Let GRATITUDE be my ATTITUDE!

In my last blog, I shared some honest thoughts about my struggles.  My greatest enemy in this life is Satan.  He wants to steal, kill, and destroy me.  He is like a prowling lion looking for someone to devour.  He roars loudly.  However, I am my second worst enemy.  I beat myself up over and over again in this life.  I struggle with my faith, my family, and my finances.  Yes, I struggle with others things in this life, but those are the big three.  I am the one who chooses the direction of my eyes, the reception of my ears, and the lodging of my heart.  I've been reading a great book by Pastor Kyle Idleman, entitled, Don't Give Up.  In his book, Idleman says, "Faith is a confidence that keeps believing all the pieces are going to somehow fit together, even when you don't have the big picture to work from.  It's believing that God has a purpose, even when there seems to be no reason."  He goes on to say, "Faith that gives you the confidence to keep believing and the courage to keep going is NOT faith in life's circumstances; it IS faith in God's character."

I struggle in my faith because too many times I don't truly lean on God; I don't press into God's character.  Instead, I try to control spiritual things myself; I try to accomplish spiritual things on my own, and that is just not possible.  The older I get and the more I learn in this life, the more I understand that I am in control of very little.  I struggle with my family because too many times I don't humble myself; I don't truly lean on God and count on His character being my character.  I struggle with my finances too many times because I have a "Burger King" mentality: "I want it MY way RIGHT away."  And in all my struggles, I can very easily slip into the "victim mentality."  Pastor Kyle Idleman talks about it in his book.  I begin to feel sorry for myself and blame anyone else or anything else that fits the circumstance.  I begin to bathe in PITY.  Pastor Idleman says, "We need to trade our PITY for PRAISE."  If we truly look to God (with our eyes), listen to God (with our ears), and love God (with our hearts), then we will be in an attitude of PRAISE to Him and for Him.  It's hard to PRAISE God for who He is and what He has done when you are in a PITY party for self.  I love what Paul tells us in Colossians 3:15-16.  Paul says, "Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace.  And be THANKFUL.  Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with GRATITUDE in your hearts."

As a Christ follower, I have so much to be THANKFUL for in my life, and it all flows from my loving Father, my God!  Sure, I struggle in this life.  Sure, I struggle with faults and failures and fears.  However, my God is BIGGER than all of my faults, my failures, and my fears.  I need to remind myself of this truth each and every day.  I need to surround myself with people who remind me of this truth each and every day.  I need to remind myself each and every day that I don't know what this day will hold; I won't be in control of the things outside of my own mind and my own heart, but my God is in control.  My God does know what this day will hold.  And I will have a CHOICE!  I can CHOOSE how I will live and how I will love.  I can CHOOSE the direction of my eyes, the reception of my ears, and the lodging of my heart.   I can CHOOSE to let the message of Christ dwell in me richly.  I can choose to sing songs of praise to my good, good Father.  My prayer today is simple: Let GRATITUDE be my ATTITUDE!  Father, I want my eyes on You today.  Father, I want my ears open to what You have to say to me today.  Father, I want You on the throne of my heart today.  Amen!

Think About Such Things

I don't know about you, but my mind is a race car for most of the day and even into the night.  I constantly have thoughts floating around in my mind, but there are three that dominate my mindset: FAITH, FAMILY, and FINANCES.  I'm going to be as honest as I can with my words today, and I'm going to share my struggles with you.  Last night, I shared a truth at Celebrate Recovery that I believe we all need to understand.  Our greatest enemy in this life is Satan.  It's not me; it's not you; it's not a boss; it's not a co-worker; it's not an ex.  It is Satan.  Jesus describes our greatest enemy in John 8:44 as "a murderer from the beginning" and as "a liar and the father of lies."  Jesus goes on to describe our greatest enemy in John 10:10 as the "thief" who "comes only to steal and kill and destroy."  Peter describes our greatest enemy in 1 Peter as one who "prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour."  Make no mistake about it: there is no one and nothing in this world who hates us more than Satan.  He is our greatest enemy.

So who is second?  Again, I don't know about you, but more often than not I find that I am my second worst enemy.  I beat myself up more than anyone or anything else in this world.  Let me try to explain.  I am competitive by nature.  I like to win.  I like to win in everything I do.  I want to be the best husband.  I want to be the best father.  In the past, I wanted to be the best teacher and the best coach.  Today, I want to be the best preacher.  I want to please my wife.  I want to please my children.  I want to please my church members.  And, yes, I want to please God.  As a husband and a father, I want to provide in every way for my wife and our children.  I want them to feel loved and safe and happy and successful.  I want them to have all the good things that they want and need in this life.  I want Marty to know that her husband is capable of taking care of everything, and I want our children to know that their father is capable of taking care of everything.  As a pastor, I want our church family to feel loved and safe and happy and successful.  I want to answer every phone call.  I want to make every visit.  I want to preach every passage.  I want our church family to know that their pastor is capable of taking care of everything.  I want to please God with all of my efforts, with all of my abilities and all of my strength.

What I've come to find out is that I have believed the liar, the father of lies.  I have tried to battle on my own with this lion that is roaring and prowling around, looking to devour me.  What I've come to find out is that I am not capable on my own of stopping my greatest enemy to steal and kill and destroy me.  Somewhere along this journey of life, I've surrendered and/or exchanged the peace and the joy that God has given me as His child.  Somewhere along this journey of life, I've valued WORKING for the Lord more than WORSHIPING the Lord.  I'm so tired.  I'm tired in my relationships.  I'm tired in my work.  I'm just tired.  I've struggled with my FAITH.  I've struggled with my FAMILY.  I've struggled with my FINANCES.  I've struggled because I've listened to the liar and the author of confusion more than I've listened to my Creator and my Heavenly Father.  Satan roars and screams loudly at me: "You are a failure!  You can't please and provide for your wife and kids!  You can't please and provide for your church family!  God doesn't love you!  God won't help you!  You have to do this yourself.  You have to work harder.  You have to do more. Quit!  Give up on God!  Give up on your family!  Give up on your finances!"  I could keep going with what Satan has been roaring and screaming at me.  I could fill up ten more pages with the things he has been planting in my mind.  He is my greatest enemy.  What's even worse, is that I have allowed him to do it.  I've continued to feed this hungry killer for far too long.  It has to stop!  I have to choose right now my next steps, even before I take them.

I know what the Bible says.  "God is love.  God first loved us.  God so loved us."  These words are found in 1 John 4:7-21.  "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."  These words are found in John 3:16.  John 3:17-18 goes on to say, "For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.  Whoever believes in him is not condemned."  Jesus says to us in John 10:10, "I have come that they may have life and have it to the full."  "Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord."  These words are found in Acts 3:19.  Paul tells us in Colossians 3:1-4, "Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.  Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.  For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.  When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory."  Paul tells us in Philippians 2:13, "For it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose."  He goes on to say in Philippians 4:4, "Rejoice in the Lord ALWAYS.  I will say it again: Rejoice!"  He says in verses 6-7, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with THANKSGIVING, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."  
And in Philippians 4:8, Paul says these powerful and life-changing words: "Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - THINK ABOUT SUCH THINGS."

I do believe it is important to be a good husband to my wife, a good father to our children, and a good pastor to the church.  However, I must first and always be a faithful child of God.  Hebrews 11:6 reminds me, "And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him."  For far too long I have been thinking about earthly things.  For far too long I have been selfish.  For far too long I have been listening to the liar, the father of lies.  Today, I have choices to make.  I can REPENT of my sins.  I can TURN to God.  I can BELIEVE what He says to me and about me.  I can THINK ABOUT SUCH THINGS.  

 In his book, Don't Give Up, Pastor Kyle Idleman says, "There are times in life when the fog rolls in and we lose sight of the shore.  Someone we trusted takes advantage of us.  Someone we love stops loving us in return.  Good plans go off the rails.  Unexpected physical or financial hardships come fast and hard.  When the fog is thick, it's easy to lose perspective.  We think things are worse than they are.  Without realizing it, we start to feel sorry for ourselves.  We quit and then we blame the fog so we won't feel like a quitter."  He goes on to say that we need to trade our "PITY for PRAISE."  Instead of bathing in PITY (feeling sorry for self and wanting others to feel sorry for us), we need to fix our eyes on Jesus and PRAISE Him for who He is and what He has done, is doing, and will do!  Hebrews 12:1-3 says, "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles.  And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.  For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.  Consider him, who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart."

I desperately need Jesus.  I can't live this life the way God created me to live on my own.  I will never be successful in anything I do apart from Jesus, and I will never have the peace of God apart from God.  What I know of God is right and true - the Bible tells me so.  What I know is more important than how I feel.  I choose to rejoice in the Lord...ALWAYS!  I choose to embrace His love for me...ALWAYS!  I trade my PITY for His PRAISE, and I am ready to be who He created me to be...for my wife, for our children, and for the church.  THINK ABOUT SUCH THINGS!!!

An Undivided Heart

I found myself singing an old hymn just a few days ago.  They old hymn is entitled, "Come, Thy Fount of Every Blessing."  The writer of that old hymn says, "Let that grace, Lord, like a fetter, bind my WANDERING HEART to thee."  He goes on to say, "Prone to WANDER, Lord, I feel it.  Prone to leave the God I love."  And finally, the writer says, "Here I raise my Ebenezer.  Here by Thy great help I've come."  This is a song that I grew up singing in my church.  And though we don't sing it as much today as we used to, this song is still just as powerful today.  

I recently preached a short series on Sunday evenings entitled, "It's All About the Heart."  Throughout the Bible, we find that every word we speak and every action we take is the overflow of what is in our hearts.  When I speak of the "heart," I am not talking about the organ of the body that pumps blood throughout the body.  I am talking about the core of who we are physically, mentally, and spiritually.  Our heart is the center of who we are and how we live.  In the Bible, David is known as "a man after God's own heart."  This does not mean that David was perfect.  The Bible is clear that only Jesus is perfect; everyone else sins and falls short of the glory of God.  No, David was not perfect, but he did strive to walk with God daily and to please God with his words and his actions.  David knew his heart; he knew the fleshly longings and desires that pulled him in every direction.  David knew his heart was divided.  What did he do?  He cried out to God and asked God for help.  I love Psalm 86.  In Psalm 86:1, David says, "Hear me, Lord, and answer me, for I am poor and needy."  He goes on to ask God for guidance, for mercy, and for joy.  He reminds himself of God's presence, God's goodness, God's forgiveness, and God's marvelous deeds.  In Psalm 86:11, David cries out to God, "Teach me your way Lord, that I may rely on your faithfulness; give me an UNDIVIDED HEART, that I may fear your name."

I don't know about you, but I certainly have a divided heart.  I have fleshly longing and desires that pull me away from God, that pull me away from my family, and that pull me away from my friends.  David had many enemies, but his chief enemy was Satan.  My chief enemy is Satan.  He wants to steal, to kill, and to destroy me!  Satan wants me to have a divided heart.  He knows that if my heart is divided then God doesn't have it all, and God wants all of my heart, all of my mind, all of my soul, and all of my strength.  If God doesn't have all of my heart, then I cannot properly fear His name.  When an enemy of God "fears the Lord," it refers to "terror."  However, when a child of God "fears the Lord," it refers "worship, honor, respect, and awe."  I have been crying out to God these past few weeks these same words of David: "Teach me your way Lord."  "Give me an UNDIVIDED HEART."  I know that I am poor and needy.  I know that my enemy, Satan, is after me.  I know that I cannot defend myself.  I need God!  I rely on His faithfulness, not my own!  My prayer is that God will give me an UNDIVIDED HEART so that I might fear Him.  In doing so, God will guide me in His ways.  He will help me be the husband my wife needs, the father my children need, and the pastor my church needs.  Am I perfect?  No.  Will I ever be perfect?  No.  However, through Jesus' life, death, and resurrection, and through repentance and faith in Him, I am forgiven and set free!  I can live the life God created me to live.  And like the writer of the old hymn, "Come, Thou Found of Every Blessing" says, I am raising my Ebenezer (my Stone of help) daily.  From where does my help come?  It comes from Jesus who loves me so!!!  Greater is He (Jesus) who is in me than he (Satan) who is in the world!!!