His Word.

Note to Catholics:  I sometimes hear a sentiment of "Why don't they just get over it and come back to the one universal church ... the Catholic church, of course."  Jesus never used the word Catholic, nor is it used anywhere in scripture.  So, let's drop that and humble ourselves.

Note to Protestants:  The Catholics believe in the same triune God, in Jesus' salvation and Lordship,  and in the entire Apostle's Creed ... just like you.  There are some differences in belief that are admittedly substantial, but you need to be willing to hear them out, explain your points, get it out on the table for discussion, and join forces again (just like the Wonder Twins - "Form of ... an Eagle!").

We are called to love our Brothers and Sisters.  We are ALL the body of Christ, and currently we have an arm and a leg over there, and a torso and an ear over there.

Let's come together as one Body as Christ calls us to.  Amen?

So hopeful and anxious for the life of the world to come.  Love you all.

Christianity vs Christians ...

I'm no longer surprised by the random individual who says, "I'm not a Christian, nor will I look further into Christianity because all Christians are hypocrites."  Two reasons why this is a ridiculous statement to make:

1. In any True/False question, you know it's false when you see words like ALL or NEVER.
2. Christians do not have a monopoly on hypocrisy.  Being a hypocrite is nice and evenly spread across humanity, regardless if one is a Christian or not.  It's a human flaw, not a Christian thing.

Next time someone says, "I don't believe in God" or "I don't believe in Jesus", ask "Who do you think God is?"  Upon explanation of who or what they THINK He is, agree with them that you don't believe in the God they just explained either.  

Bottom line, people who don't believe in God have the wrong "god" in mind.  They simply don't understand, otherwise they would run after Him at a sprint.  More than likely, their mind has been branded with a view of God or Jesus from a less than stellar experience with some flawed people (who may or may not be actual Christians, but perhaps claim to be), through an upbringing where they were presented with a false impression of Christianity and God, or from indoctrination into an ideology that is simply false.

Here's a pop quiz for the non-believer reading this:

• Christians are bigots who hate [FILL IN THE BLANK (e.g. homosexuals, muslims ...].  T/F
• Christians and Republicans ... same thing.  T/F
• Churches just want your money.  T/F
• Christians believe what they believe with a blind faith.  T/F
• There is more evidence for the theory of evolution than for the claims of Christ's deity.  T/F
• Islam, Hinduism, Christianity, etc. ... all pretty much the same.  T/F

If you answered T (True) to any of these, you have it wrong.  I recommend you look deeper than sound bites and broad generalizations, and seek the actual truth.  You will be surprised what you'll find and be forever thankful for humbling yourself long enough to seek Him.

God bless you and - regardless of your current position - I love you and so does God (only infinitely  greater than I ever could).

A. God is good.  

B. God is love.  

C. God is just.  

D. All of the above.

(Hint:  It's D.)

Fear God?

Yes.  Not fear of an unjust tyrant, but fear and awe for a remarkable, infinite, breath-taking God.

Or ... fear of what man thinks.  Fear of standing out from the crowd.  Fear of "offending" someone with truth that has not changed for many millennia.  Fear of ignorant ridicule.

Your choice.  Choose this day whom you will serve - the thoughts and opinions of men (that are forever changing) or God's unchanging wisdom.

You Worship Something ....

Everyone worships.  We were created to do so by the One who created us.

No denying it - we see it everywhere:

• We worship a sports team or a specific athlete
• We worship a celebrity or a band or some other famous figure
• We worship money, alcohol, drugs, sex (I've been very guilty of this)
• We worship a person we love or with whom we're infatuated
• We worship the "Universe" (Huh?  Yea.  Whatever that means ...)
• We worship a political figure or party (whichever side on which you stand)
• We worship a philosopher, scientist or other intellectual ... or we worship the philosophy, the science (a.k.a. educated theory) or the ideal emitted from them

So which is it?  What combination of the above do YOU worship?  You know you do.

And how's that working out for you?  Does it provide you peace and freedom?  Does your target of worship give you hope?  Is it eternal and inherently good?  Will it make you a better you?

If not, here's a straight-forward and reasonable suggestion:

Look for something or Someone to worship that will give you peace, give you hope, never fail and never perish, and make you the "you" you were intended to be.

If you'd like to know Who that target of worship is, let me know.  Happy to share.  And by the way, He's waiting patiently for you to seek Him and find Him.

Up to you.  Don't let your pride get in the way of peace, hope, and freedom.

Christianity is a pyramid scheme

Yes, Christianity is a pyramid scheme... and it's not working out nearly as well as the Founder intended.  You see, as followers of Christ we're supposed to be engaged in "reproductive discipleship".

Reproductive Discipleship:  Discipling people to disciple others who will disciple others. (2 Timothy 2:2)

Did you know - as one study has indicated - that merely 20% of all self-proclaimed "Christians" consistently tell others about Jesus Christ?  Fewer still actively disciple new believers.  The study also reveals 95% of those who claim to follow Jesus have never led even one other person to the Lord.  (paraphrased from The Four Priorities, Tolson)

If even 50% of all self-proclaimed Christians actually did as Jesus commanded via the Great Commission ...

Go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.  (Matthew 28:19-20)

... everyone on earth would have been given the correct information necessary to accept Christ by now.  In fact, our world would be a very, very different place than it is today.

Yes - in case you weren't aware - Christianity is a "pyramid scheme" in essence.  Unfortunately, the majority of "Christians" either don't understand that, or are unwilling to obey.

My God, in whom I trust.

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust."  Psalm 91:1-2 (NIV)

In who (or what) do you trust?  Do you believe in safety from financial wellness? Do you believe in a given government official, a candidate, or the government overall to take care of your needs? Do you believe a man or woman, respectively, will fulfill you?  All of these things will fail you.  Count on it.

If we are not looking to God for our fulfillment, we are looking somewhere else that is infinitely less.  Unfortunately, we'll still seek these lesser things.  That's just how we are ... fallen and flawed. 

For me, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust."  He is sufficient without adding anything from me, others, or this world.

Grace wins ... every time.

To the Prodigal Son:  grace wins.
To the woman at the well:  grace wins.
To the thief on the cross:  grace wins.
To you and me and every one of us, all of whom are sinners:  grace wins.

There's a war between guilt and grace. But grace wins every time.

"Where sin abounds, grace abounds all the more!"  -Paul

Jesus, you know just how far the east is from the west.  I can't stand to see the man I've been, rising up in me again. In the arms of your mercy I find rest.  Can you show me just how far the east is from the west? From one scarred hand to the other. -- Casting Crowns

Stay with it to the end!

"But these things are nothing compared to what's coming.   

"And watch out!  They're going to drag you into court.  And then it will go from bad to worse, dog-eat-dog, everyone at your throat because you carry my name.  You're placed there as sentinels to truth.  The Message has to be preached all across the world.  

"When they bring you, betrayed, into court, don't worry about what you'll say.  When the time comes, say what's on your heart - the Holy Spirit will makes His witness in and through you.  

"It's going to be brother killing brother, father killing child, children killing parents.  There's no telling who will hate you because of me."

Stay with it - that is what is required.  Stay with it to the end.  You won't be sorry; you'll be saved. 

Mark 13 (From The Message paraphrase of the Bible)

See it starting to happen?  I do.  But stand firm.  Don't worry about what man says, what man thinks, what man does.  You will have your reward.  Stand up and speak truth!

God bless.

The Intoxication of Existence

G.K. Chesterton had a true zest for life. He saw life as invaluable, an incomparable gift. He wrote a poem entitled, "By the Babe Unborn".  In it, he pictures a baby, laying in the womb of his mother imagining a world of bright blue skies, grassy hills, beautiful trees, still water ... which to him is just a beautiful dream.

But if he could actually be there, to attain that dream, and see such a world and live in it, his gratitude would be unending.

They should not hear a word from me
Of selfishness or scorn,
If only I could find the door
If only I were born.

Babies remind us to be in awe of the world. We should never stop being in awe of babies.

Chesterton said each time a baby is born, it is as if a whole new world has been created, because the world is being seen for the first time by a new soul as if it were the first day of creation. Inside that little head, there is a new system of stars, new grass, new cities, a new sea.

All the true things about happiness have been said and are always being said, and yet we have managed to ignore them.

We put so much emphasis on the pursuit of happiness rather than on the happiness itself. All the things we need to make us reason to be happy live within our grasp. If we pause in our frantic pursuit of happiness, if we stop and try to picture happiness, it is something different from the fuss and frustration that fills our pursuit.

Happiness is something simple and basic. And everyone knows this, if they would only stop and consider it.

From Common Sense 101: Lessons from G.K. Chesterton

Never Be Embarrassed Standing For the Truth

“It is no shame to suffer for being a Christian. Praise God for the privilege of being called by his name!” 1 Peter 4:16

You should never be embarrassed for standing for the truth and doing what’s right. The Bible says in 1 Peter 4:16, “It is no shame to suffer for being a Christian. Praise God for the privilege of being called by his name!”

Let me ask you some questions: 

• Is an insult going to kill you? No. 
• Is a putdown going to kill you? No. 
• Is somebody calling you a name or labeling you because you’ve made a stand for Christ going to hurt you? No. 
• Is some troll on the Internet who’s trying to bait you and get you in an argument going to take you down? No. It’s not going to kill you.

You need to understand something that will liberate your life:  

You don’t need other people’s approval to be happy.

You may have been trying to get the approval of a certain person for many years. I hate to tell you, but if you haven’t got it by now, you’re not going to get it. The good news is you don’t need it! You don’t need anybody’s approval in order to be happy.

No matter what you do in life, somebody’s not going to like it. You can’t avoid disapproval. So if you’re going to have people’s disapproval either way, you may as well have their disapproval for doing the right thing rather than the wrong thing.

This is important to remember as you face opposition. If other people’s opinion matters more to you than God’s opinion, then you’re going to crumble when those people attack you because of your faith in Jesus.  But if you focus on God and what you know is right, then you can make a firm stand.

Stand firm against [Satan], and be strong in your faith. Remember that your family of believers all over the world is going through the same kind of suffering you are. 1 Peter 5:9

From Daily Hope with Rick Warren

Last Two Shekels

Spent the weekend with my folks on Lake Conroe.  As is customary for our trips there, we went to Mass at their church, St. Mary's of Huntersville.  The guest Priest spoke of Elijah and the widow.  Elijah came upon a widow collecting sticks and asked her for some water and something to eat.  She conveyed that she only had a handful of flour and very little oil, only enough for she and her son.  In essence, he conveyed what Jesus would later convey:  give (provide for Elijah's needs) and God would bless that faith in His promises to take care of her needs.  Cutting to the chase, she did, baking Elijah a small cake of bread using the last of what she had.  And as a result of her faith, she had enough flour and oil for she and her son for the next year.

Much much later (from our temporal perspective), Jesus spoke of the woman at the Temple who gave her last two remaining shekels, a tiny fraction of what the Pharisees gave.  Jesus said, she gave FAR more.  How is that?  She gave more because they gave from their surplus, which really didn't hurt much.  She, on the other hand, gave all she had. 

She gave all she had.

How do you give?  Your money, your time, your talent ... how do you give of any of it?  With caution, with reserve, careful not to give too much so you remain comfortable and seemingly secure?  Or with real trust in God's promises?  Throwing worldly caution to the wind?  Unreservedly?  Carelessly (from the world's perspective)?

Every blessing we have is 100% His. He's giving it to us to use, not to keep. 

Do you believe that?  Remember, faith without action shows your TRUE heart. 

As it says in Matthew 7:16, "You will know them by their fruits."  Let your tree of faith blossom, then watch what God does with that faith. 

How GREAT is our God?

We so commonly throw around the adjective "great" that it has lost its proper meaning. In the Bible, great things, events or people are large in size, quantity or quality. And God is great to an infinite degree, because he is limitless. His very nature is overwhelming and mind boggling. His works are staggering and stunning. Consequently, God deserves to be represented by men who have been bowled over by his awesome character. Determine to reflect God's greatness in your life today. With all the strength he gives, resolve to live a remarkable life of integrity and compassion.

From The NIV Bible for Men

Some goodness from Rick Warren: Pressured by the World

“God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers. Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven.” (Matthew 5:10-12 NLT, second edition)

When you feel pressured by the world because you love Jesus and other people don’t, you need to remember three things:

1. Opposition can make you more like Jesus. Jesus says in John 15:18-20, “If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first. The world would love you as one of its own if you belonged to it, but you are no longer part of the world. I chose you to come out of the world, so it hates you. Do you remember what I told you? ‘A slave is not greater than the master.’ Since they persecuted me, naturally they will persecute you. And if they had listened to me, they would listen to you” (NLT, second edition). If you’re going to grow up and be like Jesus Christ, then you’re going to have to go through the things Jesus went through, including loneliness, discouragement, stress, and temptation. What makes you think God would spare you when he didn’t spare his own Son from those things?
2. Opposition will deepen your faith. Your faith is like a muscle. A muscle doesn’t grow by sitting in a chair and eating popcorn. A muscle grows by being stretched, strained, and tested. You’re never going to grow a muscle if no weight is ever pulling in the opposite direction. If you don’t have opposition in your life, then your faith is not growing. The strongest believers in the world right now are those who are having their faith tested the most. The Bible says in 1 Peter 1:7, “These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold — though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.”
3. Opposition will give you eternal rewards. Matthew 5:10-12 says, “God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers. Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven.” God’s going to bless anybody who’s persecuted because they live for him. Notice that you don’t get rewarded for being rude or obnoxious. If you live a self-righteous life when you get persecuted, you’re not a martyr; you’re just a jerk.

You don’t get rewarded for that. You get rewarded for being like Jesus. When you share your faith, you’re to do it with gentleness and respect, just like Jesus, and you will be rewarded for it one day in Heaven.

These are the three things you need to remember whenever you’re harassed for your faith: It can make you more like Jesus. It can deepen your faith. And you will be rewarded for it in eternity.

PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick >>

I WILL Fail

No getting around it. I will fail. I will disappoint my wife. I will let my kids down. I will give my job less than 100%. And I will never live up to God's commands.

But as it says in Psalm 73:26, "My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever."

I will fail if I do it alone. That's guaranteed. But with God, there is no concept of impossible.

I have Jesus. So I will lean on Him, and Him alone.

Ultimate Wealth

"But as for me, my feet had almost slipped. I had nearly lost my foothold. For I envy the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. They have no struggles. Their bodies are healthy and strong." Psalm 73:3-4

Where does ultimate wealth come from? I mean we can chase after money, material items, status ... but where does it all end? Have you ever met someone who is financially well off who doesn't want more? Have you ever bought material things, then 6 months later be tired of those things?

God may bless us with material goods to enjoy, but we must never forget that ultimate wealth is found in seeking and serving Him.

Really, what's better?  Chasing after perishable goods in a finite world?  Or knowing the creator of everything ... forever?

Asking confidently for God's blessing

From 2 Samuel 7:18-29
King David went in, took his place before God, and prayed: "Who am I, my Master God, and what is my family, that you have brought me to this place in life? ... What can I possibly say in the face of all this? You know me, Master God, just as I am. You've done all this not because of who I am but because of who you are - out of your very heart! - but you've let me in on it.
"This is what makes you so great, Master God! There is none like You, no God but you, nothing to compare with what we've heard with our own ears ...
... "And now, Master God, being the God you are, speaking sure words as you do, and having just said this wonderful thing to me, please, just one more thing:" 

"Bless my family; keep your eyes on them always. You've already as much as said that you would, Master God! Oh, may your blessing be on my family permanently!"

Yes God.  Bless my family.  And thank you for your promises.

In Jesus' name.  Amen and Amen.

What is sexual immorality?

Reading in 2 Samuel 1:17-27 this morning, I was struck by the pain, disappointment, and heartbreak felt by David for the loss of his dear brother and friend Jonathan.

"I'm crushed by your death. Your friendship was a miracle-wonder, love far exceeding anything I've known - or ever hope to know."

Touchy subject I know, but with all the talk lately about homosexuality and same-sex marriage, it's important to understand what God has real issue with. It's not the deep type of love that David felt for Jonathan.  And it's not specifically homosexuality. In fact, that's simply a small part of the issue that God is addressing.

God created sexual intercourse ultimately for the purposes of procreation. He made it hyper-appealing and extremely satisfying so that, within the confines of marriage between a man and a woman, man would carry on generation after generation.  He also created it for our joy - again within the confines of marriage.  Thank you God for the gift of sex.

So what is God really addressing with his commands surrounding sexual immorality? It's not specifically same gender sex. He's addressing any sexual activity outside of marriage ... as He defines marriage.  And - ultimately - He's doing this to protect His children. Many of us just don't understand.  And like children, because we don't understand, many of us think what our feelings tell us must be better for us.  But that is extremely dangerous for any child to believe.  The Truth is, God - our Father - knows better than we do.

NOTE:  I know I don't know better, so when I state God's truth on this matter, I'm not stating Greg's opinion.  In fact, Greg opinion doesn't matter what so ever in this discussion.  I simply trust that He is a good, good Father, and that He knows things I don't know.  This is logical.

To be clear ...
○ God has equal issue with premarital sex.
○ He has equal issue with sex with someone who is not your spouse ... period (a.k.a adultery and infidelity).
○ He has equal issue with pornography and the self gratification that comes with it.
○ And He even has issue with lustful thoughts (ones that we allow to linger) outside of those one might have for their wife or husband.
○ And, yes, he has issue with same sex sexual activity.  But He's not pinpointing this sin as higher and/or worse than any other sexual immorality.

God is not instructing us to hold back on this type of sexual activity because He doesn't love us or doesn't want us to be happy. It's exactly the opposite. He wants us to steer clear of this type of sexual deviance because He loves us and want the best for us.  He knows it will never fill us and will only negatively impact us in the end.

Further clarification:
He does not have issue with love and companionship with those of the same gender.  I - a heterosexual married male - have a love for many of my male friends that is a deep and real.  I can even commit my loyalty to those friends. But I can't have sex with them (even if that thought crossed my mind), and I certainly can't marry them, because "marriage", by definition, is only possible between a man and a woman according to the only person who has the right to say so - the Person who created the concept of marriage.

Again, sexual immorality, as defined by our Creator, is nothing more and nothing less than the sexual activity itself outside of marriage.  And before you think that I'm holding myself above this, I too am guilty of sexual immorality in my past.  and I still struggle periodically, although significantly less that I have in the past with God's help. Thank God for the saving grace of Jesus Christ in my life.

Final clarification:
A feeling or inclination for homosexual sex, premarital heterosexual sex, desire to watch pornography, or a desire to have sex with someone other than my wife ... none of these things are sin in and of themselves. It's what our heart does with those inclinations. Do we let the lustful thoughts linger? Or worse, do we act on them? That's when we cross the line between "how we were born" or "how we feel" and step intentionally into sin, according to God.

Unfortunately, our culture is working overtime to tell us the exact opposite of what God has clearly said. And more and more people are buying it lock, stock and barrel.  When we ignore Truth, or aren't even aware of it, we will believe anything.

In essence, those who go forward unrepentant of their sexual immorality are saying, in essence, "We know better than God".

But here's the Good News: 
God wants you, right here and now, exactly as you are. He knows you're amidst sexual deviance.  He also knows your heart. But He loves you and He wants you exactly where you are, and exactly as you are. But he also loves you enough not to leave you that way. If you are willing to humble yourself and give your life to Christ, He will do the work for you, but you must lower your barriers and your ego and trust Him. 

Are you ready to let go of the reigns and trust in Him? I'll tell you from personal experience that it's the best decision you will ever make in your entire life.