Life Lessons

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Demanding Satisfaction

Satisfaction Guranteed SealSatisfaction Guaranteed!  Really? . . . Is that possible?  Can someone else guarantee your satisfaction, or mine?  How can satisfaction be promised when what satisfies you may not satisfy me?  How does a person enforce, or claim, this guarantee?  Is it possible to demand satisfaction and actually get it?  Is it possible to have such unrealistic expectations that you are never satisfied?

After each flight that I take, I fill out a survey for the airline regarding my satisfaction with the trip and their service.  One of the questions that I always laugh at, asks my opinon on the value received for the price paid.  As much as I search for the best price possible, I always think that I would have liked to have paid less.  I’ve not yet had a flight that I could truly say that I was satisfied with the price.  Does that mean the cost was unreasonable?  Not necessarily, but it may mean that my expectations were. 

True satisfaction seems to have a lot to do with contentment in spite of, not because of, expectations.  It is saying, “That is sufficient” and really meaning it.  “I know that I wanted something more and at less cost, but this is enough.”  True satisfaction is a mind-set, a decision, a committment on our part that must not rely on some other person or thing to bring us fulfillment. 

This can only come through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.  It is in Jesus that we learn and know that His “grace is sufficient for you.”  It is enough.  It is plenty.  Jesus says in Matthew 6:32 that the pagans chase after the things they need to be satisfied, but it should not be that way with us.  He is to be our provider and our satisfaction.  “Then Jesus said, ‘I am the bread of life.  Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.'” (John 6:35)  This is a satisfaction that does not rely on our physical bodies being fed and provided for, but rather a dependance on our spiritual being, our soul, being nourished and cared for.  It allows us to sing, “I’m satisfied with just a cottage below, a little silver and a little gold.”  It also allows us to live satisfied without a cottage and with no silver or gold.  It is a satisfaction that comes not from demanding, but from surrendering. 

Demanding always says, “I want more!”  It never has enough.  Surrender says, “I give up!”  It recognizes that I don’t deserve anything, so whatever I do have is plenty.  Surrender to Jesus brings a true satisfaction because it allows us to rest in His grace and mercy.  It is there that we learn through the Holy Spirit a peace and contentment that cannot be understood outside of a relationship with Jesus. 

Are you demanding satisfaction in your home, your work, your church, your world, your life?  If so, it is time to quit demanding and surrender all of these areas to Jesus so that you can know true satisfaction.

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Greener Pastures

We’ve all heard the saying, “The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence.”  We’ve probably all thought that and believed that at various times in life as well. 

It is interesting that as often as I’ve heard that phrase used, I don’t think I’ve ever heard someone use it and actually mean it.  It is always in the context of, “you think it is that way but it really isn’t.”  They don’t mean the grass is greener, it just looks that way from this side. 

I’ve spent this past week out in the Pacific Northwest and as I’ve travelled in Washington and Oregon, I’ve thought the grass really does look greener out here.  So, what if the grass really is greener on the other side of the fence.  What difference would that make?  Would it cause us to climb the fence?  Maybe even get off the fence and decide where we will walk?  Perhaps even be so bold as to investigate why the grass is greener?  No, for most people there is never a decision made, just a complaint that someone has it better than they do.

Yes, the grass is greener, the flowers are larger and more beautiful, the landscapes more lush out here than anything in northern Indiana in the summer.  But there is a price.  The price is rain.  Day after day of cloudy, gloomy, rainy weather.  Yes, there are days of sun to provide the energy for growth, but it is the rainy seasons of the northwest that bring with it a greenness that the hot, dry summers of Indiana can never produce.

Our spiritual lives can be similar.  We may see someone who appears to have an incredible connection with God and we wonder why they have that and we don’t.  Envy and jealousy begins to creep into our life as we allow thoughts of unfairness to dwell in our mind.  We close our mind to the “rain” that has filled a person’s life and caused them to draw nearer to God.  Even if we recognize the cloudy, dreary days that drew a person into a depth of relationship with God, we want a shortcut.  We want the result without the things necessary to bring it about. 

God has designed no shortcuts.  He says that if we want to be His disciple, we must take up our cross and follow Him.  Our faith must be tried and tested.  Our salvation must be worked out with fear and trembling.  It is work.  It is hardship.  It is not easy.  Yet, when accomplished, the peace, joy, and contentment that comes will always make the grass look greener on your side of the fence. 

May you be found walking in greener pastures because you faithfully pursue Christ at all costs.

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Prayer: In Secret or Visible?

  “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full.  But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”  Matthew 6:5-6 

“Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before.  Then these men went as a group and found Daniel praying and asking God for help.”  Daniel 6:10-11

These two passages give words to two different responses that I get when I lead, promote, and teach about Prayer Walks, Prayer Gatherings, and other prayer events.  They also point out the problem of pulling a verse or two about a specific subject out of the Bible and using them to prove a point without looking at all the Bible says about the topic in question.

I’ve had people object to the whole idea of doing prayer events and they often use the teaching of Jesus in Matthew regarding praying in secret rather than “to be seen by men”.  Unfortunately, they not only miss the point of what Impact is doing in promoting prayer-based ministry, they also miss the point Jesus is making.  In the sermon on the mount, Jesus is addressing motive and motivation in prayer. 

The comparison is between “hypocrites”, who’s only purpose is to be noticed, and “you”, who prays out of a motivation to know and be known by God.  Daniel is a good example of this.  He prays and is noticed.  The key is in determining why he prayed.  The passage above tells us that he did this “just as he had done before.”  Daniel wasn’t praying “to be seen by men”, men happened to see him because he was praying as usual.  The trap was set because Daniel’s prayer life was consistent and obvious to all.  His devotion and pursuit of God was consistent and unstoppable.  A law banning prayer to God did not stop him from praying, nor send him into hiding.  He wasn’t showing off, he was actively practicing his faith in God.

I pray.  I pray at home.  I pray in private.  I pray in public.  My desire is to live a lifestyle of prayer.  Sometimes that is seen, sometimes not.  The problem that Jesus talked about is if I begin looking for people to notice my praying and I hope to impress them by it.  The problem isn’t being noticed, it is wanting to be noticed.  Last night I was eating dinner at Red Robin in Seattle, Washington and prayed before the meal.  Our waiter noticed and commented on how he didn’t see that much any more.  It became an opportunity that may have been missed had I not prayed with our group.

So, is prayer to be done in secret or visibly?  Paul writes to the Thessalonians and tells them to “pray continually.”  This would be always!  The question isn’t, “do I pray when I am in secret or do I pray when I am in public?”  Rather, we need to ask, “why am I praying?”  Prayer that has God as our only audience is always appropriate.

May you and I be people of prayer – not to be noticed by others, but to know and be known by God.

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A Broken Toe

Wow!  What a week of camp!  . . . OK, so I left a day early because of a trip to Seattle today, but it was a great week of camp.

It is so much fun to teach, especially 5th & 6th graders, the concepts of pursuing God with all the energy and enthusiasm they can give.  They have a bunch of it that they use on a variety of things, so helping to focus that on pursuing God has results that are often visible.

I have always loved using the camp-wide capture the flag game as an object lesson to teach the level of pursuit we need to have for God.  This year, I outdid myself!  I put so much effort and energy into the game so that I could talk to the students about it the next morning, that I broke my big toe and took a roll through the gravel drive.  That took the object lesson to a whole new level.  In the game, I had finally resisted “capture” to the point of shedding blood.  In life, though, I had to agree with Paul that I “had not yet resisted sin to the point of shedding blood.” 

Not only do we need an ultimate, sacrificial effort to pursue God with all our “heart, mind, soul, and strength”, we need to put equal effort into resisting temptations to sin.  Fortunately, in both endeavors we have the help and power of the Holy Spirit to partner and guide us in the truth of God’s Word.

Even with the broken toe, which happened on Monday night, I had a great week of camp.  The “pursuing God” was emphasized on Tuesday and taught throughout the week.  I also had opportunity to teach about being “models” of Jesus, about being disciple-makers, and about praying at all times, in all ways, for all people.  I was happy to be there and be a part of such an incredible camp.

May you and I be found pursuing God with reckless abandonment and resisting sin, even to the point of shedding blood.

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Growing Up!

How often have you wished that a child or person you know would “just grow up!”  We have a tendency to get frustrated when someone acts immature for their age.  Perhaps words or actions have made us think another person ought to be further along in maturity than what they were.

God wants us to grow up also.  Not only individually, but also as a body of believers.  Ephesians 4:15-16 states, “Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into Him who is the Head, that is, Christ.  From Him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.”  Paul states that it is by truth that we grow into our head, Jesus.  Truth spoken in love brings us to maturity in Christ.  As we individually grow into the head of Christ, He brings the entire body together.  The body of Christ will continue to grow as we keep putting into practice the things found in scripture.  As we focus on things such as found in this passage of scripture from Ephesians 4:11-16, God honors His promises and plans.  The action of a church body growing requires all to be involved.

So, what is your part?  The Bible teaches that the whole body grows as each part does its work.  Everyone God adds to His church has important work to do.  If the work God wants you to do isn’t being done, the entire body suffers.  Even the tasks that seem hidden or less glamorous are needed and important.  I remember when my daughter’s liver and kidneys shut down.  Even though they were  small unseen parts, the impact on the entire body was very obvious and very bad.  Likewise, your part in a local body of believers is not insignificant.  Doing your part makes a big difference to the growth of the body.

May all of us grow together and be built up in the love and truth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus.

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A Priceless Drive

“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.”  James 1:22

Road ConstructionI spent much of today driving from South Bend, Indiana to Cameron, Missouri – just north of Kansas City.  What a trip!  I left South Bend at 1:00 PM and arrived in Cameron at 11:00 PM my time, 10:00 PM local time.  With an hour out for a WalMart, meal, and fuel stop, it was still a long drive.  Let’s see if I can sumarize it well:

  • Driving – 500+ miles

  • Time – 10 hours

  • Fuel – $58

  • Meal, snacks, and Dr Pepper – $10

  • Listening to audio recordings of the entire books of Matthew, Mark, and Luke – Priceless!

The time seemed to pass quickly as I listened to these gospels.  So much so, that I can hardly wait for the drive home to continue this priceless listening.  Even the occasional construction zone – with speed limits reduced to 55 mph instead of 70 mph – were not an annoyance as it gave a little more time to soak in the Word.  I love God’s Word!  I love to read it, proclaim it, and listen to it.  Even more, I love to live it!  That is the most necessary part, and the most difficult part. 

James tells us that to merely listen to the Word, but not do what it says, is a fairly useless activity.  However, if we hear the Word and put it into practice, we will be blessed in what we do.  Just in case we are not sure what putting the Word into practice might look like, James gives us some straightforward examples in verses 26 and 27.  Controlling ourselves, particularly our tongue, is an outward display of a part of the fruit of God’s Spirit – self-control.  Practicing what we hear from God also involves loving our neighbor as ourself – caring for widows and orphans in their distress.  Not making excuses for why they might be in need, but caring for them with the love of Jesus.  Finally, James wants us to know that living the Word of God requires us to keep ourselves from being polluted by the world.  We must take captive every thought and hold it obedient to the will, love, and righteousness of God.  See, I said this was the hard part. 

Fortunately, as we expose ourselves to the Word of God through reading and listening, we have God’s Spirit within us to empower us to live it.  It is our choice.  Do we allow God’s Spirit to use His Word to convict us of sin, righteousness, and judgement?  As we do, do we adjust our actions, even our very thoughts, to align with God’s view of what is right, good, and proper? 

It was a great day for listening and I pray it was an even better day for preparing me to live the words I heard.

May God draw you to hearing His Word and empower you to live it.

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A Real Champions’ Breakfast!

We have probably all heard of numerous reports and studies designed to prove that a good breakfast is critical to the well-being of people, particularly students.  A well known cereal purports itself to be “the breakfast of champions”.  Their idea is that if you want to be a champion, this is what you will eat.  I don’t exactly agree with them, so I’ve found my own championship breakfast.  Those who have spent much time around me know that I always refer to my Dr. Pepper as the breakfast of champions.  I’ve often had fun with this, even while pointing out the obvious – that soft drinks of any kind do not make a good breakfast.

I do believe, however, that I have identified the true “champions’ breakfast”.  It cannot be found with a simple one course meal.  It requires a balanced diet, therefore several courses are necessary.  I believe that by beginning each day with a three course meal of prayer, God’s Word, and worship, we begin to prepare ourselves to be true champions.

As we study the lives of “champions” in the Bible, we find that these three elements are consistently present.  Bible characters became champions by staying connected to God.  They did this with regular time spent in prayer.  They knew the scriptures.  They would meditate on it day and night.  They worshipped God with their lives.  I’ve read a quote from someone that says, “If you’re too busy to pray, you’re too busy!”  This would be true of this entire “champions’ breakfast”.

When we begin each day with time spent in prayer, it helps put our entire day into perspective.  When we start the day with Bible reading, it helps us to meditate on God’s Word throughout the day so that we would choose to do right.  When we greet the day in worship of God, it shapes our attitude and responses as we interact with others.

As we feast on this “champions’ breakfast”, may God change our lives so that we are true champions in His kingdom.

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Allegiance

“These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.  They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men.”  Matthew 15:8-9

(This is a reprint of an article I originally wrote in July of 2002.  It still seems quite applicable to today.  – Tom)

A lot of attention has been given recently to the wording of the pledge of allegiance to the U.S. flag.  The two little words, “under God”, have caused an uproar across our nation.  As news of this ruling became known, I couldn’t help but think of the scene just a few short months ago.  You remember it, right?  The scene of our nation’s congressmen standing on the steps of the capitol building singing “God Bless America” following the attacks of September 11, 2001.  Once again, political leaders of all party affiliations have spoken out.  This time with nearly one voice objecting to a judge’s ruling that threatens to remove the phrase “under God” from the pledge.

Both times, I had a similar reaction.  What hypocrisy!  As we watch the direction the nation continues to take, it appears to me that God is thought of very little as decisions are made.  Yet, when disaster strikes, we want God’s blessing.  Or when the public cries out against a change in tradition, we become uneasy.

In the verses above, Jesus addressed a question regarding his disciples not keeping the traditions of the elders.  He quotes from Isaiah and accuses the religious leaders of being hypocrites.  Their talk is designed to appear to honor God, but their actions and motives are far from God.  As Christians, are we more concerned about the tradition of a pledge using the words “under God”, or about living a life that honors God?  Is our allegiance to a flag and country more important than our allegiance to God?  I guess it bothers me when so many cry out against a change in the wording of the pledge when so few cry out against the injustice and evil that continues to grow in our nation.

I pray that our honor of God would be from our hearts and not just from our lips.