“Once you had no identity as a people; now you are God’s people. Once you received no mercy; now you have received God’s mercy.”

1 Peter 2:10

I grew up with the last name of Barney. This was way before the purple dinosaur Barney, but I still got labeled as Barney Miller, Barney Rubble, or Barney Fife. (I know that is aging me a bit). Those “labels” of course were harmless fun with no malicious intent, but they still ring true to how often we equate people to something other than who they are.

We might label a person based on their weight, their age, their disability, their mannerism, their status, their ethnicity, their political views, their religion, their financial status. These are among a few of the most popular.

But our current labeling culture has become way more than just a harmless equation to fictional characters. Our labeling has reached a spectrum that is downright hateful, devaluing, and re-naming our identity.

I don’t have to explain the problems of division and hostility this is causing in our society. And as that is a tragedy in itself, probably the bigger tragedy is the voice that labels place on our self- worth as individuals.

When we hear over and over who we are supposed to be, who everyone else thinks we should be, who we are not, or maybe even that since we are on the wrong side of their opinion we don’t matter, it can begin to take a toll on who we really think we are.

But as we may receive no mercy from the world, we have received mercy from God! He is the only One who’s opinion of us matters. And the only important question we need to ask is Who does God say that I am?

• Gods says that you are…”amazing and wonderfully made”. You can praise Him for that for He has done beautiful work when He created you. (Psalm 139:14).

• God says that you are delightful….”He is with you and living among you. He is your mighty savior, taking great delight in you, calming your fears, and singing joyful songs over you” (Zephaniah 3:17).

• God says that you are His friend forever……”Instead, I have called you friends”…(John 15:15)….you did not choose me, but I chose you….(John 15:16)….and nothing will ever separate you from the love He has for you (Romans 8:37-39).

• God says that you are valuable enough to be exchanged for His Son… “He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins” (Ephesians 1:7).

• God says that you are His child….you are “adopted into His family” (Ephesians 1:5)….and are “children of God through faith” (Galatians 3:26)

• God says that you are His ambassador…“But you are the ones chosen by God, chosen for the high calling of priestly work, chosen to be a holy people, God’s instruments to do his work and speak out for him, to tell others of the night-and-day difference he made for you – from nothing to something, from rejected to accepted” (I Peter 2:9-10).

When we focus on who God says we are, we can actually live in the reality of who we are in Him. Not that it’s easy, but when we are keeping our eyes on Jesus, what the rest of the world says about us does not matter. “So, all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord – who is Spirit – makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image” (2 Corinthians 3:18).

God’s love, purpose, and label for you are so vastly different from what the world wants you to think. He loves you in spite of your flaws, and sees you as confident, strong, forgiven, and holy. What label will you respond to today?

Saturday Soul Search

“I will praise the Lord, who guides me; even at night my heart instructs me. I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Therefore, my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure, because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead, nor will you let your faithful one see decay. You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.”

Psalms 16:7-11

It’s that time of year when we get to enjoy fields of sunflowers! I love their bright and cheerful faces and the fact that they always seem to be smiling back at us! And I’ve always been intrigued by the fact that they follow the sun!

Not only do they resemble their name – a flower that looks like the sun- but they also display their attraction to the light by standing tall and turning their face throughout the day, following the direction of the sun. At night they lay their faces in the West and reset towards the East, eagerly awaiting the brightness of tomorrow.

But if you’ve ever brought a sunflower inside it droops it’s face downward. Take it outside, and it comes back to life.

And I know that sometimes in life we can feel like the sunflower that’s been brought in out of the sun. Our faces droop, our joy stoops, our eyes are blinded, and our minds can seem clouded by darkness. But just as the sunflower rejuvenates in the physical light of the sun, we can find revival in the spiritual light of Jesus. We can be assured of the brightness of tomorrow when we keep our eyes fixed on Him.

Jesus is the Light of the world, and when we faithfully seek Him, our source of Life, we can find peace and joy through all of our cloudy days.

Sunflowers are natural followers of the light. As believers, we too should become natural followers of our light, Jesus. It’s not always easy to do what the sunflowers do; to stand tall, turn our faces toward the Son, and resemble our identity as followers of Christ. But the more we move towards Jesus, the more natural it becomes.

Helen Keller once said “Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see the shadows”.

Today, let’s keep our face toward the light of the world so the darkness cannot overcome it. Let’s embrace the light of life so we can’t see the shadows! Let’s do what the sunflowers do with bright and cheerful faces, smiling back at world with glad hearts and rejoicing tongues, because, we cannot be shaken.

“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life”.

John 8:12

Saturday Soul Search

“A passerby named Simon, who was from Cyrene, was coming in from the countryside just then, and the soldiers forced him to carry Jesus’ cross. (Simon was the father of Alexander and Rufus.)”

Mark 15:21 NLT

There are a lot of mysteries when it comes to Scripture, and this is one of them – Simon from Cyrene. A man who had never been mentioned before and a man who would never be mentioned again in the Gospel story. I don’t know what happened to him after he helped Jesus carry His cross, but I can only imagine that it was life changing!

I envision an awful mess! Jesus – tired and bloody – carrying an undeserved cross. Some people cheering. Some people mourning. The confusion of the moment. The corruption of the Passover.

All Simon wanted to do was celebrate the freedom, renewal and faith of his people. But instead, He was thrust into the spotlight of following Jesus. And he found it was not an easy task as the cross is a heavy burden to bear.

I can’t imagine how Simon felt when he had to give up his own way that day to carry the cross of Jesus! He was commanded to share the weight of the cross and to suffer for hours as they made their way up to the top of the hill. But what an honor it must have been to be a part of the work of God – even if it was just a small part. His submission to the powers that be to sacrifice his day to suffer with Jesus, I must say, is inspiring and admiring.

But I am thankful that we live on the other side of that cross! Simon was forced to follow Jesus. But we are left with a choice.

Jesus told his disciples long before his crucifixion that “If any of you want to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me” (Mark 8:34).

And taking up your own cross is hard! But just as Simon is forever identified with Jesus, when we walk in the footsteps of Jesus – submitting ourselves to Him, sacrificing our own desires, and suffering for the sake of good – we too, become forever a part of God’s plan.

When you choose to follow Jesus, the mysteries of the Gospel begin to unfold. The power of the cross is displayed. And the Life of the Holy Spirit is declared! This mystery was revealed to the early disciples when the grave was found empty. And it’s revealed to us when we empty ourselves.

It might sound like an easy choice to make. But it’s not an easy journey. Carrying our cross is hard work! But we can be confident that the suffering we endure by denying ourselves for Christ will bring joy in the morning because we become the work of God!

“For God called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered for you. He is your example, and you must follow in his steps.”

1 Peter 2:21 NLT

Saturday Soul Search

“Even though I am free of the demands and expectations of everyone, I have voluntarily become a servant to any and all in order to reach a wide range of people: religious, nonreligious, meticulous, moralists, loose-living immoralists, the defeated, the demoralized – whoever. I didn’t take on their way of life. I kept my bearings in Christ – but I entered their world and tried to experience things from their point of view. I’ve become just about every sort of servant there is in my attempts to lead those I meet into a God-saved life. I did all this because of the Message. I didn’t want to just talk about it; I wanted to be in on it!”

1 Corinthians 9:19-23 (MSG)

This week I had the opportunity to take a quick retreat at the river. As I sat there reflecting, I looked over to see the spoils of the harvest being shared by Turkey, Deer, and Quail (pictured above). It was a pretty awesome sight just to see, but it also brought me an awareness of the barriers and labels that we as humans have built. Barriers that keep us comfortable, but also isolates us in a multi-cultural world.

Culture influences how people see their own world. It’s a pattern of human behavior which includes beliefs, values, practices, customs, manners of interacting, relationships and expected behaviors. But I think we get so comfortable in the world that we are familiar with, that we fail to even try to experience things from another person’s point of view.

Paul had the right idea! He knew that to be effective in his ministry, he had to move out of his comfort zone to meet people where they were at.

This didn’t mean compromising his own values or beliefs. It meant finding common ground. It meant humbling himself to invest time in people who were not like himself. Listening to them. Observing them. Attempting to understand them and the challenges that were before them. This meant being sensitive to their differences and making them feel accepted and loved. It meant hanging out with the lost. And creating open doors for the Gospel to be heard.

But it also meant that he was imitating Christ. In Matthew 9:10-13, Jesus himself, who came to save and not condemn (John 3:17), sat among sinners because they were the ones who needed Him most.

And I think we could learn a lot from Paul. And from the Turkey, Quail, and Deer.

I personally have found that intentional exposure to other cultures, values, and beliefs helps me search my heart for my own biases and prejudices. It challenges me to love without limitations and moves me into deeper reflection of my own hatred and hardness. It requires me to practice patience, empathy, compassion, and self-control. And it reminds me that it’s not my place to judge others or try to change what they believe, but that it’s my mission to sow a seed that can only be grown by God.

When I move myself out of my bubble and into the bubble of others, it sharpens me and it humbles me. Because it makes me let go of me, if only for a moment, to let someone else be. And it allows me to sweeten the pot with a little bit of Jesus and a whole lot of love in a way that might otherwise not be understood.

When it’s so easy to shun others because of our worldview assumptions, let’s think like Paul and be like the wildlife in the field; sharing our spoils and enjoying together the blessings of the harvest without hesitation, expectation, or resistance. Let’s reap the peace and joy that Jesus has so graciously sown into us by sitting with none other than us alone. We are the sinners He came to save so let’s not just talk the talk, but let’s walk the walk.

Saturday Soul Search

“Who is the King of glory? The Lord, strong and mighty; the Lord, invincible in battle. Wake up, you sleepyhead city! Wake up, you sleepyhead people. The King of glory is ready to enter. Who is the King of glory? The Lord of Heaven’s Armies— he is the King of glory”!

Psalms 24:8-10 (NLT/MSG)

When I was in high school, (yes, that was 40 years ago), there was a movie being made right up the street from us in Fort Worth starring Rob Lowe and Wynona Ryder. I remember everyone, including me, was giddy and chasing the cameras with the hope of catching a glimpse of the famous heart throbs.

Looking back on that now, it seems kind of silly. I mean I have pictures somewhere that are lost and forgotten. I also had to look up the movie that had been filmed because it too, was lost and forgotten – by me anyway. And as it is really cool to have followed the two stars throughout their careers and know that I caught of glimpse of their glory early on, the reality is that my being there, meant nothing to them at all – or really to me. But it does make for a really good story!

I am thankful though, that there is someone else Who I have chased and still get giddy to see. He is the One who is the true King of Glory! He is the One who knows I’m there (and even knows my name)! He is the One who is intimately approachable, perpetually unchangeable, and eternally sovereign. And He’s a person who is hard to forget because His evidence is all around through His creation and His faithfulness.

My King of Glory is the One who displays His beauty and wisdom through nature, His grace and mercy through compassion, His power and righteousness through redemption, His justice and love through holiness, and His protection and provision through faithfulness. My King of Glory is the One who is worthy of praise!

We make choices every day to glorify someone or something. But who are we giddy and rushing to see? Who really makes our hearts throb? Is it entertainers, politicians, or even people in our lives who enchant us? Or is it the Living God!

Take time to reflect on the attributes that are worthy of your worship and praise. And give some thought to the character and roles that God plays in your life. Then thank Him! Give Him proper praise! And don’t forget to declare to the world that He is your King of Glory! The only King that is worthy of glory and praise.

Saturday Soul Search

““Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us.”

Romans 12:2-3

They say that you can’t teach an old dog new tricks. But I think that you can! In fact I think it’s not only healthy, but expected, for us to learn new tricks and change the way we respond to the world, even if the world doesn’t change for us.

And as the New Year rolls in, may we reflect and resolve to learn new tricks, to try new things, and to better ourselves – not only for how it will benefit us, but for the sake of others as well.

Sometimes though it’s hard to embrace change, especially when it involves ourselves. In a world that is constantly changing, we can choose to be the old dog, or we can choose to learn new tricks to navigate the changes without compromising what we know to be true.

This can prove to be challenging for sure. But when we allow God to be Who He is and incorporate His unchanging character (Hebrews 13:8) into our resolutions to love better, lead better, and live better, we are less likely to fail.

Here are a few ways that you can embody the unity between Christ, yourself and the world. Whether you have decided to learn new tricks, or feeling like the old will do, incorporating these disciplines into your life can accomplish only good.

• Make time to be alone with God. This is not something that comes easily, but it is an intentional sacrifice that will prove to be powerful in your journey to change (Mark 1:35).
• Ask God to search your heart and give you a humbled and surrendered Spirit (Psalm 139:24).
• Be mindful of what you are watching and listening to. Keeping your eyes on things that are good, excellent, and praiseworthy will keep your mind positive and moving forward (Matthew 6:22-23).
• Ask a friend to join you in your journey. Share your challenges and what you hope to gain by learning new tricks. Ask them to evaluate you as well. And see what tricks might be up their sleeve (Ecclesiastes 4:9).
• Dress yourself for Success. The devil is gonna’ be on your back so wear that armor provided by God to stop those darts of defeat (Ephesians 6:10-20).

But of course, our desire to change can only come from Christ. And when He compels us to do so, it is for the good of our witness for Him and increases our effectiveness to love like Him, live like Him, and fulfill His mission in the world.

May the Spirit of the Living and Unchanging God reveal to you new tricks that you can use in this ever-changing world to build a firm and steady bridge to His Kingdom.

Happy New Year Ya’ll!

#SaturdaySoulSearch

“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful I know that full well.”

Psalms 139:13-14

How do you measure success? Success can be defined in many different and healthy ways, but we often look at others and what they have accomplished to measure our own success. But our success should not be characterized by what the rest of the world is doing. The measure of our success should be how we respond in faith and obedience to God’s purpose for OUR life.

We each have our own role for which God has created us for, and when we begin to compare it to what others are doing, it leads not only to feelings of insecurity and inadequacy, but it can also lead to friction in our relationships.

Comparison can also neutralize our effectiveness for God. He made each of us in His own image but with our own individual gifts. He set us apart from everyone else to be who He wants us to be. But if we are too busy focusing on what everyone else is doing that might be bigger or better than us, we aren’t able to embrace the power of the Spirit that motivates us to bear our own fruit.

We are all created and wonderfully made by God Himself! And we can have confidence that He will equip us and empower us to make Him famous in His, and our own, special way.

Friend, you don’t have to compare and compete with others. God is the only one that matters when measuring your success. You can praise God for what He is doing in your life. You can rejoice in your friendships and acquaintances. And you can celebrate all that God has put on their plates, and also, all that He has put on yours.

Who do we need to give a high five to today? And what can you high five yourself for? Start by giving praise to God, who created you to be you – fearful, wonderful and capable you! Then ask Him to help you recognize your special gifts and in what unique way He can use you today.

12 words

Success isn’t measured by what everyone else does. It’s measured by God.

#SaturdaySoulSearch

“For the Lord is God, and he created the heavens and earth and put everything in place. He made the world to be lived in, not to be a place of empty chaos. “I am the Lord,” he says, “and there is no other. I publicly proclaim bold promises. I do not whisper obscurities in some dark corner. I would not have told the people of Israel to seek me if I could not be found. I, the Lord, speak only what is true and declare only what is right.”

Isaiah 45:18-19 NLT

Two parents. Three heart procedures. Two scheduled admissions for surgery. One unscheduled admission for unfinished surgery. Two unscheduled ER visits. One unscheduled admission for complications. One emergency visit to the surgeon’s office. Three unscheduled follow ups. All in nine days.

Ya’ll, it’s been chaos. But ya’ know what? I’m still standing. And fairly sane. WHY? First of all, the family unit that my parents created is amazing! My Dad’s four girls, including the one who was laid up with him, didn’t fail to stick together during the intensity of the moments. But mostly I made it by the grace of God.

You see, God didn’t create this world out of empty chaos. And he didn’t create it to be lived in empty chaos. He created us to find meaning and fulfillment even through our chaos. And even though these past few weeks are kind of a blur, they were filled with meaningful moments of seeing God show up. In our conversations. In our interventions. In our wisdom. In our tears. In those moments of pulling our hair out. God was in the midst and He never left us alone.

Our first order of business in any chaotic situation is to look at God and how He created the world! I can’t even imagine the chaos that was taking place as the light appeared in the darkness. As the seas were separated from the heavens and the earth. As the sun and the moon appeared. As the skies and earth were filled with life. As trees and plants popped up to bless all that He had created. He had a plan from the beginning to use chaos to bring blessings, purpose, and fulfillment.

And He is a God who shows up to bring us all of those good things. He isn’t a God who tells you to seek Him and then can’t be found. Oh no! He is a God who is right there! He boldly proclaims that He can be found in the darkness and confusion of life and He keeps His promise to show up.

In the middle of chaos or crisis lies the greatest of opportunities. The opportunity to seek God and allow Him the blessing of walking with you. The opportunity to be still allowing Him to infuse peace. The opportunity to give up control and trust Him to restore order. Admitting that it may not be in our timing or even the perfect way that we envision it, but if we pay attention and hang in there with Him …it’s an order that is magnificently designed to bring some kind of beauty to our battle.

One of the greatest mysteries of trusting God for me is the patience of not knowing what or when His outcomes will be. But I know that just as when He created the world and it was good, what He’s creating in me and for me through trusting Him will be just as good.

First Corinthians 2:9 reminds us that “no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him”. And I imagine that in the midst of our chaos and confusion, we can’t even begin to imagine what He is preparing for us.

I am still processing all that He has done in these past few weeks, but what I do already know, is that as I wept in confusion and slept in exhaustion, I also shouted for joy because I know my God was there. When I sought Him, He showed up. And for that, I am thankful.

I encourage you today, whether you are in the midst of chaos or resting in confidence, to take some time to seek and get to know God. Don’t wait until you are in dire need! His mercies are new and His promises hold true every day! They will not return empty as He invites you into a personal relationship that can be found right now! A relationship that will bring order in and out of chaos, now and forevermore.

#SaturdaySoulSearch

“The rain and snow come down from the heavens and stay on the ground to water the earth. They cause the grain to grow, producing seed for the farmer and bread for the hungry. It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it. You will live in joy and peace”.

Isaiah 55:10-12a

Rain! As it can be such a blessing, we often complain that it never comes at the right time! During droughts it doesn’t come soon enough. And during the floods, we wonder when it will end. When we have outdoor plans, we pout at the disruption and redirection of our day. But God sends His rain because it is good. He sends His rain because He is good. And He has reminded me lately how much I need His rain!

Not the wet stuff that falls from the sky, but His Word that He plants in my heart to nourish and grow my soul.

His Word wasn’t necessarily appealing to me for many years. But that day He grabbed my attention was the day the floodgates opened up. He revealed Himself to me as the gift from heaven who could offer me life! Life! Unlike the one I was living. Unlike the one I imagined. Life! Enriched with meaning and purpose. Living to honor Him and reflect His goodness. Life! Loved, valued, and redeemed by Jesus!

And in the stress and insanity of this past month, when I felt empty and dry, I have been so thankful that God cared enough about me to send me rain! I’m thankful for the flooding of my soul with His Word and His faithfulness so many times in the past that I could confidently know that He would do it again!

Just as God sent rain to protect Noah and his family, He sends rain to protect us from our emotions and strain. He sent rain (manna) to feed the Israelites and He continues to send rain to nurture and refresh us.

God rains down Scripture and encourgement before we even know that we need it. It might seem like it’s not useful at the time, or that it doesn’t apply to us, but every Word that God has written is useful to teach us, to convict us, to prepare us, and to equip us to do every good work that He has planned for us to do (2 Timothy 3:16-17). And He does this because He loves us!

But if we have our umbrellas up and are not paying attention, we might miss what He has in store for us.

In Deuteronomy 11:14, God tells us He “will send the rains in their proper seasons – the early rains and the late rains – so you can bring in your harvests of grain, new wine and olive oil”.

God desires to bless you with a harvest of joy and peace! He desires to annoint you with the Presence and the Power of His Spirit. And He desires to equip you with everything you need. Whether it’s strength and energy, motivation and passion, or patience and self-control. God’s Word will always accomplish what He desires for it to accomplish.

But we have to desire it too. We have to allow God’s Word to saturate our soul – meditating on it day and night. We should obey the commands to love God first and to love each other regardless of how we feel. And we must embrace the fact that God’s Word was written out of love to help us shape our lives into lives that love.

Every good and perfect gift is sent from above (James 1:17) and He is waiting to shower that gift on you! Will you let God’s goodness rain on you today?

12 words

Into every life some rain must fall. Let it be from God!

#SaturdaySoulSearch

Soak in some Worship time with Micheal W. Smith! (You’ll have to skip through the ads).

https://youtu.be/ghHfnXPp2AA