Teach me your way, O LORD, that I may walk in your truth. – Psalm 86:11a ESV

Recently, we experienced a major storm, one filled with lightning and thunder, and significant rainfall. The storm started while my wife and I were at a church meeting and continued for several hours. As we opened the doors to leave, we knew we would get very wet on our short walk home.

My wife was aware of some obstacles she noticed on the way to the meeting and reminded me to be careful. The problem… in addition to the heavy rain it was extremely dark. As we made the brisk walk to our porch, we both thought we knew the safest way home, but it was not the same way. This made for some humorous moments as we walked hand-in-hand trying to take each other in different directions. Soaking wet, and laughing, we made it back realizing neither of us knew for sure what we were doing.

While that night will remain a happy memory, it is true that not every path is so safe, nor is every journey lighthearted. There are places we must go and choices we must make that are far more significant where, if we are honest, we still feel like we are walking in darkness. We think we know where we are going, but it may be more accurate to say we hope we know.

In John 14, Jesus tells his disciples, “You know the way to the place where I am going.” The disciples, in a moment of honesty reply, “How can we know the way?” Jesus, recognizing their human confusion offers the greatest solace, “I am the way.”

The psalmist understood the disciples dilemma. Walking the right path, the way of God’s truth is not always easy, but we are not alone in our journey. There is help from the One who knows, and is, the way. When we remain in Christ, and allow him to teach us his way, our path is secure. There is no darkness too deep, nor storm too strong, to cause us to lose our way. The journey may not be easy, but following Jesus, we will not be lost.

We can try to find our own way, and we can let others pull us in different directions they believe are correct, but we may end up more lost than we were when we began, getting soaked by the powerful rains of the storm. We may end up running into unexpected obstacles, injuring ourselves or others. Yet, when we humble ourselves enough to admit that we do not know the way, we are then in a position to seek God’s direction; to pray, “Teach me your way, O LORD, that I may walk in your truth.”

The post Watch Your Step appeared first on Thinking Faith Cafe.

As laughable as it was, it is also quite the reality for just about everyone I know. It seems many people around us are convinced that they know what we should do, how we should feel, and what our priorities should be. Unfortunately, these people rarely agree, making their combined list of expectations even greater. They also rarely spend time listening to our situation and our heart, choosing instead to impose their own thoughts and feelings on us.

What is most unfortunate is that their comments are not rooted in revelation from God. Instead of prayerfully considering what God might be asking of us, they bypass that reflective process to speak out of their own agendas and desires, certain that they know what is best for us. The question for us is, “how are we going to respond?”

In our modern day of politically correct, sensitive responses, many of us feel the need to fit in to the expectations of those around us. We don’t want to respond to these inappropriate intrusions in a way that seems mean, so we often allow guilt to pile up as we add more things to our “To do” list. As kind and loving as that response may seem, it is actually a form of codependency that encourages unhealthy behavior. It may be that our best response is a different response.

The Apostle Paul wrote, “Now does that sound as if I were trying to win human approval? No! I want God’s approval! Or that I’m trying to cater to people? If I were still doing that, I would not be a servant of the Messiah.” (Galatians 1:10) He could not be clearer. His goal is not human approval, but God’s approval. He addresses those who would seek to direct his life without prayerful reflection and guidance by saying, “So what? Think what you like. Say what you like. I am seeking God’s approval.”

You and I must seek God with the questions, “Did I do what you wanted? Am I doing the right thing? Are you pleased with me and my direction?” We can allow the comments of others to lead us to seek God’s opinion, and we can maintain a teachable spirit, but our goal is not to please people, but God.

This is significant as we embrace God’s vision for our life. God may ask things of us that are not what others want us to do, and we will undoubtedly need to say, “No,” to many things people ask of us. This is not because we are mean, but because we are wise. What value is there is trying to live up to the expectations of people who will never be satisfied, especially when that means we might neglect the greater things God is asking us to do. Certainly, chasing down what it takes to please the people around us will drain our energy for the things we should be doing, and may cause us to lose focus on our calling.

Saturday night, as I watched my beloved Pittsburgh Steelers lose a playoff game to our rivals, I had a lot so say as an armchair quarterback and coach. Comfortably sitting on my sofa, I was certain I knew what needed to be done to win the game. The truth is, I was not there. I did not have all the information the coaches had. I am not trained to coach a professional sports team, and it is not my job. All of this is exactly why there is not a single player on the team that is remotely concerned about my assessment of their game plan or performance. I can have an opinion, but the reality is, my opinion does not matter.

The greatest goal of our lives is not the approval of others, it is the approval of God. When our lives on earth are complete and we stand before our God, whose eyes blaze like fire, we want to hear the words, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” This will be the affirmation from the One who truly matters, not from the onlookers who had opinions.

The post The Opinion that Truly Matters appeared first on Thinking Faith Cafe.

My wife and I just returned from a trip to our hometown. It was good to see family, visit some familiar places, and eat some favorite foods. We even brought some of those foods home with us. For me, it was also a kind of reset on my life. Something about being back in that environment reminds you of the steel-like strength that runs though you. It was a very visceral experience that helped me reconnect with who I am and where I am from.

Hopefully, each of us has a place like that, somewhere we can go to recapture our identity. It is a valuable gift to make a pilgrimage to places where we can look back and look forward at the same time; where we can allow the things that shaped us to give us fresh vision for our future. It was a special blessing for us to be there at the beginning of the New Year.

Spiritually, we need those reset moments as we make our way along our journey. In a way, this was the theme of many recent blog posts as we journeyed through Christmas and into New Year’s Day. This season is especially good at helping us reconnect with our identity in Christ, our place in the Christian story, and our relationship with others. However, holidays are not the only times we can connect with the roots of our faith. Every day offers us opportunities to engage God, and “reset” our faith.

Along with the regional foods we brought home, I also made sure to bring back some items with the Pittsburgh Steeler logo. Yes, there is a crucial game tonight, but I will not be there, and will likely be wearing these treasures in the privacy of my own home. Yet, they will remind me each time I wear them, or see them, of my roots. They will call me back to who I am, and to what I learned about myself on this trip.

Likewise, my Bible, my spiritual and prayer journal, my appointments with God, and every other spiritual reminder in my life, calls me back to my rooted place in God. Each of us can take advantage of these parts of our daily lives to allow the Holy Spirit to gently correct and inspire us. We can allow these points of connection to reveal God’s heart toward us and vision for our lives. Our prayer time can reorient our lives, our time in the word can strengthen and transform us, and our worship can reset our priorities.

There may be times where we need extend time with God to allow ourselves to become centered on the path once again, but the moment-by-moment course corrections are just as valuable. Each becomes a tool God uses to shape and direct our lives.

As we approach the end of the Christmas season, and embrace what awaits us in 2015, we can let God work in all our circumstances to connect us to him, to one another, and in ministry to the world. Just imagine what God is about to do, and who we are about to become in Christ!

The post Reset appeared first on Thinking Faith Cafe.

For the last 15 years, I have been captivated by the power of the message of Psalm 1. Six simple, yet profound, verses establish the importance of where we choose to camp spiritually. The author of the Psalm begins by declaring blessed the person who does not camp on the paths of the wicked, sinners, and mockers. He then goes on to say that the person who puts their roots into the law of The Lord and meditates on it constantly will celebrate abundance in God.

This is a very powerful truth. If we follow the ways of the wicked and make our spiritual home there, we will miss out on tremendous blessings, and may suffer great loss here, and in eternity. However, if we delight ourselves in God’s way, we become like trees planted by streams of fresh water that give life, we flourish, bear fruit, and find strength. In the end, those who camp with God will prosper in what they do, for their foundation will be strong and solid.

In our day, as it was in the Psalmist’s time, there are a myriad of temptations to follow ways that are not of God. Some of these ways come with great cultural support, and we can even be made to feel that we are wrong for not embracing what the world around us says is right. The Bible is clear, however, that God’s ways are not our ways, nor are God’s thoughts our thoughts. It even says that the wisdom of the world is foolishness to God.

It makes all the difference where we camp, and it affects much more than our comfort in the experience. God’s way may not be popular, but it is always right, and if we want to flourish, we must be planted near the streams of healthy water that allow us to grow and thrive.

Unfortunately, there will be times when we will need to choose between being popular and accepted, or being where God calls us to be. When we face these difficult times, it is important to remember where life and blessing are truly found. The world, even our friends, may choose to camp in unhealthy and destructive paths, but we must wisely make camp where God calls us to go.

God’s call may lead us away from what others embrace, but God is not seeking to keep us from enjoying life, instead, God is calling us to the place of blessing, where we can experience God’s abundance, and prosper in all that we do.

May the tree of your life flourish and bear fruit, and may you prosper in all you do as you build your life upon the solid, healthy foundation of God.

The post Camping in a Good Place appeared first on Thinking Faith Cafe.

But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart – Luke 2:19

Mary often gets overlooked. This woman chosen by God to bear the Savior of the World and nurture him to adulthood barely gets more than a nod at Christmastime by many people. Of all the women throughout history, she is the one chosen by God to be the means by which Christ enters the world. What an amazing indicator of her availability to God and her willingness to be faithful.

There are many things we can learn from Mary, but one of the facets of her life that profoundly speaks to me and my life is this simple quote from Luke. Here, in the midst of all of the busyness around her that included crowds, a noisy stable, her new child, and shepherds declaring God’s revelation to them, Mary takes it all in, holds on to these things as treasures, and ponders them in her heart. What a great message at Christmas and what a wonderful lesson for life.

The holiday season is always busy, sometimes far too busy. It is easy to get lost in the multitude of tasks and commitments that come this time of year. There is the list of family traditions that simply must be maintained, while new requirements and expectations are created. Work continues, and even includes more responsibility with year-end paperwork, planning for 2012, and more meetings and parties than any other time. In the midst of all of these activities, the other aspects of life continue. Things need repaired, bills must be paid and personal challenges still exist. All of these expectations and this activity can seem overwhelming at times.

The well-know psychologist Carl Jung once said, “Hurry is not of the devil, hurry is the devil.” Profound words that speak to our lifestyle, not only at Christmas, but at all times. We fill our lives with activity and busyness, all the while edging out the time for reflection and meditation. We become so busy living our life, that we lose the time to appreciate it in the process.

Here is where we need the heart and attitude of Mary. Sometimes, we simply need to stop, take in what is happening in our life and ponder it quietly with God. Like Jesus, who would take time to go to the mountainside to pray, we need time to bring our life before God and receive God’s direction for our next steps. We need the Holy Spirit to help us mine the treasures out of our daily experience so that we can see the holy treasures that surround us.

This morning, as I write this, I am facing a task that I do not want to do. I know it will take more time than I want and require a significant amount of mental and emotional energy to complete. My thoughts keep becoming caught up as I ponder the task and my desire to procrastinate. Yet, I am aware that as I actively ponder this task, I am missing numerous treasures that surround me.

Today will be what it will be, and what needs to be done, must be done, but I do not need to surrender my blessing in the process. Just as Mary found a way to hold fast to the blessing of God in the midst of her experience, I too can open my eyes to God’s gifts in this moment. We all can, and that is the real beauty of our relationship with God. At any moment, we can look with God’s eyes and see the treasures that surround us.

Here are just a few I am savoring this morning. Maybe, they will inspire you to find something similar in you day as well:

• The sunshine flooding the room on this crisp winter day
• The warmth of my home, both physically and emotionally
• My family and the love we share with one another
• The quietness of this moment
• My friends who bring richness to my life
• The coffee and bagel that nourished me this morning and tasted so good
• The Scripture and words of life it spoke to me as I read it earlier
• The presence of God calming my spirit and empowering me for the day ahead
• The knowledge and hope that I can do all things through Christ
• The joy that comes from knowing that I am a friend of God

Even as I write this list, I see more reasons to treasure this day. May you find them in your life as well and ponder them in your heart, and may the true spirit of Christmas bring life to your spirit and your busy schedule as well.

The post Reasons to Treasure appeared first on Thinking Faith Cafe.

Numerous times as a father I heard these words as I attempted to teach one of my children how to do something. Their struggle for independence and desire to demonstrate what they knew would cause them to jump ahead of my instructions while informing me that they had it covered. Sometimes, they did. Often, they did not, and neither did I when took the same approach at their age. It is an important piece of knowledge we must acquire by learning from our mistakes. Even as adults, it is still difficult to acknowledge that we do not know everything and accept that we need help.

David, Israel’s well-known king, made his share of bad decisions including sleeping with the wife of one of his soldiers, and when he found that she was pregnant and his sin could not be hidden, made arrangements for her husband to be moved to the center of the battle to die. He suffered greatly for his choices, but learned from them as well. In Psalm 25:9, he writes, “He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way.”

David learned the valuable lesson of humility. He discovered through that virtue God would teach him the right thing to do and show him God’s way to live. By recognizing his need for direction and his dependence upon God, he put himself in a position to be more than he thought possible, even when he thought too highly of himself.

It is a lesson for all of us. When we can honestly accept that we are not God, that we do not know all things and that we cannot always discern the right way, we develop a teachable spirit that God can use to lead us into blessing. As long as we think we have it covered, that we need nobody and no direction we set ourselves up for failure and frustration. When we embrace humility, we open ourselves to good directions, wise decisions and godly blessings.

David learned the hard way the deep pain that comes from pride and arrogance. Many of us have learned that painful lesson as well, but we can also allow these tough experiences to teach us humility and prepare us for a better future. There is never a bad time to start embracing humility. It is never too late. It is a decision we renew again and again, but we do so knowing that God gives grace to the humble, guiding them and teaching them the path that leads to life.

The post Humble Direction appeared first on Thinking Faith Cafe.

Whenever significant changes occur in such public ways, there are always many questions and many assumptions. This news is no different and the discussion even made its way into our van as we came home last night. My son began talking about who could replace Jobs and where Apple would look to find someone. This provoked some interesting conversation, but a key point I raised in our discussion was that any company looking to successfully navigate a change like this would be wise to look for someone within the company who understood the company’s DNA. My wife and son agreed then they said, “but it won’t be the same.”

They are right. We all know that when leadership changes, something significant shifts. Even though we talk about the power of an institution to follow its design, we know that leadership plays a significant roll in how the vision is put into practice and how people are willing to follow.

The Apostle Paul wrote the Corinthians, “Follow my example as I follow the example of Christ.” (1 Corinthians 11:1) He understood the importance of leadership to shape others, and he also understood that the good leadership involves being a good follower.

Leadership is a popular theme in the world, and it is in the Church as well. It seems everyone wants to be a leader. Those in charge are highly valued and respected and many aspire to be in someone else’s position. It is almost like an adult version of King of the Hill. The best leaders, however, are not just those with the right degrees, background or connections. Great leadership comes from following a great model and then modeling those same great behaviors for others to follow.

This is why Paul could tell his listeners to follow him, for he knew that he was following Christ. He sought to model his life after the life of Jesus and invited the Corinthians to do the same by following him to Christ. We should do likewise.

Jesus invested tremendous time in his disciples, helping them understand the kingdom of God through his words and actions. On the night of his crucifixion, he began his last meal with them, by taking on the role of a servant and washing their feet. Then he told them that they should do as he did, following his example.

 Jesus is our example. We need to follow him, and then we need to be Jesus with flesh on for the world around us. When people look at us they should see the One who we follow in us, in our words and in our actions. It should be clear that we belong to him.

Thankfully, our leader will never resign, so there is no concern over his replacement, but as followers, we can help others follow as well. If we follow the model set before us, and allow him to dwell within us, then we too, can encourage those around us to follow us as we follow Christ. We need to be good followers first, then we can begin to think about becoming leaders.

May the eyes of our hearts be on the Leader so that we can be followers worth following.

The post Great Followers appeared first on Thinking Faith Cafe.

About a mile into our journey, we ran into the worst fog I’ve ever seen, and certainly the most challenging I’ve ever driven in. I could barely see anything beyond the hood of the car. I could not see the road, with all of its twists and turns, there was no way to turn around, and no way to identify any traffic around us. I did not know what to do.

We ended up driving another six miles in the fog to the next available exit from our now obscured scenic drive. My wife diligently watched out the window for any sign of traffic and I, with my door open, slowly navigated the trip by following the yellow dividing line that was just to my left. It was challenging and frightening, but we made it through.

I think of that story often, because there are times when life feels like that trip along Skyline Drive. Things are not always clear. Sometimes it is difficult to know where to go, when to turn, or what to watch out for. We know that the path before us has curves and potential obstacles, but we cannot see them. With no ability to turn around, we know we must find a way to move forward in spite of our limited view and our fears.

The Psalmist wrote, “Your word is like a lamp to my feet and light to my path.” (Psalm 119:105) When life is challenging and frightening, when we do not know what to do next and the path seems impossible to find, it is then that the light of God shines the brightest on our way. Through the written word of God and the living Word of Jesus Christ, we can see enough to take the next step.

Like my driving experience, we may not be able to see more than the very next step and our guide may seem like nothing more than a small yellow line by our side. Yet, we know that God is with us and that his directions will bring us safely through if we will follow his path. With the light of Christ and the light of the Scripture, we place our faith in God and take the step that we can see, and with God’s help, we do it together.

Looking back, my trip through the fog that day was one of the most challenging parts of our honeymoon, but is also one of the favorite stories of my life. Remembering, and sharing, how my wife and I faced a difficult situation and made it through together still makes me smile and reminds me of the wonderful adventure we share together.

So it is with God. As we look back, we too can tell the stories of how we overcame challenges and confusion with God’s light on our path. Our faith is strengthened by the memory of God’s provision. Our testimony is stronger as we share the story with others, and in the end, we can celebrate the awesome adventure that comes from sharing life with God.

The path is not always clear, but the journey is worth it. As we share the adventure with God, we can put our trust in the Word to light our way.

The post LIght on the Path appeared first on Thinking Faith Cafe.

Each year multitudes of people may commitments to themselves, to others and even to God. Their New Year’s resolutions seem fixed in their minds and possibly in their hearts. The intentions are good, but the follow-through is not. Somewhere between the affirmation and the action something gets lost, and they return to the way things were before… comfortable and familiar.

This year, I want to challenge you to something different. I want to encourage you to use these days to diligently seek God for His vision for your life. What is it that God wants you to do or become? Then I want to encourage you to take some steps to make that a reality in your life. It will take more than a wish. It will take a proactive choice and a commitment to see that choice through.

One of the first steps you can take to making God’s vision a reality in your life is to consider your crowd. “My crowd?” you ask. Yes, you know, the crowd you permit to surround you and influence you. If you are going to give that vision life then you must ask yourself if you are surrounding yourself with people who will help get you to where you are going. Is your crowd supportive of your passion for God? Are they willing to challenge you when you try to stop pressing forward or if you choose a contrary path?

So often, we pay little attention to the impact of others on our lives and we miss their ability to inspire us, and sometimes discourage us. People naturally gravitate toward people who are like them. Have you ever noticed how it seems that the complainers all cluster together, each one fueling the others’ concerns. The negativity grows and the entire group becomes ever more entrenched in those destructive patterns.

The good news is that it works both ways. Surrounding yourself with positive people, those who have great faith and keep pressing on to win the prize, will begin to have an effect on you. The more you are with them, the more you too will begin to embrace an attitude of possibility and promise. Even a negative person can become a person of great vision if they allow God to work in their lives and surround themselves with positive people.

I am not suggesting that you abandon your friends or your family, but rather, that you allow yourself to soak in the attitude and spirit of people of great faith so that you can achieve God’s purpose in your life and so that you can be a positive influence in your other relationships.

Fulfilling your resolutions will require more that just the right crowd, but with the Spirit’s help, it is a powerful first step toward making God’s vision a reality in and through you.

Be blessed as you seek God and His kingdom in this new year.

The post Consider Your Crowd appeared first on Thinking Faith Cafe.

Yesterday, while shopping at a local store, I had the opportunity to visit with a couple of friends. We were busy sharing laughs and a few stories, when one of my friends asked the simple question, “How is everything going?”

Caught up in the flow of conversation, I responded quickly by affirming things were good and sharing a few short anecdotes about how busy things were as I approached Thanksgiving and the beginning of Advent. I went on to talk about the paperwork I was facing and the all-day meeting that was upcoming. My friend smiled, told me how sorry he was about the fullness of my schedule and offered to keep me in prayer.

It was not until several hours later that I paused long enough for God to get my attention. Ever so gently I was reminded that my friend, and those who were around us, were also living lives with full schedules. I was so caught up in the challenges of my schedule that I never thought to consider the impact of my words on those around me.

I’ve preached, spoken and written about positive attitudes and the importance of not sharing a critical or complaining spirit, and here I was faced to see that I was doing the very thing I did not want to do. I was stunned at how easily I took a normal challenge of life and made it a challenge I then passed on to others when I could have used that same time to speak words of grace that would build them up.

God lovingly reminded me that my calling was not to bemoan my challenges, but to equip and encourage others on their way. The Bible tells us that we will, “give an accounting of every idle word,” and while I do not see that text as evoking guilt and fear, it is a sobering reality that I am responsible for the seeds I sow in the lives of others.

I do not know where you are in your own journey, but I do pray that together, we can learn from what God is teaching me, that we can take greater responsibility for what we say, how we say it, and the impact we make for God in everything we do.

Life is busy, but God is great and good. Let us encourage one another even now.

The post Learning My Own Lesson appeared first on Thinking Faith Cafe.