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Dear friends, do you think you'll get anywhere in this if you learn all the right words but never do anything? Does merely talking about faith indicate that a person really has it? For instance, you come upon an old friend dressed in rags and half-starved and say, "Good morning, friend! Be clothed in Christ! Be filled with the Holy Spirit!" and walk off without providing so much as a coat or a cup of soup—where does that get you? Isn't it obvious that God-talk without God-acts is outrageous nonsense?

James 2: 14-17 (the message)

If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is useless.  Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.

James 1:26-27 (NKJV)

I Stinkin Love My Kids!

Last night around the dinner table, we actually had a family conversation that meant something!  It wasn't the typical inhale your food, leave your dirty dishes on the counter, or table, and bolt for the TV or Facebook.  It was kinda nice.  My kids peeled open a deep theological subject without them even realizing what they were doing.  The ensuing dialogue was awesome to say the least.  My oldest son asked the question, why would God choose only some people to go to heaven and not others?  Then my daughter said, why didn't He just make everybody love Him?  Then my youngest son, not wanting to be left out, said what if someone never heard about Jesus?  Would he go to heaven?  Killer convo going on here.  I perked up in my chair, my ears turned up like Spock, and I made my best attempt to explain these huge questions to a trio of adolescents.  It was like trying to explain which came first, the chicken or the egg?

Then the question turned to, does Jesus choose us, or do we choose Him?  O.K. now we are entering the Calvinism / Arminianism catechisms.  What?  This is awesome!  I tried to explain that God is God and He is sovereign (what's sovereign mean dad?) yeah - He can do what he wants to us, He created us.  Who are we to tell the creator of something that they don't have the right to do with it what they please.  Simple enough explanation right?  "Well, mom created us, can she just choose if she wants us to live or not, just like God?"  Yes honey sometimes she can.  No, just kidding.  I can just imagine Jesus sitting there in the empty chair next to me with a big ol grin on His face, thinking...well Steve what is your answer gonna be on this one?  I tried to explain that people way smarter than me (way way smarter than me) have discussed, debated, and divided on whether Jesus chooses us or we choose His free gift.  I also told them that they don't have to lose sleep over it, because they know for sure Jesus is in their hearts.  Ask Him which it is when you get there, but don't lose any sleep over it.  You've already got the golden ticket Charlie.  Once we know we are saved we need to work on our sanctification process.  Sancti - what process?  Getting closer to God, and letting Him be the ruler, and leader of our lives.  To build an awesome relationship with Him.  

Dinner was so great last night.  About as great as the Cardinals making it to the Superbowl!  Actually a little greater than that.  I am so stoked that I know where my kids are going, and that they are starting to learn why they believe what they believe.  Not just because that's what their parents believe, but starting to create their own identity.  Thank you Jesus for choosing me to be the father of these three kids.  I stinkin love my kids!

Get Lit

I've been thinking about this for a few days, so I thought I would just write it down.  Now some of you may say to this post - Duh - but just here me out, because this is really cool in perspective.  Jesus talks many times in the bible about being the light, whether it is in reference to Himself, or us.  The cool thing I was thinking about is that darkness can NEVER overtake light.  You may say, "sure it can"  if you snuff out the light, it becomes dark.  Right?  True.  However; the only reason it becomes dark, is because you have removed the light.  What about nightfall when it gets dark?  The sun has been removed, that's why it became dark.  Not because the darkness of night overpowered the sun.  

Walk into a dark room with a flashlight or candle and try to make it so dark that it blots out the light.  You can't!  But the light will always pierce the darkness.  It always wins.  Light can certainly overtake the darkness.  This is cool to me because as I apply it to Jesus, it tells me that He (being the light) will always win.  He will always overtake the darkness, or evil, because He is the light.  He is the source of light.  One other really cool thing to note:  The darker it gets - the brighter your light becomes.  I know you heard the light / dark thing as a kid in Sunday School, but hey!  It's not rocket science, or some deep theological breakthrough, I just thought it was cool.  

Be The Man!

Times are tougher now than I have ever seen them in my lifetime.  I'm 45.  The one constant is Jesus.  If I don't embrace Him now, I will never persevere through this.  It's time for me to man up, but that is easier said than done.  What do I mean?  I mean it is difficult being the leader and head of the household right now.  When the economy is good and we all get to eat at Cold Stone once a month, take the fam to a movie and buy those extra shoes that you don't need, things seem to run more on auto pilot without to many hiccups.  When times are rough (like now) it takes more to be the man.  There is a lot of responsibility put on us men that are husbands and fathers.  Not just from society, but from God himself.  We are supposed to be the leaders, the thinkers, the providers, the care takers, and the rock for our families.  When everything else crumbles and goes to hell, we are the ones that our family looks to for strength, guidance, and assurance that they are going to be alright.  

I wish I could say "no problem, I'm there"  but I can't.  We as men have to fully embrace and surrender to Jesus to help us get through "it."  I'm not asking for Jesus to take this away from us, I'm just asking for His help to get us through it.  I believe you will do one of two things.  Fold your tent and get in line for government cheese, or become stronger because of it.  If you fold your tent, you have turned your back on God.  Some days it's tough to keep it together in front of my family.  As men we are (as John Eldridge says) "posers"  "How's it going Steve" "good!"  Liar.  We internalize so much that we either explode or implode.  Usually we explode on our families, and implode with a bottle.  My son had a question posed to him - when do you feel closest to Jesus?  I think now my logical answer would be when I am with Him.  I am with Him when I am in prayer  and reading my bible.  I ask myself that same question regarding my family.  Or reverse it and ask the reciprocal of the question - when do you feel most distant? When you aren't with them spending quality time.  You will either shun Him or run to Him, which is it?

At a men's night a few weeks back we were given dog tags imprinted with LIVE PURE, SPEAK TRUTH, RIGHT WRONGS, FOLLOW THE KING.  What a great set of parameters to adhere to as men.  If we can remember those simple things, we as men will automatically draw closer to Jesus, and we will make it through this and be the men that He wants us and expects us to be.  Get close to God, and He will get close to you.  Nobody puts it better than the great philosopher Phil Knight - "Just Do It"  Thank you Jesus for all that you do for me.  You are awesome!

Fishing With Satan!

I love to fish.  I mean I really love to fish.  Sometimes I go alone, and sometimes with a buddy of mine.  But I would never dream of going fishing with Satan.  Would I?  When I go fishing by myself, I stand in the river looking at all of God's creation and get sucked in to a one on one time with my Creator, Friend, King, Savior etc.  It's an awesome time of reflection and bewilderment at the same time.  Reflection on how mighty and awesome He really is!  Bewilderment in the fact that I can't even come close to understanding Him.  The main points yes, the gray areas, no way.  Why so much grace for a wretch like me?  I have a hard time fathoming that, but I like it.  Why do bad things happen to good people?  Not sure on that one either.  I have some ideas, but trying to figure out God is like trying to do a Rubik's cube blindfolded with one hand.  But fishing with my God is an awesome thing.  It's real, it's authentic, and it's meaningful.

When you go fishing you are trying to trick the fish or fool them into something that is not what it seems.  You are "deceiving" them.

So fishing with Satan?  Satan is a great fisherman.  Probably the best.   He knows just what bait to use for each and every one of us, and most of us can't refuse it.  Once we bite down, it's hard to break free.  We nibble at the bait he's tempted us with.  Satan is the master deceiver, and gives us counterfeit bait i.e. love, significance, and security to name a few.   These tempting baited hooks take the form of money, porn, toys, power etc.  We bite down hard, and the hook sinks in deep.  Quite often, once the hook is set, he reels us in and lands us. 

We can avoid being hooked by knowing what kind of "bait" he is using.  We do this by knowing what is real and what is not.  We do this by enhancing our relationship with the real fisher of men -Jesus Christ.  If we do not invite Jesus to take complete control of our lives, we will be deceived, and we will take the bait.  Know the truth.  Know Jesus better.

2009 - The Year of the Nipple...again?

It's 2009 already!  I can still remember the panic leading up to Y2K, and that was nine years ago?!! Wow!  Well I for one am not big on New Years resolutions, because they hardly ever work, but I do think that the beginning of the year is a great time to assess or reassess what we can do or do better for the new year.  One of the areas to focus on is our spiritual growth.  For those who call themselves "Christians" or "Christ followers" it's time to stop sucking on the nipple. People who have been self proclaimed Christians for awhile, take this year as an opportunity to grow in maturity.  Make this the year that you wean yourself from the nipple and start to eat some real food.  Solid food. Steak!   Take this year to step out of your comfort zone and connect with Jesus where He is.  He lives outside our comfort zone most of the time, and we find excuse after excuse why we can't meet Him there.  How long can we continue to be satisfied with just milk?  Do you really want to be an infant your whole life?  Sadly, some do, and they like it that way.  No worries, just get my milk, burp, and go back to sleep. 

We really see the face of Jesus and his character when we break free of the nipple and start to grow up.  We all have teeth now, so none of us should be continuing to nurse anymore. 

What is solid food?

To me it's more than just an hour a week sitting with your friends.

It's more than just a prayer when you need something.

It's more than reading your Bible "once in awhile".

It's more than agreeing with someone who has a good idea.

It IS getting involved in our community.

It IS digging into God's word on a regular basis

It IS changing your habits that are contrary to the nature of Jesus

It IS learning about Jesus in ways you never knew.

It IS everything that brings you closer to Jesus.

2008 sucked for alot of people.  In my life it sucked financially, but it also brought me closer to Jesus.  That doesn't suck.  2009 is a year of opportunity.  An opportunity to build a closer relationship with Jesus.  It's really a no-brainer, He says draw close to me, and I will draw close to you.  So what's the excuse for 2009?

Break free of the nipple this year.