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When you reflect on your life, what kind of things do you do or think about, that make you feel like you are succeeding or significant?  For some it may be a growing bank account or financial assets, how frequently you travel or how many places you have visited.  For others it comes from the location or type of house you are living in or the car you drive.  It may also come from your academic achievements, social recognition, the status of your friends, the size of business you own or level of responsibility you have where you work.  This certainly isn’t a complete list, but the list should provoke thoughts of where it seems you draw your sense of significance.  

On the other hand, what kind of things do you do or think about, that make you feel like you are failing or not doing well in life?  It may be when someone demeans, criticizes or rejects you or you receive a low score on a test or work evaluation.  Others are discouraged with themselves when they consider their health, indebtedness, or social status.  For some, they allow their children’s achievements, social status, accomplishments or behavior to either make them feel good or bad about themselves.   

If it were possible to reduce the fundamental trigger point down to one thing it would most likely be related to our assumption of how others see us.  If wealth, status symbols as well as the responses of others were extracted from the equation, our self-esteem would be dramatically different.  Peer pressure influences more than children or youth.  It also has a powerful grip on adults of every age.  The religious community is not immune to this peer pressure.  The media understands this phenomenon and will do all they can to leverage it to sell products or change public opinion be it regarding politics or accepted human behavior.   

While the Bible is full of profound statements, one of Jesus’ statements that has lingered with me for decades is How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God (John 5:44, ESV)?  Jesus relates a person’s ability to have strong faith in Him or the Father, to one’s fascination with the approval of those around them.  Jesus was the premier person for being free from such peer pressure.  He said and did ONLY what He saw or heard from His Father (Jn 5:19). He listened to a different drumbeat and had a different agenda—His Father’s plan relating to our salvation. 

What might all this say to us today?  Two unique things.  First, a deep, genuine belief in Christ will ultimately produce a profound significance based entirely on one’s position in Christ.  After all, you and I must be valued enough for Jesus to be crucified on the cross for us.  Secondly, because of His obsession with His Father instead of public opinion He was able to rise above peer pressure and ultimately be the most powerful leader the world has ever known.  He was rewarded for that full commitment by ultimately enjoying the incredible pleasure of being seated at the right hand of His Father in Heaven (Col 3:1).  He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him (Heb. 11:6, KJV) 

It could be very life-giving for you to take time to take a hard look at which factors make you feel most significant and which discourage or depress you.  Doing so would enable you to chart a new course for experiencing the liberating and most abundant life Jesus made possible for you.  He also shared the secret path to living out that preferred  life when He said, you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength (Mark 12:30, ESV).  When your all is focused on Him, the words, attitudes and responses of your peers will grow strangely dim.

I honor those who have and are serving in our military.  I missed serving in the military to protect our nation as well as the important disciplines a soldier learns.  Albeit, I’m not certain all the good a person in the military learns is maintained after serving.  Perhaps the most valuable one that can affect their future is the surrender of their will.  We have a plethora of young adults who also missed serving in the military and therefore never learned that discipline.  It now shows in their world view, work ethic, marriage and various other areas of their life. 

It has been well stated through the years that we are our own worst enemy.  Paul put it this way

“All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful for me,” but I will not be dominated by anything (1 Corinthians 6:12, ESV).  Our will is seduced into being dominated by all kinds of things, many within the echo chambers of our mind.  Externally, we can be dominated by food, the influence of others, sports, sexual desires or preference, adrenaline or drugs (including alcohol).  Internally, we can be dominated by worry or anxiety, greed, bitterness or resentment, words from our past or heritage, and the list can go on and on. 

My grandsons have a hard time saying NO to themselves.  I try hard to remind them that it is important to their future to learn to say NO to their desires.  Our church recently called for a two-week fast of one’s choice.  I was so proud of my grandsons for fasting sugar.  One of them for certain was able to resist sugar for the full determined time.  I firmly believe when a person can learn to say NO to him/herself, that person can accomplish so much more in life.

Paul wrote to his young comrade to say NO to his desire for comfort and instead Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus (2 Timothy 2:3, NIV).  Jesus said If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me (Matthew 16:24, ESV).  To me these challenges stress the necessity of saying NO to self.  I find it is vital for spiritual soldiers today to learn the same lesson our military trains their recruits to do.  All other things are comparatively irrelevant.

If our Lord has your will and mine, He will also have our body, mind, strength, ambitions, inclinations, attitudes, in short, my ALL.  Ironically, while that sounds far to denigrating to our natural mind, the truth is [God] is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us (Ephesians 3:20, NIV).  Paul wrote, since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else (Romans 8:32, NLT2)?  Jesus said if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him (Luke 11:13, NLT2).   The surrender of our will to Him can be most rewarding.

I’ve found the Psalmist words in Ps 9:10 to be very true.  The more I have learned to intimately know God’s name (His character, values, and ways), the more I’m enabled to trust Him enough to say NO to myself.  So, “at ease” fellow soldier!  We know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them (Romans 8:28, NLT2).  He always leads us to triumph as we follow His commands (2 Cor 2:14).

How often do we confuse the human/sin nature of a person with the person him/herself?  I do far too often.  When I do, I can easily feel betrayed or in contrast, judge someone too harshly.  There is a very clear and important difference between a person and their sin nature.  One can be redeemed while the other can only face death.  However, I don’t always remember this and have paid the consequences of each extreme.  Perhaps you can learn from what I’ve learned the hard way.

John’s words about Jesus’ inner thoughts as He worked with people left a powerful impact when I first wrestled with this matter. John recorded Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all men.  [NLT2 he knew human nature]. He did not need man’s testimony about man, for he knew what was in a man.  (John 2:24-25, NIV).   To be candid, I kind of gasped at what this verse said about Jesus.  How could He be a servant to men, not trust them enough to give Himself to them and yet not make them feel rejected?  After all, He later was crucified on their behalf.  This verse said to me man didn’t kill Him until he lowered this wall of defense between Himself and humanity.  They killed Him only when He finally removed that wall.  Until that time, He was in total control of how much He would allow man to get into His mind, emotions or body.  That is profound! 

We later read of Paul who wrote he had “no confidence in the flesh [sin nature]” (Philippians 3:3).  I will be healthier, as will others, when I learn to pattern my relationships with people as Jesus and Paul did.  But how?  How can I distrust people’s sin nature without rejecting people? How can I love someone whose nature I cannot trust? 

God cannot save the sin nature, but He can save a person from it. “God so loved the world”—the world of people, not their sin nature.  Paul described this difference working within himself when he wrote, I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I want to do what is right, but I can’t (Romans 7:18, NLT2).  It helps us to manage our expectations of others when we are careful to remind ourselves of this critical difference.  Parents manage their expectations all the time with their children in how they deeply love yet deal with naughtiness and sometimes hurtful words by seeing them as childish irresponsibility.  Imagine how disastrous it might be if a parent expected their child to act like an adult.  Paul touched on this matter when he wrote the man without the Spirit [with only the sin nature] does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned (1 Corinthians 2:14, NIV). 

We all too often judge a politician (or anyone) as a bad person by the choices their sin nature leads them to make, instead of realizing the person is only doing what a normal person does when driven by their sin nature!  To do otherwise would be like blaming a blind person for being blind.  Jesus didn’t judge sinful people for their blindness but instead showed his love for [people] in that while [they] were still sinners, [He] died for [them] (Romans 5:8, ESV).  How might we show God’s love to blind sinners—even family members or politicians.  People can be redeemed! 

Paul saw himself with a sin nature and wrote who will rescue me from this body of death?  Thanks be to God–through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin (Romans 7:24-25, (NIV).  Seeing himself in that light enabled him to see others in that light and thereby saved from an enormous amount of anger and frustration.  Can you imagine how seeing through a lens like this can liberate you from self-condemnation as well as enable you have a better relationship with those ruled by their sin nature?  

Imagine living just 53 years ago in Valentine NE where the time zone change went down the middle of Main Street.  Businesses or homes located off the west curb were expected to live one hour later than those living off the east curb.  When clocks were to fall back one hour for daylight saving time, their post office split the difference and turned back its clock by only half an hour.  This difference was strong a catalyst in the wild west culture providing excuses for physical fights back in the day! It wasn’t until 1967 that proper authorities finally resolved that issue, but the residual effects are still being felt.    

We’ve learned to adapt to the different time zones today, but it is hard for us to adapt to the difference in the time zone between God and humans.  God lives outside of time, in eternity, while we live within the restrictions of time.  The Psalmist wrote for a thousand years in your sight are but as yesterday when it is past, or as a watch in the night (Psalm 90:4, ESV). And Peter wrote, don’t overlook the obvious here, friends. With God, one day is as good as a thousand years, a thousand years as a day (2 Peter 3:8, MSG). 

Consider this: God inspired the prophet Isaiah to declare the thriving city of Tyre would be destroyed and that the Messiah would come.  However, it took about 400 years before Tyre was destroyed and maybe 750 years before Jesus was born.  It may have been all in one of God’s days but no one who heard these prophesies were alive when either was fulfilled.  How might that work when you consider God’s promise to you?  From God’s perspective there was no hurry in Isaiah’s situation.  On the other hand, over and over in our day we see God is careful to make sure His grace arrives at precisely the right time in our lives.  It is total foolishness to think we can limit God to our mental capacities.  He is God and we are not!  A wise man keeps such differences in mind when planning his day or future.

The Bible says, And now I have a word for you who brashly announce, “Today—at the latest, tomorrow—we’re off to such and such a city for the year. We’re going to start a business and make a lot of money.”  You don’t know the first thing about tomorrow. You’re nothing but a wisp of fog, catching a brief bit of sun before disappearing.  Instead, make it a habit to say, “If the Master wills it and we’re still alive, we’ll do this or that” (James 4:13-15, MSG)  

One of our younger extended California family members was recently killed in a car accident.  What a vivid reminder that life is only a wisp of fog.  While there is NOTHING wrong with making plans or scheduling for the future, one must never forget, we can make our plans, but the LORD determines our steps (Proverbs 16:9, NLT2).  The future is only fantasy which is not reality. It is the present that is real, dynamic and important. To miss God’s purpose designed for our TODAY is to cripple our future as well as neutralize the beneficial lessons of the past.    

With this enlightenment I must be sure I have God’s reason, not a fleshly one, for interrupting a time schedule as being most critical.  Although I have not always exemplified that, yet my goal is to be like Jesus who said, “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself. He does only what he sees the Father doing” (John 5:19, NLT2).   He did the works of Him who sent [Him] as long as it [was] day” (Jn 9:4).  That is the path to the greatest joy and fruitfulness possible.  Have you been living the highest level of joy and fruitfulness possible? If not, could it have anything to do with who or what you allow to govern your daily activities?

I’ve stood before young couples with stars in their eyes and led them in their marriage vows.  As they repeated “till death do us part” my mind would flash back to the all too many couples who had sat in my office claiming irreconcilable differences.  Every married couple has times when they disagree on how to spend their money, sexual expectation, how to raise their children or deal with in-laws with their emotions becoming more intense.  Fortunately, many are mature enough to get over the tiff and move on but unfortunately not all do.  It’s not long before these individuals forget their vow of “till death do us part” and begin the slow dance toward divorce.  The crazy part is they frequently go on to find another person to whom they think they can vow to love “till death do us part”.  After all, surely this person will fulfill those expectations. 

I wonder if God has those thoughts flash through His mind when a person commits to loving Him with all their heart.  No, God is wise enough to know not even that soul can fulfill their own selfish expectations so the testing moments will inevitably come when He doesn’t meet their expectations.  When that occurs, all too often the clouds of doubt appear and they begin to withdraw from Him which evolves into the classic spiritual stall.  How can that be?  Didn’t Paul write Love never fails (1 Corinthians 13:8a, NIV).  What kind of love is it that never falls short or endures to the end?

The Pharisees believed they loved God. They had become scholars of His laws.  They knew more about their Bible than at least 99% of Christians do today.  Yet they totally missed many verses that revealed how Jesus was in fact the Son of God.  Their pride in their misguided knowledge blinded them from seeing that their devotion to God only consisted of rigid rules and regulations.   In essence they were giving a measured type of love to God—just enough to garner esteem from others but not so much as to recklessly seek His truth.

What then is this enduring love?  Perhaps it could be said that love is not love unless it results in abandonment of self and complete devotion to God.  Only twice in His earthly ministry did Jesus congratulate exceptional giving, an indicator of love.  Once was when a widow gave her two mites (together worth ½ penny), and when Mary emptied her jar of expensive perfume over His feet.

Consider how Jesus strongly opposed his own disciples defending Mary’s offering of perfume that she poured over His feet.  When the disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, “Why this waste? (Matthew 26:8, ESV).  A waste?  Never! This was a demonstration of holy love-abandonment! If Mary had calculated her offering to an exact dose, it would not have been love; ostentation perhaps, but short of genuine love.  Consider why Jesus went out of His way to applaud a poor widow [who] put in [the treasury] two small copper coins (Luke 21:2, (ESV).  He went on to explain why such a trifling gift was so admirable by saying they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in ALL she had to live on (Luke 21:4, ESV).  Her love for God was expressed by total abandonment!

A measured, careful, calculated gift is not an action of love; it is a sense of duty.  Your parents, spouse or children do not want to be loved out of duty and neither do you!  If you and I are concerned with being politically correct in expressing our love to God we are only concerned about our reputation—not our love for God.  Love …  is not self-seeking (1 Corinthians 13:5, NIV).  

Lord, I truly want to love You with reckless abandon.  Please show me how completely worthy You are of my genuine abandoned love.  Is that your desire too?

At my retirement reception many very encouraging words were spoken to Connie (my wife) and me.  Although appreciated I felt awkward.  I’m uncomfortable being the center of attention or preaching for that matter.  I’ve preached for decades but not because it brought me pleasure.  My pleasure has come from doing what the Spirit calls me to do even when it was not enjoyable. 

In my journey through life, I’ve thought a multitude of negative things about myself and even verbalized them.  I know I’m not as gifted of a speaker as many of my colleagues and I’ve questioned God as to why He called me to do a task that He didn’t naturally shape me to do.  Some have called me wise when in fact I fumble with senseless words unless the Spirit prompts me in what to say.  That doesn’t make me a bad person, nor does it mean I’m an apple short of a bushel.  I am ashamed to admit that all through the years I have thought more about my inabilities than my abilities.  I see what I think I’m capable of while others see God’s grace at work in me which makes it appear as though I am far more capable than I am. 

Have you wrestled with relentless, self-demeaning inner voices? As I consider this menagerie of voices echoing in the hallways of my mind, I can more clearly see that I have lived in a false sense of humility that I’ve interpreted as my reality and holiness!  I hope you can relate in a small way with me because if so, I have good news for you.    

It is hard to admit this, but the truth is, my listening to the continual inner talk of my inability has been an insult to my Creator.  That gets my attention!  If you can identify with my weakness, please try to understand.  You and I must get into the habit of examining in the sight of God the things that sound humble before men.  When we do, we will be amazed at how the lamenting of our own incompetence is a slander against God’s grace.   If we keep telling ourselves we are falling short of God’s expectations, in reality we are saying God’s mercy and grace are impotent because they don’t function in our lives.  Such talk may sound respectfully humble before men, but before God it is an attitude of defiance.

As for me, if I will ACCEPT God’s grace and mercy and fully apply them to my thought life, not only can I find relief and hope, I will also be grateful for what He has done and IS DOING and will yet do in me.  Paul wrote aware of his imperfections, …whatever I am now, it is all because God poured out his special favor on me—and not without results. For I have worked harder than any of the other apostles; yet it was not I but God who was working through me by his grace (1 Corinthians 15:10, NLT2).  The fact is, I’m probably much closer to being what people see in me because of God’s grace than I am to what my fallen mind continues to tell me.  The same is probably true of you too.

Yes, all of us are certainly imperfect in performance.  But thank God He doesn’t judge us based on our performance.  He judges us on how cooperative we are with His continual efforts to change us.  We all, with unveiled face, beholding [reflecting or contemplating] the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit (2 Corinthians 3:18, ESV).  We are not what we were or what we will be. Rather, we are God’s work in progress destined by Him to be transformed into the image of Christ.  Will join me to work harder to “get over our self” and praise God for how He is changing you and me?  The subsequent joy and gratitude can better bring honor to Him.

One of the residual effects of creating cameras on cell phones is the exposure of what we think about the most—our self!  I’m amazed at how many of us take selfies.  When at Disney World last summer with my family, while waiting for the princess to step out of her castle to give the morning greeting, a young girl with her friends got up on the steps and took selfies.  One was especially obsessed with herself because she even had her friend take pictures of her with her camera while she tried to make what she thought were glamorous poses.

Interestingly, some of the recent cell phone cameras create better pictures than those of a semi-pro camera while being as capable, easier to carry and use at a moment’s notice.  Why?  Because the designers of the cameras observed people like to take pictures, especially of themselves or with a friend.  What a person doesn’t realize is that how they use the camera exposes how highly the person thinks of himself/herself.

Another thing most all of us do that exposes how we think of ourselves is in how we judge others! When we fell threatened with another person we criticize or judge them.  In reality we are tearing them down in order to build up how we feel about ourselves.  How low we cut them down shows how desperately we feel we need to build up our self-image.  When the religious leaders of Jesus’ day were calling Him a blasphemer, knowing their thinking,  ..He asked them, “Why do your have such evil thoughts in your heart?” (Matthew 9:4, NLT2).  What were these men doing that is so different from how we attribute evil motives to someone else’s appearance, behavior or speech by saying something sarcastic or cynical about them? 

The sad truth is, we meet with failure when we attribute evil motives to the actions of others by saying something like, “He said, but he meant.”  In Paul’s letter to Titus he wrote, Everything is pure to those whose hearts are pure. But nothing is pure to those who are corrupt and unbelieving, because their minds and consciences are corrupted (Titus 1:15, NLT2).  What might this be saying about highly critical people or our criticism of others? 

It is important for us to look beyond the one we are making to look less than us and realize that to attribute improper motives to others means that we are doing Christ as well as the other person a disservice.  How?  We are destroying Christ’s image in that person.  We must believe that His Spirit is working in him as well as in us. Judging others is the grossest form of self-worship. It says God is working in only me.  Ouch!  I feel convicted just writing these words! 

Holy Spirit, please remind me of what Jesus taught about the mote and the beam.  It is more evident now that I see motes in others only because I have beams in my own eyes.  If I truly saw the evil in my own heart, I would not condemn; I would confess.  My faultfinding means I have more to learn, more to grow, and more to do to become like Him.  I am reminded of Paul’s words in the Message, So where does that leave you when you criticize a brother? And where does that leave you when you condescend to a sister? I’d say it leaves you looking pretty silly—or worse. Eventually, we’re all going to end up kneeling side by side in the place of judgment, facing God. Your critical and condescending ways aren’t going to improve your position there one bit (Romans 14:10, MSG).  Watch out for what those selfies are revealing in you or others.

A man was exposed to pornography in his pre-teen years.  It became a part of his life damaging his perspective of life, marriage relationship and spiritual life.  He was seriously warned to stop engaging in using it and received some counseling but not sufficient enough to completely separate him from the addiction.  Eventually, it cost him far more than he intended to pay.

Pornography, although it is far from healthy, is not the point.  This story could be applied to a multitude of addictive practices such as gossip, lying, an eating disorder, drug abuse and the list could go on and on.  Interestingly, our sin or weight will not necessarily be like someone else’s. Not because that attitude or behavior is less sinful, but rather because each personality has its unique temptations and sins, and we are accountable for what is uniquely ours.  The Holy Spirit used the writer of Hebrews to pen let us strip off anything that slows us down or holds us back, and especially those sins that wrap themselves so tightly around our feet and trip us up; and let us run with patience the particular race that God has set before us (Hebrews 12:1b TLB).  

Numbers 6 begins by explaining a person who made a vow unto the Lord’s active service was to separate himself from wine and strong drink or even vinegar of wine or strong drink.  The point wasn’t that such drink was a sin but that it was not to be a part of the person’s life as long as he was active in God’s service.  Interestingly, that level of separation became old fashioned as the Hebrew culture moved on, and it became culturally acceptable for the prophets and priests to consume alcohol while in their rotation of service unto the Lord.  By Isaiah’s day the priest and the prophet reel with strong drink, they are swallowed by [addicted to] wine, they stagger with strong drink, they reel in vision, they stumble in giving judgment.  For all tables are full of filthy vomit, with no space left (Isaiah 28:7b-8 (ESV).  The Holy Spirit inspired Isaiah to seriously warn them, but they mocked him – probably for his old-fashioned mindset. 

By chapter 30, the Holy Spirit instructed Isaiah to write a very serious warning in a book that all through the ages yet to come would read of how sins would ultimately destroy a person or people.  He gave us this word picture. 

this sin will become for you like a high wall, cracked and bulging, that collapses suddenly, in an instant.  It will break in pieces like pottery, shattered so mercilessly that among its pieces not a fragment will be found for taking coals from a hearth or scooping water out of a cistern (Isaiah 30:13-14, NIV).

When growing up and mom wasn’t sure I was telling the truth, she would quote to me be sure that your sin will find you out (Numbers 32:23b, NIV).  She never condemned me, but she certainly made that way of God very clear, and I’ve never forgotten those words!  This genius of God still applies to each and everyone of us.  When His Spirit convicts (not a human trying to be the Holy Spirit) anyone of something they are doing or should be doing, He is not wasting His Spirit’s convictive efforts.  If we procrastinate in responding to His conviction, His voice may grow faint, but His consequence does not!  We can justify our secret motivation or behavior, but we must remember it will become like the bulging wall at the end of the day.  Because I know I’m prone to forget I need others around me to remind me from time to time of God’s perspective for such things.  I want to minimize bulging walls in my life.  How about you?

Jesus said the greatest commandment is you must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength (Mark 12:30, NLT2).  The operative word in this verse that has intrigued me for decades is “all.”  How much us “all”?  If I paid my utilities or any other bill, one penny short of the full amount my bill would remain unpaid.  If I had even an emotional affair with a different woman than my wife, she would consider it adultery.  “All” to a creditor means paying every cent, and to my wife it means keeping myself ONLY unto her. 

To accept Jesus as our Savior and Lord means far more than you and me typically think.  I can’t call Him my Lord (Master) if I fail to resign myself completely to His Lordship.  That means surrendering all that I am to Him which makes you and I a servant and not the King.  That is where the rub comes for each of us!  Jesus modeled for each of us what that meant in more specific and practical terms.  From Him I see it means surrendering my rights to my reputation ([He] made himself of no reputation (Phil. 2:7, KJV); surrendering my rights to choose my place of service As the time drew near for him to ascend to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem  where He knew He would die (Luke 9:51, NLT2); surrendering my rights to my possessions  “Foxes have dens to live in, and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place even to lay his head” (Luke 9:58, NLT2); surrendering my rights to make demands [He] came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many (Matthew 20:28, NLT2).  To be clear, He gave His all for every one of us and asks each who intends to be His follower to do the same.  His disciples understood that definition and followed His example of servanthood by giving their all. 

When was Jesus most miserable while living on this earth?  It was in the garden when in agony His humanity sweat great drops of blood while trying to negotiate His rights praying Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me.  That agony disappeared when He proceeded to say Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done (Luke 22:42, ESV)  Whenever I get pushy, irritated, offended or defensive, it is my alarm system going off reminding me that I have inadvertently chosen to reclaim some of my rights I thought I had surrendered to Him.  Those are also the times I have been most miserable and have made others around me miserable!  It is noteworthy that as soon as Jesus’ humanity submitted to His Father’s will He was able to say only a few words when facing the extreme taunting and torture and crucifixion.  One time it took me about a year and a half of passively resisting the Spirit’s call before I finally accepted God’s will.  When I finally did, I experienced His incredible power working in and through me.  It is true, a seed must die before it can live and becomes fruitful.  (John 12:24) 

No one is immune to experiencing the constant battle of our self-nature arguing with our Creator about things related to our precious personal rights.  The best way to minimize that conflict is to proactively seek to live in authentic humility before God and man.  The rewards far exceed the pain to our ego at the end of the day.  He allows and even empowers us to experience FAR MORE pleasure and satisfaction in life than if we would have insisted on fighting for our puny rights. Remember this fact, Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us (Ephesians 3:20, ESV).

What might the new decade of 2020 have in store for you?  Strangely enough, while we don’t know what is ahead, yet the reality is you and I are in the driver’s seat.  It is like a sports game.  There is no certainty as to who will walk away with a win.  On the other hand, the team that best prepares their skill set with excellence, maintains an optimistic and authentic team spirit, is flexible in responding to whatever comes their way, and each team player is determined to do their very best, that team has the upper hand on experiencing a win.  By that I mean how you prepare yourself to respond to opportunities or tragedies in in your hands, no one else’s.  You know going into it there will be bumps in the road (even chug holes!), and there will be golden opportunities.  Each will be what you make of them.  I’ve learned a vital key for myself is to prepare by practicing a close relationship with the One who already is in tomorrow because He knows the best path through the obstacle course.   

Paul gives us some elementary ground rules for preparing for tomorrow.  He wrote, I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship (Romans 12:1, ESV).  For most of us, it is our natural sin nature packaged in our bodies that will be the source of the lion’s share of the distracting, potentially defeating experiences.  Think about it, how much do you sacrifice your body to God?  OK, how about consistently exercising through the whole year to fulfill your New Year’s resolution?  What normally stops you?  Most would say things like “my time doesn’t allow it.”   The reality is we find time to do what we want to do even when our body is tired.  Hunters get up early in the morning, go out and sit in a cold tree stand in freezing weather, to try to shoot a deer.  Interestingly, they will sacrifice their body to hunt but not exercise their body. 

So, what would presenting your body as a living sacrifice to God look like in your eating or exercise habits, gossiping tongue, lustful eye (gals lust involves more than sex doesn’t it?), neglecting the reading of His word, or righteous time management?  Your body triggers all kinds of camouflaged justifications or excuses to do whatever is more preferable, comfortable, productive, or pleasurable.  It is the struggle to overcome those defenses that is interpreted as an authentic living sacrifice in God’s eyes.  

New Year’s resolutions in themselves are like taking two aspirin to fix your appendix that is about to burst.  A more sustainable motivation for a resolution would be to take the first three months to intentionally fuel the flickering flame of hunger that you do have to know God more deeply.  The result would be an enflamed passion for knowing and loving God having reached a new level.  Because our behavior follows the passion in our heart, we would naturally want to sacrifice our body unto God to eat healthy (and smaller portions), exercise our body, etc.  These behaviors would become our expression of love to Him just as mowing the lawn or washing clothes is an expression of love for our spouse or family. 

I’ve been musing on words I heard in a book that I’ve been listening to as I drive.  Thomas Watson, an old Puritan wrote, “The first fruit of love is the musing of the mind on God. He who is in love, his thoughts are ever upon the object. He who loves God is ravished and transported with the contemplation of God.”  That means to me, giving into that wisp of a whisper of an inner desire to chase after God is how I can show myself and God that I DO love Him.  When He sees you expressing THAT love, He will add His inspiration to draw you closer to Him.