Beaches and Butterflies

This weekend my wife and I were invited to spend the weekend at the beach with some friends.  It was wonderful!  Several couples were invited, and Saturday morning we all piled into the back of his pickup truck and rode out to the beach to sit by the ocean.

On the way there, I noticed something spectacular that I haven’t noticed before; butterflies!  They were everywhere.  Thousands upon thousands were flying along side of the sandy coastline, and it looked like something out of a movie set.  I asked our friend what was happening and he said “The butterflies are migrating south and we are getting to see it!”

As my wife and I walked along the beach, barefooted in the perfect sunny weather, looking for seashells and sharks teeth, a thought occurred to me:  I am in God’s backyard.  It humbled me as I began to let my mind wander.  All of the seashells I was walking over once had creatures living in them.  God provided for them.  The pelicans that were flying in formation low to the water, God provides for them.  The dolphins that swim those waters every day, God provides for them.  Even the thousands of butterflies that were flying around us, God directs their paths.

Jesus spoke about this in Matthew 10:29-31.  He says “²⁹ Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. ³⁰ And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. ³¹ So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.”
God provides for me and direct my paths too.  If I were to trust Him the same way as the butterflies, fish, birds, and all the rest of creation does, my life would run a lot smoother!  To God, I am so much more valuable than all of the things I saw on the beach.  I am His child.  How much more is He going to provide for me and my family!

What a great weekend!

Walking streets of gold, bumming a cigarette?

“Walking streets of gold, bumming a cigarette?”  The thought actually occurred to me as I struggled with my next step that God laid in front of me.  Would if I could have nicotine in heaven?  Let me unpack this for you and give you a little background on my situation:

In high school, I became highly addicted to nicotine.  For me, any form would do:  cigarettes, chewing tobacco or snuff, I didn’t care.  As long as I could get it in my system, it didn’t matter to me.  Over an extended period of time I realized I had an addiction that I literally could not shake, no matter how hard I tried.

Don’t get me wrong:  I have quit 1,000 times but always return in some form or fashion.  Lately it has been Nicotine gum and lozenges, because those are “socially acceptable”.  The bottom line is that I am an addict and God doesn’t want this in my life anymore.  It has been my next step for months, and I have been ignoring it.

In Joshua 24:13 we see the people of Israel faced with a decision.  “But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”  Basically God is saying to the people of Israel “I am your Father, and I have brought you into the Promised Land.  I have some amazing things in store for you.  Your only requirement is this:  make a choice!  Either serve me or serve your idols, but you can’t have both!”

That is the exact same thing God hit me with this month with my next step:  laying down nicotine forever.  God was saying to me “I have some amazing things in store for you!  You make the choice:  you can either let me bless you beyond your wildest dreams or you can hang on to your idol of nicotine, but you can’t have both!” 

Here is the issue:  I LOVE NICOTINE!  I like the way it makes me feel, I enjoy everything about it!  The problem is not the nicotine, but the fact that I worship it.  God has shown me that where He wants to take me, there is no room for idols or shrines set up to a false god.  He’s been telling me for weeks that it’s time to throw that away.  Although I don’t want to do it, I don’t want to miss out on what God has in store for me and my next step with Him.

The sobering thought that made me swear it off was this:  What is Jesus walked up to me on the corner of Faith Ave & Eternity St. in heaven someday and said “I had the most awesome blessings in store for you and you could have had it all!  Instead you chose that!”  As he walks away, I am stuck there on the corner with my nicotine as my reward.

We don’t have to always like the next step God gives us, but if we obey Him it always works out for our good.  At the end of Joshua 24:28 we see Joshua send the people away, “each to his own inheritance”.

What are you holding on to in place of your inheritance?  Is it really worth the trade?

Back to school

Both of my children went back to school this week.  A favorite part of being their Father is getting to take them to school, especially that first day!

After weeks of buying clothes, new shoes, getting haircuts, a new backpack and school supplies, I parked the car and walked them both into their school.  As I went to hug them, my son just kept walking.  For years, he would always give me a hug and kiss before he went into the building.  It broke my heart!  Why wouldn’t he think of hugging his Daddy before going off to his class? 

As I went back to my car and went to work, the thought went through my mind:  “I do that to God all the time!”  What exactly do I mean?  Let me unpack this for you:

In Luke 17:10-19 Jesus heals ten men with leprosy.  As He heals them, they all run off to town to show their loved ones what good things have happened to them.  Only one (the Samaritan) came back and praised God, thanking Jesus for what He did for him.  Jesus asked the man “Where are the others?  Were not 10 men healed?  Are you the only one that came back to praise God?”

Are we not the same way from time to time?  When we need God, we cry out to Him; asking Him to bless us, help us, heal us.  When He does, don’t we tend to run off and forget to thank Him and tell Him how much we love Him.

I love my son, and I know he loves me.  I’m thankful for him and would have loved to have a hug from him on his first day back to school.  I am also thankful that God showed me that many times I do the same thing to Him.  In the future, I will try to remember to run back and thank Him for all of the wonderful things He has done for me.  I will do my best to run back and give him a hug and tell Him I love Him. 

Praying with "heat"

Let me take you on a little word journey.  This morning I read a passage of scripture In James 5 that really spoke to me.  It was so simple, but God wrote it on my heart as I read it. 

James 5:16 states "The prayer of a righteous man are powerful and effective."

All day long I pondered on this verse.  There is so much hope in this one tiny verse.  It is rich with God's promises.  If I pray, there is power in those prayers.  My prayer as a Christ follower are effective.  They matter, and there is power in them.


As I went back to the same verse and read it this evening, I decided to dissect it.  I read it in the King James Version and it states "The fervent prayers..."  I decided to dig a little deeper.  Little did I know how rich this verse really is!


The New Testament was originally written in Greek.  The original Greek translation for the word "Fervent" is "Zeo".  This is where we get our English word Zealous.  The word "Zeo" was used to describe "Heat; to boil."  It was often used to describe "a boiling of the Holy Spirit".


In other words, James was saying "When a righteous man boils inside......When he burns inside while praying to God for something to happen or change, His prayers are powerful.  His prayers effect the outcome."


This reminded me of Romans 8:26 "In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness.  We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express."


Another thing I thought of was Jacob wrestling with God.  In Genesis 32 we see Jacob wrestle with God all night.  God finally touches Jacobs hip and knocks it our of joint just so Jacob will leave Him alone.  Even then Jacob hangs on until God blesses him.  In the same way, God delights in His children approaching him aggressively when we pray.  He wants us to get in the dirt; to wrestle Him when we pray.  He wants us to be tenacious and beg Him for His blessing.


A few thoughts:

• When was the last time you brought heat to your prayers?

• Have you ever prayed to God to the point you felt like your insides were boiling?

• Do you approach your heavenly Father with bold confidence that your prayers are powerful?  Effective?  Do you believe your prayers can be game changers?

• Do you go into prayers ready to wrestle with God?  Are you willing to pray all night, all week, all year?  Are you willing to wrestle with God for a lifetime until He answers your "groaning" prayer?

I am humbled that I, a sinner who deserves hell, am not only saved from my sins but challenged by God to pray with heat.  I am humbled that my God wants me to wrestle Him over what the Holy Spirit groans inside me to pray.  I am amazed that God, the creator of the universe waits by the phone, ready to hear my prayers and act upon them.  What an awesome God we serve.  I can't wait to pray with passion and power and see my God not only show up but show off!

Bones, Hair & Teeth

If you were to take a shovel to a nearby graveyard and begin digging over someone’s grave, eventually you would reach a casket.  If you were to open that casket and exhume the body, you would find remnants of what that person used to be.  At best, all that would be left would be a pile of bones, hair & teeth.  Without a doubt, no one would argue that the person who used to be there would be considered dead.  There would be no need for a medical examiner.  There is no need for a doctor to determine whether or not they were still alive.

In Luke 15 we hear Jesus tell the story of the prodigal son.  (Luke 15:11-31)  At the end of the parable, we see a conversation between the older “good” son and his father.  He asks his Dad “Why are we throwing a party for him?”  The Father replies “You brother was dead and now he is alive.”

A few thoughts:

• When we meet someone who has not met Jesus, they are dead.  There is no such thing as them getting their life together.  There is no such thing as them pulling themselves up by the bootstraps.  They are dead, and without Christ there is no hope in them “Straightening out” their life.
• Why do we expect any different?  So many times we as Christians/the Church ostracize those lost in sin by requiring them to act alive.  Why are we shocked at a life in disarray when we meet someone without Christ?  Jesus himself said that they are dead.  What are the chances that the body exhumed is going to get up and dance around?  In the same manner, what are the chances someone who hasn’t given their life to Jesus will act like Jesus?
• If we truly grasped this what a difference it would make!  What would evangelism look like if we treated those dead people we come in contact with each day with compassion?  What if we were patient with those who are dead in their sin?  What if we loved people where they are instead of trying to make them into someone they have no hope of being without Jesus?  Effective evangelism looks like this:

1. View everyone as either dead or alive.  (With Jesus or without Jesus)  There is no middle of the road.
2. Love them dead or alive.
3. Tell them the good news of Jesus Christ.

From now on, see people for what they really are:  dead or alive.   Love them in spite of their sin (see Luke 15:1-2)  Be a good example of what Jesus looks like and pray that they come to life instead of trying to bring them to life all by yourself.  That is where true results will take place.

No Earning Allowed!

“I am proud to be a Scientologist!  It’s something you have to earn!”  - Tom Cruise

I turned my television on the other day and heard this statement.  It broke my heart.  When it comes to eternal life, how can we earn it?  The Gospel (the good news about Jesus Christ) is so vastly different from every other religion out there.  In a world that preaches self reliance, self improvement and self control, we see Jesus arrive and change the entire game.  Jesus teaches something entirely different.  He draws a line in the sand and says “I am the way.  I am the truth.  I am the life.  No one can achieve status with my Father accept through me.” (John 14:6)

A few thoughts:

• No matter how hard you try, you can’t stop sinning.  Sin is real, and it’s a real problem.  Sin separates us from God, and one sin brings judgment upon us when a Holy God is the backdrop.  (Romans 3:10-12)
• We need a hero!  If we can’t save ourselves, where do we go?  If we can’t earn our salvation, what do we do?  We look to Jesus.  He came from Heaven as God’s perfect Son, lived a blameless life, and died for you and me to take our place. (John 3:16, Hebrews 4:15, Philippians 2:8)
• It’s not something you earn.  Let me pose this question:  How can you earn a gift?  Did you earn birthday presents from your parents?  Did you earn gifts on Christmas morning?  NO!  They were given to you out of love.  Our status with God is a gift through Jesus.  This way God gets the glory.  It has nothing to do with anything we do.  It has everything to do with God’s goodness.  He hates our sin, but loves us anyway.  That is why we are given the opportunity to accept Christ as our salvation.  How can we brag on ourselves and say we “earned it”?  We can’t.  (Ephesians 2:8-9)
• If you want it, ask for it!  (Acts 2:21, Romans 10:13)  There is only one thing God requires from us when it comes to our salvation:  you have to ask for it.  If you want to REALLY know God, then you can achieve a personal relationship with Him. 

Let me be really serious for a moment.  Listen closely to what I am about to say.  I promise all of this to be true.  I have an intimate, personal, daily relationship with God Himself.  He is real.  He loves me and I love Him.  He speaks to me and I speak to Him.  He is my Daddy, and I am His son.  Because of Jesus, I want for nothing.  I have no need to worry.  He shows up daily.  He provides for me, takes care of me, restores me and gives me a peace that only comes from God.  He gets all of the credit.  I don't deserve to know God, but He saved me anyway!  My life means something.  I live an abundant life of worth, and I owe it all to Jesus!  If you want this to be your story  too then ask Jesus to rule your life.  In your heart, make Him your king.  Say out loud to God:

“God I need you.  God I am a sinner, and I need Jesus to save me.  I want you to be my God, and I want to be your child forever.  I believe Jesus died for me and rose from the grave for me.  Please take over my life and show me how to live for you.”

It really is that simple, and definitely isn’t something you can earn.  For that, I am thankful!

Blah Blah Blah!

In the past 10 years we have seen a huge shift way that people communicate with one another.  Folks used to 1.) Pick up the phone and call one another to talk about things or 2.) Meet in person.  Those were the only two options.  Today, there are many:  facetime, facebook, twitter, texting, email, blogging, etc.  Our society has a “duck in” mentality when communicating with one another.  Along with that quick shotgun approach to communication lie many dangers.

Proverbs 18:2 says “A fool finds no pleasure in understanding but delights in airing his own opinions.”  What does that mean?

A few thoughts:

• If your opinions aren’t lining up with what the Bible teaches, you are destined to look like a fool.  It is only a matter of time.
• If you are quick to speak and slow to listen, you are automatically considered a fool among other people.
• Words have weight.  Everything you say can and will affect someone else. 
• There is nothing wrong with having an opinion.  It is dangerous and foolish however to have an opinion without trying to understand someone else’s stance on the subject.
• As a Christ follower, your scale to weigh every opinion (yours and others) is the Bible.  God's word trumps all other words, no matter how you feel!
• When you remove personal interaction with others you will become cold to others.  Many times I see people vomit their opinions on facebook without any care whatsoever to those words hurting anyone else.  The reason being is that lack of personal “one-on-one” communication will harden you over time.
• Where is the love?  Words emailed / texted / tweeted are automatically lacking compassion.  People have a hard time reading emotion.  When a word is spoken face to face, your presence in the conversation will convey that you care about that person.
• Sharp words towards others are like fists.  When you swoop in and make “barbed comments” on facebook or twitter, it is the same as sucker punching someone without them seeing it coming.  Any coward can punch another with a bag over their head.  It’s a lot harder to speak venomous words in person.

The more you talk and express your opinions, the more likely you are to come off looking like a fool.  Choose your words wisely, be slow to speak them and you will be considered among others someone worth listening to.

The secret to life!

I am currently reading through the book of Joshua.  As I read chapter 5 something profound jumped out at me, and I wanted to share this with you. 

Joshua has taken over the place of Moses as the newly appointed leader of Israel.  He is on the move to settle the promised land.  As he goes from city to city to conquer them, He runs into a man with His sword drawn.  (Joshua 5:13-14)

Joshua (Perhaps with his chest out) says to the man “Are you for us or for our enemies?”  At that moment the man reveals himself to him as the Lord.  He replies “Neither.  But as the commander of the Lord’s army….”  This man is Jesus, and Joshua is commanded to take his shoes off because the place he is standing is holy ground.

What struck me is how Jesus responded to Joshua.  Many times I try to paint God into a box and ask Him if He is for me or against me on different areas of my life.  Jesus’ reply to me is the same as it was for Joshua:  “neither!”

God is in the business to do one thing and one thing only:  to glorify Himself.  He is God, He is Holy, and He deserves all praise.  That is what he requires from us.  God’s main purpose for us is to live our lives in such a way that we glorify Him.

When I was growing up in church, I learned Catechisms. One I remember is this:

Question:  What is the chief end of man?  (In other words, what is our main purpose in life?)

Answer:  To glorify God and enjoy him forever.

Do you want to know the secret to life?  Here it is:  do everything for the glory of God (your job, your relationships, everything) and in return you will receive joy.  God gets the Glory, we get the joy.

The next time you ask “Is God for me or against me?” remember that God is for Himself and His glory.  That is also our purpose in life.  We are to glorify God. 

Get out of the mud puddle!

One of my favorite chapters of the Bible is Romans 8.  It is rich with God’s love and reassuring to those who are followers of Jesus Christ.  One of the verses that always stand out to me within this chapter is Romans 8:17.  It says “ Now if we are children, then we are heirs —heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.”

What does it mean to be an heir?  If God is our King, then what does that make us?  Paul states it clearly to us:  we are heirs.  If you have accepted Christ as your Savior, then you are due an inheritance that is mind blowing. 

Here are some of the facts awaiting you as a follower of Jesus concerning your inheritance:

• We will live in God’s house for eternity.  John 14:2
• You will someday see the face of God. Revelation 22:1-5 (This is awesome!  Take a second to read this scripture!  Whoo!)
• You are, at this moment and forever more, blameless and without sin in the eyes of the Lord.  Psalms 103:12
• God, your Father loves you so much.  Romans 8:38-39

So let me ask a simple but stern question:  if we are truly heirs of the King, why do we spend so much time living like peasants, playing in mud puddles?  Children who belong to the King live in the palace.  They wear the finest clothes.  They want for nothing.  They have unlimited access to the throne, and can see and communicate with their Daddy any time they want.  They don’t live in the street, eating out of trash containers, begging for scraps.  They aren’t locked out of the palace.  Their room is right next to their Father’s room.

What is my point?  I meet so many Christians who still live like condemned sinners.  The continually put shackles on their feet even though God has already removed them.  They live defeated.  So many of the folks I meet and talk with live as if they are still bound for hell.  They are stuck in a repetitive cycle of losing, gaining and losing their salvation again.  This up and down rollercoaster keeps their eyes focused on this world and blind to the one to come.  Here are some points I am trying to make:

• As an heir your inheritance has NOTHING TO DO WITH YOU!  It’s God’s choice.  He made you His child, and adopted you.  Stop trying to prove yourself worthy.  You’re not, but Christ is.  That is why He died and rose again for you.    
• Your inheritance cannot be lost.  It is bound in Christ.  IT IS FINISHED!
• Your inheritance is a real thing.  It has already been given to you.  Claim it.

As God’s child, you are free.  Run about the palace.  Live your life wide open!  Your shouldn’t be living as a condemned prisoner but a special child of God.

Today, make a conscious effort to claim your inheritance.  Bathe in the warmth of God’s grace.  Dance in the forgiving rains that Jesus showers upon you.  Get out of the mud puddle and start living in the palace where you belong.

Gay Marriage & The Gospel

This week in North Carolina (our neighboring state here in the US) a bill was passed banning gay marriage.  Many states have already passed similar bills, and each time this happens, some people (many of them Christians) flood Facebook and twitter and spew derogatory and hateful remarks towards the homosexual community.  I have seen this scenario repeat itself several times, and as this happened this week a few thoughts went through my mind:

·        Low hanging fruit:  the Christian community seems to be quick in judging homosexuals in their lifestyle because they themselves are not practicing homosexuals.  The Bible clearly states that people of the same sex should not have sex with one another.  ("'Do not have sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman; that is detestable. (Leviticus 18:22 NIV).  The Bible calls this lifestyle sinful but as Christ followers it does not give us the right to condemn, judge or berate those who live in such a manner. 

·        Salvation is for them too!  I hear people who call themselves Christians speak of homosexuals like they are lost causes.  No one is hopeless when it comes to hearing about salvation. 

“The disciples were even more amazed, and said to each other, "Who then can be saved?" Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God." (Mark 10:26, 27 NIV)

If we as Christians approach the topic of homosexuality with a “burn in hell” mentality, we are not in line with the Gospel.  Jesus loves them too.

·        Where’s the love?  If we ever question how we should act, always go back to the example Jesus left for us to follow.  How does Jesus interact with homosexuals?  A good example is how he treated the woman at the well.  (John 4)

When speaking to her, Jesus first shares with her the good news of salvation.  He points out salvation before dealing with her sexual sin.  He loves her first.  As Christians, love will break through any barrier, not condemnation.  Jesus loves her first by treating her with respect.  When asked about her sin, He speaks the truth.  He points out to her that the lifestyle she is living is sinful, and that there is a better way.  This example should be followed when we (as followers of Jesus) interact with anyone living a homosexual lifestyle.  We are to love them first, build the relationship and then speak truth to them about Jesus. 

·        From the inside out:  Passing legislation isn’t the answer.  If we pass laws banning gay marriage, what has that accomplished?  Is it our desire to win the battle but lose the relationship?  Will people who are gay wake up tomorrow after a law was passed and still be homosexuals?  Jesus was concerned with the relationship and not the argument.  For years I struggled with the sin of lust / pornography.  As I grew in my relationship in Christ, Jesus pointed out to me that He didn’t want this lifestyle for me anymore.  He began to work on my heart.  It was because of Him that I began to see improvement.  It is because of my relationship with Christ that I desired to turn away from pornography and towards a deeper love for Jesus.  It wasn’t because of a law banning pornography.  It was because other Christians loved me through that time of my life and I grew in my relationship with Jesus.

·        Who are your friends?  When Jesus entered a new town during His ministry, the first thing He would do is meet and eat with sinners of all kinds.  Whether it was tax collectors, prostitutes, etc. it didn’t matter to Him.  He wanted to build the relationship. 

When was the last time we (as Christ followers/the Church) invited a homosexual couple to Church?  When was the last time we went to lunch with someone who was gay?  If you are a Christian, ask yourself this question:  How many of my facebook friends are gay?  If we call ourselves Christ followers but never interact with other folks who are homosexual, are we doing our job living out the gospel?

Don’t get me wrong.  Do I believe in gay marriage?  No.  Do I believe homosexuality is a sin?  Yes.  I also believe that masturbation, alcoholism, pride, gossip, adultery, obesity, lust and a variety of other things that plague us as human beings (and the church) are too.  My point is that we (as the Church) must so a better job loving those around us no matter what their place is in life instead of bashing them.  Homosexuality is easy to persecute.  What would it look like if we were quick to love those who are gay instead of ostracizing them?  Maybe then they would be more receptive to hear what we have to say about Jesus and the life of freedom He has in store for them.

Diamond Earrings

When my wife was pregnant with our first child, I walked into a jewelry store one afternoon and bought her a nice set of diamond earrings.  It was random, spur of the moment and probably not a wise financial move at that moment of my life.  With all of that being said, I didn’t care!  I loved my wife more than anything else in the world.   I was excited that she was pregnant with our son and wanted her to have those earrings so she would see how much I loved her!  The night she was in the in the hospital delivering our son, I gave them to her.  To this day, they are one of her prized possessions.

Three weeks ago, she lost one of them at church.  Immediately tears welled up in both of our eyes.  She was so disappointed.  That afternoon, I went back to the sanctuary and crawled on my hands and knees with a flashlight, looking for them.  I had a lady from our church look in the ladies restroom.  We even walked the halls of our church looking over every square inch trying to find the very small, very valuable earring.  The following day my wife found the diamond in a trash can in our bathroom.  She screamed for joy, hugged me, we both cried and thanked God for letting us find it.  I emailed my friends.  She called our family members.  We were overjoyed and so thankful.

In Luke 15, we see the exact same scenario.  In verses Jesus tells us the exact same story:

⁸ “Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Doesn’t she light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? ⁹ And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.’ ¹⁰ In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

After experiencing this scenario in real life and reading about it in God’s word, I began to question my approach to evangelism.  I asked myself these questions:

• Do I get on my hands and knees for Jesus, looking for those who are lost and dead in sin without Him?
• Do I light the lamp trying to find them the same way I searched for the diamond?
• Do I adopt the same “Sense of urgency” for a lost soul as I did the earring?
• When someone does meet Jesus as their Savior, do I truly celebrate?  Do I call friends and family members and rejoice?

The bottom line is this:  Diamonds can be replaced.  Souls cannot.  People who we meet on a daily basis are 100 million times more valuable than any diamond or treasure here on earth.  Do our actions reflect that same manner?

Today, pray for those around you.  Ask God to show you those He considers diamonds.  Pray for opportunities to bring Jesus into their life.  Celebrate the way the angels do when you see others give their life to Christ.  God sent us to find those who are lost.

Spiritual Footprint

I toured a manufacturing plant this week in Tulsa, Oklahoma.  While touring the facility, one thing that the folks repeatedly mentioned was how little their manufacturing process impacted the environment.  He called it their “environmental footprint”.  In other words, they were doing all they could to leave a positive impact on the environment.

When I flew home on Friday, I was informed that a friend of mine had passed suddenly.  I attended his funeral yesterday, and I thought back to the term “environmental footprint”.

God didn’t make us with a soul, God made us a soul.  C.S. Lewis states “That we are a soul, and we inhabit a body”.   In other words (good or bad) we begin to leave a “spiritual footprint” on those around us from the time we are born until the time we die.  It is up to us on what that impact looks like, and we are responsible for the “footprint” we leave.

In John 13:8, Jesus speaks to His disciples in the same manner.  He simply states that as followers of Jesus Christ, we will be known by our love for one another.  How we live and how we treat each other will impact those around us.

At my friend’s funeral, people spoke of the affect that he had on their lives.  People didn’t talk about his job or hobbies.  They never mentioned how much money he left behind.  The only thing that mattered was his “spiritual footprint”.  Did he know and love Jesus?  Did he love others?  That was the only thing people said about him, and to be honest, that was really the only thing that mattered.

Today, take a good hard look at your life.  What kind of “spiritual footprint” are you leaving behind?  Is the life you are living going to matter to others when you are gone?  Is the life you are living in tune with what is really important eternally?

Girl Scout Cookies

Here in the United States, we have an organization called The Girl Scouts of America.  They are a group of young girls who learn how to become model citizens.  They learn different skills and earn merit badges for their efforts.  One of their main fund raisers each year is that they sell cookies.  Each box is $2 dollars (us) and they are delicious.  My favorite:  peanut butter and chocolate.

Yesterday my family went to the grocery store to buy food.  We bought everything for the week and I decided that everybody should get something that they wanted, including snacks, deli meat, fresh bread, drinks, etc.  It was so much fun walking the isles and giving my family whatever they wanted!

On the way out of the store my children wanted to buy some Girl Scout cookies.  (They had a table set up on the sidewalk)  I agreed and bought each of them a box of cookies.  One of my children bought the peanut butter and chocolate kind, and my wife said “You need to share those with Dad!’  Their first reaction was “No, these are my cookies!” 

There in the parking lot, my wife took the opportunity to teach our children a lesson on sharing.  She said “See this cart full of groceries?  Daddy bought all of them.  It’s everything you need, including a bunch of what you want!  How can you let Dad buy all of this for you and you won’t share a few cookies that he also bought for you?”  My kids asked me to forgive them and shared their cookies.

Then it hit me; many of us (as Christ followers) are exactly like my children were with the Girl Scout cookies.  We often have a “mine” mentality.  How do we break that?

Here are a few thoughts:

·        Like the grocery cart, if we understand that everything we have comes from God, we begin to realize how crazy it is for us to worry about anything.  In the same manner that I provided for my family, God provides everything we need as His children.  He loves to do it!  (Read Matthew 6:25-34)

·        Just like sharing the cookies, is it not crazy to want to share our cookies with God?  Our Father has given us everything (Food, clothes, a place to sleep, etc.)  He only asks for the first 10% of what we have to go back to His local church.  When we refuse to give back to God, it makes no sense.  Anyone should be able to see that my children not sharing the cookies when there is a grocery cart full of food for them is wrong.  Why can’t we see that refusing to tithe our first 10% is the exact same thing?  (Matthew 6:33)

·        Giving back to God is a heart issue.  If you truly believe that God is your provider, giving it back to Him is easy.  If you believe that you earn your own way, then giving it back to God is difficult.  Sometimes it is impossible for us to do.  How you approach God will dictate how you handle “your” money.  (Matthew 6:24)

Don’t fall into the money trap!  Give your cookies back to God.  In return, He will shower upon you a whole grocery cart full of blessings. 

Jesus: something about that name!

I find it mysterious how God will teach me something.  Have you ever noticed that a certain topic will pop up in almost every conversation, everything you read, every passage of scripture?  It seems coincidental, but it’s not.  I believe it is the Holy Spirit trying to get your attention.  Lately that has been happening to me.  It has everything to do with the actual “name” of Jesus.  Here are a few things that I have come across in the past few weeks:

#1.  John 14:13-14

“¹³ And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. ¹⁴ You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.”


As a Christian do I live my life that way?  Do I really believe that?  Do I pray with boldness that God will provide in Jesus name?  Do I believe that God can heal my friends and family if I pray in Jesus name?  Was Jesus kidding or was He being for real?  And if so, why don’t I live that way?  Why doesn’t God’s church live this way?


#2.  Exodus 20:7
 “You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name. “


There is something sacred about God’s name (specifically the name of Jesus).  How many times a day do we look past this?  I know I do!  God has really called this to my attention.  Don’t just call on me in Jesus name, but make sure you don’t mistreat it either!  God’s name is holy.  It is a part of Him, same as His word.


#3  Acts 19:13-16
“¹³ Some Jews who went around driving out evil spirits tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were demon-possessed. They would say, “In the name of the Jesus whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out.” ¹⁴ Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. ¹⁵ One day the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know about, but who are you?” ¹⁶ Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all. He gave them such a beating that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding. “


The name of Jesus isn’t a magic trick or a genie-in-a-bottle.  The power associated with the name of Jesus is reserved for His children.  The reason why Paul had power in Jesus name was because he was a son of the most high God, and He was walking with Jesus daily in Spirit.  The humbling thing that occurred to me is that the same power in Jesus name that was available to Paul is available to me as well.


Let's not beat around the bush about it:  What has changed?  God?  Absolutely not! (Hebrews 13: 8 “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”)  So I ask again:  what has changed?  Have we as Christ followers forgotten that Jesus Christ can do anything on our behalf if it is in His Father’s will?  How many times do we believe it?  How many times do we act upon that?  If we truly grasped this would our lives dramatically change?


#4 Philippians 2:10
“…that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,”


Whether you are an Christ follower, an atheist, an agnostic or a follower of any other religion, there is a simple fact that will happen:  you will bow at the name of Jesus.  It is going to happen no matter what.  The choice is yours whether you bow to Him before you die (as a follower of Jesus Christ) or after you die (eternally separated from God).  This is a very sobering thought and one that should not be ignored.


Today, call on the name of Jesus.  Use His name in conversations.  Speak it out loud.  His name is a game changer.  As a follower of Jesus Christ, my excitement level is going out of the roof as I learn more about this great Savior we serve!