I hear it frequently, and have many times over the past 30 years of ministry, “We just cannot get enough volunteers.” It seems like most churches wrestle with this issue. How can we get more people to volunteer for the various ministries we offer? Sometimes, this leads to a place of great frustration where leaders begin to believe that nobody cares about the ministry of the church.

I am not convinced that is the problem. I believe people deeply care about Jesus Christ and his mission in the world. Numerous people I talk with are filled with passion. They love God, and they want to see the world transformed. When they pray the Lord’s Prayer, they really do want God’s name to be made holy, God’s kingdom to come, and God’s will to be done right here, right now, on earth as it is in heaven. They see the vastness of the need, and they believe God wants to answer that need through the church, but something is missing. I contend that the missing piece is found in the language we use.

Words have meaning. Yes, there are definitions for every word we use, but there is also the meaning we associate with those words. Combined, these definitions and meanings lead to assumptions and understandings about our communication. Use the wrong words and people envision the wrong things, and act accordingly. The proper words, however, elicit a vibrant response that releases powerful beliefs and actions.

So, what word is the problem? The surprisingly common and deceptive word, “volunteer.” Let me be honest and straightforward. I never volunteer at church, not as a pastor, nor as a Christian. I am not even sure it is possible. I volunteer to help a number of organizations and causes, but I never volunteer for ministry. Why? Simply because any action of ministry, no matter how small, is not volunteering, it is serving. Before you dismiss me and accuse me of an argument of semantics, take a moment to hear me out.

Volunteering has everything to do with me offering my time to something I value or believe in. Serving recognizes my life is a gift from God, and the time I offer is actually God’s time given to me to use to fulfill God’s purposes in my life and the world. When I volunteer, I am in control, and I am giving someone else what belongs to me. When I serve, God is in control, and I am responding to God’s grace in my life, sharing what God already shared with me. Volunteering is about helping out with something important. Serving is about being a part of something bigger, believing my part is connected to God’s vision for the transformation of the world.

Colossians 3:17 says, “And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” In these simple words, we are reminded that, as followers of Jesus, what we do is not about us. It is not about our personal tastes, our private agendas, or even about the traditions of our local church. What we do is about Jesus, and his plan for the world. When I serve, I am connected to something so much greater than I could imagine. My actions are no longer about how I feel, or what I get, including the affirmation and appreciation of others. As a servant, I am acting to please God, to show my love to the One who loves me most.

I often think of the comparison to marriage. I do not volunteer to help my wife with projects that matter to her, or to care for our family. I choose to give myself as an act of love. That may be the act of making the bed, listening to a story, or any number of little things that express my heart’s connection to my wife and children. Not once have I said, “Okay, I will volunteer to care for you when you are sick,” or, “I volunteer to clean the house.” Instead, I choose to do such things because I am in love. I want to respond to the love I receive, and show the love I have.

My relationship with Jesus is no different. I do not preach on Sunday because it is my job. If that was the motivation, it would be a terrible job. I don’t visit people in the hospital, help with our youth, teach, lead, or anything else because I must. Instead, I do all the acts of ministry because I love Jesus, and I love the people I am called to serve. I do not volunteer to help the church, or the community. I serve people because of the passion, and compassion, in my heart. Acts of ministry are not just tasks, they are expressions of love, opportunities to value others through our service.

Maybe the reason we seem to always need more volunteers is because we actually don’t need any volunteers at all. Maybe we need servants who understand how great God’s blessings are, and what a privilege it is to share those blessings with others. Maybe we need to help people see how our acts of ministry are signs of our love for God, and our love for people. Maybe we need to help people reconnect to Jesus, who said, and showed, that he came to serve others out of the vast, compassionate heart of God. Could it be that when we do, people will begin to see their own actions as following in Jesus’ footsteps, becoming like him in what they do?

I do not volunteer at church, but I will willingly give my life in service to God and others. There is but a small reward for what I volunteer to do, but my service, in the name of Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit can quite literally change the world. That is something I can be passionate about. That is something that I do not want to miss, and I know that I am not alone.

Today, we can choose to ask God for a servant’s heart. We can begin to change our words, our thoughts, and our motivations. We can exchange doing something nice for people, or just helping out, for the privilege of partnering with God in God’s work in the world. In 1 Corinthians 3:9, the Apostle Paul refers to us as God’s coworkers. That is so much more attractive and meaningful than church volunteers.

So, let’s embrace a new vision. Together, let’s open our hearts and minds to embrace something greater than ourselves or a program, and let’s become servants of the Most High God, ambassadors for Christ, and emissaries of the kingdom of God. It is time to believe that, with the help of the Holy Spirit, we can can fulfill that great prayer Jesus taught. May it be so!

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“Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” – Ephesians 4:31-32

Clutter, it accumulates easily, and as it does, it becomes a bigger impediment to our lives. Spiritual clutter, restricts our growth and hampers our faith.

One person who commented on the last post, raised an important point. Some things that clutter our lives can actually be fodder for growth and creativity as we mature. This week, I spent some time unpacking my studio. There were boxes of art supplies for me to go through. There still are, but what I did sort through revealed many things I forgot I possessed, and a few things I thought I disposed of. Many of these items provided some fresh inspiration for new projects, and I am glad they were still there to be found.

Not everything that appears to be clutter actually is, however, many things we become accustomed to may be more of a hinderance that we actually know. Looking for space in my studio revealed a number of things that were merely taking up valuable space. I feel attached to them because they were with me for quite a while, but it may be time for me to embrace greater simplicity. Maybe simplifying will be a good topic for the future. For the moment, let’s further consider our spiritual clutter. Tuesday, we looked at some of the larger pieces of spiritual clutter. Today, lets consider some other negative things that take up valuable space in our hearts.

Anger – We all get angry. People and things frustrate us, they hurt us, and from those initial emotions, anger develops. Anger is always a secondary emotion, but it is a powerful one, and when we harbor anger in our hearts, it damages our relationships. There is a place for righteous anger, but all too often we use that exemption to maintain harmful forms of anger adorned in righteous coverings. Real anger separates. It fuels division, and restricts healthy relationships. It affects our relationship with God, with others, and with ourselves.

Anger is toxic, and it is contagious. As the old axiom goes, “hurting people hurt people.” That is why the Scripture enjoins us to put it away along with bitterness, slander, and malice. Harboring these emotions, or acting on them, leads to great pain for everyone involved. The more we nurture them, the larger, and stronger, they become. This is a form of clutter that can choke the life out of our spirit.

Unforgiveness – Closely related to anger, the lack of forgiveness fosters pain in our spiritual life. People do harmful things and it is hard to release those experiences, and even harder to forgive those who caused them. However, our inability to forgive will never right the wrongs, nor will it lead to healing. Ultimately, it will attack and consume us without justice or restoration. As someone once said, “Unforgiveness is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die.” When we forgive, we do not condone harmful actions, nor do we excuse the people who did us harm, however, we stop the cycle of harm in our lives and free ourselves from the grip of our wounds. It is not easy to forgive, but the more we realize our own need for forgiveness, it becomes easier to extend it to others.

Bitterness and Hate – These are burdens that are simply to heavy to carry. They cause us to elevate ourselves above others. We begin to embrace an attitude of superiority which leads to judgement, discrimination, and destruction. Slander and gossip follow, as we seek to demean someone else in order to feel better ourselves. Many, if not all, of the “isms” we face in our society find their roots in bitterness and hate. When we pull up these roots, we destroy their fruit as well. The more that we embrace the Biblical call to be kind, tenderhearted, and loving, the more that we reflect the heart of God and find peace in our lives.

As I reflect on these harmful forms of spiritual clutter, I am reminded of all of the broken things I kept in my life because they were familiar, or filled with emotional connections. No matter what memories I connected with them, they were no less broken. Likewise, holding on to places of spiritual brokenness is equally unhelpful, and only prevents us from receiving the wholeness God designed for us.

There are numerous, other pieces of spiritual clutter that affect our faith journey, and there are things that may be obstacles in each of our lives that may not be issues for others. If we truly desire to live in God’s hope and peace, we ought accept the challenge to do the necessary, personal house cleaning. The Psalmist said, “Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” (Psalm 139:22-23) Maybe this should be a regular prayer.

If we will let God shine the light into our lives, God will reveal any grievous thing that needs to be removed. Then, we can trust the love of Jesus to cleanse us, and the power of the Holy Spirit to enable us to release the clutter, giving greater space for the Sprit to fill us. It sounds intimidating, but it seems like a very good trade to me.

The post Removing Spiritual Clutter – Part 2 appeared first on Thinking Faith Cafe.

When we see God, the awe and wonder of the experience changes us, and we slowly become windows through which other people have their own God sightings.

Another year passed without seeing the Perseid meteor shower. Every year, I make an effort to see this cosmic display, and cloud cover obscures my view. It was over two decades ago that I saw them while working at a children’s ministry camp. The experience was breathtaking, and I keep waiting to see their beauty once again. I could just give up, but then I would settle for never seeing them again. Even though I cannot see them, I know they are there. So, I continue to look, trusting that one night, the skies will be clear and I can have another experience with them.

The Psalmist was captivated by the heavens as well. He wrote, “You have set your glory in the heavens,” and that revelation humbled him. When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what are human beings that you are mindful of them, mortals that you care for them?” he reflected, and then went on to declare the praises of God. His revelation continues to impact millions of people today.

God sightings are worth the effort and the time, because revelation makes a difference. It gives us fresh eyes to see ourselves and the world. Through the lens of God, we capture a better vision of God, understand ourselves better, and see others as God sees them. Sometimes, our vision is clouded, but that doesn’t mean that we stop looking. God loves revelation, and our persistence pays off in the end.

There are many things that can cloud our view of God, but one of the greatest culprits is us. We get in our own way through our choices and mindsets, and we obscure our own vision. It can be that we narrow our expectations of where such revelation will come, certain that we know how and where God will show up. It can be an untrue belief that God will not give us revelation. It can even come from the frenetic pace we choose to embrace, that keeps us from looking in the first place.

Recently, I took some vacation time with my wife. I was so excited to get away, and I couldn’t wait to reach our destination so that our vacation could begin. Of course, our vacation began as we pulled away from our home, but I was focused on our destination. I confess, I am too often, destination driven, and in my focus on my perception of the goal, I can miss what is right in front of me. When my GPS took me on an unexpected route, you can imagine my challenge as we passed through a long series of small towns, instead of being on the highway like I hoped. As the trip progressed, I wrestled with a lot of inner frustration, and kept looking for the fastest way to get where we were going.

My wife does not share my passion for destination. She is much better at living in the moment and appreciating where she is at the time. As I drove with purpose to shave a few more minutes off the trip, she was actively celebrating all of the new things she was able to see. I lamented the trip we were taking, while she kept pointing out beautiful homes, and the quaint communities passed through. When I mentioned the disparity between our thinking, she replied, “I am having such a great time! I am with you, and I am seeing all of these wonderful things I never saw before.” I was humbled to say the least, and I began to try to see our trip through her eyes.

Sometimes, we need a guide to help us see. Just as my wife helped to remove my own blindness to the blessings around me, the Psalmist, and others, show us the God sightings we are missing. God loves revelation because it gives us a better understanding of who God is, and deepens our relationship with him. As our eyes are opened, we see God more clearly, and the more we see, the more we train our spiritual eyes to see. One God sighting leads to another. Before long, we begin to see God everywhere.

So, today, lets agree together to let God guide us, through the Scripture, through others, or through whatever means God has for us, so that we can see the revelation of God that is right before us. If our vision is clouded, lets keep looking, for the revelation is there waiting to be discovered. If we keep looking, our persistence will be rewarded. We will see God and we will be changed. Then, like my wife did for me, we can help others see what they are missing. May today be filled with God sightings for us all!

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“Then the Lord answered me and said: Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so that a runner may read it. For there is still a vision for the appointed time; it speaks of the end, and does not lie. If it seems to tarry, wait for it; it will surely come, it will not delay.” – Habakkuk 2:2-3

Twenty-four years ago, God gave me a vision. I was walking to church and I saw it. The image was as clear in my mind and spirit as if it stood before me. I saw the church I pastored, but it looked different. There were additions to the original building and increased parking space. The Church was full of activity. I was not counting people, but everywhere I looked, ministry was happening. I didn’t know what all the ministries were, but I could see people blessed in, and by, the work that was taking place. People were coming and going, and those that left were clearly on a mission. The community, region, and the world were affected by what God was doing.

I was overwhelmed with excitement and joy. God was moving, and the church was being the body of Christ. You can imagine the hope that filled me, and how it grew as I saw the plans for the first addition begin to come together. The vision was seared into my thoughts, and my heart. I could not wait to see what would happen next. However, it was not long before I found out I was about to be assigned to a new church. I couldn’t understand why God gave me such a clear vision, only to remove me from it.

I began to think God gave me the vision so that I would pray for it to come to pass, which I continued to do. I wondered if it might be preparation for something else God wanted me to do, but it seemed so specific. After a few years, I started to believe that the vision was for someone else and, while I continued to pray, I felt like I lost something. From time to time, my wife would say, ” Maybe, one day, you will go back and finish it.” I loved the sentiment, but it simply wasn’t possible… until it was. After 22 years of waiting in prayer, I was offered the opportunity to return. Many pieces of that vision are already in place, but the passion God gave me decades ago is once again burning brightly in my heart. God’s appointed time arrived.

The Lord told Habakkuk to keep the vision large, and to wait for it. The vision came with an appointed time, and God’s visions do not lie. God’s timing is not ours, and when God is ready, the vision will surely come. It may seem as if the fulfillment of the vision is impossible, but with God, all things are possible. What feels like a delay, is actually preparation, but it is easy to give up in the season of preparation. We can lose hope and faith that God will fulfill it.

A good friend frequently reminds me that all of the times “suddenly” appears in Scripture, it usually occurs after a long season of waiting and prayer. What appears sudden is actually the result of preparation for God’s perfect timing. The waiting is not easy, but God is faithful.

The Lord’s word came to pass for Habakkuk, and it is coming to pass for me. God’s Word for you will come to pass as well. It may not come in the time, or in the way, you expect, but God did not forget you, or the vision. Don’t lose heart, and don’t give up. Wait for it. It is not over until God says so, and remember, all of the promises of God are, “Yes, and Amen.” (2 Corinthians 1:20)

So, if you are holding onto a vision from God, but seeing no results, keep the vision large so you can see it, and remember, “If it seems to tarry, wait for it; it will surely come, it will not delay.”

The post Wait for It appeared first on Thinking Faith Cafe.

“My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast; I will sing and make melody. Awake, my soul! Awake, O harp and lyre! I will awake the dawn. I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples, and I will sing praises to you among the nations. For your steadfast love is higher than the heavens, and your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.” – Psalm 108:1-4

I am not a morning person. Although I am more used to rising early, it never quite seems like my natural habitat. People often talk to me about the joy of seeing the sunrise, but I tend to think, “If God wanted me to see the sunrise, it would be scheduled later in the day.” Nevertheless, my schedule, and daybreak, do coincide occasionally.

Some sunrises are spectacular, rivaling any beautiful sunset. Others, like this morning, are not immediately inspiring. The growing daylight reveals overcast skies and rain clouds. There is no flaming ball of fire, rising over the horizon; no glorious splashes of red, orange, and yellow, set against the backdrop of the dark blue sky. The light brightens, revealing grey skies and muted colors. It doesn’t seem quite as spectacular.

The psalmist declares he will, “awaken the dawn.” I hear those words and immediately picture the light breaking through the mists on the field to reveal the vivid color of creation. In my mind, it is always a wondrous display, as light overcomes darkness and the full spectrum of life is made visible. I never picture gray, cloudy mornings, until today.

Although the clouds and rain are hiding the glory of the morning sun, the sunrise is no less wondrous. It’s brightness and color are as beautiful as ever, even if it is hidden from my sight. Today, I must trust my knowledge of what I cannot see, and bring to mind the memories of the beauty of previous experiences.

It is in the gray mornings, and seasons, of our lives, that our hearts must remain steadfast. It is in the moments that do not seem glorious that we need to sing and make melody, and in the darkness that we remember that God’s love and faithfulness are higher than the heavens. The joy of faith is easy when things are bright and beautiful, and we should declare our praise in those times, but we are blessed when we remember continue to declare our praise, and maintain steadfast trust in God when it is not easy to see.

We are all tempted to let our experiences and feelings dictate our faith, but we are much better off when we let our faith inform, and shape, our experiences and feelings. Jesus told his disciples, “In this life you will have troubles, but take heart, I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) As people of faith, we do not ignore the realities of life, nor do we pretend everything is good. Instead, we see life for what it is, yet we choose to remember God’s love and faithfulness, and look beyond what we can see in the moment. We choose to trust that the sun is shining even when we cannot see it. We choose to walk by faith.

Today, things may appear gray and gloomy, but we can still sing and give praise in our heart. When we do, we will let that inner truth turn even the darkest day into a glorious sunrise of the Spirit.

Our hearts are steadfast, O God, our hearts are steadfast!

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I love to fish. It started early with trips to the lake with my father, using my youth-sized pole. I caught a lot of bluegill, and I still remember my first bass. When, I was twelve, my father became interested in fly fishing. I joined him, and I was hooked (pun intended). I quickly learned, trout are smart. I caught bluegill on lures, worms, cheese, and even once on an empty hook. Trout are not so easily fooled. Choosing the right fly and placing correctly on the stream are a necessity.

I wish I could say that I was more trout-like than I am. Though I am far more discerning than I was, I can still be drawn in by some pretty “cheesy” bait. Something will come come along that catches my attention and without enough thoughtful reflection, I am on the line. Just like fish drawn to artificial lures, I think I know what I will find, only to be disappointed in the end.

Jesus was a master of avoiding the lures of his time. In fact, he saw all bait exactly for what it was… bait. When he was challenged with questions and comments that invited a defensive response, luring him into unhealthy debate, he recognized it, responded accordingly, and stepped away. Sometimes he ignored it or diffused it, but he certainly exposed it.

What an example, and what a lesson! We don’t have to be drawn in to useless debates. We don’t have to react. We don’t have to bite. Our culture keeps tempting us to strike, only leading us to wrestle with each other on the ends of the line. What if, instead of taking the bait, we let the Holy Spirit make us savvy enough to see the difference? What if we used the spiritual gift of discernment to see things for what they are, and avoided the pointless arguments and divisions of our day?

There is great joy found in a peaceful spirit, and great blessing in unity. The world around us will continue to shout for our attention, but when we still our minds and spirits, we will hear the tender voice of God guiding us to reframe the discussion to God’s perspective. Just as it was for Jesus, choosing a godly response will quiet the contentious, and illuminate the path of God’s peace.

The post Don’t Take the Bait appeared first on Thinking Faith Cafe.

Identifying the sources of negative spiritual gravity in our lives is the first step to breaking free. When we see what is holding us back, those things begin to lose some power in the light of that exposure, but knowing gravity exists will not give us the power to overcome its pull. We need to take active steps to move upward. Here are five steps that can build the momentum we need.

Dream God-Sized Dreams

Do you remember your imagination? You probably used it a lot when you were younger, but in the course of maturity, we become more conservative in our vision and we constrain our dreams. God dreams big dreams, and you are created in God’s image. You were made to pursue grand visions, not to settle for what is common, or easy. The first step toward breaking free from the sources of negative spiritual gravity is to give our imaginations permission to dream big again.

What would you do if you had nothing holding you back? What captivates your heart? What is burning within you, crying to be free? These are the questions to ask, and ponder. Take the shackles off of your dreams, and embrace the Biblical promise that you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you. Remember, we have a God who can do, “exceedingly, abundantly beyond all we can ask or imagine through his power that is at work within you.” (Ephesians 3:20)

Take Hold of the Vision

Dreams remain dreams until we embrace them, then they become a vision. Keep dreaming, but as you begin to resonate with your dreams, let them become visions that draw you forward. To use the rocket illustration of the past two days, launches do not happen by accident, nor are they just to see the rocket go up. There is a clear vision of the rocket’s purpose, direction, and destination. Dreams must be distilled into a vision. Even if all of the details are not clear, the next step is to own the vision that is growing within you. Once you take hold of it, the clarity will begin to come, and you will be on your way. God reminded the prophet Habakkuk, “The vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end – it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay.” (Habakkuk 2:3)

Fill Your Tank with Faith

You cannot create energy without fuel, and that fuel is faith. Breaking free will involve building our faith, and increasing the capacity for faith in our lives. Start with what you have. If your faith is low, then use what you have to accomplish small victories. A series of small steps accomplishes the same thing as a giant leap, and with each step completed, your faith will grow.

It is also important to feed on inspiration. Read Scripture, pray, and spend time in fellowship with others who dream God-sized dreams. Read books by people with vision and faith. Savor the stories of faith-filled people, both past and present. It is very easy to find stories of defeat and discouragement. Make the effort to fill yourself with things that strengthen your faith and deepen your dreams.

As hard as it is to hear, it may be necessary to remove yourself from voices that speak negativity and defeat. It is very hard to build faith when others are holding you back. I am not suggesting our relationships with people are merely expendable, but embracing the dream God plants in your life may require limiting the impact some people have on your life and energy. Instead, surround yourself with people who will share their faith and help you fill your tank.

Keep Your Eyes on Jesus

Breaking free from what holds us back involves playing one of the greatest, and most significant, games of follow the leader. Just as driving requires keeping our eyes on where we want to go, so moving forward into our destiny demands that we keep our eyes on the One who is leading us into it.

You might remember the story of the Apostle Peter. He was in a boat with the other disciples when they saw a figure walking on the waves. At first they are afraid, but then they realize that it is Jesus. Peter calls out to Jesus with a burst of faith and says, “Tell me to come out to you.” Jesus makes that invitation and Peter responds. Eyes on Jesus he begins to walk upon the same waves, out to where Jesus is. Somewhere along the way, he moves his attention from the One who called him to the waves surrounding him. With that simple shift of his gaze, he begins to sink into the water, causing Jesus to come to his rescue.

When our eyes are on Jesus, we can do amazing things. When we look away, we begin to sink. Keep your eyes on Jesus.

Don’t Look Back

Jesus said, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.” (Luke 9:62) Again, this is not a condemnation, merely a statement of fact. If we keep longingly looking back toward what held us captive, our fitness level is not ready for the demands of the race before us. Imagine an Olympic runner trying to win a race while looking back at the starting line. It simply doesn’t work. While God was surely with us in that place in the past, God is with us now calling us into our future. Remembering where we came from and what we did is fine, but our gaze must remain forward to run a fit race.

With these steps in mind we can trust Jesus to lead the way and the Holy Spirit to empower us to achieve the destiny God is calling us to embrace. I would love to say it is easy, but that is simply not true. Great things require great effort, and our calling is a great calling. However, if we remain faithful and disciplined; if we will persevere with passion, we will break free from the strongholds holding us back and soar into our future with Christ.

We will wrap up this theme looking at the wonder and beauty that is found soaring with Christ. Until then, let the Spirit build your faith, and keep your eyes on Jesus.

The post 5 Steps for Breaking Free (Gravity Pt. 3) appeared first on Thinking Faith Cafe.

Gravity, it is the weak force of physics that keeps us strongly rooted to the ground and affects everything from the lightest feather to the grandest sun. It is something we depend upon for life to remain ordered, and it is surprisingly difficult to overcome.

We see that difficulty every time we watch a rocket launch. Massive amounts of fuel are needed to create the thrust energy needed to lift the rocket from the ground. At first it barely moves, and slowly develops forward momentum. Still, that momentum would be almost instantly lost if the thrust were cut off. However, once free of the strong pull of the earth’s gravity, very little energy is needed to change direction or increase speed.

Like the rocket that exerts great energy to free itself form the gravitational force pulling it back to earth, we must also exert great energy to break free from the things that pull us back in life. If we stop too soon, or back off from the effort, the pull of the former things will quickly drag us backward.

The Hebrew people were slaves in Egypt. The Bible tells us the lived in subservience for 400 years. Generation after generation being born and dying in slavery. They dreamed, prayed, and cried out for freedom with a vision that one day they would be free from oppression.

Enter Moses, the man God chose to be the tool of God to liberate the Hebrew slaves. The story is lengthy, but as God moved powerfully through him, Pharaoh relented and set the people free. In the process everyone saw the supreme power of God, and rejoiced that they were delivered from their bondage.

Early in their journey away from Egypt they encountered an obstacle, Pharaoh was coming after them and they were trapped. Having seen the great power of God to set them free so recently, you would expect their faith to be high as they called out to God to deliver them again. Instead, the gravity of their previous life took hold and they began to complain to Moses, “Why did you bring us out here to die? We were better off as slaves in Egypt!” It was a complaint spoken repeatedly in spite of God’s continued deliverance.

Jesus’ apostles were not immune to this pull. After all he taught them; after three years with him; after seeing him manifest the power of God and then doing the same themselves, the shock of his death led them to return to fishing, the vocation many of them possessed prior to his call to follow him.

We are not immune either. The Psalmist said, “The name of the Lord is a strong tower. The righteous run to in and are saved.” Yet, all too often, when the struggle hits, we run the other direction, right back toward where we came from. It happens in individual lives, in families, and in churches. When faced with adversity, unknown outcomes, and obstacles that seem dramatically bigger than our abilities, we try to fall back to what we once knew, before we were walking in the Spirit. We try to solve things in our own strength, or we try to run and hide. The pull of what we knew and where we were is a powerful force to overcome.

Of course, adversity, unknown outcomes, and substantial obstacles are also the foundation for great adventures. They are often the source of grand tales and the stuff of legends. It is when we push to overcome the pull of our past and our fears, we break free from what holds us back and are able to soar with Christ! Imagine the possibilities and discoveries that await us when we break free and pursue the adventure of a lifetime with Jesus. Let that nugget sink in and give you a little more hope, and power to persevere.

In my next post we will look at some forces that draw us back. What do you find tends to draw you back from living the adventure with Jesus?

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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.

“Write down the revelation
and make it plain on tablets
so that a herald may run with it.
For the revelation awaits an appointed time;
it speaks of the end
and will not prove false.
Though it linger, wait for it;
it will certainly come
and will not delay.” (Habakkuk 2:2-3)

God tells him to write down the vision and make it clear so people can read it. There is nothing hidden here. God wants the message declared so that no one can miss it. The revelation the prophet received is coming. It is on its way, and God wants the people to be ready, actively looking for it with expectation. Could it be that God is looking for the same thing to happen as we enter this New Year? Does God have a vision for the church and the world, and is he looking for us to declare it plainly so that others will see it?

As you might imagine, my answer to those questions is a resounding, “Yes!” The church of Jesus Christ is not meant to be a group of silent observers, hiding from the world. Of course, we are not meant to be obnoxious disciples condemning the world either. We are called to be witness of the Good News of Jesus Christ. We are those who affirm to people the truth of God’s word, and point them to the Living Word. God is on a mission to radically transform the world one human heart at a time, and we are invited to be a part of that mission.

Disciples of Jesus need to look past personal preferences and popular agendas in order to ask the Savior what his desires and plans are. We want to know what is on the heart of God, so that we can make that our heart as well. The Bible says that Jesus, “ever lives to intercede for us.” (Hebrews 7:25) Jesus is praying for us and for the world. Doesn’t it seem like it would be a good idea to find out what Jesus is praying will take place so that we can join in that prayer, and join in the work to see it become a reality in the world.

As disciples, we are followers of Jesus. He does not follow our plans, we follow his. Then, God graciously extends the opportunity to us to become leaders for those around us as we make God’s revelation clear so that people can run with it. You and I are privileged to be witnesses, living billboards, which reveal Jesus and his message to the world.

God’s plan is taking shape and will come to pass. The promise is that the revelation is for an appointed time, but it will not delay. God will not be early, nor will he be late. The revelation, God’s vision, will come forth at just the right time. In the meantime, we wait, but we do so actively. We make God’s plan easy to see as people run by so that they can take hold of that vision and live it out in their lives in the world. When we do this, we become disciples of Jesus, who make disciples of Jesus for the transformation of the world.

God’s New Year’s resolution for us is no small wish, it is a great vision from a great God. God’s revelation is sealed in Jesus Christ and empowered through the Holy Spirit. As we begin this year, it is time for us to go big in our faith and discipleship. Let’s do this!

The post God’s Vision: A Big Idea appeared first on Thinking Faith Cafe.