LIFE MAP...

NOW FAITH is the confirmation of the things we hope for, being the proof of things we do not see and the firm conviction of their reality not revealed to our human senses [touch, taste, feel, hear and see]. Hebrews 11:1

Dictionaries usually define conviction as a fixed or strong belief. Conviction is really much more than that. Your convictions include your values, commitments, and motivations. I like the definition of conviction I read the other day: "A belief is something you will argue about. A conviction is something you will die for!"

Our convictions determine our conduct. They motivate us to act in certain ways. Do you remember when you first began to follow Christ? You found yourself following what other Christians were doing and role modeling. You may pray, read the Bible, and attend services because you see the examples of others. This is totally ok. It is what we call “learned behavior.” Our children learn the same way by watching us. However, as we grow, we are challenged to develop our own reasons for doing what we do. Those reasons become our convictions. Those convictions, values, and commitments become our LIFE MAP.

God convictions are essential for spiritual growth and maturity. Those convictions we discover from His Word -- from Scripture -- reveal to us what are major convictions and what are minor convictions. What is ironic today is that people often have strong convictions about weak issues (football, fashions, politics, etc.), while having weak convictions about major issues (what is right and what is wrong).

Think about your walk with Jesus and make a list of the convictions you now hold. Ask yourself, “Am I majoring on the minors, and have I allowed the minors to be major?”

Let God’s convictions become your LIFE MAP.

Your Genesis

“Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” (Psalm 51:10). God spoke the world into existence, and God spoke you into your mother’s womb. Even now, he can speak into the chaos and confusion of your life to bring it shape and form.

This is what a Genesis event is. It is where God speaks into the void and the darkness of your life creating for you a new beginning -- a fresh start. God can create something from nothing; he can take a heart that is broken, impure, or failed and create a heart that is whole, pure, and purposeful. God wants to see you pure, so he takes an active role in creating your new heart and bringing order to the chaos of your life. God gives us one responsibility in tough times… submit to his sovereignty, humble ourselves before Him, and ask for his help and trust that He has heard us and is in control. Let God speak a Genesis moment into your heart and into the circumstances of your life. Let me encourage you to acknowledge that “everything that you have--right thinking and right living, a clean slate and a fresh start--comes from God by way of Jesus Christ.”

Make this your prayer: “God renew in me a firm and focused spirit, no longer chaotic or moved by events, circumstances, or feelings. God shape my life by You and by your Spirit flowing through me.”

Give God your chaos. Let God speak into your life creating a new beginning, a new hope, and a new energy. Let God, make a fresh start in you, and shape a Genesis week from the chaos of life.

Fresh Start...

“Because Jesus was raised from the dead, we’ve been given a brand-new life, and have everything to live for, including a future in heaven…” 1 Peter 1:3-4 (MSG).

Evidently, a lot of people would like to have a fresh start in life. If you type the phrase “fresh start” into Google on the Internet, it brings up about 485,000 links! A lot of people would like a fresh start. They think, “I’ve blown it; I’ve messed up; I’ve really made a mess of things in my life. I’d like a fresh start.” Jesus is in the business of giving people a fresh start. The apostle Peter says, “Because Jesus was raised from the dead, we’ve been given a brand-new life, and have everything to live for, including a future in heaven” (1 Peter 1:3-4).

Several things happen once you give your life to Christ:

1. You open up your life to God and get to know Him.
2. You’re given a brand-new life, which gives you everything to live for.
3. You get a future in heaven.

Here is an encouraging way to see the benefits of Jesus resurrecting from the grave: You get your past forgiven; you get a purpose for living; and you get a home in heaven. What a deal! Your past, present, and future are taken care of as you put your trust in Jesus. A fresh start!

“Everything that we have—right thinking and right living, a clean slate and a fresh start—comes from God by way of Jesus Christ” 1 Corinthians 1:30-31 (MSG)

Invite someone with you this Easter weekend to hear this incredible news.

Oh, His Goodness...

God is watching over you.

When King David writes, “Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life…” (Psalm 23:6). He’s not saying, “Surely only good things will happen to me!” The fact is that bad things happen to good people. What David is teaching us is that God can take bad, evil, and difficult situations and bring something good out of them.

It’s one of God’s great promises to us: We can know that all things are working for our good “if we love God and are fitting into his plans.” (Romans 8:28). If you’re a believer, the Bible says all things are working together for good—not that all things are good.

There’s no difficulty, dilemma, defeat, or disaster in life that God can’t ultimately turn toward good. When you understand God’s grace and mercy, there’s no need to fear the future. God isn’t trying to get even with you. Jesus shouldered the penalty for everything you’ve ever done wrong or ever will do wrong. He paid for it on the cross.

So when a bad thing happens, you don’t have to think, “God’s getting even with me.” Mercy, like goodness, follows us in life. Picture a parent following a little child around picking up after them; God is constantly picking up our messes. Christians go toward the future, not with a question mark, but with an exclamation point.

God’s goodness provides and protects; God’s mercy pardons and forgives. God’s goodness will supply; God’s mercy will soothe. God’s goodness will help; God’s mercy will heal.

Goodness is the fact that God gives us good things in life that we don’t deserve. Mercy means God holds back the condemnation we deserve.

IT ALL ADDS UP...

“Reverence for God adds hours to each day.” Proverbs 10:27 (LB)

Do you ever get to the end of your day and think, “Did I accomplish anything? Where does all the time go?”

If you don’t master your schedule, it will master you!

Here are some priceless suggestions from the Bible for countering stress and making your day productive.

• LINE UP your priorities. Obviously, you don’t have time to do everything, and so you must make choices. You must decide what’s really important and what isn’t. Take some time to consider the direction of your life. The Bible says, “An intelligent person aims at wise action, but a fool starts off in many directions.” Proverbs 17:24; “It is stupid to waste time on useless projects.” Proverbs 12:11; “We should make plans—counting on God to direct us.” Proverbs 16:9

• LIGHTEN UP your attitude. Do you really have to do everything on your to-do list? No one is holding a gun to your head; a lot of your stress is self-imposed. The Bible says, “Worry weighs us down…” Proverbs 12:25; “A relaxed attitude lengthens a man’s life.” Proverbs 14:30; “Being cheerful keeps you healthy. It is slow death to be gloomy all the time.” Proverbs 17:22.

• LOOK UP to God. Stress is always a warning sign that you’ve taken your focus off of God and are looking at your problems from your limited viewpoint.

Wow! Proverbs is God’s wisdom for you and I to apply so that life can work.

I believe the single greatest cause of stress is this: We take ourselves too seriously, and we don’t take God seriously enough! IT ALL ADDS UP.

A Lab of Love

Remember in high school when you took Chemistry? There was the classroom where you took notes and researched your textbook. Then there was the lab where all your book knowledge was to be put into practice.

All of you together are Christ's body, and each of you is a part of it. 1 Corinthians 12:2. You are not the Body of Christ on your own. You need others to express that. Together, not separated, we are His family. A church family moves you out of self-centered isolation. The local church is the classroom AND the lab for learning how to get along in God's family and practicing unselfish, sympathetic love.

In a spiritual community called the church, you learn to care about others and share the experiences of others: The Apostle Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 12:26, "If one part of the body suffers, all the other parts suffer with it. Or if one part of our body is honored, all the other parts share its honor." Only in regular contact with ordinary, imperfect believers can we learn real fellowship and experience the New Testament truth of being connected and dependent on each other. Biblical fellowship is being as committed to each other as we are to Jesus Christ. God expects us to give our lives for each other. Many Christ followers who know John 3:16 are unaware of 1 John 3:16: "Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers."

This is the kind of sacrificial love God expects you to show other believers—a willingness to love them in the same way Jesus loves you.

The Elite

Polls… I’ve discovered people know how to answer them correctly, and yet, what I find is that the survey answers are far from being lived out. So let’s imagine… What if a poll was taken about church congregational life? What would it reveal when it comes to the Christ follower actively pursuing relational involvement for the purpose of introducing people to faith in Christ? Often times we are hoping for a program, curriculum, or systematic training when it comes to encouraging us, the Christ followers, to share our faith.

The two greatest commandments Jesus stated -- to love God with all our heart, all our soul, all our mind, and all our strength and love our neighbors -- can best be fulfilled when there is an investment in a relationship. It is a strong belief that God looks on how we treat others, care for others, and serve others, as the genuine measure of what is in our hearts toward Him.

For a large part of my walk with Christ, I have heard the word “evangelism” used over and over again in the advancement of God’s incredible Good news. I have watched how this word has segregated Christ followers with some saying, “I don’t have this gift,” and others appearing to be the elite in the Christ community. The unfortunate result of just having the “elite” share their faith is that we rob the rest of the body of Christ from experiencing Christ fullness in life. We can all find common ground when it comes to relating to people, and all of us can see the world from another’s viewpoint. Evangelism is not for the elite; Kingdom relationships are everyone’s responsibility. Experiencing the fullness of Christ is when we position our hearts to care for the spiritual condition of others.