American Dream

We live in an amazing country -- a country that the entire world desires to visit or reside. Each day we meet people chasing after the American dream. If we were asked, would we find ourselves like others chasing the American dream? I used to think the American dream was a house, a nice car, and 2.5 children. Yet recently, for many people, that dream seems to consist of even more -- chasing after greatness, stardom, popularity, and even power. It is the reason for all the reality shows filling our TV airways. How many times have we seen the dejected? The tears of dejection flowing, because all of the hope they wrapped up in that one moment of opportunity, is suddenly lost. Their hopes and dreams of greatness dashed away, and they are left wondering, “Where will I find greatness now”?

What we are seeing today is not new. People have always been chasing the dream of greatness. It has always been with us, and it will always be in us to chase the dream of greatness. Yet, our greatness is not what we achieve or the awards we receive. Greatness and significance is found in the contribution we make through our life in serving. Jesus said, “He who desires to be the greatest among you will be a servant to you.” According to Jesus, the power chair, the popular chair, and the prestigious chair are all found in the serving chair.

God designed all of us to make a difference with the life He has given each of us. While our culture is pushing us to chase the dream of getting the most out of life, God created us to add to life. If we are going to give our lives for something, give it for a cause that will give real significance. God wants to use you to make a difference in the world. He wants to work through you. Exhaust yourself in your donation of service and ministry to others, and discover how your life will take on real meaning.

G.R.O.W.

Ok, here we go. I want to challenge you to grow. The statement I am about to make I believe, without a doubt, that you will agree with: “The number one cause of the problems we encounter is immaturity.” We find ourselves getting into all kinds of problems by saying immature things, making immature decisions, acting in immature ways. I know this may sound simple, but we just need to grow up. Let’s take the letters G.R.O.W. and follow a simple path that will provoke us to grow.

God - It is God’s will for every person that they grow. Hebrews 6:1 says, “Let us go on to maturity.” Simply put, God says, “Grow up.” That is why it is imperative that you belong to a local Bible-believing and practicing church, because the purpose of a spiritual community is to help each of us who belong to it to grow spiritually, emotionally, mentally, and relationally. One of God’s purposes for His Church is to help perpetuate individual growth.

Read - As a Christ follower, one asset to growing is learning the priceless value of reading God’s Word for yourself. Basically learning how to feed yourself. In Hebrews, again, the writer challenges us by stating, “You have been Christ followers for a long time now, and you ought to be teaching others. Instead you still need someone to teach you…” Here is a simple action plan for reading: Pick a daily or weekly plan; get a journal so you can write your observations from your reading; read in a group so you can dialogue if you have any questions; meditate on how you can apply to your life a truth or a principal that you have discovered; and ask God through the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit to help you live it out.

Obey - Jesus said, “You say I am the authority over life but you don’t even do what I say.” “Those who love me obey me.” Jesus went on to state that obedience is not following a bunch of church or denominational rules. In fact, it is the total opposite. Our obedience is a reflection of how much we value our relationship and our love for Him. Obedience, when it is relationally driven, is a mark of maturity and growth.

Walk - Make a choice to walk by your God-deposited faith and not your feelings. I can only walk it out by the power of the Holy Spirit and in the company of other Christ followers pushing me on. My walk reflects what God desires for me as His child – to grow… My walk is a direct result from a daily habit of what I am reading…. My walk is a love statement to Him that I not only hear Him, I choose to obey Him…

A little lengthy with this blog, but well worth your time…

Your Choice...

The moment a child is born, they automatically become part of the global family of humanity, and yet that child also needs a specific family to receive nurturing and care to grow up healthy and strong.

Now take that same physical truth and apply it to us spiritually. When a person is born again, they automatically become a part of God’s family worldwide, and yet they also need a local spiritual family to belong to. Here is the difference between attending church and committing yourself as a core member of a church family: Attenders spectate from the sideline; members get involved. Attenders consume; family members contribute. Attenders want the benefits of a church family without sharing the responsibility. It is similar to couples who want to live together without committing to marriage.

Why is committing to a local church family beneficial to your spiritual growth and spiritual maturity? Because it reveals your love and commitment to your spiritual brothers and sisters in reality, not just in theory. God wants us to serve each other, encourage each other, build each other up, spur each other on to spiritual growth, pick each other up when we fall or fail, and to share life with real people not ideal people.

If you are looking for the perfect, ideal church family, you will spend your entire life looking and never settling. Simply put, you will not find one. Yet what you will find in a church family is imperfect people like yourself that God challenges each of us to love. And as we learn to love each other and serve one another, we find ourselves spiritually growing in the image of Christ.

Response-Able Money Management...

Many people have a hard time seeing how money management can help accelerate their spiritual growth. I believe with all my heart that people who experience the reconciling love and personal relationship with Jesus Christ want to take that experience and develop a deeper and more mature relationship.

You may not realize this, but money management has a profound effect on your spiritual growth as a Christ follower. The Bible tells us that money is a tool and money is a test. It is a tool used for good. We are told in God’s Word to use our money to show our love for people. Don’t use people for money, but let your money influence and show your compassion for people. The Bible tells us that we are not taking our money with us. We are going to have it for a little while, so use it now to fulfill God’s purpose’s for your life.

Money is also a test. It is a test of our character. It tests our faith. It tests our priorities. It tests our values. It tests our responsibility. It tests all kinds of things in our life – spiritual maturity, faithfulness, and other things like that. The Bible says that God is watching how we use what He gives us.

God wants us to be blessed in every area of our life; this includes our finances. And yet, for us to be blessed, we have to be blessable. Being blessable results from how we are RESPONSE-ABLE with the resources that God gives us.

Being response-able begins with trusting God as your main source more than trusting other resources. Response-able is giving God the first and best part of our income and not our leftovers. It’s keeping good records, seeing the value of a savings plan, setting a budget, and being content with what you have rather than exhausting yourself for more.

In Matthew 6:31-33, Jesus gives us wise counsel: Don’t worry…Your heavenly Father already knows what you need, and He will give it to you IF you give Him first place in your life AND live as He wants you to.”

Start 2010 off with a healthy God-designed plan for your finances and watch God’s blessing upon your life.

Living the Life...

Is there someone we can look to that lived life? Someone who not just existed in life but who lived a life that had meaning, worth, and significance? Yes...Jesus Christ. Is there anyone who can give us solid, firsthand knowledge and advice on the life that Christ lived? Yes...Peter. Peter walked with Christ and saw firsthand how Jesus lived His life. So what can he pass on to us about Christ?

How do we live the kind of life that God wants and designed for us to live? I have always wanted to do something significant and important with my life. I have discovered I am not the only one. When I talk with others, I discover that everyone wants to live a meaningful and significant life. Take time this week and read the book of 1 Peter in the Bible, and you will discover how to live the life of significance that God wants you to live.

The reason this is so cool is that this is the Apostle Peter passing down to you and me what He learned and watched from Jesus Christ. At the end of His life, Jesus was able to say to God the Father, “I have finished the work You gave me to do on earth and I brought you glory and honor on earth.” When He was on the cross, Jesus made a final statement to God: “It is finished…it is done… it is complete.” Wouldn’t you like to be able to say at the end of your life with a real sense of fulfillment, “It is done... it is complete… it is finished”?

What did Peter see from Christ that we can do to start living in such a way that our lives improve their impact and influence?

• Peter saw how Jesus set His goals and went after them.
• Peter saw how Jesus lived significantly in His relationships with other people.
• Peter saw how Jesus maximized and managed His time.

When you think about what Christ did for people, you know His life was in major demand. People needed him, but if He would have used the “people need me” card, then he would have lost focus of His mission… His relationships with all of them would have been casual with no closeness… His time would have been consumed with the urgent or high profile platforms. Jesus never stopped serving… Jesus never got away from being humble… Jesus never worried about life.

If we are going to live a life of significant meaning, then we need to set our focus on serving… on being humble… not worrying. Set goals… Do real, authentic life with others… Control your time with the important and not the urgent.

Possessing Your Future...

Two years ago, my wife and I visited Israel. There were so many souvenir options, but I was looking for that special one. I decided on this olive wood carving of Joshua and Caleb bringing fruit back in when they were spies and went to spy out the Promise Land. Joshua is one of those leaders in the Bible who we all can draw inspiration from when it comes to stepping into and possessing our future.

Joshua and the children of Israel were on the verge of crossing into the Promise Land. The previous 40 years were filled with wandering in the wilderness, but it was time for Joshua to possess his future. In chapter one in the Book of Joshua, God said, “Joshua, you got a tremendous future ahead. God is going to do great things in your life. But there are going to be challenges, battles, but I [God] will be with you. Be encouraged, be strong, be bold.” These were God’s promises to Joshua that His future would be secure because God promised it. Yet it was up to him to step into it and possess it.

What does 2010 and beyond hold for you? The answer is a mixture of blessings and battles. God says to you, “I have great things I want to do in your life. I have thoughts you haven’t even thought of. How I want to bless your life!” God says the best days of life are ahead of you. There are going to be challenges, and there are going to be battles, but God promises to be on your side when it comes to your future.

In order to take hold of and possess your future, let’s do what Joshua did. Joshua’s strategy came directly from God. God knows each of us will encounter battles when stepping into and possessing our God-promised future. So He wants to empower us and encourage us. Like Joshua, God says to you and I if you do this it will make an impact on your life and bring you “success.” The strategy from God is simple yet profound.

Here it is:

* SET UP A PLAN
* STAY IN HIS WORD
* STEP OUT IN FAITH

You can find out more about this God strategy in the Bible in the book of Joshua. Take a moment to read it.

As your pastor, I pray you and your family have a God-blessed 2010.

God & Me...

What would you like to change in your life? I have discovered everyone of us desires to change. As I was growing up, I heard people say, "Jesus changed my life." How does Jesus change your life? Does He do surgery or brainwash you? Does He zap you with something and all of a sudden you're changed? There's a lot of confusing advice coming out nowadays on how God changes us. Some people say, "Just wait on the Lord," which is a passive approach. Other people say, "If it's to be, it's up to me," which is an activist viewpoint. What am I supposed to do in order to grow? Is it all me, or is it all God, or is it a combination?

The Bible gives us a clear answer regarding this issue of spiritual growth. When it comes to our spiritual growth, the fact is that God has a part and you have a part. Paul uses two phrases to explain this cooperation:

"Continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to His good purpose." Notice "work out" and "work in". Work out is your part. Work in is God's part. We are to work out what God is working in.

This doesn't say "work for" your salvation. It says "work out." He is saying you need to develop what you already have. Work out the implications. If you're born again, start growing. Work it out. What do you do in a physical workout? You do a workout not to get a body but to develop the body you already have. When you work out a puzzle, you already have all the pieces. You've just got to put it together.

Our part is that we work out the implications. Here is God’s part: God is the energizer for change in your life. He says, "I will give you the power to do what you want to do, need to do, and know what is right to do. I will empower you, energize you." God is the energizer to will and to act. He will give you the will power and the ability. He'll give you the desire and the capability to change.

You are a part of His family. Take your salvation seriously; it has eternal implications. Nothing is more important than your own spiritual growth. Take it seriously.