Have you ever been a part of an athletic event or watched a game where the referees were obviously one-sided? I don’t mean they were just bad referees, but they clearly favored one team over the other? They weren’t blind, they just chose to see what they wanted to see? Games where even the home team admits they got the benefit of the doubt on most all the calls?

Life seems a lot like that sometimes too doesn’t it? When everyone and everything seems to be against you. When the grief is overwhelming. When the doctor tells you it’s malignant. When you discover you are miscarrying…again. When he tells you he doesn’t love you anymore and wants a divorce. When you discover she is seeing someone else. When your job is gone. When the money is gone. When your best friend betrays you. When your son isn’t living up to the expectations you had for him. When your daughter runs away from home and you have no idea where she is at. When your drinking is out of control. When your loved one’s drinking is out of control. When you can’t sleep at night because of all the thoughts racing through your mind. When the world seems so dark just getting out of the bed every morning takes heroic effort.

How do we get through those times in life? Those times when everyone and everything seems to be against us? The same way we get through those games when the odds seemed stacked against us. We must choose what we focus on. You see, we can opt to center on the referees and how they seem to be going against us, or we can focus on the game plan laid out before us. We can elect to grumble and complain about the officiating or we can concentrate on the goal before us. Likewise, we can opt to center on the problems and suffering surrounding us or we can focus on the plan and purpose God has for us.

What is that plan you might ask? It’s found in one of the most quoted and misquoted verses of the Bible:

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good,

for those who are called according to his purpose.Romans 8:28

And we know…

We don’t have to guess or pretend. We know for sure and without any doubt at all. That assurance gives us confidence in the most difficult of circumstances.

That for those who love God…

This is not a promise for everyone; it is a promise for those who love God. If I’m not living God’s way or if I am ignoring God’s way for my life, I’m not promised this. But if I’m loving God and trying to fulfill His purpose for my life, I can give everything to God and He will bring good out of it somehow.

All things work together for good…

God causes everything to work together for good. There is a grand designer behind everything – the good, the bad and the ugly. It does not say that everything that happens is good. There are things that are bad, wrong and evil. But there is nothing that God cannot use for good in your life. We are the ones who must choose to grow through it!

What are you focusing on today? You can choose to fix your attention on the problems and misery and watch it multiply. Or you can choose to grow through what you are going through!

 

 

 

I just left the hospital visiting with someone who has been hospitalized for several days already and is looking at a while longer. We visited, we cried, we laughed, and we prayed together. I asked if there was anything else we could be doing to help. And her response caught me a little off guard. “I just want to be in church,” she said.

I’m not going to lie to you, I don’t get that response often! I assured her that she could watch us online anytime. But that’s not what she meant. She wants to be around her church family. She doesn’t want to be isolated in a sickbay room.  She doesn’t want to feel sequestered from those she loves being around. She wants to be in community with her church because she realizes that it’s in community that she finds healing.

God never meant for us to go through trying times on our own. When we carry it all by ourselves, we are carrying a load that God never intended for us to have. God says we’re meant to grieve with others. Healing comes in community. Healing comes in the church.

Isolation is the worst possible choice to make when life gets overwhelming. Our tendency is to want to be by ourselves, but we need other people – their presence, their perspective, their support, their comfort, and their encouragement. To make it through a crisis, we need the people of God.

No one will argue that one person can lift more than ten people lifting together. So why do we often ignore the hands extended to help us carry our burdens, and try to bear the weight on our own? We may always bear the heaviest portion, but support and encouragement from others will significantly  lighten the load.

Share each other’s burdens…

Galatians 6:2 (NLT)

It takes a…church.

Where do you need to surround yourself with God’s people? Where do you need the church?

Where do you need to surround others? Where do you need to be the church?

 

 

 

 

 

You fear you won’t make it through this. You feel the depression will never lift, the yelling will never stop, the pain will never leave. Whatever you are going through – financial woes, relationship predicaments, health crises, career misfortunes, grief valleys – you CAN get through it!

Here’s how…start by groaning about it!

We can respond in one of two ways to suffering: groaning or grumbling. Groaning and grumbling can seem similar, but there are critical differences. Both are responses to suffering, but their sources and their direction are different. Groaning is a response to the weight of suffering, and it is directed toward God as an honest expression of pain, grief, and sorrow. Grumbling also reflects the weight of suffering, but it springs from anger and resentment toward God. It lacks a memory of His past faithfulness. Groaning expresses an element of hope in God, despite current sufferings, but grumbling reflects a lack of hope and faith and is accompanied by a sense of doom. In the Bible, we see that God responds to groaning with mercy, but he responds to grumbling with anger and discipline. God wants to hear your vomit of groans. Groaning is a godly way to grieve our losses and get through whatever it is we are going through.

So whatever it is you are going through, the loss of a loved one, a betrayal by a close friend, more month than money, a bad test result, unfaithfulness in your marriage, being laid off from your job, or a deep, dark depression, have you been groaning or grumbling? You CAN get through this. Start by groaning about it!

So, son of man, groan! Double up in pain. Make a scene!

Ezekiel 21:6 (The Message)

 

 

Every good and perfect gift is from above…James 1:17

Thanksgiving season is upon us again! We are 40 days (37 to be exact) away from stuffing ourselves with food, football and family. And it’s a time that reminds us to give thanks for all the good things in our lives. Because let’s face it, there are other times during the year that our mind is on anything but thanksgiving. We are often guilty of enjoying the gifts while ignoring the Giver.

My family is starting a new tradition this year. We have purchased a pumpkin. Actually, we have purchased several pumpkins. But this one particular pumpkin is not used for decoration. It has been placed in a prominent place in our home and there is a sharpie marker next to it. Every day, each one of us takes the marker and writes at least one thing on the pumpkin that we are thankful for. It sits there every day as a visual reminder of thanksgiving for the gifts in our lives and each day, new ones get added to it. It’s a way for us to enjoy the gifts and acknowledge the Giver.

I challenge your family to take the 40 Days of Thanksgiving Challenge. You are welcome to borrow our idea, or feel free to adapt an idea of your own. But in some way, give thanks for the gifts and to the Giver!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Have you ever done something and then sworn to God and others that you’d never do that again – whatever that is? If you’re human, then the answer is yes.

We think thoughts that we shouldn’t think. We say things that we shouldn’t say. We do things that we shouldn’t do. We recognize we shouldn’t be thinking those things, doing those things, or saying those things. And we promise ourselves and God that we won’t think, say, or do those things ever again. And then we think those things, say those things and do those things again and again. We have good intentions. Nonetheless, we blow it on a regular basis. And we end up thinking there is no way God could ever love us.

We are in good company. This is the story of God’s people in the Old Testament. God rescues them from their troubles again and again, but they always end up back in a cesspool of their own making. It’s an ongoing cycle of failure, desperation, repentance, God’s mercy, complacency that leads to more failure and so on.

That’s where the prophet Hosea (and many other prophets) arrives on the scene. Hosea is called to a bit of a strange thing – to marry a prostitute who continues to be promiscuous after they are married. Because of Hosea’s faithful obedience we get to read about a story that parallels the same kind of love our heavenly Father shows us. Despite our best efforts to turn away, disobey, and prostitute ourselves to other gods, He continues to call us back and love us unconditionally.

In Hosea, we see how God loves His people even though they turn away from Him over and over again. While Israel kept failing, God’s love for them never did. His love is unconditional and never ending. God’s love was not based on what His people did or didn’t do; it was based on their position as His children. Nothing could ever change God’s love for them.

Sin matters. Of course, it does. God didn’t excuse that in the life of Hosea’s wife. It’s never okay for you or me to just resign ourselves to wallowing in the things we shouldn’t think, say and do. But if you find yourself in a condition where you are wondering how God could still love you, remember, your position as His child has not changed. His love for you still remains the same. You may think that God could never love you because of the things you think, say or do. But God’s love is not based on what you think, say and do. God’s love is based on your position as a child of God (1 John 3:1)!

 

 

 

It’s pandemonium in Kansas City. It’s making the headlines nationwide. The Chiefs are off to a 4-0 start behind the remarkable arm of second-year quarterback, Patrick Mahomes.  The former Texas Tech standout has thrown for 1,200 yards and 14 touchdowns with zero interceptions in the first four games of the season. He set an NFL mark for scoring throws in the first three games of a career.Just recently, Mahomes led a fourth quarter comeback victory over the Denver Broncos that was capped off by a memorable left-handed heave for a first down completion that left onlookers flabbergasted.

But Texas Tech Red Raider fans are not surprised at all. We’ve seen Mahomes do that and more during his time as the play caller for Texas Tech. While the statistics he’s putting up are stunning to some, those who watched Mahomes play at Tech aren’t speechless.  In fact, Red Raider faithful are claiming the bragging rights. Our chests are puffed out, we wear our Chief’s merchandise with pride, and share every social media post of the antics that happen in Arrowhead Stadium that we can find. Texas Tech fans all over have straightaway converted to Chief’s fans regardless of their football allegiances. Cowboy fans are donning the red and gold. Even those who aren’t followers of football have become fanatics of “Showtime” Mahomes.

Did you know that is how God feels about you?

God is your biggest fan! He is that proud of you! You are so precious to Him (Isaiah 43:4). He takes delight in you (Zephaniah 3:17). God brags about you all the time; He says that you are the “apple of his eye” (Deuteronomy 32:10). God does more than wear your merchandise; He has your name engraved in the palm of His hand (Isaiah 49:16). He has an entire stadium of people cheering for you (Hebrews 12:1). And you haven’t surprised Him in any way -good or bad (Psalm 139:1-4). Besides, the bad stuff has been covered by the cross (Ephesians 1:7). Even in the imperfect, God is so proud of you (Romans 8:37-39)!

You can see why God is so proud of (you)…

Hebrews 11:16 (The Message)

Hebrews 11 is full of characters from the Bible who God was so proud of. They weren’t perfect. They didn’t have headline making numbers. Some didn’t even reach their goals. But they all had one thing that made God boast. They had faith. The had trust in God. In the highs and in the lows. On the good days and in the bad. In the known and in the unknown. In times of victory and in times of defeat. And they were always looking for something better of themselves. Always hoping for more.

Yes, God is so proud of you! Even more proud than the Red Raider faithful are of Mahomes (and that’s saying a lot). So, whether you need this reminder today or need to hang on to it for another day, don’t ever forget how proud God is of you!

 

 

 

 

 

Do you think it’s possible to find real changein your life? Are you wondering if true transformation is only a myth? Our culture seems to have this insatiable appetite for self-help and improvement. Unfortunately, it’s left us with too many quick substitutes that rarely deliver genuine change.

Real change is possible. But you won’t find it on the shelves of the bookstore or in the check-out line at the grocery store. Rather, we must open the Bible and see what it has to say. Paul writes it this way:

…put off your old self,which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and be renewed in the spirit of your minds,and put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. Ephesians 4:22-24

To find real change we must:

1. Put Off the Old

What area do you want to see change in? Where are you struggling? What hurt, habit or hang-up is it that you want to shed? Let it go! You’ve got to drop it like a hot potato. Imagine you go to a department store to buy a new coat. You find one and you take it into one of those little changing rooms. You don’t go in there and put on the new coat over the old one. It will never fit that way. You’ve got to take the old one off first.  If you want to see the new in your life you’ve got to be willing to part ways with the old. If you are determined to drop 20 pounds but you have a friend that keeps bringing you Blue Bell, change the locks on your doors. If you are striving to honor God with your body but you’re dating someone who keeps pushing you to do things you know you shouldn’t do, throw that fish back in the sea.

2. Change the Way You Think

You just bought a new coat! You’re no longer thinking about the old one. You only have thoughts about how good you are going to look in the new one. If you want to find real change in your life, stop thinking about the old and begin reflecting on the new. Mediate on what God says about you rather than what the world wants you to believe. Don’t live into that lie that was said over you years ago. Stop living in the addictive or victim mentality that you are living in. Accentuate the positive. Eliminate the negative. Latch on to the affirmative. Paul says in another place that we keep from conforming to the ways of this world by changing the way we think (Romans 12:1-2).

3. Put On the New

Wear your new coat and wear it proudly! It may take some getting used to. It probably doesn’t fit exactly like your old one did. The pockets are in different places. But it has some things that are newer and better than your old coat. That’s why you bought it! So wear it. Live into your new.

Do you want to see real change in your life?

• What old things do you need to let go of?
• Where do you need to change the way you think?
• What new things do you need to begin wearing?

 

 

Teddy Roosevelt was right. Comparison is the thief of joy.

Yet many of us will live our lives trying to pretend that’s not true. As a result, we will wear the labels the world sticks on us as we incessantly look at other people to see how we stack up. There are two inherent dangers in comparison:

1. It makes us undervalue ourselves

Comparing ourselves to others perpetually makes us think we are never good enough. We are not certain enough, not smart enough, not thin enough, not successful enough, our work isn’t good enough, and our kids don’t behave well enough. It leads us to think we won’t be worthy until we lose weight, get a diploma, get that job, get that promotion, get married, get pregnant, drive a nicer car, or live in a bigger house.

But our value doesn’t depend on what anyone else thinks we’re worth. It depends on what God thinks we’re worth. God says we are enough, because He is enough.

Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming

from us, but our sufficiency is from God… 2 Corinthians 3:5

2. It makes us overvalue ourselves

Much like the Pharisee in Luke 18, we can get caught up in comparing ourselves to others to make us look better. If we get to feeling that we are not worthy, we can always find someone with less worth. If we think we are being a bad spouse, flawed parent, unruly boss or shoddy worker, we can always find someone who is a worse spouse, faultier parent, crueler boss or more unmanageable worker. We then live into a label of putting others down to make ourselves look better. We ascribe less worth to others to give us a false sense of more worth.

But our worth as a person is not established in comparison to anyone else. It was established on a cross on a hillside outside of Jerusalem 2,000 years ago.

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; 

it is the gift of God… Ephesians 2:8

 

Perhaps Teddy Roosevelt stole his saying from God. Comparison is indeed the thief of joy.

 

To see this message in Aldersgate’s “Tattooed” series, click here

We just kicked off our “Tattooed” message series at Aldersgate and we are having so much fun with it! Here’s an excerpt from the first week’s message. You can catch the whole thing here.

The world wants to label us in so many different ways – damaged, ashamed, worthless. But God gives us a new name and a new identity – innocent, glorious and beloved. The question is, “Who are we listening to?” Here’s who God says you are:

But you are the ones chosen by God, chosen for the high calling of priestly work, chosen to be a holy people, God’s instruments to do his work and speak out for him, to tell others of the night-and-day difference he made for you—from nothing to something, from rejected to accepted. (1 Peter 2:9 – The Message)

GOD SAYS YOU ARE CHOSEN!

• The world may ignore you, neglect you, or reject you but God chooses you!
• You may be picked last on the playground, but God has no favorites!
• You may have been abandoned by your parents, spouse, or best friendbut God says you are His!
• You may have been rejectedby the worldbut God says you are acceptedby Him!

GOD SAYS YOU ARE ROYAL!

• The world may push you to the bottom of the totem pole, step all over you, or make you feel worthless, but God says you are royalty!
• You may think you are ordinary, but God says you are priestly!
• You may belabeled as low class, bad class, or no class,but God says you have a high calling!
• You may have been called abum, hood rat, or white trash, but God says youwear a crown!

GOD SAYS YOU ARE HOLY

• The world says you’ll never measure up, never be good enough, or never have it all together, but God says you are holy!
• You may think your past determines who you are, but God says He defines you!
• You make think you’ll never be worthy enough, but God says He set you apart!
• You may think future is bleak,but God says He has big plans for you!

GOD’S SAYS YOU AREHIS SPECIAL INSTRUMENT

• The world says you’ll never be pretty enough, skinny enough, smart enough, or rich enough but God says you are His special instrument.
• You may think you will never be seen or noticed but God says he even keeps his eyes on the sparrow!
• You may think you will never be heard and understood but God says call to me and I will answer you!
• You may have been told that you will never amount to anything but God says You are God’s masterpiece!

So, who are you listening to?

 

 

For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.

Ecclesiastes 3:1

 

It’s time once again for the seasons to begin to turn. The days are getting shorter, morning temperatures are getting chillier, pumpkin spice is turning up everywhere, and we anticipate the long awaited arrival of football!

Just as God created a pattern of natural seasons that we cycle through, He has given us a similar rhythm of seasons in our lives. These seasons come and go. Some at what appears to be at warp speed, some that tarry a bit longer than desired, and some like the seasons in West Texas appear to happen all in one day.

Fall is a season of gradual change. Out of nowhere we notice the trees that have carried green leaves all summer long begin to change colors. The trees sluggishly drop each leaf until they are left completely naked. Unless the tree is in West Texas and then it goes from being fully clothed to completely naked on one good windy day! The grass that has been a brilliant green for months has now drifted into a lackluster gold. Likewise, we gradually drift. We coast. And then we realize things have changed and left us completely exposed. We wake up and wonder, “How did I get to this place?”

Winter is a season that is harsh, cold, and bitter. It is a time we typically retreat indoors and isolate ourselves. It is a dark night of the soul where we feel as though God is absent. Yet, it is a time we draw near to God by putting our roots down deep in Him.  We cling in desperate times and He is there to reassure us and speak Words of hopeful promise of what is to come.

Spring is a time of new beginnings, fresh starts, promotions, babies, birthing new ministries, and new jobs and assignments.  It is a time of seeing small beginnings growing out of the cold winter months. It is a time of planting which requires work. The soil must be tilled, seeds must be sown, they must be watered and fertilized, and the weeds must be pulled from them. It is a season of fresh, catapulted faith to launch into the unknown.

Summer is an exciting time of harvesting the fruit from the seeds that were planted in the spring. It is a season of labor and delivery. It is a fulfilling time where we are fully launched in passion and carrying out the plans God has spoken to us.

Which season are you in? It might be one you enjoy. If so, savor it! Live it up! Get everything out of it that God has for you in it. It might be a season that is not as desirable. If so, savor it! Hold on! Anchor down! Get everything out of it that God wants you to get out of it. And remember, a new season is coming!