Fixing Holes

As we continue our journey of learning to “Walk in the Spirit,” we must remind ourselves to daily inspect our lives. I remember as a kid growing up I faced a daily inspection of our room. Now, realize that in our house the room inspection was rather simple…did you make your bed, and are all of your clothes put away? There were not very many days when I failed the inspection. So let’s get back to “Walking in the Spirit”—in the Bible we find many measurements that can be used to help us know if we are truly walking in the Spirit. Those include items in life that we are to avoid, characteristics that should be increasing in our lives on a daily basis, and gifts that will be operating through us as we walk down the path God has established for us. Each of these things is measurable, but do we take the time to evaluate them?

Last weekend it was beautiful here in Texas. I decided that it was a good day to clean the garage because through the winter a lot of leaves had blown into it, a lot of dirt had been brought in from our cars, and it was just a mess. So, seeing the mess, I realized that I had to get to work to put the garage back in order. I moved out the cars, began throwing out items that were no longer of any value, and finished up by hosing out the garage. When I finished, I was able to look into the garage and evaluate the great change that had taken place. Everything looked awesome, except for one thing I did wrong. As I was backing out, one of the cars hit one of our bike tires and turned it hard into the wall. No damage was done to the bike or the car wheel, but the tire knocked a hole in our garage drywall. Guess they just don’t make drywall as tough as they used to. I was frustrated that it happened, but it happened without any warning and I knew it wouldn’t be a difficult repair.

The same happens in life as I’m on this journey of Walking in the Spirit. I can go through a day, then look back and see all the wonderful, positive results of being obedient to the Holy Spirit’s direction in my life. But every so often there’s the one glaring thing I did out of step because I took the easy way, and I see the hole left as a result of doing it my way rather than God’s way. Now, the good news is that the hole can easily be repaired, but the bigger question is this: will I just ignore it, thinking it doesn’t matter? Ask me in a month if I fixed the hole in my garage. I want to ask you: are you fixing the holes revealed to you by the Holy Spirit in your journey of “Walking in the Spirit”?

How Easy Becomes Challenging

“Walking in the Spirit” sounds like such an easy thing to do, and even when you read Galatians 5:22-23 you can tend to think, “I’ve got it covered!” And there are probably many days that we can feel this way, but then along comes the day—you know the one—when everything that God is trying to teach you is put to a challenge. It doesn’t matter who you are or how strong you may be in your faith, there are going to be days that test you. And the thing that is most important is not the test but how you respond to the test. I know through the years I’ve had times when I can say I handled the testing in a way very pleasing to the Lord, and then there are the times when I can tell you that I failed miserably at the test the Lord placed in my path. Most of the time I don’t need anyone to tell me how I’ve done, because I know by how the Holy Spirit speaks to my heart, but there are also times when I’ve had to lean on the Godly wisdom of those he’s brought into my life to help me see things I may not have seen or sensed.

I’ll never forget when I was in third grade and went through a situation at school that brought this truth to light. I had an English class, and once a month we were required to memorize a poem and then recite it in front of the class. I found a poem and worked so hard to memorize it, and the teacher gave me an excellent grade because I followed her instructions to learn and share it with the class. The next month flew by, and soon it was my turn to get up and recite my poem. I stood in front of the class and flawlessly recited the poem I’d memorized. When class finished that day, the teacher asked to see me. I stayed around, and when she spoke with me it was soft and loving but also honest. She said, “John, that’s the same poem you recited last month.” She was correct; you see, I had forgotten about the assignment and in a panic thought she’d never know if I simply did the same one again. She went on to inform me that I’d be given a zero for not completing the assignment and would hopefully learn a lesson. Now, I could have walked out saying, “That’s not fair, I did the assignment and was never told I couldn’t use the same poem.” But instead, I knew deep inside that what I did was wrong and I tried to cheat my way to a grade I didn’t deserve.

“Walking in the Spirit” means being sensitive enough to the voice of God that when God affirms us in the positive we receive it and rejoice in doing what is pleasing to the Holy Spirit. It also means that when the Holy Spirit convicts us then we humble ourselves, confess our sins, and get back on track with the plan that God has for us. 

Changes....

Over the past few weeks we have been experiencing a lot of changes in our weather. As winter draws to a close and spring quickly approaches, we have those days when it’s in the 80s, like yesterday, but then we can turn around and have a day in the 40s. I personally don’t like the change because I want a consistent pattern every day—preferably in the 80s every day. Yet I know that for plants, grass, and trees to grow properly, they have to go through the various seasons to help them recover from hard years and get the necessary moisture for the summer to come.

In much the same way, I prefer to have a life that is in the perfect temperature range. Little problems and stress, being loved by everyone, and everything I do prospering. Yet I know that this is unrealistic and not God’s plan for my life. God wants to produce in us growth, and to do that we need to go through uncomfortable times in our lives. That involves such things as hearing a message or lesson that I may not like, restoring relationships with people I may not like, weathering storms of life that I may not like, but understanding that each of them produces results that will lead me closer to God.

Jesus Christ stayed the course knowing that the ultimate sacrifice would result in the ultimate prize….our salvation. The things you go through in life, based on how you choose to react to them, will make an impact on others around you in a positive or negative way for the Gospel message we proclaim. Don’t let your reaction to the changes affect others in a negative way.

Are You Growing?

In January, I read a book titled “Wooden on Leadership,” which is based on principles that Coach John Wooden implemented into his coaching style and life. Coach John Wooden is best known for leading UCLA to 10 NCAA College Basketball Championships in 12 years. Yet, I was most fascinated that in all of his years of coaching basketball, Coach Wooden never spoke about winning or losing. He realized that creating a successful program did not involve talking about winning all the time but instead revolved around teaching the fundamentals required in the lives of players in order to play as a team. He repeatedly taught the fundamental skills required to get the most out of the talent that was created inside of each person. His team was not asked to do things that were beyond their talents and abilities, but instead to keep honing the skills inside of them. And if every person on the team did this same thing, then the team would become its best. Coach Wooden was probably one of the most successful coaches ever, at any level, but it was because he knew how to get a group of young men to play together with one goal: be a team.

Often when we look inside the church we need to understand that it’s not about numbers and statistics. The church exists to win the lost and then to teach them how to play together as a team. It’s me discovering what I do best and allowing leadership to help me refine my gifts and abilities so that the church is making an impact. The problem is that many in the church want to pursue their own agenda and see their own goals accomplished, and when that begins to happen the church and the community lose out. I’m preaching the series “Walking in the Spirit” because when we as a church learn to walk in obedience to the Holy Spirit’s guidance on a daily basis, we will see the church functioning as a team. And when we are functioning as a team we will not be looking at numbers and statistics, but instead at lives changed by the power of Jesus Christ. 

What's Navigating Your Life?

Our spiritual journey begins the day we accept Christ as our personal Savior, and it will continue until we breathe our last breath or the Rapture of the church occurs. So what may seem like a very simple task becomes a journey that will last a lifetime. The Holy Spirit will take us down paths that will enable us to grow in our faith and trust, our commitment and love.

Think of all the pressures and stresses that attack your faith on a daily basis, and you can understand the importance of having the Holy Spirit’s guidance. Last week, Tami and I were able to get away for a few days and just relax. We had fun just being together and doing very little. One of the things we decided to do was rent a car and drive all around the area where we were staying. It had hillsides, water, beautiful vegetation, and lots of fun little restaurants to try out. So every day we would get into our car and just start driving. I was the pilot and Tami was my navigator…scary, I know. Yet, I trusted her because we had our iPad and all she had to do was follow the directions and tell me what to do.

This was all working wonderfully until our third day. We had gone into some larger hill country that was in the middle of the countryside and Tami lost her satellite signal. She became a blind navigator…scary, I know. We were driving down roads with no signs, no gas stations or stores. Now, unlike many of you, we can get a little stressed when a situation like this goes on for very long...

In much the same way, I have come to realize that I need the Holy Spirit as an active part of my life every day. The Holy Spirit helps me navigate the many situations of life that come along. Most of them are pleasant and enjoyable, but every so often I get off of God’s plan and end up in the middle of nowhere without any street signs, gas stations, or stores. Unlike our iPad, though, I am never out of touch with the Holy Spirit living inside of me. And through the faithfulness of God’s Word and the teaching of the Holy Spirit, I always find my way back to the plan God has for me.

Where does your life commitment stand today? Are you connected with the Holy Spirit who will guide you through every situation in life? Are you learning what you need so that you fully understand when the Holy Spirit is speaking to your heart? What are the steps you can take to become stronger at living your faith on a daily basis? 

Valentine's Day - Gimmick or Special?

Valentine’s Day—to some it’s a time for florists, candy companies, and card manufacturers to make a profit, while for others it’s a time to express your love to those who hold your heart. Funny how God created us such that we can see one event in two totally different lights. As for me, I’m the romantic guy who gets all into celebrating the life that Tami and I have together. God has been so good to us, and every day is better because she is a part of it. Over the years I’ve bought plenty of cards, candy, and flowers.

Valentine’s Day is a time to show those in your life who hold a very special place in your heart that you are thankful God has given you the opportunity to love them. That love is not based on anything they do, or on what they can buy, but instead it is simply based on a commitment you’ve made to them because God has brought them into your life. You surrendered your life to that commitment, and other than your relationship with God, they hold the love that is in your heart.   

As I think about the commitment we make to those we love, I’m reminded of the commitment that Christ made to each and every one of us. He is the ultimate example of how to demonstrate love because, as the Bible teaches us, even when we are not interested in that love, even when we think we have a better way of doing things and can figure it out on our own, he still loves us. He will always love us and will always be there. That is the true spirit that should reside in every one of us—love towards a lost world and towards those that God has brought into our lives to worship with us on a weekly basis. I love my church family and will do anything in my power to help you experience the love of Jesus Christ. I hope that you will make this same commitment to those who are a part of Abundant Life as well as the lost in this community who need to experience the love of Christ. Jesus changed lives because they knew he loved and cared about them. We too can change lives by showing people we love and care about them.

I Want to be a Difference Maker

We must remember that God has called us to make an impact on our world, and that impact begins with you.  It begins with you stepping out of your comfort zone to invite someone to church or to share your own testimony.  We think that we can’t make a difference, but we can—and it begins by impacting one life at a time.  Who is that one person you can impact this week?  Is it the friend that you’ve been hesitant to share your faith with?  Is it that waitress who waits on you while eating out?  That person who lives in your neighborhood and walks by your house every day?  There is someone you can impact this week in a positive way with the love of Jesus.

Remember: Found people find people, and many people are just one more invitation away from coming to church and meeting Jesus. God was patient and kind when pursuing us; may our attitudes be the same toward others. And last of all, in the Bible God rewarded the effort of people who did whatever it took to bring people to Jesus...and He still does the same thing today.