Whether you believe you can or can't either way you're right!

This famous line is by Henry Ford.  I love that statement because so often we end up sitting in the death trap of our own doubt.  Doubt is scary monster that we should all run from.  When we live in a state of doubt, our doubt will most certainly capture us and hold us ransom. 

The bible says that all things are possible through Christ who strengthens us. This means that there's nothing that you and I can't do with the power of God in us. We also believe and teach that God lives in us from the time of belief, or baptism which ever comes first.

As an illustration for this idea, I love to look at Peter as he was cruising across the water toward Jesus.  The story doesn't indicate how far out he got or how long he'd been walking, just that he saw the wind and the wave and sank like a rock!  Peter believed that he could walk on water simply because Jesus called him to come toward him.  Peter believed that no matter what his lord called him to do, he would be able to do it.  And honestly he was right!  Peter jumped out of that boat and I would venture to guess he started strolling toward Jesus like he'd been walking on water all the time. 

But something quickly changed - he began to dip into his reasoning and realized how crazy this water walking thing really was.  As soon as he quit believing that he could walk on water, he sank.  He didn't stop believing in Jesus, because Jesus was still walking on the water.  He stopped believing that he could do what he set out to do and instant failure snatched him up and dragged him down. 

We are all a bit like someone in this story. Either we step out in faith and start journey toward Jesus, like Peter started out doing, or we begin to doubt God's power in us and we immediately start treading water and sinking.  Or we could simply be like the other eleven in the boat, who were so comfortable with the status and position that they left the hard job to someone else. 

Whoever you are in this story, it's not hard to be like the first Peter and start walking toward Jesus.  It's not hard to simply believe that Jesus has given you the power to do what he has put before you and then simply to trust it and run!  Today take something and really trust God to be there.  Lean into him like you've never leaned into him before - and I promise, if it's the thing God has called you to do you'll be walking on water in no time! 

Lord give us the courage to do you will no matter what our reasoning tells us.  Amen.

What is faith?

Honestly - faith isn't really something that's hard to come by in our world.  People practice the basics of faith every day.  You get in a car and you exercise faith that the wide pedal on the left (or middle for you manual drivers) will stop you.  You put faith in that chair you're sitting in to read this.  Granted it's easy to have faith in something that you've seen work a million times or more.  It's easy to live by the philosophy that seeing is believing. 

But I'm inclinced to think of faith a little differntly.  Today you are at a monumental point in your life.  You are at a point when your life collides with the truth of Jesus' resurrection and the amazing grace of God given to you.  When these three roads collide, I believe that point is called radical faith. 

Any monkey can have faith, but it takes a follower of God to have radical faith.  Radical faith is leaning into God.  Even when you can't see him, lean.  Even when it seems as if he's gone and left you all alone - just keep leaning!  Never stop leaning into God. 

You see, what happens when you lean into God is simple.  You begin to see him.  You see him because you believe and trust that he's there.  Seeing isn't always believing, but truly believing is seeing.  That's what the writer of the book of Hebrews was getting at when he wrote - faith is being sure of what is hoped for and certain of what is yet unseen. 

When you can see what's not physically there, chances are, you've been leaning into God.  When challenges arise, lean into God.  When everything's going right, lean into God.  When you have needs, lean into God.  No matter where you are or what's going on in your life, lean into God.  He'll never let you down!  He will let you slip and sometimes get skinned up a bit, but he'll never leave you all alone. 

Lord help us to live with radical faith today. Help us lean into you today! Amen.

When broken doors open doors

It's been a couple of months ago now that I was looking out my home office window after hearing a loud crash.  As it turned out my neighbor had an unfortunate experience with their garage door - it twisted off track and had come down at a diagonal.  Now admittedly I'm not knowledgeable about garage doors at all but I am adventurous and always willing to learn.  I'm what many call a "jack of all trades, master of none." 

So I proceeded to go over to see if I couldn't lend a hand to at least get the door all the way to the ground.  Well a little muscle later the door was down on the ground and the home owner had made arrangements for the repairman to come the next day to make the necessary adjustments.  What happened next could only be from God. 

The home owners began asking questions about what I did for a living - obviously not garage door repair.  This led to a wonderful conversation that lasted for over an hour and a couple of beers (thanks man!).  The family now worships with us on a regular basis - and all because a door broke!

The moral of the story is don't overlook a broken door it might just be a couple of beers away from a gospel moment. 

In all seriousness God does some amazing things when we're not even paying attention.  He breaks doors all of the time just to see how we'll respond.  Today I pray that we have our eyes open to see where God is moving and what he is breaking.  I pray that we see and respond to the broken door and that we get the wonderful experience I had of sharing my Jesus over a couple of good domestic cold ones. 

Lord, be with us today as we seek to live our lives for you.  Open our eyes so that we can see you moving and breaking things around us.  Help us to respond with hands ready for service and mouths ready to speak the truth of your love.  Amen. 

Faith like a child.

Today I spent time reading from Luke 18, 1 Timothy 3-4, and 2 Chronicles 8-9.  There were many wonderful things to mine through in today's readings but I was able to choose one verse to meditate on today.  It's from Luke 18:17 - I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it. 

Natalie at 9 months

I've often wondered what faith like a child meant.  When my twins were born, I never gave much thought to how much they depended on Carrie and I caring for them.  Now with Natalie, my eyes are much more open to the things that God wants me to learn.  With experience comes wisdom, I do believe!  Nevertheless, I'm reminded of the times when I'm holding Natalie and drinking a glass of water.  She loves to drink out of my glass whenever she can.  It's actually cute.  She simply trusts that what's in that glass will not harm her and that I have her best interests at heart.  But the other day I was sitting on the floor in the living room, having a beer, when she crawled up to me and grabbed for the glass!  She wanted a drink.  Now for all of you worry warts - no I didn't give her any!  It just reinforced in my mind that she would have received anything I gave her, at least for an instant, with complete trust that it was best for her. 

In our reading today from Luke 18, Jesus says that we need to be more like these little ones - who simply believe that he's not out to harm them but rather out to build them up and save them.  We need to exercise faith like a child!  When's the last time you asked yourself, What's God up to? or perhaps, Why is he allowing this to happen to me?  We all do this from time to time - expect that God will treat us better or assume that because the world sees it as bad, that it's really bad.  Jesus doesn't give as the world gives.  Jesus doesn't give what the world gives. 

He gives us grace, forgiveness, hope, mercy, love, and new life!  These are his promised blessings to us.  Nothing can make God love you any less than he does today!  He loved you enough to give up his own son to die for you.  What an amazing thing!  Now you don't do anything to earn it.  You'll never deserve it.  It's just yours.  Just receive it, like Natalie received the glass of water.  Receive it knowing that it is yours and that it's there for your good.  When rough times hit, and they will, remember the wonderful gifts of God and receive them all as teaching moments when God is forming you to be the person that he has called you to be. 

God is calling you to live like a child today!  Cut loose and trust in God above all else! He's right here with you every step of the way!  Thanks daddy! We love you!

Father God, we are clay in your hands - mold us and form us into the people that you've called us to be.  Give us hearts that trust what you say and lives that live what you teach.  AMEN.