the difference between a statement of faith or a statement of arrogance…

well we are six days into this new year 2012.  how are you doing?  are you making plans for this new year with GOD’s help or are you presuming about tomorrow, believing you are going to live forever?  i lost one of my very good friends this past year who was in his 50’s.  don’t take tomorrow for granted.

isaiah 56.12 (niv) , “come”, each one cries, “…let us drink our fill of beer!  and tomorrow will be like today, or even far better!”

do you know anybody with that kind of attitude?  life is great!  let’s party!  Let’s get drunk!  bring on the beer!

the guys who say this have a bumper sticker on their camel:  “it’s party time in jerusalem!”  live it up and have fun.  we’re going to live forever.  new york city is built on that philosophy.

but JESUS says that’s a dumb attitude toward life.  you can’t presume that you’re going to live to be 100.  proverbs 27.1 (niv), do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day will bring forth.

we love to announce our plans, to make our goals and declare them.  next year i’m going to double my income!  next year i’m going to take over three territories!  announcing a goal can either be a statement of faith or it can be a statement of arrogance.  what makes the difference?

your motive.  why are you saying what you’re saying?  GOD says it’s great to have goals but check in with ME first.  let ME share with you what I think your goals ought to be.  don’t presume on tomorrow.

just a thought from the front porch…

often it doesn’t make sense…

psalm 138.8 says (nlt), the LORD will work out HIS plans for my life.  you need to know this about GOD’s plan.

GOD’s plan is often more painful.  sometimes it’s harder, it’s difficult and often it doesn’t make sense.  it certainly didn’t make sense to mary who had just found out that GOD wanted her to be the mother of HIS SON.  the plan GOD had for mary’s life was much more difficult and harder than the one she had.  can you imagine the difficulty of facing the gossip that she did as an unmarried mother who claimed that GOD was the father?  ruthless criticism, i can imagine. 

then when she was pregnant she had to travel on a donkey a long journey to bethlehem the day before her delivery.  would any of you mothers like to confirm that that would probably be hard?  on the day before delivery take a donkey ride over a bumpy road many miles, taking two or three days, obviously that would be very hard.  then you’re going to deliver your first baby without your mother, without a midwife, without hospital or doctors.  you’re going to deliver that baby by yourself as a thirteen-year-old girl in a stable with donkeys and cows surrounding you.  that would be hard.  i’m sure mary must have thought a thousand times, “why, GOD?  why does this have to be so hard?  i’ve surrendered to your plan.  why does it have to be so hard?” 

GOD was fulfilling a promise HE had made thousands of years before when HE had said the MESSIAH will be born in bethlehem. 

from mary’s point of view this thing kind of came up suddenly.  it looked like she was being ambushed by GOD.  that GOD said, “out of all the little peasant girls in the world I’m going to pick you, mary, in nazareth and you’re going to be the vehicle that i use to come into the world to bless the world.”  to mary it looked like a complete surprise, spontaneous.  but, no.  GOD had planned this before the earth was formed.  as you read the bible you see all the genealogies had been traced back all the way to adam that the MESSIAH would be born in the lineage of david.  this was no accident.  GOD had planned what was going to happen to mary thousands if not millions of years before. 

nothing in your life is an accident.  nothing.  there is a purpose behind every problem.  it doesn’t ever surprise GOD.  HE knew everything that was going to happen in your life before it happened.  even the bad.  HE doesn’t cause the bad.  there’s enough in the world to cause itself.  but HE takes bad and even brings good out of it.  did GOD bring good out of the cross?  i guess so!!  did bad happen to HIS SON?  yes!  did he stop it?  no. 

so GOD’s plan for your life is going to be often harder.

just a thought from the front porch…

it’s often bigger than your plan…

if you’re overwhelmed today you may need this.  look at what GOD has promised.

in psalm 138.8 he does not say, “the LORD will work out my plans for my life,” or “the LORD will work out the plans i want for my life.”  it says (nlt), the LORD will work out HIS plans for my life.  you need to know this about GOD’s plan.

GOD’s plan for your life is often bigger than your plan, because GOD has a bigger perspective.  we are looking at the story of JESUS mother and all mary and joseph wanted to do was get married, settle down, put some meat in the crockpot and buy a condo!  just have a happy, little comfortable life.  GOD said, “no!  I want to bless the whole world through you.”  it was a slightly bigger plan.

you have no idea how much GOD wants to bless your life!  you have no idea what GOD could do through your life if it was totally, completely, absolutely sold out to HIM.  not just a part of your life.  but if every fiber of your being belonged to GOD and you said, “GOD, like mary, whatever you want in my life i’m willing to have it.  whatever you want, GOD.”  you have no idea how GOD could use you in great ways.  GOD’s plan is often bigger.

just a thought from the front porch…

three requirements in life by GOD…

micah 6.8 (Gw), this is what the LORD requires from you. that you do what is right, to love mercy and you live humbly with your GOD.

GOD says there’s only three things required in life. what does GOD require or want from me? HE tells us real clearly here in micah 6.8: do what is right, love mercy [that means have good relationships, show forgiveness and mercy and love to people] and walk humbly before GOD. if you do those three things, you’ve done all that GOD requires of you in life. do the right thing, love mercy [show it to other people] and walk humbly before GOD. that simplifies life enormously. you say, “GOD, here are the things i need to do today – do the right thing, show love in my relationships, and walk humbly before YOU.”

we need to pray this next verse, psalm 119:37 (lb), GOD, turn me away from wanting any other plan than YOUrs. humility is surrendering your plans to GOD for HIS.

so much of our lives we live with the myth of being in control. we think we’re controlling our destiny, our careers, our families, etc. we’re not in control of any of that. it’s all an illusion. you cannot even guarantee your next breath. if GOD didn’t give it to you, you cannot even guarantee your next breath. you can control your responses in life, you can control your reactions in life and you can control your attitudes in life, but you can’t control anything that’s going to happen to you. you don’t even know what it’s going to be, much less control it. it’s all a myth.

jeff friend writes, “i was reared in a CHRISTian home, and i was active in church activities. i was the perfect CHRISTian. or at least that’s what i wanted everybody to believe. it was the perfect scam. i knew all the right CHRISTian phrases and appropriate prayers. i spent a lifetime building elaborate walls and defenses to keep people from seeing the real me. then one day i got a tiny mosquito bite. it kept itching, and after a few days the welt had gotten so huge, i visited the doctor. he tried everything to stop the pain and swelling but nothing worked. within another week, the constant pain in my leg was indescribable. i was in agony. i was referred to a surgeon who diagnosed it as a brown recluse spider bite. the next two years were a procession of surgeries and treatments, but none of them worked. i was in constant pain, depression and had a marriage falling apart. years of keeping people, including my wife, at a distance had taken its toll. i knew i needed JESUS CHRIST to be in control of my life, but my pride kept me from giving up to his control. i made an appointment with one of our pastors and said with tears in my eyes, ‘i’ve been around church all my life. everybody will tell you that i am a CHRISTian. but it’s a lie. all a lie. i’ve never really accepted CHRIST. i’ve never really completely surrendered my life to HIM.’” the pastor then led him in a humble commitment prayer. he said, “when i did, years of pent-up frustration came out, and i felt complete peace and forgiveness and freedom. i gave up control of my life, and i let GOD take over. since then, i have felt completely released from the secrets and the self-made prison i was in. it was amazing. it is also amazing to me to realize how GOD used something as insignificant as a little insect bite to show me how much i needed HIM and to draw me to HIM.”

just a thought from the front porch…

the antidote to stress…

now GOD says, take up MY yoke upon you and learn from ME for I am gentle and humble in heart and you will find rest for your souls. matthew 11.29 (niv)

humility is the antidote to stress. humility is the key. the more humble you are, the less stressed you’re going to be. why? JESUS says this, take my yoke upon you. what is a yoke? a yoke is a double piece of wood where you harness cattle together to pull one wagon. the purpose of the yoke is always to make the load lighter, to make the load easier. you’ve got two cattle pulling the wagon load of crops rather than one.

that is a simple symbol of two things. first, it’s a symbol of partnership. JESUS says, “if you’ll hook up with ME, if you’ll connect to ME, if you’ll take MY yoke upon you, I’ll help pull the load.” whenever you’re trying to pull the load on your own, you get under stress. so you must humble yourself. “get connected to ME, and i’ll partner with you in life.” and anytime you get disconnected from JESUS CHRIST, you’re going to get under stress. any time. and every time you get reconnected to JESUS CHRIST under his yoke, the stress level is going to go down in your life.

it’s also a symbol of control. when you put a yoke on two animals, they have to go in the same direction and they have to go at the same pace. JESUS said, “if you’ll take my yoke upon you, then i will set the direction for your life, and i will set the pace for your life, and you won’t get stressed out.” HE says, “my yoke is easy.” most of you are thinking, “my yoke isn’t easy. i’ve got a heavy schedule. i can’t even tell you all the stuff i have to get done this next week. it’s a heavy load.”

is your life a heavy load? it’s your yoke, and not GOD’s. you’re following your plans for your life, which GOD never intended for you to do, instead of HIS plans. HIS plans, HE says, “my yoke is easy, my burden is light and you’ll find rest for your soul.” HE says, “hook up with ME. I will not only help you with the direction of your life, but I will set the pace.” and HE knows just the pace that’s right for you. not too fast and not too slow.

humility is giving up control of your life to GOD your CREATOR WHO made you. that’s the ultimate act of humility. “GOD, you call the shots. YOU’re in charge. i’m yoking up with YOU. i’m connecting to YOU.” when i do that, my stress goes down.

just a thought from the front porch…

so what is the truth about you?…

have you come to the point in your life when you say, “GOD, i’m not going with my plan any more? i’m going totally with YOUr plan for my life. i don’t know what it is, but i’m already signing my name on the check saying, ‘yes, LORD. whatever YOU want to fill in is fine with me.’ ” that is surrendering your plans to GOD.

there is a quote from that great theologian clint eastwood. in the movie “dirty harry,” harry says, “a man’s got to know his limitations.” but since i’m a retired pastor i have to make it sound spiritual, and so, “blessed is the man who knows his limitations.”

humility is actually being in touch with your humanity. it’s not putting yourself down, laying it on and saying, “i’m nothing! i’m worthless!” it’s realizing that you’re both a bundle of strengths and weaknesses. it’s not denying your strengths; it’s being honest about your weaknesses.

pride is always based on a false evaluation of yourself. you narrow your field of reference so you can be a big fish in a little pond and you start thinking how great you are, and you haven’t taken the whole globe into perspective. pride is always based on a lie. it is a false evaluation of your own talents, your own ability and where you got it. everything you have, even your talent, is a gift from GOD. you don’t own it, you didn’t deserve it, you didn’t work for it, GOD gave it to you. you have nothing without GOD.

humility, on the other hand, is an accurate, unbiased, understanding of your strengths and your weaknesses. you realize that you have limitations. it starts with the truth.

so what is the truth about you? the bible says you’re infinitely loved by GOD, you’re gifted, and you’re deeply flawed. all three of those things are true. you’re very gifted, you’re deeply flawed, you are a sinner, as all of us are, and you are deeply loved because GOD’s love is not based on your performance.

so much of the stress in your life and in my life comes from doing things GOD never intended for us to do. so we make our plans. we say, “i can do more. i can achieve more. i can be more. i can have it all.” you cannot have it all. you have limits. so you have to recognize that. GOD would never ask you to do more than HE gives you the power, the energy and the time to do. which means this: if you’re constantly under stress, you are doing some things that GOD never intended for you to do and you’re being pushed by your own pride, not by GOD’s plan. you need to understand your limitations. you’re not GOD. you’re not even superman or superwoman. you have limits.

just a thought from the front porch…

is GOD opposing or consulting?...

another way you can practice courageous humility is to practice surrendering your plans to GOD.

this is what we usually do. we make our plans without even consulting GOD. then we pray and ask GOD to bless our plans, which we didn’t ask HIM to be a part of. we assume that our plans are HIS will. then when our plans don’t happen on the timetable we want them to happen or they don’t happen at all, we get angry at GOD. that’s called pride. GOD hates pride. HE’s very serious about pride.

james 4.6-7 (cev) says, GOD opposes everyone who’s proud but HE gives grace to everyone who is humble. so surrender to GOD. you don’t want GOD to oppose you.

i can think of a lot of people i wouldn’t want to have as an opponent, opposing me. i would not want to be in a boxing ring opposed by evander holifield in his day. i would not want to be on a basketball court opposed by lebron james. i would not want to be opposed by bill gates at an auction. there’s no way i’m going to be winning that one.

but i really don’t want to be opposed by GOD, because there’s no way i’m going to win that battle. the bible says that when i am prideful, GOD is not just mildly irritated at me. HE’s in opposition to me at that very moment. i’m playing GOD. GOD’s opposed to me. i’m an enemy of GOD any time i get full of pride. that’s how serious it is. so he says, surrender yourself to GOD. what does it mean to surrender yourself and your plans to GOD?

romans 6.13 (tev) says, give yourselves to GOD and surrender your whole being to HIM to be used for HIS righteous purpose.

surrendering means, “GOD, i’m going with YOUr plans for my life, not my own. GOD, i’ve got plans, i’ve got dreams, i’ve got goals, i’ve got ambitions, but i know that YOU put me on this earth for a reason, for a purpose, and GOD, i’m going to intentionally choose YOUr plan for my life instead of my own. i know YOU’re not going to reveal it to me all at once. it’s going to come a little bit at a time, so i’m going to take it a step at a time, but i want to go with YOUr plan, not mine.” that’s humility. that’s called being humble, surrendering your plans to GOD.

just a thought from the front porch…

you don't have to settle for second best…

habakkuk 3.6 (niv) says, HIS ways are eternal. listen GOD does not have a plan b for my life.

think of the biggest mistake you've ever made. then think of the biggest sin you've ever committed, that thing you regret the most. then think of the biggest disappointment you've ever had.

do you think GOD knew about those in advance before you ever did them? yes, HE did. and since HE knew those were going to come up anyway HE has woven that into HIS plan for your life. HE included them.

romans 8.28 (niv), all things work together for good. good or bad GOD can somehow turn them around and bring good out of them. they all fit into a plan. that means no matter what has happened in your life you're still on plan a. GOD has not changed HIS mind and GOD's purpose for your life has not changed.

all the time i hear people say, “i made this big mistake... so for now on i've just got to settle for second best.” but there's only one problem with that. the words second best are not found in the bible. you are still on plan a. GOD knows everything that's going to happen in your life and HE's fit it all in to work for good in your life. even the mistakes and sins you commit that are wrong and bad, GOD can teach you from those things. you can learn many, many good lessons.

so what is GOD's plan for my life? john 10.10 (tev) says that GOD's plan for your life is that you might have life. i have come that you might have life, JESUS said.

HE wants you to enjoy life. live it and not just exist. then in romans 8.30 (ncv) it says GOD's plan for your life is to become like JESUS CHRIST. GOD planned for them to become like HIS SON. you learn to think like HE thinks and feel like HE felt and act like HE acts. become like JESUS CHRIST.

it all begins with a relationship. romans 10.9 (tev), if you confess with your mouth that JESUS is LORD and believe that GOD raised HIM from the dead, you will be saved.

just a thought from the front porch…

why do our plans change so much?...

GOD's purpose for my life will never change. no matter what happens to you, in you, through you it will never, never change. isaiah 14.24 (niv), the LORD almighty has sworn, “surely as I have planned it, so it will be, and as I have purposed, so it will stand.

GOD is at work in human history. history is really HIS-story. GOD's story. what is the world coming to? it's coming to the very climax that GOD has planned from the very beginning. i'm not sure what all that involves. i don't know all what the future holds but i do know who holds the future. it is a coming to a planned climax. the bible says nobody knows. even the SON OF MAN doesn't know, only the FATHER WHO is in heaven.

if someone ever comes up to you and gives you a date that the world will end, you'll know that's not going to happen. that's not the date. the bible says, no man knows the day or hour. fortunately, i'm on the winning side. that's good news. it is inevitable that we're going to end up on the winning side.

psalm 33.11 (tev), HIS plans endure forever; HIS purposes last eternally.

do your plans ever change? how often do they change? why do your plans change so much? two reasons: because you don't have the perspective or foresight to know everything that's going to happen. maybe now you know what you didn't used to know. now that you know something different your plans have changed. that's one reason.

the other reason your plans change is maybe you don't have the power to implement the changes you had intended to do. ran out of time, money, energy, effort – whatever. so your plans change.

now since GOD is omniscient – GOD knows everything – and since HE's omnipotent – GOD has all power – HIS plans never have to change.

1 samuel 15.29 (tev), GOD is not a human being. HE does not change HIS mind.

are there some times in the bible that say GOD changed his mind? yes. but it wasn't GOD who changed, it was the people who changed.

GOD told ninevah, “if you don't repent, i'm going to destroy the city.” HE didn't destroy the city. GOD changed HIS mind because they repented. GOD never changes HIS will, but HE does will a change.

just a thought from the front porch…