Owning a Bible vs Reading Your Bible

Owning gym equipment won't get you in shape physically, and owning a Bible won't get you in shape spiritually. 

I've been subscribing to Runner's World for about a year now, but to be honest, I don't read it! And I've learned from experience that owning a copy of Runner's World doesn't make you any more of a runner than owning a Bible makes you a more Christ-like person. 

You have to read God's word, you have to reflect on God's Word and you have to respond to God's Word, for it to make any difference in your life. 

As we close 2012 you may be interested in picking up a Bible reading plan to help you stay faithful in reading God's Word. Here's a couple options for: 

1. New Day's One Year Bible Reading Plan 
2. Youversion Reading Plans 

Psalm 141:4

David prays in Psalm 141:4, "Do not let my heart be drawn to what is evil so that I take part in wicked deeds..." This is similar to The Lord's Prayer in Matthew 6 where Jesus instructs us to pray "And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from the evil one" (v.13). 

Our hearts are inclined toward evil because we were born with a sinful nature. Galatians 5:17 says "The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other..." We have received our current bodies from Adam (that is, we have all descended from Adam) and since Adam sinned we were born with a sin nature. However, we will receive our new bodies from Christ and since Christ never sinned we will not have a sin nature in heaven. But on this side of eternity our hearts, like David's heart, will be inclined towards sin. 

So are we left defenseless against these rebellious hearts we have? No! We have the superweapon of prayer. 2 Corinthians 10:4 says "The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds." A superweapon can turn around the outcome of a war very quickly. And that's exactly what prayer can do. 

Since temptations abound, so must our prayers! Here's a suggested prayer you could pray based off Psalm 141:4, Matthew 6:13, Galatians 5:17 and 2 Corinthians 10:4. 

Heavenly Father, my heart is inclined towards evil more than I like to admit. Please change my heart. I don't want to be guilty of practicing wickedness. Help me to do everything I can to avoid temptation, but when we do cross paths, help me to come out the winner and not the loser. I hate the conflicting desires within me! One part wants to do good but at the same time another part wants to do evil. Help me resist the part that wants to do wrong and give in to the part that wants to do right. I'm not trusting in my own strength to live right, I'm trusting in the power You provide when I pray. Amen. 

Agents of Salvation

I was reading today in Psalm 132:9, "Your priests will be agents of salvation..." That got me thinking about what an agent does. As I thought about it I realized an agent 1) works for someone and 2) offers certain services. For example...

An insurance agent works for an insurance company selling and servicing policies. A real estate agent works for the real estate company assisting a buyer or seller in a real estate transaction. A sports agent works for an agency and helps athletes with contract negotations, finances and public relations issues. 

This begs the question: "Well, what does an agent of salvation do?" Here's my own definition: An agent of salvation works for a non-profit called The Kingdom of God and assists mankind in making his peace with God through the forgiveness of sins Jesus alone can offer. 

Said another way: As Christians, we work for God and the service we provide is helping others make peace with God through Jesus. We use our lives, our influence, our talents and our resources to point others to Jesus. That is, we are agents of salvation! I know Psalm 132:9 says that priests are agents of salvation but 1 Peter 2:9 teaches that every believer is a priest of God! 

If you're a Christian, you know who you work for...

If you're a Christian, you know what services you're supposed to be offering others...

If you haven't been the best agent of salvation as of late, put that behind you. You can't change the past, but you can decide that today you're going to get back on track. Why not say a prayer right now that God would help you to use your life TODAY to point someone to Jesus? Eager to get started? Why not send a friend or family member one of our e-vites (just click here)? 

Rejoicing in God's Creation

For Lincoln's birthday I got a Pacman Frog...Don't be confused in thinking I bought a Pacman Frog for Lincoln. On the contrary, it was my mother who bought the frog, but I have fallen in love with this little creature! With a face like this, who wouldn't? 

I absolutely delight in God's creation! When I watch Planet Earth or Human Planet (minus all the evolution nonsense) I am simply fascinated at the creativity and wisdom of God. 

Isaiah 65:18 says of the New Heavens and New Earth "...be glad and rejoice forever in what I will create..." Even though this specifically applies to God's future creation, I think there's a principle here we can apply to His present one. God wants us to delight and take pleasure in and be fascinated with the work of his hands - his creation. 

Charles Spurgeon once wrote: 

I must confess that I think it a most right and excellent thing that you and I should rejoice in the natural creation of God.

I do not think that any man is altogether beyond hope who can take delight in the nightly heavens as he watches the stars, and feel joy as he treads the meadows all bedecked with kingcups and daisies. He is not lost to better things who, on the waves, rejoices in the creeping things innumerable drawn up from the vast deep, or who, in the woods, is charmed with the sweet carols of the feathered minstrels.

One of the purest and most innocent of joys, apart from spiritual things, in which a man can indulge, is a joy in the works of God. . . . I like to see my Savior on the hills, and by the shores of the sea. I hear my Father’s voice in the thunder, and listen to the whispers of his love in the cadence of the sunlit waves. These are my Father’s works, and therefore I admire them, and I seem all the nearer to him when I am among them.

When I read that I thought to myself "I can relate!" He goes on to say: 

If I were a great artist, I should think it a very small compliment if my son came into my house, and said he would not notice the pictures I had painted, because he only wanted to think of me. He therein would condemn my paintings, for if they were good for anything, he would be rejoiced to see my hand in them. Oh, but surely, everything that comes from the hand of such a Master-artist as God has something in it of himself!

What's Spurgeon trying to communicate here? I think he's saying: In the same way we can see the hand of an artist in his painting, so we can see the hand of God in his creation! 

Why not slow down just a bit today to admire God's creation...the majesty of a tree...the wonder of a bird flying...the beauty of a lake. Then praise God for his creation, for in it we see just a glimpse of His majesty, His wonder and His beauty. 

Alright - enough typing. Heading outside now with the kids to play with our bunny! 

Unlike our Guinea Pigs, he doesn't have anyone to play with!

The Evidence of our Faith

A few weeks ago Andrew and I attended Minister's Retreat in Cape Cod, and one of guest speakers, Mark Batterson (founder and lead pastor of National Community Church in Washington DC), shared the story of how he was trusting God to provide a drummer when his church first started, some sixteen years ago now. After praying about God providing a drummer, Mark sensed God pointing out to him that the church didn't even own a drum set. Mark reasoned "God, I'll buy a drum set as soon as You provide a drummer." But Mark felt God challenging him, "Mark, you buy a drum set and I'll provide a drummer." Long story short, Mark stepped out in faith and bought a drum set without any ideas regarding who might play them. The first Sunday they had the set, a drummer showed up and inquired about playing the drums. Turns out, he was in a military band and had played for the President of the United States. Mark joked that any drummer that has played for the President automatically qualifies to play for his church!

Shortly after the retreat where Mark spoke, I was told that of all the people that signed up during our recent ministry fair, no one signed up to serve in our audio/visual/lighting department. After hearing Mark's story, my first thought was "Of course no one signed up. We don't even have a chair for them to sit in!" So during staff meeting last week I told my team that if we were believing God to provide people to join our audio/visual/lighting department, we needed to show our faith by purchasing a chair, much like Mark showed his faith by purchasing drums. So Andrew bought an extra stool to put behind the computer table (for the new person we were believing God for). The chair was assembled and put out during set up, even though we had no one to sit in it yet.

No joke - This past Sunday someone walked up to me and said "I have a degree in sound and lighting and would like to start volunteering." I was absolutely blown away! And just today during a meeting I had someone else share with me that her husband is very good with computers and was looking for somewhere in the church to get involved!

What's my point in sharing all this? God responds to faith! Hebrews 11:1 says "Now faith is being sure of what we hope and certain of what we do not see." If we are believing God for something, there needs to be evidence of our faith. When my wife was believing God to provide a way to go to Valley Forge Christian College, even though this appeared to be a financial impossibility, she went out and bought towels (a small token of her faith that God would provide a way). God did provide a way, and within weeks she was enrolled and living on campus!

Is there anything in your life you are currently trusting God for? Is God witnessing any evidence of your faith? And if not, what does faith look like in your situation? How can you step out and show your faith in God? I believe with all my heart that if you're believing for something that honors God, and you'll step out in faith, you'll see the miraculous provision of God in your life!

Veteran's Day

Today I volunteered for my dad's non-profit "Grateful Citizens For the Appreciation of Veterans". We provided free food and drinks as a small token of our appreciation for those who have served our  country. 22 News and CBS 3 Springfield ended up covering the story and me and Lincoln ended up on TV. I'm so proud of my son!

Parade, ceremony for veterans in West Springfield

CBS 3 Springfield - WSHM

Where did this take place?

This morning I was reading the story of Samson in Judges 13-16. Mentioned in these chapters were the names of many towns I was unfamiliar with. I found myself asking "Where did this take place?" I couldn't of told you where Eshtaol, Zorah, Ashkelon, Gaza or Hebron were located. Knowing how helpful it is to understand where the events I'm reading about took place, I pulled out my Holman Bible Atlas by Thomas V. Brisco and skimmed over the chapters again, this time locating in my Bible Atlas where each town was located. This brought a deeper understanding and a richer Bible reading experience.

A Bible Atlas will help you better understand where the events you are reading about took place. Some Study Bibles already have maps in the back, but if yours doesn't you may want to purchase a Bible Atlas for your personal Bible study. In addition to the Holman Bible Atlas I would also recommend the Zondervan Atlas of the Bible by Carl G. Rasmussen.