The Most Important Thing About You

Over many years of being in ministry I have heard people talk a lot about what is most important to them. I imagine that most people want to sound sincere and spiritual when talking to a pastor. Most Christians that I talk to say their relationship with God and their relationship with their family are the most important things in their lives. Yet I have discovered that saying something is a priority does not always make it a priority. You know your priorities by what you do rather than what you say. If I say that my relationship with God and my family are the most important things in my life, then my actions must support that or I am simply fooling myself.

Yet I do believe that most followers of Christ want those two things to be their priorities. It is just that they don’t know how to make them a priority. Just because you go to church does not mean that Jesus is your priority. Just because you love your family does not mean that they are priorities in your actions. This can be a frustrating thing because jobs, running a household, managing a career, getting the kids to school, and all kinds of good things clamor for our attention. It is not like these are bad things. They are necessary. God gives us these things to bless us. But they too often steal first place in our lives because of the time they demand. And it is not like we can get by without jobs, households, and schedules. Nor should we. So how do we make the most important things the most important in our lives?

What You Believe about God is the Most Important Thing about You 

What you believe about God determines everything in your life. If you are an atheist your beliefs, actions, priorities, and life-plan will reflect that you don’t believe in God, his love, his grace, or that you are accountable to him. As a result, your attitude and actions reflect your belief. You will live your core beliefs.

If you are like many Christians and see God as the Big-Guy-With-The-Heavenly-Stick, you will live in fear and defeat. You see God as the overbearing, under-concerned Deity that is waiting to hit you upside the head every change he gets. Instead of believing the truth of Jesus, you believe the lies of the devil. You will live as a list keeper. You believe that God is only pleased when you get an “A” on your heavenly report card. You will live in frustration because you can never do enough, or pray enough, or give enough to measure up. Often people who see God like this become hypocritical or hypercritical. They become hypocrites when they try to approach God based on their good deeds or they get an over-inflated sense of their own righteousness when others do not keep the same list of rules they do. They become hypercritical because they see God as a stern taskmaster. Instead of living out of love, they criticize anyone and everything. We see this kind of Christianity often and it damages the cause of Christ. Non-Christians see this as overbearing, self-righteous, and mean-spirited. They are correct. This is not how God intends for us to live out the gospel. What you believe about God is the most important thing about you.

If you see God as the Bible describes him, then you will live accordingly. If you see him as a righteous, loving giver of grace, then your life and beliefs will reflect that. When you realize that your works aren’t your source of blessing, but his unearned, undeserved, and unmerited grace is, then you behave differently. When you truly believe that the great exchange at the cross – our sins for his righteousness - is what brings his favor and kindness, then you see God differently. When you believe that about God it changes the way you live. It affects your behavior and your attitude. It changes everything!

When Life Doesn’t Go As Planned – Do This

“… and he makes everything work out according to his plan.” Ephesians 1:11b (NLT)

The Apostle Paul wrote this in the context of God’s plan for salvation and redemption for those who put their faith in Christ. Indeed, God has a plan for the world, and nothing can stop it. However, I believe the application can be made to our lives personally. God has a plan for our lives, and he loves us so much that he will make sure that plan brings glory to him.

I have heard it said, “If you want to make God laugh, then tell him your plans.” I’m not sure if that is true or not, but it does bring up a greater point; we must trust God despite how our plans seem to be going.

Seldom does life ever go exactly as we planned. That is a good thing because we can’t see as far as God can or know as much as he knows. Sometimes we get an economy we didn’t plan for, an illness we never expected, a boss we could not see coming, an enemy we don’t deserve, a down-sizing we did not anticipate, or a child we did not plan for. And then there are times that we follow God’s calling and leading to attempt something for him, and it seems like he purposely throws up a roadblock. So, what do you do when life does not go as planned?

1.     Take your next step.

The Christian life is about taking your next step in faith. Follow God even if you don’t know exactly where he is sending you. Abraham did. God called him to follow without ever telling him exactly where he was going. Imagine what kind of faith that took! He left his home and everything he ever knew on God’s word that his destination would be more than he ever imagined. You and I have been promised a final destination where God lives with us and lavishly pours out his love and grace for all eternity. The journey, however, may take a few plot twists. But that is what makes it fun!

2.     Trust God’s timing.

The thing about God’s timing is that it is on his timetable, not ours. But don’t worry because he is never late. I imagine that Moses felt a little anxious about God’s timing. God freed the Israelite slaves, and they rejoiced over their new freedom. Suddenly they found themselves in trouble. Pharaoh’s army was behind them with bad intentions; there were mountains on either side of them, and the Red Sea in front of them. They thought God had played a cruel trick on them, dangling deliverance in front of them only to snatch it away at the last minute. But God’s timing is perfect. In a move no one could anticipate, he split the Red Sea, delivered them, and destroyed their enemies in one fell swoop. What a picture of what Jesus did for us on the cross!

3.     Step into the water.

Sometimes we think that the only way God does a miracle is for us to sit back and do nothing. That is rarely the case in the Bible. Most always faith preceded the miracle. Take Peter for example. All the other disciples saw Jesus walk on the water, but Peter is the only one who got out of the boat. Jesus invited him to step out and come to him in the middle of a life-threatening storm. And he did. He didn’t do it perfectly because he took his eyes off Jesus for just a second, but he became the only human in history that was not also Deity to walk on water. When things are not going as planned, God wants you to believe in miracles. But he may also ask you to get out of the boat.

4.     Depend on God, not circumstances.

God has a purpose for your life. It will work out according to his plan. That is difficult to remember if you focus on the circumstances rather than God’s promises. The Bible is filled with stories about people who trusted God rather than their circumstances: Joseph, Moses, David, Daniel, and many others. Here is a deep truth for you to ponder: circumstances sometimes lie. Sometimes your brothers hurt you and your freedom is taken because God plans to use you to save the world. Sometimes God removes you from the palace and makes you herd sheep for 40 years because he is preparing you for something greater than you could ever imagine. Sometimes the giant isn’t an obstacle to your success, but a sling that propels you to the palace. Sometimes lions are nothing more than pillows for a good night’s rest before you point a king to the power of God and influence a nation.

There are not many guarantees I can make with total confidence, but I can say with real confidence that your life will not always go as planned. Plans change. Circumstances get in the way. Obstacles appear out of thin air. Satan will lie to you about the circumstances. They are not the truth. God’s Word is the truth. His promises are real. So, the next time the devil throws you a curve ball, don’t flinch. Step up to the plate and swing away. God has got this. And he promises that he has something greater for you.

How to Manage Your Time God’s Way

I typed the words “time management” into the Google search engine and over 245 million results popped up. Clearly managing our time and getting the most out of our days is an important concept for most adults.

For many people, managing their time means trying to cram more events into a busy schedule. We spend a lot of time juggling schedules and trying to fit a vast number of items into the typical American day. I have written about time management many times. For me, time management begins with a Christian worldview and the belief that God is in control and has a plan for our lives. I believe in priority management, energy management, and vision or purpose management more than time management.

One concept that is often overlooked in this essential and often vexing subject is found in Ephesians 5:15-17. The Apostle Paul writes about some critical concepts for managing one’s time, including leaning on God’s wisdom and learning God’s will. He writes, “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.” I believe the key component is found in the phrase, “Making the best use of time, because the days are evil.” Here we find two important ideas for managing one’s time.

Managing your time is important because the days are evil. We all know that there is evil and immorality around us. That can certainly be one meaning. Because death entered the world through mankind’s sin, the time is short. We must be wise in our use of time because of the time limits on our lives. We will draw our last breath one day. Time races past us at blinding speed.

But I think the better understanding is found in the contrast that Paul makes in the entire chapter. He contrasts the life lived by human wisdom apart from God with the life that is lived for God in relationship with Jesus Christ. The Bible is filled with these types of analogies. He is saying that the days are evil because the world and the world’s system of thinking are in opposition to God and his ways. It is the world’s way of thinking versus the ways and wisdom of God. Simply put, he is saying don’t think of your time like the world does. Think the way that God thinks about things and follow his plan.

The second idea is the most important. Make the most of your time. If we are to think about our time the way that God does, then we must think about our lives the way God does. I love how some older translations read: redeem the time. At the time this was written the concept of redemption was largely understood as someone who was greater and had greater resources paying the price to free someone from slavery. That is exactly what Jesus does for us when we put our faith in his finished work on the cross. He redeems us. He paid the price for us. In other words, we must see our time through the prism of Jesus, his redemption, and God’s grace. What a way to manage your life!

I believe the most important concept of time management is for us to understand that we have been redeemed by Jesus through our faith and because of his grace. If we are to redeem our time, then we must treat it as if God wants to redeem it too. In other words, we must turn over control to him, use his wisdom in our planning, and ask him to bless it. He is a lot better at managing things than we are.

Jesus was God’s first and best. When we redeem our time in light of his grace, then we give him the first and best as well.

So what is the point? If you want to redeem your time, then you need to give it to God first. I suggest starting your day praying, talking to God and reading the Bible. It does not have to be very long, but when you put him first in your day you are saying to God, “I want you to redeem my day.”

Try it. Put God first in your schedule. Before long you will discover that God is a whole lot better at managing the events of your day than you are.

10 Reasons Why Parents are Glad School Is Starting

1.     You finally get your house back!

2.     Peace and quiet!

3.     You don’t have to listen to the kids argue all day.

4.     Routines are back!

5.     Well-intentioned moms get to make nutritious lunches that the kids won’t eat.

6.     Homework that you don’t understand.

7.     You are one year closer to being an empty nester.

8.     You have a great excuse to make the kids go to bed early.

9.     The joy of early morning fights to make the kids get out of bed.

10.  Still Waters kids and youth ministry! Vacation time is over, and you have the wonderful opportunity to disciple your kids by having them in church every Sunday.

The Seven Commandments of Volunteering

The Seven Commandments of Volunteering

Volunteers are the lifeblood of a local congregation. Without great volunteers a church can’t fulfill the mission given to us by God – loving people and bringing them into a growing relationship with Jesus. God designed the church to be a living, growing body not an organization or club. That is why the Bible employs metaphors like a body, a flock, and a family to describe the church.

Volunteering has many benefits to you personally as well. It allows us to fulfill Jesus’ command to serve. It connects us and makes us feel like a part of a team. It helps us develop deep relationships. Deep relationships and close friendships keep us connected to the church even in difficult times. Serving in church fulfills us and gives an avenue to fulfill God’s purpose for our lives. Serving God by serving others through a local congregation of believers helps your spiritual wellbeing and promotes spiritual growth. Volunteering should never be just an add-on to our schedule but should be a priority in our Christian journey. Here are a few tips on how you can be a great volunteer and make a huge impact for Christ at your church.

Show Up on Time

Treat your volunteer ministry as a priority. Showing up on time for your pre-service meeting is essential. This allows you to pray with your team and get ready to serve others. Not showing up on time says to others that you don’t take your job seriously.

Bring Your A-Game

People need your best. Many people come to church needing Jesus or needing someone to care for them. Make sure to get plenty of rest the night before. Make sure that you look and smell clean. Brush your teeth!  Bad breath hinders even the greatest volunteer. Know your job description so you can be effective.

Pray

Jesus said that we accomplish nothing of value without him. Make sure to pray and get in the right frame of mind to help others. Some people present a challenge and aren’t easy to love.

Show Some Heart…And Some Teeth

Remember that you are here to serve others. Focus on serving them. Chat with your friends after church. Make sure to be on the lookout for new people. Smile a lot.

Attitude Check

Your attitude should always be positive and friendly. Don’t just point people to where they need to go. Host them. Walk with them. Answer their questions. If you don’t know the answer, take them to your team leader or a staff member. Never leave them with unanswered questions.

Think Big Picture

The ultimate win happens when we serve and love others. A great program is good, but it is not the win. Always be prepared to help outside of your area of ministry. Remember that the vision is for the whole church not just your area of ministry.

Bring A Friend

You are a representative of Jesus and Still Waters Church. Your ultimate job is to help people grow in their relationship with Jesus. Getting people connected to our church is a big step. But we don’t just want to get people in the door; we want to get them connected. One of the best ways to get people connected is to get them to serve with you. Recruit a friend to serve with you. Don’t depend on your team leader or the church staff to do all the recruiting. Get excited and bring your friends along!

I believe Still Waters Church has some of the greatest volunteers in the world. Our best days are ahead of us, and I believe we are going to have a great school year. I am so proud of all of you. Let’s make the rest of this year the best ever by being an MVP volunteer!

Surviving the Changes that Happen in Life

One thing that never changes is that life always changes. Birth requires change. Growth requires change. To get better in any pursuit requires change. Change is inevitable.

It seems to me that most people like the results of good changes, but few people like the process of change. Change can be uncomfortable. It can be difficult. It is often painful. Some changes are a result of our own volition. We initiate those changes on purpose. We seek to further our education, to exercise, to eat a healthy diet, to start a business, or to improve our relationships. These changes are a result of our choices. Other changes happen to us against our will. We get sick. A loved one dies. We lose a job. A family member moves, and we do not get to see them as often. We lose energy because of the natural process of aging. These changes are not our choice, but we must learn to deal with them. How can you survive and thrive when life changes? Here are four biblical principles that will help you navigate the seas of change.

Transformation is not possible without change.

2 Corinthians 5:17 This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! (NLT)

When God saves a person, he transforms their life. Can you imagine the Christian life without the power and benefit of Holy Spirt transformation? What if God did not transform our lives, our hopes, our desires, our faith, or our very being when he saved us? What would be the point? The beautiful reality about salvation is that God changes us. He gives us his Spirit. He is always with us. He guides us, blesses us, and transforms us. As a caterpillar changes from an earth-bound bug to a free butterfly that flies above the world beneath, so God changes you when you place your faith in Jesus Christ. Embrace the change.

God is with you in every circumstance.

Deuteronomy 31:6 Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. (NIV)

Cling to the hope of God’s promise to be with you always and in every circumstance. I have never understood how people who do not receive Christ survive the changes that inevitably happen in life. I can only imagine how difficult life must be without a relationship with Christ and the Father. No matter how challenging the conditions, you can have hope when you remember that God never leaves you alone. He is always with you.

God has a purpose for the seasons in your life.

Ecclesiastes 3:1 To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven. (NKJV)

Some changes are the natural process that results from a fallen world. We get older and our bodies just won’t do what they used to do. The line from the Toby Keith song goes like this: “I may not be as good as I once was, but I am as good once as I ever was.” Well…not really. I used to be able to dunk a basketball and play for hours in sweltering heat. Now? I can watch basketball on TV for hours in an air-conditioned house and dunk a delicious donut in coffee or milk. Not the same, even once.

The point is that God has a purpose for your life, and it includes the seasons of life. Seasons are not permanent, and they will change eventually. God will use the seasons of your life for his purpose if you let him.

Circumstances change, but Jesus never changes.

Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. (NKJV)

You will face changes in life. The good news is that Jesus never changes. He will always love you. He always has a plan, even if you can’t see it. He always has your personal growth in mind because he wants you to become more like him.

You can’t get to your destiny without change.

Isaiah 43:19 See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland. (NIV)

God loves to make things new and to make new things. He is doing something in your life right now. Trust him. You will never get to your destiny without change.

Michael Jordan was arguably the greatest basketball player ever. You have probably heard the story of how he was cut from the varsity boys basketball team at his high school when he was a sophomore. He had to play on the junior varsity team that year. He had a decision to make. He could embrace change and get better, or he could keep the status quo. He chose change. He became the North Carolina Player of the Year as a high school senior. He received a scholarship from the University of North Carolina and hit the winning shot for the national championship as a freshman. He won national player of the year at UNC. He was drafted by the Chicago Bulls and won six NBA championships. He won two olympic gold medals. He is now a billionaire and owns an NBA team. He embraced change and it helped lead him to his destiny.

You can’t get to where God wants you without change. It is sometimes painful, sometimes difficult, and most of the time uncomfortable. But change is inevitable. Embrace it and let God use it to help you get to your destiny

Deception, Procrastination and Setting Priorities

We are nearing the time of year when school starts again. For most people this means busier schedules, more traffic, higher stress, and the end of vacation season. The intense glare of our hustle and bustle shines on our priorities and proves what they are. Whether or not we are intentional about choosing our priorities falls to us. Either I am the boss, or my schedule is the boss.

If this is true about our schedules it must also be true about our relationship with God. Either we are casual toward the most important relationship in life, or we make intentional choices. Jesus illustrated this principle in one of his parables.

Matthew 21:28-31 “What do you think? A man had two sons. And he went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work in the vineyard today.’ And he answered, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he changed his mind and went. And he went to the other son and said the same. And he answered, ‘I go, sir,’ but did not go. Which of the two did the will of his father?” (ESV)

You could say that one son was a liar, and one was a procrastinator. Both had the same father and the same mission given to them. Their outcomes were entirely different, however. Let me point out a couple of principles that will help you see how this applies to your life.

Mission

“Son, go and work in the vineyard today,” said the father to the two sons. The father in this story represents our Heavenly Father and the sons represent followers of Christ. The vineyard represents God’s work on the earth or the Kingdom of Heaven. It is eternal in nature. It deals with the gospel and the church and what God has called every Christian to do. It is far more important than jobs, money, family, vacation, reputation, or education. The task is the same for all. We are to work in God’s vineyard. Then of course, he said go work today. This shows the sense of urgency and the priority of doing this kind of kingdom work. In a very real way, this metaphor teaches us how important the task is and how we must organize our lives and prioritize our time, finances, and talents around it. It is our life’s mission. It is urgent. It is the most important thing.

Response

The two different responses inform us of what God sees in our obedience – or lack thereof – to him. The first son demonstrates God’s grace to us. Even though the first son initially neglected to do what the father asked, he changed his mind and began to do what he was bidden to do. I think that demonstrates repentance and grace. To repent means to change your mind. That comes through faith and allowing God’s Spirit to speak to us. It shows us that even though none of us is perfect or starts out in right relationship to God, we can all respond to the Father’s voice and begin to do his will. It also expresses the importance of God’s grace. God is not finished with you yet!

The response from the second son is deeply convicting to me. I take a differing view than some. I don’t think the second son had the wrong intentions. I don’t think he necessarily lied on purpose. I think he had good intentions, but he failed to act on those intentions. How many of us have good intentions concerning working in God’s vineyard? It is not that we don’t want to, it is just that we fail to prioritize things the way we should. Perhaps our schedule distracts us. Maybe we deceive ourselves into thinking that we are too busy. It could be that we think that we are not talented enough, or important enough to make any real difference in God’s Kingdom. Some people think that there is too much sin or failure in their past. We can even be distracted by politics, arguments, and social media. The point is, however, despite his intentions, he disobeyed. He omitted

the important things in his life because he failed to prioritize them. He sacrificed what is best on the altar of good intentions.

Jesus asked a very important question at the end of his story. Which son did the will of the father? God has called every one of his children to work in his vineyard. He has called you. Which son or daughter will you be? Will you be the one who realizes that you need to repent or change your mind? Will you receive God’s grace to empower you, no matter how long you may have procrastinated? Or will you be the son or daughter who is deceived? Don’t make excuses. Rest in God’s grace and prioritize working in God’s vineyard today.

BEING POSITIVE WHEN EVERYTHING AROUND YOU FEELS NEGATIVE

It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

Don’t worry about sounding professional. Sound like you. There are over 1.5 billion websites out there, but your story is what’s going to separate this one from the rest. If you read the words back and don’t hear your own voice in your head, that’s a good sign you still have more work to do.

Be clear, be confident and don’t overthink it. The beauty of your story is that it’s going to continue to evolve and your site can evolve with it. Your goal should be to make it feel right for right now. Later will take care of itself. It always does.