Run!

Strip down, start running—and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins. Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever.  Hebrews 12:1-2 (MSG)

I am not a jogger. As a matter of fact I have been known to say that if you see me running you should run too because it means something is chasing me. Seriously.

Reading this text I imagined what it would look like to see someone jogging wearing heavy boots, a big thick coat, baggy, cumbersome pants, a large floppy hat obstructing their view and a heavy piece of luggage in their arms.  No one would intentionally run like that. When you see runners, they are stripped down wearing as little as possible so they can move freely, be quick and nimble. They want to be able to make as much progress as possible with little effort.

Shouldn't our spiritual races be the same? In this journey we are on, are we weighted down with baggage? Are there things we do that keep us rooted in place like a pair of too-heavy boots? Do we have blinders on that keep us from seeing the course clearly? If we are running the race that God has planned for us, wouldn't we want to be able to respond quickly, move freely and make progress?

The Bible says the only way to get rid of what weighs us down is to keep our eyes on Jesus. He never lost sight of where he was headed.  Neither should we.  So today, focus on Jesus. Strip off all those heavy weights you are carrying around. Put on your best running shoes and take off!  Keep running. Don't give up.

Does It Matter?

To have faith is to be sure of the things we hope for, to be certain of the things we cannot see. Hebrews 11:1 (GNT)

What do you have faith in?  As Christians, we have faith in Christ's resurrection. And, we have faith in Jesus' Second Coming. We have faith in something that happened a long time ago and something that will happen in the future.

But what about today? What do you have faith in today? In Hebrews 11, the people listed had faith in what they were doing in that moment.

Abel had faith that his offering meant something.
Enoch had faith in his relationship with God.
Noah had faith that the boat he was building would save his family from something he'd never seen.
Abraham had faith that moving to an unknown place was what God was telling him to do.
And then he had faith that if he sacrificed his son God could raise him from the dead.
Moses' parents had faith that God would spare their son.
The Israelites had faith that the ground of the Red Sea would stay dry as they crossed.
And the list goes on and on......

These people and all the people after them didn't just have faith in what happened in the past or in what was going to happen in the future. They had faith that what they were doing now mattered. The decisions they made, mattered now. They had to believe in what was happening to them today.

Some days it might feel like our lives do not matter but they do.  They matter now. What you believe in today, in this moment, has an impact. What will you do today that requires a step of faith?

A Minute In It - We Are But A Breath

A minute in Gods' word will change your life.  Read through the Bible text and answer the questions at the bottom of the post.

Lord, remind me how brief my time on earth will be.
    Remind me that my days are numbered—
    how fleeting my life is.
You have made my life no longer than the width of my hand.
    My entire lifetime is just a moment to you;
    at best, each of us is but a breath.” Interlude

We are merely moving shadows,
    and all our busy rushing ends in nothing.
We heap up wealth,
    not knowing who will spend it. Psalm 39:4-6 (NLT)

What is your life about?
What do you spend your time and money on?
Do you think you can make a difference in your world?
The Bible says you can. Do you believe it? Do you live like it?

Focus

 I call Heaven and Earth to witness against you today: I place before you Life and Death, Blessing and Curse. Choose life so that you and your children will live. And love God, your God, listening obediently to him, firmly embracing him. Oh yes, he is life itself, a long life settled on the soil that God, your God, promised to give your ancestors, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.  Deuteronomy 30:19-20 (MSG)

All throughout the Bible, people had the freedom to choose. David had choices to make. Should he stand up to Goliath or go home as his brothers said? Should he call Bathsheba to his home or walk back into the palace and talk to one of his wives? Should he own up to what he did with Bathsheba or eliminate the problem by killing Uriah?

Everyone in the Bible had choices to make. Sometimes they made good choices. Sometimes they didn't.

The Bible is pretty clear that the choice is always ours.  We are never forced to do anything. Sometimes our choices will lead us to choose between our relationship with God or ourselves. I think, most of the time, the choice is about focus. Am I focusing on what God would want in this situation or what I want?

So, what do you choose to focus on? Most importantly, is your focus on God?

Fear Not

This morning I woke up hearing the words to Zach Williams song "Fear Is A Liar." The chorus goes like this:

Fear he is a liar
He will take your breath
Stop you in your steps
Fear he is a liar
He will rob your rest
Steal your happiness
Cast your fear in the fire
'Cause fear he is a liar

I went to my Bible and it confirms it.  We have nothing to fear.

I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.  John 14:27

But now, O Jacob, listen to the Lord who created you.
    O Israel, the one who formed you says,
“Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you.
    I have called you by name; you are mine.  Isaiah 43:1

I prayed to the Lord, and he answered me. He freed me from all my fears. Psalm 34:4

So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor. 7 Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.  1 Peter 5:6-7

When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought me joy. Psalm 94:19 (NIV)

The Bible tells us to not be afraid a lot. So this week, when something spikes your anxiety and you feel that knot in your stomach, open up the word and dive in.

Brighten The Corner Where You Are

Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.
1 Corinthians 13:13 (NLT)

As I watched the Royal Wedding (no, I did not get up at o'dark thirty to watch it, I taped it), I was caught up in the pomp and circumstance. I loved watching the people. I loved watching Harry and Meghan as they looked at each other. I loved the service.

When Bishop Michael Curry quoted Martin Luther King, Jr. my mind started to wonder. He said "We must discover the power of love, the redemptive power of love. And when we do that, we will make of this old world a new world.  Love is the only way."

I began to wonder if Meghan and Harry would do that.  Would they use their platform, their influence, their money to make a difference in the world?  The resources they have at their fingertips is immense. They could make such a difference.

And then, I realized that we all have that.  Each and every one of us has a platform where we live. In our communities, in the workplace and in our families we can love like that. We can offer God's unconditional love to everyone we meet. We have influence and we have resources. Sure, they might not be the same resources as Meghan and Harry but we have them just the same.

God asks us to be a light in our neighborhoods, in our communities. He asks us to change the world from our little corner. And truly, that is the way the world is changed, one act of love at a time.

Psalm 19

1 The heavens proclaim the glory of God.
    The skies display his craftsmanship.
2 Day after day they continue to speak;
    night after night they make him known.
3 They speak without a sound or word;
    their voice is never heard.[a]
4 Yet their message has gone throughout the earth,
    and their words to all the world.

God has made a home in the heavens for the sun.
5 It bursts forth like a radiant bridegroom after his wedding.
    It rejoices like a great athlete eager to run the race.
6 The sun rises at one end of the heavens
    and follows its course to the other end.
    Nothing can hide from its heat.

7 The instructions of the Lord are perfect,
    reviving the soul.
The decrees of the Lord are trustworthy,
    making wise the simple.
8 The commandments of the Lord are right,
    bringing joy to the heart.
The commands of the Lord are clear,
    giving insight for living.
9 Reverence for the Lord is pure,
    lasting forever.
The laws of the Lord are true;
    each one is fair.
10 They are more desirable than gold,
    even the finest gold.
They are sweeter than honey,
    even honey dripping from the comb.
11 They are a warning to your servant,
    a great reward for those who obey them.

12 How can I know all the sins lurking in my heart?
    Cleanse me from these hidden faults.
13 Keep your servant from deliberate sins!
    Don’t let them control me.
Then I will be free of guilt
    and innocent of great sin.

14 May the words of my mouth
    and the meditation of my heart
be pleasing to you,
    O Lord, my rock and my redeemer. (NLT)

A Minute In It - Helping Differently

A minute in Gods' word will change your life.  Read through the Bible text and answer the questions at the bottom of the post.

Peter and John went to the Temple one afternoon to take part in the three o’clock prayer service. 2 As they approached the Temple, a man lame from birth was being carried in. Each day he was put beside the Temple gate, the one called the Beautiful Gate, so he could beg from the people going into the Temple. 3 When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for some money.

4 Peter and John looked at him intently, and Peter said, “Look at us!” 5 The lame man looked at them eagerly, expecting some money. 6 But Peter said, “I don’t have any silver or gold for you. But I’ll give you what I have. In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene,[a] get up and[b] walk!”

7 Then Peter took the lame man by the right hand and helped him up. And as he did, the man’s feet and ankles were instantly healed and strengthened. 8 He jumped up, stood on his feet, and began to walk! Then, walking, leaping, and praising God, he went into the Temple with them.

9 All the people saw him walking and heard him praising God. 10 When they realized he was the lame beggar they had seen so often at the Beautiful Gate, they were absolutely astounded! 11 They all rushed out in amazement to Solomon’s Colonnade, where the man was holding tightly to Peter and John.  Acts 3:1-11 (NLT)

When you think of helping someone, do you always think of monetary help? How could you help someone without giving them money? What else do you have that you could share?

From the lame man's perspective, was what he received better? What was his response to God showing up in his life? Do you think God still shows up in such miraculous ways? Do you think he could? Do you trust that he will?