Posts by: Brian Dolleman

“Now you and all the people prepare to cross over…” (Joshua 1.2 HCSB)

The cross over is that place of change, transition or movement from one place to another.

Crossing over requires faith, strength and courage.

Change can be unsettling, but it’s no time to curl up in a ball and wish for the “good ol’ days”.

If you live with the belief that your best days are behind you—you will inevitably be pulled backwards.

If you live with the belief your best days are still before you—you push forward.

We use bridges to cross over—moving from one place to another, from where we’ve been to where we’re going.

Bridges aren’t destinations, they are cross over points.

There are no U-turns on bridges.

You can’t drive backwards when you’re on a bridge.

Bridges in large cities often have tow trucks on either side, ready to quickly tow stalled vehicles from the bridge.

In life, we must move ahead, press on, push forward… cross over.

Here’s how the Apostle Paul said it: “Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on… forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead. I press on toward the goal…” (Philippians 3.12-14 NKJV).

Never get stuck!

Keep learning, growing and changing.

Your best days are ahead—not behind you.

It’s embarrassing how little, insignificant things can trigger a mood swing—causing me to go from normal to jerk in 4.2 seconds. I recently had an incident like this at Radio Shack. Ugh. Embarrassing.

When I think about the story of Joseph (Mary’s fiancé), I’m struck with how many opportunities he had to loose his cool (finding out his fiancé is pregnant and he’s not the father, long road trip with his fiancé in her third trimester of pregnancy, crowded village with no hotel rooms available, etc.).

Matthew 1.19 says, “Joseph was a good man…”

Here’s my interpretation of that verse: “Joseph wasn’t a jerk.”

In my book, he had plenty of reasons to flip his lid—but he didn’t. He kept his cool.

It’s easy to be nice when everything is going your way… but not so much when bad news comes.

Maybe Good News—when it gets ahold of us—changes us.

Good News has the power to change jerks, transforming them into good guys. Think about Zacchaeus, the jerk tax-collector-thug—he was transformed into a compassionate philanthropist; think about the naked guy who ran around the cemetery howling and cutting himself—he was transformed into a sane, normal, contributing member of society.

Good News people aren’t jerks (we shouldn’t be—not if the Good News has really gotten ahold of us).

Good News People readily admit they aren’t always right. Jerks are always right.

Good News People have soft hearts. Jerks have mean, tough, calloused hearts.

Good News People are open to redirection, correction and are willing to be led. Jerks refuse to be led.

Good News People have positive attitudes even when the news is negative. Jerks have attitude problems.

Good News People speak graciously. Jerks dish out an endless supply of cruel and hurtful words.

Good News People are kind and willing to be inconvenienced by others. Jerks are gifted in the art of putting themselves first.

Don’t be a jerk.

Nobody’s perfect. We know that already.

But we can be Good News people—good guys who…

• are able to admit it when we’re wrong
• have soft hearts
• are open to redirection and correction, willing to be led
• keep a positive attitude even when the news is negative
• are gracious in our speech
• are kind and willing to be inconvenienced by others
• are willing to be used by God

Every baby I’ve seen wears the official baby uniform: a onesie.

When Jesus was born, he didn’t have much—not the latest and greatest from Babies “R” Us, not a crib, not a rattle, not a binkie… not even a onesie.

Here’s how the Bible tells it: “She gave birth to her first child, a son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them.” (Luke 2.7 NLT)

Baby Jesus didn’t even have a onesie.

He didn’t have the official baby uniform—but he was clothed; he was cared for and provided for.

Ya know, it’s easy to come up with long lists of all the things we don’t have (and all the things we wish we had).

Unfortunately, when we’re consumed with list-making, we quickly lose sight of all the blessings we already have.

Rather than complaining about what we don’t have, maybe we should celebrate what we do have.

Mary didn’t have a onesie for her newborn baby—but she had strips of cloth for him.

Good News people are conscious of their blessings.

Good News people make the most of every situation.

Good News people celebrate what they have.

Good News people are content.

Good News people are grateful.

It’s pretty easy to list what the manger scene was not…

It was not luxurious.

It was not comfortable.

It was not sanitary.

It was not heated or air conditioned or ventilated.

It was not the Overlake Childbirth Center.

It was not a place Mary or any other expectant mother would plan to give birth in.

And yet… it was something.

It was some form of shelter.

It was the place where Jesus was born.

It even had visiting hours—shepherds came and wise men brought gifts.

The story of the birth of Jesus has plenty of bad news: Mary—pregnant before the wedding, Joseph her fiancé isn’t the father, the census and taxes, traveling during the 3rd trimester of her pregnancy, a crowded village, no vacancies, no doctors or midwives or nurses, no extended family there, no hot tub, no shower, no epidural, a crazed king issuing orders to kill all baby boys born in Bethlehem…

That’s a lot of bad news.

Yet, in the midst of bad news, Good News shined.

The Savior, the Messiah, the Lord—was born and this is good news that brings great joy to all people.

Just like it’s easy to list what the manger scene was not, it’s easy list “what’s not” in our lives—highlighting what’s missing, lacking and not working. Yes, coming up with a big list of bad news is easy work.

But we’re Good News people, right?

Rather than complaining about what we don’t have, we celebrate what we do have.

Bad news is all around us, but we shine.

The Apostle Paul said, “I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.” (Philippians 4.11-13)

Permission to speak frankly—and with common sense…

Smallness on the inside keeps us from doing big, significant things for others.

Herod was the big man on campus, the king. He was loud, brash and intimidating. He was consumed with making a bigger name for himself—not by giving to others but by taking from them.

Herod was tiny on the inside. He was a wee little man.

Insecure. Afraid. Paranoid.

When Jesus was born, Herod was asking: “What if Jesus takes my big man on campus position?”

It’s easy to get lost in the “What ifs” of life. Unfortunately, the “What ifs” keep us small on the inside; they prevent us from doing big, significant things for others.

The wise guys, on the other hand, were big on the inside.

We’re not even told their names in Scripture and we don’t know much about them.

When Jesus was born, the wise guys were asking: “How can we bless, honor and give to this newborn King?”

They travelled far with gifts for baby Jesus—gold, frankincense and myrrh. The wise guys didn’t get stuck asking all the “What ifs”…

What if we get lost?

What if we get robbed?

What if Jesus’ family isn’t grateful?

What if they waste the gifts we brought?

No—the wise guys didn’t bother with all the “What ifs”.

In confident trust, they came to bless, honor, worship and give.

People have always wondered what happened to the gold that was given to Jesus. Scripture doesn’t mention it, but there are a two prominent legends…

One story says that the criminals crucified with Jesus were lifelong thieves who, decades earlier, had stolen the gold from Jesus’ family. Another story says the gold was invested and later used to fund Jesus’ ministry—and Judas, as treasurer, misappropriated the money.

Notice: both stories are bad news. They affirm our “What if” questioning.

The reality is—we live in a bad news world.

But we are Good News people!

Good News people are big on the inside.

Good News people don’t get hung up on all the “What if” questions in life.

Good News people, in confident trust—come to bless, honor, worship and give.

Good News people do big, significant things for others.

__________________

Do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you! (Hebrews 10.35 NLT)

Give away your life; you’ll find life given back, but not merely given back—given back with bonus and blessing. Giving, not getting is the way. (Luke 6.38 MSG)

One guy (Herod) worried about something being taken away from him.

Some other guys (the wise guys) came to bless, honor and give.

Same baby Jesus—two different responses.

Jesus would later teach: “Give away your life; you’ll find life given back, but not merely given back—given back with bonus and blessing. Giving, not getting is the way.” (Luke 6.38 MSG)

Some will live like Herod—trying so desperately to get, keep, protect, hoard and preserve.

Others will live like the wise guys—going great distances to bless, honor and give.

Be wise (guys).

Just a random post…

Life isn’t all about the push.

When it’s all about the push, life becomes stressful and joyless.

Ya gotta play—take time to smell the roses, enjoy the journey, laugh and be silly.

Similarly, life isn’t all fun and games.

When it’s all fun and games, life becomes frivolous and inconsequential.

Remember:

When you’re pushing, take time to play.

When playing, get recharged for your next push.

Question:

Do you have enough push in your life?

Do you have enough play in your life?

Insecurity is a ruthless master.

When its insatiable appetite is fed, insecurity morphs into an even worse dictator: paranoia.

The mind of the deeply insecure, paranoid individual is full of all kinds o’ crazy.

Remember Herod?

He was the crazed king of the Roman provinces surrounding Bethlehem at the time of Jesus’ birth.

When he heard a new “King of the Jews” was born, his insecurities started working overtime.

That’s right—this 60 year old King was threatened by a newborn baby.

Herod wasn’t just worried that baby Jesus would take his job from him…

He also feared that his brothers, wife and sons would steal his power—so he had them executed.

History shows that Herod was a madman who murdered anyone he felt threatened by.

What a sad way to live…

Conspiracy theories. Insecure. Paranoid. Always looking over the shoulder. Threatened. No peace. No rest.

Herod believed everyone was gunning for his slice of the pie.

Contrast Herod with some of other characters in the story—the “wise guys”.

They came to be part of something bigger than themselves.

They were secure, confident and full of simple faith.

They weren’t worried about their slice of the pie.

They came to give.

Here’s the point:

Don’t feed your insecurities—you’ll just end up with all kinds o’ crazy.

Instead, feed your faith. Celebrate the good. Be part of something bigger than yourself.

Bad news can paralyze you—cause you to stop, freeze up and put everything on hold.

Good News, on the other hand, gets ya going.

When angels came to announce the birth of Jesus, the shepherds froze.

They were terrified.

They expected bad news—but the angels came bringing Good News.

“Don’t be afraid! I bring you Good News that will bring great joy to all people.” (Luke 2.10 NLT)

This Good News energized, strengthened, encouraged and motivated the shepherds.

They said, “Let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” (Luke 2.15 NLT)

The Good News got them going in the right direction.

Good News does the same thing for us—it moves, motivates, strengthens and energizes us to get going…

“Don’t you realize that it is God’s kindness that leads you to him and changes the way you think and act?” (Romans 2.4 GWT)

Yup, Good News—it’s what gets ya going!

When there was a great military victory by the Roman army, a messenger came bringing the good news to the leaders and people of Rome.

The word describing this message of good news was “Euangelion.”

This same word (euangelion) is used to describe the Good News, the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Mark 1.1 states, “This is the Good News (euangelion) about Jesus the Messiah, the son of God…”

The Gospel is Good News.

The four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke & John) tell the story differently, but they all end the same way: Jesus risen from the dead.

The Gospel is Good News.

It is an announcement of great victory and defeat of the enemy.

The key theme of the Christian message is that God generously offers forgiveness and new life through Jesus.

If Jesus is central in our message—our message is always Good News.

By its very definition, it is impossible to have a bad news Gospel.

If our identity is in Jesus Christ—we are Good News people.

Our message is one of hope, new life, restoration, forgiveness, grace, mercy, peace, joy…

It’s a message of Good News!