Tag: Hope

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The Extraordinary Joy of Picking up Rocks

Picking up rocks. I had lunch with a friend a couple of days ago, and he enlightened me about one aspect of Christianity I had taken for granted. It was picking up rocks. If you ever have the chance to visit rural Northeastern United States, you will notice that much of the acreage has stone walls around it. Some of these walls were miles long. I used to think it was an incredible job to collect all those stones to build a fence.

The Revelation

James 1:22, “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.”

Then I had lunch this last week with a good friend. Being raised in a farm community, I have always liked the analogy of plowing the field, planting the seed, nurturing the seedlings, and then harvesting. It produced a familiar image of preparing someone to hear the Gospel, introducing them to the Gospel, mentoring them through discovery, and then bringing them to Christ. The idea was that we don’t achieve this by ourselves. Sometimes we plow, sometimes we plant seeds, we should always be nurturing, and then, if God is willing, we see the harvest.

My friend said I forgot about picking up rocks. Once he said it, It was obvious. Before you can plow virgin soil, you have to remove the impediments. Those stone walls are not the result of fence building; they are the resting place of those who pick up rocks.

Ephesians 4:32, “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”

Back on the Farm

Clearing a field of rocks is a hard job. You must dig them up out of the ground, wrestle them into your arms, and carry them to the field’s border; the border could be a half mile or more. The laborers picking up rocks typically don’t get noticed if they do a good job. They get noticed when the plow hits a rock. Plowing behind a mule or ox is backbreaking work on a good day; it is miserable when the field is full of rocks. Very seldom does the person responsible for picking up rocks get mentioned in the positive light of “Wasn’t plowing easy today?” They get mentioned when someone wants to know who is the so-in-so responsible for all the rocks.

 Ephesians 4:31, “Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.”

I realized that most of my life is about picking up rocks. One of the most significant ways I can serve and be obedient is by removing obstacles in front of non-believers searching for Christ. How many times have we heard non-believers complain about the hypocrisy of Christians? How many times has a non-believer witnessed a self-proclaimed Christian acting poorly? These are the rocks we need to pick up. I do not always view everyday life as evangelism. Evangelism is a deliberate task of sharing the Gospel, usually in a “mission field.” The mission field could be your office or home; it is always someplace that is well-defined.

Back to Real Life

Many a professing Christian is a stumbling block because his worship is divided. On Sunday, he worships God; on weekdays, God has little or no place in his thoughts. — Dwight L. Moody

Picking up rocks is continuous evangelism exercised where you are in the moment. It is the consistency by which you live your life. Every time we encounter the temptation to set aside our commitment to Christ to vent about something that has just happened, we decide to either put a rock in someone’s field or pick one up. You can give a non-believer a reason not to believe or give them a reason to believe.

Philippians 2:14, “Do everything without grumbling or arguing.”

It sucks to have that responsibility all the time. The decision becomes even more challenging if you use secular criteria. My dad used to say, “Life isn’t fair; get over it.” Picking up rocks is hard work. You must be on point with every interaction. It is not letting your guard down; keeping Christ at the forefront of your decision-making. Let’s face it, it is impossible to be consistent, but we can try to do our best. Start to view evangelism as an action that starts when your feet hit the floor in the morning and doesn’t stop until you slide them under the sheets at night.

1 Peter 2:23, “When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.”

The process seems to give gratification in reverse. Harvesting is the best; it provides closure and a sense of accomplishment. Nurturing brings gratification as we watch people grow. Planting seeds is a yeoman’s work; the results are hard to see. Plowing is even more challenging work, and there is no guarantee that anyone will follow up with planting. Picking up rocks sometimes is just picking up rocks. It is trying to be the best version of yourself and hoping that someone notices.

But picking up rock is what we are called to do.

1 Peter 2:12, “Live such good lives among the non-believers that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.”
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God’s Great Story

Every great story starts with a tragedy. God’s great story of salvation is no exception. Many Christians focus on worldly perfection over spiritual perfection.

Character Development

God’s great story of salvation starts at the fall in the Garden of Eden. Although we are all made in the image of God, we live under the stain of that fall. Unlike many, I do not believe we are inherently bad from birth but flawed by sin. There are a lot of non-believers who do good works. The most dispiriting of men can and do show compassion. The image we bear is one of goodness, love, and compassion, but it is constantly at war with temptation. All of us lose battles from time to time. The challenge is from where do these good works emanate? Are they of this world, or are they God-inspired? Do we focus more on our losses than our victories?

Romans 3:11-13 - “There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God. All have turned away; they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.”

“We ought first to know that there are no good works except those which God has commanded, even as there is no sin except that which God has forbidden.” – Martin Luther.

It is important to avoid a theology solely focused on sin, which can lead to the enslavement of individuals to their past. This view fosters a works-based mentality, leaving little room for grace. Unfortunately, this is precisely what Satan desires. A sin-oriented theology compels us to strive for religious obedience, integrity, perseverance through trials, faithfulness, learning authority, and submission—all in our strength, devoid of God’s presence. Gradually, we fall into the misconception that we must prove our submission through adherence to rules before experiencing grace.

True righteousness lies in placing God above all else. God has blessed us with passion, knowledge, resources, and ambition. Righteousness entails utilizing these blessings to fulfill God’s desires rather than our own.

Story Line

While God entrusted us with the responsibility to steward His creation, we must do so according to His will. God has graciously given us these gifts to glorify Him and live fully. Instead of cowering in fear of sin, God calls us to embrace life and use His blessings to pursue His glory.

Genesis 1:28, “God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”

This passage emphasizes that God has granted us authority over creation, not to exploit it for selfish gain but to steward it with reverence and obedience to His purpose. Whether parents, doctors, nurses, teachers, scientists, workers, or managers, we must approach our responsibility with reverence for God’s will.

In our character development, we find ourselves navigating the tension between our fallen nature and the redemptive power of God. Through this ongoing journey, fueled by God’s grace, we can grow into the individuals He intends us to be.

How do we use our God-given and God-directed gifts to achieve righteousness? God commands us to subdue the land. That is not a passive statement. God does not tell us to wait for Him to tell us what to do, but to be fruitful, fill the earth and subdue it. Trust that God created you in His image and endowed you with His spirit.

“We believe that the very beginning and end of salvation, and the sum of Christianity, consists of faith in Christ, who by His blood alone, and not by any works of ours, has put away sin, and destroyed the power of death.” – Martin Luther.

Our task is to embrace the person God has designed us to be, casting aside timidity and not focusing solely on avoiding sin. Instead, we should actively pursue God’s will with determination. God will guide and correct us if our motivations are pure. We must remember that He has blessed us with passion, intelligence, drive, and aptitude to fulfill His unique plan for our lives.; use it to build His kingdom here on earth.

Mistakes happen, setbacks occur, and battles are lost; that is part of the narrative in a broken world. In such moments, we find solace in God’s word:

2 Corinthians 7:10, “Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.”

Big Finish

“You can’t wait till life isn’t hard anymore to be happy.” – Jane (Nightbirde) Marczewski ( look into her testimony)

We are heirs to the Kingdom of God, Royalty; we should act like it. The tiniest little spark can make a difference in the darkness.

How does God’s great story end for us? What is the big overcoming that brings joy to our hearts? It is the ultimate destination where we dwell in God’s sacred tent upon His holy mountain. Through His infinite love for us, He lovingly transforms us, making us acceptable in His sight.

Psalms 15 – “Lord, who may dwell in your sacred tent? Who may live on your holy mountain? The one whose walk is blameless, who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from their heart; whose tongue utters no slander, who does no wrong to a neighbor, and casts no slur on others; who despises a vile person but honors those who fear the Lord; who keeps an oath even when it hurts, and does not change their mind; who lends money to the poor without interest; who does not accept a bribe against the innocent. Whoever does these things will never be shaken.”

Those who embody these virtuous attributes will find an unshakable foundation for their lives. They will experience the culmination of God’s great story, dwelling in His sacred presence and basking in the majesty of His holy mountain. This destination is the magnificent conclusion to the story—the fulfillment of divine fellowship and the eternal joy that permeates our hearts.

As we journey through life, may we strive to embody these qualities, aligning our thoughts, words, and actions with the righteousness God desires. In being the person God made us be, we participate in the grand finale of God’s great story—eternity with Him, where love, truth, justice, and compassion reign.

Hebrews 13:20-21, "Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep,  equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.
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Melancholy

Melancholy is the road less traveled; joy we feel and embrace, depression is suffocating, melancholy is just blah. It is living in a world of knee-deep mud while trying to move forward. Melancholy, you are not in; you are not out; you are just stuck.

Proverbs 17:22, “A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.”

Follow me on a somewhat circuitous journey for a minute. I remember when I was 30 and received my first pacemaker. I dropped into a period of melancholy thinking because I was living via an artificial device (i.e., I was no longer invincible). A few weeks ago, I received an artificial value in my heart. Everything went better than planned, and I started hiking again within weeks. But my friend Melancholy reappeared. A friend of mine. who is a nurse, told me that they were taught that melancholy was a normal reaction to heart surgery.

I remember this quote; “it is not the water around the boat that sinks it; it is the water that gets into the boat that sinks it” So intellectually and physically, all is good, but emotionally I have doubts. I started letting the water outside the boat seep in; I was taking on water. In the book “Not Good Enough, Why Your Small God Leads to Big Problems” by JD Greear, he states, “When we say “I can’t believe in God because there is so much purposeless evil in the world,” we assume that we could immediately perceive whatever purpose is out there.”

Here is where I try to draw this together; I started to let the fact that I could not see God’s hand in some of the dysfunction around me, that I started to assume His hand was not there. Somehow, intellectually I understood; emotionally, I was letting go. I started to lose hope because I did not understand the bigger plan. Therefore, my role in the plan got foggy. My purpose became fragmented. I started to question why. Asking why is not a bad thing; not accepting the answer is.

We all go through periods of darkness. We live in a fallen world. Some of those dark periods have a purpose; some are purposeless SIGSWs (self-inflicted gun shoot wounds). My melancholy is self-inflicted, it has no real purpose, but I have experienced the other type too; they are much harder to climb out of. We rationalize our position without the benefit of a contrary opinion. Because we do not understand, we stop listening.

Ecclesiastes 8:17, “Then I saw all that God has done. No one can comprehend what goes on under the sun. Despite all their efforts to search it out, no one can discover its meaning. Even if the wise claim they know, they cannot really comprehend it.”

When we are in the throes of pain, it is difficult to feel God’s wisdom and love. Pain does not have to be physical. The worse pain I have felt in my life was emotional. I understand how the body heals, I don’t understand how the heart heals, but it does, not with antiseptic, bandages, and stitches, but with love and caring. Giving what we desperately need provides us with what we want.

1 Corinthians 2:9, “However, as it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived are the things God has prepared for those who love him.”

This post is short. More cathartic than informative. I’m patching the holes one by one that are letting water in. I am trying not to let dysfunction hijack my emotions. I am trying to focus on God’s plan for everyone, not just me. Most important, I am trying to learn what God wants me to know from this experience.

Romans 15:13, “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.”
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Whose Biggs Darklighter are you?

Whose Biggs Darklighter are you? Firstly, it’s important to understand who Biggs Darklighter is. In Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, Darklighter was a Red Squadron pilot flying a T-65 X-wing starfighter during the Battle of Yavin. He served as Red Three and tragically met his demise at the hands of Darth Vader, sacrificing himself to protect Luke Skywalker. Vader’s forces killed Darklighter when they struck his ship. However, without Biggs Darklighter’s character, the Star Wars franchise wouldn’t have unfolded as it did.

The Grand Narrative

In the grand narrative of life, God stands as the sole protagonist, while the rest of us assume minor roles. It is a blessing to be woven into the tapestry God is crafting for others. He graciously includes us in His plans, allowing us to witness His remarkable deeds and bring glory to His name.

1 Peter 3:13, “Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good?”

The Star Wars franchise centered around the pivotal character of Luke Skywalker. Without Skywalker, the franchise would not have thrived. Similarly, Christ is the foundation of our eternal existence. Without the saving grace of Christ, there is no possibility of experiencing eternal salvation. So, whose “Biggs Darklighter” are you? Whom has Christ placed in your life for whom you are willing to sacrifice, ensuring their eternal well-being? What significant episodes may remain unwritten due to your reluctance to take a courageous stand?

Isaiah 1:17, “Learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow’s cause.”

Sacrifice

God does not demand that we undertake heroic missions like defeating a Death Star by sacrificing our lives for others. Instead, He asks us to humbly sacrifice our ego, time, status, friendships, and even material possessions, so that someone else may find eternal life. Can we set aside our pride, knowing that God never forsakes those who remain faithful to extend compassion, love, and grace to others?

We all know that person we don’t get. Their lifestyle or opinions seem counterintuitive. But every person has a compelling story waiting to be shared. They have a story to tell if we take the time to listen. No one is exempt from experiencing tragedy, heartbreak, or disappointment. We all yearn for a “Biggs Darklighter” figure to intersect our path and save us from destruction. However, many of us doubt the existence of such a hero, recognizing that life is not a scripted movie.

John 12:43, “For they loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God.”

It is crucial to dedicate time to genuinely listen to the life story of someone in dire need of Christ who has chosen to reject His existence. They might even be combative in their views. They live in a world filled with darkness and despair, seemingly devoid of any solution. They might have lost faith in the possibility of a happy ending. They may view the Bible as a mere fairy tale and believe that the existence of a hero like Biggs Darklighter is nothing but fiction.

Psalm 94:16-17, “Who rises up for me against the wicked? Who stands up for me against evildoers? If the Lord had not been my help, my soul would soon have lived in the land of silence.”

Power

God has given you the power to change that. You can not change people with mere words but by action. The impact of a person with no common ground sitting down to listen is beyond words. It is an experience most have never had. Listening with no judgment, solutions, or wisdom to impair, just compassion for the pain. Maya Angelou reminds me:

“At the end of the day, people won’t remember what you said or did; they will remember how you made them feel.”

As Christians, we ultimately desire for others to remember not the Bible verses we recited or the advice we shared but the love and compassion they experienced in our presence. The heartfelt embrace leaves a lasting impact, particularly when it comes from someone different from them. In moments of darkness, they will recollect the warmth of your compassion, even if they may not recall your exact words. That memory, surfacing from deep within, can catalyze to ignite hope. Where there is hope, Christ is not far behind, ready to bring light and restoration.

1 Corinthians 2:4-5, “And my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.”

We can’t be Biggs Darklighter to everybody, but we can be him to somebody.

Sean Rowe “Just Trying to Leave Something Behind”

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Sinking Ship

Being on a sinking ship in the middle of the ocean, with no land in sight, might be one of the most terrifying experiences a person can endure. While it doesn’t take forever, drowning can be extremely painful. To begin with, a drowning person usually panics, leading to hyperventilation. But instead of air, the person will breathe in water. This reaction will lead to a vocal cord spasm known as laryngospasm. But what causes the most pain is breathing in the water. Even for those who survive, their lungs remain in pain for some time. Recently I accidentally inhaled some water while drinking. The next ten to twenty seconds could have been a lifetime as I struggled to breathe. The laryngospasm experience stayed with me for days.

Taking on Water

This planet is a sinking ship, and its people are in danger of drowning. We know that from Revelations. Eventually, it will be gone. But the great news is that God will replace it with a new world without sin, pain, and death. But who will survive the sinking?

Matthew 8:27, “The men were amazed and asked, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!”

“Ships don’t sink because of the water around them. Ships sink because of the water that gets in them. Don’t let what’s happening around you get inside you.” -AUTHOR UNKNOWN

Our challenge, as Christians, is focus. In our current age of Post-Modern thinking, we are bombarded by social media, expounding every conceivable idea and opinion known to man. There seems to be no end to the variation and depth of discourse. I don’t care what you believe; you can find a group of people who agree. During many dinner conversations, I am amazed at how two people with diametrically opposed opinions are convinced they are right; both having the facts and figures to back up their position.

James 3:4, “Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go.”

The sinking ship we live on is about what is around us that can’t be allowed to get in us. Salvation is not about what you achieve here on earth but what you store in heaven. Don’t get so engrossed in the temporal that you lose sight of the eternal. Make Christ your Pilot.

Matthew 6:19-21, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will also be.”

Unsinkable

God has created you for great things. How can you achieve this lofty ambition in a dysfunctional world? Again, the answer is focus. God created us for His great pleasure.

Isaiah 43:21, “the people I formed for myself that they may proclaim my praise.”

What was God’s plan for us to demonstrate His worthiness? It was for us to do good and live well on the land. Jesus set out the parameters of living well succinctly. He didn’t mince words or provide alternatives. He said it as plainly as He could.

Matthew 22:37-40, “And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”

Do not let the outside influence of the world start to dictate your thoughts. The future belongs to God and God alone. His foundation is not worldly but eternal, grounded in love.

1 Corinthians 13, “Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.”

We have a ship stocked with everything we need to survive and prosper. God’s provision for us is eternal. Troubles will come and go; opinions will rise and fall, but God’s love will endure forever.

There’s a strange sense of pleasure in being beaten to hell by a storm when you’re on a ship that will not sink. — Jimmy Buffett

Climb aboard the ship that will not sink.

Isaiah 43:2, “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.”
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The Haves and the Have Nots

The world is made up of haves and have nots. It has always been this way. The world rates humanity on a bell-shaped curve; to the far right are the haves, and to the far left are the have nots. Raising the standard of living across the globe would shift the values but not the distribution. We often think of poverty in terms of material values or geographic locations. It is hard to think of poverty in terms of lost potential.

1 Samuel 2:8, "He lifts the poor from the dust and the needy from the garbage dump. He sets them among princes, placing them in seats of honor. For all the earth is the Lord's, and he has set the world in order."

“Global poverty is one of the most pressing problems that the world faces today. The poorest in the world are often undernourished, without access to basic services such as electricity and safe drinking water; they have less access to education, and suffer from much poorer health.” – Poverty, by Joe Hasell, Max Roser, Esteban Ortiz-Ospina and Pablo Arriagada.

Haves and Have Nots

“In a country well governed, poverty is something to be ashamed of; in a country badly governed, wealth is something to be ashamed of.” — Confucius

The front end of the haves and have nots are the haves. In a wealthy country like the United States, the poverty rate is almost 18%. How does that happen? How does a country with the largest defense budget in the world still have poverty? World Population Review provides these numbers. The United States Defense Budget equals the next nine largest countries combined. This statement is not to shame the United States; it could be said the same for India, Russia, Great Britain, France, Spain, or any number of other countries.

Psalm 9:18, "But God will never forget the needy; the hope of the afflicted will never perish."

The other end of the haves and have nots; are the have nots. The poverty rate of underdeveloped countries is staggering. Here are some examples: DR Cong (64%), South Sudan (76%), Guatemala (60%), Kenya (36%), and South Africa (56%). I’ll bet that there are neighborhoods around you that mirror these numbers.

Alleviating poverty isn’t about giving handouts. Some may need a handout initially, but handouts only enslave the receiver. To truly alleviate poverty, we must invest in human potential, which is not easy. What holds down individual potential is systemic, meaning its root cause is deep within society. Solving it will not happen in a single election cycle; politicians won’t touch it. They will vote to raise the minimum wage because it’s good optics, it drives votes, but they will not attempt to tackle the root cause because it is generational. They will be too old to serve when the results are in.

Lost Potential

“Overcoming poverty is not a gesture of charity. It is an act of justice. It is the protection of a fundamental human right, the right to dignity and a decent life.”— Nelson Mandela

2 Corinthians 6:10, "Sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything."

Why is this on my mind? It’s simple. I spend time in these environments trying to help people rise above poverty. I understand that I can only help one person at a time. What brings me to tears is the incredible young people I meet that have the potential to change the world but are lost to poverty. I find one or two each visit; not everyone has the fight and tenancy to prevail. These young people are the ones who could lead their communities out of poverty if they were allowed to achieve their potential. I fall in love with these young Titans. I want everything for them. My heart aches every time I think of one of them.

As we grow older, we learn to deal with disappointment. I watch my grandchildren grow up knowing that disappointment will come, and they must learn to deal with it. They need to toughen up. So many of the young people I meet are born tough. They never think about storing up for tomorrow; they are happy to make it through today. What God has given them that no man can take away are dreams. Their dreams shrink with time as disappointments build, but they still have them. They dream about never going without food or living in safety. They don’t dream about changing the world.

God’s Challenge to You

Luke 3:11, "John answered, "Anyone who has two shirts should share with the one who has none, and anyone who has food should do the same."

Here is what I’m going to ask each one of you. Please find one of these incredible human beings and invest in them. It will be hard because they need so much; it can be overwhelming. More than material things, they need someone who believes in them. But we are the only people that can do this. We are God’s chosen; you are blessed so that you can bless others. Give them a fish if they need it, but teach them to fish so that they can teach others. Make your efforts viral in the communities you touch; long after you are gone, it will pay dividends.

Proverbs 28:27, "Those who give to the poor will lack nothing, but those who close their eyes to them receive many curses."

When poverty has a face, it becomes personal. I’m not talking about a slick PR initiative to raise donations. I’m talking about looking into the eyes of a child. If you can not go, send someone with the compassion to change a life. The idea is to teach a skill that translates into meaningful change.

I Will Not Refuse to do Something

“I cannot do everything, but still I can do something; and because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do the something that I can do.” – Edward Everett Hale

We cannot change the world, poverty will always be with us, but we can change a life. And that life can change other lives. The generational change that grew poverty can be the exact one that alleviates it.

Proverbs 19:17, "Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will reward them for what they have done."
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Believer or Follower

Are you a believer or a follower? You see the intricacy of nature, and you believe. Yet, how does a butterfly know how to paint its wings? How does a chameleon change its color? What lies in the deep of the ocean? You see the vastness of the universe, every expanding, but expanding into what? Billions of stars spread out over a seemingly endless space, and you believe, but do you follow?

Are you a believer or a follower? You touch a newborn child’s small, delicate hands and believe. In the dark of the night, you lay still, listen to your heartbeat, and believe. You see, hear, smell, feel, and believe. But do you follow? God’s creation is all around you, so you believe, but do you follow?

Colossians 1:16, “For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him.”

It is easy to believe because the mile markers are all around you. You don’t have to attend church to believe; even Satin believes.

Believing

Mark 16:16, “The one who believes and is baptized will be saved, but the one who does not believe will be condemned.”

Believing is the easy part. God created in us the desire to search for our maker. We can not rest until we find the answer to “What am I here for?” How did I get here? Our lives depend on meaning and purpose. Without it, we wander in the darkness, looking for light. The light we seek is direction, purpose, and value. Once we understand God’s true nature as the author of everything, we understand our place.

Mark 9:21, “Immediately the boy’s father cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!”

We start to see a pattern and logic to man’s existence. But do we believe God knows and cares about us as individuals? It is one thing to try to grasp the enormity of creation and realize we can’t understand. It is another to grasp the enormity of God’s love for us; one is tangible, tactile, and rich in sensory feedback, and the other is a feeling that wells up inside us. It is a visceral reaction to an invisible power. Are you a believer or a follower?

Having Faith

The question becomes, who am I here for, not what am I here for? Our drive should be who I serve, not what I am to do. Knowing there is a God is not enough. Believing there is a God answers the what question. The bigger question is the who question. An unimpassioned God who spun the universe out in the ether to see what would happen is not the same God that would send His son to die for you.

This revelation is where the visible work of God becomes the invisible. First, we see the splendor of His creation; now, we must feel the love of His compassion for us. Do you believe that Christ died for your sins? If you do, what does that actually mean?

Salvation is by grace, not works, so that no man might boast. Christ’s death broke the barrier between God and us. His death on the cross opened the door to salvation. It is an invitation to spend eternity with the creator of the universe. Faith is about believing in something you can not prove. Faith invites the Holy Spirit into your daily life as a guide, companion, and comforter.

James 2:22, “You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did.”

Faith is the next logical step. It is when you decide you are not big enough alone. Faith is accepting help to overcome the challenges of a broken world. Faith knows Christ loves you unconditionally and will fight for you.

James 2:26, “For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.”

“You find that the things you let go of while following Jesus were the things that were going to destroy you in the end.” – Francis Chan

Following

Matthew 16:24, “Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone wants to become my follower, he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.”

Now the hard part. Doing is a by-product of following. Doing in and of itself serves only the doer. Not all good deeds are works of the spirit. Good works driven by the Holy Spirit are the only ones that matter. Following is about obedience to God’s call. Following is about doing God’s will, not our own.

“Great moves of God are usually preceded by simple acts of obedience.” – Steven Furtick

James 2:14, “What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them?”

Following God is about setting ourselves aside and doing what God had predestined for us long before He formed the universe. Following God is about achieving the fullness of God’s creation in us. That fullness does not conform to worldly standards. It doesn’t promise worldly prosperity or life without challenges. What it does promise is an eternity greater than anything you could imagine.

Jesus says, “I want you to follow me so fully, so intensely, so enduringly that all other attachments in your life look weak by comparison.” – Timothy Keller

Being a follower is the true sign of being a Christian. Live the life God has always wanted for you. Be a follower.

Titus 3:8, “This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone.”
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Being a Pencil in the Hand of God

I started to think about the significance of being a pencil in the hand of God. It started with this quote from Mother Teresa.

“I am a little pencil in God’s hands. He does the thinking. He does the writing. He does everything, and sometimes it is really hard because it is a broken pencil and He has to sharpen it a little more.” ― Mother Teresa, The Joy in Loving: A Guide to Daily Living

Once we start to understand that we are the pencil in the hand of God, we start to understand our position in life. Christ is the author of all stories, the writer, producer, financial backer, and hero of every story. We are His instrument. When we start to understand we are a pencil in the hand of God, we start to appreciate all that we can be.

Psalm 115:1, “Not to us, O Lord, not to us. But to Your name give glory Because of Your lovingkindness, because of Your truth.”

Authoring Your Story

Many of us go through life thinking that we write the story of our lives. We are the hero who saves the day. On the other hand, some of us see ourselves as the victim tossed by the waves of life. In either case, we are the central character that the story encircles. We assume the role of the one in control when we are actually an instrument of the creator.

Psalm 37:23-24, “The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him, though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with his hand.”

When we get to Heaven, if we get to Heaven, what will be God’s response? Will God look at His assortment of writing utensils and say I’ve never written anything with you? Will he see you and say that He remembers a story, but it was a short story once, or twice?

Will God beam with joy, grab you up and hold you close, remembering all the incredible adventures of your life? Will He laugh and cry with every turn of a phrase embodying a triumph or tragedy from your relationship? Will He weep because there will be no more new stories to delight Himself?

Jeremiah 10:23, “Lord, I know that people’s lives are not their own; it is not for them to direct their steps.”

Wasting Your Time

You are wasting your life if you are not an instrument of God’s story. There is no kinder way to say it; any good deed, or honorable act, that the Spirit does not drive is a wasted effort. All who flit from activity to activity in busy, misdirected lives are not building a legacy; you are passing the time. Forty or eighty years after our passing, others will faintly remember us, no matter our skill, intelligence, or accomplishment. But, there will be no eternal implication echoing through time, no great stories to be relived.

Proverbs 3:5-6, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways, acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”

Even the great statesmen, who emboss their names in history, are just that, a name. We don’t know them; we might know of them. They are a name, a face, and a place, real only within the context of a subject. It is in Heaven that relationships last forever. It is in Heaven that angles relived, rejoiced, and regaled over God’s stories

Luke 15:10, “In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

Refocus Your Storytelling

We spend too much time making our mark here, where time erases because another will supersede every earthly accomplishment. Our wealth will be left behind. The great stories about adventure, tragedy, victory, and love not written by God will fade away like a mist in the morning sun. Yet, those stories driven by the Holy Spirit will prevail. They ripple for generations as angles rejoice at their retelling.

“Seeking to perpetuate one’s name on earth is like writing on the sand by the seashore; to be perpetual, it must be written on eternal shores.” D.L. Moody

Don’t waste your life by doing good for the sake of doing good, thinking the story you write has merit. Anyone can do good and be kind; it’s called being human. Being Godly is to let God write your stories and guide your path. Remember, live your life so that when you meet Christ face-to-face, He will cry. He will cry joyfully at your meeting and sorrowfully that He will not write any new stories with you.

“The mere fact itself that God’s will is irresistible and irreversible fills me with fear, but once I realize that God wills only that which is good, my heart is made to rejoice.” – A. W. Pink

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That’s My King, Do you know Him?

That’s my King, do you know Him? On this Good Friday, we should take a moment to understand just who went to the cross for our sins.

Dr. S.M. Lockridge (1913-2000) was the pastor of Calvary Baptist Church in San Diego, CA from 1952-1993. This African American minister participated in the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s and was a prominent speaker and Baptist leader.

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Pursuit of Happiness

The Pursuit of happiness is one of the most cherished possessions of all United States citizens. The pursuit of happiness is so cherished it is in the first sentence of our Declaration of Independence, signed in 1776. The right to the pursuit of happiness is considered unalienable; unalienable rights are rights that can never be forfeited. They’re fundamental parts of humanity, the basis for moral interactions between people, and are irrevocable.

Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776 “We hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.”

“Every man, whatsoever his condition, desires to be happy.” —Saint Augustine

Unalienable Rights

Thomas Jefferson, the primary drafter of the Declaration of Independence, described unalienable rights as, “We human beings are born on this planet with these rights, and so these are our birthright. These great virtues keep us separate from other living species and protect human dignity. These rights are like God’s gift to the human race.”

Ecclesiastes 3:13, "Also that everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil—this is God's gift to man."

Over 130 national constitutions recognize happiness or well-being as a constitutional value worthy of protection. However, this is high praise for a concept so pure yet so misunderstood. We all crave a world where we are free to chase what makes us happy. We freely endorse that all people have the right to be happy. The problem comes into play when we start to define happiness. Some things that might make one person happy infringe on another’s happiness. Many things that might bring us happiness at the moment are short-lived and harmful in the long term. Almost every perception of human happiness concerns the here and now.

Misapplied Happiness

Most people pursue happiness at their peril. The list of things people do to pursue happiness makes the sins described in Second Timothy sound like a shopping list. Somehow we seem to gravitate toward things opposed to God.

2 Timothy 3:1-5, "But understand this, that in the last days, there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power."

“There is no man upon the earth who isn’t earnestly seeking after happiness, and it appears abundantly by the variety of ways they so vigorously seek it; they will twist and turn every way, ply all instruments, to make themselves happy men.” —Jonathan Edwards

Happiness becomes self-centered. Happiness becomes about having, being, or controlling rather than giving, loving, and accepting. The pursuit of worldly happiness makes us more unhappy. We become insecure about what we have. We become possessive of our happiness over others’ happiness; slaves to the very things we are pursuing.

True Happiness

Happiness is untested delight. Joy is delight tested.- Jack Hyles

Galatians 5:22-23, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things, there is no law."

Happiness is situational; joy is a decision. God did give us the unalienable right to Joy. Pursuing it does not lead us to gain something but to give up something. Once we give up our right to be joyful and start helping and loving others, we find we have joy. God has built this joyful quotient into us that the more you give, the more you get. We chase happiness like an animated object trying to allude us. Joy is stationary, waiting for us to apply the Gospel to our everyday lives and reap the rewards promised by God.

Ecclesiastes 3:12, "I perceived that there is nothing better for them than to be joyful and to do good as long as they live."

Happiness is a valent concept that would lead us to praise it as if it was an object to be worshipped. But, in fact, it is a by-product of our condition. On the other hand, we get joy when we give up on everything worldly. It is the peace that comes from knowing God is with us.

John 15:11, "These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full."

The world is spiraling downward toward the end predicted in Revelations; those who do not cling to the God of the universe will eventually suffer significantly from it. Accordingly, happiness is about serving; not about others serving us.

“It is a Christian duty . . . for everyone to be as happy as he can.” —C.S. Lewis

Philippians 4:11-13, “Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance, and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.”

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