Category Archives: comfort

God is FOR you

04 Friday Dec 2020

Posted by in comfort, grow

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Life struggles are inevitable. And as the year 2020 comes to a close, challenges continue to emerge at new levels of difficulty every day. You’re not alone in asking God to deliver you from the troubles that have been making regular appearances in your life. 

This year, many of you have planted a mustard seed of faith, been spiritually tested, clung on to hope for dear life, or even dug deeper into your Bible devotional time. Does it feel like you’ve stepped out in faith and are waiting for God to part the Red Sea? I know what it’s like to be on the brink of disaster, trusting God to come through. But getting a miracle like the parting of the Red Sea is not the only way God can deliver you from your burdens. In fact, I believe the miracle of the parting of the Red Sea, found in Exodus 14, is just one of three common methods God uses to liberate His people.

Here are two more ways that God may be redeeming your current situation …

  1. Inner Change: God may very well be allowing the circumstances in your life to draw you closer to Him and build your faith. There are certainly times when God uses the harsh circumstances in our lives as an opportunity to work on our character. In your quiet time, is God giving you a new vision, attitude, or perspective? Be encouraged that God WILL help you navigate the situation that you find yourself in. While the circumstances may not be changing, He may be changing YOU. Personal deliverance is coming and available when we let God move in us, and not just around us. 
  2. The Promise of Heaven: The ultimate deliverance is salvation through Jesus Christ! While God has not promised to solve ALL of our problems the way we think they ought to be solved, He has provided a way for us to be reunited with Him. This time of year we celebrate the coming of our Savior, Jesus. God may very well be giving you a deeper appreciation of His gift of salvation through Jesus’ coming, death, and resurrection. In heaven, there will be NO pain, NO sorrow, NO heartache, NO lockdowns, and NO suffering, anymore! 

For those of you who have been walking the faith journey for a while, you can look back and recognize the seasons that God has parted the Red Sea, produced Inner Change, AND/OR reminded you to look forward to the ultimate gift of heaven. While stepping out in faith is a great act of obedience, maybe God isn’t calling you into the sea right now. Spend some time asking God if He is redeeming your situation in a different method than you expected. 

Some of you are new to building a strong faith and trusting Jesus. The year 2020 may have presented some “stones of remembrance” for you like in Joshua 4:1-7. I want to encourage you to write down any trying circumstances you’re going through. In time you will have personal evidence to look back on, that proves that God got you through some really difficult times. 

Whether you’ve been on the Christian journey for a day, weeks, months, years, or decades, our God is FOR YOU. Our God is a redemptive God that has plans to prosper us! We can see His character in Joel 2:25-32, that He is a good God that wants to restore the years taken from us, and instead give us satisfaction. 

While the world is hoping for the best, we can rest in the fact that Jesus is our best hope!

Misery is Optional

20 Thursday Aug 2020

Posted by in comfort, grow, Uncategorized

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We need to realize that suffering is unavoidable. In fact, we need to be prepared to suffer. While it’s true that suffering is unavoidable, misery is optional. We don’t have to be miserable when we suffer, it’s all in how we choose to see things.

Since the day you said that you’re a Christian, you were put on trial. Non-believers everywhere raised an eyebrow and put your life under a microscope. And you don’t need me to tell you that these people are going to push your buttons. There are preconceived notions of what a Christian should or should not talk about, post online, or do. These people are going to question your integrity. They’re going to question if this “faith” is real to you.

While it’s true that our faith should be tested in order to strengthen it and the more outgoing you are with your faith the more you are likely to deal with various tests from people. On the contrary, if we’re never challenged for our faith, what does that tell us about our faith? 

Notice in James 1:2, it says, “When you face trials of various kinds” … it doesn’t say IF you face trials. WHEN you face trials, because we all will,James goes on to say, “Consider it joy.”  I’m not talking about masochism and hoping for pain. I’m talking about having faith regardless of the circumstance. James says you can have joy in the midst of suffering. Suffering doesn’t have to produce misery.  

I remember my old baseball coaches with the St. Louis Cardinals telling us, “Boys, you want us yelling at you, you want us on your case because that means we believe in you and we think you can be even better! However, if we stop yelling at you and ignore you, you can bet your days as a Cardinal are numbered.” 

When it comes to suffering as a Christian, often times we wonder how to discern whether it is the kind of suffering that is intended to grow our faith or the kind of suffering that is just plain suffering.

The reality is that at any point in time, you are going to be experiencing one of three types of sufferings …  

1. Common Suffering: We’re all human and we’re all in this together. (The Coronavirus is affecting us all.) Some suffering is common to all mankind. No one escapes some kind of suffering on this earth. It’s one of the reasons we, as Christians, look forward to heaven where there is no sorrow, no pain, and no suffering.

2. Carnal Suffering: We make bad choices. We bring plenty of suffering on ourselves by the poor and unwise decisions we make. If I ignore my health and eat poorly and never exercise, I shouldn’t get mad at God if I were to develop health issues. It reminds me of this verse, “People ruin their lives by their own foolishness and then are angry at the Lord”Proverbs 19:3 | NLT.

3. Christian Suffering: You did the right thing. Now what?
Christian Suffering is where I want to focus today. The book of first Peter can be summarized in three words; Faith, Obedience, and Patience. It’s a story of faith through difficulty, obedience through pain, and patience through suffering. Peter doesn’t shy away from the topic of suffering when he says, “Instead, be very glad—for these trials make you partners with Christ in His suffering, so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing His glory when it is revealed to all the world …” 1 Peter 4:13 | NLT
Peter says there are three positives for Christians when they struggle.

A. It draws us closer to Jesus. 
 “… these trials will make you partners with Christ in His suffering, and afterwards you will have the wonderful joy of sharing His glory …” 1 Peter 4:13b | LB 

Notice the word partners. This means you’ll get to know God up close and personal. There’s a special kind of depth a relationship gains when people suffer together. Just ask any war veteran. Suffering together for the right cause is what bonds people to one another. The same goes for families that endure hardships together. There is a bonding that can take place as you recognize you are in this together.

B. God can be seen in our life. 
“When people insult you because you follow Christ,you are blessed … because the Spirit of God is with you.”1 Peter 4:14 | NCV

If nobody ever challenges you, then maybe you’re not living a Godly, Christ-centered life. I’m not talking about all the time, like you’re obnoxious so people are constantly upset with you. But, a Christian, according to the Bible should be challenged from time to time because you stand in direct contrast to the values of the world. Remember, you’ve got to stand for something or you’ll fall for anything. So, if you’re suffering, congratulations, you’re standing for something! You’re standing for Christ! and God can be seen in your life. Jesus Christ was not ashamed to die for you, so don’t be ashamed to live for Him. 

C. It means God trusts us. “The apostles (were) happy, because God had considered them worthy to suffer disgrace for the sake of Jesus.” Acts 5:41 | GN

On average 100,000 Christians are killed around the world because of their faith every year. While nobody will put you before a firing squad in America, sometimes I wonder if God trusts American Christians. Most Christians want Jesus as long as it’s comfortable and convenient for them. 
So often we think God is punishing us when we’re suffering, you need to remember that God is not punishing you He wants to promote you. Trials have a way of purifying us for greater service. There’s a difference between knowing about God and knowing God. That difference is lived out when you go through the fire with Him. If nobody knows you’re a Christian or where you stand on anything, and you’re a people pleaser, you have to realize that you’re not pleasing God.  

When the rubber of your faith meets the road of reality, that’s when your faith becomes real. It becomes real for you AND your Oikos (those 8-15 people in your relational world).

Life is really pushing our buttons right now during this quarantine. Coming up on 6-months and let’s just be honest, IT IS RIDICULOUS. There is plenty of suffering to go around. Maybe you’re facing all three types of suffering right now and you’re experiencing a stretch in your faith. Take heart, friend! Being a believer in Jesus Christ is not about perfection. It’s about progress. God has not lost sight of you and He is walking through the fire with you. 

Stay strong. Stay faithful. And remember that suffering is unavoidable but misery is optional.

Interested or Committed?

22 Wednesday Jul 2020

Posted by in comfort, grow, mission, Uncategorized, vision

≈ 5 Comments

What are you expecting God to do in your life?

There’s a law that God has established … I call it “the law of expectation.” The fact is, we tend to get what we “expect” out of life. We often see what we expect to see, hear what we expect to hear, feel the way we expect to feel, and succeed at what we expect to succeed in. God says you get to choose! It’s actually “the law of faith,” because “according to your faith it will be done to you” (Matthew 9:29). 

In Luke 17:5, we see the apostles ask the Lord to increase their faith! They had no idea how difficult that would be for them. The problem with acquiring more faith is the process.  We all want more faith, but nobody likes what it takes to get there. 

“There is a difference between interest and commitment. When you’re interested in something you do it only when it’s convenient. When you’re committed to something you accept no excuses, only results.” 

–– Ken Blanchard

During this time of Covid craziness you might be wondering what God is up to in all of this. How is He going to use this for good, how in the world is my faith supposed to grow through this time? Well, that depends. Are you interested or committed to growing your faith? The next natural question is how does God increase our faith? … He tests it!

Everyday we have faith building opportunities. And, these times of quarantine, open, close, reopen, do this, don’t do that, can drive any person crazy. But, we have to be committed to seeing these problems as faith building opportunities.

Unfortunately, most of us don’t recognize conflicts or hardships as opportunities. Instead, we let our circumstances push us away from God. I believe this time of quarantine is more than a season of conflict, hardship, and restrictions. It’s actually a faith building opportunity!

You see, faith is like a muscle. It has to be worked out, stretched, and pulled with resistance … consistently. Just like consistency is key in getting bigger and stronger muscles, consistency is key in working out your faith muscle! In fact, James 1:3-4 reminds us of this when it says “… the testing of your faith produces perseverance … so that you may be mature and complete …”

A faith that stretches is uncomfortable, but it’s also healthy! Look at your faith like a tree. It requires nurturing and ultimately we hope to produce delicious fruit. But fruits don’t arrive over night. It’s the wind, rain, and storms that challenge the tree’s roots to go deeper and stabilize the tree before the season of harvest returns. 

I want to encourage you to continue to follow Jesus and live out Colossians 2:6-7 which says, 

“So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught and overflowing with thankfulness.” 

Let the roots of your faith grow deeper throughout this time of Covid, no matter how long it lasts. If you are committed, your faith WILL become stronger. I’m confident that this time of quarantine is an opportunity that will lead you to trust God more than you ever have before. Use this time to allow your roots of faith to ‘grow’ to a whole new level.

The reason that your faith needs testing is because God wants to increase it! God is never going to say “you’ve arrived,” “there’s nothing else for you,” or “that’s all I have to teach you” … He’s always going to want us to take that next step of faith!

So let me ask you again … What are you expecting God to do in your life? Are you interested in Him working in your life or committed? Can you hang in there a little longer, lean on Him a little more, and trust Him to come through? Will you do it with an expectant heart knowing that He has promised to move according to your committed faith?

I am believing that your faith is going to grow in new ways and we’re going to come out of this season stronger than ever! I’m committed to it, and I expect it!

Prescription for Change

09 Thursday Jul 2020

Posted by in comfort, grow, Uncategorized

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Did you know that in a typical year about 2,000 self-help books come out on the market? Advertisers know that everybody is interested in change. The thing about self-help books and even many of the self-help podcasts out there, is that they tell you to stop doing this and start doing that, which is usually good advice, but the problem is they don’t give you the power to change.

We all have areas that we wish we could change but we’ve just been unable to do it. It may be sexual desires, drinking, spending, eating, or our moodiness to name a few. You name it, and we’ve probably tried to change it. So, why do we do what we don’t want to do? It’s an old question that the Apostle Paul asked in the book of Romans. Today, we’re going address that question by looking at three things:

  1. The Problem: Why we do what we don’t want to do
  2. God’s Promise: Getting a true understanding to overcome the problem
  3. The Prescription (Hey, I’m a Doctor, I can do that): The HOW to live in God’s promises

Join me in Romans 7:15-25: Paul writes,

“I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in my sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.”

 Let’s talk brass tacks … 

  1. The Problem is that we have a sinful nature in us. What does that mean exactly? It means there’s a civil war going on in us, a war of our flesh against our spirit (Matthew 26:41). This war draws us into a cycle of starting off with good intentions, but then we fail, which leads to guilt. And then it repeats … good intentions, failure, guilt. 
  2. God’s Promise is in John 8:32 , “… the truth will set you free.” The secret to personal change is not “will power.” It’s not a pill, a new year’s resolution, a vow, it’s not even something you say or do. Personal freedom is achieved through knowledge. It’s something you know! When you know the truth, the lies you’ve come to believe are exposed and you can break free from the problems that have held you back from the change you’re looking for. 
  3. When the Prescription is taken, we can live in God’s promise and purpose for our life. Here’s the prescription, take A,B,C,D every time you want to change something about yourself.

A: Acknowledge the root of the problem. 
B: Believe Jesus can change you. 
C: Confess your struggle to another person. 
D: Dedicate yourself completely to Jesus.

Each of these steps are very important. “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us” (1 John 1:8). Acknowledge the sin today. But don’t lose yourself in a cycle of good intentions, failure, and guilt. Believe that Jesus can change you. Romans 7:24-25 says, “What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!” Now, I understand, this next step can be hard, but we’re not meant to do life alone. “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective” (James 5:16). When you completely dedicate yourself to Jesus Christ, you’ll experience the one and only God that keeps His promises.  

You DO have the power to change through Jesus Christ. And you can start TODAY!

ABC’s for Loyalty

02 Thursday Jul 2020

Posted by in Church, comfort, grow, Uncategorized

≈ 4 Comments

What a week! 

I’m on the road just outside San Francisco at a gathering of pastors for Convoy of Hope. This incredible ministry serves our local community and the poorest of the poor all around the world. I’m out here to learn more about them and looking into how we can partner with them in the near future. Stay tuned for more information on that!

I’m also thrilled to be with our Executive Team meeting with a group of great people in the city of Pacifica (near San Francisco) as we discuss our next campus “Skyline Pacifica.” You’ll be hearing more about that soon!

Today, I want to talk about “loyalty.” When conflict begins to heat up between those who are relationally close, it can be increasingly difficult to solve the problem. If a problem continues to go unsolved, the person you’re close to can begin to feel like an enemy.

If you’re not currently at odds, just make sure you’ve got these tools of loyalty ready to go because it’s never IF you have conflict, it’s always WHEN you have conflict, you’ll want to be prepared with these habits. 
It may seem impossible to affirm a loved one with loyalty during strenuous times, but today I want to encourage you with an easy way to remember practical keys to make this possible in your life. Use the ABC’s to remember 3 ways to affirm loyalty during conflict.

  1. Accept them! Part of loyalty is accepting each others differences. Acceptance doesn’t mean that you approve of everything they do, but it means that your love for them is not dependent upon them changing.
  2. Before you seek to be understood, seek to understand. It’s easy to all the sudden start focusing on the problem and to forget the value of the relationship. Pretty soon you start seeing yourselves as enemies. Remember, they’re NOT the enemy!
  3. Cloth yourself in Compassion. Colossians 3:12, reminds us that there’s an act of putting on compassion. Compassion is really defined as love IN action. 

Implement these habits of loyalty and when the fires of conflict begin to heat up, you’ll be able extinguish the flames before you get burned.