8/15/2020 - Faithful To The End

 

Every person alive is guilty of trying to control things that God says are outside of our control. We’re guilty of plotting outcomes that God says we should not plot. We are guilty of claiming knowledge for things that God says cannot be known. We are guilty for holding on with a ridiculously tight grip to what we think we’re entitled to. 

There is a better way. “Give up your life for my sake,” Jesus exhorts us. “That is how to save a life.” (See Matthew 10:39.)

Now if Jesus wasn’t about to put his money where his mouth was, we might blow past his “helpful advice.” But that’s not at all the case. Our Lord was about to carry his own cross to Skull Hill, where he would die the most brutal of deaths. 

Matthew 26 is one of those chapters in the Bible that I can’t read without cringing and squinting my eyes. How desperately Jesus wanted out of this deal, and who wouldn’t? To die is one thing. To know you’re about to die—and in the manner Jesus faced—is quite another. We’d be begging God too. 

Still, Jesus said, “Yet I want your will to be done, not mine” (Matthew 26:39). 

I’m telling you: faithful to the end. 

After returning to his friends and rebuking them for having fallen asleep (insert blushing, wide-eyed emoticon here), Jesus pleaded with his Father a second time. “My Father!” he said. “If this cup cannot be taken away unless I drink it, your will be done” (v. 42). 

A second time, he returned to his men. A second time, he found them asleep. 

A third time, Jesus went before his Father. Three times, he begged for relief. Knowing it was a futile request—knowing that this course was set—he went to his disciples and said, “Go ahead and sleep. Have your rest. But look—the time has come” (v. 45). 

In this moment we see Jesus modeling for us what he asks us all to do. Sacrifice. Sacrifice, so that this world can be a better place. Sacrifice, in order to find God’s best. Sacrifice, so that God’s grand, redemptive plan can be realized throughout the earth. 

Which begs the question, how well are we following suit?

What is God asking you to do that involves sacrificing something for his will, even if it’s not what you would have chosen?

8/14/2020 - "Jesus Wept"

 

The shortest verse in the Bible is, “Jesus wept” (John 11:35). And yet I think it’s one of the strongest. Jesus’s friends Mary and Martha had just lost their brother, Lazarus, and Jesus was nowhere to be found. They’d sent a messenger to ask Jesus to save their brother before it was too late, but Jesus had chosen not to come. Two days he waited, before he showed up. Two days! 

Mary and Martha were distraught. 

When Jesus did show up, he wept. He couldn’t have been crying over Lazarus’s death, because he could have prevented that death. No, he was crying because his friends were crying. 

Their tears had moved him to tears. His delay in coming to his friends’ aid was strategic; he would raise Lazarus from the dead, thus proving his supernatural power and gathering glory for God. But in the meantime, before that resurrection, his heart of compassion led him to weep. 

The message for me and also for you? God will always care for us, even when what is hurting us is in his plan, even when he knows we are hurting. But he will be with us in that hurting, leading us to the new life he has for us beyond it. 

At one point in my musical career, I realized that music had become an idol in my life. Sam the Recording Artist had become my identity. I realized God was saying to me, “I know you say you love me, Sam, but if I don’t do it the way you want me to, will your love and devotion end?” In other words, “Am I in charge, or what?” God was killing me so that he could live. He was ripping out the desire in me to make his plan fit into mine. And he was weeping with me because he knew how I grieved my dreams, even though his plan was best in the end.

Maybe you’re stuck in a Lazarus moment right now, waiting on something to be raised up. Something is dying in your hands, and you’re worried that death will have the final word. If that’s you, please be encouraged. Trust God’s plan while holding his hand. 

Take a few moments to reflect on this question, “If God asked you to trade your dream for his, would you do it?” 

8/13/2020 - What Is God After In You

 

What is God after in you? Is God stripping you of your agenda? Maybe for some of you it’s already stripped away. For others, you and God may be in a wrestling match or around the corner from one. Let me save you some energy and time—just let him win. The quicker you let him win and release control, the easier life will be. Now that’s easier said than done, but the premise still remains true. 

I may not know what your specific struggle is, but I do know one thing for sure: that struggle can be broken off of your life by the healing, saving power of God. As my friend and mentor Pastor Jeff Henderson likes to say, “When your story connects with God’s story, it leads to a greater story.” 

That line of Jeff’s has become my approach to everything. “Connect to God’s story!” I now tell youth groups and schools and church congregations. “It’s only by connecting to God’s story that your story will come alive. It’s only then that your story will become.”

Despite what you believe your story is about—abandonment, addiction, graduating from high school, getting a promotion, finding true love, being adopted, reconciling with a loved one, or getting fit at the gym—I believe your real, ultimate, story is God’s plan. Only when you decide to connect with him intentionally, meaningfully, and enthusiastically, will you find true purpose.

In Psalm 57:2, the psalmist says, “I cry out to God Most High, to God who will fulfill his purpose for me.” God created us to seek him for our identity.

I truly believe that God is redeeming a broken world. When we forfeit our plans and join him in his magnificent work, we experience fulfillment, for the first time in our lives.

In what ways do you find identity in the circumstances of your story rather than in God’s purpose for your life? How could you change your perspective on which story matters most?

8/12/2020 - The Only Way To Win

 

The Only Way to Win

Scripture: Matthew 8:23–27

As a teenager, I wanted to grow up to be a Christian Usher. But as I tried to make it as a musician in my twenties, I faced one rejection after another.

Nothing was working for me. Was God even real? Was he here? Did he see me? Did he care?

“I’ve surrendered everything to you,” I told God. “I’ve tried to grow the gifts you’ve given me. I’ve worked my tail off, chasing the opportunities you’ve put in my path. And nothing—nothing!—has panned out. I’m broke. I’m still living with my parents. I’m completely lost. Theologically, none of this makes sense to me anymore. None of this works. Is this what you wanted for me?”

I was mad at God. I was mad at the church. I was mad at this thing called life.

Somewhere in the recesses of my mind, I was taken back to a scene in the Bible where Jesus’s disciples were lower than low. 

Take a minute to read Matthew 8:23–27. 

The disciples had witnessed Jesus perform back-to-back miracles that fulfilled prophecies from long before, and yet now, when they needed him most, they felt abandoned. With a word, Jesus reminded them that all was well. His silence didn’t equal his absence. He was still in complete control. 

During that time of confusion and disappointment in my life, I often cried out, “God, I feel like I’m losing! I need you to make sense of this now! Bring me to heaven to be with you, because life here on earth feels like death.”

It was as if I was in the boat screaming at Jesus, “Save me!” 

And God was saying, “Oh, ye of little faith.” 

Then one night, in a voice barely above a whisper, God spoke a statement that saved my life and rocked my world. 

God said, “Son, if you can lose, then you can also win.” 

I realized that control that God was after in me. God was stripping me of my agenda. He was at work. 

Take some time to think on the phrase, “If you can lose, then you can also win,” in light of your life right now. What does it mean to lose in order to win?

7/29/2020 - A Million Ways

A Million Ways

“My peace inside surpasses the woes.”

Not everyone in life has your best interest at heart. People you thought were your friends can reveal serious character flaws. Other acquaintances may try to test you and see if you’ll join them and sin, leaving you to make a decision about where to go with that relationship.

Joseph was someone who earnestly feared the Lord. In Genesis 39, he was tempted to sleep with another man’s wife, but he refused because he wanted to honor God. Though he was faithful, he was still betrayed and Potiphar’s wife lied on his name. This led to him going to prison for something he didn’t do.

Though Potiphar’s wife caused destruction in Joseph‘s life, it didn’t stop God‘s plan for Joseph to prosper. He continued to serve the Lord despite his situation. In the end, we see that Joseph became a leader over the land.

You can find encouragement knowing despite the mistreatment you may experience, it does not hinder God from working in your life.

Prayer: God, when I may experience mistreatment in my life, help me to fix my eyes on You rather than the issues. Help me to continue to serve You faithfully and not grow bitter.

7/28/2020 - Nice Things

Nice Things
“Nice things might not be enough.”

The pursuit of success and money seems great until you notice the flaw. The flaw in the pursuit of material things is their temporary satisfaction. It’s not sustainable and when you die you can’t take these things with you. There will always be someone with more than you, leaving no end to the chase. You’ll find yourself lacking in contentment; a beautiful exterior, yet empty on the inside.

The scriptures tell us in 1 John 2 that the world is passing away and only those who abide in the Lord will remain forever. If you place all your value in your possessions rather than your relationship with God, you’ll find that everything you built up will one day crumble.

How much more satisfaction would you have knowing that you invested in your eternity, which will remain forever?

Though the material looks nice, it cannot provide love or peace. Total fulfillment can only be found in a relationship with the Lord. This is why you can see someone who looks poor on the outside yet their soul is rich in joy because they have invested in their relationship with God. Meanwhile, you can meet someone who looks wealthy on the outside yet continues to search for more things to drown their pain.

Even on the basis of financial wisdom, it’s smarter to invest in things that will last and retain value, rather than something that looks nice but loses value quickly. This is the same picture of choosing between your eternity or temporary possessions.

When you strip away any financial assets you may own what do you have left? Can you wholeheartedly say that you have invested in your relationship with God? Invest in the One who provides peace and can heal your pain, not just material things that are vain.


Prayer: God, search my heart and help me to begin to invest in my relationship with You rather than my earthly possessions.

7/27/2020 - Iconic

ICONIC

“Iconic counted us out, ironic.”

Yesterday we discussed stereotypes. We learned that you can be confident in who God says you are by holding onto His word and what it says about you. But, this can really be hard when it feels like everyone around you is counting you out, and you start counting yourself out. This is why it is very important to stay in tune with God’s voice and be present in the season He has you in.

Let’s look at the life of David. David was overlooked even by his own family. David’s father thought his older brothers were the best fit to be king and as a result only presented them to Samuel, while omitting David from the process. Meanwhile, David was diligently serving his father by tending to sheep, unaware that God was working behind the scenes. It took Samuel questioning his father and being adamant about David being present for it to be revealed that David was who they were searching for all along. His father looked at outward appearance while God was looking at the heart.

There are many encouraging things we can draw from the story. One is to diligently be about our Father's business. Because David was faithful, God knew he could trust him and knew he was the right one for the job. Also when the time came for his promotion he was easily found and in a position to be called.

Man’s opinion of your future is just that, an opinion. It is only God who has the final say in your life.

David was counted out when, ironically, he was who they needed all along. Though your circumstances may seem like people don’t notice you, don’t worry because God knows who you are. Focus on serving and being faithful to that relationship to the best of your ability and in the right season your purpose will be revealed.

Prayer: God, although I feel overlooked in this current season, help me to place my value in you. Help me to be faithful in the current season you have me in. Help me to remember that although man looks at outward appearance, You look at my heart. Help me to remember that You work everything out for the good of those who love You.