The Stakes Are High!

I love watching sports...when the stakes are high. Ask me who is in first place during the middle of the season and I couldn't tell you. But when it comes down to the playoffs, I'm glued to the TV! Why? Because it just seems to matter more. I understand that all the games matter in the grand scheme of things, but nothing interests me more than the final games of the season.

While the stakes are high right now in the MLB, the stakes have never been higher when it comes to something that is so much more important than any sport. More than ever, people need to know  Jesus. We live in a culture that is becoming increasingly pluralistic and less Christian. In fact, an article written by Fox News yesterday stated that for the first time in American history Protestants are no longer in the majority.  

"The percentage of Protestant adults in the U.S. has reached a low of 48 percent, the first time that Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life has reported with certainty that the number has fallen below 50 percent."

Why? It goes on to say that one of the biggest reasons is that many people say they no longer have any religious affiliation. My friends, the stakes are high! People need to hear the good news of the gospel. Let me share with you some encouraging statistics I ran across the other day from an article written by Dr. Thom Rainer.

1. 96% of unchurched people are at least somewhat likely to attend a church when invited.
2. Most of the unchurched have a positive view of pastors, ministers, and the church.
3. The unchurched would like to develop a real and sincere relationship with a Christian.

The fields are ripe and we must live every day with the realization that the stakes are high. Let's make the most of every opportunity we have to tell people the good news about Jesus!

The Refs Are Back!

So, the refs are back! You know, the NFL refs. Even if you are not an avid football fan, I'm sure you've heard about the replacement refs that filled in for the first few weeks of the season. Let's face it, there were some bad calls...some really bad calls. It all came to a head for me (and everyone else it seems) this past Monday night on a contraversial touchdown call with no time on the clock in the Green Bay/Seattle game. I have to admit, I just about lost it! How could they miss such an important call?

After it was all said and done, I did a litte reflecting on it all. I was reminded of how easy it was to be bothered by things that really don't matter for eternity. Just listen to the news for a couple of days and you will pick up on this. Just in the last few weeks we've heard whining and complaining from the Chicago Teacher's Union strike, those who are upset over the innacuracies of the maps program on the new iPhone 5, and then who could miss all the political attacks on both sides of the aisle.

Let's face it, in the grand scheme of life, these things really don't matter. This past month at our church, our pastor has been talking about the things that drive us crazy and the things that really should drive us crazy. Does it drive you crazy that people people don't know Jesus? Does it drive you crazy that so many will spend an eternity apart from Him? Does it drive you crazy when you observe your friends living for themselves and chasing after empty things that will ultimately not satisfy them?

Like me, I hope you will take a look inside your heart and ask God to give you his perspective. Once this happens, you will see the world in a very different way!

Identity Check

Last week Cheryl and I took a little trip to the DMV. As usual, we had to show MANY forms of identification and proof of residence in order to prove that we were who we said we were. I was reminded that we had to go through all of this because of the people who try to beat the system by posing as someone else. 

All of this got me thinking about our identity as followers of Christ. The Bible tells us in 2 Cor. 5:17 that "If any man be in Christ, he is a new creation." We have been given a new identity in Christ. A myriad of scriptures point to all the different aspects of this new identity (1 Cor. 6:20, Gal. 2:16, Heb. 9:14, John 1:29, etc.).

Yet Satan does everything he can to get us to trade it for something else. It starts when we lose sight of who God made us to be. We then begin to let other things define us (a job, a salary range, a relationship, a status level, and more). This leads to us putting our trust and finding our security in these things. Before we know it, we no longer embrace our identity in Christ.

Why is this so dangerous? Because when the trials of life hit us, only Jesus will be the one to see us through. How do I know this? I've lived it. A couple of years back I went through a very difficult season in my life. I endured 9 months of unemployment, a major back issue, and abdominal surgery which led to 25 days in the hospital.

As I lay in the hospital one day, I felt like I had lost so much of what defined me: my ministry job, the ability to support my family, my health, and my dignity. Then God spoke to me so clearly and He began to remind me that my identity was found in Him. I was rich! I had everything that I needed because of who I was in Him. This brought amazing strength to my heart and gave me the perspective I needed to get through this dark time.

Never forget who you are in Christ. Your job is what you do, not who you are. Your net worth is what you have, not who you are. What others say about you is their opinion, not who you are. You are a child of God, and you have everything you need!

The Top 10 Reasons Why You Shouldn't Serve in the Church

This weekend is our annual Ministry Fair at EC and it has me thinking a bit about the "serving" component of our Christian walk. Throughout the years, I have served alongside many different people. Without question, the Bible tells us that there is a place for everyone to serve (1 Cor. 12:12-26) and it even goes as far as to say that God created us for this (Eph. 2:10). By far, the happiest and most productive people I have ever served with are those who are in their "sweet spot". This is that place where a person's gifts, passions, and God's call intersect. Everyone has a "sweet spot" and with God's help we can all find exactly what he wants us to be doing. I encourage you to find that place and serve with all your heart.

Just for fun, I thought it would be neat to list my Top Ten Reasons Why You Shouldn't Serve in the Church. This is certainly not exhaustive. Feel free to add to it if you want. Enjoy!

1. Because you get recognition from others when you do.
2. Because you always have done it.
3. Because you don't know how to say no.
4. Because you want to do a favor for the pastors at your church.
5. Because there isn't anyone else to help.
6. Because you need to be needed.
7. Because someone made you feel guilty.
8. Because you think no one can do it better.
9. Because you have nothing better to do.
10. Because your mom did and her mom did and her mom did (well, you get the idea).

I'd love to hear your thoughts on this!

It's been almost 2 years since I last posted something on my blog. So much has happened between then and now. My family faced many difficult times, but God was amazingly faithful. As I reflect back on it all, I'm reminded of something a pastor told me many years ago regarding the will of God. He said, "The will of God is kind of like a scroll. God slowly unravels it as we walk through the journey of life. He never seems to show us too far down the road...just a little at a time so we will continually put our trust in Him." It's important to note what happens when we try to unravel the scroll ourselves. We make a BIG mess!

In the words of Mark Batterson (yes...I like to quote him), "God is predictably unpredictable". His ways are so much higher than ours and our lives are tremendously better when we follow his ways even when we don't understand. Our faith journey teaches us to trust Him, and I am living proof that He is faithful to his children. No matter what you are facing today, know that God has a perfect plan for you. Keep your eyes on him no matter what happens and He will see you through!

The Law of Requisite Variety

Someone once told me that a rut is nothing more than a grave with the 2 sides kicked out. Have you ever been stuck in one? I know that I have!

Here's a great article I found today by Mark Batterson, pastor of National Community Church. Hopefully, it will be helpful to you.

Click here to read it.

North Point's iBand

Hello everyone!

I pray that you are having a wonderful Christmas season. I ran across this video today and couldn't resist sharing it with all my blog followers. Click here or on the video below to view.  Enjoy!

Family Tree

I've been thinking a lot about families lately. Without question, families are under attack in our world today. As our society becomes increasingly evil, dysfunction in families seems to be more rampant than ever. Even worse, this cycle has a way of repeating itself again and again.

I recently ran across a new song by Matthew West called Family Tree. It speaks to the pain of broken families and God's power to stop the pattern of dysfunction. Whether you have a strong family or one that needs some major repair, this song is a great reminder that God is the only one who can truly break the chains that bind us.

Keeping Your Eye On The Instruments

My son, Zachary, is crazy about anything having to do with planes. It all started this past April when our family took a trip to Chicago to visit some friends. Since then, he has consumed numerous books about planes, regularly collects any airport paraphernalia he can get his hands on, and loves to visit the lookout at Charlotte Douglas Airport.

The other day, we were talking about planes and what pilots have to do when it's cloudy or dark. Obviously, pilots can't look out the window to see where they are at. It's in these times that they learn to rely on radar and other instruments like GPS that help them navigate their way to their destination. I must admit, even though I know this, I still feel better about flying on sunny days! There's just something a little freaky to me about flying through the clouds! Talk to a pilot, however, and they have no problem using the instruments of the airplane. Why? Not only do they know how to interpret the data, they trust the instruments.

My discussion with Zachary reminded me that there are times in our lives when clouds and darkness roll in. Maybe it's a sickness or a job loss. It could be a divorce or financial hardship. Whatever it is, it's in these times that we need to learn how to use and trust the instruments.

What instruments? I'm glad you asked! God's Word is the only instrument that can help us as believers navigate through the tough times of our lives. Don't get me wrong. God will surround us with encouraging people and he will provide the resources we need. He even gives us joy in the midst of heartache. But when it all comes down to it, we need to see that, although our circumstances may indicate otherwise, our life is headed in God's direction. This can only come from God's Word.

Perhaps you find yourselves wondering how you will get through a tough circumstance in your life. Here are some of the scriptures that I have been dwelling on over the past year. I've provided links to them so you can read them and meditate on them. Let God renew your mind as you read them. Remember, no matter what your circumstance, God's Word will navigate you through it and you will know his will for your life.

Jeremiah 29:11, Romans 8:28, Psalms 37:3-8, Genesis 50:19-21, Isaiah 55:6-11, Romans 12:1-2, Psalm 1, 2 Corinthians 4:7-18

Perhaps you have a scripture that you look to in hard times. If so, I encourage you to post it so that others can benefit from it.

Enjoy your flight and make sure to keep your eye on the instruments!

The Seven Sins Of Dying Churches

I ran across this blog post at The Visible Church a while back. I think it speaks to some of the main reasons why so many churches in America are on the decline. It seems to me that many of these sins stem from another sin. I believe that we have lost our first love (Rev. 3:14-22). Do you attend a dying church? If so, what are you doing about it?

Sin 1: Doctrine Dilution
"Teaching anything less than the absolute truths in Scripture will make the younger generation feel betrayed when they learn that a large gap exists between what the Bible really says and what they were taught in church" (16).

Sin 2: Loss of Evangelistic Passion
"Dying churches have little evangelistic passion. It is the responsibility of the pastor and other key leaders to exhibit this evangelistic passion" (17).

Sin 3: Failure to be Relevant
"Churches that do not find ways to become relevant in their respective communities will eventually falter. Churches that keep their internal culture unchanged for fifty years while the world around them goes through continual periods of metamorphosis typically die with the old culture" (17).

Sin 4: Few Outwardly Focused Ministries
"As crucial as Bible studies and fellowship are, dying churches gorge themselves on closed study groups and churchwide fellowship events while neglecting outreach in the community. Dying churches heavily skew their ministries internally" (18).

Sin 5: Conflict over Personal Preferences
"People within the church can squabble over the most insignificant things (pews, seats, sofas, style of newsletters and bulletins, etc.). When the church focuses on trivial matters, the greater gospel message is left on the sidelines" (18).

Sin 6: The Priority of Comfort
"Dying churches are comfortable with their ministries. They do nothing outside the bounds of their comfort levels" (19). These churches are often plagued with the attitude, "That's the way we've always done it!"

Sin 7: Biblical Illiteracy
"We are to be diligent to present ourselves to God, workers not needing to be ashamed, correctly teaching the word of truth (2 Tim. 2:15). If a church member does not understand the basics of Scripture, then they are hampered in their witness" (19).

Any thoughts?

Lessons Learned From Job Loss

I wrote an article for the Spiritual Care Support Ministries newsletter a while back that I thought I'd share with all of you. It's a little longer than my normal blog entries, but I think it's worth posting. Please feel free to pass it on to anyone who is currently unemployed.

On Monday, November 9, 2009, I had an experience that I hardly expected and never will forget. It was a typical Monday afternoon. My assistant and I were chipping away at the myriad of things that needed to be done for the week. As a worship pastor, there is never a lack of things to do! 

I was just about to pack up my stuff to leave when my office phone rang. It was my boss, the lead pastor. He invited me to come to his office to chat before I left.  I soon found out that our “chat” was much more than a time for small talk. He informed me that the church was going to be embracing a different type of leadership structure and he would no longer need my services. 

That day, I started down a road that I’ve never traveled before. As a pastor, I’ve helped people who were unemployed and did my best to understand their pain. I can now say that I know their struggles first hand. Here are some of the lessons I learned while I was unemployed. Hopefully, they will be a source of wisdom and encouragement to you. 

1. Learn to manage your emotions. Like any loss, my journey started with many negative emotions. I first felt denial which soon led to blame and anger. I reasoned, “How could such an injustice happen to me? I was a faithful employee, always doing more than I was asked to do. How could an organization, a church nonetheless, devalue me this much? How could God let this happen?”

My anger then led to sadness and self-pity. I saw myself as the victim in the story. I couldn’t stop dwelling on what had happened. I replayed the incident endlessly in my mind, trying to pinpoint something that I could have done differently to prevent my loss. Unfortunately, like an endless cycle, my self-pity led back to blame and then to anger again. 

This went on for some time before I realized what was happening and began to address my problem head on. I came to realize that feeling these emotions wasn’t wrong, but letting them control me was. With the help of some dear people in my life, I began to forgive those who had hurt me. It was then that I felt the grip that my emotions had on me begin to loosen. 

2. You are not what you do. Listen to a group of men talk and one of the first questions they ask each other is “What do you do for a living?” As men, we naturally find our identity in our careers. I certainly have found this to be true. Being without a job made it difficult at times to find something to talk about with the guys.  It also made me feel less important at times around them.

All of this has forced me to take a step back and assess who I am. First and foremost, I am a child of God. I am a husband and a father. While I currently may not hold the position, I am still a pastor and a worship leader. These are all gifts from God and they leave me with much for which to be thankful. Lately, I find myself talking to my friends about some of these treasures in my life. It’s a good reminder that I am not what I do.

3. God keeps His Word.  Job loss often leads to extended times of waiting. In some cases, job seekers search for a year or more. As one who lived this reality, I found the waiting process to be frustrating and even draining at times. The hardest part has been dealing with employers who promise to call back and never do. We live in a day and age where many people no longer keep their word. This kind of treatment can make a person feel like no one really cares at all. 

Lately, I’ve been dwelling on the fact that God always keeps his Word. Read through the scriptures and you will find that God has a great plan for his children and that He always follows through. God operates in a way that is in stark contrast to those looking for someone to hire. He will come through in His perfect time. And in the meantime, He will give you strength to wait if you ask Him for it.

4. Worry less, pray more!  Being without a job can definitely put a strain on the finances. As men, we are usually the main providers for our families. Not being able to fulfill this duty naturally causes us to worry about our future. Believe me; I’ve spent a good number of hours lying awake at night worrying about my family!

One thing that has helped me to break this habit is to remember that worry does not change my situation. If I am doing all that I can to find a job and trusting God with my situation, I need not worry. When I begin to worry, I do my best to turn it around by praying and asking God for help. As for my finances, God has been and still is providing for my family in some pretty unusual ways. I wish I had time to tell you all of it!

Perhaps you have recently lost your job. Whatever you do, don’t give up! Remember that there are many others fighting the same battle as you. Better yet, you can be sure that God is with you and is helping you find your next job. Even when it seems like He is not there, He is working out a good plan for you. His silence is not his absence. Reach out to Him and you will find all that you need.

 

God is Good

It's been a while since I've update the old blog! God has been teaching me a lot of things about my life and Himself over the past few months and I've finally found some time to sit down and write. While my recent journey has been frustrating at times, God's grace has been truly amazing! Without question, God has been with my family. I have learned more than ever to cherish His presence.

God has shown himself to me in so many different ways. Our family has seen one miracle after another. I'm reminded of something that Mark Batterson, Pastor of National Community Church, said. This is my paraphrase. He said, "There are a lot of people who are chasing after miracles, but not too many who want to be in a place where they really need one." I can now say that I've been there and I've see many!

While there have been many sources of strength for me during this time, there is something that has sustained my faith beyond anything else. It's a core belief that I've had for a long time and it has helped me through the toughest of times. Here it is! Are you ready? I believe with all my heart that God is good. That's it! Sounds pretty simple, huh? Simple, perhaps, but  powerful.  Let's face it, I don't know about you, but sometimes it's hard to make sense of the trials of life. It's even more difficult to process the terrible atrocities happening around our world.

It's important to remember that God is not the author of evil (Luke 11:11-13; James 1:13-17). He is good to His very core. God even takes the works of Satan and turns them around for good things for us and ultimately for His glory. It never ceases to amaze me!

Here are some of the ways I have seen His goodness:


1. Encouraging words from friends and family. I could go on and on about this. Most notable are several guys who have called me just about every week to chat and pray. Their friendship has been so valuable. I must say, you don't know who your true friends are until you go through a tough time in your life.

2. A strong marriage. I can't emphasize this one enough. All of us who are married have a choice to make during hard times. We can let them bring us closer together or divide us. I'm thankful to say that Cheryl and I are closer than ever to each other!

3. Opportunities to serve. Serving others has a way of helping us get our focus off of our problems. Cheryl and I have enjoyed worshiping and serving at Southbrook Church. It's been so refreshing to see God saving souls and transforming lives there. In a sense, it's been a source of healing for both of us.

4. Provision. I could write for days on this one! In 9 months (7 of which I was unemployed) we have never missed a payment on anything nor have we incurred any debt. I say this to give glory to God! We have had checks show up at just the right time, food, scholarships...the list goes on and on. I stand amazed at God's faithfulness! Recently, I started a job at Carolinas Healthcare System and I'm also helping out Dwayne and Stephanie MacDonald at Grace and Truth Church. While things are still very tight, I know that He will continue to provide.

There is much more I could write, but for the sake of brevity I will stop. Don't ever forget that, no matter what you face, God is good and he's working out a good plan for your life. He's done it time and time again for me, and He will do it for you too!

Your Boss Needs You To Be...

It's been a while since I've posted! I hope everyone is having a great summer. I ran across this blog post from Tim Stevens the other day. I thought it was great...

I don’t care if you work for a church, a business, or a factory. I guarantee you, your boss needs you to be…

1. A Momentum-Increaser — don’t make your boss be the only one pulling up the attitude and bringing energy to the workplace.
2. A Values-Champion — No one should live out the values of the organization more than you do.
3. A Silo-Destroyer — sniff out and destroy the silos that exist in departments throughout the organization. Make sure everyone is more committed to the macro vision than their micro project.
4. A Straight-Talker — don’t engage in triangle conversations or put-downs of your team or leaders.
5. A Generous-Giver — okay, this one is specific to working at a church, but I would never work for a church where I didn’t believe in it enough to give as much as I possibly could.
6. An Innovative-Thinker — be solution-oriented. Don’t just come to your boss with problems, but also solutions. Your attitude should be, “Economy tough? Less staff? Lower budget? No problem, we’ll figure out a way to get through this!”
7. A Loyal-Friend — you don’t have to hang out together, but he needs to know you are “for” him. If put in a corner, your boss knows you would defend her.
8. A Back-Protector — always believe the best. Always.
9. An Integrity-Keeper — you are who you are when no one is looking. Your boss needs you to have great character.
10. An Unbelievable-Spouse and Effective Parent — the strength of your leadership and effectiveness comes from your leadership at home.
11. A Lifelong Learner — read books, study other best practices, learn, learn, learn–then come back and apply it to your organization.
12. An Equipping-Leader…not a Satisfied-Doer — You should be building teams and reproducing teams. Take delight in the success of your team more than your own success!

What else would you add to this list? Which one is most difficult for you?

T-Ball All-Star State Champion!

We are so proud of Trevor! He made the T-ball all-star team this year. He played 3rd base (very well!). It really was a great team. Often, Cheryl and I completely forgot that we were watching kids that were only 5 and 6 years old. The team played in a couple of tournaments over the last 2 weekends. They played 10 games in all. The temperature was boiling hot (we've had 17 days in a row over 90 here in Charlotte), but we endured! In the end, Trevor's team, the Porter Ridge Pirates, won the state championship. Trevor is hoping to be a major league baseball player some day! Go Trevor! I'll have some pics up soon on Facebook.

This Is It

I ran across this blog post today by Steven Furtick, pastor of Elevation Church. It was too good not to pass on...

I was watching the Michael Jackson This Is It DVD the other day, marveling at how incredible all the musicians were.  I asked Holly, “How good would you have to be to play in Michael Jackson’s band?”
“You’d have to be the best,” she said.

Of course, she’s right.  It would have been any pop musician’s dream come true to have played with the king.  And if you ask any serious aspiring musician how hard they’d be willing to work for a guaranteed spot playing for someone of that caliber, they’ll say, “I’d do whatever it took.”

But that’s not the way it works.  You don’t get to the peak by putting in massive amounts of work once the opportunity comes your way.  That kind of opportunity only comes your way after you’ve put in massive amounts of work.

How many years do you think Michael Jackson’s guitar players played in their bedrooms before they ever played their first public gigs?  How many club gigs do you think they played before they ever played an arena?  How many arena tours do you think they played supporting opening acts before backing a headliner?  And all of this with no guarantee that the opportunity of a lifetime would ever arrive.

David fought lions and bears privately before he took down Goliath publicly.  Essentially, he was training for an opportunity that he didn’t even know existed at the time.  He’d never heard of Goliath.  He just knew that there was a calling on his life, and he needed to be faithful with today’s responsibilities to prepare for tomorrow’s opportunities.

I love Proverbs 18:16: “A man’s gift makes room for him, and brings him before great men.”

Most of us spend our lives waiting for someone to make room for our gifts…for opportunity to come knocking at our front door. According to this verse, your gift makes room for you.  It’s by actively operating in your gift that you get the opportunity to ascend to the next level of influence. The people who get the once-in-a-lifetime opportunities aren’t the people who wait for them to come, then prepare.

They are the people who embrace God’s preparation process long before the opportunities ever arrive. And when that moment materializes, they realize…this is it…

Math Problems

Are you good at math? I happen to hate it! Yes, that's right. You heard me. Math hurts my brain. I would rather write a book than perform a couple hours of math problems! At the same time, I encourage my children to excel in it. Why? Because it's a necessary and important skill to have in life. If you think about it, math is everywhere!

While I dislike math, there is one type that I am working hard to get better at. It's found in 2 Peter 1:5-7. It says, "For this very reason, make every effort to add  to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love."

Sounds easy, right? Not exactly. But it is possible with God's help. I've heard a lot of people talk about how this spiritual addition takes place over the years. Some believe that much of it has to do with how many church services a person attends a week or how many hours they spend in prayer. Others believe it has to do with how many Bible verses a person has memorized or how long they have served in a particular ministry.

While all of these things are noble and good, I believe that the opportunities to "add" to our faith occur in the every day ordinary moments of our lives. In a sense, we are performing math problems all day!

We have a chance to add self-control to our lives when we see that special item in the store that we know we can't afford but would love to buy! We have a chance to add brotherly kindness to our lives when we take a person out for lunch who needs some encouragement. We have a chance to add perseverance to our lives when we are waiting on God to answer our prayer for something he has promised us (Boy, am I living this one right now!!!).

We add to our faith by choosing God's way in the decisions (big and small) of our lives. As we do this, our faith becomes stronger and God is glorified. That's good math in God's eyes...and it doesn't even require a calculator!

The Fear of Man

I ran across this blog post today by Jamie Munson. Great words of wisdom...enjoy!

We often care about other people’s opinion more than we care about God’s opinion. We worry about our status among fellow humans because we fail to grasp our identity in Jesus. When we fear man, we’re vulnerable. (I addressed this issue recently in a sermon about The Parable of the Sower—how fear of man keeps us from bearing fruit in our lives.)
“The fear of man lays a snare,” the Bible says, “but whoever trusts in the Lord is safe” (Proverbs 29:25). Here are eight consequences—snares—that can result from fear of man:

1. Idolatry. When we care about what man thinks more than what God thinks, we turn people into idols that we worship—seeking to please them in order to earn their approval or respect.
2. Ineffectiveness. When we fear man we neglect God’s calling for us and we lose focus on executing the tasks in front of us because we’re too preoccupied with what others are thinking.
3. Lack of love. When we’re overly concerned with “getting it right,” we turn people into projects to accomplish. We withhold our compassion and grow reserved and calculating in our pursuit of people.
4. Fakeness. If you’re overly motivated by the opinions of others, you won’t act like yourself. You’ll be a chameleon, adapting yourself to any situation for the sole purpose of fitting in.
5. Apathy. Fear man and you’ll quit taking risks because of the potential for embarrassment in failure. If an endeavor is unlikely to succeed, you’ll never take the chance. In other words, you’ll never do much of anything.
6. Dishonesty. It’s tough to speak truth into someone’s life because the truth can be painful. If we fear somebody’s response, however, necessary words will remain unsaid because we care more about ourselves (being liked) than we do about the person (seeing Jesus work in their life). This negligence always creates more long-term damage than the hurt it avoids in the present.
7. Isolation. Fear of man won’t let you delegate anything because others might not do a good job (or they might do a better job), which could reflect poorly on your performance and reputation. Fear of man compels you to control everything—even if that means going it alone.
8. Decision Paralysis. When we live out of fear rather than out of the convictions God has given us, we spin in circles unable to move forward.

I invite you to join me in respecting and honoring others and submitting to authority, but also in repenting of our fear of man. Fear and worship are reserved for God. In the end, only his opinion counts.

3D Vision

My family took a trip to Discovery Place today. For those of you not from the Charlotte area, Discovery Place is a interactive science museum for kids. One of their current exhibits is a 3D IMAX theater. We watched 2 movies. One was about sea turtles and the other one was about sharks.

It was so neat to see my kids experience 3D for the first time! Zachary loved it! At first, Trevor was scared. He kept taking his glasses off! Kyrsten, on the other hand, was just plain wigged out by it all. As long as Kyrsten kept her glasses off, however; she wasn't scared at all. The fish seemed far away from her.

It's really amazing how a little pair of glasses can change the dynamics of the screen. This whole phenomenon got me thinking about how I read my Bible. Now, I know what your thinking. What on earth does a 3D fish movie have to do with your Bible reading. Actually...not much! It's just the weird way my mind works.

Study the scriptures and you will see that the Holy Spirit has a way of illuminating His truth to us. Have you ever had a verse just about jump out at you. Perhaps you've read it many times, but on a particular occasion it hits you square between the eyes. That's illumination! In a sense, God's spirit gives us eyes to see something in a way we've never seen it before. It comes alive! It's 3D!

So often, I just read the Bible without asking God to speak to me. I read it for information, not revelation. In a strange way, my 3D experience was a reminder to me to pray and ask God to speak to me before reading the scriptures each day.

I don't know how you read your Bible. Just a little reminder...whatever you do, make sure that you don't forget your special glasses. (1 Cor. 2:12-14)

The Game-Winning Hit!

To say that I am a proud dad right now is a huge understatement! Zachary had his league championship baseball game tonight. It was quite a game. Both teams played their hearts out to the very end. Zachary's team went down by one run in the last inning, but fought back during their last at bat.

That's when the magical moment came. With the bases loaded and 1 out, Zachary came to the plate. I really haven't been that nervous in a long time! After taking a few pitches, Zachary got a hold of one and lined it into the gap for a 3-RBI game-winning triple! The crowd went wild (including his dad who started jumping around  screaming like a chicken who just lost his head) and his team quickly rushed the field and jumped on top of him like you see in the major leagues. The final score was 7-5. It was one of those moments that will last in our memory for a long time.

The picture above is Zachary with his coach. Go Zachary!!!

What Controls You?

I was an avid Mets fan when I was growing up. My brother and I spent many hours listening to games on the radio (we didn't have a television). I knew every player and many of their stats. I still remember 1986 when they won the World Series against the Red Sox. Poor Bill Buckner...right through his legs!

While being a baseball fan brought a lot of enjoyment in my life, it also did something to me that wasn't healthy. It controlled my emotions. My family could tell right away whether the Mets had won or lost on any given day by seeing what kind of mood I was in. If the Mets beat the other team, I was happy as could be. If they didn't, I was a mess. I just couldn't get over it! Do you know anyone like this?

I eventually realized what was happening in my life and stopped following sports altogether for years...until the Chicago Bulls came along in the 90's and won title after title! Jordan sure was amazing to watch! Over the years, I've made progress and I am learning to guard myself against things that control my emotions.

It's important to remember that just about anything can reign over our emotions: our relationships, our performance at work, the stock market, a job loss, our children, etc. Here are a couple verses that have helped me along the way:

"You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you." Isaiah 26:3

"Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit." Ephesians 5:18

Don't let the devil use anything to consume your life and control your emotions. Instead, submit yourself to God, let him consume you, and you will live above your circumstances!