Good Morning Everyone,

 

Our theme for this month: “Balance”

 

Our Bible verse for today: “The boundary lines have fallen for me in beautiful places; indeed I have a beautiful inheritance.” Psalm 16:6 (HCSB)

 

Our thought for today: “Be thankful for what you have.”

 

A couple of days ago I was having a conversation with a friend who is dealing with a lot of challenges in life. This person has a spouse with a long-term illness, family members dealing with various difficult life-issues, a couple of grandchildren with some health issues, and an often stressful work environment.

 

But as we were talking this individual said, “I have a beautiful life. I am so blessed!” She went on to say “Despite the challenges, I am a very fortunate person and I am grateful.” We then moved on to talk about a mutual friend of ours who is currently serving as a medical missionary in a refugee camp in a remote location on the other side of the world. The refugees have been forced to flee from their homes, they left all their possessions behind, and they are now living in tents with an uncertain future.

 

Our First-World problems are not problems at all compared to what multiple millions of people around the world are dealing with everyday. To remind me of that I keep a note to myself in my Bible which reads, “Many millions of people around the world would love to have your life.”

 

I love the picture King David painted for us in Psalm 16:6. When he wrote that “the boundary lines” had fallen for him in beautiful places he was referring to the contours of his life. He was thinking of things like health, family, home, profession, friends, etc. His life wasn’t perfect by a long shot, but it was pretty good and he was grateful for it. That’s what my friend meant when she made a similar comment about her own life – not perfect by a long shot, but pretty darn good just the same.

 

King David’s lessons is and important one. One of the primary reasons our lives get out of balance is because we’re not grateful and we’re not satisfied. Therefore many of us work excessive hours of overtime so we can afford the payments on things like a boat and a camper (which we seldom use because we work so much!) Or we spend numerous hours in the gym trying to achieve the perfect body while our spouse and children wait at home, starving for some of our attention. Or we become so obsessed with children’s sports leagues (which play many of their games on Sunday mornings now) that we have the whole family out of church and at a soccer game instead – and so our spiritual lives get neglected.

 

In order to achieve proper balance in life we have to be willing to give the important areas of our lives the time and attention they need in order to be healthy and thriving. If one area is getting more than its share of time or attention that will necessarily mean that one or more other areas are being neglected. The result will be a life that is out of balance.

 

Rather than getting obsessive about one particular area of your life (to the detriment of other areas), I encourage you to learn to be content and to strive instead for good balance instead.

 

God Bless,

Pastor Jim

Good Morning Everyone,

 

Our theme for this month: “Balance”

 

Our Bible verse for today: “Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely. And may your spirit, soul, and body be kept sound and blameless for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Thessalonians 5:23 (HCSB)

 

Our thought for today: “Work to achieve wholeness”

 

I first encountered the concept of “wholeness” in the Christian life many years ago at conference in Los Angeles. The conference was sponsored by the Renovare Institute, which is a Christian ministry committed to assisting individual Christians and churches to pursue spiritual formation at a deeper level. The concept of wholeness in the Christian life was a prominent theme in many of the workshops and sermons.

 

A generally accepted definition of Christian wholeness is “The state of being well in body, soul, and spirit (with the soul being understood to incorporate the mind, will, and emotions).” So a Christian who is enjoying “wholeness” is healthy physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.

 

Additionally, each of those areas impacts and affects the others. For instance, how you feel physically influences to some degree how you’re doing mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Likewise, if you’re struggling with your mental or emotional health, it is often difficult get motivated to exercise, or eat right. And of course since at your core you are a spiritual person, if you are not healthy spiritually then that has a negative impact on every other area of life.

 

You are a “whole” person. You consist of a physical body, a mind that is mental and emotional, and you are a spiritual being. All of them are intricately connected and they impact one another. Therefore you need to be balanced and healthy physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually in order to be enjoying the “wholeness” I described a moment ago.

 

This is what Paul was writing about in 1 Thessalonians 5:23. The sanctification he referred to in that verse is the process of transformation the Holy Spirit is using to slowly and progressively change us into the men and women God intends for us to be. First, foremost, primarily, and most importantly that transformation is spiritual in nature. But it isn’t just spiritual. As Paul inferred in 1 Thessalonians 5:23, it includes your body and you mind too (may your spirit, soul and body be kept sound …)

 

The book I referred to yesterday, “Toughness Training for Life” by Dr. James Loehr, is not a Christian book. Although Dr. Loehr does acknowledge the importance of the spiritual person, his focus is mostly on the physical, mental, and emotional areas of life. If you’re looking for an excellent study that illustrates how professional athletes achieve a healthy balance in those areas, this book is worth your time to read. In the days to come I will offer you additional suggestions that incorporate good spiritual growth as well. In the meantime please be thinking about the importance of being a whole and balanced person physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.

 

God Bless,

Pastor Jim

Good Morning Everyone,

 

Our theme for this month: “Balance”

 

Our Bible verse for today: “There is an occasion for everything, and a time for every activity under heaven.” Ecclesiastes 3:1 (HCSB)

 

Our thought for today: “There is a right time for everything.”

 

This morning I have intentionally reused Ecclesiastes 3:1 as our Bible verse for today even though I used it yesterday too. That’s because this verse is essentially our guiding verse for the entire month and it teaches a lesson that we really need to get. In order to fully appreciate the point Solomon is making we need to consider the entire passage:

 

“There is an occasion for everything, and a time for every activity under heaven; a time to give birth and a time to die; a time to plan and a time to uproot; a time to kill and a time to heal; a time to tear down and a time to build; a time to weep and a time to laugh;

a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to throw stones and a time to gather stones; a time to embrace and a time to avoid embracing; a time to search and a time to count as lost; a time to keep and a time to throw away; a time to tear and a time to sew; a time to be silent and a time to speak; a time to love and a time to hate; a time for war and a time for peace.” (3:1-8)

 

In that passage Solomon makes it clear that there is a time to be born and a time to die and a time for everything in-between. Like my mother used to say, “A place for everything and everything in its place.” This is about appropriate balance.

 

But appropriate balance is something many of us lack. Usually we work too much, or not enough; we’re exercise fanatics, or we don’t exercise at all; we relax too much, or too little. Few of us really get it right.

 

This matters because God designed us to thrive when our lives are balanced. If you were to conduct a thematic study of “balance” and trace it as a thread through the Bible you would discover that God gives us equal parts of “Go and do” along with “Stop and rest”. But most of us “go” and “do” until we drop; or we spend too much of our time stopped and resting and not getting much of anything done.

 

Dr. James Loehr was a renowned sports psychologist who spent his career working with world class athletes like professional tennis players and Olympians. These were people who were driven to the extremes of hard work and discipline – so much so that they were prone to burn out. Dr. Loehr discovered that one of the most important lessons they needed to learn was that of balance – specifically balance between the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual aspects of life. That’s where we will pick this up tomorrow. In the meantime I encourage you to give some thought to whether or not your life might be out of balance in those four key areas.

 

God Bless,

Pastor Jim

Good Morning Everyone,

 

Our theme for this month: “Balance”

 

Our Bible verse for today: “There is an occasion for everything, and a time for every activity under heaven.” Ecclesiastes 3:1 (HCSB)

 

Our thought for today: “We need a healthy balance in life.”

 

Happy New Year! Do you have some goals you hope to achieve in 2018? Perhaps you’re going to work on an important change or two which needs to take place in your life. This morning, as we begin the New Year, I’ll share one of mine with you.

 

Some of you have wondered how I come up with the theme for each month’s daily devotional series. Often it ends up being something that God is in the process of working through in my own life (That’s the case this month). I then get to share those lessons with you. Since we’re really not that different, those lessons are often helpful to you as well as to me.

 

As I sat here at my desk very early this past Saturday morning, having just sent out the last devotional for 2017, I realized I didn’t have a clue what to write about for January 2018. The Lord hadn’t given me anything yet. That’s unusual. Usually He gives me the next theme a week or so before it’s needed. Therefore my mind will already be working in that direction – but not this time.

 

I have to admit I was a little irritated with Him about it. Christmas is always a busy time in the life of a Pastor but that was especially true this year. In addition to all the regular Christmas stuff, I had four staff members get sick or injured (three of them had surgery). Four other church members had accidents or surgeries during that time too. Additionally, I made two trips to California during that time to bring my disabled daughter home to Tennessee and then to bring her back to California again – all of it within a three week period.

 

So as I sat there on Saturday morning, with no clue what to write about in January, I was exhausted and a little annoyed with God for not giving me the next theme yet. In prayer I said something like, “God, I don’t need this aggravation right now. Do you know what these last three weeks have been like for me? What’s up with You not giving me the next theme yet? This isn’t helping!”

 

As I sat there stewing a bit (pouting maybe), with my chest hurting a little from the stress, frustrated that I didn’t have a theme yet for the new month, I thought about how easy it was for me to write last month’s series “Living with no excuses”. That’s the story of my life! I’m OCD by nature, and then there’s those two decades of military discipline that is now in my DNA. So I can march myself through life like a goose-stepping Nazi Storm Trooper. I can force myself to keep going and to get stuff done. Eliminating excuses and getting things done is not my problem. Coming up for air once in a while is my problem. I need better balance in my life.

 

And then it hit me. God had given me the theme for January. It’s the very thing I need more of in my life right now – balance. And although, once again, these devotionals begin with God working something out in my life and you getting to read about it, I know that this is meant for you too. I know many of you. I know what most of your lives are like. Therefore I know that this issue is a problem for many of you too.

 

This month we’ll give some deep devotional thought to living life well – without making excuses – but while maintaining a healthy balance as well.

 

God Bless,

Pastor Jim

Good Morning Everyone,

 

Our theme for this month: “Living with no excuses”

 

Our Bible verse for today: “Teach us to number our days carefully so that we may develop wisdom in our hearts.” Psalm 90:12 (HCSB)

 

Our thought for today: “Use your time wisely.”

 

Our time is precious. We only get a limited amount of it and once a moment is gone, we can never have it back. And so we need to be wise about what we do with our time. That’s the lesson of Psalm 90:12. That does not mean that we need to stay in perpetual motion, always doing things, always striving to accomplish something. Not at all. Sometimes the best use of our time is to do nothing at all. Sometimes we need a break.

 

But still, when it comes to how we use our time, wisdom is called for. Generally people fall victim to one of two tendencies which result in wasted time, or time that was not used well. The first tendency is to fritter away large blocks of your time doing nothing of any value. Hours upon hours of video games falls into this category. So does excessive television watching.

 

The other tendency many people get trapped in is what has been called “The tyranny of the urgent”. In his editorial contribution to the “Every Man’s Bible” Dr. David Jeremiah writes, “We must keep in check our own tendency to put the big things aside for the little ones. It’s what Charles Hummel called the “tyranny of the urgent” – putting the more important thing behind the more immediate thing. In any given moment we need to be aware of the wisest way to invest the moment we so briefly hold in our grasp.”

 

In a previous devotional I told you that President Teddy Roosevelt is one of my personal heroes. Through the books he himself wrote, and through the books that have been written about him, he has served as something of a mentor to me. Some observations from those close to him about how he used his time include, “He squeezed every ounce of living from his experience, day to day.” And, “TR safeguarded his time ruthlessly so as to have time for the most important things.” And also, “He believed that life was worthwhile; that the years and days were given to a man in trust, and that it was a crime to waste even an hour.”

 

2017 is almost over. 2018 will begin in just a couple of days. If you are fortunate enough to live through the entire year you will have 12 months, 52 weeks, 365 days, or 8736 hours. Will you use that time wisely? Do you have a plan that will help you to use it wisely? As I said, we do not have to be, nor should we be, in perpetual motion. It’s important to use our time productively but we also have to be smart and we need to have balance. Plan to be productive. Don’t make excuses. But don’t burn yourself out.

 

God Bless,

Pastor Jim

Good Morning Everyone,

 

Our theme for this month: “Living with no excuses”

 

Our Bible verse for today: “Then he took his staff in his hand, chose five smooth stones from the stream, put them in the pouch of his shepherd’s bag and, with his sling in his hand, approached the Philistine.” 1 Samuel 17:40 (NIV)

 

Our thought for today: “Use what you have and make it work for you.”

 

Danny Martinez had a gravelly voice and he really couldn’t carry a tune. And yet he was one of the most popular song leaders in the California Southern Baptist Association in the 1990s. Truthfully, this man was never going to make a record or be heard on the radio, but he was the song leader for a church of more than 1000 people and he was always being invited to other churches to lead the music in revival meetings.

 

Danny’s secret, and the thing that made him so popular and successful as a song leader even though he really couldn’t sing, was his enthusiasm. Danny loved music, he loved singing, and he loved getting other people to sing too. He was a ball of fire on the stage and people willingly followed his lead. Danny didn’t have a voice but he did have plenty of enthusiasm. So he took what he had and he made it work for him.

 

In 1 Samuel 17:40 we read about the boy David facing the giant Goliath. David did not have size, strength, armor, a sword, or a shield. What he did have was five stones, a slingshot, and strong faith in God. He said to Goliath, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty.” (17:45). Then he killed the giant. David may not have had the skills and tools of a warrior, but he took what he did have and he made it work for him.

 

Noah Galloway was missing an arm and a leg from a roadside bomb in Iraq. His condition as a double amputee could have been an excuse for doing little or nothing with the rest of his life. But he had a burning desire within him to overcome his limitations and to accomplish things in life with only two limbs that many people with four limbs would never do. He took what he had (a burning desire to excel), and he made it work for him.

 

I know a man who is seventy-four years old and still wants to work. He’s out looking for a job right now. He knows he lacks youth, strength, and technological understanding. Instead he has experience, maturity, and wisdom. He’ll get a job. He will use what he has and he will make it work for him.

 

So what’s your limiting factor that’s holding you back from accomplishing the things you want to do in life? Rather than focusing on what you don’t have and using that as an excuse, I encourage you to focus on what you do have and then figure out ways to make that work for you. What you’re seeing as a limitation could become your biggest asset.

 

God Bless,

Pastor Jim

 

 

Good Morning Everyone,

 

Our theme for this month: “Living with no excuses”

 

Our Bible verse for today: “No rotten talk should come from your mouth, but only what is good for the building up of someone in need, in order to give grace to those who hear.” Ephesians 4:29 (HCSB)

 

Our thought for today: “Speak life”

 

This might seem silly but even though I’m almost sixty-four, when I work-out I often listen to Christian rap music. I do. The strong beat and the intensity of the lyrics gets my blood pumping and motivates me to work-out harder. (I’m not going to tell you whether or not I also shuck and jive along with the music, you don’t need to know that, but since I work-out by myself in my garage I could do that if I wanted to and nobody would see me.)

 

My favorite Christian rap artist is Toby Mac. On one of his older albums he has a song called “Speak Life”. It’s all about the power of words. One line goes, “Though it’s crazy, amazing, we can turn a heart with the words we say. Mountains crumble with every syllable. Hope can live or die. So speak life, speak life … to the deadest darkest night. Speak life, speak life …Look into the eyes of the brokenhearted; watch them come alive as soon as you speak hope, you speak love, you speak life …”

 

This is a common theme in the Bible. Over and over again God warns us to watch our words and to choose them carefully. James reminds us that the tongue is like a little spark that can set an entire forest ablaze. James and Paul both teach that Christians are to not use profanity or even course speech. And Jesus warns that we will be held accountable for every word we speak.

 

So you would think that Christians would be especially mindful of their words and would be careful to “Speak life” instead of death. But sadly that’s often not the case. I hear Christians use profanity more often than you would think. It’s also not uncommon for a Christian to allow their words to be fueled by anger or emotion and they end up saying things that should not be said.

 

I’m also saddened and disappointed by the tone of the rhetoric Christians sometimes use when they’re engaged in political disagreements and especially in the culture wars. Much of the opinion and social commentary coming from “Christians” is absolutely scathing, overheated, mean-spirited, and even hateful. They then excuse themselves by explaining that they feel strongly about the issue and they have a right to say so. Well, yes they do have a right to say so. But you can make your point better, and have a better chance of being listened to, if you speak in a reasoned and moderate tone than if you’re overheated and mean.

 

All too often our words are unacceptable and unbiblical. But there’s no excuse for it. Our tongue is one of the first body parts that should surrendered to the control of the Holy Spirit. Don’t make excuses for your unacceptable speech. Make it a point to speak words of life, speak words that bless people.

 

God Bless,

Pastor Jim

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Good Morning Everyone,

 

Our theme for this month: “Living with no excuses”

 

Our Bible verse for today: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not rely on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV)

 

Our thought for today: “Pray hard, make your best decision, and get moving.”

 

In yesterday’s devotional I explained the importance of action. Just wishing things were different is a meaningless waste of time if you don’t actually do something about it. However one of the most common excuses Christians use for not taking action is “I don’t have clear direction from God.” Or, “I’m waiting for a word from the Lord.” By that they usually mean they’re waiting for God to remove all doubt and indecision by providing them with a crystal clear path forward.

 

But as it turns out, God doesn’t usually do that. Oh, sometimes He does. Sometimes He provides overwhelming clarity and clear direction, but usually not. Instead He has given us clear instruction regarding His general will, as explained in the Bible. We are to stay within those boundaries but beyond that, he wants us to figure it out for ourselves. He wants us to use our brains and our good spiritual judgment to make smart choices. That’s why He gave us brains and it’s why He has worked to help us develop good judgment – so we can use it.

 

Although it might not appear so at first, this is exactly what Proverbs 3:5-6 teaches. Bear with me a moment and you will see that.

 

As a parent you want to teach your child how to think things through for themselves and to make smart choices without always having everything spelled out for them in explicit detail. In your training of them you make sure they know, in advance, what your general expectations are and what the boundaries are, but beyond that you want them to learn how to think for themselves and to make good decisions. Additionally, as they do, you will continue to coach them and offer guidance along the way as necessary in order to keep them on the right track. But you don’t want to have to continually dictate every decision and every step for them.

 

God is no different with us. He gave you a brain, he developed your unique personality, He allowed you to determine your own interests in life, and He has guided your spiritual development. All of that is an important part of who you are as a unique individual. You’re not a robot with your every function pre-determined for you. God wants you to think, figure things out, made decisions, try stuff, learn from your mistakes, and then try more stuff. That’s how you learn and develop and grow.

 

But we’re not entirely on our own. Proverbs 3:5-6 is just one piece in a body of Biblical literature which assures us that if our heart is right, and if we are truly seeking to honor God in the choices we make and the actions we take, He will provide sufficient guidance to at least keep you in the ballpark.

 

As we approach the New Year and we’re each considering goals we will set and actions we will take, prayerfully lay it out before the Lord, ask Him to give you wisdom and insight, make the best decision you can, and then get moving. God gave you a mind, and He doesn’t mind if you use it.

 

God Bless,

Pastor Jim

Good Morning Everyone,

 

Our theme for this month: “Living with no excuses”

 

Our Bible verse for today: “A wise man will listen and increase his learning, and a discerning man will obtain guidance.” Proverbs 1:5 (HCSB)

 

Our thought for today: “Make a plan, choose an example, and get moving.”

 

One of my favorite Presidents was Teddy Roosevelt. I’ve read multiple biographies of his life and I love his story. He was a small, weak, sickly and sheltered child. Because of his weak physical condition he was quiet, withdrawn, and bookish. He loved to read stories about great men from history who were brave and strong, and who accomplished meaningful things in life. He wished he could be like that too.

 

One day some older bigger boys cornered him and made great fun out of picking on him. They bullied him without mercy and there was little that Teddy could do to defend himself. But that was a turning point for him. Teddy decided he wasn’t going to live like that anymore. So he started a training program to transform himself. For one thing, rather than just reading about the great men he admired, he decided to be like the great men he admired. Rather than just reading about and admiring their examples, he decided to take action and to copy their examples.

 

Action was what made all the difference in his life. When he stopped wishing and started doing, things started to change. If you’re familiar with the rest of his story then you know that through a rigorous regime of exercise and physical activity he went from being a sick and sheltered little boy into a strong, robust, courageous man who lived a life of adventure and who accomplished great things. The key was action. He didn’t just wish things were different but he took action to make things different. One of the ways he did it was by following the good examples of others who had already accomplished the things he wanted for himself.

 

I’m certainly no Teddy Roosevelt but I did learn two important lessons from his story that have helped to shape my own life. The first lesson I learned and copied from him was the importance and value of learning from others. Find people who have accomplished things that you admire and would like to accomplish as well, and learn from them. That’s one of the reasons I read so many biographies of great men and women, and it’s also why I’m so picky about my friends and associates. I read about and associate with people I admire and can learn from. That’s exactly what Solomon was teaching in Proverbs 1:5 – listen, learn, and copy.

 

The second important lesson I learned from Teddy Roosevelt’s example was about action. Wishing things were different is a meaningless waste of time if you don’t do something about it.

 

The New Year is just days away now. Have you set some goals for yourself for 2018? Do you have a plan of action to achieve those goals? Have you considered the examples of others who have gone before you and who have successfully achieved what you want to do? I encourage you to make a plan, choose an example to follow, and then get moving.

 

God Bless,

Pastor Jim

Good Morning Everyone,

 

Our theme for this month: “Living with no excuses”

 

Our Bible verse for today: “Make your own attitude that of Christ Jesus, who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God as something to be used for His own advantage. Instead He emptied Himself by assuming the form of a slave, taking on the likeness of men. And when He had come as a man in His external form, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death – even to death on a cross.” Philippians 2:5-8 (HCSB)

 

Our thought for today: “Jesus made no excuses”

 

As I write this it is Christmas morning 2017 and I’m thinking about the incarnation of Jesus. On Christmas we celebrate the fact that Jesus, as the second person of the Trinity, voluntarily laid aside the honor and the glory that was rightfully His, left the splendor of heaven, and came to earth in the form of a helpless human baby.

 

He lived for thirty-three years upon this earth as a regular person in humble circumstances, and then He died upon a cross to pay the price for your sins and mine. The cradle in Bethlehem led to the cross on Calvary.

 

We must not miss the fact that Jesus didn’t have to do this. It was a voluntary act on His part. He did it out of love for us. At any time He could have chosen not to, and He could have justifiably come up with an infinite number of excuses for not doing it – number one being that the sins were not His and therefore He shouldn’t have to suffer for them.

 

This all brings us back to our theme for this month “Living with no excuses”. Jesus didn’t make excuses and so as His followers we shouldn’t either.

 

As we prepare to begin a new year will you recommit your life to the One who gave His life for you? In the Bible God has given us some pretty clear instructions about how He wants us to live, and it’s really not that complicated. In Matthew 22:37-40 Jesus summed it up for us when He said:

 

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and most important commandment. The second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets depend on these two commandments.”

 

Loving God with all your heart will involve prayer, Bible study, and worship. Loving your neighbor will involve acts of mercy, compassion, and ministry, as well as fellowship.” Will you commit yourself to taking your love for God and for others to a new level in 2018? Jesus made no excuses when it came to sacrificing for us, so we should make no excuses when it comes to living for Him.

 

God Bless,

Pastor Jim