Steve Harvey Introduces Jesus

A friend of mine posted this on her Facebook account. Enjoy!!

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Liar, Lunatic or Lord

About a year ago a colleague and I were discussing Jesus at work. He told me that he believed that there was a God but he had trouble with the whole Jesus is the Son of God concept. I asked him if I could try and prove that Jesus was in fact the son of the one true God to him. He said "sure".

Below is a section of a paper I wrote attempting to document the evidence for the deity of Jesus Christ. I was led to re-post it. I hope it blesses you...

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If we agree that a) Jesus did actually exist, 2) the NT is historically accurate and reliable, and 3) Jesus himself claimed he was the Son of God that leaves us with only three alternatives as it relates to Jesus’ claims. He was either a Liar, a Lunatic or our Lord.

• Liar – If Jesus knew he was not God when he made his claims of deity then he was obviously a liar. This causes a number of issues.
  
  
• Hypocrite – His lies would not only be deceptive but it would have made him a hypocrite. Jesus told others to be honest, no matter the cost. To love one another as he loved them. For this to be true you would need to believe that Jesus, while telling them all these great, honorable and moral words was living and teaching a colossal lie.
  
  
• Demon – Jesus deliberately told others to trust Him and put their faith in Him, not just in their everyday lives but with their eternal destiny. Can you imagine the evil that would have to live in His heart for him to tell them that they were eternally saved and he would provide the complete sacrifice for all sins when he knew his claims were not true?
  
  
• Fool – The final outcome is that Jesus would have been the biggest fool in history. Jesus was crucified not for what he did but for what he said. If he knew what he was saying was false and still continued down that path he wrote his own death warrant and did nothing to stop it. Even at the last minute all he had to do was recount his claims and he would have been spared the cross. He did not do so out of humility or generosity. He did not back away from his claims because he believed they were true.
  
  
• If he was any of these things how can we explain the fact he has left us with the most powerful moral instruction and moral example ever known to mankind?
  
  
• Lunatic – If he wasn’t a liar then did he sincerely believe he was God but was just mistaken?
  
  
• Keep in mind the times that Jesus was living. Israel was fiercely monotheistic. For thousands of years they had what they believed to be the word of God and an instructional manual of how to get to Heaven. Their entire culture was build around their Jewish writings (our OT). In comes a carpenter from Nazareth who claims not only that he was God in the flesh but that the greatest minds in the Temple were all wrong and hypocrites. In addition they needed to believe in not only God but in Him personally for them to get to Heaven. They were to stop doing what they believe God has specifically told them to do and follow his teachings. He claimed he was the Son of God – the messiah of their Bible. Can you imagine the reaction of the people? What would you think or do if someone said that to you? This would not be any run of the mill crazy person.
  
  
• Do Jesus’ words and deeds appear to be the work of a highly deranged individual? Do we see that in the calm authority of his instruction? The gentle spirit embodied in his teachings? The simplicity of his language and the unmistakable truth in his words? His knowledge of human nature? His unique ability to treat equally all the various classes of people he came in contact with? His focus not on those in positions of power and prestige but those who were hurting, both spiritually and physically. His self-sacrificial nature. His consistent message of turning toward God as opposed to the constant ramblings of a crazy person. He never over-stimulated people’s minds by giving vivid pictures of Heaven or Hell. He used simple words and descriptions without minimizing the experience. He had a complete understanding of the OT without any formal religious education. He was calm. He was pious. He was benevolent and sincere. He was sympathetic and understanding but not afraid to rebuke those who spoke against God. He was patient, kind and never rash. Are these the characteristics of a madman?
  
  
• That only leaves one possibility…

Diet

At my office there are four separate teams of finance employees that roll up under my manager. Unfortunately, none of the teams sit together so you can easily go weeks without seeing someone from one of the other groups.

Last week I ran into one of the guys from the team that is upstairs. I immediately noticed he had lost some weight. Actually a lot of weight. Almost 30lbs! When I asked him what he did he said it was mainly diet. He has changed around everything he eats and the weight has started sliding off. Not only does he look better, he sleeps better, is in a better mood and has had an overall improvement in his quality of life.

A couple of weeks ago I wrote about all the extra weight we are carrying around. You did read it didn't you ;-)

In it I wrote about the exercise program we all need (including me) to start to help us get rid of the junk weighting us down - start going to church, reading your bible, praying. In going back and re-reading the blog I realized those are all "external" things. Like physical exercise, those are all activities we do to improve ourwalk with Christ.

They are really important but that is only 1/2 of the answer.

When you are trying to lose weight and keep it off, you need to combine diet with exercise. You need to not only increase your physical activity but you need to change what you are putting in your body as well. Diet without exercise or exercise without diet will at best be partially successful but might fail completely. You can exercise all you want but if you are still eating garbage you will end up with a bunch of fit muscles covered by a nice layer of fat.

Most of us know what we should eat - lots of fruits and vegetables, lean meats, whole grains and lots of water. The problem is not a lack of knowledge but the lack of a real desire to change. Face it, we like our ice cream, pizza and cheeseburgers!! Just like we know we need to watch out for those foods, there are things we know we shouldn't do.

Most people have a pretty good idea they shouldn't spread gossip, look at porn on the internet, lie, cheat, steal, say hurtful things, be bitter, hold grudges.... the list is long and ugly.

Despite knowing this we still do them.. over and over and over again.

Afterwards we make excuses why it is OK or no big deal - "just one piece won't hurt, yeah but did you see what they did to me!!, she deserved it!, who is going to know?"...

That last one is important - Who is going to know?

Maybe lots of people, maybe virtually none, but two for sure... you and God.

"Though evil is sweet in his mouth and he hides it under his tongue though he cannot bear to let it go and keeps it in his mouth, yet his food will turn sour in his stomach; it will become the venom of serpents within him." - Job 20:12-14

Ouch! God doesn't fool around does He?

So how do we fix it? How do we make changes in our life to avoid the "serpents within"? We could go on one of those fad diets. All meat or no meat... low carb or low fat... grapefruit, Atkins, South Beach, Acai berries, or liquid drinks. So you start. You will feel good about your decision. You can do this. Piece of cake (no pun intended). Just grab a shake and go.

Maybe.. but probably not.

Although all these diets will work for a while, there is one problem... you really haven't modified your behavior. You haven't gotten to the core of the issue. You haven't made any REAL changes. You are sacrificing not changing. There is a big difference.

On a side note.. that was one of the Jew's problems back in the time of Jesus. They thought sacrifices brought about change. They sacrificed doves, sheep, cows, goats. They offered food wine and incense all in an effort to show God how sorry they were and show Him their desire to change. Their sacrifices said one thing but their hearts and actions told a different story. It was true back then as it is true today. Depriving yourself of something does not change your behavior, it only causes you to focus on what you are giving up. Real change comes from the inside out not from the outside in.

Eventually you will go off these diets - you can't eat bacon at every meal forever. Then what? The vast majority of us go back to our old ways. Maybe not at first, but then you go to a party and have an extra piece of cake. Your spouse fixed your favorite meal and you went back for 2nds, not because you were hungry but because it was sooo good. You just wanted a snack and the cookies were just right there. The excuses go on, and on, and on...

Eventually the weight comes back - usually more than before.

The same thing happens in our relationship with Christ. You wake up one day and decide you want to lose some of the spiritual junk you are carrying around. So what do you do? You stop everything, you start going to church 3 days a week and twice on Sundays. You start going to a Sunday school class. You go in with the greatest intentions. However, like that fad diet you may not have made the commitment to real change. You like the idea but are you really willing to do what it takes to change your behavior forever? Did you made a "head" change but not a "heart" change?

So what happens?

I am spending a lot of time at the church- right? Well Gray's Anatomy is starting back up and they don't really don't need me on Thursdays.

The kids love it but there isn't really anything for the adults on Wednesday nights. Maybe I will just drop them off and come back at 8:00.

I like my Sunday School class but I am not a big fan of this study.

I have heard my preacher talk about (insert common sermon topic) a thousand times. I can miss this Sunday....

Pretty soon you are right back where you started... maybe even in worse shape. Now I can hear you out there ... so Mike, are you telling me not to do those things?

Sorry, you can't get off that easy!!

What I am telling you is you need to get your heart right first then the rest will come. Remember your spiritual relationship is not a sprint. It lasts a lifetime. It is an eternal commitment to Jesus. You need to make REAL changes that will last, not just lose 5 pounds of water weight.

So what does that mean? How can you go on a heart healthy spiritual diet? Where do I start? The nice thing about questions like that is that I don't have to answer them. God already has.

Step 1 - 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment.- Matthew 22:37:38

Step 2 - And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' - Matthew 22:39

It all starts there. First love God, then love others. Like the foundation of a house, everything is built on that.

All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments. - Matthew 22:40

I am not a huge fan of Christian T-Shirts. They can be a great way to spread the word but many people just use them to try and point out how "Christian" they are. They may represent the person's head but frequently they don't represent their heart. Anyway, my Pastor told me about a shirt he saw once it said

"God, you, me"

I like it. Taking care of #1 & #2 will ensure God takes care of #3.

Now, none of us are perfect. Like a food diet there will times where you are tempted; times when you will fail. Well what then?

On multiple occasions I have been cruising along on a diet then... it happens. I am at Thanksgiving lunch with my family.... I am at a Christmas party with all those desserts... I am at a football game and all there is to eat are hot dogs, candy & pretzels (not those hard cruchy ones but those big, soft kinds with salt - hmmm).

"I'll just have one..."

So now what? How many of us have just thrown in the towel. One cookie leads to one every day...

The short answer is Cowboy up! Climb back in the saddle and start riding again. Get back on track with God. Refocus on Him. Pray for forgiveness (He will give it) and wisdom and discipline so you won't do it again (He will give you the wisdom - the discipline is up to you).

So I challenge you. I challenge myself. Don't wait. Get started today. Clean out your pantry. Look into your heart and pull out all the bad stuff. Give it to God and ask him to take it away. Take out the trash so to speak. Pray to Him for help and He will be there. Remember don't try to go alone. I heard a saying once that I like. "Anything worth doing is worth doing with God".

My prayer for us all..

God help me as I try and clean out all the junk in my heart; get rid of all the things that get between You and me. I realize that I can't do this on my own so I am asking you to show me the way. As we get rid of the bad stuff I pray that you fill in the hole with your love. A love that is so powerful I really can't understand or comprehend it's limits. A love so great You sent Your son to die on the cross for me so I could be free to love others as you love me. Jesus, I turn toward you so I may know the way, the truth and the life that you promise.

I ask all these things in the precious name of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen

Remember God, you, me

Blessings,

Mike

Mirror

One thing I promised myself when I started this blog thing was that I would keep it real. I wasn't going to use this to preach to others without backing up the words with action. Walk the walk not just talk the talk so to speak. It is important to remember that when you are walking sometimes you fall...

The other day before work, I checked my Facebook account. A friend of mine (a real friend not just a FB friend) had posted that she was heartbroken because her dog had died. This hit especially close to home because, like her, our dogs are a huge part of our lives. Our animals aren't really pets. We call them our "fur children". Just to put it in perspective, we plan our entire family vacation around the dogs. No dogs, no go.

Anyway.. in response to her post a number of people began commenting how sorry they were, how tough it was and that they would be praying for her. I remember thinking "Yeah right, sure they are", "They are probably just saying that", "They say they will pray for her, but they probably won't, "They are just posting that to make it look like they care"...

As I got in the truck I started wondering why I was so cynical. I knew my reaction would fail the WWJD (What Would Jesus Do...duh) test. The question was why. Why did I react that way? Why did I think those thoughts? "That really isn't "like" me", I kept saying to myself. Why??

I may have told you before. I have about a 35 minute commute into work. I spend a lot of that time thinking and praying. That morning I couldn't get it out of my head... why??

I looked in the mirror to change lanes and it struck me. I wasn't thinking badly of those people, I was thinking badly of myself.

The mirror can be harsh.

The reason I was questioning their motives was because my own are suspect at times. I knew that I was skeptical because I had done all those things... Said things to appear like I cared when I really didn't... told people I would pray for them then "got too busy"... knew people were hurting but didn't bother to follow up... not even a phone call.

The mirror can be harsh.

My father is a wonderful public speaker. He can capture and hold an audience like few men I know. I have heard him share this poem many times. It is one of my favorites.

When you get what you want in your struggle for self
And the world makes you king for a day,
Just go to the mirror and look at yourself
And see what that man has to say.

For it isn’t your father or mother or wife
Whose judgment upon you must pass.
The fellow whose verdict counts most in you life
Is the one staring back from the glass.

You may be like Jack Horner and chisel a plum
And think you’re a wonderful guy.
But the man in the glass says you’re only a bum
If you can’t look him straight in the eye.

He’s the fellow to please-never mind all the rest,
For he’s with you clear to the end.
And you’ve passed your most dangerous, difficult test
If the man in the glass is your friend.

You may fool the whole world down the pathway of years
And get pats on the back as you pass.
But your final reward will be heartache and tears
If you’ve cheated the man in the glass.

It is a wonderful poem. It is true in so many ways, but once I became a Christian I began thinking about it in a whole new light. I realized it was missing something.

Before he died Jesus promised us if we believed in him we would not be alone.

"If you love me, you will obey what I command. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever — the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. - John 14:15-17

The Counselor.. the Spirit of Truth.. the Holy Spirit would live within us

Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. - 1Corinthians 6:19-20a

It is true the man in the mirror is us... but it is also Jesus. That is why the mirror can be so harsh.

It is so easy to point out the errors and weaknesses of others but we are reluctant to shine the light on ourselves.

For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. "Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? - Matthew 7:2-4

Now obviously we don't have planks of wood in our eye. The moral is that we point fingers at others when we should be dealing with the big issues in our own life.

One of the more famous stories in the bible is where we get the phrase "don't throw rocks in glass houses". It comes from the book of John:

But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them. The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group and said to Jesus, "Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?" They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him. But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." - John 8:1-8

"If any one of you is without sin..." - that counts me out. It counts us all out.

As I was driving along recognizing and trying to deal with my sin I began to feel joy. Weird, eh?

I felt joy because first, none of this would have happened if I didn't have Jesus and the Holy Spirit. Jesus said that if we don't know Him we can't see him. My sin reminds me that I do know Him and that because of His work on the cross I am forgiven. (Can I get an amen?!?)

Also, it is real easy for Christians to get satisfied. They begin to think "I am a good person", "I live my life for Christ so I am OK". Good and OK are relative. Just because you are good and OK in the eyes of the world you still fall short when compared to God

for all have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God - Romans 3:23

Recognition of my sin gives me something to work on and a way to improve myself. I now can take another step closer to God by working through and turning away from this sin.

Finally, I realize that these situations prepare me so I can be of use to God later. It takes a hammer and heat to mold metal into something useful. We are the same way.

I kind of think of it this way.... Our walk is like a roller coaster. The power to climb comes from what happens on the way down. Without the down there would be no up.

I do admit, all this sin recognition stuff is a downer. But by the time I got to work I felt better. God had opened a door that was previously closed and shined His light on my sin. I could then begin the repair process.

BTW... there is another piece to this story. Just remember, you never know how your actions will impact the world around you. I guarantee my friend had no idea that by sharing her grief on Facebook it would have caused such a revelation in my life. Your words and actions are like throwing a rock into a pond. The ripple effect goes far beyond where it started.

Remember the mirror can be harsh... and I thank God for it!

Blessings,

Mike

Exercise

I am participating in a 90 day exercise challenge at church. The idea is to get up and get moving for the next 90 days to build some good habits, reverse some bad ones and get a bit healthier along the way. I started a program that involves a variety of different exercises including cardio, core muscle work (abs, hips, upper legs, etc...), legs, back, arms, shoulders plus martial arts, plyometrics and yoga.

BTW... if you never have tried yoga it is probably the hardest thing I have ever done in my entire life...

So far so good.

However, it didn't take me long to realize 1) I need to lose some weight, 2) it won't be easy - in fact it may hurt quite a bit, and 3) for this to work it needs to be a life long change, not just 90 days and stop.

I watch the DVD and see the fit athletes performing the exercises. They make it look so easy. I know they have put in a ton of work to get where they are, but it is still a bit discouraging. It is easy to tell myself, "I can't do this".

Sounds a lot like our Christian walk doesn't it?

It is obvious that I am carrying around some extra weight. Spiritually we all carry around some extra "stuff". I have some. I know you do too. You can always point out the obvious things... drugs, alcohol, porn, anger, violence, gossip. But we carry around other stuff too. Stuff like our jobs, money, material possessions, social status, even college football (ouch, that one hurts!). Heck, we can devote way too much time to our kid's baseball or dancing. Stuff like that may not be bad but when we put too much focus on it and ignore God it moves quickly into the "stuff" category.

Remember, we all worship something. What do you worship?

I am going to challenge you a bit. Make a list, either in your mind or on paper of all the "stuff" you are carrying around. The stuff that gets between you and God. My challenge to you is to figure out a way to lose that weight. I am not telling you to pull your kid out of pee wee football, just make sure it isn't getting in the way of worshiping God. In 99% of the cases your kid will spend his life doing something else. There is 100% certainty that Jesus will impact their life, both now and for eternity. If you only have time for one, which would it be??

Now, acknowledging there are issues is very important, but it is just the first step. It didn't take long for me to realize that I am out of shape. Many of the exercises are difficult and I don't do them well. Most of them I can only do for a short period of time before I collapse or lose my balance.

Your spiritual walk is like that too. Maybe you went to church as a kid but stopped. Maybe you never have been and realize you need to go but you don't how to get started. Maybe you picked up your Bible and tried to read it but it didn't make much sense. You want to go to church but it is soooo boring. It is easy to tell yourself "I can't do this".

If being a Christian were easy everyone would do it. If being a Christian were easy there would not have been a need for Jesus (I will explain that comment in another blog sometime - for now just trust me).

Start out by taking small steps. Pick up your Bible and read one of the gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke or John). Most people have heard at least some of the stories. At a minimum most know about the virgin birth. Start reading about Jesus - read what he said and did. There are lots of little stories called parables in those books. They are stories to give us advice on how to live our lives. As your read them ask yourself "What was Jesus trying to tell the people in the Bible. What is he trying to tell me?"

Next find a church. Church can be fun if you find the right one. Preachers have lots of different styles. Find one that appeals to you. Different churches play different types of music. Find one you like. Not all churches meet on Sunday AM. If it is easier for you to attend on Saturday, find one that has Saturday night services. Churches come in all different shapes and sizes. Find one that fits

Now one really important point. If the preacher doesn't quote scripture and talk about how to apply it to your life then that may not be the right place. It is really important to go somewhere where the Bible is taught.

What happens if you fall off the wagon - so to speak? If I miss a day of exercise I can't quit. I just need to start back up tomorrow. If you miss reading the Bible or skip a Sunday don't quit either. The Christian walk is a journey not a race. There is no penalty for finishing slower than someone else. Don't beat yourself up. Don't use it as an excuse to stop. Just pick back up tomorrow and continue down the road.

Now, anybody who thinks being a Christian is easy isn't walking the walk. As my Grandmother said, "It is a tough row to hoe". If you don't believe me just check out what God has to say about it

Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. - 1 Peter 4:12

The best examples of the difficulties we face are from Jesus himself. He lived the perfect life. No sin. No lying. No "bad" thoughts or actions. What did it get him? He was beaten, mocked, spit on, nailed to a wooden cross and hung up to die. Oh yeah.... When he was dead they rammed a spear through his side just to make sure.

The prophet Isaiah described Jesus as:

He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. - Isaiah 53:3

Now that probably won't happen to you, but I hope you get the point. At times things are going to be tough.

Here is one I struggle with. I work at a big corporation. There are lots of different types of people with lots of different belief systems. How do I walk the walk while not sacrificing my beliefs or losing my job for violating the rights of others? Do I discuss Jesus at work? Do I pray in public? Do I have religious stuff in my cube?

As a human I fear insulting people or losing my job because of my beliefs and actions. I try and remember I am not the first to feel this way.

Jesus said, "If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first." - John 15:18

Over the past few years I have worked hard at this. I have gotten much better. Much more confident. Much less fearful. I just try and turn it over to God and not live in fear of what others think. That is a tough one though. Being a Christian is not easy.

My exercise program is designed to run for 90 days. I push, pull, run, yoga, etc.. for 3 months - then what? After I have put in all this time and effort then what do I do? There are only 2 options, I can go forward or backward. There is no standing still.

Your Christian walk is like walking up a down escalator. If you push yourself you can work your way up but if you stop climbing you head backwards. I can either continue maintaining the good habits I have developed or I can head back to where I am today - heading in the wrong direction.

Let's say you have been working hard at God. You have been reading your Bible. It actually is starting to make sense in places. You have started going to church and have made a few friends. Maybe your kids have started going to Sunday school with some kids from school. Heck, you have even started praying at the dinner table.

Now what?

The short answer is just keep going. Continue to take those steps everyday. If you haven't already it is time to stretch yourself. Start praying. Not just quick "God help me" prayers - although there is nothing wrong with those. I mean real quiet time with God. Go somewhere quiet. Turn off the cell phones. Think about your day. What could you have done better? - Ask for forgiveness. What went well? Thank Him for His blessings. What is going on with the people in your life? Ask for Him to take care of them. Concerned about tomorrow? Ask for wisdom and guidance.

I have written before about prayers and the fact God whispers. It is during this quiet time where you will discover how to improve yourself. If you open up your mind God will talk to you, He will make visible your blessings and opportunities. I believe if you start praying like that God will tell you where to go next. What to focus on. What to turn over to Him.

When we exercise we have a tendency to focus on the external changes. Weight loss, firmer muscles, etc... But the really important changes are on the inside; stronger heart, better blood flow, less chance of injury, quicker healing when you do hurt. Those things are the non-visible benefits of exercise.

Like physical exercise, spiritual exercise strengthens the inside. You develop a better outlook on life. You think more about others than yourself. You realize that when you focus on what God would have you do everything has a tendency to turn out OK. You realize the more you try and control things the worse the outcome. You don't get as stressed over work, kids, or spouse.

Pretty soon you stop dropping all sorts of non-kid-friendly words when that person cuts you off on the highway. You stop yelling at your spouse because you realize what you were fighting about was no big deal. Maybe you change the radio station because you don't really like what they are singing about. Those internal changes have begun to change your external appearance.

Now, will these changes be easy? No. Let me say it again. No. If it is so hard, why do it?

Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. Romans 5:3-5

As we struggle through this, Jesus tells us why it is so important.

"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. - Matthew 5:14-16

Go ahead. Start your exercise program today. No pain, no gain!!

What are you waiting for?

Blessings,

Mike

Wrestle

Last Friday I wrote on my Facebook page that I was excited about working on my blog over the weekend. That is so true. I truly cherish this time. Writing blog entries is a time of intense fellowship where I focus completely on God and His Word. Typically the words and verses just flow (although the grammar and spelling frequently leave something to be desired). Whether the words are good or not I will leave up to you to decide, but they flow nonetheless.

This weekend there was a problem. There wasn’t any flow. Nothing. Nada. I prayed. I read. I started then stopped then started again. I was as dry as one of our Texas creek beds. I would find a verse and pray over it then think to myself “That isn’t it”. I would think about what has been going on in my life but I couldn’t bring it all together. I began to doubt myself. Was I not praying hard enough? Was God not listening? Was He ignoring me?

Have you ever felt that way? Have you had those doubts? I bet you have.

I got up this morning thinking “It is a new day. God’s blessing will flow over me. He will give me the words.”

He did pour out his blessings but as far as the words...Uh, no. Nothing.

This blog is not critical to my life. If I stopped today the world would keep spinning (probably), God would still have forgiven me and I would still be sure of my salvation (no doubt about those last two). I do, however believe that God wants me to do this blog thing if for no other reason than to focus on Him. As a result, this emptiness was a bit disturbing. Despite that I had to head to work so I loaded up in the truck and left. I have about a 35 minute commute into work. It is a wonderful time to spend with God. As I was driving, I had what in church we call a "Forrest Gump" moment - God showed up.

Genesis 32:24-32

Now he didn’t exactly say those words but I knew as well as I know my own name that Genesis is where He wanted me to go. Genesis 32 is a story in the Bible I am familiar with although not one I keep top of mind.

The story is about Jacob – the father of the 12 tribes of Israel. As a young man he stole his brother’s inheritance by deceiving his blind father. In this story Jacob is about to reunite with his brother Esau. He is quite afraid of how his brother will react to him because of what he did. Jacob sent his family on ahead toward the meeting with his brother, but he stayed behind.

Jacob spent the night wrestling with a man. A man that was God. Anybody else in history you can think of that was 100% man and 100% God?

Now the story is interesting in a number of ways.

• First, the men wrestle. They don’t fight, then don’t hit, they don’t attack. They wrestle. Wrestling is two people pulling and pushing in an effort to get the other person pinned so they must submit to the will of the conqueror. In the NIV version it says in verse 25 [references in parentheses are mine to help keep all the “he” and “his” straight] “When the man (God) saw that he (God) could not overpower him (Jacob)…”. Now I am not a biblical scholar but I don’t agree with this language. I think it gives the wrong impression. The New American Standard (which is a bit more difficult to read but a much more precise translation of the original language) says "When he (God) saw that he (God) had not prevailed against him (Jacob)…”. That is a subtle difference but an important one. “Could not overpower” implies that God could not defeat Jacob. “had not prevailed” implies God had not defeated Jacob. Just because he had not does not mean he could not. Why had God not prevailed? Because Jacob continued to fight and did not succumb to God’s will. Sound familiar? How often do we wrestle with God? How often do we push and pull to try to get God to bend to our will instead of us surrendering to His?
  
• So what happened next? When he (God) saw that he had not prevailed against him, he (God) touched the socket of his (Jacob’s) thigh; so the socket of Jacob's thigh was dislocated while he wrestled with him (God) – Genesis 32:25. When Jacob wouldn’t submit to God, God raised the stakes. Even with a dislocated hip Jacob still demanded God's blessing. Then he (God) said, "Let me go, for the dawn is breaking." But he (Jacob) said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me." – Genesis 32:26. Don’t we do the same thing? Despite all that is going on around us; despite the fact that God could take us down at any time, we still go on asking, even demanding God’s blessings. We demand like we deserve it. Luckily for Jacob. Luckily for me. Luckily for all of us we have a gracious, compassionate God who loves us despite our prideful, demanding, selfish nature. So he (God) said to him, "What is your name?" And he said, "Jacob." He (God) said, "Your name shall no longer be Jacob, but Israel; for you have striven with God and with men and have prevailed." Then Jacob asked him and said, "Please tell me your name." But he (God) said, "Why is it that you ask my name?" And he blessed him there. – Genesis 32:27-29.
  
• God asked Jacob who he was. Seems like a weird question. Doesn’t God know who he is? If so, why ask for Jacob to tell him? The last time Jacob was asked “What is your name?” was back in Genesis 27. He went to his father and said, "My father." "Yes, my son," he answered. "Who is it?" Jacob (then) said to his father, "I am Esau your firstborn. I have done as you told me. Please sit up and eat some of my game so that you may give me your blessing." – Genesis 27:18-19. Back then Jacob lied about who he was to get what he wanted. He claimed to be his brother to secure a blessing that was not rightfully his. Now in Genesis 32 God asks him the same question. It was not because God needed the knowledge. It was because Jacob needed to acknowledge who he was so he could go on to the next phase of his life. He could longer be deceptive. He couldn't pretend to be someone else. He had to accept his own identity in order to receive God's blessing. How often do we fail to listen to God when he tells us who we really are? "That's not me", "I can't do that". We try to bend God to make us into who we think we are; who we want to be? Praise God that He doesn't listen to me, because every time I try figure out who I am or what I should do, I am wrong... way wrong.
  
• One other thing… So Jacob named the place Peniel, for he said, "I have seen God face to face, yet my life has been preserved." Now the sun rose upon him just as he crossed over Penuel, and he was limping on his thigh – Genesis 32:30-32. Notice God didn’t heal Jacob. Jacob was left with a limp as a reminder of his experience. Sometimes people ask “Why did this happen to me? Why do I have all these “scars”? If God loves me why won’t he take all this away”. Our experiences with God are there to help us grow and stretch. Sometimes, however we may need a reminder so we don’t forget. Jacob would never forget his experience with God because God reminded him with every step. To us the limp was a problem; a handicap. I would bet Jacob saw it as a blessing. A reminder that God is real and takes an active role in his life. What do you think about your “scars”? Are they a handicap or a blessing?

Now what does all this have to do with my blog? I realized that over the weekend I was wrestling with God. I wanted to write an entry. I tried to force God to give me the words. I dove into the Bible to find the answer. I wanted to do it my way. Notice anything?... All those statements start with "I". It is pretty obvious where my priorities were.

The Bible is full of answers. The only issue is that, on your own, you can’t pull them out. You can't just reach in and pull out what you want. You have to get your heart right first. You have to submit to God so He can give you what you need. I believe God gave me this experience so a) I can remember who should be #1, b) teach me patience (again). No matter how hard I try everything is on God's time, not mine, and c) so I can share it with you.

Over the weekend I wrestled with God. In human terms I lost – which means I won.

"So the last will be first, and the first will be last." – Matthew 20:16

Blessings,

Mike

Repairman

It is amazing what you take for granted.

About 2 weeks ago our washing machine started acting up. Periodically it would flash some error code and shut off. My wife would restart it and it would be fine for a while, then it would bomb out again. Finally last week it gave out.

I am probably the least handyman-ish person I know. The most complicated thing I have ever put together was a ceiling fan. If something breaks I no longer try to fix it. I call the repairman.

So I did. He said he would be out the next day to fix it. No problem. When I got home from work I found the machine wide open, the lid completely off and no repairman. I asked, "What is up with the washer?". My wife pointed to a little black box on the inside. She told me the repair guy said some water sensor was out and he didn't have one in stock. He would need to order one in. He told my wife he would be back out in a week to install it.

Now this is a problem. I am a pretty simple guy with simple tastes - especially around clothes. Jeans, khakis, button downs, golf shirts, t-shirts, shorts, socks and underwear - that is about it. I did the math and realized I am going to have an issue come Sunday. Well, I have been "efficient" in my choice of clothes (don't ask..) so I will probably make it.

So hear I am. No machine and no clean clothes until Tuesday. Now we could have gone over to a friend's house and used their washer but that would just be a temporary solution. It wouldn't have solved my problem. If I were to try and fix it myself I would probably end up with a lake in the utility room.

I was stuck and frustrated.

So much of our lives are like that washer. We just cruise along thinking everything is just fine. Unknown to us there is something under the hood that is failing. You may be getting a warning sign that something bad is going to happen but most of the time we think it will go away. We are sure it is just temporary. It will get better. No problem.

Well, unfortunately, it never does. It may take a while for something big to go wrong, but if there is something broken in your life it will always come to the surface.

Now here's the kicker. Most of us think we can fix it ourselves. No biggie. I can handle it. The thing is we are not capable of fixing ourselves. We can push it aside, ignore it or bury it but we can't fix it. My granddad always said that duct tape, bailing wire and WD-40 could fix anything. It can fix everything except us. There is only one way to repair the broken parts. Only one way to clean us up. Only one repair man for us. His name is Jesus Christ.

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. - Matthew 11:28-30

For the first 35 years of my life I thought I had everything under control. On the outside everything looked good. Great wife, great kids, one college degree and working on another. Sure I had issues but I had them under control.

I was lying to myself.

One fall evening I realized I couldn't handle it anymore. Those "issues" became too much to bear. The job had gone away and the student loans were piling up. I wasn't sure how I was going keep the finances all together. I was broken down and scared. I couldn't tell my wife how I felt. All the duct tape and bailing wire couldn't repair what was wrong with my life. I had no where to turn. All I knew to do was get down on my knees and beg Jesus to help me.

Now I wish I could tell you that I saw a great, flashing light and heard the audible word of God telling me "about time", but I didn't. I do remember feeling a bit better. I felt like my burdens were a bit lighter. (Looking back I am not surprised I was still weighted down because I hadn't turned anything over to Him yet.) Most importantly I felt hope. Somewhere down deep inside me I knew I now had a partner. I knew Jesus would be there when I called.

Life's circumstances didn't change that night. The challenges didn't go away immediately but I knew things were going to somehow be OK.

Do you remember the game Life? You would work your piece down the road called life. Along the way you experienced school, marriage, career, kids, etc... You rolled the dice to move ahead but depending on what you rolled you could end up taking a wrong turn. Frequently you would have to live with your decision and work hard to get back on course.

My life was exactly like that game. I was playing life. I knew where I wanted to go. I would head down that path but, like that game, I was really never in control. Just when I thought I had it all figured out, life came up snake eyes. I would start heading down the wrong road and struggle to get back on course.

That cool fall evening in 2002 I went from playing life to living life. I have given up all sense of control (pretty much). I try to turn it all over to God.

Remember... nothing surprises God.

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." - Jeremiah 29:11

And even though you don't understand his plans

"No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him" - 1 Corinthians 2:9

He loves you... and always will

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. - Romans 8:38-39

One of my favorite stories in the Bible is about a guy named Lazarus. (John 11:1-44) There are so many great lessons to be learned from his story. Now Lazarus had real problems. He was dead. When Jesus came to him his sisters were crying. Everybody was all upset. Jesus told them they were going to witness the glory of God. He called out to the now 3-day-dead Larazus to come out of his house. Sure enough he came walking out - smelly burial clothes and all. He didn't clean up. He came to Jesus just like he was.

Now a couple of important lessons; First, there is no problem too big for Jesus. Whatever is going on in your life, Jesus can handle it if you turn it over to Him. Second, Jesus wants you just the way you are. Dirty, smelly with big problems.

"It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. - Matthew 9:12

What inside of you is broken? Are there warning lights going off? Were you like me and don't know where to turn? Don't try to fix it yourself. Call the repairman. Unlike the washer guy He will come right away and never leave.

If God is for us, who can be against us? - Romans 8:31

Blessings,

Mike