Let me begin with complete transparency. I am saddened, frustrated, and disappointed with the anger and division in our society. Focusing on those divisive issues leads to anger, fear, and hopelessness.
So how can I be optimistic amidst this societal chaos? When I am feeling down I often go to my spiritual comfort music. I flipped from more depressing news to a list of classic Gospel songs. The first tune to cue up gave me my answer.
I am and will continue to be optimistic in this journey because of this belief conveyed beautifully in these lyrics sung by Nicole C. Mullen.
Because He lives, I can face tomorrow.
That’s it! Because I believe Jesus lives I can face tomorrow. The next lyric should be true if I truly believe Jesus lives.
Because He lives, All fear is gone.
I am not saying that the enemy does not try to generate fear in my heart and I am not perfect in rejecting those fear attacks. But I am learning to remember that God is in control. I remind myself daily that He loves me as His child. He sent His Son to die on a Cross while bearing my sins past, present, and future. Jesus rose from the grave and conquered death. I believe that. And that belief leads to this verse.
Because I know, I know He holds the future
And life is worth the living Just because He lives.
I now try to view every negative event through that lens of hope. God holds the future. My life for Him is worth the living no matter what trials I will endure. Jesus was pretty clear that our journey with Him would be challenging.
“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation…”
Jesus didn’t say we might have some problems now and then. He honestly said you will have trials and tribulation. Why are we so surprised when that happens? The enemy definitely tries to distract us from the rest of His promise.
“But take heart; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33, NLT)
Read the words of Jesus carefully. I have overcome the world. It will be okay. At times the journey will be rough, but I believe with all of my heart that my faith will be rewarded in eternity with Christ.
So that is my grace challenge for this week.
Because He lives you can face tomorrow without fear. I have written many times that Satan wants us to live in regret of the past or fear of the future. Either strategy robs us of the joy of today. For followers of Jesus the past is forgiven. The future is in His hands. Believing that allows us to live in this moment with gratitude, peace, and joy.
As I gain more miles on the life oldometer I reflect more and more about leaving a legacy. For many years I thought that meant having a successful career or maybe writing a bestselling book.
In recent years I have been blessed with many friends who have shown me what it means to leave a legacy. The irony is that five of the men who continue to show me what it means to leave a lasting legacy are living in the eternal company of Jesus. They showed me that leaving a legacy is living your life in a way that shows the love and grace of Jesus.
If I wrote the impact of each of these friends it would make this a very long read so I decided to share one thing from each that resonates in my heart consistently and powerfully.
John Weber was a collegiate wrestler who also wrestled with the acclaimed Athletes in Action traveling team. He was most well known as the chaplain of the Dallas Cowboys before he died suddenly from a heart attack. The memory that I will always cherish about John is what happened every single time I saw him. John would smile his warm smile. Then he would take my hand with both of his hands, move right into my space, furrow his brow, look deeply into my eyes and ask, “how are you doing?”. The difference with John Weber was that he really meant that question. If you needed three hours to tell him what was going on he would never glance at his watch. That is why he believed God placed him on this earth. To tell people about Jesus and disciple those who knew Him. This quote from him lives in my heart.
“God does not call us to be spectacular. He calls us to be faithful.”
Brad Johnson was a pastor and friend who also died unexpectedly. Brad did not have a high profile ministry career in the pulpit or media. His ministry mirrored his role as an offensive lineman at the University of Nebraska. He was a vital contributor but not a star. Offensive lineman learn early in their careers that their efforts are the primary reason that quarterbacks and running backs make headlines. The backs get the glory while the linemen get dirtied and banged up. Offensive linemen are great teammates who don’t care about themselves. It is about the team being successful and moving toward the goal. That was Brad. He was always the one willing to do the work no one else wanted to do. He invested in others selflessly. He often made this statement about his goal in life.
“I want to make much about Jesus and less about me.”
A few years ago I made friends with Newton High School football coach W.T. Johnston. We decided to work together to produce a book about his faith story during incredible health challenges. I inbedded into his life for over a year and it was one of the most inspiring relationships I have ever experienced. W.T. showed his team (and me) how to live until you die. His incredible courage showed me that God’s presence in a dark season of your life allows you to be a light to others even as you move through that dark valley. W.T. got a chance to read the rough draft of his story (Between the White Lines) before he went to be with Jesus. His last words to me when I visited him at his home was the phrase he constantly repeated to keep focused on his faith.
“Keep your eyes on the Cross.”
Chris Taylor was a dear friend who served in the Wylie, Texas Police department. But Chris served way more than when he was on the job. He had a heart for serving others that made a huge impact on my heart. We often reference the verse from John 13:34 as a goal.
So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. (NLT)
Chris lived that command of Jesus by being there to help others without fanfare. He passed away from cancer but one of his sayings will stick with me until my time comes.
“If I can help someone I don’t need to think or pray about it. I just do it.”
Many of you know about my friend Jeff Denton who passed away from cancer earlier this year. Pastor Jeff’s journey demonstrated that you make a choice when life takes a tough turn. You can either quit or you can live fully in each moment for as long as you can. We witnessed Jeff showing up for church and church events when he clearly did not feel his best. But he showed up with joy in his heart and spirit. Jeff’s favorite scripture about God’s will is found in 1 Thessalonians.
Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. (1 Thessalonians 5:15-18, NLT)
Jeff shared that verse with us. Then he lived it.
Jeff made a comment one day while we discussed the challenge of living for Jesus in this difficult world. I honestly shared a not so good reaction I recently had to another person’s comments. His words resonate in my heart daily.
“Reacting in the flesh is not necessarily sin. We are human. Staying there and not depending on the love and grace of God is sin.”
I used to beat myself up over bad reactions. Now I remember that advice and give it to God.
I think we will be surprised when we get to Heaven. The famous and noted religious leaders may have gotten their due here on this planet. I think we will find out it was humble and selfless servants like my friends mentioned above that God used to make His Kingdom grow the most.
Want to leave a powerful legacy? Meditate on this verse.
Instead of being motivated by selfish ambition or vanity, each of you should, in humility, be moved to treat one another as more important than yourself. Each of you should be concerned not only about your own interests, but about the interests of others as well. (Philippians 2:3-4, NET)
I know that I have the Holy Spirit to give me strength and wisdom in my journey. I have God’s Word to grow my knowledge of Him. But it is also helpful to have people who live the love of Jesus in real time as you share life with them.
When I feel guilty that something didn’t work as I had hoped I hear John Weber’s words.
“God does not call us to be spectacular. He calls us to be faithful.”
On days when I wonder if I am doing what I should be I remember Brad Johnson.
“I want to make much about Jesus and less about me.”
W.T. Johnston words help me when I grow despondent over the state of our world.
“Keep your eyes on the Cross.”
When I wonder if I should help someone when I have a chance Chris Taylor’s servant heart comes to mind.
“If I can help someone I don’t need to think or pray about it. I just do it.”
And when I feel guilt or shame about a bad thought or reaction the words of Pastor Jeff ring true.
A reaction in the flesh is not necessary sin but staying there certainly can be.
I look forward to reuniting with these five and many more family and friends someday. What a glorious hope to have in this challenging season we are enduring.
(Note: If you want to read more about any or all of these friends click on their name)
Sitting in my home a few years ago I heard a thump. Then another thump.
It was silent for a few moments so I went back to my writing.
Thump!
Okay, now I had to investigate. What I found was a beautiful male cardinal flying around one of our windows. He would hover near the window and then peck aggressively at the pane.
Thump!
He fluttered around some more and then thumped the glass!
The very focused bird stayed busy for several minutes repeating this odd behavior. I did some research and found that cardinals are very territorial. This beautiful bird apparently was seeing his own reflection in the window, and he was letting that intruder know he was not welcome! I worried that he was going to hurt himself defending his family against a nonexistent threat.
How often do we wear ourselves out and even beat ourselves up trying to defend our “territory”? Invariably, our busyness is generated to counter imagined threats or a need to prove our worth.
Somehow being busy has become an indication of significance and value. If you are not busy, you are not worthy.
Christians are just as caught up in busyness. Letting my busyness get in the way of my relationship with God shows how out of balance I have let my schedule become. Nowhere in Scripture will I find this command.
Be busy, and know that I am God.
My busyness does not please God. My faith pleases Him. And I can’t have faith and trust in someone I am too busy to know. Day in and day out, I need to heed this truth:
Be still, and know that I am God. Psalm 46:10
I have a remarkable role model for how to balance busyness and priorities in Jesus. Jesus never allowed the tyranny of the urgent to supersede the ultimately more important reward of relationships. He didn’t feel the need to drive Himself to exhaustion to teach and preach.
Then, leaving the crowds outside, Jesus went into the house. Matthew 13:36
It is instructive that Jesus withdrew from the crowd (and the obligation I likely would have felt) to spend time with His disciples. The most important thing for Jesus was to prepare His disciples and not to “friend” several hundred people on an ancient FaceScroll. Clearly, it was valuable for Jesus to be teaching the crowds. But His relationship to His ministry “family” trumped the public gathering priority.
Jesus gave another example of schedule priorities:
Immediately after this, Jesus insisted that his disciples get back into the boat and head across the lake to Bethsaida, while he sent the people home. After telling everyone good-bye, he went up into the hills by himself to pray. Mark 6:45-46
Jesus understood that He must say no to people who really wanted His attention in order to spend time doing what mattered most. This passage follows Jesus’ miraculous feeding of five thousand people. If I had performed such a feat, I would have hung around for hours to soak up the praise and accolades, sign a few autographs, and take some selfies. But Jesus knew what He needed in that moment— time with His Father.
I need to know when to say no. Busyness does not define my worth. Being a schedule martyr does not make me more righteous. Over scheduling keeps me from spending time with the One who gives His righteousness to me.
That was my struggle for forty years before I realized a simple truth that freed me to rest in God and receive His love. A dramatic change took place the moment I made the faith commitment to follow Jesus. Scripture tells me that when I decided to become a follower of Christ, the following things happened immediately:
I was given a new identity.
I became a new creation.
I received the gift of the righteousness of Christ.
I was changed completely when I put my trust in Christ as my only hope for salvation. I did not have to struggle with futile performance to change. I was changed that day. But it took me forty years to know Him better, never realizing I had been carrying around the key to that kind of relationship since day one.
Now I see a different picture. I see Jesus standing at my side and explaining that I am completely changed. I see Him telling me that my sins are forgiven and I can quit re-litigating past mistakes. I see Him explaining to me that all of those things that used to be true about me are no longer true. I see Him repeating that, because I tend to nod my head without really believing it. Jesus explains to me that no matter what the accuser might say, those things that used to define me are dead and buried at the Cross. I see Jesus telling me that I have the Holy Spirit to comfort me and provide an unshakable source of strength.
He reminds me gently that I don’t have to grit my teeth and try harder to win favor and please Him. He tells me for the ten thousandth time that sin does not have power over me anymore. And I see His demeanor being just as patient and kind as the first time He told me that truth. I hear Him remind me that power over sin is looking to Him for my strength and not trying to fight it with my busyness and resolve.
I see Jesus looking deeply into my eyes and tenderly expressing (again) that it is my trust in God that pleases Him. No other works are required. My faith is what pleases Him according to God’s Word. Nothing else. I picture Jesus embracing me and saying, “Relax. Rest. Let Me love you and then, out of that rest and love, you can love others. Quit making it so complicated, Dave.”
I have a hard time putting my full weight on those truths.
But I have learned that we can disabuse ourselves today of the notion that busyness is somehow related to godliness. I suggest a spring (or summer/fall/winter) cleaning of the calendar. Allow yourself time to spend with the most important people in your life. Schedule time with Jesus. Don’t allow guilt to monopolize every waking moment. Carve out time for friends, family, and yourself.
If Jesus could leave disappointed throngs behind for what was important, we should withdraw for recharging and time with God too. Be still, and know that God loves you and desires you. Your actions will naturally emerge from that loving relationship with Him. You don’t have to earn that love. It is already yours.
God initiates salvation. The plan is so radical that it feels otherworldly. Salvation is complete and God’s embrace shows His desire to know us as His beloved children. No matter what you have done the Father stands ready to embrace and redeem. That flies in the face of what many of us have experienced in love relationships.
But that is exactly the picture that Scripture paints in the story of the Prodigal Son. The son rebelled, sinned, and suffered the horrible consequences of his actions. The son realized his sin and in humble desperation decided to throw himself at the mercy of his father. Clearly the sins of the son would cause him to lose the daily privileges of being a son. But this passage tells us that nothing had changed in how the father viewed his son. The son was sure his behavior had estranged him from his father. The imagery is compelling. The father runs to him. That was undignified act of pure love and joy. The father would never have done that in common practice. His act was a gesture of love and forgiveness but also to protect his precious child from the judgment of others.
And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him. His son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son.’
“But his father said to the servants, ‘Quick! Bring the finest robe in the house and put it on him. Get a ring for his finger and sandals for his feet. And kill the calf we have been fattening. We must celebrate with a feast, for this son of mine was dead and has now returned to life. He was lost, but now he is found.’ So the party began. (Luke 15, NLT)
The Father placed the finest robe on his wayward son who deserved nothing after his selfish and sinful actions. In the cultural context readers would have surmised that the “finest robe” was the father’s own robe that he placed on his son. The robe that was worn on the most special of occasions. The custom would have been for the son to bathe, put on clean clothes and then put on the robe. But in a stunning gesture of compassion, the father placed his robe over the filthy garments. By giving that gift to his wayward son, the father gave him a covering of acceptance and salvation. And the father also let everyone know that the son was forgiven, accepted and no longer to be condemned by others who had judged his behavior. And you might remember that most upset person in the story was the older brother who had done everything right. The older brother had not yet experienced what author Edwin Lutzer describes as the prerequisite for grace.
“When the mask of self-righteousness has been torn from us and we stand stripped of all our accustomed defenses, we are candidates for God’s generous grace.”
The story is the same today. The Father ran to forgive you when you acknowledged your sin and need. While you were still dirty and clothed in filthy garments you were forgiven, accepted, justified and wrapped in the robe of righteousness. You were declared a saint because of Christ. And you were no longer condemned. Satan would have you forget that the robe of righteousness is wrapped lovingly around you. The author of lies would remind you that you still wear dirty clothing. He would suggest that you need to set aside the robe until you clean up yourself and your garments. That is the power of this story. The robe of righteousness is never earned. It is a gift of grace. On my worst day the Father wraps me up in this precious garment because of His Son Jesus.
How differently we would live if we remembered that truth every day. I am a saint. I am wrapped in the robe of righteousness. We are new creatures who are forgiven, accepted, and wrapped in this incomprehensible gift of grace. Even in our failure Jesus loves us anyway.
I wish that everyone who believes the Gospel would truly believe that they are a brand new creation. Recreated as a saint with complete freedom in Christ. Adopted as a child of God. Forgiven forever. And that all of those things are completely true because of Jesus.
I will always remember watching Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunderin concert. I have decided that if am ever unresponsive you can check my heart status by playing a Ricky Skaggs tune. If my toe doesn’t start tapping I am likely flat-lined. You just can’t help responding if you have a pulse.
I left the concert and waded through Skagg’s discography. One song brought back memories of something my Mom always said to me. The song that jogged that recollection was called Don’t Get Above Your Raisin’.
Now lookee here gal don’t ya’ high hat me, I ain’t forgot what you used ta be When you didn’t have nuthin, That was plain ta’ see. Don’t get above your raisin’ Stay down ta’ earth with me.
Mom was raised as a farm girl in Kentucky and she was fiercely proud of that. So anytime she perceived that I was getting a bit uppity and full of myself she would throw that line down.
“Don’t get above your raisin’.”
Sometimes it was over such important issues as abandoning Maxwell Housefor that fancy-schmancy Starbucks. Usually the comment was meant to keep me grounded and to remind me where I came from. Can’t say that I always appreciated the input.
I think we do the same thing as Christians. A big reason that we are not more joyful and victorious in this journey is that we forget where we came from. We have forgotten our raisin’ and the gift of our salvation. Somehow we forget how desperate we were and start to believe that we are actually deserving. Paul reminds Titus to tell the believers in Crete to remember where they came from…
Once we, too, were foolish and disobedient. We were misled and became slaves to many lusts and pleasures. Our lives were full of evil and envy, and we hated each other.
Not too attractive. Nothing to be uppity about. Then the grace of God intervened.
But—“When God our Savior revealed his kindness and love, He saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit. He generously poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior. Because of his grace he declared us righteous and gave us confidence that we will inherit eternal life.”
So that is where I came from. That is where you came from if you are a follower of Jesus. Paul wraps ups this text with a challenge.
This is a trustworthy saying, and I want you to insist on these teachings so that all who trust in God will devote themselves to doing good. These teachings are good and beneficial for everyone. (Titus 3:3-8)
My constant challenge is to not get above my raisin’ spiritually.
If I can’t forgive then I have forgotten where I came from. I did not deserve to be forgiven by a Holy God. I was.
When I look with disdain at another person I have forgotten where I came from. That person is a soul that Jesus came to this planet to die for on the Cross.
When I don’t accept another brother or sister I have forgotten that I was unacceptable to a Holy God. Jesus said you are acceptable because of Me. We must offer the same grace because of Jesus.
When I can’t serve without expectation of personal return I have forgotten where I came from. If I remember where I came from I will serve because I am grateful for what Christ did for me.
When I don’t give joyfully of my time and treasure I have forgotten where I came from. If you truly understand where you came from the natural response is to serve Him joyfully.
This is important stuff. I don’t want to forget where I came from both as a person and as a child of God. My small town roots are a big part of who I am. And my encounter with grace at the foot of the Cross defines who I am spiritually. I pray that I will remember every day who I am and where Jesus brought me from. Take time to remember where you came from. And then respond appropriately.
It was so sad to hear of the passing of the incredibly talented singer Mandisa. I remembered a duet from Mandisa and TobyMac that touched me deeply. They addressed the heartbreaking issue of racism and political division that affects our culture and often impacts the church.
These lyrics immediately grabbed my heart.
Are you left? Are you right? Pointing fingers, taking sides When are we gonna realize?
We all bleed the same We’re more beautiful when we come together We all bleed the same So tell me why, tell me why We’re divided.
Why indeed? I am praying for another leader like Martin Luther King Jr who will remind us that hateful rhetoric never, ever, ever changes a heart.
Followers of Christ have a message of hope and light that is desperately needed. But we can get caught up in the politics of our world and snuff out that light. I have been guilty of that in my journey at times.
I fear our culture will get darker in the days and months ahead. Followers of Christ have to make a decision. We can decide to complain that Christians are no longer respected and valued in the culture. Or we can decide to show the kind of kindness, forgiveness, grace, and love that early Christians demonstrated to change a hostile culture. Christianity really functions best as the underdog. We can ask God to give us the strength and grace to be a light in the darkness.
What does that mean? What message makes a difference? During a British conference on comparative religions, experts from around the world debated what, if any, belief was unique to the Christian faith. They began eliminating possibilities. Incarnation? Other religions had different versions of gods’ appearing in human form. Resurrection? Again, other religions had accounts of return from death. The debate went on for some time until C. S. Lewis wandered into the room. “What’s the rumpus about?” he asked, and heard in reply that his colleagues were discussing Christianity’s unique contribution among world religions. Lewis responded, “Oh, that’s easy. It’s grace.”
Perhaps the fact that grace and forgiveness are rare commodities in this society is a big reason we see such anger and hopelessness.
Our natural reaction to those who denigrate our faith is to strike back. Jesus knew this would happen and He had some very radical instructions.
“But I say to you who are listening: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. (Luke 6:27-28, NET)
I wonder what God could do if we followed those words? And if we remembered that we all created in the image of God but our different experiences and stories can divide us. They don’t have to.
If we’re gonna fight Let’s fight for each other If we’re gonna shout Let love be the cry We all bleed the same So tell me why, tell me why We’re divided
My prayer is that we do not focus on the multitude of political issues that divide us but on the one healing name that can unite us.
Jesus.
His blood was shed on the Cross for all races. If we believe that then why are we divided? We don’t need to be if we keep our eyes on the Cross.
I talk about grace so much that the auto-suggest on my phone pops up the word as soon as I hit “G”. I suspect that sometimes you faithful readers wish I would mix up my topics. The truth is I cannot. Understanding grace rocked my spiritual world and changed my walk with God in dramatic and wonderful ways.
I regularly extol the virtues of grace for a follower of Jesus. Grace compels you to trust others with you. Grace compels you to trust Jesus with your sin because you can’t manage it yourself. Grace compels you to forgive because you have been forgiven. Grace compels you to accept others and not judge them. Grace compels you to move toward the unlovable and not away. Grace compels you to sacrifice when you desire security. Grace compels you to love when your heart is hateful. Grace compels you to trust Jesus out of overflowing gratitude.
The amazing thing about God’s grace is that He is not a God of a second chance. He is a God of chance after chance after chance ad infinitum. We are never outside God’s redeeming grace, no matter how much or how often we blow it.
But there is one thing that God’s amazing grace does not cover.
The consequences of intentional sin. Paul makes it very clear.
Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant. (Galatians 6:7, NLT)
I have been deeply saddened and sometimes angered by followers of Jesus who blithely act in ways that are clearly against God’s Word and then proclaim that His grace will cover them. Some call that cheap grace. I cannot label a gift bought with such a price “cheap”.
To borrow from my brother Saint Paul, here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: grace can never be viewed as a cheap gift. It cost Jesus everything. I challenge you to kneel at the foot of the Cross and look up. There is nothing cheap about the transaction that Jesus suffered for you and me. Nothing causes me to lose my Sunday school lesson quicker than the cheap-grace posse. And yes, I know that some people misuse and misinterpret grace. There is a word for that.
Sin.
The truth is that grace is the only real antidote for sin and should never, ever, be the excuse for sin. Paul addressed the heresy that grace gives me license to sin, and he was rightfully dismayed (you might even say ticked off).
Sin will have no mastery over you, because you are not under law but under grace. What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace?
Absolutely not!
Romans 6:14-15, NET (emphasis added)
Here is a sampling of other translations of Paul’s undisguised chagrin expressed in Romans 6:15 at the very thought that the sweet grace of the Gospel would be abused:
God forbid! (KJV) Of course not! (NLT) May it never be! (NASB) By no means! (ESV)
Clearly Paul is appalled by the idea that we would even consider using this sacrificial gift of unmerited grace as cover for selfish behavior and sin.
Frederick William Faber is credited with this observation.
“God does not save us by grace so that we may live in disgrace.”
Grace will provide forgiveness for sin but not escape from it’s consequences. Betrayal of a spouse may make you temporarily feel better but you do not escape the weight of that sin on those you hurt and on your own heart. Just read the terrible consequences of David’s adultery and you recognize that even a king described as a “man after God’s own heart” cannot dodge the effects of sin. Anytime you rationalize sin by saying that grace has you covered you have bought a lie from the Enemy.
Grace was costly. Grace was painful for God the Father to implement. If you are tempted to abuse that grace perhaps you should review if you really understand the cost paid to make it possible. Grace covers everything. Except the pain left behind in the wake of selfish sin.
