May 3 Thought for the day...how well have you fought today

In one of my favorite movies, "Braveheart," the lead character William Wallace makes this statement, "all men die, but few men truly live." I am not sure if William Wallace actually said that, but it is the intent behind what Paul says in 2 Timothy 4:7

"I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." 

Paul is winding down his life. He knows his end is near. By saying he fought the good fight he is telling us much of his life was a struggle, battle but he stayed the course, he did not give up, he fought! Paul had been beaten, stoned, shipwrecked, imprisoned, rejected, illegally charged, tried and convicted, mistrusted, lied about and to, yet in all of this he stood firm. This could be translated, "I stayed in there, and I fought and won!"

Paul goes on to say, "I have finished the race." This is personal. It could read to help us understand better, "my race." Paul didn't do anything anyone else was called to do, he completed "his" race, what he was called to do. It could be translated, "this was my race, and I kept going until I did everything I needed to do to win!"

I have "kept the faith." The word "kept" here means to "guard" as in a soldier guarding or protecting a post. Paul is saying regardless of the battles, the attacks, the struggles I kept guard of my faith, and I did not let go. I never left my post, I never surrendered, I overcame, I was more than a conqueror, I kept strong watch over the mission and call God had given me.

Paul's perspective was eternal. His fighting, finishing, and keeping was something where he held an eternal perspective. Some of the arguments we get into, some of the things we worry about, some of the things we work so hard to achieve may be things that people remember for the moment but are quickly gone after that moment. Some of the negative things in our lives become who we are, and all of the positives disappear because of a moment of surrendering our eternal perspective. Think about the way you are going to engage people today. Think about how you will live your life today. There are many things that seek to rob us of who we are and our reputation. Choose to fight the good fight and keep the faith so you will win!

May 2 Thought for the day....you don't realize the power in your hands.

There are things in our lives that we take for granted. They become so familiar that rather than seeing their value we dismiss them as normal or basic. We do it with stuff, gifts, talents, relationships and so many other things. Paul reminds us to not allow that to happen with one of the greatest powers we possess.

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 2 Timothy 3:16

You know I stress reading the Bible. I tease about it on a regular basis, but I need you to understand something about it. Picture for me a deflated balloon. What does it take to inflate this balloon? Lots of breath. So you blow up the balloon, and when you do this, it is then that you can actually see what the balloon looks like. At the same time, what is in the balloon? Air but not just any air your air with your unique DNA, molecules, basically part of who you are.

No, I didn't go down a rabbit trail. This is one of the best ways for me to describe this scripture to you. The word "inspiration" means God-breathed or the breath of God. Like the balloon, the very Bible you keep on your shelf, by your bed, in the back seat of your car, is God-breathed. Basically, the DNA of God is in the Bible it is not just a story about God, but it is part of who He is, it is represented by His breath. That same word that spoke and caused everything to come into being is in your hands. The power that spoke and creation happened is on your nightstand. In other words, when we read God's Word and make it part of us, we are moving in one of the greatest power we can imagine, and like the balloon, we become what we are meant to be. Does it make sense now as to why I stress reading it so much?

Knowing this do you also understand how it is profitable? The word, profitable can be translated simply as something that is for your main advantage. If we do not read, live, and believe God's word we are missing out on the power that brought everything into being. We are limiting ourselves to our power. God's own breath and Spirit are contained within the Word just like the air in the balloon. That’s a very good reason why you should spend time studying and meditating on God’s Word. By studying and meditating on the Word, you will learn to unlock the power contained within it. And when you have unlocked that door, the power of God will come pouring into your life and into the situations you are facing.

May 1 Thought for the day...it's all about love

Sometimes life can be very complicated. God doesn't intend it to be that way, one of the key elements to uncomplicating our lives is stated by the Holy Spirit through John.

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 1 John 4:7

Today's thought is very simple and very to the point. John uses three times the word "love" which is defined as to love dearly, to be pleased with someone in a blessed and giving way. In other words, under the Holy Spirit's inspiration, we are being told a very simple yet profound command.

Reread the verse. What do you think? God is saying love dearly, be pleased with and be willing to give of yourself to all of your brothers and sisters in Christ. Can you imagine if we always gave our brothers and sisters the benefit of the doubt, the encouragement they need, choosing to believe in them, stand for them, helping them to stand and become their best!

Isn't it amazing that God calls us to this? He is saying to us those who are true followers of mine, those who are really my children live this way, all of the time. Can you imagine how church would be changed? How our lives would be changed? How all of our relationships would be changed? How quickly the church would grow if we all chose to believe and live this way!

Your challenge today is to live this way just today. If you can do today, then you can do tomorrow and every day after that!

BTW if you picked all the petals, you would always be reminded that He loves you!

April 30 Thought for the day... the cure for boredom

All of us get bored at one time or another. Put on any sporting event on TV, and I am there instantly. The danger is when we get spiritually bored. People go from church to church, teacher to teacher, event to event always wanting more but is that really the problem. James challenges that line of thinking.

But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. James 1:22

Spiritual boredom is caused primarily by one thing, knowledge without application is boredom. If all you do is listen to the word, listen to the next teaching without ever living it out you will get bored, always looking for the next great thing when in reality the next great thing is your application of the word the Lord sends you week after week otherwise you will become weak after weak!

The Word of God is living and active, but if we are not active with it, then we slowly begin to die spiritually. Being a doer of the word requires discipline in your prayer life and in your spiritual walk. People who are doers are never bored because the application of God's Word is an adventure.

The phrase use "just listen" is a classical Greek term meaning to "audit a class without getting credit." This is what happens to the "hearers" as the KJV puts it. They simply audit the class, are entertained by it, but never intend to apply it to be useful. Thus the boredom.

Ask yourself...

Am I serious about the Word of God and its application in my life? Or am I simply an “auditor” who has no intention of doing the Word? Am I doing something with the Word I’ve heard preached, or am I among those who hear the Word but do not act on what they have heard? Does God consider me to be a listener or a doer of the Word?

America is full of listeners but changing our nation will only be done by doers. Are you oversaturated with Christian Television, radio, books, magazines, sermons? If so, begin doing the word, change your life, and the world in the process. Those in my church, if you simply begin to apply what I spend hours seeking the Lord for every week, I guarantee you will never be bored but have a grand adventure and in the process change the world.

April 27 Thought for the day...saying the right things

Communicating with people is a tricky thing. It has become increasingly difficult because of texting and other forms of written communication where without proper context of "tone," unfortunately, things can be easily misunderstood. Paul didn't have to worry about texting, but he did have to worry about speaking to an audience in a way that they could hear him.

"for as I was walking along, I saw your many shrines. And one of your altars had this inscription on it: ‘To an Unknown God.’ This God, whom you worship without knowing, is the one I’m telling you about." Acts 17:23

As I mentioned before, Athens was a city of great idolatry (see April 25). Paul could have easily condemned them for this idol worship by pointing out the pagan idolatry and attacking it head-on. Instead, he was concerned about Athenians "hearing" the Gospel so rather than attacking, he used grace. The word interpreted "shrine" here was not a negative connotation but meant more like places of devotion. Paul saw their devotion to so many idols and decided to reach them where they were.

Paul was speaking to some of the most brilliant minds of the ancient world. Like Jesus and the woman at the well, he did not condemn but spoke to them from where they were. They were religious men with many gods, so in God's wisdom, he spoke to them about the idol he had before him, "To an Unknown God." If Paul would have criticized their idols, biblically he would have been correct, but spiritually he would have missed reaching the people. If he attacked their gods, they would have at least stopped listening and at most arrested him.

He didn't need to attack their gods. Instead, He showed them the real God! Can you see this in situations in your life? There are plenty of situations for us to condemn, there is rampant sin in our friends, families, and co-workers. The Lord loves them and desires for them to come to Him and to repent, but we must use wisdom to show them Jesus and allow the Holy Spirit to bring conviction on their brokenness or have them come to us after they have come to Christ to help them walk the walk!

April 26 Thought for the day....you can't dream big enough

Are there ever days where you wonder if God has any plans for you? I would bet most of us feel that way at one time or another. Paul tells us that we should be amazed at God's plan.

"No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him. But it was to us that God revealed these things by his Spirit. For his, Spirit searches out everything and shows us God's deep secrets." 1 Corinthians 2:9,10

How vivid is your imagination? I can imagine pretty expansively. Paul is saying even with a great imagination you can't grasp what God has planned for you. Think about that God loves you and no matter how down you may feel God still has a plan for you that is beyond your wildest imagination!

These verses that could be translated, "The heart of man could never dream, imagine, or conjure up the things God has prepared for them that love Him." The issue is, man is limited in the scope of being able to understand how grand God's view and the plan is for our lives. Even the greatest imaginations can't comprehend the vastness and greatness of God's plan. So why would God tease us with this thought?

Paul is not teasing us, but instead giving us a taste, to encourage us to want to seek God for all He has. Paul goes on to tell us as we press into the Holy Spirit, He will "reveal" all the things of the Spirit. The word, "reveal" means to unveil, pull back the curtain so you may see clearly what has been hidden from you.

The Holy Spirit reveals His plan, purpose, and guides us to our destiny. Our only requirement is to seek Him and allow Him to guide us. I am continually blown away by what the Lord shows me nearly every day, and I am excited to think about what He will show me next.

Think about your hopes and dreams, I am sure they are amazing, but they are limited to what you can think. As you seek Him, the Lord will go beyond your dreams to show you a plan and a destiny that will blow you away. Don't allow the enemy to lie to you and cause you to feel hopeless or dreamless. God's got you!

April 25 Thought for the day...are you up for the challenge?

Many books have been written about spiritual warfare and the battles we face. But we are not called simply to battle in warfare but to win. Paul faced an intense war, he recognized it, and he won!

"Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him when he saw that the city was given over to idols." Acts 17:16

I know some of the places we work and live can be quite a challenge when it comes to being Jesus to the people there, let me give you some insights into what Paul was facing.

Athens was an idolatrous city. One Greek writer from this time said, "there are more idols in Athens than people." It was a center for art, drama, intellectual pursuits, the idea of democracy was founded there. Many of the world's leading thinkers came from there. Every form of greed, thievery, fornication, and adultery was freely exercised there. Homosexuality was not only practiced but was common and considered fashionable. If there were an ancient city that would bear the mark 666, for humans being sold out to human's selfish desires, Athens would be it. Into this type of spiritual environment, Paul came to bring Jesus. How does this compare to your neighborhood or workplace?

The idea of the city being "given over" to idols meant the city was completely sold out, overrun with their minds, attitudes, personalities, and judgments all being controls by the idolatrous mindset. This would be similar in our region to those given over to heroin.

When Paul was surrounded by all of this Luke (the writer of Acts) tells us that Paul's spirit was "provoked" this word means Paul became incensed at the situation deep in his heart, he became militant. In other words, Paul saw all of the sin, brokenness, blindness of the people and became militant toward the enemy of their souls to march in and bring freedom to the people. The challenge for Paul, like our challenge in our culture, is would he become afraid of the enemy, feel overwhelmed by the enemy or be up for the challenge, take the enemy straight on knowing that greater is He that was in Paul then he that is in the world! Paul was up for the challenge! People were set free, the city was impacted, the world was changed! You are facing much the same, the idols are not made of stone but are just as powerful, but they still need Jesus! Are you up for the challenge?