To do or not to do more for God?....

To be in ministry does not mean that I try harder at doing more for God.  As if it were about what I do and not about what the Father does. It means that I place all of my hope in the will of God to sanctify me to make me more like His Son Jesus.  It means that I make my number one priority my relationship with Jesus, because if I let that slip I find that my efforts in ministry are backed with nothing but an anxious heart and a over committed life.  

Spend more time with Jesus and less "doing things for God" and watch God pour out His Spirit.  Then you'll see His mighty power do marvelous things through your efforts, but go around thinking you just need to do more for God and watch yourself get discouraged as you hit roadblock after road block as the passion of your heart dwindles, because you have neglected, Jesus, your first love.  

It's the Small Things Really....

Ever get so caught up in the desire for the next big thing?  

You wish your life was more exciting and you don't see the purpose in the normal, hum drum kind of day.  To you, its the mountain top experiences that matter, but our character and integrity show who we really are on the most average of days.  It is what I do with the little that has been entrusted to me that will snowball into greater things in the long term.  

It's the minor details of the most boring day, that if we were to put aside, over the long haul would have grave effects on our life and the lives of others.  

Neglect washing your dishes and before you know it your entire kitchen is full of crusty cheese and sticky spoons.  Don't wash your son or daughters basketball jersey and oh man, they have just become the stinky kid on the team.  And seriously, no one wants to be that kid! It's the little things that we do, that no one notices that show who we really are. It's not the big moments when we get that award or do that great thing in front of a bunch of people.  Who wouldn't want to give their best in that moment?  It's the small, unnoticed things that reveal who we truly are.  

Don't get too caught up wishing for the next big thing, when today has so much to offer you.  Everyday, is a gift from God, therefore, everyday, deserves our very best for the one who created us.  

And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.- Colossians 3:17

The Redo Button

Ever wanted to press the redo button on your life?

Yeah, me too.

I remember when I was in college and the coach called me up to pinch hit in the varsity game.  I was so excited and nervous at the same time, wow this was my chance to prove to my coach that I could compete at the varsity level.

I remember the pitch, it was the perfect pitch, but I cast my hands just slightly and ended up popping the perfect pitch up.  Ugh....I failed.

I went home and thought about that pitch and how I cast my hands over and over again wishing that I could just hit the redo button, have that at bat one more time and take a line drive into left field instead of a pop up.

Many of us live with deep seeded regrets.  My at bat is not that big of a deal, although it stung at the time it doesn't bring me anymore pain, but maybe your regrets do.  Maybe its painful for you daily, because of something that you said to someone or something that someone did to you that caused a tearing apart of a relationship. Maybe it was a decision that you made that caused your life to go a completely different direction and you wish desperately that you could hit he redo button.

If you live your life full of regrets you'll find out that you will become a very unhappy person.  The truth is that our past can imprison us if we let it.  It happens quickly and before we know it we're held captive to what we wish we would have done or said or not said.

We let it define how we enter into new relationships or situations, we put up walls to protect ourself so the same thing doesn't happen again to us.  Or we live in fear of making the same mistake so we risk taking chances and never live with true freedom, but in bondage to our past regrets.

So, how do we get past fear and into freedom from our past?  How do we go about life being ok with our mistakes realizing that they're apart of a bigger plan?

If I could be really honest with you for a moment I have many fears.  I still kick myself for saying or doing things that I know are stupid, but I have come to a greater understanding that my life is not under my control. There is one who wants to heal me from who I once was and wants to make me a new person and free me from the regrets of my past and the ones of my present.

You know,its a funny thing really.  A lot of us want a redo button and that is exactly what Jesus Christ offers for those who would call out unto Him to rescue them from their wrongdoing and selfishness.  Claim Him as Lord, put Jesus in control of your life and in that moment He presses the redo button.  All your sin, gone.  "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow" -Isaiah 1:18.

Then, the transformation starts to begin.  For me, when I began my journey with the Lord Jesus I knew that my life would never be the same.  I knew that something was different about me.

"If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation, the old is gone and the new has come"- 2 Corinthians 5:17

Now, ten years later I've seen Jesus heal me of my past regrets and my present ones too.  My joy and hope are found in Him alone.  Yes, my life might be exactly how I would have drawn it up, but I am content in God's plan for my life.  Whenever I try to take control I just make a mess of it anyways.

Want to press the redo button?  That's good.  You need it.  It's ok to admit that you don't have it all together.  In fact, until you do admit that  you need forgiveness because of the ugliness of your sin you'll never truly be made free. Your life was never meant to be lived alone.  We have to come to an understanding that we are a rebellious people.  We want control and we want our own way, but God offers a way for rebellious, selfish people to be made right with Him and have a new beginning.  For we know that "everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved"- Romans 10:13

Without a redo button we remain lost in our sin, but Jesus Christ came, lived a perfect life without sin, paid the penalty for sin by satisfying God's wrath on the cross and conquered death proving that He was everything He said that He was and now He offers you a new beginning.  The thing is that you've got to let go of your life.   He's got the redo button, you need His forgiveness, won't you call out to Him?

Jesus said, "The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because He has anointed me to preach good news to the poor.  He has sent me to proclaim freedom for prisoners" Luke 4:18

A Call to Self-Denial

When I think about the gospel I am brought to an understanding that it calls me to denial of self. 

The gospel reveals to me that I am self centered and conceded, yet Jesus Christ calls unto me to tell me that He desires to make me new.  His wants to mold and shape me into His image to give me aspects of His character and of His selflessness. 

If I would only get out of the way the unexplainable could happen as the risen Christ takes this insecure, selfish and impatient woman and fills her with hope, courage, a servants heart and joy in the waiting. 

Oh, how I wish that we true of me every moment of everyday!  Lord Jesus, I need you!  Transform me, for in you I desire to abide, moment by moment, but my flesh wants to rebel towards your transformation.  It is quick to run to old habits and selfish ways, but Lord Jesus, crucify my flesh! As you call me unto yourself take the old me and make me a new creation! 

If anyone should come after me, he must deny himself, take up his cross daily and follow me- Matthew 16:24