Category "Life With God"

When I was 5 years old, I wanted more cookies.

When I was 10, I wanted to go everywhere my big sister was going.

At age 16, I wanted a later curfew, a homecoming date, a driver’s license and keys to a car.

The endless list of things I’ve wanted over the years include: a master’s degree, a tan, a job, a better job, a raise, a girlfriend, a better girlfriend, a wife, a baby, six pack abs…

Currently, I’m finding myself wanting more time, more sleep, more storage space, and well… more cookies.

We graduate from one desire to the next and live in a constant state of wanting.

We get something we wanted, then quickly move on to the next desire.

Wanting isn’t necessarily bad.

Wanting can cause us to grow, improve and reach goals.

Wanting can also master us.

Focusing on what we want next can easily distract us from what’s most important NOW.

Many people go through life with the sense that real life is still waiting for them—out there, somewhere, AFTER they get what they’ve been wanting.

It’s important to realize:

Your current situation has a potential for growth that will never again exist at any other time in life.

Right now is an opportunity.

Right now is a gift.

Think about this…

The first man, Adam, was single.

He wanted a wife.

Can you imagine if Adam took out a classified ad in the Eden Times…

“Single man, very spiritual, down to earth, likes gardening naked, allergic to snakes. Seeking life partner who wants innumerable descendants.”

Adam was single for a while.

God had a job for Adam to accomplish while he was single—naming all the animals and birds.

I imagine that took some time and creativity energy.

After that, God made Eve and introduced her to Adam.

God knew what Adam wanted and needed.

God provided perfectly for Adam, but he also had purpose for Adam in his time of wanting.

In our times of wanting, God has significant work for us to accomplish.

Trust God. Don’t obsess over what you don’t have.

God knows what you want and need… and he will provide perfectly for you.

Never allow wanting to master you.

Right now is an important time.

God has significant purpose for you NOW.

Sometimes, we get so anxious for the next season, we start forcing things…

Making something happen.

Taking short cuts.

Compromising.

Doing the wrong thing—hoping to get the right thing.

Unfortunately, forcing what God hasn’t endorsed produces all kinds of problems.

Remember Abraham?

God promised Abraham and Sarah that they would have children.

After the promise, Abraham did his part and waited, and waited, and waited…

Years.

Lots of years.

And Abraham started getting anxious.

He began thinking “I need to take control and make something happen.”

So Abraham slept with Hagar (his wife’s housemaid) and she became pregnant.

Abraham forced the situation—and thought he got what he wanted (a child).

Yeah… Abraham had a child, but he also created a crisis in his home.

Things got messy quick.

Problems.

Division.

Fights.

Separation.

A broken family.

Abraham slept with Hagar—he forced what God had not endorsed.

Abraham sleeping with Hagar was unfortunate, because God did deliver on his promise.

Sarah (Abraham’s wife) became pregnant and they had a child.

What’s the lesson for us?

1. Sometimes God’s promises aren’t fulfilled as quickly as we would like.

2. Be patient. Believe. Don’t give up. Trust. Learn to be OK with the wait.

3. Don’t “sleep with Hagar”—Never force what God has not endorsed.

I wonder what percentage of our lives we spend being discontent, anxious, unhappy… trying to get to what’s next?

Single—trying to get hitched.

Poor—trying to be rich.

Working this job—trying to get hired for another one.

Young—trying to be old.

Old—trying to be young.

The truth is: there are no perfect people and there are no perfect situations.

Situations change us less than we think.

We make false assumptions about the impact of a situation change:

“When I make lots of money, then I will become generous.”

“I’ll be happy when I get married.”

Basically, we’re tricking ourselves into believing that a particular situation will be perfect.

Unfortunately, there are no perfect situations.

There are no situations completely free of stress, drama, conflict, lack, challenge…

Paul, writing from a Roman prison, said, “I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.” (Philippians 4:12)

I love the language Paul uses: “I know how to be…”

How about you?

Do you know how2B?

Do you know how2B single?

Do you know how2B poor?

Do you know how2B a good employee where you work now?

Maybe we should spend less time trying to get to what’s next and more time learning how2B.

Whatever situation you’re in, depend on Christ’s strength to give you confidence, peace and joy in that situation.

And really be there.

Be present.

Make the most of the situation.

Show up.

Be 100% there, right now.

Know how2B!

There are no perfect people.

There are no perfect places.

There is no perfect state of being.

Arriving at that next stage or new season doesn’t make everything perfect.

Challenges, struggles, problems and failures will follow you there.

We easily fall into the trap of pursuing greener grass (which exists in the always elusive elsewhere).

In our searching and striving for something better than this, we lose sight of God’s work in our lives here and now.

Sometimes we try so hard to be:

someone else,

somewhere else

or with someone else…

that we miss what God has for us in THIS moment.

“Don’t be wishing you were someplace else or with someone else. Where you are right now is God’s place for you. Live and obey and love and believe right there.” (1 Corinthians 7.17 MSG)

Where you are right now is God’s place for you!

Live and obey and love and believe right there.

Sure, it’s not perfect (and neither are you).

But God is with you.

He’s working in you.

So experience His grace, blessing, healing, provision… where you are right now.

On Sunday, I showed a clip of Billy the Exterminator. He was on the job—dealing with an infestation of cockroaches.

People were squirming and laughing.

Billy began explaining how the younger cockroaches feed on the older cockroaches’ droppings.

The audience really started laughing when Billy said, “The older/bigger ones go crap in the corner, and the younger ones eat it.”

Yuck.

I couldn’t stop thinking about that all day.

It made me wonder: what are we leaving behind for the next generation?

Is that bumper sticker that says, “I’m spending my kid’s inheritance” true in the church?

Are we feasting, only to leave our droppings behind for the young?

The people of Israel had a saying: “Sour grapes eaten by parents leave a sour taste in the mouths of their children.” (Ezekiel 18.2)

This old saying speaks of what we pass on to the next generation.

Let’s not leave sour grapes (funky attitudes) as an inheritance.

Let’s not leave our droppings as food for our kids.

Instead, let’s think generationally and invest in the young!

When Jesus told Peter, “Feed my lambs” – he wasn’t talking about feeding them sour grapes or crap.

It’s our privilege to bless, provide for, invest in, encourage, believe in, support and set up for success—the next generation.

He picks up the poor from out of the dirt,

rescues those who’ve been thrown out with the trash…

seats them among the honored guests,

a place of honor among the brightest and best.

Psalm 113.7,8 MSG

I’m thankful for a God who sees beyond my dirt—giving me value and worth.

Here are some books I’ve been reading (enjoyed & would recommend)…

If Grace Is So Amazing, Why Don’t We Like It? by Donald McCullough

http://www.amazon.com/Grace-Amazing-Why-Dont-Like/dp/0470491604/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1285968938&sr=1-1

The Upside of Irrationality by Dan Ariely

http://www.amazon.com/Upside-Irrationality-Unexpected-Benefits-Defying/dp/0061995037/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1285968919&sr=1-1

Prodigal God by Timothy Keller

http://www.amazon.com/Prodigal-God-Recovering-Heart-Christian/dp/0525950796/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1285968902&sr=1-1

The 15 Revolution by Paul Scanlon

http://www.alm.org.uk/shop/product_details.php?id=9780955580444

Sun Stand Still by Steven Furtick

http://www.amazon.com/Sun-Stand-Still-Happens-Impossible/dp/1601423225/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1285968866&sr=1-1

Surprised by Grace: God’s Relentless Pursuit of Rebels by Tullian Tchividjian

http://www.amazon.com/Surprised-Grace-Relentless-Pursuit-Rebels/dp/1433507757/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1285968493&sr=1-1

How about you?

What (good) books have you read recently?

My daughter and I watched a couple episodes of Billy The Exterminator last night.

That show always makes us laugh… and squirm.

Bugs.

Rodents.

Snakes.

Reptiles.

Infestations.

Mullets.

Braided, beaded chin hair.

Fingerless black leather gloves with spikes.

It’s like Dog the Bounty Hunter for insects and animals.

This is Billy’s business – and you can tell he’s pretty excited about it…

He squeezes into crawlspaces, climbs into attics, wades in swamps – invading the territory of creatures.

Concerning creatures: I like to keep a safe distance (like the distance between Baton Rouge and Seattle).

When it comes to contagious/infectious things: I’m running like Usain Bolt.

Jesus is more like Billy than me.

He gets right in there among all the creepy-crawlies and contagious diseases.

The Gospels tell the story of Jesus encountering a man with an advanced case of leprosy.

The man begged Jesus for healing.

How did Jesus respond?

He didn’t get out his travel-size Purell and start sanitizing.

He didn’t run.

Instead, he did the unthinkable…

He reached out and touched the leprous, infectious skin of that man.

He touched him and said, “Be healed”.

And the man was instantly healed!

When Jesus touched the leper, he didn’t catch leprosy – the leper caught what Jesus had: healing/wholeness.

Here’s what I’m driving at: God won’t keep a safe distance from you.

He’s not moving away from you – he’s coming to you.

He’s not intimidated by all your sin, funk and junk.

You’re not too messed up for Him.

He’s not gonna come down with a case of whatever you have.

You aren’t going to infect Him.

But He will infect you – with healing, wholeness, forgiveness… life!

Jesus won’t keep a safe distance from your _______________(marriage, family, finances, life).

If you were creating a masterpiece, what kind of raw materials would you seek out?

Maybe something unique, of high-quality, refined, rare, valuable…

For some reason, God chose dirty dusty dirt.

Yup.

Dirty. Dusty. Dirt.

His signature masterpiece, the crowning jewel of his creation – was formed from the raw material of dirty dusty dirt.

“Then the Lord formed the man from the dust of the ground. He breathed the breath of life into the man’s nostrils, and the man became a living person.” (Genesis 2.7)

This is how God works.

He takes darkness and makes light.

He chooses chaos and brings order.

God takes the expired and renews ‘em.

He picks up the broken and makes ‘em whole.

God takes common dirty dusty dirt and creates a masterpiece.

Maybe you feel like you’re not all that special, unique, refined or valuable.

Perhaps your family situation is messy, chaotic – or even downright dirty.

Well, I have some really Good News for you…

God takes common dirty dusty dirt and makes a masterpiece.

“For we are God’s masterpiece…” (Ephesians 2.10)

That’s right!

We are the raw material God is drawn to.

We’re exactly what He’s looking for.

And He sees through the dirt…

He sees a masterpiece in the making.

I think we should all be praying something like this:

“God, take the dirty dusty dirt of my _________________ (life, marriage, family) and create a masterpiece.”

The term “Golden Age” comes from Greek mythology.

It refers the first of several ages of man…

The Golden Age, the Silver Age, the Bronze Age, the Iron Age – and then the present, which is a period of decline.

During the Golden Age (according to the myth) there was peace, harmony, stability and prosperity.

And now things aren’t so golden.

Now, we’re in an age of decline.

Depressing, really.

Various religious and political groups love this myth…

They are harsh critics of today.

They are angry.

They want to turn back the clock.

If they could, they would put their family and friends in a time machine and get back to the “good old days”.

They want to take things back to the Golden Age – that “better” time in history.

But there’s just one little problem…

The Golden Age is a myth.

The past wasn’t actually any better.

And the “good old days” weren’t really all that good.

This overwhelming desire to go back isn’t life-giving at all.

Don’t believe me? Just ask Lot’s wife about it (Genesis 19.26).

I don’t ever want to go back.

There’s no life in the past.

There’s nothing there.

Instead, I will live with a sense of wonder for today – and faith for an even better tomorrow.

“So if the old way, which has been replaced, was glorious, how much more glorious is the new, which remains forever!” (2 Corinthians 3.11 NLT)