These 'Stories' Are Messing Me Up!
Jul/090
Our summer-long series called Stories is really picking up steam. I am absolutely pumped about some of the upcoming messages in this series!
I'll give you a little advanced warning…the next few stories have the power to mess things up in your life. Jesus has a propensity for doing that.
We think we've got everything figured out. We switched on the cruise control, and everything is golden. Then Jesus comes along and purposely screws up our perfect plans.
There is an old axiom that perfectly describes what Jesus is all about…"Jesus came to comfort the afflicted and to afflict the comfortable."
If you're comfortable in your walk with Jesus…if you're comfortable with where ACC is right now…then Jesus is going to mess with you over the next few weeks.
How do I know He's going to mess with you?
He's messing with me.
Go Do It
Jul/091
"People need to be reminded more often than they need to be instructed." (C.S. Lewis)
Much of what I do when I preach is simply remind people of what they already know.
The exception is the person who has never darkened the door of a church…never cracked the cover of a Bible…never heard the truth about Jesus. And we have those people at ACC every week…thank God!
But for those who have been following Jesus for a while, it's rare that I say something they don't already know. Maybe I come at it from a different perspective. Maybe they think about it in a different way. But actual learning is usually minimal.
Most Christians are educated far beyond their level of obedience. Many believers know a lot, but don't do much with it. So let me ask a question…
What do you know that you need to do?
Go do it.
You don't need another sermon to teach you what you need to do. You already know. It's time to take that knowledge and turn it into action.
You know what you need to do.
Go do it.
Separation Anxiety
Jul/090
Our little boy, Brock, is hitting the peak of separation anxiety. The minute that he believes mommy or daddy is going to leave him, he cries. I mean, he CRIES! To the point where he makes himself throw up.
This is not a fun phase in Brock's development, but I keep trying to remind myself that it is just that…a phase. All children go through it, to one degree or another.
Brock is hungry for the security of knowing that mommy and daddy are with him. The thought of losing that security sends him into meltdown mode.
While the intensity of this separation anxiety will diminish in time, I'm not sure it ever goes away entirely. We all have an inner desire to know that we're not alone.
Maybe that's why God's most frequent promise in the Bible is, "I will be with you."
The Church Needs More…
Jul/090
"The church needs fewer commentators and more innovators; fewer critics and more creators; fewer imitators and more dreamers." (Mark Batterson)
Omnivores
Jul/092
My family made a trip to Cade's Cove in Tennessee last month. We went in search of black bears, and we weren't disappointed. We saw several bears, including a mother and a very young cub. (That was an amazing sight!)
The first bear we saw was out in a field, lazily gnawing on some grass. Despite what some people believe, this bear wasn't interested in eating us, even though we were quite close to him. He was perfectly content to eat grass, because he is an omnivore.
An omnivore is an animal that eats both plants and meat.
Now, before this post gets too "Discovery Channel," I do have a connection to make.
I'm more convinced than ever that we need to be omnivores in our spiritual life. In other words, we need a lot of variety in our spiritual diet.
For example, two of my favorite preachers are Steven Furtick and Charles Stanley. They couldn't be more opposite.
Furtick is young. He often preaches in jeans and t-shirts. His hair color seems to change weekly. And he is known to get very passionate and very loud.
Stanley is much older. I've never seen him preach in anything but a suit. And he has a very soft-spoken, conversational delivery.
I love listening to both these guys. They both challenge and stretch me, although they do it in very different ways.
That's why it's important to be a spiritual omnivore…to add as much variety as possible to your spiritual diet. Different preachers, different authors, different worship leaders, etc. all bring a fresh perspective. When you have a variety of people speaking into your life, it adds a dimension and depth to your spiritual walk that you would never get otherwise.
If you are an ACCer, then listen up…you need more people speaking into your life than me. You need to listen to other pastors. You need to read a variety of authors. You need to do whatever you can to broaden your horizons.
One word of caution…you need to be very careful that the voices you listen to are speaking Scriptural truth. That is the one litmus test you must always have.
But if this person is speaking the truth of God, then it doesn't matter who they are. Their style doesn't matter. Their age, skin color, or denominational affiliation certainly doesn't matter.
We really live in an amazing age. Thanks to the internet, we have a wealth of Scriptural teaching available at our fingertips…for free! We have absolutely no excuse for not expanding our spiritual diet.
Make a conscious effort to listen to a different voice this week. Be an omnivore.
Generosity
Jul/090
I shared some of this with our worship team before practice on Sunday. There was a time when I didn't enjoy preaching on generosity.
Several reasons why…
1. People tend to get uptight when you talk about their money.
2. It's not a "sexy topic." I always thought it was difficult to make a "generosity message" fresh and exciting.
3. For a long time, I wasn't a generous person.
I have since done a complete 180° turn in my way of thinking. Here's how I have come to view my previous obstacles to teaching on generosity.
1. I really don't care who I offend anymore, as long as I offend them with Scripture. It took me a long time to get to this point, but this is where I am now. If Biblical preaching offends someone, then that is between that person and God. All I am is the messenger.
2. God is an extravagant giver. John 3:16 tells us that giving is at the very core of who God is. We are never more like God than when we give. So I'm going to preach it. I'm going to preach it with passion. I'm going to preach it often.
3. I am a much more giving person than I used to be. Nicki and I didn't tithe for a long time. And we struggled financially during that same time period. Coincidence? Nope. But now, God gets the first and the best of our income without fail. And the more giving we become, the more we are blessed.
These are just a few reasons why I was excited to preach yesterday's message. I'm sure it blessed some people. I'm sure it offended some others. But through it all, I'm sure it glorified God. And that's all that matters to me.
Thoughts From a Short Sermon
Jul/090
My sermon on Sunday clocked in at 24 minutes. That's the shortest message I have preached in years. But the message also connected. It's hard to describe, but any preacher will tell you that he knows if the message connects or not. It's not a hard thing to discern.
A short, and yet effective, sermon. Kind of a novel idea, huh?
I'm not about to promise a 24 minute message every week, but I do think that my message on Sunday proves a point that every preacher…and every follower of Christ…needs to heed.
The fewer your words, the greater your impact.
Jesus said, "And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words." (Matthew 6:7, NIV, emphasis added)
A lot of people seem to be in love with the sound of their own voice. They feel the need to pontificate on any and every subject. And for a preacher, it's doubly dangerous. After all, I am speaking for God, so it is acceptable if I ramble on and on and on.
Um…no.
God is the master of brevity. In the Old Testament, He gave his people 10 Commandments that were of the utmost importance. Not 1,000. Not even 100. Just 10.
And in the New Testament, He summed up the entire Bible in just two commandments. If the God of heaven and earth can get right to the point, then we had better learn the art of brevity, too.
I realize that most of the people reading this aren't prepping a sermon for Sunday. But the principle holds true for all followers of Christ. Words have power…if they are used sparingly. If we talk too much, the law of diminishing returns kicks in.
If you don't believe me, check out the Word of God for the confirmation that you need.
If you have something that is worth saying, then it is worth the effort that it takes to say it succinctly. The people that I listen to the most are the people who often say the least. They have learned to measure their words so that, when they do speak, it makes an impact.
I think I've made my point. I'd better stop now, before the length of this post negates that point.
Big God or Big Worry?
Jul/092
Your God is only as big as your biggest worry.
In Luke 1:37, the Bible reminds us that, "Nothing is impossible with God." (NIV)
That is the message that the angel Gabriel relayed to Mary. The angel told Mary that Elizabeth was six months pregnant, even though she was an old woman. And Mary herself was going to be pregnant with the Son of God, even though she was a virgin.
How was all this possible?
Nothing is impossible with God.
That same God is still alive and well today. His power and His presence haven't diminished. But many of us act like they have.
We claim to believe that God is with us, but we live like He isn't.
We claim to believe that God is all powerful, but we live like He can't possibly handle our problems.
Maybe we need a fresh perspective. I can't remember who said it, but it's true. Instead of telling God how big our storm is, we need to tell the storm how big our God is.
How big are you allowing God to be in your life? Your God is only as big as your biggest worry.
I Am With You
Jul/090
I'm contemplating some big stuff right now. I'm feeling as desperate as I've ever felt for the vision and wisdom of God. To be honest, I've prayed for God to just come right out and tell me what to do. (By the way, He rarely does that…even for pastors.)
This morning, I was spending some time in prayer, once again begging God to give me wisdom and clarity. And the Scripture that came to my mind was Matthew 28:20 when Jesus said, "And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
That wasn't what I was looking for. I was praying for specific guidance and direction. God replied, "I am with you."
Wait a minute, God…you don't seem to understand. I need to know what to do here.
"I am with you."
Perhaps I'm not being clear…I desperately need you to show me specifically what you are calling me to do.
"I am with you."
I have countless Scriptures memorized, but this was literally the only one I could think of while I was praying. It was as if God wouldn't let me hear anything else but these words…
"I am with you."
Honestly, that wasn't the answer I was seeking. But it was the answer I needed.
This answer didn't seem like enough. But in reality, God's presence is more than enough.
What are you praying for today? What specific answers are you seeking?
God may answer you with specifics. Or you could receive the same answer I received.
"I am with you."
It may not seem like it at the time, but that answer is all you need.
She Flipped Me Off!
Jul/090
So I'm out driving the other day. Ryan and I were on the way to the barber shop for two much-needed haircuts.
All of a sudden, this car starts to pull out right in front of me. I slam on the brakes and blow the horn. The horn was just my first reaction. I had to do whatever I could to get this driver's attention. Otherwise, we were going to collide.
Thankfully, the car stopped. But as I drove past, the woman in the passenger seat flipped me off!
What the heck?!?!?
Nothing in the entire scenario was my fault. Actually, the fact that I used my horn was probably the only thing that saved us from being in an accident.
And yet…this woman flipped me the bird!
Gotta be honest here…I really wanted to stop the car and have chat with this couple. But I didn't. I just kept on driving.
First of all, there were two of them and only one of me. I'm pretty sure my five-year-old son wouldn't have been much help, so I was on my own.
Second, I really didn't want Ryan to see me display my anger in that manner.
Third, I don't want to live like a fool. The Bible says, "A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise man keeps himself under control." (Proverbs 29:11, NIV) I don't want to be a fool in God's eyes.
Now, I would be lying if I said that part of me didn't want to jump out of my car. I did. I had a few things that I wanted to impart to these folks. But it would have been a stupid, immature, and completely foolish thing to do because my anger only lasted a moment.
By the time we arrived at the barber shop, my anger had subsided. The whole scenario I just described really didn't matter in the grand scheme of my life. I was mad for a moment, but I chose not to act on my anger. And I was really glad I made that choice.
A sudden outburst of anger will feel good at the time. (If it didn't feel good, we wouldn't do it.) But the regret will far outlast the moment of pleasure that we experience.
Hope that little tidbit comes in handy the next time someone tells you that, "You're #1."
