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Core Message: Set Free – Stay Free!

Just How Free Are You?

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Set Free – Stay Free.

This is the new tagline for my personal blog site. I’m not going to stop talking about the tension of life and faith, but this 4 word message has been on my heart this year and better represents the content that I’m currently writing about and will be podcasting more about this year.

It comes from one of my favorite passages of scripture.

“So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law.” – Galatians 5:1 NLT 

This is my favorite version. However, I do like the way the NIV begins by saying “It is FOR FREEDOM that Christ has set us free…” so I guess if I had the choice I would use a hybrid of those two versions as my life verse.

So just how FREE are you?

The reality that freedom is something we have to fight for is a present tension for all believers.

In our current political climate, many believers are fighting for the freedom to stand for our faith without ridicule and resentment. Many in our culture struggle with such debilitating anxiety, insecurity, and fear – they are fight for the freedom to just make it through the day. Some are overseas, taking up arms to physically fight for the freedom of others who cannot fight for themselves.

We all are fighting for freedom.

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The Spiritual Gift of Criticism #saidnooneever

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If we were to simply judge the most common spiritual gift that exists in the western church, some might say it’s the spiritual gift of Criticism.

However, I’ve searched the scriptures. Criticism is actually NOT a spiritual gift. Can you believe it?

The truth is, the more critical the church has become, the more closely we represent the Pharisees and Sadducees rather than Jesus and his disciples, or the early church for that matter.

The constant need to point out what is WRONG in others and what is SINFUL in the world comes from a critical spirit that resides in us…but it’s not from the Holy Spirit.

It may be a critical spirit that resides in us…but it’s not the Holy Spirit.

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Social Media Makes It Easy

Social media is our new playground to affirm our criticism. It’s an easy place to complain, criticize, and “vent” what’s going on in our lives and the world around us. Most of us don’t think twice about posting and tweeting something that we would hesitate to say to anyone face to face.

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Do You Listen or Read?

How a 59 Page Book Changed My Life

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Recently, the staff and volunteer leaders that I work with read a book entitled “Managing Oneself” by Peter F. Drucker. It’s a great little book and I highly recommend it.

The biggest impact of the book for me was a section on LEARNING. It’s important to know (in managing oneself) how you learn and process learning in order to achieve more in your life. There are some simple questions to ask.

Am I a reader or a listener? Even if I’m a combination of both, one is usually higher than another.

Do I process by writing or talking? Think about it.  Do you make lists in order not to forget something, or do you share that story several times as you process what you’re learning.

Write or Talk?

A great example of this a couple years when I had a heart catheterization done (read “My One Word for 2016″ blog if you want to know why). They drug the crap out of you, but you’re still awake when they shove the car antenna up your arm to shoot the dye through your heart and take video.

They told me the drugs can cause an amnesia like effect, and I might not remember anything later on. Challenge Accepted!!! I literally shared the story of what I saw and experienced, from the moment they wheeled me out of the room to my wife, then when I was back in the room getting discharged, and again on the phone in the car ride home. I had to SPEAK IT OUT LOUD in order to lock it in to memory and process all that had just happened.

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I’m Writing a BOOK!

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Big News… I’m writing a book!  It’s one of the many reasons I’ve not posted any new content in a while.

It’s called “GIFTED: Unleash the Strength Within.”  It’s a resource book about Spiritual Gifts and how we can begin to live with purpose by understanding our GIFTEDNESS.

Writing a book has been more difficult than I imagined. I still have several chapters to finish before my deadline of Oct 31st.  However, I’m excited about the possibilities of the end result. Our church will be launching a series called “GIFTED” in January. This book is meant to be a resource for them.

I’m not really an author. I am a creator of content and love helping people understand that God has equipped them to live an AWESOME LIFE through the Power of Christ! However, this is my first attempt to do so in a “book” format.

I would appreciate your prayers and would love your help when the book is ready to launch. My goal is to have it available as a “pre-launch” purchase before Christmas and to release before Dec 31st.

I’ll be sure to post again soon.

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“If You gave Your life to love them, so will I”

Hillsong United "So Will I"

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As I was on vacation last week, my good friend sent me this song (we pass songs back and forth that we love to play in the morning). I already LOVE many songs on this album, but the LYRICS of this song could wake me up EVERY MORNING to help me remember WHY I choose to worship God EVERY DAY!

So Will I – Hillsong United

God of creation
There at the start
Before the beginning of time
With no point of reference
You spoke to the dark
And fleshed out the wonder of light

And as You speak
A hundred billion galaxies are born
In the vapor of Your breath the planets form
If the stars were made to worship so will I
I can see Your heart in everything You’ve made
Every burning star
A signal fire of grace
If creation sings Your praises so will I

God of Your promise
You don’t speak in vain
No syllable empty or void
For once You have spoken
All nature and science
Follow the sound of Your voice

And as You speak
A hundred billion creatures catch Your breath
Evolving in pursuit of what You said
If it all reveals Your nature so will I
I can see Your heart in everything You say
Every painted sky
A canvas of Your grace
If creation still obeys You so will I

If the stars were made to worship so will I
If the mountains bow in reverence so will I
If the oceans roar Your greatness so will I
For if everything exists to lift You high so will I
If the wind goes where You send it so will I
If the rocks cry out in silence so will I
If the sum of all our praises still falls shy
Then we’ll sing again a hundred billion times

God of salvation
You chased down my heart
Through all of my failure and pride
On a hill You created
The light of the world
Abandoned in darkness to die

And as You speak
A hundred billion failures disappear
Where You lost Your life so I could find it here
If You left the grave behind You so will I
I can see Your heart in everything You’ve done
Every part designed in a work of art called love
If You gladly chose surrender so will I

I can see Your heart
Eight billion different ways
Every precious one
A child You died to save
If You gave Your life to love them so will I

Like You would again a hundred billion times
But what measure could amount to Your desire
You’re the One who never leaves the one behind

Watch Full Lyric Video HERE

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A Children’s Song = the Plight of the Western Church

Moana...it's where we are!

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If you’ve spent any time in my house over the past 3 months you’ve noticed one thing above all others. We watch the Disney movie “Moana” at least once a day!

That’s because (for some reason) my 2-year-old LOVES the music and something about the water, beach, little girl, a big adventure – captures her heart. I love to watch her watch it… but the movie is wearing me out!

However, there is a 3 min song near the beginning of the movie that has been speaking to me for the past month as I’ve thought about the words over and over again.

It’s the song that Moana’s dad sings to her about the village. Here are some of the first few lyrics.

“The dancers are practicing. They dance to an ancient song
(Who needs a new song? This old one’s all we need)
This tradition is our mission…”

I know I’m a pastor, but these lyrics hit me right between the eyes as the state of the western church for the past 50-100 years.

Our traditions have become our mission!

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We (the Church) are the people on an island to ourselves and are SO SATISFIED with keeping things as they are. Our traditions have become our mission! We’ve lost sight of who we are and who we were meant to be as followers of God. Here’s some additional lyrics.

“We’re safe and we’re well provided. And when we look to the future
There you are, you’ll be okay. In time you’ll learn just as I did
You must find happiness right where you are”

There is something to be said for contentment. I believe that is a peace that comes from God. However, there is also a danger in becoming so stuck in a rut that, simply because our needs are provided for… we have been CALLED FOR MORE!

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Out of Context | “If they refuse to listen…Excommunicate them” Matthew 18:17

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“Out of Context” is a series dedicated to verses of scripture, often used in today’s conversations, that have little to do with the context by which it was written.

Context | (1) the circumstances that form the setting for an event, statement, or idea, and in terms of which it can be fully understood and assessed; (2) the parts of something written or spoken that immediately precede and follow a word or passage and clarify its meaning.

Today’s Verse

Matthew 18:17 “If the person still refuses to listen, take your case to the church. Then if he or she won’t accept the church’s decision, treat that person as a pagan or a corrupt tax collector.”

This is a signature verse used by many churches to enforce “church discipline” on people that have public sin in their lives, have been confronted by the “church,” and have been excommunicated (cast out) because of their lack of repentance. However, that’s NOT what the context of this verse implies – after all, these are Jesus’ words written by a “tax collector.” Anytime you want to know what Jesus meant by what He said, you simply need to look at the way He lived.

NOTE: I do support the doctrine of church discipline, and there are many great scriptures written in the New Testament to support biblical leadership and the call for Christians to confront other Christians on clear violations of sin in their lives. Paul makes this case very clear in his 1st letter to the church in Corinth (1 Corinthians 5). However, Paul is very specific about who to judge and how to judge. I don’t believe Matthew should be included in the case of church discipline.

First, we need to go back and see the context of what Matthew is recording when it comes to Jesus’ teaching. Chapter 17 tells us they are in Capernum, and Chapter 18 begins with “about that time” they asked Jesus a question. This question started a time of teaching from Jesus to his disciples and others gathered.

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Out of Context | “Ask me for anything you want…You will get it!” John 15:7

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“Out of Context” is a series dedicated to verses of scripture, often used in today’s conversations, that have little to do with the context by which it was written.

Context | (1) the circumstances that form the setting for an event, statement, or idea, and in terms of which it can be fully understood and assessed; (2) the parts of something written or spoken that immediately precede and follow a word or passage and clarify its meaning.

Today’s Verse

John 15:7 But if you remain in Me and My words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted!

When people often make this statement “Jesus said to ask Him for anything and it will be ours,” there are actually several places that these words show up. They’re not alway’s referencing John 15:7 – however it’s just one of the many that will help me break down why this verse is used out of context so often.

On the surface, every time Jesus makes this statement we assume it’s like a BLANK CHECK! Sure, there might be some conditions to it (like “remain in Me”) but other than that…He said it! Ask Me for whatever you want…it’s yours!

We might not ask for a NEW CAR (right away) but we do have desires. We have needs, and we have circumstances in our lives that need solutions. Often, when we try to engage this verse out of context, we think that adding “in Jesus name” to our request gives it some special magical touch that turns it into a HOLY REQUEST. Even when those requests are not for us, ex.”Heal my mom!” or “Help my son who is wandering away from You!,” we still think that by asking in His name it has some sort of special merit.

Adding “In Jesus Name” to request in prayer doesn’t magically make it a Holy Request.

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Out of Context | “God has Good Plans for You!” Jeremiah 29:11

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“Out of Context” is a series dedicated to verses of scripture, often used in today’s conversations, that have little to do with the context by which it was written. 

Context | (1) the circumstances that form the setting for an event, statement, or idea, and in terms of which it can be fully understood and assessed; (2) the parts of something written or spoken that immediately precede and follow a word or passage and clarify its meaning.

 

Today’s Verse.

Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.”

This has to be one of the top 10 verses that I hear Christians use today that has little CONTEXT for when and how they use it.

Sometimes it’s innocent, like an email signature or an encouraging verse for the day.  However, most of the time it’s read (all by itself) by a high school student getting ready to go to college with the promise that God has great things in store for them. Or by the person getting ready to go on a mission trip and are excited about the “good plans” God has in store for them… and no bad plans. Or it’s in a social media post that goes along with someone’s brand new goal in life (new job, new city, new opportunity) in which they claim that God is leading them and has nothing but sunshine and success waiting for them.

God does have a plan for your life. Don’t get me wrong.  He does LOVE that you’re stepping out of your comfort zone to go on that mission trip or move to a new city where He’s given you a job opportunity. However, there are more verses in scripture that better align with those circumstances than Jeremiah 29:11.

I would guess that more than 90% of people who have ever spoken this verse has absolutely NO IDEA the context in which this Word from God was given to His people. However, if you just read the 5 verses before it – it would be very clear.

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You Walked Away? Good…I Would Have Too.

Walking Away From The Wrong god.

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I wish this title were actually click bait… but it’s true. There are many who have walked away from God, and after talking with them or hearing their stories – I don’t blame them, I would have walked away from “that god” too.

The truth is when I hear a “deconversion” story, (a story of someone abandoning their faith) one of the first things I do is try to figure out what “god” they claimed to believe in. One or two common ones usually show up, but very rarely do I hear of people who walk away from the God that I have put my hope and trust in. It’s usually some version of Him that has been twisted, altered, and changed to the degree that it’s no longer the fullness of God… but a version of a god who they thought was real.

Several months ago, a well-known pastor in Atlanta (Andy Stanley) was catching some serious controversy over a series he did called “Who Needs God.” He was getting a lot of flack from “churched” people, so obviously I was very interested in what he was doing. (I know it’s strange, but whenever today’s Pharisees get angry about something, it usually means that it’s something Jesus might have done!)

In one of his messages, he shared a list of “gods” that people have walked away from and I recognized several of the ones I have also seen in my life.

Here was his list: The God’s of the No Testament
Bodyguard God – he’s here to keep anything bad from happening to you
On-demand God – he’s here to grant our requests (like a genie)
Boyfriend God – you feel him constantly, he’s always with you, and you never fight
Guilt God – he motivates you by condemnation, guilt, and fear.
Anit-Science God – check your brains at the door, God doesn’t want you to understand anything
Gap God – when we can’t explain it, we shove this God in the gap and call it faith