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If I close my eyes, I can picture riding shot-gun in my grandfather’s single cab Chevy pickup truck and listening to him sing (off key and loudly) to his favorite country music station. You could always tell when grandpa really liked the song. He rolled the windows down, drove a little slower and sang even louder. 

I remember one specific time when a song by Garth Brooks came on the radio, called “The Dance.” I remember at the end of the chorus, where it says, “I could have missed the pain, but I’d have had to miss the dance,” that my grandpa shared something in that moment that was so simple, but something that would forever impact me.

Grandpa shared: “Nothing you will ever face in this life is worth missing out on – it is all meant to be, Nick, it all will teach you something you need to know.”

The windows rolled back up a moment later as we pulled up to the ice cream shop and got our favorite ice-cream…mint chip.

“Lord of the Dance” is a hymn written by songwriter, Sydney Carter in 1963. It follows the idea of a traditional English carol which tells the gospel story in the first person voice of Jesus of Nazareth, portraying Jesus’ life and mission as a dance. Jesus commanded those who love, who obey Him, to fulfill the Great Commission in the spirit of the Great Commandment. 1 John 2:6 says: “The one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked.”

Jesus has made it clear for His people, that in the dance we call life, that anyone who claims to be intimate with God, ought to live the same kind of life Jesus lived. The song, “Lord of the Dance,” has a profound refrain that is repeated throughout the song that says: “Dance, then, wherever you may be, I am the Lord of the dance, said He. And I’ll lead you all, wherever you may be. And I’ll lead you all in the dance, said He.”

Now I cannot know the true intent with this songwriter when he wrote this song. Nor do I believe that Garth Brooks is a great spiritual influence. However, both of these songs have pointed me back to my daily pursuit of God. For very experience that our sovereign and holy Lord brings us to, is by His perfect design. We must respond in obedience to Him and make choices that bring Him glory. When we do, we can learn and grow as we walk – or dance – as Jesus did.

We cannot say “I know God,” and not abide in Him, and not pursue a growing relationship with Him. We will not dance through this life well, or in any way God the Father purposed, if we are not truly abiding in Him. So how do we do this? Through a consistent time in the Word of God, through being connected to other growing Christians, and by being faithful to a local church family where the Word of God is taught in a way that glorifies the Lord and stirs us towards a deeper walk with God. 

Everyone is out there dancing the best they can through this life. Jesus danced it perfectly and has called us to follow Him. We must be people so consumed with the goodness of God, and so devoted to the Lordship of Jesus Christ that we walk as Jesus walked, allowing us to live a life worth following as we make much of God. 

There are some really poor examples out there. You don’t have to add to that number. You can purpose to grow spiritually and in community and dance in such way that the people see your dance – your faith and walk in the Lord, that they praise your Heavenly Father. Dance like this, in this life, and see then how your obedience to the Great Commission, in the spirit of the Great Commandment, brings joy to your life and to the lives of those God has placed within your reach.

(Adapted – originally written for the Nevada Appeal, Faith and Insight Article – February 2019)

I received a brief message from a trusted friend that said: “I was reading Isaiah 30:15 and was led to pray for you. Blessings on this day my friend.” Not knowing this verse by heart, I went to it. What I was anticipating in that moment was an encouraging verse that might affirm me in a positive way. What I got was this: “For thus the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, has said, ‘In repentance and rest you will be saved, in quietness and trust is your strength.’ But you were not willing…”

One thing that I have learned to do is that when God speaks, I should listen. And, with this trusted friend, who is also a ministry leader in our community, in knowing that I can trust his heart, I wanted be open to how the Lord might working through him to speak to me.

Regardless, I can I honestly say that I’d rather someone else admit to me all of their wrongs, while keeping mine a special, little secret. And more than likely, you are a lot like me when it comes to admitting to others your shortcomings, your struggles and those things that seem to keep you from an abundant life in Christ. It is easy for us to have misconceptions about ourselves. We are remind in James 4:1 that there is war within us, and that we have a significant part to play in our behavior. While we have to accept the things that we cannot change, we must still take action with the things that we can. Admitting to our wrongs, whether that is a behavior or our words, it is something we can do. Blaming others takes no courage at all. Admitting our wrongs is courageous.

If one admits their specific wrongs, I have found that they will probably have to face at least four different aspects in that experience. The first is fear. Fear in the fact that this admission might cause others to leave you because of what has happened. The second involves anxiety and stress, or some form of that. This happens over the reality of the loss of “what was” and the pressure to deal with what is left. The third aspect could be depression. As a result of being left and losing things, one may face depression at the loneliness of their current circumstances. And yet, there is also a fourth aspect: love. Yes, when we admit our wrongs we will encounter loss and loneliness, and others may leave or have to leave, but we can also experience love – the love of the Father, and the love of our true friends – a love that takes us towards restoration.

In looking at the context of Isaiah 30, you would see that in the first 17 verses the people of God are being warned not to make an alliance with another group of people. And verse 18 through 33 reveal that the longing of God is to be gracious to His people, while remaining holy and just. 1 Thessalonians 4:17 says: “God has called us to live holy lives, not impure lives.” The spiritual reality is that when we abide in the love of God, and not fear or stress, and when we have taken a real look at ourselves, we can more freely admit to what we have done to ourselves, to the Lord and perhaps, to others. We can do this because of the gracious posture God has towards His beloved, while keeping His purpose for our lives close to the heart which is our holiness and purity in this life.

And when you do, when we are courageous to admit our wrongs, what we actually loose is that sense of isolation, we loose that desire to do wrong, we can also loose our unwillingness to forgive, and we can address our false pride and those misconceptions we have created for ourselves and bought into throughout time. The great news in all of this is that in exchange for our wrongs we can receive healing (James 5:16); we can experience freedom (Psalm 107:13); and, we can get real help and support (1 John 1:9).

And just like you, I desire to be courageous and to abide in the loving restoration of the Father.

May we then purpose to be, a mighty movement of the Lord that is so consumed with Him and His promises for our lives that we live honestly and authentically in all that we do. And may His church, may those who call themselves Disciples of Christ, may they be known for, not what they can do themselves, but, for what the Lord has done in and through us!

Whether we like to admit it or not, we say “yes” (or some form of yes) far more than we need to or really want to. We find ourselves often saying “yes” to a variety of requests and even to people we barely know.

This often pushes us to live with schedules that we cannot keep and finances or resources that end up being stretched beyond their limits. We lose sight of what really matters by living such a full life that there is zero space in the margins.

Sometimes all of this happens because we don’t want to miss out on an experience/opportunity or because the “pleasing others” aspect of our thinking is waging war against our minds and hearts. If we are open and honest there are probably a multitude of other reasons as well.

But, it occurred to me recently, in a simple but profound way, what we are actually doing when we say “yes” to something we shouldn’t. What happens? We miss out on the fullness of joy that is found in actually saying “yes” to the things that really matter. 

My son said to me: “Daddy, will you watch Batman with me?” Well, I guess my “yes” got this precious boy all different shades of happy. And friends, that’s the profound lesson I learned, and am learning again, through this simplest of interactions with my son.

My yes to this request meant I had to first say no to a few others things: getting a jump on some laundry while it was still cool in our house, or preparing a family breakfast because it was my day off, or even ___________, just fill in that blank. Some of it may be good things even, things that if I had said “yes” to, even in that moment, it wouldn’t have been wrong. But if I said yes to both, I would have been divided in focus at best and perhaps, all my good intentions would be water down or less genuine.

That’s what I mean by saying that we might be “missing out on the fullness of joy that is found in actually saying ‘yes’ to the things that really matter.” All of our responses that are filled with good intentions, maybe even high hopes, can still take us away from the joy and fullness that is found in really making them a real yes – a very present in the moment, genuine yes!

What might happen in your life today if you are more aware about what you are saying “yes” to? What might happen when you choose to say no, so that you can say yes to something else?

Anything! 

We can experience true and lasting joy in all that we purpose to do when make each yes with clarity, perspective and with a focused commitment to personal integrity.

So what can you say “no” to this day in order to give that “yes” response to your friends, to your kids, to your spouse, to your neighbor, to your boss or even to a stranger? 

Jesus is our model. He is our example for everything. Throughout the Gospels we see how Jesus put people first. We see in Scriptures how people matter most – as we are His beloved, His creation. And, Jesus even taught in Matthew 5 what the goal of our actions, of our intentions even, should be when we seek to give a yes or no response, and how much that matters to God.

The fullness of joy that I felt in saying “no” to those other things that I could have been doing when my son asked me to join him led to one of those awesome and loving “dad moments” for sure, but an additional truth emerges when we are focused on what we say yes or no to…

True, we can experience that deeper sense of joy and connection when we are making those right yes choices, but more than that – MORE THAN THAT – we have an opportunity each and every time to reflect the very heart of Jesus.

So what can you, or should you, say “no” to this day to be able to say “yes” to someone or something that God has placed within your reach, for that moment, to experience a real joy and to fully reflect the heart of God through that experience and encounter?

Lord, I pray for my friends and family. Help them this day to be so aware of your working in their lives that they can be fully present in each experience and with every person they encounter. Give them patience to endure the hard stuff, wisdom to know how to respond, and a boldness that is saturated in Your hearts desires for them. I pray that I too, would be more open to the opportunities you are placing within my reach and that I would follow Your example and live a life that points people to You and the hope I have because of You. Amen

In the Gospel of Matthew, just before Jesus performs that great miracle of feeding thousands of people – literally, thousands and thousands of people – we get a quick and yet beautiful encounter between Jesus and those who had gathered and needed to be healed. In Matthew 14:14 it clearly says: “When He went ashore, He saw a large crowd, and felt compassion for them and healed their sick.”

As evidenced throughout Scripture, our loving and gracious God has promised that He will respond to us when we faithfully come to Him. And in Matthew 14, God moved in the lives of those who those who gathered. He didn’t just heal some of the sick who had gathered, or the ones who perhaps were more deserving, but rather, moved by compassion for all He saw, Jesus healed the sick – every one of them. No matter who you are, no matter your past and no matter what the future holds for you, God desires to move in your life and bring forth His healing.

So perhaps you are on the shoreline, gathered and wanting God to move in your life and heal you.

In faith, you can seek the Lord and cry out to Him. You can seek to experience His healing, His transformation and His redemption. The Lord desires to compassionately move in our lives. To move us from death, to life. From darkness, to light. From defeat, to victory. From shame, to grace and from fear to faith. To move you from places of sorrow to great joy. To heal us of all of our bondage and to move us to a place of real freedom. Your loving Heavenly Father desires to heal you and move in your life.

All who gathered in Matthew 14 who were sick needed to be healed. Max Lucado writes: “Surely, among the many thousands, there were a few people unworthy of good health. Undoubtedly there were those in the multitude who would use their newfound health to hurt others. Jesus released tongues that would someday curse. He gave sight to eyes that would lust. He healed hands that would kill. Each time Jesus healed, he had to overlook the future and the past, something, He still does.”

Filled with great compassion, while knowing your past and with knowing your future, God will move and heal you. Physically. Emotionally. Spiritually. He will heal you according to His perfect will. Not so that you can claim some kind of self-promoting victory, but so that He can be glorified and that others will see His movement and healing in your life, and be pointed to Him and His mighty and gracious working because its all about His Kingdom, here and now, being displayed powerfully throughout our lives.

So may we no longer wait for a move of the Lord, but may we daily be His movement of healed, of restored and of grace-filled Christ followers who live by faith and who, with great joy, live out a genuine and authentic life of worship. May we live out a holy pursuit of Him that passionately demonstrates the hope and holiness of Jesus Christ in our lives, in our homes, in our churches, in our neighborhoods, in our city, and throughout the places we call home.

Draw close to the Father, set aside your agenda, and let Him heal you and move in your life and the life of His bride, the church.

(Originally written for the “Nevada Appeal” on June 24, 2017)

We live in a day marked by pressure in almost every arena of our lives. There are family pressures, world problems, economic problems, personal problems, and the problems of friends and loved ones. In the midst of such pressures, there is one thing that will determine the course of your life: YOUR PRIORITIES.

Let me ask you a question: what matters most to you? Not just for this day, but in regards to the legacy you are building – what will your life show about your priorities?

Our priorities determine our future because they speak to how you spend your time, with whom you spend your time, and how you make decisions. Your priorities keep you from being battered around by the waves of pressure and help you to steer a clear course toward the proper destination.

I have heard it said, that “if you want a deeper relationship with Jesus, feast on Him until you loose your appetite for anything else this world offers.” Priorities—godly priorities—are so vital and a genuine thirst for the Lord should be your chief aim, your greatest priority in every season of your life.

Psalm 63 reveals the priority of a man of God under pressure and it shows us that David’s priority was to seek the Lord. Seeking after God should be our most important priority. No matter what pressures come into your life, you will be able to handle them properly if you maintain this one priority above all else. God must saturate every area of your life. He must be at the center of every decision you make.

He must be the Lord of every relationship you have. You manage your money by considering what His Word says about it. There is no area of your life, be it your business, your family, your education, or whatever, where God is not an integral part. There is no division between sacred and secular; all of life is related to God.

And so here is David in Psalm 63, his kingdom is in a huge mess, he is on the run while seeking to protect his people. It would be understandable if God were temporarily squeezed out of the picture. But David is “following hard after God,” as the King James Version puts verse 8 of Psalm 63. God was at the center of David’s present and his future. There no area was off limits to God and there should be none in our lives as well if we truly will thirst for the Lord in all our ways.

Writers & Bloggers, Ryan & Selena Frederick of FIERCE MARRIAGE believe “that a Christ-centered marriage takes a fierce tenacity that never gives up and never gives in.” They have shared a simple reminder of how we can keep our priorities clear and simple each week. They said “keep it clear and simple: First is Jesus, second is your spouse, third is your kids and family, and fourth is everyone (everything) else.” This practical advise is a good reminder for us to consider on a regular basis – especially as you begin to plan out each week. Seeking God, following hard after the Lord has to be our very first pursuit and planned action each day.

So how is it with you and God? Take some time to review this past week or even this past month and ask yourself, “Did my schedule reflect that seeking God was my number one priority?” You say: “Well, that’s my priority, but I’ve been under a lot of pressure!”

Pressure is what reveals your true priorities. When the pressure is on, everything but the essential gets set aside.

The Holy Spirit is telling us through Psalm 63 that “A THIRST FOR GOD IS ESSENTIAL!” If it’s not essential for you, then you’ve got to join David, the man after God’s heart, in making it so and you can do this by turning to the Lord, soaking up His truth from the Word of God, and by surrendering yourself fully to the Lordship of Jesus Christ.

(Adapted. Originally written for Nevada Appeal, Faith and Insight Article – July 2016)

Everyone wants encouragement, right?  And yet, far too often we fail to build others up in quality ways.

Jesus said: “By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35). Jesus taught what it means to love others. He told them, “love one another. In the same way I loved you, you love one another. This is how everyone will recognize that you are my disciples—when they see the love you have for each other.”

When we as disciples of Christ truly love and encourage those around us, we then can be genuine conduits of God’s mercy and grace. Encouragement, Christlike saturated encouragement, is an avenue in which those seeking to be faithful disciples of Jesus can separate ourselves from lukewarm or even hypocritical Christians that are tainting the mission of Christ and who are making living for God more about their agenda and preferences. Most of the world that is apart from Christ has a view of Christians that doesn’t reflect God’s love – they have a view that Christians are judgmental, or even hypocritical. After all, they see churches “competing” with one another and see those in church gossiping about one another or putting down other churches!

Scripture gives us a pattern of encouragement to follow. Hebrews 3:13 says, “encourage one another day after day…” In 1 Thessalonians 4:18 we are told to “comfort one another” with words, and in the next chapter, in chapter five, verse 11 it says to comfort or “encourage one another and build up one another…”!

God’s heart for encouragement isn’t focused on complementing someone’s haircut or telling them how good their homemade lasagna tastes. That kind of encouragement is nice, but Christ saturated encouragement is rooted in the love of God and in seeking to build His kingdom through this work. Christ saturated encouragement is shared with the hopes that it will point others to the Lord. It points out evidences of God’s grace in another’s life to help them see that He is at work. It points a person to God’s promises that assures them that all they face is under His control.

Thought the book of Acts, we see encouragement at work in places like Acts 13:15, or 16:40, or 20:1-2. What they did was they share Christ statured words of encouragement with one others in order to push people towards God, to inspire one another on in faith, hope, unity, joy, strength, fruitfulness, faithfulness, perseverance, and to the truth that God is coming again. Encouragement was and is an essential way of extending grace to one another. God doesn’t just say: “encourage someone else if you feel like it or if it easy to do so.” Encouraging others is a command of God for those who call themselves His disciples.

So what should you do? Start by praying, asking God to make you an encourager. Then take to study people in the Word of God who had true hearts of encouragement. This will help you to make encouraging others a daily discipline in your life and it will allow you to be in tune with the Holy Spirit so that as He reveals to you needs, you will be able to hear and respond with Christ-saturated encouragement. After all, we should be praying regularly, asking God to show us who we can love and how we can encourage them and how we can point them to Him.

If you need something to encourage people with then run to God’s Word. Nothing encourages us like promises from God’s Word. Make a list of Scriptures that God has used in your life so you are ready with that list of promises to share with others. And when you encourage, be specific in what you say, and be honest and real. Don’t blow smoke. Don’t just look for something to “celebrate” and try to be nice. Love doesn’t lie. Love is honest and real. Regularly look for ways you can encourage your family, your friends, people at your job, even your pastor and church leadership. Take your eyes off of yourself and let God transform your heart for reflecting His love and heart for encouragement.

So go get started! Who can you encourage right now? Who has encouraged you recently that you can thank? How might God use this action to speak His message of love and hope and redemption?

May we seek God and to reflect His love for others and His heart to seek and save the lost and hurting of our community. And may God create a culture of encouragement in your life, in your church and in our community.

(Originally Published in the “Nevada Appeal” – May 2016)

While at the store, I watched a parent respond to their child’s request. The child said, “I want it, and I want it now.” To which their parent said, “not right now, be content with what you have.” In one way or another, most of us can relate to this desire. Contentment is an illusive commodity today. In fact, there is this deliberate effort in our culture today that tries to make us feel dissatisfied with life by making us believe that we are not significant if we do not posse the best or the newest. Yet wanting something more, isn’t always a bad thing. The problem comes when our desires are never satisfied, and we are no longer are able to fully enjoy life because we always feel like we are lacking something.

The Word of God sets the standard for contentment. Godly contentment is a state of satisfaction that is anchored in our confidence that is found in the Lord, one that produces a joyful celebration of life every day. When Paul wrote to the church in Philipi in Philippians 4:11-12 he said: “Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little.” His contentment was anchored not in circumstances or in having something. His contentment was anchored in personally knowing God was for him and with him in all that he faced.

I believe each person wants to have a content life. Contentment is something we learn, it doesn’t come naturally. Contentment is not about possessions or circumstances. Contentment comes in our lives when we grow spiritually and learn to appreciate all that we have in Christ.  It begins to grow when we come to understand that our greatest treasure is our relationship with the Savior. Discontentment comes from feeling that we have been deprived. But when we understand what we truly “deserve” and compare it to what we have received in Christ, then we will be able to say that nothing else matters other than having Christ. Our contentment is anchored in relationship. We are encouraged by Paul to know that we can face and know joy in any and every circumstance because of the strength we find in Christ, so we must purpose to abide in Him.

I have also learned that we can find contentment in the grace of God, in the providence of God, and in the promises of God. It is only when I have realized the value of God’s grace in my life that I began to also find contentment. We draw our sense of satisfaction from the providence of God. Our comfort comes from the truth that God is in charge. He is overseeing the events of our
life and using them to deepen and develop us. We can have contentment in the good and the bad, the easy and the hard, the enjoyable and the painful times of life because we trust the one who guides the of circumstances in our life. Paul believed that God was using and building him in the hard times and putting him in a position to bless others in the good times. We find contentment in the fact that God has promised that He would take care of us. No matter what the circumstances of life, the promises hold. He will protect. He will defend. He will guide, and He will strengthen all who follow Him.

Do you want to know contentment? Then be present, in the present moments of life. Don’t focus on what might have been or what could be. Enjoy today. And understand that material things are just tools to help, not an end in themselves. Contentment comes as we grow in our love for God each day. Do you really want to know contentment? Then run straight into the arms of Jesus. Receive His grace, believe His promises and trust His providence in your life. And as you turn your eyes upon Jesus, you will find “that the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace.” And, when that happens you will begin to enjoy all the moments of your life. Leave the worries about tomorrow with the Lord and accept every situation as God’s wise classroom for your growth and transformation. When this happens you will find that in good times or bad, pleasant or painful, you will find contentment.

Prayer: Father, we thank you for Your love – for Your faithfulness – for all that You provide us with for living a life of truth and purpose. May we not loose sight of the greatness of Your love. We look to you for true joy and fulfillment. Forgive us of us the things we have said or done that make contentment about what we can do apart from You and lead us afresh into trusting in You, abiding in You and pursuing You every day of our lives. May we exalt You in all we say and do, we pray, in the mighty name of Jesus. Amen. 

(Originally written for the  Nevada Appeal, Faith and Insight Article – February 2016)

At a retreat, the gathering was asked to break into groups and discuss: “what will your legacy be?” The gathering broke into various, mixed groups. I walked through the groups and heard a variety of people respond. And yet, the majority of the responses were very similar. From males and females, from young and old, the responses to this question were very similar. The majority of the answers answered the question by looking into the future of ones life, at what they saw as the end of their life.

Scripture tells us in 1 Peter 2:9 & 10: “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.”

When we talk about “leaving a legacy” for others, then looking far into the future or close to the end of our lives, that makes sense, but perhaps we are missing some valuable opportunities in the here and now. This truth in First Peter reminds us of what matters right now.

The job you currently have, well it may not be your job in another 5, 10 or 15 years. The home you live in, the neighbors and friends you have now – you might move, they might move – things will probably chan
ge. And things like jobs and relationships, our neighborhoods and communities we live in currently, they all have huge and far-reaching impacts on our lives right and we need to see to it that we have an impact and legacy in those arenas
we are in, right now.

Even if you only serve at one job for a few years, or live in a certain place for a short period of time – you will leave a legacy, so what will it be? You don’t have to be in one place for a multitude of years to make a forever impact. I’ve heard this to be true with kids in foster care. They had this brief encounter with a volunteer, a foster parent, a coach, a teacher, that perhaps didn’t last long, but in the midst of a long season of personal turmoil, that one person in that short moment made that forever impact on their lives.

As disciples of Christ, we are called to live in such a way that we make a forever impact on the world in which we live, but for the glory of God. The dynamics in your home, in your marriage, or with your famil
y may be very difficult – but don’t loose sight of how you are to live for Christ in the midst of personal chaos and even pain. In the midst of hurt and pain, shine all the brighter now for Christ. Live a life worth following, no matter what season of life you are in now, so that you can build a legacy that is going to point people to God, right now. Our legacy is important. Living a life worth following, that honors and glorifies the Lord, is highly important. It is our responsibility in the here and now to “proclaim the praises of Him who called [us] out of darkness into His marvelous light.”

We exist so that people can look at us and say, “What a great God they serve, right now!” We exist to know God and to make Him known, right now. Yes, we are building a legacy for the future, but don’t loose sight of the fact that a change might come your way and your legacy in this season, with this group, in that arena, will be done. Will you have lived in such a way, a life worth following, that no matter how short the season, that people when they have encountered you will have been pointed to Jesus Christ in meaningful, genuine and Christ-honoring ways?

(Originally written for: Nevada Appeal, Faith and Insight Article – November 2015)