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What do you really believe?  Is it that the only thing that matters is God? Is it that the only thing I need is grace? If God was all that was left, and if grace was all I had, would I remain faithful? Would I still raise my hands in worship?

Psalms 63:3 says “God’s love is better than life.” My life is pretty good. I have many things. I don’t say this out of pride, but because I struggle with determining of which I am more thankful. Do I love all the things that I have more than God’s love? I go to church a couple times a week. I even preach at least once a week. But, I also go to Wal-Mart at least once a week. I read my Bible everyday, but I also watch hours of tv everyday. So which is really more important?

I can say that I love God more than anything, but the real answer to that question is evident in the way that I live. I once heard it said that God gives us money not so that we can enjoy it and do as we please, but so that we can spend it like we love God more than  it. God blesses me so that I can bless others. Likewise, my health is not for me to enjoy and take advantage of, but so that I can better serve God. Am I my master’s servant or just a friendly acquaintance that stops by for the occasional visit? I pray that I would live my life as if God was all I have.

What’s important to God?

Matthew 25:35-36 ‘For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

Mathew 25:45 He will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’

· Feed the hungry.

· Give drink to the thirsty.

· Make the stranger feel like family.

· If someone needs clothes give them clothes.

· Watch after the sick.

· Visit those that are in prison.

Christ actually says that those who don’t do for one of the least of these will go away to eternal punishment. We don’t hear this preached in our churches very often. We repeatedly hear how Christ loves everyone and if you will just accept him as your savior then you will spend eternity with him in heaven. Have we missed the mark on the message of the gospel? Have we sold an easy Christianity, one where you can add Christ like a new I-phone app? Going to him only when we think he has something to offer us, and then just living the rest of our lives however we want. It seems to me that being a follower of Christ comes with a price and I don’t mean in the way of a weekly fee that we put in the offering plate. If we read the gospel, and actually pay attention to it, it seems pretty clear that Christ has expectations for those who follow him.

Go to church, read your bible, pray… we have diminished being a disciple of Christ to 3 easy steps. All three of these ARE important and essential to a healthy relationship with Christ, but to be brutally honest that’s the easy part. It doesn’t require a lot of commitment, perhaps just one hour a week followed by 5 minutes a day. That sounds more like an easy work out plan than it does a life changing relationship with Christ. How about doing something for Christ that entails benefiting someone other than you?

In Matthew 25 Christ talks about the parable of the talents. Christ instructs them to throw the worthless servant, the servant who did not use the talents that the master gave him, outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

I believe with all of my heart that salvation is a free gift; however, if we choose to accept that gift we must be willing to accept the responsibilities that come with it. Faith is not an emotion. It goes, it does, and it serves. Faith is an action. Faith and actions work together. Our faith is made complete by what we do. (James 2:22)

But each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed.  Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full grow, gives birth to death. James 1:14-15

Sin doesn’t just happen.  I can’t count the amount of times that I have fallen only to think… “I didn’t see that coming.” Too many times we slip up and fall and act like our mistake was a sheet of black ice that we didn’t see as we walked over it.  Sin does not sneak up on you.  It does not catch you off guard and then attack when you are not looking.  James is very clear.  Sin happens when we allow evil desires to DRAG us away and entice us.  Drag us away from what?

Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings. My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me.

When we are walking in step with the spirit, meaning we are intentional about waking up and committing to walk with Christ, we are abiding in the shadow of the Almighty (Psalms 91:1) Any time we take our focus off of Christ we allow our own evil desire to entice us and drag us away from the protection (shadow) of the Lord.  It is when we are exposed and no longer under His wing that we allow our desires to conceive giving birth to sin.

When we take our eyes off of Christ we place them on something else. So stay alert, be focused, and don’t take your eyes off of Christ.

King Ahab did more evil in the eyes of the Lord than any of those before him.  He led the Israelites away from worshiping the one true God. I believe the 21st century king that has done more evil in the eyes of the Lord than any of those before him is consumerism.  The great danger with this king is that we have no one to stand up against other than ourselves.  So in the words of Elijah… “Stop wavering between two opinions.  If __________ is god worship him or it, but if the Lord is God worship him.” 1 Kings 18:21

I didn’t hang around Oklahoma very long after high school. It didn’t take me long before I found a local Coast Guard recruiter and signed away the next 4 years of my life. One of the most vivid memories I have of those few but invaluable years was my trip home from boot camp. I remember standing in line at the airport wearing my new uniform. Man was I proud of what I had just accomplished. While checking in to get my flight ticket an airline representative informed me that my flight had been overbooked. The good news was that because I was in the military my ticket was secured; however, the airline rep offered me a deal. She told me that if I would allow them to bump me to the next flight, which took off the next morning, they would comp me a future free flight to anywhere I wanted to go, a free night in a nice hotel, and they would upgrade me to first class. I remember standing there considering the offer they had just made me. I had never flown first class so that was pretty enticing. Not to mention the free flight. I could have gone to Hawaii and they would have paid for a round trip ticket. But the temptation of the free ticket, hotel, and upgrade didn’t last long. An overwhelming sense of sadness began to invade my body. I had been away from home for 3 months. I longed to see my future wife and my family. At that moment I didn’t care if they flew me home in a cargo plane full of chickens. I just wanted to be home. I wanted to be with those that I loved and those who loved me. I longed to be home.

I pray that we could be like that with Jesus. Do you long to be with Jesus? Do you wake up in the morning eager to spend time with him? Do you search for silent moments where you can stop and listen to the quiet but powerful voice of the Holy Spirit? Is Christ / the Holy Spirit something that you look forward to only when the weekends arrive? Or do you spend every waking breath longing for time spent with him?

May God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit be your constant desire.

But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. John 14:26 NIV

The very essence of the Gospel is not to get man into Heaven, but to get God into man.

John 10:10b I have come so that they may have life and have life to its fullest. Eternal life has been falsely viewed as something that starts at the end of this present life. Eternal life in heaven is not the reward that those who know Christ as their savior should be most excited about. The life is a life with Christ, a personal relationship with God. That’s the life that John 10:10 talks about. God did not send his son to die on the cross to only give us assurance of salvation. The eternal life that John 10:10b refers to is the life that begins at the conception of the Holy Spirit in our lives. The fullness of life is the bonus of knowing Christ as our Savior. Not only does he give us eternal life, but he also gives us fullness of life. Fullness of life is achieved when we continue on our journey to become even more Christ-like after we have received him as our Savior.

If we, as children of God, would view our calling to spread the gospel as introducing a life changing authentic faith to all those who don’t know Christ and not as adding another notch in our “got another one into heaven” belt, then I think the results would be… well, life changing. Think about it.

The very essence of the Gospel is not to get man into Heaven, but to get God into man.

Be Transformed

Romans 12:2

I’m sitting in my office working on some church stuff. My daughter, Haley, is sitting on the floor next to me reading a book for school. My daughter, Hannah, is in the living room working on her sight words for school with my wife. My dog is staring at me through the window next to my desk. And I leave in an hour to head to men’s group. The joys of working from home as a church planter… I wouldn’t want it any other way.

Thank you Lord!

Encouragement.  We all need it but few receive it.   One of the most repeated words of advice I receive from those familiar with church planting is “It’s the hardest thing you will ever do”.   Over the past year I have found that to be true in every respect.  However, I am overjoyed to say that the last several months have been the most encouraging months of my life.  Church planting does present itself with it’s fair share of difficulties, but those hard times are far surpassed by the amount of encouragement I receive from the men and women of Radiant Life.  I cannot describe how grateful I am for what God has done over the past year at Radiant Life.  I know that I am the pastor of those who attend RADLIFE, but I am certain that I get the better end of the deal.  While there is only one of me to lead those who consider RADLIFE their home I have an entire congregation of men, women, youth, and children who bring me great joy and encouragement everytime I see them.  So I would like to thank all of those who God has placed in my life over the past year.

Hebrews 10:23-25 Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.  Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another – and all the more as you see the day approaching.

Thank you Father for… I could never list all the things that I am thankful for.  So, better than thanking you for what you have done for me,  I PRAISE you simply because you are G_d.