My joy cannot be linked to my football team's success or failure.

PHILIPPIANS 3:1
Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord.
I woke up on the wrong side of the bed, largely because I went to bed in the wrong kind of mood. I was disappointed.

You probably know that I am a Detroit Lions football fan. We are really the most unfortunate fan base of all professional sports throughout the world. Our team is not only perpetually losers, but on rare occasions, when they have opportunities to win, something or someone always intervenes. It happened again last night. I am so disappointed.

A few highly questionable penalties were called and cost the Lions a much-needed win. Had they won, Detroit would be the first place team in their division. As a result of losing their game, the Lions are in last place this morning. I am so disappointed.

There is a part of me that would prefer to spend my day rage-scrolling through twitter, reading all the sports' pundits who agree with me for once. Everybody saw it, the Lions got robbed. I am so disappointed.

Instead of wallowing in my disappointment, I decided I needed to start my day like I normally do, so I opened my Bible to Philippians and discovered today's reading begins in chapter 3. I only had to go one verse in to discover the truth I needed to here.

FINALLY, MY BROTHERS, REJOICE IN THE LORD.

The command is not to rejoice in your successes, or your circumstances, or the people who make you feel good, or because your team was victorious. The command is to rejoice IN THE LORD.

My joy is not the result of what I have done or what is happening around me. My joy is in the fact that God loved me enough to send His Son (the Lord) to pay the penalty for my sin and purchase eternal life for me. My joy is in the fact that because of Jesus, God has adopted me and I am a child of the king. My joy is in the fact that God has promised me a place in His kingdom where all we be made new and there will be no more sadness, or death, or disease (or bad referees!).

Are you disappointed? Did someone not live up to your expectations? Did you fall short of your own standards?

The disappointments of life have nothing to do with our joy. Our joy is rooted in an event that already happened (Jesus' resurrection) and in an outcome that has been promised and is certain (our resurrection)!

Rejoice!

CONFIDENCE IN THE CHAOS: Sermon Leftovers From Philippians 1

PHILIPPIANS 1:6
And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

1. Reasonable confidence is often based on knowledge of past performance.

2. God has begun a work IN you.

3. God is changing you. He is not changing your situation or your circumstances.

4. God never promises to change our situation or circumstances. He changes us so that no matter where we find ourselves, we are empowered to handle it.

5. The work God has begun in us is GOOD work. When His work doesn't feel good at the moment we must remember that He is not finished.

6. God always finishes what He starts.

7. Confidence about the future is developed through gratitude for the past.

8. Gratitude is our way of filling our minds with God's record of success.

9. If you are struggling to be grateful, think about the people who have blessed you, the provisions you have received, and the possessions with which you have been entrusted. The more you consider, the more you'll discover.

10. Every day, tell three people one reason why you are grateful.

More Time Means More [fill in the blank]

I'm still dragging a bit this morning as I cajole my body to join me back in the Eastern time zone. Marianne and I had a great time visiting with Liam this past weekend in Washington.

A few days before our trip, we discovered we could change our flight and arrive in Seattle 12 hours earlier than our original flight. Excitedly, we began to make plans for our extra time in the Emerald City. More time meant more Seattle.

• More Pike Place Market
• More Coffee
• More Smoked Salmon
• More Views of the Puget Sound
• More Street Walking and Looking for Cool Shops
• More Time Together!

In Philippians 1:21, Paul says that more time on earth meant more Jesus. I've always considered this verse to be a comforting verse, reminding us that death is not the end and is not to be feared as it is the pathway we take into eternity. As I read the familiar words this morning, the first half of the verse grabbed me.

"For me to live is Christ."

More Jesus means more time together with Him. More Jesus means more time to walk like Him. More Jesus means more time to look like Him. More Jesus means more time to enjoy what He enjoys. More Jesus means more time to go where He would go. More Jesus means more time to treat others as He would. More time means more Jesus!

None of us know how much time we have, but all of us know that we have the time right in front of us. God has given you today. Will more time mean more Jesus or more of you?

REFRESH: 10 Sermon Leftovers From John 4 (The Woman at the Well)

1. Jesus came to earth to refresh people.

2. Jesus refreshes people by providing relief.

3. Jesus refreshes people by providing a new life.

4. People who have been refreshed by Jesus, seek opportunities to refresh others.

5. Jesus' disciples were so focused on physical needs and desires, they couldn't understand Jesus' deeper spiritual teaching.

6. When a farmer plants a seed, the harvest must wait. When God plants a seed, the harvest is immediate.

7. Jesus commissioned His followers to do for people what He was already doing for people.

8. Jesus desires His followers to refresh people by providing relief.

9. Jesus desires His followers to refresh people by pointing them to new life.

10. Jesus desires His followers to refresh the people they know, the people who are like them, the people who are not like them, and everyone else in the world.

Relax. You're In God's Slow Cooker.

PHILIPPIANS 1:6 -- And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

I just dumped two pounds of meat and several other ingredients into a crockpot and set the timer for 9 hours. Once the meal is COMPLETED, we are going to enjoy a delicious dinner.

This afternoon, the house will fill with the smell of our impending feast, and we may be tempted to sample the food early. However, we'll remind ourselves that it might smell good now, but it isn't ready. Give it time, and it will be even better.

As I stirred all the contents in the crockpot this morning, I had no desire to eat any of the ingredients. On their own, before being cooked, they are not appetizing and they are not safe to eat. Time, heat, and pressure will form them into the perfect meal for tonight.

God does the exact same thing with us. He puts us in the crockpot (or pressure cooker sometimes), and uses time, heat, and pressure to COMPLETE His work in us. 

Philippians 1:6 reminds us of two powerful truths.

1) All of God's work in us is good.

2) All of God's work in us gets finished.

You may be tempted to quit or despair because life isn't what you think it should be or isn't moving at the pace you would choose. Remember... until the meal is finished, the food is neither appetizing nor safe. Give God time.

You may be tempted to try your own route because serving God isn't bringing the results you had hoped. Or perhaps it is bringing results you don' want. Perhaps these uninvited life circumstances are the time, heat, and pressure needed to conform you into the image of Christ. Give God time.

Slow-cooking always beats the microwave. In the kitchen, and in life. Give God time!

STAY CONNECTED TO JESUS: 10 Sermon Leftovers from John 15

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. (JOHN 15:1-5)

1. The thing (or person) to which you are most connected is the thing (or person) from which you draw your life.
2. The source from which you draw your life will either nurture you or poison you.
3. A good source provides healthy life. An evil source provides certain death.
4. Possible sources of life: Friends, family members, significant other, teacher, social media, Netflix (and other streaming sources), music, employment, hobbies, etc…
5. Only Jesus is the source of TRUE life.
6. To experience true life, we must STAY CONNECTED to Jesus.
7. To “stay” means to not wander, to not withdraw, and to not race around looking for fulfillment everywhere other than Jesus.
8. The word “stay” indicates that you are already where you need to be. Jesus knows where you are and He has you in that specific place for a specific purpose.
9. Wherever Jesus is asking you to stay… He is there with you.
10. It is impossible to stay connected to Jesus if you are not connected to Jesus’ people.

Grateful People Have Selective Memories

PHILIPPIANS 1:3
I thank my God in all my remembrance of you,

Paul's time in Philippi wasn't exactly a vacation at the beach or a walk in the park. You can read all the details in Acts 16, but among other things, he had to deal with a heckler, he and his friends got beaten up, and he was even thrown in jail.

Yet, in Philippians 1:3, Paul wrote that he was thankful every time he remembered the people who lived in Philippi. Was he thankful for all the bad times? (not that he shouldn't be as God helps us grown in difficult circumstances) Actually, verses 4-5 clue us in as to why he was grateful.

PHILIPPIANS 1:4-5
always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.

Paul was grateful for the good times. He had warm memories of partnering with the Philippians to see the Gospel spread throughout their time. He was thankful for the support they had given as He proclaimed the truth.

GRATEFUL PEOPLE HAVE SELECTIVE MEMORIES.

You can choose which memories you dwell on. Only you can decide which story from the past you will play on repeat in your mind. If you choose to focus on the worst of times and the worst of people, you'll be depressed, bitter, and tough to live with.

If you choose to focus on the blessings and the blessed people, you'll be grateful, hopeful, and a joy to be around.

What will you put on your memory playlist today?

What do you love most about God?

A few times each week I send out a short devotional email from my own study. We just finished up a short look at some "Bible Lists". Now I'm jumping into Philippians. If you would like to receive the email, you can sign up at this link: http://bit.ly/SermonLeftovers

The character traits of God which we most love and appreciate are often the same ones we are most slow to emulate.

I'm talking about GRACE and PEACE.

Most of Paul's letters begin with him sending "Grace and peace" to the recipients. I think this is because Paul most associated these concepts with the person and work of God. At the same time, these two inter-related gifts should be traits which we embrace and pursue in our own lives. This morning, I've been mulling over the many ways grace and peace are made manifest by God as well as by God's people.

1. God extends GRACE to us while we are still sinners.
2. God made PEACE between us by sending Jesus to pay the price for our sins.
3. When we accept God's gift of GRACE, we, who were God's enemies, are at PEACE with him.
4. God's GRACE means forgiveness of my sins which empowers me to be at PEACE with myself. I no longer need o wallow in the shame and guilt of the past.
5. You cannot experience PEACE until you've received GRACE.
6. Those who have received GRACE should extend GRACE.
7. Those at PEACE with God should be at PEACE with others.
8. You cannot live at PEACE until you've extended GRACE.

Do you love that God has extended GRACE to you?
Extend GRACE to others.

Do you love that God has pursued PEACE with you?
Pursue PEACE with others.

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
(EPHESIANS 1:2)

When Life Is Tough, Use These 4 Ingredients Of Christ-Like Prayer

Gethsemene was one of the darkest moments of Jesus' life. He knew He was about to be betrayed. His closest friends had fallen asleep rather than support Him. He was beginning to anticipate the coming separation from His Father.

Gethsemene is also the moment of one of Jesus' most famous prayers. Mark's gospel records it like this (Mark 10:36)

“Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”

What can we learn from Jesus' prayer? I noticed four specific movements in this short verse. I believe we can discover four important truths about prayer from each movement.

1. He addressed God as Father. "Abba" is an intimate word, similar to our English word "Daddy". This is the same way He began the Lord's Prayer. We should take heed. Because God is our Father we can depend on Him to always give us GOOD GIFTS.

2. He acknowledged God's power and sovereignty. By saying "all things are possible", Jesus acknowledged that nothing would or could happen to Him that was outside God's plan or ability. God is never surprised, worried, or stressed about what is going in our lives.

3. He asked for what He wanted. Jesus knew that God would likely not "remove the cup" of suffering. Yet, He asked anyway. God loves when we bring our requests to Him. He wants us to tell Him what we want and what we feel (He knows that it is good for us to open up about these things). Remember, He wants us to pray in Jesus' name, which means as much as possible try to offer requests with which Jesus would agree.

4. He submitted to God's will. This also is similar to the Lord's Prayer. Jesus acknowledged that God always knows what is best and does what is best. Even though God's will may not initially be our will, we can be sure that whatever He allows in our life is exactly what we need at that moment so that we can become the people He created us to be.

FOUR STEPS TO PRAYING LIKE JESUS (summary)

• Address God as your good Father
• Remember and acknowledge that He is in control
• Tell Him whatever you want to say
• Trust Him to do what is best

Here's a tool guaranteed to make your life better

Psalm 19 is one of the great works of poetry in the Bible. The entire psalm is about how God reveals Himself to us.

The first half describes God's revelation of Himself in nature. David uses examples from creation to highlight God's creativity, orderliness, and reliability.

The second half lists the benefits of God's written revelation. David was speaking mostly of the Law (Genesis-Deuteronomy), but the principles can also be applied to the entire Bible. Below are 6 ways God's Word can change your life:

• God's Word can Revive the Soul
  
  • (get a fresh start)
• God's Word can Make the Simple Wise
  
  • (make better decisions)
• God's Word can Rejoice the Heart
  
  • (find joy in hard times)
• God's Word can Enlighten the Eyes
  
  • (gain a healthier perspective)
• God's Word can Warn your Servant
  
  • (avoid bad choices)
• God's Word can Bring Great Reward
  
  • (live as God created you to)

Psalm 19 is a motivational chapter (it's much better than any motivational speaker who may be living in a van down by the river). I hope you'll be motivated to get into God's Word on your own!

*If you want a helpful tool for studying the Bible, you can use the reNEW journal. It gets updated at this link every Friday:
http://bit.ly/renewjournal

4 Leadership Lessons to Learn From King David's Failure

2 Samuel 6 tells the story of David's efforts to move the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem. His first effort failed miserably. He didn't take the time to consult God or God's regulations for transporting the Ark. Instead of having the Ark carried by priests, he placed it on a cart pulled by oxen. In transport, one of the animals stumbled and Ark began sliding off the cart. The man who reached out his hand to steady it was immediately struck dead (no man was allowed to touch the ark).

After a time of repentance and mourning, David tried again and did it the right way. The day began with sacrifices and ended with celebration.

Wise people learn from the mistakes of others. What can we learn from David's mistakes? As I read this story, Here are

4 LEADERSHIP LESSONS DAVID LEARNED TOO LATE.

1) Listen to God. Check His Word for wisdom.

2) Pay attention to details. Obey in small things.

3) Think of the people you lead before you think of yourself.

4) Take responsibility and learn from failure.

Whether you are leading a major organization, a small team, a family, or just yourself; these principles will help you become a better leader.

How To Avoid Spiritual Obesity

PROVERBS 29:19
By mere words, a servant is not disciplined,
for though he understands, he will not respond.

I was sitting around a table with several other pastors, talking about how to disciple our people more effectively. One of the other pastors was lamenting the reality that many in our church had been long-time members with significant biblical knowledge, but their lives weren't reflecting the love of Christ. In frustration he said:

Too many people are 100 verses overweight.

His statement is a great summary of Proverbs 29:19. Head knowledge alone doesn't lead to growth. If more information doesn't lead to greater transformation, it's wasted effort.

James told believers to not just be HEARERS of the Word but to be DOERS.

Jesus didn't tell His followers to "make disciples, teaching them all my commands." He told them to "make disciples, teaching them TO OBEY all my commands."

God's Word teaches us what we need to know, and we must implement it in our daily life! Discipleship requires discipline and discipline requires action. What will be your next step today?

• What do you need to start doing?
• What do you need to stop doing?
• What do you need to do more?
• What do you need to do less?

Sermon Leftovers From The Fourth Commandmement: Remember the Sabbath.

1) We all face the temptation every day to wear our busyness as a badge of honor. We feel more important when we claim that our "busyness" is an impediment to connection with others.

2) Too many people claim to be "busy" in order to avoid conversation, authenticity, or deeper relationships

3) Much of our busyness is caused by our proclivity to fill the empty spaces of life (waiting in line; riding in planes, trains, and automobiles; bedtime) with technology. Instead of serving us by making us more productive, our gadgets have become our masters. Look around, everyone is bowing to their phone.

4) The deeper reason for our busyness is a desire to prove something to others or ourselves. We take on more and work harder in an effort to prove we are worthy or to disprove the judgment we perceive is directed toward us.

5) The Sabbath command is the only one of ten which demands a repeated ritual. It is a proactive command requiring intentionality and discipline.

6) The Sabbath command is the first of the ten which connects our vertical relationship and our horizontal relationship. God not only expects us to observe Sabbath, He expects us not to violate the Sabbath of others.

7) The Sabbath is a timeless principle that had specific application for Israel.

8) Physical rest requires us to eliminate the unnecessary, unhealthy, and unhelpful; and to intentionally schedule time for rest, reflection, and refreshing.

9) Just as God worked for six days, rested, and invited us to join Him physical rest; Jesus worked on the cross, rested, and invited us to join Him in spiritual rest.

10) When I rest in Jesus, I no longer work to prove myself. I am not a "self-made man". I am who He has made me.

Assumptions and Excuses Will Destroy Your Life

PROVERBS 22:13
The sluggard says, “There is a lion outside!
I shall be killed in the streets!”

This is one of my favorite proverbs because it paints such a vivid mental image for me. I used to imagine a young man, lying in bed and refusing to get up. His father tells him he needs to get out and get a summer job. Having exhausted every possible argument for why he cannot get out of bed, the son exclaims, "There is a lion in the street!"

Today, the mental image has changed slightly. No longer is the son in bed, now he's in the basement playing video games. And he might be 30. And it might be his mother (or even wife) telling him to get out and find a job.

Sluggard-Lifestyle has become an epidemic in 2019.

DISCLAIMER: Men are not the only creatures who behave like sluggards. Women are also capable (although perhaps not as likely) of finding reasons why they shouldn't do what they know they ought to do.
The foundational truth of this proverb is that the sluggard is supposed to be DOING something. Whether it is going to work, visiting a neighbor, or meeting a friend, he has somewhere he is supposed to go and something he is supposed to do. For some reason, he doesn't want to do it.

"THERE IS A LION OUTSIDE!"

Since the sluggard is likely still inside, he doesn't actually know there is a lion in the street. He's making it up. This morning, I can think of two reasons why he would do this.

1) He assumes it's true. Perhaps he heard a rumor or perhaps he is a person who always assumes the worst. Either way, he has painted a picture in his mind and no one will convince him otherwise. He is now paralyzed with fear because he has assumed his doom is imminent. His assumption has destroyed the life he was created to live.

2) He is making excuses. He knows there is no lion in the street. He simply doesn't want to do what he needs to do. This is perhaps the final in a long line of excuses, "I'm really tired", "Nobody there likes me", "It's boring". Excuses are never helpful and always harmful. His excuses are destroying the life he was created to live.

Today is a great day to follow the advice of Robin Williams in Dead Poet's Society. SEIZE THE DAY.

Do what you were created to do. Take the path you know God has prescribed for you. Grab responsibility and live up to your potential. Fulfill the duties of the roles God has placed you in. Be proactive. Be intentional. Work hard.

Assume the best. Make no excuses.

There is no lion. Get 'r done!

Your intentions may not be as pure as you think!

PROVERBS 16:2
All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes,
but the Lord weighs the spirit.

Our dogs have a terrible habit. At least three or four times a day, they will begin barking at the neighbor's dog (actually, the neighbor's dog may be starting it). Their barking becomes so intense that they are all at the fence, clawing at it (sometimes even biting it), trying to get through to the other side.

We have a command for them to stop. We say, "Leave it!" If they stop barking and follow us inside, they get a treat. If they don't, we scoop them up (they're quite small), carry them inside, and sentence them to 15 minutes in their cages.

Every time this happens, I feel like Mylie (the smarter of the two dogs) looks up at me and her eyes say, "But master, I was protecting you!"

She believes that her motivation was pure. I know she was simply acting on her beastly instinct.

We do the same thing. We tend to assign ourselves the best motives. Even when we do something we know to be wrong, we justify it by telling ourself that our intentions are good. In conflict, we tend to judge others by their words or actions but want others to evaluate us according to our good motives.

God actually sees our heart. He weighs our spirit. He knows we are often motivated by selfishness, greed, vengeance, anger, etc. The Bible tells us that the mouth speaks (and the person acts) out of the abundance of the heart. If the output of your life is bad, that means the input was bad.

This is a good opportunity to examine your heart. Take a moment to second guess your motives. Don't immediately default to the excuse of "good intentions." Be ruthlessly honest with yourself.

Then...

Ask yourself what it would look like to always be motivated by love. Fill your mind with reasons why you love God. In every interaction, use your energy to discover reasons to love other people. Choose to modify your motivations. Choose love.

10 Leftovers From The First of Ten Commandments

EXODUS 20:1-3
And God spoke all these words, saying,
“I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.
“You shall have no other gods before me.

1) God is a PERSONAL God. "He is the Lord YOUR God". He is not absent, passive or unconcerned. He is present, active and full of compassion.

2) God sets captives free. God's path does not enslave us, it liberates us.

3) Because God is the ONLY God who delivers, He is the ONLY God we should worship.

4) Everyone is devoted to something. The outcomes of your life are determined by the devotion of your life.

5) To be devoted to God is to offer Him the first and best of every part of your life.

6) We offer God our first and best because He gave us His first and best.

7) Too often we are to our self. Self-devotion manifests itself in the pursuit of  POSSESSIONS, PLEASURE, POPULARITY, or POWER.

8) I cannot be devoted to myself and to God.

9) My devotion can be measured by evaluating how I schedule my CALENDAR, how I utilize my CAPABILITIES, or how I spend my CASH.

10) We can change our devotion my moving our treasure. Wherever we invest our treasure is where our heart will move.

A Fool Proof Plan For Personal Protection

PROVERBS 2:11

discretion will watch over you,

understanding will guard you,

Discretion is the practice of making decisions according to a predetermined plan. I show discretion when I choose not to purchase Swiss Cake Rolls because I am following a plan to save money and lose weight.

Understanding is the practice of thinking deeply and investigating carefully before reaching conclusions. When I react without thinking, or when I believe the first thing I hear, or when I assume the worst about a person; I am demonstrating a lack of understanding.

Discretion and understanding will protect you in life. Discretion is best when your predetermined plan is the path God has laid out in His Word. Understanding is most effective when your primary consideration is whether or not something aligns with the truth of Scripture.

Don’t make snap judgments today. Don’t act quickly or without thought. Because you are living in a sinful world, your instincts are sometimes tainted by sin. Instead, choose discretion and wisdom.

You Cannot Win. So Don't Try.

PROVERBS 26:4-5Answer not a fool according to his folly,
lest you be like him yourself.
Answer a fool according to his folly,
lest he be wise in his own eyes.

This is one of my favorite proverbs. At first glance, it appears to be two contradictory statements. Both cannot be true. They are mutually exclusive.

BUT...

If you read them together and understand them as one larger proverb, you get the real meaning:

Don't argue with a fool. You cannot win.

Some people simply do not want to have a reasonable discussion. Some are completely unwilling to consider a change to their position or point of view. Some are interested only in fighting, not finding solutions.

Don't argue with them. You cannot win.

This feels like a pretty good description of political discourse in America today. It seems to be a fairly accurate snapshot of what happens on social media every day.

Here's your challenge. Don't be the fool. Don't be the person who can't engage in a productive conversation with someone who has a different perspective. Here are three simple rules to remember to help you avoid being a fool:

1) Listen intently.
2) Don't interrupt.
3) Use questions to gain clarity and understanding before you respond.

Are You A Creator or a Destroyer?

PROVERBS 18:9

A lazy person is as bad as

someone who destroys things.

1) As image bearers of God, we were made to be creators. We create with our hands, with our actions, with our words, etc.

2) Creating takes action. Lazy people don't create anything (victimhood and apathy are synonymous with laziness).

3) What you create doesn't have to be tangible or physical. You might create joy or peace for someone else. You might create hope by meeting the need of your neighbor. We all have different gifts which enable us to be creative in different ways.

4) What will you create today?

You Can't Fix Everything For Everyone. But You Can Do Something.

PROVERBS 12:25

Anxiety in a man's heart weighs him down,

but a good word makes him glad.

Stop.

Before you do you anything else, find a piece of paper or a sticky note or a notebook or something you can write on. Now, write down the names of three people you know you will see today.

You have no idea what is going in these people's hearts. You may know some of the situations they are dealing with. You may understand some of their hurts and some of their joys. But you don't know it all. None of us do.

Something is causing anxiety in these people. You may have an idea of what it is. You may not have a clue.

None of us can know everything that is going on in the hearts of the people around us.

What we all CAN DO, is offer a good word to everyone we encounter.

If you aren't sure how to offer a good word to someone else, here are ten suggestions:

• encourage
• compliment
• motivate
• inspire
• praise
• admire
• appreciate
• commend
• congratulate
• applaud

You can't fix everything for everyone. You can brighten their day and lighten their load by offering a good word.

Go back to your list now. Take a moment and pray for each person on the list. Before you see them today, commit to offering them a good word. If you aren't sure what to say, review the list above and something will come to you.

Jesus said you are the light. Brighten the world of the people around you.

Life Is About More Than Turning A Profit

PROVERBS 10:2
Treasures gained by wickedness do not profit,
but righteousness delivers from death.

I don't watch it much anymore because I don't seem to have time, but when "The Profit" (a tv show about entrepreneur Marcus Lemonis) was first released, I watched almost every episode for a couple of seasons. I was intrigued by Lemonis' approach to business, particularly the firm but compassionate manner in which he dealt with people.

He was also a very good businessman, and he was very successful in turning around family businesses that were failing.

In business, success and failure are measured by a simple standard... PROFIT. If your money is increasing, you are winning. If your money is decreasing, you are losing.

Proverbs 10:2 challenges our understanding of profit. Not all financial (or material) gain is good. Not all who appear successful are righteous. Temporary gain is not the same as an eternal reward.

Jesus had something to say about this in Mark 8. He said, "For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?"

My goal today is to pay more attention to people than to profit. I'm going to think more about righteousness than reward. I will try to give more than I get.

Will you join me?

Try this one simple trick to become a wise person!

PROVERBS 4:7
The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom,
and whatever you get, get insight.

Becoming a wise person is surprisingly simple. Pursue wisdom.

Wisdom can come from other people such as parents, teachers, friends, and even pastors. More importantly, wisdom comes from God's Word (particularly Proverbs).

I have this picture in my mind of a person who never pursues wisdom and then wonders why life is not going well for them.

Wisdom is not found on the couch in a bag of potato chips. It is not found in a secret level of Fortnite (does Fortnite have levels?). It is not found in the fifteenth episode of whatever Netflix show is being binged.

Solomon began chapter 4 by telling his son to "be attentive." If you don't pay attention, you won't get wise. So pay attention!

I just heard Andy Stanley say, "We get in trouble, not because we don't take advice. We get in trouble because we take OUR OWN advice." Those who don't pay attention, don't gain wisdom. Those who don't gain wisdom, get into trouble.

This is precisely why I read Proverbs every day. I want to get wisdom. I want to get insight. The journey begins by paying attention to what someone else (namely God) has said.

So try reading all of Proverbs 4 today.
Choose one verse as your "wisdom nugget" of the day.
Look for an opportunity to live out the wisdom you've gained.

Don't Cling... Go!

JOHN 20:17 - go find my brothers and tell them.

When you have good news, you love to tell people. Couples go to incredible ends to create elaborate pregnancy/gender reveal parties. Parents love to brag on their children. Major accomplishments are nearly as much fun if they are kept secret.

Jesus' resurrection was the best news ever. He didn't want anyone to keep it a secret.

When Mary saw Jesus, her first inclination was to embrace Him. That is good. Closeness with Jesus is important. But Jesus had a more important task for her. He said, "Don't cling... GO!"

We ought to embrace Jesus and seek closeness with Jesus. We do this through personal study, prayer, meditation. We get closer to Him by attending church services and small group meetings.

But Jesus has a more important task for us. He doesn't want us to cling, He wants us to GO!

Who will you tell about Jesus' resurrection today?

Take Heart!

John 16:33: "I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

When I read these words this morning, I immediately thought of Joshua 1. God came to the new leader of Israel and in spite of the daunting task being faced by Joshua, God said, "Be strong and courageous." Joshua "took heart", brought down the walls of Jericho and conquered the promised land.

Then I started thinking about other examples of courage in the Bible. I remembered Gideon, who was hiding in a cave when God found him. With the power of God behind him, Gideon "took heart", tore down the idols and defeated the enemies of God with a greatly inferior army.

I remembered David, who "took heart" and took down the giant.

I thought about Daniel, who "took heart", continued to pray and became the world's greatest lion tamer.

I looked at the list of people in Hebrews 11 who all "took heart" and lived by faith.

Then I said a short prayer of thanksgiving that God has already won the victory. Now, I'm going to "take heart" and go out and live for Him in spite of this world's trouble.

Join me?

Let Not Your Heart Be Troubled

JOHN 14:1 - Let not your hearts be troubled.

Research confirms that anxiety, stress and depression are at an all time high. People (maybe you) find themselves at the point of despair far too often. Fear, worry, concern, uneasiness, tension and nervousness have become defining words. On any given day, as many as half of the people you encounter have troubled hearts.

Perhaps you have a troubled heart?

Our hearts are troubled because we want everyone around us to think well of us. Our hearts are troubled because we want everyone around us to agree with us. Our hearts are troubled because there is not enough to get by. Our hearts are troubled because we have too much to handle. Our hearts are troubled by the decisions of others. Our hearts are troubled by the consequences of our own decisions. Our hearts are troubled because we don't measure up.

Do I need to go on?

It's not just a political thing, but politics contribute to our troubled hearts. It's not just a "fake news" thing, but the constantly negative news cycle contributes to our troubled hearts. It's not just a social media thing, but never-ending quest for other's approval (likes, shares, follows) contributes to our troubled hearts.

I think the number one reason our hearts are troubled is that we estimate the moment we are in is far more meaningful than it actually is.

When you hear the name "Job", you think of suffering don't you? He was a guy whose heart was certainly troubled, right? Scholars estimate that the suffering of Job, as described in the Bible, lasted between 9 months and a year. I can imagine that in the middle of that moment, Job's heart was heavy.

But do you know what the last two verses of Job say?

And after this Job lived 140 years, and saw his sons, and his sons' sons, four generations. And Job died, an old man, and full of days. (Job 42:16-17)

That expression "full of days" is similar to what we mean after Thanksgiving dinner when we say, "I'm full." It hints at satisfaction, pleasantness or contentment. Imagine that. Once Job made it through the moment of suffering, he experienced a full and content life. The moment wasn't nearly as meaningful as it felt.

Whatever is going on around you today, let not your heart be troubled. This too will pass.

What you are going to do, do quickly...

JOHN 13:27 - “What you are going to do, do quickly.”

Jesus told us we would remain in His love if we obey His commands. For that reason, I have spent the past few months working through every command of Jesus in the book of John.

Today's command might be the one command we are NOT to obey!

These were Jesus' words to Judas in the upper room. Having revealed to the disciples that He was about to be betrayed, Jesus sent Judas out to do the dirty deed.

Perhaps this is a morning to reflect on betrayal. Specifically, how we (like Judas) betray Christ. One definition of "betrayal" is to "be disloyal to".

• How often are we disloyal to Jesus?
• How often are we more loyal to something/someone other than Jesus?

My thesaurus app lists "wander" as a synonym of betray. This one really hits home for me. I know how easy it is for me to wander away from my loyalty to Christ.

This morning, read these words from the old hymn "Come Thou Fount" and make them your prayer for the day:

Oh, to grace how great a debtor
Daily I'm constrained to be
Let that goodness like a fetter
Bind my wandering heart to Thee
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it
Prone to leave the God I love
Here's my heart, oh, take and seal it
Seal it for Thy courts above

Leave Her Alone.

JOHN 12:7 - "Leave her alone"

Anyone who has ever parented two siblings has, at some time, said something like "leave her alone." Little brothers know how to get under the skin of their sister. Little sisters know how to egg on their brothers. Siblings rarely know when to stop needling one another so parents often have to step in.

Sometimes, adults have to step in when children are bullying other children. If you are a teacher or a coach or work with kids in another capacity, you have at some point said, "leave her alone."

Even grown ups can take a joke to far or miss the social cues warning them to ease up. Every so often our teasing might go a little too far and we need someone to say to us, "leave her alone."

John 12 tells the story of Mary anointing Jesus with her perfume. Her act of worship was not appreciated by some who were there. They considered it too extravagant and too showy. Their criticism of her worship style was cut short when Jesus said, "leave her alone."

These are good words for us to remember. One of my personal rules for church life is that "what works for me might not work for everyone else." I might not choose to pour perfume on Jesus feet, but someone else might. I might prefer a different style of music than someone else. I might wish the preacher used different illustrations. I might choose a different color carpet in the church.

Having different opinions is great. Diversity makes us better. But the moment I start criticizing others because their preferences are different than mine, I become like the Pharisees and disciples who criticized Mary. When I sit in judgment of others because they have a different perspective than I do, I need to hear the command of Jesus, "leave them alone."

Go. And Sin No More.

JOHN 8:11 - "go, and from now on sin no more."

Place yourself in the sandals of the woman caught in adultery. You have many excuses you could make.

• The Pharisees are just using me to trap Jesus. I was set up.
• Where is the guy who was sinning with me? Why isn't he in trouble?
• I know most of these men who are accusing me. None of them are perfect either.

Jesus didn't give her any space to make excuses. He made it clear that what she had been doing was sin.

AND HE FORGAVE HER!

We cannot receive God's forgiveness until we are willing to acknowledge our sins. And once we do confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us!

Jesus is really giving two commands to the woman here. He first says, "Go", which is to say get on with your life; don't stay stuck here; keep moving. Secondly He says, "sin no more" which is to say something needs to be different; you can't be who you were; growth is the result of change.

This is one of those commands that is worth writing on an index card and taping on your bathroom mirror. Or you could scratch it out on a piece of masking tape and stick it to the steering wheel. Get it in front of you in a place where it reminds you every today.

"Go. And sin no more"

GET ON WITH YOUR LIFE. DON'T STAY STUCK.
KEEP GROWING. KEEP CHANGING.

The More Quickly You Judge, The More Likely You'll Be Wrong

JOHN 7:24 - "Stop judging by mere appearances, but instead judge correctly."

As the two teams warmed up, I watched the different players, sizing them up, trying to decide who the better players were and which team was the better team. In a few minutes, I would be officiating the game and it is often helpful to have an understanding of the different players' skill levels.

What I saw was one team with several large players who appeared confident and coordinated. Their warm-ups were crisp, they were well-organized, their uniforms were sharp. By all appearances, they were the better team. Their opponents were much smaller. Although their jerseys were the same colors, they sported a variety of shorts and socks. They were disorganized and didn't even appear to know or like each other.

I don't remember the final score, but it wasn't close. The small and disorganized team ran circles around the favorites. They dominated from beginning to end. I was wrong because I was deceived. I was deceived because I judged merely on appearance rather than waiting to observe the teams' skill level.

In John 7, Jesus told the crowd to stop judging based on appearances. They misunderstood Jesus because He didn't fit with their previous experience. They were unable to comprehend who He was because they were unwilling to consider they might have been wrong about something in the past.

Today would be a great day to reconsider your assumptions about people around you. I bet you will come into contact today (or this week) with a few people you may have judged wrongly. Reconsider why you feel the way you do about them. Choose to give them room to change (or change your opinion about them). Stop judging them by what you think you have seen and start getting to know them a little more intimately. You might be surprised!

Why is everyone angry at everyone else?

JOHN 6:43 - "Do not grumble among yourselves."

Have you noticed how angry everyone is? It's not just politics. People are angry about religion, about education, about the weather and even about sports. Did you know that one city sued the NFL because their team didn't get into the Super Bowl?

How did we get to this place where everyone is angry all the time?

I think we got here ONE GRUMBLE AT A TIME.

The dictionary defines grumble as, "to complain or protest about something in a bad-tempered but typically muted way." Grumbling is when we hold on to our disagreement with someone or something and allow it to simmer inside us.

Many years ago, I was cleaning out a church's youth room and discovered, in a cabinet, a cup that had once been a quarter full of coffee. That appeared to have been years ago. When I found the mug, it was full of mold and other suspicious looking growth. I quickly threw it away and washed my hands for about 10 minutes.

This is what grumbling does to our soul. When we hold on to our disagreements and complaints, they sour us and infect us and ultimately take over our life. We become bitter and unapproachable people.

Jesus told the Jewish people to stop grumbling. They were upset that He was teaching with authority they didn't think belonged to Him. Jesus wanted them to stop focusing on their anger and start focusing on His truth.

We often need to hear Jesus' command. We are daily faced with the temptation to grumble about our circumstances or the way we've been treated or our government or someone who disagrees with us or whatever else might not be exactly what we want.

We need to hear Jesus' command when we are tempted to grumble to and with others. When we are tempted to grumble about others. When we are tempted to hold on to our grumble rather than forgive and let go.

This is such a powerful truth. Don't let your grumble infect your life. Let go of your negative perspective and seek the see the best in every person and situation.

Do not grumble among yourselves.

Embrace The Extra In Your Life

We collect change in our house. It all goes into one container and we save it for special occasions. I'm always surprised by how much "extra" we have when we finally count it up.

After Jesus fed the 5000, everyone was surprised by how much extra they had when they finally counted it all up.

This story reminds us that Jesus always provides us with everything we need AND He always provides us with MORE than we need. We are surrounded by an ABUNDANCE of blessings and if we will only take the time to "gather up the leftover fragments."

Take some time today, look around and notice the extra God has provided for you. You'll probably have more food than you will need. Most of us have not just one car, but multiple cars (one car is more than most of the world). Open your closet and be reminded of how God has provided far more clothing than you need (don't forget the shoes!). The fact that you are reading this email on a computer, phone or tablet means you have an ABUNDANCE of blessing.

It is easy to live with a scarcity mindset. We think we barely have enough and we need to cling tightly to what we have so that we don't lose any. God has blessed us abundantly so that we will allow those blessings to flow over into the lives of everyone around us. Don't lose sight of this truth.

Look around. Make note of all the leftovers Jesus has provided. Choose to focus today on GRATITUDE and GENEROSITY!

Get Up! (no more excuses)

JOHN 5:8 - "Get up, take up your bed, and walk."

In 1998, I was a boy's varsity soccer coach. One of my players was only marginally talented, so he rarely started games but he was good enough to get into most games for a few minutes. He probably could have been better, but his work ethic was severely lacking. At least once or twice a week, he would begin complaining about an "injury" as soon as it was time for the team to work on their conditioning (which meant lots of running). He used the "injuries" he had suffered as excuses for his poor performance and lack of hard work.

I finally had to create a new team policy. Anyone who asked to miss all or part of a practice due to injury was not allowed to play in a game until I had written clearance from their doctor. It was a terrible rule, but it became necessary due to the excuses being made by a few players.

We make excuses when we don't want to assume control of our own decisions and actions.

In John 5, Jesus asked a partially-paralyzed man to stop making excuses and assume control of his own decisions and actions. Prior to performing the miracle, Jesus asked him, "Do you want to be healed?"

The man's response is telling. He said, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, and while I am going another steps down before me.” Notice what has happened to this man over time:

1) He has filled his mind with the many reasons why he cannot make it into the pool.
2) Because he has spent so much time making excuses to himself, he has decided to not even try.
3) Because he has decided to not even try, he is left making excuses to others for his lack of action.

We all do the same thing all the time. We fill our minds with excuses. We tell ourself stories about why we are not in control and why we don't have the opportunities we need and why everything and everyone is against us.

Eventually, we believe our own excuses and we decide to be passive, to not do what we know we should.

Finally, instead of taking action and being proactive, we make excuses to others, we blame circumstances and explain to those around us why life is so bad for us and why we cannot ever take the next step to move ourselves forward.

Jesus said, "GET UP!" (and He made it possible by healing the man.)

Has Jesus healed you? Has He made you new? Has He promised you an incredible future and an eternal inheritance? Has He asked you to live for Him?

GET UP!

Stop filling your mind with obstacles and start focusing on possibilities.
Stop choosing to be passive and start deciding to take action.
Stop passing blame and start practicing for the future.

Whatever you pour into your mind will impact your decisions.
Your decisions drive your actions.
Your actions demonstrate to everyone whether or not you trust Christ!

GET UP!

Learning to See Both Sides of Myself

If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. (1 John 1:8 NLT)

How silly we are when we claim or consider ourselves to be sinless or without fault. This is not something I like about myself, but it is still true; on a regular basis, I fail to represent God appropriately. That's a sin. Every time.

One of the things I love about the Bible is that it doesn't paint anyone in a righteous light (except Jesus). We see all the warts of Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, Solomon, etc. This is not something we talk about a lot, but Jesus' disciples were also very conflicted. These men changed the world more than any other group in history, yet they were far from "consistent" characters.

• Jesus called Peter a "rock". Yet it was Peter who denied his knowledge of Jesus because he was afraid of a servant girl.
• We know Thomas as a doubter, but he was the one in John 11 who said, "Let's go too– and die with Jesus." No doubting there, for a moment he was the most ardent believer in Jesus.
• John is known as the disciple of love. He refers to himself as "the disciple whom Jesus loved" and his book, 1 John, has the most straightforward teaching about love in the church of any book in the Bible. Yet consider this story about John which was told by Polycarp and Ireneus:
  

  John, the disciple of the Lord, going to bathe at Ephesus, and perceiving Cerinthus within, rushed out of the bath-house without bathing, exclaiming, "Let us fly, lest even the bath-house fall down, because Cerinthus, the enemy of the truth, is within."

Perhaps that's not how we understand "love" these days!

---

Truth is… We are more multi-dimensional than we perceive ourselves to be. If we think we are completely good and righteous, we don't understand the depth of our sin. However, if we are constantly beating ourselves up because of our sin, we don't fully understand what it means to have been given the righteousness of God.

Truth also is… Others are more multi-dimensional than we perceive them to be. If we see someone as a godly, upright man or woman who does no wrong; we need to remind ourselves of Peter and his fearful denial. On the other hand, if we see someone as nothing but evil and wickedness, it might be good to remember the boldness of Thomas.

None of us are always what we seem to be sometimes. Thus we must all learn to give ourselves and others grace. But also we must take heed of our sin, least we fall.

10 Lessons On Leadership from John the Baptist

"After me comes the one more powerful than I, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

If I were to use one sentence to summarize John the Baptist's leadership style I would say this: John the Baptist was fully committed to building someone else's kingdom instead of his own. When reading Mark's account of the desert prophet, I am struck by the wild popularity of John prior to Jesus' arrival. Yet, even though he could have gained wealth, position, possession and more; John chose instead to lose everything (even his head) in order to point people to Jesus. 

Mark doesn't devote a great deal of ink to the story of John, but what he does say is profound. Below are 10 reflections of mine from Mark 1:1-8.

1. John the Baptist was a celebrity who could have greatly benefited from a solid self-promotion campaign. Instead, he chose to point everyone to Jesus.
2. John's refusal to "build his own ministry" was counter-cultural then and now.
3. Be wary of "spiritual leaders" who are masters of self-promotion.
4. John the Baptist's birth was miraculous, it was preceded by an angel's visit, and he was personally the fulfillment of several OT prophecies. Yet he described himself as lowlier than a slave when compared to Jesus.
5. No matter how much you've accomplished, pride is always the wrong response.
6. The only thing John the Baptist could offer to people was greatly inferior to what Jesus could offer them.
7. Jesus is far superior to anything or anyone else we could ever offer to people.
8. Despite drawing massive crowds, John the Baptist didn't consider himself successful except when he was pointing people to Jesus.
9. The size of the crowd doesn't always indicate the success of the ministry.
10. The most important thing any Christian can do with their life is point people to Jesus.

5 Leadership Investments from Genesis 2

Many leadership books and lessons have been written using the examples of biblical characters such as Nehemiah, David, Paul and more. Rarely have I seen leadership lessons gleaned from God's creative work in Genesis 2. Today, I'm going to make a couple observations about leadership which are a result of my reading in Genesis, but first let me identify a couple preconceptions about leadership: 1) Leadership is not about power or authority, it is about investing into people. That's why Jesus washed his disciples feet. 2) Leadership is not always measurable. We invest ourselves faithfully, we pray for the Spirit's work, but ultimately we don't know the results of our investment. Fortunately, God is more concerned with our investment... He already knows the return. So here are a few "Leadership Lessons from Genesis 2" (read the chapter if you need more context!). Whether you are leading a musical group, a group of volunteers in children's ministry, a project team or any other group of people; you may find one or two helpful suggestions from these thoughts. 1) Invest in people by giving them a purpose. "the LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it." When you are leading others, regularly communicate the ultimate goal. Help them see it for themselves, and gently guide them toward it. 2) Invest in people by giving them freedom to work. "You are free to eat from any tree in the garden..." Nothing is more frustrating than being micro-managed. If your team members are capable on their own, let them do things on their own! 3) Invest in people by providing them contextual guidelines. "you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die." We all need boundaries. However, rather than creating walls and fences, try to simply help your team identify what you are NOT trying to accomplish. The more clearly they understand what the big goal is and is not, the easier it will be for them to stay within the guidelines. 4) Invest in people by granting them the necessary authority to work. "He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was his name." Intentionally tell other people how much faith you have in your team. Few things are more empowering than knowing that your leader believes in you, so work hard to make sure your team knows you believe in them! 5) Invest in people by providing them the appropriate help to complete their work. "But for Adam no suitable helper was found...Then the LORD God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man." Regularly ask your team what they need. Equip them for success by ensuring they have the resources and people necessary to accomplish their goal.