Different But Loved The Same

After this I saw a vast crowd, too great to count, from every nation and tribe and people and language, standing in front of the throne and before the Lamb. They were clothed in white robes and held palm branches in their hands. And they were shouting with a great roar, “Salvation comes from our God who sits on the throne and from the Lamb!” Revelation 7:9-10 (NLT)

If you look at the news for even a brief minute, you don't have to wait long to hear about the different tensions felt in our world. There is news of racial tensions, religious tensions, news about the upper, middle and lower classes. No matter where you look, there is a lot of focus on our differences.

Recently, my nephew asked about this - not directly, the question was about something more specific - but it made me start to think about these things at a very subconscious level. You see, we are different races, my nephew and I. I am white and he is not so we see things differently. So while I may have noticed these things, I didn't really process it in the same way he does for obvious reasons. 

Suddenly, I came across this verse. And I could see the crowds of people standing together, worshiping God. Imagine it: all different faiths, nationalities, economic levels, and a rainbow of every color imaginable. Praising with our hearts and voices raised and what we see isn't the differences in the folks next to us but Jesus. All we see is Jesus. Because nothing else matters.

Heaven. That's what that sounds like to me. Jesus says we should be living out heaven here on earth. What kind of world would it be if we stopped looking at our differences and start looking at our similarities? More importantly, what if we stop focusing on the stuff that doesn't matter and focus on what does. Jesus.

What kind of world would it be if we all lived our life understanding that Jesus came and died for all of us, not just the folks who were like us?

Don't Just Stand There

Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!” Matthew 4:19 (NLT)

Question for you. What would you think of someone who signed up for a gym membership, then every day went into the gym and either stood by the door or sat on the benches and watched? After some time, they got upset because nothing changed. Their muscle mass didn't increase, they didn't lose any weight and they didn't feel any better.

Or what would you think of someone who accepted a new job and every day went into the office and sat at their desk but did nothing? Their knowledge of the new job did not increase. They didn't learn any new skills or intellect and they failed to become part of the team. They thought it was good enough just to come and sit at their desk. Then, they wondered why they got fired.

We read these scenarios and laugh. It is ludicrous to think that you can make a change by not doing anything. It is laughable to think that you can sit and not contribute but expect something different. (What is Einstein’s definition of insanity? To do the same thing over and over again and expect different results.) But, we do this all the time with God.

We say we accept Jesus as our Savior and that we believe and then we go to church and sit there and do nothing. When Jesus called the disciples he didn't say "Come, follow me, and then get back into your boat and sit there." He said "Come, follow me and I will show you how…. (emphasis mine)." He said this, by the way, intending that they would actually do it. There was no way he could grow his church with a bunch of people who just sat.

I'm not saying that you will be saved by what you do. Just like working out in the gym won't prevent you from getting a disease or working at your job will automatically set you up for life. But, if you became a Christian because you knew there was something more, because you believed in the promises of a God who loves you, you wanted something more than a one day a week, let me check the box kind of relationship, then God has a role for you in his kingdom.

So what do you do next? Look around. God is working everywhere. He wants you to help him. Help your next door neighbor or your colleague with something. Look for ways to give of yourself to someone. God will bless what you do. And, just like with the disciples, Jesus will show you how. Keep talking to him. Keep looking for him. He’s got a plan and he wants your help. Go out and love somebody today.

Take Two

Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.” Isaiah 30:21 (NIV)

I was really disappointed. As part of the church prayer ministry, I had organized a silent prayer retreat for my church. A silent prayer retreat is where you go and everyone talks only to God until meal time when you can talk to each other. Keeps you from getting distracted. Why was I disappointed? Because only one person signed up. All that work and coordination to get the location for only our church and just one person was interested. Really? It just so happens that the one person who signed up was one of my best friends, Denise. We'd been super close for years and we were going to get to spend the day together in the county at a retreat with nothing but nature and God. We were pretty excited about a day together. We planned out the trip to the retreat and decided that we would each bring our own food for the day.

That morning as I was packing my lunch, I reached for the paper plate and plastic ware and I distinctly heard "Take Two." I thought “I know I don't have to take two because Denise is bringing her own lunch.” I took one. Then I went to make the food and again I heard "Take Two." Again, I thought "This is silly. I don't have to take two because Denise is bringing her lunch." The third time I heard "Take Two" I began to realize this voice was persistent and maybe, just maybe, God was trying to tell me something. So, I said "Lord, I don't know what you are doing because Denise is bringing her lunch but I will 'Take Two.' I went back and repacked two of everything and more food.

When we got to the retreat location, I came down with a huge headache. The retreat location had a huge southern style porch to it so as Denise went off to explore nature and talk to God; I lay down on the porch to try to get rid of my headache. As I was laying there willing my headache to be gone, I heard footsteps. I wondered if someone else from church decided to come but as I looked up a woman walked across the porch that I didn't know. I said hello and she proceeded to walk across the porch and sit down on a chair.

I asked why she was there. Turns out she didn't know the place was rented for a private event and she wanted to come pray. Well, it's not like we were overly crowded or anything so I said OK. Her name was Elizabeth. I explained we were doing a silent retreat so we both sat in silence. Actually, I laid there in silence. Slowly, as lunchtime rolled around, my headache began to go away and Denise showed up. 

We asked Elizabeth if she wanted to join us for lunch. She explained that she was moving north to pursue a God thing (sorry, I don't remember the details). She had packed her house up and didn't have any food with her. I smiled. God knew she was coming. God knew she would be hungry and God told me to bring enough food to provide for her. We all ate together and then went back to praying. Elizabeth did move north to pursue her calling and we still keep in touch. Denise and I are still besties.

I am so thankful that God talks to us in ways we don't expect. I am still, after all these years, super excited that I got to watch him provide for one of his kids and I got to be a part of it. I know people think God doesn’t talk today, but he does. We just have to be open to listening for that Voice that is intervening on behalf of his kids all the time. I want to hone my listening so when I hear that Voice I simply say "Take Two, got it. Done."

Opportunity Knocks!

“Then the servant with the one bag of silver came and said, ‘Master, I knew you were a harsh man, harvesting crops you didn’t plant and gathering crops you didn’t cultivate. I was afraid I would lose your money, so I hid it in the earth. Look, here is your money back.’ Matthew 25:24-25 (NLT)

The story of the talents is the story of a Master who gave three servants an opportunity to use a gift he'd given them. To the first servant he gave 5 talents (375 pounds) of silver. To the second servant he gave two (150 pounds) and to the third servant he gave one (75 pounds).

When he returned, the first and second servants had worked the gift they were given and grown it. The third buried it. You have to wonder what he might have been thinking. Did he say "Well, they got so much and I got so little, whatever I do with it won't matter." or "I don't know much about this sort of thing, I'll just keep what I have." or "Man, this is scary and risky. I am afraid so I'll take the safe route." The Bible doesn't tell us all the things going through his mind but it does say he blamed it on his fear of the Master.

Made me wonder....what gift has God given me that I am not using because of fear? Really, most of the excuses we come up with have to do with fear. Here are some:

• That is not my strength (which is often heard as "That's not my gift.") That sounds like a fear of everything. What does that mean? If God has given you the opportunity, he will give you what it takes to do it.
• I don't know how. I have used this one. Not only did I not know how, I was not trying to know how either. Could this be the "lazy" Jesus calls out in the parable?
• It is too risky. This could be translated as "I am really comfortable with my life right now and I don't want to risk losing anything." Do we honestly think what we currently hold is better than what God has in mind?

I wish I could say I was beyond reproach when it comes to using the opportunities God has placed before me. I know I am not. What drives most of us is fear. Most of us have a healthy dose of it and it controls us. Each one of us could look at what we've been given, identify where we are not using it as God intended and be the servant with one talent.

I don't want to be that servant. I want to be the servant with the 5 talents that used them all! I want to hear Jesus say "You did good. I am proud of you." WOW! Can you imagine? But, in order to do that, I have to place my fear aside and say "Yes, Lord." whenever he calls. I need to remember that it's not my abilities that will make this successful, but his power.

How about you? What are you afraid of? Can you get past it and embrace the opportunity God is giving you so you too can hear "Well Done!"?

What Day of the Week Are You?

........a time to laugh. Ecclesiastes 3:4 (NLT)

I think Monday gets a bum rap. Everyone complains that Monday is coming and everyone laments that it is here. What if we looked forward to Monday the same way we look forward to Friday? What a great day it would be! No matter what happened, it'd be OK because it's Monday!

Probably not going to happen, I know but thinking about this made me think about Christians. Are we living our lives as "Monday Christians" or "Friday Christians"? When people talk to us, do they walk away with the feeling of "Oh Man, it's Monday. Life is awful and I wish I could go back to bed." or "It's Friday! It's Friday! Life is amazing and I can't wait for tomorrow!"

True, there are times when things are not laughable and we do need to address those. Ecclesiastes 3 talks about there being a time for everything. But that's not what we are talking about here. What we are talking about is the general way in which you live your life.

Which day of the week do you reflect to those around you?  Are you a Monday or a Friday personality? Whatever day of the week - laugh. God created you to laugh and he tells us to do it. Most importantly, as you do it changes you and reflects the joy of the one who created - who created you to laugh.

He will once again fill your mouth with laughter
    and your lips with shouts of joy.
Job 8:21 (NLT)

Blessed. Even When It's Hard.

Then the sailors picked Jonah up and threw him into the raging sea, and the storm stopped at once! The sailors were awestruck by the Lord’s great power, and they offered him a sacrifice and vowed to serve him. Jonah 1:15-16 (NLT)

Committing to a relationship with God is not something to be taken lightly. And whether we like it or not, it always impacts those around us. This can be both good and bad. For example, if I commit to be in a relationship with God and I am blessed because of it, then my family and those around me are blessed as well.  Same is true if I commit to a relationship with God and I have to walk through some really tough times (for my growth and his glory). My family and those around me will go through really tough times as well.

When I first realized this, it bothered me....just being honest here. I didn't think it was fair and I didn't want my family to go through painful things because of my choices. Of course, I was OK with them getting the blessings. J  But isn't that how life is? If your family member chooses to drink and drive and gets into an accident, there may be ripple effects that impact everyone they are close to.  

But then I had to ask myself, “Are you the person taking care of your family or is God? Can you choose to not follow God and protect your family?”  And then I had to honestly ask myself, “Who do you think you are? God?”  Even if people experience a negative impact because of your walk, aren't they still better in God's hands than having an easy life without him?

And finally, there is the possibility that they will see God in a different way because of your journey. We are pretty familiar with the story of Jonah. He was a prophet. God asked him to go and speak to the people of Nineveh. If you look up job descriptions for prophet, this would be one of the top job requirements. Jonah didn't want to. He said no and went in the opposite direction. So God pursued him and as Jonah was sleeping on a boat, God sent a storm to get his attention. He not only got Jonah's attention, he got the attention of every other person on the boat. There was a lot of discussion about what to do with Jonah saying "Throw me overboard." I think he knew he wasn't getting out of this mess easily. The sailors, showing good human morals, didn't want to. I bet this was a terrifying, stressful situation for them. But finally, it got so bad they tossed him into the drink. The storm stopped at once.

That is where today's verse comes in. After all they went through, in the end they were awestruck by God's power and they worshiped him.

Maybe, just maybe, as we walk through life’s blessings and curses, if we commit to walk with God, those around us will be blessed – even when it’s hard.

It's a No Good - Nothing Is Working Kind of Day

There are some days when no matter what I try, I can't seem to get over myself. Everything seems so hard. I want to curl up in a ball and give up. I can't get past the feeling that it's a nogood - nothing is working kind of day. And what's worse is that on these days I am tempted to believe God is not there. I question Him, His love and His plan. What do you do when you can't get it straight? Go to the Word.

If today is one of those days for you, here are some Bible texts that offer encouragement. Pick one that hits home. Write it down/put it on your phone. Carry it around with you. Even better, memorize it. And when that really negative, down-right depressing, thought pops into your head, read/recite/remember the text. It'll get you through the day.

The Lord will perfect that which concerns me;
Your mercy, O Lord, endures forever;
Do not forsake the works of Your hands.
Psalms 138:8 (NKJV)

We do not know what to do but our eyes are on you. 2 Chronicles 20:12 (NIV)

The battle is not your battle, it is God’s. 2 Chronicles 20:15 (NCV)

No weapon forged against you will prevail. Isaiah 54:17 (NIV)

Nothing I plan to accomplish in your life can be stopped. Job 42:2

And this small and temporary trouble we suffer will bring us a tremendous and eternal glory, much greater than the trouble. For we fix our attention, not on things that are seen, but on things that are unseen. What can be seen lasts only for a time, but what cannot be seen lasts forever. 2 Corinthians 4:17-18 (GNT)

If God is for us, who can be against us? Romans 8:31 (NIV)

But blessed are those who trust in the Lord
    and have made the Lord their hope and confidence.
8 They are like trees planted along a riverbank,
    with roots that reach deep into the water.
Such trees are not bothered by the heat
    or worried by long months of drought.
Their leaves stay green,
    and they never stop producing fruit. Jeremiah 17:7-8 (NLT)

Yet I am confident I will see the Lord’s goodness
    while I am here in the land of the living.
Wait patiently for the Lord.
    Be brave and courageous.
    Yes, wait patiently for the Lord.
Psalm 27:13-14 (NLT)

Carry on! God's got this!

God Doesn't Talk

The sheep recognize his voice and come to him. John 10:3b (NLT)
I am the good shepherd; I know my own sheep, and they know me, just as my Father knows me and I know my Father. John 10:14-15 (NLT)
My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. John 10:27 (NLT)

Question for you. Do you think God talks to us? Do you think you can hear his voice? I do.

When I talk about this with people they usually have a couple of standard responses. The first one is "What does his voice sounds like?", i.e. Is it audible? Is it loud? Is it masculine or feminine? My answer to that is "It can sound any way it wants." It's God. He is not limited by our finite minds - He talked through a donkey after all! Now that we've established that what it sounds like really doesn't matter......

The next statement is "God doesn't talk to me." I think he does. I think he talks to all of us. I also think whether you hear him or not is dependent on if you are listening for him. If you are not looking for him, if you are not listening for him, you are going to be less likely to hear him. Think of it this way. When you get married, if you are in a crowded room and your spouse calls your name, you hear them. Your ear is tuned to their voice. It's the same thing if you are a parent. If your child calls out "Mom!" you recognize that voice right away. When you are listening for God and begin to tune your ear to his voice, you hear him and just like with your spouse or your child, you respond.

The next question that we all ask is "How do I know it's him?" Very good question. We all struggle with this one and as far as I can tell the answer is 'Practice' and 'Constant Communication.' I know God has spoken to me and I know I hear his voice. The messages are never the same and sometimes they sound downright illogical. When I am unsure, I keep going back to him and asking questions. I ask for confirmation. I ask for more information. I ask for flashing neon lights with an arrow that says "Go this way." (I don't ever get that response.) I don't think God ever gets tired of us trying to find him. So keep practicing and keep asking questions.

A lot of this article is about what I think from my own personal experience. What does the Bible say about it?  First, there are way too many statements about God talking to people to put them in a short blog. But, we can talk about a couple of them. We know God says "If you seek me, you will be found by me" (Jeremiah 29:13), so he wants to be in a relationship with us. We know that in John 10 (above) Jesus said he knows us and we can know him. He also said we can know him like he and the Father know each other. That's pretty intimate knowing. He also said we can know his voice. So it is possible to 'hear' him.

This is so important you can't take my word for it. You have to listen for yourself. Start talking to God. Tell him you want to find him. Tell him you want to hear him. And keep talking until you do. I know he will show up because he's promised. Maybe he's just waiting for you to start the conversation.