Living Out Our Faith

This morning, my wife and I read in James chapter 2 and pondered on the idea of what it means to have faith with deeds. This idea of needing to watch our deeds causes a problem for many people.

If we are saved by grace and the Lord has truly done everything that was needed to bring wholeness, what deed must be done, besides surrendering to Him?

Can we somehow make God’s redemption better by our actions?

The answer is easy.

There is nothing you can do to be more complete in Christ once He has miraculously taken your brokenness and made you whole and pure.

If this is the case, then why are deeds important? Another way to look at this is to understand that every moment we are alive and each breath we take is living out our faith. If my deeds are honoring to the Lord and the amazing commitment He has made to me, then it is the direct result of a faith that is strong. If the actions of my day and the attitudes that I form dishonor the Lord then that also speaks very clearly of what my faith looks like and will only prove that my faith is faltering.

For example, this week as a family we are going to tithe and give to the Lord as He has asked. There is a part of my brain, that if I allowed it to rule, may talk me out of tithing and spend the money on one of the many “needs and wants” that we have. If I chose to do that, the Lord will still love me, but it is a good litmus test of where my faith in God is and if I truly believe that He can supply for my life better than I can. Then, let’s say that I do tithe. This does not make God love me more or less. Remember, the Lord loves us completely right now with every doubt, attitude and problem that may be present. The action of tithing this week will only be the faith that is already resident lived out.

This is important as we grow in the Lord. I hope and pray that my life will daily shine as a man who doesn’t just speak about faith or profess faith, but whose actions speak louder than anything said. May the Lord help each of us increase our faith, so the actions we put our lives to will honor the amazing love that God has given us.


James 2:14-19 What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds." Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do. You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.

Keeping to the Simple Things

Why do we make it so hard to serve the Lord? It seems the more simple I keep my obedience the Lord is able to move and affect me and my families lives.

The choice…

Trust like a child…

Pick up my cross daily…

Keep my eyes focused on Jesus…

Forgive as the Lord has forgiven you…

If I give away my life then I will find it…

Embrace and allow the Holy Spirit to be your guide…

As you go make disciples of all nations baptizing them…

OR

As I go make this life about me and let worry about the lost…

Embrace this world and its desires and let it be my guide…

Hold on to my life and guard it- after all I am #1…

Forgive if they somehow deserve it…

Keep looking at the storms…

Live daily for self...

Walk in fear…

The choice…


1 John 2:15-17
Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.

This scripture changed altered my very existence when I was 17 years old. Now 20 years later it is still such a powerful reminder of who God wants me to be and what He has for my life. We each must decide on a daily basis- will we serve the Lord, our flesh, or the world. There is only one of these that will bring hope, peace, and joy. Who and what are you serving?

Live it Loudly

Who do you say that I am?

This was a very important question that was asked to Peter by Jesus in Matthew 16:13-20. The answer that Peter gave is what put his life on a course that would honor the Lord and make such an impact that 2000 years later his life is still used as an example for all to see.

When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Who do people say the Son of Man is?" They replied, "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets."


"But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?"

Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."


Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." Then he warned his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Christ.

As stated in this scripture it was this very confession that allowed the Lord to give Peter such an amazing authority and future. My hope and prayer is that the decisions of who I am and what I do scream so loudly that this world knows that I confess Jesus as the Son of the Living God.



Dear Lord,

Please take my heart and purify it. Take my faith and strengthen it. Take my resolve to serve you and intensify it. I pray for my life and each person who will read this, that you challenge them today to confess you are Lord. Not just by attending church on a Sunday or somehow slowly leaking that you are their Savior when it is convenient, but that each of our lives will be a banner to your promises and truth.

God be with us.

Facing the Monsters

I remember when my kids were young and their imaginations would look into the darkness and conjure up the scariest monsters. We would talk with them and tell them that there were no monsters and that they were safe. But it wasn't until we actually turned on the light and the darkness was gone that they would settle in and trust that everything was going to be OK.

One of the biggest lies that the human race falls into is the belief that facing difficult situations and the unknown will somehow bring pain and death. When the truth is as we face those situations it is like turning on the light in a dark room. It is only scary as long as the light is off. However, when the brightness shines out and brings truth, fear is no longer part of the equation. When the light is turned on and all can be seen it is time to deal with the truth. There are times that I have turned on the light only to find a huge mess and how I wish I could just turn off the light and it would all go away. This is not reality or what God has asked of us. The only spiritual beings that dwell in the shadows and darkness are Satan and his minions. Why is it that we so often want to join him with our secrets and shadowed corners full of pain and fear?

Isaiah 42:16

I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them.

Ephesians 5:8-14

For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for it is light that makes everything visible. This is why it is said: "Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you."

Both of these scriptures bring a promise to those who step into the God’s truth that the Lord will guide, protect, and love them while they walk this journey called life. This does not mean that the journey will always be free of mountains to climb or dangerous obstacles to overcome. It simply means, that as we take each step, we can do it with all of God’s direction, grace and truth. Here are a few steps for you to begin walking into the light and allow the Lord to give you strength to face the truth.

Pray- ask God for strength, this light can only be turned on by the Lord and what is found should only be faced with His empowerment.

Read and memorize scripture- Even when Jesus was facing His largest temptations head on he did not simply rely on His resolve. He quoted scriptures that brought light into the darkness and ultimately overcame the plans of Satan.

Go and Talk- This is so important. I know many people who struggle with the first two steps and make it to this step and then shut down. I believe without this step the darkness will prevail. We need to confess our sin. Face those who have hurt us or those we have caused pain. This time of facing the darkness is not to pick up stones to throw or position your self to be pelted by stones. This time of facing the darkness is to set you free and allow the light to shine into the darkest areas of the heart. This is the place where true freedom will be found.

Trust the Lord- Ultimately in the end it is all about trusting the Lord and allowing Him to guide us. We must not believe the lie that we can handle these situations alone.


I hope these steps are encouraging to you. There is nothing easy about facing the monsters that try to rule this life, but I promise you that as you face them the truth is never as scary as your imagination. The release you will find as you take away the unknown factors will produce seeds in your life that will lead to living in hope and joy once more.

May God bless you on your journey…

A New Year and a New Perspective

What is it that causes you and I to be joyful and happy or walk in despair and sadness? At large it seems to be the results of what we have done and/or the results of what others have done to us. I am being challenged to focus on the results of what the Lord accomplished for us when He sacrificed His life to give us a hope and a future. To focus on the Lord is no easy task, however, this is truly the only way that we can look beyond our surroundings and walk in joy.

This last week I was evaluating my year and where the Lord has brought me. At first a nice smile came to my face as I thought of my wife, children, family, friends, and all of the other blessings that the Lord has brought into my life. Then as if on cue the voice of despair began reminding me of things that have been lost and mistakes that were made. Quickly the smile began to depart from my face and tears began to well up. At that moment, I asked the Lord for strength. After praying, The song, The voice of Truth by Steven Curtis Chapman, came on the radio. This was very significant and helpful in allowing me to recognize what was happening in the spiritual realm. This song challenged me to listen to the voice of truth instead of my own voice and the whispers of despair that try to bring bondage to my soul. As the song was playing, I asked the Lord to help me hear the voice of truth. After praying, I slowly felt that the whispered lies I was listening to fade and the presence of the Lord and of what could only be angels reassuring me. I sensed that they were surrounding my car as I drove, protecting me and bringing a light to the darkness. At that moment, all of the feelings of despair washed away. I would love to be able to tell you that I have been on some strange spiritual high since that happened. Instead, I will tell you the truth. The very next day I woke up in fear and began the process of tuning into the frequency of truth sent out by the Lord all over again. This only confirms to me that the Lord is consistent and I am the broken one. How is that I am able to go from the feeling that God’s presence is enveloping me to being scared and fearful of what might be out there?

If I find the answers to this question, I promise to let you in on the secret. For now my hope lies in the fact that every time I run to the Lord, He is faithful and makes Himself known in a way that redirects my thoughts and emotions.

1 Peter 5:5-11
"God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings. And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen

I do thank the Lord for each of the blessings in my life and plan to keep my focus on Him. I believe that as I do this that I will know best how to love my bride, my children, my family, my friends, and whoever the Lord decides to bring upon my path.

May God Bless You! I hope that 2010 is full of much laughter and smiles.

Jesus Came to Our Chaos

Luke 2:4-12
So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child.

While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.

But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."

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I drove by a live manger scene yesterday and it looked so tranquil and pleasant. As if Joseph and Mary were so happy to be placed in a barn to have their child that was supposed to be a blessing from God. The animals were there (gross, dirty, stinky animals) and the shepherds giving their praise (gross, dirty, stinky, shepherds). I have a feeling that the scene that we have painted is missing a few important key elements that might help us understand what was really happening on the evening our Lord and Savior was born. Elements like a king who was searching for and trying to kill the child, questions from Joseph-- such as, why is it that his wife has to give birth to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords in a stable? Is this Jesus really all that He has been promised to be? Then there is Mary who is very excited about following the Lord and when she looks up to see who is knocking on the door to visit this wonderful, miraculous conception. Mary, like any of us, would be looking for a confirmation that she really did hear from the Lord and this miracle would bring her to a better place in life. As she looked up she did not see Kings or wealth (that did not come until Jesus was around 2 years old), she saw dirty, possibly toothless, shepherds and animals. This great promise that was given her did not necessarily change their world in a positive way. Instead, they were on the run from an army that was bent on killing her new born, Joseph had lost his job, their new friends were peasants and barn animals, and their future was as uncertain as it had ever been.

This is the world that the Lord chose to enter into. It was a world full of chaos and unknown factors. So, does this encourage you? Does this help you feel better about Christmas, now that you see a new perspective?

It helps me. Let me explain. Jesus came to bring peace into a broken world. He did not come into a perfect world and try to make a difference. When Jesus takes part in our lives it is the same. He is not coming into a perfect life and asking the person if they are interested in help. Just today, I asked the Lord to come and touch my heart and make His dwelling more significant than it was yesterday. I would like to say that Jesus is getting a good deal. But the truth is He is getting a man who walks in fear every day of his life. He is getting a person who has questions about the promises that have been told to him and why does it seem those promises are not on the horizon. He is making his dwelling in a heart that has expectations of a life that is supposed to look a certain way and on a daily basis has to surrender those emotions and feelings so they don’t overtake his will and lead him to destruction. He is receiving a man that has been blessed on a constant basis from the Lord with favor and has been provided for every step of the way, but still questions and doubts if God is big enough to keep His end of the bargain going. When Jesus agreed to dwell in my heart this morning he received a human; that at his best is still doubtful, fearful, and broken.

I am not proud of any of this, but find myself thankful for the manger scene. The scene is a child of peace that entered the world of broken people and gave His very life to see them find hope and peace.


Lord,

I accept your peace and hope and pray that you mix those two miracles and create a joy in my heart that makes me a better human. Forgive me for my doubt and fear. I wish that there were a way to kill that part of my heart and mind. Possibly, you placed it there to assure that I would run to you every day. Thank you for stepping into our chaos and bringing life where there was once death and dismay. Thank you for my marriage, for my children, for my family, and for my friends. You have truly blessed my life and I ask that you help me look around the stable of my life and be thankful.

I love you Lord. Kristopher

New Mercies I See

I awoke at 5:00 AM this morning. Usually, when I wake up early it is due to bad dreams, hard thoughts, or me being worried about someone. This morning, as I sit here, I do not feel any of those negative fears or tumultuousness. There is a peace in my life right now. A peace that has nothing to do with circumstances and yet everything to do with circumstances. Let me explain. My wife and I have been on an amazing journey this last two years. Throughout this journey excesses in our lives have been stripped of us. This has not been an easy road to travel, however, the Lord has walked every step with us. We are now in the part of the journey where we begin to rebuild. As I look at relationships, finances, living quarters, forms of transportation, a place to serve the Lord and teach others about Christ, and a church family for my kids and marriage to grow with, it seems the Lord has put everything we need in place. There are many days that we are tempted to look back into the past and allow what I call spiritual vertigo to set in. (When the whole world starts spinning and you feel like getting into the fetal position.) Yet, those days seem to be farther and farther away and what is in place today is beginning to speak louder than the difficult steps of the past.

As we begin to rebuild our lives the most important thing that I have learned is to simply surrender to the Lord and allow Him to piece it together in His time. You see-- it is not my job to build anything or to hold it together. That job description belongs to the Lord and He knows exactly what He is doing. So, on this fine morning I sit and watch my darling wife sleep, I ponder on my meetings of the day and wonder who I might meet or encourage, and I smile knowing that I am not in control.

Lamentations 3:22-26
22 The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;
his mercies never come to an end;
23 they are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
24 “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,
“therefore I will hope in him.”

25 The Lord is good to those who wait for him,
to the soul who seeks him.
26 It is good that one should wait quietly
for the salvation of the Lord.

Dear Lord,

I thank you for touching my heart and teaching me to trust you. Thank you for each blessing in my life. Please use me today and allow what you have done and who you are in my life shine through me. Thank you that your mercies are new every morning.

Your son,

Kristopher