Walking In Victory

I was just getting ready to do some writing and Joyce Meyer was on TV. Now I'm not a huge fan, but I was listening as I got my computer situated and checked Facebook and email. She said something just as I was about to push the mute button that stopped me cold. She said, "Most Christians want enough of Jesus to stay out of hell but not enough to walk in victory." Take a moment and just think about that...

Victory wasn't a word I heard much in church growing up. I heard a lot about hell and sin and service, but not so much about victory. In fact, for most of my life, although I considered myself to be a mature believer and was pastoring churches, if you had asked me when we were supposed to have victory I would have told you, "When Christ comes back, everything will be made right and we'll walk in victory with him." If you are sighing because that is so sad, just go right ahead. I was convinced that we weren't promised victory. And in a way, we're not. Yes, Christ has won the victory, defeated sin and death, put Satan under his feet. Jesus himself said that all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to him and that he will never leave us. But the Bible also says, "to those who overcome...", in other words, not everyone walks in victory even though the victory is ours.

Many of us fall into the trap that Satan has laid out. He comes along into the life of the young believer and temps a little, lies a little, twists the truth a little and before long we believe that we can't change, that we're supposed to fail and that all God's promises are for the next life. In the mean time we just keep walking in defeat, with our head down and our hearts wounded or lost. Even believers get depressed. Even Christians believe lies. Unfortunately we all feel that way sooner or later, some of us feel that way more often than not. So how do we walk in victory? How do we live our lives to the fullest, till life is overflowing? It starts with knowing who we are.

I'm an expert at trying to live up to other people's expectations. I grew up being taught to take responsibility for my actions until I took responsibility for everything around me, whether it was my fault or not. People would say something terrible about me and I would think, well they probably think that because of this, I guess they're right if you look at this way. I still struggle not to do that. I spent 33 years trying to be what I thought my parents wanted me to be, what I thought my friends wanted me to be, what I thought my wife and kids wanted me to be and what I thought my church wanted me to be. All I knew was misery because none of the things I thought people wanted me to be, was me.

We can't walk in victory until we know who we are because victory is personal. The world wasn't given victory over sin and death. Jesus only gives victory to those who follow him. There is no other victory, no loopholes or ways to trick the system. And Jesus didn't die for a good son, or a good friend, or a good husband or a good pastor. Jesus fought the battle and won the war for you and me. The Bible says that before God even created the world that he KNEW us, and chose us, and loved us (Romans 8:29, Ephesians 1:4) He didn't choose the people who would live up to some preconceived ideal, he knew you. He knew what you would love and he chose you. He knew where you would be weak, when you would fail, all the things you would struggle with, and he chose you. He knew everything and still he chose you. So why are we trying so hard to be something we're not? Is it maybe because someone has told us we can't do it. Perhaps we've tried and failed and there is a voice in our head that says who we really are isn't pleasing to God.

It's time to break that lie. Sever the agreement you've made that the real you isn't a good person, isn't worth knowing, that you need to struggle to be someone else. You may have tried so long to be something you aren't that you don't really know who you are. So let's start small. Trying asking God this simple question, "Who do you think I am?" Then be quiet and wait. When something pops in your head ask God to confirm it. Wrestle with that process until you feel you have an answer. God doesn't want you to stumble in the darkness, in fact Jesus said he was the light. So hang with it and then write it down. Think about it for a while. Think of how it would be to live as that person, or to be the person God said you were. Let it sink in because God doesn't guess, he isn't just throwing ideas around. He knows you and he chose you to walk in victory. And victory begins by being yourself. I would love to hear what God says about you. If you do ask God and you feel up to it, post what he says here on the blog. Let your obedience help others to obey and let's just see what God does.

Generosity

As I was thinking about God's provision and blessing, I thought about the poor widow who gave all the money she had at the temple in Jerusalem. Jesus was there, sitting in the temple, watching as people gave their offerings. There were wealthy people dropping in large sums. If you can imagine the sound of gold coins being dropped into a wooden box then perhaps you can understand the prestige that the wealthy had as they gave their offerings. It isn't like our churches today, where a nicely folded check is laid in a plate or basket or perhaps dropped into a nicely designed receptacle. In the those days, the offering was noisy and people were watching. I've seen examples of the widow's mite and it was small, about as big around as a pencil eraser and thin. It would would have made next to no noise as if fell softly among the other coins, but Jesus recognized her gift, even if the other worshipers and perhaps even his own disciples, did not. Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has given more than all the others who are making contributions. For they gave a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she had to live on.” (Mark 12:43-44, NLT)

As I thought about the poor widow's gift I was reminded of another passage. In 2 Corinthians 9:6-8 (NLT) it says: Remember this—a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop. You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.” And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others. So often when we think about "sowing generously" we think of giving a lot. But the poor widow didn't give a lot. We often say that it was a lot to her, but if she could only buy a little bit with her coins, then even she knew it wasn't much, just all she had. But Jesus said her little bit was more than the large contributions of the rich.

Let's think about the widow for a moment. First of all, she was a woman. That meant she had little to no rights in that society. It's sad but true; women were seen much like small children, like property. And a woman's value was in what she could do, if she could cook and clean there was some value to her, if she could produce children there was more value, if she could sew there was more value. You see the picture? But that value was usually only to her husband. There was no social security, no state or federal agencies to assist the elderly, no housing assistance or meals on wheels. A woman was dependent on the men in her family to provide for her. A widow could hope that her sons would one day provide for her, but there is no indication that this woman had any children. She would have been seen as cursed, with no husband and no children. People wouldn't have felt sorry for her, they would have thought that she somehow deserved to suffer. And most would never help her. I can't imagine what prompted her to give that last tiny bit of money, but she was obedient. I wonder if God didn't speak to her and tell her to give just to illustrate this lesson: God is much more interested in the attitude of our heart than in the activity of our hands.

Let's think about planting. Where do seeds come from? Beth Moore talks about being in Africa where people are starving from hunger. She said the hardest thing to teach the people there was not to eat the seeds. We usually just throw our seeds out. We see them as waste, but to people who are hurting and hungry, people who don't have enough, seeds are precious. But we have have to be willing to put the seeds into the ground. We have to be willing to wait, to be patient, to cultivate and care for the little sprouts, to protect the young plants. And finally we get a harvest that is much more than the little seeds that we started with. And with the harvest comes new seeds, more opportunity. What you have, be it money, or talent, or knowledge of God, or even time, may seem like nothing more than a handful of seeds. You may look at what you have and think that it is hardly enough for you, that it isn't enough to even bother with. But the key is our attitude, not our amount of talent or money or any of those things. Are we willing to invest it, to lay it on the altar or like the poor widow to drop it in the offering box where it will hardly even be noticed? God will notice, he never misses anything, not one cup of cold water to the least of his children, not one tear drop of his beloved and not one cent given in obedience to him. I wonder how many opportunities go by that we miss just because we haven't got the eyes to see it. Some people look at obstacles and see dead ends, problems, and difficulties. Other people see those same obstacles as opportunities. You may look at your bank account and see a black hole while God may be wanting you to see rich seed just waiting to be planted. You may look at yourself and see average but when God looks at you he sees unique, irreplaceable, precious and family. You may look at your track record and see failure, but God may see training and preparation. Remember it's not about the size of your gift, but what you do with it. God doesn't need your money, but he very much wants our hearts. Are you willing to give him all you've got today? Are you willing, perhaps not to sell all you have and give everything away, but maybe just to ask him what he wants you to do with your time, your money, your talents, your life?

Hold The Course

I love that line from the movie "The Patriot" with Mel Gibson, where his friend tells him to "hold the course," and Mel replies that his wife would always tell him that. Hold the course, stick to what you know God has told you to do. It isn't always easy is it? In the movie, Mel Gibson's character is a single father during the Revolutionary War (his wife having died several years before) . In a very moving scene near the end of the movie Mel is mourning the death of his firstborn son, who was killed in a battle with the movie's antagonist, a very cruel and ruthless officer from the British army. One of Mel Gibson's friends, who happens to be a General in the Colonial Army, comes into the tent and talks about doing the right thing even when the circumstances are so difficult. He tells his friend to hold the course, which is a nautical expression, that meant to keep the ship moving in the right direction, usually in stormy conditions. We can all relate to that I think, because we're all tempted to give in or give up when the going gets tough. I want to share something that I think will help us to hold the course when our circumstances get stormy and when we feel like just doing what seems best for ourselves at the moment.

Most of you know our circumstances, how stepping out in faith to obey God cost me my job. That was a difficult decision but at the same time it felt good. We knew then that God had spoken very clearly to us. We didn't know how or in what way, but we were confident that God would bless us and provide for us. Still, we come from a conservative background and if I had a nickel for every time I've heard a person say, "God helps those who help themselves!" I wouldn't have to worry about money. So, as time past and God called us to continue to step out in faith, to follow our dreams, to build the church and pursue who we really are, it got harder and harder. Now I sit here, writing this blog after having just cried out in prayer for God to deliver us. It isn't that we're broke, or that we don't have food to eat, but it is just the constant pressure of knowing that while money is still flowing out, nothing is flowing in. My rational brain wants me to scramble, to "make something happen," but what I really want is to be in control, to know that if I do this or that, I'll make enough money to pay our bills. It's hard to tell your children that you aren't spending money on toys or fast food. It's hard to decide that going to the movies isn't important enough to spend money on, or to wish that your children's feet would stop growing so that their shoes would last until you have more money. So how do we hold the course during such difficult circumstances? I think the best way is to hold on to what God has said, not just what the Bible says, but what God has specifically said to you.

When Jesus was compelled or driven into the wilderness to be tested by Satan, the three temptations we have recorded revolve around a singular theme, "if you really are the son of God..." The enemy is especially good at making us doubt the words of our God. Remember Adam and Eve, the snake said, "Did God really tell you that you would surely die?" We hear those voices too, "Did God really tell you to live debt free?" "Did God really tell you to wait till you're married?" "Did God really tell you to leave your job?" And he uses other tactics too, like an unexpected bill, or a well meaning friend whose advice plants a seed of doubt, or sometimes even earth shaking news like a bad report from the doctor or the loss of a job. But none of these life storms took God by surprise. He knew what was coming before he told you to step out in faith. So hang on that what he told you, think about it, dream about it, perhaps most importantly talk to God about it. Ask him questions, ask for confirmation, tell him your worries and your fears, but hold the course. When things in my life aren't going great I can fall into a depression that seems to suck out all of my desires. Even if the things that got me down have nothing to do what what I know God wants me to do, I often have trouble working up the desire to obey. So when those times come, I have to feed my faith, to remember what God is calling me to do, and what God is doing in me through it all. God's ultimate desire is to see us truly live, to know who we are so that we can live full, abundant, overflowing lives. That is why we hold the course, because everyday, moment by moment, when we cling to God and obey him, he is setting us free and enabling us to live life to the fullest.

So, I'm holding the course, despite the storms that rage around me, or the attacks of the enemy, or even my own desire to be in control. I'm going to hold on and not give in or give up. What about you?

Getting a Grip

This afternoon I got a call from a friend who needed some advice. Unfortunately, I gave him a cowardly answer. I'm sorry for that. I was afraid of giving good advice because a lot was riding on what I told him. There are times in our lives when we're faced with incredibly tough choices. And as God calls us to step out in faith, those choices become even harder. Sometimes God calls us to do something that flies in the face of common sense. At other times, and I think this is the hardest thing of all, God calls us to break the cycle of lies and half-truths we've grown up with. For me, it has to do with work. My dad is a hard worker. He's always worked, never takes a sick day, never shirks a task. Let me correct myself, that's my stepfather. My biological father was described to me by mother as a lazy man, who would often call in sick, lose his jobs, and rely on my mother to support the family. One of my biggest fears in life was that I would end up just like my biological dad. So I vowed never to let that happen, never to rely on my wife to support us. And now God is calling me to step out in faith, to chase my dreams, only, my wife is going to have to work. In fact, she'll probably be the main source of income for our family for a while. That feels like a knife in my guts, twisting and turning, revealing the real me who is lazy and inept and just like my biological dad.

I'm not really like my biological father, but sometimes it's easy to believe the worst about yourself. Unfortunately, believing lies about who we are is very unhealthy. It gets us all tied up and crippled with self doubt. We can't do the courageous things, we can't live in freedom, in abundant life, if we're bound up in lies and false agreements. We've got to hang on to truth. Listen to Hebrews 12:12-13 in the Amplified Bible:

¹²So then, brace up and reinvigorate and set right your slackened and weakened and drooping hands and strengthen your feeble and palsied and tottering knees, ¹³And cut through and make firm and plain and smooth, straight paths for your feet [yes, make them safe and upright and happy paths that go in the right direction], so that the lame and halting [limbs] may not be put out of joint, but rather may be cured.

It's time we took a new grip on Jesus. He said he was "the truth" and that he came to give us life, to set the captives free, give sight to the blind, freedom to the oppressed. We need to let go of the lies we hang on to and grab hold of Jesus. The bible isn't calling for a renewed commitment to obedience, but a renewed commitment to our intimate and loving Savior.

It's time we faced the things that make us weak in the knees, the things that really scare us and shine the light of faith on those big, towering, overwhelming fears. The only way to strength shaking knees is to remove the fear and rest in God That doesn't mean that we pretend the scary circumstances in our lives aren't real, but we learn to trust in God's provision for us; his power and work in our lives to meet our needs and carry us through the difficulties we face.

Finally, we need to get a plan. I used to think that getting a plan was in conflict with stepping out in faith. But when God calls us to step out and trust him, we need to mark out a straight path of obedience. If calls you to do something, you don't have to figure out how to make it happen, but you may need to figure out what it is going to take for you to obey God. You may have to plot the course to get more faith and less fear. You may have to make plans to strengthen your grip on God and let go of some of the things that you've been hanging onto that weigh you down and keep you tied up.

When we do these things, we get strong. When we do these things the people that follow us get strong. When we do these things, we begin to experience life as God intended: full, abundant, overflowing life!