Monthly Archives: October 2016

Many people want a god they can mold themselves and cast into whatever image fits their narrative. Maybe, on some level, all of us do.

But when we open the door to Jesus, we open the door to the God who is there, the real God, not some fluffy, huggable toy we can put on the shelf when we’re done with him.

When we let God be who He is, we discover that He is far better than anything we could have come up with on our own.

A Spiritual Self Defense thought

Bible trivia:
Answer from last time: She was a judge of Israel
New question: What was King David’s home town?

An amazing transformation takes place when God is no longer the enemy.

For so many years I stared down at my feet thinking, I am unworthy. I screw up. I can’t get it right.

Then one night I had a dream. In it, the sky parted, heaven began to appear, and I knew at the next moment I would see the face of God. I thought I would be afraid, but I wasn’t. Instead, I felt a different feeling—awe. Like standing on the edge of the Grand Canyon, only a thousand times more.

This is what God tries so hard to get us to do: to stop, to look heavenward, to forget ourselves, to get lost in the wonder of Him.

A Spiritual Self Defense thought

Bible trivia:
Answer from last time: Samson
New question: What was Deborah’s claim to fame?

Many unhappy people are trying to “dress up” for God.

God will like me if… I lust less, pray more, be nice, tow the line, yada yada.

So…here’s the question: How good do you gotta be before God actually likes having you around? And here’s the answer: Wrong question. God already likes you, and, yes, He’s perfectly aware of all of your little secrets, and, no, He’s not disgusted with you.

Little children don’t clean up for their parents. Their parents clean them up. Their parents dress them. God knows that we don’t have the ability to “dress up” for Him. That’s why He meets us where we are. His presence transforms us, and the only way—the only way—to get into His presence is to go there honestly, just as we are.

A Spiritual Self Defense thought

Bible trivia:
Answer from last time: 1 Peter (1:23)
New question: What was the name of Manoah’s long-haired son?

Do you want the best that Jesus has for you?

Guess what! You will not find it by following the crowd. Sorry. The crowd doesn’t have it.

It can be good to fit in, but you won’t find what Jesus offers by desperately trying to fit in. It’s great to be well liked, but pursuing popularity doesn’t deliver the beautiful life God designed for you. If you can better yourself, go for it! But keeping up with the Joneses (or whoever) will not empower you to advance in the kingdom of God.

Jesus likened the Kingdom to a treasure hidden in a field. It isn’t being hyped on an infomercial; it’s hidden. It’s NOT in the place where everybody else is looking.

If you want the best, you need to go beyond the slick and glossy good that’s peddled to the masses. The best is found somewhere else—in a place you don’t expect.

I’m all for accountability, safety in numbers, mentors, Christian peer review, and all of that. But at some point, you need to decide that you’re gonna go for what Jesus has for you even if no one—I mean no one—goes with you.

Do you want the best Jesus has for you?

You gotta be willing—if need be—to stand alone.

A Spiritual Self Defense thought

You might want to watch the video: It takes courage

Bible trivia:
Answer from last time: He was struck with leprosy
New question: In John 3, Jesus tells Nicodemus that he must be “born again.” What other book in the New Testament uses the phrase “born again”?

At one point my faith was more artificial. It was manufactured. It centered around performance. It had a lot of sound, but not much muscle.

I think I was always looking for something—it wasn’t quite conscious, but subconsciously I knew something was missing, and I was always looking for it, but not finding it.

Early on, I thought it was all about answers. If I really, really knew my Bible. If I really understood theology and philosophy and apologetics, then I would be complete. Of course, it’s good to learn, but I found that learning more and more didn’t make me any more complete.

For a long time, I thought the answer was found in obedience. I found all kinds of obscure ways in which I wasn’t quite lining up with perfection, and worked hard to eradicate them. Hmm. It’s good to obey, but I didn’t find what I was looking for here.

I saw people around me who had supernatural experiences and gifts of various types. They stomped around like they owned the place, and for a while, I was impressed. But after a time, those things lost their glitter, and I realized this wasn’t what I was looking for.

I think the beginning of a turnaround for me was discovering that God likes me, that God likes hanging out with me. It took me a whole year just to take that in. That made it possible for me to invite Jesus into my real world where I lived every day. As I did that, I experienced something I didn’t expect: emotional healing, spiritual growth, personal transformation, new perspectives all rolled up into one.

I didn’t know it was a package deal. I never would have guessed that.

What about you? What does your journey look like?

A Spiritual Self Defense thought

Bible trivia:
Answer from last time: Elisha
New question: What happened to Elisha’s servant Gehazi when he accepted a gift from Naaman?

“Ever notice how everyone who drives slower than you is a moron, while everyone who drives faster than you is a maniac?”

I had to smile when my son said that. Wrapped in two tons of steel moving at 60 mph (or whatever), we become both powerful and anonymous. Nothing like power and anonymity to reveal our true character.

For me, driving has been a good barometer of my own transformational journey. How triggered do I get by the actions of other drivers? When I’m delayed, do I get bent out of shape? If I need to be first, cut in front, follow close, drive too fast (or too slow) what does that say about my heart?

Throughout life, God gives us opportunities to test our hearts. I don’t think He gives us these tests because He needs to know what’s inside (He already knows), but rather, He gives them to us because we need to know. Every time we miss the mark, it’s an opportunity for us to figure out why, and invite Jesus into the difference between who we are in Christ and how we live in this world.

A Spiritual Self Defense thought

Bible trivia:
Answer from last time: 110 (In Egyptian culture at the time, 110 was considered the “perfect” lifespan.)
New question: What was the name of Elijah’s successor?