#1. Validate - In Public

People need validation; we all do.  As a leader, especially a spiritual leader, it is important to express to others how important they are.  You do a great service to someone when you validate them and let them know how special they are to you and to the work God has called all of us to do. 

(I will admit, I'm not very good at this.  Maybe it comes from a certain sense of insecurity.  I think about doing it all the time, but my follow through is rough.   I love it when others validate me, but I don't do it for others enough.  Oh how I would love to create and cultivate a culture around me where people were validated and honored regularly!)

It has been said many times by many people that we love to hear our own name.  This is true on different levels.  It has been researched that people's brain activity is greater when they hear their own name.  Honestly, who doesn't like to hear their own name?  It's like being picked in kickball when you were a kid or winning a drawing for a prize.  It evokes emotions and feelings based on the fact that you are being recognized or even known.  We read in the Bible (Matthew 3:13-17) that God the Father spoke and validated Jesus when Jesus was baptized.  Did Jesus need validation?  I'm gonna guess that He was pretty secure in His identity, but the Father deemed it important enough to let Jesus know that He was pleased with His Son.

But even in the instance in Matthew 3, I think God's validation was more than just for Jesus - It was also for the people around Him.  You see, God the Father did not do this in private.  He did not do it in silence or just so that only Jesus could hear and see Him.  He did it on display so that others around Jesus could see and hear that God the Father called Jesus His Son, and that He was well pleased with Him.

People need to hear that they are important.  They need to hear that from you.  You need to do it in public, not just in private.  Others need to know that you have faith in that person.  Such assurance makes people a little more faithful, walk a little taller, feel a little more special.  Yes, even with the chance of being a little embarrassing, but do it with honor and tact.  You never fully know what it will do for people when you validate them in public.  They may have never heard a parent say that they are proud of them, may have never heard a parent say "I love you".  It's important to get into the habit of honoring people.  It's important to speak life into them.  Isn't that what God does for us?  Isn't that what love is about?  Yes, it is.  Let's model that to and for others. 

Top Ten

I have a Top Ten list.  I know, it may sound a little cheesy, but I do.  I've been doing youth ministry for a long time (since '94) and there are a few things I've learned along the way.  A few years ago I traveled to India with a fellow pastor and while there we were scheduled to speak to some local youth leaders in Mumbai.  A few hours before we were to speak to these leaders, my friend informed me that I need to come up with something to say.  I was caught off guard as I thought he was going to be the one speaking to them.  He mentioned something like I should do a list of the most important things I've learned in youth ministry, or something like that.  Ok, I grew up watching David Letterman and his Top ten lists, so I'll do my own top ten list.  On the spot I created and then somewhat refined a Top Ten list of the most important things I've learned in youth ministry.  I have since gone back to it, reworked it, and taught on it several times.  Is it comprehensive?  Absolutely not.  But it does get to the core of some of the most important things God has taught me over the years.  Now, if I were to really take my time and think about the things I have learned I could come up with a bigger list, but I think I shall leave that until another day.  If you get to the end of my Ten and need more (obviously), I strongly recommend Bill Hybels Axiom.  Excellent read.

So in the following days and weeks, I will do my best to roll our my Top Ten things I have learned in Youth Ministry.

Remember

This week is my 5th anniversary of being on staff at Gateway Church. These last 5 years have been the best years of my life. It's not that I feel I have arrived, but I have grown so much and been blessed beyond measure as men of God have spoken and poured into my life. My family has grown and enriched my life in a way that I never could have imagined. I have learned so much about myself, been healed from so much, and learned (still learning) how to lead. I would go on and on but pages could be filled with what has happened in my life over the last 5 years.

But this whole process did not begin 5 years ago, I would say it has been my whole adult life. Actually, even when I was a teenager. God began preparing me for today a long time ago.

So this week I remember.

Deuteronomy 8 (the whole chapter) is a call to the nation of Israel to remember. To remember that even though they were in the wilderness, God was with them the whole time, leading them and providing for them. He fed them with manna and taught them that they live because of Him, not from their own hand. And, I love this, that for forty years "your clothes didn't wear out, and your feet didn't blister or swell."

You see, I've had wilderness experiences, and I struggled through them. I even complained while wandering just like the Israelites did. But today, as I remember, I was provided for, taught valuable lessons, and did not wear out. He was with me in my wilderness.

That's important for me to remember today, because just last week I was complaining. If you read later on in Deuteronomy 8 (vs 11-17) the Lord tells them to be careful and not forget the Lord when they enter the land of plenty. Remember who you were, when you were a slave in Egypt. Remember where you were, in the terrifying wilderness with many dangers. Remember that He has always provided and taken care of you.

What do you need to remember this week?

Are you going through the wilderness now? Make sure you remember later on. He's with you and He's teaching you.

Words Matter

When I was a teenager, my father encouraged me and my brother to think about what we said before we said it. Simple enough. We needed to let the words roll around in our brain before we released them from our mouth. Comedians have joked about it and proverbs have been written about it; our words matter. Yet we carelessly fling them out like they were disposable drops of water. But just as water can be a formidable force to be reckoned with, we should be mindful of not just our thoughts but also of the words we speak.

Think about it, what does it look like to be a good steward of your words? Jesus stewarded His words. He knew that the words He spoke would be discussed and dissected for thousands of years by millions of people. I'm sure He chose His words wisely. Every word of His that is recorded had a place and a meaning. I'm willing to bet that even the ones we don't know about were just as meaningful.

How about this: Lawyers choose their statements beforehand because they know that the specific words they use and the way they use them can literally influence lives. Judgements depend on them (words and use of words). Let that sink in.

Guess what? Decisions and lives depend on your words. Choose and steward them wisely so that life will be produced by what you say.

Proverbs !8:21

Beyond Life Changing

So have you seen the show Undercover Boss? It's a gamble but so far in two seasons it's been pretty good. We just watched one last night that we had on the DVR where this guy owned a timeshare resort company and boy was this guy "larger than life". He looked and lived like he was trying to compete with Donald Trump. (here's his show) So anyway, this guy really knew how to throw around money. Usually what these guys get (or what you hope they do) is that its not always about making money but its about people and they get a change of perspective and a change of heart about how they run the company and see their employees. I really like it when that happens. Well, on this episode this guy has a huge ego and wanted to go undercover to see how his company was doing. If you ask me he did the show to promote his business (of course). He works undercover with several of his employees all around the country in which he uses his private jet to get around. At the end he invites these employees to one of his private beach houses to go over everything he saw and experienced. With each one of them he threw around a lot of money, I mean a lot of money. He even paid off one guy's mortgage.

Well one young lady that he met with came away from this meeting and described it as "beyond life changing." That statement struck me. Now I know, she was young and still in college, therefore prone to exaggerate. But beyond life changing? The guy gave her a load of cash. Beyond life changing?

Maybe it just challenged me. Are we in ministry really trying to change people's lives? I'm not all about shock and awe at church, and I know that discipleship is a process, but when I read in the Bible about people's interactions with Christ, they were life changing events/conversations. I guess a real "beyond life changing" experience would be one that changes eternity. God can definitely handle that.

Lord, help me to have "beyond life changing" interactions with people.

Useless

1 Corinthians 15:58
So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.

As I read this verse this morning, one work jumped out at me: useless. It is the very last word in the verse, but carries with it a lot of weight. Surely there have been things I have done in the name of ministry that felt very useless. In retrospect, I realize that anything that has ever felt useless afterwards, I have done some with vigor and some with just an ounce of energy.

You see, that last phrase, "...nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless." can be hard to believe. Of course we want everything we do for the Lord to be the best, but in our imperfect and busy world, a lot of the times He gets the short end of the stick. We look back at our work and think, "it wasn't my best but I tried on what fuel and time I had. Next time will be the best!" only to find ourselves in the same predicament later on. Let's look at 2 options:

1. That last statement depends on the one just previous to it. The previous phrase from the same sentence says "Always work enthusiastically for the Lord". True enthusiasm requires a belief in what you are doing, that it really matters and the cause is worthwhile. Too many times we have labored in vain "for the Lord", that is, our efforts are done from a mindset of unbelief. We are simply going through the motions. We are putting in the "work" so we can check the box on a list of chores that we perform begrudgingly. By the way, the Lord never gave us a list of chores. That whole thought process is legalism and it kills any kind of enthusiasm we may have in what we do for the Lord. When we believe that we can make a difference and that the Lord will do great things in people's lives, our enthusiasm goes through the roof! Then it doesn't matter what our talents or skills are. It doesn't matter if we are short on time, which brings me to the second point:

2. You don't work as if the results depend on you. Of course anything we do for the Lord is never useless! When we join our faith in Him with the work of our hands, we release the power of God (not the power of work or ourselves) and great things do happen. It doesn't even matter if we see the results. It is not useless. That's the kind of thought that the enemy attacks us with. You need to hear God say, "I wish you could see what I see!" The result could happen immediately on the inside of someone's heart or it could happen a year from now when we are removed from the circumstance. God will use anything and everything He can to reach His lost children and save them and heal them. It is true that faith without works is dead (James 2:14-24) and vice versa. It may be a good work, but imagine the life that you can attach to your work when you apply your faith in God to move mountains! You may not be able to move a mountain on your own, but you and God working together? All things are possible to him that believes (Matthew 19:26)! Remember, when God is involved it is never useless.

So don't let the Devil use that against you. Don't let him have your enthusiasm. Be encouraged by this scripture and work enthusiastically today for the Lord, it makes an eternal difference!

Run Your Race

When I was in 7th grade I decided to run track. I tried football, but my small school in the sticks of South Arkansas did not have pads and helmets small enough to fit me. That made for a terrible football experience. I remember specifically one practice where the coach told me to run out 15 yards and then turn quickly and catch the ball. As I ran out and counted off 15 yards I turned my head to see the oncoming ball. The helmet was so big on my head that it did not turn all the way with my head. So since I could not see anything I most certainly did not see the football coming at me. Like I said, not a good experience.

I tried out basketball. Skinny white kid of average height. I know, I know, get to know the fundamentals. Learn to dribble the ball, pass, and shoot the ball. Well, no excuses. I just wasn't a good basketball player. I had plenty of time "riding the pine". The only time I actually got any playing time was when our team was either ahead by 50 points or behind by 50 points and the game was almost over. At that point there really wasn't anything I could do to influence the game in a negative way. Oh yeah? Well I made it my mission to leave my mark. Once there was only a minute left on the clock and my name was called up by the coach, I was in. My mission was clear; It wasn't to score 100 points to win the game, or to assist the guy that could. No, mine was much more sinister. I was going to foul out in a minute or less. Sometimes it worked and sometimes I only made the other players mad. Oh well, I gotta be me.

But you see, the problem was, I wasn't being me!

Let me explain. My brother, older than me by 4 years, was great at every sport he played. I grew up with my father telling me I had more natural talent than my brother. God bless my dad, he was great at encouraging me and speaking good and positive things into me, but more natural talent? Surely he was mistaken. I had plotted my course to follow in my brother's footsteps and do what he did well. You read previously how football and basketball went - not good. In our small school the only thing left was to run track. How hard could this be? All you had to do was run. Run! I was a younger brother - of course I knew how to run! I had been training for this my whole life running from an older brother! Now, what I haven't told you is that my brother was great at running the 800 meter, or for the layman, the half mile. In fact, the last 3 years of high school he made it to the state track meet and placed either 1st or 2nd each time! It occurred to me and the other coaches that Kevin Morrison's younger brother would be great at the half mile also.

I hated it. It was two full laps around the track and they were murder. I started running that race every year starting in 7th grade all the way through my sophomore year. Each year was terrible. I never did any good in that stupid race.

Fast forward to my junior year in High School. As a family we had moved to a new state and therefore a new school. Of course when track season came around I joined the team and guess what race I told the coach I wanted to run? Yep, the 800 meter. Why? That was all I knew, all I had ever run. I wasn't good at it but it was familiar and I had become comfortable being less than mediocre. Well this year all my friends were sprinters and after I would do my 800 workout I would join up with them and run the sprint workouts just for fun. After all, it was just a short distance. I also practiced with them the hand-offs for the relay when one of their team members had to be out or do something else.

I will never forget the track meet in Branson that season. It was probably about the 3rd meet of the season and I had been bugging coach to let me change races so that I could run with my friends and do sprints. He'd told me no because we had all the sprinters we needed and he wanted me to run the 800. Anyway, we were at the Branson meet and one of the sprinters on the relay team sprained his ankle. All my friends looked at me and asked me to replace him. We would obviously have to clear this with coach. We ran up the bleachers and begged him to let me run with the relay team. He was resistant at first, but realizing that he did not want the team to have to forfeit all of the relay races that night, he gave in and told me I could fill in on the second leg of the relay but just for that night. We ran down to the field and did a last minute practice run with our hand-offs to make sure we could pull it off. When it cam time for the race we all lined up and the butterflies went crazy in my stomach. I was totally used to track meets but this was different. I was excited to run. I didn't have that feeling of dread, knowing that I was going to be terrible and lose. I had something to prove here, something to win for. Well the gun went off that the race begin. I remember standing on the other side of the field watching our first leg runner race around the corner coming towards me to hand off the baton. This was real. This was really happening and I was going to have to take off in a matter of seconds. It all comes down to this. I had to concentrate, take off at just the right time and give it my all. The runner hit the mark I had established and I turned to face down the track and took off. Half a second later I heard him shout "Hand!" and I shot out my left hand behind my back to receive the baton as he handed the race to me. I grabbed it and ran on my toes as hard as I could for 100 yards. The whole time there was no one beside me - we were winning! I handed off the baton perfectly and then watched the remaining two legs of our relay team as they brought us a first place. What was this? We won? We won! I had been part of this and we won! I ran across the field to the finish line and rejoiced with my teammates. When I found out our times I learned that I had run a faster time that the sprinter I replaced! What was this?! I was actually good at something, and a sporting event at that! I ran up to the bleachers, looked at my coach who had been watching and said, "Can I run sprints now?!" He slowly nodded his head with a sly grin and said yes.

Now, you've read through that whole story just so I could tell you this - The whole time up until then, for the previous 4 years, I had been running someone else's race. I had not been running my race. I had not searched out where I was supposed to be. I had just assumed that what someone else had done before me was exactly what I was supposed to do. And because of that I had not reached my potential. I had become comfortable with being less that mediocre and accepted that as my fate. It wasn't until I had stepped into my own race and actually started running it did I realize what my race was. Then I was able to find joy and a sense of accomplishment in the race that I ran.

Let me ask you: Are you running someone else's race? Have you settled for less than mediocre? Do you need to start running your own race today?

Be still

Have you ever had a parent or a teacher tell you to be still? It used to happen to me on a daily basis when I was growing up. I just hated to not be moving around doing something. There was always something to do or look at or break or take apart or see how it works or find out what kind of sound it made. Something. Or how about sitting? I hated to sit somewhere with nothing to do!

Sometimes that's how life treats us. It never seems to leave well enough alone. If things are going easy and well, then just wait a minute and somehow it can get all turned upside down.It seems that life can be just like I was as a little kid. It wants to break or take apart or see how we work or even what kind of sound we can make when we get squeezed or stressed out. Life never seems to leave us alone. That's good and, well, not necessarily bad, but can be a little scary sometimes. That's the thing about life, always moving whether we want it to or not, good and bad.

Mark 4:35-41
35 As evening came, Jesus said to his disciples, “Let’s cross to the other side of the lake.” 36 So they took Jesus in the boat and started out, leaving the crowds behind (although other boats followed). 37 But soon a fierce storm came up. High waves were breaking into the boat, and it began to fill with water.

38 Jesus was sleeping at the back of the boat with his head on a cushion. The disciples woke him up, shouting, “Teacher, don’t you care that we’re going to drown?”

39 When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Silence! Be still!” Suddenly the wind stopped, and there was a great calm. 40 Then he asked them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?”

41 The disciples were absolutely terrified. “Who is this man?” they asked each other. “Even the wind and waves obey him!”

Notice a couple of things here:
Jesus doesn't get scared (verse 38). When things get hectic and scary in your life, Jesus ain't scared. He is always in control.
Jesus told the weather to be still (verse 39). Different translations of the Bible say Hush, Quiet, Silence, but my favorite version says "Peace, be still."

Do you need Jesus to declare peace in your life and tell it to be still? Do you know someone else that needs peace? Take a moment and pray that Jesus would call that out over your life or someone else you may know that needs peace.

What's your job?

Did you know we all have a job? Your job is in your home, where you live, to keep order and to serve. After all, isn’t that all of our jobs? So what is expected of you? What are some of your chores? Do you get paid for your chores?

Growing up I had to clean my room, help put away the dishes, I didn’t have to do my own laundry but I did have to put it away. And then I had to cut the grass.

In Ephesians 6:1-3 it says, "Children, obey your parents because you belong to the Lord, for this is the right thing to do. “Honor your father and mother.” This is the first commandment with a promise: If you honor your father and mother, “things will go well for you, and you will have a long life on the earth.”

It says that if you honor your parents (and what they say and obey) then things will go well for you. I’m not gonna ask because we all want things to go well for us. Nobody likes to have bad days.

Notice that it also says to obey "because you belong to the Lord." You don't belong to yourself anymore.

Luke 9:23-24
23 Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross daily, and follow me. 24 If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it.

Take up your cross and get rid of selfishness. Selfishness has no place in the Kingdom, and in your heart. This is something I have been convicted of lately. When you have selfish motives and selfish ways, the Lord really can’t use you.

Take some time to meditate on these scriptures and if this has been an area where you mess up then ask the Lord for forgiveness. Think about the commitment you made to Him when you got saved and give up your selfishness to Him. Die to your own selfish desires and as it says, carry your cross not just today, but everyday.

Art Work

I have 2 young children and they love to create "art work" for me and my wife. Sometimes it's really cool and sometimes it's just scribbles. But we are all very proud of it and I am especially proud to get the art that is made specifically for me. It will probably never bring millions of dollars and not be appreciated by anyone else other than me and their mom.

Did you know that you are the art work of God? Did you know that as your father in heaven (Matt 6:26) God is the one that appreciates you the most?

Psalm 139:14 says, "I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well."

Yes, God sees you as wonderful and beautiful! After all, He made you in His image! God's image! You are a work of art fashioned after God.

Genesis 1:26a, 27
26 Then God said, “Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us.
27 So God created human beings in his own image.
In the image of God he created them;
male and female he created them.

Today, stop believing any lie that says you are ugly or that God made a mistake when He made you. He knew exactly what He was doing when He created and fashioned you. Maybe others can't appreciate your beauty, but He is amazed by you and is so proud of you. Spend time thinking about these scriptures and asking God what He loves most about you today.

Selfish

Confession time: I am a selfish person. Now, if you know me, depending on how well you know me, you might be saying "Well duh, I could'a told ya that!". Some that think they know me very well might be saying, "No. Now come on you're just being hard on yourself." Truth is, if you were inside my head, you'd be shaking yours. Why? Because as I said, I'm a selfish person. I asked the Lord tonight why I'm so selfish and He gave a quick and honest reply; "You need to die to self. You're saved, but you need to die to your self, daily." That means every day. That also means that there are days, seasons even when I've died to my 'self', but it does not seem to me that this is one of those seasons. Galatians puts it bluntly and beautifully:

"So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won't be doing what your sinful nature craves. The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions. When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.
But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!" (Galatians 5:16, 17, 19-23 NLT)

Wow. Convicting. Ask yourself the hard question right now (it slapped me in the face!), on the inside of you, which nature is predominant? Which one needs to be?

Lord, I choose today, right now to die to my 'self' and to live unselfishly, to live according to your Spirit. I ask that the fruit of the Spirit would grow more and more each day in my life so that it is so evident as I serve others for the sake of your kingdom. Christ Jesus I belong to you so I crucify the sinful nature in my life, and choose to live by your Spirit. Amen.

A New Season

So here I am, facing what feels like a new season in life. I am somewhat confused because I don't know why it would be any different than the other seasons of my life, but it sure does feel like it.

First of all, personally, things are a little different at home. My wife has decided to homeschool my 5 year old daughter, so that changes a few dynamics there. But I also have felt a little sluggish since camp. I did not get much sleep at all during camp, but that's not really any different from any other year. The thing is though, I have not been the same since camp. I have stopped going to the gym to work out for the last month (although I started going back today) and I think that has put me through some changes. Has it only been a month? Feels longer than that. Oh well. Anyway, I am trying to get back on track with that.

There have been some changes at work - good changes. We have added a new position to my department so we are getting more work done. At least we should be. I don't know if we have learned how to be efficient with these changes though. I am trying to structure myself and my work week a little bit better.

Change is hard sometimes. But I am willing to give it a go. I will not, however, say that I am going to try and blog everyday because that will jinx me...

Empowered

If you could have any super power what would it be?
Why?

Philip
Acts 8:39
39 When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away. The eunuch never saw him again but went on his way rejoicing.

I’ve always wanted to fly. Had dreams about it. Why can’t we fly?
Example, fly like a bird. We don’t have a birds traits or build or equipment, but might try to fly because we saw one do it and got inspired. Just being inspired does not empower. That’s not who we are.

The person that you think you are, the identity you assume, will determine what you do and how you treat others. God wants you to know who you really are. The problem is we already think we know.

When I was in Jr. High, my identity was wrapped up in being Kevin’s little brother. Since my brother was popular, and a lot of the girls liked him, I assumed the identity that took on his persona. I was relaxed around people, felt confident around girls, and if there ever was doubt, I just told people who I was. It was great. It opened all kinds of doors for me. It even determined how others looked at me and the kind of person I was, even if I really never opened my mouth around them. That was the identity I took on. It empowered me to do things that I may not otherwise have thought I could do. It was a built in ability. The identity created friends. It gave me an instant inroad to talk to girls that were older than me and that I knew were out of my league. I didn’t care, I didn’t have to worry about that. I knew I was Kevin’s little brother, and they needed to know that too.

Ephesians 1:4-6
4 Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. 5 God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.

Galatians 1:15
15 But even before I was born, God chose me and called me by his marvelous grace. Then it pleased him 16 to reveal his Son to me[e] so that I would proclaim the Good News about Jesus to the Gentiles.

I’m gonna ask you a question: Who are you? How does that define what you do, what you say, and how you act around people? We naturally live, act, operate out of an overflow of who we think we are.

I will ask you again, who are you? Do you know?

You see, we let people and circumstances define our identity. Loser. Ugly. Flirt. Dumb Jock. Insignificant. Invisible. Proud. Scared. Insecure. Rich. Poor. Intelligence that creates crazy expectations. How we see ourselves skews how we look at the world, how we see God. What we do or do not do.

Acts 1:8
8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.

Set Free

Tangled – great movie, but it has a great story for us today. Do you remember the story of Rapunzel? Let me tell you how they portrayed it in the movie.
She was taken when she was a baby for her magical hair and kept in a tower for 18 years. She was the child of the king and queen, but did not know it and the woman that captured her and kept her prisoner under the pretense that it was just too dangerous out in the world. She finally sets out and explores the world and finds out that who she really is.
Many of us have been told that we are someone we are not. The problem is when we believe a lie. Trapped in a tower of lies and told we can’t leave because it will just be too painful.

Galatians 5:7
7 You were running the race so well. Who has held you back from following the truth? 8 It certainly isn’t God, for he is the one who called you to freedom. 9 This false teaching is like a little yeast that spreads through the whole batch of dough! 10 I am trusting the Lord to keep you from believing false teachings. God will judge that person, whoever he is, who has been confusing you.

The problem is that it is more painful not knowing who we really are, and some of us hope and wish that the lies we believe weren’t true. We even fantasize about fitting in, being accepted and loved for who we really are on the inside. Do you know who you really are? Odds are you don’t. Some of you have been lied to for a long time. Today it’s time for you to learn the truth and be set free.

John 8:31-36
31 Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. 32 And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
33 “But we are descendants of Abraham,” they said. “We have never been slaves to anyone. What do you mean, ‘You will be set free’?”
34 Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave of sin. 35 A slave is not a permanent member of the family, but a son is part of the family forever. 36 So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free.

Jesus says the Truth will set you free. Now, there are two parts here that I want to explain to you.

1. Slaves to sin.
You see, sin separates us from God. It keeps us from being and knowing who He created us to be. So, when He says knowing the truth will set us free, He is talking about knowing Him. Knowing Jesus, really knowing Jesus, is to be in relationship with him and knowing Him as Lord and Savior, so that He can save us from our sins and set us free. Notice how he talks about a slave not being part of the family but a son is? To receive Jesus into your life is to receive the gift of adoption, thus bringing you into His family.

Ephesians 1:4-8
4 Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. 5 God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. 6 So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son. 7 He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins. 8 He has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding.

2. Slaves to lies.
You were not created to be a slave! God CHOSE you to be part of his family before the world even began! Remember in the story that Rapunzel was really a princess, royalty, but she didn’t know it because she was lied to all her life? Some of you believe lies – that no one, not even God loves you, that you aren’t accepted, that you are stupid, unwanted, ugly, that you are just too bad or that you have gone too far and that you can’t do anything right. Some of you struggle with the same sin over and over and you think that God just doesn’t want to mess with you anymore because you are a lost cause. Those are all lies. You need to know the truth about who you really are. You are the son, the daughter of the king. You have been chosen and adopted. Today it’s time to know truth, because the truth will set you free.

Love

He loves us. Yep, we've all heard the song, probably sung it a few hundred times. When I think about this song and the original singer/songwriter, I think of my good friend Chris Kuykendall that first told me about him and directed me to his music on iTunes. Chris passed away from a car accident a year ago May 11 and I still think of him constantly. Everyone who knew Chris misses him. We sang this song at Chris' funeral.

Here is the story behind the song, and the guy that originally wrote it; John Mark McMillan.

can't stop

So I don't find it very fair that my brain tends to go really deep when it's late and I'm in bed and I'm trying to go to sleep. Nevertheless, that's where I find myself tonight. I should be dead tired and falling asleep quite easily.

Last night right after my wife went upstairs to go to bed, I was downstairs in the kitchen cleaning out the humidifier. She told me that she was feeling a bit under the weather and with running the heat I thought it would help a little to run the humidifier. So, as I was in the kitchen, a little 4 yr old (my oldest daughter) came peeking around the corner. She had already been in bed for a couple of hours so I asked her what she was doing up. "I need a drink of water." I told her ok but it was gonna be just a minute while I was finishing up what I was doing. That was fine by her so she sat down on the floor just at the entry of the kitchen. As I was finishing up, I heard a strange noise from her and looked over. She looked at me with a playful look on her face and I thought she was just making cute little noises with her mouth. I turned away to finish up and just a few seconds later she spewed. All over the floor. Well I overreacted like I usually do and said something like, "Oh wow! Oh man, wow! There it is!" to which my wife called down asking what happened. When I didn't answer she quickly came downstairs just in time to see her first born unload for a second time on the tile floor.

Throughout the night my oldest child threw up multiple times, keeping all three of us up most of the evening and early morning. We were scheduled to go out of town today and visit grandparents and great grandparents, but now that was out of the question. I have a strict "do not travel with vomiting children" policy. So we stayed at home and did nothing - it was great. Except that most of mine and my wife's attention was spent watching a close eye on my 4 yr old to make sure we heard not gurgling sounds and feeding her very bland and safe food.

We made it through the day and most took naps, well all took naps but I took the shortest at about 30 minutes. I don't really feel like I accomplished anything today, but I did spend some QT with the fam.

Safe Place to Fail

I find myself using these four words more often these days. But the question remains, do you have a safe place to fail?

Let me explain. I fancy myself in the business of training people. I say to them that I want to provide for them a safe place to fail. Hopefully this takes a little of the pressure to be perfect off of them and my expectations. Is anyone perfect? No. Am I? Not always. Ha! That's a joke. Anyway, I actually stole this saying from Brady Boyd years ago when he was leading a small group for men early on Thursday mornings at Gateway Church. He was talking about hearing God and lifting each other up. He explained that many times we don't speak into other people's lives because we are afraid we will get it wrong, so we just don't say anything. He went on to say that that small group was, say it with me now, a safe place to fail. He urged us to all have a little grace with each other and really try to hear God and use what we felt we heard from God to speak into each others lives and encourage each other.

Now I use that phrase when talking to people about ministry. I recently said it to my intern about my expectations of him. I told him that I expect him to screw up. Not screw up like you just killed a kid, but screw up like you said something the wrong way to a parent or a volunteer. I want to provide an atmosphere for him where he gets his hands dirty and learns how to make decisions and gets some experience. I don't give all the control, just enough to make him sweat for it. When he does mess up a little, it's a safe place for me to come alongside him and talk about it and analyze what went wrong. I don't dismiss it, I discuss it. It's not necessarily confrontation and it's not awkward. It's working through it. Then I set higher expectations because of his newly added experience.

A safe place to fail. I love it. My boss does it for me and it creates a lot more freedom to be me and make decisions. I get to celebrate the successes and learn from the failures. Create some safe places for the people in your life.

Advice...

If you have graduated High School and you are living at home, save your money. Now I know that isn't a revolutionary thought at all, but I still see many single twenty somethings who have a really hard time with this. It's so tempting to go out with your friends or buy that new pair of jeans on pay day or take that road trip where you will take lots of pictures of memories to put on Facebook! I know, I know, trust me I was the worst. You're not under a huge financial strain, you aren't married and you don't have kids. You may feel that you are too young to buy a house and you aren't sure what you're gonna do for the rest of your life. Who does? That does not mean you should still live paycheck to paycheck and spend it faster than its coming in! Let me give you a couple of ideas:

Since you aren't paying rent, find out what it would cost you to get your own place and then set that amount of money aside every month. After all, you don't have to spend it since your parents are being so gracious. This will help you to save (even though it might be a little tighter than you are used to) and it will help you to start budgeting now for later on when you need to pay rent. Who knows, you may even be able to save enough for a down payment on a house when you get married, that would be an awesome wedding present.

Also, say NO to free money. What do I mean by that? Credit cards. Just because it allows you a little peek into adult hood and the card may come with a cool picture on it, does not mean it is free money! In fact, it is more expensive than money! Do yourself a favor and pay cash for everything. If you don't have the cash, don't buy it. That's called living within your means. If you don't have enough means, get another job. Don't have enough time for another job? Figure out priorities and either take time away from something else or live within some other means. It all comes down to "what do you REALLY need" at this time in your life? By the way, it may seem like a really simple thought, but you cannot make time, no one can. You can only take time away from something else, we are all allotted the same 24 hours a day. Hopefully you will get to the point where you live BELOW your means.

Psalm 121

Verse 3
"He will not let you stumble;
the one who watches over you will not slumber."
Verse 4
"Indeed, he who watches over Israel never slumbers or sleeps."

I read this last week and it really jumped out at me (obviously).

I'm a Jr. High pastor. There is a certain level of thinking like a Jr. Higher that I have to keep up with. This not only means that I have immature thoughts, but that I think about curious things. One of the things I have thought about before is "will we get bored in heaven?" I only think about that because it is hard for me to sit still now. Of course I know we won't get bored in heaven, but I have even wondered if God gets bored sometimes. In fact I wondered that last week, when I read this verse. If God never sleeps, then he must have some time on his hands. I wondered about why he never sleeps, I mean, surely he has set up such a system that things kind of run automatically, or that maybe he has delegated in such a way that people and angels all over the world can take care of the minor stuff.

Now theologically I get it and know that those previous thoughts aren't true, and I am the kind of christian that relies heavily on the fact that we each can have personal relationships with him. Each. Personal. Relationship. That takes up a lot of his time I'm sure. But even here in Psalm 121 it says that he always watches over you and we get from the context that he is protecting us constantly.

I felt impressed that one other possibility for him not sleeping or slumbering is because he is in constant pursuit of us. Granted it does not say that here, but one thing I know about God is that he is crazy in love with his bride; the church. Israel was created thousands of years ago as his chosen people, a nation that he picked out of all the nations of the world for himself. And yet, the people of Israel all through the Old Testament were drawn away by other gods and selfish temptations. He speaks of it in Judges 8, Isaiah 1, Jeremiah 2 and 3, Ezekiel 16, and throughout the whole book of Hosea. And yet, he has always honored his covenant with his people. A covenant that even extends to us today; not only for the Jews but for those of us that believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.

That means he is in constant pursuit of me because of his intense love for me, and yes for you. I felt the Lord ask me, "What if your bride's attention was continuously drawn away from you and the vows you have made to each other? What if you constantly had to fight for her attention and affection? That's what I do with you. That's why I never sleep. I love you dearly and will always long to be with you. I don't have time to sleep because I treasure every moment I get with you." How is it that he is so crazy in love with us? I realized in that moment that my attention and my affection is always being drawn away from my first love, and that I don't deserve his consuming love. But, I sure am glad that he loves me anyway, and there is nothing I can do to mess up this love. Oh, I have had times when I ignored his love, but that does not mean that it ever went away.

I feel that all throughout 2010 he has been wooing me. He has been romancing me and letting me experience more revelation of his love. It does not have anything to do with the stuff he can get for me, but that the creator of the universe, the one that holds everything together, never sleeps or slumbers because he is constantly watching over me and that he loves to be with me. I have a feeling that I will never be able to fathom the depths of this love, but I want to spend each day exploring it.