The Power of a Statement

Have you ever heard a sentence that grabbed your attention.  A sentence that was perfectly harmless in the context of the message, but followed you along all week long?  That happened to me last Wednesday as I watched a pastor share his vision statement online.  It was a great message, and I appreciate the ministry of this pastor, but I found myself focused on one single sentence.  As I listened to the pastor introduce his vision, he began with the statement, "We want to have a vision that makes God sweat."  

Isn't that a powerful statement?  I have never heard it before, and found myself excited by the implications.  As the pastor continued preaching though, that statement kept bouncing around in my head.  The more I interacted with it, the more conflicted I became.  It was a statement that created excitement in the dreamer, but pride and worry in the naive.  It was easily remembered during times of boredom, but hard to forget during times of setback.  It was a statement intended to motivate others to consider their potential impact, but it unintentionally brought my false beliefs to the surface. Ultimately, the reason I was conflicted by the pastor's statement, was because it revealed some of my own false beliefs.  

There are things I believe about God that are not true.  There are also things I believe about myself that are not true.  These false beliefs create doubt, sin, and self reliance in my life.  These beliefs are eager for an opportunity to turn me away from God and render me ineffective for the Kingdom.  There are two false beliefs are fairly common to all people, but what are they?!

The first false belief is that we can put ourselves into a situation that is too great for God to handle.  

Do you ever worry that your problems are too big for God?  Do you feel as though a situation is so hopeless that even God has abandoned ship?  I know we all feel this way at times, but just remember, the bible is clear that nothing is too difficult for God.  He is in control over every situation, and will step in when He chooses to do so.  Your problem is not too large, but neither is your goal or vision.  If God spoke the earth into existence, don't you think He could speak a new job into existence?  If He is able to manage the universe, don't you think He can manage your upcoming project deadline?  But if this is such a fundamental idea from the bible, why is it so hard to accept?  Well, for two main reasons:

First of all, it's because people like being in control.  We want things to go according to plan and become frustrated when we are unable to dictate the course of our destiny.  That's fairly obvious issue for humans, but the second reason is much more complex.

So why is it so hard to accept God's sovereignty when it's obvious that there are forces beyond our control?  Because God's sovereignty means that He could have stopped all the bad stuff from happening in my life.  He could have saved my relatives from death.  He could have prevented me from failing at my job.  He could have stopped Ebola, ISIS, Katrina, the Twin Towers, the Crusades, the death of Jesus on the cross, the rebellion of Adam and Eve, etc.  He could have stopped it, but He chose not to.  So where does that leave us?  Does it mean God is evil?  Does it mean He doesn't care?  Does it mean that He is a bad leader?

I would say NO to all of those questions.  

God is not evil because evil is rebellion against God.  He doesn't rebel against Himself, but instead allows the rebellion to coexist for a period of time.  God does care, because He came to earth, entered into our pain, and then died on a cross to make us right with God.  God is a good leader, because He gave us freedom to either love Him or reject Him.  He is not a dictator who demands submission, and eventually He will protect His people from every form of evil.

I am grateful that God used this statement not only to excite me, but to reveal my false beliefs.  Just like that pastor, I want a vision that seems impossible for me, while simultaneously remembering that there is anything too difficult for God.  

Next time I will share the second false belief that this statement revealed in my life.  

The MORE of God's Love

My pastor did it again!

On Sunday, my pastor shared a message which reminded me of God's great love for me.  I feel as if these messages are an answer to prayer, because for the past month I've been trying to understand God's love.  For two weeks in a row, God used my pastor to help me understand His love more.

There are two ways to interpret that last sentence.  The first is that God wants me to understand more of His love, but the second is that He wants me to understand the more of His love.  It is the second interpretation that stood out most this week.  Let me explain:

As my pastor stood on stage addressing the congregation, he mentioned what God told him during his morning prayer time.  While my pastor was praying for the congregation that morning, he felt as though God had impressed the idea of "more" onto his heart.   As my pastor was reminding us that God wants to do more through our congregation, I felt God impressing that He wants to do more in me.

I don't know about you, but I am a results-oriented person.  I love progress, and become discouraged by setbacks.  My love for progress has become so distorted, that God decided to teach me a lesson about faithfulness this past year.  It was during times of hardship, that God taught me that He is more focused on faithfulness than progress.   Just read what Ecclesiates 3:12-13 says about this:

I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live. That each of them may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all their toil—this is the gift of God.

Do you see that?  God created us to be satisfied by the "toil" in life.  Even more, we should not only be satisfied in the toil, but we should see it as a gift from God.  We should feel blessed to do our job, regardless of whether we are making forward progress.  But that raises a new question: if it's possible to experience satisfaction in the toil, why do I become so frustrated when I fail to make progress?  I believe it's because I don't understand the difference between faithfulness and progress. 

Focusing on faithfulness is a decision to seek God's approval above man's; focusing on progress is the decision to seek man's approval above God's.  The reason we lack contentment at work is the same reason we are a result oriented society: we have take our eyes off of God.

"OK," you ask, "but what does all of this have to do with the idea of God's love, and your pastor's message?" 

As my pastor was sharing that God wanted to do more through us, I felt like God was saying that He wanted to do more in me.  As I thought about that idea for a moment, I realized God's desire to do more in me, is more precious than God's desire to do more through me.  Why?  Because His desire to do more in me increases my value.  

At first I didn't understand this, but that's because I had a misguided view of value.  

Unfortunately, I often see my value in terms of purpose.  I feel more valuable when someone entrusts me to a greater purpose.  Although it's honorable to have a great purpose, a greater purpose doesn't doesn't necessarily mean I'm more loved.  Take an example of serving overseas. 

Serving as a missionary or soldier overseas is a great purpose, but how many mothers want their kids to go overseas?  None that I've met.  And why is that?Because those mothers love their children too much to give them a great purpose.  

The value of an object is dependent upon the purpose it provides to another, the value of a person is dependent upon the love it shares with another.

When God says He wants to do more IN us, it means that He wants to share a deeper and greater love with us.  I don't think there is anything more awesome in the world than sharing a loving relationship with the God who created us and then died to bring us back.  But what about you?  Do you see your value in terms of your purpose or in terms of God's love?

An Impossible Love

This past year was a combination of really great things and really painful things for me.  I experienced the birth of my son, yet the death of 3 grandparents.  I graduated from a masters program, yet failed to find a job ins my field of training.  I purchased a house, yet miss family in WI.  As I mentioned in my last blog, these highs and lows create havoc in my life, because I fail to maintain a biblical perspective through it all.  Unlike a man named Job, I struggle to accept the good and the bad.  

Job is a man in the bible who showed great endurance during extreme hardship.  He was blessed with family, health and success in business, but lost his children, health and wealth in the course of a single day.  Could you imagine that type of pain?

It was in the midst of this depression that his wife encouraged him to curse God, but Job refused.  His reasoning?  "Should we accept the good from God, and not the trouble?"  Wow, what a great perspective, but unfortunately, I'm not like Job.  

During the good times, I fight against God to maintain a pleasant life.  During the bad times, I begin to believe that God is fighting against me!  Instead of having Job's perspective on life, I lose focus and become angry with God.  Fortunately, God uses other believers to help me regain my focus.

While I was at church last week, our pastor said, "It doesn't matter the struggles you are facing or the sinful habits you are struggling to overcome, God can't love you anymore than He already does."  As my pastor continued to speak, the word "impossible" captured my attention.  Not only does God love me regardless of my attitude, it's actually impossible for God to love me more than He already does.

See, God can be more or less pleased by my attitude and behaviors, but His love remains constant.  For God, love is choosing to do what is best for each person.  Sometimes this means He embraces and comforts us.  Other times He needs to discipline and rebuke.  Regardless of the action He takes in our lives though, it is always with the goal to bring us closer to Him.  We see in the book of Revelation, as Jesus rebukes an immoral church.

After Jesus rebukes a greedy and selfish church, He says something unexpected, "Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me."

 

Do you see the love in that command?  In essence, God is saying, "You are corrupt and running after evil, yet I love you and will straighten you out if you let me."  Although they have rejected Him, God wants to be with them.

That's not the only place we see God's love laid out lavishly, in fact, the very reason that Jesus came to earth was to reveal the fullness of God's love by going to the cross.  John 3:16 says, "for God so loved the world that He gave His only son, that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life."

What many people don't realize is that the Greek word for "so" means "like this."  This is why some translations of the bible say, "For God loved the world like this...He gave His son."  

Do you see how that translation validates my pastor's words?  God can't love us anymore than He already does, because He has already gave us His greatest gift.  By dying on the cross, Jesus demonstrated how much God loved us, and what His love looks like.  God reveals His love by making enormous sacrifices so that we can be with Him.  He wants to be with us so badly that He is willing to die for it.  He doesn't want our money, our volunteerism, our charity, etc: HE WANTS US.  

The difference between God and I, is that I want your stuff and what your stuff will do for me.  God on the other hand, wants you.

Maintaining Perspective in a "Sour Patch Kids World"

I just realized that the Sour Patch Kids slogan is a lot like life.  Their slogan is "Sour. Sweet. Gone," and isn't that the way life is?  You have good times, you have bad times, and then all of a sudden...you're dead.  It's strange to think of life in such simplistic terms, but it's that type of thinking that gets us through the hard times in life.  During life's "sour" seasons we need to be reminded that the "sweet" is around the corner: we need to be reminded that the "sour" won't last forever.  Maintaining a hopeful perspective in the midst of pain is a challenge, but for me, that's not the hardest part of living in a "Sour Patch Kid's world".  My struggle is in trying to maintain a proper perspective through the rest of it.

I don't know about you, but I'm a big fan of fun, pleasure, comfort, joy, happiness...really, all the good stuff in life.  I seek out the sweet life, and I get myself into trouble once I find it.  It's not necessarily because my idea of fun is evil, but because my idea of fun is unrealistic.  I desperately want the sweet to be permanent.

Wanting the sweet life and believing the sweet life is permanent are two different things.  Unfortunately, I struggle to separate them.  I find myself in the midst of a "sweet" season, and begin to believe that I've finally arrived in heaven.  No more trouble, no more pain.  I've finally received the prize I was desperately seeking.  As you can imagine, this is a recipe for disaster.  

All of a sudden life takes a nose dive, and my faith is shaken.  "Why did this happen?  What did I do wrong?  Why are you doing this to me God?"  Those seem like very stupid questions for a person to ask while living in a broken world, but I ask them nonetheless.  And why do I ask these questions?  Because I've failed to maintain a realistic perspective in the midst of a "Sour Patch Kid's world".  Instead of seeing "sweet" as a gift from God, "sweet" has taken the place of God.  But unlike God, "sweet" is temporal.  

To maintain the proper perspective in life, I need to remember that my idea of "sweet" will not last forever.  In fact, the whole "Sour Patch Kids world" as I know it will soon be gone, and a new slogan will replace it: "Sour. Sweet. Eternal."

According to the bible, "sour" and "sweet" become permanent after this life passes away.  You may not agree with the bible and the words of Jesus, but I do.  I'm convinced that God uses the bible to reveal reality to humanity, and the reality is that our temporal world will eventually be replaced with a permanent one.  This replacement will happen sooner for some than for others, but it will happen to all of us eventually.  After this life ends, we will either live with God forever or we will live without Him forever.  It is the presence or absence of God that determines whether eternal life is "sweet" or "sour," and His presence is determined by our relationship to Jesus.  We can either accept Jesus as our God and savior, or we can reject Him.  By believing that Jesus died and rose again from the grave, and confessing that He is our Lord, we can experience God in our lives both now and forever.  And in the next post I'll explain why His presence is so "sweet."

Seeking the Real Deal

Last Monday my boss called us into the conference room for a team-building session.  It had been awhile since we all gathered together, so he wanted to spend time sharing highlights from our holiday season, and list any New Years resolutions we created.  Once it was my turn to talk, I explained that I wanted to grow in my love for God, but then confessed that I didn't know how to do that.  "How do you grow in your love for someone you can't see?" I lamented.

Part the reason for confession was a fear of pursuing a misguided love.  I didn't want to be ignorant in my love.  I didn't want to love the "idea of God," or allow a false love to make me proud and selfish.  I've been in those places before.  I've allowed my false piety to make me "holier than thou."  I've allowed a false view of God's love to make me feel entitled and self absorbed.  I've even used "God's love" to create false hope; believing that God would give me anything I want.  As a new dad, though, I realize that these things are not love, and I don't want to continue living ignorantly.

So after work that day, I began to think of ways that I could grow in true love.  I could studying all the places that the word "love" is found in the bible, I could read a book about love, I could focus on how Jesus loved the disciples, I could meditate on specific passage, or journal my feelings to God.  As I continued to go through my the week, I decided to begin by listen to theological podcasts at biblicaltraining.org.  Although it felt like a small step, I quickly discovered that this was the direction God wanted to use to grow my love for Him.  

During one of the online lectures, the professor addressed my initial fear head on.  He explained that our sinful nature wants to build a false notion of God instead of letting God reveal His true nature to us.  It's like saying, "I believe God is like..." and then filling in the blank with something we don't find in scripture.  As I look back on life, I can clearly see times when I have done this.  

I used to believe that God was not active in the lives of Christian, and therefore, He was not bothered by immorality.  Later I believed that God was angry at my enemies, but never angry at me.  As I continued to listen to the professor, I realized that these false notions were not unique to me.  In fact, a very famous group in history use to hold these same notions.

As the professor continued, he explained that the reason Jesus was rejected by the religious leaders of His time was because they had built a false notion of God.  They didn't want God on His terms, they wanted God on theirs.  They wanted a god they could control, and in essence, made themselves their own god.  Wow, my false notions of God can cause me to reject who He truly is.  So this generates a very important question: how do we combat our false notions?

I found a verse that I believe puts us on the right direction.  Jeremiah 29:13 offers this promise: "You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart."  Therefore, the "secret" to combating false notions of God is by committing to seek Him with all your heart (through prayer, reading the bible and joining a community of believers), and then trusting Him to reveal Himself.

This is an important idea, so I want to repeat it for clarity.  Our job is to fervently and intentionally seek after the God of the bible.  His job is to remain true to His promise and reveal Himself to us.  Over these years I have learned one thing: God keeps His promise.  The question then becomes: will we seek with all our hearts?

Remembering to Think Ahead

Last Sunday I went to a church that I haven't been to in 4 years; a church that helped me rediscover the Lord, introduced me to my wife, developed my love for ministry, and sent me into the world as a missionary.  As a person who experienced radical life-transformation while attending that church, I was surprised by how familiar the church felt.

I'm not sure what I was expecting from the experience, but it wasn't familiarity.  We live in a culture that loves change.  "Progress", "novelty", and "creativity" are all words that elicit excitement and validate success.  So what does it say about a church that hasn't changed much in over four years?  Faithfulness.

The church had changed over the course of 4 years, but the change was overshadowed by the consistency of the pastor's passion.  Throughout all of these years, he has remained passionate about intentionality.  He wanted the congregation to grow closer to God, and he knew that growth required intentionality.  But what does it mean to be intentional with God?

Intentionality is the processes of remembering to think ahead.  It's the discipline of adjusting your current direction to accomplish your future goals.  It's the commitment to focus on the correct priorities, but isn't this were we tend to struggle?  I know that I do. 

As I thought about prioritizing my relationship with God, I struggled to know how to prioritize, and what to prioritize.  Do I resolve to sin less?  To give more?  To build my intercessory prayer list?  As I thought upon these questions, I realized that although these are all good things, I think they are secondary issues.

I believe that I will only accomplish these things, if I learn to love more.  Being intentional in my relationship to God will require me to focus on His love for me, and allow that love to transform the way I love Him.  As my love for Him grows, my obedience will grow as well.  It's just as Jesus said in John 14:23, "Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching."

As we begin a new year, I want to model the faithfulness of my former pastor by choosing to intentionally focus on letting God's love transform my relationship to Him.

The God of Good Friday

Doesn't it seem ironic that today is called Good Friday?  I mean, what's good about an innocent man being betrayed by His religious leaders and abandoned by everyone who was close to Him?  Aren't those actions bad?  Don't they point out the sinfulness and depravity of humanity?  I mean, isn't it scary to consider that sin has affected humanity so deeply that we are capable of killing our own creator?  It sends shivers down my spine.

I think Good Friday is only "good" if we focus on God's role in the event.  It's "good," because Good Friday demonstrates how deep and wide and great and powerful God's love is for us.  Before Jesus left heaven, He knew that the cross waited for Him.  He also knew about the frustration He would feel as the people He loved reject Him, mocked Him, stripped Him naked in front of the crowd and spit in His face.  Yes, He knew those things, yet endured it for the joy awaiting the grand finale.  That's why we call it "Good Friday." 

What an amazing God we serve.  He is a God who is willing to come to earth and take our punishment for us, and all He asks for is a relationship.  Wow, isn't that good?

Home For Christmas

That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep.  Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David!  And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.”

Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying,

“Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”

Luke 2:8-14

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I had an old, Ford Taurus when I was in college, and one day it broke down.  It was a few days before Christmas, and all of a sudden, the heat went out.  In Wisconsin, it's a big deal to lose heat in your car.  It's like running out of sweet tea at a wedding in the south.  You can't have one without the other :)

So I quickly dialed the number to a local mechanic, and found out that the repairs would cost me $250.  At that moment most people would be rejoicing that their car repairs were only $250, but to a 20 year old college kid whose annual salary is $245, this was a lot of money!  So in my anger and discouragement, I called my mom and told her I wouldn't be coming home for Christmas.  I was angry at God for allowing my car to break, and I didn't want to celebrate His birthday.  

 

I admit that my selfishness amazes me sometimes, especially after I read Luke 2:8-14.  According to Luke's account, while I was pouting over my misfortune, the rest of the universe was rejoicing.  In fact, light broke through the darkness that night, and an angel of the Lord declared in a booming voice, "GOOD NEWS!"

 

Can you imagine the astonishment that ran through the angel's mind as he proclaimed that message?  Consider for a moment that this angel had begun it's very existence in God's presence and had been worshiping before the throne ever since.  To this angel, God was the Alpha and Omega, the LORD of hosts, the King of Kings, and the creator and sustainer of the universe.  But now the most powerful Being in the universe was a tiny baby laying helplessly in a dirty manger.

And immediately upon delivering the message of good news, the whole sky lights up as a multitude of angels join in to sing praises to God: 

 

"Glory to God in the Highest!" 

 

That, right there, is the appropriate response to Christmas, but it's not the response that I'm interested in right now.  The response I'm interested in, is Jesus' response to mankind's rebellion.  

 

See, while I was punishing God for my misfortune, He was leaving his throne in order to rescue me.  In fact, He came to earth with the purpose of saving the very people who put him to death on a cross.  That, my friends, is response I'm most interested in!

 

As you can see, I completely missed the significance of Christmas that year, but my prayer is that it would never happen again.  I pray that all of us remain amazed that the King and Creator of world loves us enough to give up His life in order to bring us home for Christmas.

How God Loves

I wanted to read a definition of the word "love" today, so I powered up my computer and went to urbandictionary.com.  In my limited experience, I've found that the internet is the only reliable source of information, especially if that information is open sourced.  Anyways, here are 5 helpful* definitions:

1. Either a horrible disease or a blessing.
2. Nature's way of tricking people into reproducing
3. Most people use the word "love" to get into someone else's pants.
4. A zero score in tennis.
5. A word used by many, but understood by few.

My favorite is number 4, although I can really resonate with number 5.  I personally use the word "love" to describe a wide range of emotions.  For example:

"I love tacos."  
This is probably the one I use the most.  Many times I'm merely exaggerating, although I do love tacos...

"I love you man."  
Usually the way I say "thank you," in response to a kind act.

"I love you, Ashley."
This allows me to encourage my wife without having to exhaust a lot of my resources.

It's clear that there are various levels of meaning behind the word "love," and with this is mind, what do phrases like: "God is love" or "For God so loved the world..." actually mean?  Lets use the examples that I provided above.

• Is God's love an exaggeration of truth?  
• Is God's love based on His appreciation for something we do?  
• Is God's love a substitute for actually demonstrating concern?

I've never thought about this before, but Good Friday reveals that God has a unique definition for the word, "love."  Good Friday shows that God wasn't using hype to sell us a bunch of junk.  It shows that He wasn't trying to thank us for acting nicely.  It also shows that He wasn't taking the easy way out.  Good Friday shows that God's definition requires action, and this is how it looks:


God created humans to spend eternity in relationship with Him. The only stipulation was that Humans had to obey God and treat one another with love and equality. Humans rejected that plan, and decided to be their own bosses instead. Their choice resulted in a painful existence where people hurt God, hurt each other and hurt the rest of creation. Justice demands punishment for the perpetrator, and protection of the victims. Because everyone is both a victim and a perpetrator, the only just punishment is total isolation. This punishment broke God's heart, so He created a rescue plan. God was the only victim who was not guilty of hurting others, so He was the only one who didn't deserve punishment. God used His opportunity to take the punishment for people by coming to earth as a man named Jesus, and allowing people to kill Him. This action maintained justice and taught victims how to forgive their perpetrator. In order to prove that justice was served, Jesus rose from the dead three days later, and appeared to 500 people. Today it's possible for anyone to have a relationship with God if they chose to accept Jesus' sacrifice as their punishment. They do this by acknowledging their disobedience, asking God for forgiveness, submitting to Jesus as their boss and choosing to forgive other people. People who refuse these terms will face a just punishment, which results in isolation from God and others.


This year, remember that "love" meant a whole lot to God.

God's Loving Plan for Battling Sin: Day 3

I've learned three things about being a christian over the years.  First, it’s hard to live in an honorable way.  Humans like to do things their way.  We want to rebel and serve ourselves.  It's hard to show God the love He deserves, especially when He asks us to love our enemies.  With that being the case, the Christian life is a life of war.  We need to constantly fight against our natural tendency to sin.  

The second thing I've learned is that God is always with me.  It might not feel as though God is always there, but I know He is.  He loves us and has given each of us various gifts so that we can help other people. 

Finally, God also taught me that He is patient and willing to help me overcome my weaknesses if I am willing to turn to Him for help. This means that I can fight against the greed in my life by using the weapons He provided: prayer, reading the bible, and remembering that He has already forgiven me through the sacrifice of Jesus.

As we end our bible study, we need to remember the importance of God's love and forgiveness. God has forgiveness us because He loves us, and that love and forgiveness should encourage us to turn away from sin when we recognize it in our lives. Jesus died for us so we can live for Him, so let's thank God for His amazing love by choosing to love Him and love other people.

Read Paul's final greeting in Ephesians 6:21-34 (NLT):

To bring you up to date, Tychicus will give you a full report about what I am doing and how I am getting along. He is a beloved brother and faithful helper in the Lord’s work. I have sent him to you for this very purpose—to let you know how we are doing and to encourage you.

Peace be with you, dear brothers and sisters, and may God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you love with faithfulness. May God’s grace be eternally upon all who love our Lord Jesus Christ.

Answer the following questions:

1. What is Tychicus commended for?
2. Why did Paul send Tychicus to the believers?
3. What is Paul's final prayer for the believers?
4. How have you grown in your understanding of God's love?

God's Loving Plan for Battling Sin: Day 2

I mentioned earlier that I felt a strong desire to quit my former sales job after I began growing closer to the Lord.  I don't know if that's common, but for me it came down to two main reason. Initially, I wanted to run from the temptations I felt at work, but God taught me that sometimes I need to fight against sin instead of running from my problems.  Then I began to desire full-time ministry work, but that required a fight as well.

I can still remember the resistance I faced as I began moving from sales into ministry; financial issues, relational issues, scheduling issues, etc.  Although these were valid concerns, it seemed as though my excitement was able to override them.  Unfortunately there was one problem that my excitement couldn't solve: my terror. 

My fear was usually strongest during the night as I laid alone in the dark.  I felt as though my mind was interrogating me as I thought about my upcoming mission trip. 

"Is your God big enough to save you, Josh?"

"Does your God love you, or is He merely using you to accomplish His mission?"

Other times my thoughts would blatantly lie to me:

"You are going to die on your trip Josh"

"God doesn't love you."

I couldn't find rest even upon falling asleep, because usually my dreams resulted in nightmares that woke me up.  I was sleeping only a few hours a night, and dreaded being alone.  It was scary, discouraging and tiring, but in the midst of it, God helped me realize that something sinister was happening.  I was being attacked, and there was only one way to fight back.

Read Paul's instructions for Spiritual Warfare in Ephesians 6:10-20 (NLT):

A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.

Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.

And pray for me, too. Ask God to give me the right words so I can boldly explain God’s mysterious plan that the Good News is for Jews and Gentiles alike. I am in chains now, still preaching this message as God’s ambassador. So pray that I will keep on speaking boldly for him, as I should.

Answer the following questions:

1. What does Paul reveal about the Christian battle?
2. What is the purpose of spiritual armor?
3. List each piece of armor and what it's used for.
4. Paul tells us to pray for all believers. Who do you pray for regularly?

Weekly Challenge:

Paul was a strong leader who endured suffering and persecution in order to share the good news that God loves people. Paul remained humble by remembering that his success was dependent upon God, and therefore, he needed prayer for strength. Take time to pray for your church leaders, and write an encouraging note to your pastors in order to thank them for boldly sharing the gospel with others.

God's Loving Plan for Battling Sin: Day 1

As God continued growing my faith, He also grew my abilities.  I was volunteering in a local church, and working as a sales person for an insurance company.  Eventually, I began to feel drawn away from my sales position at the insurance company, partially because I didn't feel comfortable with the direction of the company. I initially tried to remove myself from tempting situations by asking my boss to relocate me, but he denied my request. His decision required me to choose between submitting or quitting. I decided to submit, and that turned out to be the best choice I could have made.

The following year I made a lot of money through a series of miraculous circumstances, and was able to pay off a lot of my financial debt! Incredibly, this happened even though I was less focused on making money and more focused helping my clients succeed. I eventually learned how to use my job as a way to support and encourage the other believers whom I worked with.

During this time, I realized that God didn't want me to run from my problems, instead; He wanted me to fight against sinful desires. The fight against sin is a spiritual battle, and that means we must fight with spiritual weapons. This week we are going to look at the weapons we use to fight against sin.

Read about submission in Ephesians 6:1-9 (NLT):

Children, obey your parents because you belong to the Lord, for this is the right thing to do. “Honor your father and mother.” This is the first commandment with a promise: If you honor your father and mother, “things will go well for you, and you will have a long life on the earth.”

Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger by the way you treat them. Rather, bring them up with the discipline and instruction that comes from the Lord.

Slaves, obey your earthly masters with deep respect and fear. Serve them sincerely as you would serve Christ. Try to please them all the time, not just when they are watching you. As slaves of Christ, do the will of God with all your heart. Work with enthusiasm, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. Remember that the Lord will reward each one of us for the good we do, whether we are slaves or free.

Masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Don’t threaten them; remember, you both have the same Master in heaven, and he has no favorites.

Answer the following questions:

1. What does this passage reveal about relationships between parents and children?
2. What does this passage reveal about relationships between bosses and employees?
3. What does this passage reveal about relationships between people and God?
4. Which of your relationships (family, work or God) are you currently struggling with? How are you encouraged by this passage?

God's Loving, Correction: Day 3

In my last blog I wrote about a friend who was angry at God, because he felt as though God was rejecting him.  My friend believed that God created him with flaws and then judged him based on those flaws.  I can understand his discouragement and anger, but I believe he is wrong.  I don't believe God creates junk with the intention of throwing it away.

When we look at how God works throughout the bible, we see a God whose heart is broken by the sin in this world.  Instead of running from the problem, God responds by rolling up His sleeves in order to help.  God initially gave us the choice to follow Him, and then He entered into our world to give us another chance.  And another.  And another.  And another.  And another...(I could do this all day).

God is constantly pursuing us with an intention of healing us and making us better.  And we need His help, because we are messed!  Humans are a mixed bag of glory and gory.  We are gloriously gory.  Created in the image of God, but acting like demons at times.  It's sad, it's frustrating, and it could be so much better.  

As a husband, I can relate to the image of Jesus loving the Church as a husband.  I see Ashley's flaws, and she sees mine.  Instead of focusing on our flaws, we focus on our strengths.  We clean up each other's messes, and let their strengths shine.  That's what I see Jesus doing in the bible.  God sees our potential, and loves us enough to help us achieve greatness.  We will never be a truly great society without His help.  But look at the bible and read it for yourself.

Read about Christ's love for His Church in Ephesians 5:21-33 (NLT):

And further, submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.

For wives, this means submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For a husband is the head of his wife as Christ is the head of the church. He is the Savior of his body, the church. As the church submits to Christ, so you wives should submit to your husbands in everything.

For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God’s word. He did this to present her to himself as a glorious church without a spot or wrinkle or any other blemish. Instead, she will be holy and without fault. In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives as they love their own bodies. For a man who loves his wife actually shows love for himself. No one hates his own body but feeds and cares for it, just as Christ cares for the church. And we are members of his body.

As the Scriptures say, “A man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.” This is a great mystery, but it is an illustration of the way Christ and the church are one. So again I say, each man must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.

Answer the following questions:

1. Why does Paul teach us about submission?
2. What does Jesus desire for His bride (the Church)?
3. What does this passage teach us about Jesus?
4. What married couple has set a good example for you? How does their relationship relate to the relationship that Jesus has with the Church?

Conclusion:

Christians are on a path towards righteousness, and that means we strive to remove greed, sexual immorality and impurity from our lives. God is ultimately the only one who can remove these issues from our lives, but we are responsible for persisting in our fight against sinful desires. He transforms our thoughts and desires by placing His Spirit inside our hearts. Next week we will discover how to fight against the temptations of this world.

God's Loving, Correction: Day 2

I recently realized an important thing about life after sharing the gospel with a loved one who was very angry at God.  After telling someone that God loved them and wanted to be with them, the guy replied that God shouldn't have made a faulty world that needed to be saved.  When I heard his reply I became sad and frustrated, but I realized that my reply wouldn't help him.  So instead of making things worse, I encouraged him to keep trying to discover who the God of the bible is, and then gave him some resources to help.  I continued thinking about his response after the conversation, though, and realized that he was starting from a non-biblical premise.

The bible shows that God made a perfect world and gave humans the choice to keep it that way.  Genesis 1:31 says that God made everything good.  God made a good world, He made good people, He made a good relationship between Him and man.  It wasn't until after Adam and Eve chose to disobey that the world became full of pain and corruption.  I believe God was testing humans in order to give them the choice to follow Him or be their own God, which bothered my friend.  Don't we all want the freedom to make choices in life?

Unlike my friend, I think we all have the choice to pursue or reject God, and I also believe choosing God is just the beginning.  I believe that we will continue to be tested once we choose God, because those tests will make us stronger in character and intellect.  Knowing that we be tested in life should prompt us to prepare for them, and Paul give us some tips for success in Ephesians 5.

Read about the light of Christ in Ephesians 5:10-20 (NLT):

Carefully determine what pleases the Lord. Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them. It is shameful even to talk about the things that ungodly people do in secret. But their evil intentions will be exposed when the light shines on them, for the light makes everything visible. This is why it is said,

“Awake, O sleeper, rise up from the dead, and Christ will give you light.”

So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do. Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts. And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Answer the following questions:

1. What does it mean to expose sin, and how do we do it?
2. What are Christians commanded to do in this passage?
3. Contrast the lifestyle of a foolish and wise person. Is your lifestyle more foolish or wise?
4. Think about a current difficulty in your life, and ask God how you can please Him in the midst of that situation?

Weekly Challenge:

Paul uses this passage to instructs us to make the most of opportunities we are given, and we read a similar command in 1 Peter 3:15. In that section, Peter instructs believers to be prepared to give a reason for the hope they have. This week, write a short statement explaining why you are hopeful, and what your hope consists of. Then pray for an opportunity to share that hope with another person.

God's Loving, Correction

I mentioned earlier that my first year of faith was increasingly discouraging, and my second year was increasingly exciting.  My third year began to feel like a combination of challenges and blessings.

  

I experienced blessing as I grew in my understanding of God’s love for me and His desire to use me to show His love to others. These blessings prompted me to spend more time at church, which helped me develop a new community of friends and family. My church family was encouraging, compassionate, and helped me live in a way that honored God. I felt good when I honored God, but I felt ashamed and embarrassed when I didn't. Personally, I found it much harder to live in a way that honored God when I wasn't at church, and therefore, was challenged in my faith during those times.

I was usually at work when I wasn't at church, and during that time I worked as a sales representative for a large insurance company. I was rewarded for my sales and wanted to make money, so I did whatever I could to sell the insurance products. This usually resulted in deceiving and mistreating my customers, and eventually I began to feel convicted during my sales calls. I knew my actions were wrong, and felt like a hypocrite.

I was kind and encouraging when I was at church, but I was deceitful and confrontational when I was at work. This conviction continued to grow inside my heart, until it burst out one day as a customer refused to buy my product.

After the customer told me they didn't want my product, I slammed the phone down and started yelling how stupid and ignorant they were. That’s when a coworker told me I had an anger problem, and I began to realize that I needed to make a change. My lifestyle was offensive to God, and I realized that it hurt other people as well. God helped me understand that I was being greedy, which meant that I was more concerned with money than I was with loving God and other people.

Day 1

Read the reasons for Christian obedience in Ephesians 5:1-9 (NLT):

Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.

Let there be no sexual immorality, impurity, or greed among you. Such sins have no place among God’s people. Obscene stories, foolish talk, and coarse jokes—these are not for you. Instead, let there be thankfulness to God. You can be sure that no immoral, impure, or greedy person will inherit the Kingdom of Christ and of God. For a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world.

Don’t be fooled by those who try to excuse these sins, for the anger of God will fall on all who disobey him. Don’t participate in the things these people do. For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light! For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true.

Answer the following questions:

1. Describe the lifestyle that Christians should strive to live.
2. What reasons are given for avoiding sinful lifestyles?
3. Make a list of thing you are grateful for experiencing.
4. Spend time asking God to reveal the immorality, impurity and greed in your life, and then ask Him to help you remove it.

God's Love and the Church: Day 3

I recently told my wife that school is starting to get a lot busier this semester, and then decided to spend 30 minutes taking a free online test in order to discover my strengths and weaknesses.  I remember obtaining my results and literally saying, "That was a complete waste of time."  I guess I have a weakness for free junk.

As I think about it, though, I've taken over 20 personal inventory tests in my life.  I don't take the tests because I love learning about myself; I take the test so I can figure out what I enjoy doing.  I have a dream that one day I will be able to spend 40 hours a week "playing" instead of "working," and in all honesty, I think there are some great reasons for finding a job that you enjoy doing.  For example: 

You will probably work harder and longer; your work will be of higher quality; and the people in your life will enjoy being around you.  But at the same time, there are selfish reasons.  Such as:

You have an unhealthy focus on your wants/desires; you want to brag about your skills; you feel as though you are entitled to a life of comfort and happiness.

The book of Ephesians revealed that God gives people different gifts and abilities.  All of us have been given a gift, but we need to use that gift properly.  Instead of using our abilities to brag about how awesome we are, we should use our gifts to serve others.  More importantly, we use our gifts to help others become the people God originally intended.  But what does God's intention look like?  Let's discover that today.

Read about Christian living in Ephesians 4:17-32 (NLT):

With the Lord’s authority I say this: Live no longer as the Gentiles do, for they are hopelessly confused. Their minds are full of darkness; they wander far from the life God gives because they have closed their minds and hardened their hearts against him. They have no sense of shame. They live for lustful pleasure and eagerly practice every kind of impurity.

But that isn’t what you learned about Christ. Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.

So stop telling lies. Let us tell our neighbors the truth, for we are all parts of the same body. And “don’t sin by letting anger control you.” Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a foothold to the devil.

If you are a thief, quit stealing. Instead, use your hands for good hard work, and then give generously to others in need. Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.

And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption.

Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.

Answer the following questions:

1. What does this passage say about non-believers (Gentiles)?
2. What behaviors should Christians remove from their lives and what should they do instead?
3. What does this passage reveal about the Holy Spirit?
4. Which evil behaviors do you struggle with the most? Spend time asking God to help you replace your behaviors.

Conclusion:

Although I was growing in my knowledge of God and my ability to serve His people, I was still struggling to get rid of my bad habits. Ephesians 4 ends by instructing believers to remove all types of evil behavior, but how do we do that? Even to this day I still struggle with anger and impatience at time, but I’m learning that some habits are deeper than others. Many behaviors are the result of deep sins that have corrupted our character and motives. These sins have hardened our hearts, but God restores us by convicting us of those sins and prompting us to repent by asking Him for help. Next week we will examine those deeper issues.

God's Love and the Church: Day 2

A few months ago, my wife and I attended a class at our church.  The leader began talking about relationships, and asked us which people were toughest to be in relationship with.  I thought for a moment, and blurted out, "church people!"  

I wasn't trying to insult other Christians; I was trying to compliment them.  Christians are suppose to be family to one another, and the hardest relationships in life are found among family members.  That's because family members make us suffer in ways that strangers can't.

Now before you start thinking mean things about your extended cousins, let me explain:

I don't mean that family members are mean to one another, I mean that family members are willing to make painful sacrifices for one another.  Sometimes the sacrifice means working hard so the other person can have a break.  Other times it's means having a tough conversation with someone who is making a mistake.  Maybe it even means waking up at 4 am to bail them out of a jam.  

We only wake up at 4 am for family.

So yes, there are times when Church people should be the hardest people to be around, but other times they should be the most amazing people to be around.  Christians are united as a family during the good times AND the bad times... and don't we want it that way?  

I think the best laughs are shared with those who have remained faithful when we had nothing to laugh about.  And that's why I love laughing with God.

Read about God's gifts to His children in Ephesians 4:7-16 (NLT):

However, he has given each one of us a special gift through the generosity of Christ. That is why the Scriptures say,

“When he ascended to the heights, he led a crowd of captives and gave gifts to his people.”

Notice that it says “he ascended.” This clearly means that Christ also descended to our lowly world. And the same one who descended is the one who ascended higher than all the heavens, so that he might fill the entire universe with himself.

Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ.

Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth. Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.

Answer the following questions:

1. What does this passage reveal about Christ's ascension?
2. What are the gifts that Christ gave to the Church, and what was His purpose in giving them?
3. What happens to the Church when Christians are mature in the Lord?
4. What are your gifts and how are you using them inside of the Church?

Weekly Challenge:

Jesus gives gifts to the Church in order for believers to grow into maturity. The greatest of these gifts is the Holy Spirit, who lives inside the hearts of believers, and enables them become unified through encouragement and service. Ask God to give you the opportunity to encourage someone this week through a note, a gift, an act of service, or some other source of encouragement.

God's Love and the Church

As I look back, I can see a remarkable difference between my first and second year of being a Christian. The first year was very lonely and discouraging, while the second year was exciting and victorious. I didn't grow during the first year, but I exploded during the second year. I believe the difference was due to the level of support.

During my first year of faith I didn't have any Christian friends and I wasn't able to attend church.  I felt trapped, and worried that I failed God.   Eventually one of my friends helped me get to church, and during that second year I grew a lot. I began to see major changes in my life as I spent time with other believers, and even found myself being mentored by two pastors. These were gifted men who encouraged me to volunteer in the church, and spent time teaching me about God and His plan for people.

God has uniquely designed and gifted each person so they can serve others in the Church, so we need to discover and develop our gifts. I learned that I'm an evangelist, and therefore, need develop the ability to communicate the gospel clearly. I also learned how to start a new ministry by working with a team to discover the needs of a community, and then organizing the team to bring solutions. It was an exciting time, and I was surprised by how much I enjoyed being at church.  I saw the person I would eventually become, and had a desire to continue developing. I'm extremely grateful for the support I received from other believers, and the plan God has for His people.

Read about Christian unity in Ephesians 4:1-6 (NLT):

Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future. There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and Father, who is over all and in all and living through all.

Answer the following questions:

1. What lifestyle should Christians strive for?
2. What reasons motivate Christians to live in a new, godly lifestyle?
3. What does it mean to be united in the Spirit? How do you stay united?
4. When was the last time you disagreed with another Christian? What did you disagree about, and what was the result?

The Passionate and Persistent Love of God: Day 3

In the last blog I mentioned that many times I fail to accept responsibility for my actions, because of a discomfort I feel in my thoughts.  I used the term "cognitive dissonance" to describe the discomfort and it's origin.  But as I continued to think about the concept of cognitive dissonance, I realized that the bible uses the word "conscience" to describe a similar event.  Romans 2:14-15 states that our consciences bears witness to our deeds and our thoughts will either accuse or defend us.  

When we consider that everyone has a conscience and experiences moments of cognitive dissonance in their life, then I believe it's logical to assume that everyone knows they have missed the mark.  They have fallen short of perfection, failed to live up to the highest standard, and carry the guilt and shame of bad choices.  Whether or not a person has read the bible, I think this self-awareness creates a sense of insecurity and fear in all of us.  Fear that we will be found out, and insecure that we will be rejected once our mistakes are brought to life.

To be honest, which one of us hasn't experienced a moment of shame and fear of rejection?  Those moments when we worry that someone will discover our bad habit and mock us?  Or the times when we are afraid to look stupid or dorky because no one will want to be seen in public with us?  What about the times when our guilt is still on our hands?  That happens occasionally, so what do we do?

I think the worse thing we can do is stuff all our dirty little secrets deep down and let them eat us alive (which they will.)  I think the second worse thing we can do is to expose them to everyone in an attempt to declare them acceptable (which society does at times).  I think there is only one good option: share those secrets and failures to a trustworthy person who will accept you unconditionally.  

I know, I get it: "But Josh, who is a completely faithful friend will accept us unconditionally???"  I'm glad you asked...

God promise to be that friend.  Granted, He has standards, but that doesn't mean He won't accept us.  God will always accept us; dirty secrets and all.  The cool thing about God though, is that He is going to help us spend less time in the guilt and shame of life by actually changing our behaviors and desires.  God created the world from scratch, don't you think it's possible He can fix a broken one?

I think the bible clearly reveals that truth...

Read Paul's prayer in Ephesians 3:14-21 (NLT):

When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.

Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen.

Answer the following questions:

1. Why does Paul fall to his knees in prayer (re-read Ephesians 3:1-13 if necessary)?
2. What does Paul pray for in this section?
3. What is the difference between “understanding” God's love versus “experiencing” it?
4. Are you currently “experiencing” God's love? Why or why not? Share your deepest secret with God right now, and ask Him to reveal His love. (He already knows about your struggles).

Conclusion:

I slowly began to realize that the Christian life is a trajectory in the direction of holiness, but it's not always a straight line. Old habits are hard to break, so we need encouragement and support in order to succeed. We will never succeed without understanding God's love, and His love is best discovered through the family of believers. Next week we will begin to discuss how God's people are created to support each other.

The Passionate and Persistent Love of God: Day 2

I recently read a blog that helped explain why it's hard for people to take responsibility for their mistakes.  The author wanted to know why some people are quick to admit to their mistakes while others blame the world, their upbringing, or anyone in the near vicinity.  I personally have a hard time being around someone who refuses to admit their mistake.  So, what creates that type of behavior?

The author called it cognitive dissonance.

Cognitive dissonance is the discomfort we experience when faced with two conflicting beliefs, attitudes, opinions, or ideas, and it has a remarkable effect on our behaviors and worldview.

The author went on to explain that many people develop an identity at a young age, and sometimes that identity needs to be challenged.  There will always be situations in life that cause you to reevaluate your identity, and that create cognitive dissonance.  How we handle that dissonance will greatly affect various areas in your life.  For example:

Some children are taught that they can be anything they want when they grow up; even the next president.  As they continue to grow up, their "I can do anything" identity will come into question.  Maybe they find out that they are terrified of public speaking, or struggle with abstract concepts, or were born in a foreign country.  Those challenges will create a conflict in their brain and cause them to reevaluate whether or not they truly are able to do ANYTHING.  Some people will refuse to change their identity; calling the world mean, jealous and unfair.  Other people swing to the opposite extreme and say that they are UNABLE to do anything.  A third group might take a moderate approach and realize that they are able to do anything within REASON.  But how does that relate to this study?

As I was reading this study I saw self-justification in my life.  I typically see myself as a "good guy" who has been a victim of my past, and there is some truth in that statement.  Life is unfair at times, sometimes I have good intentions, and it's not good for people to live in isolation.  But that's only part of the truth.  Sometimes I fail to take advantage of the opportunities afforded to me. Sometimes I'm intentionally mean to others.   Sometimes I reject the advice and assistance of others.

We all have made mistakes, we all have done evil things, and we all have rejected wisdom at times.  When those realities create cognitive dissonance, the best thing we can do is turn to God and ask Him to reset our identity.  Acknowledging our sin and turning to Him is repentance.  It's saying, "God, I trust you to tell me who I really am."  Once we let God reset our identity, we will be able to accept His mission for our lives.

Read about God's purpose for the Church in Ephesians 3:8-13 (NLT)

Though I am the least deserving of all God’s people, he graciously gave me the privilege of telling the Gentiles about the endless treasures available to them in Christ. I was chosen to explain to everyone this mysterious plan that God, the Creator of all things, had kept secret from the beginning.

God’s purpose in all this was to use the church to display his wisdom in its rich variety to all the unseen rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. This was his eternal plan, which he carried out through Christ Jesus our Lord.

Because of Christ and our faith in him, we can now come boldly and confidently into God’s presence. So please don’t lose heart because of my trials here. I am suffering for you, so you should feel honored.

Answer the following questions:

1. What is Paul's assignment, and what does he say about it?
2. What is God's purpose for the Church and what role to do you play in that purpose?
3. What does this passage reveal about Jesus Christ and faith?
4. How do you feel about Paul's statement that we can approach God confidently? Why do you feel the way you do?
5. What is your identity?

Weekly Challenge:

Paul felt privileged about sharing the Good News with other people. Paul believed it was a gracious gift to tell other people that they have endless treasures in Christ. Ask God to help you better understand the “Good News” (asking others for help if you need) and pray for an opportunity to share the good news with others.