EXTRAORDINARY LIVING

Building a bond that lasts a lifetime ...

2012-02-06T11:55:00.005-06:00

Which do you find more inspirational and seemingly romantic: "young love" between a young couple, or seeing an older couple who has weathered all of life's challenges together and are still head-over-heels "in love" with each other?

There's something about a lasting bond that attracts us, to know that real love and commitment can endure, and even deepen, from those early days of yet unrefined passion.

There are many things involved with building a bond that lasts. One element that is rarely talked about, or taught, is that of touch.

Touch is highly addictive.

We crave the touch of another human being. And once we have it, we always want it. We even need it.

BUT touch can be used to indulge our base human desires, or to build a bond between a man and woman that lasts a lifetime.

Secular zoologist Demond Morris studied how touch is vital in building, and sustaining, a bond among couples. Dr. Donald Joy built upon Morris' observations to show how pair bonding is built through sequential steps of touch that are constantly repeated throughout life.

The 12 steps to pair bonding are as follows

STAGE ONE: No Touch

Step 1: Eye to Body. This is not a sexual look, but that first look of discovery. Something "grabs" you that first time you see her or him across a room.

Step 2: Eye to Eye. This is already more intimate than observing someone and "taking them in." Now, you're both looking directly at each other, making "eye contact." A deeper connection has been made.

Step 3: Voice to Voice. A man and woman are now drawn together and interacting by speaking to each other. Yet a deeper connection than observation.

STAGE TWO: First Touch

Step 4: Hand to Hand. Do you remember how excited you were the first time you held hands? You heart was beating so hard you could feel it! The rush of excitement at that first touch, which moved your level of intimacy beyond conversation to a new connection.

Step 5: Arm to Shoulder. This is a closeness not reserved simply for couples. You'll even see someone prop an arm on a buddy's shoulder as an innocent touch of close friendship. But it is a touch of connectedness, of a closeness that has surpassed observation and conversation; the bond is growing.

Step 6: Arm to Waist. There are fewer people we allow to put their arms around our waists. It's a more intimate touch that draws us closer and alongside someone.

STAGE THREE: Intimate Contact

Step 7: Face to Face. As a couple moves face to face, intimacy is deepened with prolonged eye contact, hugging, and kissing. This is a level of intimacy not commonly shared, and stirs deeper responses emotionally and physically.

Step 8: Hand to Head. There are very few people we allow to touch our heads. This is reserved for someone we have a level of trust and connectedness with that is unique.

STAGE FOUR: One Flesh (reserved for within marriage)

Step 9: Hand to Body. Now that the bond has moved within marriage, the couple broadens their touch to exploring each others' bodies.

Steps 10-12: Mouth to Body, Hand to Genital, and Intercourse. Touch transforms from exploration to sexual intimacy between the pair.

Such a sequential approach to pair bonding, and specifically to touch, contributes significantly to the bond a man and woman can build for life. The problem is, so many give little consideration to building such a bond.

In fact, it's not uncommon today for most, or all, of these steps to be taken within a couple hours of the start of a first date! From that point on, the value of sequence in touch is lost, and couples often look to what they have "in common" to keep them together rather than give consideration to building a bond that ties them together.

But those couples who still get excited by just seeing their spouse across a room ...

Those couples who still lose themselves in each others eyes, or linger in the enjoyment of simple conversation ...

Those couples who still reach out and take hold of each others' hands ...

Those couples who are connected with an arm around the waist, or a touch to the head ...

... and do these things over and over and over, week after month after year after decade, find a deep and passionate bond between them that is an enduring connection for life.

But those couples who interact little except for occasional sexual activity and to complete chores, find a gulf between them that often doesn't endure for long.

The significance of touch, and it's key role in building a lasting bond between a man and woman, is important for couples to understand. But it's also vital education for teens, and especially for young adults.

Couples who have a sequential, ongoing step to touch in their relationship tend to have more authentic, deeper, and stronger pair bonding than others. Couples who skip or eliminate steps routinely under-value, overlook, and take advantage of each other.

Do you have a healthy bond in your marriage? Are these steps sequential realities between you and your spouse? How could these steps build a greater intimacy, and stronger bond, between you and your spouse? And how could you teach this to your children so they can understand the power of touch, and have a respect for it that glorifies God and leads to proper interaction with others as they grow?

Scotty

What would you like to unlike?

2012-02-04T19:23:00.006-06:00

A Facebook friend of mine posted this today:

"Phew, I gotta be real careful what things I 'like' on here. So glad I can 'unlike' something that I misread at first."

That's the nice thing about social media, we can undo our mistakes. We can remove posts. We can drop tweets. We can edit our writing. We can eliminate our mistakes.

So different from life!

We can't undo the thoughts, emotions and desires we've had. And we certainly can't go back and undo our actions. All these things are a part of our history.

All of us have things we wish we could "unlike." Things we've said. Passions and desires we've allowed into our thoughts and hearts. Things we've done. The Apostle Paul described it this way:

"For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard," Romans 3:23.

But God can change those mistakes, those errors ... those sins.

ONLY God can undo the wrong we've done.

We may still have some consequences to work through, but the cost for our sins were paid for and forever eliminated by Jesus Christ:

^"11 For his unfailing love toward those who fear him
is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth.
¹² He has removed our sins as far from us
as the east is from the west."
Psalm 103:11-12

Because of His love for us, Jesus "unlikes" our sin. Going forward, He rewrites our lives into great stories of transformation.

Scotty

Is staying within your capabilities bad for you?

2012-02-04T18:39:00.006-06:00

We talk a lot about living in our "comfort zone," but have you ever heard a definition for one?

How about this:

"Staying in a comfort zone is when you choose to sit on your capabilities."

One of the most comfortable places for us is being within what we're currently capable of doing. That feels safe. It might take some work, but we're "capable" of it. Moving outside of what we're personally capable of frightens us.

That leads us to one idea of "spiritual maturing":

"Maturing spiritually is when God moves us to the fringe --- and then beyond --- of our current capabilities to stretch us into what we are not yet capable of without Him."

To grow up in Christ is to consistently be moving beyond our capabilities so that we remain reliant on Christ while He reshapes us.

"So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image," 2 Corinthians 3:18.

That can't be done by sitting on your capabilities. Such consistent spiritual maturing requires us to move beyond what we are capable of to rely on what God alone can accomplish in us.

Are you sitting on your capabilities? Or are you relying on God while He reshapes you?

Scotty

Make me stop ... I won't!

2012-02-02T18:43:00.006-06:00

"Should the federal government regulate sugar?"

That was the brief discussion the news broadcasters were discussing on a local radio station this morning.

It was raised after the publishing of a new report highlighting the dire (nearly toxic) effects of sugar on the human body.

The discussion was accentuated with the statement of a researcher who believes we are reaching the worst health catastrophe in world history.

Why?

Largely because of what and how we eat.

Yep, we're doing it to ourselves.

We stuff ourselves with food that is bad for our bodies. We know it's bad for our bodies. "But I like it!" we say, and continue eating ourselves into serious --- even life-threatening --- health conditions.

We do the same spiritually.

We hang onto certain sins that feel really good to us. "But I like it!" we whisper to ourselves, and continue on, doing what we know we shouldn't do.

For our health --- both spiritually and physically --- we've got to ask the question: "Where's the self-discipline?"

Self-discipline is that unique trait where a person finally pushes back from what is bad for him or her and says, "No!" And the Apostle Paul says it's a characteristic exercised by those who follow Christ ...

"For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline," 2 Timothy 1:7.

Notice Paul also says we have power --- power from Christ who lives in us. But in order for the power of Christ to enable us, we have to do our part also. We have to stop stuffing our bodies with junk and thinking God will supernaturally turn the junk into something nutritious for our bodies.

And at some point, we have to behave, also.

Taking care of our bodies, and living for Christ, both take a consistent application of self-discipline, the doing of what we know we should do ... whether we like it or not.

Do that long enough and your body will learn to yearn for nutritious meals and will become queasy at the taste of junk food.

Do that long enough and you develop a hunger and thirst for righteousness, and you become queasy at the taste of the unholy.

What self-destructive behaviors do you still have in your life that you need to practice greater self-discipline over? How can greater self-discipline in your life open the door for greater power from God in your life?

Scotty

Talk about boring ...

2012-01-30T12:51:00.005-06:00

A few days ago, I came across a quote by Mike Foster that grabbed me. I loved it, because it's a simple sentence that really makes you think.

Here's the quote: "Our guardian angels are bored."

It was a "Wow!" moment for me when I read that, because I thought that simple sentence uniquely captures the weakness of today's church, and the emptiness of too many of today's Christians.

We're living so weakly for Christ, our guardian angels are bored!

What are you doing to shake the world around you for the kingdom of God in such a way that you wear out your guardian angels? Keep them always on the go?

Or could your guardian angel take an extended vacation without any worries?

Scotty

Worship Leader or Lead Musician?

2012-01-30T12:18:00.004-06:00

One of the most under-utilized staff positions among churches is that of the Worship Leader.

That's because for many churches, the person serving in that position really isn't a "worship leader," but in reality is more a "lead musician."

If someone is going to serve in a pastoral position of being a congregation's leader of worship, shouldn't that person be the "biblical expert" on the topic of worship? Shouldn't such a position do more than be lead musician and singer for a "worship team," but be devoted to building the purity, quality, and depth of true worship in the lives of church members?

If you had a question about worship, would you ask your Pastor or the Worship Leader? Most would ask the Pastor, but isn't the Worship Leader the spiritual leader responsible for teaching worship?

Or is he a Lead Musician instead?

Why don't Worship Leaders "own" their area of ministry in a fuller way? Imagine how church members could grow if Worship Leaders did more than lead music, but taught the congregation biblical worship!

Teaching could be done bit by bit in church services. The Worship Leader could lead small groups teaching on the topic of worship. He could also build in teaching times and activities in existing groups and settings. He could personally lead short-term discipling groups focused on studying biblical worship. There are a variety of creative ways a Worship Leader can help a congregation mature by learning about worship AND developing a life fuller in biblical worship.

Hiring a musician who is also a gifted singer doesn't mean you've hired a Worship Leader.

Who is teaching biblical worship to your congregation?

Scotty

What I really meant to say was ...

2012-01-30T10:55:00.004-06:00

Many fat people don't want to be fat, they're just too lazy to consistently do what it takes to be fit.

Most of us are that way with our words. We use words and terminology that don't quite properly represent what we mean, we're just too lazy to figure out the right words.

For example, we often hear Christians talk about how God wants to "be a part" of our lives.

Nonsense.

God no more wants just a sliver of you than a chocoholic wants a single Hershey's Kiss. God wants your entire life --- every aspect and ounce of it --- surrendered entirely to Him. That way, we get to be a "part" of His life!

God doesn't want us to "take time" for Him. No matter where we are or what we're doing, God is already there. So it's not that 10 minutes with the Bible early in the morning that we call our "God time" that He desires. Instead, He wants to be welcomed into every moment of every hour of every day of your life. God wants you to make life a communing experience with Him, a constancy of journeying through life with Him.

The church isn't a community, but we call it one and treat it like it is one. God says it's His family, Christ says it's His bride and His body. But many keep calling it a community, anyway.

We call the moments we give God our "quiet time" but rarely is it a time when we are actually quiet, listening to Him. Our mind is loud with reading and prayer. That isn't being quiet.

We talk about "inviting Jesus into your heart" or into our lives. Again, Jesus isn't seeking space in a vital body organ. It's all of you, or none of you.

When we're feeling especially holy, we may ask some poor sinner if they have "found God." But we don't find God, He seeks us. He pursues us. He reveals Himself to us. He calls us. He extends Himself to us. Most aren't looking for Him, but He pursues us anyway. Because He loves us.

We say we attend a "Bible-believing church." Really? Because to believe means to apply.

Sometimes we say "I love to worship" but we really mean "I love to sing." We get irritated when the one hour and fifteen minute church service is drawn out to one hour and 30 minutes, but we "love to worship." That's why karaoke is still so popular, and true worship isn't.

You see we say a lot of things, some we mean, some we don't.

Imagine your life with God if your words matched their meaning. What would that look like?

"May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer," Psalm 19:14.

Scotty

Rethinking Church?

2012-01-29T10:42:00.003-06:00

Enough already!

Yet another article is out by a 20-something "Christian hipster" making his argument against evangelism and for the need to build relationships within which we can tell stories.

Throughout the decline of the church in America, we have had many such "new leaders" in the church make their pitch against evangelism (the latest one doesn't even want to use the term, finding the word so unappealing) and for relationship building, completely missing the fact that the greatest evangelist ever --- Jesus Christ --- was relational in His evangelism. Now the new focus is on telling your story. Yes, we have numerous preachers preaching the need to tell your own story.

All the while, the church continues to decline.

All of this has come about because "leader" after leader seem to think they need to rethink how to "do church."

There's one reason why church leaders should rethink how to do church: when they aren't following the biblical model for the church.

None of these leaders have come up with a better way to do church than God did when He envisioned it. Then He provided us with the model, complete with methods, in the New Testament. And guess what, when we actually apply and follow scripture, it works.

This recent writer has a particular disdain for Christian tracts. I've never been a user of tracts, but I know many who have. Yet I would wager there have been more people who have come to Christ through a tract that told the Gospel story than there ever will be through you or I telling our own stories.

Our stories don't change lives. God's story does. Sharing it so others can know His story, and have their lives changed, is called "evangelism."

Maybe we need to rethink how we do church: are we doing it God's way, or creating our own culturally-directed models?

Scotty

Why we dont' get wisdom when we ask for it ...

2012-01-27T17:39:00.003-06:00

Times are tough. You need more wisdom than you have. What do you do?

It's at times like this good Christian friends brush off a well-known Bible verse and offer you this:

"If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking," James 1:5.

So you ask God --- once again --- to bless you with wisdom. You've asked God for the same thing many times. But in many cases, wisdom doesn't come.

Why?

Because you're asking just for wisdom.

Huh?

The problem is, we want to go from not knowing to having wisdom in one swoop. We don't know what we need to know, so we just want God to drop a dose of wisdom on us so we can best navigate our challenges and get on with life.

What's missing are the developmental steps to wisdom. Sometimes God directly blesses us with wisdom, just as simply as James calls for in the Bible text. But we also see in scripture that it's God's intent that we grow spiritually in such a way that wisdom is more of a natural outflow of our development, rather than more commonly a missing aspect of our lives.

How does that happen?

It's a three step process:

1. Knowledge. Jesus calls us to be His disciples, His students. The first step is to learn Him. Not just about Him, or from Him, but to learn Him. To build a solid foundation of knowledge.

2. As we build our knowledge, we strive to increase our understanding. The value of knowledge is more than simply having a collection of information or facts, but to gain understanding from that source of knowledge.

3. Finally, we strive for the best and highest application of that understanding, which is something we call "wisdom."

Many of us want to go from challenge, directly to God providing wisdom, skipping over the growth steps of learning (building knowledge) and gaining in understanding. James wasn't suggesting this leap frog approach to wisdom. Sometimes, even with the best discipling and understanding, we still struggle for wise insight. God delights in helping us past those difficulties. If we lack wisdom, we should ask God, who is happy to bless us with the wisdom we need ... but often, it's IF we're doing our part.

God isn't going to learn for us. He expects us to be students of Christ, diligent in His Word, yielding to the Holy Spirit who instructs us in all truth. By building our knowledge as children of God, growing in our understanding in Him, we will grow in wisdom.

And when we need an extra dose?

"If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking."

Scotty

Have you head-butted Jesus?

2012-01-24T18:02:00.004-06:00

It wasn't a mini ranch, it was just a few acres.

I was in the fifth grade when we moved onto this old property on the outskirts of Phoenix. We had a horse, for a while we had a calf, some chickens and geese, and finally came a couple of sheep.

This was my first experience with sheep. They looked so friendly and fun, I immediately climbed the fence into their pasture.

I didn't stay there long.

Have you ever been head-butted by sheep who take a running aim directly at you?

I was that day.

Then I learned something about those sheep.

They were frightened of me because they didn't know me. They were in a strange place being approached by someone they didn't know. So they ran at me in an attempt to send me running.

And I did!

But I also learned if you're patient and gentle with those sheep, they will follow you around like puppies once they get to know you. They soon loved interacting with me, welcomed the snacks I brought them, and bleated loudly when I scampered over the fence and left them alone.

Sometimes I think we Christians are like those sheep when it comes to interacting with our Great Shepherd. Because many of us don't take the time, or make the effort, to really get to know the Shepherd, we're more likely to try to head-butt Him than embrace Him.

These words of Jesus are recorded in John 10:14, "I am the good shepherd; I know my own sheep, and they know me."

Do you know the Good Shepherd? Or do you run at Him because He's more a stranger to you than a trusted Shepherd? What efforts are you taking to truly get to know Him?

Scotty

Imagine starting your day thinking about this ...

2012-01-23T14:06:00.007-06:00

For most of us, from the moment we awake in the morning we have at least one objective we want to accomplish that day, even if it's simply, "Get through the day!"

It might be something important at work.

It might be an activity or event with your children later that evening.

It might be something to do with your spouse.

Perhaps it's a personal project you're working on.

Maybe it's something as simplistic as trying to beat the morning rush hour traffic.

But each day, there's usually something we want to accomplish.

Where does, "Bring glory to God" land on your daily to-do list?

Or does it?

Is it something you even think about?

Considering the fact that we human beings exist for the purpose of bringing glory to God, maybe it's something we need to make as a conscious daily pursuit. Maybe we need to move it up higher on our list of important things to pursue. Maybe it's something we need to be purposeful and mindful about. After all, if we're not actually thinking about it, how do we expect to accomplish it? Accidentally?

Romans 11:36 states, "For everything comes from him and exists by his power and is intended for his glory. All glory to him forever! Amen."

First Corinthians 10:31 exhorts us this way: "So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God."

For a long time now, it has been a part of starting my day to make a portion of my morning prayer time asking God to help all that I am and do that day bring glory to Him. It helps me start my day with a desire and intent to live in a way that will glorify Him.

How do you make living for the glory of God a focal point of your daily experience?

Scotty

Now that's different!

2012-01-16T11:19:00.004-06:00

It takes a difference to make a difference.

Without a difference, there is no difference.

God wants us to be different:

"But you are not like that [we're different!], for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light," 1 Peter 2:9.

How are you different? How are you letting your difference make a difference?

Scotty

Talking was so 90's ...

2012-01-16T10:09:00.003-06:00

Have you noticed the change?

It wasn't long ago the common scene in a Starbucks was that of the room being filled with college students sitting at tables, laptops opens, earbuds in ears, listening to music while simultaneously studying and keeping up with texting conversations on their cell phones.

Today, it's just as common to see senior citizens with iPads or laptops reading the newspaper online or checking out the latest photos of the grandkids on Facebook while reading Yelp comments about local restaurants on their smartphones.

Our culture continues to deepen its embrace of technology, among all the generations. The result is a heightened, more continuous interaction between people. But it's also arguable that we're hearing each other less.

Among all of the major companies providing cell phone service, the least requested service is voice plans. Today, people prefer unlimited text and large data plans so they can communicate via texting and social media.

We aren't talking to each other as much.

Gone are the days of teenagers spending hours on the phone talking to each other. Today, we're sending thousands of sentences to each other.

By talking to each other less we are better able to edit what we hear from each other. It's easier to steer a text conversation to what we prefer, and to avoid receiving incoming messages we really aren't receptive to hearing. The result is our own opinions are less tested by people who know us well ... and who might know better.

In today's culture, we're increasingly becoming more selective listeners.

But selective listening has always been a problem with humanity. So much so that Jesus Christ spoke directly to this point:

"So pay attention to how you hear ..." Luke 8:18a.

We've become adept at designing our own filters for what we hear. Limiting the influences in our lives to 140 characters, a Facebook post, a Flickr album --- or, as in the case with God, a pinch of scripture in a short, rushed, early morning "devotional" --- impacts not only our relationships, but the stature we give to our own thoughts and opinions.

Sometimes we need big conversations, whole dialogues, the sound of another voice, and extended periods of being quiet and simply listening.

We need to pay attention to, and be careful about, how we hear.

" ... To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given. But for those who are not listening, even what they think they understand will be taken away from them," Luke 8:18.

How do you hear God? How do you filter His voice? Or how do you ferret out limitations and distractions so you hear all that He has to say, and clearly so? How are you listening to others in your lives? Are you letting them speak what they have to say?

Are you even aware of how --- and what --- you hear?

Scotty

There's a lot wrong in this video ...

2012-01-15T19:54:00.010-06:00

There are many biblically incorrect statements in the video below. There are also some biblically correct statements. Take four minutes and watch it ...

I'm not going to make this post about the right and wrong points made in the video. I will speak to the context of the video with a larger view.

I think this video captures much of what is broken about the church today. We have dummied down biblical truth to rhymes and platitudes. The average Christian --- and too many church leaders --- don't have a biblical theology or even a biblical worldview, are ignorant of biblical doctrine, routinely fail to differentiate biblical truth from platitudes printed on a calendar, are happy to simply be spiritual hipsters, have embraced culture, and kissed corporate concepts of leadership.

Yes, there's a lot wrong with religion, but scripture actually says Jesus did not come to destroy religion. Yes, grace should permeate Christian churches, but so should obedience.

And yes, there's a lot wrong in the church. But the church is still the bride of Christ; it is still the family of God. It is Christ's church and not ours.

Maybe if we extract all the culture we've loaded into it, got serious about being followers rather than worshiping leadership, and actually opened our Bibles and applied its truth without adding to or taking away from it, we could be the church God wants us to be.

Like the church in the New Testament.

I've pursued that for more than a couple decades, and will continue to do so.

How about you?

Scotty

Supplements for Christians?

2012-01-15T14:45:00.007-06:00

Many of the people I've trained in the gym have asked about supplements, especially guys wanting to build muscle.

Supplements are just that ... an item designed to supply something that is lacking or insufficient.

The body responds best by giving it what it needs as organically as possible. Feed it right, exercise it right, and you will usually have good health and fitness.

But even those who are quite fit lack some needed ingredients in their diets. Because of that, it's often wise to supplement one's diet with a daily vitamin and mineral supplement. It helps to round out all that the body needs.

In similar fashion, the heart of the Christian "diet" is faith. But as much as we may nurture and exercise what we believe, simply believing isn't fully adequate. According to the Apostle Peter, we need to provide some supplements to our faith:

"Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, ⁶ and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, ⁷ and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone," 2 Peter 1:5b-7.

By adding these supplements to our faith, the Apostle Peter says "The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ," 2 Peter 1:8.

What are you doing to supplement your faith to build a healthy, fit follower of Christ?

Scotty

The one-handed clap ...

2012-01-15T13:48:00.008-06:00

Have you ever tried doing a one-handed clap?

It doesn't work very well. In fact, it fails completely to offer a response in a positive way. All you have is a whoosh of air and the following silence as one hand waves alone.

It's a failed response.

How we react to God offering us a New Covenant in Christ is often like offering a one-handed clap.

In the New Covenant, God's part is that of making some remarkable promises to us. Our role is to respond to His promises. The Apostle Peter addressed this issue, first by laying a framework ...

^"3 By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. ⁴ And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires," 2 Peter 1:3-4.

Now take note of what Peter writes in the first part of the next verse:

"In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises ..." 2 Peter 1:5a.

That simple portion of a sentence holds profound insight for us, something far too many people miss. Instead of responding to God, we look for the promises to be provided, ask for even more from God, and do very little in the way of responding to His promises, His provision, or His purpose.

Kind of a like a one-handed clap.

But a response is needed, and Peter gives us some detail as to what our response should look like ...

^"5 In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, ⁶ and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, ⁷ and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone.⁸ The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁹ But those who fail to develop in this way are shortsighted or blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their old sins," 2 Peter 1:5-9.

Our Covenant relationship with God is not a show where God performs His promises and we passively receive. Rather, it is a dynamic interaction with us responding to God in as dramatic a fashion as God promises and provides. Because of His great promises to us, we respond with our whole lives.

To do anything less is to offer God a one-handed clap.

For those who respond appropriately, God will offer them a response beyond anything we could hope for: Him giving us a grand entrance (standing ovation, both hands clapping away!) into His kingdom ...

^"10 So, dear brothers and sisters, work hard to prove that you really are among those God has called and chosen. Do these things, and you will never fall away. ¹¹ Then God will give you a grand entrance into the eternal Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ," 2 Peter 1:10-11.

Have you responded to God offering you a Covenant relationship with Him through Christ? How are you currently responding to His great promises to you?

Scotty

Who is irresistible to you?

2012-01-09T09:46:00.006-06:00

The couple were sitting in chairs facing each other. The husband just finished pouring out his heart to his wife, telling her changes he wanted to make in his own life. As soon as he stopped speaking, for just a second the shadow of the slightest expression swept across the wife's face.

The husband instantly frowned. He knew what he had just seen.

Resistance.

The wife had her own ideas for what her husband should be doing with his life, and now she began to tell him ...

*****

That's a real story from a counseling session I had with a couple long ago. A story repeated countless times with many, many others. You can probably identify with the key aspect of the story: facing resistance.

Resistance is a key destroyer of depth in any kind of relationships.

We see it in marriage as in the story above.

We see it with children, as they resist the authority of parents. We also see it in parents who resist seeing their children as being something other than someone to be constantly directed.

We see it in the workplace all the time. Employees routinely resist job responsibilities, deciding for themselves just how hard they will work, and push back when that level of productivity is met. And we see it in bosses who resist listening to those they lead.

We see it in friendship when the comfort of being a friend is challenged by being a loyal friend.

We see it in the church as church leaders are constantly trying pull a congregation to a committed faith that is more than lip service; and from leaders who think they are the only ones with good ideas.

And we all too consistently see resistance in our own relationships with God.

If the truth were to be told, we've established resistance within our faith. Many openly refuse to love God more than they do their children or spouses. We resist giving. We resist service that costs. We would never actually consider doing anything for God, at any time, at any cost, anywhere in the world.

Resistance hampers --- and sometimes destroys --- relationships. But when it comes to approaching God, it stalls it.

That's because true relationship with God begins with surrender.

Jesus said, ^"25 If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. ²⁶ And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul?" Matthew 16:5-26.

The one person we see very little resistance toward? Ourselves. We indulge ourselves, and resist others. We find ourselves to be irresistible!

To have communion with God, we have to resist ourselves while discarding our resistance to Him: "Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world," James 4:8.

How is resistance hampering your relationships? What would your relationship with God look like if you removed all resistance to Him and surrendered your entire being to Him?

Scotty

BOOK REVIEW: Church matters! Here's why ...

2012-01-08T08:48:00.005-06:00

Some of the biggest bashers of the church are church leaders who set themselves up as the culturally cool, spiritual hipsters of our day. They take sport in constantly haranguing the church for its faults without realizing who they are really throwing rocks at.

Who would that be?

The "bride of Christ."

That's one description scripture gives of what the church really is, and the further we delve into the Bible to study the church, we learn that the church matters --- dramatically so! --- to Jesus, and so it should also to those who identify themselves as Christ's followers.

"Why Church Matters," written by Joshua Harris and published by Multnomah Books, is a basic, biblically solid, unimposing but direct look at why church really does matter to Christians and to the world, and how it is far more than what many today make it out to be.

In just 119 pages, Harris unfolds in his easy-to-read style plain biblical truths about the church, starting by getting our attention with highlighting the value God Himself places on the church. Harris writes, "The preacher taught from the book of Ephesians. He showed that the church was actually God's idea --- not some plan or program invented by humans. In fact, the church is the only institution God promised to sustain forever."

Harris does more than expound on a theological defense for the church, but walks the reader through why being a connected part of the church matters to every believer, how to look for a church, and how to re-value gathering as the church every Sunday.

This is a good read for those who want a refresher in why church really does matter; for new believers who are learning what the church is all about; and for those who have strayed from a biblical view of the church. "Why Church Matters" could also be used as a good tool for a small group study about the church, and the book includes a four-week discussion guide.

With the start of a new year, I encourage Christians to pick up this quick read and start out 2012 with a fresh insight into why the church matters to God, and why (and how) it should matter to us.

Scotty

I received this book free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group as part of their book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

A dance, and bad directions ...

2012-01-06T18:59:00.003-06:00

I was sitting in Starbucks, doing some work on my laptop, when the young guy across the room suddenly exclaimed, "I made the final cut for my Mensa membership!" then he stood up and --- literally --- danced a "happy dance" in front of everyone.

The stranger was ecstatic that he was a step closer to becoming a member of Mensa International, the society for people who have an IQ tested to be in the top two percent of the population. It's a club for really smart people.

This guy was happy that his intelligence was being acknowledged!

Shortly after his happy dance, he received a call from a friend he had talked to by telephone earlier. As it turns out, he had given his friend inaccurate directions on how to get to that Starbucks.

So much for human brilliance! We delight in being lifted up for our greatness, but can't give simple directions clearly.

That's the human condition. So bright, so capable, and yet so finite in our capacity.

The Apostle Paul gave us a good way to look at ourselves:

"Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us," Romans 12:3.

Measuring ourselves by the faith God has given us is the truly smart way to evaluate ourselves. It won't lead us astray, like a bad set of directions.

What do you use as a measure for yourself?

Scotty

Do you have ears?

2012-01-06T18:12:00.003-06:00

Spend enough time with someone --- anyone --- and eventually you will disagree with them.

At some point, we will witness the people in our lives making a mistake. That's because there's no perfect human being on this earth. So we all will "get it wrong" at some point. Some, more than others.

At some point, you will disagree with the people you love the most, respect the most, learn from the most, listen to the most, follow the most.

But you're really ready for true growth, genuine faith --- you're really the most ready for God --- when you come to that place in your own life when you realize you have gotten it wrong.

It's when we finally understand, and then admit, that we're wrong, we're off track, we are "unright" that we are the best positioned to look to the One who has never been (nor will be) wrong.

Jesus sometimes said something like this, "Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand!" (Matthew 11:15).

When we care less about our opinions and more about the Truth, we will have ears to hear, then we can truly listen and understand.

Do you have ears to hear?

Scotty

Lights! Camera! ...

2012-01-06T17:40:00.003-06:00

You can often pick out the couple who had the big fight on the way to church.

Their smiles and greetings are forced. You can see the seething beneath the surface as they pretend to be kind, gentle people.

They're acting.

Lots of people do that when there are others around to see how they really behave when others usually aren't around.

Imagine what life would be like if cameras were installed throughout your home, your automobiles, and your place of work. Imagine if your life was a reality show, where many people observed every act, every behavior of yours. Every moment of every day.

How would that impact you?

Perhaps for a while, you actually would be a little kinder and gentler. But if actual reality shows like the Kardashians, the real housewives, or the Jersey Shore crew teach us anything, we tend to tune out others --- or cameras --- and live as poorly as we would if we were secluded.

Most of us would never expose our "real lives" to be captured on camera. But -- yes, you probably saw this point coming --- God sees it all anyway. God never misses a "private moment." He knows our every thought, every emotion, every action, every desire. He knows our mind and our heart. Everything about us is exposed to Him.

How does that impact you?

Or does it?

It's kind of a clobbering intellectual thought ... but is it more than that to you?

Should it be?

Better yet ... shouldn't it be?

Scotty

No rest for who?

2012-01-05T18:09:00.004-06:00

You probably could immediately name at least a dozen people who seem to be perpetually weary.

They're busy people, life keeps them exhausted!

Wait a minute ...

... is it life that keeps them exhausted?

Or could it be it's really disobedience to God, disobedience they take little note of?

That busy person may awake before sunrise to read a chapter of his or her Bible, squeeze in some prayer, then start the harriedness of their day.

They leave God in the dark, quiet corner next to their Bible and, if they don't connect with Him again before bedtime, they'll visit again the next morning.

In between meetings is a lot of living they often leave God out of, or keep Him on the fringe of. Instead of what God really wants, which is to be in the middle of it all as we walk with Him throughout every aspect of living out our day.

And so we find ourselves exhausted making life happen by our own accord.

The writer of Hebrews tells us it would happen this way if we don't walk in obedience with God. Look closely at the following verses from Hebrews 4. Read the following text slowly, letting the words sink in deeply:

^"1 God’s promise of entering his rest still stands, so we ought to tremble with fear that some of you might fail to experience it. ² For this good news—that God has prepared this rest—has been announced to us just as it was to them. But it did them no good because they didn’t share the faith of those who listened to God. ³ For only we who believe can enter his rest. As for the others, God said, 'In my anger I took an oath: They will never enter my place of rest,’ even though this rest has been ready since he made the world. ⁴ We know it is ready because of the place in the Scriptures where it mentions the seventh day: 'On the seventh day God rested from all his work.' ⁵ But in the other passage God said, 'They will never enter my place of rest.'⁶ So God’s rest is there for people to enter, but those who first heard this good news failed to enter because they disobeyed God. ⁷ So God set another time for entering his rest, and that time is today. God announced this through David much later in the words already quoted: 'Today when you hear his voice, don’t harden your hearts.' ⁸ Now if Joshua had succeeded in giving them this rest, God would not have spoken about another day of rest still to come. ⁹ So there is a special rest still waiting for the people of God. ¹⁰ For all who have entered into God’s rest have rested from their labors, just as God did after creating the world. ¹¹ So let us do our best to enter that rest. But if we disobey God, as the people of Israel did, we will fall," Hebrews 4:1-11.

Striving through life detached, or simply distant, from God is a weary work that keeps us constantly striving spiritually without a fulfilling result. Only by exercising our faith into real obedience to God can we find rest for our weary souls.

Jesus made the issue personal:

^"28 Then Jesus said, 'Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰ For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light',” Matthew 11:28-30.

If you want to find rest in 2012, find Christ.

Scotty

Little steps often don't take you very far ...

2012-01-01T09:19:00.003-06:00

Like a fat kid loves chocolate cake, I love helping people.

It's an incredible thing to see real change and growth in someone's life; to see someone become the person God intends them to mature into.

But here's something interesting I've observed about significant accomplishment, change or growth in people: it often happens --- and lasts --- when we take BIG steps and make MAJOR no-turning-back-now commitments rather than attempt baby steps.

Certainly, that's not true for everyone. Some need to take things one step at a time.

But let's face it, most of us don't.

In fact, baby steps are one of the surest ways to failure. Why? Because there's too much time and too many distractions to tempt us to lose interest or commitment (or both) and wander back to our comfort zone.

But for those who make significant commitments and dive headlong into change, real change often is the result and becomes an enduring part of their lives.

If you really want to make some significant changes in 2012 that last, let me suggest you not play games. Instead, make bold strides, jump in and don't look back.

Go big!

Scotty

Letting loose in 2012 ...

2011-12-31T13:04:00.006-06:00

Suppression can be a difficult (even painful) thing.

Whether it's suppressing a sneeze, a cough, a laugh, or an opinion, holding back can be a tough thing to accomplish.

Although there is value in doing things with good timing, suppression often isn't a good thing, unless we're talking about the immoral, unethical, the sinful.

But we're not talking about that when it comes to the concept of living a Christian life, yet many culture-leaning church leaders routinely teach the suppression of Christian identity and values ...

"You don't want to scare people off with your faith ..."

"You don't want to offend others ..."

"You want to be sensitive to others ..."

"You don't want to come across like a Bible thumper ..."

"You just want your life to speak through random acts of kindness ..."

So goes the wave of unbiblical nonsense!

First, Jesus Christ didn't practice random acts of kindness, He simply was kind. Consistently so. His example and teaching for us was not to be "stealth believers" who suppress to the world who --- and whose --- they are.

¹⁴ “You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. ¹⁵ No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. ¹⁶ In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father," Matthew 5:14-16.

Jesus lived out who He was authentically. Could you imagine Jesus not speaking of the Father when He had time with someone?

"Well, He was God's Son," some might respond.

But if you are a Christian ... so are you!

Would you like a more personally fulfilling New Year? And would you like to contribute more to the kingdom of God in 2012? Then live out your faith openly, kindly, humbly. Demonstrate it. Speak of it. Be the child of God that you are everywhere, always. No suppressing it!

Just enjoy being a whole Christian who lives out his or her faith every day without reserve, without shame, without a false sense of embarrassment, without fear. And without the lousy advise from liberal leaders who tell you to hold back. Suppress it.

In 2012, unleash your authentic self in Christ, you'll be greatly blessed by the freedom and the result of doing so!

Happy New Year!

Scotty

It's all about YOU?

2011-12-29T17:34:00.003-06:00

A New Year is just a couple days away.

In spite of the New Year resolutions many will make, most will enter the new year as the same person they were on December 31. Most want from a new year not so much change in themselves as they do different circumstances.

But a change in circumstances doesn't equal a change in self. It doesn't represent growth, maturity, or accomplishment. Circumstances may change a little or a lot without any change in the person.

That's why many will end the new year much the same as they went into it.

Growing, developing, maturing, or improving doesn't happen simply through circumstantial change, it comes only by real change in oneself.

What are you going to do with you --- not your circumstances --- but you, in 2012?

Scotty

BOOK REVIEW: A compelling story to spark your thinking

2011-12-27T17:47:00.005-06:00

Keeping the past in the past can sometimes be a challenge, especially when unsettled issues invade the present.

"The Encounter" By Stephen Arterburn (published by Thomas Nelson) is a quick-read paperback fiction that lightly delves into the topic of resolving the unresolved to keep the past the past so you can build the future God desires for you.

Arterburn does a compelling job of story-telling in a novel-like approach, but doing so in just 159 pages. The author quickly draws you into the life of billionaire Jonathan Rush, who on the surface, would seem to "have it all." But his life is unraveling dramatically, and the reason is because his past continues to invade his present.

How can he come to grips with things that happened when he was a boy that continue to plague him as a grown man?

That adventure, which takes Rush from sunny Miami to frigid Fairbanks, is just enough story to keep you tuned in while sparking some focused thoughts about your own life. The story is an enjoyable read, while the content is just enough to motivate you to ask of yourself: "What unresolved issues do I have in my life that negatively affect my present, and my possible future?"

"The Encounter" is a good fit for those moments when you want some reading on the lighter side, but still provokes a little introspection.

Scotty

I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Leaving home ...

2011-12-25T12:39:00.004-06:00

Part of the American dream includes the right send off of children from the home.

Parents dream of raising good, healthy children who they send off to college. From there, they continue to mature, learn, meet the love of their lives, and go on to build families, careers, and productive lives.

Some can't go to college, but they find jobs, spouses, and make families and homes.

Parents want to send their kids out well.

So did God. He sent out His Son on that first Christmas.

But did you ever notice that Jesus kept leaving homes?

First, He left the intimate fellowship of the Trinity and the splendors of heaven to become human and join us here on Earth. God planted Him with a good family, and Jesus lived a "normal" human life with earthly parents and siblings for about 30 years.

Then He left home again.

He struck out to preach the message His Father had given to Him to give to the world. During His time of ministry, He didn't have a home to call His own. His "home" was the fellowship He shared with His disciples.

Then He left "home" again.

With His disciples gathered around, He gave them a Commission, then returned home to the Father, where He is now.

But He plans on leaving home again!

That's because He plans on returning to earth to get His church ...

“Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. ² There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? ³ When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am. ⁴ And you know the way to where I am going,” John 14:1-4.

Christmas is about Jesus leaving home --- more than once --- so that we may, some day, make our home with Him.

Merry Christmas!

Scotty

From me, to you ...

2011-12-23T18:13:00.004-06:00

Each month, several thousand of you visit with me here on "Extraordinary Living." It is a real privilege and blessing to be able to share with you through the articles posted here, and also to be able to interact with and get to know many of you.

Throughout the year, we have shared and prayed for each other. Thank you for your fellowship!

I wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year filled with blessings!

Scotty

The pass code ...

2011-12-21T19:19:00.003-06:00

There was a woman who, at the end of a very long life, died and found herself standing in front of heaven's pearly gates.

Peter stepped forward and welcomed the woman, and then asked for the pass code in order to enter.

"The pass code?" the woman asked with a startled expression.

"Yes," Peter said. "In order to enter, you must give the pass code. The pass code, of course, is to give the correct spelling of the word 'love'."

"Oh," said the woman, "Why it's L-O-V-E," stated the woman.

"Right you are!" exclaimed Peter, "Welcome to heaven!"

Peter extended the hand of fellowship, gave her a map to guide her on her way, and then asked, "Listen, could you do me a favor? I need a short restroom break. Could you stay here for a minute and fill in for me? If anyone comes along, just ask them for the pass code --- how to spell love --- and if they spell it correctly, let them in. I'll be gone just a few minutes."

"Well, certainly, I could do that for you," the woman said, and Peter quickly disappeared.

Moments later, the woman saw a man approaching the heavenly gates from a far distance. The closer he got, the more familiar he became. Soon, she recognized him and was shocked to see her ex-husband approaching heaven's entrance. The woman was upset at the idea of having to spend eternity with her ex-husband, surely she wouldn't have to suffer so!

When the man arrived, he had a look of surprise and mischief on his face as he recognized his ex-wife.

"Well, imagine seeing you here!" he said to his former bride.

"Yes, well, you haven't gotten in yet!" she said.

"What do you mean?" the man asked.

"Well, in order to be allowed into heaven, you must give the correct pass code," the woman said with a sharp look.

"Okay, so what is the pass code?" the man asked?

"You must spell correctly the word 'Czechoslovakia' ..." the woman answered.

*****

You would think God's own children would be those who most ardently want to see the salvation of others and swing wide for them the gates of heaven.

But sometimes, the hardness of our own hearts are the very stumbling blocks put in front of others.

That same heart can be a stumbling block to our own relationship with God. Jesus spoke to that issue this way:

²³ “So if you are presenting a sacrifice at the altar in the Temple and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you, ²⁴ leave your sacrifice there at the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God," Matthew 5:23-24.

Unreconciled issues with others creates a problem for our being reconciled to God. This Christmas season, is there anyone who you need to offer the gift of reconciliation and peace? Are you a stumbling block for someone, or do you hold the gates of heaven open for all?

Scotty

Peek-a-boo with God ...

2011-12-21T18:31:00.004-06:00

Business people dress to impress when they walk into boardrooms to make presentations.

We get dressed up, if in just our "best" jeans, to go out on the town.

We learn lines, polish manners, and practice certain etiquette at different times and in different places.

In other words, we often attempt to impress.

Making an impression is an outward attempt to manipulate the thoughts others have about us. We do that often with each other.

We even try it with God.

But it never works with God.

Regardless of what we may display outwardly toward God, this fact remains:

"But the Lord said to Samuel, 'Don’t judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart,'” 1 Samuel 16:7.

How do you try to impress God? When He looks past your attempt to impress, what does He see when He looks at your heart?

Scotty

Christmas is a grand beginning, but just the start ...

2011-12-21T17:46:00.003-06:00

Immediately under the space to log in on Twitter is a box that can be checked, with the words "Remember Me" next to it.

I've seen the same option available on other websites.

On some of them, including Twitter, I have checked the box.

The problem is, the site doesn't remember me. Every time I return, I have to type in my identity because it has "forgotten" me.

Those sites are a lot like us.

We say --- about some very important things -- that we will never forget.

But we forget.

We promise we will always remember!

But we don't.

We even allow to slip from our minds the sacrifice Jesus Christ made of His body and blood on our behalf. We forget, so Jesus designed a reminder for us ...

^"23 For I pass on to you what I received from the Lord himself. On the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took some bread ²⁴ and gave thanks to God for it. Then he broke it in pieces and said, 'This is my body, which is given for you. Do this to remember me.' ²⁵ In the same way, he took the cup of wine after supper, saying, 'This cup is the new covenant between God and his people—an agreement confirmed with my blood. Do this to remember me as often as you drink it,'” 1 Corinthians 11:23-25.

The work of the cross starts with Christmas.

God so loved the world, that He gave His Son to save us from our sins (John 3:16). Christmas begins a work of God that should be unforgettable.

With all the fond memories this Christmas season, what are you remembering?

Who are you remembering?

Scotty

What we can learn from a pregnant teenager ...

2011-12-19T10:00:00.003-06:00

Go ahead: think it all, express it all, feel it all. Let it all out, God is a big god, He can handle it!

That's what many church leaders teach congregations regarding responding to God when God acts in our lives in ways we really don't like.

"God can handle your doubt, your anger," they say, and thus encourage some poor --- and wholly unhelpful --- behavior from people.

How should we respond to God when God acts in an impacting way in our lives?

Should we be angry at Him?

Should we doubt Him?

Should we rebuke Him?

Should we school Him in what we really want from Him?

I think a better response might be learned from a teenage girl directly from the Christmas story.

Mary had dreams. She was in love with a handsome boy. A good boy who had all the makings of growing into a godly man. He had asked her to marry him, and she was already dreaming of their lives together, him working as a carpenter to care for their family, and her keeping house and nurturing their children.

God turned those plans upside down and, in the process, very nearly brought an end to the coming marriage before it happened. Now a pregnancy was in the scene before a wedding, and Joseph was planning on how to quietly end the engagement. This was nothing like a young girl's dream for living happily ever after.

How did Mary respond?

She sang praise to God!

^"46 Mary responded,

“Oh, how my soul praises the Lord.
⁴⁷ How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior!
⁴⁸ For he took notice of his lowly servant girl,
and from now on all generations will call me blessed.
⁴⁹ For the Mighty One is holy,
and he has done great things for me.
⁵⁰ He shows mercy from generation to generation
to all who fear him.
⁵¹ His mighty arm has done tremendous things!
He has scattered the proud and haughty ones.
⁵² He has brought down princes from their thrones
and exalted the humble.
⁵³ He has filled the hungry with good things
and sent the rich away with empty hands.
⁵⁴ He has helped his servant Israel
and remembered to be merciful.
⁵⁵ For he made this promise to our ancestors,
to Abraham and his children forever.”

"⁵⁶ Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months and then went back to her own home," Luke 1:46-56.

Instead of throwing a fit that God was ruining her "dream" and changing all her plans, she praised and worshiped Him; she trusted that He knew better than she did, even about her own life.

Do you?

How do you respond to God acting in your life? Who do you believe knows better for you? What can you learn from Mary's example?

Scotty

The WHY behind Christmas ...

2011-12-14T18:28:00.006-06:00

There is no artificial substitute for blood.

Many scientists have tried (and still continue to try) to devise a means of creating or replicating blood, but all efforts have failed.

It's thought in the scientific research community that blood is the primary obstacle to humans ever learning to "create life," and loss of blood is a fast-track to losing life.

There simply isn't any adequate substitute for real blood.

And that is why God gave Himself to the world that very first Christmas.

Oh, His gift had nothing to do with science or medicine. It had to do with another need for blood ...

^"15 The Lord God placed the man in the Garden of Eden to tend and watch over it. ¹⁶ But the Lord God warned him, 'You may freely eat the fruit of every tree in the garden—¹⁷ except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If you eat its fruit, you are sure to die,'" Genesis 2:15-17.

Ezekiel stated this, "The person who sins is the one who will die," in Ezekiel 18:20a.

And for even greater clarification, we read, "For the wages of sin is death ..." in Romans 6:23a.

Every person who disobeys God --- who sins --- must pay the consequences of sin: death. And death requires the shedding of blood.

Romans 3:23 gives a simple expansion of the problem: "For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard."

That's a problem for us humans. If we offer the shedding of our blood as a cost for sin, we die. And we are not capable of overcoming death. Yet, Hebrews 9:22 says, "In fact, according to the law of Moses, nearly everything was purified with blood. For without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness."

So, to pay the cost of sin, so that we may be forgiven of our sin, requires real human blood.

Not a substitute. After all, there is no artificial substitute for blood. Especially when it comes to our sin.

Because of that fact, God wrapped Himself in human flesh and was born of a virgin. He became human. With real blood. Blood which He later shed on a cross on our behalf.

Real human blood.

And Christ was able to overcome death!

Now, through Christ, our debt for sin is paid through His blood!

^"19 And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter heaven’s Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus. ²⁰ By his death, Jesus opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place. ²¹ And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God’s house, ²² let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water," Hebrews 10:19-22.

God loved us so much He gave the world His Son, who was willing to shed His very real human blood on our behalf. And by the blood of Christ, our sins are forgiven and we are reconciled to God.

And that is the "why" behind Christmas.

Scotty

Who is @scottyjws?

2011-12-13T18:02:00.003-06:00

If you would like to learn a little more about me, a friend and brother in Christ is featuring a profile about me on his blog at http://bit.ly/tYewmK . Check out Chris' blog, he has a great heart for Christ!

Scotty

Is God good enough to earn your obedience?

2011-12-12T16:47:00.006-06:00

As culture continues to invade and pervade the Church, an unholy display of faux righteous indignation also seems to be demonstrably on the rise.

I'm talking about those persons who know what is right, choose not to do it (see James 4:17 about that), yet attempt to make pious-sounding arguments and proclaim polished philosophies for disobeying God. And when those finally fall flat, they retreat to their favorite excuse and cry, "Grace!"

Having a problem with obeying God speaks directly to an individual's spiritual condition rather than to the holiness of God.

God is utterly pure!

He's perfectly holy ... "This is the message we heard from Jesus and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all," 1 John 1:5.

So what's the problem, then, with obeying Him? Where does the questioning come from? Why the consistent hand-ringing, mental manipulations, and emotional hijinks?

We've all had our moments of trepidation about obedience. However, it's one thing to occasionally struggle with weakness; it's another to make every day a challenge of obedience ...

"So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness; we are not practicing the truth," 1 John 1:6.

Those who have to constantly make another decision to exercise faith and walk with God are really doing their own thing and evaluating God on --- quite literally --- a step-by-step basis: "Maybe I will take this step, or maybe I won't ...," "Maybe I'll take that step, or maybe I won't ..."

That is not a life surrendered to Christ, it's a "self-sovereign" demanding of God to provide a good enough reason why He should be obeyed!

If you don't know what your commitment to Jesus Christ is right now, tomorrow, or the day after, you've likely not made one. Commitment is something you decide now, and then live out as best you can one day at a time.

But God isn't going to drag it out of you.

Joshua made the whole issue simple, and stated it this way:

¹⁴ “So fear the Lord and serve him wholeheartedly. Put away forever the idols your ancestors worshiped when they lived beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt. Serve the Lord alone. ¹⁵ But if you refuse to serve the Lord, then choose today whom you will serve. Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord," Joshua 24:14-15.

How about you ... is God "good enough" to earn your obedience?

Scotty

A profound human example ...

2011-12-12T13:22:00.005-06:00

Joseph's example of faith and obedience has been on my mind today. Let me share with you a few more thoughts beyond the last post ...

Mary's attempt to explain her pregnancy to Joseph had to be one of the most unbelievable statements ever made by a human being.

Do you know anyone before Christ, or after, born of a virgin birth?

Nope.

It appears Joseph didn't believe Mary either ...

"... Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit. ¹⁹ Joseph, her fiancé, was a good man and did not want to disgrace her publicly, so he decided to break the engagement quietly," Matthew 1:18b-19.

But when the same message came from God, Joseph believed and obeyed ...

"When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded and took Mary as his wife," Matthew 1:24.

After Jesus was born, Joseph obeyed God's direction to flee to Egypt (Mt. 2:13-15) for safety --- the same country that had enslaved his people for hundreds of years. You would have to really trust God to run off to a place like that ... for your safety!

Upon his return home, Joseph obeyed God's redirection to forget about Bethlehem and, instead, relocate his little family to the rough neighborhood of Nazareth (Mt. 2:19-23).

These directions of the Lord in Joseph's life were not "little" things. Believing and obeying God about these matters directly decided who Joseph married, the safety and well-being of himself and his family, and the environment he exposed his wife and child to when finally settling down.

God asked some BIG things of Joseph!

Yet, we don't hear about Joseph complaining, or fretting, or procrastinating. Instead, we see when God spoke, Joseph believed and then obeyed.

No wonder God picked this man to be the stepfather to the Savior of the world!

Scotty

Crazy love ...

2011-12-12T11:32:00.003-06:00

Have you ever experienced "crazy love"?

You know, that, "I just can't fathom living without you!" kind of love.

That all-consuming, makes you almost giddy kind of love.

That kind of love for someone where you gladly put their interest before yours, where you delight in serving them, where simply being near them makes your heart full.

I think that's likely the kind of love Joseph had for Mary.

It must have been, for him to do what he did.

What did he do?

He kept loving her.

Step back for a minute and think about Joseph's experience. If you've ever experienced crazy love for someone, then had them cheat on you, you've known one of the deepest, harshest, ugliest pains a person can experience.

For a brief time, Joseph experienced that with Mary.

One minute, he couldn't wait for the wedding; the next, she's telling him she's pregnant.

Pregnant?!

Joseph knew he wasn't the father. That clearly meant she had cheated on him.

The scripture doesn't capture the tale of Joseph's heartbreak, but his love must have been deep to decide not to publicly embarrass Mary.

But then she tells Joseph the baby is from God.

Imagine how that must have stung Joseph!

"First you tell me you're pregnant, so that means you must have been cheating on me, but now you're going to lie to me by claiming God made you pregnant?!" is something like what Joseph must have wanted to say.

Maybe he actually said it.

Added to his hurt had to be anger, even a righteous indignation.

Until God cleared up the matter.

And guess what ... Joseph believed God!

Imagine the depth of faith and obedience it took for Joseph to believe that something that had never occurred in human history --- a virgin birth --- was the true story behind his fiance's pregnancy.

It must have been crazy love.

For God, and for Mary.

Scotty

Ripples ...

2011-12-12T11:10:00.006-06:00

You may never know just how you living your life deeply impacts others. But trust that it does. And in trusting that, live it well, empowered by the Holy Spirit, to the glory of God!

(Thanks to Linda for sharing this video).

Scotty

Out of the East ...

2011-12-11T09:02:00.003-06:00

Do you know any magi?

Are you one?

You might be surprised at the answer to that.

I've always thought the magi were an interesting inclusion to the Christmas story. You would think the grand chorus of angels and the heavenly herald proclaiming the birth of Christ would be sufficient for the written record. But no ... enter the magi.

Beyond Israel, God's "chosen people," was a world of other people who believed and lived quite differently. In one society, the influential men of their time were known as "magi."

Don't mistake that for "magician."

While it is thought some of the magi studied magic, the magi were the highly educated, intellectual elites of their day within their society. They were learned men who studied the depth and breadth of human knowledge of their time. They were the modern-day scientists, scholars, astronomers and astrologists, gurus, doctors, lawyers, and philosophers. For all their learning, they were known to be the "wise men" of their culture.

Because of their wisdom and wise leadership, they also served as a council to select the king who ruled their society.

That's what makes their pursuit of Jesus Christ so interesting.

These men had studied it all, searched it all, investigated it all, tried it all. They had given themselves to learning and exploring all the knowledge and resources that humanity had to offer in their time.

And they found it wanting.

Enough to hop on their camels and make a long, trudging, perilous pursuit for something better. After all their human exploration, these magi found everything humanity could think or perform to be lacking for the human need.

So they sought something better. For someone better. For a true King. For someone worthy of their worship.

"Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the reign of King Herod. About that time some wise men from eastern lands arrived in Jerusalem, asking, ² 'Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star as it rose, and we have come to worship him,'" Matthew 2:1-2.

The Jewish people were longing, and impatiently looking for, an earthly king to change their political position as they lived in subservience to the Roman empire. But the magi? They were looking for a king to worship!

^"9 After this interview the wise men went their way. And the star they had seen in the east guided them to Bethlehem. It went ahead of them and stopped over the place where the child was. ¹⁰ When they saw the star, they were filled with joy! ¹¹ They entered the house and saw the child with his mother, Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasure chests and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh," Matthew 2:9-11.

When the magi found the Christ, they found the One they were looking for; down to their knees they went, offering their worship of the only one to finally bring fulfillment to all they were looking for.

Their search was done!

Many people today search the breadth and depth of human knowledge for answers to life. They're smart, bright, capable ... and lost. In spite of everything humankind can think or do even today, nothing humanity offers can fulfill the human need.

Yet, it is few today who are wise enough to keep searching until they come to Christ. It is few today who, when they find Him, bow themselves in true worship of Him. It is few today who offer their greatest treasure as gifts for Him. In fact, it is few who are willing to saddle up and journey out.

What are you searching for? Have you found the Christ? If so, how have you responded?

Scotty

Settling for the oasis ...

2011-12-11T08:02:00.005-06:00

It's not a mirage, but you rub your eyes just to make sure you're seeing clearly.

It is, indeed, an oasis!

Time to quench your thirst, rest your weary body, refresh yourself from a long, tiring journey that's far from done.

Or is it?

It's nice here in the middle of an oasis. There's plenty of water, and shade, and food. Comfort. No trials and tribulations of traveling.

Why not just settle here?

You've got everything you need right here. Why not just pitch a tent and stay?

Because that's not what an oasis is for.

The oasis in our travels of life are those places and times God provides for refreshing, not for settling. The oasis is designed to reinvigorate and re-supply us for the journey.

It's not our destination.

Yet, many settle for the oasis.

Like Peter wanted to.

^"1 Six days later Jesus took Peter and the two brothers, James and John, and led them up a high mountain to be alone. ² As the men watched, Jesus’ appearance was transformed so that his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as light. ³ Suddenly, Moses and Elijah appeared and began talking with Jesus," Matthew 17:1-3.

Doing ministry with Jesus wasn't an easy thing. Being on a mountaintop with the glory of Christ piercing through life's daily routine was, to say the least, a great oasis from the journey. Add to that the appearance of Old Testament greats Moses and Elijah, and you have a scene you want to freeze frame for a while.

At least, Peter did. He wanted to pitch a tent and stay right there, in the midst of unearthly glory.

"Peter exclaimed, 'Lord, it’s wonderful for us to be here! If you want, I’ll make three shelters as memorials — one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah,'” Matthew 17:4.

The problem is, when you indulge your fascination for the oasis, you lose sight of not only the journey, but the purpose for it. For Peter, he was as enthralled with seeing Moses and Elijah as he was seeing Christ transfigured. So God redirected his attention ...

^"5 But even as he spoke, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, 'This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy. Listen to him.' ⁶ The disciples were terrified and fell face down on the ground," Matthew 17:5-6.

The mountaintop was for a time of refreshing, to ready the servants to get off the mountain and back down into the valley to continue the journey among those who needed them.

Imagine if Jesus (or even Peter) would have lounged on the mountaintop. If they would have pitched their tent and stayed.

Better yet, imagine this world if you settle for the oasis. What would be lost that the world will not have if you cut short the journey for the glory of comfort?

Scotty

A simple Christmas lesson ...

2011-12-07T18:15:00.004-06:00

The world is not seeking out the church.

Thus, the church must seek out the world with its mission and message.

Just like long ago, on that first Christmas ...

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life," John 3:16.

God didn't wait on the world to seek Him, He took action! Here's a few steps we can learn from that first Christmas:

1. We need to love the lost the way God did. We won't give or serve the way we need to until we do.

2. Then we need to give our very best, our all. God did. He gave Jesus.

3. We need to have the right mission with the right message: reach the lost with the Good News that "... whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life."

Christmas needs to be so much more than something we celebrate; it needs to be something we emulate.

Scotty

The insanity of some church planting ...

2011-12-05T15:31:00.004-06:00

You've likely heard the old saying that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again but expecting a different outcome.

In that case, could it be some of our church planting methods are insane?

In many instances, what we call church planting is launching a new plant comprised of as many people as possible who are already Christians; starting with a "core group" that is large enough to be a small church.

With such a "large" start, what often happens is this little congregation (that came together without any evangelistic effort) is excited about it's new life at first, but quickly becomes program-oriented. Why? Because you already have enough people to be tempted to turn inward to minister to an existing congregation. The evangelistic impact of this kind of church planting is nominal.

By planting a full-sized church (in America, the average church is less than 90 people; many church plants start with a core group that size or larger), we are often simply starting another church that is more inwardly focused than it is mission focused.

Now here's a novel idea: What if we did more church planting like that done in the New Testament? Where smaller teams were sent out to proclaim the Gospel and the work was about building a new body of believers from among the lost in the community being served? This is how we often approach "foreign missions" work, but not at all how we work at expanding God's kingdom here at home.

Maybe that's why we routinely get reports of lives saved and hundreds or thousands of baptisms from the foreign field, and continue to see churches closing their doors here at home.

Perhaps if we changed our method of planting a small church full of Christians, and sent teams into communities to build relationships from which they could share the Gospel, we would see more lost people come to Christ right here in our own towns and cities.

Or we could just keep planting full-sized churches that turn inward shortly after being planted.

Doesn't that sound insane?

Scotty

BOOK REVIEW: Is "The Voice" Thomas Nelson's cultural compromise?

2011-12-03T22:35:00.004-06:00

Fine lines are delicate things. They often are the slimmest of separation between two radically opposing sides.

With "The Voice New Testament," publisher Thomas Nelson is playing with a fine line of producing the latest contemporary translation of the New Testament, or compromising the accuracy of God's Word by elevating cultural influences in the translation process.

I'm not sure why Thomas Nelson, partnering with Ecclesia Bible Society, thought it necessary to produce yet another translation of the New Testament, but anytime a publisher takes on generating an actual translation of the Bible, the most essential element must be accuracy of translation from the original languages.

In producing a New Testament or complete Bible, accuracy is priority one.

I've had the opportunity to read "The Voice" --- reading it was my responsibility as a reviewer. I haven't had adequate time to do any type of comprehensive analysis of the accuracy of translation from the original languages. Nor have I had enough time to adequately compare and contrast "The Voice" with other translations. From my general reading, relying on general knowledge, there's much to like about the fluidity and clarity of the contemporary style of "The Voice," but there are multiple times where I question the choice of words or phrases and would have to rely on deeper study to draw thorough conclusions.

What is an immediate red flag for me is the purposeful inclusion of artists --- such as singers, musicians, song writers, and poets --- as contributors to the translation team. In order to have the most reliable translation possible, I want the the most gifted, skilled, capable scholars in the world doing the work of translating, not an artist!

So why were "artists" included as part of the translation team?

The first few pages of "The Voice" explain the translation method for this New Testament. The goal was not a word-for-word or even a dynamic equivalence translation, but what the publisher calls a hybrid of those two as a "contextual equivalence" version. To that end, artists were added to the translation team. Under the heading of "A Different Translation Process," this explanation is offered:

"'The Voice' Bible is a different sort of translation. It combines the relative strengths of scholars who are experts in the original languages (in the case of the New Testament, Greek) and modern writers, musicians, and poets who are skilled in their use of English, our target language."

The publisher does not offer a clear or more thorough explanation about the specific contributions made by artists on the team, or their degree of influence in the translation. That is something I definitely want to know. While I appreciate the gifts and skills of artists, having the scholarly aptitude to translate ancient documents into an accurate version of the New Testament is not among their gifts, skills, or experiences. I cannot believe that Bible scholars are so lacking in their knowledge of the English language that they need the guidance of a poet to put together what is both an accurate and readable translation. Furthermore, why would a Bible scholar need the skill of a musician in Bible translation?

In today's church, there are some churches that engage culture so they can proclaim the Gospel and reach people for Christ. Other churches have gone far beyond engaging culture to embracing it, with the result being culture having a greater influence on the church than the church on culture.

This cultural influence has been so strong among some of these churches that their written mission statements speak of culture, art, beauty, and social justice but little or nothing of the original mission of the church as given by Jesus Christ --- that of making disciples.

With it's modern "screenplay" format, "The Voice" may be Thomas Nelson's reflection of these churches that embrace culture by elevating artists and "creatives" to a new level of influence. But in this case, it's not simply within the church, but in the work of translating the Word of God.

I find that disturbing.

Let me clarify that my discomfort with the inclusion of artists on the translation team is not, in any way, a disdain of art or artists. I appreciate both. I'm a writer, I've had a youthful stint as a musician, I appreciate and enjoy the arts. But it makes as much sense to put truck drivers, cashiers, and school teachers on a Bible translation team as it does to add artists to one.

One of the most important responsibilities I have as an ordained minister is the accurate teaching of the Word of God. Until Thomas Nelson can provide a thorough reasoning as to why artists were part of its translation team, and clarify with great specificity what influence these artists had in the translation process, there is no way I could recommend "The Voice" with a clear conscience.

Scotty

I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

BOOK REVIEW: Harris offers a new book with real substance

2011-12-03T17:36:00.008-06:00

If you like the simplistic, fluff-oriented, more-motivational-than-biblical kind of book to read, don't go buy Joshua Harris' latest book, "Dug Down Deep" (published by Multnomah Books).

However, if you would like a book that has some substance to it and doesn't read like a frat boy trying to preach, then you'll likely appreciate and benefit by this new paperback.

Harris starts by posing a vital question: What are you building your life on? Jesus spoke directly to that question, and it's this biblical teaching Harris uses to push off into a book that offers substantive biblical response and content in a highly readable fashion.

Harris is a gutsy pastor to write "Dug Down Deep" because in this book he takes us back to Christian basics and makes an excellent argument that --- now get this --- that theology, doctrine, and orthodoxy are actually very important for Christians.

Many Christians couldn't accurately define what those three things are. Others criticize each and have rejected them. But Harris does an insightful job of making the case for the need for each.

What you build your life on matters!

Truth matters!

And Christians having a biblical theology, knowledge of doctrine, and orthodoxy really does matter!

Such terms sound heavy and usually frighten readers away. Don't be afraid of this book! Harris is a gifted writer who explains these terms, then takes us into key doctrines in a fashion that is readable, understandable, and even enjoyable for any reader. Through some story-telling, and relatable pastoral teaching, Harris not only makes things like doctrine understandable to a wide audience, but he takes us back to those things which are at the core of being Christian.

"Dug Down Deep" would be a solid learning tool for a variety of people --- the new believer, small groups and Bible classes, Bible students, theology buffs, the "average, ordinary Christian," or the unbeliever who would like to understand what Christianity is about.

I appreciate "Dug Down Deep" because it offers teaching with some real biblical substance to it. For that reason, I not only highly recommend it to you, I encourage you to buy it, read it, and share it with others.

Scotty

I received this book free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group as part of their book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Here's one way you might find some money ...

2011-12-02T18:52:00.004-06:00

I once found a $20 dollar bill in the pocket of my coat. Nice surprise!

Finding money can be fun, especially if you use it to bless others.

Years ago, I wanted to expand the giving I was already doing so I could support additional ministry efforts.

Where could I find the additional money to give?

Not in my pockets.

Not under the cushions of the couch.

Not in the consoles of the car.

But I did find some in the current bills I was paying.

I took time to check out rates for the types of insurances I was paying for, and for the services I spent money on, such as phones, cable, internet service, etc.

Often, we choose a service provider for various services, and stay with them for years. But during that time, other providers may come along who offer the same services at lower costs.

That's what I discovered when I compared rates. I was able to make some changes and gain almost a $100 per month in fee reductions. That was $100 per month in my pocket that I could forward on to the additional kingdom work I wanted to support.

Being the best stewards of our dollars means managing our spending. Doing that means occasionally checking to make sure we're getting the best deal, or to see if rates have changed for the goods and services we spend our money on. Sometimes you can find savings that you could use to bless others with.

When was the last time you made sure you were getting the best deals for the best stewardship of your money?

Scotty

A pinch of salt can ruin everything ...

2011-12-02T18:06:00.004-06:00

A clinical counseling session with me always starts with the same question for everyone I see. The question is this: "Why are you here?"

The answer to that question is profound for each person because it's foundational to what we can accomplish in our time together.

Many people think if someone comes in for counseling, they want change.

Not always.

And when they do, it's often not change in themselves, but in or about someone else.

Scores of people who walk into a counselor's office do so because they're running out of options (or have already run out of answers) to their problems. Some are willing to do whatever it takes to bring about positive change, regardless of how dramatic that may be to their own selves. Others are looking to shore up excuses, find support for failing positions, and ammunition to use against others.

Many simply don't want to leave elements of their brokenness.

If you think that's crazy, just look at the example of Lot's wife, as told in Genesis 19. As she and her husband, Lot, were escaping the doom of Sodom, she looked back with longing in her eyes. That unwillingness to flee from sin was her ruin.

It's the ruin of each person who harbors a place of fondness for sin:

"For all of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment; and all of us wither like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away," Isaiah 64:6.

You cannot grow into the likeness of Christ (which is God's ultimate goal for each of us) and look back with desire on your past sin. The Apostle Paul makes this admonition to us:

^"11 But flee from these things, you man of God, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance and gentleness. ¹² Fight the good fight of faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses," 1 Timothy 6:11-12.

Growing as a child of God requires us to run from some things, while diligently pursuing others. Where you place your focus is foundational to what you will accomplish.

Scotty

What are your measurements?

2011-12-01T19:03:00.007-06:00

I was glad when legislators decided America would not adopt the metric system. I simply didn't want to have to learn to use measurements that were so foreign to me. I understood the current measurement system already in place.

I wish I could say the same about new measurements in our culture.

For example, I'm completely lost when it comes to units of measure used for things computer-related. What, exactly is a byte? What's a megabyte? Or a gigabyte? Or various amounts of RAM? Or ROM?

I know many of my techno-nerdish friends out there could immediately ramble off an understanding of those terms, all while laughing in disbelief that I don't understand such simple things!

But I don't. I've never had a source of learning for those things, so I don't have a real grasp of what their true measure really is.

Many of us are the same way when it comes to God's "measurement system." The Bible teaches us that God is utterly holy, that He is a just God, that He is righteous, and that He is love. He doesn't "have" these traits or characteristics ... He is holy, He is love! His measure is just and His standard is righteous:

"The LORD is righteous in all His ways and kind in all His deeds," Psalm 145:17.

"This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all," 1 John 1:5.

³ “For I proclaim the name of the LORD; ascribe greatness to our God! ⁴ The Rock! His work is perfect, for all His ways are just; a God of faithfulness and without injustice, righteous and upright is He," Deuteronomy 32:3-4.

To have a better understanding of God, we need to understand these measures that reveal God to us. Learning these measures can be summed up in the example and life of Jesus Christ, who displayed all these measures of God's character in His physical life on earth.

Knowing such characteristic measures not only helps us better understand God, but helps us understand the whole measure God is calling us to:

"¹¹ And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, ¹² for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; ¹³ until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ," Ephesians 4:11-13.

How are you doing with learning God's measurement system?

Scotty

Pillaging God ...

2011-12-01T18:20:00.005-06:00

It was (as usual) a beautiful day on Waikiki Beach. I was strolling through the area, scanning for just the right place to kick back on the sand, when I noticed the angry surfer walking almost directly toward me.

"Can you believe that?!" he said, shaking both his head and the single flip flop shoe he was clutching in his left hand.

"Believe what?" I responded.

He stopped and, still shaking the flip flop for emphasis, said, "All I had with me was my slippahs [that's what locals in Hawaii often call flip flops] so I buried them in the sand. Some thief came along and stole ONE of my flip flops! Why would someone take just one?" he asked, again shaking his head as he walked on in bewilderment and anger.

Unfortunately, theft along the beach is not uncommon in Hawaii. Tourists bring all sorts of things --- including wallets, phones, jewelry, and other valuables --- and "hide" them on the beach while they go swimming. Some locals come along and loot the tourists of their goods. Apparently, someone had searched for what the surfer may have left (probably hoping for a wallet) and, finding only a pair of flip flops, decided to take one for spite since he didn't have anything of real value to tote away.

A lot of people are like those beach scavengers. They're looking for what they can take away from someone else, and when others don't have much to offer, they may not be so kind in the parting.

Our culture teaches people to connect with others who have something to give, and to scorn those who don't have something to contribute directly; take what you can get from others, and when that value is depleted, move along.

That's often what is the hidden message in the warm, fuzzy platitude that says some people come into our lives just for seasons. Actually, neither friendship nor kindness have expiration dates. People falling out of our lives more often occurs because we don't see them bringing value to us, or they don't see us bringing value to them.

James 4:1-4 says, ^"1 What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you? Is not the source your pleasures that wage war in your members? ² You lust and do not have; so you commit murder. You are envious and cannot obtain; so you fight and quarrel. You do not have because you do not ask. ³ You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures. ⁴ You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God."

We pillage each other.

And above all, we pillage God.

Rarely do we approach God with the idea that He won't have something for us. It's not so common for us to desire time with God because of what we have to bring to Him! Instead, we're looking for the blessing, the gift, the something to make our time "worthwhile."

And if it's not, we grab a shoe just to have something for our effort.

I wonder if God sometimes feels like that bewildered surfer.

Scotty

A lesson from the American worker?

2011-11-30T17:50:00.005-06:00

The American worker is the most productive worker on the planet!

And once again, productivity rose 2.3 percent (see the story here http://cjky.it/vdsJp8 ) during the third quarter of 2011. The productivity of the American worker is the key to our nation's economy being the largest in the world.

Americans know how to get things done!

Except in the church.

How's the productivity of your local church these days?

Now before you start with the statements that the church isn't a business and doesn't produce goods and services for a resale market --- which I agree with --- the church is a body that is expected to produce.

In the case of the church, God does have expectations for us, and if you look at the Commission given to the church, you can see with specificity what the church is expected to produce:

^"19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age,” Matthew 18:19-20.

Rarely do you hear someone teaching biblical truth that, while salvation is indeed by grace, God still has expectations of us. Just read Jesus' parable of the talents in Matthew 25:14-29 and you'll come away with a clear insight that Jesus wants us to be productive with the talents He gives us. Continuing in that same chapter, through verse 31 to the end of the chapter, and you'll get a glimpse of how Christ will evaluate what we've accomplished for Him when He returns and takes account of our "productivity."

No, the church isn't some kind of spiritual manufacturing plant pumping out spiritual goods. It is the family of God, who is expected to take all that He's given us and put it to use for His glory, and the growth of His kingdom.

And to be specific, the church is responsible for producing disciples.

So ... how is the productivity of your local church? What are you contributing directly to its "productivity"?

Scotty

Another reason why men don't go to church ...

2011-11-27T13:58:00.004-06:00

According to scripture, church leadership is supposed to be composed of our most spiritually mature men. But if you listen to many sermons today, you might question whether that's actually true.

In an effort to identify and illustrate, pastors often share about their own weaknesses in their sermons. We may, however, have gone overboard with that as many tend to drone on and on, week in and week out, about their own failings and weaknesses.

Accordingly, it seems many pastors are weak at marriage, parenting, leading, following, faith, and a number of other things they rattle off as areas they struggle with. I would agree there are times when it is appropriate --- and even beneficial --- for a leader to share about his weaknesses, but he also needs to demonstrate strength. That doesn't seem to be happening much in the church today.

And that's another reason why men don't attend church!

Men are drawn to leaders they can trust, men they can have confidence in, and leaders who they believe have strength. Most men have as a "given" that we all have our weaknesses, we all have our failings, we all have our struggles, but to lead men to victory over such things we need to hear about courage, about a faith that produces appropriate confidence, and a discipline that enboldens a man to stand in the gap.

The Apostle Paul gave us a good example. While he was able to reference his "thorn in the flesh" and point to personal weaknesses, this was also a man who challenged us to put on the whole armor of God, and to discipline ourselves like a boxer buffeting his body in preparing for a prize fight.

We know David was a musician and could write soul-stirring psalms, but we also know as a young man he was a shepherd who killed a lion and bear ... and that was prior to taking on Goliath!

Men need to hear and see some strength from our pulpits!

Too often today, they hear a litany of weaknesses, with the closing of the sermon being, "... but through Christ we can be strong and overcome." Most men have already tuned out halfway through the list of weakness. Men are overtly aware of where they are weak; they seek a source for strength, for courage, for a way to win!

You cannot call men to battle with a wimpish battle cry: "I know it's hard. I know it's scary. I really struggle with it all. Sometimes I really doubt. Sometimes I don't really know what to think. Sometimes I want to give up. But God will deliver us!" A regular diet of such sermons doesn't stir the spiritual warrior in a man!

While we want to be "authentic" in every way, maybe it's time we demonstrate and illustrate how God can strengthen us to truly be men of spiritual valor. I think that would capture the attention of many men who are already very aware of their own weaknesses.

^"6 Be strong and courageous, for you shall give this people possession of the land which I swore to their fathers to give them. ⁷ Only be strong and very courageous ..." Joshua 1:6-7a.

Scotty

The best way to avoid failure ...

2011-11-26T18:53:00.006-06:00

So many re-tweet and re-post the platitudes that praise the value of failure, claiming failure is the best teacher of all!

You haven't met the thousands I've seen in clinical counseling, pastoral counseling, and pastoral care whose lives were wrecked because of failure.

Those empty platitudes hailing failure for it's great capacity to take us to success don't tell the stories of the many who were bowled over by failure. They didn't immediately bounce back up. Failure was harsh and painful. Many never fully recovered.

And the vast majority of those people uttered something along the lines of wishing they had listened and learned first so they could have done things right the first time.

Why?

Because "success" is the best teacher of "success," not failure!

Another way of putting it, obedience is a great teacher of success. Instead of jumping out and doing things our way without listening to, learning from, or looking toward God, our best means of achieving real success in living is to first listen to the Word of God, and then obey it.

"There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death," Proverbs 14:12. Some can quickly learn from their failures and make better choices. Many do not. Failure is not the virtue so many "leaders" praise it as being.

That's why God directs us to listen to and learn from Him, and then act on His leading for us.

"Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path," Psalm 119:105.

God's Word does not mislead us. If we start with God, listen to Him, learn from Him, and apply His Word directly to our lives, we have the surest path to and through life we can possibly have.

The best way to live "successfully" is to avoid failure. And the best way to avoid failure is to obey God.

It certainly beats trying to learn from human trial and error.

Scotty

Blocks, logs, and Legos ...

2011-11-26T18:11:00.006-06:00

When we're barely crawling, we start with blocks. We don't do much with them other than stare at, explore, and throw them. It takes a while before we can build anything with them.

Do you remember Lincoln Logs? That was my next step in building toys.

Today, Legos rule the building empire of children. So much so --- get this --- that 50 million Legos are made each day!

It seems as though from our earliest days, we're inclined to build something. We start with blocks, move on to more difficult objects, and eventually face the biggest challenge of all: building a life.

Here's the most significant question about that "project": What will you build it on?

God gave you a life, He's not going to live it for you. It's yours to build, with His help.

Jesus addressed this issue specifically, because what we build our lives on is fundamental to our human experience:

²⁴ “Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. ²⁵ And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock. ²⁶ Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. ²⁷ The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell—and great was its fall," Matthew 7:4-27.

There is a single foundation upon which a human being can build a "successful" life, and the Apostle Paul stated it this way:

"For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ," 1 Corinthians 3:11.

What is the actual foundation upon which your entire life rests and relies?

Scotty

One day ...

2011-11-25T17:53:00.005-06:00

What if you had only one day?

I don't mean one more day. I mean, what if you were created as an adult and given a single day to live. Could you imagine how amazing 24 hours could be in that situation? Wow! Every moment would matter!

Now, take that just a little further. What if God gave you two whole days.

Two days? Incredible! Twice the time to delve into life. You could do, see, experience so much more.

But, what if --- now just imagine this --- what if God stretched and gave you an entire week to live and breathe and be alive.

A week?! Yes, seven entire days of life. Imagine the possibilities! Kind of blows your mind just thinking about it!

Okay ... now I know this will take some real imagination ... but what if God gave you this over-the-top privilege of living for decades.

Unreal!!

I know, right?

A lifetime that could go something like 60, 70, 80 years or more. Crazy isn't it?!

Just imagine what you could learn about your Creator, and how you could spend decades walking with Him. Imagine the people you could know and love. Imagine the relationships, the bonds, the connections.

Just think how rich life could be!

If you had more than a day.

And you really lived it.

To God's glory.

"This is the day which the LORD has made; Let us rejoice and be glad in it," Psalm 118:24.

Scotty

Serving up satisfaction and sacrifice ...

2011-11-23T18:06:00.005-06:00

Throughout human history, people have loved feasts.

Whenever and wherever people gather to spend any time together, someone usually brings food. Whether it's a co-worker who brings into the office their freshly made favorite recipe, or almost any event "at church," we like to eat when we gather together.

No more so than on Thanksgiving Day. It's the one day of the year where everyone indulges mightily without any sense of guilt. It's a day when feasting is part of the celebration of sharing our gratitude.

It's interesting that scripture doesn't record many times when Jesus "gave thanks," but there are a couple key examples. Both are giving thanks at a meal.

One is recorded in Matthew 14. Jesus had spent much of a day healing among and caring for a crowd of more than 5,000 people. By evening time, the people needed food. The problem? Hardly anyone brought any food! But there were five loaves of bread and two fish ... more than enough when Jesus is the one serving out the portions:

"¹⁷ They said to Him, 'We have here only five loaves and two fish.' ¹⁸ And He said, 'Bring them here to Me.' ¹⁹ Ordering the people to sit down on the grass, He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up toward heaven, He blessed the food, and breaking the loaves He gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds, ²⁰ and they all ate and were satisfied. They picked up what was left over of the broken pieces, twelve full baskets," Matthew 14:17-20.

On Thanksgiving, as we gather around tables covered with more food than we could possibly eat at one sitting (which results in those delicious Thanksgiving leftovers), we can see how God continues to bless us with what we need like Jesus did the crowd: "... and all ate and were satisfied."

When we partake of what Christ serves to us, we can be satisfied.

The other text is Matthew 26:26-30 and is a very different setting:

^"26 While they were eating, Jesus took some bread, and after a blessing, He broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, 'Take, eat; this is My body.' ²⁷ And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, 'Drink from it, all of you; ²⁸ for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins. ²⁹ But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom. ³⁰ After singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives."

Jesus knew how forgetful we are, even about the things we should be most grateful for. So he created a simple meal (we refer to it as Communion), prefaced with a blessing, to help us remember the thing for which our gratitude should have no end: His sacrifice for our sins.

As Jesus mixed food and the giving of thanks, my prayer is that you will do likewise as you celebrate with family and friends a feast of Thanksgiving. And like Jesus, my prayer is that you'll recall there's something greater than the food to be thankful for ...

Have a blessed Thanksgiving Day!

Scotty

Squeezing in a little gratitude ...

2011-11-22T18:44:00.004-06:00

On Thanksgiving Day, our "giving of thanks" is usually limited to a prayer offered before indulging in a great feast.

That's it?

Yep, that's the sum total of thanks given by many people.

So, for a day supposedly set aside for the giving of thanks, we allot about 30-60 seconds for a prayer? Maybe a little more for the longer-winded pray-ers?

If we really take time to identify what we are genuinely thankful for, who should be thanked? What is an adequate means of expressing such sincere gratitude?

What will your day of Thanksgiving look like?

Scotty

It's getting ugly out there ...

2011-11-22T17:48:00.005-06:00

Behind the curtain was a little old man, pulling and pushing levers to make the myth appear true.

That's how it was in "The Wizard of Oz," a classic movie many of us saw in our youngest years.

People across the world today are looking for some "Great Oz" to resolve their problems because the world today is riddled with them.

Societies have indulged to such a degree that whole nations are on the verge of bankruptcy.

Political leaders are showing their complete lack of leadership and backbone by spending their nations into ruin.

Many people are looking to their government to provide them with bail outs from their own bad choices while others want to be provided for.

Even the church has been in decline for a long time. It has compromised its message and turned it's heart to culture, art, branding, and social interests.

The world is suffering from a long run with falsehood and is in desperate need of the Truth!

But the Truth the world needs is Jesus Christ:

"Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me'," John 14:6.

The Apostle Paul supported Jesus' words in 1 Corinthians 3:11:

"For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ."

The answer for the woes of the world cannot be found in politics or political leaders, in social emphases, art, dead churches, philosophy, or the "Oz," but in Jesus Christ alone!

So who is willing to take the message of Christ to the world? Or across the street to a neighbor?

Who is willing to say:

"Then I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, 'Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?' Then I said, 'Here am I. Send me!'" (Isaiah 6:8).

Scotty

What does a mad God do with His anger?

2011-11-17T17:39:00.003-06:00

One of the biggest fallacies taught about God is that He doesn't get angry at people.

Wanna bet?

Ever hear of a flood that wiped out all human beings except one family? God was mad! He was mad at the sinfulness of humanity, to the point that He regretted making mankind:

"⁵ The Lord observed the extent of human wickedness on the earth, and he saw that everything they thought or imagined was consistently and totally evil. ⁶ So the Lord was sorry he had ever made them and put them on the earth. It broke his heart. ⁷ And the Lord said, 'I will wipe this human race I have created from the face of the earth. Yes, and I will destroy every living thing—all the people, the large animals, the small animals that scurry along the ground, and even the birds of the sky. I am sorry I ever made them'," Genesis 6:5-7.

But, true to His gracious character, God's anger showed its righteousness in containing mercy:

"But Noah found favor with the Lord," Genesis 6:8.

The favor God extended to Noah was His means of extending another chance to humanity. But God is not meek toward sin. Look closely at Psalm 7:11:

"God is an honest judge. He is angry with the wicked every day."

God has a z-e-r-o tolerance for sin. Sin makes Him angry! Kind of like the parent who grows angry with the persistent, willful disobedience of an arrogant child.

But before you think of God's anger being something similar to our road rage, with a great celestial being hurling lightning bolts at "bad people," remember this:

"Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires," James 1:20.

Our anger is often not what could be described as "righteous indignation." But God can be angry and righteous. In fact, God "dealt with" His anger in order to extend to us the means of becoming righteous. Check this out:

^"9 By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him. ¹⁰ In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins," 1 John 4:9-10 (NASB).

From the first humans in the Garden of Eden, all the way to you and me, God has been the brunt of willful sin throughout human history. It's enough to make even God mad! And He was angry at sin.

Do you know what He did with it?

He used Christ on the cross as the dumping ground for His anger. All the wrath that God had toward our sin was dumped on Christ as He hung dying as a sacrifice --- a "propitiation" --- for our sin.

I had to go back to the New American Standard version to have a Bible translation that has the word "propitiation" in it; most modern versions have replaced that word with "sacrifice" or a definition of the term.

But it's a word every Christian should know and cherish!

To be a propitiation for our sin addresses two things: a place where wrath is poured out, and this is done to accomplish a reconciling. When wrath is removed, there can then be reconciliation.

In order to be reconciled to God, His wrath toward humanity's sin had to be addressed. As Christ bore the sins of us all on the cross, He also took upon Himself the wrath God had toward our sin!

Jesus truly --- truly --- bore it all!

God's anger toward sin is settled at the cross, through Christ who was sent to be the propitiation for our sin.

The next time you're prone to get a little angry, just think of the wrath Christ bore on our behalf from a God who was angry at sin. Maybe it will help you contain your anger to righteous indignation ... and be very grateful.

Scotty

The Attitude, The Action, and The Choice ...

2011-11-16T15:09:00.007-06:00

Let's use parts of two true stories to learn a greater truth.

*****

The Attitude

I once provided personal training at a gym for a guy I'll call Mark (not his real name). Mark was in his early forties and had made millions as co-owner of a successful, small, international business.

Mark wanted to get back to peak fitness. He admitted a routine indulgence with smoking pot, but he thought he was experiencing negative physical results of his drug use. He wanted to get clean, get fit, and be at his physical best. Mark had good personal self-discipline when he wanted to apply it; it was his ability to focus and be disciplined that made his business successful.

But he had a different attitude toward his workouts.

When it came to achieving his fitness goals, Mark drug his feet even though he didn't have to. He had good core strength and, although I pushed him to his physical limits, he was able to handle the workouts I dished out for him.

But throughout my time training him, I had to push him all the way. He could have reached his fitness goals much more quickly and easily than he did. He simply didn't want to at that time. His attitude was he knew he could reach his goal, but he was going to take his time getting to it. He was going to milk eating however he wanted, doing whatever he wanted, and using his favorite drug whenever he wanted for as long as he could before he finally had to succumb to the full measure of self-control necessary to reach his fitness goals.

*****

The Action

At the high school I attended was a cheerleader who had set a personal goal of having sex with every member of the varsity football team.

By all reports, she succeeded at achieving her goal.

Whenever one of the football players wanted some "action," they knew who to call.

*****

These two stories highlight elements that make up the experiences of many Christians today.

Many Christians adopt "The Attitude" Mark showed in his workouts. They set a "stated" goal of being obedient to Christ, but maintain an attitude of growing at their own pace. They milk their time attached to their old sins for as long as they possibly can. They could achieve their objective much more quickly and easily than they do, but they really don't want to. They justify and rationalize that spiritual maturing takes time, and they're going to take plenty of it before they really cut loose of their pet sins and "have to" face what it means to live a holy life.

Some Christians adopt "The Action" of the cheerleader.

Imagine this cheerleader, now out of high school and married. She gets a call one evening. It's one of the football players she went to high school with; he's in town for a couple of days and wants to get together. This cheerleader, now a bride, says to her groom that she will be spending the night with the former football player.

When the groom responds with protests, she reminds him that before they met she routinely did such things with many of the varsity team members, it was just a part of her life, and she would be back the next morning. Or at least within the next few days. But she would be back.

The Greater Lesson

Yes, none of us are perfect. Yes, God will work at transforming us into the likeness of Christ over our lifetimes. But those realities are not a basis for justifying the prolonging of sin in our lives. God has already given us a position of right standing while we work that out practically. Hebrews 10:14 puts it this way:

"For by that one offering he forever made perfect those who are being made holy."

The Apostle Paul wrote the following in Romans 6:17-18:

^"17 Thank God! Once you were slaves of sin, but now you wholeheartedly obey this teaching we have given you. ¹⁸ Now you are free from your slavery to sin, and you have become slaves to righteous living."

Because Jesus Christ has completely and utterly set us free from sin, turning back to it is a choice. The devil doesn't make us do it. It's not something beyond our control. It's like the bride (cheerleader) saying to the groom she's going to cheat for a while ... but she'll be back.

It's like that because we, as Christians making up the Church, are the bride to Christ. To routinely choose to continually prolonging and playing with sin is to say to the Groom --- in this case, Jesus Christ --- that we're going to cheat on Him for a while, but we'll be back.

We want to milk our desires of the flesh for as long as possible.

That's how serious, how real, a relationship with Jesus Christ really is.

*****

What's your attitude toward obeying God? Toward pursuing a holy life in Christ? How are you applying self-control toward attaining spiritual maturity?

Paul wrote, "For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline," 2 Timothy 1:7.

What action are you taking to remain free from sin and growing as a disciple of Christ and child of God? Do you see cheating as an ongoing part of your life, or something you do not practice?

What's your choice?

Scotty

Fashion statement, or fat support system?

2011-11-16T12:28:00.007-06:00

A few years ago, suspenders enjoyed a brief moment in fashion's spotlight.

For the man who wore a suit, a colorful pair of suspenders that paired well with his tie and French cuff shirt was the latest fashion trend. Enough so that men were taking off their suit coats to display their suspenders.

A few days ago I noted a TV political commentator still sports his colorful suspenders, which match appropriately with his tie.

I also noted a local man who wears suspenders every day.

Both of these men like suspenders, but there's another reason why they wear them. They're both overweight, enough so that a belt no longer can handle the challenge of the downward push made by their sizeable, protruding bellies on the waistline of their pants. It now takes a pair of suspenders to confidently keep their pants up.

Instead of addressing their growing physical issue of increasing obesity, these men choose to simply adopt a system that will allow them to keep loading up and bloating outward. Instead of doing what is healthy and good for them, they add a couple of straps in an effort to haul the load of fat they carry.

Like these two men, many people are in search of "spiritual suspenders" to haul their brokenness and sin. Instead of turning to Christ to cleanse them from all unrighteousness, they search for ways to carry around their sin. They don't want to curb their appetite for sin any more than the other men want to curb their appetite for food. So they look for ways to carry it around confidently.

^"18 For I have told you often before, and I say it again with tears in my eyes, that there are many whose conduct shows they are really enemies of the cross of Christ. ¹⁹ They are headed for destruction. Their god is their appetite, they brag about shameful things, and they think only about this life here on earth," Philippians 3:18-19.

Are you building systems to support and sustain sin, or an appetite for holiness?

Scotty

What's on your refrigerator?

2011-11-16T11:34:00.004-06:00

Many motivational gurus teach you to make a mess of your refrigerator door by taping on it pictures of all the things you want.

These motivational gurus tell you to visualize things that you want, then cut out pictures of these things and post them all over your bathroom mirror, your refrigerator, in your car, around your home and office ... various places where you can see them regularly.

Pictures of houses, cars, boats, vacations, clothes, electronics ... things.

So you will feed your desire for these things.

So you will feed your envy of those who have these things enough that you will make it your desire to pursue these things.

And, of course, the false "Law of Attraction" teaches you to visualize and focus on these things so that the "universe" will attract them to you.

What really is happening is you're being taught to envy sinners.

You're being taught to have a desire for the things of this world, and so instill them in your mind and emotions that you seek them with a priority. You make little "idols" by posting their images where you can "worship" them by elevating their value in your life.

This is what is taught as a means to success. "It's just good, successful goal-setting," is the excuse. Here is what Proverbs 23:17 says with great simplicity:
"Don’t envy sinners ..."

And then the same verse provides direction for what we should do:
"Don’t envy sinners, but always continue to fear the Lord."
The next verse provides real motivation for people looking for motivation:

"You will be rewarded for this; your hope will not be disappointed," Proverbs 23:18.

The simple lesson: Be careful of who you allow to motivate you, and want you long for.

Scotty

We say it's not all about us, but ...

2011-11-15T09:34:00.004-06:00

Bad theology, bad doctrine, and those warm, fuzzy platitudes have been perpetuated throughout the church to such a great degree that the average Christian thinks the cross of Christ is all about us!

It's not.

Recently I saw a flurry of posts about how "it was love for us that nailed Jesus to the cross and held Him there" and "every moment Jesus was on the cross He was thinking of you." Here's another post:"Religion says God's so holy He can't stand you; the Bible says God loves you so much He couldn't live without you." Those, and other such ideas --- which are common among Christians and from preachers behind pulpits --- are biblically inaccurate.

The simplest of readings of the Bible makes it clear and unquestionable that God loves us, and amazingly so. So much that He gave His only Son for us. There's simply no disputing His real love for, and unfailing faithfulness to, us.

But that's only a part of the biblical picture. Without placing that in accurate biblical context, we create a theology that has God placing us in the center of His universe, and Him revolving around us to love us and meet our every need. That's incredibly biblically inaccurate.

So what is the truth?

In the middle of "God's universe" ... is God!

The Bible teaches us that all things were made by God, and for God, and all ultimately for His glory. God's primary focus isn't you, me, or some angelic being, it's His own glory!

"For everything comes from him and exists by his power and is intended for his glory. All glory to him forever! Amen," Romans 11:36.

Obviously, God had to love us greatly for Christ to suffer on the cross to be the propitiation for our sin. But the cross is a great demonstration of the glory of God! Yet, over and over again we're told that Jesus being the sacrifice for the sins of the world demonstrates how God's attention is all about us.

God's attention is all about God's glory! And the glory of God is so great that He draws close to us and, through His love, extends the means for us to be adopted as His children.

Why is it that human beings so often think they can make demands of God, have service-based expectations of God, and actually be disappointed with God? Because they have a flawed theology that puts them in the middle of God's universe, with God as the ultimate servant.

We say we know better, but is God the very center of your "universe"? Does your life revolve around Him? Is the purpose for your existence primarily for the glory of God? If the answer is no, then you don't get it yet.

But you can.

Will you?

Scotty

Cutting the budget ...

2011-11-14T18:40:00.004-06:00

It doesn't matter what side of the isle most American politicians are on, they seem to not have an understanding of what "cutting" means.

For most, it simply means reducing the rate of growth. For example, if a program costs a million dollars (ha! that would be dirt cheap), instead of increasing the rate of growth for the following year by an anticipated seven percent, they only increase growth by three percent.

To politicians, that's a cut.

To citizens, that's an increase of three percent!

Some Christians try to apply the same kind of thinking to their spiritual lives. Instead of cutting sin, and pursing holiness as God has instructed us to, we instead are satisfied with a reduction of sin. Maybe we cut out the more obvious and seemingly ominous things, but allow other sinful habits to continue unabated in our lives.

To some, that's cutting sin.

To God, that's continuing in sin.

What is it to you?

^"14 So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then. ¹⁵ But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. ¹⁶ For the Scriptures say, 'You must be holy because I am holy'," 1 Peter 1:14-16.

Scotty

Are you aware of this?

2011-11-12T17:44:00.008-06:00

My first awareness of my limited awareness hit me in my Journalism 101 class in high school. The teacher had us close our eyes and tell him where the nearest electrical outlet was, describe what a certain person was wearing, name objects found in the room, and so on.

The exercise was designed to introduce young would-be journalists to the need of developing their awareness.

I received much greater training about awareness as I studied clinical counseling and clinical psychology.

Many of us who think we're fairly aware people might be surprised at how much we miss around us.

We tend to take better note of what's missing rather than what really is in our surroundings.

We may mildly note, for a brief period, if there's joy in our lives, but we're quite aware when it's absent.

We often pay no heed to our being happy, but are very aware of when we' aren't.

We often miss the fact that we may be blessed, but we highlight those times when we aren't.

We take our health for granted, until we note with keenness our health slipping away.

There are times when we need to be aware of what's missing in our lives; sometimes it's vital to note, then seek, what's missing. But more often, having a heightened awareness of what isn't in our lives and giving little heed to what we have tends to make us less appreciative and more self-centered.

What if we turned that around?

How would it affect your life if you gave a little more attention to what really is in your life, and a little less attention to what's not there?

You may find yourself a little more content, a bit more fulfilled, and a lot more grateful.

Scotty

An identity complex ...

2011-11-10T19:09:00.006-06:00

There's nothing flattering about identity theft. Those who attempt to steal your "identity" don't do so because they want to be you, or be like you. They just want to use your good standing to steal from you.

Identity theft has become such a serious crime that paper shredders have become commonplace in the average American household. Today, you don't throw away mail, you shred it, lest someone goes through your trash and gathers personal data about you.

There are even companies you can pay a monthly fee to "protect" your identity from being stolen.

In our world, we fight to keep people from stealing our identity. In God's economy, He works at giving us His:

^"29 For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. ³⁰ And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself. And having given them right standing, he gave them his glory," Romans 8:29-30.

Being like God, as one of His own children, isn't something that we have to try to sneak or steal. You can't get His likeness that way, regardless of how stealthy you are. Instead, God offers us His identity. It is His desire to change us into the likeness of His Son so that we may truly reflect Him.

Funny how we fight against that change in identity, and strive to keep our own.

Have you given up your identity for a new identity in Christ? Or are you still hanging on to your old self?

Scotty

Why Christians fail ...

2011-11-09T12:16:00.005-06:00

There are all kinds of people who walk into a gym, but for the sake of discussion, let's narrow these people into two groups: those who are fit, and those who are not fit.

Those who are not fit very often harbor the misconception that the others come often and confidently to the gym because they are fit. The truth of the matter is, usually the people in the gym who are fit are fit because they're in the gym!

These fit members have faced head-on the inconvenience, difficulty, and sometimes even the pain of persistent, consistent exercise in order to become fit. They keep coming to the gym at all hours of the day and night in order to stay fit.

Those who are not fit and show up at the gym hear what they need to do and often respond with that infamous little phrase, "Yes, but ..."

When "Yes, but ..." is the initial response to truth, a rejection of that truth is often what follows. "Yes, but ..." are the common words of the rebellious spirit.

And that's why Christians fail ...

Like the people going to the gym, you have spiritually mature Christians, and the other group is comprised of either immature Christians or yet-unbelieving seekers. The spiritually mature are in the church, "working out" spiritually with discipline and diligence, which is why they are spiritually mature.

The immature and seekers hear the truth and all too often respond with, "Yes, but ..." The complete sentence of their response is often, "Yes, but that's easier said than done."

Here's a good response to that attitude:

"So what?!"

Now I don't mean that flippantly, or insensitively, but whether the truth is hard, easy or something in-between is completely irrelevant. What matters is the application of the truth!

Seriously, who cares if it's hard or easy? Who cares if it's a breeze, a struggle, a challenge, or a test? So long as you have the truth to get you through life to the glory of God, the degree of difficulty isn't the issue. Making it through is.

Our "Yes, but ..." response is often made because we not only dislike the difficult, but disdain it enough to reject it at least long enough for a time of detour that creates huge regrets. We're demanding enough of our comforts to try everything under the sun other than the truth of God's Word in order to avoid difficulty, only to result in bringing upon ourselves the failure of not yielding to God's truth initially.

Some of the immature have learned they benefit by following the truth, but develop the bad habit of griping about it loud and long before submitting to it. While they may eventually reap the reward of yielding to Truth, they make their own lives unnecessarily more miserable with their poor attitudes toward the demands of Truth.

It's one thing to hear God's truth, not necessarily like the cost, but respond with, "Not my will Lord, but Your will be done." Kind of like Jesus, who looked at the cross that loomed ahead and prayed for another way, but more than anything else, wanted the will of the Father to be done.

At any cost.

And it was costly.

Less whining about, and less wrestling with, the truth, and a greater immediate embracing of it, will result in a very real improvement of your quality of life. At least within your own attitude.

How do you respond to God's truth: "Yes, but ..." or "Not my will, Lord, but Your will be done"?

Scotty

First Church of IKEA ...

2011-11-09T10:28:00.004-06:00

Processes don't disciple people, people do.

In today's church, we ask, "What process is in place to disciple new believers?" The question should be, "WHO is in place to disciple new believers?"

Leaving discipleship to a "process" is to establish a do-it-yourself system of discipleship; you lay out a process, and leave the new disciple to move themselves along to spiritual maturity.

There is no question that discipleship requires, and begins with, the new believer taking the personal responsibility to grow in Christ. But Jesus Christ gave the Church --- more specifically, its leaders --- the responsibility for doing the work of discipling those new believers in the faith:

^"11 Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. ¹² Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. ¹³ This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ," Ephesians 4:11-13.

Our churches are full of slick processes, but they aren't full of mature disciples. That's because we've replaced disciplers with processes, and reap the empty reward of doing so.

Do you have spiritually mature people ready to come alongside every believer in your congregation to disciple them to spiritual maturity? If not, you're either relying on a process, or ignoring discipleship altogether.

Scotty

Like a bull in a china shop ...

2011-11-08T12:35:00.004-06:00

Like a bull in a china shop, the lady let loose a rant full of expletives describing just what she thought of the other person, and how she wanted to see the life of that other person turn out badly.

That from a "Christian" woman.

It's not an unusual scene.

You have the pious-acting, Bible-verse-posting, Christian who seems kind and serene ... until someone does them wrong. Then they become that bull in a china shop, wreaking destruction with the unleashing of venomous words and justifying every one of them because of the actions or statements of the other person.

They completely miss the point: no sin committed by someone else is justification for us to commit sin in response.

And if you think those words of condemnation do not come with a heavy price for the justifier, think again. Here is what Jesus had to say about the danger of cursing others:

²¹ “You have heard that our ancestors were told, ‘You must not murder. If you commit murder, you are subject to judgment.’ ²² But I say, if you are even angry with someone, you are subject to judgment! If you call someone an idiot, you are in danger of being brought before the court. And if you curse someone, you are in danger of the fires of hell," Matthew 5:21-22.

James says this about anger, "Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires," (James 1:20), especially when we think we can say and do anything because we have been offended or harmed.

This is when the excuses flow like a river. "But you don't understand, the horrible things they said and did can't be tolerated!"

God doesn't ask us to be sitting ducks for the bad behavior of others. He does expect us to respond in a way that is Christlike. Just because we've been wronged is not a license to respond in an ungodly manner. To follow that reasoning, shouldn't God have just destroyed humanity in response to sin we have committed against Him?

If God can contain His anger, we can also with the help of His Spirit who lives in us.

Sadly, it often doesn't take much to let the bull loose in the china shop. Just let someone cut you off in traffic, and out come the pronouncements of how stupid that fool, that idiot, really is!

Do you take the words of Jesus Christ seriously? If so, some may need to re-examine their own, especially those that are directed toward others.

Scotty

Who are you talking to?

2011-11-08T12:13:00.004-06:00

One of the greatest weaknesses we see from leadership in the church is not understanding the audience the leader is speaking to.

Here's a big case in point:

Today, we often see and hear leaders take to a wide stage in front of a large congregation, where they routinely challenge people to "pursue greatness." That's a challenge Jesus did not spend time making to His followers, yet many church leaders today spend an inordinate amount of time on.

As a result, I've heard from many who sit through these messages and increasingly feel inadequate. They don't have "great dreams" of leading congregations, organizations, or corporations. Their gifts, talents, skills, interests, and direct leading from the Holy Spirit don't have anything to do with "pursuing greatness."

Instead, what these men and women see as doing something "great" is being the best parent they can be, working on having a great marriage that lasts, being a true and loyal friend to others, caring about the less fortunate and those in need around them, and doing their best to see and use opportunities to be a witness for Christ.

If they can pull that off well and consistently, they believe they will have done something great with their lives.

They are right!

They don't have the dream of leading thousands, writing a best-seller, standing in a spotlight on any stage, or having any celebrity status. Instead, they want to pursue the more modest "dreams" God has given them.

So why do these leaders continue to take the stage and challenge them to greatness?

Perhaps in their own preoccupation with, and pursuit of, greatness they have lost touch with who they are talking to.

Who are you talking to?

Scotty

Should the church hand out flags?

2011-11-05T18:46:00.003-05:00

Going out to eat was a BIG --- and rare --- treat when I was a kid.

When there's eight children in the family, it's not cheap for 10 people to dine out for dinner. That's probably why we sometimes had the chance to go to Pancho's Mexican Buffet for a meal.

Now Pancho's is not a fine dining experience for Mexican food. It's kind of mediocre, but it was cheap, and it's an all-you-can-eat buffet. Perfect for parents wanting to feed eight kids!

But it wasn't the food that made me want to go to Pancho's, it was the flag.

Because Pancho's is a buffet, the restaurant doesn't have servers checking on its guests, there's only a couple who tend to all of the tables. So when you run out of food and want more, all you have to do is raise a little flag on your table. When the server sees your flag up, she knows you need service. The servers won't come by your table unless the flag is raised.

Needless to say, no matter how full I was, I would eat a little more just to be able to raise the flag!

Not being served unless you raise a flag is an interesting concept. Considering it works for Pancho's perhaps the church should consider handing out flags to lost, hurting, sick, needy, lonely people. They're all around the church, but many Christians don't seem to respond to their need for service. They remain ignored.

Perhaps they need to raise a flag to get our attention. But would you see them even then?

Or perhaps we need to get serious about obeying and following Christ so the lost --- of all people! --- will not be overlooked by the church.

Scotty

When showing up matters ...

2011-11-04T18:21:00.005-05:00

A lot has been said about the friends of Job who sat with that incredible man as he grieved and wrestled with the horrendous losses and testing he was experiencing.

Job's friends didn't have good counsel for him. That can sometimes be a frustrating thing to deal with from a friend. But they did show a real hallmark of true friendship: they sat with him (for a while, anyway) in his suffering.

They were present.

Sometimes our friends "get it wrong." Sometimes they offer advice they shouldn't. Sometimes they talk when they shouldn't! But sometimes the most important thing we need from a friend is for them to show up. To be present.

All the words in the world --- even the real profound stuff --- cannot replace the power of presence within a friendship.

Do you have a friend who needs a friend to come alongside them and simply be with them? Will you be that friend?

Scotty

This should be a no-brainer ...

2011-11-02T14:24:00.007-05:00

If you don't know why you're doing what you're doing, you probably shouldn't be doing it.

That's especially true when it comes to ministry.

One of the most critical elements of effective, biblically-based ministry is too often missing in many churches today. That critical element is a well-developed theology for the ministry you lead.

At the start of my ministry, one of my first responsibilities was to revamp the entire educational ministry of a church. What surprised me when I first examined what was in place was there wasn't a theology for Christian education developed to give biblical guidance to the church for discipleship and teaching. What had been produced was created from one man's philosophy --- what he thought should be done --- rather than a biblically-based theology for what scripture says about the ministry of teaching and discipling in the church.

I changed that very quickly!

It has been my experience that ministries built from a biblically-based theology of ministry tend to more consistently produce outcomes scripture tells us we can anticipate.

The difference between developing and leading ministry from a theology or a philosophy sounds like a no-brainer, but you might be surprised at the number of church ministries in existence today that operate without any theological context at all. As I visit with ministers of different churches and ministries and ask to see their theology of ministry, I am routinely answered with a puzzled look.

Maybe this is just another reason why the church is in decline?

What are you building/have you built the ministry you lead (or serve in) upon: your own philosophy of what ministry should be, or a biblically-based theology?

Scotty

Feelings ... oh, oh, oh feelings ...

2011-11-02T11:18:00.010-05:00

People are addicted to feelings.

The biggest problem with that?

We like to feel instead of do.

We want to have experiences without the effort. We want the results of action without the personal application.

Even in the church.

We want the relational interactiveness, power, and results of prayer but say we're too embarrassed to pray in public (even though we do little of it privately).

We want the promises of God as extended to us in the Bible, without learning or applying the Bible.

We want God's constant, immediate attention to our "needs" but feel awkward expressing ourselves in a worship service.

We want to feel it, we want to have it. We do not want to think it, study it, learn it, apply it, do it, live it, in order to be it.

If that's how we really approach things, we likely won't be it.

Enjoy the emotions ...

Scotty

Innovating on God ...

2011-11-02T10:54:00.006-05:00

Sometimes it's a little dismaying watching church leaders with their non-stop wrestling with thinking up new models for the church.

Especially when inches from them sits a Bible, containing God's idea for what the church is supposed to be.

Instead of trying to innovate on God's thinking, perhaps the church would be far better off by applying it. Perhaps the most traditional of ideas --- those God had men, led by the Spirit, to write down for our benefit --- are exactly what will create a thriving church body.

Perhaps it's as simple as loving God with all our heart, strength, mind, and soul, loving our neighbors like we love ourselves, and daily picking our our own crosses and walking in Jesus' steps.

Maybe if we love God, serve the Lord, and spend ourselves entirely on Him, we'll be the church we can and should be.

Could it be we think, strategize, and talk about church models far too much, and live out being God's children in simplicity far too little?

What would happen if we simply turned that around?

Scotty

Beyond the politics, there's some humanity to see ...

2011-11-01T15:32:00.005-05:00

Let's talk about the "Occupy Wall Street" activity for a moment ... but without any of the politics.

First, it should be easy for us to agree there's some degree of truth to the stereotyping happening. Some conservatives immediately and only see the OWSer's as lazy socialists who want their needs delivered by the government. Some of the OWS'ers have said that's something would they like.

Some of the OWSer's see upper middle class and upper class people as out-of-touch with the many who work just as hard but struggle to have life's most basic necessities. And there's some truth to what they say.

So what can we take from this?

Beyond the politics, --- beyond any arguments or hypocrisy from either side --- the reality is that among the OWSer's are some people who have been hurting and struggling for so long they are losing hope, if they have any left. They love their country, they don't support socialism, but they also don't have any answers. For themselves or for the woes of the country. They are weary, ignored and forgotten.

These people are the ones many who call themselves both conservative and Christian often don't have the slightest understanding of. They stereotype them and lump them with the "rabble rousers." And they are wrong for doing so.

America is seeing some hard times today, but the struggles our country is facing is only a part of a bigger economic and social downturn going on in many counties. The world is seeing hard times.

When we throw a cover of politics on a news story, we lose the humanity of the people behind the headlines. Whole families are experiencing a despair they've never known. These realities should do more than pull at the heart strings of genuine Christians, it should elicit a Christlike response of caring and serving from among us.

That doesn't happen when we can't even fathom what these people are going through. When we measure hard times by how long the cable connection or internet will be out-of-service, and only look at people through their --- and our --- politics, then we'll never see those who are hurting and struggling through no fault of their own.

Jesus Christ was not a conservative Republican. He wasn't American. He wasn't liberal, socialist, or a Democrat. He was and is God, and He calls us to see people rather than political parties, to see people as He sees them, to respond to them as He would, and to connect them to Him.

There's nothing wrong with being politically active as a good citizen. There's everything wrong with letting your politics influence your faith rather than your faith directing anything having to do with politics.

Jesus had very little to say about politics, a great deal to say about loving and serving God and others. Too often, we have a great deal to say about politics, and very little to say about loving and serving God and others.

For that, we need to repent. Then we need to take up our own crosses, and follow Jesus.

Scotty

Editing God ...

2011-11-01T12:27:00.006-05:00

There was red ink all over the paper.

My high school journalism teacher had just handed back to me the first news story I had ever written. My heart sank when I saw all the red.

But my spirits rose after reading all the marks and remarks my teacher had made. He didn't change my story, he had improved it and his notes taught me how to write better. The more I wrote, the less red ink appeared on my paper.

When working as a newspaper reporter, I did have an instance of confronting an editor who didn't improve my story, but changed it. He took out key elements of my story that made the report true rather than enhancing anything I had written. That couldn't be tolerated.

As Christians, sometimes we're like that editor with God's Word. One passage as an example is the Apostle Paul's writing in 1 Timothy 6:6, which states:

"Yet true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth."

Here's how we like to edit that verse:

"Yet contentment is itself great wealth."

We like the idea of being content, and we have our own idea of how to achieve contentment. It's different than what the original verse states. We tend to think contentment comes through security, comfort, certain relationships, and indulgence. That's why we "edit" the verse, which points to a different source for pairing with contentment for achieving a rich life:

"Yet true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth."

We can edit God's Word to suit ourselves, but we won't have the results or power of His Word. We'll have the weakness and outcome of replacing Truth with desire, opinion, and preference.

What are you doing with God's Word?

Scotty

The face-off ...

2011-10-30T18:51:00.004-05:00

Coming out of a challenging childhood, following the death of my mother, and struggling as an independent teenager to survive, I was battered with one challenge after another.

God led me through each one of them.

Because of His faithfulness, I remember one occasion where a new challenge ... a big one ... was brewing. I was weary, alone, and without resources. But because of what I had learned about the faithfulness of God, I suddenly found great strength and courage and rose to challenge my challenge.

That occasion taught me a great deal about what it takes to achieve your greatest possibilities in life: you must challenge your challenges!

There will always be someone or something that will challenge you in going forward in life. They or it will win unless you challenge your challenges.

Psalm 89:8 says, "O Lord God of Heaven's Armies! Where is there anyone as mighty as you, O Lord? You are entirely faithful."

Psalm 118:6 says, "The Lord is for me, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?"

These passages remind us of God's faithfulness, that He is for us, and that with Him, we can stand and challenge our challenges.What is challenging you that you need to stand and challenge? God is faithful to see you through the challenges you face. Will you trust Him to be your strength in challenging what challenges you?

Scotty

Gospel shoes? Just do it ...

2011-10-30T18:18:00.004-05:00

When it comes to athletic shoes, there's only one brand I wear: Nike.

Not because of the company's branding or marketing. Not because it's a "leading" athletic brand. The reason is because Nike is the only athletic shoe I can get some life out of.

Over the years, I've tried several brands of athletic shoes. I'm a busy guy, and it seems with other brands I have them worn out in a matter of months. But not with Nike shoes. For me, Nikes usually last at least a year or more and can take the beating I give them. They're reliable for everything I put them through, and that's important to me.

The Apostle Paul used the illustration of shoes to talk about what is reliable for our being able to stand and take the beating life will bring our way. He wrote:

"For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared," Ephesians 6:15.

In this section of scripture, Paul was using the uniform of a Roman soldier to describe the armor of God Christians have to "dress" themselves with. The shoes Roman soldiers wore were the Nike athletic shoe of the day. Not only were they a rugged sandal-type shoe, they were studded like cleats so a soldier could dig his feet into the ground for a solid stand.

There's nothing more firm we can dig into and stand on than the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The peace that comes through the Good News prepares us to face anything that may come our way in life. Unfortunately, today many offer "designer" Gospels as alternatives to stand on. But they're cheap knock-offs of the real thing. They won't last long, they aren't reliable, and you'll eventually lose your footing trying to stand in them.

Scotty

"Out Of A Far Country" tells a new prodigal story ... x2

2011-10-28T18:02:00.005-05:00

Life had to get really bad for the biblical prodigal son to get out of the pig sty in a country far from home and return to his father. It had to get really bad for Christopher Yuan to make his way home as well. And it had to get really bad for Christopher's mother to decide to take her life.

"Out Of A Far Country" (published by WaterBrook Press) is the riveting story of how these two modern-day prodigals, Christopher and Angela, come to terms with their ruined lives, and how discovering God changes them and their world.

For Angela, a lifeless marriage and trampled dreams were more than daunting to deal with. But when Christopher stated emphatically that he was a homosexual, it seemed as though all her hopes were finally crushed.

Christopher initially struggled against his feelings about men, then finally embraced them. When he left Chicago after coming out to his parents, he headed back to college to openly pursue the gay lifestyle. His mother followed him to Kentucky for one last face-to-face visit before she intended to kill herself.

But it's often when you're on bottom that the prodigal looks up. Angela did, and part of this story of redemption is hers.

Christopher pursued the gay scene actively, and his life would spiral downward quickly when that eventually included drug abuse, then selling drugs, and then prison.

Would Christopher ever come home a redeemed man?

This mother/son drama is one of the most compelling stories I've read in a long time. I started reading one day, and finished it the next. The Yuans tell their stories openly, including the raw, ugly truth of hurts, despair, dashed hopes, and a broken family.

This book is easily described by it's subtitle: "A gay son's journey to God. A broken mother's search for hope." And for the reader, it's great inspiration of what God can do today in the life of anyone who seeks Him.

Scotty

I received this book free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group as part of their book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Spamming God ...

2011-10-27T18:53:00.009-05:00

If God received prayer via a celestial email system, would He need a spam filter for your prayers?

Spam is all that electronic mail and messages we get from people who want something from us. They aren't really interested in us, they just want to sell us something or gain from us in some way. And then they are gone.

How much more is the content of your prayer than seeking something from God before you move on?

Scotty

BOOK REVIEW: "Going Deep" offers a nugget without going deep

2011-10-26T10:36:00.004-05:00

I waited with eager anticipation for my review copy of Gordon MacDonald's latest book, "Going Deep" (published by Thomas Nelson) to arrive. The content of the book was supposed to be on a subject matter I consider to be critical to today's church, so I was excited someone had written on the topic.

Unfortunately, "Going Deep" only offers a nugget on the topic of the vital need for the church to disciple Christians to maturity --- to take them "deep" --- which is a great failure of the church today.

The "nugget" is found on the first page of the book. You don't even have to read through the preface or acknowledgements to get it. It's a quote by Richard Foster, stating, "The desperate need today is not for a greater number of intelligent people, or gifted people, but for deep people."

MacDonald must have found the quote to be profound (which, I think, it is) because he wrote a book around it. Unfortunately, instead of applying the message of the quote, he didn't "go deep" on the need for "going deep." MacDonald doesn't give a "deep" reasoning for the critical need to disciple believers to a depth of real maturity, or address why the church isn't doing that, or discuss how it could be done today. Instead, he picks up from his previous book, "Who Stole My Church?" and writes a fictional story about a pastor who is moved by a question and Foster's quote to develop a discipleship group aimed at "cultivating deep people."

Perhaps MacDonald thought he could provide a deeper understanding of the need for "going deep" by telling a fictional story of a church actually doing it. I can understand the thinking behind such action, but it misses going deep on something that needs much greater depth.

While I greatly appreciate MacDonald bringing attention to Richard Foster's great insight by sharing his quote, their are some things MacDonald puts into his fictitious story that are minor distractions.

For example, he has the pastor of this fictional church react to Foster's quote as if he had never considered the need to disciple people to full maturity (depth), and suggests that's not really the job of today's church leaders. It's true too many church leaders are failing to "cultivate deep people," but being responsible for discipling believers to maturity is hardly a novel idea for a pastor.

Other distractions include an obvious preference (based on numerous references) of viewing the church as a "community" instead of a body (Christ's body) or family (God's family). If you're really going to "go deep," you'll understand that the Bible does not teach that God adopted us to be a part of His "community," but, rather, to be His own adopted children. There's a vast difference between being a part of a community and being a brother or sister in a family or being a connected part of a body. The biblical view of the church is significantly more intimate than the concept of "community."

MacDonald almost seems to see mentoring and discipling as different names for the same thing. Again, there is a marked difference between mentoring and discipling. To take people "deep" spiritually, we must disciple them (at least, if we're going to follow the biblical mandate for doing so).

MacDonald's fictional pastor is also quite comfortable going outside the church for discipleship techniques, turning to a business executive and a rabbi for ideas. Perhaps if MacDonald would have focused on a deep look at the need for "going deep" he would have noted that the church's proclivity to copy business or cultural methods is a contributing reason why the church is failing at developing spiritually "deep people."

MacDonald also flirts with the controversial by subtly suggesting women should be able to serve as elders. Many of his potential readers belong to churches or denominations that believe scripture teaches the position of pastor and elder are to be held by men. Tossing in this aspect of controversy is just a distraction to his subject matter.

Finally, MacDonald's fictional pastor views being part of the "cultivating deep people" group as something that only select people should be invited to. The approach to discipleship or mentoring in this book is offered only to potential leaders. Yet every Christian, whether a leader or a follower, needs to be discipled to maturity.

MacDonald does a helpful thing in stirring our thoughts regarding the need to cultivate deep people. The problem is, once he offers that nugget, the remainder of the book is shallow territory.

Scotty

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Growing in confidence ...

2011-10-25T16:37:00.004-05:00

"I'm beginning to like being challenged by trials and tests, His wisdom and knowledge floods me and then His peace, I am getting stronger!!!" was the tweet I saw from a Twitter friend today.

Now THAT is a great Christian attitude that reflects spiritual maturing.

Before you attack it as unrealistic, read the New Testament (at least). You'll see that is precisely what God wants to accomplish in our lives.

We've degraded to the point we find it "natural" to complain when we are the least bit inconvenienced. Griping rolls off our tongues and out our mouths faster than lightning strikes! But that's behavior from the old nature. It is God's intent to shape us more and more into the likeness of Christ. As that happens, we absolutely can respond to tests, trials, difficult circumstances or anything else life might throw at us with a Christ-based confidence that is free of fear and ready for the challenge because we know God has something good in store for us!

"So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image," 2 Corinthians 3:18.

"This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ," Ephesians 4:13.

"My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me," Galatians 5:20.

Scotty

All play and no work makes Johnny ...

2011-10-25T14:42:00.008-05:00

Most of us have a favorite place to "just be."

Some prefer to be wrapped in a blanket on a cushy couch, by a blazing fire on a rainy day.

Others love the view and sounds from outdoors on a deck.

There are some who revel in the dryness, stillness, and surprising colors of the desert.

Still others prefer the crisp, cool sharpness of mountain air amid towering pines.

For me, it's the beach. Any beach. Let me watch the water, hear the crash of the waves, and it feels as if I'm in the presence of God Himself. The world melts away and peace pervades me.

It's a blessing when we have those moments to just "be."

But simply "being" isn't what God has created us for.

From the start of this world, with the first two human beings, God designed us for relationship, for interaction, for socialization, for work. His creative work wasn't meant to be static.

That includes you and me.

Yet we consistently strive against this design of God's by constantly looking for and longing for just a chance to "be." We curse Monday mornings and praise Friday afternoons in celebration of pursuing "being." By pitting our minds against our activities and our work in desire for "being," we miss possibilities and blessings that come in all the stuff we're enabled by God to "do."

"Doing" is a big part of living. There is an aspect of fulfillment in what we do when it flows from being involved in this world the way God designed for us. But "doing" is not the source of our fulfillment, that comes from "being" in relationship with God.

Do you see the cycle?

God wants us to be fulfilled in who He made us to be, in relationship to Him first, and then to others. Then He designed for us to deepen and enrich our "being" with plenty of opportunity for "doing." And all that "doing" generates a need to have times simply for "being." It's a rewarding cycle.

Especially if it includes a beach.

Scotty

Do I have to?

2011-10-25T11:00:00.005-05:00

The Facebook post stated: "What to do today? Gotta do something."

Doesn't sound like a statement from someone with a very full life. If you're having to scrounge for something to do so you will have done something with your day, you might be lacking somewhat in initiative.

Busy people aren't exempt either. We tend to think that just because each day comes with a fairly loaded template --- care for the kids, go to work, household chores, etc. --- that we get a pass on initiative because our day already has demands that must be met. So we have a built-in excuse for not doing anything more with our lives. After all the regular requirements of the day, we're simply ...

[... now insert one of the most common excuses for doing nothing more with your life and failing at even a start at real dreams ...]

... too tired to do anything else.

If you want more in your life than what it takes to eat, make a living, have a reasonably clean home, and provide basic care for children, you will have to push yourself.

You may have to get up earlier, stay up later ... yes, you might have to lose some sleep. Perhaps for years.

You might have to learn something new.

You might have to read, exercise, forgive, discuss, listen, attend, study, practice, try again, labor, try again, write, persuade, lead, try again, follow, grow, change, improve, mature, apply diligence, try again, practice discipline, prioritize, and any number of things to go from where you are to where you would like to be in order to really do something.

That is, if you want to do something with your life.

Do you?

Are you?

Scotty

Adding some flavor to life ...

2011-10-23T17:57:00.005-05:00

People are so rushed today not many people take time to cook a whole meal. I mean really cook, as in prepare food and actually use a stove.

Many of us shop for food where you simply add hot water, stir, and viola! You have a meal in a cup. Or plastic container (we don't do dishes much, either).

One problem of these just-add-water instant meals is they lack taste. But never fear! Many of the makers of these meals are now including a "flavor pack." After pouring in the boiling hot water, just tear open the flavor pack, pour in the ingredients, stir vigorously, and now you have a meal that has some flavors!

As Christians, you and I are like that flavor pack included in that bland food product. Jesus describes us in Matthew 5:13a this way:

“You are the salt of the earth ..."

Life without Christ is bland. It's actually lacking life. Jesus has us here as His packets of flavoring.

So here's the question: if an unbeliever (or anyone, for that matter) "opens you up" and adds you to his or her existence, do you add the flavor of life?

Scotty

A great book for taking care of yourself ...

2011-10-22T18:17:00.006-05:00

How many people do you think refuse to accept the reality that our physical bodies are one of the greatest stewardships God has entrusted us with?

I don't know the actual number, but I think the real digits would be staggering!

I've heard all the excuses of, "We only have one life, you have to enjoy it ..." Blah, blah, blah. That particular argument usually is offered by the unfit, unhealthy who try to justify their terrible care of their physical fitness and health.

Here's what Jesus said, as recorded in John 10:10: "The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life."

Jesus wants us to enjoy life. He also understands that does not mean being consistently indulgent, gluttonous, or lazy. Yet, when you look at the growing obesity and health issues due to poor fitness in our country, that is exactly the case for many Americans.

I've pastored and counseled many people who faced serious illness, and through their journey to death. I've never once met someone who thought the terrible way they ate, and their entire lack of exercise was worth it, especially when their neglect of their fitness and health directly played a role in the onset of serious health issues. Each one of them struggled with real regret, thinking they were stealing years away from the ones they loved because they had allowed their bodies to fail.

We really do have a direct and primary role in the state of our fitness and health. And one of the best books I recommend for those who really want some excellent insight into taking good care of their bodies is, "Body By God" by Dr. Ben Lerner.

I have previously posted about this book, but because of its value, and the ongoing request for such information, I'm highlighting the book again.

The nutritional information Dr. Lerner delineates makes up the nutrition plan I have had hundreds of my personal training clients follow, with excellent results. Dr. Lerner also speaks to exercise and stress management as well.

If you want to improve your physical stewardship, I encourage you to check out this book. I believe it could be a positive and beneficial resource for you and your family.

Scotty

Making friends with tree people ...

2011-10-21T18:17:00.007-05:00

Gym members were almost running to the front desk to complain about the young woman on the squeaky eliptical machine.

It wasn't an ordinary squeak. It was so loud, the noise could be heard (painfully) in the far corners of the large, busy, noisy gym.

Everyone noticed the grating sound ... except for the young woman on the eliptical. She had her ear buds firmly planted in her ears and was oblivious to everything and everyone around her. Including the horrible noise she was generating.

When a couple members tapped her shoulder and explained the eliptical machine she was on was squeaking rather loudly, she smiled and explained she only had 10 more minutes left, then turned her attention back to her workout.

The young woman didn't give any consideration to what the members told her, or even think the noise may be annoying to others. Or consider there were several other eliptical machines around her no one was using, so making a change would be easy. But since the loud noise didn't bother her, she wasn't going to let it become a bother to her.

Some people live loudly ... and not in a good way. They're focused on what they are out to accomplish for themselves, and don't give any heed to how that may affect others.

But how we move through life does affect others. Our lives cross the paths of more people than we ever give attention to, but many of them notice us more than we would ever guess.

A few years ago, I had a lunch meeting with a businessman who was oblivous to our server. When she brought our food, freshened our water, and generally took good care of us, he never looked at her or said a word to her. She was a non-person to him, someone not to be bothered by because she wasn't significant to his life.

The team of baristas at the local Starbucks here say they dislike working Sundays the most. Why? They say the "church people" are the most rude customers they have all week.

Jesus was uniquely aware of the people around Him, especially those just on the fringes. How much more on the fringe can you be, than to be up a tree? Such was the case of Zacchaeus ...

"Jesus entered Jericho and made his way through the town. ² There was a man there named Zacchaeus. He was the chief tax collector in the region, and he had become very rich. ³ He tried to get a look at Jesus, but he was too short to see over the crowd. ⁴ So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree beside the road, for Jesus was going to pass that way," Luke 19:1-4.

It would be easy to miss some guy sitting in a tree. But Jesus didn't miss him. Not only did He notice him, He made him the focus of His attention:

^"5 When Jesus came by, he looked up at Zacchaeus and called him by name. 'Zacchaeus!' he said. 'Quick, come down! I must be a guest in your home today',” Luke 19:5.

Simply by taking notice of a man in a tree, and having dinner with him, a life would be saved:

^"8 Meanwhile, Zacchaeus stood before the Lord and said, 'I will give half my wealth to the poor, Lord, and if I have cheated people on their taxes, I will give them back four times as much!'⁹ Jesus responded, 'Salvation has come to this home today, for this man has shown himself to be a true son of Abraham. ¹⁰ For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost',” Luke 19:8-10.

Having an awareness of those who come into our lives can make a huge difference, for them and for us! In fact, Hebrews 13:2 says, "Don’t forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it!"

Do you give any notice or attention to the people who cross your path, even for a moment? What kind of impression and impact are you leaving behind? How can you better notice those on the fringe of your lives and touch them for Christ?

Scotty

The value of inventors, innovators, and entrepreneurs ...

2011-10-19T13:48:00.006-05:00

He's a short video that, with great simplicity, illustrates the value of inventors, innovators, and entrepreneurs to a society ...

Thanks to David Brown Britton for sharing this.

Scotty

The Voice ...

2011-10-19T11:28:00.005-05:00

Success breeds copy cats.

The overwhelming success of the show "American Idol" is one example. Dominate TV ratings for this show has spawned multiple new shows aimed at discovering the great undiscovered singing talent in America. "The Voice" is just one of these "Idol" competitors, but with a twist.

Like the other shows, "The Voice" features four vocal stars who serve as judges for the competition. But what is unique about the show is the judges must decide whether they would like to mentor a singer to potential stardom without seeing them ... they must make their selection only by hearing the voice of the singer.

The judges sit in high-backed chairs with the backs of the chairs turned toward the stage where the singer is performing. If, based on the voice alone, a judge likes what he or she hears, they turn their chairs around to view the performer. The idea is that the competition is all about the voice, not how the person looks or their physical performance.

Our growth in Christ is all about a Voice as well, a lesson given to us through John the Baptist.

John's job was to be "the voice" declaring the coming of the Messiah:
^"1 In those days John the Baptist came to the Judean wilderness and began preaching. His message was, ² 'Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.' ³ The prophet Isaiah was speaking about John when he said, 'He is a voice shouting in the wilderness, "Prepare the way for the Lord’s coming! Clear the road for him!"'" Matthew 3:1-3.

It's probably a good thing John's job was focused on being a voice, rather than including things like fashion and social etiquette of the day ...

"John’s clothes were woven from coarse camel hair, and he wore a leather belt around his waist. For food he ate locusts and wild honey," Matthew 3:4.

It didn't matter how John dressed, it was what he said that made a difference, and it was making a very big difference with many ...

^"5 People from Jerusalem and from all of Judea and all over the Jordan Valley went out to see and hear John. ⁶ And when they confessed their sins, he baptized them in the Jordan River," Matthew 3:5-6.

Shortly thereafter, Jesus arrived on the scene. John the Baptist knew that whatever he had to say paled in comparison to the message Jesus came to deliver. He summed it up this way:

^"26 So John’s disciples came to him and said, 'Rabbi, the man you met on the other side of the Jordan River, the one you identified as the Messiah, is also baptizing people. And everybody is going to him instead of coming to us.'²⁷ John replied, 'No one can receive anything unless God gives it from heaven. ²⁸ You yourselves know how plainly I told you, "I am not the Messiah. I am only here to prepare the way for him." ²⁹ It is the bridegroom who marries the bride, and the best man is simply glad to stand with him and hear his vows. Therefore, I am filled with joy at his success. ³⁰ He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less," John 3:26-30.

God has given us a job similar to John's, one of being a voice for Christ. Our role is to be a voice that draws people to Jesus. Then our voice is to decrease as Christ's voice increases. Jesus described this in a very simple sentence:

"My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me," John 10:27.

Are you a voice for Christ? Does your voice result in the increase of Christ in the lives of others? Are you tuned in to the voice of Christ?

Scotty

Feeling good at First Church ...

2011-10-18T13:38:00.004-05:00

When Jesus arrived somewhere, so did the huge crowds.

Then He taught pure truth. Undistilled, nothing watered down. Straight to the point.

After teaching, He left the people to accept and then act on what He taught, or reject His teaching to do their own thing.

Then He moved on.

We don't do that.

Instead, we act like we care more about people walking away rejecting Christ than Jesus did Himself. We don't want people to leave, so we coddle them so they'll stay.

"Welcome to the First Church of Coddle, where your comfort is our first concern! Please enjoy the free espresso and croissants this morning at our guest services boutique. We won't bother you with the gospel, and we go light on any other scripture. We dummy down our teaching, make sure sermons are very short and loaded with props because we don't think you're intelligent enough to get anything very deep."

"We won't create the odd sensation of biblical worship that could make you feel uneasy, so we'll treat you to a concert complete with colorful lights and fog machines. Yes, fog machines!"

"Your babies will be cared for in a state-of-the-art nursery, your children will be busy with games and crafts elsewhere, and your teens will be entertained so you can have this time uninterrupted."

"You won't have the slightest idea of our doctrine, theology, or other deep stuff. Instead, this morning will be like a conference on your 'felt needs' where we'll provide you with 3-5 steps of how you can feel better."

"So welcome to the First Church of the Coddled, we hope you 'friend' us on our Facebook page!"

That's not far from the average church today.

A recent radio ad for a local baptist church hit home on what --- if truth be told -- many people really want in a church. The radio commercial featured the voice of a woman saying:

"When I go to church, I don't want it to be like another Stephen Covey seminar on how to feel better. I want to know what the Word of God says about how to live."

Wow, so simple!

I really don't care about all the excuses many church leaders could list for why they do church in such a non-biblical fashion. I care about the church being the church, about the Word of God being preached, taught, lived and modeled like the early church did, and the result of that being lives reached for Christ. I care about the Bible being the primary guide for our faith ... we say it is, but how we live out our faith and do that as the body of Christ often doesn't look anything like the New Testament church.

That can only be done from a biblical perspective that is empowered by the Holy Spirit and undergirded with prayer.

Then we have to let people make decisions. And we have to expect something from those who claim to make their decision for Christ. We also have to disciple them, not for a while, but unto maturity. And we have to equip them for ministry. Being connected together in one body, we also have to love and support one another during all this.

Wow, living this way would take a real commitment. It would require us to think differently, feel differently, and act differently. It would require us to be different, more like the church we read about in the New Testament.

It's much easier to be coddled.

Which version of Christianity are you settling for?

Scotty

What can you learn in three and a half days?

2011-10-18T12:56:00.005-05:00

The "Occupy Wall Street" demonstrators have not been very effective at stating why they are demonstrating, they simply say they are. What does the world look like when we become too comfortable with our success?

Bill Whittle provides some perspective in this video episode of "Afterburner" ...

Scotty

It's a leadership thing?

2011-10-15T18:45:00.005-05:00

Supposedly what's happening on Twitter and Facebook is a new leadership thing ...

Several leaders have developed a platform of many thousands of followers on Twitter and Facebook, and recently started dumping the majority of them, choosing to "follow" or "friend" just a small portion of those they got to "follow" and "friend" them.

It appears some of these leaders were more interested in developing a platform from which they can be listened to, rather than one requiring so much real interaction. It's taking the "social" part out of their "social media."

That's not "leadership."

Leading people requires more than being in front of people, but being among them as well. The shepherd cannot shepherd his flock from his easy chair, but only from the field where the sheep are. He has to be among them.

But some see leadership as only a platform from which their words should be powerful enough influence that their presence and interaction isn't necessary.

Not even the Holy Spirit leads that way. He lives in us!

It's one thing to have a momentary profound moment with someone by sharing a thought. That can be done from a platform. But to take people deep, and make a life changing impact, you usually have to get in among them, interact, and be one of them.

Scotty

Renting, owning, and living ...

2011-10-15T17:58:00.003-05:00

"I miss renting ..." was the comment a first-time homeowner made a few days ago. She's discovering that, while home ownership has some blessings, it also has some challenges!

As a renter, you enjoy the dwelling, and maintain it, but when something breaks, you call the landlord for the repair. As a homeowner, you enjoy the dwelling, maintain it, and arrange and pay for anything that gets broken. And, of course, you pay the property taxes. But it's yours! And if the housing market ever settles down, you might even earn some equity from your investment.

Renting is about getting all the benefit, without the risk or cost. Ownership is having even greater benefit, along with all the risk and cost.

Some people live their lives as if they are renting. They want all the benefits without any of the risks or costs. These people don't get off the couch much.

Some people live their lives as if it's a stewardship: while it actually belongs to God, what we do with it could yield unimaginable reward.

When it comes to life, are you renting, or being a wise steward?

Scotty

Can you find the mistake?

2011-10-13T17:59:00.004-05:00

The past couple of days, several of my friends have been posting the puzzle above on Facebook, and asking if others could find the mistake. I think I know what it is, but no one has posted the known answer yet, so I'm not sure if I've got it right.

There are a lot of puzzles like this that people pass around. Some people are good at spotting the mistake, they see it right away. Others become frustrated when multiple reads and examinations fail to solve the puzzle.

Some people are just better at spotting problems.

We need to be thankful for those people!

Platitude lovers would tell you likewise. They would tell you that only positive things should flow from your mouth. They believe that hearing only positive things are good for life.

That really isn't true!

In fact, each of us need people in our lives who are good at spotting mistakes.

I'm not talking about a pessimist who never sees the good that exists. I am talking about someone who can acknowledge the good, but isn't willing to pass by the fact that a mistake is in our midst.

The people who only see the glass as half full often are the ones who will lead the rest of us over the cliff. That's because they dismiss signs of danger and detour. The fact is the glass is both half full and half empty! When you start with the reality that comes from truth, you can see opportunity as well as potential pitfalls. That greater understanding helps us make wise decisions.

So consider yourself blessed if you have someone in your life who is good at spotting mistakes, they're one of the people who can best help you grow.

Scotty

How to ruin a meeting ...

2011-10-12T13:48:00.005-05:00

I was in a Starbucks recently when I observed a man come in to order coffee. After being greeted, he started complaining!

His complaints had nothing to do with his service that morning, but what he thought was poor customer service from previous visits. Too much "air" in his coffee, not getting a full cup, and other gripes were highlighted.

The guy set the tone for his current visit to Starbucks by walking in the door with a pre-conceived attitude loaded for his current encounter, based on past experiences. Even though he received good customer service that morning, he left as grumpy as he arrived. That's because his stance toward Starbucks was already established and he didn't allow for anyone that morning to make a difference toward it.

That's a perfect recipe for how to ruin a meeting, one often repeated daily in all types of organizations.

We go to work with our minds made up that the boss is unfair, our co-workers are slackers, and we don't get paid or appreciated enough. The result is a lousy day at work almost regardless of the actual experience because we expect a negative experience.

The same goes for going to church. We walk in "knowing" the music will be too loud, the sermon will be too long, and the people will be unauthentic. It doesn't matter much what that Sunday's experience will actually be like, because we've already pre-determined what we will think about it.

Keeping negative experiences from the past alive, and creating judgments before reality happens, creates in our minds an ugly, false view of the world around us. We only confound that problem when we don't allow for reality to chip away at our pre-conceived notions.

Rarely can anyone adequately meet uncommunicated expectations, or improve on premature judgments already set in stone.

Attitudes developed prior to a meeting often ruin a meeting.

Scotty

How would YOU counsel this person?

2011-10-12T12:18:00.004-05:00

Imagine you're a clinical counselor. A couple comes in to see you because their marriage is in distress.

But in an odd way ...

This husband and wife love each other. The wife really does love her husband, and she's not afraid to say that, or express it. The problem is, most of the time she says and expresses her love for her husband ... to others.

She tells her family she loves her husband. She tells her friends, co-workers, associates, acquaintances, even strangers! She demonstrates it through her commitment of time, attention, etc., with her husband.

It's just that she shares her love for her husband the least ... with her husband!

What counsel would you give this wife?

*****

Whatever counsel you suggested is likely similar to what you might say to many Christians who say they love God, and express their love for God, but do so more to others than they do to God Himself!

For some reason, some Christians have gotten the idea that our love for God is to be expressed to others rather than in an actual relationship interaction with God.

We can talk to God, He can hear us. We can hear Him through scripture and the Holy Spirit.

We can express to God, He can see us. We can see expressions from Him in the things He has created and what He does in our lives.

So why is He the least involved in our expression of love for Him?

It is true that because of our love for God, we as His children should share our love for Him with others, and share His love for them. But that does not mean overlooking or eliminating the natural communications and expressions that come in a personal relationship.

In fact, unless we develop the personal aspect of an actual relationship with God, our expressions of love for God that go beyond God become less authentic, much less honest.

A personal relationship starts with, and focuses on, the one we are in relationship with. In the case of a personal relationship with God, that relationship needs to begin with Him, and focus on Him. The result of that relationship interaction is what we share with others.

Who is the priority in your relationship with God: God, or others? Who gets the attention, and who gets the overflow?

Scotty

BOOK REVIEW: "Torn" a competent message on a crowded topic

2011-10-11T14:51:00.006-05:00

Vanilla is the most popular flavor of ice cream in the United States. Sometimes it also makes for good reading, and sometimes not.

"Torn," written by pastor Jud Wilhite and published by Multnomah Books, is "vanilla." Not because it's bland, but because it's one more book in the heavily crowded topic of how to deal with life's difficulties ... or, as the subtitle of the book describes, "Trusting God When Life Leaves You In Pieces."

Because human need never ends, publishers never stop printing books about how to overcome being "torn" by the struggles of life. The result is a vast array of books on the subject (perhaps more on this subject than any other). That means there are some that are brilliant and profound, others that are competent on the subject, and still others lesser so. "Torn" lands among the competent books on this common subject; it's not profound, as there are other books that deal more deftly and far more brilliantly with the subject, yet it provides competent, basic biblical insights for dealing with life when you are torn better than some other books do.

Adding to the vanilla is Wilhite's use of referring to Job as an example, and using some modern tragic stories for his content. There's nothing wrong with doing either, it's just that most all the writers of the thousands of other books on the same subject do the same thing. Again, Wilhite does it competently, but there's nothing new about the primary content or the approach Wilhite takes to the subject matter. Wilhite even quotes heavily from others as part of his content.

Thus, there's nothing terribly outstanding to point to about "Torn." Wilhite shares some great stories, and blends them competently with biblical insight. The result? Formulaic writing on the topic of dealing with life's struggles. Does he go deeper than some of the best who write on the subject? No. Is his teaching more insightful, more profound, better equipping in nature? No. Is it better than some? Yes.

Therefore, it's competent. And vanilla.

If you haven't read any books on this popular topic, perhaps "Torn" will be a bright blessing to you. If you like reading a lot of books on this same subject, you will likely appreciate it. If you have read some great books on this topic, you will probably appreciate the competency of the common message in "Torn," but find it unremarkable ... "vanilla."

But some people prefer vanilla.

Scotty

I received this book free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group as part of their book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Appreciating your Pastor ...

2011-10-11T10:56:00.004-05:00

Did you know your pastor --- now prepare yourself for this --- YOUR pastor is ... uh, well ... he's human!

Actually, there's more to it than that.

YOUR pastor is a human as fragile, vulnerable, and imperfect as other human beings.

Yes, it's true!

With October being Pastor Appreciation Month, one of the best things you can do in appreciating your pastor is understanding that the man behind the pulpit is just that --- a man! --- one who has the same kind of needs and struggles, wants and desires, problems and challenges that we all do. But added to that is the responsibility for the spiritual well-being of all those he leads. Ringing in his ears are the words of James who wrote, "Dear brothers and sisters, not many of you should become teachers in the church, for we who teach will be judged more strictly," James 3:1.

And he has to bear all that as a human being.

Being a pastor is an incredibly big responsibility, one for which God Himself sets aside the life of a person He selects for a highly accountable job of shepherding His children. It's a job that untold numbers carry out as a great privilege. To honor those who serve as pastors, here's a few other ways you can demonstrate your appreciation for all they do for the cause of Christ:

Love them ...
At the core of our being, we humans want (and need) to be loved. So does your pastor. The same man who prays with you through your struggles, counsels you and your spouse through marital hard times, encourages you through life's crises, calls on you when you're sick, cares about your child's development like they were his own, and equips you with the Word of God, does all those things not simply because he loves God, but also because he loves you! Being "loved back" is a great reward for any pastor.

Listen to them ...
Pastors haven't had God set their lives apart to be ignored. It is God who has set aside these men to lead you. In that case, listen to them! Hebrews 13:17 says, "Obey your spiritual leaders, and do what they say. Their work is to watch over your souls, and they are accountable to God. Give them reason to do this with joy and not with sorrow. That would certainly not be for your benefit."

Learn from them ...
Pastors spend their lives in the Word and in prayer in order to teach and equip you to become like Christ. It's directly to your own benefit to take advantage of their learning and study. One of the greatest delights of a pastor is to see someone who is teachable, someone who wants to learn God's Word and actually apply it. Use their passion to teach as an opportunity to learn.

Lift with them ...
Have you ever struggled to handle a heavy load while someone stood by and watched you strain in pain? It's a little frustrating, isn't it? Likewise, no one person can bear the needs of an entire congregation alone. That's why a church is a family, brothers and sisters in Christ knitted together in a bond of love. Help your pastor meet the needs of your faith family, and beyond into the community, by lifting burdens alongside him.

Laugh together ...
Life has plenty of troubles, but not everything is so serious. Share some lighter times with your pastor, laugh together!

Let me give you one more encouragement. Each year, as we're reminded of Pastor Appreciation Month, we might give a word of appreciation as we shake the pastor's hand while exiting the sanctuary. Let me encourage you to do more this year. Find a way to connect personally with your pastor and clearly, kindly, even lovingly, convey your appreciation for his service to Christ and to you.

Scotty

Chasing YOUR dream ...

2011-10-11T10:27:00.004-05:00

Jesus said this, as recorded in John 10:10, "The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life."

Now here's the version of that we hear from many pulpits today: "Dream great dreams, pursue your dreams, and don't let anything or anyone get in the way."

Those aren't the same message.

People in our culture hear so much about chasing their dreams that those willing to do so, do just that: they chase their dreams.

What too many preachers forget is to give a greater biblical context for encouraging people to live that rich and satisfying life Jesus wants for us. That greater biblical context is that anything we pursue should be in alignment with God's will for us, and should be done for God's glory, not simply for our satisfaction:

"Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect," Romans 12:2.

"So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God," 1 Corinthians 10:31.

One reason some church leaders have such a hard time getting their members to do something in and for Christ and His church is because the members are out doing what the preacher told them to: chasing their dreams!

Maybe if we spent less time being motivational speakers, and more time delivering biblically accurate, biblically sound messages, we could help shape congregations who discovered rich, satisfying lives devoted to the will of God, for the glory of God.

Scotty

That's not fair!"

2011-10-10T18:16:00.006-05:00

Some of the people --- perhaps many --- that you know are not fair.

The world isn't fair.

Life often is not fair.

Yet God is always fair, perfectly just.

Now ... how about you?

If you look closely, many who bemoan the unfairness and injustices of life often have a scale of justice they use that's somewhat askew of proper measures ...

Have you ever judged a book by its cover?

Ever made a snap judgment about someone based on how they looked?

Have you ever assumed something about someone after hearing they have a poor credit rating?

When you see the disheveled man at the stop light holding the sign asking for help, do you ever have a fleeting curiosity about him and substance abuse?

When you discover someone got divorced, do you immediately wonder what they did wrong?

When you hear about the teen in juvenile detention, how quickly do you question the quality of parenting provided?

How many opinions do you hold are made of something less than fact? How many are composed of something thinner than known truth?

If that last question makes you squirm, then you have to ask of yourself: just how fair are you?

"Well, I can only go off what I know," is often the retort.

That's not accurate.

None of us are forced to make a judgment, develop an opinion, or draw a conclusion on less than the truth. We can choose to NOT be unfair by trying to discern something about someone without having the facts. We can limit what decisions we must make to what we really do know. And we can choose to be as fair with others as we would want them --- or God --- to be with us.

Jesus' admonition about this is simple and clear: "Look beneath the surface so you can judge correctly," John 7:24.

Scotty