Don't Waste Your Life

I wasted 9 years of my life.  Flat out threw them away.  They are gone forever.  I will not be refunded the years.  I cannot begin to tell you the hurt and pain that it caused.  The joy I had was all deceptive because of my impending destruction.  I couldn’t be trusted.  I couldn’t trust.  I coveted.  I was greedy.  I was a liar.  I was a cheater.  I was an adulterer.  I ate lies.  I hated.  I had no compassion.  It wasn’t the good ole days.  It was me living life, circling the drain, and running into hell carrying my own death sentence.

There is a world of hurt all around you right now that is fighting frantically for your attention and affection.

Satan tries to mesmerize you.  He tries to entice you.  He tries to lead you away in lust.  He tries to envelope your mind.  He’ll woo you.  He’ll lure you.  He’ll promise you seemingly satisfying things. 

Genesis 4:7 – sin lies at the door and its desire if for you.

                                   

Satan wants you to be comforted with mediocrity.  He tells you half truths.  He’ll say, “This is good for the eyes, it’ll make you wise.”  Gen 3:5.  He won’t finish that thought.  The end of his statement is, “It will destroy you.” Any amount of “good” that you feel out of believing his lies are a waste of your life.  He wants you to be satisfied with good or okay.  He wants you to have a long life of comfort and half hearted efforts at love.  You will have small tastes of joy. 

Ephesians 4:17-24 MSG - And so I insist—and God backs me up on this—that there be no going along with the crowd, the empty-headed, mindless crowd. They've refused for so long to deal with God that they've lost touch not only with God but with reality itself. They can't think straight anymore. Feeling no pain, they let themselves go in sexual obsession, addicted to every sort of perversion.  But that's no life for you. You learned Christ! My assumption is that you have paid careful attention to him, been well instructed in the truth precisely as we have it in Jesus. Since, then, we do not have the excuse of ignorance, everything—and I do mean everything—connected with that old way of life has to go. It's rotten through and through. Get rid of it! And then take on an entirely new way of life—a God-fashioned life, a life renewed from the inside and working itself into your conduct as God accurately reproduces his character in you.

Ephesians 5:3-10 MSG - Don't allow love to turn into lust, setting off a downhill slide into sexual promiscuity, filthy practices, or bullying greed. Though some tongues just love the taste of gossip, those who follow Jesus have better uses for language than that. Don't talk dirty or silly. That kind of talk doesn't fit our style. Thanksgiving is our dialect.  You can be sure that using people or religion or things just for what you can get out of them—the usual variations on idolatry—will get you nowhere, and certainly nowhere near the kingdom of Christ, the kingdom of God. Don't let yourselves get taken in by religious smooth talk. God gets furious with people who are full of religious sales talk but want nothing to do with him. Don't even hang around people like that.  You groped your way through that murk once, but no longer. You're out in the open now. The bright light of Christ makes your way plain. So no more stumbling around. Get on with it! The good, the right, the true—these are the actions appropriate for daylight hours. Figure out what will please Christ, and then do it.

God wants great things to mark your life. 

Some of you reading this are called by God to be pastors, teachers, and worship leaders.  All of you reading this are called to be preachers and leaders. 

God has a bigger plan for your life than you have for your life. 

Whatever it is you do with your life after this, know that there are so many around you that need to hear the Gospel.  I beg you, please be responsible with the gift that is in you through Christ Jesus.  The lives of those around you depend on it.  Preach the Gospel to every creature.

When was the last time you did something for the first time?

You know the adrenaline rush, the nerves, the excitement, or that feeling of purpose.  We've all had it.  That slow climb up that huge roller coaster knowing that as soon as you get up to the top, you are going to take off and experience something great.  That coaster drops, and you are off to the races.  Fast turns, sharp turns, quick drops, and possibly a loop or two, and you feel more alive than you did 5 minutes before.  The air in your face, your stomach in your throat, and the screams from the people around you all add to the reality that what you are currently doing, is something special.  Now while it's been over 3 years since I've experienced a cool roller coaster, I've still been able to feel that rush, adrenaline, excitement, and felt satisfied.  I'm a professional fire fighter in a major city.  Daily we are experiencing situations that bring the hype.  I've seen things that I can not explain in words.  Some things beautiful.  Some things tragic.  Some things heroic.  Some things miraculous.  But after 11 years of doing that, it too can, at more times than not, become mundane.

There is more you can do to feel that again!  Like most, I tend to find my most satisfaction helping others.  Nothing is quite like sharing the Gospel with someone who you can just feel in your heart needs it.  Tears of joy, hearts pounding, and far most importantly, God is getting all the attention!  Talk about a rush.  Another addition to the Kingdom.  I've gone into spiritual warfare battles that had me more fulfilled and excited than most things you can experience.  I'm not writing this isn't to hype me up.  I've missed out on more opportunities to share the Gospel than I'd like to admit.  And even more I've missed that I didn't recognize.  Again, this isn't a platform for me to boast.  This sense of urgency should be in all our hearts as the people around us are hurting, and could use some "Good News".  After all, that's what the Gospel is. 

There is a world of hurting going on around us, and an abundance of grace.  Reach out to those hurting around you.  Preach the Gospel.  Lead.  Learn.  Teach.  Disciple.  Love.  Laugh together.  Cry together.  Live the calling that God has assigned to you. 

The protection in relationships

I watched this nature program about ocean life.  There was this part that where a swordfish was trying to get a meal.  He stumbled upon what looked like an easy lunch.  It was a school of fish.  When the swordfish was poised for his attack, the fish were swarming or schooling.  They looked like a tornado funnel swimming is brilliant patterns.  As they swam, they stayed in tight patterns.  They all knew what to do.  They've seemingly done this before.  The swordfish couldn't separate the group to single out a few to devour.  After a while, the swordfish gave up.  The fish had one like mind.  They knew that strength came from unity.  They knew that if they stayed part of the body, they would be more safe.  At the time when it meant the most, they put aside differences, and worked together for a common goal.  Life!

I know that there are a number of ideas on your mind and pictures of you've seen of similar situations.  Let's compare these fish to us.  If we, the church, could adapt that mindset, we would also have greater unity, more strengths, and less division.  Like the disciples back in the church's beginning, we should be in one accord.  The enemy who roams as a roaring lion would be crazy to attack a greater prey.  The lion would recognize that the group would overpower him, and have another testimony.  But if he can cut you off from the group, he'd have you in an instant.  Divide and conquer is his plan.  Offense, pride, and lust are his weapons. Cutting you off from the body is his purpose.  Know your enemy.  Fight back.  Remain in submission to authority.  Cast down pride.  Walk in humility.  Love everyone.  After all, a church in unity can accomplish all they'd set there minds to!

Dream big!  Write the vision and make it plain, so that those who read it can pick it up and run with it!

The importance of relationships

Busy-ness... The crutch of our lives.  Pt. 2

I feel the need to address the wrongness of busy-ness.  Some who have read this might not see why the day consuming busy things we do are choking us.  The number 1 reason is it chokes our faith.  That was touched on in part 1 of the blog.  The number 2 reason is we can't pour into relationships the way we desire.  We don't have time for people that need us.  We don't have time for people we need.  Human nature is interdependent.  None of us are completely independent.  I went through my "punk" stage in life thinking I was independent and didn't need anyone else to live life.  All the while, I was living at my parents house.  Then I got wiser.  I thought I was a "self made" person.  After high school, I had a few career type jobs.  Thinking that since I was making money and had benefits, I was "self made" or "self reliant".  That was the scarier of the two deceptions.  The first was teenage identity crisis.  The second, however, I believed.  I could justify it in my mind.  I really believed it.  Even though, the other people picked up my applications, I felt I made me.  I didn't see the importance of relationships, being a giving neighbor, and loving those around me.  That paradigm shift didn't get through my thick skull until I gave my life to Jesus Christ.  At that moment, I felt a desire to live longer, love deeper, and search myself basically daily for the deception that lied within me.  The Bible wasn't joking when it said that "...sin is waiting at your door to grab you. It longs to have you. But you must rule over it."  Genesis 4:7 NIRV.  By cutting myself off from the people around me, I was being pulled down the wrong path.

We need God-fearing people around us.  As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend.  Proverbs 27:17 NLT.  We need healthy relationships.  We need people in our lives that know our junk.  Be responsible with whom you choose to "unload" on.  If you don't have anyone around you that you can tell all to, find a local church body.  Don't necessarily spill out to the first person you see on the first day.  Try the church.  Stay for a period of time.  Talk with the Pastor and leaders.  Become friendly.  Make friends that will judge you with righteous judgment, not to condemn you, but to sharpen you.  Get some accountability partners.  Start with one.  Make it a person you can open up completely to.  MAKE SURE THEY ARE THE SAME SEX AS YOU.  You don't want an inappropriate relationship. 

We are not independent.  We need to be a part of the Body of Christ.  We need to have healthy relationships.  We need to have accountability.  We need to give Godly wisdom to friends in need.  For the sake of those around you...  Don't stop learning!

Busy-ness... The crutch of our lives.

I've heard it said that if you are "comfortable" in your life, you aren't walking by faith.  I know for a lot of us, life itself requires our faith just to make it day to day.  Whether it's our relationships, jobs, bills, or health, we can be overwhelmed by life.  I have to think though, at some point, that's what the devil wants out of us.  We think the devil wants to completely obliterate us.  And while that may be true, he can't.  However, there are some things he does.  I think our busy lives are cluttered with waste, worry, fear, and doubt.  We can get so caught up trying to make it through our day, that the thought of Jesus dying on the cross draws hardly a glimpse of our attention.  As I was praying during worship this morning during second service, I thought about all of the battles we fight first thing in the morning.  Some of us get "punched in the face" by our situations before we can get our first coffee or brush our teeth.  Some of us even go to sleep fearing the day to come.  This night, when you go to bed, pray for the peace of God to rest in your hearts and calm the storms raging in your thoughts.  Maybe ask the Holy Spirit to guide you in praying for someone else.  Maybe try to think of the Cross and what it symbolizes when you first wake up.  I can't help but think of 1 Corinthians 15:33-34.  Those words changed me.  Check it out!

If you don't own a Bible, go to BibleGateway.com.  Passage search 1 Corinthians 15:33-34 in the New Living Translation.

12 Steps of an Affair

A message taught by a Pastor I trust.  It's a good message.  For all of us who are married, it's a relevant teaching.  The Pastor that taught this says most if not all of us have made it down the first 3 steps.

1.  Something causes you to lean away from your marriage.  It can be an argument or disagreement.
2.  Awareness of another person.
3.  An unplanned and innocent meeting opens a door to a connection.  I agree with the Pastor.  These first three steps are innocent and unplanned.  At this point, you haven't necessarily done anything wrong.  Wisdom after the third step would slam that door shut on the connection.  Communication with your spouse can close unhealthy doors and open doors that will strengthen your marriage.
4.  The meetings become intentionally planned at least by one of you.  You may never know they are intentionally crossing your path.
5.  You linger in conversation.
6.  Personal conversations about your feelings.  DANGER DANGER DANGER.  This sparks an emotional bond.  This is the start of the inappropriate relationship. 
7.  Isolated meetings under the guise of something important or legitament.
8.  Isolated meeting to talk about each other.
9.  Embrace or playful touching.
10.  Embrace becomes passionate
11.  Adultery happens.
12.  The bomb on your life is dropped.

Steps 1-6 can take 3 years.
Steps 7-12 can take 1 hour.

Guard your marriage.  Love your spouse!

Broken Heart? Forgive

For us that have or have had hurt in our lives, we need to be set free.  I have this looked at this more and more over the last 8 months.  We carry baggage.  We all do.  Whether it's from our experiences, or the experience of others.  We can get to a point in our lives where everything we see, we see through the hurt.  We don't trust.  We become skeptical.  We look for conspiracy and motive often as an antagonist of a good heart.  A friend, a colleague, a mentor, or your family, children, or spouse may say something completely innocently.  But through our hurt / heartbreak, we see deception.  I do realize that for some, the hurt is justified.  Abuse is a tough time to deal with.  Offense can be justified time and time again.  Perhaps, rightfully so.  However, we are talking about healing a broken heart.

Walking around bitter at those who've hurt you doesn't help you.  Think about it this way.  Quite possibly, the person who hurt you doesn't know that they have hurt you.  All the while, you cling to the hurt.  At times, when you see that person, they are oblivious to the damage done, and try to carry on as "normal".  But you, the whole time, are breaking.  That root of bitterness can be summed up in a quick analogy.  It's like you drinking poison, and hoping someone else gets sick.  That offense takes so much away from your happiness, you tend to be on the receiving side of the poison.  Twice. Some situations seem to be deeper than a "He hurt my feelings" or "She doesn't respect me" tag.  However, that doesn't change the fact that they might not realize the hurt that's the result of the situation.

This excess baggage, for some of us, can be our excuse.  I know this doesn't apply to all situations, but we can wear it as a medal.  Like it justifies our lives.  Either way, I'm not here to judge. 

I'm sure everyone reading this has someone or some situation on their mind where you can pinpoint an offense that bothered you or and offense that you didn't take the bait on.  We need to make a conscious effort at relieving ourselves of these weights that we carry around.  There is a way that we all can live life again.  I know when I went through my "closet" that I've held on to, I was able to get to a point of openness and honesty with myself that I hadn't realized possible.  After that, I could be open and honest with the ones that I was offended or hurt by.  I personally think the 11th Commandment would have been, "Thou shalt not kid thyself".  It causes us to chuckle, but carries some truth.  We know what our "junk" is.  We need to deal with it.  If we don't, we can run around with this baggage for years or decades.

We must forgive.  It's not a question.  We need to speak it aloud to ourselves.  We need to hear it.  When we are able, we should forgive the offender if at all possible.  The liberation for you to know that you are not being controlled by fear will bring new life!  There are some rooted offenses that can only be broken by the power of the name of Jesus Christ.  It's the truth!  There are situations that I've been through or a part of in some way, shape, or form that could only be resolved with the love of Christ opening my heart.

Mend your broken heart.... Forgive!

Chocolate pudding and Cheerios

Gotta love FHYM games!!!

Not much of a blog.  More of an explanation of the picture.  My left nostril was not happy.

Here's a thought...

^6-8If you preach, just preach God's Message, nothing else; if you help, just help, don't take over; if you teach, stick to your teaching; if you give encouraging guidance, be careful that you don't get bossy; if you're put in charge, don't manipulate; if you're called to give aid to people in distress, keep your eyes open and be quick to respond; if you work with the disadvantaged, don't let yourself get irritated with them or depressed by them. Keep a smile on your face.

 ^9-10Love from the center of who you are; don't fake it. Run for dear life from evil; hold on for dear life to good. Be good friends who love deeply; practice playing second fiddle.

 ^11-13Don't burn out; keep yourselves fueled and aflame. Be alert servants of the Master, cheerfully expectant. Don't quit in hard times; pray all the harder. Help needy Christians; be inventive in hospitality.

 ^14-16Bless your enemies; no cursing under your breath. Laugh with your happy friends when they're happy; share tears when they're down. Get along with each other; don't be stuck-up. Make friends with nobodies; don't be the great somebody.

 ^17-19Don't hit back; discover beauty in everyone. If you've got it in you, get along with everybody. Don't insist on getting even; that's not for you to do. "I'll do the judging," says God. "I'll take care of it." 

Simple principles are so quick to spark our intellect.  However, they usually fizzle out just as quickly with the smallest of stresses.  A small pinch in our "comfort" zones, and we throw out simple truth.  If we can grab a hold of these simple principles and apply them to our lives, we would all much better fulfill our purpose.

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