Is That the Top?

About a month ago our family traveled to Colorado. While we were there, I spent as much time as I could hiking and climbing mountains. On one morning, Kelsey, our 6 year old, was up early with me, so I talked her into going on a short hike with me. We set off to climb Lily Mountain. It's about 2 miles up, and 2 miles down. And being a mountain, it's uphill all the way.

We packed our water, some snacks for the trail, and drove to the trailhead. We were off. The weather was absolutely beautiful. The sky was clear and the air was crisp. We began our ascent. As we walked, we talked, looked at flowers, and spotted birds and chipmunks along the way. We were having a great time. About 10 minutes into what would be about a 2 hour hike, Kelsey started asking "Is that the top?" I patiently answered, "No Kelsey. You'll know when we are at the top, because we won't be able to go up any higher." I said "Look ahead, see how there are trees and rocks higher than we are? The top is up there somewhere."

So we walked on, and about 3 minutes later I heard "Is that the top?" I again tried to explain to her that we were nowhere near the top, and that it would be better if we didn't keep asking. "Let's just enjoy the hike." But to a 6 year old, I guess enjoying the hike means asking "Is that the top?" every 50 yards. And she did. We walked and talked, and she continued to ask "Is that the top?"

As Kelsey continued to ask the big question, I couldn't help but think about our life over these last 7 months. God has taken us on quite the journey - an unbelievable hike up what sometimes seems to be a mountain with no top. We question God's work in our lives. We press forward, though the journey is tough. We all have troubles, struggles, hard times - whatever you want to call it. Life is not easy. But we must press forward, we must keep taking steps with the hope that eventually we'll reach the top. As Kelsey continued to ask "Is that the top?" I couldn't help but wonder "How many times have I asked God 'Is this the top? Can we head back down now?'" And how many times must God be looking down at me, patiently, lovingly, saying "Geoffrey, you'll know when we get to the top. For now, let's just enjoy this walk together."

Eventually, Kelsey and I did make it to the top of Lily Mountain. It was worth every step. We had a great time that day. I will not soon forget the lesson I learned. Stop asking God if that's the top. No matter how hard it gets, or how impossible life seems, just enjoy being with your Father, right where He has you right now.

Family Devotions

So we hear that we are supposed to do it. We know it's supposed to be a good idea. But the reality is, very few do. Trying to gather the family around the table for any amount of time is nearly impossible to do these days. But I decided several years back that that is exactly what we are going to do, every day (well, Monday - Friday anyway).

It is required in our home that everyone be at the table, ready for school, with breakfast in hand, ready to walk out the door, at 7:20am - for family devotions. Does everyone like my rule? NO! In fact, more often than not, I seem to get complaints. "It's too early!" "I could have slept another 15 minutes!" To which I respond "Wah..."

I know - I'm mean. But I have a higher motivation. Here's what I've noticed: everybody seems to enjoy the time. We laugh together, we pray together, and then we laugh together. It hit me, my kids are going to look back on these moments and remember that our family was intentional about spending focused time together. These are memories that will be instilled into who my kids grow up to be later in life.

It's not hard to do - it just takes a strong conviction, a desire to see our family bond. I choose a devotional book, or a book of the Bible. I spend about 10 minutes reading to the family. Sometimes we discuss it, sometimes not. Then we spend about 10 minutes sharing with each other what our plans are for the day - what tests, or other challenges we are going to be facing. Then we pray. That's it. Oh, and we laugh a lot in between all of that.

I love my family. I am blessed by God to have such an amazing wife and such great kids. My prayer for you is that if you haven't already, that you would start a family devotion time with your family. What are you waiting for?

It Was Very Large

Ever woke up in the morning feeling as though you never went to sleep? Sometimes I wake up and my mind picks up right where it left off the night before. Sometimes those things that consume me are huge! They are very large! I'm sure you've felt the same way. None of us can say that we never have a care in the world. We all have things that come up that cause us to worry, and to wonder if we will be able to take the next step.

Today in my quiet time I was reading Mark 16 - the story of the women who were headed to the tomb of Jesus on the day after the Sabbath. They were going to complete the embalming process so that they could lay Jesus' body to rest. On their way it seems they had a problem. They had something on their mind that seemed like it could be a huge roadblock. Verse 3 says "And they were saying to one another, 'Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?'" They were scratching their heads wondering how they would be able to get to Jesus' body when there was a large stone blocking the entrance to the tomb!

As I look back at insurmountable situations in my past, I remember worrying and wondering how I would ever be able to overcome them. Who will help me move the roadblock? Who will help me overcome this impossible situation?

Well the women show up at the tomb and guess what! They found out very quickly that they were worried about the wrong thing! The stone, though it was very large, had already been moved! Wow! Instead they had a completely different and unexpected problem..."Where's Jesus?"

We waste so much time worrying about things that we think are under our control. When in fact, God already has control of the situation, and He's already solved the situation! I can imagine the women sitting at home trying to decide if they should even go. After all, there's no one to help us move the stone, it's very large! But they went, and found a completely different and unexpected event instead.

As I look ahead and see insurmountable objects, very large stones, in my path, I pray that God would remind me of these women who went to the tomb. I pray that I would not allow things that are not mine to control to consume me. I pray that for you as well.

Hold My Hand

My wife's van had a tire that was getting low on air. I had filled it back up, but the air pressure slowly leaked out, so I decided to take it to have it looked at. I took Kelsey and we went to Discount Tire. I dropped the van off and we decided to go and visit Walmart while we were waiting. Discount Tire and Walmart are in the same parking lot, so off we went, through the busy parking lot, of course, holding hands. Who would ever think of walking through a parking lot like that without holding their 4 year old's hand!

On the way back to pick up the van, as we were walking hand in hand, we came to an empty parking lot next to Discount Tire. There was no traffic, so I let go of Kelsey's hand and said "go on!" So she ran on ahead of me...the next thing I knew, she was laying face first in the parking lot screaming bloody murder! She had not noticed a small rise in the pavement, and had tripped, skinning her knees. I ran to pick her up, and she immediately had these words for me, through her streaming tears: "Daddy, it's your fault, you're the one who let go of my hand and told me to go on ahead!"

I tried not to laugh in her face. My fault? Give me a break! 30 seconds earlier she had been pulling at my hand, trying to get free, so she could run on her own! I finally let her go, and it's my fault?

I suddenly had another thought. When "bad things" happen in life, who do we immediately blame? Don't most people turn to God and say "Why? Why did you let this happen? It's Your fault!" Really? Is it really God's fault that I got hurt when I made a bad choice? Is it really God's fault when pain comes into my life?

You know what I think? I think that God walks with us, much like I was walking with Kelsey. He protects us from danger. He helps us make smart choices. But there comes a point when He allows us to "run on ahead." He let's go of our hands so we can experience freedom, independence. Not in a "lose your salvation" kind of way. I mean more in a metaphorical sense. He allows us to freely choose something, knowing we might get hurt. Does that make Him mean? Not any more mean than it makes me for letting my daughter run on ahead!

I heard someone last week talk about failure. He said "failure is essential." Without failure, we would not learn. When we make a mistake, that is our opportunity to learn! I hope Kelsey learned to be more careful when running through a parking lot. Sometimes we have to learn the same lesson several times, but we hopefully learn something from our mistakes. Without ever falling, without ever failing, we would not learn the way we do through our failures and mistakes.

So let me ask you this. Is God "holding your hand"? Are you begging God to let you run on ahead? Are you trying to pull away so that you can go try something new and different? When He does let you go, and you fall flat on your face, just remember who it was who was pulling in the first place! Don't run back to God in tears blaming Him!

Hold on to His hand, but be willing to learn from your mistakes as well. Remember, failure is essential.

The Center of the Universe

In our study through the book of Ephesians on Wednesday nights, I came across a pretty cool thing. Last week we looked at the second half of chapter 1. When we got to verses 20-23 I was blown away. Here it is:

"he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. 22 And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all." (Eph. 1:20-23, ESV)

Now, read it again in The Message:

"God raised him from death and set him on a throne in deep heaven,21 in charge of running the universe, everything from galaxies to governments, no name and no power exempt from his rule. And not just for the time being, but forever.22 He is in charge of it all, has the final word on everything." (Eph. 1:20-22, MSG)

Jesus has been placed in authority over everything, from galaxies to government...He is in charge and in control!

And now, check this out...

"At the center of all this, Christ rules the church. 23 The church, you see, is not peripheral to the world; the world is peripheral to the church. The church is Christ’s body, in which he speaks and acts, by which he fills everything with his presence. He tore down the wall." (Eph. 1:22-23, MSG)

Sometimes I get a bit overwhelmed and stressed out when I think about growing a campus. I feel responsible when our attendance drops or remains the same. I feel disappointed when first time guests don't come back. (Please understand, I am not just going for more numbers...however, each number represents an individual, a life that God cares about very much. The higher the numbers, the more people we are reaching).

But if what Ephesians says is true - that the church is not peripheral to the world - the world is peripheral to the church - if it is true that church is at the center of all that Christ rules - that means that everything Christ rules, from galaxies to government, all centers on the church, the body of Christ!

If this is true, then we are a part of the most important thing in all of creation. We are a part of the center of all that Christ has been placed in charge of! He has chosen to put His church at the center of His rule!

Here's the thing. We could easily sit back right now, and pat each other on the back, and talk about the "good 'ole days" of Benton Heights. We could look back and remember the days of unloading the trailer each week and having church in a cozy little elementary school auditorium. We could easily look at all that has been happened and feel a sense of pride and accomplishment. (After all...we've managed to grow from 60 to 130 so far this year. That is pretty good growth!) We have amazing servants, people working hard in every area of ministry.

We could easily put things on cruise control - and we might continue to grow some, we might stay the same - we certainly would continue to get better at what we are doing right now.

But I don't believe we as a church are called to coast. We have room in our building to grow. We have the opportunity to reach so many more people for Jesus! But its not just going to happen. We will have to work at it.

I hope - I hope that each of you is actively inviting people to come to church. I invited 5 or 6 people just this week. If we believe the Bible, then we must believe what Ephesians says - that the church is at the center of everything Christ does. If we believe that is true, then we had better get on board and start bringing people to be a part of it.

All I can do is praise God for allowing me to be a part of the very center of everything He rules! Thank you Jesus.

Redemption

We began a study of the book of Ephesians last Wednesday night at Southbrook Monroe. We are going to work our way through this book in about 12 weeks...the more time I spend in this book the more I realize - there is no way we will cover everything in this short time. Ephesians is so packed with great information. We could spend years on this one.

So we kicked it off last week. We'll continue tonight, by the way, 6:30pm.

I wanted to share this little piece with you from last week. Ephesians 1:7 says "In Him we have redemption through His blood..." Jesus redeemed us with his blood. You may have heard that phrase before. It sounds like a church thing to say. It sounds like something you would expect to hear in church. Actually it's very true - it's the very center of what we believe about Jesus Christ. But I don't think we always get it. I think we have become so used to the words, that we kind of brush over it. So let's think about what it truly means.

Jesus (who is in essence God) had to leave he glory of Heaven. He had to become human, he became his creation. He had to live on this earth a perfect, sinless life. He had to suffer a cruel and painful torture. He had to face the horror of being made sin for us. He had to face the torment of God's wrath, and ultimately he suffered death.

Still - this may sound a bit routine. This is the Easter message. So let's try to make it personal. Imagine what that would be like for you or for me:

Suppose you wanted to save someone from the penalty of their sin - let's say a murderer. Even though you are innocent, you set out to save someone who is guilty. In order to save them, you must enter into the prison system. You would have to face the shame of being kept on death row. Everyone would know you are a murderer (even though you're not). You would have to face the wrath of the legal system. And ultimately you would have to face death...not because you did anything wrong, but because you decided you wanted to save someone from their sin.

Now think about the person you died for. If they truly understand what you sacrificed for them, how do you think they would respond? Go out and kill again? No! Not if they truly get it. I think they would be much more likely to change their way of living, telling others about you, and what you did for them!

Now - you can only save one person, one time. What Jesus did was enough to save all humankind. Because he is infinite his saving power is infinite. So our message is infinite as well. Not only should we be sharing relentlessly what Jesus did for us, we should be telling people that he has the power to save them as well!

So - knowing what Jesus did for you, will it change the way you live your life?

The Safe Zone

This morning was our monthly early morning men's gathering with Pastor Rob. Now, I'll be the first to admit - I'm not all that excited about getting up that early - especially on Monday! But I will also say this - it is so worth it. So many men show up and are so pumped and encouraged and challenged when they leave. It is exciting to see passion to lead in such a great group of guys.

This morning Pastor Rob talked to us about risk...about getting out of our safe zones. He used Moses as an example of someone who took big risks, and as a result was used in big ways by God.

I'm not going to go into all the details. But basically we should be asking ourselves these questions: What in your past is keeping you from stepping out of your safe zone? What's the worst that could happen if you did take a risky step of faith? How bad could it really be?

He left us with these three thoughts:

1. You will never naturally leave the safe zone.
2. Growth only begins when you leave the safe zone.
3. The safe zones actually rob us of our greatest moments and memories.

What do you think?

What's That Noise?

I've got a problem. It's becoming an addiction. When I told my wife, she said "again?"
I have become uncontrollably addicted to cycling...again.
I can't wait to get out and ride...again.
So the other day I was out riding...on my road bike...just a nice Sunday afternoon ride. The weather was awesome. The ride as going great.

I also have another problem. I tend to hear things. Sometimes I'll hear things that no one else hears. Little annoying sounds, sounds that just don't quite belong.

So there I was, riding along, and I kept hearing a light sound, like metal on metal. It was a very faint sound, like a piece of metal was loose, tapping, tapping tapping. I just knew something must be coming loose on the bike. So I stopped, I fiddled around, I shook the bike, I tried to make the sound occur. I just wanted to know what it was...so I could make it stop...so I could fix the problem.

Nothing.

So I got back on and sure enough, it started again. So I stopped...looked, shook the bike...still nothing!

That is so annoying! What is making that noise?

A few miles down the road, after trying unsuccessfully to ignore this irritating little sound, I reached up to unzip my cycling jersey, just trying to created a little more ventilation. Then I realized what the sound was. I wear a cross around my neck. It is metal. It had been hitting against the zipper. That was the irritating little sound I kept hearing!

Then this thought occurred to me. How often do we look around at all the "obvious" sources to look for God's will, God's direction, for our lives. How often do we feel that nudge, or hear that "irritating" sound in the background, and look to our own humanity to try and solve it?

And how often do we miss an opportunity to hear from God, because rather than going to the cross, the source of our salvation, we try to "fix" things in our own power?

Don't ignore the voice of God. He will patiently and softly speak to you, and it is up to you to listen, discern, and answer His calling.

Sticky Church Conference Recap - Part 1

This past Monday I attended a great conference at Mountain Lake Church in Cumming, GA. The purpose was to give church leaders practical ideas on making their church "sticky." What can we do to close the back door? People visit, but to they stay?

Over the next few days I'm going to share some highlights:

Greg Surratt, pastor of Seacoast Church, spoke first -

1. Always preach a sticky message - "Anytime you take your stand on anything other than the gospel, you will shrink your target of who you can reach, or minister to." If you take a political stand, you will shrink your target. If your stand is on being cool and edgy, you will shrink your target. If you take your stand on personal preferences, you will shrink your target. But the gospel crosses all boundaries. Take your stand on the gospel. Reach as many for Christ as you possibly can.

2. Have a sticky confidence - "You have been chosen by God to lead this church." And don't you ever forget it! It's not because of me that things go good. In fact, I am more likely the one messing things up! It is because God called me, and when I faithfully follow him he leads to victory. My confidence must be in God and God alone. Trust him, and him only.

3. Stick to a sticky strategy - "The church is Jesus' girlfriend, he is madly in love with her!" The Bible says that the church is the bride of Christ. Jesus loves the church immensely. He laid down his life for her. In fact, the church is the hope for this world. We need to do everything we can to faithfully lead Christ's bride. As leaders, we must confidently pick the strategy God is leading us to use, and stick with it for a long time. Don't stop and chase after every new idea that comes along. Be who you are, where you are, and faithfully follow the strategy God has led you to follow. He will bless this in the long term.

More later...

Baby Believers - Part III

If you've been keeping up, I shared a couple of ways over the past week that human babies are a lot like spiritual babies. A spiritual baby is someone who is a new believer, or it could be someone who has been a follower of Christ for many years but just hasn't grown or matured very much in their walk with Jesus. I'll finish up this series today. So far we've seen:

1. Babies like to be handled - and we like to handle babies.
2. Babies have their "safe place" - and they don't like to change it.
3. Babies want milk - and that is enough for them.

Now let's move on:

4. Babies like to sleep - a lot! If you go to church, let me ask you this - Why? Why do you show up on a Sunday morning to you local church? And where do you sit, and why? Do you sit near the front, hungry to hear? Or near the back for a quick escape? Do you listen - pay attention? Or does your mind begin to wander? I guess what I'm trying to say is "Are you sleeping in church?"

I remember the story about an elderly gentleman who showed up faithfully Sunday after Sunday. But as soon as the sermon began, he would fall asleep in his regular seat on the back row. One day, the pastor, who had noticed this trend for years finally decided to teach the man a lesson. He said to the congregation "All those wishing to have a place in heaven, please stand." Of course, the sleeping man was the only one who didn't stand. The preacher had everyone sit back down, then said to the congregation in a very loud voice "All those wishing to have a place in hell please STAND UP!"

Immediately the man was awakened, and having heard the words "STAND UP!" he did! After a moment of confusion, the man said "Pastor, I don't know what we're voting on here, but it sure seems like you and I are the only ones standing for it."

Babies in Christ, though they don't necessarily fall asleep while sitting through a sermon, are certainly content to sleep through life - in a spiritual sense. Rather than look into the things of God, study, learn and grow, they pass the time doing other things. They waste a lot of valuable time involved in activities that have no value. Are you a baby Christian? Are you sleeping through life when you could be learning and growing in your walk with Jesus?

5. Babies want their own way - now! Babies learn quickly what it takes to get what they want when they want it. They scream, cry, yell, throw tantrums - all in an effort to get us to give in to their every desire. It is so much easier to give in than to try and ignore the selfish longings of babies.

Baby believers, especially those who have been believers for many years, are this way in the church. "I want my favorite kind of music." "I want to hear a certain kind of preaching only." "I want to park in my favorite spot." "I want my kids to get special treatment." On the list goes. These are baby Christians!! These are people who don't understand God's kingdom, and kingdom growth. They are only concerned about what they can get, and making sure they get it now.

Are you a baby Christian? Grow up! Go on to maturity. Get over yourself, look around, learn, grow and find someone else you can help in this journey called life.

Spiritual growth is not automatic. It takes work, it takes discipline. I hope you will do whatever it takes to move forward in your relationship with Jesus Christ.

Baby Believers - Part II

2. Babies have their "safe place" - and they don't like to change it. As babies grow they tend to become attached to certain things. Their crib is a special place. It is their "safe place." Some babies find it difficult to sleep in a crib or bed that is not their own. As babies grow into toddlers and learn to talk, one of the first words they learn is "mine!" They can quickly become attached to a routine. They become attached to their room, to their toys, to their parents. Babies become territorial.

Young believers who never mature properly have the same problem. I have seen churches full of these baby Christians. "This is my church. Don't think you're gonna come in here and change things." "You're trying to ruin the good thing we have going here." And my personal favorite: "We've never done it that way before."

Young believers who never mature properly also tend to become territorial. They become attached to tradition. They become attached to their favorite leaders and pastors. "My pastor should visit me in the hospital when I am sick." "He's a good speaker, but I really enjoy it when you preach." It is easy to become more interested in the speaker than in what the speaker has to say. Paul had to address this issue with the Corinthian church:

¹¹My brothers, some from Chloe's household have informed me that there are quarrels among you. ¹²What I mean is this: One of you says, "I follow Paul"; another, "I follow Apollos"; another, "I follow Cephas"; still another, "I follow Christ."(1 Corinthians 1:11-12)

Paul's response? "Is Christ divided?" Did your favorite pastor die for you? NO! We all belong to the body of Christ. We are all united in Christ, and only Christ. This is not my church. This is not my pastor. It's not about my way of doing things. This is God's church. The kingdom of God is much bigger than a local gathering of believers.

3. Babies want milk - and that is enough for them. Babies are satisfied with the basics. They don't know about or desire a nice juicy steak. As adults, we know that there is more to life than a bottle of milk...like chicken wings, cheese fries, hamburgers, and filet mignon! (Wow, I'm getting hungry!)

Baby Christians who are not taught to feed themselves will become dependent on the milk provided to them by others. What a dangerous place to be! Hebrews 6:1 says we should leave the elementary (foundational) truths about Christ and go on to maturity! In other words, learn to eat the good stuff! Get a knife and fork, cut into the meat. Grow up!

I hope you have opportunities in your church to grow. If not, find a church that values the Bible, and that will help you take the next step in your growth process. Don't settle for milk. Learn about the steak!

Baby Believers - Part I

We're told in chapter 5 of Hebrews that some in the church are still infants, even though they should be full grown by now. There are babies in our churches, who should be enjoying a nice steak, who are instead sucking milk out of a bottle every week. We're talking about men and women who have been believers for quite some time, who have never advanced beyond the basics. Let's take a look at what these babies look like. What's the problem with staying a baby Christian?


1. Babies like to be handled - and we like to handle babies. Babies who are handled a lot don't like to be set down. They don't like to be left alone. Babies need to be nurtured, cared for, and watched constantly. Babies will go wherever you go, and do whatever you do. The Bible address this as a problem in Ephesians 4:14. It says

"Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming."

Baby Christians are easy to toss back and forth, like a small ship on the open seas. They will believe whatever the wind blows their way. They are easily drawn to things that may sound right, but are devised by men and women who are being deceitful in their scheming.

Don't be a baby! Don't settle for milk! The best way to start growing is to get your Bible and start reading. Get into a group of genuine believers who are seeking the truth. Find a good Bible teaching church and get involved. Don't allow the world to conform you, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds.

(to be continued)

Again?

One of my passions is to see people get into God's Word. I want to help people grow in their relationship with Jesus, and one of the key ingredients to that growth process is daily reading the Bible.

The other day I had someone ask me - "You've read the Bible many times. Don't you ever get tired of reading the same thing over and over?" I can see why one might think this way. There are very few books that I've ever read twice. I don't particularly enjoy reading something again, if I've already read it before.

BUT...The Bible is different. The Bible is "alive" (Hebrews 4:12 - "For the word of God is living and active"). It is God's word to each of us. As you read and reread the Bible, God will show Himself to you in a special way. It's His way of communicating with us.

And no...it never gets old! Just like watching a sporting event. I love watching football. I can't wait till August when the NFL season finally kicks off again. We spend my Sunday afternoons (as much as possible) with my family on the couch watching as much football as we can. But someone could easily argue "Doesn't that get boring? Watching the same game played over and over?" Even though it is different games, and different teams, it doesn't get boring (at least for me). Why? After all, it's the same rules, the same size field, the same scoring system, game after game, nothing really changes. So why doesn't it get boring?

Because each time you watch a game, you see something different. You see different strategies, you see the players do things that hopefully the other team hasn't thought of yet. Now I must be careful here. I am not saying that the Bible changes! Just like the rules for football don't change from game to game. What I am trying to say is that the Word of God is living and active! It changes me! As I spend time in the Word, over and over, God reveals new and different things to me all the time! Over and over. It never gets old.

So no...reading the Bible over and over does not get old. In fact, let me ask you this. Are you reading God's Word every day? If not, I would encourage you to get into it (or back into it, as the case may be). God's Word is living and active, and He longs to communicate with you...today.

A Different Kind of Financial Goal

I remember as a kid going to video arcades. My parents would buy us a number of tokens and say "These are your tokens. Use them wisely. When they are gone you are done. We're not buying anymore." So I would walk around the arcade, decide how I wanted to spend my tokens, and the use them to play video games. My brother would hold on to his tokens. He would use a couple here and there, but sometime we would leave the arcade and he would have tokens left over. This was frustrating to me sometimes. When I ran out of tokens, and he still had some, I would have to watch and wait for him to use his tokens, if he decided to. Then when it was time to go, I couldn't understand why he wouldn't just give me a couple so I could help him use them up before we had to leave. Once out the doors, the tokens were no good anyway!

I've been reading the book "The Treasure Principle" by Randy Alcorn with my kids as our morning family devotion time. Alcorn does a great job of simplifying the discipline of giving in such a way that even kids can grasp and understand. I even made them memorize the 'Treasure Principles' that are taught in the book.

We are about halfway through the book, and it is talking about whether or not we should leave an estate to our children when we die. In this book, Alcorn says that we should not leave a large amount of money for our kids when we die. Instead, we should be using those resources while we are alive to further the Kingdom of God. “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal." - Matthew 6:19

My wife Nancy asked this question yesterday: "Some teach that we should be saving for retirement, for emergencies, etc. This book seems to teach that maybe we should save money but give it to God and His church. So which is it?"

What a great question! We talked about it for a while (with our kids present...they need to learn this stuff too). Here is my conclusion - our goal should be to have just enough money to last until we die, with none left over. Of course, we don't know when we will die, but we can estimate based on average life span. We should be responsible with the money God has entrusted to us (it is His), and have emergency funds so that we can take care of our family when things come up. We should plan to be able to take care of our financial needs when we are no longer able to work. But we should not 'hoard' money until we die. Having millions in the bank on the day we die doesn't do anyone any good. God gives us control of his resources while we are alive so we can manage it and use it for His Kingdom and His Glory.

Our financial goal should be to die with nothing left over. You can't take it with you. You can't use it anywhere but here. Use God's money wisely, but don't leave any at the end of your life.

What do you think? Do you agree? Should we have money left over when we die?

What is God's Will for my Life?

I remember one of my first jobs as a software engineer. I was hired after a long and tedious interview process. I was so excited! I was on top of the world! I finally knew what I wanted to do. I was ready to get going. I showed up to work on the first day, was introduced to everyone, sat down at my desk, and waited. There was the computer in front of me. I started playing around, looking at things, looking around the room at all the busyness. It seemed everyone had something to do...except for me. I chatted with the guy who was sitting across from me when he wasn't on the phone. I surfed the internet. I messed around, I waited. I wondered when I would be given something to do.

Finally my boss came out to see how things were going. He apologized for being so busy. He told me to sit with another guy and listen in on his tech support phone calls so I could get familar with the system. I did. I have to be honest though, I was quickly losing interest. The only thing that kept me interested was the paycheck!

I was given passwords, sketchy instructions, and told to learn the software. I needed to understand the software before I could be expected to code any enhancements. So I did the best I could. I fumbled through documentation. I listened in on tech support phone calls. I surfed the internet. I went home. Day after day for several weeks this went on.

I began to question my boss's desire to have me there. Why am I here? You're paying me to sit here all day? I have more to offer! I have gifts and talents, not to mention a degree in computer science! Why was my job simply a matter of showing up, and waiting for time to go home to come?

The question of God's will is probably the most commonly asked question in Christian circles.

People ask it all the time. What does God want me to do? How can I know? I think I'm supposed to be doing this, but I feel unsure. How can I know what God wants me to be doing?

God created us with a purpose. He designed us to do something. But how often do we sit through life waiting? People wake up each morning, think to themselves "There's got to be more to life than this" and wait for the end of the day so they can start all over again.

The problem is this: we know deep down that there is more, but we don't know how to figure out what 'more' is. With my job, I had to read the documentation that was given to me. I had to study it and apply it to the software on the computer. I had to learn to ask questions of those around me. I had to be free to investigate, to talk to those who knew more about the software than I did. I had to learn how to talk to my boss. I had to be free to tell him what I was feeling, to share with him my frustrations, and to share with him my passions and dreams!

How can I know God's will for my life? We have been given access to all the answers. God is not going to send an email with step by step instructions on what to do every step of the way. He has however given us a book to read, the Bible. The Bible tells us everything we need to know. And when I come across things that I don't understand, I have to be willing to ask those around me who are more familiar with the Bible: "How can I apply this to my life, or to my current situation?" I have to begin applying what the Bible teaches to my everyday life. And finally, I have to take everything to my Heavenly Father. He's the One who created me. He knows me inside and out. He knows what works and what doesn't. I have to learn to go to Him, free to tell Him my feelings. I am free to share my frustrations, as well as my passions and dreams.

When we learn to study God's Word, talk to other believers, and talk to God, then we will begin to see God's will unfold very clearly in each of our lives.

All Or Nothing

I recently started reading my way through Matthew.  I am taking just a portion each day.  Today I started chapter 5...The Beatitudes.  As you read through Matthew 5:1-12, you will see Jesus listing off what we call the "beatitudes."  Jesus goes through a list of promised blessing to people who have certain characteristics (or attitudes).

As I looked closely at this today, I asked this question: "Is there a 1 to 1 relationship between each of these?" In other words, can I do the first and fourth, while not having any of the others? Does this mean I receive only some of the blessings?

I don't think so. In fact, I think the point here is that it is all or nothing. One cannot have the kingdom of heaven and not experience comfort. One cannot be filled with righteousness(justice) and not experience mercy. They are all interwoven. On the flipside, one cannot hunger and thirst for righteousness (justice) and at the same time not be merciful. Nor can one be pure in heart and not be a peacemaker. They are all interwoven. It is all or nothing.

The problem is that to become all of these things is not easy. It takes a lot of time and a lot of work. It requires discipline on my part. What are you doing to become those things that Jesus lists in Matthew 5:1-12?

The Familiar Road

Have you ever thought to yourself, "You know, I think I'm going to change _____ tomorrow." And then tomorrow comes, and you end up doing the same ole thing, no change happens.

As I left the house this morning, I thought I would drive to work a different way, just for a change of scenery. There are about 4 different ways I can drive, all about the same distance. But, for some strange reason, I ended up driving the same ole familiar way. I didn't deviate from the norm. I failed to make a simple change.

Often in life we discover things that need to be changed. Sin, or bad habits, creep in and we get so used to them they hardly seem to bother us. But we know they need to go. We know that we need to change certain behaviors. We say "Today I change. Today I will avoid ______." And then before we know it, we are still behaving the same way. For some reason, we just like the way things are.

Paul complained in Romans 7:18-19 "And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I want to do what is right, but I can't. I want to do what is good, but I don't. I don't want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway."

He describes so well the battle each one of us deals with daily. So what do we do? I know I need to change. I want to do the right thing. What do I do? One of the keys is found in Romans 12:2. Again Paul, the same one struggling with bad behavior says this:

"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."

We must allow God to transform our behavior. Admit your problem to Him, daily. Give it back to him, daily. Read His Word and pray, daily. As His words begin to sink into your heart and mind, He will begin to transform you in ways you cannot even imagine.

Following God...

God is awesome! If we will listen, He will direct and guide us in our daily lives. This past week God led me and my family into a new arena of ministry.

Several weeks ago, Pastor Rob asked me to consider becoming the campus pastor for Southbrook: Monroe. We recently started a church campus in Monroe with the goal of reaching that community for Christ. A great group of people have been meeting there already for several months. I began to pray about it. Nancy began to pray about it. We visited the campus on a Sunday morning, I had the opportunity to preach live (the teaching is primarily by video). We left that Sunday pretty sure in our minds that this was not where God was leading. But I just couldn't let it go.

For various reasons, Nancy was not comfortable with some of the circumstances, and how they would affect our family. Fair enough, I totally understood. But I still just couldn't let it go.

We wrestled some more with the idea. We prayed some more. Pastor Rob invited us to dinner after a Saturday night service to talk about it some more. The message at church that night was "You're an Idiot." We were asked to consider 3 questions:

1) In what area of mnistry have I become dangerously secure in my own knowledge and abilities?
2) What faith risk is God calling me to take?
3) What painful decision have I been avoiding?

Pastor had shared these same questions several weeks earlier at our staff retreat. I had already begun wrestling with them. Nancy was now faced with these same questions. On the way to meet with Pastor Rob, Nancy said "I felt like I was supposed to stand up in the service and say 'OK, I get it, we'll do it!'"

And so - God moved our hearts, change our thinking, and called us to take on the challenge. We are excited to be in this position. Yesterday the service was just amazing. From the worship, to the message, to the buzz of excitement in the air. There are quite a few challenges ahead. There are a lot of unknowns ahead. But there is also a great group of people committed to see this thing happen in Monroe.

We are looking forward to seeing God work in and through Southbrook: Monroe.

Signs of Maturity - Part 3

Last time we looked at three things to help us determine if we are maturing believers, or if we are stuck in the baby phase as Christ followers. Today, let's take a look at how to G.R.O.W. Just as an infant needs certain food to develop and grow, so a believer needs spiritual sustenance to develop and mature.

We're going to use an acronym for the word GROW to give us a guideline for growth.

G - Go to God in prayer every day.
If you want to grow, you have got to pray. Take everything to God in prayer. Paul said to "pray continuously." This doesn't mean you lock yourself in a room and get on your knees all day and all night. It means that you just talk to God, all the time (please do it quietly in your head if others are around...). Just tell Him what you're thinking. Pray for the needs of others. Praise Him for all the wonderful things He has done. If you want to grow, you have to pray.

R - Read God's Word (the Bible) every day.
If you want to grow, you have to feed on God's truths. God's truths are found in the Bible. We must not neglect the reading of God's Word. Set a time, every day. Find a quiet place. Spend just a few minutes each day reading and listening to what He has to say to you. If you want to grow, you have to read the Bible.

O. Obey God's Word every day.
It's not enough to read it, you have to do it. God gives us His truth in the Bible so that we can listen, learn, and obey what He is calling us to do. Don't read for the sake of reading. As you read, pray. Ask God to reveal His directions to you. He will. He will bring thoughts to your mind, He will help you clarify decisions to be made. God wants to lead you, but you have to listen, and obey His Word everyday.

W. Witness for God every day.
A part of growth is producing fruit. If you want to grow as a believer in Christ, there must be evidence of your growth. That evidence is displayed in your actions. Are you telling others of the love of Jesus? This doesn't always have to be with words. You can tell others about the love of Jesus with your actions. Love others by helping others. Serve others, not because you have to, but because you love God and you want to. If you want to grow, you have to witness for Christ, being a light that shines in a dark world.

So let's ask ourselves a couple of questions. Are you a mature believer? Or do you need to grow? Are your growing? If you're struggling with growth, remember to Go to God in prayer, Read God's Word, Obey God's Word, and Witness for God....everyday.

Signs of Maturity - Part 2

As we saw in my previous post, there are a lot of Christians who are acting like babies. They act like babies because, well, they are. They haven't matured in their faith. They haven't developed, they haven't grown in their walk with Jesus Christ. So - how can I know if I am a mature believer? How can I know if I am developing, or if I am stuck in the baby phase?

First of all - I tend to think that if you have to ask - you probably are still one of the babies. On the other hand, if you are confident that you have matured, there is a chance you haven't. Let's look at 3 signs that you are maturing spiritually:

1] I show a readiness to humbly receive God's instructions from His Word.

Are you open to listening to what God's Word has to say to you? Are you ready to receive God's instructions, not just for the sake of hearing them, but humbly willing to do them? Are you obedient to the truths of God's Word?

2] I patiently allow the Holy Spirit to guide and direct my path day by day.

As you listen to God's instructions, are you open to the gentle guiding of the Holy Spirit? Do you allow Him to direct your paths? Are you sensitive to His direction and prodding in every situation?

3] I show evidence in my life that I am making progress in expressing God's love.

Are you bearing fruit? Are you showing God's love to others in words and deeds? Are you putting others ahead of yourself? Does God's love shine through you in everything you say and do?

These are the tough questions you need to ask yourself. If you are serious about your growth as a follower of Christ, then honestly answer each of these questions. And if you discover that you are not as mature as you thought you were - don't despair. That is the first step in the maturing process. Once you recognize your need to grow, you are on your way. In my next post we will look at how to go about growing as a believer and follower of Jesus Christ.