What a Wretched Man I Am

I get so frustrated with myself. My inconsistency. My lack of focus. My inability to stick to commitments. The way I let others down with my failure.

Today I was reminded of these things when the sun came out and the temperature reached over 50 degrees for the first time in more than 2 weeks here in Atlanta. I was inspired to get out and ride my bike around the neighborhood for some exercise. That is where the frustration comes from. At Thanksgiving I had lost nearly 40 pounds and was biking about 50 miles a week at a pace of around 14.5 miles per hour. Not bad by my previously sedentary standards! But today I thought I was dying after just 5.5 miles at a 13.5 mph pace. Not only that, my weight has crept back up by about 9 lbs since Thanksgiving. HUGE FAIL!!!

What is sad is that my inability to stay focused and committed is evident in my spiritual life as well. I can be so passionate and committed in my relationship with God for a period of time, but I always seem find a way to fail. As quickly as the fire was lit in my heart for pursuing God, it can be extinguished. I find myself asking why this happens and why sustaining my focus on God is so difficult, but it describes the reality of my life nonetheless.

When I get frustrated like this there is a passage in scripture that gives me encouragement. It helps to see that Paul describes this same frustration for his own life in Romans 7.

Romans 7:14-25

^"14 We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. ¹⁵ I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. ¹⁶And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. ¹⁷ As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. ¹⁸ For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. ¹⁹ For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. ²⁰ Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.

²¹ So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. ²²For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; ²³ but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. ²⁴ What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? ²⁵ Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!"

Here is a truth I'm constantly trying to apply to my life. I am sinful and will always go back to sin when I am not connected to God. When I am studying and applying God's Word to my life on a daily basis and when I am on my knees in prayer and worship throughout my day, I can stay focused on God. But the moment I stop connecting to God through studying His Word, engaging Him in prayer, and honoring Him through worship, I immediately turn back to my sinful nature.

Getting reconnected after a time away from God can be painful. The confession and repentance that must take place is hard but necessary to get back on track. Sounds a lot like how painful it can be after a time away from physical discipline as well, doesn't it?

Today I jump started my commitment to physical health - and it hurt! Let me challenge you to examine your commitment to spiritual health today. It might hurt, but unless you are connected to God, you WILL turn back to your sinful nature and there is NO satisfaction to be found in failure.

By the way, losing these 9 lbs AGAIN is not going to be fun, but it will be worth it!

As Good as it Gets?

Think about your life. No, really! Stop reading for about 60 seconds and reflect on who you are, what you are accomplishing, and how you are impacting your little corner of the world. Think about what the purpose of your life really is and whether or not you are fulfilling that purpose.

(ok, stop and reflect for 60 seconds now)

Introspection is difficult for most people because they sense that there is more to life than what they are currently experiencing. Do you feel that way? My guess is that most people reading this blew right by the "stop and reflect" part and kept on reading. It is just too uncomfortable, isn't it?

The movie "As Good as it Gets" (1997) with Jack Nicholson, Greg Kinnear, and Helen Hunt was a fun movie to watch. (I'm not in the business of recommending films so don't take this as a recommendation. I am just using this movie to illustrate a point.) In this movie, the lives of three very different, but damaged lives are brought together. All three characters are lonely, lost, and looking for something in life that really matters - beyond just existing. At one point Nicholson's character is in a group psychiatric session and says to the depressed group, "What if this is as good as it gets?" Heavy words that really made me think. Words that caused me to do a little introspective thinking about my own life.

Let me ask you some tough questions:
- What is on your schedule today? When the day is over, will any of those things really matter?
- What is your purpose here on earth? Do you ever make an effort to match up your plans for the day with your purpose? OR is your REAL life completely disconnected from your PURPOSE?
- Are you satisifed with your life? Are you satisfied with the path you are on?
- If this is as good as it gets, are you OK with that, or do you want more?

Here are a few truths you need to hear and pray about today:

1) You were created for ONE purpose - to GLORIFY GOD. There is nothing more important than your efforts, plans, and energy being focused on worshipping God and showing others the love of God.

2) If you are not satisified with your life it is because you are not living out your purpose. More money, promotions, fame, or admiration from others will NEVER fill the void. The ONLY way to be fulfilled and satisifed in life is to know that you are advancing the Kingdom of God here on earth. If your plans today do not advance the Kingdom of God, you will end the day feeling like you wasted yet another day and missed the entire point of living!

3) If you're wondering if this is as good as it gets, the answer is NO! It gets so much better. A life lived to glorify God and to give hope to lost and damaged people is so fulfilling and amazing that you will never want to do anything else once you experience it.

4) VERY FEW people ever find out how awesome it is to live this way. Matthew 7:14 says, "...but small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it."

My challenge to you is to stop and reflect (for real this time). Examine your life. Think about your plans, your goals, your desires. Will they really make any difference when this day is over? Don't you want your life to matter? Trust me...this is NOT as good as it gets. God has so much more in store for those willing to walk down the narrow road of life!

Church Incorporated

(*Disclaimer - It would be easy to think I am addressing specifics in this article, but I am not. I am not speaking to any specific church or individuals with these words. I am addressing the culture I see in MANY American Churches today.*)


Feel free to read into this whatever you want, but its going to get directly to the point.

What's the difference between the Church in America and Corporate America? Sadly, not much! Some of you reading this might not like the brashness of that statement, but the truth of it can't be denied. We have "Americanized" the church in such a way that the lines between how the church runs and how a typical corporation runs are blurred at best, and non-existent in many cases. AND yes, this is a bad thing!


Allow me to present just one (of many) of my personal observations to support these statements:


- We seek out the paying customers WAAAY before we seek out the lost or the poor. Observe your church's Sunday School classes and worship service this week and tell me that I'm lying. Who gets the attention? Who is made to feel welcome? Allow someone who doesn't "fit in" to walk through the doors and see how they are treated.


This is just one example. I will stop just to make this simple point:


I am NOT bashing the church...I'm trying to challenge those who have taken the American ideals of ambition and prosperity and applied them to our worship communities. I'm speaking about those who have taken the principles of capitalism and applied them to the church Jesus started. The truth is I LOVE THE CHURCH and want to see it do exactly what it is supposed to do.


Listen Church! Are we country clubs or are we places of refuge and beacons of light shining in a VERY dark world. Capitalism is fine for our economy, but it has no place in our churches.


Jesus said to give it all away - Capitalism says to get as much as you can!


Jesus said to treat others as you would have them treat you - Corporate America says to look out for number one!


Jesus said to take care of the poor, widows, and orphans - the Business world is more interested in those with money and influence!


Jesus said that true leaders are those who serve - Corporate America says the leaders are those with the most power and give them titles like CEO and Chairman!


Which one does the church resemble more today, what Jesus said or what Corporate America says?


I am not cynical, I am just tired of ignoring these facts. It is time to reform the church...AGAIN! It is time to remove corporate minded leadership and replace it with Spirit-led leadership! I am on a mission and hope you are too. Lets get to work...(a-hem) I mean, lets get to serving!!!


I have more to say on this subject so stay tuned and find a way to impact your world today!

Perseverance

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you." (James 1:2-5)

Hmmm...This passage has always given me trouble. The problem is that I don't often face trials. To be honest, I have had a pretty easy life. Sure, I'm just like anyone else in that I have the occasional stresses at work, struggles with money, and difficulty in relationships, but I can only think of a couple of times in my life where I had to throw up my hands and acknowledge that the only way out of this situation is if God rescues me.

Here is my problem with this scripture: I want to be wise. I want to have perseverance. I want to be spiritually mature. I want to be complete. I want God to use me in ministry to help people. But I wonder if my relatively easy life is holding me back from these things?

What do I do? On the one hand, I am greatful for the life God has given me. I give Him ALL the credit for the fact that I have always had my needs and most of my desires met. On the other hand, if I want to be wise, mature, and complete with perseverance; I need to be tested and challenged in my faith. Do I PRAY for trials? Do I PRAY for trouble and hardship? It is a strange concept isn't it?

The only conclusion I can draw from all of this is that my life has been pretty easy and lacked significant trials for one reason: Up until now I have been pretty lazy and insignificant in pursuit of my purpose here earth to lead people to Christ. If we look at the example of Job, the source of our trouble here on earth is Satan. Satan only feels a need to attack those who are advancing the Kingdom of God here on earth. If a person is NOT advancing the Kingdom of God then Satan has no need for causing trouble for that person.

My prayer is NOT to have trouble. My prayer is that I will become passionate about impacting and advancing the Kingdom of God here on earth. If I do that, I am certain that Satan will bring trouble my way. When that happens I will have the opportunity to develop wisdom, perseverance, maturity and completeness in my life. After that there is no telling how God will use me to impact others.

I'm ready to advance the Kingdom of God. I'm ready to impact the world around me. I'm ready to quit being lazy and become passionate about sharing the truth about the Gospel message. I'm ready to become a target of Satan and his attacks. Because of all of this I can consider the trials I will face "pure joy".

Who wants to be a target for trouble with me???