When Things Don’t Change
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In my 38 (almost 39)years on this Earth, I have seen so many things change. I have seen myself get older, my children transform before my eyes and become teens, and my career path change quite a few times. Change is inevitable.
The New Year has begun and for many it is a new start. It is a new opportunity to make some changes in our lives that maybe we didn’t have the gumption to do before. The types and quantity of resolutions are endless.
The problem is when things don’t change.
You’re still the same weight. Your marriage is still a mess. Your kids still hate your guts. Your finances are still a wreck. You still hate your job.
The blame game begins on the things that didn’t change. Despair and disappointment set in and you’re done.
The year comes to a close again, and you resolve to make “the next year”, the “year” everything changes, and the cycle continues on. The failure to see change continues.
The following reasons things don’t change sometimes are things that I have come to understand about myself and still walk through and wrestle with all the time. I don’t claim to have mastered them, but I believe they will help you.
1) We don’t see the change in the circumstances around us is because of our failure to see the change that needs to take place inside of us.
Many times things need to change inside of us in order for things to change before things can change in the outside world. We have attitudes, mindsets, and ways of thinking that need to change. Perhaps you are filled with pride or you lack mercy, or you lack character. If the way we think or see things doesn’t change, we would doom everything we want to accomplish. Left to our own devices, because of the sinful, fallen nature we have, we would mess it all up. We may see this as God torturing us or denying us what we want but this is His mercy on us that He doesn’t gives us what we want, when we want it. This is definitely a tough pill to swallow. No doubt.
2) We don’t see change because we are looking for something outside of Christ that can only be found in Him alone.
This one is huge. Many of the things we desire for ourselves are merely a substitute for something we can find in Christ alone. Whether it’s security, love, acceptance, or provision, God wants to fill all of these things in our lives. All too often we turn to our jobs, our spouses, our kids, or even doing good things to fill the longing of our hearts. The problem is that they never bring lasting joy to our lives. God is jealous for our hearts and He will not let anything bring true fulfillment outside of Him and what Jesus did on the cross.
I have no doubt that all of you wrestle with these things in varying degrees. There may some of you that this may be an eye-opener for you. My prayer for you (and me) is that we will have ears to hear, eyes to see, and teachable heart to allow God to reveal us those things we need to learn. That we would be able to look back on the previous year, and see how far God has brought us all.
The one thing I am grateful for that doesn’t change is how much Jesus loves you and me.
God bless your New Year
Kevin
It’s All His
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Psalm 24
1 The earth is the LORD’s and the fullness thereof,
the world and those who dwell therein
I’ve been meditating on this passage of scripture last night and this morning. If we don’t meditate on the scripture, we can lose a lot of meaning from God’s Word.
We say “Yeah, the Earth is the Lord’s. That’s kind of a given isn’t it”? Not really.
If we start looking at our lives in relation to the Gospel, we don’t live like the Earth is the Lord’s. If we are honest, we live like our lives our ours to choose to live how we want, we spend our money like it is ours and we can do what we want, and we pick scripture that we choose to follow and others we choose to “not listen to”.
That phrase “and the fullness thereof ” accentuates the fact that everything truly belongs to Him and Him alone. From the oxygen you breath, your family, to the things that you worship and give a greater place to than Him. It is all His!
Do we (includes me) act like our lives are truly His? Do our actions reflect a life submitted to Christ? I’m sure everyone can say there is something they are struggling to trust and give God control of. This is why we need His grace so terribly. Our need reflects our inadequacy. Our struggle for control reveals our powerlessness.
Jesus does allow us to experience failure, loss, hunger, frustration, poverty. It is not out of anger that God does this because has already paid the full penalty for our sins and transgressions. He took the consequenses for disobedience, the shame of our failures, and the punishment for our transgressions. What didn’t God do that allows me to go through these things? Why do we suffer? We suffer to bring Him glory, that in these weak, disobedient, wicked shells that will one day pass away, His glory can be made manifest. I am no longer being punished for my sin. I may be disciplined, but I am never rejected. We are His children, and the Father disciplines those He loves. I may go through difficult times but the Father will never leave or forsake us. EVER. We experience suffering because our hearts wander, we lack trust in Him, or we try to find our needs met outside of Christ.
Why do we struggle financially? It is because we do not trust God to provide so we strive, stress, and look for any other way under the sun to find security and sustenance. He will allow us to continue to struggle financially not as a punishment, but that we may through that suffering come to the understanding that He is our provider. Why do people struggle to find peace and turn to drugs and alcohol? It is because they do not find peace in the cross of Christ and do not allow God to bear the weight of our cares. God allows us to experience this lack of peace till we understand where we are to find true peace.
The Lord contends for our hearts. His Spirit works in our lives to make us aware of our need for Him, and reminds us that everything belongs to Him.
Kevin
Emptiness of Medicating Ourselves
Image by Susan NYC via Flickr
Lamentations 1:
18 “The LORD is in the right,
for I have rebelled against his word;
but hear, all you peoples,
and see my suffering;
my young women and my young men
have gone into captivity.
19“I called to my lovers,
but they deceived me;
my priests and elders
perished in the city,
while they sought food
to revive their strength.
20“Look, O LORD, for I am in distress;
my stomach churns;
my heart is wrung within me,
because I have been very rebellious.
In the street the sword bereaves;
in the house it is like death.
21“They heard my groaning,
yet there is no one to comfort me.
All my enemies have heard of my trouble;
they are glad that you have done it.
You have brought the day you announced;
now let them be as I am.
Anytime we look for comfort, security, affirmation, peace, or joy aside from Christ, we will find ourselves sorely lacking and sorely disappointed.
Are you disappointed with God over something? Are you angry that He is not “changing you fast enough”? This is one that I have dealt with a lot. Are you disappointed that other people are being blessed and you are constantly in need or want? If yes is your answer to questions like these, you may be looking to “another lover” for something that only God can give, only God can fill or provide.
Is it tv you look for solace? Maybe it’s that big bowl of ice cream, or maybe it’s exercise, work, or even some sort of religious activity that gives you a sense of comfort or right standing with God. At some point, those lovers will fail to deliver, and you will be left scrambling for something else to find comfort in. It’s not until we become still and come to Him, not as a spoiled child who doesn’t like what they are having for dinner, but in true brokenness and humility. There’s something about true humility and brokenness that moves the heart of God. Medicating ourselves with things other than God fills us with pride that we “handled” the situation. Don’t be fooled. Only God can bring true, lasting change, joy, peace, and deliverence.
Will you continue to medicate the problem, or will you turn to Him in true repentance and humility?
Kevin
Taking a Shot
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I remember when I was a kid, my big brother used to punch the mess out me. Thats what boys do. They wrestle, play slaps, arm wrestle, bloody knuckles, you name it. Playing these games would get you bruised up and occasionally bloody, but they were a right-of-passage and showed you how tough you were and how you gained respect by the other boys.
As we move into adulthood, the shots we take are much less physical, take on other forms, and can be a lot more serious. Whether it’s a crazy co-worker that hasn’t had their coffee, or it could be a bad diagnosis from a doctor. The way we take these shots reveals our character and in whom in we trust. Check out what Paul went though:
2 Corinthians 11:24-28
24Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one. 25Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea; 26on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers; 27 in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. 28And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches.
As Christ-Followers, we are going to take shots. We are going to get bad news, we are going to have disagreements with our spouses, we are going to experience various trials and tribulations. Some things are just going to bust you right in the chops.
As a Christ-Follower, can you take a hit? Can you turn your cheek when your co-worker tries to run you down to your boss? Can you declare the Lord is your healer when you are diagnosed with some disease? Do you rest on His strong right arm when it seems there is no way out of your circumstance?
The Bible declares that we will have trials, tribulations and turmoil. Will you take the shot and keep moving forward or will you shrink back? Will you walk in faith or will you allow the enemy and this world to run all over you and steal your joy and peace? It’s time to move forward in faith in Christ. It’s time to start preaching the gospel to yourself and to your circumstances instead of listening to them and allowing them to dictate how much joy and happiness you experience in your life.
2 Corinthians 4:7-11
7But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. 8We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; 9persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; 10 always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. 11For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.
Are you ready to take a shot?
Kevin
Just a Glimpse of His Plan
Luke 5:16
17
On one of those days, as he was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there, who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was with him to heal.18 And behold, some men were bringing on a bed a man who was paralyzed, and they were seeking to bring him in and lay him before Jesus,19 but finding no way to bring him in, because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and let him down with his bed through the tiles into the midst before Jesus.20 And when he saw their faith, he said, Man, your sins are forgiven you.21 And the scribes and the Pharisees began to question, saying, Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?22 When Jesus perceived their thoughts, he answered them, Why do you question in your hearts?23 Which is easier, to say, Your sins are forgiven you, or to say, Rise and walk?24 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins–he said to the man who was paralyzed–I say to you, rise, pick up your bed and go home.25 And immediately he rose up before them and picked up what he had been lying on and went home, glorifying God.26 And amazement seized them all, and they glorified God and were filled with awe, saying, We have seen extraordinary things today.
This is a fascinating piece of scripture. I remember reading about this story many times as a child. As an adult, I caught a glimpse of the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Many times we see the actions of Jesus, but fail to see the over-arching theme of God’s ultimate plan to redeem all creation. In this story, we find Jesus teaching in someone’s house and there is a great crowd in and around the house trying to hear the words Jesus is speaking. The story takes an unusual turn when 4 guys show up carrying a man who is paralyzed. The “selfless” people that were in the house obviously would not move to allow this man in the house to be healed by Jesus. This obviously did not deter the men that were carrying this paralyzed man.
When I think of this paralyzed man, I think of myself. I think of a man paralyzed, lost in sin. Someone just like you who has no more power to raise a wing on a gnat than to possibly save himself. A man that has tried everything, including religion to be, “saved” only to find myself in the same lost, desperately hopeless state. I also think of God’s grace that drew me and carried me back to Him when I was lost in my sin, just like the 4 men that carried the paralyzed man. We never hear anything about these men, or whether these men were followers of Christ or not, but they were agents who helped bring the paralyzed man, just like the Holy Spirit draws us to Himself.
The thing that blows me away is once the paralyzed man has been lowered through the roof before Jesus, anyone reading would have assumed that He would have just said be healed, end of story. No, Jesus said to this man: “Your sins are forgiven”. This was so much more powerful than Jesus simply healing the man. Through these 4 words we get a glimpse into God’s ultimate plan to restore all things unto Himself just like Paul mentions in Colossians:
Colossians 1:19-20
19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell,20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.
Christ was revealing this in the case of this man. Christ came to reconcile to Himself all things to Himself. When Christ forgave this man, the same power that forgave this man of his sin not only restored this man’s spirit and soul, but also restored this man’s body! The power of reconciliation restored everything back to this man. This is the power of the gospel. A plan to not just save souls, but to restore all of fallen creation.
2 Corinthians 5:18-21
18 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation;19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
We have been given a great responsibility. That power of reconciliation has been imparted to us. The same power that restored this man’s soul, restored his spirit, and his also His body is ours!
What will we (me included) do with this information?
Kevin
What I Need
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Proverbs 30:7-9
7) Two things I ask of you;
deny them not to me before I die:
8) Remove far from me falsehood and lying;
give me neither poverty nor riches;
feed me with the food that is needful for me,
9) lest I be full and deny you
and say, “Who is the LORD?”
or lest I be poor and steal
and profane the name of my God
“Feed me with the food that is needful for me”
We are in need. Whether we realize it or not.
The irreligious, the unregenerate, the rebellious, are in need of God’s saving grace. They need to see their spiritual poverty and surrender to a loving, merciful, forgiving God.
The religious, self-righteous, ”the redeemed” need to see their good deeds and works and all the things they think win God’s approval are nothing more than filthy rags before a God who is righteousness incarnate.
Whatever end of the spectrum we are on (and you can claim to be saved and still be irreligious) we need God’s grace..
We don’t need another party, or medication, or sexual partner, or bible study, or podcast, or the newest trendiest book on how to get God to do what you want Him to do. We need an encounter with a life changing, heart pursuing God.
What I Need
“Feed me with the food that is needful for me”.
Not what is comfortable or easy to swallow, I don’t need my butt patted.
“Feed me with food that is needful for me”.
Conviction to grieve my self righteous, idol worshipping heart.
“Feed me with the food that is needful for me”.
Forgiveness for the places in my heart that my brain wants to think You could ever love or forgive.
“Feed me with the food that is needful for me”.
Joy in the mundane things of life and the understanding that Your love and grace doesn’t depend on my actions.
“Feed me with the food that is needful for me”.
Grace to see others and myself through Your eyes God.
Kevin
Book Review:The Grace of God by Andy Stanley
This review is long overdue. I have read Andy’s leadership books and listened to his leadership podcasts, but I haven’t had an opportunity to delve into the theological side of Andy Stanley. Wasn’t quite sure what I was going to hear. I was not disappointed.
I remember always hearing about the “age of grace” before the law of Moses and the “age of the law” after God gave the Israelites the law of Moses and then we go back into an “age of grace” after Christ died, rose, and ascended. I think Andy does a great job walking through much of the old testament showing God’s grace working despite the fact the law of Moses was in effect. It shows that God’s grace is without limit and able to reach out to whomever He decides to pour it out to, as many times as He chooses.
I was glad I did not hear about a sloppy grace that is taught these days. A grace that allows us to keep on sinning and does not demand life change. It is a grace that pursues our heart until we can’t help but change because of our love for Him.
If you want to do a study on grace through the bible this book will be a big help in that study.
Thank God for His grace that He shows us every day!
Kevin
- Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their Book Review Blogger 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: Transforming Church in Rural America by Shannon O’Dell
When I first get a book, I am almost always apprehensive as to whether it will be a good book or not. From the description it peaked my interest so I requested a review copy on Booksneeze.com. First couple of pages in, I thought I was going to hear one of these peppy cheerleader books about how rural America needs more church planters.
What I read was the struggles, the hurdles, and trials of a guy called to do something for God in the midst of “religious” America. This book applies to more than just rural America, it applies to the church in many places where religion has a stranglehold on so many communities that people no longer hear the gospel anymore. This is a book of overcoming religious strongholds through the love of Christ.
I liked the leadership principles that were laid out in this book. I also like the fact that the struggles Shannon faced were expressed and not just the successes. I could relate with some of the stories of how the churches I grew up in would operate and you would see very little life change.
Whether you are a church planter or not, this is a great testimony of what a man called by God, with a clear vision can do when he says “I will go.”
Kevin
No Other Gods
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There is a lot talk in the media today about these “pastors” who are staging these protests against Islam by burning the Koran. I am deeply saddened by the sensationalism that these people who claim to be Christ’s followers will go to such lengths to get attention.
We spend so much time waging a war of flesh and blood, philosophies and ideals, and religion and politics when the true war is in our hearts:
1 And God spoke all these words, saying,
2 “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.
3 “You shall have no other gods before me.
4 “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. 5 You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.
God is constantly after our hearts. He longs to be our source of life, fulfillment, peace, joy, and security and more! The scriptures say “I am a jealous God”. We don’t take that as seriously as we ought to. The reason why we struggle with so many issues and problems stems from the idols in our lives.
Self- esteem issues, depression, anxiety and these type of things are not clinical, psychological, and most of the time not chemical. We have made ourselves, circumstances, and situations an idol in our lives. We then turn to other idols (drugs, alcohol, food, compulsive behaviors) to help us escape the fact that those things are bigger than God in our lives. Then, those idols become bigger than those idols cause we need them to be more powerful than other idols in our lives.
All the while, God stands at our heart’s door and knocks and speaks into our Spirit. “I am here. I am all you need.” and yet we turn away. We try to figure out things ourselves with our ready-made idols and we can be good with them for a while, but He is a jealous God, and He will have no other god before Him. He will come and turn over the tables of the money changers that are in our temple that are desecrating our hearts cause He longs for us to be a house of prayer and fellowship with Him.
Luke 19
45 And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who sold, 46 saying to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a den of robbers.”
We turn our hearts into a den of robbers when we allow our idols to take the place in our hearts that only He should have.
What are your idols? Acceptance of man? Validation that you are a good parent, employee, Christian, pastor? Perhaps it is your pleasures, your pursuit of fun, your need to be the life of the party. Maybe it’s alcohol, drugs, porn, or sex?
God is a jealous God. he will never allow these things to bring you the fulfillment you need. He is the only One who can fulfill the deepest longing of your heart. He love us so much that He came and died, and rose again that we might be free to pursue Him and have relationship with the very source of our life.
It’s time to confront the idols and tear them down. Will you join me?
Kevin
