Having the Victory Over Myself

This morning I read a Tweet that John Piper made in which he wrote "No pastor lives up to what he preaches. If he does, he is preaching too low." I thought about this statement at various times throughout the day, I thought about how I pray prior to preparing and delivering the sermon and I thought about how I examine my life and actions before preparing and delivering the sermon. While I saw the truth in this statement from the very moment that I read it early this morning, I did not fully appreciate it until I did a final review of this Sunday morning's sermon.

Tomorrow (Sunday) morning's sermon topic is "Victory Over Self" based on the Scripture of Galatians 5:16-25. But the truth is this: for those of us who have committed our ways to Jesus Christ, our natural desires have been crucified, nailed to the cross, where it has no power to break loose, but is continually weaker and weaker (adapted from a phrase written by John Wesley).

If I am being totally transparent, which I believe is necessary for a successful pastor, I am desperately in need of recommitting my walk and my ways to Jesus Christ. I am desperately needing to commit to crucifying my sinful nature and natural desires and embrace the free life that Jesus promises and has designed for me once again.

My challenge then is to make this daily commitment, to daily crucify myself, my sinful nature, and my natural desires just as Jesus spoke of in Luke 9:23 or how Paul describes it in Galatians 2. If you are in the same boat as I am, I challenge you to do the same.

Benefits of the Routine

I just put our two-year-old son to bed for a forth time this evening. Lately he has had a lot of trouble going to bed and staying in bed. It seems that the last few nights have ended with me putting on my "scary voice" and laying out the consequences of not staying in bed to him. So far this has worked for us.

It seems that he finds every excuse possible to get up from his bed and to stay out of his bed; the blankets are not straight, he has to go to the bathroom, he wants to kiss us good night just one more time. Tonight was no different and, as I made the trek down the hall and reached deep down to pull out the scary voice, he began to cry, perhaps sensing the frustration in the sound of my footsteps. As I entered his room, he puts one finger up in the air and yells out, between cries, "we just forgot to read one story".

In my rush to get him to bed I had, in fact, forgot to read him a story. After reading him a bedtime story, tucking him in one more time, and kissing him good night. I began to think about our bedtime routine; bedtime drinks, reading stories, praying together, saying good night, singing songs, and more.
When my wife and I started this routine with our oldest daughter five years ago we didn't fully think through the ramifications of the routine; how long it takes every night, all the steps involved, etc. But, although it is sometimes inconvenient and tiring, we see the benefit of each aspect of the kid's bedtime routine and we wouldn't (purposefully) change any of it.

The same is true of our daily devotional time/Bible study/prayer time. First and foremost, it has to be started! Second, it has to be carried out for some time in order for it to become a regular routine. Third, it may, at times, be inconvenient but the benefits of it are immeasurable. The benefits may not be seen at the moment or even the day of this quality, focused time with God, but it will change life forever, this life and the next life.

It's Not Too Heavy.

Yesterday's morning teaching focused on our victory over this world and taught from 1 John 5:3-5.

"This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God."

As we touched on God's commands for His followers there was one illustration that seemed to be especially helpful to our church family.

My five year-old daughter is commonly asked to assist around the house with chores, some she likes, others she does not. As we were unloading the car last week she asked if she could carry in some of the groceries with us. We agreed and I handed her a gallon of milk and asked her to carry it inside. As I followed behind her she seemed to be laboring with this eight-pound gallon of milk and, before making it half way up the walk, she set it down turning to me and announcing that it was "too heavy". I understood and did not force her to carry it any further.

Just two days later my wife and I were sitting in the kitchen while our three kids were sitting in the living room playing and watching television. We heard our five-month old son begin to fuss and stopped soon after. The next sight we had was of our five-year old daughter carrying her five-month old, nineteen-pound brother into the kitchen. When I asked her if he was too heavy for her she responded; "he's not too heavy, he's my brother".

You see, that eight-pound gallon of milk was far to heavy for her to carry, yet her brother, who was over two times the weight of the milk was not. Why was that? Because it was her brother. Because she wanted to carry him. Because she loved him.

When we consider the commands of God, there are times when we begin to think, these are too challenging, too hard to keep, too burdensome for us. Yet, 1 John 5 tells us the opposite. So what is the difference? Love! When we have a deep love for God, we want to keep His commands! No longer do His commands seem to be too burdensome. Why? Because we love Him.

Acts 3:6 : what I have I give you

I was reading from Acts chapter 3, it has a lot of great insights. But this morning, verse 6 caught my attention.

"Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.”

Words spoken to a crippled beggar who was sitting at the temple gate  asking from money. This statement by Peter was followed by a miraculous healing. This statement verbalizes the true Spirit of Christ - give to those in need.

This does not mean that we, as Christians, are to always give to a person exactly what they are asking for, but rather that we should give out of the abundance, out of the gifts, that God has given to us. Read through chapter 3 of Acts and you will notice that this man was begging for money, Peter did not give him money, but rather, he gave him out of the abundance of what God had given to him; the gift of teaching, healing, and leading.

This crippled beggar at the gate was asking for money. This man was poor and helpless due to his disability. Notice the steps that Peter takes here:

1. Peter looked straight at him.
2. Peter spoke to the man and called for his attention.
3. Peter saw through his felt need (money) to the heart of his problem (his crippling disability).
4. Peter spoke healing into his life and into his body.
5. Peter helped him up and walked with him.
6. Peter stood beside the man and defended him.

This is exactly what we are called to do; take notice of those around us, call for their attention, see through their felt need to the heart of the matter, speak healing into their life through the gifts God has given to us, and walk with others, standing beside them and defending them in difficult times.

What are you obsessed with?

We are all obsessed with something or many things. Whether it is ourselves, other people, money, television, the computer, locations, or our possessions, or one of a million other things.

Let's just face it, we are obsessed!

To obsess is "to have the mind excessively preoccupied with a single emotion or topic".

With this definition in mind, I want to be a person that is totally obsessed with Jesus. I want to be a person that is excessively preoccupied with Jesus.

I want to be a person that loves to worship Jesus and takes the opportunity to do so at every chance. I want to be a person that loves to talk and walk with Jesus in readings, study, prayer, and meditation.

But this is just the beginning. I want to be a person that grows to be just like Him; loving and serving just as He did.

And I want to lead others to do the same. I want to lead my family in being totally obsessed with Jesus. I want to lead my church in being totally obsessed with Jesus. I want to lead my circle of influence in being totally obsessed with Jesus.

The Acts 2 Church: the progression then and now

I started reading Acts 2 this morning and then set out to determine what the Acts 2 Church really looked like, or rather, what the progression looked like on and around the day of Pentecost into the first days of the Christian church. Below is what I observed:

1. The 12 Apostles were gathered together waiting for the Spirit of God. (vs. 1)
2. The Holy Spirit fulfills Christ's promise and fills the 12 Apostles. (vs. 2-4)
3. A crowd is drawn to the group of leaders because they recognize and experience something different. (vs. 5-13)
4. Peter addresses the crowd that has gathered around them. (vs. 14-36)
• Explaining (vs. 14-21)
• Teaching (vs. 22-35)
• Response/Call (vs. 36)
5. The crowd respond in question to Peter's message. (vs. 37)
6. Peter further explains and clarifies the needed response. (vs. 38-40)
7. 3,000 people accept the Gospel of Jesus Christ and are baptized into His family. (vs. 41)
8. The people became devoted followers. (vs. 42)
• They were devoted to the teaching of the Apostles.
• They were devoted to fellowship with one another.
• They were devoted to prayer.
9. The people were filled with awe and experience many miracles. (vs. 43)
10. The people developed Spiritual disciplines. (vs. 44-47)
• They were together and shared commonalities. (vs. 44)
• They gave to anyone as they had a need. (vs. 45)
• They met together every day. (vs. 46)
• They ate together with gladness and sincerity. (vs. 46)
• They praised God. (vs. 47)
11. God added to their number every day. (vs. 47)

Now, if you take Acts 2 as "prescriptive", than you believe that we, as a church, should follow the words and direction of the Acts 2 church to the letter and that the church today should look exactly like the Acts 2 church in order to be successful and reach others for Christ. On the other hand, if you believe that this passage is "descriptive" than you believe that it is merely describing a model of the church and that as times and society changes, we as Christians and as a church need to adapt in order to reach others for Christ. Further, if you believe that it is merely descriptive than you must decide how the church should adjust and adapt our methods so that we can reach more people for Christ and therefore fulfill the great commission as found in Matthew 28:18-20.

I take this passage as descriptive and therefore I feel it necessary to determine how our church must adjust and adapt to reach more people in our culture for Jesus Christ. Some of these listed below are foundational and must not be changed, others can be changed based upon the local church body and local culture. This is what I believe God is calling us to:

1. The church leadership must continue to gather together waiting for the Spirit of God.
2. The church leadership must not move forward until they are filled with the Spirit of God.
3. People will be drawn in to the church (attractional) but they also must be invited in (missional).
4. Through the explaining and teaching of the Scripture and the needed response, people will respond. 
5. The response is to be an acceptance, repentance, and baptism - nothing less.
6. As believers, we are to become devoted followers.
• We are to be devoted to teaching.
• We are to be devoted to fellowship.
• We are to be devoted to prayer.
7. As followers, we are to develop Spiritual disciplines.
• We are to give of ourselves and of our blessing as we see a need. (James 4:17)
• We are to praise God with glad and sincere hearts. (John 4:23-24)
8. God will add to our numbers regularly. (Matthew 21:43)

What are you going to do?

These past few weeks this question has been running through my mind. As we approach Resurrection Sunday, or as some call it, Easter, we have been hitting the subject of evangelism head on at our church. I think that all too often we make it far too difficult.
Jesus has left us with the mission of sharing His message with the lost and the hurting. We are obligated by our Master to tell those who do not know and those that need to know about the hope and grace that He, and He alone brings.

Jesus has left us with the promise that He has gone to prepare a place for us to come and be with Him for all of eternity. As believers, this is where we find our hope, our drive, and our passion, to keep on keeping on.

Jesus has blessed us with gifts which we are to use to share the message of love and restoration with everyone that we come in contact with. Further, He has made these blessings known to us through the power of His Spirit and revelation.

Jesus has blessed us with relationships; people that we love and people and have a deep desire to help and offer assistance to.

Jesus has left us with the promise of His ever present guidance, assistance, and support, also known as

So, given all of these things; the obligation by Christ, the opportunity through Christ, and the omnipresence of Christ.....

...what are you going to do?

Let me give you some reasons to get up, get out, and get moving...

Do it for your sake; But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. (Matthew 6:20)

Do it for your loved one's sake; For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. (2 Corinthians 15:4)

Do it for Jesus' sake; eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body. (Philippians 1:20)