Monday, April 13, 2020
Creative and Misunderstood
"Misunderstandings, confusion and concerns about a new business model are quite common obstacles that disruptive companies face when they challenge the status quo... It will take time for many to understand us and probably in hindsight, only some will realize what we’re seeing now." Mohawk Group Holdings, Inc. (MWK), CEO Yaniv Sarig on Q4 2019 Results.
"The nature of the personal computer is simply not fully understood by companies like Apple (or anyone else for that matter). Apple makes the arrogant assumption of thinking that it knows what you want and need. It, unfortunately, leaves the 'why' out of the equation - as in 'why would I want this?' The Macintosh uses an experimental pointing device called the 'mouse'. There is no evidence that people want to use these things." San Francisco Examiner, John Dvorak. 1984.
Creativity- disruptive creativity - breeds misunderstanding. Not because people have ill-intent and not because they want to misunderstand. It's because with fresh creativity comes a creation that no one has ever seen before.
Creativity often lacks relatable context. It's "outside of the box" - outside of what would historically be relatable. And in a sense, disruptive creativity does carry with it a sense of arrogance doesn't it? For better or worse, it assumes it will find a home - a context- even though there's little evidence yet that it will.
I suppose the artist God is quite accustomed by now with being misunderstood. And if you doubt that, it may be appropriate to ask yourself, "How often have I been misunderstood?" Perhaps you are misunderstood, not because of your flaws but because God is creative. Maybe it's actually God who is the one misunderstood through you, his masterpiece.
Have you ever read a parable of Jesus and not understood it? Perhaps you are a parable of sorts. Maybe your story is one worth re-reading a couple times. Or look at the life of Peter. Jesus understood Peter, even when Peter was ramping up to deny Him. Jesus knew what the story looked like at the end. Only the artist understands the finished product prior to it's completion.
Listen to the Painter's words, "But I have prayed for you Simon, that your faith would not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers." (Luke 22:31) It's as though Jesus, paint brush in hand, prayed out Peter's path ahead of him. Yes, you will deny me but I have painted your return.
To see beyond the denial is grace. And only grace can bring the denier home. Because only grace is disruptively creative enough to create us new, creatures without our previous context of sin. And only grace is arrogant enough to create us pilgrims, aliens, and pioneers of forgiveness in this world of shame. We are a people without worldly context. We do not belong here and yet here we are. And God, in his great wisdom has done it to display the glories of His heavenly context. And so we are an instrument, and God is playing his music through us. A people of heavenly context, woefully misunderstood, but full of joy because of it.
If you are feeling misunderstood, endorse the God who creates. In Him our, earthly and heavenly destinies are born.
Wednesday, April 1, 2020
The Human Beyond the Machine
"We can
no longer say the impacts of coronavirus are only beginning to be felt. The
beginning of all this is over: we’re in the thick of it now." – Myles
Udland
"It’s like the event horizon of a black hole, where suddenly
everything that made perfect sense to every quantitative model, every pairs
trade, every scalp trade – it all made sense until we got to the edge of that
system, and suddenly everything started to crumble. That’s the exact point
where we need to stop relying entirely on these models and machines, and allow
human beings to step back into the market." – Sean
Debotte on financial markets
There's a point at which things stop making sense to the
systems and routines we've built. And that typically occurs at the edge of what
we deem possible. To most, the effects of Covid-19 on daily life were only
a fiction story. A zombie movie. A pandemic book. An alien invasion. But over
the past two weeks, those impossible storylines have grown oddly parallel to our
reality.
We stay in our homes. We distance from society. We scavenge
for toilet paper. But now, two weeks into quarantine, we're beginning to grow
accustomed to the change. We are now immersed. Like it or not, the systems we
created prior do not exist as the safety nets we'd hoped them to be. The past two
weeks have crushed their reliability. In truth, our systems were only made for
what’s possible. They weren’t made for the black hole, rule bending nature of
global pandemic and quarantine. And neither were our precious routines.
Routines are creatures mourned heavily when they die. But all
routines must die at some point, lest we think them immortal gods and hope in
their sure blessings. Systems, machines, and routines all have their place but we
must collectively remember that all of these creations were made by humans and
contain the limitations of their creators. They are not eternal and treat us
poorly when relied on as such.
And so, in this time of new routine and new normal be awake
to that which is not routine. The breadcrumbs of eternal things will be found
there. Be human, the way Jesus was human. Open up to interruption, like Jesus opened
himself to interruption from the sick and dying. His destiny as a human was found
in the interruptions. Go on adventures, the way Jesus went on adventures. No
one walks on water while standing on the land.
Remember you are but
dust and so are your routines and systems. But God is spirit. He’s wind. And the wind can carry the dust much farther
than dust can carry itself. Be willing to wander. Be willing to do things out
of order and find peace in trust not
schedule. It’s there we’ll find sudden grace in these trying times.
Wednesday, May 11, 2016
Seasons
Life has seasons. Just like Winter and Spring, life changes.
A year and a half ago, I was in a different season. A more challenging season.
-I was 25 and counting
-I was living with my parents
-I was working at a dead end job.
-I didn't have a girlfriend.
My life was not what I wanted it to be. And yet, at the same time, it totally was. I'll explain...
My life had presented me with two choices:
1. Burn with frustration and hopelessness
or
2. Trust that God loved me so fully, that I didn't even see my life anymore. I only saw the complete proof of his love for me at the cross.
At times, I chose the first option. But upon realizing it's futility, was ultimately redirected towards the second. And the second is where I learned to live. Hope found it's home within me. It was separate from outside of me.
I remember one day, I was taking a walk. I started to explain to God my desires for a family and a home of my own and financial independence. It all seemed so far away. My mind was doing the math.
-Meet a girl and date her= 1-2 years
-Get engaged and plan a wedding= 6 months- a year
-Have children= 2 years post wedding
I was looking at about 4 years for a family and that's if everything went well! That's if I could get a better job and afford a home and actually meet the girl I wanted to be with. I had a ton of "if's" and to that point, I had no physical evidence that any of them would actually happen.
As I was explaining all of this to God, I approached an intersection. There was a car way in the distance. I walked towards the intersection, fully confident that I would be able to cross the street before the car ever got there... But cars move much faster than people. The car zoomed through the intersection before I could even get there. I was amazed by my inability to judge the distance and speed of the car. Just then I heard God whisper in my heart:
"Jack, I move way faster than you do."
Those words proved themselves quite true. Shortly after, I met my beautiful wife Jana and from April 2015-April 2016 (1 years time), I...
- Bought a home
- Got a new job
- Got a promotion at the job
- Got engaged
- Got married
- Got pregnant with our first child
Life has seasons. And each season presents us with a gift, if we can see it as that.
I wrote a blog 2 days before my first real, one-on-one conversation with Jana. I wrote it at the tail end of that winter season. Sidenote: I didn't know that season was soon to end.
http://imaginethecolors.blogspot.com/2014/11/waiting.html
It's a time capsule and a reminder that life isn't bad. It's actually quite good. If you could only know and trust that God DOES have your life planned out in front of you. And that He DOES have your best interests in mind, your life in the winter wouldn't feel quite as cold. In fact, you'll find it's actually quite enjoyable.
So take this as hope for the future. You're not alone and God hasn't failed you. Spring always follows Winter.
A year and a half ago, I was in a different season. A more challenging season.
-I was 25 and counting
-I was living with my parents
-I was working at a dead end job.
-I didn't have a girlfriend.
My life was not what I wanted it to be. And yet, at the same time, it totally was. I'll explain...
My life had presented me with two choices:
1. Burn with frustration and hopelessness
or
2. Trust that God loved me so fully, that I didn't even see my life anymore. I only saw the complete proof of his love for me at the cross.
At times, I chose the first option. But upon realizing it's futility, was ultimately redirected towards the second. And the second is where I learned to live. Hope found it's home within me. It was separate from outside of me.
I remember one day, I was taking a walk. I started to explain to God my desires for a family and a home of my own and financial independence. It all seemed so far away. My mind was doing the math.
-Meet a girl and date her= 1-2 years
-Get engaged and plan a wedding= 6 months- a year
-Have children= 2 years post wedding
I was looking at about 4 years for a family and that's if everything went well! That's if I could get a better job and afford a home and actually meet the girl I wanted to be with. I had a ton of "if's" and to that point, I had no physical evidence that any of them would actually happen.
As I was explaining all of this to God, I approached an intersection. There was a car way in the distance. I walked towards the intersection, fully confident that I would be able to cross the street before the car ever got there... But cars move much faster than people. The car zoomed through the intersection before I could even get there. I was amazed by my inability to judge the distance and speed of the car. Just then I heard God whisper in my heart:
"Jack, I move way faster than you do."
Those words proved themselves quite true. Shortly after, I met my beautiful wife Jana and from April 2015-April 2016 (1 years time), I...
- Bought a home
- Got a new job
- Got a promotion at the job
- Got engaged
- Got married
- Got pregnant with our first child
Life has seasons. And each season presents us with a gift, if we can see it as that.
I wrote a blog 2 days before my first real, one-on-one conversation with Jana. I wrote it at the tail end of that winter season. Sidenote: I didn't know that season was soon to end.
http://imaginethecolors.blogspot.com/2014/11/waiting.html
It's a time capsule and a reminder that life isn't bad. It's actually quite good. If you could only know and trust that God DOES have your life planned out in front of you. And that He DOES have your best interests in mind, your life in the winter wouldn't feel quite as cold. In fact, you'll find it's actually quite enjoyable.
So take this as hope for the future. You're not alone and God hasn't failed you. Spring always follows Winter.
Monday, May 25, 2015
By Faith We Understand
Hebrews 11:3- By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.
By faith we understand...
That which is confidently trusted in, will ultimately determine exactly and precisely what is known. In this case, we know something about the universe because we are trusting what God has said. We know because we have faith. If we were to trust something else or someone else, we would come to know something else completely about the universe.
What is the source of what you know about yourself? After about a decade of talking to other Christians about their deep heart struggles, I've come to the conclusion that we are rarely (if ever) the source of what we know about ourselves. What we know about ourselves is almost entirely understood by who or what we are trusting. Who or what we trust, is determining our views on ourselves.
Most people don't know or realize that. You may have low self-esteem. You may be struggling with fear... or possibly guilt and shame. I want you to know that the source of those thoughts and struggles is NOT you... There is an outside source that is not you that is sending you messages about what to believe.
Internally, we are waging a war of faith. We are wrestling with different sources of information and which ones we will put our faith in.
Paul says it like this: "We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities..." The word "principality" means "the source of something". We aren't wrestling with ourselves, we are wrestling different sources vying for our trust... And once trust is gained by that source, it has free access to dictate what we will perceive and understand about ourselves and our lives. Our faith produces our knowledge.
What are you listening to right now? What voice has all the authority in your life?
As you go through the day today, hear God speak one word to you that fills your hunger. Hear one word from this passage in Isaiah. Hear the voice of truth and reject all opposing voices:
Isaiah 54:14-17
14 In righteousness you shall be established;
You shall be far from oppression, for you shall not fear;
And from terror, for it shall not come near you.
15 Indeed they shall surely assemble, but not because of Me.
Whoever assembles against you shall fall for your sake.
By faith we understand...
That which is confidently trusted in, will ultimately determine exactly and precisely what is known. In this case, we know something about the universe because we are trusting what God has said. We know because we have faith. If we were to trust something else or someone else, we would come to know something else completely about the universe.
What is the source of what you know about yourself? After about a decade of talking to other Christians about their deep heart struggles, I've come to the conclusion that we are rarely (if ever) the source of what we know about ourselves. What we know about ourselves is almost entirely understood by who or what we are trusting. Who or what we trust, is determining our views on ourselves.
Most people don't know or realize that. You may have low self-esteem. You may be struggling with fear... or possibly guilt and shame. I want you to know that the source of those thoughts and struggles is NOT you... There is an outside source that is not you that is sending you messages about what to believe.
Internally, we are waging a war of faith. We are wrestling with different sources of information and which ones we will put our faith in.
Paul says it like this: "We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities..." The word "principality" means "the source of something". We aren't wrestling with ourselves, we are wrestling different sources vying for our trust... And once trust is gained by that source, it has free access to dictate what we will perceive and understand about ourselves and our lives. Our faith produces our knowledge.
What are you listening to right now? What voice has all the authority in your life?
As you go through the day today, hear God speak one word to you that fills your hunger. Hear one word from this passage in Isaiah. Hear the voice of truth and reject all opposing voices:
Isaiah 54:14-17
14 In righteousness you shall be established;
You shall be far from oppression, for you shall not fear;
And from terror, for it shall not come near you.
15 Indeed they shall surely assemble, but not because of Me.
Whoever assembles against you shall fall for your sake.
16 “Behold, I have created the blacksmith
Who blows the coals in the fire,
Who brings forth an instrument for his work;
And I have created the spoiler to destroy.
17 No weapon formed against you shall prosper,
And every tongue which rises against you in judgment
You shall condemn.
This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord,
And their righteousness is from Me,”
Says the Lord.
-----------------------------------------------
Less important sidenote: I plan on revamping the blog in a week or two. I'll be teaming up with my amazing and beautiful girlfriend to produce a blog/art blend.
Every other week, we'll create a super fun piece of art that elaborates and integrates with the message in the blog. You'll be able to buy the art too, that way, if you really connect with something God is saying through the art/blog, you'll be able to hang it on a wall as a constant reminder of what God was speaking to you. It should be really fun and I'm kind of overly excited about it lol. Anyways, Happy Memorial day to everyone. Enjoy the day!
Who blows the coals in the fire,
Who brings forth an instrument for his work;
And I have created the spoiler to destroy.
17 No weapon formed against you shall prosper,
And every tongue which rises against you in judgment
You shall condemn.
This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord,
And their righteousness is from Me,”
Says the Lord.
-----------------------------------------------
Less important sidenote: I plan on revamping the blog in a week or two. I'll be teaming up with my amazing and beautiful girlfriend to produce a blog/art blend.
Every other week, we'll create a super fun piece of art that elaborates and integrates with the message in the blog. You'll be able to buy the art too, that way, if you really connect with something God is saying through the art/blog, you'll be able to hang it on a wall as a constant reminder of what God was speaking to you. It should be really fun and I'm kind of overly excited about it lol. Anyways, Happy Memorial day to everyone. Enjoy the day!
Wednesday, May 13, 2015
Dream Big
Over the past couple of months I've heard a lot of criticism about dreamers... Ya know, people like me... and deep down, people like you.
My ears have caught it in many different forms: Millennial bashing, "Common Sense" worship, a general "Calm down, and just be normal (like me)" attitude... The criticism is that dreamers tend to be dissatisfied with normal, everyday life. They don't function well at normal jobs. They're self centered. They make dumb, dream-related decisions instead of pursuing a more stable normal life... the list could continue... All lies, meant to keep us away from trusting the God of the impossible.
Dreamers are bashed on all sides with profuse intellectual disdain. And at the same time, dreamers are uplifted by our culture's warm feelings toward miraculous success stories. We are told to dream big and then berated for doing so. Often, the greatest berating comes from inside our own mind and emotions as we see the successes of other's dreams and the failures of own.
But dare to dream big again!
Not because our culture loves or hates it. Not because it's smart or stupid. But because hope requires us to dream. If you refuse to dream, in reality, you're refusing to have hope again. You're refusing to be anything other than discouraged and disappointed. We often fake contentedness and leave our hearts lying in the dust. We often refuse to ask God for what we really want because we don't believe He can or will... or worse, we accuse ourselves of sinful selfishness and refuse God on the basis of our own false humility... But bring your heart's desires again to God. Dreaming means vulnerability with your Dad. It means talking like friends. Guess what your closest friend wants to hear from you today? He wants to hear your deepest desires. Your most heartfelt thoughts. Your biggest dreams. Perhaps He wishes to work in those dreams. Perhaps He has dreams of His own that you could get to be a part of. And maybe it will all work together for your good.
So don't be afraid to dream again. For some of you, you'll feel like your dreams are a far distant land that can't even exist. And for others, you'll try to dream and realize you currently don't know how. But dare to dream big anyways. Look outside and see the world around you. See the vast creativity of God in nature. Now start to picture your dreams and measure them against what you see. Do your dreams match the vastness of God's? See if you can't dream the same way God did when He created the world and the heavens. You'll find great joy when you try.
Then write them down, one by one. Tell God how you feel about them, honestly. Open up your heart and start asking God for the "big ones" and don't be afraid to pursue it. God loves it when we dream with Him. He won't accuse you like others are accustomed to doing. He loves your heart and wants to be in it. Let Him in again.
My ears have caught it in many different forms: Millennial bashing, "Common Sense" worship, a general "Calm down, and just be normal (like me)" attitude... The criticism is that dreamers tend to be dissatisfied with normal, everyday life. They don't function well at normal jobs. They're self centered. They make dumb, dream-related decisions instead of pursuing a more stable normal life... the list could continue... All lies, meant to keep us away from trusting the God of the impossible.
Dreamers are bashed on all sides with profuse intellectual disdain. And at the same time, dreamers are uplifted by our culture's warm feelings toward miraculous success stories. We are told to dream big and then berated for doing so. Often, the greatest berating comes from inside our own mind and emotions as we see the successes of other's dreams and the failures of own.
But dare to dream big again!
Not because our culture loves or hates it. Not because it's smart or stupid. But because hope requires us to dream. If you refuse to dream, in reality, you're refusing to have hope again. You're refusing to be anything other than discouraged and disappointed. We often fake contentedness and leave our hearts lying in the dust. We often refuse to ask God for what we really want because we don't believe He can or will... or worse, we accuse ourselves of sinful selfishness and refuse God on the basis of our own false humility... But bring your heart's desires again to God. Dreaming means vulnerability with your Dad. It means talking like friends. Guess what your closest friend wants to hear from you today? He wants to hear your deepest desires. Your most heartfelt thoughts. Your biggest dreams. Perhaps He wishes to work in those dreams. Perhaps He has dreams of His own that you could get to be a part of. And maybe it will all work together for your good.
So don't be afraid to dream again. For some of you, you'll feel like your dreams are a far distant land that can't even exist. And for others, you'll try to dream and realize you currently don't know how. But dare to dream big anyways. Look outside and see the world around you. See the vast creativity of God in nature. Now start to picture your dreams and measure them against what you see. Do your dreams match the vastness of God's? See if you can't dream the same way God did when He created the world and the heavens. You'll find great joy when you try.
Then write them down, one by one. Tell God how you feel about them, honestly. Open up your heart and start asking God for the "big ones" and don't be afraid to pursue it. God loves it when we dream with Him. He won't accuse you like others are accustomed to doing. He loves your heart and wants to be in it. Let Him in again.
Wednesday, April 8, 2015
The Removal of Sins
Psalm 103:12- He has removed our sins as far away from us as the east is from the west.
Grace did something to our past.
I was laying in bed realizing that verse, over and over again. Realizing the craziness of what is being said.
It's not that God made my sins better. It's not that He fixed them or simply fixed their ramifications. It's that He removed them from me. He took them away. He removed it from my past. It's like He did open heart surgery and took them out... Open life surgery... What a wonderful gift!
I'm reminded of the song "Jesus Paid It All"
Oh praise the One
Who Paid my debt
And raised this life
Up from the dead
When a debt is paid, the debt no longer exists. It can't exist. If a debt exists, it hasn't been paid. So if a debt is paid, it's gone! It's been removed. And the only thing that can exist is the gratefulness and full relief of the debt no longer existing.
Too often we receive forgiveness of sins without receiving complete removal in our heart's and minds. It's easy to say, "God forgives me" and maintain a fair amount of sorrow. It's supernatural to say "My past sins no longer exist" and shout for joy because of it!
Service Pro is a clean up and restoration company. Their slogan is, "Service Pro: Like it never even happened". That's how completely God removes our sins. That's how wild this thing is. We made a crap ton mess of our lives and Jesus is like, "NOPE. REMOVED. ALL OF IT."
What keeps us going back to our past sins is an attempt to find value in them. An attempt to make them into something that's useful to us now... to justify their existence in our past so that we can appreciate them in our present, instead of disdaining them. We want to value our past sins, not throw them away (a.k.a. not let God remove them). So we hold on. But God wants us to let go.
The reality is that there's nothing good except God's grace. Grace is the only productive thing. If you've come to Christ, it's not your struggle with sin that's made you who you are today. If you've come to Christ, your failures aren't providing you with any value, whatsoever. Plenty of people struggle and sin, and it hasn't brought them any benefit at all. The only thing that's made you who you are today... The only thing that's provided value in your life is God's grace. Don't blame your past sins for the good things you have in your life now. The sin did not, in any way, provide that. That's why God's okay with removing it from you. It's actually not useful at all to Him.
It's the removal that's valuable to God. The complete removal of any and all sins is the thing that gives God glory, not the sin itself. God's forgetting of your sin is the useful thing, not your remembrance of it.
So accept and allow God to remove all your sins from you and especially from your past. Don't get stuck trying to make them into something useful when God's looking to remove them from your life.
Grace did something to our past.
I was laying in bed realizing that verse, over and over again. Realizing the craziness of what is being said.
It's not that God made my sins better. It's not that He fixed them or simply fixed their ramifications. It's that He removed them from me. He took them away. He removed it from my past. It's like He did open heart surgery and took them out... Open life surgery... What a wonderful gift!
I'm reminded of the song "Jesus Paid It All"
Oh praise the One
Who Paid my debt
And raised this life
Up from the dead
When a debt is paid, the debt no longer exists. It can't exist. If a debt exists, it hasn't been paid. So if a debt is paid, it's gone! It's been removed. And the only thing that can exist is the gratefulness and full relief of the debt no longer existing.
Too often we receive forgiveness of sins without receiving complete removal in our heart's and minds. It's easy to say, "God forgives me" and maintain a fair amount of sorrow. It's supernatural to say "My past sins no longer exist" and shout for joy because of it!
Service Pro is a clean up and restoration company. Their slogan is, "Service Pro: Like it never even happened". That's how completely God removes our sins. That's how wild this thing is. We made a crap ton mess of our lives and Jesus is like, "NOPE. REMOVED. ALL OF IT."
What keeps us going back to our past sins is an attempt to find value in them. An attempt to make them into something that's useful to us now... to justify their existence in our past so that we can appreciate them in our present, instead of disdaining them. We want to value our past sins, not throw them away (a.k.a. not let God remove them). So we hold on. But God wants us to let go.
The reality is that there's nothing good except God's grace. Grace is the only productive thing. If you've come to Christ, it's not your struggle with sin that's made you who you are today. If you've come to Christ, your failures aren't providing you with any value, whatsoever. Plenty of people struggle and sin, and it hasn't brought them any benefit at all. The only thing that's made you who you are today... The only thing that's provided value in your life is God's grace. Don't blame your past sins for the good things you have in your life now. The sin did not, in any way, provide that. That's why God's okay with removing it from you. It's actually not useful at all to Him.
It's the removal that's valuable to God. The complete removal of any and all sins is the thing that gives God glory, not the sin itself. God's forgetting of your sin is the useful thing, not your remembrance of it.
So accept and allow God to remove all your sins from you and especially from your past. Don't get stuck trying to make them into something useful when God's looking to remove them from your life.
Wednesday, April 1, 2015
Be the Saxaphone Player. Be the real thing.
Me and my girlfriend were scanning the audience as the music started. It was a night of contrast. On one side of us, was a small group of teenagers who were all trying to impress each other and were a little bit annoying. (It's okay though, we photobombed them).
On the other side was a younger guy with his mom and they were both just genuinely enjoying the music.
One group was living real. The other was living fake.
As the night progressed, we saw this pattern unfolding. The real was contrasted with the fake. The heart was contrasted with the head.
The first band was a relatively newer, younger group (Judah the Lion). As they played, we felt the reality of their song. They were fully in. Their hearts were singing. They weren't performing. They were living and loving it. Their hearts were alive and as we listened, we noticed that the crowd responded with their hearts.
The second band (Parachute) had been around for a while. They did all the right things. They performed "well". They were "energetic". They didn't miss a note. They mastered the mechanics of the performance.
And nobody cared a lick.
Their hearts weren't in what they were doing and the entire crowd knew it. I don't know how we knew it, but we knew it.
See, we didn't go to the concert to hear music or see a performance. We went to feel alive. We went to be free. We went because we wanted to live from our hearts in that moment. And Parachute just wasn't doing it.
I realized in that moment, that I wanted to live like that saxophone player. Most of the world we live in can't do it or won't do it. But as someone who trust's in Jesus, I have that liberty. I know that God's grace has freed me from all guilt and all punishment for anything my heart does or has done; and in that freedom, my heart wants to live out love out loud! It's like God's mercy gave me a new heart (because God actually did!). A heart that's free and courageous in a world that's predictable, mechanical, and afraid.
So let me encourage you: Be the saxophone player in your Parachute world today. Trust Jesus from your heart and be free. You were made to live that way. And when people see it, they'll know that's the way they want to live too.
"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and honor your Father in heaven."
Thursday, March 19, 2015
What Are You Waiting For?
But seriously.
What exactly are you waiting for. There's life on the other side. But the grass is always greener where you stand.
Our slow suicide is killing me
To hear you once again
Living in death
When life is calling on the other side
"The other side, the other side!"
Screams the unhappy man
Is just too far away
It's far away to stand
Stand in all your stubbornness
Rooted in your ground
The very ground that's suffocating
And dragging your life down
All your hopes and all your empty fears
The wild earth in distant past
Was one you choose to bear
And bear it well you uncomfortably did
To see the light of day
It never was the Father's Love
Now pulling you away
Deep within the earth you cry
"Why do I feel I die"
We always know when we are dying
We always know when we are sighing
We always look to the other side
And forget to step
Because today is beautiful in it's own way
And tomorrow's moves us far away
From moving...
But Hope again tomorrow
Will always be the same
Until we chose to let go
And hang on
To His hand
It's not your strength
You must let go
It's not what you've done
Or even do
You must let go
That way is death
"Why do I die?"
That way is death
Connect
And let go
And hang on
Because liberty has worth
In and of itself
What is produced by it
Is not
What makes it worth an ounce
Of whatever man declares an ounce
Of anything is worth
Let go, Let GO
Uproot your stance
And hang on to Grace's Hand
"Stand firm therefore, in the Liberty in which Christ has made us free and do not be enchained again to a yoke of slavery."
I've found that sometimes we depend so much on our understanding that it's hard to just read something like that. It's hard to read and not understand up in the brain. And for those that refuse to feel and refuse to let their heart live (the heart where God lives ... the heart that's purified through Christ), it's impossible to get through. But if you just would read it again, this time without thinking. This time without trying to understand, you'd have a better understanding. You'd probably just know. Ya know?
Knowing God is a little like that. Sometimes we don't understand, but we trust from our heart and that's enough to know Him. And over time the understanding comes but not independent of trust. There's value in that.
What exactly are you waiting for. There's life on the other side. But the grass is always greener where you stand.
Our slow suicide is killing me
To hear you once again
Living in death
When life is calling on the other side
"The other side, the other side!"
Screams the unhappy man
Is just too far away
It's far away to stand
Stand in all your stubbornness
Rooted in your ground
The very ground that's suffocating
And dragging your life down
All your hopes and all your empty fears
The wild earth in distant past
Was one you choose to bear
And bear it well you uncomfortably did
To see the light of day
It never was the Father's Love
Now pulling you away
Deep within the earth you cry
"Why do I feel I die"
We always know when we are dying
We always know when we are sighing
We always look to the other side
And forget to step
Because today is beautiful in it's own way
And tomorrow's moves us far away
From moving...
But Hope again tomorrow
Will always be the same
Until we chose to let go
And hang on
To His hand
It's not your strength
You must let go
It's not what you've done
Or even do
You must let go
That way is death
"Why do I die?"
That way is death
Connect
And let go
And hang on
Because liberty has worth
In and of itself
What is produced by it
Is not
What makes it worth an ounce
Of whatever man declares an ounce
Of anything is worth
Let go, Let GO
Uproot your stance
And hang on to Grace's Hand
"Stand firm therefore, in the Liberty in which Christ has made us free and do not be enchained again to a yoke of slavery."
I've found that sometimes we depend so much on our understanding that it's hard to just read something like that. It's hard to read and not understand up in the brain. And for those that refuse to feel and refuse to let their heart live (the heart where God lives ... the heart that's purified through Christ), it's impossible to get through. But if you just would read it again, this time without thinking. This time without trying to understand, you'd have a better understanding. You'd probably just know. Ya know?
Knowing God is a little like that. Sometimes we don't understand, but we trust from our heart and that's enough to know Him. And over time the understanding comes but not independent of trust. There's value in that.
Wednesday, March 11, 2015
The Difference Between God and Tony Perkis
The primary reason it's so phenomenal is because Ben Stiller plays Tony Perkis, an insane camp director who treats his chubby campers with utter contempt... It's a wonderful experience.
So how does this connect to God? Well, look at this quote from your dear old Uncle Tony:
And the sad part about this is that Christians will often portray God this way. In an attempt to defend God (as if He needs it) as justified in not helping people who clearly need help, we blame people's lack of hustle (and our own) as the reason their lives are empty... Our wrong defense of God creates a wall that says, "To eat God's food, you have to try harder". You have to give. You have to serve. You have to love. You must approach perfect living with greater fervor. This could not be further from the Truth. Instead, God says this to you today:
"Come, all you who are thirsty,
come to the waters;
and you who have no money,
come, buy and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk
without money and without cost.
Why spend money on what is not bread,
and your labor on what does not satisfy?
Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good,
and you will delight in the richest of fare."
The only stipulation is that you can't pay for it. It has to be free. Your labor cannot be used as payment for God's grace. So come eat without cost. Bring your requests to God as one who eats from the buffet of God freely! There is no wall. There is no hurdle. The experience of God is tangible and right next to you. There's nothing in the way. Go there. Breathe. Eat. Ask. Because with Jesus, lunch is never cancelled due to lack of hustle!
P.S. I've demonstrated an extreme lack of hustle with this blog over the past month... Lars would not be pleased... I would like to explain why: I started writing another book! It took me a little bit to figure out if I still wanted to keep the blog going while doing that... It's a lot of writing... but I know now I definitely will. Blog updates will probably be every other week until the book is finished. More details on the book will follow and I'll be sure to keep ya'll posted!! Thanks for reading!
Saturday, January 31, 2015
A Father's Blessing
God: "If you were the only person on the planet, do you think I would make you financially rich?"
God singled me out. He cut to the core of who I was and what I believed. The answer in my heart to His odd question, was a resounding, "Yeah, of course you would".
It was when I let God deal with me on a one-on-one basis that I could finally see the truth about money. When I let myself matter to God, I saw the way He felt about me.
God's heart as a father is to take care of His children- and in an extravagant way... For them to have more than enough. When the prodigal son came home, did His father give him only what He needed and nothing more? No, the father threw a lavish and expensive party! Everytime Jesus provided bread or wine, did he do so in a miserly way? No, the wine was the richest wine they had ever tasted and there were baskets full of extra food! Or look at the stars in the sky. What an extravagant gift to humanity! billions and billions, more than we can count.
Why?
What do these things communicate?
They communicate that God's supply for us is so much more than we will ever even be able to experience fully. We're so worried about bread and Jesus is just like:
“O you of little faith, why are you discussing among yourselves the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive? Do you not remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many baskets you gathered? 10 Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many baskets you gathered? 11 How is it that you fail to understand that I did not speak about bread?"
God cares about us. So why am I worried about bread? Why am I worried about whether or not He's going to take care of me? To Jesus, it's just overly common sense that He'll provide richly for us. So much so that He doesn't even feel the need to address it. He's just like, "They've seen my spectacular provision in the past, so I don't even have to address the lack of food. Of course they'll be taken care of extravagantly... That's why I'm going to talk about something else entirely."
So the question really is this: Are we seeing? Or do we still "not yet perceive". It must be frustrating for someone who loves so extravagantly to be constantly doubted by the one that He loves. And yet that love just keeps telling us the truth, over and over and over again. And the truth is that God will richly provide for us in far more abundance than we will even need. I pray that you'll receive that truth today.
God singled me out. He cut to the core of who I was and what I believed. The answer in my heart to His odd question, was a resounding, "Yeah, of course you would".
It was when I let God deal with me on a one-on-one basis that I could finally see the truth about money. When I let myself matter to God, I saw the way He felt about me.
God's heart as a father is to take care of His children- and in an extravagant way... For them to have more than enough. When the prodigal son came home, did His father give him only what He needed and nothing more? No, the father threw a lavish and expensive party! Everytime Jesus provided bread or wine, did he do so in a miserly way? No, the wine was the richest wine they had ever tasted and there were baskets full of extra food! Or look at the stars in the sky. What an extravagant gift to humanity! billions and billions, more than we can count.
Why?
What do these things communicate?
They communicate that God's supply for us is so much more than we will ever even be able to experience fully. We're so worried about bread and Jesus is just like:
“O you of little faith, why are you discussing among yourselves the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive? Do you not remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many baskets you gathered? 10 Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many baskets you gathered? 11 How is it that you fail to understand that I did not speak about bread?"
God cares about us. So why am I worried about bread? Why am I worried about whether or not He's going to take care of me? To Jesus, it's just overly common sense that He'll provide richly for us. So much so that He doesn't even feel the need to address it. He's just like, "They've seen my spectacular provision in the past, so I don't even have to address the lack of food. Of course they'll be taken care of extravagantly... That's why I'm going to talk about something else entirely."
So the question really is this: Are we seeing? Or do we still "not yet perceive". It must be frustrating for someone who loves so extravagantly to be constantly doubted by the one that He loves. And yet that love just keeps telling us the truth, over and over and over again. And the truth is that God will richly provide for us in far more abundance than we will even need. I pray that you'll receive that truth today.
Wednesday, January 7, 2015
A Father's Love
Jesus told us to pray to God as Father.
What father withholds gifts from his children on Christmas?
What father enjoys seeing their children hungry?
What father purposefully makes their child sick?
What father won't do everything possible to see their child well?
As children age, what father enjoys seeing their child struggle financially?
What father likes seeing their kid get picked on?
What father leaves when their kid disobeys?
What father ignores their child's heart desires?
What father only loves their child when they do things well?
What father only loves when their child serves him?
A terrible one.
As I'm writing this, I have this picture in my head of what a good father would love to see:
There's a boy playing basketball. But he's not just playing basketball. He's playing basketball from his heart and you can tell. He's pouring out all of who he is: emotionally, physically, mentally. He yells wildly to his teammates. He dives for the ball from his heart. When he messes up, he doesn't get discouraged at all. He just keeps playing. When he makes a great play from his heart, he pumps everyone up including himself. It's everything the son thought it would be and the son is loving every minute of it.
Or it's like William Wallace leading his troops to battle. Or in Rocky II, it's like Adrian telling Rocky to "Win". Or it's like falling in love. Or it's like freedom breaking free.
Jesus came to set the captives free. Real freedom. The kind that lets you loose to be you. The real you.
I say all of this as groundwork for what I know God wants to do in my heart... And something inside me knows it's not just for me. It's also for you. There's a freedom from bondage that God the Dad wants for our hearts and our lives. And to experience that, we have to stop falsely accusing God of being a terrible dad. If we want to live free, we can't keep thanking Him for bondage that He never put us in.
We've all had earthly dad's who succeeded and failed in certain areas. We all know some level of imperfect love. But there's a wild destiny that God has called you to. And to go there, you'll need to trust fully in the perfect love of your real dad in heaven. Because it's only when we experience that love that we'll be truly free.
God's working on me in this area. What you'll see in the blogs in the near future is what He's teaching me and what I'm struggling with. I hope to be honest... and at the same time, I hope to tell you the real truth that will set you free, just like it's setting me free.
What father withholds gifts from his children on Christmas?
What father enjoys seeing their children hungry?
What father purposefully makes their child sick?
What father won't do everything possible to see their child well?
As children age, what father enjoys seeing their child struggle financially?
What father likes seeing their kid get picked on?
What father leaves when their kid disobeys?
What father ignores their child's heart desires?
What father only loves their child when they do things well?
What father only loves when their child serves him?
A terrible one.
As I'm writing this, I have this picture in my head of what a good father would love to see:
There's a boy playing basketball. But he's not just playing basketball. He's playing basketball from his heart and you can tell. He's pouring out all of who he is: emotionally, physically, mentally. He yells wildly to his teammates. He dives for the ball from his heart. When he messes up, he doesn't get discouraged at all. He just keeps playing. When he makes a great play from his heart, he pumps everyone up including himself. It's everything the son thought it would be and the son is loving every minute of it.
Or it's like William Wallace leading his troops to battle. Or in Rocky II, it's like Adrian telling Rocky to "Win". Or it's like falling in love. Or it's like freedom breaking free.
Jesus came to set the captives free. Real freedom. The kind that lets you loose to be you. The real you.
I say all of this as groundwork for what I know God wants to do in my heart... And something inside me knows it's not just for me. It's also for you. There's a freedom from bondage that God the Dad wants for our hearts and our lives. And to experience that, we have to stop falsely accusing God of being a terrible dad. If we want to live free, we can't keep thanking Him for bondage that He never put us in.
We've all had earthly dad's who succeeded and failed in certain areas. We all know some level of imperfect love. But there's a wild destiny that God has called you to. And to go there, you'll need to trust fully in the perfect love of your real dad in heaven. Because it's only when we experience that love that we'll be truly free.
God's working on me in this area. What you'll see in the blogs in the near future is what He's teaching me and what I'm struggling with. I hope to be honest... and at the same time, I hope to tell you the real truth that will set you free, just like it's setting me free.
Wednesday, December 31, 2014
Thoughts on the New Year
I've been thinking about some verses that I believe God put in me for this year. I want to share them with you:
Psalms 147:3- He heals the brokenhearted
and binds up their wounds.
I've always been a little weary of the "God's gonna do this in this year" predictions... I feel like they rarely relate to me. But let me just say, there seems to be seasons where God does focus more on certain areas than others... or maybe humanity is just more open for His love in certain areas than others for a certain time... In any event, I can tell you that all around me I see God already healing the broken hearted. He's making things new in peoples hearts. Hope is springing up from dry and dead ground... In the places where brokenness and pain once ruled, there's healing and joy.
This is definitely true in my life and I would like to confirm that this is what God wants to do in yours in the upcoming year. Be open to it. Let down the defenses and begin to trust that God is a God that heals the wounded and weary heart.
Psalms 147:10-11-10 His delight is not in the strength of the horse,
nor his pleasure in the legs of a man,
11 but the Lord takes pleasure in those who fear him,
in those who hope in his steadfast love.
Proverbs 10:22-
22 The blessing of the Lord makes rich,
and he adds no sorrow with it.
So in my mind, these two verses are tied. The favor of God, the blessing of God, rests on those who have put their faith in Christ. The curse -the necessary repercussions of our sin- was placed on Jesus and the blessing - the necessary repercussions of God's righteousness- has been placed on us. This is the eternal exchange that was made for those who believe.
Those who trust in the steadfast love of God, demonstrated perfectly through Christ Jesus, are those who will receive the blessing of God that makes rich. And those riches will never have sorrow added to them. Those who trust in their strength, though they may find riches, will have riches that leave them in poverty still...There's something wholly unsatisfactory about riches gained without God's grace.
So let me encourage you, in every area of your life, begin trusting in the steadfast love of God. It's been demonstrated fully in Jesus. Trust that love for you. This is a major focus God has put in me for the upcoming year... to fully lay myself on His love for me, and believe that, that's enough to make me rich in every area of my life. This year won't be about my ability. It'll be about His... and that's a good thing.
Psalms 147:3- He heals the brokenhearted
and binds up their wounds.
I've always been a little weary of the "God's gonna do this in this year" predictions... I feel like they rarely relate to me. But let me just say, there seems to be seasons where God does focus more on certain areas than others... or maybe humanity is just more open for His love in certain areas than others for a certain time... In any event, I can tell you that all around me I see God already healing the broken hearted. He's making things new in peoples hearts. Hope is springing up from dry and dead ground... In the places where brokenness and pain once ruled, there's healing and joy.
This is definitely true in my life and I would like to confirm that this is what God wants to do in yours in the upcoming year. Be open to it. Let down the defenses and begin to trust that God is a God that heals the wounded and weary heart.
Psalms 147:10-11-10 His delight is not in the strength of the horse,
nor his pleasure in the legs of a man,
11 but the Lord takes pleasure in those who fear him,
in those who hope in his steadfast love.
Proverbs 10:22-
22 The blessing of the Lord makes rich,
and he adds no sorrow with it.
So in my mind, these two verses are tied. The favor of God, the blessing of God, rests on those who have put their faith in Christ. The curse -the necessary repercussions of our sin- was placed on Jesus and the blessing - the necessary repercussions of God's righteousness- has been placed on us. This is the eternal exchange that was made for those who believe.
Those who trust in the steadfast love of God, demonstrated perfectly through Christ Jesus, are those who will receive the blessing of God that makes rich. And those riches will never have sorrow added to them. Those who trust in their strength, though they may find riches, will have riches that leave them in poverty still...There's something wholly unsatisfactory about riches gained without God's grace.
So let me encourage you, in every area of your life, begin trusting in the steadfast love of God. It's been demonstrated fully in Jesus. Trust that love for you. This is a major focus God has put in me for the upcoming year... to fully lay myself on His love for me, and believe that, that's enough to make me rich in every area of my life. This year won't be about my ability. It'll be about His... and that's a good thing.
Friday, December 26, 2014
Useless... Yet Valuable
Romans 5:6-8
6 For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
We live in a world that places value on people and things based on their usefulness. In sports, the Most Valuable Player award goes to the player who helps their team win the most. A valuable player is one who is useful/helpful to their team.
We purchase items based on their usefulness. An expensive car is one that is useful in many ways: speed, safety, comfort, aesthetic appeal, status, etc... If a car is not useful in those ways, it will be seen as less valuable.
But God did this crazy thing: He saw us all, completely helpless... useless to His kingdom and harmful to ourselves and others... He saw us there, the least valuable players by earthly value systems, and that's when He died for us.
Take a moment to look at your price tag. It reads "the blood of God's only Son". Now realize somebody paid that price for you. You are literally worth the most valuable thing that will ever exist! and you were that valuable, not when you were helpful to God, but actually when you were completely useless to Him. Breath that in.
He didn't die for you when you were a good person or when you helped Him with something. In fact, Jesus never died for a good person, ever. He only died for sinners. So why would we ever determine our worth by what we do or don't do? good or bad? No your value is not attached to your usefulness to God, in any way. You are valuable simply because He chose to love you. Plain and simple.
And as we approach the dreams and goals God has put in our hearts for us to do... many of which will seem more useful to Him... let us never forget that our true value will have nothing to do with fulfilling those things. Let us always remember that our value (the blood of Christ) was bestowed on us in the middle of our shame... In the middle of our darkest, most lost, most useless hour. Let us always remember, like the Apostle Paul, that Christ died for sinners, of whom I am chief.
When we do that, we open our lungs up to breathe the goodness of God. We open up our hearts to live by faith again... Faith that His righteousness is enough for us. Faith that Jesus was the Most Valuable Person that has ever lived, and now because He died for us, so are we. I encourage you, follow this rule:
Colossians 1:6 Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him,
You received Him as a pauper in righteousness. You received Him as one, useless for any good thing in yourself. As you received Him, so walk in Him. Walk as though you are the pinnacle of value, while in yourself, completely useless for any good thing. That is a place of faith. And in that place and that place alone, the goodness of God (not you) can shine through bright as day. God's helpfulness and God's usefulness will be a bright light to everyone in your life, including yourself. This is the place of freedom in Christ. And I encourage you to walk in it.
6 For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
We live in a world that places value on people and things based on their usefulness. In sports, the Most Valuable Player award goes to the player who helps their team win the most. A valuable player is one who is useful/helpful to their team.
We purchase items based on their usefulness. An expensive car is one that is useful in many ways: speed, safety, comfort, aesthetic appeal, status, etc... If a car is not useful in those ways, it will be seen as less valuable.
But God did this crazy thing: He saw us all, completely helpless... useless to His kingdom and harmful to ourselves and others... He saw us there, the least valuable players by earthly value systems, and that's when He died for us.
Take a moment to look at your price tag. It reads "the blood of God's only Son". Now realize somebody paid that price for you. You are literally worth the most valuable thing that will ever exist! and you were that valuable, not when you were helpful to God, but actually when you were completely useless to Him. Breath that in.
He didn't die for you when you were a good person or when you helped Him with something. In fact, Jesus never died for a good person, ever. He only died for sinners. So why would we ever determine our worth by what we do or don't do? good or bad? No your value is not attached to your usefulness to God, in any way. You are valuable simply because He chose to love you. Plain and simple.
And as we approach the dreams and goals God has put in our hearts for us to do... many of which will seem more useful to Him... let us never forget that our true value will have nothing to do with fulfilling those things. Let us always remember that our value (the blood of Christ) was bestowed on us in the middle of our shame... In the middle of our darkest, most lost, most useless hour. Let us always remember, like the Apostle Paul, that Christ died for sinners, of whom I am chief.
When we do that, we open our lungs up to breathe the goodness of God. We open up our hearts to live by faith again... Faith that His righteousness is enough for us. Faith that Jesus was the Most Valuable Person that has ever lived, and now because He died for us, so are we. I encourage you, follow this rule:
Colossians 1:6 Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him,
You received Him as a pauper in righteousness. You received Him as one, useless for any good thing in yourself. As you received Him, so walk in Him. Walk as though you are the pinnacle of value, while in yourself, completely useless for any good thing. That is a place of faith. And in that place and that place alone, the goodness of God (not you) can shine through bright as day. God's helpfulness and God's usefulness will be a bright light to everyone in your life, including yourself. This is the place of freedom in Christ. And I encourage you to walk in it.
Wednesday, December 10, 2014
What Peace Looks Like
I was at work doing some work. (A novel idea, I know)
And in the middle of my work I realized that I didn't know what I should do next. I took a moment to ask God what I should do next. And He said, "Trust Me."
"No, no God. I'm asking what task you want me to do next. We have things that need to get done here." His response, "Trust Me. That's what I want you to do."
So I pressed Him further: "God, are you sure that's all you want me to do?"
And then, with the most sincere compassion, I heard Him say, "Jack, you are worried and troubled by a great many things..."
And immediately my mind went to this story:
Luke 10
38 Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house. 39 And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word. 40 But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me.” And Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. 42 But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.”
I was being Martha and I didn't even know it. I was working hard. I was doing all I could to serve the people I was supposed to... but deep down there was a slight bitterness growing... The kind that comes when you're the one in charge. When it's your love, not Jesus' love that's driving you.
That's when God decided to cut me off and remind me of the kind of life I really wanted. I wanted the life that only He can bring. There are plenty of people who do life without Jesus. There are plenty of people who work at their job without trusting God. And those people will always be worried and troubled about a great many things. And they'll always know the bitterness I'm talking about.
But that's not who I am or who I was made to be. God made me to be free from heavy burdens and all worry and all anxiety. God made me to sit at His feet and simply trust Him. That's the only thing that's needful. That's the only thing that's important.
Because Jesus didn't come to be served. He came to serve. Maybe He was just waiting for Martha to sit down at His feet and let Him serve her for a change... And maybe that's what Jesus waits for us to do as well.
I was being Martha and I didn't even know it. I was working hard. I was doing all I could to serve the people I was supposed to... but deep down there was a slight bitterness growing... The kind that comes when you're the one in charge. When it's your love, not Jesus' love that's driving you.
That's when God decided to cut me off and remind me of the kind of life I really wanted. I wanted the life that only He can bring. There are plenty of people who do life without Jesus. There are plenty of people who work at their job without trusting God. And those people will always be worried and troubled about a great many things. And they'll always know the bitterness I'm talking about.
But that's not who I am or who I was made to be. God made me to be free from heavy burdens and all worry and all anxiety. God made me to sit at His feet and simply trust Him. That's the only thing that's needful. That's the only thing that's important.
Because Jesus didn't come to be served. He came to serve. Maybe He was just waiting for Martha to sit down at His feet and let Him serve her for a change... And maybe that's what Jesus waits for us to do as well.
Wednesday, December 3, 2014
The Lowly Heart of Christ
Matthew 11:28-30
28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
He knows our weaknesses inside and out. He knows what makes us run away. He knows our insecure spots. He knows our fear buttons. And He wants us to understand that He's going to be gentle and lowly with us there.
To the weak and tired, His heart will be lowly to you.
To the person without answers, His heart will be lowly to you.
To the hurt and the angry, His heart will be lowly to you.
28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
Every time I read this verse, I'm stunned by who Jesus is. He's gentle and lowly in heart.
It's amazing. No one who comes to Him will ever be treated harshly. He's gentle and lowly in heart. He cradles us, even inside our walls, and reminds us that He's not here to hurt us or scare us.
He knows our weaknesses inside and out. He knows what makes us run away. He knows our insecure spots. He knows our fear buttons. And He wants us to understand that He's going to be gentle and lowly with us there.
To the weak and tired, His heart will be lowly to you.
To the person without answers, His heart will be lowly to you.
To the hurt and the angry, His heart will be lowly to you.
He's not here to Lord it over you. That's never been His way. He's just looking for people who are willing to let Him carry their heavy stuff.
So don't be afraid. Talk to Him about the stuff that scares you. Talk to Him about the people who've hurt you. Ask for help. He's lowly and gentle and He's not going to hurt you.
So don't be afraid. Talk to Him about the stuff that scares you. Talk to Him about the people who've hurt you. Ask for help. He's lowly and gentle and He's not going to hurt you.
He's really not at all like people. And He's willing to gently and patiently get down to the bottom layers of whatever's causing us problems. He's only there to help, and He knows the depth of our hearts.
So my prayer for you tonight, is that you would know the depth of God's love for you. His love is deep and it reaches down to right where we are inside. Go ahead and let Him in tonight. He's with you even now.
So my prayer for you tonight, is that you would know the depth of God's love for you. His love is deep and it reaches down to right where we are inside. Go ahead and let Him in tonight. He's with you even now.
Friday, November 28, 2014
Waiting
When you make the decision to trust God, you end up spending a lot of time waiting for Him do things.
But waiting isn't wasting.
You can go off on your own and try to make it work. You can spend your entire life trying to get things done on your pensive schedule. You can even try to figure it all out... but in the end, you'll find that you were wasting your time. Because the goal of life isn't to accomplish. It's to trust God.
Waiting builds trust. It forces the struggle out. The discomfort of waiting on God forces us to kneel. True dependence is born and raised in the waiting. So waiting, as annoying as it is sometimes, is God's way of leading us to our goal in life.
If you refuse to wait, you refuse to learn to trust.
And again, fear pops up. It's always fear that tries to hold us back. I have found that the major reason I don't like waiting on God is because I'm afraid He's not going to come through.
But if we could just see that He already has come through! Like, every time I start getting afraid, God's there pointing me back to the cross. Pointing me to His perfect love for me: "Jack, if I died on the cross for you, wouldn't I also freely give you all things?" There's nothing held back from us guys! It's already been given fully!
We might not be able to understand everything right now. But we can understand that His love for us is perfect. We can understand because He already proved it. That's firm and solid ground. It's safe to trust in.
I've had this Newsboys song stuck in my head all week.
"You stay the same through the ages
Your Love never changes
There may be pain in the night
But joy comes in the morning."
Listen, if you're in the night, just take a nap. Right? The morning is coming. The morning always comes. When the morning comes, it won't be time to sleep. It won't be time to wait. So if you're waiting for morning, rest in the night. The morning IS coming.
Enjoy the rest. Enjoy trusting God. And if you can get past the brief and slight suffering, you'll find that it's actually a lot of fun waiting when you know God's going to come through for you. It's like watching a movie where you know the good guys are gonna win. It's fun. It's what you were made for.
So have fun trusting God. There is a time approaching! And He's going to come through!
But waiting isn't wasting.
You can go off on your own and try to make it work. You can spend your entire life trying to get things done on your pensive schedule. You can even try to figure it all out... but in the end, you'll find that you were wasting your time. Because the goal of life isn't to accomplish. It's to trust God.
Waiting builds trust. It forces the struggle out. The discomfort of waiting on God forces us to kneel. True dependence is born and raised in the waiting. So waiting, as annoying as it is sometimes, is God's way of leading us to our goal in life.
If you refuse to wait, you refuse to learn to trust.
And again, fear pops up. It's always fear that tries to hold us back. I have found that the major reason I don't like waiting on God is because I'm afraid He's not going to come through.
But if we could just see that He already has come through! Like, every time I start getting afraid, God's there pointing me back to the cross. Pointing me to His perfect love for me: "Jack, if I died on the cross for you, wouldn't I also freely give you all things?" There's nothing held back from us guys! It's already been given fully!
We might not be able to understand everything right now. But we can understand that His love for us is perfect. We can understand because He already proved it. That's firm and solid ground. It's safe to trust in.
I've had this Newsboys song stuck in my head all week.
"You stay the same through the ages
Your Love never changes
There may be pain in the night
But joy comes in the morning."
Listen, if you're in the night, just take a nap. Right? The morning is coming. The morning always comes. When the morning comes, it won't be time to sleep. It won't be time to wait. So if you're waiting for morning, rest in the night. The morning IS coming.
Enjoy the rest. Enjoy trusting God. And if you can get past the brief and slight suffering, you'll find that it's actually a lot of fun waiting when you know God's going to come through for you. It's like watching a movie where you know the good guys are gonna win. It's fun. It's what you were made for.
So have fun trusting God. There is a time approaching! And He's going to come through!
Friday, November 21, 2014
Jericho
There's a terror in the city
A fright that's caught my eye
Behind their heavy walls
All my friends have gone to hide
They've heard that Judgement's coming
They've heard that God's alive
They've heard that He'll be coming soon
They hope that they'll survive
But Jericho, Oh Jericho
Your walls are paper thin
You think that all your fear and doubt
Will guard you from your sin
But Jericho, Oh Jericho
What foolishness you've known
I didn't come to hurt your heart
I came to save your soul
I came to save your soul
There's a prostitute inside my heart
She cries herself to sleep
But in the terror of the night
She finds a hope to keep
Her safe from all her own mistakes
And troubles of this world
Shes found a hope in Christ alone
There is a scarlet chord
Oh Jericho, My Jericho
There's safety from your sin
The walls of strength will soon come down
And leave you safe within
The hands of one who's strong enough
To save you from yourself
You'll find your soul's been satisfied
Your heart will now be well
Your heart will now be well
And if you come across the fear
We all have to some extent
Remember walls are nothing if
The problem lies within
To deal with fear, you'll need a love
That carries all your cares
And strips away the punishment
Of all your deadly errs
The love of Christ, Oh saving Grace!
Fortress Eternally,
Will guard my heart and mind
With joy and more than perfect peace
He heals the wounds, He pays the debts
I'm finally set free
It's not my burden anymore
In Love, He cares for me
In Love, He cares for me
A fright that's caught my eye
Behind their heavy walls
All my friends have gone to hide
They've heard that Judgement's coming
They've heard that God's alive
They've heard that He'll be coming soon
They hope that they'll survive
But Jericho, Oh Jericho
Your walls are paper thin
You think that all your fear and doubt
Will guard you from your sin
But Jericho, Oh Jericho
What foolishness you've known
I didn't come to hurt your heart
I came to save your soul
I came to save your soul
There's a prostitute inside my heart
She cries herself to sleep
But in the terror of the night
She finds a hope to keep
Her safe from all her own mistakes
And troubles of this world
Shes found a hope in Christ alone
There is a scarlet chord
Oh Jericho, My Jericho
There's safety from your sin
The walls of strength will soon come down
And leave you safe within
The hands of one who's strong enough
To save you from yourself
You'll find your soul's been satisfied
Your heart will now be well
Your heart will now be well
And if you come across the fear
We all have to some extent
Remember walls are nothing if
The problem lies within
To deal with fear, you'll need a love
That carries all your cares
And strips away the punishment
Of all your deadly errs
The love of Christ, Oh saving Grace!
Fortress Eternally,
Will guard my heart and mind
With joy and more than perfect peace
He heals the wounds, He pays the debts
I'm finally set free
It's not my burden anymore
In Love, He cares for me
In Love, He cares for me
Friday, November 14, 2014
God Has A Future For You
It can be hard to believe sometimes. Especially, when life is hard. But God has a future for you.
It can be hard to believe sometimes. Especially when you're the one who blew it. But God has a future for you.
We think too small. We think like adults. Or to be more accurate... I think like an adult.
I spent the past week wrestling with feeling trapped. Trapped by my job, by my income, by my inability, by my past decisions and where they've led me. Like, just kind of stuck.
But I'm remembering what God's showed me in the past when I've felt trapped...
I took a walk with God out into an open field. It was square miles of open land. I remember God whispering in my heart "Where do you want to go Jack? You can go any direction you want."
I wanted what I couldn't know in that moment. I wanted the adventure with God. So I threw it back to Him. "God, I don't know exactly what I want... I have big dreams but I don't know how to get to any of them... So I really just want to trust you to get me there."
The open field showed me the truth. It didn't really matter where I went or what I did. It only mattered who I was trusting in. God had me in an open field the whole time. There was wide open space and I could go any direction my heart wanted, but He was going to lead me.
Sitting in my chair today, I hear God whispering again. "Where do you want to go Jack? You can go wherever you want."
So today I'm choosing to put the weight of my life entirely on Jesus. Not on my right or wrong decisions. Not on my job or degree. Not on my talent or performance. True faith for the moment is dependence on God's goodness, not mine. And when we see that again, we'll stop feeling trapped. We'll see reality for what it is: Open fields and bright futures, all guided by amazing grace.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make straight your paths.
It can be hard to believe sometimes. Especially when you're the one who blew it. But God has a future for you.
We think too small. We think like adults. Or to be more accurate... I think like an adult.
I spent the past week wrestling with feeling trapped. Trapped by my job, by my income, by my inability, by my past decisions and where they've led me. Like, just kind of stuck.
But I'm remembering what God's showed me in the past when I've felt trapped...
I took a walk with God out into an open field. It was square miles of open land. I remember God whispering in my heart "Where do you want to go Jack? You can go any direction you want."
I wanted what I couldn't know in that moment. I wanted the adventure with God. So I threw it back to Him. "God, I don't know exactly what I want... I have big dreams but I don't know how to get to any of them... So I really just want to trust you to get me there."
The open field showed me the truth. It didn't really matter where I went or what I did. It only mattered who I was trusting in. God had me in an open field the whole time. There was wide open space and I could go any direction my heart wanted, but He was going to lead me.
Sitting in my chair today, I hear God whispering again. "Where do you want to go Jack? You can go wherever you want."
So today I'm choosing to put the weight of my life entirely on Jesus. Not on my right or wrong decisions. Not on my job or degree. Not on my talent or performance. True faith for the moment is dependence on God's goodness, not mine. And when we see that again, we'll stop feeling trapped. We'll see reality for what it is: Open fields and bright futures, all guided by amazing grace.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make straight your paths.
Tuesday, November 11, 2014
F-ear Plugs
The two most commonly repeated things said by Jesus in the New Testament are:
1. "Those who have ears to hear, let them hear" 15 times
2. "Don't be afraid" (or some variant of "don't be afraid") 21 times
We struggle with fear and we struggle with having the right ears to hear.
Our natural world is constantly talking to our natural senses. We touch physical things. We eat physical food. We see. We hear. There's natural cause and effect. We do, and therefore we receive. We work and therefore we earn. It's predictable to our understanding. It's feels safe to us only because it's familiar. We've been trained in it our entire lives.
But Truth is different than natural knowledge.You can't hear it with your natural mind. It requires a different kind of ear and it's unfamiliar to us until we're trained in it. When we hear the truth, it forces our minds to shift from the natural order of the world. The order of getting what we deserve for our actions. The order of "karma", you could say. The order of action and reaction.
When we hear the truth, it forces our mind to switch to the place of the new ear... The place that allows us to accept the truth of Christ. The truth that we are getting a love that we never deserved. That place is unfamiliar. Getting what we can't earn is altogether contrary to our earthly experience. It's new. And when we start living with the new ear, it's inevitable that the old ears will fight for control.
Fear is the tool of the old ear. The truth rings in the old ear. The truth is dissonance to our natural mind. When the old, "earning it", ear hears the Truth of God's unmerited love and forgiveness, it fights back with fear. Fear that you haven't done enough. Fear that your trust in Jesus will bring empty results. Fear that your mistakes are still bringing their penalty. Fear that the new ear is hearing lies. That God doesn't love you. That protection, healing, answered prayers, and real relationship are figments of our imagination.
The old ear fights our new ears with lies from our past. But if you have ears to hear, go ahead and hear the words of Jesus. Don't be afraid. And if you have ears to hear, hear it again. Don't be afraid. Take out the fear plugs and start hearing again.
1. "Those who have ears to hear, let them hear" 15 times
2. "Don't be afraid" (or some variant of "don't be afraid") 21 times
We struggle with fear and we struggle with having the right ears to hear.
Our natural world is constantly talking to our natural senses. We touch physical things. We eat physical food. We see. We hear. There's natural cause and effect. We do, and therefore we receive. We work and therefore we earn. It's predictable to our understanding. It's feels safe to us only because it's familiar. We've been trained in it our entire lives.
But Truth is different than natural knowledge.You can't hear it with your natural mind. It requires a different kind of ear and it's unfamiliar to us until we're trained in it. When we hear the truth, it forces our minds to shift from the natural order of the world. The order of getting what we deserve for our actions. The order of "karma", you could say. The order of action and reaction.
When we hear the truth, it forces our mind to switch to the place of the new ear... The place that allows us to accept the truth of Christ. The truth that we are getting a love that we never deserved. That place is unfamiliar. Getting what we can't earn is altogether contrary to our earthly experience. It's new. And when we start living with the new ear, it's inevitable that the old ears will fight for control.
Fear is the tool of the old ear. The truth rings in the old ear. The truth is dissonance to our natural mind. When the old, "earning it", ear hears the Truth of God's unmerited love and forgiveness, it fights back with fear. Fear that you haven't done enough. Fear that your trust in Jesus will bring empty results. Fear that your mistakes are still bringing their penalty. Fear that the new ear is hearing lies. That God doesn't love you. That protection, healing, answered prayers, and real relationship are figments of our imagination.
The old ear fights our new ears with lies from our past. But if you have ears to hear, go ahead and hear the words of Jesus. Don't be afraid. And if you have ears to hear, hear it again. Don't be afraid. Take out the fear plugs and start hearing again.
Monday, November 3, 2014
Make God Say No
Force God to say no.
Why are we always the ones telling ourselves no? Our desires, our dreams... even the things we just want. Why do we shoot them down?
Who are you to say you can't have something? Are you God? Who told you that you couldn't have that thing you want? Was it God? Well, was it?
Nope. It never even made it to Him. You shot it down before it ever could. The lyrics to "Eye of the Tiger" hit me again:
"Don't lose your grip on the dreams of the past. You must fight just to keep them alive"
Why are we always the ones telling ourselves no? Our desires, our dreams... even the things we just want. Why do we shoot them down?
Who are you to say you can't have something? Are you God? Who told you that you couldn't have that thing you want? Was it God? Well, was it?
Nope. It never even made it to Him. You shot it down before it ever could. The lyrics to "Eye of the Tiger" hit me again:
"Don't lose your grip on the dreams of the past. You must fight just to keep them alive"
Why are we fighting to lose our dreams? Why aren't we fighting for the crazy things?
Ask God for a million dollars. Go ahead. Ask Him. Do you want a million dollars? If you don't, don't ask Him. If you do, why not ask Him?
Maybe He wants you to have it. Maybe you're supposed to ask.
Take the roof off of your dreams and visions. Take the roof off of what you want. You think too small. You think God's like a man. He's not. Stop shooting down dreams before they happen.
Let God be dad. Let yourself be the little kid who asks for the crazy things. And keep asking. And keep asking. Make God say no.
Because chances are He's actually saying "YES!" and we just aren't asking. The things in our heart that we want...
And I know this because I do it... I get this happy thought about something that could be awesome and I immediately trash it to shreds with logic.
Well, hold on a second. God never said it had to be logical! Logic is not required for your desires.. He just wants childlike imagination and trust that God loves you more than this whole world.
So let God be God. Stop taking His place and rendering your own verdict. Ask Him and trust that He loves you... even enough to say Yes.
I believe we're supposed to start asking God again because He wants to say yes. But if we're too afraid of God saying no, we'll stop asking. We won't believe. So force Him to say no, by believing He'll say yes. Who knows, you might find He's fully given what you've wanted all along.
Ask God for a million dollars. Go ahead. Ask Him. Do you want a million dollars? If you don't, don't ask Him. If you do, why not ask Him?
Maybe He wants you to have it. Maybe you're supposed to ask.
Take the roof off of your dreams and visions. Take the roof off of what you want. You think too small. You think God's like a man. He's not. Stop shooting down dreams before they happen.
Let God be dad. Let yourself be the little kid who asks for the crazy things. And keep asking. And keep asking. Make God say no.
Because chances are He's actually saying "YES!" and we just aren't asking. The things in our heart that we want...
And I know this because I do it... I get this happy thought about something that could be awesome and I immediately trash it to shreds with logic.
Well, hold on a second. God never said it had to be logical! Logic is not required for your desires.. He just wants childlike imagination and trust that God loves you more than this whole world.
So let God be God. Stop taking His place and rendering your own verdict. Ask Him and trust that He loves you... even enough to say Yes.
I believe we're supposed to start asking God again because He wants to say yes. But if we're too afraid of God saying no, we'll stop asking. We won't believe. So force Him to say no, by believing He'll say yes. Who knows, you might find He's fully given what you've wanted all along.
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