Building positive momentum takes time. Think of the momentum behind a freight train versus a sports car. The sports car can get going faster, but it doesn’t have the momentum of a freight train going the same speed. Once the train gets going 60 miles per hour, it’s going to take a lot to stop it. That’s how good momentum works. It takes a while to cultivate, and isn’t easily stopped.
The momentum that God began when he re-created the world through the resurrection of Jesus was a long time coming, and it isn’t easily stopped. In fact, the Bible tells us that God’s redemptive momentum through Jesus’ life, death and resurrection is unstoppable. (See Romans 8:38-39 for that promise!)
God's out recruiting every human being to join up with His story of unstoppable redemptive momentum. God wants everybody to be a part of his work to set this world right, to restore broken relationships, to disarm evil with self-giving love and find our life by giving it away. God has been pursuing us from the beginning of time and longs for us to share in his redemptive story for the world.
It is a special moment when we wake up to this reality of God’s work in the world and get that text message invitation to follow Jesus. It’s not an invitation for perfect people. It's for all people – even the ones you think don’t deserve it. Yep, you! Have you gotten that text message from God yet?
Following Jesus and joining God’s story of unstoppable redemptive momentum is an amazing adventure. It is really about living life in the fullest possible way. This is what Jesus meant when he said, “I have come that you may have life and have it abundantly.”
If you are tired of living life afraid, angry, lonely, and only for your own goals, there is another way. God made you for a life of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness and self-control (those are the fruit of God's Spirit. See Galatians 5:22)
Can you have this life over-night? Perhaps. Who are we to limit what God can do. But ordinarily long held bad habits take a while to become good habits. Don't let relapse or struggle cause you to lose heart or give up the work of replacing bad habits with good ones. Put the bad habits behind you and ask God for his power to help you keep becoming who God created you to be.
Keep showing up for worship. Keep reading the Bible. Keep asking God to show you His will. Keep building relationships with others who want to follow Jesus. Keep looking for ways to honor God with your body, your mind, your work and your time with your spouse and kids. Keep sowing the good habits that you know will produce the fruit of God's Spirit in your life. Keep on becoming who God created you to be!
Don't give up! And know without a doubt, God has not given up on you.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Monday, January 17, 2011
King-Sized Hope
On Monday mornings I meet at Sweet Mama’s restaurant with a group for a Bible study. This morning the Book of Revelation and the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. collieded. It was awesome.
As you study the book of Revelation, the word hope rises over and over again. The book, with all its strange imagery, is really a book of hope. It was written to give hope to Christians who were undergoing persecution for their faith during the latter first century Roman Empire. Despite some popular theology, the book is not a coded time-table for the end of the world. While Revelation has its share of symbolism or code, its main concern is giving hope to God’s people today.
This world is created by and for God’s purposes. God created all things and called them good. But evil lies close at hand and seeks to destroy God’s good creation. There is injustice. There is exploitation. Those with power don’t always use it in God-honoring ways. How does a good and almighty God resist this evil and restore creation to its intended purpose?
Answer: The King of Kings becomes the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ. Jesus confronts and destroys the ultimate power of evil through his suffering, death and resurrection from the dead. The original King-Sized Hope is born!
Because of this King-Sized Hope, all people who hope in Jesus can have this assurance:
“They will hunger no more, and thirst no more; the sun will not strike them, nor any scorching heat; for the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of the water of life, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” Revelation 7:16-17
This King-Sized Hope was the foundation of all Martin Luther King’s dreams. He didn’t just think that non-violent love was the most powerful weapon to resist every form of evil. He knew it to be true because Jesus had already revealed it to be so through his death and resurrection.
It is clear that MLK’s King-Sized Hope is deeply rooted in the hope of the King of Kings. Read this last paragraph of Martin Luther King’s last sermon, preached the day before he was killed.
“Well, I don’t know what will happen now. We’ve got some difficult days ahead. But it doesn’t matter with me now. Because I’ve been to the mountaintop. And I don’t mind. Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I’m not concerned about that now. I just want to do God’s will. And He’s allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I’ve looked over. And I’ve seen the promised land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people will get to the promised land. And I’m happy, tonight. I’m not worried about anything. I’m not fearing any man. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord.”
Maybe you aren’t facing death for your faith today. But if you’re following Jesus, you probably have some form of evil that you are up against. It might be evil from within or without. But it’s evil nonetheless. You may be tempted to give up. You may be tempted to hate. You may be tempted follow lesser gods. You may think evil has won. And you’d be wrong.
We have a King-Sized Hope – the only truly unstoppable momentum the world has ever known.
As you study the book of Revelation, the word hope rises over and over again. The book, with all its strange imagery, is really a book of hope. It was written to give hope to Christians who were undergoing persecution for their faith during the latter first century Roman Empire. Despite some popular theology, the book is not a coded time-table for the end of the world. While Revelation has its share of symbolism or code, its main concern is giving hope to God’s people today.
This world is created by and for God’s purposes. God created all things and called them good. But evil lies close at hand and seeks to destroy God’s good creation. There is injustice. There is exploitation. Those with power don’t always use it in God-honoring ways. How does a good and almighty God resist this evil and restore creation to its intended purpose?
Answer: The King of Kings becomes the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ. Jesus confronts and destroys the ultimate power of evil through his suffering, death and resurrection from the dead. The original King-Sized Hope is born!
Because of this King-Sized Hope, all people who hope in Jesus can have this assurance:
“They will hunger no more, and thirst no more; the sun will not strike them, nor any scorching heat; for the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of the water of life, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” Revelation 7:16-17
This King-Sized Hope was the foundation of all Martin Luther King’s dreams. He didn’t just think that non-violent love was the most powerful weapon to resist every form of evil. He knew it to be true because Jesus had already revealed it to be so through his death and resurrection.
It is clear that MLK’s King-Sized Hope is deeply rooted in the hope of the King of Kings. Read this last paragraph of Martin Luther King’s last sermon, preached the day before he was killed.
“Well, I don’t know what will happen now. We’ve got some difficult days ahead. But it doesn’t matter with me now. Because I’ve been to the mountaintop. And I don’t mind. Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I’m not concerned about that now. I just want to do God’s will. And He’s allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I’ve looked over. And I’ve seen the promised land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people will get to the promised land. And I’m happy, tonight. I’m not worried about anything. I’m not fearing any man. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord.”
Maybe you aren’t facing death for your faith today. But if you’re following Jesus, you probably have some form of evil that you are up against. It might be evil from within or without. But it’s evil nonetheless. You may be tempted to give up. You may be tempted to hate. You may be tempted follow lesser gods. You may think evil has won. And you’d be wrong.
We have a King-Sized Hope – the only truly unstoppable momentum the world has ever known.
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Building Momentum: Walking Daily with Jesus
This week Spring of Life United Methodist Church launched an initiative to build momentum in the area of personal finance. It's not an effort to get people to give more money to the church. Even though I think giving money to the church is a fine idea, that's not what this initiative is about.
I'm convinced that our practices of managing money are a deeply spiritual issue. I preached on that issue this past Sunday. I believe that most people really want to give to the people and causes that are important to them. I believe that most people would like to be free to do the work that they love and be generous. I believe that most people would like to have less stress when it comes to finances. And I believe that all of that is possible to accomplish.
There are some basic money management principles (mostly followed by our grandparents and great grandparents) that we can learn about and follow to help us accomplish this. Dave Ramsey teaches these things well in the 13-week Financial Peace University Course. And our church is offering that course right now to anyone who would like to attend. The course materials are $80 but don't let that be a reason not to attend. We have schoarship help for those who need it. Check out our course days and times here.
With that said, basic money management principles are not everything you need to build the momentum God wants you to have. The only true way to financial peace (and any other kind of peace) is to walk daily with the Prince of Peace. Really, having finacial peace is only one aspect of becoming the whole person that God created us to be.
The weekly devotions on this blog will help you to get to know Jesus and build momentum in your relationship with God.
If you’ve never considered putting God first in your marriage, in your work, in your finances, in everything - here is the invitation to give that a try. God doesn’t promise to make our life work out like we want, but he does promise to surprise us with His healing grace. And he promises that over-time our lives will begin to bear the fruit of His Spirit – Love, Joy , Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness and Self Control.
While initially these devotions will focus more on the area of financial discipleship, you will see that this area affects everything else – our friendships, our job, our marriage, our prayer life, worship life, even our physical health. Perhaps this is one reason why over 800 verses in the Bible reference personal finance. Perhaps it is why Jesus talked more about money and giving than anything else.
God’s guidance, the Financial Peace University course and your willing spirit are an amazing combination for helping you make some changes and build some positive momentum in the area of personal finance.
Take a look at these short stories from people who have begun to feel the momentum. Feel free to share your own experience on this blog.
I'm convinced that our practices of managing money are a deeply spiritual issue. I preached on that issue this past Sunday. I believe that most people really want to give to the people and causes that are important to them. I believe that most people would like to be free to do the work that they love and be generous. I believe that most people would like to have less stress when it comes to finances. And I believe that all of that is possible to accomplish.
There are some basic money management principles (mostly followed by our grandparents and great grandparents) that we can learn about and follow to help us accomplish this. Dave Ramsey teaches these things well in the 13-week Financial Peace University Course. And our church is offering that course right now to anyone who would like to attend. The course materials are $80 but don't let that be a reason not to attend. We have schoarship help for those who need it. Check out our course days and times here.
With that said, basic money management principles are not everything you need to build the momentum God wants you to have. The only true way to financial peace (and any other kind of peace) is to walk daily with the Prince of Peace. Really, having finacial peace is only one aspect of becoming the whole person that God created us to be.
The weekly devotions on this blog will help you to get to know Jesus and build momentum in your relationship with God.
If you’ve never considered putting God first in your marriage, in your work, in your finances, in everything - here is the invitation to give that a try. God doesn’t promise to make our life work out like we want, but he does promise to surprise us with His healing grace. And he promises that over-time our lives will begin to bear the fruit of His Spirit – Love, Joy , Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness and Self Control.
While initially these devotions will focus more on the area of financial discipleship, you will see that this area affects everything else – our friendships, our job, our marriage, our prayer life, worship life, even our physical health. Perhaps this is one reason why over 800 verses in the Bible reference personal finance. Perhaps it is why Jesus talked more about money and giving than anything else.
God’s guidance, the Financial Peace University course and your willing spirit are an amazing combination for helping you make some changes and build some positive momentum in the area of personal finance.
Take a look at these short stories from people who have begun to feel the momentum. Feel free to share your own experience on this blog.
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