A Necessary Removal

My wife bought a new Samsung smart phone recently. We set it up by transferring all her contacts and most of her apps from her old phone. However, when she started using it, we noticed that the volume didn't seem to work. I checked the volume in settings thinking maybe there was a limit set on it or something, but everything seemed fine there. We turned the volume all the way up and all the way down, but it made no difference. She could make a phone call and people could hear her talking, but she couldn't hear them although the call appeared to be connected.

We Googled volume issues with this phone and found other people had similar issues. The volume couldn't be turned up. We tried their solutions, but nothing solved our issue.

Finally, we decided to call Verizon and exchange this faulty phone for a replacement. The Verizon representative was very helpful and patient, as they always are. He allowed me to explain the problem, then tried calling the phone himself. The volume issue was still there. Then he asked a question I'm embarrassed to admit to you. "Is there a plastic sheet covering the front of the phone?"

"Of course not," I thought, as I closely looked at the screen. Sure enough, right there on the front face of the phone was a thin plastic sheet used for protecting the phone during shipping! I slowly peeled it off, thinking "there's no way this little sheet would affect the volume."

As soon as I peeled off the cover, the phone's volume came alive! We could hear apps, phone calls, ring tones, everything! Embarrassingly, I admitted to the representative that he had solved the problem and we didn't need to send the phone back.

The most amazing part of this story is that such a small, thin, inexpensive piece of plastic could make such a huge impact on this sophisticated, expensive smart phone. Yet its presence basically rendered the product unusable.

This story reminds me of how we must treat sin. Sin disables us from functioning as follower's of Christ. Sin, thought sometimes small, can cause great pain and discomfort. It must be removed from our lives just as this piece of plastic needed to be removed from the phone.

Hebrews 12:1 says, "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles..." 

Achan, from the tribe of Judah, stole some of the devoted things (Joshua 7-9) and brought God's judgement upon the entire nation of Israel. He thought it just a small deception, but in God's eyes it was huge.

Sin can be thought of as small, but it's consequences are massive! It may go unnoticed for some time. It may be ignored, but ultimately, it leads to pain, destruction, and death.

James 1:13-15 says, we're tempted by our own evil desires, "then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death." 

Remove from your life any sinful behavior, no matter how small it may seem. Strive to live a life holy and pleasing to God (Romans 12:1).

And finally, make sure you take off that plastic cover that comes on your new smart phone!

Constant in Prayer

Prayer can be an intimidating word to some people. To some it may be thought of as only something the paid clergy or staff can do. Other people may be put off by the traditional folding of hands, closing of eyes and bowing of the head. Yet prayer in its simplest form is just talking or directing your thoughts to the one who created us. Here are three thoughts that may change your perspective when it come to prayer.

1. Prayer is a mindset and not a formal speech. 

Scripture exhorts us to "pray without ceasing." In other words, to live with the continual awareness of God's presence and that He is listening to not only our words but our thoughts as well. In my parent's home to this day, there is always a radio on. It's not loud, but it's on. It's a foundational audio track that lies underneath any and all conversations in the house. Music, news, and weather continuously permeate the area. This radio connection is rarely severed. Prayer is similar; the channel to speak to God is always open. It's on ongoing transcendant dialog.

2. Function trumps form when it comes to prayer. 

The function or purpose of prayer is to communicate with God. There is nowhere in the Bible that sets forth the form or position by which to pray. In fact, you might be surprised to learn the Bible only gives examples of a prayer posture. In John 17:1 we find Jesus looking up to heaven as He prayed; Luke 22:41 finds Jesus kneeling as he prayed; and in Matthew 26:38 Jesus is laying prostate as He prayed. So there is no perfect prayer posture to assume while we speak with God. In other words, you can't do it wrong. When people fold their hands and close their eyes to pray, they are doing so to help them focus on God and what they are saying.

3. God desires our conversation.

What dad doesn't enjoy talking to their children? God, Abba Father, likewise wants to dialog with us, His children. God cares deeply about each one of us. In fact, he cares about the smallest details of our lives. The end result of a fruitful prayer life is a healthy relationship between Father and child.

If prayer isn't already a regular part of your life, begin today knowing there's nothing mystical or formal about it. Just simply talk to your Father. "Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, constant in prayer!" Romans 12:12

Waking up

As I woke Sunday morning, my life played out in my mind. It was surreal. All the pivotal points in my lifetime came to mind. My choice of college. My marriage. Various jobs. Career choices. Every major turning point in my life materialized in my head.  What was strange about each turning point was that there was someone who simply asked me to move in that direction. I found this fascinating and frightening at the same time. My life could literally be boiled down to a handful of people who simply asked me to do something! The power of the simple "ask" is amazing.

What about you? Why are you where you are right now? I don't mean why are you sitting at your computer reading this. But why are you living where you are and doing what you're doing? Are you living out a life-long dream you had as a youth? Have you yearned for the place you are in life right now? Or are you more like me? You've said "Yes" to someone several times and this is where you've ended up.

Two thoughts came to my mind as I mulled my life  choices over that morning:

1. My responses to  being asked to alter the entire trajectory of my life (though I didn't know it at the time) was almost a knee-jerk reaction. Like picking up a candy bar in the grocery check-out line, I quickly considered the request and said, "Yes."
2. The request didn't always come from the person I considered best to advise me at the time. I'm uncertain if they had my best interest at heart.  

The Bible contains story after story where lives were pivoted on a simple request.

"Go from your country, your people...to the land I will show you." (Abram)

"Go to the great city of Nineveh" (Jonah)

"Come follow me!" (Peter) 

"Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street" (Saul later Paul)  

The Bible is quite clear that God is indeed orchestrating our lives. "God works all things out for the good of those who love Him and are called for a purpose." Despite a disinterested messenger, the hasty choices, or worldly circumstances, He still pieces together the parts of our lives for His glory.

So whether you are the one doing the asking or the one making the decision - know that in the former, God will use your words and make them more powerful than you ever could, and in the latter, God will go with you on your journey. 

A Dangerous Follower on Twitter

I have terrible news. When I first saw it, my heart skipped a beat. I froze for a moment. I didn't know what to do. Can I tell you what it is? Are you ready? Brace yourself, because it may come as a shock to you too!

SATAN is following me! Actually, SATAN is following our CHURCH! How do I know? A notification popped up on my computer screen just last week. See? Right there on the church twitter account. A new follower. @MisterDevil_666

Some would say, "Oh, just ignore it." or "You can block him, you know!" But I'm not so sure he would go away that easily. In fact, I'm not sure he hasn't already been following me for a long time.

I've read that Satan lurks around just looking for a chance to pounce on a defenseless victim. The Bible says, "Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." When the Lord spoke to Satan about his whereabouts in Job he replied, I've come from..."roaming throughout the earth, going back and forth on it." Satan isn't off in some other galaxy; he's living right here on earth!

So, what should we do? How do we defend ourselves and our church? Again, scripture comes to the rescue with the words of James:

1. Submit yourselves to God.
2. Resist the Devil
3. He will flee from you
4. Come near to God

See how these words of advice are bookended by God? We protect ourselves from Satan's advances by first submitting to God and then by getting and staying close to Him. Only when we have God's protection surrounding us can we resist Satan. 

So, even though Satan may be following us, he can't overpower us because "He who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world." 

The fact that Satan is following us is beyond our control. Have you ever had someone follow you and try to dissuade them. Maybe a boy or girl had crush on you in school? Or maybe someone was simply trying to contact you? Did you notice the more you avoided them, the more they pursued you? Their implacable desire to follow you increased despite your efforts. 

What is in our control is our response. See that "Follow" button at the bottom of the screen shot above? Satan may follow you; but road to destruction begins if you follow him back!

Scripture References: 1 Peter 5:8; Job 1:7; James 4:7; 1 John 4:4

Don't let Prosperity Make you Lose your Memory

The Old Testament account of the Israelites exodus from Egypt is fascinating. A slave people set free from bondage only to wander in a desert for 40 years. Can you image reading their Facebook fitbit posting?!

"I walked 1,000,000 feet today and got the Crossed the Sinai Badge with FitBit!"

While the Bible says their clothes did not wear out and their feet did not swell (Deuteronomy 8:4) they did experience dire thirst and devastating hunger. They grumbled. They complained. They even set up idols (think of sports, gadgets, hobbies, etc) and worshipped them instead of the LORD.

So here's a people - easily over 1 million of them - walking to "God only knows where" (no, literally) following a God, of whom they know not His name. Oh that they had a GPS with Google maps installed! (You've probably heard it before: But why did the Israelites wander in the desert for 40 years? Because Moses refused to ask for directions!)

Humor aside, the people are warned prior to entering the Promised Land of Canaan. God says to them in Deuteronomy 8:11:

"Be careful that you do not forget the LORD your God for the good land he has given you. Be careful that you do not forget the LORD your God, failing to observe his commands, his laws and his decrees that I am giving you this day."

Why would the Israelites ever forget the LORD?! How could they every forget Him after all he had done for them - He delivered them from abusive slavery in the land of Egypt, sustained them over 40 years, and lead them to a new land - a land flowing with milk and honey! I'm thinking maybe "amber waves of grain" and "purple mountain majesties," but that's just my paraphrase on it! Again in Deuteronomy 8, God says:

"Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build houses and settle down, and when your herds and flocks grow large and your silver and gold increase and all you have is multiplied, then your heart will become proud and you will forget the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery."

Let's take a closer look at this warning, this cautionary advice. In essence, the people were entering into foreign circumstances, unknown to a wandering former slave who up until this point, had been dependent solely upon their God. The prosperity they were to experience would be like nothing they had ever known. It included:

• Abundant Food and Drink
• Stable Homes
• Stationary Communities
• Successful Investments
• Accumulation of Possessions 
• Profitable Business Dealings

The danger of this prosperity was simple: Forgetting the LORD. Not denying Him. Not cursing Him. Just forgetting Him. Failing to involve Him in their daily lives. This was God's concern for His people. In the New Testament, Jesus tells a parable of seed being planted in four types of soils. The seed that fell among the thorns grew up but was choked out by all the worldly distractions. 

We face these same temptations today. And God still desires that we "seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us" (Acts 17:26). Yet, we become consumed, not by bad things many times, but just by "things." We have all we want, lacking nothing, and so, feel no need to reach out to God. 

Here are 3 easy ways to keep the LORD, our God, a priority in our lives and not forget Him.

1. Read about Him - Read or listen to the Bible to learn His mind, will, and words. 
2. Talk to Him - Prayer is simply talking to Him just like you talk to a friend. 
3. Worship Him - Find a church and frequent it at least once a week (Hopefully more)

Complaining or Constructing?

WHY DO THEY...?

Hello. Why is there no margin on this page?  Why do those kids listen to that music? Why do they wear their shorts that way?  Why does the school...? Why does the church...? Do you complain? Anything ever get under your skin and you just have to let someone know it?

I fear that I'm turning into a grumpy old man! Help. Why do we complain anyway? And is there a difference between constructive feedback and complaining? 

I like feedback. I love constructive feedback! I want to evaluate and examine how I'm doing. I want to know if what we're doing is working. If it's effective. If it's reaching the goal.  Positive, healthy changes are made from honest, healthy, constructive feedback. But when do you cross the line from feedback to complaining? What's the difference?

Complaining is to express dissatisfaction or annoyance about a state of affairs or an event.

Constructive Feedback is a tool that is used to build things up, not break things down. It lets the other person know that you are on their side. 

Complaining or constructing? 

The difference is whether you intend to tear things (and people) down or build them up! Are you set against what is happening or are you on the team trying to make things better? It's a matter of which side are you on. Knocking it down or building it up.

I've been reading the book of Numbers and in chapter 11 it says,

And when the people complained, it displeased the Lord: and the Lord heard it; and his anger was kindled; and the fire of the Lord burnt among them, and consumed them that were in the uttermost parts of the camp.

Wow! It seemed the Israelites were tired of walking in the desert and eating only manna. They longed to be back in Egypt (where they were slaves by the way) and eat onions, leaks, cucumbers, melons, and best of all fish. Life, it seemed, was so much better back in Egypt. 

The people were sick of manna for every meal, every day. They tried to prepare it in different ways, but it was still manna and they wanted more variety in their diets. 

These people were not giving constructive feedback. They weren't helping God, Moses, or Aaron lead the people any better. They were straight-forwardly crying, "Let's go back to the way things were! Life was so much better!"

Keith Green's "So you wanna go back to Egypt?"

Moses' Response

Moses reaches the point where he is fed up with the people complaining. He is so distraught that he goes so far as to ask God to kill him rather than put up with these complaining people. 

What was God's response? You want meat!?! I'll give you meat. And quail blew in from the sea. So much quail that it stacked up 3 feet high covering the entire Israelite camp as far as one could walk! For a whole month the people would eat quail until it was coming out of their nostrils. While the meat was in their teeth, God struck the people with a plague leading to their death. God wiped them out!!

Our Response

What are we to make of this? I think it's pretty clear: 

Don't complain against God. Don't complain against God's servants. 

The Bible says to do everything without arguing or complaining.

Paul wrote from prison to the Philippian (2:14-16) church these words:

Do everything without grumbling or arguing, 15 so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.”[a] Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky 16 as you hold firmly to the word of life. And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain.

Even when we have reason to complain, resist. Even when we feel justified to complain, don't do it. It displeases God. It doesn't show the love, beauty, and light of Jesus Christ.  

Instead try to offer constructive feedback. Seek a solution to what is bothering you. Find a common ground. See if you can be part of the solution and not the source of the problem.

Margin

A book has margins. The margins are found at the top, bottom, and on both sides. And they contain - NOTHING. They are intentionally left blank. Why? 

Well, for one thing it makes the text on the page much easier to read. The margins allow our eyes to focus on what we want to read - the actual text.

Margin allows us to focus on those parts of our lives
that are most important

Margin built into our lives allow us to prepare and evaluate what we do, say, and chose. It allows us to focus on those parts of our lives that are most important. Margins are the extra time we give ourselves before we head off to work, school, or an activity.

Another reason for the margins in a book is to allow notes to be written there. As you read, thoughts pop into your own head. The margins give you a place to write your own ideas down.

When I was in High School, a Bible came out that had huge margins. I remember being part of a Bible study where the teacher encouraged us to jot down our thoughts in those expansive margins.

Margins in our lives give us time to think. They are the parenthetical places we can interject our own thoughts, opinions, and feelings into our lives. An airplane on autopilot will eventually run out of gas. At some point the pilot must take manual control and adjust the plane's course. Margins allow us to plot the overall course for our lives, making changes as needed, and assuring we are headed where we need to go.

Margin is the parenthetical places we can interject
our own thoughts, opinions, and feelings into our lives.

Finally, margins delineate. They delineate the text from the edge of the book. Maybe a better illustration of delineation is the rumble strips along-side the highway. They delineate a fast moving car from the dangers of the edge of the road. Without those rumble strips, an inattentive driver could drift over to the shoulder and cause an accident.

Living without margin may be exhilarating and fun for a time, but eventually we end up over the edge and in a damaged position. A medical emergency. A financial crisis. Loss of employment. Any of these unexpected events can hit us without warning. If we live our lives ignoring the margin, we risk the possibility of crashing hard when we no longer need more margin, but a whole new beginning.

The Bible extols us to have margin in our lives. Check out these verses:

God rested after He created the world.  (Genesis Genesis 2:2,3)

 The Israelites were commanded to take one day off from working every seven days. (Exodus 20:9,10) 

The fields of the Israelites were required to rest every seventh year.  (Leviticus 25:3,4)

Jesus took time away from the crowds on a regular basis to rest and spend time in prayer with His father.  (Luke 4:42; 5:16;)

Make a "Stop-Do" list and eliminate unnecessary tasks

Margin in our lives today may come in the form of a quiet time in the morning with coffee. It may come in the evening prior to bedtime after the children are in bed. It may involve separation from our cell phone - taking a break from text messages, phone calls, and social media.

Margin can be found on the weekend, a vacation, or a free evening.

However, margin may involve more in saying "No" to filling our your daily routine. Margin may involve penning a "Stop-Do List" and eliminate unnecessary tasks from your life.  Whatever it looks like for you, margin is the precious breathing room we need around our activities. The room to stop, step back, and see the Big Picture of what we do.

One final note. Margin will NOT be given to you. You have to take it. You have to intentionally chose to have margin in your life. Margin doesn't just happen. Not today. Not in America. Satan would love nothing more than to keep you so busy that you don't have time to prioritize your time, evaluate your life, and plan for the future.

Make time for margin.