Weakest Link

Twas watching a tv show the other night,and a guy had his stuff being held from him behind a locked gate which had barbed wire at the top. This dude had had a very rough day, and he really needed to get to his stuff. So what did he do? He did what anyone would do. He walked around the fence looking for a weak link. He was looking for a way under, through or over the fence. Maybe there was a dug out place that he could squeeze under. Maybe there was a tear in the fence that he could open up enough to get through. Maybe there was something to jump on or land on to get over the barbed wire. He didn't need the whole fence to come down, he just needed enough space for him to get to the other side. He was looking for a weak link. That is exactly what Satan does with us as individuals and with us as part of the church. He doesn't need you to totally reject Christ, just a little bit. He wants you to compromise your christian walk just enough to let one person acknowledge they can live like that without being a christian. What if the church were a fence keeping the devil at bay? What if your church was a strong fence with barbed wire keeping the devil out? Would you be the part of the fence where Satan crosses over? What if everyone in the church lived like you? Non-committal, living like the world, oh and a tithe is ten dollars! Are you the weakest link or does he have to walk further around the perimeter to find a way in? No one wants to be the weakest link, so don't be. Do all that you do to glorify Christ. Give God the best of your time, talent and treasure.

No Participation Medals in Heaven

God does not give out Participation Medals. Rev.22:12 Jesus brings rewards with him. 12 “Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done. Winners get rewards. Winners try. Winners live a life of discipline. Winners train and prepare. Winners live to win. They do whatever it takes. Whenever they fall, it is a learning experience. They are not down and out. They just get back up, no matter how many times they get knocked down. Winners don’t make excuses. They see miscues as part of the learning process to get better. Even when they perhaps lose because a referee or an official made a poor judgment call, they learn to not let the game come down to a bad call the next time. Winners do their best and respect other winners. They simply try to do the best they can with what they have. Much of our world is weaker today due to political correctness. We don’t want to hurt someone’s feelings. We are ruining our children at an early age. We have to give out participation ribbons or medals to the losers. Consequently, the lessons that used to be learned in healthy competitive sports has become more about what flavor Gatorade kids get after a game. It’s not about doing your best and trying to win. It’s about what snack the Team Mom made. This has spewed into Christian life as well. Listen, Jesus is coming back with rewards. And “...he will give to everyone according to what he/she has done.” You will be given a reward by the King of Kings when he returns, and it will be for doing your best. If you don’t get anything or much, it is because you stunk. You didn’t try. He won’t grade you against others. He will grade you on what you did with what you had. The “participation” ribbons and medals discourage athletes, young and old from doing their best. That is a shame! The Apostle Paul urges us to “run to win.” Jesus “endured the cross for the joy set before him.” Stop whining and making excuses and live the disciplined life to win.---I don't want to be empty-handed, and I won't be. You see, that is something we can control right now. Question: will there be anyone in heaven because of you? Get busy.

Devo Lk.14:1-6

These Pharisees and "experts" in the Law were some peculiar people. It's funny how they act like they are concerned for Jesus' life in the previous passage, and judging every move he makes in the next chapter of Luke. In this chapter they are carefully watching him on the Sabbath to see if he heals a guy. They would consider this work, and their legalism had burdened the Jewish people with non-sensical laws. Of course, Jesus healed the man, because that's what he does. After healing the man (knowing their heart) he asked them if they would pull their ox from a ditch on the Sabbath to which they gave no reply. Their silence convicted them. It convicts them even today as it echoes. They knew better. If they had a real argument, they would have come with their full arsenal. They weren't afraid to argue with Jesus. In fact to the contrary, they were an "argument waiting to happen." Bottom-line is this, and it's real simple: you have nothing to say, when you have nothing to say. ---Jesus was right. They were wrong, and they knew it. Jesus' "right-ness" took him to the cross, because that's why he came.

Devo. Luke 13:31-35

31 At that time some Pharisees came to Jesus and said to him, “Leave this place and go somewhere else. Herod wants to kill you.” 32 He replied, “Go tell that fox, ‘I will drive out demons and heal people today and tomorrow, and on the third day I will reach my goal.’ 33 In any case, I must keep going today and tomorrow and the next day—for surely no prophet can die outside Jerusalem! 34 “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! 35 Look, your house is left to you desolate. I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’”-Lk.13:31-35 Oddly, it sounds like the Pharisees are trying to protect Jesus from Herod. Jesus lets them know that Herod (that fox) can't stop him from what he has to do today, tomorrow and the next day. He lets them know that he will reach his goal on the third day. I don't think you have to be a rocket scientist to understand what "third day" Jesus is speaking about (figuratively). Jesus will attain his goal. He came for a purpose. He also tells them no prophet dies outside of Jerusalem. This was his way of identifying himself as the Prophet that was to come, and they completely missed that (rejected). Then he judges, condemns, tells the truth about them. He makes it plain that he was sent to them , and he came to them , but they were unwilling(Jn.1 "He came to his own and his own received him not."). They were unwilling to receive Jesus as King and Messiah. It is on them. Look around at the desolate house of Israel for their rejection of Messiah. Jesus was very sorrowful, because Israel missed his coming. "You will not see me until you say, 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.'" This coming has to be more than the Triumphal Entry of Lk.19:38, because at his Second Coming they will really mean it. Jesus came to save the world from sin, and yet people reject him every single day. This does make him sad, but he did his part. Jesus finished his business, and was raised on the third day. No man was able to stop the completion of his work.---The Scriptures are so full, if we would only take time to sit and read.

12 Year Anniversary of Diving In

I rarely catch this date. I usually let it go by without fanfare, but for some reason I was a little more reflective today. Today celebrates the conception of LTC. Twelve years ago today, I was officially out of the Tire business, and my official duty of planting this church began. It was then, and it is now an AGT (All God Thing)! While our meeting locations have changed a time or two, our mission has not. Mission statement: Our mission is to share that Jesus Christ is relevant today, worthy to be worshiped and shared boldly with all people. Since Living Truth has be on mission: Over a thousand people have come to faith in Christ, we have covered over 60,000 miles of the planet on mission trips going to several countries, many states, neighboring counties, all around our county, and of course locally. I’m very excited about the different opportunities God is setting before us right now. We thank all who have been a part of LTC in the early years, and to date. We’re thankful to have had the opportunity to disciple many folks that have moved away such as our military friends, and even folks that found another church to serve Christ in locally. ---We firmly believe the best is yet to come. Thanks to all of you who have been so resilient to this different kind of church. The only thing I have going for me( Aside from my Awesome God, great family and the cool people serving with me) is that God knows my heart. If you have not figured it out by now, my heart is that we reach the lost generation of people around us doing whatever it takes. ---Thank you for not being lazy, because it takes a lot of energy to do whatever it takes! And much thanks to all of you that have been generous in your giving, because ministry does cost dollars. I look forward to the extreme opportunities God sends our way even in the next twelve months. Stick to your resolve in being a disciple-making-disciple of Jesus. Oh Lord, help us to be hilarious in our giving of time, talent and treasure to YOU. Amen.