Loved

There is a God who love us. His name is Jesus. The Bible tells us He is love. Nothing can separate us from His love.

We have all experienced the hurt of being rejected by someone, but God will not reject us. Why? He loves us.

He loves you and has a plan for you. Remember, you are loved. No matter what a mess up you may feel like, no matter if someone has rejected you. Remember, you are loved.

Who will separate us from the love of Christ ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword ? 36 Just as it is written, "FOR YOUR SAKE WE ARE BEING PUT TO DEATH ALL DAY WE WERE CONSIDERED AS SHEEP TO BE SLAUGHTERED." 37 But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.   
Romans 8:35-39 

Troy

Identity

From the time we are young we work at having an identity. If we are good at sports we take that on as our identity. If we get good grades or are smart we take that on as our identity. At the same time others are putting an identity on us.

All of us are blessed with various talents and giftings. God has gifted us and when we are functioning in those gifts, those seem to be the times when we feel the most alive. Why? We were created to do whatever that is.

The danger that we run into is when we try to find or feel we have found our identity in those areas of gifting. There is also danger in trying to find our identity in what we do. All of these things are good. We are to function in our giftings, we are supposed to be good parents, responsible workers, etc.... but if we try to tie our identity to them we are headed for trouble. Why? Well, what happens if you can't do what you have tied to your identity? What if your identity is being a husband or wife and your spouse leaves you? What if you raise your kids a certain way and people say you are a good parent and you take that on as your identity, but then as they get older they take actions that aren't good? Are you not a good parent now? And if you tied your ientity to that you will become disillusioned. If you play sports it is only a matter of time before your skills will begin to diminish. Then what? As a musician I have watched many musicians get older and seen their skills begin to diminish (which is natural) and they get upset and mad. Why? They had tied it to their identity.Even in ministry as a pastor gets older they may stay on longer than they should. Why? Without realizing it they have attatched their identity to their position.

This is the challenge for us because it is so easy to tie our identity to these areas. But can we see the set up for danger by living this way? We can fall into depression, anxiousness, etc.. because in losing whatever we have tied our identity to we have lost our identity.

We are supposed to enjoy the things we are gifted at. We are supposed to enjoy the things that bring us pleasure. But we aren't supposed to find our identity in them. Our identity is to be found in Jesus. Our skills may diminish, others may take stuff away from us, we may lose our jobs, our spouses may leave, but Jesus is eternal. He has promised to never leave us or forsake us.

It is ok for us to do the things we enjoy even after our skills begin to diminish at them.Hopefully we do them out of enjoyment and not out of identity. But if we are doing them because we still have our identity tied to them we are in trouble. A sterotypical example would be the elderly church organist. Though they can't hear the music well anymore, much less see the music, though their skills have diminished, they won't step down and give someone else a chance to use their gift. Why? They feel I AM THE CHURCH ORGANIST!!! You see it's their idenity. They could enjoy life so much more if they would just play the organ for the love of it instead of trying to find their identity in it. But instead they look at others as competition, they have to speak down about others. etc.... because if they lose their position they lose their identity. You can translate this to any area of life. It doesn't have to be an elderly person, skills don't have to be diminishing, it's just that it is so easy to find our identity in areas we aren't supposed to.

So we have been gifted with talents and there are things that bring us pleasure, but may we find our identity in Christ and not in these other areas. Maybe a better approach would be to thank God for our talents and enjoy them and bless others with them. Enjoy the things that bring us pleasure and cherish the moments we got to enjoy them. And find our identity in Christ. We will enjoy life more and others will enjoy us more.

Troy

Two Approaches To Dealing With The Hurts And Pains In Our Lives

Nobody likes to hurt. Whether it be physically, emotionally, relationally, none of us wake up hoping that in some way we can experience hurt or pain in those areas. Yet, it can also be foolish to think that we can somehow avoid hurt or pain. Interestingly enough though, we do think that there are things we can do to somehow avoid pain and hurt. But, pain and hurt come to everyone. I'm not trying to be fatalistic, it's just that no matter how hard a person tries to avoid pain and hurt, I have never met a person who was able to escape this reality of life. So if it is inevitable, how should we respond when it happens? What is the most healthy way of dealing with pain and hurt?

Let's keep this as simple as possible. We humans usually have two approaches to dealing with the hurts and pains in our lives. The leader of the Reformation, Martin Luther called them "theology of glory" and "theology of the cross". These did not originate with Luther, he just gave them names. And they are as relevant today as they were in the sixteenth century.

"Theology of glory" is a way of trying to minimize difficult or painful things, or rather than face suffering and pain, look past them. When we approach life this way, we acknowledge the cross, but more as a means to and end. Luther said in this mindset "we do not know God hidden in suffering". Therefore we prefer works to suffering, we want glory rather than the cross. This mindset is the default button for all of us addicted to control amid measurement. This perspective puts us back in the driver's seat.

Just observe how people deal with painful experiences and you will be able to see which option they are choosing. Have you ever heard someone dealing with a painful experience say in essence," well, anyway it wasn't good", or "but I've learned a lot from the experience." 

Though both statements may be true, when we go this route we aren't acknowledging the pain and the hurt. We try to make something bad sound good. It is a way that we can avoid dealing with the pain and the hurt. Tullian Tchividjian says that when we are operating this way our faith feels like a fight against our realities instead of a resource for accepting them. I have heard people who have gone through a painful breakup say, "God is leading me into a season of singleness." That is someone who is not acknowledging the pain they are feeling and is trying to spin it into something that they are not feeling. The English Poet W. H. Auden said it so beautifully when he wrote,

We would rather die in dread/Than climb the cross of the moment/ And let our illusions die.

The theology of the cross accepts the difficult thing rather than try to change it or use it. It looks at the pain, and calls it for what it is. It is coming to learn that God is hidden amid all of the hurts and pains of our lives. Those who come to learn this through struggle and despair may actually be among those who best understand the Christian life.

In the theology of the cross we are following the example of Jesus. It takes us away from our default way of doing life and we come to learn the principle of winning by losing. Of course, even in saying that, our old nature will try to use it as a new way for self-improvement and protection. What do I mean? We then try to find hurt and pain in everything because we think if we do we are more like Jesus, and once again it is a way of being in control, and living by the theology of glory.  (I'm so spiritual because I love to suffer.)

The theology of the cross happens to us and in spite of us. It's not something we can manipulate. So often as followers of Jesus we come into contact with those who lead us to the theology of glory instead of the theology of the cross. The Theology of glory may seem easier and make more sense, but it doesn't allow us to be honest with ourselves and with God.When we begin to understand the theology of the cross and rid ourselves of the need to try to always paint smiling faces and not acknowledge our hurt and pain we begin to experience hope.

Troy

A Reminder In Helping To Become More Like Jesus

As followers of Jesus we want to act like Jesus. So often though, we don't. When we don't, we get disappointed. To make matters worse, others may let us know that we aren't acting like followers of Jesus. We get discouraged and wonder how can I be more like Jesus? I would like to share what I have to constantly remind myself ....... It's not about me, it's about Jesus.

When I remind myself that it's about Jesus and not me I act more like Jesus. I have to remind myself that it is about what Jesus did and not about what I am doing. It's about what Jesus accomplished, it's not about what I am accomplishing.

As a pastor of a church I recently had to take a strength finders test. One of the purposes of the test is to see what our areas of strength are then try to align ourselves with others who are strong in our areas of weakness. I enjoy these types of tests. I find it fascinating how answering some questions can show what I am like. I felt that the results were very accurate. But I also know that if I have accomplished anything it is because of Jesus' strength. He is usually more glorified in my life by using me in spite of my weaknesses instead of my strengths......... I have to constantly remind myself of what Jesus has done.

So let's dig a little deeper in to how we can do this. There are many "in Him" verses in the Bible. Walk in Him,  be built up in Him (Colossians 2:6-7) are just a few examples. Then as we expand the concept of "in Him" we see that He is in us.  "Christ in you, the hope of glory" (Colossians 1:27).

Paul the Apostle through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit is letting us know that Jesus is in us. What does this mean for our lives? In The Gospel -Driven Life, Michael Horton helps open our eyes to all that "in Christ" means:

Paul does not say, "Be like Jesus." He says,"You are like Jesus."....... It's easy for us to rely on the gospel for forgiveness and justification and then to look elsewhere for our renewal and sanctification. However, Paul says that it's all there: "in Christ." Only after saying this does Paul then issue the imperative to live a life that is consistent with this truth........ Being in Christ is the perpetual source of our becoming like Christ, not vice versa.

Because it is more natural for us to look at ourselves and our performance than it is to look at Jesus and His performance, we need to constantly remind ourselves of the gospel. So what do we need to remind ourselves of? If we are Jesus followers, if we have placed our trust in Jesus for our salvation and not placed trust in our own righteousness, if we believe that it is only through Jesus that we can find forgiveness of our sins. Then the good news that we need to remind ourselves of is that we are already qualified, we have already been delivered, we have already been transferred, we have already been forgiven and redeemed.

We have to remind ourselves of what we are positionally. What is already ours in Christ. We mature as we get a greater realization of what we already have in Christ.You see, we needed someone to be our substitute, and that is what Jesus is. He has done for us and secured for us what we could never do or secure for ourselves.

So we need to constantly remind ourselves of what Jesus has already accomplished for us and stop focusing on our performance. Tullian Tchividjian says:

When we focus mostly on our need to get better, we actually get worse. We become neurotic and self-absorbed. Preoccupation with our effort instead of with God's effort for us makes us increasingly self-centered and mobidly introspective.

So hopefully we can learn that Christian growth doesn't happen first by behaving better, but by believing better. Believing in what Christ has already accomplished for us.

Troy

 





Mexican Restaurants and New Churches

I was driving the other day and noticed another one, yes a new Mexican restaurant. I love Mexican food. In the area where I live it seems every few months a new Mexican restaurant is opening. It doesn't bother me, it gives me a new place to try. What will their huevos con chorizo be like? How do they make their rice? Oh and of course, what is their sauce like? I don't have a favorite place to eat, it seems I like the way somehing is made at each restaurant. I like the enchiladas at one place, but the carne de res at another. The huevos a la mexicana are good at this place, but awful at another place. I love the chips at one place, but dislike their sauce. I like the sauce at one place, but not their chips. So it just depends on what I am in the mood for.

Many people don't understand that one of the reasons we have so many Mexican restaurants in the area is because depending on which part of Mexico the owners have come from that is how they make their food. Not everyone makes their rice or sopa the same. Not everyone makes their enchiladas the same. My grandpa made his food a certain way, that is what I grew up on so I like restaurants that make their food similar to my grandpa. Somebody from Arizona or California will prefer their food another way. Yet, with all the Mexican restaurants we can sample the variety of ways to enjoy the food.

What I have said about Mexican restaurants can also be said about churches. In our area we have hundreds of churches. Why? Do we really need that many? In my opinion, we don't have enough. When it comes to churches, the majority of them are ok. There are a few organizations that look like they are worshipping Jesus, but are actually cults. But on the whole, the majority of the organizations who say they are worshipping Jesus actually are.

I have been fortunate to have been able to preach or do music or be a guest at a variety of churches. I've been with the Presbyterians, the Lutherans, the Assemblies of God, The African Methodist Episcopalians, The Church of God, The Church of God in Christ, Southern Baptists, American Baptists, General Baptists, and just plain Baptists,  The Roman Catholics, Vineyard,  Foursquare, and others.

Without getting too "deep" let me try to give a few reasons why there are many churches and why we need more. Each one is worshipping Jesus, yet each one has a different "flavor". Then in each organization each church has their own "flavor". Why do we need this? There are many types of people. There are many ways in which God connects with people. For example, you may enjoy a quiet pastor, someone else may like a in your face pastor. You may like lifting your hands while you sing, someone else may like to sit. There are theological reasons for different churches. You may believe miracles still happen, someone else may believe they don't. You may prefer only men pastors, someone else may believe women can be also. The list goes on and on.

The danger for many churches regardless of denomination affiliation is that the times change, but the church stays stuck in the past. We get comfortable in how the good old days were. The problem is, we still think its current. We don't realize we are living in the past. So what helps someone who wants to connect with Jesus yet can see that a church may be stuck in the past? New Churches.

With all the variety of people, with all the cultural varieties, we need a variety of churches to be able to help each person to be able to help connect with God and come to experience living an abundant life.

 I could deeper, so let me stop here and encourage you today,if you aren't in the habit of eating Mexican food or going to church, go get some Mexican food and go to church this week. If where you go doesn't appeal to you, try a different place. Since we have a large variety in our area eventually you will connect with a restaurant and a church.

Troy

After Blowing The New Year Resolutions

This is the year. It all starts now. We've all done... Resolutions!!! Our favorite time to do this is at the beginning of the year.  We promise ourselves that we’re going to quit bad habits and start good ones. We’re going to get in shape, eat better, be nicer, lust less, waste less time, be more content, more disciplined, more intentional. We’re going to pray more, serve more, plan more, give more, and read our Bibles more. Some have put on their list to start going to church. Others have put to start going to the gym. Some have both on their list. We’re going to finally be all that we can be. No more messing around.


We might make some great strides this year. I’m hoping to. We hope to make a lot of improvements over the next 12 months. But don’t be surprised a year from now when we realize that we've fallen short…again.
For those who try and try, year after year, again and again, to get better and better, only to find that it doesn't seem like you are making any progress. Or for those of you who have already broken your New Years resolutions…I have good news for you: you’re in good company!

I was recently reading a blog from Tullian Tchividjian and he gives an account of someone who kept trying to change aspects of his life. Here is an account from the life of Samuel Johnson (a literary giant of the 18th century)  to fight sloth and to get up early in the morning to pray. Taken from Johnson’s diary and prayer journal, He gives us a record–through the years–of Johnson’s life-long resolutions, failures, and frustrations:

1738: He wrote, “Oh Lord, enable me to redeem the time which I have spent in sloth.”
1757: (19 years later) “Oh mighty God, enable me to shake off sloth and redeem the time misspent in idleness and sin by diligent application of the days yet remaining.”
1759: (2 years later) “Enable me to shake off idleness and sloth.”
1761: “I have resolved until I have resolved that I am afraid to resolve again.”
1764: “My indolence since my last reception of the sacrament has sunk into grossest sluggishness. My purpose is from this time to avoid idleness and to rise early.”
1764: (5 months later) He resolves to rise early, “not later than 6 if I can.”
1765: “I purpose to rise at 8 because, though, I shall not rise early it will be much earlier than I now rise for I often lie until 2.”
1769: “I am not yet in a state to form any resolutions. I purpose and hope to rise early in the morning, by 8, and by degrees, at 6.”
1775: “When I look back upon resolution of improvement and amendments which have, year after year, been made and broken, why do I yet try to resolve again? I try because reformation is necessary and despair is criminal.” He resolves again to rise at 8.
1781: (3 years before his death) “I will not despair, help me, help me, oh my God.” He resolves to rise at 8 or sooner to avoid idleness.

You have to admire the never quit effort of Johnson. Doesn't he sound like us? Try and then fail. Try again only to fail again. A few successes a few failures.

We all know the frustration that comes with trying to keep a resolution. When we don't suceed we beat ourselves up. Of course, our enemy is right there to tell us what failures we are. He is there asking us why do we even try. He tells us we will never change.

I came across a paragraph from Tullian Tchividjian that I think is a good way to look at all of our successes and failures with New Year's resolutions:
What I’m most deeply grateful for (as was Johnson) is that God’s love for me, approval of me, and commitment to me does not ride on my resolve but on Jesus’ resolve for me. The gospel is the good news announcing Jesus’ infallible devotion to us in spite of our inconsistent devotion to him. The gospel is not a command to hang onto Jesus. Rather, it’s a promise that no matter how weak and unsuccessful your faith and efforts may be, God is always holding on to you. The glory of a new year (and of every year) is the chronicling of God’s successes perfectly meeting my failures.
It’s ironically comforting to me as this new year gets under way that I am weak and He is strong–that while my love for Jesus will continue to fall short, Jesus’ love for me will never fall short. For, as Mark Twain said, “Heaven goes by favor. If it went by merit, your dog would get in and you would stay out.”
Thank God!
Troy

Terminator Salvation Lesson

Recently the movie Terminator Salvation was on tv. Having read in some publication that it had some redeeming points in it I set the dvr to watch at a later time. I'm not even sure if I have even seen any of the Terminator movies, but I did know what the plot line was. As I watched the ovie there was a scene where Marcus (who had killed some people in his past) said to the girl," I'm not a good guy." To which she responded," You are, you just don't know it yet."



Often we make the mistake of defining ourselves by our past mistakes. Sometimes we even let others define us by our past mistakes. One of the wonderful truths we learn from reading the Bible is that we all have pasts that we aren't proud of. Why is that wonderful? Because once we realize the reality of that truth the pressure is off to try and be perfect. When we realize that truth we can move on with our lives. Not in a," hey nothing I did in the past matters" attitude, but in a "now that I know no one is perfect what do I do now" attitude. We don't have to let our past define us.

In all of us is a desire to make the right choices in life. We may not do it, we may ignore the voice, but the desire is still there. It may have been many years since we did what we knew what we were supposed to do. We may have a habit that we know isn't good for us, yet we keep doing it over and over. You may be like Marcus in Terminator Salvation and think," I'm not a good guy (or girl)."

You may have messed up, but you still were made in the image of God. There is something in you that wants to do good. You can, but you can't do it in your own strength (you probably know that by now). So why not ask Jesus for help? He's not shocked at your past. In fact, He paid the price for our sins.

The man who wrote most of the New Testament was a man named Paul who had in his past persecuted the church. He sent Christians to prison. But He came into contact with Jesus and his life changed. If ever there was a guy who could say of himself, 'I'm not a good person' it would be Paul. But Jesus changed all of that. Read how Paul describes it:

I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because He considered me faithful, putting me into service, 13 even though I was formerly a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent aggressor. Yet I was shown mercy because I acted ignorantly in unbelief ; 14 and the grace of our Lord was more than abundant, with the faith and love which are found in Christ Jesus. 15It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all. 16Yet for this reason I found mercy, so that in me as the foremost, Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience as an example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life.   1st Timothy 1:12-16

If Jesus did it for Paul, He can do it for others. He has done it for others. There was good for Paul, he just didn't know it. Don't let your past define you. You aren't the mistakes you have made with your life. You were created in the image of God. Find freedom and forgiveness in Jesus and watch what He can do for your life. There can be good in your life, you just don't know it yet.

Troy