Choices

I'm hearing great things from the series on Choices. People are discovering the power of getting together around God's Word.

Here's a great quote from one of our guys--a summary of what he's discovering:

"The Burden of the Past is removed through the Forgiveness of God. The Anxiety of the Future is eliminated through the Trust of God. The Opportunity of the Present is seized through the Capacity of God." - Wes Sargent

Looking forward to the weekend when we look at "I Choose Family First."

You Play, You Stay

I had the privilege last week of being on a short cruise. (No, I don't feel badly about it. Walk a mile in man's shoes before you criticize.) It was sponsored by K-LOVE network so other artists were on board: Newsboys, Mandisa, Chris Tomlin and more.


Pastor Bryan Loritts (of Memphis, TN) was the devotional speaker. One morning he told a story about his father signing them up for little league. When they signed in, his father gave them a little sermon that could be summed up like this: "I don't make a lot of money. But I want you boys to enjoy this so I'm signing you up. There is one condition: you play and you stay. No whining. No quitting. Understood?"

That father was smart. He was instilling an important value in his sons. Count the cost before you start something and finish. You play, you stay.

As we remember the life and gift of Whitney Houston, some may forget the hours of practice, singing with the church choir, being mentored by her Mom, Cissy Houston. Yes, she had a gift--a unique set of vocal chords fashioned by her Maker--but that gift had to be exercised with perseverance. You can look at the so-called lucky break of being born in a musical family, but don't forget the hours of singing as a little girl in her bedroom.

Entitlement says, "Some people get all the breaks. Life isn't fair. You're born into greatness or you aren't." Others work hard, finding joy in becoming. They play and they stay. They don't quit.

The author, Malcolm Gladwell (Outliers), has said that extraordinary people are made, not born. He cites the 10,000 hour rule. He contends that masters of different disciplines are there because they have logged 10,000 hours in practice. You must practice to become great. Not become great, then practice. In other words, you play and you stay.

Are you sitting waiting for a break? Or are you diligently honing, practicing, reading, studying, playing so that you rise above mediocrity? What are you doing daily to improve your skills and God-given ability? You play, you stay.

Excuse Me?

 

A recent survey revealed some of the most popular excuses for lateness: traffic delays (31%) lack of sleep (18%), bad weather (11%). However some of the more bizarre excuses included: "My cat had the hiccups” and “I thought I won the lottery” as well as “A fox stole my car keys.”

The first thing I teach our elders to say when people are seeking advice is, "What does the Bible say about this?" Without the Bible, there are only platitudes, philosophy, my subjective feelings and flawed EXCUSES. Which one of us hasn't tried to justify ourselves in some sin? 

Here are just a few of the excuses I've heard as a pastor:

• I know what the Bible says, but I have prayed and God has given me peace about this.
• Doesn't God want me to be happy? 
• We sinned sexually, so now I'm obligated to marry this man even though I'm not sure if he's a believer
• You don't know what it's like to suffer as long as I have. My situation is different.
• I know what the Bible says, but don't you think Jesus would understand? Surely, He wouldn't make such demands in this special case.

Here's what I know about myself and about human nature: once I've headed down this path in my thoughts, it's only a matter of time before I act on it. It is human to excuse ourselves and it's Satan's great trick to help us justify those excuses. It's the oldest play in the book: "Did God really say you must not from any tree in the Garden?" (Gen. 3.1) Yes, Satan was twisting what God said, but he was also playing to Eve's self-justification. 

Know the Book. Live the book. That is the way to stand when temptation or storms come. What did God say? That is the question. 

Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like: 48he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built. (Luke 6:47-48 ESV)

Talk with God Everyday

Today I got one of those letters that made my day. The sum is this: "I had become lax in my time with God. The Bible was gathering dust. But being reminded that Jesus said, 'one thing is needful', I have recommitted to talking with God everyday--first thing in the morning. My life is back on track and I can feel the difference!"

Wow. That's what it means to grow as a follower of Christ--putting into practice what you're learning. 

For anyone who may have missed Sunday the 16th, I'll include some of the action points here on daily time with God in prayer:

TALK WITH GOD EVERYDAY

 A good place to start with personal prayer is on the pattern below. Remember each point of prayer with a different finger of your hand. Spend a few minutes on each one:

1)    Thumb – THANKFULNESS. Thank God for at least 10 things that happened yesterday and more.

2)    Forefinger – AUTHORITIES. Pray for leaders (government, pastors, employer and anyone who is an authority in your life.)

3)    Middle finger – WORLD. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem (Psalm 122.6) and for missions around the world, especially those who are in relationship with Crosspoint.

4)    Ring finger – FAMILY. Pray for family and loved ones that they will know Jesus and those that don’t will repent.

5)    Little finger – YOU! Pray that God will root out the sin in your heart, make you the person you need to be who loves God’s Word, His people and His presence. Take time to ask God to speak to you. Wait and listen.

Happy Birthday Dr. King

One of my favorite quotes by the late Dr. King: "If it falls your lot to be a street sweeper...sweep streets so well that all the host of heaven and earth will have to pause and say, 'Here lived a great sweeper who did his job well."

This demonstrates that the equality Dr. King called for was not socialism. He understood that we have different callings, different roles, different stations in life that we occupy. But wherever we are placed, that we should do our job like heaven and earth is watching because they are.

Today, I joined many of our elders and deacons, along with our pastors in fasting and prayer. As we prayed, it shouldn't have surprised me that our prayers took a turn about an hour so into our time. We began to pray concerning our prejudice--even the kind that flies under the radar. The kind that you may feel when you enter a certain store and look at someone who is different than you. The prejudice may not be based on skin color but on style or lack thereof. It may be based on some profile that triggers a memory and suddenly we are feeling those memories like they happened yesterday.

There really is no room for racism, stereotypes and prejudice in a Christian's heart. Why? Because Jesus wasn't that way. He loved the lepers and the prostitutes. He loved those with hangups, habits and hurts.


Happy Birthday Dr. King!